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 17

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 17

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The teamsters returning to Stockton would stop at some convenient spot on the street and unharnessing their mules, would tie them on each side of the wagon and feed them. A favorite camping place, said G. C. Claiborne, was the Court House Square, the teamsters and muleteers made it a common place to camp. When the authorities would no longer permit them to camp on the square or streets then the stablemen came in and gave them free use of their big stable yards, provided they purchased of them their hay and barley. The feeding of barley to the mules meant a feast to the hundreds of blackbirds in the tree

tops. The mules would waste considerable barley and the following day the birds would alight in swarms and feed on the waste. The birds made a good pot pie, and the Republi- can referring to them in 1856 said, "Blackbirds are thick in the suburbs (now the corner Sut- ter and Main) and almost as gentle as barn fowl, but they are fast being reduced as the Kanakas (Sandwich Islanders) and French- men are shooting them for food." After the passage of the firearms ordinance they no longer feared the sportsmen within the city limits.

Highwaymen Hold Up Stages

There were others upon the road as well as the teamsters and they were the highwaymen, who not only held up the stages, but the team- sters as well, robbing them sometimes of sev- eral hundred dollars. That these drivers were no cowards was evident from the bravery of George Eberhardt and Ira Ladd. Eberhardt, in 1859, was driving one of the teams of Fred Yost. While on his way to Mokelumne Hill a footman stepped from behind a rock with revolver leveled and ordered the driver to dis- mount from his mule and hand over his cash. Eberhardt did as directed, cautioning the rob- ber to handle the pistol more carefully or it might go off. The knight of the road then mounted his horse, tied near by, and headed towards the Tuolumne River. Eberhardt was unarmed, but quickly unhitching his mule he hastily rode to the wagon of a teamster some four hundred yards up the road, borrowed a shotgun and the two men started in pursuit of the bandit. The fellow seeing them, plunged into the river, expecting to swim his horse to the other side. The current was too strong and being obliged to return he was made a prisoner, taken to French Bar and placed in jail.

The three Ladd brothers, George, John and Ira were in the commission and freighting business, George conducting the store, and the two last-named driving teams on the road. In September, 1864, while Ira and an employee, each man driving a team, were approaching Knights Ferry about sundown, two Mexican horsemen came out of the bushes and ap- proaching the drivers told them to dismount and hand over their money. The teamsters were armed but helpless and made no resist- ance. The Mexicans obtained $215 from Ira Ladd and $185 from the hired man and rode away, foolishly forgetting to disarm their vic- tims, believing that they would not pursue. Ladd and his man quickly stripped the har- ness from their mules and started on the trail of the Mexicans, soon overtook them and both parties began firing. The "mustangs" of the Mexicans were more speedy than the mules

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and they escaped. Ira Ladd was wounded in the leg by a pistol ball, and throughout his life was slightly lame.

The decreasing population of the gold mines commencing in 1864, rapidly reduced the num- ber of teams hauling freight to the camps. The population of Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa counties in 1860 was 45,058; ten years later it was only 30,199. Mariposa in 1850, had a population of 4,379, with an increase to 6,243 in 1860. Calaveras Coun- ty in 1850 had a population of 16,134, reduced to 12,546 in 1860. Tuolumne County's inhab- itants was in 1850, 8,351, increased in 1860 to 16,239, decreased in 1870 to 8,150. Where did the mountain miners, their wives and children go? San Joaquin County received hundreds

of them as shown by the statistics. It is true that hundreds settled in the county who came by steamer from the Eastern States, some came across the plains, but the great majority came from the mines. In 1850 the county had a population of 3,647, in 1860 9,435, and in 1870, 21,500, more than double the inhabitants of 1860.

