History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 16

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660

USA > California > San Joaquin County > History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 16

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It is not to be assumed that it was a lawless community along the Mokelumne River in the days long past, but in general they were a long ways from a peace-loving people. A case somewhat similar to that of the Benson Ferry affair took place in 1856. The principal in the case, C. L. Benedict, the owner of the ferry, had more good sense than Palmer and merely horse-whipped his traducer. The ferry, about six miles west of Staples Ferry, was estab- lished in 1852 by C. L. Benedict. He was mar- ried and living with him was his sister. For some reason a neighbor named George S. Wil- son circulated scandalous stories regarding Miss Benedict and her brother. Benedict one day called Wilson to account and at the point of a revolver and in the presence of two wit- nesses, John P. Coats and Mathew Wills, he made Wilson sign the following retraction, "the story I have reported about C. S. Bene- dict and his sister is a willful lie done on pur- pose to both injure him and her." The fol- lowing day August 21, 1856, Wilson inserted a card in the newspaper saying "my name to that document was forced from me under threats of my life and when I was prevented from using arms to protect myself. The state- ment was totally warranted and the sentiment expressed not mine." Benedict then laid for his detractor with a heavy rawhide whip. Two days later he met Wilson on the streets of Stockton and thrashed him unmercifully, in- flicting a number of blows on his face and head. Benedict then went to the office of Jus- tice of the Peace Bours, entered a complaint against himself of a breach of peace, and paid his fine. That ended the affair. He died in Central America in 1871.

Staples Ferry

The ferry a few miles west of Lockeford was established in 1849 by John W. Laird, in order to accommodate the large number of set- tlers in that vicinity. It was a very popular ferry and on the direct trail from Sutter's Fort to San Jose. It became famous as Capt. John C. Fremont in 1844, crossed the Mokelumne River at that point. Laird sold the ferry in 1850, to Staples, Nichol & Company, and it

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

took the name of Staples Ferry. Soon after Staples took over the ferry he was appointed postmaster of that district and the ferry was selected as a voting precinct. David J. Sta- ples was a man too big for that place and the county too limited for a man of his ability. Joining the Republican party, he was chosen from his state as one of the Abraham Lincoln electors and visited the East to see him inaug- urated. Returning to California in 1862, he as- sisted in the election of Leland Stanford and was appointed port warden. He became a member of the various secret and financial or- ganizations of San Francisco, and president of the Underwriters Association. He was born in Medway, Mass., May 3, 1824, came to Cali- fornia around Cape Horn in 1849, and died in San Francisco April 3, 1900.

County Bridges

Traveling by a crude rough-built ferry boat operated by man power is neither safe, relia- ble nor speedy, and in a few years the ferry boat was put out of commission by the build- ing of bridges. They first were built by pri- vate enterprise, the owners being permitted to charge toll, and then by the county. The first bridge in the county was erected in 1854 over the Calaveras River at what was then known as the Leach & Frost ranch. The river was not wide but during the spring months the water ran deep and swift, the banks were steep and during these months of spring floods it was impossible to cross the stream. Leach & Frost had built a toll bridge across the river. In December the farmers of that vicinity made liberal donations, money was liberally sub- scribed by Stockton merchants, the bridge was purchased and opened free to the public. In giving an account of this enterprise the press declared, "All we want now is a bridge over the Mokelumne River to have a fine road to Sacramento." In 1858 Jeremiah H. Woods built a toll bridge across the Mokelumne Riv- er at Woodbridge, at a cost of $1,000. His toll charges were one dollar for two horses and wagon and fifty cents for each additional pair of animals. He is said to have taken in $9,000 the first year. The bridge was swept away in the flood of 1862. Soon after a better and more substantial bridge was built by Leonard, the San Francisco bridge builder, and soon after Woods' tragic death it was purchased by the farmers and opened free to the public.

