Marin County CA Archives History - Books .....The General History And Settlement Of Marin County, Part II 1880 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 22, 2006, 7:41 pm Book Title: History Of Marin County, California In the year 1849, were organized in the southern States two companies called respectively "The Baltimore and Frederick Trading and Mining Company" and the "Virginia Company," for the purpose of prosecuting any and every kind of business which might be available in the new California. The first named of these associations was originated in Baltimore on January 23, 1849, under Mr. Weschie as President and Ai Barney, Vice President, the membership being confined to thirty members who subscribed one thousand dollars each. Goods of every description, and machinery of all kinds, were purchased and shipped around Cape Horn in advance, while the members themselves took passage and sailed on the 23rd April, in the chartered schooner "Creole," for Chagres, then crossing the Isthmus of Panama, chartered the brig "Corbiene," which brought them to San Francisco on September 10, 1849. On arrival, the expedition camped on "the site of Dupont and Washington streets, and looked around for the lumber country where they might proceed with the erection of their machinery and saws. Crossing over the bay to these shores, they established themselves on the Juan Reid Rancho in November, 1849, and forthwith commenced the erection of a mill, which occupied ground on the northern boundary of Saucelito township, now owned by W. T. Coleman. In the mill there was a gang of fifteen upright saws; however, it was not run, for in April, 1850, it was discontinued, the company disbanded, and the property sold to B. R. Buckelew for fourteen thousand five hundred dollars. Of those who arrived with this enterprise only Ai Barney and Daniel T. Taylor remain in Marin county> while other than these, the sole survivors are Samuel S. and Henry S. Baechtel, now of Mendocino county, and David Clingan of San Francisco. The Virginia Company was organized in April, 1849, in Richmond, Virginia, for the purpose of coming to California and entering into the pursuit of gold. It was composed of seventy-five members, with Colonel Mumford of Richmond as President, and Mr. Moore, Vice President. They sailed from James' river in the ship "Glenmore" on April 6, 1849, she being freighted with a valuable cargo of tobacco, soap, houses, machinery and other appliances. The vessel arrived in the harbor of San Francisco, on October 6, 1849, and in the course of two or three weeks thereafter, the entire association was dissolved by the unanimous vote of the company, the ship, which was their property, and had originally cost thirty-six thousand dollars, being sold for twelve thousand, the cargo was landed to abide its fate; while for a time the tobacco, a commodity which afterwards rose to twelve dollars per pound, was cast upon the streets and there left to rot. On the dissolution, another company, composed of Seth Sheppard, James M., and S. Bolivar Harris, Thomas Meaux, and Doctor Taliaferro, came to Marin county in December, 1849, and rented the mission lands from Don Timoteo Murphy for farming purposes. Yet another association was formed out of the dissolved Virginia company, however, who also came to Marin for a like purpose. These were Ted. Parker, John Minge, Harper Sheldon, James L-Poindexter, and Messrs. Urquhart and Land. Dr. Taliaferro informs us that not much was done in the way of tilling the soil, but prodigies were performed' in hunting, dancing and other pleasures. These two companies ID the course of time also dissolved from the removal of the partners, and now .Dr. Taliaferro is the only one remaining in Marin of the original association that left Virginia in 1849. Happily for Marin county the members who composed the Baltimore and Virginia companies were men of intellect and education, as on the organization of the county in 1850, they were much needed for public offices. David Clingan was Member of the Assembly for the county in 1850-1; Dr. J. A. Shorb, was the first County Judge; J. A. Davis, the first County Auditor; and S. S. Baechtel, the first Sheriff. Ai Barney, was County Judge from 1851 to 1857; James L. Poindexter, County Clerk from 1851 to 1854; J. A. Davis, County Treasurer from 1852 to 1855; Dr. A. W. Taliaferro, Member of Assembly in 1853-4 and Senator from 1856 to 1858, and Daniel T. Taylor, County Clerk for fourteen years. Of these James L. Poindexter died in 1855; Parker in 1861; and Harris in 1864, the two latter being buried in the cemetery of the Episcopal church in San Rafael. Let us now attempt to enumerate as closely as we may some of the other settlers in the county during 1849. To Bolinas township there came Captain J. A. Morgan, Joseph Almy, Charles Lauff, ____ Henderson, B. T. Winslow, James Cummings, James Hough, Frederick Sampson, Dr. Grattan, Hiram Nott, W. F. Chappell and some others. They arrived to get out wharf timbers which were rafted down the Tomales bay, over the bar at its mouth and finally shipped to San Francisco on vessels waiting to receive them, where they were used in the construction of jetties and warehouses. Of this party only Joseph Almy and Charles Lauff remain. Judge Almy is one of those men of whom any community may be proud. From his own unaided exertions he has risen to the top of the tree. In the year 1865 he was appointed County Judge by Governor Low;-in 1867 he was elected County Judge of Marin under the Governorship of H. H. Haight; again in 1871 was the like honor conferred upon him, under the administration of Governor Newton Booth; and, once more, in 1875, was he called to the Bench, when Romualdo Pacheco filled the Gubernatorial Chair. This difficult position he occupied until the New Constitution was put into operation, and how well he did so, the following extract from the Marin County Journal, will best exemplify: "Judge Almy has presided as County and Probate Judge, about twelve years, and in all the responsible service of that time he has enjoyed the confidence and respect of the bar and the people to an extraordinary degree. A more conscientious and upright man never sat in the office of Judge, and his decisions have been made with such care and acumen that they have been almost universally sustained." In the year 1849, Bolinas was visited by Captain Morgan, and on the beach he was met by a peculiar looking man, with whom he entered into conversation and from whom he learned that his name was "The old Blacksmith." It would appear that this creature had made his appearance at the San Rafael mission somewhere about the year 1840; that for some years he had been given employment of various kinds there by Timothy Murphy, but that he had suddenly been lost sight of and drifted to Bolinas, where he had established himself in a cask on the beach, and there lived, a morose and hermitical life. In the year 1849, Messrs. Bunker, Faudre, Forrester and a Spaniard named Pakito located in Point Reyes township. Frank Miller also came at that time as Mayor domo of the Osio Rancho, but he did not permanently locate for some years later. We find that S. W. Faudre was County Assessor for the year 1853-4. To Tomales township there came in 1849 one Thomas Wood alias Tom Vaquero, who came to California in a whaling vessel from which he deserted in 1841, and after passing more or less of an adventurous life, as the following sketch taken from the Petaluma Argus will show, died in San Rafael, December 12, 1879: By reference to the map of Marin county, it will be seen that on the north side of Tomales Bay there is a point of land designated as Wood's Point. Long previous to the discovery of gold in California, a man named Thomas Wood deserted from a whaling vessel that had touched on this coast and took up his residence at that point with a tribe of Tomales Indians. "Wood took as a spouse a winsome mohala of that tribe, and the advent of the " gold seekers " in California found him as happy and content as afterward was the proverb in reference to " Swimley's Boarders." The name "Thomas Wood," however, had been metamorphosed into that of "Tom Vaquero," and by the latter name he was universally known. To his marvelous skill in horsemanship and unerring precision in hurling the riata he was indebted for his name. Away back in the early days of California, Tom Vaquero kept standing the offer to forfeit horse, saddle, bridle and spurs if he failed to ride the wildest mustang of the plains until it was conquered and docile, without losing from his stirrups two silver dollars, one to be placed under each foot at time of mounting the horse. As a fearless