USA > California > Del Norte County > History of Del Norte County, California : with a business directory and travelers guide > Part 5
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The next step was to establish a basis on which to divide it. On this point the words of the Act creating the Board of Examiners were, "and when the amount of in- debtedness is so ascertained, they shall determine the amount of said indebtedness to be paid by Del Norte county, taking as a basis the sources of revenue of the two counties." The Del Norte Examiners therefore proposed to take as a basis the sources of revenue of the two coun- ties for the year ending in 1858, taking the licenses for May, June and July, 1857, as the basis for the year.
This apportionment would have resulted as follows: Revenue of Klamath for the year, $10,659.80; revenue of Del Norte, $6,555.75.
At which rate the proportion of Del Norte would have
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APPORTIONMENT OF THE DEBT.
been a trifle more than one third of the whole debt. To this proposition the Examiners on the part of Klamath dissented, urging as a reason for their dissent, that it was working injustice to them to take into the calculation the revenue derived from Foreign Miner's License. It was urged upon the Klamath Examiners that if the For- eign Miner's License was a source of revenue, they (the Klamath Examiners) were unjust; if it was not a source of revenue their view was correct. And to show how strongly it was relied on as a source of revenue, the fact was mentioned that an adjoining county in Oregon relied entirely upon this tax for the support of her county gov- ernment, and levied no property tax at all. However, the Klamath Examiners were firm in their refusal, and the Examiners from Del Norte, would accept no other propo- sition.
The Board then endeavored to agree upon a fifth man to decide the point, but there they failed again, and were compelled to adjourn without accomplishing anything more than the ascertaining the amount of debt to be divided.
As before stated, the whole debt outstanding of Klamath county on the 4th day of May, 1857, of which Del Norte had to pay its portion, was $26,843.54. The Board having failed to divide this, the only thing now to be done under the provisions of the division act, was for the County Au- ditor of Del Norte to draw his warrant on the Treasurer of said county for one-third of this amount, being $8,948. 09. A very nice little sum for Del Norte to have on her back at the commencement of her existence.
Nothing of special interest occurred during the opening months of the year 1858, except the capture of Bill and Ely Judd, two notorious characters who were suspected of having been engaged in the murder and robbery of Ro- thenheim, the summer before. They were captured near Shasta by the Sheriff of Shasta county, where they were
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HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
turned over to Deputy Sheriff Riley, of Del Norte, who took them to Crescent City and lodged them in jail.
After being lodged in jail at Crescent City they were searched, and a file made of a piece of steel spring was found on each, concealed in their hats. They had a pre- liminary examination before Justice Mason, and were committed to await the action of the Grand Jury.
But these desperate men were determined to escape from the clutches of the law, and on Monday evening. February Ist, the citizens were alarmed by the cry that the prison- ers had escaped. It appeared that Deputy Sheriff Liddle and the jailer, Mr. Sykes, had just taken the prisoner's supper to them, and as usual, had removed the irons from their wrists that they might eat with more ease. They had finished their supper, Mr. Liddle had replaced the irons on Ely Judd, and was about doing so on Jack (a man in jail for robbery ) when Jack struck him a severe blow on the head, having one hand-cuff on. Mr. Liddle stepped back, to get out of the way of the irons, but Jack struck him several times on the head with them, cutting it badly. Bill Judd at the same time knocked Sykes down the steps, and he and Jack made a rush out of the door, they having previously cut the chains which bound the irons on their legs. Ely made no attempt to run. Jack did not get far, for Mr. Liddle, out and bleeding as he was, and compelled to hold on to the railing for sup- port, fired two shots at him, one of which took effect, and he was soon secured and brought back, badly wounded. In the meantime Bill Judd made a run for the woods back of the jail and was soon out of sight, it being then nearly dark. Several parties went in pursuit, but without suc- cess. Sheriff Tack offered a reward of $500 for Judd, and he was finally captured on the Klamath by four soldiers stationed on the reservation, and again taken back and lodged in jail.
Many complaints were made during the spring of 1858
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A RESERVATION FARCE,
in regard to the management of the Klamath Indian Res- ervation, and people were beginning to think that it was something of a humbug. It was supposed to have been established for the purpose of collecting the Indians upon it, and maintaining them there, teaching them to cultivate the soil, and for that purpose a great deal of government money had been spent every year. But instead of answering the purpose for which it was intended, the Res- ervation was notoriously mismanaged, and the Indians were prowling around when and where they pleased.
