USA > California > Nevada County > History of Nevada County, California; with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and manufactories > Part 9
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In 1878, the miners of Smartsville having become discon- tented with their neighbors in the valley, owing to the contro- versy on the question of mining debris, circulated a petition to have that town attached to Nevada county. Beyond the circulation of the petition nothing was accomplished.
CHAPTER XX.
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Organization and Boundaries-Present Boundaries-North Bloomfield-Lake City-Columbia Hill-Relief Hill,
When Nevada county was first divided into townships by the Court of Sessions, Bloomfield was not one of them. At that time North Bloomfield, Columbia Hill, Relief Hill, Grizzly Hill and Lake City were unknown and unsettled. When the discoveries were made along Humbug cañon and these large mining camps began to grow in importance and population, then it was that a new township was created by the Board of Supervisors, November 2, 1858, with the following boundaries: -Commencing at a point one mile below Robinson's upper crossing upon the South Yuba river, and running thence in a
RESIDENCE OF T. W. SIGOURNEY, NEVADA CITY, CAL.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
59
HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
direct line to a point three rods below Churchill's saw mill, upon Shady creek in Bridgeport township; thenes to the Middle Yuba river at the month of Grizzly cion; things up the line of said river to a point one mile above the month of Bloody run; thence easterly to the head of Humbug crock: thenes easterly to the head of Logan's canon; there down said cañon to the South Yuba river; thence down sail river to the place of beginning.
According to the map recently made, the township is ten miles in its longest length from coast to west, and six mibs at the widest point from north to south, and contains about forty-seven square miles, It occupies the ridge between the South and Middle Yubas, and lies between Eureka on the east and Bridgeport on the west. Through its center runs the gravel channel, on which are situated the rich claims at North Bloomfield, Lake City, Columbia Hill and smaller play .s. The present boundaries are :- Beginning where the line between ranges 8 and 9, east, crosses the South Yuba river, and running thenec north to the Middle Yuba river; theure up the Millle Ynle river to the line between ranges 9 an 1 10, cast; thence south to the corner of scetions IS an 1 19, township 18, north, range 10, cast ; thence cast to the corner of sections 16, 17, 20 und 21, samo township; thenew south to the corner of sections 28, 29, 32 and 33, some township; thence cast two miles; thenew south to the South Yola river; thence down the South Yuba river to the place of beginning.
NORTH BLOOMFIELD.
ravenoi- pel we cor trackellin tath enap. Upanddown the creek they wander Le minga l'et . he an la lite there. but in may es tin Ing the rich diggi_ . they anticipat . I, and the dienste | erad uuml to the city, ca mig the erek a Imbus, which nam has always i'm_ to it and which it her Inquesta I to the town.
I. B. Clark comment Inning war the site of the present town in 1922, and Owen Mirow, Roger Mota longh. G. W Carter, Dick rom, A. Jacobs, John Newman. Frand Hair and other- canne in 1533 an 1 1554. By 1535 the cup hương to assume the appearance of a town twenty or more houses form- ing the intling hambet of Hamlag Day. In that year Madame August, a French laly, built the Hotel de France. which was rofed with canvas. In 1956 Antone Mayhew and Pettijoan built a store, and Franz & Esher a salom, which latter building is now occupied by P. Lund as a hotel. In this year the city took a sublen impulse forward, the population increasing t. four hundred and the number of frame houses to seventy. Among others of the oll citizens who came about this time, were James Marriott, G. W. Dennett, Ben Brock- meier, L. Hanner, I. W. Stickler, Ernest Creig, Caleb Nash, R. D. Skidmore anl J. K. Brownell, of whom nearly all are still residing here.
Having ma le application for the establishment of a post- offier here, it became necessary to change the name of the town, California being too full of Humbugs to snit the Postal Department. In April, 1857, a public meeting was lwell, at which a resolution was passed, changing the name of the town to Bloomtiell, the worl North being abled because there was . another offien in the State by the same nam .. The same year a public school-house was erected, the United States Hotel was built, and Bloomfield hal connection with San Juan by daily stage, and thus to other points. In 1859, Samuel M. Irwin built the Irwin House in the lower part of the town; it is now being used as a dwelling house. Mr. Irwin also erceted a large stable for the use of the California Stage Co.
