USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, etc., from original drawings, including biographical sketches > Part 28
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attached to the car, and connecting with the shore and wreck, a rapid and safe transit can be kept up, and precious lives saved that otherwise would be destroyed. In this iron car can be placed several persons, and so securely locked up that the car in its transit may tumble, roll, and remained submerged, and its occupants are safe.
This department is rendered largely ineffective for the want of a rail track from the boat-house to low tide water, that the boat may he got to sca when necessary. When the Edward Parke was wrecked, the life-hoat got stuck between the boat- house and the water, and had to be abandoned, and a lighter hoat, one that could be handled, taken in its place.
HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS.
The Standard says :-
" The march of improvement which has carried other sections of our country onward and upward with such rapid strides and which left Humboldt out in the eold for so many years, now seems to have been permanently turned toward our county.
"In the fall of 1877, we commenced the agitation of the subject of harhor improvement, and for the purpose of showing tbe importance of the improvement published a series of arti- cles extending over two months, describing our coast line, ter- ritory, navigable rivers, ports, shipping points, area, produc- tions, exports, resources, distances, capacity for the maintenance of population and increase of productions, and the effect that improved avenues of commerce and trade would have upon all these.
"In the winter of 1878-79, we entered into correspondence with Capt. James B. Eads, relative to a survey and study of our har as a preliminary and foundation to the securing of a Government appropriation for its improvement. Mr. Eads made a favorable reply, but through the apathy of some of our lead- ing men his services were not obtained. The movement, how- ever, had the effect of bringing our harbor into prominent notice, " The Government is at work on the bay, the growing commerce at last having attracted attention. In carry- ing out the orders of the Department for the survey, Colonel Mendall, of the corps of U. S. Engineers, made an inspection of the bay in person. Although the advantages and capacity of the harbor, the volume of commerce and crying ne- eessity for Government aid, had been sounded in every possible key, yet that gentleman was mnch surprised at what he found here, the importance of the position, resources and commeree. Appreciating tbe requirements, be directed the work of the sur- vey of the harbor with a view to greatly extending improve- ments.
" The sum of $40,000 was appropriated by the Government for dredging. The present contract requires the bay in front of the wharves to be dredged so that the water will be of a uni- form depth of ten feet at low tide. A second appropriation has heen recommended by the United States Engineers for
131
HUMBOLDT BAY AND HARBOR DESCRIBED.
the Pacific Coast, the amount to be $50,000. It is expected that this will also be expended in needed improvements
The commerce of the bay during the entire yeor keeps a ficet of sailing vessels plying to San Francisco and also to foreign ports in the Pacific. During a portion of the year two steamers are constantly running between Eureka and San Francisco, and one steamer is kept busy during the remainder of the year. The most noticeable feature in the carrying trade from this place at the present time is the extensive business with foreign ports. The field for export from this place seems to have been gradually enlarging. Demand has sprung up in new places for lumber, to be supplied from this county and shipped from Eureka. The principal foreign trade has be. n for years with the Hawaiian Islands and Mexico.
NUMBER OF VESSELS ENTERING THE BAY.
During the year terminating on the 30th of June, 1854, there were 183 arrivals of vessels in Humboldt Bay. For the next twenty years we could obtain no definite information.
The following record of the number of vessels that have crossed Humboldt Bar was furnished us by W. P. Daykin. It covers a space of cight years, and gives some idea of the amount of business transacted :-
1874, May to December.
514
1875, January to December
781
1876,
1,106
1877,
S32
1878,
782
1879,
737
1880,
766
1881,
0
31
746
6,264
LIVELY BUSINESS ON THE BAY.
The following items, taken from the Times in regard to the shipping business of Humboldt Bay, show the amount of busi- ness there transacted, and speaks more emphatically than any- thing we can say with reference to the importance of this port and its growing business.