and skilled vaquero, he certainly stood unrivalled in that whole region. The Summer of 1854 we visited Tomales Bay, and spent several days in hunting, fishing and clamming. We camped on the beach near Tom Vaquero's rancheria, and heard him narrate many incidents and adventures worth being perpetuated in print. The first in order dated prior to the discovery of gold in California. At that time trading vessels touched at the various harbors along the coast for the purpose of buying hides and tallow and such other articles as might have commercial value. French traders, especially, bought all the abalone shells they could fend. By the aid of his Indians Tom Vaquero gathered these shells in large quantities, and was driving a profitable trade with the small French coasters that put in at Tomales periodically. , On one occasion no vessel had arrived for several months, and Vaquero's abalone shells had accumulated to a pile nearly as large as the sweat-house, an indispensable pre-requisite of every well-ordered rancheria. A grand "fandango" at a distant ranch lured Vaquero from home for a period of several days. During his absence a French vessel came in, and, finding him away from home, plied his Indians with liquor, and for a few trinkets and gew-gaws got his whole stock in trade of shells. The wily Frenchmen had left enough liquor with the Indians to keep them blazing drunk for several days. Vaquero returned in the night time and found the Indians carousing and frenzied. His mohala was the only faithful one among them. She got him inside of their substantial domicile before the other Indians were aware of his return, and by barricading the door and a free use of his trusty gun, he kept them at bay until the liquor was exhausted and they ceased to thirst for his blood. He said that that night seemed to him "a week in length." At the date of our visit Tom Vaquero's house was a cross betwixt a cottage and a ship. It embraced a little of everything, from a state-room door up to the mast of a vessel. This nautical medley was accounted for by the appearance at low tide of the hull of a wrecked vessel about a mile out in the bay. In reference to this wreck, Tom informed us that in 1849 he one day was astonished to see a large merchant vessel coming up the bay under full sail. Having been a sailor himself, and knowing as he did the soundings of the bay, he knew that a vessel of that size had no business there. On it came, however, and in plain view was dashed by a heavy swell upon the shallow bar with puch force that her hull was crushed as if an egg-shell. The captain, after this mishap, sent a boat ashore to ascertain whether or not he was in San Francisco Bay. In consequence of this slight mistake the tides of Tomales Bay continue to ebb and flow over the skeleton of the "Cambridge," once a first-class English merchant vessel. We cannot better close this sketch than with Tom Vaquero's recital of his adventure with a grizzly bear. Once while riding over the low, rolling sand-dunes skirting Tomales Bay, he discoved a large grizzly in a little valley or flat, quietly feeding upon the clover. "With riata gyrating over his head, he swooped down upon bruin, and with unerring precision hurled the noose around the bear's neck. With the other end of the riata given a few turns around the horn of his saddle, and a horse that had been thoroughly trained as a lass animal, he considered himself entirely master of the situation, and concluded to take the bear home and picket him out. By sometimes driving, then again dragging, he had got the bear within half a mile of home, when the grizzly lost his temper and showed fight. As at every step the horse took he sank to his fetlocks in the sand, an hour's struggle with the bear had nearly exhausted him. The grizzly had now become the attacking party, and it required skillful manoeuvering to keep out of his reach. In the excitement Vaquero's rawhide riata got caught in a half-hitch around the horn of his saddle, and he could not cast it loose. The bear, as if realizing his advantage, sat down on his haunches and. methodically commenced taking in the slack of the riata with his paws, as a man would a rope, hand-over-hand. He had already pulled in half of the fifty-foot riata, and Vaquero said he could see deliberate murder in the grizzly's eyes. The case was becoming desperate, when Vaquero bethought himself of his sheath-knife, and with it succeeded in severing the wiry raw-hide coil which had fouled on the horn of his saddle. Thus freed, he beat a hasty retreat, leaving the bear victor of the field and winner of a riata worth at that time not less than ten dollars. Last in the list of arrivals to name for 1849 was that of Captain Leonard Story in Saucelito, who arrived there on Christmas Day. Thus have we given, as far as it is within our power to accomplish, the most noteworthy arrivals during the eventful year of '49. It is that year above all others on which the pioneer loves to dwell, times were good, money was easily procurable for the minimum amount of labor, and though the prices of articles ranged high, still they were readily obtainable—everything had a rosy aspect. In 1850 a few more made Marin their dwelling place. Among these were Timothy J. Mahon in San Rafael; John Greenwood in Bolinas; George Milewater, Charles Hill, and ______ McCormack in Saucelito; a man named Machan in Point Reyes; and John Keys, Alexander Noble and Edward Clark, in Tomales township. To Messrs. Keys and Noble is the honor due of having opened out the fertile Tomales district, than which no more productive section is to be found on the Pacific shores. The story of their settlement is fully detailed with much minuteness in our history of that township, sufficient be it here to state, that after a stirring and useful life John Keys died August 14, 1873. The year 1851 saw still more settlers arrive in the county. To Bolinas there came A. D. Easkoot, for many years County Surveyor; and Captain George Gavitt. At this time a man named Day settled on an island in Novato township which has since borne his name. To Saucelito, Captain Goodwin, Captain Charles Dickenson and E. T. Whittlesey; to Tomales there arrived Honorable Sanborn Johnson, Member of Assembly, 1863-1865 and Lowell Webber, who settled on the Hubbell Rancho, and John and Nathan Fletcher, and to Point Reyes three men named Sam. Robinson, Bell and Lucas, a Spaniard. This brings us to the year 1852, when the county received its first great impetus as a settling locality. The experience which had been learned from those who had gone before had been bruited abroad, and Marin was pronounced the first in the list of counties capable of producing the products of the dairy. Before entering into the details of these advantages, however, we will here state the names of those settlers that came hither in 1852. To San Rafael there came Upton M. Gordon, the well known banker of that town, and John Lucas, the inheritor of a considerable share of the property of his uncle Don Timoteo Murphy. San Antonio township received Adolph Gerricky; Bolinas, Thomas and William Johnson, David Robinson, Calvin E. Woodbury, James Brayton, and ____ Adams; Tomales, George Bunn, Warren Dutton, a most prominent man of the county, W. Devery, Hugh Marshall, Doctor Workman, and Messrs. Goodman and Wheeler; Saucelito, Wm. Crossley alias Horse-shoe Bill, and a man who was known by no other cognomen than "Bill the Cook;" and Nicasio, Hiram and Noah Correy, William Dampier, the present County Treasurer, and Henry H. Butterfield. In 1853 Samuel Clark, Henry Strain and Captain P. L. Bourne located in Bolinas; in Novato, Carl P. Rush, who was murdered June 7, 1876, and whose murderer goes unpunished by law; John Brink and Captain Macey; to San Antonio, Allen T. Wilson, a lawyer; while to the fruitful Tomales section there came S. A. Marshall, James Marshall, H. P. McCleave, J. L. Blake, Joseph Huntley, John Buchanan, John James, Thomas R. Cook, Y. Vanorsdel, Louis Osgood, Joel Harvey, N. J. Prince and J. P. Whitaker. In 1854 T. H. Hanson, a prominent lawyer, and for several years County Treasurer and District Attorney, and Edward Eden, the present County Coroner, arrived in San Rafael township; to Tomales there came Luke Fallon and T. Carruthers; and in Saucelito there settled Captain George Snow. There settled in San Antonio township in the year 1855 Andrew De Martin; in Bolinas, Post and Taylor, William Brown, deceased, and Elisha Light. This gentleman came to the county in 1853, but it was not until 1855 that he located in San Antonio; to Tomales came 0. Hubbell, and to Point Reyes Messrs. Swain, Keatley, Williams, Lane and Robinson, the last