USA > California > Amador County > History of Amador County, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 61
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To return to the Plymouth or Willow Spring ditch. It was extended to Irish hill in the western part of the county, to work some gravel beds on the Arroyo Seco grant.
THE EMPIRE DITCH
Was constructed by George and Richard Withington, Charles Hutz, Samuel Ewing, Perrin and Crowell, taking water out of Sutter creek, about one mile below the town of Sutter Creek, distributing it around the country between Dry creek and Sutter creek, including the diggings around Muletown and vicinity. This eventually became consolidated with the Amanor canal, owned by the Johnstons.
THE AMADOR DITCH,
Said to be the first ditch of any length con- structed in the county, was made to take water from Sutter creck to the placers in the vicinity of Ione. It was thirteen miles in length, and cost about twenty thousand dollars.
THE BUENA VISTA DITCH
Also was supplied by water taken out of Sutter creek. This was surveyed by - Munger, and built by J. Foot Turner, about 1856, at a cost of eighteen thou- sand dollars. The main ditch was fifteen miles in length, and carried the water to the rich placers dis- covercd between Bucna Bista and Ione, about 1854 and 1855. Extensions were made to Chaney hill, also to Lincoln gulch, at a cost of several thousand
dollars, which, however, did not prove remunerative. Water at first was sold for twenty-five cents an inch, but as the better claims were worked out, it was reduced to ten cents. The property was generally remunerative.
A few years since it passed into the hands of some Italians, at a valuation of some fifteen hundred dollars.
THE LANCHA PLANA DITCH
Took water from Jackson creek, carrying it across the dividing ridge near Waters' ranch. It supplied Camp Opera, French Camp, Steven's gulch and China gulch, and was also extended to the hills in the vicinity of Putt's bar. The entire length was about thirty miles, costing about thirty thousand dollars. Walker, Proctor and Lancaster were the builders. When it was built water was sold at fifty cents per inch. This was one of the few ditches which proved remunerative.
THE NIGGER DITCH
Was built by a colored man, who had made several thousand dollars as a rag picker. It took water from Stony creek to the Buena Vista placers. It was about eight miles in length, and has long been abandoned.
POVERTY-BAR DITCH
Was mostly on the south side of the Mokelumne river, in Calaveras county. A branch, by means of a suspension flume ninety feet high, was carried across the river into Amador county near the famous Butler claim. The whole work cost ninety thousand dol- lars, and was built by McNeely, Davis, Morrow and McCarty, in 1857. The branch into Amador county came into competition with the Proctor and Walker ditch, and caused a reduction of the price of water.
THE VOLCANO DITCH
Was projected in 1855, by George Monkton, B. F. Whecler, James T. Farley, J. C. Shipman, M. W. Gordon, William Roberts, and W. A. Eliason, the latter person acting as the engineer. It connected Volcano with the head-waters of Panther and Tiger crecks and Mokclumne river, and had the greatest altitude of any of the canals in the county. The work was commenced in 1855, and completed the fol- lowing year. The cost was estimated at one hundred thousand dollars, the length being thirty-six miles. It was proposed to pay for the construction one- third cash, one-third notes, and one-third water scrip, or paid-up certificates, calling for water when the work was completed. The ditch ran over loose gravel a great deal of the way; the water supply was not equal to the expectation, and the company got involved. They borrowed ten thousand dollars of Charles D. Horne at ten per cent. per month, ex- pecting to be able to pay it in a short time, but the mortgage took the ditch. Dr. E. B. Harris also loaned the company some ten thousand dollars, but it was not so well secured, to him at least, and the money stayed loaned, Four or five years after it
34
266
HISTORY OF AMADOR COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
passed into the possession of Bayerque & Pioche, and within the last few years was transferred to Charles Me Langhlin, with the Ham ditch and other property, for a consideration of twenty-five thousand dollars. The first cost of the property so conveyed is esti- mated as follows : Jackson ditch, four hundred thou- sand dollars; Open Cut flume, ninety thousand dol- fars; Volcano ditch, one hundred and forty thousand dollars; total, six hundred and thirty thousand dollars.
The water scrip was not recognized by the subse- quent owners of the ditch, and the notes given by the company were worthless after the property. had passed out of their hands, and the whole matter of building and running it was the source of much dissatisfaction. The water-rights conveyed by the sale of these ditches to McLanghlin are immense and may seriously affect, perhaps jeopardize, the prosperity of the community.
COSUMNES WATER COMPANY.
