Butte County CA Archives History - Books .....Stage-Routes In The County 1882 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 16, 2005, 11:40 pm Book Title: History Of Butte County STAGE-ROUTES IN THE COUNTY. The routes of travel through Butte county are numerous, and ample facilities are afforded, both by stage and railroad, for the transmission of mail matter and the carrying of travelers from one point to another. The first regular stage-line established in Butte county began operations in 1851. Hall & Crandall, of Marysville, were the owners. It ran from Marysville to Shasta, passing through Hamilton, Ophir and Chico. Three years later, the line was run by the California Stage Company, who extended the route to Portland, Oregon. In the early days of Bidwell, when prosperity was her portion, two daily stages ran from Marysville—one by the California Stage Company, and the opposition by Obed Sawtelle, or "Old Obe," as he was called. For some time, Mr. J. M. Brock owned a line of stages between the two places. When Oroville became the county-seat, the daily stages from Marysville to Bidwell ceased to run, changing their objective point to Oroville. At that time, all of the important mining camps had stage facilities of more or less frequency. Berry creek, Mountain, house, French creek, Pea-vine creek, Buck's ranch, Spanish ranch, Rich bar, Smith's bar, Junction bar, and many other places in the county were connected by stage with the main lines. A line was run to Bidwell from Oroville in 1856 and for some time afterwards. In 1858, the California Stage Company commenced running to Quincy, and, for twenty-four consecutive years, stages have continued to run regularly over that route. The stage-routes in the county at the present time are as follows:— Oroville to Prattville (in Plumas county), 106 miles, via Mountain house, Buck's ranch, Spanish ranch, Quincy and Greenville; tri-weekly; E. A. Halstead, proprietor. Oroville to Susanville (in Lassen county), 160 miles, via Dogtown, Lovelocks, Powellton and Inskip Simeon Garber, proprietor; connects with Chico stage at Powellton; tri-weekly in summer and once a week in winter. Oroville to Woodville (in Yuba county), 30 miles, via Forbestown; F. A. Morse, proprietor; triweekly; connects at Woodville with stage from Marysville to Woodville. Oroville to Biggs, 16 miles; daily; J. D. Finnicum, proprietor. Oroville to Chico, 25 miles; daily; J. D. Finnicum, proprietor. Oroville to Cherokee, daily; 12 miles; Simeon Garber, proprietor. Oroville to Deadwood, 30 miles, via Cherokee and Pence's; daily to Cherokee and tri-weekly to Deadwood; H. P. Morrison, proprietor. Chico to Prattville, 70 miles; tri-weekly; Charles Sherman, proprietor. Chico to Colusa (in Colusa county), 43 miles; daily; Colusa Stage Company, proprietors. Chico to Newville, 55 miles; tri-weekly; Mr. Kirkpatrick, proprietor. Chico to Deadwood, via Pence's and Yankee Hill. The inconveniences of traveling by stage in the mountains are much enhanced in winter by the snow, which falls there to the depth of from ten to thirty feet. Sleds are then substituted for the ordinary wagons, and, until a well-beaten track is made, metallic snow-shoes are attached to the horses' feet. Some horses become quite expert in the use of these implements, which are simply iron plates, nine inches square, with a facing of rubber on the bottom, to keep them from slipping and to prevent the snow from adhering to them. Before the invention of this appliance, dogs were utilized by Whiting & Co.'s express, to draw sleds across the snow, thus carrying the mail and lighter articles of express, as well, also, as an occasional passenger. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF BUTTE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, IN TWO VOLUMES. I. HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA FROM 1513 TO 1850. BY FRANK T. GILBERT. The Great Fur Companies and their Trapping Expeditions to California. Settlement of the Sacramento Valley. The Discovery of Gold in California. BY HARRY L. WELLS. II. HISTORY OF BUTTE COUNTY, From its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time. BY HARRY L. WELLS AND W. L. CHAMBERS. BOTH VOLUMES ILLUSTRATED WITH VIEWS AND PORTRAITS. HARRY L. WELLS, 517 CLAY STREET, SAN FRANCISCO 1882. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1882, by HARRY L. WELLS, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. FRANCIS, VALENTINE & Co., Engravers & Printers 517 Clay St., San Francisco File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/butte/history/1882/historyo/stagerou51nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 4.9 Kb