USA > California > Sonoma County > History of Sonoma County : including its geology, topography, mountains, valleys, and streams > Part 10
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The want of a rapid means of transportation had long been felt in Sonoma county, and though many lines of railroads from all parts of the sur- rounding districts had been mooted, it was not until the first year of this decade that a line of cars became un fait accompli. We will now consider the
San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad-This line which traverses the entire length of the Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and Russian River valleys, was commenced in the year 1869, and was completed to its present terminus at Cloverdale in 1872. As a road, not one in the entire State is more con- plete in its appointments, while from its incipience to the present time it has progressed with the county, and reflects much credit upon its builders and upon its management.
The builder of the line, and the President of the company is Colonel Peter Donahue. His attention was first called to the work by the Hon. A. P. Overton, now a prominent citizen of Santa Rosa and formerly of Petaluma. Colonel Donahue, with that keen business foresight for which he is so eminent among his compeers, at once saw the necessity which existed for such a road, took in hand, and pushed it to its completion with that iron will which knows not let nor hindrance. Of Colonel Donahue's labors, Mr. R. A. Thompson says: "To that enterprise, which has placed Colonel Donahue in the fore- most rank of the business men of the great metropolis of the Pacific coast, we owe our excellent facilities for communication with San Francisco. When others faltered or drew back, he pressed to the front. His business sagacity and capital proved the "open sesame " which smoothed and made straight our highway to the sea, over which the varied products of Sonoma county are transported ( a rich tribute ) to his adopted city, San Francisco."
Colonel A. A. Bean, a most accomplished gentleman, is the manager of the line.
North Pacific Coast Railroad .- The following is from Mr. Thompson's remarkably interesting and correct work above quoted :-
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" The North Pacific Coast Railroad extends from a point in Marin county, opposite San Francisco, through that county into Sonoma, and terminates at Duncan's mill, on Russian river. Milton S. Latham is President of the company. W. F. Russell is Secretary and general agent, John W. Dougherty is general manager, W. B. Price is Auditor and general passenger agent, C. B. Mansfield is assistant superintendent, and J. W. Fillmore, train despatcher.
" The road was first opened January 1875. Freight cars cross the bay of San Francisco on barges to the opposite shore at Saucelito, the land terminus of the road, a distance of six miles; or, reversing the order, they carry the freight laden ears from the terminus to the city. Each barge has a capacity for twelve loaded cars, making a great saving in transporting freight."
" The road has a second terminus on the bay of San Francisco, at San Quentin, by a branch road, which leaves the main line two miles north of San Rafael. The Saucelito terminus is used for freight business, while the San Quentin terminus is used principally for the passenger business. This latter terminus is connected with San Francisco, a distance of about nine miles, by two elegant ferry boats, built in New York exclusively for this line, and for travel between the city of San Francisco and San Rafael.
" The road is a narrow-gauge, being three feet between the rails ; leaving San Rafael, the road runs through Marin county, passing Ross valley, by Fairfax and Pacheco, to the summit, known as White Hill, at the head of Ross valley. The grade in this ascent is one hundred and twenty-one feet to the mile, and so doubles back upon itself that in one instance the tracks are not one hundred yards apart after traversing a distance of three-fourths of a mile.
"At the summit the road passes through a tunnel thirteen hundred feet long, and descends into the valley of San Geromino creek to Nicasio, and from there to Tomales. The route to this point is through a splendid dairy country, and, for all those rare beauties of scenery peculiar to California, it can nowhere be surpassed.
"For a year and a half the northern terminus of the road was at Tomales, fifty-four miles from Saucelito. The entrance to Sonoma county was barred as it were, by a wall of solid rock, through which it was necessary to cut a tunnel seventeen hundred feet in length. The men who formed this company were not to be deterred by obstacles even as formidable as this rocky barrier ; they pierced it, and soon the hills which enclosed the fertile valleys of south western Sonoma echoed the steam-whistle of the approaching locomotive.
