USA > California > Napa County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 81
USA > California > Lake County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 81
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98
Lynching of John Meyers .- This man, or rather fiend in human form, was a stranger in the county, and one day during the month of October, 1874, he arrived at Lower Lake. He was evidently a "tramp" of the worst stripe. In his peregrinations about the neighborhood he came to a house in which he found only an old and feeble lady and a mere child twelve years of age. At once he conceived a most hellish design, and
9
130
History of Napa and Lake Counties-LAKE.
proceeded to commit upon the person of the child a most horrid and unnam- able offence, which was done by the heartless brute in the very presence of the mother, who, from age and infirmity, was unable to deter him in the least from the accomplishment of his purpose. The alarm was given, and he was placed under arrest. Fearing for his safety in the justly enraged vicinity, the officer started for Lakeport with his prisoner, but to the credit of the community of Lower Lake be it said, that the officer was relicved of his charge on the road, and the Coroner had a job.
Killing of Michael Ready .- This was a sad affair, as it was purely ac- cidental, and occurred at Middletown, in February, 1875. Mike, as he was familiarly called, was a jolly, whole-souled man, and the butt of all good- natured jokes among the boys of the mine where he worked. On the day of the killing, Mike was standing outside the hotel, when Jean English went into the bar and picked up an old revolver that had been laying around loose, time out of mind, and that no one ever dreamed was loaded, remarking at the same time to the proprietor that he was going to have some fun with Mike. He went outside, and approaching Mike in a serio-comic manner, made some demand of him, at the same time drawing the revolver on him. Mike demurred, when English snapped it, and to his utter horror and dismay it was discharged. The ball entered Mike's neck, just above the breast bone, and he died instantly. The Coroner's jury acquitted English.
Killing of Peter Pogue .- He was killed by John Mazingo, in Rices Val- ley, October 3, 1876, and the following facts were brought out at the trial. The two men were neighbors, and laid claim to the same piece of land. Mazingo had a fence around it, at least there was a fence around it, and Pogue and a hired man came to a place in the fence near where Mazingo was at work, and opened it for the purpose of entering the field with a load of posts which Pogue proposed to use in making some improvements on the land. They had some words at the fence, but Pogue was not molested, and proceeded to his destination. Mazingo went then and got a gun which was by a tree in the field, and went up to where Pogue was at work, and ordered him off. Words ensued, and during the dispute a brother of Pogue came up and joined it. At length the altercation culminated in Mazingo shooting Peter Pogue, who was carried about sixty yards away and placed under a tree, and shortly died. Mazingo made his escape out of the county, and changed his name, and supposed that he was free from apprehension. On Christmas night, 1879, over three years after the killing, F. M. Crossley of Potter Valley, Mendocino County, learned of the whereabouts of Mazingo, and at once informed Sheriff J. C. Crigler of Lake County. That official gave to Mr. Crossley a warrant, and authorized him to proceed at once and make the arrest, which was a commission with much hazard, and entailed
131
Homicides of Lake County.
a long and weary trip during the rainy and consequently muddy season of the year. Mazingo was at Juniper Lake, Grant County, Oregon, which is in the eastern part of that State. Going to Reno, Nevada, on the train, he there took the stage for Oregon, traveling under disguise. When within a day or two's journey of his destination he left the stage, and began hunting work, or, in other words, " tramping it." At length he fell in with two men who needed his services, and went with them to the nearest town to where Mazingo was. Here he met a man who knew Mazingo-who had now adopted the name of James Haddock-and whom he could trust. After a hard half day's ride they came to a wild, wooded section of the country, and in a dense clump of willows on the borders of a stream they found a cabin, but no one was at home. The man was then sent out to scour the vicinity for Mazingo, whom he soon saw coming over a hill. The man made some excuse of looking for stock, and engaged him in conversation, going on toward the house. When near the house he called to Crossley as his hired man, and asked him to come up to them, which he did. He rode around on the opposite side of Mazingo, bringing him between the two. He then drew his revolver and covered his man, telling him to throw up his hands, calling him by name. Mazingo was so taken by surprise that before he could recover himself he was in irons. This was on the 26th day of January, over a month from the time that Crossley had learned where he was. He was safely brought back to Lake County, and May 24, 1880, his trial came on, and sentence of imprisonment during the period of his natural life was passed upon him June 1, 1880.