Copper Excitement

The decline of freighting was somewhat re- vived by the accidental discovery, in 1860, of copper in the foothills. Two miners prospect- ing for gold found strong indications of cop- per. In a short time a town was founded upon the spot named Copperpolis and in less than two years it had a population of 10,000 souls. Deep shafts were dug, millions of dollars ex- pended and an abundance of pure copper ore found. It was loaded into heavy canvas sacks, 100 pounds to a sack, and by teams shipped to Stockton. Hundreds of teams were engaged in this work and at times the Levee was crowded with wagons unloading copper. So many were the wagons bringing copper into the city the steamers could not keep down the supply. And as early as 1862, 3,000 tons of copper had been shipped by steamer. The out- put of copper rapidly increased and in 1865, from February to September, 64,000 tons of copper ore had been landed upon the wharf by freight teams. This work gave employ- ment to hundreds of teamsters and laborers. and thousands of dollars were expended with the Stockton merchants. Then came a slump in the price of copper. It fell so low in price that it could not be dug from the mines and shipped by team to Stockton except at a heavy loss. A railroad line to Copperopolis had been incorporated. but too late to get results. Charles T. Meader, a Stockton merchant, be- came a millionaire dealing in copper stock, but failed on the decline of copper. The mines were shut down, teaming discontinued, the population decreased and the mines and many buildings are today rotting with age.

In the heyday of teaming the prices for haul- ing freight were very high. At one time the teamsters received seventy-five cents per pound for carrying freight sixty miles to So- nora, and one dollar per pound to Mariposa, 120 miles. After a time the prices for trans- porting freight fluctuated, as the new comers in the business with two or more oxen or horses would carry freight at any price. This caused the teamsters, who had thousands of dollars invested in mules, wagons, harness and several other overhead expenses, to try and protect themselves by forming an associa- tion. Another expense that sometimes cut down the profits was team losses. The team- sters in traveling to the mines were obliged during the winter and spring months to cross many small creeks of running water. One of those losses the newspaper of April, 1861, rec- ords in this way, "The remainder of the splen- did team of Bostwick & Wilhoit, in which eleven mules perished in Custer Creek above Sonora, recently arrived in town. It had been up with a load of goods and was returning to Stockton. The driver upon reaching the creek put a man upon the lead mule to ride him across the creek. The water was not belly deep, although there was a swift current. The man fell off and then seizing the mule by the bridle turned him downstream. He was great- ly frightened and so were the mules. The lead- er fell and they were soon all of a tangle. The mules made no effort to save themselves but laid down in the creek and were drowned. Three of the mules only were saved and it was a heavy loss for those days, nearly $3,000."

Teamsters Association

The press in writing of the proposed Team- ster's Association said in 1854, "We speak of this class of our population with no small de- gree of pride. They are industrious, honest, intelligent. They are as accomplished 'and expert as any that ever cracked a whip or owned a bullock. But considering the dullness of the times and brisk competition they have not received much profit for their labor and for the capital invested. We are therefore glad to hear that they are trying to effect some arrangement or combination to amelior- ate it." The teamsters' union was the first labor organization in San Joaquin Coun- ty, the Typographical Union excepted. And their first efforts for organization were made in October, 1855, when a meeting was called in the city hall by "many teamsters," "as mat- ters of great importance will be brought up." At that meeting, D. J. Oullahan was appoint- ed chairman and Samuel Crosswait secretary. A committee was appointed to draft a resolu- tion "regulating the prices of freight to the mines on a fair and reasonable basis." A week

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later the committee reported a schedule for over thirty mountain camps, which was adopt- ed by the meeting. An average of their prices ran as follows: Angel's Camp, 65 miles, 21/2 cts. per lb. light freight ; 134 cts. heavy freight ; to Mokelumne Hill, 50 miles, 2 cts. light and 11/2 cts. heavy freight ; to Mariposa, 120 miles, 3 cts. light and 21/2 cts. heavy. Light freight was not profitable as baby buggies, sewing machines, furniture, etc., took up too much room.

Many of the teamsters broke their agree- ment. The association reorganized in the spring of 1856 and they signed an agreement to forfeit $100 if any of them took freight be- low the schedule price. Not only that, but a committee of twenty teamsters were appoint- ed to watch the other fellow. A few of this committee well known in later years, com- priser D. J. Oullahan, Jeremiah Sarles, John D. Pierson, Frederick Yost, J. M. Schofield, Isaac S. Bostwick, Henry Huffman and O. H. Perry. The Ladd brothers would not enter the combine, George Ladd, saying later that the teamsters were doing well enough. In April, 1859, he seems to have changed his mind, for in a meeting of the teamsters for a permanent organization he was chairman of the meetings. The association as organized elected as officers: George S. Ladd, president, Dr. F. W. Todd, secretary, Roley E. Wilhoit, treasurer, and Frederick Yost, Isaac V. Lef- fler, Joseph M. Capurro, Andrew Snyder and Enoch Peyton. directors.

