USA > California > Amador County > History of Amador County, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 28
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DEATH OF THE HON. ROBERT LUDGATE.
This oeeurred February 15, 1878, while in Saera- mento attending, as far as his failing health would allow, to his duties as Legislator. He was born in the county of Waterford, Ireland, and was forty- four years old at the time of his death. He came to the United States in 1850, and a year later to California, settling in Ione valley, where he built up a home. He was a man of warm feelings, active temperament, strong convictions, and un- doubted integrity, winning the respeet and esteem of all with whom he became acquainted. His death was not unexpected, as he had been suffering for many years from a pulmonary disease. A committee of both houses was appointed to escort his remains to Ione, and assist in the funeral ecremonics.
FINANCIAL MATTERS IN 1878.
Rates of taxes :---
For State Fund. .55 c.
Gen. Redemption Fund. .57ł c.
Current Expense .65 c.
Hospital Red'ption .153c.
Hospital Current Expense Fund .. .20 c.
School Fund.
24 c.
.13 c .- $2.50 Road
November 4th, the Treasurer reported
outstanding warrants on Current Expense Fund. $10,947 98
Hospital Current Expense Fund ... 224 83
Salary
66 2,530 15
General Redemption
43,032 74
Hospital 66 . . 10,138 63- $66,874 33
This does not seem to include interest, which two years before was estimated at $38,963.73.
This would carry the debt to upwards of $100,000.
POLITICAL PARTIES IN 1878.
The usual politieal problems were postponed to consider the matter of framing a new Constitution. For once in our history the people were engaged in diseussing the first principles of government. The overshadowing growth of the great railroad eom- pany, which had extended its Briarian arms, so as to bring every industry, whether mercantile, agricultu- ral, or meehanieal, under its influenee; the growth of the gas and water companies in the cities; the appro- priation of the streams flowing from the mountains by the ditch and water companies; the holding of large tracts of land, amounting in some instances to one hundred thousand aeres, for purely speculative purposes, as well as many other similar institutions, 16
caused a general fear in the State, that a few were soon to have the wealth, and that poverty was to be the inheritance of the workers. In the cities the agitation was greatest among the day laborers, who beheld a favored few-unjustly favored in the minds of the laborers-rolling along the streets in casy earriages, while they, who had built the houses, worked the mines, and made the property, were working for barely enough to obtain the merest nceessaries of life. In San Francisco, Sacramento, and Stockton, socialistie sentiments prevailed to a great extent, and at one time, when Kearney was organizing the workers, as well as those who never did nor would work, into a voting party, the pros- peet of a foreible distribution of property was quite imminent. Hundreds of ficree, brutal faees hung on his words and listened for the expceted order to help themselves to all they wanted, and, also, take satis- faetion for past sufferings and injuries.
During the working of the placer mines, when any one who would work eould make three dollars or more per day, thousands wasted their earnings on cards, whisky, or women. A stream of gold flowed to the eities, building up stores, dwellings, and big bank accounts, leaving the worked-out gulches and hills, and the old, worn-out, dilapidated miners as the heritage of the country that furnished the wealth. Many of these demoralized miners drifted towards the cities, following the wake of their departed means, and, homeless, hopeless, and useless, joined the eity vagrants in their efforts to compel the resti- tution of their wasted wealth, their sole political aim being to " give old money-bags hell."
In the country, especially in Amador county, the agitation was on a different basis. Here were numerous small proprietors, owning ten to one hundred aeres of land stoeked with a few eattle and sheep, who did their own work, and who, by industry and close economy, eould make both ends of saving and expenditure meet at the end of the year. Every year the Assessor eame around and made a note of every pig, chicken, or cow that was about the place. The land, as well as improvements, was assessed up to full value. If, in consequence of sickness or a failure of crops, the farmer had been compelled to mortgage his home to keep things going, the taxes remained unabated. It was known that men with large sums of money loaned out at high interest, paid nominal taxes. When money could be made to pay two or three per cent. per month it was forthcoming, but when taxes were assessed it was a nonentity. It was like the little joker under Lucky Bill's* fingers: now you could see it, but when the thimble was lifted it was not there.
It was known that large traets of land that were held for purely speculative purposes, paid only a
*William Thornton (Lucky Bill) made a hundred thousand dollars or more in Placerville, in 1850, with a piece of sponge, which he dexteronsly played under two or three thimbles. He induced thousands of men to bet a hundred on finding it, gener- ally taking in the money.
