USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 16
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perfect, never having warped or twisted, and the shingles on the roofs are the same that were put on when it was built twenty years ago. They are in much better condition than those on many other fine residences built ten or fifteen years later. This residence in the far east is a monument of credit to the excel- lence and durability of redwood, and is continually referred to as proof of its many merits by lumber merchants.
In 1899, after the loss of the Boston and Portland (Me.) steamship, the steamship company entered into a contract for the building of a magnificent steamer to take the place of the one lost, to run from Boston to Portland, Me. The steamer was to cost nearly $2,000,000, and there was great competition among lumber dealers to secure the order for furnishing the lumber. The matter was submitted to a board of architects, who examined all the woods to be used in the finishing work, both plain and ornamental, and the contract was awarded to Mr. Smith of the Bartlett Lumber Company, to furnish this finishing material, and the specifications called for redwood for this purpose. Among the statistics used in reaching this decision were important facts furnished by the late H. D. Bendixsen of Humboldt, in his report to the board of architects, who investi- gated the subject ; which report convinced the board of the superiority of redwood for inside finish for cabins, staterooms, etc.
Another still more notable triumph for redwood in the various tests in fine and rich finishing work was presented at the World's Fair at Chicago, by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, in 1892, built a magnificent train of passenger coaches to run from New York to Chicago. Immediately following this move, the New York Central ordered a richly finished train built, which was accounted a finer equipment. The Pennsyl- vania Railroad then ordered another splendidly finished and appointed train to best their competitors of the New York Central; and again the New York Central followed suit by ordering another train to compete in magnificence and out-do the Pennsylvania Company in richness and beauty. Then the Pennsyl- vania Company, after considering the course pursued by their competitors care- fully, went to George Pullman and explained the situation, and what they wanted, which was to have the finest passenger train in the world to run from New York to Chicago, and it was left entirely to him how, and of what materials it should be constructed-the only point insisted upon was that it should be the most com- pletely equipped and magnificently appointed train in the. world. Mr. Pullman drew a plan for a train of cars in which were included an observation car, library car, dining car, and several compartment sleeping cars. In the specifica- tions for the work the material selected for all of the inside finish was redwood. When placed upon the road it was acknowledged then, and for a long time after- wards, to be the most magnificent and complete railroad train in the world.
Other uses for redwood are almost past enumeration. It goes to the Argen- tine Republic and to the East India Islands, where the red ant is known to be so destructive to all other woods, which they perforate, eat and destroy, while the redwood remains wholly untouched. It is used for doors, window frames, etc., where the people are able to purchase it in these distant localities.
Mr. Hearst, proprietor of the New York Journal, has finished his private office in the various qualities and different grains of redwood. The effects are beyond description.
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In 1898 a folding bedstead of redwood was made in San Francisco by one of the bankers there and sent to the ruler of Denmark as a present, and it was placed in his sleeping apartment for his personal use.
Some time ago an order was received here from the Chicago Curtain Pole and Fixture Company for fifty car loads of lumber, being intended for ironing boards, cake-boards, screen-door frames, curtain poles, mouldings, picture frames, etc.
The scientific wood expert of the New York Central Railroad Company, being instructed to make an exhaustive test of all woods available, and par- ticularly of cypress and redwood, as to their value and adaptability for car- building, reported to H. Walter Webb, third vice-president and manager of the road, in favor of redwood for sheathing, siding and roofing, on account of its quality for holding paint, resisting fire, and that it does not warp or shrink, and is least subject to decay.
At present and for four years past, the first architects in Boston have made it a rule to embrace in all specifications to contractors, in all cases where Oregon and Washington shingles are to be used, that such shingles shall be well soaked in water before putting in place, for the reason that if put on dry and ordinarily close together, when wet, they will swell, crowd and warp to such an extent as to draw the nails and seriously injure the roof. No such provision is made in regard . to redwood shingles, as they are affected by the elements in only a very small degree.
