USA > California > Lassen County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 67
USA > California > Plumas County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 67
USA > California > Sierra County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 67
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
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Ex-Governor J. A. Johnson, who left his law practice in Downieville to take the gubernatorial chair, remembers this place as his home, as do several others who have since risen to high positions elsewhere : among them, J. F. Cowdery, city attorney of San Francisco; Moses Kirkpatrick, after- wards sheriff of San Francisco county ; Judge R. H. Taylor, William Stewart, L. E. Pratt, and William J. Ford.
Application was made by Judge A. J. Howe, November 10, 1881, in behalf of the citizens of Downieville, at the general land office, for a patent to the town site, which was granted. The town site embraces the east half of the south-west quarter of section 26, and the north-west quarter of section 35, all in township 20 north, of range ten east of the Mount Diablo meridian, and consists of 240 acres. In the flood of February, 1881, the Durgan bridge was swept out. The present bridge was constructed by the California bridge company, in the short space of two weeks, on a contract calling for $3,200.
Downieville is supplied with water by numerous ditches and pipes, owned by five different water companies. S. D. Hill & Son furnish water to Durgan flat by pipes running from the Oro tunnel. Jersey flat is partially supplied by M. H. Mead, who carries the water in pipes from the South fork. S. M. York & Brother's ditch taps the East fork two miles above; while the old Haven flume, owned by J. M. Hall & Co., with John Hughes as agent, commences on the East fork, at Pauley's saw-mill, and supplies Busch's brewery, Chinatown, and a number of residences with what they require. H. Spaulding's flume, which is the main water supply of town, heads at the Good Hope mine, runs a mile in length, and conducts through pipes laid along the streets the quantity necessary for the usages to which it is put. This ditch has been in operation many years. A reservoir on the hill west of town furnishes water to protect the village from fire. On Main street there are six fire-plugs, with a fall sufficient to throw a stream far above the highest buildings. Jersey flat has three plugs, supplied from the ditch of S. M. York & Brother, and Durgan flat owes its protection to the water supply of S. D. Hill & Son. McGuire & Wilbern have a private ditch a mile and a half in length, heading in Hungry Mouth ravinc.
The Downieville fire department is fully organized and in working order. A large bell on Main street sounds the dread alarms, summoning the department to its onerous labors, and the promptness with which the call is responded to reflects credit on the members. The officers of the department are as follows : chief engineer, L. Byington ; assistants, N. H. Meaney, J. S. Wiggins ; delegates from the Mountain Torrent hose company, N. H. Meaney, V. Hartling, A. Cohn ; from the Cataract hose company, S. M. York, J. M. B. Meroux, W. J. Holmes. Joseph Garibaldi is foreman of the Mountain Torrent company, with T. Bessler assistant, and A. Cohn secretary. H. Spaulding is foreman of the Cataract company, assisted by William Byington, while H. H. Purdy performs the clerical work.
Downieville is connected by daily stages with Marysville and with Sierra City. The former route is owned by Dan T. Cole, Warren Green, and John Sharp. The distance is sixty-five miles, and twenty-four horses are in use constantly. The drivers are George Sharp and Ben Wood, both efficient men in the Jehu line. Weir & Mead own the route to Sierra City, the distance being twelve miles. The Alta California Telegraph company built a line of telegraph from Nevada City to Downieville in 1855. W. W. Smith, the first operator, was succeeded by A. C. Chapman the same year. In December, 1855, J. W. Orear took the office, and with the exception of one year, 1864-65, he has filled the place ever since. In the interim, A. F. Chapman was operator. A district telegraph system has been in operation for a number of years, connecting several business houses and residences with the court-house. Wells, Fargo, & Co.'s express succeeded that of Langton &
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Co., in 1866. J. W. Orear was appointed their first agent, and is the present incumbent, having held the place continuously since.
The Downieville foundry and machine shop is an important institution, being the only one in the county. Solomon Purdy erected the first foundry, in 1855. Prior to 1866 it was owned and run for several years by Oland & Noble. Messrs. Manson, Thom, and Luther bought it then, and conducted it until the spring of 1877, when the property was purchased by Taylor & Forbes. The dam across the North fork was built in 1867, at a cost of $3,000, furnishing a splendid water power to propel the machinery. Thirteen thousand dollars were paid at the last sale for the property. Pennsylvania Lehigh coal is used in the furnace, costing forty-four dollars a ton laid down at the foundry. The works were burned in July, 1869, and again in September, 1872. Quartz-mill building and repairing have for a long period been the leading features of the work performed. The two breweries of Downieville make an excellent quality of beer. The amber fluid was first brewed here in 1854, by Borge, who two years after sold his brewery to Scammon & Schultz, and they to John Rupp and another party. Ferdinand Busch bought the property in 1858, and still owns it. The Monte Christo brewery was built in 1861. L. Nessler and Joseph Wackman became the proprietors the same year. The former purchased the latter's interest in 1866; but in 1868, and for eight years after, J. A. Blohm was a partner, Mr. Nessler being now the only pro- prietor. The brewery was burned in 1864, involving a loss of $10,000, and a second time was- consumed in 1870.