"October 26, 1SS1, there were twenty-five vessels in port. The schooners Ida Mckay, Lottie Curson, W. H. Stevens, aud Fairy Queen were loaded and ready for sea. The schooner Jennie Thelin was discharging ballast at Baird's Wharf, and the Western Home and Ivanhoe were loading at the Occidental Mill. The schooners Emma and Louisa are loading at Hookton, and the schooners James Townsend and Bonanza at the Arcata Wharf. At Carson's Mill, the schooners Sparkling Sea, John Hancock, A. P. Jordan, and Halcyon (new) were taking cargo. The Mary Buhne was discharging coal at Buhne's Wharf. The brig Josephine and schooners Sparrow and Mary Swan were loading at Vance's Mill ; the schooners Mary E. Russ and Serena Thayer at Russ & Co's Mill, and the schooners Jessie Nickerson, Eva, and Isabel, and brig Hesperian, at Jones & Co's Mill on the Island. The barkentine C. L. Taylor and the
schooners Laura Pike, Vanderbilt, and N. L. Drew were out- sidle yesterday, but the rough condition of the bar preventel bringing them into port.
"The first iron sailing vessel that ever entered Humboldt Bay, arrived November 19, 1881. The Yarra, Capt. Schutt, came directly from Victoria, British Columbia, whither she ha.l gone from China with a cargo of merchandise. The capacity of the vessel is 400,000 feet of lumber in the hold. This amount of lumber will be purchased by Captain Schnitt and taken to Melbourne. The ballast consisted of gravel, and was used on the streets of the city.
"The British bark Woodville and British brig Restless arrived in the bay. Both vessels will carry lumber to Sydney. The Woodville has an order for 210,000 feet, and will carry euougli muore to make a full cargo. The Restless will take a cargo of 260,000 feet or thereabouts."
E. H. Howard's valuable statistics show the arrival, for ISS1, of twenty-two vessels from foreign ports, and thirty cleared for foreign ports. The foreign ports cleared for were as fol- lows: Honolulu, Mexico, Central America, Fiji Islands, Vieto- ria, Tahiti, Sidney, Valparaiso, Panama, and Australia.
PORT OF ENTRY.
As long ago as 1854, a joint resolution of our Legislature declared that
WHEREAS, The manufacturing and commercial interests of Humboldt Bay are rapidly growing in importance, showing from official statistics as large an exportation of lumber as from any point on the coast; and whereas, the agricultural, min- eral, and lumbering districts depending upon this port for their supplics, are being developed by a large and increasing popula- tion, who will require increase of importations of merchandise; and whereas, to secure the benefits arising from improved faeil- ities for manufacturing, other than domestic markets must be sought. in whichi to dispose of the proceeds of the one and sup- ply the demand of the other; therefore,
Resolved, that Congress be urged to create a new Collection District, with its port of entry at Humboldt Bay.
The above has been true for many years, and still the people are getting up petitions calling for a port of entry which shall comprise all the waters and shores of the State of California north of the south boundary line of Humboldt County, for the reason that many vessels are built and owned at Humboldt Bay, and ought to be registered there. The nearest port of entry is at San Francisco, a distance of over two hundred miles. The new law proposed provides that the Fourth Dis- trict sball be the District of Humboldt; to comprise all the waters and shores of the counties of Humboldt and Del Norte, in which Eureka, on the Bay of Humboldt, shall be the sole port of entry, and Crescent City a port of delivery. In the District of Humboldt there shall be a Collector, who shall . reside at Eureka, and one Inspector, to be appointed by the Collector, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, for the port of Crescent City.
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132
RESOURCES AND INDUSTRIES OF THE COUNTY.
RESOURCES AND INDUSTRIES.
Character of Soil-Chief Productions-Stock- Raising, General Farming, Dairying- Progress of Twenty Years- Exports, Etc.
THE resources and industries of Humboldt are of great vari- ety. "The four principal ones being agriculture, stock-raising, mining and manufacturing. These to a great extent support each other, and were it not for the home markets created by the mines and quills, agriculture would not have been so far developed as it is to-day. Without a railroad, the farmers of this county are thrown chiefly upou the howue demand to fur- nish a market for a large share of their produce, as lumhering and mining creates a demand for what the farmer raises.
THREE DIVISIONS OF SOIL.
The land is naturally divided into three parts. The first di- vision includes the lowlands uear the coast, the alluvial lands on the rivers, and the sloping lauds near the coast, which in some places forin a comiccting link between the lowlands and the high timbered ridges.
'This division contaius some of the richest soil in the world. It is nearly all agricultural laud.
Professor Hilgard, who analyzed the soil of the Eel River hot- tom, said :-
" There is very little difference between the soil and subsoil down to thirty inches depth. 1 am inclined to think that the soil and subsoil have becu exchanged, for the differences he- tween them, according to the usual state of things, appear to be the wrong way, the surface soil heing somewhat more clayey than the subsoil.