two of whom built the very first vessel ever launched in Marin county. In 1856 Charles Martin located in San Antonio township; Messrs. Sweet-ser and De Long in Novato, where they acquired a large tract of land and have a magnificent orchard; W. J. Dickson in Nicasio; in Point Reyes, the Steele Brothers, the pioneer dairymen of that township located, and to Bolinas there arrived John Conmer, William Johnson and John Garrison; to Tomales, R. Bailey, John Griffin, George Dillon, A. M. Turner and J. Irwin. In 1857 E. B. Mahon came to San Rafael; A. T. Wilson, a lawyer, located in Tomales in 1853, but removed to San Antonio in 1857: Hugh McKenna, John Nelson, William E. Randall, went to Bolinas; R. R. Magee to Nicasio, and to Tomales, James McCausland, W. D. Freeman, William Vanderbilt. the present County Assessor, and T. A. Thornley. In 18o8 Banker Irwin arrived in San Rafael; J. C. Dickson in Nicasio; and James McDonald, W. McCausland, R. Norton, H. H. Guldager, and O. W. Turner in Tomales. In 1859 A. J. Pierce, the famous dairyman of Point Reyes, settled in that township. To Novato there came J. W. Atherton, the Supervisor for District No. 1, and to Tomales J. L. Fallon, Michael Kirk, who settled in San Rafael in 1851, but moved to Tomales in 3859, and Andrew Doyle, George W. Davis, the present County Clerk, came to San Rafael in 1860; to Bolinas there came David McMullin; to Nicasio Timothy G. Lamb; and to Tomales 0. N. Morton, A. W. Dutton, Reed Dutton and W. Rowland. Besides those mentioned above, the following, the dates of whose settlement we have been unable to trace, located at an early day: In Nicasio, Peter Irwin, John Nutter, Captain Henney, M. McNamara, C. Murray and Richard Magee; in San Antonio, Joshua Brackett, Pedro J. Vasquez, George N. Cromwell, Martin F. Grimsby, and others; and in Novato, John Knight, _____ Childes, Captain James Hyatt, James Fairford, John Greenlaw, Robert Bain, Andrew Anderson, John Brink, Thomas Sweetzer, Peter Irwin, Benjamin Pleasants, Elias Crosby, G. F. Van Hallard, Henry Broker, and E. Hubbard. Thus far it is our purpose to bring the reader as regards the early settlement, thinking that twenty years is fully within the recollection of most of our present residents. In the year 1861, to which we will for the present confine ourselves, the value of property in Marin county amounted to the sum of two millions two hundred and twenty-six thousand seven hundred and eighty-five dollars, while the population was estimated at three thousand three hundred and thirty-four souls, and according to a statement of the receipts and expenditures of the different funds of the county for the six months ending the seventh of May, it was found that the debt was six thousand three hundred and sixty-five dollars and forty-seven cents, a reduction from twenty-five thousand dollars, which had been effected by the judicious management of the Board of Supervisors in the course of two years. The county had at one time earned a notoriety, unenviable in itself, as being a favorite ground whereon to settle affairs of honor. .The county seat was thrown into a considerable state of excitement on May 24, 1861, on account of a duel. The affair arose out of some imaginary or real insult spoken on the floor of the Legislative Hall, and, as in the case of the famous Broderick-Terry duel, so in this of Piercy-Showalter. Marin county was chosen as the spot where insulted honor should be thus barbarously avenged. Of the affair under consideration the following account is taken from the Call of May 26, 1861 — "All preliminaries being settled, at a quarter to four o'clock P. M., the the parties interested, as well as those attending as spectators, started for the 'field of honor,' which was located about a quarter of a mile from the house, and completely embowered in an exuberant wood. It was a pleasant, romantic spot, altogether too lovely to be the scene of the tragedy subsequently enacted. Arrived on the field, the demeanor of the principals was cool and unconcerned. The ground was already staked off, arranged for the parties to face each other, looking north and south, so that the rays of the sun fell equally on the eyes of both. The ground was as level as a floor, and covered with a fair carpet of grass. The two leading seconds, Messrs. Watkins and Hayes, measured the distance marked out, walking arm in arm as they paced it off. The rifles were then examined a second time, foaded, and the principals brought to their positions. The seconds then advanced to meet each other mid-way between the positions assigned to the' principals, and as they met, saluted each other with all due formality. Having selected the places they were to occupy a few paces from the center of the line of fire, and looking eastward, Mr. Watkins read the articles which were to govern the fight, concluding with the remark that if either principal violated the rule not to fire before the word 'fire,' or after the word 'stop,' he laid himself liable to the code which declares that the offender shall be shot down summarily by the second of his opponent. These matters all being attented to with all due punctiliousness, preparations were made for the first fire. "The principals were brought to their positions, and the weapons given them. Both held their rifles with the butts resting on their hips, with the muzzles pointing upwards at an angle of about sixty degrees, the light hand grasping the lock, and the left the barrel about midway. Col. Hayes asked, 'Gentlemen, are you ready?' Both responded, 'Ready.' He then gave the word 'Fire! one, two, three, stop!' The reports of both rifles were heard almost simultaneously—Showalter a little first—-just at the commencement of the word 'two.' Neither party was hurt, though the ball from Piercy's rifle passed so near the face of Showalter as to cause him to feel its passage. As soon as it became evident that the fire had been harmless, Mr. Showalter exclaimed, 'Load the weapons again!' He being the challenged party, no other course was left to pursue, and soon the rifles were prepared for their second shot. "The parties were placed, and the word given as before. Neither party was quite so quick with the trigger as at the first word, and spectators thought that both meant mischief. At the word 'two' both fired nearly together: Mr. Piercy gave a start; threw his hands back and fell heavily to the ground. On examination it was found that the ball from his adversary's rifle had struck him in the mouth and passed into his head. His physician immediately rushed to his assistance, but could afford none. He raised his head slightly, looked around, and in three minutes was dead. He did not utter a sound after being hit. And thus ended this unfortunate duel, with the life of one of its principals. "As soon as Mr. Showalter witnessed the fatal result of his shot, he beseechingly exclaimed to his physician, 'Dr. Hammond, will you render every possible assistance to that poor man V He seemed to be sensibly affected, and passed a eulogy on the courage and coolness displayed by the deceased. In company with his friends he immediately left the ground, but whither he proceeded is not known." The body of the unfortunate Mr. Piercy was brought to San Rafael on the evening of the tragedy, and on the following day an inquest was held by the County Coroner, the jury rendering the following verdict: "Came to his death by a gun-shot wound inflicted by Daniel Showalter." It was the intention of the citizens of San Rafael to bury him there—everything had been prepared for his interment, when some friends from San Francisco arrived and took the remains to that city, it finding its final resting place in Lone Mountain Cemetery, at the early age of six and twenty years. The Treasurer's Report published early in 1862 shows the state of the county finances to have been :— Balance in Treasury December 15, 1860, belonging to the various funds $ 643,338 29 Total amount received from December 16, 1860, to December 14, 1861 1,095,020 01 Total $1,738,358 30 Total amount disbursed during the above-named period 1,248,573 82 Balance on hand December 14, 1861 $ 489,784 48 Bonds of the State to the amount of one hundred and seventy-two thousand five hundred and sixty dollars had been redeemed, and the semiannual interest was one hundred and thirty thousand four hundred and sixty-two dollars and fifty cents. The total amount of bonds issued under the Funding Act of 1860 was one hundred and ninety-eight thousand five hundred dollars. The amount of equitable claims still outstanding was seventeen thousand nine hundred and seventy-nine dollars and thirty-two cents, of which only one thousand five hundred