H. Scammon's banking house has been conducted by him since 1866. H. T. Briggs is the present cashier. The principal business houses of Downieville may be enumerated as follows : St. Charles hotel, P. Eschbacher ; McDonald hotel, Owen McDonald; dry goods, B. Latreille, Bril- liant & Co., Cohn Brothers; groceries, Spaulding & Mowry, A. Garibaldi, J. M. B. Meroux ; hardware, J. W. Brown ; drugs, C. C. Smith, W. B. Kimball; watches and jewelry, H. Purdy; furniture, T. M. Stackus; livery stable, Weir & Mead ; butcher-shops, L. Byington, John Coster ; blacksmith shops, George Ift, W. D. Nolan. The town supports a large number of saloons, several of them being elegantly fitted up.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Downieville was organized some time in the year 1855, with Rev. H. Ewart as the first regular pastor. Services were held prior to that time by itinerant ministers. In 1856 Rev. John B. Hill was sent to this place, and remained until the following year. During his pastorate he succeeded in raising sufficient by subscription to build the church which now stands. The list of ministers who have had this charge since Mr. Hill are given as follows: William Hulbert, 1858; W. S. Turner, 1859; H. B. Sheldon, 1859; W. S. Urmey, 1860; C. H. Northup, 1861; J. Rogers, 1863; James Wicks, 1864; J. B. Fish, 1865; James Wicks, 1868; Joseph Pettit, 1870; W. B. Priddy, 1871 ; Will Gordon, 1873; P. L. Haynes, 1874; E. M. Stewart, 1876; John Appleton, 1879; B. F. Rhoads, 1881. A Congregational society was organized in Downieville in 1855, with Rev. W. C. Pond as pastor, who held the position until 1866, when the society was allowed to die out. A Congregational chapel was built in September, 1858, but upon the disorganization it was sold and used for other purposes. A Catholic church building was erected in 1852, at which time Father Dalton was priest. He was succeeded two or three years after by Father Delahunty. In 1858 Father Morris was sent to this charge, and in 1861 Father Lynch. The succeeding pastors were Reverends Baker, Maroney, Sheridan, O'Donnell, and Kerley, the present pastor ; Father Kerley being appointed in 1879. In 1858 the church was burned in the great fire, but was soon rebuilt higher up the hill, where it now stands.
MOUNTAIN SHADE LODGE NO. 18, F. & A. M .- This Masonic lodge was organized r.nder
RANDOLPH HOTEL
RANDOLPH HOTEL. AND STAGE OFFICE, G.Q. BUXTON, PROPR. RANDOLPH, SIERRA CO., CAL.
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dispensation, in 1851, with H. P. Benton, W. M .; W. B. Hamblin, S. W .; George Fagg, J. W .; and a membership of thirty-seven. A charter was received May 5, 1852, when G. Fagg became W. M .; T. B. Graham, S. W .; and H. McNulty, J. W .; numbering fifty charter members. The present membership is forty-five, and the officers are Robert Forbes, W. M. ; Henry Spaulding, S. W .; Lewis Mowry, J. W .; H. H. Purdy, treas .; John Scott, sec .; A. Cohn, S. D .; A. J. McGuire, J. D .; L. Byington, marshal; J. M. B. Meroux, J. A. Blomh, stewards; Valentine Hartling tyler. The present hall was built in June, 1864, two former ones having been burned in the fires of 1858 and 1864.
SIERRA CHAPTER No. 21, R. A. M., was organized in October, 1857, under dispensation, and was chartered May 7, 1858, with Lewis Reynolds, H. P. ; John D. Scellen, K .; and Solomon Purdy, S. The present officers are William T. Luther, H. P .; L. Byington, K .; James B. Crooks, S .; H. H. Purdy, treas .; William Ryan, sec .; H. Strange, C. of H .; Benjamin Pauley, P. S .; George C. Martin, R. A. C .; V. Hartling, M. of 3rd V .; Jacob Lewis, M. of 2nd V .; D. L. Whitney, M. of 1st V.