The superintendent of the Boston and Maine Railroad built himself a fine residence in Exeter, N. H., and after careful observation and examination of all woods available for that purpose, decided that nothing but redwood should go into its construction.
In 1898 there were sent to Boston fifty doors made from redwood. These were placed on exhibition in the Mechanics Fair, after which they were given away-distributed among the various door manufacturers and dealers as sam- ples. From this one practical advertisement, there are at present orders with one door company here for over one hundred thousand doors; this result coming directly from the free distribution of those fifty doors.
It would be hard to conceive of a limit to the uses of redwood, or to the possible market for it, if systematic and united effort were made to place before the people of sections where it is unknown the practicable evidences and testi- inonies of its merits, which may be had by diligent inquiry. The possibility for the expansion of the trade has been greatly enhanced since the freight rates from Humboldt to points east of the Rocky mountains and the Mississippi have been decreased and systematized. At this time redwood shingles can be shipped from Humboldt bay to Chicago on a sixty cent rate and to New York and Boston via the Isthmus on a sixty-seven and a half cent rate, being the same rate allowed to other lumber districts. These reduced rates have made it possible for redwood to be used in the Eastern states, and thus bring a demonstration and comparison of its merits home to the people in the various localities, particularly its superior- ity over all other soft woods as a finishing material and as shingles.
While the use of the higher grades of redwood is by these reasons increased in the various branches of construction work, increased use for the lower and poorer grades is also extending. Quite an amount is now being used by the asphalt manufacturers. Since the development of the oil wells the industry has brought into use large quantities of the poorer grades for barrel purposes.
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A popular make of lead pencils, "Dixon's Sequoia," proves that soft clear redwood is not surpassed by cedar or other woods for that purpose. For general or special purposes redwood is thirty-five to forty per cent cheaper than Oregon or Washington cedar or eastern pine. While among other woods the range of adaptability is narrow, redwood covers nearly every known use in construction work, for under ground or above ground work, for both inside and outside finish, for heavy work and light work, for durability or ornamentation.
Wherever the possibilities of transportation place it in competition with other woods on equal ground, the redwood scores a success without fail; and now that transportation is placing this lumber on the eastern seaboard at figures that make its use in the construction of fine residences possible, it may be reckoned upon as certain that in the very near future the now worthless gigantic stumps will develop a value, and specially constructed mills will before long be erected to reduce them to merchantable building material, particularly for fine finishing work.
Next in importance to redwood is the timber known as Oregon pine, a species of fir. It is found mixed with redwood in the eastern edge of the red- wood belt, and beyond that occurs in large and compact bodies. Within the past couple of years, since all of the redwood lands have been taken, investors have turned their attention toward the pine, and already much of it has been located. Pennsylvania capitalists have just concluded a deal by which they have come into the possession of 127,000 acres of pine lands lying in the eastern portion of Humboldt and the western portion of Trinity county. They have made arrange- ments for the building of a railroad some sixty miles long into this tract, and have plans drawn for the erection of mills, one in the timber and another on the shores of this bay. Construction of the plant will begin this sprin (1915), as soon as the weather will permit of the work being prosecuted to advantage. This will be the first operation of any consequence in the pine forests of Humboldt. Heretofore the only timber of that kind cut was for the ship-building yards, and was simply taken as it happened to be found with the redwoods.
There are other bodies of pine being held for investors, and it is only a question of a short time before they will be sold and plants erected to convert them into lumber.
Of the mixed timbered lands, three-fifths to three-quarters is oak of the various species. The gathering of tan bark has become an important industry, but in this business, under present conditions, there is an almost criminal waste of millions of feet of most valuable wood, for the tan bark oak makes an excel- lent furniture timber, and is particularly adapted to chair-making. Thousands of cords of this wood are stripped of the bark every season, and left to rot on the mountain side.