The town of North Bloomfield, the center of one of the lading gravel mining districts of the county, is pleasantly situated on the ridge between the Middle and South Yuba rivers, at an altitude of 3,300 feet above the level of the sea. Originally the town rejoiced in the suggestive name of Hum- bng, which it acquired in a legitimate manner from Hummm ereck, on which it is situated. Upon the origin of the name there hangs a tale. In the winter of 1851-2 a party, comp ised of the incongruous elements of two Irishmen and a German, The town began to decline in 1863, and became nearly depopulated: but when the North Bloomtiel I Co. began opera- tions in 1867, things assumed a different aspret, and population and business increaseil more rapidly than they had decline l. At present, including the Malakoff settlement, which is practically a part of Bloomti Ia, the population is about twelve hundred. In the matter of fires Bloomfieldl has been very fortunate indeed, the total loss from that source not exceeding $1,000 in the town proper. A few years ago a fire in the woods destroyed the bridge across the canon and the buildings of the mining company. A boarding house kept by George Elwards, near the town, was destroye:l March 13, 1875. prospected along the creek, near which they discovered a rich deposit of gravel, vielling them n golly quantity of dust. When their supplies became exhausted, one of the sons of Erin was dispatched to Nevada City for provisions, being strictly enjoined tu preserve due silence in regard to their goal fortune, Money and a secret are too much to confile to an Irishman when whiskey is plenty, and the consequence was, that, after purchasing the supplies an I a mule to enrry them, he invested liberally in "corn juice," his purse strings and his tongue both becoming loosened nt the same time, Erin go brugh, familiarly translated " Erin go brag." was here exemplitie 1. and he boasted of his rich "strike," declining, however, to give the location. When the town began to decline the public school was dis- When he took his departure the next morning. a crowd of , continued, but in 1866 it was revived, with an attenlanec
of twelve. In 18 a new schoolhouse was erect 1, at an expan . of 33,700 which is well furnishe lan I has an excellent. library. Religious services are held in the school house by carl die-, Episcopaliins an IM tho lists, at chith rent times. hu the summer of IST, a large hall was created by Edward Combine, which is ne I for dancing parties and miscellaneous entertainments
Saturday, October 98, 1556, the French Hotel at Malakoff was destroyed by fire. A mom manel Harmon was buried to death, andit was supposed that he was the cause of the fire, as le was in the habit of smoking a pipe while bring in bed.
Application was male to the United States Land Office for a patent to the land on which the town rests, in order to print. the titles of property bolders. In ITS a patent was received for the south-east one-fourth of the north west. one fourth of section 6, township 17, north, range 10, east, embracing forty acres of land, thus securing the holders of lots in the possession their property.
North Bloomfield is on the line of the Ridge Telephone Com- pany, the principal office of which is at. San Juan.
LAKE CITY.
Pleasantly situated on the ridge down which runs the plio- cene river channel, on the road from Conubia Hill to North Bloomsfield, and about two and one-half miles from the Intter, the little town of Lake City has passed an almost uneventful existence of twenty-three years.
A little cabin was built here in 1853 by a man umaed Joiner, and in 1855, John H. Helwig, John Schroder, Henry Bowman, Frel Thane and two others, connneneed mining operations, being known as the Dutch Hill Company. In 1855 and 6 Lake City became connected with North Bloomfield and Colum- bia Hill, although there were then but a few cabins, and no effort had been made to build a town. A hotel was built in 1855 by Saul and William Bell, and the locality was known as Bell's Ranch. When the Eureka ditch was completed in 1857, the settlement received quite a forward impule. A town was then laid out and named Lake City. The same year the Bre- inont House was built by M. Bremont, and remained until a few years ago, when it was destroyed by fire. The hotel built by the Bell Brothers is still being kept as a public house by P. R. Payne. In 1857, the year of the town's birth, there were two hotels, one store, one tailor shop, two saloons, the Eureka Lake Co.'s office and a number of dwelling houses. At present the village contains one hotel, one store, one saloon, one black- smith shop and several residences; about twenty votes are cast by residents of this place.
COLUMBIA HILL.
Situated on the ridge at the junction of the North Bloom-
60
HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
field gravel channel with the one from the Blue Tent. W. L. Tisdale and brother settled here in October, 1853, erected a log cabin and commeneed mining operations. In 1855, a inan named Fleming opened a store, and the settlement began to assume the aspect of a village. A post office was established here, and the name of the place changed to North Columbia, although it is generally spoken of as Columbia Hill. About a year ago the old town site was abandoned, and a new town built about one-fourth of a mile distant. The old village was built on the gravel channel, and here as in other plaecs the town lad to inove when the site was wanted for mining ground.