The industry, honesty and intelligence of the teamsters as portrayed by the Republican was fully maintained in their future lives. They married, became men of families and quite prominent in civic and political life. Fred Yost built a pretty two-story brick home on California Street and his children are now honored citizens. George S. Ladd, for twenty years was city superintendent of schools. R. E. Wilhoit was county treasurer, councilman, school trustee and bank director and lived to reach ninety-one years of age, attending to his business. D. J. Oullahan was appointed state treasurer, and one of his sons was mayor of the city and is now secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. Some of these men found their wives in the mountain camps. Smith Whiting, a teamster and later a drayman found his wife at Mokelumne Hill; he was married Decem- ber 1, 1859, to Miss Jeannette Morrison. His daughter is now a public school teacher. At the Spring Garden ranch, Calaveras County, February 8, 1863, Andrew Blossom was mar- ried to Miss Laura H. Saunders. Mr. Blossom built a handsome residence on California years later and engaged in farming. The oldest son now carries on the business, and the second son is a musician of note. The most notable

of all of these marriages was that of Joseph D. Peters, a young, energetic Italian who came to Stockton in 1849 and engaged in teaming. We will let Ernest J. Hopkins of San Fran- cisco tell the story, as his imagination is more of the romantic order than mine and in the Romance of San Joaquin he wrote the follow- ing story : "First of the teamsters' tales is the story of how J. D. Peters won his bride. Be it remembered that the problem of getting a wife in those days was a costly one. It costs $2,000 for a man to leave his business, go east and re- turn with the lady of his heart. One of the hotels in Columbia, a favorite hotel of the teamsters was kept by a Mrs. Taylor, a refined and charming woman, who had two pretty daughters, Emmaline and Zuba Taylor. One day in the '50s a new team drew up at the wa- tering trough, and the young man who swung the blacksnake was merry and likeable. He had left his native Genoa and landed in America under a vow that he would never work for any man. He had struck a little gold and this team was his first step towards fortune. This young man, J. D. Peters, tied up and went in- side for his meal. He was served by the charming Emmaline herself. Peters' fate was sealed. But soon his eyes took on a weary look. He was a poor man and this young lady had said, 'I'll never be a poor man's bride.'

"Now the teamsters were a jolly lot, with more than usual brotherhood. They sized up the situation and laid their plans to help. Two fancy teams with bright steel trappings and gaudily painted wagons met one noon at the eating house, the drivers entered together to be greeted by Miss Emmaline. And one dri- ver said to the other, 'Who are you driving for now, Bill?' 'Oh, I'm driving for Peters.' 'Why, I'm driving for Peters, too,' replied the other. 'He's a fine fellow to work for.' Em- maline listened with interest. Every day after that new names were added to the army of men who were working for Peters. Then signs began to appear hung on the sides of the wag- ons where all might read, J. D. P., J. D. Peters, J. D. Peters & Co. The legend grew and grew-a colossal joke spreading over the whole Stockton-Sonora district. Wherever the young lady walked or rode on horseback she would come across that sign J. D. Peters, or be greeted by pleasant-faced fellows who straightway praised their boss. 'When I came to America, I swore I would never work for another man,' he told her at evening as they sat on the porch of the hostelry, 'And I'm keeping my promise.' What girl could resist?" History proves that Emmaline could not for she and J. D. Peters were married at Columbia in 1858, and a jovial crowd of teamsters at- tended the wedding and made Rome howl far into the night. Later she learned the joke, but

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Peters was then making big money and she had no cause for complaint." Mrs. Peters died in April, 1874, and to her memory her husband erected an ornamental marble block, sur- mounted by a life-sized figure, the features re- sembling the deceased. Imported from Italy it was of pure marble, personifying Hope, a work of art costing one thousand dollars.

Staging to the Mines

Teaming was but one phase of the transpor- tation business; another phase of equal im- portance was the passenger and mail service. In 1850 a Mr. Holden, while freighting to So- nora with a small team noticed many travelers walking to and from the mines, and he con- cluded to carry light freight and passengers. By so doing making quicker trips he could make more money. The following year he sold out his pioneer line to Kelley, Reynolds & Company. In the same year "the traveling public were glad to learn that Todd & Com- pany have also established stages to Sonora and other points. We have never seen a handsomer turnout or a more useful team of mules." These two firms primarily were in the express business and they began carrying gold dust, letters, and passengers. The fast time made by these two companies "was as- tonishing. They left Sonora, seventy-five miles distant, at seven o'clock in the morning and arrived at Stockton at two P. M. Thirty miles of the road was of the roughest descrip- tion, along hillsides, over channels formed by the winter rains, and up steep elevations that would demoralize the city driver."