Bridges were also built at Staples' ferry and at Lockeford before 1860. We have no defi- nite knowledge regarding these bridges; Da- vid J. Locke probably built the bridge at Lockeford, for he was a shrewd, enterprising man, and not only endeavored to build up the town but also bid for all of the travel to the Northern mines. Staples Ferry was the upper

and better winter route to Sacramento, as Woodbridge was the lower route to the Capi- tal, hence there was a rivalry between the two points. The first bridge of any heavy cost or length was built in 1861 over the Mormon Channel at Pilgrim Street. It was then outside of the city limits and built to accommodate the San Joaquin district fair that year estab- lished. The San Joaquin County supervisors, jointly with the supervisors of Stanislaus County, in 1885 erected a bridge across the Stanislaus River at a point then known as Murphy's Ferry. It was a short distance from the present town of Ripon. The cost was $13,880, San Joaquin County paying $8,895 of the amount. The same county officials some twenty years later tore out the old wooden structure and erected a bridge with concrete piers. The bridge is now a part of the State Highway. Tens of thousands of dollars have been spent in this county for the erection of bridges and culverts that in a few years would be worn out and have to be replaced. It was an unavoidable waste because, until a few years ago, concrete for bridges was not a mat- ter of economy because of its scarcity and high cost. Now the supervisors are replacing the old wooden structures with concrete bridges and piers that will last for ages.

Stockton the Mining Depot

Stockton was known as the depot of the Southern mines and it was rightly named, for all of the freight and passengers for Calaveras, Tuolumne, Fresno and Mariposa counties were compelled to pass through Stockton. There was also considerable freight and travel over this route for Sutter and Amador coun- ties. It was not only necessary to feed and clothe the population of these counties, includ- ing San Joaquin County, but to also supply them with working tools, machinery, house- hold furniture, building material and a thou- sand and one articles used in the many occu- pations and professions. The population in the mining camps to be supplied through the Stockton depot numbered something like 52,- 000 persons, with 10,000 in San Joaquin Coun- ty. Of the mountain population there were 16,299 in Calaveras County, 16,250 in Tuo- lumne County, 4,628 in Tulare, 4,280 in Mari- posa and 12,000 in Amador County. This was the mountain census of 1860, from that period the mines began a decrease in population, the people going into the valley and coast towns. It took an immense amount of freight to sup- ply this population and as early as 1856 the two steamers of the California Steam Naviga- tion Company, the Cornelia and Urilda, in the month of March landed 2,598 tons of freight. During the same time sailing vessels landed 1,019 tons, making 3,617 tons of freight for

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

just one average month. In addition to this there was landed building material, including 235,000 feet of lumber, 50,000 shingles, 4,000 brick and 1,100 fencing posts. In the month of May the same steamers brought up freight aggregating 2,290 tons, the sailing vessels bringing up miscellaneous cargoes of 937 tons. Lumber was landed to the amount of 381,000 feet, laths 28,000, shingles 100,000. The ex- ports during the month were 1,050 barrels of flour, 2,000 hides and 25,000 tons of hay, the hay being shipped on sailing vessels. Arthur Cornwall, for many years a steamboat man, said as a rule that all the freight came up and none went down except passengers and gold dust. The gold was in the care of the Adams Express Company.

The Mule of Commerce

One of the most useful of animals, especi- ally to the teamster of early days, was the sol- emn-faced long-eared mule. Stubborn and ofttimes devilish, especially when abused, he was sure-footed along dangerous mountains and he possessed that stubborn perseverance which was of great value to the teamster, pull- ing with might and main as long as he could move over the ground or through the mud. A horse in pulling a load through the mud will sometimes get discouraged and balk. Another peculiarity was that when used as pack ani- mals, if the Mexican loaded the mule too heav- ily, he would lie down and the muleteer would be compelled to take off the load. Sometimes they made excellent saddle animals. In price mules averaged about the same as horses. When first brought into the county in 1849, they sold at $100 each, but as soon as teaming became a paying business the price went up. The city of Stockton found that the price was high. In 1857, as one of the teams of D. J. Oullahan was being driven along Main Street, a mule pushed the wooden cover off the fire cistern, fell in and was drowned in eight feet of water. It cost the city $300, the value of the mule. Sometime after that Henry Huff- man paid Oullahan $1,300 for a choice pair of mules, weighing together 2,800 pounds; they were said to be the two largest mules in the state.