At the present time the town contains a store, three saloons, a number of dwolling houses, a post office and a frame school house, built in 1877, and in which religious services are also held. Among the early settlers were Samuel and John MeBrown, Levi Ayers, W. L. Tisdale and brothers and Mr. Reese.
RELIEF HILL.
This placo is situated on the South Yuba river, about thrce miles cast of North Bloomfield. Captain Monroe, J. K. Reed, Burnham, Tuttlo and some others located here as carly as 1853, and engaged in mining. By 1856 the settlement had attained a population of seventy-five people, and rejoiced in one store, two saloons, one butcher shop, two boarding houses, one black- smith shop and several dwellings. The town steadily increased in size and importanco until 1858, at which time it contained one hundred voters. It then began to decline very speedily; but in 1862 it was revived, and remained a thriving camp for a number of years. It has now a population of some seventy- tive souls. Robert Mooro and William R. Williams, two of the town's oldest residents, are still living here.
CHAPTER XXI.
BRIDGEPORT TOWNSHIP.
Boundaries-North San Juan-Origin of Name-Settlement-Name Changed -Newspaper -- Fires-Water Works - Titles-Ridge Telephone Co .- Birchville-Cherokee- French Corral-Driving Out Chinamen-Sweet- land-Sebastopol,
Lying in the extreme north-west corner of the county, Bridge- port township, though ouc of the smallest in size, stands third as regards population and wealth. It lies between the South and Middle Yubas, aud is the ridge that divides those two streams. The township has suffered but little alteration since it was first organized, except that a small strip was cut off from the castern end when Bloomfield township was formed, and at present has the following boundaries :- Beginning at the junc- tiou of the Main aud South Yuba rivers, and ruuning thence up the South Yuba river to the line between raugcs 8 and 9,
east; thence northi to the Middle Yuba river; thence down the Middle Yuba river to its junction with the Main Yuba; thence down the Main Yuba to the place of beginning.
This was the first section of the county to resound to the tread of the prospector, aud whose hills re-echoed the rattle of the tireless rocker, for early in 1849 the miners pushed their way up the streams from the valley, searching for the inany rich bars, which were soon discovered and long rewarded then for their enterprise and toil. Agriculture and horticulture also receive considerable attention and many little farms lie among the hills, and many trees and vines grow on their sloping sides. The fruit of this locality is of excellent flavor and of a supe- rior quality.
NORTH SAN JUAN.
Tlic business, mining and intellectual center of Bridgeport towuship is North San Juan, a thriving miuing town, lying at the foot of the south side of San Juan Hill. The first settler in the immediate neighborhood was Christian Kientz, who pros- pected on the west end of San Juan Hill, and in the spring of 1853, in connection with Jeremiah Tucker, developed the rich Gold Cut mine. To this enterprising pioneer is ascribed the honor of naming the hill from which the town afterwards derived its appellation. The reasons given for his applying the name Sau Juan, so unusual in the northern mines, are various, aud iudicate a remarkable fertility of imagination that does great credit to their authors. Three of these stories are here given with the cautiou not to give judgment upon such insuffi- cient returns, as there are several stories yet to be heard from.
One of these traditions says that Kientz had been with General Scott's army in Mexico; that one day on approaching San Juan Hill he was impressed with the resemblance it bore to the hill of the castle of San Juan d'Ulloa, and named it ac- cordingly. Another legend, hoary with age and bristling with improbability, is to the effect that the beauty of the scenery so wrought upon his poetic soul, that, being a devout Catholic, he ejaculated "San Juan ;" but why a German, even if he was a devout Catholic, should in bis rapturous ebulitions use a foreign tougue to express his feelings, and shriek "San Juan" instead of the time honored Mein Gott in Himmel is a riddle too deep for the penetration of the most astute. Another account says that, being a fervent Mason he named it St. John, which, being translated into the pure Castilliau of California, becomes San Juan. However correct any or all of these stories may be, it is certain that the name is and ever will be San Juan.