·
122
HISTORY OF AMADOR COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
nominal tax. It was believed that the producing class bore the brunt of taxation, while corporated companies and dealers in stocks virtually escaped.
The subject of taxation was discussed at every fire- side in the county. The farmers and gardeners had no feclings in common with the socialist or com- munist. Dennis Kearney could not have raised a corporal's guard who would indorse his theory of political economy. But the feeling of distrust towards capitalists, for a short time, united the most antipodal extremes, and found the farmers voting with city proletariats. This was manifested less in the cicction of delegates than in the vote to adopt the Constitution afterwards framed. The non-partisan ticket prevailed, Wm. H. Prouty, a farmer of Jack- son valley, and John A. Eagon, a lawyer, being clected delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The selection of these two was evidently a compro- mise or union of the solid parts of both Republican and Democratic parties, as a measure of defense against the wild theories of the Kcarney party in the citics.
THE VOTE ON ADOPTION OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION
Showed a preponderance of the farming interest for the Constitution, and of the mining interest against it, Ione City, which was the center of the farming population, giving seventy-one majority for the Con- stitution, while Amador, Plymouth, Drytown and Volcano were as decidedly against, the former town giving nearly ten to onc. This overwhelming oppo- sition was ascribed to the influence of the minc owners, who induced the workmen to believe the mills would stop under the new Constitution.
For.
Against.
Amador
20
190
Clinton
34
28
Drytown
21
115
Enterprise
1
14
Forest Home
15
31
Ham's Station
8
5
Ione City
174
103
Jackson
207
207
Oleta
62
45
Lancha Plana
32
53
Plymouth
70
166
*Sutter Creek
224
133
Volcano.
140
171
Total
1008
1261
Majority for adoption, 253.
FINANCIAL MATTERS IN 1879.
Tax rates :-
For State Purposes.
623 c.
General Redemption Fund.
573c.
Expense Fund
67 &c.
Hospital Redemption Fund.
153 c.
Hospital Current Expense Fund.
.20c.
School Fund
.24c.
Road Fund.
.13c .- $2 60
*Sutter Creek seemed to have voted differently from the other mining towns. This was owing to a partial resuscitation of the Miners' League.
ASRESSMENT ROLL.
Real Estate. $025,409 00
Improvements . 979,110 00
Personal Property
661,369 00
Money. 12,183 00-$2,578,071 00
Taxes on the same.
67,307 78
State Portion.
16,179 75
County Portion 51,128 03- $67,307 78
TREASURER'S REPORT, OCTOBER 31, 1879.
Outstanding Warrants on-
Current Expense Fund $ 7,057 66}
Hospital Expense Fund. 1,536 48
Salary Expense Fund .. 8,450 95
General Redemption Fund,
41,812 34
Hospital Redemption Fund. 8,606 38-$67,463 81}
Cash in treasury to apply 24,847 61
Total Indebtedness $42,611 20}
As this report was made previous to the applica- tion of the current year's revenue, it shows an undue amount of debt.
January 31st, following-
The indebtedness, exclusive of interest .. : $69,493 76
Cash in Treasury to apply. 61,060 31
Leaving $8,433 45
POLITICAL MATTERS IN 1879.
The election following the Constitutional Conven- tion, would naturally partake of the peculiar char- acter of the previous year's canvass; but it seemed that the reaction setting in over the State, was felt also in Amador county. The impracticability of righting all wrongs by statute law, became manifest as the Convention set about the work, so that the ficrce and positive opinions became considerably modified in the course of a few months. The elec- tion of most of the old officers was a natural result. Where new ones were substituted, men of moderatc opinions were chosen. Dr. Brusic, an old resident of the county, and a highly esteemed man, never had been active in politics, and was elected more for his personal popularity, than for any speeches he had made on the stump. The same might be said of R. C. Downs, who had resided in the county for thirty years. He had been engaged in quartz mining most of the time, in which vocation he had been eminently successful, having opened and devel- oped some of the richest mines in the county, as carly as 1851. Fontenrose, the new County Clerk, was a young man, born of Italian parents, and cdu- cated in the county. He received the full Republi- can vote, and also many of the votes of Democratic Italians. This class of foreign citizens formerly voted the Democratic ticket unanimously, but the . solidarity is being broken up, and in a few ycars they are likely to divide on all political questions.