dollars more could have been funded, had it been presented. The following figures will show the cash value of real estate, and the improvements thereon, for the year 1861 was $1,205,003 00 Personal Property 599,192 00 Total Taxable Property $1,804,195 00 State Tax; sixty cents on the dollar $ 10,818 55 County Tax; fifty cents on the dollar 9,015 60 Road Tax; five cents on the dollar 899 42 Redemption Fund Tax; ten cents on the dollar 1,901 32 About this time other portions of the State had been visited by severe floods, but of Marin, the California Farmer informs us that the county seemed to be the one wholly exempted from the sweeping overflow. "It is one of the richest, most fertile, and best sheltered counties of the State, and yet but little known, save by its history as connected with the State Prison and Lime Point. That it has been woefully neglected by those in power is certain, for it has little or no postal facilities, no public roads or bridges of any account, and although she is free of debt, she is also free of all public buildings and public improvements. With almost unlimited means of wealth, the income of the county is only twenty thousand dollars when it should be a hundred thousand. For this the people are to blame, for the people elect their managers or rulers." The apportionment of the School Fund on hand on January 22, 1862 was made as under:— Novato 37 children $ 89 81 3/4 San Rafael 174 children 422 38 1/2 Corte Madera 74 children 179 63 Bolinas, No. 1 57 children 138 36 3/4 Bolinas, No, 2 59 children 143 22 Tomales, No. 1 32 children 77 68 Tomales, No. 2 30 children 72 82 3/4 American Valley. 41 children 99 52 1/4 Chileno Valley 51 children 123 80 1/4 San Antonio......... 52 children 126 23 ___ _______ 607 children $1,473 48 1/4 Once more the county seat was thrown into a state of the greatest excitement by the arrival on horseback on the morning of July 22, 1862, of a State Prison Guard with the astounding intelligence that the convicts at San Quentin, to the number of four hundred, had made a "break," captured the cannon and small arms, and were marching towards San Rafael. In a few moments all the arms that were available were brought forth ready for use in case the prisoners should show themselves in the vicinity of the town. The story told by the guard was so extraordinary that it was doubted, but still the citizens were prepared to give them a warm reception should they attempt an approach. The residents, on consultation, deemed it advisable not to leave the town until further information had been received a few, however, accompanied by the Sheriff—all well mounted—proceeded across the hill to Ross' Embareadero, where they found the main body of the prisoners had arrived, bearing with them Lieutenant-Governor Chellis. At this point they met with the first resistance since they had left the prison. They had crossed the creek, when some parties from Corte Madera, and those who had left San Rafael, came upon them and commanded them to stop, when they dropped the Lieutenant-Governor and fled into the brush, where they were surrounded until more force should arrive. The escape was made in this wise: At half-past twelve o'clock, when about one hundred and thirty of the prisoners were going out of the lower gate to the brick yard, a portion of them, sixteen or seventeen in number, separated from the main body, and ran along the wall to the left side of the prison when they were fired upon by the guard, but still pursued their way around to the main gate, and seizing the gate-keeper obtained the keys to the wicket, which they opened, and with a bar of iron burst the fastening of the inner gate, when the mass inside, to the number of about one hundred and fifty, rushed forth yelling and howling like infuriated demons. They then entered the Lieutenant-Governor's room and bore him off with them, making their way to the gun on the point, which, had they succeeded in capturing, would have altered the phase of affairs to their great advantage. The gunner, T. Watson, on seeing their intention fired the gun, after which, finding himself too closely pressed, spiked it just as they arrived, upon which they picked him up and threw him over the cliff and rolled the cannon after him; it is miraculous how Watson escaped, and he was indeed fortunate in not being killed by the falling of the gun; as it was he escaped with a few bruises occasioned by the fall. From this point they proceeded around the walls in the direction of Fort McClellan—the Governor was now placed in front of the gang, and was obliged to signify to those in charge of the gun at this point not to fire as his life was in danger; they, however, managed to get one shot which took effect in the rear of the gang and led to a partial disbandment. The largest portion of them still kept on with Lieutenant-Governor Chellis, and took the road in a westerly direction up the Corte Madera creek. The other portion, numbering fifteen or twenty, ran down to the wharf, jumped on board of the Pike County, and cut the lines, but before they could get the boat under weigh she went aground, when the guards came down and they immediately surrendered. Report says two or three were killed at this juncture, but it is doubtful. The main party, the body-guard of Lieutenant-Governor Chellis, pursued their way along the creek, followed by Mr. Quinn and several of the Horse guards, but no hostile demonstration was made, on account of the remonstrances of Lieutenant-Governor Chellis. On arriving at the dwelling of M. Brevier, about three miles from the prison, they ransacked the house, but took nothing but Mr. Brevier's "best suit," twelve or thirteen dollars, and a meerschaum pipe from Mr. Cleaveland, an employe of the place. Here they kindly offered the Lieutenant-Governor an unbroken colt to ride, which consideration he respectfully declined, preferring to travel on foot. A few miles farther brought them to Ross' Embarcadero, where they met the resistance above stated. At this point, while they were concealed in the brush, Sheriff Doub sent to San Rafael for assistance, upon the arrival of which, a general disgorgement took place. Perhaps it would be invidious at this late date to state who were the most effective, but one fact was evident, that with one or two exceptions, the State's Prison guard deserved no particular praise. Some of them, we are informed, behaved shamefully; indeed, it is said, that so eager for flight was one of these, that he pulled off his shoes that he might the quicker get out of the way of the prisoners. When the first break was made, a convict named Miller rushed the remainder of the prisoners, about one hundred and fifteen, within the walls, he having charge of them at the time, as overseer in the brickyard. This man, however, after doing all that he could to help the citizens in capturing the prisoners, managed to "make himself scarce" the next morning. Forty-seven of the convicts were captured at Ross' Embarcadero, some of them badly wounded, the whole number of killed, and those who died from the effects of their wounds were seven, and about thirty wounded. Five were captured on the night of the "break" by the citizens of San Rafael, one so badly wounded as to be almost unable to move. His comrade had concealed him in the brush, and at nightfall stole a horse and was taking him off when they were both captured. On the day following but one was taken. On the morning of the 24th, information was received in San Rafael, that six of the fugitives, all well armed, were concealed in a willow swamp on the Sais ranch. On the morning of Wednesday, the 23d, detachments of the military and police force arrived from San Francisco at San Quentin, but went no farther, while towards the end of the week most of the convicts had been captured, and with the appointment of many officers who formed the former guard of the prison, in place of those who had proved their incompetency, a feeling of security was found in the neighborhood. We find that in the month of April, 1863, the discovery of gold, copper and other valuable minerals had been made in the vicinity of San Rafael The Journal of May 2, 1863, says: "Sheriff Doub brought in a lot of rock that will .yield not less than twenty dollars to the pound," while it farther remarks that rock discovered on the Sais rancho, assays two hundred and thirty-five dollars per ton. Several companies were at once organized and mining laws adopted, while, in the first four weeks of the excitement, no less than thirty-five claims were located. On the first of August, however, we find the Journal; appealing to the locators in these words: "What have the San Rafael mines