" The road was finished to its destined terminus on Russian river in the winter of 1876-7. Just before reaching Valley Ford the road crosses the Estero Americano, and enters Sonoma county, passing Valley Ford, a pretty village; but just why its church should have been built across the line in Marin county, is beyond our ken. Steaming north, we pass Bodega Corners
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depot, and next Freestone. Just beyond Freestone the road enters the redwood timber belt, ascends Salmon creek by a steep grade to Howard's Station, crossing there the summit of the divide between the waters which fall, on the south, into Bodega bay, and on the north, into Russian river. Just before reaching Howard's the road passes over one of the highest bridges west of the Mississippi river. The bridge is one hundred and thirty-seven feet high. At Howard's we have fairly entered the redwood timber fields, and begin to realize the ultimate aims of the projectors of this enterprise, and the business it is destined to develop. Up to the fall of 1876 there were only three small saw-mills on or near the line of the road, and the great expense of hauling made them available only for the local trade. It has been but nine months since the road was completed, and there are now (1877) on the line of the road six large saw-mills, sending to market daily one hundred and seventy-five thousand feet of lumber, besides great quantities of shingles, laths, pickets, cord-wood, tan-bark, and charcoal.
"Streeten's mill is owned by Latham & Streeten; has a capacity of fifteen thousand feet per day; has about one thousand acres of land; employs forty men. The Russian River Land and Lumber Company is owned by Governor M. S. Latham, the largest owner of timber-land in this section, having ten thousand acres in one body. From Streeten's mill to Duncan's, with the exception of two miles, the road passes through its land. It owns all the timber-land on the old Bodega Rancho that lies in Ocean township. Its two mills-the Tyrone mill and the Moscow mill (at Moscow)-have each a capacity of forty thousand feet per day. Each mill employs from eighty to ninety men, and in the logging for both mills about sixty cattle are employed. The logs are hauled to mill on small locomotives, or tramways laid with railroad iron. The lumber, as at all the six saw-mills, is loaded directly on the cars, and not rehandled until delivered at the wharf in San Francisco. The saving of labor, expense, and breakage, from this fact alone, will at once be appreciated by any one familiar with the lumber business.
" The next mill below is one of the mills of the Madrona Land and Lumber Company, near the intersection of Howard creek with Russian river. This company has about one thousand acres of land, and the mill has a capacity of twenty thousand feet per day, employing fifty men. A branch tract runs three-fourths of a mile up the Russian river to another mill of this company, having a capacity of twenty-five thousand feet per day, and employing sixty men.
" Following down the Russian river we pass the Moscow mill (already mentioned), and cross the river on the four-hundred-foot bridge to Duncan's mill. Mr. A. Duncan, the senior proprietor, is the oldest lumberman on this river. He owns four thousand acres of land, principally on Austin creek, which empties into Russian river opposite Moscow. Duncan's mill has a capacity of thirty-five thousand feet per day, and employs seventy-five men.
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" It is estimated that the lands owned by these parties will produce six hundred million feet of lumber.
" Immediately upon the completion of the road, the southern terminus of the northern coast stages for Stewart's Point, Valhalla, Mendocino City, Point Arena, and Navarra Ridge, was changed to Duncan's mill, making a great saving in time for all the northwest coast.
" A description of this road would be incomplete without referring to the great inducements it offers to pleasure-seekers and sportsmen. It is not a sufficiently strong assertion to say that no route of eighty miles out of San Francisco offers such a variety of beautiful scenery. Moscow and Duncan's Mill, (opposite the river,) are two charming spots, and as picturesque as any in the State. The ocean winds, tempered by the distance of seven miles up the Russian river, prevail all through the summer. Here are to be found the finest fishing and shooting. Austin creek is one of the notable trout streams in the State; quail abound; deer are still in the forests and glades. Salmon can be caught in large numbers in the river."