"The soil and subsoil are very rich in potash, and contain a respectable amount of phosphates. A somewhat extraor- dinary amount of magnesia, and of sulphuric acid, giving rise to tbe suspicion that in low spots there will be sometimes an "alkali," consisting largely of Epsom salt coming to the sur- face.
The soil is remarkably poor in lime for one of its character; so muuch so that I would recommend the application of lime as one of its foremost uceds, both as respcets tillage and the mak- ing up of the other deficiency, viz., vegetable matter or humus. The latter, after liming, can be introduced by green manuring -plowing in of green erops. With the aid of these, your soil ought to hold out for a long time."
SECOND DIVISION OF LAND.
The second division includes the helt of timbered lands, which skirt the coast, at a greater or less distance from it. It approaches quite near to the coast in some places, and in oth-
ers it recedes several miles from it; it varies in width from eight to fifteen miles, and rising, as it does, one ridge above another, and being deusely timbered with evergreen trees, it gives the country, when viewed from the ocean, that dark sombre appearance for which it is so remarkable, and almost entirely hides from view, the still higher mountains iu the interior, known as the Bald Mountains.
This country is very uneven, being eut at short intervals by the numerous streams coming down from the interior to the coast with sharp ridges between them; the earth is of a elayey character generally, but volcanie roeks make their appearance on the tops of some of the highest ridges; the hills aud ridges are invariably steep, hnt seldom or never precipitous; it con- tains scarcely any agricultural land, a few small open spots on the different streams being all that can be found worthy of cultivation.
THIRD DIVISION OF THE LANDS.
The third division embraces the open mountain country, far- ther in the interior. This division is much the largest of the three. Though it is termed the Bald Mountain country, in contradistinction to the denscly timbered lands between it and the coast, it is by no means destitute of timber, scrub oaks heing scattered all over the ridges; groves of spruce and firs are found on the cool, shady sides of the ridges, generally in the moist plaecs and near the springs in the gorges. At a greater elevation, near the sources of the strcams, the long-leafed pine makes its appearance.
The soil has generally a burnt red appearance, showing unmistakable evidence of having undergone the action of fire, and in some places masses of voleanic rocks protrude from the tops of the ridges. This country is chiefly for practical pur- poses, being covered in all plaecs with grass of an excellent quality ; near the tops of the poorest ridges, before it was used so much for stock range, grows a grass that bears a seed nearly as large as oats. The lower moist spots, and particularly the alluvial spots near the streams, grow grass and clover of inde- serihable exhuherance, not surpassed by any cultivated meadow in the Atlantic States.
This region is exceedingly well watered; besides the streams already mentioned, and their numerous tributaries, running in all directions, springs are numerous, even near the tops of the high ridges.
PLENTY OF WATER.
One of the features of Humboldt County is its wealth in pure water. One finds it everywhere-pure and cold as the fountains of the upper Sierra. An old resident says there is not, he thinks, 160 aeres in the county without a permanent spring of fine water. The springs of pure, cold water about this county are a marvel, and it is impossible to fully describe their beauty and usefulness. There are thousands and thou- sands. Every hill and mountain side teems with them, and
UNDERTAKING -FURNITURE
RES. & STORE OF E.C.CUMMINGS, FERNDALE, HUMBOLDT CO. CAL.
RESIDENCE OF A.PUTNAM, FERNDALE, HUMBOLDT CO.CAL.
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RESIDENCE OF JOHN ANDERSON,3 MILES FROM SPRINGVILLE, HUMBOLDT CO. CAL.
FARM RESIDENCE OF CHAS.A.DOE, NEAR PETROLIA , HUMBOLDT CO. CAL.
133
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS.
the weary traveler and his thirsty beast find streams of pure water, cool and fresh, gushing from the wayside banks, and gathered into troughs for his convenience. The flow of these springs vary from n few gallons a day to barrels per minute.