Crescent City was full of them; they were all over it at nights, they were sleeping in buildings in all parts of it --- and it was in constant danger of being set on fire by their carelessness. - It was the duty of the Government to get all the Indians on the reservation and keep them there, and as it was then being conducted, it was a reservation only in name. And, as usual in such cases, the blame could not be traced to any one whose duty it would be- come to afford relief.
The Crescent City Plank Road and Turnpike Company completed their road in May, 1858, and the first stage over the whole length of the road left Crescent City on the 19th of that month. The first stage line was established by McClellan & Co. and P. J. Mann, and a tri-weekly stage was run from Crescent City to Sailor Diggings, connecting there with the stage line for Jacksonville, Yreka, and intermediate places,
Fraser River became the new Eldorado toward which all eyes were turned during the summer of 1858, and Del Norte suffered severely from the constant drain upon her population which ensued. The Fraser River mines were said to be immensely rich, and many fabulous stories were told in regard to the great fortunes made there. The fever raged with the utmost intensity. On the street, in. saloons and billiard halls, in the bar-rooms of hotels, in public halls and in private circles, the all-absorbing and
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HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
only topic of conversation was the Fraser River mines. Crescent City presented alternately an empty or crowded appearance as steamers were just leaving or just arriving to take away the numbers that were flocking in from the interior to take passage on them.
The saloons presented much the appearance of'54, being tilled with miners playing billiards and cards, and drinking poor whiskey. Gambling tables groaned under their bur- dens of coin and gold-dust, and the miner's money seemed to have caught the prevailing excitement, so rapidly did it change from one pocket to another.
But Crescent City was not the only part of the State which suffered from this excitement. Other places on the Coast became almost depopulated. Trinidad had but six inhabitants left, and numbers were leaving Humboldt, from which bay, in addition to the steamers, two sailing vessels departed with passengers for the North. Kerby- ville had " gone in," Jacksonville was thinning off rapidly, and miners were fast leaving the different creeks and dig- gings on the Klamath.
All this had a serious and detrimental effect on the bus- iness and prosperity of the county- -- in fact, it was the first swash of the wave of adversity which afterwards broke over Del Norte.
The Indians living on Smith's River imitated the oft- repeated example of the whites, and in May, 1859, invoked the aid of Judge Lynch to help one of their brethren to "shuffle off this mortal coil." An Indian belonging to the Yontocket tribe had murdered one belonging to the Smith's River tribe, without provocation. He was taken to Cres- cent City, when the tribe of the murdered Indian, with Ilas, its chief, and the brethren of the victim, took the In- dian out on Battery Point, and hung him at the same spot where the murderers of French had been executed four years before. The brother of the prisoner fastened the rope around his neck himself with every appearance of
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FUNDED DEBT OF KLAMATH COUNTY.
heartfelt satisfaction. They were not adebts, however, in the white man's mode of punishing criminals, and made three several attempts before they finally succeeded in extinguishing the life of the unfortunate brave. The In- dians were not interfered with in any manner by the whites, although a large crowd had collected at the scene of execution.
The Legislature of 1858 -- 9 appointed Commissioners to apportion the Funded Debt of Klamath county, and the interest thereon, between the counties of Klamath and Del Norte. This question had long been a bone of contention between the two counties, and several attempts to settle the matter had been made without success. The Act ap. pointing the Commissioners provided and specified that the revenue of seven months of the year, namely, from June Ist, 1857, to January 1st, 1858, should be the basis of settlement.