come to? We have heard of no results of the labor that has been expended upon them, further than that five or six tunnels were being pushed into Tamalpais, one of which had reached the ledge of the rock, and was satisfactory. If they are as rich as all the specimens we have seen indicated, and one-tenth so much so as the San Francisco assayers made them to be, they are certainly worthy the attention of miners and capitalists." In 1864, gold was discovered on Angel Island which promised a yield of twenty-nine dollars per ton, but owing to the fact of the island being a Government Reserve, no one had the right to occupy any portion of it. In the year 1865 the Pacific Powder Works were located on Daniels' or Paper Mill creek, where the company had purchased a tract of five hundred acres of land, which cost, including the water privilege, the sum of five thousand seven hundred dollars. A full record of the undertaking will be found elsewhere in this work. It was said at this period that the great obstacle to the growth of Marin county, in wealth and population, was the difficulty of access to interior points, for want of roads. Happily, in 1865, the subject was just commenced to be agitated among the people, who, from the lack of pressing the want upon the county, authorities, were suffering in purse as well as in personal convenience. Good roads are of vital importance to the farmer, merchant, mechanic, hotel keeper and livery man, as well as to the general interest and prosperity of a community. It was thought that the financial condition of the country, in 1865, was such that the Board of supervisors would be justified in expending a sufficient sum of money in constructing a thoroughfare commencing on the Paper Mill road, and running thence through the Nicasio valley to some suitable point on the southern boundary of Tomales township. This road would open, it was contended, a much needed communication between San Rafael and the upper portion of the county, besides enhancing the value of property, and opening an outlet to a market for the produce of a large area of valuable land in the Nicasio valley and on Tomales bay. The increased assessments on the value of the land through which it would pass, would very soon reimburse the county, for the opening of such a road. We have already mentioned the Pioneer paper mill. This establishment is situated about two miles below the powder mill spoken of above, and is the first establishment of the kind on the coast. It was commenced, finished and put into operation by S. P. Taylor. The works in the mill are all carried on by water-power. The main wheel is thirty feet in diameter, fifteen feet of buckets and very heavy iron cogs. Another wheel is twenty-four feet in diameter, and six feet buckets. The main wheel carries four engines and all the works of every kind. About fifteen men are constantly employed at the mill, where there are besides the mill-house, two dwelling houses, carpenters' and blacksmiths' shops, two stock houses, sheds, barn, corral, etc. In the Journal of June 8, 1867, we find the following description of paper-making under the caption of "old sacks" which may prove interesting to the reader: "Old sacks are very common things, and after they have lain about the yard awhile, somewhat filthy ; but visit the paper mill, only fourteen miles from San Rafael, and you will think better of them. We did. As we stepped into the mill, the superintendent introduced us to huge piles of them, sadly marred by oft-repeated hard usage. Besides the sacks there were old ropes that one would suppose had been taut for the last time, and ancient pants that had evidently been through a machine and taken many a hard trip, and old coats and wrappers that thought they had done their last wrapping. Then we saw vast heaps of blue rags that commenced service in such garments as Chinamen wear. One would suppose a voyage across the Pacific, and years of service besides, would be all any cloth could do, but here is a rougher voyage than that, and at the end a new service of wrapping, for, instead of wrapping John, it is to wrap his rice and tea. But we must return to our text, 'the old sacks'—and, what of them? They have been pulled over many a hard road, but here is a harder; for at the outset they are pulled by some ugly teeth into a cutter that cuts them into small bits. This is a sharp business; but next, the dust they have gathered on the highways must be taken out of them, and into the cylindrical sieve-like duster they are tossed, and whirled, and tossed until they have 'come down' with the last mite of their ill-gotten dust. They are now clean enough to start on a voyage, hence they are thrown into a vat or canal, the water of which seems to be kept in motion by a large cylinder set full of sharp knives. The luckless scraps are run rapidly through this and shaved a little closer, but this is only a cutting incident which gets to be common before the voyage is completed, for there are half a dozen of these cutters, and each one of them cuts a little finer. Whatever of individuality there may have been at the beginning has been lost—the voyage has made them one—and the mass is called 'pulp.' That it may pass along smoothly it goes into the 'screen' and every foreign substance is speedily taken out of it. It now floats on into a section of the machine through which a wide canvas belt revolves taking on its upper surface just enough pulp to make, when pressed, the thickness and width desired. The belt carries it over a cylinder called a press-roll; this takes some of the water out of it, and it goes over another: then over another heated with steam which dries and hardens it so that it can run alone. Leaving the belt it runs over heaters until thoroughly dry and hard, then it rolls itself on a roller, and when it is unrolled, it is clipped off at certain intervals and drops lightly into a box. Now what is it? It is broad, tough sheets of Manilla wrapping paper, strong enough to make Summer coats out of. The mill makes about a ton a day of this kind. White paper for public journals or for blank books make the same voyage, and comes through the same machine slightly adjusted. When this kind is made the capacity is about fifteen hundred pounds." Mr. George Gift in his work on Marin county says in regard to its chief producing interests: "But the dairymen invade this rich country as the land becomes tired of constant cropping in potatoes and grain, and pasture their herds upon its hills." There are in the county several very large land owners who have their property fenced off into farms of convenient size; say from five hundred to a, thousand acres each, which are improved with dwellings, dairy houses, barns, and stocked with a sufficient number of cattle. These farms are rented to tenants at the rate of from twenty-five to twenty-seven dollars per cow, per annum, which includes the use of from six to ten acres of land per cow, and houses and improvements, but does not include team, nor in all cases dairy fixtures. Dairymen calculate upon making enough from their pork to pay all expenses except rent; hence in the cases where land is rented, landlord and tenant about divide the proceeds from butter; the tenant having the advantage, probably. As elsewhere the prices of butter vary with the season, but we think we are justified in saying that the dairymen of Marin get better prices than those of any other part of the world. In respect to other products, we have no hesitancy in saying that in no country in the world can better crops of beets be produced than in the small, rich valleys of this county. We do not exaggerate when we say that the average crops are equal to the great "show" roots sent to fairs and exhibitions at the East and Europe. Something special should be said in regard to the pasturage. There are none of the cultivated grasses common at the East; such as red and white clovers, timothy, herdsgrass and the like. In-room of these there are the native grasses which are better adapted. They have no precise name other than the general term of "grass," or "bunch grass." The indigenous grasses spring up at the beginning of the rains in the Fall and continue to grow on to some extent through the entire Winter. If the weather is open, as sometimes occurs, there is ample pasturage for stock with but little use for cured food, but if the Winter is hard the grass is more backward and other feed has to be resorted to. Understand, however, that in all seasons there is sufficient grass to flavor and color the butter, and, if the land is not overstocked, enough to support the animals. Grazing land is never plowed. We close this topic with a