The quality of tan bark found in this county is the very highest, partly explain- ing the fact that the leather made by the Devlin tannery took the highest award at the World's Fair and other expositions. Thousands of cords of tan bark have been shipped out of the county, and there are still many thousands of cords to be gathered. The exports of tan bark will be less in the future probably, as there is now being operated at Briceland, in the southern part of the county, a plant to extract the active principle from the bark and put it in the form of a solid, looking something like resin, but of a dark red color. The importance of this industry may be gauged by the fact that this plant cost over $25,000, and yet will draw upon only a comparatively small portion of the tan bark area of the county.
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The plant is owned by the Wagner Leather Company, of Stockton, Cal.
The pepper wood, or California laurel, is a hard, beautiful wood, adapted to furniture and wooden ware, and is considerably used in mill and machine work. The black and white oaks are by no means devoid of merit, being strong, firm and durable, but have not as yet come into general use, mainly because their merits have not become known, and also because they are more difficult of access.
Madrone will rank next to oak in quantity of acreage, though it never occurs in bodies, being scattered through the oak, or redwood, but mainly occu- pying the higher ground and crests of the ridges, as is also the case with the oaks. The madrone has a future before it as a furniture wood when there is need for it and manufacturers have learned to treat it successfully. When seasoned it is very hard and strong. The tree presents a beautiful appearance, giving a brilliant touch of color to the woods, with its bright red bark.
No article concerning the manufacture of redwood would be complete with- out a statement of the wages paid those whose labor results in the finished product. The range is from $1 to as high as $10 per day, depending upon the class of work and the skill necessary to execute it. The lowest wage mentioned is for boys in the sash and door factories and the planing mills. Most of them, however, receive $1.50 per day. The wages of the men in the woods and in the mills varies from $2.50 to $10. Ordinary rough labor commands the former price ; from that the gradations are according to the skill necessary, the top figure of course, being paid to the foremen of departments and superintendents.
These figures include board, and it must be said that the table set for the laborers, both in the woods and at the mills, is far above that of other lumbering sections. The very best of food is furnished, and in great variety. In fact, visitors have often remarked, after partaking of the hospitality of the camps, that they had been better fed than at many first-class hotels.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Activity in Many Towns.
Previous chapters have given the reader a pretty fair idea of the early set- tlements in the untrodden wilds of Humboldt county, but no history would be adequate without some account of the activities of more recent years, together with a review of some of the conditions that promise to make Humboldt county a much more thrifty community than it is today. It should be said that there have been great activities by reason of the projected highway and the approaching com- pletion of the Northwestern Pacific Railway, which will for the first time connect Humboldt county with the wide world.
Recent plans for the improvement of towns and the building of new ones. as in the case of Fort Seward, originated in the desire of the far-seeing business men of the county to avail themselves of the benefits of a great tourist trade. Some of the leaders of public opinion have read the history of Switzerland, where millions of tourists make it possible for hundreds of thousands of Swiss people to reap fortunes from hotels and resorts. As Humboldt is a little Switzer- land, there are those who believe that its great hunting and fishing opportunities
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and its wonderful scenery will cause many towns to experience a wonderful growth, while others will come into existence.
The Rev. William Rader, who made the tour overland from San Francisco to Eureka, has predicted that we shall have a wonderful tourist trade by reason of the fact that the trip in question is the most fascinating one in America. He says that the famous Corniche road from Nice to Monte Carlo, which was built by one of the Napoleons, lies along the Alpine slopes like a ribbon. He draws a picture and exhibits a contrast when he says that the Corniche road is almost silken in its surface, with sublime scenery in the background. He adds that if one would compare this famous highway with the road from Willits to Eureka he would be struck with the great difference between the new and the old world. One is a city street, cut over the mountains, while the other is a trail. He wrote this before the great state highway survey was made. It should be remembered that when the state highway is finished it will be somewhat like a city street cut through forests and mountains. The great European road leads through a land bereft of all the fascination of the primeval, while the other is Nature's unbroken forest and mountain. He remarks that if one of the giant redwoods along the Humboldt county road were set in Central Park, New York, or along the Thames in London, it would attract more attention than the Metropolitan Museum or the Egyptian Obelisk. The people of Humboldt county, believing such statements as the foregoing, have long been preparing for the influx of strangers which they expect to see when they hear the sounds of whistles and bells where now the only noises that break the silence are such as roaring cataracts, lowing herds, and the cries of wild beasts.