The ditch belonging to this company was com- menced in 1852, by Samucl Loree and twenty others. They brought water into Fiddletown from the south fork of the Cosumnes in 1853, the length of the ditch being about forty-five miles, costing forty-five thou- sand dollars. The ground over which the ditch ran was very favorable for the construction, but some bad management involved the company in debt. The lumber for the flumes was sawed at the forks of the Cosumnes, so far away from the work that the haul- ing cost two hundred dollars per thousand feet. The company borrowed money at ten per cent. per month, which soon took the property. The ditch passed into the hands of C. A. Purinton, who still owns it. A branch from Dry creek, called the Eagle ditch, running to Quartz mountain and the Gover mines, costing about seven thousand dollars, was added after Purinton's purchase of the property. Water, for- merly sold for thirty cents, is now sold at eight cents per inch, with a probability of further reduction. This ditch, running through an agricultural country, is being used to irrigate orchards and vineyards, and offers great inducements for improvements in that lecality.
THE AMADOR CANAL.
The enterprise of the present Amador Canal and Mining Company was inaugurated by - Bowman and others about the year 1870, under the name of the Sutter Canal and Mining Company, by the pur- chase of the water-right of the old Butte Ditch Com- pany, which right controlled a large proportion of the waters of the north or main fork of the Mokel- umne river.
These parties nearly completed the construction of the canal from its lower terminus near the town of Sutter Creek to the vicinity of Bald Rock-a distance of over thirty miles-when, on account of financial embarrassment, the work was suspended.
The property subsequently went into the hands of a receiver, and was purchased by the present com- pany in the year 1873.
The construction of the unfinished portion of the works was commenced in October of the same year; and being to a considerable extent through solid rock, although pushed vigorously, it required nearly a year for its completion. In the Fall of 1874 the water through it was first applied as a motive power for the mills and mines of the county; from that date it has formed a very important feature in quartz mining. Owing to its cheapness and its superiority as a motive power, much low-grade orc has been worked, which, under the expensive method of work- ing by steam-power, would have still remained in the earth.
The surveyor under whose direction the work was laid out, was the late W. L. McKimm, of Jackson. The length of the main ditch is forty-five miles; size, six and a half feet on the bottom, nine on the top, and three feet deep; grade about eight feet to the mile. The velocity of the water is about two miles per hour. The distributing ditches aggregate about one hundred miles.
The ditch and its branches reach nearly every por- tion of the county where water is likely to be needed for mining or agricultural purposes, including in their course Clinton, Irishtown, Sutter Creek, Ama- dor City, Jackson, Butte City, Rancheria, New Chicago, Drytown, and Ione. The towns of Sutter Creck, Jackson and Amador are supplied with the water for domestic and other purposes. The eleva- tion of the canal at the head is about nineteen hun- dred feet above the sea level, which leaves it with an elevation sufficient to drive the heaviest machinery at all the towns along the lines of extension. The storage capacity is about six billion of gallons. The capital invested is about six hundred thousand dol- lars. The present price of water is twenty cents per miners' inch.
The project has been managed with the wisdom of thirty years' experience. It was built with labor at reasonable rates; has no extraordinary expenses, and the proprietors have no expectation of extra- ordinary profits. It may be considered as the inauguration of a new epoch in Amador county, which will witness an increased production in min- eral, mechanical and agricultural industries.
The present officers are J. S. Emery, president; B. N. Van Brunt, secretary; H. H. Towns, general superintendent.
In reading this account of the ditches of Amador county, one will be struck with their generally unprofitable character as a financial investment. A few short ditches were extremely profitable, making their owners comfortable fortunes in a few years. This was especially true of the Kilham ditches, which from the start were managed with discretion. The small ditch running into Fiddletown (Ofeta) paid its owners, in early days, one thousand dollars per month during the mining season; so of other short ditches in many places. Expensive flumes, which rotted down in two or three years; slides and wash-
267
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
outs, and constantly decreasing market for the water, caused some of the ditehes to be abandoned soon after their construction. The hope that was enter- tained, that they would be serviceable for agriculture, has not been realized. The long trestle-work on which they were built, which is now superceded by iron pipes; the high grades, sometimes twenty feet to the mile, causing a rapid flow and great wearing of the banks; and the location of ditches in other agricultural sections, has prevented those first con- strueted from being utilized by the farmers.
The following list of ditches, published in 1861. when placer mining was in its zenith, will be inter- esting as mentioning many ditehes then in active use but now abandoned and forgotten :-
AMADOR COUNTY.
NAME OF DITCH.
SOURCE OF WATER.
Miles.