quotation from the Sacramento Record-Union, which is, in the main, correct:— There is probably no better dairy country in the world than Sonoma and Marin counties in this State. We have heretofore shown that by the census reports the average product of butter and cheese to the cow in those counties is much greater than the average of the best dairy counties in New York, Ohio or any other State. We at present only wish to call attention to a fact, which of itself, is sufficient reason for the advantages those counties possess in this respect. The fact is that for the past month the pasturage in those counties has been so good that cattle not only have not needed hay to keep them in condition, but have yielded sufficient milk to make on an average a pound of butter a day to each cow. What will our dairymen of old Herkimer, New York, think of this? While the dairy cows-in New York, Ohio, and all the States east of the Rocky Mountains are being housed to keep them warm, and fed with hay and corn meal to keep them in condition, those of Sonoma and Marin are grazing in clovers and native grasses up to their eyes, and are fat and sleek, and almost uncomfortable with their well-filled milk bags. Owing to the peculiarly mild and moist climate of these counties the pastures afford constant fresh and luxuriant grasses from January to September and October. In these latter months there is generally a little cessation of the growth of feed, on account of the change in the season, but all the balance of the year, unless overstocked, the pastures are like those of May and June in the Atlantic States. This early Winter feed gives our dairymen a great advantage, for then they not only have the advantage of a good home market in the California towns and cities for their nice, fresh yellow butter, but the Eastern cities are glad to buy it at fancy figures. Thus while the Eastern dairymen are expending time and money on their cows, the California dairymen are reaping their most profitable harvest from theirs. As far back as the year 1866, the returns from forty-two counties in the State showed a production of one million, two hundred and fifty thousand pounds of butter; the largest yield in a single county was that of Marin which produced nine hundred and thirty-two thousand, four hundred and twenty-seven pounds; while of cheese she yielded five hundred and thirty-three thousand pounds, against five hundred thousand, and two hundred and thirty-one thousand from Santa Clara and Santa Cruz. The effect of these immense advantages as a dairy county has been felt in the necessity which arose for 'simplifying the manufacture of butter; to attain these ends Captain Oliver Allen, now a resident of San Francisco but formerly of Petaluma, Sonoma county, set to work and with wonderful mechanical genius produced invention after invention, which has resulted in making his name a household word in every dairy on the coast. In the year 1874 this gentleman had one of the most complete dairies in this county, to be found anywhere. He is a hale old man, remarkably vigorous and well preserved, though he has passed his more than three score years and ten in ceaseless activity. He is a mechanic of marvellous inventive genius, and his right hand is cunning to give shape to the inventions of his mind. One of the earliest productions of his creative skill was the whalers' "bomb-lance" which he invented about fifty years ago, and which with but little improvement on his patent, has revolutionized the business of taking whales. He sought to rob the business of whaling of its terrors to the men, and in doing this proved merciful to the whale. The bomb-lance is fired from a gun and the moment it is imbedded in the monster, it explodes, producing instant death. It is now in general use, though it took a long time to introduce it. Jack changes slowly, looking askance on all innovations. The churn which is in universal use in this county owes its success to Captain Allen. It is a plain square box, with nothing inside, and many parties who tried it gave it up in disgust, when Captain Allen discovered that if the churn was turned slowly it worked admirably, but the centrifugal force defeated the object when revolving rapidly. Since then it has been generally adopted. Allen's Butter Mould seems a very simple implement, yet to perfect it all manner of tools had to be invented, all of which he made himself, for he would seem to be equally at home in wood or metal workmanship. The Allen Butter Worker, another of the Captain's inventions, is in general use. This he improved by changing the universal joint on which the lever is suspended, from wood to brass, to give it more strength and firmness. There is yet another invention of Captain Allen which we would wish here to note, and that is what is known as the " Fracture Bedstead," the history of which is as follows: When the Captain resided on his farm in Nicasio township his son Charles had the misfortune to break his leg: His father, anxious to preserve the fractured limb, and also to prevent its shortening, was his constant attendant, and soon found himself trying to improve upon the surgical appliances then in use. By his first improvement, the necessity of daily moving the patient was obviated. This was a great advantage, as perfect quiet was necessary to the rapid knitting of the bone. Next he found that the appliance for keeping the leg stretched impeded the circulation, and produced intolerable pain. This he obviated at once, by an ingenious contrivance for changing the attachments of the weights without relaxing the tension. The treatment was not entirely successful, because it was impossible, with the known facilities, to measure the exact length that it should be, and when the cure was complete, the leg was found to be too short. This was a real sorrow to the warm hearted old gentleman; but it is just from such painful experiences that nearly all humanitarian enterprises are evolved. In hours of leisure the Captain embodied the suggestions of that case in the "Fracture Bedstead," for which he has received a patent. It is provided with an apparatus by which a fractured member, leg or arm, <&n be exactly measured. We have shown above how the manufacture of butter and cheese has been simplified and perfected; we all know how agricultural implements have been improved, but few of us remember the difficulties experienced by the first settlers. Let us for a moment glance at their modes and means of tilling the soil and building houses. Of the latter the construction was beautiful ii its extreme simplicity. The walls were fashioned of large, sun-dried bricks, made of that black loam known to settlers in the Golden State as adobe soil, mixed with straw, with no particularity as to species, measuring about eighteen inches square and three in thickness; these were cemented with mud, plastered within with the same substance, and white-washed when finished. The rafters and joists were of rough timber, with the bark simply peeled off and placed in the requisite position, while the residence of the wealthier classes were roofed with tiles, placed so that one should overlap the other and thus make a water-shed; or, later, with shingles, the poor contenting themselves with a thatch of tule, fastened down with thongs of bullock's hide. The former modes of covering were expensive, and none but the opulent could afford the luxury of tiles. When completed, however. these mud dwellings will stand the brunt and wear and tear of many decades, as can be evidenced by the number which are still occupied in out-of-the-way corners of the county. In order to facilitate transportation it was found necessary to construct some kind of vehicle, which was done in this manner: The two wheels were sections of a big log with a hole drilled or bored through the center, the axle being a pole sharpened at each extremity for spindles, with a hole and pin at either end so as to prevent the wheels from slipping off. Another pole fastened to the middle of the axle served the purpose of a tongue. Upon this framework was set, or fastened a species of wicker-work, framed of sticks bound together with strips of hide. The beasts of burden in use were oxen, of which, there were a vast number. These were yoked with a stick across the forehead, notched and crooked, so as to fit the head closely, and the whole tied with rawhide. Such was the primitive cart of the time. The plow was a still more peculiar affair. It consisted of a long piece of timber which served the purpose of a beam, to the end of which a handle was fastened; a mortise was next chiseled so as to admit the plow, which was a short stick with a natural