USA > California > Lassen County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 70
USA > California > Plumas County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 70
USA > California > Sierra County > Illustrated history of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra counties, with California from 1513 to 1850 > Part 70
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on the same lode as the Sierra Buttes. The Independence was worked as early as 1851, by R. C. Beatie, James Phillips, and several others. For a long time prior to 1863 Wood & Beatie owned the mine; in that year Wood sold to Elkan Said, who was afterwards murdered in Mariposa county. Harry Warner of Sierra City was superintendent from 1861 to 1863. The first mill, erected in 1856, burned down. The second mill was injured twice by avalanches. The third mill, built in 1861, had twenty-four stamps, and was carried away in March, 1868, by an avalanche by which several persons were killed. A fourth one, containing twenty-four stamps, was put up in 1869; and a fifth one, of twelve stamps, in 1875, by an English company, who were unable to make the mine pay. A rich lead has lately been struck, and the Sierra Buttes company will thoroughly work it.
For many years the tailings from the Buttes mine have been worked by arrastras in the ravine. These tailings assay three dollars per ton. At present there are thirty arrastras run by water power, owned entirely by Italians, as follows: John Trombetta, seven ; John Fopiono, seven ; Mateo Arata, eight ; Isaac Martinetti and Ned Tartini, eleven ; J. Lavezzolo, four. The sight from the bottom of the ravine along which the thirty whirligigs are ranged is indeed novel and inter- esting.
Two miles below Sierra City, at Logansville, is the promising Marguerite mine, which was opened in the fall of 1881, and a ten-stamp mill erected. A Boston company owns the mine, and T. Berger is president. The yield for March, 1882, was $11,000. Forty men are employed. The Colombo quartz-ledge lies west of the Sierra Buttes mine, and is supposed to be a continuation of the same ledge. The rock assays ninety-four dollars to the ton. Italians own the claim. The Phenix ledge by the Beard brothers, the Mountain ledge by Harry Warner, and numerous other rich ledges, are being opened in the vicinity of Sierra City.
The Gold Bluff mine is a mile and a quarter north-east of Downieville, on the west side of the North fork. This mine was discovered and located in 1854, receiving its name from the richness of the outeroppings in free gold. The ore was at that time packed in sacks upon the backs of mules from the summit of the ledge down the steep descent on a winding trail, to the mill one thousand feet below the croppings, where it was worked in a small two-stamp battery driven by water power. In 1856 an eight-stamp mill was built, at a cost of $20,000, and the mine proved profitable until 1859, when disagreements among the owners, and other things, caused its abandon- ment. A new company reopened the mine in 1865, discovered a very rich vein, and put up a twelve-stamp mill, which they operated until August, 1871, making considerable money. Work was then discontinued for a few years, but renewed again subsequently, and the mine has since paid well. The Oro quartz-ledge, 500 feet above Downieville, on the North fork, has yielded large returns in early days, but the vein "pinched out," and the mine lay dormant for a long time. Some years ago a lower tunnel on a level with the road was started, but as the ledge failed to appear, work was again discontinued. The Good Hope quartz-ledge, the most prosperous mine at Downieville, has been worked for a number of years. The ore is run down a long tramway several hundred feet, to the mill situated on the bank of the North fork. Several other rich ledges are being prospected near Downieville, with a view to their vigorous development.
The Rainbow quartz-ledge near Chips' flat, one mile from Alleghany, was found in a gravel tun- nel 2,000 feet from the mouth. From that an incline was run down the vein. In 1858 an eight- stamp mill was erected, and now the mine is yielding sufficient for a respectable dividend. The Golden Gate 21 mine has a quartz-mill in successful operation, as also the Bullion mine and the Docile. On the Plumbago lead at Minnesota, four locations were at first made, two of which are
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now owned by Charles Hazerty. Adjacent are the Bowles claim, the claim owned by Captain John & Sons, and two extensions of the Rainbow owned by W. A. Hawley & Co. At a former period the American Hill mine, four miles from Minnesota, was flourishing with an eight-stamp mill, built in 1858; and the Union mine in Wet Ravine, one mile from Alleghany, with an eight-stamp mill, put up in 1864. From the latter $15,000 were at first worked out with a hand mortar. On the Biber quartz-ledge, near Goodyear's bar, considerable prospecting has been done. It was located two years ago by Russ & Co., who sold it to an English company, and thorough develop- ments will be effected in the near future. In Hog canon, the Uncas Quartz mining company has taken hold of the old Primrose mine, which yielded so much in years long past. Near the Uncas ledge another company is operating, Parley De Long having the management.