In February of 1851 two Frenchmen, Guibal & Dhorboure, established a tri-weekly stage line to run between Stockton and Mokelumne Hill. The express was of great advantage to all of the mercantile men who have long felt the want of such a communication. "The ani- mals," said the writer, "are not excelled by any in the county and the cars are new and well adapted for such a purpose." Before the firm had been a month in the staging business they were compelled to meet with competi- tion, for two other Frenchmen, Provinde & Paxon, established a line to Mokelumne Hill and Double Springs. They left Stockton on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 A. M. and left the "Hill" on Wednesday and Sunday at 3 o'clock P. M. The fare clear through was twelve dollars.

Fisher Brothers' Stage Line

In 1854 two solid and reliable business men, Alvin N. and Samuel Fisher, purchased the opposition line of Alonzo McCloud at a cost of $10,000. They put on a daily line of stages, carried the United States mail to all the moun- tain camps and equipped their lines with fine horses and coaches. They occupied as their

stage office, the old .El Dorado gambling house, a famous resort on the northwest cor- ner of Levee and Center streets, now the Grand Hotel. On New Year's Day, as was the usual custom with the hustling business men, they gave a housewarming. And we are told that "The baskets of champagne opened on the occasion were fully appreciated by the friends of the enterprising firm. Fisher says he is ready for the race," meaning that he was ready to battle with all competitors, which at that time was the California Stage Co. They were carrying passengers to Mokelumne Hill or Campo Seco for one dollar or to Sonora or Columbia, two dollars, Murphy's Camp, seven dollars. Alvin Fisher died in 1863, and a third brother, Zenus Fisher, purchased the business. He died in May, 1872, and soon afterward Samuel Fisher sold out the staging business to his competitor, Maurice Dooley, who had for several years been running an opposition line with an office in the brick building at the northeast corner of Levee and Center streets. It is now a grain office. The stage business at the time was declining because of the advent of the Central Pacific Railroad. When Dooley died the business was taken over by Charles Sissions, who had formerly been one of Doo- ley's drivers.

Alonzo McCloud, a tall, enterprising Yan- kee, in 1852 started an opposition line to So- nora with fare at sixteen dollars one way. It was his line that made the record time from Sonora, August 18, 1853, at the time of the de- struction of the town by fire. The stage came "bounding into town at 8 o'clock A. M.," much to the surprise of the citizens. It left Sonora about 2 o'clock that morning, coming through in six hours. A few minutes later the regular stage arrived. In July, 1854, McCloud endeavored to establish a daily line of stages between Stockton and Oakland in opposition to the steamers. There was much complaint about the high prices on the steamers and Mc- Cloud believed the travelers would patronize his line, especially as it was a saving of time and a daylight trip. The line left the Weber House at 1 o'clock and running by the way of French Camp, Banta's, Livermore rancho, San Antonio and Clinton the passengers took the ferry for San Francisco, arriving at 4 o'clock. The steamers reduced their fare to a point be- low the stage line, and in a few months it was discontinued.

In August, 1859, another attempt was made to establish a line of stages between Oakland and Stockton. They left Fisher's stage office at 6 o'clock and their passengers landed in San Francisco between 4 and 5 o'clock. It was another contest with the California Naviga- tion Company and said the editor, "We con- gratulate the citizens of Stockton upon the

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consummation of this long deferred project. It will be a heavy blow against our ancient foe, the California Navigation Company, as it will deplete the coffers of that monster monopoly at least $75,000 a year if the stages are well patronized. Since the spring of 1854 the pub- lic of Stockton and the surrounding country have been bled by this soulless corporation." Fares again went down on the steamers, good- bye stage line. Today automobiles are making several trips a day and there is business for all the companies, stages, steamers and railroads.