In order that the reader may understand something of the beauties that lie along this road of wonders the following extracts from Mr. Rader's description are submitted :
"The distance is over one hundred and fifty miles and the trail reaches an altitude of over 4,600 feet above sea level. A ride over this road in an auto- mobile is a rare and exciting experience, disclosing picture after picture of natural magnificence, colored with Nature's own brush, dipped in a magical combination of atmospheric effects of light and shade. Variety of landscape, majesty of out- line in rock and mountain and vale, stretches of river and creek, unique geological formations, and a variety of wild flower, foliage and tree life greet the eye at every turn, while now and then a deer crosses the path with a wondering, friendly look, as if it would recognize something akin to itself in the automobile without a rifle.
"The air is like wine, the sky like that which bends over Venice and Florence. The people one meets on the way are of a class which stands for the best in the Far West. Men of brawn and brain have found their way into these mountain fastnesses, the last of the pioneers, for beyond them rolls the Pacific. To the far westward lies the old East, and they are made one by virtue of the cable, the wireless and steam, and because of the higher affinity of commerce and the brotherhood of the nations. The men and women who have had the courage to settle in Mendocino and Humboldt counties are worth while.
"If one would enjoy this journey to the full, perhaps the regular stage is best. There are several reasons for this, chief of which is the element of almost absolute safety. The driver is probably a stalwart youth who knows every turn of the road and is on friendly terms with his big sixty-horse power machine. He does not have that inevitable nervousness which an amateur on the road is
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possessed with, but gives the impression that he is master of the situation. If you surrender yourself to his care and the Providence of God, you will reach your destination without serious trouble. These young drivers have made them- selves famous by caution and skill and no accident thus far mars the record of their triumphs. Sometimes the path is wet and the machine threatens to skid and land you hundreds of feet below, but it is only a threat and under the skill- ful manipulation of the driver, it goes forward humming a hymn of praise.
"If one would travel by rail and auto one leaves the train at Longvale and takes it again at McCann, about fifty miles from Eureka. These metal threads will soon be tied together, when the tourist will substitute the train for the machine and all may enjoy scenic rides on the railway, of extraordinary interest. At present Willits is the end of the first lap from San Francisco. Here is a large hotel where the traveler spends the night. The next morning at seven o'clock he takes the train again and in a half hour reaches the end of the road at Long- vale where, in the depths of the forest, he makes the start in the stage for a ninety- mile journey over high precipices and steep grades, around the sharpest turns, across sparkling trout streams, through groves of great trees, descending into the deep shades of secluded redwood nooks, where he looks upon trees which prob- ably stood before Christ was born. This continues till he reaches the Devil's Elbow, six or seven hundred feet above Eel river at McCann, and where he descends upon a crooked road with breathless interest, if not a fear, probably the most thrilling and crooked road in the world.
"Not the least among the pleasures of the overland trip is the dinner hour. Usually this is spent at Harris, where a sumptuous and old-fashioned dinner affords a pleasant and satisfying break in the auto ride. Passengers have a sharpened appetite and are in a state of hunger which is the natural result of mountain air and thrilling jolts. There isn't much "style," but plenty of fresh things from the garden, served in true country fashion.