Cost.
NAME OF OWNER.
Amador
Sutter Creek
13 820,000 J. Johnston & Bros.
Amador County Canal
Mokelumne River. 66 400,000 Pioche & Bayerque.
Boyle. .
3,500 James Mehan.
Buckeye.
Sutter Creek ..
5
3,000 White & Co.
Buena Vista.
Sutter Creek .
15 18,000 J. Foote Turner.
Butte Canal.
Mokelumne River.
50 125,000 Butte Canal Co.
Consumnes Water Co.
Cosumnes River .. 22 40,000 C. A. Purinton.
Dry Creek ..
Dry Creek
4
6,000 Davis & Co.
Indian Gulch.
Jackson Creek .
10 10,000 W. L. McKimm.
Indian Gulch. .
Rancheria Creek ..
2,000 Duell & Co.
Kellum Ditehes (3)
Jackson Creek
22
22,000 Butte Canal Co.
Laneha Plana
Jackson Creek
30
30,000 Proctor & Bowdon.
Lorce's
Rancheria Creek.
5
2,000 Samuel Loree.
Mecks
Jackson Creek
1,500 Meeks & Sons.
Mile Gulch.
Rancheria Creek Sutter Creek.
1
90,000 Pioche & Bayerque.
Pardee's.
Jackson Creek
25
15,000 Reuben Fry, Agent.
Pigeon Creek.
Cosumnes River
8,000 Simpson & Co.
Potosi
Dry Creek
5
2,500 Hinkston & Glover.
Proetor, Walker & Co.
Jackson Creek
14
16,000 Walker & Lancaster.
Reichling & Alt (2).
Sutter Creek.
S
10,000 Reichling & Alt.
Richtmyer.
Dry Creek
15
10,000 B. F. Richtmyer.
Rich & Co.
Big Bar Canon
5
4,000 Rich & Co.
Ritter
Cosumnes River ..
25 150,000 Est. of Wm. Ritter.
Sutter Creek and Volcano. Sutter Creek. ..
7
18,000 J. E. Warner.
Volcano
Mokelumne R. trib 43 140,000 Pioche & Bayerque.
The water-rights are likely to be a source of liti- gation in the future. It is an open question whether the old riparian customs should not be restored, and the right to divert a stream from its course be rele- gated to the eminent domain from which it has been wrenched by the temporary necessities born of min- ing interests. A water monopoly is not less detri- mental to a country than a land monopoly, especially in a rainless climate requiring artificial irrigation to insure the maturity of fruits and grains.
CHAPTER XLI. PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
First School in the State-School System-First School Report -First County Superintendent-School-book War-School Census in 1863 by Districts-School Statistics-Condition . of Schools in 1871-Tribute to School-teachers.
PROVISIONS for public schools were made at the first session of the Legislature, in 1849. Five hun- dred thousand acres of land, which had been donated by Congress for this purpose, was to be used so as to make a perpetual fund, with a proviso, however, that it might be used for other purposes "if the public exigencies required." This produced an animated
debate, it being justly considered that " public exi- gencies " was rather an indefinite term, and would be found to endanger the existence of a school fund. The proviso was striken out by a majority of one vote. It was made essential to have a three months' school in each year, in order to have a portion of the public fund. Mr. Semple of Sonoma seems to have had the clearcst ideas of the necessary details. The effort to organize a general fund sacred to public schools was opposed by William M. Gwin and Gen- eral H. W. Halleck, and conditions were actually imposed on the formation of a fund which resulted in the sale and loss of fifty thousand acres of the school lands before the matter was placed on a secure basis. It was thought by many that these school lands, some of which were located in the mines, would furnish a revenue sufficiently large to. run the whole State government.
THE FIRST FREE SCHOOL IN THE STATE
Was organized in San Francisco, April 2, 1850. Small schools were established in the mining towns in many places. The writer recollects of seeing in Placerville, in 1851, a class of half a dozen being taught by a carpenter in his shop, in the intervals of nailing together rockers and long-toms. The school lands seemed to benefit the State very little during the first years, the system of surveys being so bung- ling and impracticable that it was difficult to organ- ize the fund out of the sales.
THE FIRST SCHOOL REPORT.
Was published in 1852, by John G. Marvin. He recommended several important changes in the school law, among others, that a tax of five cents should be levied on each hundred dollars; that the office of County Superintendent should be created; that provision should be made for school libraries, and that the proceeds of the swamp and overflowed lands be applied to the school fund. He estimated the value of the sixteenth and thirty-sixth sections, and the five hundred thousand acres, (special grant,) to be worth eight million dollars. In his report is the first intimation of the condition and number of the children in Calaveras county. He estimates the number of children at one hundred, and no school, El Dorado county being in the same condition.