In 1880 the various quartz-mills of Sierra county crushed 70,000 tons of quartz, and the length of mining ditches was 266 miles. In 1858 there were only seven quartz-mills in the county, valued at $56,000, which crushed 12,500 tons of quartz. The length of mining ditches at that time was 183 miles, carrying 22,180 inches of water.
THE PRESS OF SIERRA COUNTY.
It has been well said that the press of a country echoes the spirit and sentiment of its people, and is a reflection of the age in which it lives; not generally creating public opinion, but being led by it. This being true of metropolitan journalism, in which the nation's and world's affairs are canvassed, how much more forcibly may it be said of the country press, so closely allied with narrow local interests! Sierra county has seen the rise and decline of a goodly number of papers, several of them in their day having been conducted with great ability. On the nineteenth of June, 1852, the first number of the Mountain Echo appeared in Downieville, with William T. Giles as editor and proprietor. The paper was a small affair, a five-column folio, and under the management of Giles created but little stir in the busy settlement. The pioneer sheet of the county was sold out that fall or winter to Dr. Ball and his son Oscar, who carried it somewhat into politics, advocating democratic principles. George Barton frequently contributed editorial matter for its pages. About the first of February, 1854, Calvin B. McDonald, now of Oakland, began the publication of the Sierra Citizen, and in the summer of 1854, purchased the material of the Mountain Echo. The Citizen became a paying institution, and flourished for nearly ten years afterwards. It was owned in 1855-56 by H. D. Hickok, J. F. Whittaker, and E. R. Campbell, having passed through several different hands. Campbell officiated in the capacity of editor, the office being located in Fraternity hall building, Jersey flat. Subsequently Judge R. Galloway became editor and proprietor, but sold the paper in March, 1862, to George E. Tallmadge, who conducted it until its dissolution a short time after. A temperance sheet, called the Old Oaken Bucket, was published a few months at Downieville, in the year 1854, but soon perished for want of patronage, its principles obtaining but little recognition or indorsement from the mining population.
The Gibsonville Herald first made its appearance at Gibsonville in the winter of 1853-54, the exact date being impossible to obtain because of the destruction by fire of the earliest files. Heade, the editor and proprietor, was succeeded by Alfred Helm in 1854, who issued a supplementary edition, calling it the Gibsonville Herald and St. Louis News, which was delivered by special messenger in St. Louis. In the fall of 1855 the paper was sold and taken to La Porte, where the
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title of Mountain Messenger was given it. In 1858 A. T. Dewey became the proprietor, and the year following William S. Byrnes became associated with him in its publication. Prior to 1860 the Messenger was a strong whig organ, consistently adopting republican principles at that time, which it has advocated ever since. In the La Porte fire of 1861 the office was totally destroyed, but. revived immediately. Dewey purchased Byrnes' interest in 1862, continuing the business alone until November, 1863, when J. A. Vaughn bought a half-interest. In January, 1864, E. M. Dewey purchased the remaining half of A. T. Dewey, who retired from the paper, and in February it was removed to Downieville, and published there by Dewey & Vaughn for four years. In 1868 Mr. Dewey sold his interest to E. K. Downer and D. Whitney. Whitney soon severed his connection, and from that time to the present the Messenger has been under the control of Vaughn & Downer. It is a newsy, enterprising sheet, thoroughly devoted to the interests of the county, and enjoys a large patronage. The Messenger office occupies the three floors of a building on Durgan flat owned by the editors, and is well supplied with material for doing all kinds of country work. The ground on which the building stands is very rich in gold, which gives the Messenger an advantage not often had by newspapers, of having a solid basis upon which to do business.
John Platt, Jr., inaugurated the Sierra Democrat at Forest City, June 21, 1856, with William Campbell as editor. It was strongly democratic in its views, and unquestionably an able exponent of the party tenets. In one year it was removed to Downieville, and in September, 1857, Campbell gave up his literary labors for the law, W. J. Forbes taking his place, at the same time becoming a partner of Platt. In June, 1863, John B. Reed became associated with Platt in the management, and in October of that year J. O'Sullivan took the editorial chair. The paper became a semi-weekly in January, 1864, and was burned in the fire of February 21, 1864, the small amount of material saved being purchased by Dewey & Vaughn.
