USA > California > Lassen County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 34
USA > California > Plumas County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 34
USA > California > Sierra County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 34
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THE $10,000 FOLLY.
Under the same law that authorized the county to construct the road from Quincy to Indian valley, the county was permitted to issue $7,000 in bonds to repair the road from Quincy to Beck- wourth valley. Ned Smith, then a member of the board of supervisors, was appointed to receive the bonds and carry out the provisions of the statute. In addition to the bonds, an appropriation of $3,000 was made to complete the work. Mr. Smith received $929, at ten dollars per day, for his services in overseeing the contractors, which was thought by many to be a charge for over- seeing himself.
RED-CLOVER WAGON ROAD.
On the nineteenth of May, 1870, the certificate of incorporation of the Clover Valley Turnpike Co. was filed in the clerk's office at Quincy. The object of the organization was the construction of a road from a point near Coppertown, in Genesee valley, to the state line at the Summit, for the purpose of getting a route to Reno. The chief projector was Thomas E. Hayden. A proposition to give a subsidy to the road was defeated at the general election in 1872, by a vote of 379 to 118. Hayden raised a subscription in Indian valley, but failed to complete the road, and transferred it to John Hardgrave. This gentleman gave it to the county, and it was then completed at considerable expense. It is now kept by the county as a toll road, and is the route taken by the stage from Greenville, via Taylorville and Beckwourth pass, to Reno.
OROVILLE AND HONEY-LAKE ROAD).
April 28, 1857, the legislature passed an Act "To provide for the construction of a wagon road from Oroville, Butte county, to and intersecting at the most practicable point the line of the proposed National Wagon Road that has its terminus at or near Honey lake, Plumas county." William L. Upton, of Butte, and William Buckholder and R. C. Chambers, of Plumas, were named as commissioners to construct the road. The Act also provided for the issuing of $20,000 bonds each by the two counties, provided such measure received the indorsement of the people at the fall election. The underlying object was to secure the passage through this county of the overland railroad, which every one felt certain would be constructed before many years. The United States military road which had been surveyed to Noble's pass, and the exploration of a route for a rail- road by Lieutenant Beckwith on the same line, led many to think that this would be the route chosen for any transcontinental railroad-as it was for a certain distance. It was thought that a good road from Oroville to Honey lake would be the means of deflecting any railroad from Beck- with's route to Ft. Reading, thus securing a shorter line to San Francisco. This opinion is still held by many, who assert that if this road had been built as projected the Central Pacific would now be running through Noble's pass and through Plumas county. However, it was impossible to convince the voters of Butte and Plumas of the fact, and the measure was defeated in both counties, and the project abandoned. .
OROVILLE AND VIRGINIA-CITY RAILROAD.
The articles of incorporation of the above company were filed in the office of the secretary of state, at Sacramento, April 2, 1867. The object stated was to construct a railroad from Oroville , up the north fork of Feather river to Junction bar; thence up the east branch to the mouth of
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Spanish creek; thence up that stream and through American valley; thence across the ridge by Spring Garden ranch, to the middle fork of Feather; thence up that stream and through Beck- wourth pass to the state line. A. W. Keddie was employed to make a survey, and after doing so prepared a fine map of the route. This is the route that the people of this section had in vain sought to induce the managers of the Central Pacific road to adopt for their line. It is the general opinion in Plumas county that this route is the least troubled with snow, the easiest grade, and in all ways the most desirable; and that the heavy expense of maintaining the Truckee line in working condition will yet compel the Central Pacific to change to the Beckwourth pass and Feather river route. As to the above project, however, there was but little discussion among the citizens generally, it being considered a speculative scheme, which it proved to be, affecting but little the interests of the county, which latter proved decidedly not to be the case.