Judge Moore, elected to the position of Superior Judge, is a young and promising lawyer, and fills the position with honor to himself, and satisfaction to all who bring business before him.
It will be observed that B. F. Langford, State Senator, is a resident of San Joaquin county, which, three years before, was joined to Amador as a joint Senatorial District, for one Senator. As Amador
123
REVIEW FROM 1870 TO 1880.
had the nomination of the first Senator on that plan, the second fell to San Joaquin.
OFFICERS ELECTED.
Superior Judge-Geo. Moore.
State Senator-B. F. Langford.
Assemblymen-L. Brusie, R. C. Downs. District Attorney-A. Caminetti.
County Clerk-L. J. Fontenrose.
Sheriff-John Vogan.
Treasurer-James Mechan.
Surveyor-J. A. Brown. Assessor-A. Petty.
Superintendent Schools-L. Miller.
Coroner and Public Administrator-II. Schacht.
THE NEW CONSTITUTION AND THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
At the general election held in the month of Sep- tember, 1879, the people adopted the new Constitu- tion, which took effect on the first day of January succeeding.
By the provisions of this instrument the entire judicial system of the State was revolutionized, and new courts succeeded to the powers and jurisdiction of the old ones. Prior to January, 1880, Hon. George E. Williams, of El Dorado county, was the Judge of the District Court, embracing within its territorial boundaries, the counties of Amador, Calaveras, and El Dorado; and Hon. A. C. Brown was the Judge of the County Court of Amador county.
By the new Constitution the combined jurisdiction of these two tribunals in this county, was merged into one court-called the "Supreme Court of the County of Amador," with one Judge, who was elected at the general election in 1879, and took his seat on the first Monday in January, 1880.
At that time, Hon. George Moore, of Jackson, was elected to the position of "Superior Judge," for a term of five years. Judge Moore is a native of Kentucky, a regular graduate of Centre College, and at the date of his elevation to the bench was about thirty years of age, being one of the youngest Superior Court Judges in the State.
This new judicial system, which establishes and keeps open at all times, a court of general common law, equity, and criminal jurisdiction in each county of the State, would, it was thought, greatly facilitate the speedy trial of causes, and prove more econom- ical in everyway, both to litigants and tax-payers.
Having now watched its workings for one year, we are satisfied that these expectations are being fully realized. In this, and indeed in every county throughout the State, we find that it is daily growing in popularity with both bar and bench, as well as with . the people. We no longer hear from any quarter, the many complaints in reference to the delay and expense incident to litigation under the old system; but all who arc best posted touching these matters, unite in saying that the ehange was one much needed, and one which will promote the best interests of the entire Statc.
FINANCIAL MATTERS IN 1880.
At the close of the fiscal year the Treasurer reported outstanding warrants on-
Current Expense Fund. $10,101 71
Salary Fund. . 7,344 41
Hospital Expense Fund. 456 57 Redemption Fund, excluding interest. . 41,812 34 Hospital Redemption Fund. 8,601 38-$69,493 76
Cash in Treasury to apply. 61,060 31
Indebtedness exclusive of interest $8,433 45
It would have been more satisfactory to have known the exact amount, but the calculations of interest seem to be repulsive to most persons except those who are to receive it. The most careless reader will perceive that the debt is being gradually cxtin- guished, however, forming a pleasing contrast to the end of the previous decade, when the principal was one hundred thousand dollars, and the interest as much more, amounting to two hundred and cight thousand dollars, with habits of careless extrava- ganee to add to the burden.
POLITICAL PARTIES OF 1880.
With the return of the Presidential campaign eame the resort to abusc. It looks like folly to recur so often to these things. Those who, for the first time, vote the Presidential ticket might imagine that it was possible that a rascal had wriggled into the nomination. Those whose memory extends back a half century, or whose reading extends over the hun- dred years of our national existence, will know that this personal abuse is peculiar to no age, no Presi- dential campaign, no year; that it does not depend upon malaria in the atmosphere or dyspepsia pre- vailing in the national stomach, but is ineidental to a free discussion of political matters, whether by a mob of Athenians, a body of dignified Senators, or a crowd of sand-lot political economists. No man, however exalted his character, can expect to escape. Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, and Lincoln, men whom a grateful posterity have enshrined, felt the bitterness of vindictive misrepresentation. At the elose of Washington's administration, a resolution approving his administration and recommending his successors to follow in his footsteps, met the fiercest opposition. Mr. Giles, Senator from Virginia, Wash- ington's own State, remarked: " I do not consider his administration an able one; on the contrary, I think it is to his imbecility and cowardice that we owe all our misfortunes." Probably no President ever received severer language on the floor of Congress. Quite a number of men voted against the resolution, among the number being Andrew Jackson, then a Senator by appointment from the recently admitted State of Tennessce. The Philadelphia Aurora, a leading Republican paper, commenced an article, on the day spoken of, in this wise :-
"'Lord lettest thou now thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen the glory of thy salva- tion.' If ever any nation had reason to utter this, it is this nation. If any people cver had occasion to
1
124
HISTORY OF AMADOR COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
utter it, it is this people, for this day the author of all our woes retires to private life. Let him go to that retirement which he so much desires."