crook, having a small piece of iron fastened on one end of it. With this crude implement was the ground upturned, while the branch of a convenient tree served the purpose of a harrow. Fences there were none so that crops might be protected; ditches were therefore dug, and the crests of the sod covered with the branches of trees, to warn away the numerous bands of cattle and horses, and prevent their intrusion upon the newly-sown grain. When the crops were ripe, they were cut with a sickle, or any other weapon, and then it became necessary to thresh it. Now for the modus operandi. The floor of the corral into which it was customary to drive the horses and cattle in order to lasso them, from constant use had become hardened. Into this enclosure the grain would be piled, and upon it the manatha, or band of mares, would be turned loose to tramp out the grain. The wildest horses, or mayhap the colts which had only been driven but once, and then to be branded, would be turned adrift upon the pile of straw, when would ensue a scene of the wildest confusion, the excited animals being driven, amidst the yelling of the vaqueros and the cracking of whips, here, there, and everywhere, around, across and lengthwise, until the whole was trampled, leaving naught but the grain and chaff. The most difficult part of .the operation, however was the separating the grain from the chaff. Owing to the length of the dry season, there was no urgent haste to effect this; therefore, when the wind was high enough, the Indians, who soon fell into the ways of the white pioneers, more especially where they were paid in kind and kindness, would toss the trampled mass into the air with large wooden forks, cut from the adjacent oaks, and the wind carry away the lighter chaff, leaving the heavier grain. With a favorable wind several bushels of wheat could thus be winnowed in the course of one day. Strange as it may appear, it is declared to be the fact that grain thus winnowed was much cleaner than it is to-day. The scenery of Marin county is one of its boasts. Those steep mountains and hills, impracticable for the plow, form landscapes far more beautiful than hundreds that people travel thousands of miles to rave over. Mountain views have ever been considered the acme of the grand in scenery. Although those of Marin lack the romantic glamour attaching to others five or six times as high, yet they are as beautiful to the eye as any. Tamalpais presents as many fine pictures as any other mountain in the world. Standing in Ross' Valley, there is a landscape not excelled anywhere. Before you, in the immediate foreground, is a most beautiful vale, ending, a mile or more away, at the foot of a sharp steep ridge, five or six hundred feet high, and thickly set with giant redwoods. The ridge extends, as it were, across the view, and forms a magnificent foreground, to Tamalpais, which looms up behind, a great triple-headed giant. Dr. W. W. Carpenter, of Petaluma, has made him say:— " In the infantile days of earth, Nature's work in equalizing her forces rolled and rocked me like a ship in a storm, until the elements finally allowed me to settle down in my present imposing position—a monumental landmark of ages deeply buried beneath the sea of Time. The great, blue dome above was studded with just as grand a constellation of celestial orbs in that long ago as now; but all below was loneliness personified. The stars were clothed in the same garb of dazzling beauty then as now, and the contrast between them and the dreary, dismal scene on earth, enhanced the splendor of their effulgent rays. The centuries rolled on, the sun and stars smiled upon me alternately, the storms of Time swept my heavy head; but wrapped in the eternal cloak of omnipotent grandeur, I remained as firm as the everlasting battlements of Nature. The waves of Ocean lashed my base; the Storm King raged in all the majesty of his awful power; the moaning winds sighed a sad requiem to departing Time, and all was appalling gloom and dismay. Still the cycle of years traveled on; and change, inevitable change, was recorded in the book of Time. The elements gradually modified, tranquilized and equalized, until the sun shone down from a sky of more than Italian loveliness upon a boundless landscape of floral beauty. The deer and antelope roamed the broad domain, undisturbed and fearless of danger. Countless thousands, yea, millions of stock held undisputed sway in this transcendental paradise of incomparable magnificence. The valleys had long slept under a golden dream of flowers, and creeping nearer and nearer, mother Nature finally clothed my aged form in a dress of youthful emerald, and placed a bouquet upon my head. But still the master spirit of creation—Man—was nowhere in the land. Revolution after revolution of the ponderous wheel of progress found me the same faithful sentinel, over the Golden Gate, the inlet to the land of promise. While Homer was writing his immortal Illiad, I was writing the history of the Pacific Slope. When that great and good man, Socrates, was teaching philosophy to the young men of Athens, I was teaching philosophy on this lonely shore. At the very moment when Virgil was engaged in writing Roman History in Latin verse, I was writing the history of the earth with the pen of Nature. While Plato was being initiated into the mysteries of the Pythagorean system of philosophy, and when, still later, he was teaching his Platonic system, I was tracing the philosophy of future events in the sands of Time. Countless ages before the glory of ancient Troy, I was recording in the ledger of Nature the evidence by which, the scientist of to-day reads my history. When Homer and Virgil were inditing the battles of Troy, I was writing the volcanic battles of California. "Finally a sail is described on the bosom of the Pacific—and another, and another—and Man makes his appearance upon my broad domain; and while Confucius teaches moral maxims on the opposite side of the Pacific, Montezuma writes the history of his followers on this shore. Still further on the historical sail comes to view, and the Portugese, Cabrillo, catches a view of this golden land. In 1579 Admiral Drake landed upon the coast, and took possession of the country in the name of England, for which brave deed Queen Elizabeth knighted him "Sir Francis" Drake, and further tickled his vanity by volunteering the somewhat flattering compliment "that his actions did him more honor than his title." Next came the Jesuit Fathers, headed by Father Eusebio Kuhn, in the name and in the interest of Phillip II of Spain, who built missions and invited the people to bow in homage thereto, and no longer worship at the temple made by the eternal hand of God. To these inland travelers, and not to the ocean navigators, is the world indebted for the final discovery of the Golden Gate. Following in the wake of the padres, the Castillians of Spain slowly but sparsely settled up the country. The reiarn of those pioneer magnates was the most quiet, dignified; happy and hospitable that the broad acres of lovely California have •ever experienced. Nor were they deficient in the culture and polish of true gentlemen. "The necessity for intermarriage with the native women, and the poor educational facilities at command materially deteriorated their descendants, until at the present time we only now and then meet with a noble old Castilian of pure blood. But wherever met with, they are the same open-hearted, generous souls as of yore. At last civilization overspreads the land, like a spirit dream; the "golden fleece" is well-nigh harvested; many of the harvesters have been harvested by the hand of Time, and many more recline under their own vine and fig tree in peace and contentment. The spirit of progress is abroad in the land. I see it on every side, I scent it in every breeze. It glides over the beautiful Bay of San Francisco in floating homes; it heaves and plunges on the bosom of the Pacific in massive palaces of grandeur; it rushes over the land in the steam engine; it annihilates space in the electric telegraph; and its sons and daughters climb upon my aged back and watch the splendor of the scene as it passes to and fro." From San Rafael the view of Tamalpais is so fine that no words are equal to the description. Picturesque houses and woods, studding a hill-side, form another foreground to a Tamalpais picture, which even the old resident pauses to ponder over and admire. San Rafael from the south is a third view, the like of which few persons are permitted to gaze upon. You look down from a high ridge upon the beautiful town, and its handsome villas perched here and there in protected nooks or sunny