El Dorado-Statewide County CA Archives History - Books .....El Dorado County 1891
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Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of Northern California

EL DORADO COUNTY.

  In this county is the spot now called Coloma, where Marshall made the
discovery that immediately excited the whole world. For a full account of this,
the great gold discovery, see a previous chapter.

  The word "El Dorado" is Spanish for golden, or the gilt.

  In 1541, so tradition goes, Gonzalo Pizarro, brother of the conqueror of Peru,
marched from Quito to seek the fabled kingdom of gold, which, according to the
traditions of the aborigines, existed some place east of the Andes. The monarch
of this fabulous kingdom was said, in order to wear a more magnificent attire
than any other king in the world, to be adorned with a daily coating of gold.
His body was anointed every morning with rare and fragrant gums, and gold dust
blown over him through a tube.

  Thus attired, the Spaniards called him El Dorado. He was said to reside
generally in the superb city of Manos, in one street of which there were said to
be not less than 8,000 silversmiths or silver-workers. The columns of his palace
were affirmed to be porphyry and alabaster, his throne ivory, and its steps
gold; the body of the palace was of white stone, ornamented with gold suns and
silver moons; and living lions fastened with chains of gold guarded its
entrance. The county was so named from the fact that gold was first discovered
within its limits.

  About the middle of the summer of 1850 some Indians were killed in the
neighborhood of Johnson's ranch, about six miles above Placerville, on the
immigrant road. It was rumored at the time that no provocation for this had been
given by the Indians, and that it was done to stir up a war of extermination. If
this was the scheme it worked well, for the Indians killed some of the miners
and then the citizens aroused and organized companies, placed Sheriff William
Rogers at the head and marched to the county line without finding any Indians.
After they disbanded Indians came from their hiding places and again began
committing outrages. A subsequent attempt was made by the whites to exterminate
the savages, with doubtful results, and this was the last.

  Into this county entered the old immigrant road by way of Carsonville. This
side of the State line was an old Mormon station or trading post; next, the road
crossed the summits of the mountains, then turned around the southern end of
Silver Lake, passed down the head waters of the American and Cosumnes rivers,
followed the divide between these rivers through Sly Park, Pleasant Valley,
Diamond Spring, Mud Springs, Shingle Springs and White Rock Springs into
Sacramento County. A branch struck off at Grizzly Flat to Brownsville, Indian
Diggings and Fiddletown; and from Diamond Spring by way of Placerville to
Coloma, Kelsey's, Spanish Flat, Georgetown, Grenada, Centerville, Salmon
Falls,—all points in the northern part of El Dorado County; from Mud Springs was
a branch to Logtown, Saratoga and Drytown; and from Clarksville to Folsom. This
route was first "hunted" out by a Mormon named Hunt, in the spring of 1849, as
advance agent for the Mormons. He made the journey with wagons and a party of
fifteen or sixteen men. He afterward settled in San Bernardino County, where he
was elected to the Legislature in 1853, but later returned to Salt Lake, when
Brigham Young called all the Mormons home. But, older than this road, was one of
nearly equal importance, namely, the road from Sacramento to Coloma, by way of
Folsom, Mormon Island, Green Valley, Rose Springs and Uniontown.

  Several local organizations were effected, and some, with aid from the
Legislature, made surveys for various wagon roads across the Sierra Nevada
mountains. Notably in 1855 a wagon road convention was held at Placerville and
at Sacramento, to devise plans for the construction of the road during the next
two years; and, after a great deal of trouble, contracts were let and work
commenced, and nearly half the worst portion of the route was done, when the
contractors failed.

  The American South Fork, as nearest the point of distribution, at Sacramento,
and carrying with it the prestige of the gold discovery, long attracted the
widest current of immigration. A just tribute to fame was awarded to the sawmill
site at Coloma, the first spot occupied in the county, in 1847, by making it a
main station for travel and the county-seat for El Dorado, and so remaining
until 1857, after which, the mines failing, it declined into a small yet neat
horticultural town. The sawmill, transferred to other hands by Marshall and
Sutter, supplied in 1849 the demand for lumber. The first ferry on the fork was
conducted here by J. T. Little, a flourishing trader; and E. P. Rann constructed
there the first bridge in the county early in 1850, for $20,000, yielding a
return of $250 a day. In October, 1850, the population was estimated at 2,000.