Sonomu Valley Railroad .- Several attempts have been made to overcome the disadvantages to which Sonoma is subjected, yet, though the obstacles in the way are not only not insuperable, but also not great, the schemes have invariably come to naught. Now, however, there is a prospect of better things. A shorter route has been devised, embracing a railroad to overcome the sinuosities and shallows of Sonoma creek (which in its course resembles the Mississippi river) and a shorter line by vessel. The most favorable thing to be said of the present project is that it is not only devised, but that the execution of the project has actually begun. The scheme is this: A narrow - gauge railroad is to be constructed from Sonoma to Sears' Point, some four- teen miles. At that point a wharf is to be extended out to a depth of four- teen feet at low-water mark. Between there and the city a fast steamer is to ply. The entire distance between Sonoma and San Francisco, it is promised, will be made inside of two hours and a half, and two round trips will be made daily. Instead of, as now, three trips a week, fourteen will be made each way; and instead of each trip requiring from four to seven hours, but two and a half will be necessary. Stage-coaching will be done away with, teaming of freight will be greatly lessened, loss of time on sand-bars will be greatly saved, communication will be increased, and Sonoma will no longer be isolated.
The construction of the railway has been begun at Norfolk, a point on the creek between McGill's and Embarcadero, and extended some four miles to the village boundary. Thence it will be continued as fast as practicable to the heart of the village .* The right of way has been obtained on the plan that the Sonomans shall raise funds sufficient to recoup individuals for what- ever damage shall be done to their property. Only one property-holder
" Since writing the above, we have to announce the arrival of the iron-horse into the town of Sonoma.
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stands out, and, if necessary, his opposition will be overcome by the purchase of his small holding. Simultaneously with the extension of the road into the village, the road will be pushed from Norfolk-a draw-bridge will here be necessary-across the reclaimed lands to the base of the foothills, and thence some six miles to Sears' Point. The construction of this road requires no great obstacles to be overcome. The greatest has already been sur- mounted, the building of the track over some three miles of unreclaimed tule land. There are no cuts of any consequence to be made, there is virtually no grade, and there is an abundance of gravel for ballasting easily accessible. The proposed road, in fact, presents few difficulties, and they will be easily mastered. The Sonoma Valley Railroad will certainly soon be a fact. Then all that will remain to give the country through which it passes the vitality which it lacks and needs, is that the promise of frequent and quick trips across the bay shall be kept. This, there is scarcely a doubt, will be done. This much accomplished, it is next proposed to place Sonoma and Santa Rosa in railroad communication. The effect of this will be to throw open the whole of Sonoma valley to further settlement, to increase the value of the lands and to stimulate the already great wine, brandy, and raisin production.
We will now draw this portion of our work to a close, and for any matter which may not be found on the foregoing pages we would refer the reader to the histories of the townships which will be found farther on. We have en- deavored not to rob county history for the benefit of township history; in many cases, however, it has been impossible to follow this rule, therefore the annals of some of the latter are much fuller than others; this may or may not be a fault; at any rate when certain portions have been omitted in one place they will be found in the other. In conclusion, we append the follow- ing beautiful lines by Bayard Taylor, as fully portraying the past, present, and future of Sonoma county :-
O FAIR young land, the youngest, fairest far Of which our world can boast,-
Whose guardian planet, Evening's silver star, Illumes thy golden coast,-
How art thou conquered, tamed in all the pride And Order, Justice, Social Law shall curb Of savage beauty still!
How brought, O panther of the splendid hide, To know thy master's will!
No more thon sittest on thy tawny hills In indolent repose;
Or pour'st the crystal of a thousand rills Down from thy house of snows.
But where the wild-oats wrapp'd thy knees in gold, The ploughman drives his share,
And where, through canyons deep, thy streams are rolled, The miner's arm is bare.
Yet in thy lap, thus rudely rent and torn, A nobler seed shall be:
Mother of mighty men, thou shalt not mourn Thy lost virginity!
Thy human children shall restore the grace Gone with thy fallen pines: The wild, barbaric beauty of thy face Shall round to classic lines.
Thy untamed energies; And Art, and Science, with their dreams superb, Replace thine ancient ease.
The marble, sleeping in thy mountains now, Shall live in sculptures rare; Thy native oak shall crown the sage's brow,- Thy bay, the poet's hair.
Thy tawny hills shall bleed their purple wine, Thy valleys yield their oil; And Music, with her eloquence divine, Persnade thy sous to toil.
Till Hesper, as he trims his silver beam, No happier land shall see, And Earth shall find her old Arcadian dream Restored again in thee!
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
THE BEAR FLAG WAR.