In the second annual report, 1852, the number of public schools in the whole State was said to be only twenty; that the sales of land had produced a fund of three hundred thousand dollars; that the number of children in the State, between four and eightcen years, was seventeen thousand eight hun- dred and twenty-one, three thousand three hundred and fourteen attending school. He recommended that the county Assessors be made, ex officio, County Superintendents; that no Catholic schools be allowed any portion of the public fund. In 1852, the sales of land belonging to the school fund amounted to three hundred thousand dollars.
In 1853, the Legislature enacted that the school fund should not be used for any other purpose what-
4
2,000 N. Parsons.
Open Cut Flum
Purinton's.
Phelps & Co.
Sutter Creek. Dry Creek
6 6,000 Phelps & Co.
268
HISTORY OF AMADOR COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
ever; that religions and sectarian schools should not have a pro rate of the school fund. The County Superintendent was authorized to appoint thrce school commissioners for each school district. Paul K. Hubbs, State Superintendent, recommended that the school fund shonkl be apportioned according to the number of children attending school, instead of the census returns.
In 1854, the Legislature provided that fifteen per cent. of the poll-tax should be paid into the school fund. An attempt was made this session to repeal the Article prohibiting the granting of money to sectarian schools, but the proposed law did not reach a vote. The Superintendent reported the number of children attending school as having increased from two thousand in 1853, to five thousand seven hundred and fifty-one, in 1854; this being the first attempt made to get a tabulated statement of school matters.
In 1855, D. R. Ashley introduced about the same measures that had been defeated the previous ses- sion. This, among other things, provided that no sectarian doctrines should be taught in schools receiving public money. It also provided that no money should be apportioned to any school not taught by a regularly examined and licensed teacher. It is likely that these stringent provisions forever settled the question of maintaining sectarian schools out of the publie funds.
In 1856, Paul K. Hubbs recommended that a uni- form series of text books be used. This was one great step in advance, as previous to this every school, in fact every pupil, had his own text books, creating much confusion in all the schools.
In 1857, Andrew J. Moulder became State Super- intendent. The number of schools had now increased to four hundred and eighty-six; the number of chil- dren, from eleven thousand two hundred and forty- two to thirty-five thousand seven hundred and twenty-two. He was devoted in his attention to the prosperity of the schools, and did much to create an interest in the publie mind. He strongly rec ommended the establishment of a polytechnic school, which should be able to turn out practical metallur- gists and miners; predicted the immense mining interests to be developed. At this time no surveys had been made, and the sixteenth and thirty-sixth seetions of land were practically useless.
Schools had been established in 1853 in Volcano, Jackson, Sutter Creek and Ione. Mention has been made in the township histories of schools in each of these places. In the records of the first Court of Sessions held in Amador county may be found a minute that J. K. Payne was excused from jury duty because he was engaged in building a school-house at Volcano. The sight of a child in early days would almost draw out a donation for a school. The first School Superintendent of Amador county was Dr. J. W. Goodin, who was appointed in 1855. Previous to this the duties of apportionment had been per-
formed by Henry Eichelberger, the County Assessor. There were many persons who interested themselves in schools. In Volcano were Levi Hanford and wife, John Turner, W. H. Jones, and others. Mrs. Hanford taught a school in the old Methodist church in 1853, as did also Sempronius (Pony) Boyd in 1855. S. T. Tackerberry and M. M. Estce, two young men then studying law, are also remembered as having taught at Volcano in early days. The latter is now a prominent lawyer in San Francisco; the former has drifted out of sight. W. T. A. Gibson, now of Stockton, was also a teacher there.
Many dunces as well as able men found their way into the school-houses. The Trustees of the districts were appointed by the County Superintendent on the recommendation of the patrons, the process being a virtual election. Sometimes the Trustees were edu- cated men, in which case competent teachers would be employed. They were also the examiners, and were compelled to go through the form of an exam- ination, whether the candidate for teacher was a graduate of Dartmouth or Yale, or some one whose muscles were not adapted to achieving success in the mines, and whose moral and mental fibre was still weaker.
