USA > California > Nevada County > History of Nevada County, California; with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and manufactories > Part 30
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THI VAN HIVGAN-MOYES DPEL.
During the celebrated campaign against the Indians in Nevala in Ista, which was participated in by the Novada Kitles and a large number of volunteers from this county, a difficulty occurred between Captain & B Van Hagan of the Ritles and R B Moves one of the men, in regard to some point. of duty. Moyes decided that " when this cruel war is over " he would have satisfaction, and when the conjumy returned covered with glory and dirt be issued a challenge to the utlending Captain This was promptly accepted by thut valiant warrior, who decided that minnie ritles ut sisty pures gave him alwmt ns good chinees for continuing his eureer of usefulness in this world as anything else. The fatal day was the twentieth of June, 1860, and the gladiatorial areun was Grizzly Flat, in Yulu county, just across the Middle Yutu river The ground was paced off by the dignified seconds, sixty found und true paces. As the combatants took their stations with anger in their eyes und rifles in their hands, the moon was smeared with blood. Both fired ut. the word, and ajan discover- ing that they were still sonud in body if not in mind, bath champions demanded another shot. A sarenstie individual suggested that they put telescopes on the rifles, but he was quickly squelehed, and the work of death wout on. Once more did tongues of flame lenp from the angry rifles, and oner more did the smoke lift from the field of ouruage und reveal the virgin sod free from the contamination of blood. A "hig talk " was then hell, which resulted in un amicable understand- ing, and both heroes were spared for future deeds of valor.
A HYDRAULIC DUKL.
A most amusing duel occurred in Nevuda City, July 12, 1861, between Messrs. Tompkins and Curley. One of these gentle- inen having breome offended, berume thoroughly convinced that, nothing but blood would cleause the stain upou bis honor, challenged the other to deadly canbat upon the bloody statuts. The challenged party was as thoroughly convinced that water as a cleansing agent was far superior to blood, and besides that he had more of it to spare, so he accepted the challenge to fight, instead of the bloody sands the scene was to be the muddy pavement, and instead of the death dealing pistol, which might iniss both of them, the weapon was to be a section of hose, from whose unerring aim there was no escape. The terms were agreed upon; seconds were chosen; everything was conducted
122
HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
after the manner prescribed by the cole Fach was armel with a twenty five foot home with a quarter inch nozzle, the how, attached to hydrants in which there was a provare of one hundred and fifty fort. When the word was given the water way turued ou and for sometime the air war rent with the hilarious abricks and yells of the pretatars as the drenched but valiant combatant dolgod the ru bing streams of water. Neither would subunit or call for a true, and the aqueous strife was only terminated when the best of one of the parties suddenly " Lu ted." It was here demonstrated that in reinos. ing stains of honor one drop of bbel is equal to a thousand gallons of water.
THE SOITTHET-PRARA DUEL.
A duel occurred September 23, 1866, Intween two citizens of North Bloomfield that was very amusing to outsiders, however serions and heart-rending it may have been to the com- butants. A number of shamn duel: had hern fought in various places, in which the snapping of a cap or the tremlaus dis- charge of'n bluink cartridge had been n " sovereign balm " for woundled honor, hut not so in this, Two Freuminen, Souchet and Picard, quarreled and upbraided each other until the air was hazy with French imprecations, and then adjourned to the " tented tiell" in the vicinity, to settle their differences with Colt's revolvers, bring accompanied by their seconds.
These latter gentlemen, probably aware of the known pecul- iarity of the dueling fraternity, who are over eager for a fray, provided no danger exists, loaded the pistols with ball only. The ground was duly paced off, and at the word, both fired- that is, snapped enps. But, in the classic language of those primitive days-" there was blood on the moon," and percus- sion caps were hardly a circumstance to the destroying angels incarnate personified by these two revengeful Gants.
Discovering the fraud which had been played upon them they straightway agreed to fight withont seconds, and once more the pistols were brought into requisition, this time loaded in deadly earnest. At twenty-five paces the fight commenced and both pistols were rapidly emptied, as the combatants approached each other, neither, however, being hit. Souchet then ordered a change, and clubbing his pistol bent the unfortunate Picard, not only upon both thanks, but also in front and rear, until that gentleman resembled the remnant of Napoleon's " Invin- cible" guard after Waterloo. By this means the wounded honor of Souchet was healed, and Picard's head was broken. The condition of his honor was not learned, but it is presumed he, too, was satisfied.