  The early miners drifted mainly along Weber Creek toward Placerville, which
became the most promising of El Dorado's towns, its final county-seat and center
of attraction. Southward rose Diamond Spring, which strove for the county-seat
in 1854. It was almost destroyed by fire in August, 1856. Mud Springs, later
named El Dorado, was incorporated in 1855, with great flourish, but
disincorporated in 1857. Several small towns arose on the divide. Above the
South Fork sprang up notably Pilot Hill, or Centerville, which claimed the first
grange in the State. Greenwood and Georgetown also aspired at one time to become
the county-seat.

  To Colonel J. B. Crandall is due the honor of having first made a stage line
across the mountains, in the summer of 1857, with six-horse Concord stages. In
May, 1858, a semi-weekly line was established upon this route. Passenger fare
from Placerville to Salt Lake City was $125. The first overland through mail
coach from the East successfully arrived at Placerville July 19, 1858, and was
continued regularly for ten years, when the Central Pacific Railroad was
completed to Cisco and the stages were then run from that point. The oldest
express line in the county was established by Alexander Hunter, the agent of the
California State line. It was run in connection with Stevens, Placerville and
Sacramento stages, and connected with Wells and Fargo's express at Sacramento;
and this was kept up for years.

  El Dorado is one of the original counties of February 18, 1850; and Coloma,
the only town in the county, was designated as the seat of government; but the
population was changeable and evanescent, and no substantial public buildings
could be erected there. In 1854 a fight for the county-seat began, which lasted
three years and ended in a victory for Placerville. This place, the most
historic town in the gold region, was first known as Old Dry Diggings. In 1849 a
Frenchman and a Spainard were hung there to a tree by a mob for highway robbery
on the Georgetown road, and this gave the name of "Hangtown" to the place, by
which it was known throughout the early mining days, when it was the most
thronged point in California, the headquarters of the gold excitement. In 1854
the place was incorporated under the name of Placerville, the municipal election
being held June 5 that year. Alexander Hunter, previously mentioned, was elected
the first mayor.

  The altitude of Placerville is 1,895 feet; and the summit at Johnson's Pass,
7,266 feet; and the height of Genoa above sea level is 4,794 feet.

  In 1857 an effort was made in vain to form Eureka County from the northern
half of El Dorado. Nearly every surviving town in the county owes its beginning
to mining, although so large a proportion now depends solely on agriculture and
trade; but with the decline of mining the vitality of the larger places also
declined, so that by 1880 less than 11,000 remained of the population which
during the '50s exceeded 20,000. Farming, however, and notably horticulture,
stepped in to turn the current into a channel of slow though steady revival. The
census of 1880 assigned to the county 542 farms, with an improved acreage of
only 69,000. Farming had its beginning in this region in 1849-'50, when potatoes
were first planted by the Hodges Bros., on Greenwood Creek, near Coloma. By the
year 1855 forty saw-mills and one flour-mill had been erected; also five
tanneries and three breweries, fifteen toll-bridges, etc.

  There are a number of splendid caves in this county, the principal being near
the Cosumnes copper mine, and the alabaster cave, or Coral cave, on the road
from Pilot Hill to Rattlesnake Bridge. This has unusually fine stalactites. A
large quantity of copper exists in El Dorado County, some silver, cinnabar,
iron, asbestos, and large quantities of lime-stone, marble, roofing slate, etc.

  No similar area of country in the world can boast of a finer water supply than
El Dorado County.

  Thomas A. Springier introduced the first newspaper into this county, namely,
the El Dorado Republican, at Placerville, in the summer of 1851, and it was the
first paper in the interior of California outside of Sacramento. It was
continued regularly until February 18, 1854, when he sold out to D. W. Gelwicks
& Co., who replaced the Republican with the Mountain Democrat, which paper was
well managed. The Miners' Advocate was first issued also in the summer of 1851,
at Coloma. James R. Pile & Co. were the proprietors, D. W. Gelwicks editor, and
D. G. Waldron business agent. This was the second paper in the whole mining
district of the State. It was Whig in politics. In 1853 the material was sold to
a party who changed its name to the Empire County Argus. The Miners' Advocate
was transferred to Diamond Spring, and afterward had a varied history.