A college graduate was required to know the mul- tiplication table, also how many pints make one quart, or how many inches make one foot, how many feet one rod, etc. If he was able to perform these mathematical feats he was permitted to teach in the public schools for one year, and so also of any one who could perform them, whether a collegian or not. The utmost latitude was allowed in books, any kind or none at all being equally permitted. Some were brought across the plains, some "around the Horn," and if any preference was shown it was for the voice of the majority of pupils, or rather the book that was in the possession of the majority. Sanders' readers were, perhaps, the most numerous, while grammars and arithmetics were unlimited in number. The incompetency of a majority of the teachers, the diversity of school-books and the irreg- ular attendance of pupils, and rate-bills, all tended to render the schools, to a great extent, failures. They merely served as a starting-point for the sys- tem, which, under the management of such men as Geo. W. Minns, Crawford, Swett, Denman, Campbell, present State Superintendent, and others, has devel- oped into a wonderful power for good.
In 1856, the
FIRST COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT
Was elected. E. B. McIntyre was an old school- master in the Eastern States, and brought with him the notion that the perpetuity of republican institu- tions rests on the general intelligence of the people. He labored hard to work the system up to a useful point, but the indifference of the public, as well as the organie defeets of the system, were in the way. Successful schools are growths of civilization, not the results of legal enactments. Not until officers,
269
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
teachers, parents and pupils have, to some extent, been gradually prepared for it, will a complex, though finally useful system, be successfully put into operation. Mr. McIntyre reported that he expe- rienced great difficulty in getting the Trustces of the schools to report to him, although the failure to do so compelled him to withhold their pro rata of the public money.
In 1857, Paul K. Hubbs, State Superintendent, reported that no such thing as a public school existed in the State; that the rate bills and other expenses practically excluded many from the schools, and urged a greater appropriation, which was done by the Legislature of 1858, which not only increased the school fund, but authorized the separate districts to raise a special school tax on all the property. The bill was so carelessly drawn, however, as to render it, in many instances, inoperative.
Andrew J. Moulder was clected State Superintend- ent in 1858. He was a hard-working, conscientious man, and did much to arouse the attention of the public to the condition of the schools.
He made the first able report of the condition of the schools. The number of children had now reached 29,347. He reported that the cost of controlling and punishing the eriminals had amounted to $754,- 193.80 in the past five years, while but $284,183.69 had been expended for school purposes; in other words, that the 400 criminals cost three times as much to the State as the 30,000 children, eaeh crim - inal eosting $1,885, cach child, $9. He recom- mended that each district be required to have six months school in the year.
The total number of children in Amador county under eighteen was 2,114
Between four and eighteen 1,377 Boys 763
Girls 614
Under four
737
Daily average attendance
383
State funds for the year $2,336 00
Raised by county taxes 2,550 83
bills and district taxes. 5,315 84
Total expenditure for schools $10,202 67 Estimated value of school property. $12,825 00
This is the first account of the schools in the eounty which ean be found in print. H. H. Rhees was County Superintendent.
The following list of School Trustees and Teachers by Districts, in 1858, will be interesting :-
JACKSON-Trustees, A. C. Brown, John Mushett, W. L. McKimm. Teachers, A. W. Kerr, Mrs. A. W. Kerr.
IONE-Trustees, J. F. Turner, J. H. Stevens, S. Love. Teacher, J. A. Peters.
PINE GROVE-J. D. Luttrell, A. Leonard, A. P. Clough. Teacher, Miss Dane.
DRYTOWN-Trustees, D. W. Seaton, R. K. Wick, C. W. Fox. Teacher, H. P. Hinkson.
SUTTER CREEK-Trustees, N. A. Green, W. T. Wild- man, A. Hayward. Teacher, E. B. McIntyre.
VOLCANO-Trustees, A. N. Ballard, John Turner, S. B. Boardman. Teacher, M. M. Estee.
FIDDLETOWN (OLETA)-Trustees, John D. Williams, D. M. Goff, J. F. Ostrum. Teacher, W. J. Cooper.
AMADOR-Trustees, W. S. Porter, D. Barry, P. Kusart.
BUENA VISTA-Trustees, P. Y. Cool, J. T. Joiner, John Kite.
JACKSON VALLEY-Trustees, Simon Prouty, Joseph Lewis, W. H. Amiek.
UNION CHURCH-Trustees, R. K. Sexton, A. F. Potter.
CLINTON-Trustees, Linus Morgan, Hugh Robin- son, M. Tynan.
The school system met with many severe attacks, and had many battles to win before it could be firmly established in a working condition. The ablest opponent to the system in the State is now, and always has been, Zachary Montgomery, a lawyer, residence in Oakland. As a member of the Legisla- ture, he fought the common sehool system and opposed its establishment with the same vigor which he has since shown.
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