The fun and the opposition of stages was not alone confined to the Oakland and the So- nora routes, but there was the Sacramento route, Sacramento since 1858 having been the State Capital. There were two routes to the Capital, one known as the Upper Sacramento Road, running about half way between the Cherokee Lane and Waterloo Road and the Lower Sacramento Road, skirting the tule lands passed Woodbridge. The upper road, crossing at Staples Ferry, the lower road then took all the travel. It was a horrible winter road, especially the first ten miles out of Stockton, and not until 1863 was any part of the road improved. Along the lowlands of the Mokelumne River there were miles of swamps and none but an expert driver could travel the road during the winter months. Said a writer in March, 1861, "It is perfectly wonderful how the stage drivers continue to pilot their vehi- cles through the immense lake without a mishap, while the slightest deviation from the road, which is invisible, would in many places overturn them in from eight to ten feet of water." The leading driver and stage propri- etor on this line was "Peg-leg" Johnny Smith, so called because of a wooden right leg from the knee down. He was a very expert four- horse driver and, strange to say, could handle the lines drunk or sober. If too drunk, then his friends would prevent his getting on the coach, but there was a tussle, for he would fight like a wildcat and insist on making his regular trip. "Johnny" also had opposition and on one occasion he advertised, "fare re- duced and speed increased on John Smith's line of stages from Stockton to Sacramento; the fare will be reduced to five dollars or as low as the lowest."

The Coaches and Routes

The coaches in use by the two larger com- panies were all first class and built in Con- cord, N. H., costing from $1,200 to $1,500 each. The bottom of the coach was built rounding like a bowl, so that it had a rocking movement like a chair when fastened to the thick leather spring on each side of the run- ning gear. On the rear of the coach was a large leather boot, covered with a leather cur-

tain. It held the baggage and trunks of the passengers. In front, beneath the driver's seat, was a smaller boot, which held the United States mail and Wells Fargo express box, ofttimes containing from $5,000 to $20,000 in gold dust. The highwaymen, hun- dreds of times, held up the drivers with a shot- gun, and demanded, "Throw out that box." "Now drive on." After a time the thing got monotonous and the express company had the boxes fastened to the stage with strong iron bands. Then the knights of the road began holding up the passengers. All of the coaches were handsomely painted with fine landscape scenes on the outside of each door. Dennis & Tinkham, with their shop on Channel Street, now the location of the Simons building, did all the painting for the Fisher brothers, with their large stable on the opposite side of the street. These stages would seat nine inside the coach and from ten to fifteen on top, their legs dangling over the side. In the hot sum- mer sun it was a very disagreeable, painful ride, but there was no other choice. In the winter months travel was very light and the company ran what was dubbed as "mud" wag- ons, with passenger service only in the body of the wagon. Sometimes these wagons would stall in the mud and the passengers were com- pelled to alight and walk or wade to higher ground.

The stages left the office promptly at six o'clock, the steamer with its passengers arriv- ing before that hour. If the steamer was de- layed by heavy fogs or mud bars, the stages moved on time unless there happened to be a special group of steamer passengers. Each stage line engaged a runner at $100 per month who called out in stentorian tones the names of the various mountain camps, some thirty in number, through which the stages passed. They were all one day journeys except to Mariposa ; that was a two days trip, 120 miles, fare $20.00. There was at one time nine coaches leaving the stage office every morning except Sunday for various points in the mines and the coast. They left for Sacramento by the way of Woodbridge and Elk Grove for Sutter Creek through Lockeford and Jackson ; for Mokelumne Hill through Linden, Bellota and Angel's Camp ; during the summer a stage for Angel's Camp, Murphy's Camp and the Big Trees ; along the present Sonora road for Knights Ferry, Chinese Camp, Big Oak Flat, Jamestown, Sonora and Columbia; over the Mariposa road for Mariposa, stopping the first night at Snelling, and last to Oakland.

Overland Mail Line

The pony express and the Overland stage line preceded the coming of the Central Pa- cific Railroad only a few years. Stockton saw

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nothing of the pony express for its terminus was Sacramento, but they caught a glimpse of the Overland stage line as it started from or passed through Stockton. It was announced October 31, 1858, that the first mail stage from Stockton to Missouri, over the Central Overland route would start the following morning from the Weber House, and the stage would go by the way of Independence, Kansas City, Santa Fe and Albuquerque. The announcement was made by the postmaster, Wm. Lanius, so that all citizens who desired could send their eastern letters by that route. Letters before this time had been going by steamer twice a month, it taking the steamer twenty days or more to make the trip from

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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 17

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