SIERRA LODGE No. 24, I. O. O. F., was chartered June 6, 1854. The first officers were R. H. Taylor, N. G .; E. W. Casey, V. G .; William DeKay, R. S .; A. Smith, P. S .; J. H. Scales, treas. The membership of the lodge at the time was fifty-four. They erected a hall soon after, which lasted until the fire of 1864, when it was consumed. The handsome structure now owned by the lodge was put up in a short time. The present membership is seventy-one, with the follow- ing elective officers: H. Carpenter, N. G .; T. B. Engleston, V. G .; H. D. Hill, sec .; L. H. Osgood, treas.
BLUE RANGE ENCAMPMENT No. 8, I. O. O. F., was instituted March 25, 1856, with a mem- bership of nineteen. The first officers were W. Heaton, C. P .; T. R. Kibbe, H. P .; J. H. Hickox, S. W .; C. K. Wright, S .; E. M. Grippen, treas. ; E. W. King, J. W. The membership at present is fifty-two, with these officers: William J. Holmes, C. P .; John T. Mason, H. P .; H. Strange, S. W .; A. Cohn, S .; H. G. Weir, treas .; H. Carpenter, J. W.
DOWNIEVILLE LODGE NO. 123, A. O. U. W .- This flourishing beneficiary order was char- tered in Downieville in 1879, and has acquired a large and constantly increasing membership. The hall is on Durgan flat, directly in front of the court-house.
GOODYEAR'S BAR.
This celebrated old mining camp, one of the first located within the present confines of Sierra county, is picturesquely situated on the North Yuba, four miles below Downieville. Beautiful pine-clad hills surround the place, conspicuous among which is the noble crest of Grizzly peak. In the distance may be seen Saddle Back, Fir Cap, Monte Christo, and many other points of interest . alike to the practical miner and the lover of nature. The first inhabitants of Goodyear's bar were Miles Goodyear, Andrew Goodyear, Dr. Vaughan, and a Mr. Morrison, who settled here in the late summer of 1849. At that time the hand of man had not molested the beautiful groves of oak and other valley growths that fringed the turgid waters of the Yuba, Rock creek, and Goodyear creek, then dashing their silvery torrents over primeval rocks, or explored the rippling depths where lay the yellow sands so highly prized for ages. The scene was soon changed. Discoveries of rich gold deposits caused others to settle in the neighborhood, who had left the lower diggings and followed
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up the stream in search of a more rapid road to wealth. Philo Haven, Frank Anderson, and the Downie party passed here during the fall at different times, seeking the North fork.
Miles Goodyear was taken sick shortly after his arrival, and lingered along for several months, finally, on the twelfth of November, 1849, yielding up his life. He was buried on a point opposite Goodyear's bar, since named Slaughter bar. The remains were deposited in an old rocker, with a buffalo robe for a shroud. A rough head-board, carved by Dr. Vaughan, told the stranger that Miles Goodyear was no more, giving the date of his departure from earth. The body was after- wards removed below by his brother Andrew.
Great hardships were experienced at Goodyear's bar during the succeeding winter. Food was terribly scarce, and the prospect of famine drove nearly all the pioneers to the lower country to obtain the necessities of existence. Flour was the most needed and the most difficult to procure. Even the nutritious bean, the pioneer's loadstar in all new countries, was not to be had. Famishing parties from other places came to Goodyear's to sate their vigorous appetites, but most had to go away hungry for what their abundance of gold would not buy. What was sold brought the uniform price of four dollars a pound, were it food, tools, or blankets. Before supplies arrived the inhabi- tants of the bar were compelled to test the unsavoriness of beef bones from a dead animal lying on the bar, and the last bone had been deprived of all animal matter ere relief came. With the return of spring came a great horde of eager miners, and long ere the snows had vanished from the ridges thousands were delving every foot of ground that showed promise of returns. Andrew Goodyear was located on a point, with several Indians who were working for him, and had very rich pay ground. At a meeting of the miners the size of the claims was fixed at thirty feet square. Daniel Cowley, who arrived that spring, was forced to content himself with half a claim, not another spot being vacant. James Golden, now a well-preserved old gentleman of 82 years, arrived at the camp on the thirty-first of March. The buildings were nearly all of canvas. Many of them were called hotels, where a fare rude and plain enough for an anchorite was charged for at the fancy prices which prevailed. A man named Woodruff opened the first regular store, in a log building; other stores were soon run by James Golden and a Mr. Vinyard. Among the early business men of Goodyear's, in addition to these, may be mentioned : Hughes & Davis, Scott & Arnold, Hook & Co., Hickok & Johnson, and George & Scellen.