Killing of Charles Bates .- This occurred at Middletown, October 1, 1878, and the deed was perpetrated by Thomas Dyc. Bates was a quiet, gentlemanly young man, with a wife and perhaps a child, and was a com- parative stranger in that section. On the fatal day they met for the first time, and some difficulty having grown up between them, Dye shot and killed him. Dye was arrested, and had his trial December 8, 1880, and was sentenced to the State Prison for fifteen years on the 11th of that month.
Killing of Edward Bynum .- This occurred October 30, 1879, in a saloon in Lakeport. Bynum was noted as a quarrelsome young man, while the very opposite is said of Thompson, who fired the fatal shot. It is said that Bynum was very aggressive on this occasion, and not thinking that Thompson had the "sand" to fight, was " crowding him very close to the wall." Suddenly Thompson drew a revolver and shot Bynum in the eye, and he died in fifteen minutes. Thompson was tried in April, 1880, and the jury found for the defendant after being out three hours.
132
History of Napa ana' Lake Counties-LAKE.
MINES AND MINING.
The principal mining done in Lake County has been for quicksilver, although sulphur and borax have formed no inconsiderable portion of the mineral product of the county. Gold and silver have both been found in small quantities, but not much has been done in the way of mining for them. We will begin by giving a history of the
Sulphur Bank Quicksilver Mining Company .-- This company grew out of the California Borax Company. In April, 1874, the present owners, John Parrott, Tiburcio Parrott, W. F. Babcock, D. O. Mills, and the William Burling's estate became the proprietors of the property, and continued bus- iness under the old company name-The California Borax Company-till December, 1875, when it was changed to the present title. Through the kindness of the officers of the company we have been furnished with the following reports, which are of so much value and interest that we incor- porate them in our work in this connection :
With limited and imperfect means employed for the reduction of ores during the first eighteen months following the date when the production of quicksilver was first commenced, and with the improved systems of fur- naces and concentrators, which were, during the next six months, gradually introduced, the total production of quicksilver in those two years, com- mencing on the 15th of October, 1874, was twelve thousand three hundred and forty-one flasks, bringing into the treasury of the company a sum exceeding $600,000. The average monthly production of quicksilver at the mine, for the five months ending on the 30th of September, 1876, was eight hundred and twenty-nine flasks.
Nor is the article of quicksilver the only source of income to the .com- pany. Sulphur, which forms a great component part of the ore, and which heretofore was entirely lost by evaporation, and the presence of which seri- ousty interfered with the successful extraction of mercury, may be separated from the ore, and manufactured in quantities averaging about five tons per day.
The Sulphur Bank forms the southern slope of a long low ridge or hill which skirts the south shore of the extreme eastern end of Clear Lake. The ridge trends east and west. The ground lying between the Sulphur Bank and the lake shore is nearly level and but a few feet above the water. At
133
Mines and Mining.
a distance of several hundred feet from the shore line the surface begins to rise gradually to the north and east until at the top of the hill the elevation is something over one hundred feet above the water. The rock composing the main body of this hill is of volcanic origin, chiefly basaltic lava, but occurring in various forms, some hard, heavy and compact, some light and cellular, and mnuch of it more or less decomposed.
The dimensions of this ore-bearing deposit give a superficial area of six hundred and sixty-two thousand four hundred square feet, or sev- enty-three thousand six hundred square yards, with an average depth of about thirty feet. According to the foregoing, the cubical contents are, therefore : One thousand three hundred and eighty feet by four hundred and eighty feet by thirty feet, amounting to nineteen million eight hun- dred and seventy-two thousand cubic feet, equal to seven hundred and thirty-six thousand cubic yards. From this gross amount there must be deducted an estimated proportion of worthless, or unworkable ground, consisting of rock and boulders. From a careful inspection of all the cuts, and from roughly estimating the relation existing between the ground already worked and the amount of ore obtained from it, the avail- able proportion of working material is two-thirds of the whole. Taking one-third, then, from the number of cubic feet before obtained, we have remaining thirteen million two hundred and forty-eight thousand cubic feet of available ground; and allowing twenty cubic feet to the ton, we thus obtain an estimated quantity of six hundred and sixty-two thousand four hundred tons of ore.