The Weekly Standard, a five-column folio, was moved from Quincy to Downieville, April 6, 1864, by Mat Lynch, and labored in the democratic ranks. April 27, 1864, it became a semi-weekly, resumed the weekly form in August, and ended in October, Lynch leaving the country. The Sierra Age was started at Downieville, May 10, 1871, by Samuel R. Stephenson, as a democratic semi- weekly, to support James A. Johnson for governor. The principal member of the institution was Samuel J. Garrison. In the latter part of the year the office and material were disposed of on a forced sale by Judge Van Clief, under an order of the court, to Vaughn & Co., proprietors of the Messenger. W. F. Edwards began the issue of the Sierra Free Press at Forest City, August 6, 1880. The paper was republican, and after a brief existence ended in December, 1880.
The Sierra County Tribune was instituted at Forest City, December 8, 1881, by H. M. and T. D. Calkins. The paper is independent in politics, with a leaning towards republicanism, and is a neatly printed, attractive sheet, alive to the interests of the county, and is receiving an excellent support.
SCHOOLS OF SIERRA COUNTY.
Sierra county is divided into twenty-six school districts, in all of which excellent schools are taught. The districts were named and numbered February 23, 1871, since which time but one new district has been created. The board of examiners of the connty are J. S. Wixson, county superintendent ; S. A. Smith, of Downieville; J. H. Thorpe, Howland flat; J. E. Berry, Forest City; E. L. Case, Sierra valley. Twenty-eight teachers are employed in the county, of whom
RESIDENCE OF JARED STRANG, SIERRA VALLEY, SIERRA CO. CAL.
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fourteen are males and fourteen females. There are twenty-five school-houses built of wood in the county. Ten grammar schools are taught, and eighteen primary schools, the average salary paid to male teachers being $84.53 per month, and $68.75 to females. The number of school children in the county between the ages of five and seventeen is 1,172; number attending school, 961 ; total value of school property, $19,515. The receipts in the school fund from taxes collected in the county during the year 1881 were $8,379.40; receipts from state fund, $10,187.73 ; total for 1881, $23,787.01, which includes moneys received from other sources. The tax levied for the support of public schools in Sierra county for 1881 was fifty cents on each one hundred dollars of taxable property. The total expenditures for the year ending June 30, 1881, were $18,000. Following is a complete list of the school districts of the county, together with the number of school-children in each, those attending school, and the value of school property. To avoid an annoying repetition of words, the successive figures merely are given. The first numerals state the number of school children between the ages of five and seventeen years in the district; the second show the number in regular attendance; and the third the value of school property.
ALPINE district, 24; 24; $550. ALTA, 22; 12; $215. ANTELOPE, 28; 21; $175. BUTTE, 92; 62; $1,100. CLARE, created in June, 1881, 15; 11. DOWNIEVILLE, 177; 151; $1,900. EUREKA, 20 ; 18; $230. FOREST, 146; 138; $2,080. GIBSONVILLE, 43; 38 ; $400. GOODYEAR'S, 52; 31; $800. LONG POINT, 13; 12; $250. LONG VALLEY, 27; 24; $300. LOYALTON, 62; 45; $1,650. MINNESOTA, 33; 20; $1,000. MOUNT PLEASANT, 21; 21; $600. NEWARK, 17; 12; $450. PLUM VALLEY, 39; 30; $650. POVERTY HILL, 23; 21; $325. POKER FLAT, 17; 10; $210. ROCKY POINT, 22; 19; $550. SIERRAVILLE, 97; 78; $2,900. ST. LOUIS, 40; 36; $280. TABLE ROCK, 58; 51; $1,200. UNION, 30; 26; $275. WASHINGTON, 20; 17; $350. TOTAL, 1,172; 961 ; $19,515. In Downieville seven negro children regularly attend school, and one China child attends the Mount Pleasant school. Nearly all the districts have ample accommodations for the pupils.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
GEORGE H. ABBE was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, March 6, 1830. In 1842 his parents moved to Boone county, Illinois, where he lived till the fall of 1851, when he " came the Horn around," and landed in San Francisco in August, 1852. On the first of September he commenced mining on Kanaka flat. In the fall of 1853 he bought an interest in a mine at Birchville, Nevada . county. In April, 1854, this was sold out .. He went to Forest City, where he mined until April, 1857. He then bought an interest in a livery stable, which he sold in 1863; and in 1865 he moved to Grass valley, mining there and at Meadow lake for a year. In 1867 he went to Downieville, remained two years, and moved to Sierra City, where he has since resided, engaged in the livery business. Mr. Abbe was married in 1860 to Miss Kate Reily of Forest City, and to them have been born four children ; all living.