Several rich bars were settled on, above, and below Goodyear's. Two miles below was St. Joe bar, above it was the Nigger Slide, and farther up was Woodville bar, first named Cut-Throat bar, because of a sick German who had cut his own throat there. Ranty Doddler bar and Hoodoo bar were close to town. The origin of the latter name is ascribed to the peculiar enuneiation by an Indian of the salutation, "How-dye-do?" rendering it " Hoodoo." Two hundred yards above Goodyear's, a wing-dam was built in the summer by Dr. William Todd, John Scellen, and others. Cox's bar was located two miles above the town. Sickness prevailed at Goodyear's during the fall of 1850, erysipelas becoming an alarming epidemic, from which a large number died. In the winter of that year a log cabin was put up for hospital purposes, and supported by donations from the large-hearted miners. Daniel Cowley was deputed to the office of making the collections for the sick, and many times his leathern purse was packed to the top with freely given gold-dust. Dr. Barkdul, an Ohio man, officiated in the capacity of physician at the hospital.
In 1850 the old ditch that supplies water to the town was built by Colonel T. M. Ramsdell, James Harpman, and John Lake. The water supply was from Rock creek, and the ditch supplied many of the miners with water to work the long toms. The North Yuba tunnel, a very good piece of engineering, was constructed in 1852, by Messrs. Cunningham, Cowley, Ramsdell, Hocker,
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Echstein, Dr. Todd, Peterson, and others, the company being a consolidation of several others. The tunnel was three hundred feet in length, twelve feet wide, and ten feet in height. It cut off a point around which the river flowed, and into it the waters were turned, leaving the bed of the stream dry for some distance. The enterprise was not prolific in returns, paying slender dividends on the investment. Under the beautiful ranch now owned by H. H. Kennedy numerous. tunnels were run, the bed-rock being below the present bed of the river. Several years ago some miners were exploring one of them, when they came across a place that was caved in. Digging through this obstruction they came upon a pool of water from which they obtained a basketful of trout that were adapted by nature for their subterranean abode, having no eyes at all. This curious cir- cuinstance shows that in a comparatively short space of time species of the finny tribe can undergo important changes in their physical structure.
In 1852 a dozen well-patronized whisky-shops were in operation at Goodyear's, sufficient indi- cation of a wild and rollicking camp. It was at Goodyear's that Peter Yore made his first lucky find. Having several men working at the north end of Kennedy's ranch, he saw one of them standing over a long tom, holding up his hands and exclaiming, "My God! my God !" He pro- ceeded to the spot, and found that from one wheelbarrow of dirt had been cleaned up two thou- sand dollars of gold-dust. The news was kept secret from the other miners, and the harvest of dust for some time continued large. In 1852 extensive fluming operations were carried on between Goodyear's and Downieville. Flumes were erected all along the water-course, and with but short breaks here and there, the river was conducted from the latter town, four miles to Goodyear's, on the flumes. Hundreds of miners were working the bed of the river. In November, 1852, heavy rains came on, which raised the stream to a volume greater than the flumes could carry, and they were all swept out. Vast quantities of timber went down the swollen torrent, the puerile strength of man being powerless to overcome the irresistible forces of nature. The losses by these floods were enormous. In 1853 more fluming was done, but not on so extensive a scale as during the year preceding. In 1852 Mr. J. C. Stewart arrived at Goodyear's. At that time the whole flat was covered with houses. The presidential vote of that year was nearly 600 from Goodyear's alone, the outside camps forming other election precincts. An effort was made at the organization of the county, in the early part of the year, to get Goodyear's bar named in the organizing act as the county seat, but it proved unsuccessful. It is believed that had the miners paid more attention to this matter the seat of justice might have been fixed here instead of at Downieville; but the peo- ple were far more interested in making money from their diggings than in the prosperity of the town, considering themselves only temporary sojourners on California soil. In this way Good- year's lost the only opportunity she ever had of becoming the permanent metropolis of Sierra county.
In 1851 George Young, now deputy assessor, came to Goodyear's bar, where he mined a number of years. Stores were then owned by Robinson & Wood, James Golden, Hugh Lynch, and Sam Davis. A hotel was being run by Edward Echstein ; the Mansion house was under the supervision of Mr. Wellman, while the Eldorado, about the first of the permanent caravansaries, was managed by James Harpman and John Lake. The saw-mill, as it now stands, was erected in the summer of 1852, by Peter Britton and George Lechtenberger, who sold to James Golden in May, 1853, he having bought a part interest in the fall of 1852. In 1854 Mr. Golden sold half of the mill to a man named Englebrecht. Mr. Stewart, in 1856, bought the other half, and has been interested in it since. John Schriver became his partner in 1864, the firm still existing as Stewart & Schriver. The flume which brings water from Woodruff creek to the mill was first built in 1858, and has been rebuilt once, at a subsequent period.