A house was built by Kientz where the Halfway House now stands, below the east end of the hill, in the spring of 1853, and kept by him as a hotel. John S. Stidger and George W. Hoard built a store on the hill at the north end of Flume street, and John A. J. Ray opened a canvas built store on the corner of Main and Flume streets. Thus there were three locations,
cach striving to be the center of the future town. Rich dis- coverics had been made, aud miners were arriving rapidly ; the the competition became brisk, the stores combined being too strong an opposition for Kientz's location, and the establish- ment of Ray, leading Stidger & Hoard in the race. Hoard soon sold to Israel Crawford, and Stidger & Crawford continued together for many years. Ray closed out his business in two or three years, but not until from his store to the other was one continuous settlement.
Iu the winter of 1853, John Hill, who still resides here, built the first frame house on the present site of the town, near Gay- nor & Dickson's saloon, on the south side of Main street. For three years he kept a hotel called the Union House in this building, and it continued under the charge of various pro- prietors uutil April, 1872, when it was destroyed by fire. In July, 1853, Crofton Williamson, who had been keeping a boarding house at Hess' Crossing, now Freeman's Crossing, came to San Juan Hill, and opened a boarding house. He soon sold to Williams & Son, who discontinued the business two years later. The present National Hotel was built in 1855 by Sears & Green ; in 1858 it was bought by Mr. Gordon, who named it the Sierra Nevada House. Henry Pierson afterwards bought it and named it the National Hotel, which naine it still retains, under the management of A. J. Putnam, who became the owner in 1865.
Quite a number of people came from San Francisco and settled at San Juan, the strect upon which they lived receiving the name San Francisco street.
The first brick building in the town was erected in 1856, by Kindt & Grant, and was occupied as a grocery and provision store ; it is now used for a store house by A. Harris & Co.
By 1857, the settlement had grown sufficiently to need a post office, and application was made for one. The name San Juan had been long before appropriated, and it became neces- sary to select another by which the town and post office could be designated. For this purpose a public meeting was held in the strect, A. T. Search elected chairman and a committee appointed. While the committee was in conference, it was suggested that the old namne be retained with the prefix North, and when the committee returned, like Othello, they found their occupation gone, and the town christened Nortb San Juan. The same ycar the material of the Iowa Hill News was moved here by J. P. Olmstead & Co., who commenced the pub- lication of the San Juan Star. A library association was or- ganized in 1857, but was afterwards dissolved, and the books donated to the public school.
But few fires of a destructive character have occurred owing, chiefly, to the excellent facilities for extinguishing flames. On Saturday, September 5, 1863, a fire originated in an unoccupied building, and destroyed three houses with their
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RESIDENCE OF CHARLES KENT, NEVADA CITY, CAL.
61
HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
contents, all valued at $2,700. October 6, 1864, and September 19, 1865, fires originated in Chinatown, and destroyed a con- siderable number of the frame buildings in that locality. Still another fire swept Chinatown away, July 4, 1870. The exer- tions of the firemen saved the balance of the town, arresting the flames in the rear of the National llotel. The loss to the Chinese was $5,000. One Chinese merchant shut himself up in his vault and was suffocated. The citizens were very much excited, and desired to prevent the relwilling of the Chinese quarter, as it was a constant menace to the town.
In 1860, A. J. Elder constructed water works to supply a portion of the town with water. The source of supply was a spring three-fourths of a mile from the town, but the supply was found inadequate to meet the demand. In 1862, voluntary contributions were made by the citizens for the construction of a reservoir. Charles Schardin, W. H. Sears and I. T. Saxhy were elected a Board of Trustees to construct the reservoir ; George D. Dornin was clerk of the Board. The reservoir was built and the water supply derived from the Eureka Lake Ditel, the old pipes being relayed to the reservoir. A M. Urnne is the present owner of this property. Hydraulic Hose Co., No. 1, was organized October 13, 1862, and on the twenty- ninth dny of the same month Union Hose Co., No. 2 was also organized. The pressure of the water from the reservoir is so grent that a lire-engine is needless, nud the expense of the fire department is small in consequence. The firemen have by their exertions several times saved the town from what threat- ened to be disastrous contingrations,
In May, 1875, the North San Juan Irrigating Co. was organized for the purpose of laying down iron pipes to supply the people of the town with water for irrigating and house- hold nses, On July 4, 1875, the work was completed and the water admitted to the pipes. The cost of the entire work was $3,200. The water is taken from the Milton Ditch, about one- fourth of a mile south of the town. At Main street, where the pipes conneet, the pressure is 160 feet, aml on San Francisco street about 80 Feet. The officers of the company are :- A. B. Swan, President; J. H. Brown, Secretary; P. H. Butler, Trensurer ; O. P. Stidger, Superintendent. The works are now leased to A. M. Crane, who is the owner of the old works.