The results of the assays may be summarized as follows : Every sample was assayed and found to contain metal. The highest and lowest assays obtained from any averaged samples of ore in place in the deposit were six and twelve one hundredths per cent. and twenty-five one hundredths per cent. The highest and lowest assays obtained from any averaged sample of ore in piles were eleven and twenty-six one hundredths per cent. and fifty- five one hundredths per cent.
This is equal to one and one-sixth per cent. of the whole ground included in our measurements. The amount of quicksilver contained in the deposit, according to the foregoing is, therefore, six hundred and sixty-two thousand four hundred tons, averaging one and three-fourth per cent., or thirty-five pounds of metal to the ton, containing twenty-three million one hundred and eighty-four thousand pounds of quicksilver. This is a gross estimate. The net quantity and value will, of course, depend on the percentage of metal extracted, the cost of extraction, and the market price of quicksilver. The production hitherto has been effected under disadvantages and diffi- culties incidental to new enterprises and experimental processes. The pe- culiar character of the ore (containing a large percentage of sulphur) has
.
134
History of Napa and Lake Counties-LAKE.
demanded specially adapted methods of treatment ; and much time and money have been spent in seeking them.
The following is a summary of assays not in the preceding list of assays : Adobes 2.51 per cent.
Refuse from old Sulphur Works. 2.68 per cent.
Ore being passed through rockers 3.46 per cent.
Tailings from rockers. 3.78 per cent.
The locality round about is decidedly volcanic, and though the fiery energy has for a lengthened period been subdued, there apparently still exists a certain amount of emitted heat from a deep-seated source. This may, however (and probably has), auxiliary to it, a relatively superficial heat, re- sulting from the decomposition of various compounds at shallow or slight depth. The result of this volcanic force has been to send up volumes of fumes of various minerals and metals, and by their condensation, to place before the view (immediately on the surface) a vast body of efflorescent ores, principal among which are those of quicksilver and sulphur, both gen- erally diffused, of high percentage, and consequently of large economic importance.
We will now describe the smelting process as it is conducted at this mine in the reduction of their ores. As has already been stated in these pages, cinnabar is a composition of sulphur and mercury-sulphide of mer- cury-there being sixteen parts of the former to eighty-four of the latter. The ore is brought to the furnace dumps in carts, where it is segregated, the fine and coarse being kept separate. The ore is placed into the top of the furnace, and the fire is kindled at the bottom. The furnace used here is the Hunter & Scott, and is composed of a double series of shelves so ar- ranged that they project over each other in such a manner that as the ore descends from one shelf, it will be precipitated upon the one just below it on the opposite side of the chamber. The ore thus slowly works its way from shelf to shelf until it reaches the bottom, when it is drawn as slag, as it is presumed that all the quicksilver has been volatilized and passed over to the cooling chambers. This condensing chamber consists of a large brick concern with four several compartments in it. The fumes pass into this from the furnace near the bottom, and thence over the top of the first par- tition wall, and thence under the next partition wall, and so on till the outlet is reached. While going through this process the mercury is precipi- tated in and flows in disconnected globules into receptacles for the purpose. A large percentage of the mercury goes over into this chamber either in chemical or mechanical union with some foreign substance, usually here sulphur, and is deposited in the bottoms of these compartments as a black soot, and is so denominated. This is drawn as often as necessity requires, and is retorted a second time. In this soot the percentage of mercury
EMtrénback
6 Mb young
135
Mines and Mining.
ranges from twenty-five to eighty ; hence, the yield from the retort is almost a steady flow. This soot is mixed with a flux of lime and charcoal in the following proportions : one-fifth charcoal, one-fifth lime, and three-fifths mercurial soot. When there is no sulphur in the soot, only lime is used. The soot preparation is put into pans, and the sublimated mercury passes over into a cooler, where it is condensed and deposited in a receptacle. Here the flasks are filled, seventy-six and one-half pounds of quicksilver being the quantity put in each flask. This is an old Spanish measure, and has been maintained the world over. The entire flask weighs about ninety pounds. Iron is used for the flasks, as mercury has the least affinity for it of any of the metals. A bar of lead will act as a syphon for it, and all are familiar with Mark Twain's experience with his gold ring, and not a few have shared the same fate.