"Two roads lead to Eureka from Harris ; one by way of Fruitland Ridge to McCann's Mill; the other takes the tourist by Alderpoint, a new village just springing into life, and by way of Bridgeville on the Van Duzen. If it has been rainy, chains are put on the wheels, as the roads leading through the forest are sometimes dangerously wet and slippery, especially in the summer. On the last trip taken by the writer cool, bracing weather was encountered. Great clouds of fog drifted in from the sea, followed by bright sun, which fell in show- ers of beauty upon the fresh, blue mountains. The air was filled with the pun- gent odor of wild flowers and cedar and pine. Here and there we met bands of fat steers, driven to Eureka markets by cowboys and well-trained dogs. Occa- sional teams were passed, hauling produce or lumber, drawn by four or six horses with ringing bells, making the mountains echo with their tinkling melody, while the crack of the whip warned us of their approach.
"The experience of passing these teams is a test of skill and patience, as well as courage. Sometimes the stage is compelled to back a long distance to a point sufficiently wide to permit the team to pass on a narrow margin where a false step would mean disaster. The good humor which generally prevails reveals a trait among these mountaineers which might profitably be emulated in other walks of life. Men who live in these regions develop a resourcefulness and courage altogether admirable, while the horses seem to be at home in dangerous situations, behaving like sensible human beings.
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"Humboldt and Mendocino counties make a natural park of pleasure, where the hunter and the fisherman are in a paradise. The climate is perfect, the game and fish plentiful. Streams for the most part are stocked with the finest trout, while deer and bear are found in abundance. Not only is this territory a pleasure ground, but rich in natural resources. Evidences of mineral, oil and coal are many. It is estimated that the timber resources will last for a hundred years. The enormous amount of lumber which is now sent down the streams to the great mills has hardly made a scar upon the old forests, which welcome the woodman's axe. It is hoped, however, that it may be long before the noble Sequoias yield to the invasion of commerce, and that they may long stand as memorials of an ancient past.
"With the completion of the railroad this vast empire will open her mountain gates to the world and yield riches yet undiscovered. What power of water, what sites for villages and cities, what immense natural wealth awaits the touch of the magic wand of business enterprise !
"If San Francisco is the southern terminus of this territory, approached by the historic and charming Sonoma valley with Ukiah as the gate of entrance, Eureka is the northern terminus. This interesting little city enjoys the distinc- tion of having one of the best harbors on the coast. A break-water is nearing completion which will insure sufficient depth in the large lagoon for the largest vessels and adequate protection against shifting sand bars. The city is flanked by noble mountains, and long stretches of cultivated fields. The surrounding country, especially the Ferndale region, is rich in dairy products as well as inviting to the eye. Twelve thousand contented people live in Eureka, many of whom are wealthy and prosperous. The city is the nerve center of Humboldt county. A noticeable characteristic of Eureka is its local pride and an optimistic hope for its future. Good schools, newspapers, hotels, churches, library build- ings, a splendid park, a street railway, a really beautiful Elk hall, good stores and public buildings are to be set down among its assets.
"Already a survey has been made for a railway from Eureka to Red Bluff, across mountain ranges which slope gradually down into the great northern end of the Sacramento valley. The building of this road will afford another outlet toward the east and south. An automobile trip through this region adds an additional chapter of wonder to the volume of California's resources. The sparkling Mad river, the miles of well built state roads, the glimpse of Shasta, whose silver peak greets the eye on the eastern mountain slopes, make it a journey of a thousand wonders. A good place to rest for a day and where one may catch as many trout as he would wish is Wildwood, sixty miles from Red Bluff.
"The lumber mills in and around Eureka indicate the scope of the lumber trade in Humboldt county. Heavily laden schooners make their way over the bar to San Francisco and San Pedro, carrying cargoes of the best material. A new enthusiasm is taking hold of the public mind of Eureka. New enterprises are starting and a group of energetic men is making plans for larger things in the future. Its development is as inevitable as was the growth of San Fran- cisco and Portland. Certainly an overland trip by steam and gasoline to this beautiful little city of Humboldt is the most fascinating of any of its kind in the United States, if not in the world."
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