On the eighteenth of March, 1868, twelve days before the session of the legislature terminated, John R. Buckbee, member of the assembly representing Plumas and Lassen counties, introduced a bill entitled, " An Act Authorizing the Board of Supervisors of Plumas County to Take and Subscribe to the Capital Stock of the Oroville and Virginia City Railroad Company, and to Provide for the Payment Thereof." The bill was "railroaded" through in the following manner : On the eighteenth it was read the first and second times, and placed on the file; on the twenty- third it was taken up, engrossed, read a third time, and passed under a suspension of the rules; on the twenty-seventh it was read the first and second times in the senate, and referred to the Plumas delegation; the same day John Conly, senator from Plumas, reported back the bill, moved and obtained a suspension of the rules, when the bill was again read and passed. The governor signed it on the thirtieth. The people of Plumas county now discovered that this railroad scheme began to affect their interests materially. The full text of the bill can be found in the statutes of 1867-68, page 630. The substance was that the supervisors of Plumas county should meet in special session, and issue bonds to the amount of $230,000, for which they were to receive in return the same amount of stock of the company. County officers refusing to carry out the provisions of the Act were subjected to a fine of $500, removal from office, and liability for all damages. No measures had been taken by the legislature to ascertain the will of the people on the question; no opportunity was given them to express their desires at the polls or in any way whatever; but arbitrarily, and without equity or show of right, this debt was to be fastened upon the county, from which there was no appeal, and apparently no escape.
As soon as the fact became known that such a law had been passed, indignation unbounded took possession of the breasts of the people. Petitions were circulated throughout the county, and universally signed, protesting strongly against the legislative outrage. These were presented to the board of supervisors at their first meeting. The text of the protest was as follows: "We, the undersigned, residents and tax payers of Plumas county, do hereby express our disapprobation and indignation at the terms and provisions of the Act of the legislature, approved March 30, 1868, by which it is attempted to force upon the people of this county, without submission to their voice, an overwhelming burden of taxation for the purpose of issuing, without a shadow of guaranty or security, to the Oroville and Virginia City Railroad Company, bonds in the sum of two hundred and thirty thousand dollars, and which, when paid, will amount, for principal and interest, to the enormous sum of six hundred and ninety thousand dollars ; and we do emphatically protest against the same, and denounce it as the most outrageons and barefaced swindle ever attempted to be forced upon a free people; and believing that the provisions of said bill are not only wholly impolitic but grossly inequitable and unjust, we do earnestly petition the honorable board of
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supervisors of said county, as our representatives, and the guardians of our interests, either to resign, or to adopt some other adequate means by which to prevent the issuance of said bonds."
The board did not meet in special session, as provided in the statute, but came together at their regular May term. The board at that time was composed of T. J. True, chairman, Charles E. Smith, and M. D. Smith. On the fifth of May they entered the following on their record : "Ordered, that the district attorney be instructed on behalf of the board to investigate the books and records of the Oroville and Virginia City Railroad Company, and report to this board as soon as possible as to whether said company are entitled to demand, and what persons if any, as officers of said company, are entitled to receive, the subscription of stock authorized to be made to said company by this board. Ordered, that the petitions of the citizens of Plumas county, requesting this board to endeavor to avoid issuing the bonds to the Oroville and Virginia City Railroad Company, be received and placed on file. Ordered, that the agreement of the tax payers of Plumas county to indemnify this board for any damage they may sustain by refusal to issue the bonds of this county to the Oroville and Virginia City Railroad Company, be received and placed on file." The next day H. L. Gear, district attorney, reported upon the question, advising the board to have quo warranto proceedings commenced by the attorney-general of the state. The report was adopted, and the district attorney was given full power to represent the board and employ associate counsel, the latter part of which he attended to by engaging his father-in-law, Hon. Peter Van Clief, the bill of the two attorneys amounting to only $6,344. On the seventh the board adjourned till the twenty-second.
In order to avoid issuing the bonds on the twenty-second, the three members of the board re- signed, thus leaving the county without any representatives empowered to issue the bonds as provided by the statute. Thus the danger was averted for a time. A board of supervisors, however, is an indispensable portion of the county government, and consequently John B. Overton, county clerk, issued a proclamation July 11, 1868, calling a special election for supervisors to be held August 25, 1868, as he was by law empowered to do. This election resulted in the choice of the members of the old board by large majorities.