Next day they were both arrested upon the charge of " unlaw- fully assembling together by previous agreement, and fighting to the great terror of the citizens of this State, and to the great terror of the citizens of the town of North Bloomfield, with
pistol- loaded with powder and leaden balls, the place where they a mbled being a public place."
For this they were sentenced to seven days each in the L'onnty Jail. They were also charged with assault, and on this charge Souchet remained twenty-one days, and Picard twenty. Thus honor and law were both vindicated.
THE CHEROKEE TRAGEDY.
The latest occurrence of this character, partaking both of the dramatic and the comic, occurred near Cherokee, in 1874. A ball was given Christmas eve, attended hy the beauty and chivalry of the town. One of the Indies with her sparkling eyes and coquettish smile had ensnared the heart of the ' Cherokee Blacksmith." Another gentleman, named Wahl, also felt her rognish eyes tugging at his heart strings, and so it was that when the voluptuous strains of the waltz began to float upon the nir, both of the slaves claimed the object of their adoration for the dance. "Tis said that " No'man can serve two masters," and it is just as true that no two men can waltz with one lady, il either grace or comfort is desirable. Hot words passer between the rival claimants, and the stalwart black- smith intimated plainly that he would "put a head on" the uther. Let it be remarked that Wall was perfectly satisfied with his head as it came from nature's workshop, and, with the exception of a few skillful touches of the barber's hand, desired no artificial ornamentation whatever; he, therefore, challenged the belligerent blacksmith to fight a duel.
The seconds were chosen and all the arrangements mnade to fight on Badger hill the next morning, with pistols, loaded pis- tols, distance thirty feet, to fire between the words one, two, three, stop.
The sun rose that Christmas morn upon a scene far different from that it saw nearly two thousand years ago. It gazed upon two angry men facing each other with death dealing pis- tols in their hands, and before it had rubbed its sleepy eyes enough to understand what it all meant, it heard a voice say "one, two," and then the report of the blacksmith's pistol sniote upon its ear. Firm as the granite beneath his feet stood Wall, when the flash of his adversary's pistol was scen. He knew himself to be unharmed, he had ample satisfaction, for had he not stood up like a man to be shot at? What greater satisfac- tion could any man desire ? Why then should he dip his hands in blood, or nip in its youthful vigor the life of a fellow being ? No, he would have a deeper revenge by sparing his life, and when the word "three" was given sharp and clear, he struck the attitude supposed to have been assumed by Ajax when he defied the lightning, and fired his pistol at the zenith. Enough, let there be no more bloodshed! The antagonists approach, shake hands and swear eternal friendship. The bloody feud is at an end. It soon transpired, however that
the blacksmith's chances of hitting Wall were about as good as the latter's were of hitting the zenith, for the considerate seconds in order to avoid all possibility of an accident, had omitted to put any bullets in the pistols; but what of it? Honor was satisfied, and a firm friendship cemented at the pistol's mouth.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
TRANSPORTATION.
Mules-Express-Bowers Brothers and Hamlet Davis-Wells, Fargo & Co .- Stages -Railroads-First Proposition Concerning Pacific Railroad-First Bill for Pacific Railroad-First Surveys-Sacramento, Anburn and Nevada Railroad Company-Practical Efforts by T. D. Judalı-His trip to Washington, in 1859-Efforts to Enlist Capitalists of San Francisco- Organization of Company at Sacramento-List of First Officers-lustru- mental Survey Made-Difficulties of Location-Resolution of Board of Directors-Second Journey East by Mr. Judah-Passage of Bill hy Con- gress, in 1862-Provisions of Bill-Financial Difficulties-Death of Mr. Judah-Location of Line of Road-Report of George C. Gray, C. E .- Driving the Last Spike-Consolidations With Other Roads-Snow Sheds- Snow Plow Incidents-A Fearful Ride-An Ellitor Under the Wheels- Accidents-Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad-Jubilee Over its Completion-Statistics-Other Railroad Schemes.