  Up to 1855 the people were taxed heavily for the care of the indigent sick,
who had to be removed to the Marine hospital at San Francisco. This institution
was abolished by the Legislature in 1855, and county infirmaries provided for.
The county then awarded the contract to Drs. Asa Clark and Obed Harvey for
taking care of those who were dependent upon the public. They erected a
building, to which the county made an appropriation of $3,500, and entered upon
their duties. Both these gentlemen are still living and are holding responsible
situations.

  The members of the State Assembly from El Dorado County have been: S. A.
Ballou, 1854, 1858; Wm. Barklage, 1871-'72; A. J. Bayley, 1871-'72, 1883; John
C. Bell, 1860; A. B. Bird, 1867-'68; Edgar Bogardus, 1855; John L. Boles, 1855;
John Borland, 1856; James E. Bowe, 1856; Alfred Briggs, 1854, 1859; D. E. Buel,
1858; James Burr, 1863; J. S. Campbell, 1863-'66; G. J. Carpenter, 1875 -'76; J.
Carpenter, 1857; Samuel H. Center, 1871-'72; Robert Chalmers, 1871-'72; J, R.
Clark, 1863; William Coleman, 1859, 1861; C. W. Coltrin, 1861; George M. Condee,
1859; John Conness,1853-'54, 1860-'61; W. F. Cunningham, 1855; John Cutler,
1852; Seneca Dean, 1862; John H. Dennis, 1862; G. A. Douglass, 1859; G. N.
Duuglass, 1859; F. A. Dow, 1863-'64; Elon Dunlap, 1860; David Fairchild, 1860;
Thomas Fitch, 1863; Theron Foster, 1855, 1861; Thomas Eraser, 1863-'64, 1880-81;
John Frasier, 1862; Stephen T. Gage, 1856; J. D. Galbraith, 1859; S. Garfield,
1853; Charles Gildea, 1867-'70; N. Gilmore, 1873-'74; A. J. Graham, 1858; James
J. Green, 1861; Gaven D. Hall, 1851, 1857; S. F. Ham, 1857; Asa H. Hawley, 1860;
T. D. Heiskell, 1856; Robert Henderson, 1861; Samuel Hill, 1861; H. Hollister,
1854; William R. Hopkins, 1852; John Hume, 1857; Alexander Hunter, 1861; G. H.
Ingham, 1873-'74; CharlesF. Irwin, 1883; J. C. Johnson, 1855; J. J. Kendrick,
1851; J. F. Kidder, 1865-'66; Harvey Lee, 1858; D. T. Loofborrow, 1858; Henry
Mahler, 1887; H. McConnell, 1855; George McDonald, 1854, 1857; S. A. McMeans,
1852-'53; J. D. McMurray, 1869-'70; James H. Miller, 1869-'70, 1877-'78; M. N.
Mitchell, 1857; H. A. Moses, 1858; H. B. Newell, 1867-'70; J. W. Oliver, 1856;
Charles Orvis, 1857; H. G. Parker, 1862; D. C. Patton, 1860; C. W. Pearis, 1858;
Thomas B. Rowland, 1883; S. W. Sanderson, 1863; G. W. Simpers, 1873-'74; H. C.
Sloss, 1859; E. L. Smith, 1865-'66; N. T. Smith, 1855; E. C. Springer, 1854;
Ogden Squires, 1859; E. A. Stephenson, 1854-'55; W. H. Stone, 1860; D. P.
Tallmadge, 1854; Edward F. Taylor, 1865-'66; W. H. Taylor, 1856; P. Teare,
1863-64; J. S. Tipton, 1858-'59; J. Turner, 1857; E. H. Watson, 1885; J. H.
Watson, 1860; L. S. Welsh, 1856; James D. White, 1856; Stephen Willets,
1867-'68; George E. Williams, 1873-'74; Austin Wing, 1852-'53.

MODERN TIMES.