In the mean time, on the twentieth of June, Van Clief and Gear had commenced proceedings against the company in the district court, before Judge Warren T. Sexton, the company being represented by Creed Haymond and Joseph E. N. Lewis. Judgment was rendered for the defendant October 31, 1868, and the case was appealed by the county to the supreme court. On the twenty-first of the following December the company applied to the supreme court for a writ of mandamus, directing the board to make the subscription and issue the bonds. The effort was unsuccessful. Subsequently the supreme court decided the case, that had been taken up on appeal, in favor of the county. This was followed at the next session of the legislature by the Act of Feb- ruary 26, 1870, repealing the obnoxious statute ; and thus, after a hard and expensive contest, this incubus of fraud was shaken off, and the county relieved from an overwhelming load of debt, for which they would have received no benefit whatever, as it was well understood that the railroad was but a speculative venture-a two-edged sword to force money from the county on the one hand and the opposing railroad interests on the other. The leading items of expense to the county in the contest were: Fees of county officers, $486.50; legal expenses, $6,544; commissioners to Saera- mento, $750. The total expense was $8,621.50.
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SIERRA IRON AND QUINCY R. R. CO.
By the Act of March 11, 1874, the Sierra Iron Co., proprietors of the valuable iron mines in Gold valley, Sierra county, were granted the right of eminent domain to construct a wooden rail- road from their mines, by the way of Mohawk and Sierra valleys and Beckwourth pass, to the Nevada line. They never utilized the privilege granted to them, but on the seventeenth of Sep- tember, 1881, organized the Sierra Iron and Quincy R. R. Co., under the general laws of the state. The directors named in the articles of incorporation are Philip N. Lillienthal, Charles Kohler, F. A. Benjamin, Frederick Weisenborn, and Caleb T. Fay; and the capital stock is placed at $3,200,000. Their object is to construct a three-foot gauge railroad upon the route mentioned, and a line from Quincy to Mohawk valley to connect with the other. This is designed to make a through route from Quincy to Reno by connecting near Beckwourth pass with the Nevada and Oregan road now being constructed from Reno to Oregon. Mr. A. T. Nation, attorney for the company at Quincy, assures us that the road will be constructed as far as Mohawk valley this year, and will be at once extended to Quincy; also that in case the N. & O. company fail to build their road to connect with them, they will carry their line clear to Reno. They need and must have an outlet from their extensive iron mine's, and expect to be their own best customer in the freight business. The advan- tage of this road to Plumas county is incalculable, especially as it may in the future lead to the pas- sage of a trunk line by this route to the valley and San Francisco.
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE.
In the summer of 1874 an agent of the Western Union Telegraph Company visited Plumas with a view of ascertaining what the people would do towards constructing a telegraph line from Sierra City, via Jamison City and Quincy, to Taylorville and Greenville. A subscription paper was started for the purpose of raising money to aid in the work, each subscriber having the amount con- tributed placed to his credit, and he was permitted the free use of the line to the extent of his subscription. The subscribers in the American valley and vicinity who paid and used their credits were: G. W. Meylert, $200; J. D. Goodwin, $150; W. E. Ward, $75 ; William Schlatter, $25; A Cohn & Bro., $50; A. Hall, $50; Thompson & Kellogg, $100; Thomas Hughes, $50; Richard Jacks, $25; John W. Thompson, $50; A. W. Keddie, $25; J. H. Haun, $20; D. M. Bull, $20; J. E. Edwards, $100; J. R. Wyatt, $100; F. B. Whiting, $100; I. C. Boring, $75; J. C. Chapman, $25; E. T. Hogan, $50; N. K. Wright, 50; T. L. Haggard, $25; Plumas Water Co., $100; Sam Lee, $25; C. Lee, $50; E. A. Heath, $50; J. F. Hartwell, $25; making, with a number of small amounts, $1,800. In Taylorville : W. G. Young, $100; John Hardgrave, $100; Rosenberg Bro. & Co., $50; Brans- ford & Smith, $100; total, $350. In Greenville: J. H. Whitlock, $250; C. H. Lawrence, 8250; J. S. Hall, $100; J. H. Maxwell, $100; W. B. Lathrop, $50; A. D. McIntyre, $25; Oliver Drake, $50; Portable Saw Mill Co., $20; G. H. McPherson, $33.33; N. B. Forgay, $25; H. C. Bidwell, $150; J. A. Hickerson, $2.50; total, $1,055.83. Mr. Lamb, the superintendent of construction, at once com- menced the work of putting up the line. It was completed to Quincy, November 16, 1874, and to Greenville the fourth of the following month. The line has been a great benefit to the business men and community generally, and has paid fairly to the company as a business venture. Some inconvenience sometimes arises in winter from the difficulty experienced in keeping the line up and in working order through the mountains. At Sierra City the line connects with the general sys- tem of the company.