BEFORE the construction of roads in the mountains, the pas- sage of wagons, except in a few favored localities, was alnost impossible, and to convey goods to the little mining camps that lay hidden among the ravines and gulches, the sure-footed mule was called into requisition. Sometimes the nature of the country or the presence of a large body of snow rendered even this method impossible, and then the goods were packed upon the backs of men, who picked their way cautiously among the rocks, or glided on snow-shoes over the surface of immense drifts of snow, where mnules could have obtained no footing. Thousands of mules were used in this manner, and long pack trains could be seen radiating in every direction from the centers of trade, carrying to the toiling miners in the recesses of the hills the wherewithal to sustain life, clothe their bodies, " wet their whistles," and prosecute their business. As soon as possible this method of transportation was superseded by the mountain wagon and the " prairie schooner," drawn by horses, mules or the sluggish ox, only, however, in those localities where roads were made, the pack train still traversing the rug- ged and narrow mountain trails. The immense amount of goods that have been constantly sold by the merchants of Grass Valley, Nevada and other business centers of Nevada county have, until the last four years, been hauled from the valley in wagons or brought by pack trains, entailing an expense and causing a delay that was very detrimental to bus- iness and a weight upon the prosperity of the county. Had there been a railroad to Nevada county, in 1860, the bulk of the Washoe trade could have been drawn this way, so easy and
RESIDENCE OF GEO. W. HILL, GRASS VALLEY, NEVADA CO CAL.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
rapid was the communication between the tw, . last, however, the old order of thing in y t .
iron horse, with flaming metnik1 through the hills, leap precipitos can ar gil gitmes r ing mountain torrent, driemimer swiftly it _1 of fr . that before laborion ly crept along the re ky momentoin r 1
There was an early domnul for expre facilitu thet west first but illy anti tied lighet packages, lettere paper as gold dos had to be carried to or from the interior and for this purposes express companies with ramification in ( 15 comme of the mountains were forr ary. It was lut a year or two Ifore large and well organized expres companie were reach ing their arms in every direction from the commercial enter- of the State, while hundreds of local companie left no and however small, withont some menny of connection with the trunk lines. The orension for the starting of the first expires line was the arrival of the grent mail from the East, in Dopom Ir, 1840. The news of this event spread rapidly through the mines, and every one was eager to hear from loved ones at home. The letters were nearly all directed to San Francisco ar Sacramento, and at this points lay great benga of letter unil papers destined to make glad thousands of hearts could they but rench their destination Miles away in the mountain gurken were the toiling miners, and wand know where or what they were. They had to send for their mail. Ising under many n grassy mound, with naught last the sighing winds to take note of their last resting place, were hundreds who had left their homes in the tush of youth or the prime of munhood never to return For them, also, were there letters breathing material love or maiden trust and confidence, that lingenel long on the dusty shelves of the post office and were consigned to the obliterating thanks. How many a sale and tear. how muy a broken heart. the dreadful silence caused the waiting ones ut home will ne'er be known.
In express line was started by Bowers Brothers, running from Novada t'ity, or as it was then known, t'oldwell's tiger Crossing to Suermento and San Francisco. Those who desired letters gave their names to the express agent, a long list was prepared, which was placed in the hands of the postmaster, and all the mail for persons named on the list was delivered to the express company. When it arrived in Nevada City great was the crowd awaiting it, eager to receive a letter of paper from home, for the former of which they willingly paid two dollars and a half and for the latter one dollar. The price demandent for this service was son reduced to one dollar per letter. us other express lines were started. Hamlet Davis had a line in 1850, and on his list were fifteen hundred names for whom he made inquiry at the Sacramento and San Francisco offices. Even after post offices were established in the interior this prac- tice was maintained, so long did it take to acquaint friends so
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on1 W. Frg & 1, bạn riring they
1.tic 1.xpress company in 195 this company eprateltw. year and then transterre lit le ines to Wels Fargo & 1. About this time the Alta Expre to stallil I it of Int in of the field In 199 Proman & Co again commencal to run to the point- bit in November of that year withdrew and Dann Wells Fargo& Co. were the only ones who had a compact. expres Ine in the State. For a while the Pariti . Stage any Express to, ran to the Carson Valley and Virginia City Is way? of the Hennes Pass, and later the Pacific Union Expres to ran for a short time but Wells Fargo & Co have been alment without opposition for twenty years. Langton - Pioneer Fix. pris was one of the institutions of early days. With headquarters at Downieville, it connected that region with the southern lines at Nevada C'ity and Marysville When the § Washoe excitement was great Langton's Pioneer Express also ran through the Hennes Pass to that region Wells Fargo t's have had but few agents at Nevala City; the first we" Milford & Scarks, Mr. Hewitt, Charles Mead and, constantly, since 1857, the present efficient and accommodating agent. . \ D. Tower, a thorough expressman. At Grass Valley Hony Sheldon, A Delano, L. 11. Rowell, Captain Baraneo and & P' Dorsey. the present gentlemanly incumbent, have ban tu agents. At North San Juan the agents were Goorge D Dornin, Bennett A. Pryor, and Anson B. Swan, the present agent. The company is represented at Sweetland by B. and I Wood ; at Rough and Ready. by Win. Westertiell; at Trucker. by Sisson, Wallace & Co., and at Boca, by I. E. Dann.