A Pack Mule Train

About the first mules brought into the coun- ty were driven here in 1849 by Samuel Catts, a former member of the famous Stevenson's regiment. Shortly after Catts arrival, Capt. Patrick E. Conner came in with a band of mules from Texas. They were then used as pack mules and for a few months Mexicans carried on the principal transportation busi- ness. The pack mules, however, were in evi- dence for several years as there were places in 7

the mountains, inaccessible to wagons or teams. One of these places was the famous Yosemite Valley. As late as 1877 the writer with a party of seven visited the Valley. We were compelled to leave our wagon at the foot of the hill, and travel twenty miles on horse- back. On the backs of these mules, fastened with ropes to pack saddles, were all kinds of goods, from barrels of flour to baby buggies and furniture. All kinds of ammunition, even gunpowder was carried in this manner. One day a mule loaded with gunpowder was trav- eling along the mountain trail. He stumbled and fell to the bottom of the ravine. They found one hoof. The best description I have ever read of a pack train was in the news- paper of February, 1861, it said, "A mule train was packed yesterday from the store of Hes- tres & Magendie for a point high up in the mountains some forty miles above Hornitas. There were forty mules in the train and they were loaded according to their strength from 200 to 300 pounds. Among the goods packed were casks of liquor, boxes of tea, bags of po- tatoes, chests of tea, and bales of dry goods. It looked like old times." The trains usually comprised from forty to fifty mules. They were in charge of Mexicans mounted on sad- dle horses. The mules followed what was known as the bell-mule, a trained animal driv- en ahead of the train with a bell around his neck. The mules were driven across the plains, for there were but few fences, and halted at night near a stream of water. The load was taken from the pack saddles, and the mules, with hobbles around their front feet, were turned loose to browse on the luxuriant growth of grass until the morn. One Mexican stood guard each night to protect the mules from prowling wild animals and see that they did not go astray. The following morning at daylight the packs were reloaded and the train started for its destination.

The pack-mule trains were soon superseded by ox-teams; the drivers were immigrants, who crossing the plains with oxen began the freighting business, but it was not a very prof- itable occupation, although for some length of time oxen were used, and in order not to wear out their feet they were shod with iron plates. The shoeing of an ox was interesting ; he was led into a strong frame made for the purpose and lifted bodily from the ground by a strong leather harness. There were several black- smiths who made a specialty of ox-shoeing ; one I remember was Rudolph Gnekow, who had a blacksmith shop at Main and Stanislaus streets. The ox teams were slow and the amount of freight they could haul was limited and therefore much time lost in making a trip to the mines. Then followed the four-horse

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

and mule teams and the business became well established. As a means of finding out those persons who had freight for shipment to the mines, and for the benefit of the teamsters themselves, the "Miner's Exchange," a saloon, opened a "Teamster's Register" and adver- tised that, "In addition to the Miner's Regis- ter the subscriber has opened a register for freight. All persons having freight for the mines, will please enter the quantity, and which mines they are bound for." These team- sters were for a year or two the spotlight men of the town, and the merchants gave them the glad hand. Why? Taking a load of goods to the mining camps for other parties, or perhaps on speculation the merchants would give him an order to purchase goods for them. Then the teamster, returning to Stockton with his pockets filled with orders, would patronize his friends or the retailer that gave him the best terms. There was big money in it and this manner of business continued until the stage lines were well established, the telegraph located throughout the "camps" and the com- mission business was inaugurated.

We have been hearing the cry of late years, especially from the farmer, the fruit and vege- table grower, "Cut out the middlemen." This may be possible in the course of time, but in the time of which we are now writing, the middle or commission-man was just as neces- sary in the transaction of business between mountain and valley as the buyer or seller. The mountain merchant could not leave his business three or four times a year to pur- chase goods either in Stockton or San Fran- cisco, for several reasons. First the cost of travel, the loss of time, and perhaps lack of capital. And, as the reader remembers in cer- tain months of the year traveling was well- nigh impossible. The San Francisco merchant could not ship goods to the mines, as a rule, because of steamer and unreliable land trans- portation. Hence a place was created for the commission merchant, who for a certain com- mission received the freight of the mountain dealer and shipped it to its proper destination. He was in one sense like the town postmaster who receives the letters and packages and through a third party sends them to the prop- er address. Freight would come to Stockton by steamer addressed to the Sierra merchant in care of the commission merchant; each commissioner employed certain draymen who would take the goods to his warehouse. The middleman would then send on the goods by his regular teamster as soon as possible. Some- times a merchant would have his own teams, but in general the merchandise was given to reliable teamsters for transportation. Fre- quently it would happen in the winter months that goods could not be quickly shipped out,