Considerable trouble has been experienced in the matter of title to the town site. It was claimed, when the town was first built, by H. P. Sweetland, by purchase from J. B. Stafford. A portion of the hound claimed was surrounded by a fence, within which was the cabin of the chimant. A number of the settlers bought Sweetland's title, while others declined so to do, and in 1855, suit for trespass was brought against Thomas L. Frew. While the suit was pending Sweetland opened a street through the enclosed lot and offered lots of one hundred feet deep for sale at one dollar per front foot. The
suit was decidel adversely to the claimant, and imme lately settlers orcupiel all the lan I not before taken. Upm appeal to the Supreme Court, however, Sweetland's title to the por- tion that had been enclosed was sustained, and many then purchaseel of him, while others refused to do so until another suit settled the question finally. To perfect the title, not only to this section but to the balance of the town, a meeting was called at the theater, in 1574, to take the necessary steps to secure a United States Patent to the land. The patent was issued in 1877 an I conveys to Hon. John Callwell, County Judge, in trust to the property holders of North San Juan, lots numbers 1 an 1 9 and the south one-half of the northeast one-fourth and lots numbers 6 and 7 of the northwest one- fourth, the north half of the south-east one-fourth, and the north hall of the south-west one-fourth of section 5. township 17 north, range S, cast; containing 367 37-100 acres.
The town at present contains two hotels, one drug store, two dry goods stores, two elothing stores, two grocery stores, two boot and shoe stores, one book store, one hardware store, one furniture store, three blacksmith shops, four carpenter shops, two wagon shops, one livery stable, one huuber yard, one brush manufactory, one hose manufactory, one jeweler, one tin and sheet iron shop, one millinery and dressmaking establishment, three millinery establishments, three saloons, oue bakery and confectionery store, one barber shop, one newspaper, one bank, two lawyers, four physicians, one dentist, two undertakers, and one brewery. The population is about nine hundred, exclu- sive of some one hundred Chinese ; there have been in former times as many as four hundred Chinese here.
There stands to the credit of North San Juan on the books of the Sanitary Commission, organized during the Rebellion, the sumu of $3,390.56, an:1 Bridgeport township is credited with $6,144.43. This is a glorious showing for a town of one thou- sand iuhabitants.
The Ridge Telephone Co. was organized here in 1878, aud has its principal office at North San Juan. The line is owned by the Milton Water and Mining Co., the North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Co., and the Eureka Lake and Ynba Canal Co. The line cost $6,000, is sixty miles long, running from French Corral to Milton, in Sierra county, with a branch to Foucharie; in all there are twenty-two stations on the line, and the chief use it is put to is the management of the ditches and mining claims. R. McMurray is Superintendent of the company aud E. M. Sunderland, Secretary.
BIRCHVILLE.
The little village of Birchville lies on the gravel channel, three and one-half miles southwest of North San Juan, and has long been the center of extensive mining operations.
The first prospecting was done here by David Johnson, in
1531, and the place was known for some time as Johnson's Digging. The same year the Miners' and Mechanics' St.am Siw Mill was built by Jenkins, Webster. L. D. Brown, Harvey. Beckwith, Capt. Allers an I others, and continued in operation until 1533, when it was destroyed by fire. The first buibling located on the top of the hill was built by Stevens, Everett & Co. in 1952, and opened as a store and boarding house. The firm was changed to Evens & Rose, who pulled down the building in 1855 anl ereet al another across the street; in 1856, they soll to John Thompson who closed out the store and kept the boarding house until 1869.
In 1853 quite a large number of miners had settled here, nud by connnon consent the town was named Birchville, in honor of L. Burch Adsit, a prominent citizen. The second store was built in 1832 by Elward Allison, aml leased to 1. B. Adsit nud Pauley. In a few months Adsit bought Paulry's interest, and continued the business until 1859, when he sold to G. B. Newell ; the last named gentleman is still engaged livre.
A private school was opened in 1856 by Mrs. G. B. Newell, and another in 1862 by Miss Lyon, wow Mrs. O. P. Stidger. The first public school was opened in 1863, in n miner's enbin fitted up for the purpose. In 1874, it was entirely remodeled, and a good school house, 24 x 50 feet, was the result. A library of 150 volumes is connected with the school. Religious services are hell in the school house by the pastor of the North San Juan M. E. Church.
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