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RESIDENCE OF THE LATE J.F.HARTWELL 3 MILES EAST OF QUINCY CAL.
RESIDENCE AND SAW MILL OF F.GANSNER. QUINCY, CAL.
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In the spring of 1877, J. H. Maxwell of Susanville, W. G. Young of Taylorville, and F. B. Whiting of Quincy, inaugurated a movement to connect Susanville with this line by constructing an independent line from that place to Taylorville, a distance of thirty-three miles. A subscription paper was started, and in a short time enough money was secured to build the line, which cost about $2,100. The first message was sent on the twenty-fourth of June, 1877.
During the winter of 1877-78, the telephone fever prostrated the embryo scientists of Quincy. Led by Judge Cheney, they began and completed the work of constructing a line, consisting of a tow string, from the court-house to Clough & Kellogg's office. Messages were bawled over this string with an energy that bid fair to put an end to all lung troubles in the county; and after mixing people all up, and convincing the man at either end of the string that some confirmed idiot or Choctaw Indian must be at the other end, the line was abandoned. After that, when any one had anything to say, he walked over and said it, and was sure he was understood.
The managers of the Monte Christo mine are talking of running a telephone line from Quincy to their office at Spanish peak.
QUARTZ TOWNSHIP.
This is one of the two original townships into which the Plumas section of Butte county was divided in 1851, but at that time embraced territory largely in excess of its present dimensions. [See the official history on a previous page.] The name was derived from the remarkable quartz discoveries made that summer on Gold mountain, now known as the Plumas Eureka mine. On the twenty-third of May, 1851, a party of nine prospectors camped near Gold mountain, or Eureka peak. Two members of the party, named Merethew and Peck, having gone to the top of the peak to take observations of the surrounding country, came upon the bold croppings of a ledge that showed rich quartz to be plentiful. The " original nine," as they called themselves, or the " nine originals," as they were called by others, gathered in friends to the number of thirty-six in all, and on the fifth of June, 1851, organized a company. Satisfied that they had indeed " found it," they named their ledge and company Eureka. The news soon spread, and miners began to pour in from the Middle Feather, and from Nelson creek and vicinity. The Eureka company claimed thirty feet square for each of its members; but the new-comers being in a majority, a meeting was called, which cut the size of the claims down to twenty feet. The Eureka company then staked off their ground, took possession of the lake near by for a water supply, erected some arrastras, and began to work in a modest way. The outsiders then organized a company, and because of the fact that they nunbered just seventy-six souls, they bestowed the name of Washington upon their location. They were not content with the slow work of arrastras, but wanted a mill at once. They went down to the flat on Jamison creek, located a mill-site, and laid out a town, which was called the City of 76. A mill with sixteen stamps was erected, and ran but a short time, when the company made a complete failure, having spent about $100,000. Another company with forty members located some croppings on the south-east side of the mountain, calling themselves the Rough and Ready company. Still another company of about eighty men made the Mammoth location, north- east of the Eureka claim. They were satisfied with what could be done by arrastras till the spring of 1856, when they were enabled to erect a twelve-stamp mill. The Rough and Ready company erected a mill with twelve stamps at once, and so crippled themselves that work had to be suspended in 1854. It was resumed in 1857 for a time, and again suspended. The Eureka com- pany worked with arrastras for a while, then used Chili wheels. In 1855 they put up a twelve-
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stamp mill, followed a few years later by one with sixteen stamps, to which eight more were added in 1870. In 1867 an injunction was secured by John Parrott of San Francisco to restrain Nane, Elwell, & Co., who had been working the Washington ledge with arrastras for several years. In 1870 Parrott secured title to both the Washington and Rough and Ready locations, having pre- viously become possessed of the Eureka claim. The following year he disposed of the whole property to the Sierra Buttes Company, of London, England, the present owners. The new company erected a large mill the next year, and have since been working the claims on a magnifi- cent scale. They also purchased the old Mammoth location, thus acquiring complete possession of the quartz locations on the mountain. Plumas Eureka Mine is the name given to the telegraph office, and Eureka Mills the designation of the post-office. They are both located at the little set- tlement on the mountain-side, where the first mill was built, and where the office of the company now is. There are also a store and a hotel kept on the hill. Four companies of Italians pay the com- pany a monthly rental for the privilege of working tailing's from the mill, in doing which they are running about forty arrastras very profitably.
