Lassen County CA Archives History - Books .....The Overland And Idaho Routes 1882
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 18, 2006, 1:53 am

Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

THE OVERLAND AND IDAHO ROUTES.

   The manner in which a large stream of emigration was turned in the pioneer
days from the Carson and Truckee routes to pass through this county and Noble's
pass has already been detailed in the early history, as also has the exploration
of a route for an overland railroad by Lieutenant E. G. Beckwith, in 1854. A few
years later the war department decided to layout a military wagon road across
the continent, following from the Humboldt river the line laid out by Lieutenant
Beckwith and terminating in Honey Lake valley. It was while engaged in laying
out this road, in the summer of 1860, that Colonel F. W. Lander arrived at the
valley, and was enabled to render such valuable assistance in terminating the
war with the Pah-Utes. The particulars of an attempt made in 1857 to construct a
road from Oroville to Honey Lake, to connect with the military road, will be
found on page 237.

   When the Idaho excitement broke out, in 1862, the people of this section
realized the advantages of establishing a route for the transportation of
passengers and goods to the new mines by the way of Noble's pass, and began to
take steps to secure such a route. By the Act of April 14, 1863, the legislature
granted a franchise to John Bid well, J. C. Mandeville, R. M. Cochran, E. B.
Pond, and John Guill, to construct a toll road from Chico to Honey lake, on the
eastern boundary of the state. They incorporated the following year as the Chico
and Humboldt Wagon Road Company, and completed their road to Susanville. Early
in the spring of 1865, parties went from Susanville to Ruby City and return,
going by the way of Shaeffer's, Mud Springs, Deep Hole, Granite Creek, Soldier
Meadows, Summit lake, Mint springs, Gridley springs, Pueblo, Trout creek, Willow
creek, White Horse Creek, Crooked river, Castle creek, Owyhee river, Jordan
creek valley, and Wagontown to Ruby City, a distance, as measured by a
rodometer, of 332 miles. The same spring Pierce & Francis, backed by General
Bidwell, started a weekly saddle-train from Chico to Idaho, by this route, to
carry passengers and mail. Later in the year Major John Mullen became manager of
the enterprise. Several stages were constructed, the route stocked, and on July
11, 1865, the first stage from Chico to Ruby City passed through Susanville. I.
N. Roop was advisory agent of the line, and W. N. DeHaven local agent. This trip
occupied sixteen days, because of the newness of the road and the hostility of
the Indians. This latter difficulty was so exaggerated by the newspapers that
the new route met with but little favor from the traveling public.

   On the seventh of July, I860, a convention of 300 teamsters was held in
Sacramento, at which a committee was appointed to investigate the Susanville
trail. The committee reported it the best route yet found, and the consequence
was that many loads of freight passed over the road that fall. In September a
meeting was held in Susanville, subscriptions were taken, and the money so
obtained was expended in improving the road. The government stationed a few
troops along the road, but not enough to be of much use in case the Indians were
determined to make trouble. On this account, and because the road was not well
prepared for winter travel, the stage line was discontinued in the fall. This,
and the natural suspension of freighting during the winter, greatly discouraged
the citizens of Honey Lake valley.

   Major Mullen went to Washington that winter, and with the assistance of
General Bidwell, who then represented his district in Congress, and the delegate
from Idaho, secured a tri-weekly mail route from Chico to Boise City, which was
let for $45,000 per year. The same influence secured the passage through the
House of a bill appropriating $50,000 for a military road from Susanville to
Ruby City; but the bill was referred back again to the committee, and died a
natural death. The discovery of the Black Rock mines about this time, and the
great rush to that region, also increased the importance of the Susanville
route. In May, 1866, the Sage Brush said:

   "The immigration to Idaho and Montana has commenced. Every day trains of men,
mules, horses, and sometimes jackasses, pass through our town on a weary
pilgrimage to the distant mining camps." In another article the following: " We
must pause in our account of the discovery of the Black Rock mines, in order to
give some account of the town of Susanville—a town which, by reason of these
discoveries, and its situation on the great thoroughfare leading from California
to Black Rock, Idaho, Montana, and Humboldt, bids fair to become, next to San
Francisco, the most important town on the Pacific coast."

   In May, also, the California and Idaho Stage and Fast Freight Company was
incorporated, with a capital stock of $200,000. John Mullen was president. About
midnight, July 1,1866, the first stage left Chico, and arrived in Ruby City in
three days and five hours, a distance of 427 miles. Susanville soon acquired
considerable importance as a staging center. Eight stages per week arrived there
from Chico, Red Bluff, Oroville, Virginia City, and other points. The reports of
the fabulous richness of the Black Rock and Owyhee mines drew a constant stream
of travel through this section, and it was necessary to increase the facilities
of the stage line. This was done, a daily stage was put on, and James D. Byers
was appointed general superintendent of the line. They ran daily till winter set
in, and then the deep snows so interfered that only about two trips a week could
be made.

   When the contract expired the next year, the Central Pacific had completed
its track east of the Sierra nearly to the big bend of the Humboldt, reducing
the distance to be staged by one-half. For this reason, the government refused
to renew the mail contract, freight and travel were diverted to the new route,
and Susanville was compelled to relinquish its dream of rivaling San Francisco
in wealth and importance.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/lassen/history/1882/illustra/overland134nms.txt

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