And much more of the same sort. Volumes could be filled with the written and spoken abuse of our best men; but it is not the province of this work to contain a history of the United States. The vituper- ation, the charges of treason, cowardice, dishonesty, and everything else conceivable that is bad, that were hurled at the distinguished men who were candidates for the Presidency, are the subjects of mys- tery. That Garfield should have sold himself for three hundred and twenty-nine dollars, or that IIan- cock contemplated handing his army over to the rebels, is, now that the campaign is over, too absurd to deserve a thought. How people can bring them- selves to such a mental condition is mysterious, but it is probably the same faculty of imagination which induced a man to think he had married an angel and then induced him to larrup her within an inch of her life in less than a week from the wedding day. The election passed off, and as the sun went down so did the passions and anger which the occasion had engendered, the smoke of the jubilee bonfires and powder being the last of it.
ELECTION RETURNS-1880.
CANDIDATES.
Jackson ... . >'
ChutoN . ... ..
Tone C:tv ..
Lancha Plana
Volcano. . ..
Ham's Station
Amador ..
Sutter Creek.
Drytown .
Forest Home.
Pymouth.
o.eta . .
Total.
PRESIDENT.
Hancock (D.).
30€
59 146
47.21%
17 166 192
45
27 132
73 1411
Garfield (R.).
22
23.141
49 193
11 106:215
95
33.18%
54 1345
J. R. Glascock (D.)
29"
51 115
4 219
H. F. Page (R.).
227
29 14:
49 195
17 163 183 11 103,214
4:
95
53|1348
ASSEMBLYMEN.
Thomas Dunlap (D.).
231
53|14C
47
220
16 150 204
44
27 113
71 1377
C. B. Swift (D.).
269
55 16.
43 219
17|157 133
43
25 133
73 1381
J. A. Eagon (R.) ..
239
24|120
49 184
12 86 162
92
40 176
52 1245
Chapman Walkins (R.). 277
27|136
49|195
11 112 216;
95
39 186: 53 1398
The careful reader will see that the average Dem- ocratic majority has been decreasing for some years, being less than one hundred where it was formerly three hundred. The two persons elected to the Leg- islature were new men. Swift, a man of reading and culture, had modestly kept in the background until forced to accept a nomination. Warkins is a profes- sional miner, who has studied the structure of veins wall rocks, dips, and strikes, more than tariffs and taxes. He is a man of mature judgment and inflex- ible integrity, and is not likely to be bribed or led into the support of vicious legislation.
REVIEW FROM 1870 TO 1880.
At the beginning of this decade the county was two hundred and eight thousand dollars in debt; the population was decreasing; the placer mines had become comparatively exhausted; the population, being made up largely of women and children, instead of the stalwart, healthy men who settled the country, had become less self-sustaining, and a general decline in all industrial industries seemed imminent. The towns of Sutter and Amador alone seemed to be in a flourishing condition. These
towns furnished the best market for lumber, wood, and agricultural products, and in one way and another contributed towards sustaining every indus- try. We have seen the effect of economy in county expenditures, which, without increasing the rate of taxation, has so worn away the public debt that it is expected to call in the last outstanding warrant by the first of January, 1884. Though quartz mining has mostly ceased in Sutter Creek, where its annual productions once reached millions, it has been placed on a paying basis in several places (notably Volcano and Plymouth), where it was not profitable before, and largely increased in other places, as Amador and Jackson. New mines are being opened at several places which bid fair to rival, in richness and perma- nency, the once rich mines of Sutter Creek. Agri- culture has received a new impetus, and small vineyards, orchards, and farms, are appearing on the hill-sides and valleys, which are made to teem with life by means of the water from the mining ditches. The population is increasing in numbers, the cen- sus returns showing an increase of one thou- sand seven hundred and forty since 1870, being nearly twenty per cent. More permanent buildings are being erected, and more extensive farming oper- ations contemplated. The population have less expectation of getting rich suddenly, and are more willing to labor for a fair compensation. Better school-houses are being erected and the attendance is more constant, showing better results in every way.