After the fumes have passed through the condensing chamber they are led in a flume, two feet square on the inside, to a chimney. Of these flumes and chimneys there are two, one on the north side of the works and the other on the south. The one on the north is fourteen hundred feet long, and the chimney is eighty feet high and is constructed of brick. The flume to the south is four hundred and fifty feet long and the chimney is forty feet high. The first one is a natural draft and the other has a blast. In these flumes the soot mentioned above collects and is retorted the same as the other. The fumes escaping from the chimney are chiefly sulphurous acid, and would be very disagreeable in any large quantities, but, dissipated as they are before they settle to the earth, they do no damage.
The large furnaces will consume about fifteen tons of ore per day each. A charge consists of about sixteen hundred pounds, and the furnace is charged about sixteen times in twenty-four hours. The debris is drawn from the bottom of the furnace about every two hours, and is wheeled to the far-distant dump on the lake shore. In the furnace there are sixteen tiers of shelves, and they are made up of pieces of tiling made of fire-clay. These tiles are thirty inches long, fifteen inches wide and three inches thick, and in a furnace there are seven hundred and sixty-eight of them.
The company is at present sinking a shaft, and it is expected that a large body of ore will be struck at no great depth. Should such be the case the mine will prove a veritable bonanza. Mr. F. Fiedler is the present superin- tendent and Mr. J. E. Tucker is his assistant. Both are very efficient gen- tlemen and the company are fortunate in securing their services in those positions.
Greut Western Quicksilver Mine .- This mine was discovered and located in 1850, but no great amount of work was done there till 1872, when the present proprietors, E. Green and Hiram Taft, came into possession of it,
.
136
History of Napa and Lake Counties-LAKE.
since which time it has been continuously developed. The mine is situated in the range of mountains lying between Mount St. Helena and Cobb Mount- ain, and on the west side of Loconoma Valley. So far most of the work has consisted of tunnelling, of which there are ten. The length of these tunnels is as follows: No. 1, one hundred feet, and crosses the ore vein ; No. 2, one thousand five hundred feet ; No. 3, one hundred and fifty feet ; No. 4, seventy-five feet ; No. 5, one hundred feet ; No. 6, is a shaft; No. 7, two hundred feet ; No. 8, one thousand six hundred feet ; No. 9, two thous- and six hundred feet; and No. 10, two hundred and fifty feet. No. 9 is the main tunnel, and extends entirely through the ridge or hill in which the mine is located. The ore vein varies in width from six to sixty feet. The mine is worked on two levels, one on tunnel No. 9, and the other below that level. From No. 9 up to the surface will average two hundred and fifty feet, and is really all worked out. The present supply of ore comes from below that tunnel, and is raised by hoisting-works to that level, whence it is drawn to the mouth of the tunnel on cars by mules.
The ore yields from three-quarters to one per cent., and is found in mas- sive serpentine. The side walls are rotten slate stone, while the foot wall is basalt. The most of the cinnabar is found next to the hanging wall. There are five furnaces here for the reduction of the ore ; three of the Green patent, and one Litchfield and one Livermore-the three first being for coarse or uncrushed ore, and the two latter for fine ore. Space forbids an extended description of these furnaces, as they will be found described elsewhere in the body of this work. The mine is under the able supervision of Mr. Andrew Rocca, who is certainly the right man for the place, as he most thoroughly understands mining operations. We are sorry that we have not the figures at hand to represent the yield of this mine, but it is yielding fully as well as any mine now being worked in that vicinity.
137
Lower Lake Township.
LOWER LAKE TOWNSHIP.