The Commissioners, W. M. Buel, on the part of Klamath county, and Ben. F. Dorris, on the part of Del Norte county, declined to act in the premises, alleging as a reason, that, in their opinion, a just and equitable settle- ment could not be made according to the provisions of said Act. In their report to the Board of Supervisors of Del Norte county, they stated, that upon an examination of the statements furnished them by the Auditors of the two counties showing the net revenues of both, they found that seven months taken as a basis would work greatly to the prejudice of Klamath county. They therefore pro- posed, after a due consideration of all the circumstances attending the embarrassed condition of affairs, to take the revenue of the first year, namely, from May 4th, 1857, to May 4th, 1858, as the basis of settlement. The apportion ment on this proposition was as follows: Joint debt of Klamath and Del Norte counties, as ascertained from the books of Funding Commission, $31,986.54; amount of rev- enue collected in both counties from May 4th, 1857, to
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HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
May 4th, 1858, $14,667,69; apportionment of the debt ac- cording to the above basis ---- Klamath county, $20,307.00; Del Norte county, $11,679.54; interest to be calculated to the 11th of June, 1859.
On the 7th of July, 1859, the Judds, who had so long been confined in the county jail, waiting their trial for the murder of Rothenheim, made their escape. This was done by sawing out one side of the iron bars of the win- dow in the rear of the building, and then forcing them around, leaving an aperture through which they made their escape. As far as the county was concerned, it was benefitted by their escape, for they had been living at its expense for nearly two years, and after such a lapse of time their conviction was at least exceedingly doubtful.
About three o'clock on the afternoon of the 9th of the same month, a fire broke out on Front street, near J. The flames spread with great rapidity, and in a very short time the entire block on Front, up to I street, was con- sumed, with the exception of the two brick buildings ou the lower corner. The loss by the fire was about $30, 000. The principal sufferers were Wenger & Co., M. J. Mc Namara, G. Patchin, H. B. Congdon, Mrs. H. Grubler, and the Herald. A few days after the fire the citizens held a meeting and adopted measures towards procuring a fire engine for the town, their late experience having fully demonstrated the necessity for such an article.
The county had again the pleasure of boarding the dis- tinguished individual known as Ely Judd, he being cap- tured near Jacksonville in September and taken back to Crescent City Bill Judd was also captured, in Washing- ton Territory, taken back and lodged in jail at the same ' place.
The case of the People vs. Judd was tried at the Nov. term of the District Court, and the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, which created a great deal of astonishment among citizens generally.
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THE JUDD TRIAL.
On motion of the District Attorney, the indictment against the Judds was ordered dismissed by the Court, and they were discharged from custody. And so ended the Judd farce, in which the ends of justice had not been carried out, innocent blood had not been atoned for, and the tax-payers of Del Norte had been saddled with a debt of thousands of dollars.
CHAPTER III.
COPPER MINES ---- WHAT "HUMBOLDT " DID ---- DEL NORTE POLI- TICS IN 1860 ---- THE CLOUDS OF WAR ---- GREAT FLOOD OF 1861 -- 2 --- AN INSULT TO THE FLAG ---- FROM THE YEAR 1859 To 1865.
The fact that copper existed in large quantities in Del Norte county had long been known, and in March, 1860, numerous specimens taken out by parties who opened the vein were tested by D. S. Sartwell, Dr. Henry Smith, and others, all of which proved the ore to contain a large per cent. of pure copper, This induced the formation of a company, under the direction of D. C. Gibbs, Geologist, who was one of the discoverers, for the purpose of more thoroughly prospecting the vein, which was well defined, the out-croppings having been easily traced for over a mile.
The vein was first opened at a point about two-thirds up the hills rising baek from Smith's River, near Black's Ferry, eight miles from Crescent City, and at an elevation of 500 feet from the river. The existence of copper in this section had been known to many sinee 1853, but until the spring of 1860 no attempt was made to find the vein or test the quality of the loose pieces occasionally found.
The company mentioned above made several openings to the depth of from 20 to 30 feet along the lead at different
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THE DISCOVERY OF COPPER.
points, in order more fully to ascertain the character of the lead and the quality of the ore. The discoveries made by them were enough to prove that the county was rich in various minerals, and all that was needed was the en- ergy to prospect, and continue prospecting, until the hid- den treasures of her hills would claim for Del Norte an enviable position among her sister counties.
That great institution, the capital stock of Fourth of July orators and prosy political speakers ---- the American eagle --- had for several years been soaring over the tree tops in the vicinity of Crescent City, and many attempts were made to capture, it; and at last it was taken captive near town by J. Lord, who sent it to San Francisco.