JAMISON .- This is a small village on the creek of the same name, each named after a pioneer of this section. In an early day it was a prosperous mining camp, and a store was established as early as 1853. The first physician was Dr. Geiger, who built the celebrated Geiger grade from Washoe to the Comstock. J. Kitts kept a hotel in the early times, the same one managed later by George S. MeLear. The town has lived along as an adjunct to the mines ever since its foundation. November 19, 1880, the entire place was consumed by fire. There are now a hotel, post-office, store, express office, and saloon.
JOHNSVILLE -This town is a growth of the extensive operations of the Sierra Buttes Com- pany, and was started in 1876. It is located on Jamison creek, on a level tract of land near the base of Plumas Eureka mountain. In that year John Banks located twenty acres, and erected a hotel building, now owned and kept by Willoughby Brothers. The name was given it in honor of William Johns, the popular superintendent of the mines. The first store in the new town was opened by Martinetti & Co., in the building now occupied by Willoughby Brothers. The second building in the village was erected by August Crazer, in 1876, and used as a brewery. It was afterwards destroyed by a land-slide, and rebuilt. The first school was taught in a private dwelling by Miss Adelia Cain. The town is a thriving one commercially, having three merchandising establishments, kept by Willoughby Brothers, O. B. Dolly, and J. F. Bacher & Co. There are two hotels, the Mountain House by Willoughby Brothers, and the Johnsville. Besides these, there are two meat markets, and the usual complement of saloons.
Mohawk Lodge No. 292, I. O. O. F., was instituted at this place by J. M. Chapman, D. D., September 8, 1880. The charter members were John Neville, M. Willoughby, R. C. Bryant, John Daly, and F. Rodoni. The hall is over F. Rodoni's saloon, and is well furnished. The lodge had a membership of 25 on the first of January, 1882, with the following officers: John Neville, N. G .; R. C. Bryant, V. G .; C. Stinson, R. S. N. G .; Thomas Delbridge, L. S. N. G .; R. Tramaloni, R. S. V. G .; C. Rosetti, L. S. V. G .; M. Willoughby, Sec'y; F. Rodoni, Treas .; W. M. Pratt, I. G .; John Daly, W .; Dr. Chas. M. Hill, Con .; J. C. Knickrem, R. S. S .; F. Meffley, L. S. S.
MOHAWK VALLEY .- This is a narrow strip of land lying on either side of a stream of the same name, and well adapted to dairying purposes, to which use it is largely put. As you enter the valley in going from Quincy to Reno or Truckee, you first come upon the quiet roadside home of Uncle Billy Parker, an old pioneer, well and favorably known throughout the whole section. He also keeps a store for the accommodation of the sparsely settled neighborhood. Next is the
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20-Mile House, kept by the Cromberg brothers, at which is a post-office called Cromberg. Next is Sutton's, where is Mohawk post-office, William Knott, postmaster. It was established in 1869, with the same gentleman in office, and was recently removed to its present location. Here Mr. Sutton keeps a hotel for the entertainment of travelers, and a store and saw-mill make quite a village. Next is the fine Howe truss bridge, erected in 1881, at an expense of $3,877. Some distance beyond the bridge is Wash post-office, established in 1875, and named in honor of an old and respected citizen, Mr. Wash, recently deceased. Located near Sutton's, on a beautiful knoll sloping to the east, is the quiet Mohawk burying-ground. The site was chosen by a Mr. Trimble, who became the first to be interred there.
At the head of the valley, close up to the encircling mountains, is Sulphur Springs ranch and hotel, property of George S. MeLear, member of the board of supervisors for this district. This is one of the most beautiful and attractive of the mountain resorts of Plumas. It lies on the sunny side of the valley, 5,000 feet above the sea, overlooking fine meadows, beyond which rise the lofty, snow-capped peaks of the Sierra summits. The water of this spring is warm, and known as white sulphur. It has never been analyzed, but is believed to closely resemble the famous springs of Virginia. The hotel building contains three stories, is finely furnished, and pleasingly managed by Mrs. McLear and her estimable daughter Frankie. It is located on the stage road from Quiney and Plumas Eureka to Truckee, and the Sierra Iron and Quincy R. R. Co. will soon have a narrow- gange track connecting the valley with Reno.
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