ITS CAUSE - ITS PROGRESS - ITS CONCLUSION.
Sonoma being the spot whereon were enacted most of the deeds of the intrepid band of Republicans known to fame as the Bear Flag party, no work, purporting to be a history of that county, would be complete without a sketch of the causes which led to the taking up of arms by the "Independ- ents," and the further measures adopted by them. To do this, it will be necessary to tread upon ground already traveled over, and although the tale may be fresh in the minds of a few of our readers, the legends attached thereto be green in the hearts of the successors to some of the active participants in those events, yet there are many who have not read a succinct and con- nected account of the doings of those times, and to them is this especial chapter dedicated.
In the early part of this century California would appear to have found extreme favor in the jealous eyes of three great powers. We have elsewhere shown what the Russians did on the coast, and how they actually gained a foothold at Bodega and Fort Ross, in this county. In the year 1818 Gov- ernor Sola received a communication from Friar Marquinez, of Guadalajara, in Old Spain, wherein he informs His Excellency of the rumors of war between the United States and Spain, while, in February of the following year, Father Jose Sanchez, writes to the same official that there is a report abroad of the fitting out of an American expedition in New Mexico. Both of these epistles remark that California is the coveted prize. Great Britain wanted it, it is said, for several reasons, the chief of which was, that in the possession of so extended a coast line she would have the finest harbors in the world for her fleets. This desire would appear to have been still manifested in 1840, for we find in February of that year, in the New York Express, the following : "The Californias .- The rumor has reached New Orleans from Mexico of the cession to England of the Californias. The cession of the two provinces would give to Great Britain an extensive and valuable territory in a part of the world where she has long been anxious to gain a foothold, besides securing an object still more desirable-a spacious range of sea-coast on the Pacific, stretching more than a thousand miles from the forty-second degree of latitude south, sweeping the peninsula of California, and embracing the harbors of that gulf, the finest in North America."
These rumors, so rife between the years 1842 and 1846, necessitated the maintenance of a large and powerful fleet by both the Americans and British on the Pacific Ocean, each closely observing the other. The first
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move in the deep game was made by the United States in September, 1842, by Commodore Ap Catesby Jones. He became possessed of two newspapers which would appear to have caused him to take immediate action. One of these, published in New Orleans, stated that California had been ceded by Mexico to Great Britain in consideration of the sum of seven millions of dollars; the other, a Mexican publication, caused him to believe that war had been declared between the two countries. The sudden departure of two of the British vessels strengthened him in this belief, and, that they were en route for Panama to embark soldiers from the West Indies for the occupa- tion of California. To forestall this move of " perfidious Albion," Commo- dore Jones left Callao, Peru, on September 7, 1842, and crowded all sail ostensibly for the port of Monterey; but when two days out his squadron hove to, a council of the Captains of the Flag-ship, "Cyane" and " Dale" was held, when the decision was come to that possession should be taken of Cali- fornia at all hazards, and abide by the consequences, whatever they might be. The accompanying letter from an officer of the "Dale," dated Panama September 23, 1842, tells its own story : " We sailed from Callao on the 7th. of September in company with the " United States" and " Cyane " sloop, but on the tenth day out, the 17th, separated, and bore up for this port. Just previous to our departure two British ships-of-war, the razee "Dublin," fifty guns, and the sloop-of-war "Champion," eighteen guns, sailed thence on secret service. This mysterious movement of Admiral Thom is elicited a hundred comments and conjectures as to his destination, the most probable of which seemed to be that he was bound for the northwest coast of Mexico, where it is surmised that a British settlement (station) is to be located in accordance with a secret convention between the Mexican and English Gov- ernments, and it is among the on dits in the squadron that the frigate "United States," "Cyane" and "Dale" are to rendezvous as soon as possible at Monterey to keep an eye on John Bull's movements in that quarter." These rumors were all strengthened by the fact that eight hundred troops had been embarked at Mazatlan in February, 1842, by General Micheltorena, to assist the English, it was apprehended, to carry out the secret treaty whereby California was to be handed over to Great Britain. Of these troops, who were mostly convicts, Micheltorena lost a great number by deser- tion; and after much delay and vexation, marched out of Mazatlan on July 25, 1842, with only four hundred and fifty men, arriving at San Diego on August 25th. Between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, with his army reduced to but three hundred from desertion, at 11 o'clock on the night of October 24th, he received the astounding intelligence that Commodore Jones had entered the port of Monterey, with the frigate " United States" and corvette "Cyane," landed an armed force, hauled down the Mexican flag, hoisted the American in its place, and issued a proclamation declaring Cali- fornia to be henceforth belonging to the United States. These startling
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occurrences took place on October 19, 1842. On the 28th, the Commodore reflected on his latest achievement, and becoming convinced that an error had been committed, he lowered the American ensign, replaced it with that of Mexico, and on the following day saluted it, sailed for Mazatlan, and reported his proceedings to Washington.