Twenty years ago gambling was a prevailing vice in California, and Del Norte was not an exception. The sa- loons in every mining camp in the county were the head- quarters of "poker sharps " and professional gamblers. And the saloons of Crescent City, especially, were the favorite haunts of those who were eager to stake their honor, reputation and money on a game at cards.
After the business hours of the day were over, the dif- ferent places of resort presented an interesting commentary on the influence of California life upon all classes of society. The propensity of the early California population to invest in great mining schemes, and risk their all to gain a sudden fortune, had left its impress on those who came after them. Everything was the subject of specu- lation. Chance entered into every business transaction, and it is not surprising that the same element entered into and composed a part of the pleasures of those whose sole ambition was to make their "pile" and return to "the States."
Night after night, in the principal saloons of Crescent City, the card-tables were surrounded by a motley crowd of gamblers. And these were not confined to the "pro- fessionals." or those who made their living by gambling.
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HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
Frequently, at the same table the merchant sat opposite the miner, the packer faced the new arrival from the East ready to be "fleeced." Thousands of dollars changed hands in the space of a few hours. Some, calm and cool, lost and won their money with a stoical indifference worthy of a Sphinx; others, feverish and excited, ner- vously dealt the cards, or eagerly watched every turn in the tide of fortune.
On Sunday evening, May 20th, 1860, a man called " Humboldt " had engaged in a " little game" and had met with bad luck. The cards had turned against him all the evening, and he had lost a large amount of money. However, it so happened that "for ways that are dark, and tricks that are vain " " Humboldt " was peculiar. He was up to several dodges of which the uninitiated had no knowledge, and determining to " stock " a deck of cards, and thereby increase his chances of winning, it is said that he went to a room in the Oriental Hotel with the purpose of secretly "fixing up" the deck. Having a lighted candle in his hand, and being too much under the influence of liquor to heed the danger from fire, a few minutes only had elapsed when flames were seen issuing from the building. The fell destroyer spread rapidly, and in spite of all exertions the entire block was soon con- sumed. The engine company, Active No. 1, was promptly on hand, but water was scarce and she was finally obliged to take it from the slough on Second street, The citizens were out in a body, and together with the firemen worked hard to save all that was possible. The loss amounted to over $10,000.
The summer of 1860 was attended with great excite- ment in consequence of new discoveries of copper ledges, and the mines attracted considerable attention in San Francisco and other places. A party of Cornish miners arrived and pronounced the ore they saw here the richest they had ever seen before. The ore was not only rich. it
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1
COPPER MINES.
was accessible. Wherever the leads were worked the more positive became the evidence of their value, In consequence the inhabitants of this section of country got the copper fever badly, and were mueh excited over the new discoveries. In fact, copper was all the rage and all the cry. Oxides, and sulphurets, and casings, and out- croppings were familiar words on the lips of men who a few months before would have been puzzled to define them. At one time there was a regular stampede in Crescent City. The streets were deserted, and the stables were bare of either horse or mule.
A short account of the different claims then located in the county will probably be of general interest, and below will be found the best information in regard to them it "has been possible to obtain :
The "Evoca " Company, which was the first one organ- ized, located their mine on the trail leading from Black's Ferry into Illinois Valley, about a half a mile beyond the ferry. The "Excelsior" was situated on the same range of mountains, one mile north of the " Evoca." The " Pa cific " was on the same range of mountains, still further, say half a mile, to the northward. The "Del Norte " was located on the left hand side of Myrtle Creek, two and a half miles from Black's Ferry. The " Alta Cali- fornia " was located on what is known as the Low Divide, on the wagon road from Crescent City to Illinois Valley, the lead crossing the road. Next beyond the " Alta Cali- fornia " on the Low Divide was the "Union," on the opposite side of the road from where the " Alta " company were working. Other mines, namely, the "Crescent, " " Bamboo," " Mammoth," and the Chaplin and Bradford claims, were located near the Low Divide.
When it is considered that but two months and a half had passed since the first out-croppings had been discov- ered and tested, and that that short space of time had ealled all these companies into existence, it will readily
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HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
appear that the copper mines were not a myth, but some- thing really substantial.
The Crescent City Wharf, the most western improvment of the kind under the American flag, was completed on August 11th, 1860. The whole distance from the shore to the large, flat rock at which it terminated was 1320 feet. It was afterwards continued to the far side of the rock, and then an L was built along that far side, so that vessel s could lie head to the sea.