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A post-office was established at Goodyear's in 1852, and Woodruff became the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Robinson, who was followed in succession by the Meyers brothers and Julius Meinhart. Mr. O. F. Ackerly has had the office about ten years. Langton's express started through this place in 1850. Wells, Fargo, & Co. established an office here in 1858, with John D. Scellen as their first agent. Some years ago the office was discontinued, without ever being re-established. A private school was first taught at Goodyear's, in 1856, by Mrs. Massey. She had but few pupils, the boy-and-girl crop of the mountains being at that time very small. Afterwards Mrs. Parker, now Mrs. J. M. Haven of San Francisco, taught the young idea for a short time. The school was held near the present site of the school-house. Mrs. Delaney became the next instruc- tress of youth. The school-house now used was erected in 1862, for church and public uses, and was built by subscription. It was finally converted into a temple of learning, where, at the present time, Mr. Albion Miley presides, giving universal satisfaction.
The customs of the early days are so often described by able writers that perhaps not more than a casual mention of a few peculiarities is necessary here. The scarcity of the softer sex in the mining camps is a fact so often rehearsed as to be proverbial of the times. In the pioneer dances, impersonations of females for partners were made with the utmost care. Men would don muslin head-gear and tread through the mazy waltz with as much composure and propriety as though they had always played maiden parts on the theater of life; and their rude admirers would cavort and salute with as much suppleness of limb and excessive politeness as they had ever exercised in the more brilliant circles of eastern society where they had formerly moved. The old fiddler who always presided at these strange orgies knew but half a dozen notes of one sickly tune, which he - repeated over and over during the long nights of revelry. But when a real " live woman " appeared on the floor, the joy of the miners knew no bounds. Upon the arrival of one in camp, she would be greeted with rousing cheers, throwing up of hats, and a general jubilee. In 1852 a celebrated singer came to Goodyear's, accompanied by her husband, who was a gambler. Though dressed in male attire, she did not escape the congratulations invariably vouchsafed to her sex.
Life at Goodyear's bar was not always one of pleasure. Adam's sentence, imposed for disobe- dience, has been inherited by all his descendants ; but to no one was given a larger legacy than to the miner of this region who earned his daily bread by a liberal flow of cranial perspiration. Hard work was the programme of the hour to a large majority of the miners, but the rewards were generally proportionate to the intensity of the labor, and every body made money, and was willing to spend it. Scenes betokening a not very high civilization were frequently enacted at the bar. Some of these are related in the criminal annals of the county, but a very large preponderance of them are never spoken of, while many are forgotten entirely. In 1852 people who walked on the road to Downieville noticed, two miles above, at the McGintie place, a horrible stench arising from decaying matter on the bank of the river. No investigations were made for some time as to the character of the objects producing the offensive odor, but one day Henry Foster saw a piece of canvas close to the river, and descended the bank to obtain it. Lifting it up, he saw a leg protruding; then two human bodies in an advanced state of decomposition were revealed to his astonished gaze. They were well-known Germans, who had been murdered and buried there weeks before. Bullet holes were numerous on their persons, and the head of one was crushed and beaten. Lying around were several Indian arrows, placed there to throw suspicion on a few miserable savages who lived in the neighborhood. The mystery enveloping the death of these men was never cleared ; nobody was suspected, and the world heard no more of the affair. The fatal quarrel of the two Taylor brothers occasioned some excitement when it occurred. In 1852 they lived in their
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RESIDENCE OF H.SPAULDING, DOWNIEVILLE, SIERRA CO. CAL.
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cabin on the point, seemingly on amicable terms. About noon one day several Indians were seen near the door of the cabin, making violent gesticulations and yelling. The miners working a distance off thought the Indians had been up to some deviltry, and started for the place, ready to take dire vengeance on them, providing anything of a sanguinary character had been perpetrated. In a moment the younger brother emerged, tore open his shirt, and exclaimed, "See what my brother has done," expiring as he fell to the ground. The boys, while sitting at their dinner-table, had quarreled over some trivial matter, when the younger rose to strike the elder, who was a less powerful man. Seizing a long bread-knife from the table, the elder Taylor plunged it into the body of his brother. He was afterwards tried, convicted, and sent to the penitentiary.
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