H. H. BIGELOW is a New Yorker by birth, and a native of Essex county, where he was born in 1820. . In 1835 he began as a sailor between New York and Montreal, which occupation he followed until 1856, serving as a captain from 1843. At that time he went to Minnesota, and farmed there four years; and in December, 1860, started for California, arriving in San Francisco in March, 1861. From there he came directly to Sierra county, and located at Sierra City. In 1869 he returned to Minnesota with the intention of remaining, but found that the Pacific coast
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was more congenial to his health, and he came back the same year. In 1870 he built the Bigelow house, which he kept until 1881. He was married in 1845 to Miss S. J. Webster of Essex county, New York.
J. W. BROWN is a native of Troy, New York, and was born June 26, 1828. In 1833 his parents moved to New York city, where our subject elerked in a dry-goods house from 1842 till 1849, when he came to California, via the Horn, and arrived in San Francisco July 1, 1849. Soon after, he started for the mines on the Yuba, and spent a short time on Rose's bar, Landers' bar, Ousley's bar, and Kenebec bar. In July, 1851, he came to Sierra county, and located at Good- year's bar, where he mined until 1854. He was in the employ of L. T. Fox from 1856 to 1861, when he went into partnership with John Giddings in the clothing business, and ran a pack-train from there to Eureka. Mr. Brown bought Giddings' interest in the store, in 1863, and in the spring of 1866 sold out and moved to Downieville. He was elected county auditor in 1865, and re-elected in 1867. In 1873 he went into the hardware store of Cole, Ward, & Co. In 1874, bought a two- thirds interest, and the balance in 1881. Mr. Brown was married in 1862 to Miss C. Harran, at Goodyear's. To them have been born four children, one of whom is still living.
WILLIAM H. BURGESS of Goodyear's bar was born at New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1814. He resided at that place and in Boston until the fall of 1838, when he went to Mississippi on ac- count of his health. He came by the southern route in 1849 to California, reaching San Francisco in the latter part of November. His first mining was done at Oregon gulch, near Georgetown. In the spring of 1851 Mr. Burgess went to the northern part of Sierra county, and worked a while at Sears' Diggings, but on the first of August removed to Downieville, and again to Goodyear's in September, where he has since resided. For a number of years he was engaged more or less in mining, and had an interest in the Fir Cap mine. Of late years he has been occupied in carpenter- ing and building. Mr. Burgess was elected justice of the peace in 1854, and has served the people in this capacity most of the time since. He was a member of the board of supervisors in 1857, and afterwards an associate justice of the court of sessions for four terms.
AUGUST C. BUSCH was born in Hanover, Germany, April 13, 1836. He came to New York in 1850, and remained there four years, when in 1854 he journeyed to the Pacific coast, arriving at San Francisco in June. During that fall he came to Sierra county, and mined at Downieville for a short time. Then he went to Nevada City and spent the winter, but in the spring returned to Downieville, and followed mining till 1866. In 1863 he bought an interest in the Gold Bluff quartz- mine, and worked there till 1866, when he and C. A. Heringlake purchased a ranch at Sierra City, and kept the hotel till 1872; at which time they opened the general-merchandise establishment they are now conducting at that place. In 1859 he put in the first rubber belt which was used on the river. The company, thinking it would not work, declined to spend any money on it, but allowed Mr. Busch to try it at his own expense. He was appointed postmaster of Sierra City in 1866, and has held the office continually since, having also been agent for Wells, Fargo, & Co. since 1871. He was married in 1871 to Mrs. K. M. Campbell of Sierra City.
L. BYINGTON was born in New Haven, Connecticut, June 28, 1820. His parents moved to Cincinnati in the fall of that year, where our subject lived till 1852. On leaving school he worked in a butcher-shop, and in 1844 opened a shop of his own. In the spring of 1852 he came to Cali- fornia, via the Isthmus, and located at Marysville. In June, 1853, he came to Goodyear's bar, and opened a meat market, where he continued until 1856, when he went to Monte Christo, and sold meat there for about seven years. He moved to Downieville in 1863, and in 1864, in company with Henry Fordham, bought the Washington market. He has been in this business ever since.
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While at Cincinnati he was a member of the fire department, and a president of it when he left. Mr. Byington was elected a member of the board of supervisors of Sierra county in 1866, and again in 1875 ; and represented the county in the assembly in 1877. He was married in 1857 to Miss Catherine Trehill of Forest City. Mr. and Mrs. Byington have had eight children, seven of whom are living.