Whence comes all this grand body of pure water which is hourly poured from the mountain sides of Humboldt and ad- joining counties ? It is evident that the fountain head is far away from the outlet, and far above it also. The snow melting on the far away Sierras, must be the grand center of supply, and when we come to contemplate what a wonderful system of channels and veins there are in the surface of the earth, and low perfectly they all work, it is a fit subject for reveren- tial meditation, How it gushies from the rock in its pure ail crystalline beauty, glittering and glistening in the sun- shine as it dlances down the hill-side. refreshing and cheering the the thirsty world, making the flowers to spring up in their glorious grandeur, making the grass to put forth its greenest shoots the whole year through. What a glorious mission on carth hay this spring of water! To mau, and beast, and bird, and trec, and shrub, and grass, and flower, and fruit-to all that exists on the face of the carth, it proves a grand, glorious, inestimable boon.
THE PRINCIPAL, VALLEYS.
There are hundreds of small valloys and productive prairies in all parts of the county, but the principal ones are those of Eel, Mul, Elk, Mattole, and Lower Trinity Rivers.
Elk River Valley, on the main stream, is about n mnile wide and ranging from a few rods to a quarter of a mile on its forks.
Tho soil is of a elayey loam, heavily supplied with alluvial ileposits, possessing extraordinary duinbility and fertility, yet that portion of this rich and lovely valley occupied by the bus- bandman hardly extends upward to the forks of the stream, tho balance of the valley's and adjacent hills for several miles further up having been logged and burned over, and its space, occupied by an extraordinary supply of black, thinble, salmon, sallal, and other berry fruits, besides furnishing an excellent range of pasturage for immense bands of wild and domestic cattle.
Eel River Valley is the most noted and productive in the the county. In the entire valley are nearly 140 square miles, most of which are tillable and in n few years will be brought under cultivation. The soil is inexhaustable alluvial loam and there is no end to its productions. The Upper Eel River is a narrow, wild stream, without any valley land except in very small patelies.
Mattole Valley is about wide enough for a good-sized farm where the river runs close to the mountain. Its fertility is equal to any in the county and produces abundant crops, prin- cipally wbeat and oats. The valley is inclosed by lofty hills. The principal industries are farming and dairying, and some
slirup-raising. The products of the dairies in the Mattole rauk among the first in the county,
Hoopa Valley was formerly called Eden Valley or the Garden of Eden. It lies a little north of the parallel of 41ยบ north lati- tile, and on Trinity River some eight miles above its junction with the Klamath. The distance to the ocean by the way of the river is about sixty miles. The Indians uavigate the river with their canoes, some of which will carry two tons of freight. from the coast to some thirty miles above Hoopa Valley.
There are few falls or rapids, however, at which they have to make portages. The distance from the valley to Humboldt Buy is about forty miles. The valley is small, embracing only about six square miles of level land, which is mostly rich prai- rie, with some groves of white aud evergreen oaks, some cotton- wood, elder, maple, ash and willow.
The mountains rise gradually on all sides to a considerable height, and are mostly covered with pine and oak and an under- growth of hazel, manzanita, oak and other brush, with open- ings of prairie which produce an abundance of excellent grass. "There are a number of beautiful streams of the purest water flowing from the mountains across the valley. The climate of the valley is very mild. Snow seldom falls in the valley, and when it does, it lays but a short time. In summer it is dry and warm and not subject to fogs which prevail along the coast.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS OF THE COUNTY.
We now mention the most prominent productions of these valleys and fertile prairies.
WHEAT-There is considerable wbeat being grown through- out every agricultural portion of the county. But it is not the chief crop, as in most other counties of the State. All the county susceptible of cultivation will produce wbeat. The bottom land near the bay will grow larger erops of wbeat, even ninety to 100 bushels to the acre, but on account of the fogs the yield of flour is small, and that of bran, large. It does not present that hard, flinty appearance, sueb as gives character and notoriety to California wheat.
As a wheat-growing section this county is a decided success, but it has never been cultivated up to its capacity, and per- haps never will be. The yield per acre is greater than in any other portion of the State. More attention is given to this crop every year.
PEAS-There is probably no country in the world where the elimate is so exactly suited to the culture of peas as Humboldt County. Tbe yield is greater, the kernel is more fully devel- oped, and is a surer crop than in any other country we know of in the world. The demand for split peas and the adulter- atiou of coffee is from 3,000 to 3,500 sacks per year. The yield is enormous. Heretofore this county has supplied San Francisco market almost entirely alone. Wben they ripen, many farm- ers, instead of harvesting them, turn hogs on them, and an increased weight of an excellent quality of pork is the result.
134
STOCK-RAISING AND WOOL GROWING INTERESTS.