  This county has kept up pretty fully its importance as a producer of the
precious metal, while at the same time making a genuine advance towards the
position of a great fruit region. As is the case elsewhere along the foothills,
it has been discovered that the county possesses a citrus belt, and numbers of
orange and lemon trees have been set out. Fruits of other kinds, deciduous,
nut-bearing trees, etc., and also grapes, both for table use and for
wine-making, have been grown extensively in different parts, El Dorado indeed
being one of the first counties to undertake on a large scale the growth of
grapes and fruits. Some of the vineyards and orchards about Coloma, for
instance, date far back near to the beginning of things in California; in other
words, to the early '50s, and even '49. No county distances El Dorado in the
extent and richness of her natural resources, which include mining for more than
gold alone, quarries of slate and stone, lime-burning, lumbering, stock and
sheep raising, and especially her fruit and grapes.

  El Dorado has had a varied, not to say unfortunate history, of late years. The
elusive hope of becoming a link on the transcontinental system of railways was
long a source of great trouble to the people, liberal bonuses being voted more
than once, which somehow always reached the hands of the companies and yet the
promised roads were never built. A mill-stone of debt was thus hung about the
neck of the county, which only of late years has been removed, and the county
permitted to step forward into the prominence nature intended for her. Until
lately there was no railroad in this county, and the agricultural and dairying
element of the population had to depend upon the miners here for their market.

  The railroad reached Shingle Springs, twelve miles from Placerville, as long
ago as 1865, but it only reached the latter point in 1888, bickerings, lawsuits
and misunderstandings being the cause of the hitch, and the county seeming to
lose every time. Indeed, in 1881 the road suspended operations altogether, and
it was not resumed till the following year. With the completion of the railroad,
however, to Placerville, things have taken on a new aspect, and lost ground will
probably be recovered.

  The county roads are unusually good, the gradients as a general thing being
light and the road-bed smooth. This is probably due to the fact that until the
completion of the Central Pacific, the main turnpike thoroughfare over the
Sierra Nevada passed through the county. Even yet the idea is occasionally put
forth that the main line of the Central Pacific is to run up the Placerville
canon and by a long tunnel under the crest of the Sierras.

PLACERVILLE,

the old-time "Hangtown," the name being changed by the Legislature in 1850,—is
one of the most picturesque towns in the State, the main street following for
over a mile the meanderings of a ravine, once exceedingly rich in gold. On the
hillside and tops are the finer residences and some large buildings that present
a fine appearance. The town, too, has the reputation of being the wealthiest of
its size in California. It has at any rate an old and "settled" appearance, with
its rows of large brick stores and public buildings that impresses strongly the
visitor. The county court-house, hall of records and jail is a massive pile of
red brick standing flush with the main street, erected in the early days.

  Near Placerville are the hospital and county farm, second to none in the
interior of the State and well kept. There are two large public school
buildings, and the Placerville Academy, long one of the most prosperous private
schools of the interior. There are four churches, well supported, a good fire
department and an ample water supply, the town being lighted by gas. A few miles
east of the town are the three large lumber mills of Messrs. J. & J. Blair, one
of the most enterprising firms of the place. They have also a mill in the
mountains over thirty miles above town. Placerville has also flouring mills, a
planing mill and box factory, and a foundry and machine shop. One of the
characteristic sights is that of the Pacific quartz mine on the top of one of
the hills in town, the sound of the stamps being plainly heard on the main
street. Placerville has a fine opera-house. District fairs are also held here
annually, there being here a fine race track.

OTHER TOWNS.

  Georgetown, always one of the prettiest towns in the mountains, is 2,700 feet
above sea-level, and is still pre-eminently a mining town, but surrounded on
every side by gardens, vines and fruit trees. It is a prosperous business point,
with churches, schools and lively merchants. Three saw-mills are running within
a few miles of the place. Georgetown is connected by stage with Placerville and
Auburn.

  Coloma holds the honor of having been the scene of the first discovery of
gold. A handsome bronze monument to Marshall, the discoverer, was erected by the
State Legislature in 1888 on the fortieth anniversary of the event, on the
summit of an elevation overlooking the spot. Some notoriety attaches to one of
its first citizens and his wife, namely Mr. and Mrs. Peter L. Wimmer, as they
were so intimately connected with Marshall in the gold discovery.