and the steamers would overload the middle man. To store such goods as arrived the com- missioner, or better still, the teamster, would erect a small brick storage house. Henry Huff- man, had a storage house where now stands the Clark Hotel; Andrew Blossom had such a storage place on California Street, now used as an ice cream factory ; and a large two-story brick building on the Levee was used for that purpose. Before the erection of brick build- ings there were many storage ships in the harbor.

China John

There were a few foreigners engaged in the commission business, but the majority were Americans, except China John, a fat, sleek-ap- pearing Chinaman, could speak good English, something very unusual in that day, sported a gold watch and a heavy gold chain, was well dressed in American clothing, and was an in- veterate gambler. He became wealthy acting as a middleman between the Chinese mer- chants in San Francisco and the Chinese min- ers in the mountain camps. He carried on an immense business, for the Chinese dealt as far as possible with their own people, rather than with the white man. Frequently China John would receive a consignment of Chinamen for the mines from some Chinese company in the Bay City. Chartering a mule team, he would fill the wagon-bed with their boxes of rice and tea, rice bowls and chop sticks, then their blan- kets and bags of clothing, and the Chinamen on top. Time and again have I seen from twenty to thirty Chinamen, wearing their wide bamboo hats, perched high on a wagon and chattering like monkeys, bound for the Chinese mining camps.

Prairie Schooners

The quickest and most profitable way of transporting freight was in a large wagon holding from five to eight tons of freight, with two trailers. In that way, using sixteen mules, a teamster could haul from twelve to sixteen tons of freight. These wagons were. so large that they could carry as much as a small water craft, hence they were usually known as "prairie schooners." The largest wagon ever manufactured in California was made by Wm. F. Miller of Stockton at a cost of $1,000. It was exhibited that year, 1857, at the Stockton fair. Named the Stocktonian, the bed of this wagon was twenty-five feet in length, five feet in width , and eight feet in height, and the rear wheels were seven feet in diameter. The wagon alone weighed 5,000 pounds and it would carry ten tons. It was practically of no value as it was too large for mountain roads and required twenty mules to haul it; sixteen mules were about all one man could conveniently handle, besides driving

HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

throughout the day was no easy job in the hot sun, and an awful task through the mud; each man was obliged to water, feed, harness and unharness the animals twice a day.

It was remarkable the amount of freight a mule could haul. It was found that a mule in team work pulling together could pull twice his weight. Team work was necessary, especi- ally when traveling over heavy winter roads. This team work was accomplished by the dri- ver with a six-foot flexible whip called a "black snake." He would touch up the laziest mules with the whip, and giving it a crack that resounded like the report of a pistol, every mule would commence pulling. It was by this means such remarkable loads were daily transported from Stockton to the mines. In the climbing of the mountains it was neces- sary to give the animals frequent resting spells, and large wooden blocks were dragged behind each hind wheel to block the wagon when it ceased moving. Of the thousands of large loads carried we will note two or three. James Fillmore, in 1853, with a team of six mules hauled 9,000 pounds from Stockton to Agua Fria; Kelty & Reynolds, with eight mules delivered 16,000 pounds of freight to the Sonora merchants; John Schricke, "Dutch John" they called him, the same year landed 18,000 pounds of freight in Sonora from his ten-mule team. Here's another one giving both time and weight. On August 14, 1855, "Sullivan & Company of Mariposa received on August 8 the largest load of goods ever taken to that town. It was hauled by a twelve- mule team owned by J. C. Warren, who left Stockton July 30 with 22,500 pounds of freight and arrived at the store August 8 at 8:30 P. M. Beat this who can." Michael Car- acoff, later a very successful Sonora Road farmer, on one occasion with fourteen mules, hauled in three wagons 31,000 pounds of wheat to the Stanislaus flour mills at Knights Ferry. And in August, 1856, "The largest load ever drawn by eight mules in a wagon was brought from the ranch of Reynolds & Kelly, about seven miles from Stockton, into town. The load consisted of 280 sacks of barley, 80 pounds to the sack, amounting to 22,400 pounds.