Local expres lines have run between tirass Valley and Nevada and the principal points in the county, most of them centering in Nevada City. These express lines used convey - ances of all kinds; stages, light wagons, horse and even a footman. A pretty big story is toll of kerry Greens, who used to carry express between Nevada City and Kureka South ou his back ; it is to the effect that he woubl strap sixty pounds of express upou his back, walk to Washington. Omega, Alpha and Enreka and return by the way of Moore's Flat an l Hun bug North Bloomfield to Nevada City, making the remul trip in one day, the distance traveled being about sixty miles along Steep mountain roads. Without being able to present an also- Intely correct list of the owners of the express routes, the following list is given as being marly complete. Running
twin Vrala t' y and Dutch Flat, and touching at diff rent ( att man Yorket Rol Dog, Waloupa Little York, Low- el lies and Recenten Hel Henry Philips Sam Heves. E I' Hakir GHI foly Bradwell's Express, Jerry Giren ul Freks Running to Umera. Alpha and Washington The first I Jan n ders toren Henry Philips & R English. F. 1 Makin Lag & SIw. Prescott, and Grisel Running to
Englishes Walls Wald Trotter, Trotter & to, Ficha l'une + to DI Hines and D Wellington Running tian Wen to North San Juan Wm A Wiler, Langton's Poner Engre & run downthe way, Web Forza& Co have had the route for soll's I J do dlan starte la hope expres between French Coral and North San Juan in 1599, Conger & Banin pat on a one hora "ypres wagen in IO and afterwards a stage, 1. 11 Well. Lenght it in The the line having been extended to North Bembel: Wells, Forgod to have others at the e points now
The first miner - who penetrate I into the regions came un fout estfor carrying their god upon their lacks, or strapped upon park animals, vous fow had or desired schickes, so rough was the road and such slow progres could to made in that. way It was not long however, before the enterprise the man made his appearance, and the crack of the driver's whip was heard wherever a few chimney poured their motel nok" into the air to mark the site of a town. The most important line and the one first to be established was the ar cunmeeting with Sacramento, Early in 1850, commiration wn etat, lished with that city ly Bowers' Express and m a bott lea James Birch began to operate a nagy line, crossing Pour riva at dodson's Crossing med coming through le Bar Roh and Really, and Grass Valley to Nevada City In 19it Hu rate was changed to come by the way of the Rommel Tent Birch ran five coaches as far as Round Tent and then chanel to passenger wagons. Hig line was well stocked, and when he find the combination that formed the California Stage Cion pany it was valued at $75,000. From that time the Film was operated by the combination. When the S. V. K. K. was enn peter to Folsom the line terminated there, and when the road reached Lincoln, that town was made the terminal point. Inturn, in turn, and. finals, Colfax became the points where the stages connected with the railroad, the Telegraph Stage I'm running to the latter point When the narrow gange road was built this line was discontinued The line running to Marysville was at first the second in importance, Int is now the first Stage commenced running on this route in 1851. Buckinghamn and Adriance operating a well stocked line. Thi line was taken into the combination and was run by the ('all- fornia Stage Co. until it di skvel, having competition oca- sionally from independent lines. They were succeeded in 1866
ʻ
HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY CALIFORNIA.
by bory & M notvery in 1907 by d'unnis I n & Hy ar
fol yolk to Vath Su Juen ant | 150G, when they 11 5Cơ hàng Moly, who m tom -ở 5 John Hogn
il i Say, let in two you be all , the combination Se litt len entantly running Liwen Jesada City age Vole anl the jundipal lo al points in the centy
Cot jom Bolagal war frage run to Virginia City 1 , 11 11 The California Seg Co J K Sal Gta with Pacifi Stato, conel by James Met'te and Mah R. all head lines on the route. Trucker has also Haar quien me enter In 17 ithal seven daily and bisote ti ho mming ty Tuber City, Donner lake, Sur . Vagy gul Lucky Sonth.
It pat tis der neer mino lations are. - A line between Soveda Cos mol Marysville by the way of Grass Valley, Hab ut kaly Smut ville and Timburton. A line from Voll Somalia to Marysville, through Sweethund, Birelville, Brauch Corral and Mooney Flat, connecting with the other at Un In pm Ruch near Smartsville. A line Intween Grass I Hoy el Vovala City, running twice daily A line from Svih tyto With San hon A live from Nevada City to Nath Bi matic' ] Vir from Nevada City to Eureka South. Vin fresh Nevada City to Wa hington. A hne from Nevada Og to Match Flat, through Hunt's Hill, You Bet and Little Y.k. Alne from Ninth bbunfield to Moore's Flat and Fireka South. Lues hima Fracker to Lake Tahoe, Donner Doke, Welder and Independence lakes and Sierra valley.
CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD
The project of lutit ling a railroad neross the continent was list agitated lo Mr. Asi Whitney, in Ist. He continued W urs. the matter m Congress and out of it, till 1850, and was supported in his movement by such men as Senators Breese, of Ilinois, and Benton, of Missouri, the lutter of whom intro lneed a bill into the Senate of the United States, for a Pacific Railroadl. February 7. 1849. This bill was really the first tangible effort made in this direction.
The first effort made in California towards the building of an overland road, was the formation of a company by citizens of Nevada, Pincer and Sacramento counties. There were filed in the office of the Secretary of State, August 17, 1832, Articles of Incorporation of the Sacramento, Anburn and Nevada R. R. Co. The articles contained the names of twenty-six subscribers of twenty-eight shares each, at a value of one hundred dollars This convention sent Mr. Judah to Washington, D. C., to per share, and the names of the following Directors: S. W. | endeavor to procure legislation on the subject of the railroad.
Love Pierer Ity, TO Dunn, John R. Coryell, Charles Marl 1- . Wil'nın and Wiliam HI. Lyons of Nevada unty J hu A Rad. J. B. Haggin and Lloyd Tevis, of S ramento county. A line was surveyed from Sacramento City, through Folsom, Auburn, and Grass Valley, to Nevada Gry This Time was sixty-eight miles long, and the estimated ( t of construction was $2 000,000. From Nevan City the survey was continued through the Hennes Pass. The enterprise wa to gigantic for the means at the command of the incorpo- tators and they were compelled to abandon the project. The result of the survey through the Hennesy Pass is not preserved.
Congress passed an Act during the month of March, 1853, providing for a survey, by the topographical engineers of the army, of three routes for a transcontinental railway, the northern, southern and middle routes. These surveys were male, and reports submitted to Congress, and published, with elaborate engravings of the scenery along the routes, topograph- ical maps, representations of the animals and plants discovered along the route. These reports were, no doubt, immensely valuable, but they did not show that a route for a railway was practicable over the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevadas. The demonstration of the fact that such a route did exist, was left to be made by Theodore D. Judah, the Chief Engineer of the first railrond ever built in California-the Sacramento Valley Railroad. It was while engaged in building this road, from 18.54 to 1856, that Mr. Judah became convinced of the practicability of a railroad over the Sierra Nevadas, which was the only mountain range that had heretofore been deemed impracticable.
Mr. Judah was born at Bridgeport, Connectient, in 1826, and died in New York City, in 1863. He graduated as a civil- engineer at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, New York. Mr. Judah made trial surveys, or, more properly, recon- noissances over several of the supposed passes over the Sierras, at his own expense. These were simply barometrical surveys, but were sufficiently accurate to convince Mr. Judah that a road could be built, and, armed with the data thus obtained, he lost no opportunity in presenting his views and aims whenever and wherever it seemed to him that it would advance the pro- ject of a Pacific railroad.
He succeeded, through a concurrent resolution of the Cali- fornia Legislature of 1858, in having a railroad convention called, to meet in San Francisco, September 20, 1859. This convention was composerl of many of the most prominent men of California at that time; among them we note Hon. J. A. MeDougall, Hon. J. B. Crockett, Mejor Jolin Bidwell, Hon. S. . B. Axtell, Hon. James T. Farley, Sherman Day, and others of California, together with delegates from Oregon and adjoining Territories.
He proceeded thither in time to be at the opening of the Thirty- sixth Congress. Arrived at Washington, he lost no time in visiting the different Departments, and collecting from each all the information they had that couldl in any way aid him in presenting plainly to Congress the importance and practicability of the enterprise. Unfortunately, this Congress was so entirely ocenpied with political matters, that little could be done in the way of procuring legislation, but great good was effected by the personal interviews that Mr. Judah had with the different mem- bers and other prominent men. His knowledge of the subject was so thorough, that he rarely failed to convince any one with whom he talked on the subject, of the entire feasibility of the project. While in Washington at this time, a bill was drawn up by himself and Hon. John C. Burch, then a member of Congress, from California. This bill contained nearly all the provisions of the bill as finally passed in 1862. It was printed at private expense, and a copy sent to cach Senator and Mem- ber of Congress.
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