BARLEY-Nearly all the land in Humboldt County not eov- ered by redwood is well alapted to the raising of barley. As the lands are very prolific its cultivation has generally proved a good investment. The larger part sold is used at home by the mill men, this is generally ground before feeding.
MESQUIT SEED-The immense success of this article as a pas- ture grass is beyond parallel. No grass ever sown in the county has cqualed it. It has been introduced as a pasture grass gen- erally throughout the county. It flourishes on hill land or on bottoms. It will grow in any nook or eoruer which is worth- less, except as a pasture. It will support more stock to the aere of pasturage thau any grass grown iu the county. Steep hill .. sides which cannot be cultivated, if burned over and sown with this seed, are made as valuable as any of the other lands. Any place that it has been sown in this eounty, the crop improves with age. It is equal to bunch grass for sweetuess and pala- tability for stock.
POTATOES-Humboldt County is perhaps, the hest potato- growing county ju the State. Three hundred and twenty-four saeks per acre have been grown, in weight twenty-one and a half tous to an aere. lu the times when potatoes succeeded the best in this county, an average erop on bottom land was eight to ten tons per acre. It was discovered at an early day that this was a great country for potatoes. In 1857, Wm. Chap- man raised fromu a patch of less than an acre, 30,000 pounds-fif- teen tons. On the Bates Ranch 19,000 pounds was raised on three-fourths of an acre.
Along the coast are alluvial benches varying from half a mile to three miles in width, which are exceedingly fertile from the washing of the ridges, the soil being of a hlaek, rich vegetable mold, light and friable, aud in places twenty feet deep. On this ground are raised the fine potatoes which market under the name of "Humboldt Spuds,"
In earlier times Humboldt, in the potato market, was king. Everyhody could own a piece of land if he wished, and might reekon on his $300 or 8400 for every aere cultivated. Good land for this erop aud eligibly situated became enormously high in priee. Fortunes were made in the business and all diversified forms of farming were droppedl and disappeared in this. The end, of course, soon eame; some retired in time, others with less prudence ventured on.
Potatoes are no longer the leading artiele of farm export. Wool, oats and butter have all outstripped potatoes in eommer- cial importance.
OATS-All the bottom lands in Humboldt County will pro- duce 100 hushels per acre of this grain. The many new mills and other euterprises which have been added to the industries of the county during the past years, have created a home mar- ket for oats, so as to cut off exports considerahly. The elimate appears peculiarly adapted to the production of oats. The heavy fogs near the coast which have deleterious influence on wheat for flour-making purposes, appear to he just what is
needed to make a good erop of oats. Oats will do well on any of the land, but the hill land will not produce as well as the bottom lands, but they will produce more than auy of the States east of the Rocky Mountains. They are a good paying erop in this county.
PRINCIPAL FRUITS RAISED.
No particular attention has been given to raising of fruit for a foreign market. Most kinds of fruit do well, and almost every farmer has more or less orchard and garden, The principal apple-producing portion of the county is Eel River Valley, where the trees are somewhat sheltered from the ocean breeze. There is also considerable eider made, but none to ship. The capabilities of the county in the way of producing this fruit are enormous. Anywhere iu the county, apples, pears, and plums luxuriate, except when exposed to the direct hlasts of the northwest trade-winds ou the ocean bank. In the interior all other fruits do well, save apricots, which are often eaught by late spring frosts. Heavy fogs mark the coast during the summer months, and heavy rains may he looked for from October to May.
The above are the principal produetions of the county. A full list is giveu in the statistical list of productions.
For several years past agriculture has shown the largest export footing, leading the lumber trade hy a few hundred thousand, hut with the present hoom in lumber on the one hand, and the ceasing of the potato crop and shipment on the other, lumher is likely to take the lead for the uext two or three years.
SHEEP AND WOOL.
The wool production has increased in a wonderful manner during the past ten years. The total produet of the county in 1870 was 51,867 pounds, while the export in 1880 from Eureka alone reached the aggregate of 900,000 pounds, while the bulk from the southeru portion of the county went out by the way of Shelter Cove; and no statistics are attainable. Much attention is being paid to the grading of flocks, many very fine bueks having been brought into the county during past seasons.
Humholdt wool commands the highest market prices, rang- ing from four to seventeen cents higher than any other seetion of the Pacific Coast except Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. The wool is free from dirt, burrs and other deleterious sub- stanees.
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