GEOGRAPHY .- The following boundaries of this township were estab- lished by the Board of Supervisors : Beginning at the highest point of St. Helena Mountain, on the line dividing Napa County from Lake County ; thence along said dividing line between Lake and Napa Counties easterly to where the second standard line of United States survey crosses the Yolo County line ; thence along the line dividing Yolo and Lake Counties, to the south-west corner of Colusa, County ; thence along the main ridge of mount- ains dividing the waters of Long Valley on the east and Clear Lake on the west; thence westerly along said ridge to the point between Alter's and Stubbs' ranches; thence southerly along said ridge dividing Alter's and Stubbs' ranches, to Clear Lake ; thence southerly across said lake to a point one mile east of Uncle Sam Mountain; thence in a southerly direction to the thirty-five-mile post on the Sacramento road; thence southerly to the highest point of Siegler Mountain, so as to include Gravelly Valley in this township; thence in a southerly direction to the highest point of Cobb Mountain, so as to leave Cobb Valley out of this township; thence follow- ing the county line of Lake County south-easterly to the place of beginning.
In August, 1869, the Board of Supervisors made an order establishing Knoxville Township with the following boundaries, which include a portion of the territory covered by the above: Beginning at the dividing ridge on the western side of Morgan Valley, and south-east of the house heretofore known as George McMillan's house, on Soda Creek ; thence following said divide south-easterly to the ridge of mountains at the southerly extremity of said valley ; thence southerly down said ridge of mountains to the east- ward of the valleys known as Jerusalem and Jericho, until the line dividing the counties of Lake and Napa is intersected ; thence easterly along said dividing line between Lake and Napa Counties, to the county line dividing Lake and Yolo Counties; thence northerly along the dividing line between Lake and Yolo Counties to Cache Creek ; thence up said creek to the divid- ing ridge between the waters of said creek and a branch of the same, heading at or near the house formerly known as William Goldsmith's house; thence following said ridge to the point of beginning.
In 1872 the Legislature passed an Act relocating the dividing line be- tween Napa and Lake Counties, and transferring almost bodily the whole
138
History of Napa and Lake Counties-LAKE.
of Knoxville Township to the former county, and this line thus became the southern boundary line of Lower Lake Township. This line is as follows : The northern boundary line of Napa and the southern boundary line of Lake Counties shall commence at the highest point of the Mount St. Helena ; thence running in an easterly direction along the present boundary line between said counties to the Butts Cañon road; thence north-easterly, in a direct line to the junction of Jericho and Putah Creeks; thence up Jericho Creek to the junction of Hunting Creek, to a large pile of rocks on the south-easterly side of the county road, at the lower and most easterly end of Hunting Valley ; thence in a straight line in the direction of the intersection of Bear and Cache creeks, to the county line of Yolo County ; thence along the line of Yolo County in a south-easterly direction to the present county line dividing Yolo and Napa Counties.
Hence, by the above, it will be seen that Lower Lake Township is at present bounded on the south by Napa County, on the east by Yolo County, on the north by Big Valley Township, and on the east by Sonoma County.
TOPOGRAPHY .- Mountains and valleys-this is the topography of Lower Lake Township in as few words as possible. Beginning at the south- west corner we find ourselves on the summit of St. Helena, whose highest peaks pierce high into the upper ether. From its summit a lovely prospect is spread out before the eye, and the whole of the township may be seen as if in a panorama. Away to the north, and in the north-west corner of the township, the bald brow of Cobb is bared to the sun far amid the clouds. Lying between the two is the beautiful and fertile Loconoma Valley, ex- tending virtually from base to base. To the east of this valley, and over a divide of low hills, lies the gem of the township, Coyote Valley, extending for several miles along the banks of Putah Creek. Further on the east is Morgan Valley, and to the north is Lower Lake Valley, these being quite extensive and fertile. Between all these valleys there are ranges of moun- tains, and in all of the mountains there are numerous little valleys, which are as oases in the desert. They are paradises in the wilderness, lovely habitations for man in the very mountain fastnesses.
GEOLOGY .- Here as elsewhere in Lake County, the geological features are of the most interesting nature. Years could be spent by the student here, and yet the subject would be hardly touched. What a fund of research would all those mineral springs afford. Whence comes the borax that so strongly permeates the waters of the lakes ? Who can solve the deep and undiscoverable mysteries that are so abundant about the Sulphur Bank ? Who can trace the earth's formation and upbuilding in this chaotic mass of rock that reveals nothing in order, but everything in the wildest of confu- sion ? Rock that was once stratified and orderly, have become metamorphic,
139
Lower Lake Township.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.