As the mule team is almost a thing of the past and thousands of citizens have never seen one it may be well to describe the handling of such a team. No matter whether the number of animals were four or more they were all guided by a single line or rein called a jerk- line. The line fastened to the bit of the lead- ing mule ran back to the saddle or right-wheel mule which the driver rode, and he could guide the team by the line or stop it by the strong heavy brake the rope from which was

fastened to the saddle. If the driver wished to turn to the right he would yell "gee gee," and pull the line ; all the team understood that word, if going to the left he would yell "haw haw," and jerk the line three or four times. The four most valuable mules in the team were the leaders, because of their intelligence, and quickness to obey the driver, and the wheelers, so called because nearest to the wheels. They were the largest and strongest mules in the team, as it was their work to steady the tongue of the wagon, and some- times assist in stopping the wagon down grade. An outfit of sixteen mules and a wagon would- extend at least 175 feet and to see a teamster turn a corner of a sixty-foot street and the wheels not touch the corner of either street was a marvel of expert driving. Handling an automobile is no comparison.

The Bell Mule Team

In October, 1853, the newspaper stated that the "teamsters and teams of Stockton are the subject of general remark by all those who visit the city. The teamsters are industrious and take great pride in hauling big loads and embellishing their harness and wagons in fine style." Many of the teamsters would have sets of small bells which they riveted to an iron band in the form of an arch and fastened on either side of the hames, which were buck- led around the collar. They were known as bell teams. The principal use of the bells was to warn persons or teams about to start down hill in the mountains that a heavily loaded team was moving up the grade. It was said that the mules traveled steadier and more spirited to the jingle of the bells. To see one of these teams of big evenly-matched mules with their clean, polished harness, bells jing- ling and glistening in the sunlight on a Fourth of July parade, with little flags in the bridle of each mule, was a beautiful sight.

The busiest season of the teamsters was in the fall of the year, for at that time the moun- tain merchants were compelled to get in their winter supply of goods. Then the steamers would arrive daily loaded to capacity with freight and the draymen would be busy throughout the day checking up freight and hauling it to the commission houses. The teamsters were very busy, so much so, I have known of blacksmiths working late at night shoeing mules and mending wagons so that the teamsters could start the following morn- ing with a load of freight for the camps. At this time the principal roads leading to the mines were crowded with teams and on one occasion seventy teams, each team hauling from five to eight tons, were counted upon the Sonora road within a distance of fifteen miles.

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Miners Short of Food

Although the mountain merchants would guard, as much as possible, against any chance of a shortage of goods in his store, especially if he was a dealer in foodstuffs, a famine some- times took place. The winter of 1853 was par- ticularly severe on the mountain camps, as it was very wet and almost impossible to reach the mines. The consequence was several towns ran out of food. In January fifty Chil- eans left the camp on foot and coming to Stockton through a sea of mud, each man took back to Mokelumne Hill 100 pounds of food packed on his back. An American who came into town from the "hill" said food was so scarce that he was compelled to give $1.50 for a plate of beans. At Murphy's camp the food conditions were as bad or even worse than that of Mokelumne Hill. Two men reaching Stockton in a light boat made of a wagon bed stated that flour was worth $1.50 a pound at Murphy's and the miners were grinding acorns and barley, Indian fashion, for food.

The Road Stations

When the freighting business was first es- tablished the teamsters "cut across lots" and camped wherever night found them or at some ferry. When the farmers began purchasing land and enclosing it with a brushwood or cordwood fence, the teamsters were compelled to follow along the road. Then public houses and stopping places were established and they were so numerous that they averaged not over three miles apart. On the Linden Road, at one time, there were over seventeen public houses within a distance of twenty miles. On the Sonora Road there were nineteen stopping places; and on the Knights Ferry Road thir- teen houses. These men naturally had their favorite stopping places, which in summer time they could easily reach during the after- noon, and there at times, from ten to fifteen teamsters would assemble at night around the fireplace and tell their jokes or stories and give the latest news. Here was planned the joke which won a wife for Joseph D. Peters, one of their number.

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History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 16

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849 Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1660

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660