JASON CAMPBELL was born at St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1834, where he was raised a farmer. In the spring of 1847, when thirteen years old, he went to Mexico and drove a government team till the war closed. In 1849 he started for California, but after getting as far as Chihuahua, the com- pany decided to go back, and he had to return with them. In 1850 he started again across the plains, arrived at Placerville in September, and went to mining. In the spring of 1851 he came to Sierra county, and mined on Nelson creek. In July he went to Goodyear's bar, and mined there till 1853, when he opened a livery stable. In 1857 he sold the stable and purchased a ranch, which he worked for many years. In 1876 he sold his ranch to H. H. Kennedy, and came to Downieville, where he has been engaged in teaming ever since. Among his mining experiences may be men- tioned that of 1852, when, in company with nine others, he flumed the river below Goodyear's, and took out $12,000 a week for six weeks. He was married in 1857 to Mrs. S. Dutton of Goodyear's.
G. B. CASTAGNETO was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1834. He was raised a farmer, and came to the United States in 1854, stopping one year in New York and Massachusetts, when he came to California, arriving in San Francisco in May, 1855. Soon after, he went to mining in Calaveras county. He came to Sierra county in 1857, and stopped at Downieville till January, 1859, when he removed to Sierra City, where he has since resided, engaged in ranching and merchandising until 1870.
JOHN HOWARD CLUTE of Alleghany was born January 11, 1824, in Henderson, Jefferson county, New York. In the fall of 1843 he started out for himself as a cook on a lake vessel, at seven dollars a month, becoming an ordinary seaman in 1844. In the fall of 1847 be became master of the schooner St. Clair, following the lakes as master of a vessel running from East Buffalo to Chicago, until 1858. On the first of June, 1859, he left New York for California, reaching San Francisco July 1, 1859. On the eighteenth he came to Alleghany, and worked for F. W. Clute & Brother until 1866, after which he took charge of an engine at the Union mine in Wet ravine, one mile from Alleghany. Mr. Clute became a partner of John T. West, June 1, 1866, in the saloon business at Alleghany, the firm of West & Clute being still in existence. Mr. Clute is also inter- ested in mining. He was married June 11, 1850 ; and again, on the tenth of April, 1856, was united in marriage to Miss C. H. Carter, his first wife having died December 24, 1854.
"A. CRIGNON is a native of France, and was born November 30, 1819. After leaving school he learned the carpenter's trade. In 1843 he went to the Marquesas islands, where he remained until 1851, when he came to the United States, arriving in San Francisco in June. Shortly after, he began mining on the American river, at Coloma. In the spring of 1852 Mr. Crignon came to Down- ieville, where he has resided continually since, being engaged in mining most of the time.
EUGENIO KINCAID DOWNER, son of A. L. Downer, was born in Newark, New York, in 1847. His father came to California in 1849, where he was joined by his wife and children in the winter of 1852, who came by steamer via Panama. The family settled at Shasta, Shasta county, where our subject received a common-school education, and learned the printing trade in the office of the Shasta Courier. December 24, 1865, he took up his permanent residence at Downieville, where he was employed as journeyman printer on the Mountain Messenger for two years and a half, then owned by Dewey & Vaughn. With D. L. Whitney, he purchased E. M. Dewey's interest in the
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paper. A few years later J. H. Ford bought out Mr. Whitney's share, and afterwards sold it to Mr. Downer, giving him an equal interest with Mr. J. A. Vaughn, which business relationship has since existed. Mr. Downer is at present interested in the Bald Mountain Extension gravel-mine, the Oro quartz-ledge, Grand Prize claim, Wilbourn Consolidated drift diggings, and the Golden Gate quartz-ledge.
B. T. EGGLESTON was born in Herkimer county, New York, in 1824, where he was raised a farmer. In 1849 he came to the Pacific coast, arriving at San Francisco in September. From there he journeyed to Mormon island, and mined during the winter. He came to Downieville in April, 1850, and has been a resident of that town ever since. His principal occupation has been mining. In 1871 Mr. Eggleston located the Mowry and Eggleston mine, on Craycroft hill, and has been at work in it since that time. His elegant home on Jersey flat is portrayed on another page of this work.
F. A. ESCHBACHER was born in Baden, Germany, October 2, 1824. He was raised a farmer, and came to the United States in March, 1854, stopping a short time in Cincinnati, and then coming by way of the Isthmus to California. In the spring of 1855 he arrived at Downicville, and engaged in mining for eight years, three years of which were spent at the Primrose, in Hog cañon. In 1862 he went into partnership with A. Heiser in the bakery business, which they conducted until the fire of 1864, after which Mr. Eschbacher put up the St. Charles hotel, where he has since been landlord and proprictor. The hotel is pleasantly located on Main street, and enjoys a popularity and patronage not exceeded by any hotel in the mountains. In the manage- ment of the place he is ably seconded by his affable and energetic spouse, who looks carefully after the wants of their numerous guests. A view of the St. Charles hotel appears on another page.
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