  Mr. Wimmer, a native of Ohio, came overland with his wife in 1846; worked for
Sutter as a millwright in 1847-'48, and was one of the men employed at the
Coloma mill when gold was discovered, being perhaps with Marshall on the
eventful morning when "they" picked up the first nugget. It was Mrs. Wimmer who
at the request of Marshall tested the nugget by boiling it in a kettle of lye,
with which she was making soap. In 1885 she still had the nugget in her
possession. After the gold discovery the family kept a boarding-house, having
also a choice assortment of pigs, and finally they removed to Southern California.

  The first business places in Coloma were those of Captain Shannon and Cady's,
the New York Store, S. S. Brooks' store and John Little's Emporium on the north
side of the river. Warner, Sherman and Bestor, of the United States army, kept a
store here during the winter of 1848-'49, Bestor being the business man of the
company. The first hotel was the Winters Hotel, Messrs. Winters & Cromwell
proprietors. Slitter's saw-mill was finished and did good work, under the
management of Winters, Marshall and Bayley. Captain Shannon was also alcalde of
the township and John T. Little the first postmaster. In 1852 a large two-story
building was erected for a theater. One of Sutter's iron howitzers is still—or
was recently—decorating the Meyers Hotel.

  Nearly all the first experiments in agriculture were naturally made at Coloma,
at first the most populous center. The place is now noted for her excellent
peaches, as well as other fruits, Bartlett pears and grapes being also
favorites. Fruit is shipped out both by way of Placerville and Auburn. At Coloma
is an extensive winery and a popular summer hotel. The place is surrounded by
orchards.

  Shingle Springs was an important point while the terminus of the railroad, but
now is quiet. There is considerable quartz minining near by.

  Diamond Spring, on the railroad, has a saw-mill. Near by is El Dorado, a
growing town. There is much quartz-mining in this vicinity. Latrobe, a point
lower down on the railroad, has attained considerable reputation as a resort for
consumptives.

  Grizzly Flat is an important mining town, with two saw-mills and many
flourishing orchards. Greenwood is another mining camp, with large fruit
orchards in the vicinity. It makes some boast as a health resort, and, in case
of a division of the county, hopes to become a county-seat.

  El Dorado County possesses a most abundant water supply, and many large
ditches have been taken out for mining and irrigating supplies. Originally these
ditches were probably taken out with no thought other than a supply of water for
mining purposes, but they have proved of immense value to the county in
fertilizing its lands. Among the larger is the El Dorado Water and Deep Gravel
Mining Company's ditch, drawn from stores of water collected in Silver and Echo
Lakes. To utilize this water a tunnel is run through the Sierras, as they lie
east of its summit. The California Water Company's ditch is also of
inexhaustible supply.

  A wealthy company, called the American Lumber Company, has recently been
formed and is now constructing two very large sawmills in the great body of pine
timber situated in the mountains. The product will be flumed to the railways.

  In Lake Tahoe, which fronts a portion of the eastern border of the county, El
Dorado, in common with Placer County, possesses an attraction of great value.
Here are situated Tallac, with its beautiful summer hotels, the property of E.
J. ("Lucky") Baldwin, the millionaire. Near by are also the great Rowland
saw-mills, with large annual cut.

  The slate quarries at Chili Bar are the most extensive in the West, the slate
of good quality, and an increasing amount being taken out. A good quality of
lime is burned at a point on the Auburn and Placerville Stage Road, there
existing a strong ledge of limestone.

  In Placerville is published the Mountain Democrat, a leading paper of the
mountains, established in 1852. The Observer, formerly published there, has
lately been absorbed by it. The Gazette, a lively weekly, begun in 1880, is
issued in Georgetown, while at Shingle Springs appears the Independent, dating
from 1885.

  The El Dorado County Republican was founded at Placerville in 1869 by B. F.
Davis. As its name indicates, this paper has been Republican in politics since
its inception. It led a prosperous career from the beginning and in July, 1883,
the paper was sold to C. E. Richardson and Or. A. Richardson, who conducted it
in partnership for three years, when G. A. Richardson purchased his brother's
interests and has since conducted the paper, as editor and sole proprietor. Mr.
Richardson is thirty-four years of age, is a native son, born in El Dorano [sic]
County, and was a teacher in the public schools of the State before taking up
the editorial pen. His parents were intelligent people, but quite poor in this
world's goods, and whatever success their son has achieved has been due to his
own energy.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.

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