The fall months of 1860 were en ely remarkable for the great political changes which occurr. .. . revious to 1860 there had been but one political organization in Del Norte ---- the Democratic party. Bu the issues chen brought. before the people were totally different from any that had preceded them. Men recognized the fact that the Union . was in danger. The clouds of war, which sad been threatening so long, were about to burst over the country. The eloquent words of Patrick Henry were once more ringing through the land: " Gentlemen . ery 'peace ! peace!' but there is no peace."
No wonder, then, that men who had for years been Democrats, should forsake the party that sought to destroy the Union, and organize into other parties, having for their watchword, " the Union forever." and acknowl- edging no East, no West, no North, no South, but an in- dissoluble Union under the Stars and Stripes.
The first sign of any dissatisfaction with the established political organization in Del Norte county was manifested by a call for a Union meeting, for the purpose of organiz- ing for the support of Bell and Everett, for President and Vice-President. A meeting was accordingly held at the Court House in Crescent City on the evening of the 23d of August. N. O. Arrington was called to the Chair, and Ben. F. Dorris was chosen to act as Secretary.
The meeting being called to order, several speeches were made, the Chairman referring to the distracted con-
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DEL NORTE POLITICS IN 1860 -- A UNION MEETING.
dition of the country, and urging all Union-loving men to abandon the sectional candidates then before the people, and rally to the standard of Bell and Everett.
Dr. F. Knox addressed the meeting at length, showing forth the great necessity for a thorough and complete or- ganization, and a well directed effort on the part of the Union men throughout the country to make " a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether, to bring the great Ship of State into that quiet harbor where vessels safe. without their hawsers ride."
The following Preamble and Resolution, submitted with suitable remarks by Jas. H. Gordon, were then adopted:
" WHEREAS, The times are sadly out of joint, and see- tional party strife has run to such excess, as to endanger all the best interests of the country, and even to jeopard the perpetuity of the Union itself; and
" WHEREAS, Our only hope for, the prosperity of the country, or the permanency of its institutions lies in a speedy return to the principles and practices of our fore- fathers; therefore, be it
" RESOLVED, That we most heartily approve the action of the National Union Convention at Baltimore, and the nomination of John Bell, of Tennessee, for President, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, for Vice-President, and we now resolve ourselves into a Union Club, styled the Bell and Everett Club of Del Norte county."
Meanwhile, the Republicans and Democrats were not idle. Speeches were made throughout the county by E. G. Hayes, D. C. Lewis and Mr. Bassett on behalf of the Republicans, while the Democratic party was still more numerously represented. 1 1
Owing to the split in the ranks of the Democrats caused by the nomination of Stephen A. Douglas and Herschel V. Johnson, in opposition to John .C. Breckenridge and Joseph Lane, the party in this county was somewhat de-
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HISTORY OF DEL NORTE.
moralized. Jno. P. Haynes, (now Superior Judge of Humboldt county, ) was the leader of the Douglas faction in Del Norte, and the Crescent City Herald, edited by T. S. Pomeroy, was the mouth-piece of the supporters of Breckenridge. The most prominent men of the county were Democrats, and consequently both factions of the party were represented by able speakers, who made a spirited canvass of the district.
The Eastern news of the attack on Fort Sumter, and the defence and final surrender by Major Anderson, created a profound sensation among the people of the county, as it did all over the State. And in consequence of the depres- sion and gloom caused by this news. together with the hard times which had preceded it, business was at a stand- still, and all trades and professions were feeling the effects of the evil which had come upon the Nation. None of the causes of inflation and business excitement operating in the North and East existed here; therefore, trade and enterprise languished and hid themselves away, and all things partook of the general gloom and fear that pervaded the Union. Men knew not how soon the tread of armed feet might be heard in the Golden State, and neighbors looked askanee at each other, as if fearful of one another. Journalism was not an exception, and owing to lack of support the publication of the Crescent City Herald was discontinued and the material removed to Jacksonville, Oregon. True, considerable mining was yet going on, and some goods were being carried across the mountains -- but compared with its former trade, Crescent City had sunk to a very low ebb, and the times were at their hardest.
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