On hearing of the capture of Monterey, the Mexican general withdrew to the Mission of San Fernando, and there remained for some time, when he finally, on the horizon being cleared, transferred his staff to Los Angeles, and there entertained Commodore Jones on January 19, 1843.
The recall of Jones was demanded by the Mexican Minister at Washing- ton, which was complied with, and Captain Alexander J. Dallas instructed to relieve him of the command of the Pacific squadron. Dallas at once pro- ceeded to Callao, via Panama, to assume his new functions, and on arrival took the " Erie," an old store-ship, and proceeded in search of the Commodore, who had in the meantime received intelligence of the turn affairs had taken, and kept steering from port to port, and finally touching at Valparaiso, Chili, he sailed for home around Cape Horn. The reign of Captain Dallas was short; he died on board the frigate " Savannah " at Callao, June 3, 1844, and was succeeded by Commodore John Drake Sloat.
Between the years 1844 and 1846, the American and British fleets keenly watched each other, and anxiously awaited the declaration of war between Mexico and the United States. In this time the revolution which drove General Micheltorena and his army from California, had broken out and been quelled; while the Oregon boundary and the annexation of Texas were questions which kept the naval authorities at fever heat.
Let us now leave these American and British sailors with their mighty ships jealously watching the movements of each other, to consider the doings of one who before long was to take a prominent part in the affairs of California.
In the month of March, 1845, Brevet Captain John Charles Fremont departed from Washington for the purpose of organizing a third expedition for the topographical survey of Oregon and California, which having done, he left Bent's Fort, on or about the 16th of April, his command consisting of sixty-two men, six of whom were Delaware Indians. It is not our wish here, nor indeed have we the space, to tell of the hardships endured, and the perilous journeys made by Fremont, Kit Carson, Theodore Talbot, and others of that band, whose wanderings have formed the theme of many a ravishing tale ; our duty will only permit of defining the part taken by them in regard to our especial subject.
About June 1, 1846, General Jose Castro, with Lieutenant Francisco de Arci, his Secretary, left the Santa Clara Mission, where they had ensconced themselves after pursuing Fremont from that district, and passing through Yerba Buena (San Francisco) crossed the bay to the Mission of San Rafael,
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and there collected a number of horses which he directed Arci to take to Sonoma, with as many more as he could capture on the way, and from there proceed with all haste to the Santa Clara Mission by way of Knight's Land- ing and Sutter's Fort. These horses were intended to be used against Fre- mont and Governor Pio Pico by Castro, both of whom had defied his authority. On June 5th, Castro moved from Santa Clara to Monterey, and on the 12th, while on his return, was met by a courier bearing the intelli- gence that Lieutenant Arci had been surprised and taken prisoner on the 10th by a band of adventurers, who had also seized a large number of the horses which he had in charge for the headquarters at Santa Clara. Here was a dilemma. Castro's education in writing had been sadly neglected- it is said he could only paint his signature-and being without his amanu- ensis, he at once turned back to Monterey, and on June 12th dictated a letter, through ex-Governor Don Juan B. Alvarado, to the Prefect Manuel Castro, saying that the time had come when their differences should be laid aside, and conjoint action taken for the defence and protection of their common country, at the same time asking that he should collect all the men and horses possible and send them to Santa Clara. He then returned to his head- quarters, and on the 17th promulgated a soul-stirring proclamation to the settlers.
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