The once common vices of gambling and drinking with the usual accompaniments of lewdness and obscenity, are vanishing before a healthy public opin- ion, a sense of self-respect taking the place of the recklessness of carly days. Most of the surround- ings are conducive to the building up of peaceful, hon- orable industries, and an industrious and virtuous community.
NOTE .- Those who undertake to verify the statistics of the last two chapters, will discover many inaccuracies. They have been compiled from newspapers, the official reports not being accessible. Only professional statisticians, like DeBow or Walker, can handle large columns of figures without confusing them. Though imperfect in detail, the general results are sub- stantially correct. The publishers give them as the best attain- able.
27 130 30 186
74 139S
CONGRESS.
LITH BRITTON & PEY S.F.
Ino Topan
THOMPSON & WEST PUB, OAKLAND CAL.
125
GEOLOGY OF AMADOR COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXV.
GEOLOGY OF AMADOR COUNTY.
Strata in Buena Vista Mountain-Carboniferous Clays-Granitic Sandstone-Glacial Epoch-Supposed Section of the Mount- ains-Former Course of the Rivers-Account of the Blue Lead-Stratified Rocks-Serpentine Range-Chromate of Iron.
SOME account of its geology seems absolutely necessary in connection with the extensive mining interests; yet it is rather dangerous ground to step on. Every day is bringing some discovery; which sweeps away an old and well-established opinion. To write an opinion of its geology may subject one to the fate experienced by Dr. Lardner, who wrote a very copious book, demonstrating beyond a doubt the impossibility of crossing the ocean by steam. About the time the book was well out, a steamer crossed the ocean, without paying any attention to the impossibility. It would be of little use to the majority of the readers of this book to tell them that the slates were what is called hypogene schistose, by some authors, to signify that they might have come from the earth in an injection between the vertical rocks; or metamorphic slates by others, to signify that they had been altered by heat, or other causes; that these slates were gen- erally metaliferous, and that veins of ores of all kinds might be found in such rocks. These matters are known to scientific readers, and are but the skeleton parts, which must be clothed with a thousand accom- panying facts to make geology a living, interesting topic. The limits of this work will not permit a full treatise of the geology of this county, even if the author were fully able, which is not the case. Only the most obvious and important matters, with the proofs that can be seen without much trouble or expense, will be noticed.
A large volume might be written on the subject, without exhausting it; and years, aye, a life-time, might be spent in the study of geology, and still only penetrate the outer precincts of the science. A distinguished geologist, who had given a quarter of a century to the study, said if one could live a thousand years he might know something about it. While the author disclaims any pretensions to pro- found knowledge of this subject, in justice to him- self and readers, he claims to have given it much thought. Twenty-five years' residence in the county, close and careful observation, with perhaps as much . reading as generally falls to a laboring man, has given him an opportunity to appreciate, if not to master, the difficulties of some of the problems in geology. As scarcely one of the subscribers to this work will claim or acknowledge any skill in this science, the writer may be excused for treating it in a popular manner. If some one of our young readers may be induced to give the subject his atten- tion, if only one IIugh Miller, is kindled with a desire to be able to read the records of creation, as told by the rocks, and shall give a score of years of
active, vigorous life, to the examination of the sub- ject, so as to be able to give the world a true geology, the writer will have been a thousand times remuner- ated.
TIME.
In treating of geology, I must ask my readers to make a free use of time. Let thousands, aye, hun- dreds of thousands of years enter into our calcu- lations without fear of using up that part of the material, for Nature is never pressed for time. No matter how small the yearly progress, time will accomplish great changes. Those who have given chronology thorough study, think they can trace the creation back six hundred millions of years. Let us consider too that change, if not life, is the inher- ent quality of all matter; that no form is permanent; that the " eternal hills" is truc not for a day even; that the loftiest mountain, buttressed with granite, was once sleeping beneath the sea, and will again; that the deep sea holds mountain chains in her bosom, that will, in their own good time, emerge to the light.
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