hillsides. The Catholic Church, with its tall, white spire; the Presbyterian Church, and the splendid Court. House, are commanding objects. Six or seven miles from the town you may trace the track of the North Pacific Coast Railroad, climbing up the sides of the mountains and winding in and out of the lateral canyons in a manner to fill the spectator with astonishment. Gentle Reader: Looking up Mount Tamalpais from any point in this valley, its slopes present no evidence to the eye of the invading march of improvement; no scars of a utilitarian hand are seen to mar its rugged and majestic beauty; not even the road or trail by which tourists ascend can be seen. The huge flanks and ribs, the ridges and gorges present a wild natural appearance, inviting to any who might be in humor for the delights of primeval solitudes, or for penetrating the secure haunts of wild game; but it would be the last place to go to find trophies of cunning workmanship, or to see a grand achievement of labor and engineering skill. Yet these appearances, like so many others in this world, are deceitful. If you take the Lagunitas road from Ross' Valley, and ride about half way up the mountain, your eye will be delighted with the beautiful succession of landscape pictures which follow each other with bewildering rapidity. But the greatest of all surprises is when you suddenly come upon the scene of a busy and noisy settlement, where several hundreds of men and horses are engaged, and where in the midst of the wilderness a great work has been prosecuted almost to completion. This is the Lagunitas Dam, the highest reservoir of the Marin County Water Company. Upon the north flank of the mountain are many little springs of the purest water. The site of the dam is a large, clear plateau, about midway from the valley to the summit, to which these springs flow down, and form little lakes (lagunitas). This is a spot so "beautiful for situation," so charming in its outlines and contour, and so distinguished by its romantic surroundings, its picturesque outlook, and its grand old shade trees, that it will at no distant day be a popular retreat from the city, and become the site of a large hotel. Its area is perhaps sixty to seventy-five acres, about one-half of which will be covered by the lake formed by the dam now in the course of construction, and which will add a feature of exceeding beauty to the already favored region. The supplies from these springs have heretofore found their way to the sea through the Paper Mill Creek and Tomales bay, but the Water Company •entirely turns the course and conducts the water to this valley and the Prison Point. The dam is six hundred feet long on the top, with a width of two hundred feet at base and thirty-five on top, and the height is forty-three feet. The company were fortunate in finding material at hand exactly such as they required, and, what is more rare, the ends are as solid and firm as could be asked. The body of the dam is composed of a clayey loam, found close by, and the puddle pit of a yellow clay, which becomes when rolled as solid as any pottery. This is ten feet wide, and runs twenty-seven feet below the base of the dam, where it rests on the bed rock, or rather is mortised two feet into the bed rock. This gives an idea of the thorough and substantial character of the work. The sides of the dam slope two feet to one of elevation, and the water side is faced with granite, taken from a quarry near the end of the dam. The capacity of the lake is estimated at twenty-five to thirty acres, and its volume at about one hundred and thirty millions of gallons. The reservoir is made thus large with a view to provide for the contingency of any winter in which there should be but little rain. The reservoir being filled to its full capacity in any wet winter, will hold more than enough water to supply all the present or prospective wants of San Rafael and vicinity for more than two years. But the dam can be raised seventeen feet higher, if need be, which would much more than double its capacity. There are but two dams on the coast that equal this in size, the Pillarcitos and the San Andreas, both on the Spring Valley Water Works. Mr. Hermann Schussler, who built these two, is also the Chief Engineer of the Lagunitas dam. The water is brought down here in an eight-inch pipe, having a fall of seven hundred and forty-three feet, and a carriage of one and a half million gallons a day. The road so far leads through canyons without extensive views, but is made beautiful by the variety of the forms and tints of the foliage on the creek banks and hillsides. The deep rich green of the laurel, now loading the air with the pungent perfume of its lemon-colored blossoms, the ceano-thus, often hiding its verdure under the luxuriance of its wild lilac flowers, the manzanita, showing white and pink blossoms intermingled with greyish green leaves, the evergreen oak, the holly, the dark redwood and the light green madrona, all evergreens, are the predominant features in this vegetation; deciduous trees and plants, which are bare of leaves at this season being comparatively rare. The wild gooseberry, however, is in bloom; the buckeye has opened its leaf buds, and the wild hazel has hung out its catkins as signs that spring is here. Wild flowers of many kinds appear also, though not in such numbers as to hide the grass. From Lagunitas, the trail—for from this point there is no wagon road—is steep and leads through the chaparral, with some hard climbing for the horses; but we arrived safely on the summit half an hour before noon, though the distance—eleven miles from San Rafael, with an elevation of two thousand feet—could have been made in two hours and a half. The day was not perfectly clear, but it was clear enough to make all feel that they had been fortunate in selecting the time. The view is less comprehensive than from Diablo, and in many respects inferior; but is in other respects superior and it is by far the best bird's-eye view of the Bay of San Francisco and its surroundings. The ascent is but an easy pleasure-ride from San Rafael, between the hours of breakfast and supper—that is eight A. M. and six P. M.—with an ample scope for rest of several hours on the summit. Though the central summit, selected for the Station of the United States Coast Survey, is not the highest point, (two thousand five hundred and ninety-four,) the east peak exceeding it by some eight or ten feet, yet, from its more central position, the view from it is probably more comprehensive. The ascent is made from the northwest base of the mountain, through a ravine leading to the summit ridge, which is indicated by the numerous trails of horned cattle, migrating to and from either side of the mountain, for change of herbage and water. The scenery in that region is "wild and romantic, showing abrupt declivities and deep ravines ; a wilderness of redwood, cedar and chaparral, in which are frequently found the blanched antlers of the elk, an animal now extinct, or hardly ever met with in these glades. The mountain summit is gained from thence by a succession of out-croppings between barren stretches, with only here and there a stunted cedar, or patches of low brambles. The view from the Flagstaff Station is striking, over one hundred and fifty degrees of the western horizon being occupied by the Pacific Ocean; from Bodega Head, near the site of the early Russian settlement, Fort Ross, Tomales bay, and that remarkable low spit of land forming Point Reyes, and indicating the entrance to the Bay of Sir Francis Drake, in the northwest, round to the outer Bay of the Golden Gate, with the Farralones floating in the center of that western hemisphere; the northeastern quarter section occupied by distant mountain ranges, from Mount St. Helena and its eastern declivities to the hills of Montezuma, the foot-hills of the distant Sierra Nevada and" the San Pablo Coast, enclosing a segment of San Pablo bay, abruptly cut off by the eastern peak of the Tamalpais Range, the very range on which we stand, which, culminating here in a towering mass, impedes the view in a due easterly direction. The southeasterly quarter section left for us to describe, is as full of interesting detail as it is enchantingly beautiful ; haziness of atmosphere impeding the view of the southern end of the Bay of San Francisco, we have an apparently unbroken line of mountain ridges, from the Santa Cruz Mountains south, to the Contra Costa Hill Range east, overtopped by the double peak of Mount Diablo, in an east-southeasterly direction; the shore-line of Contra Costa, studded with the clearly discernable sites of its growing settlements, and, opposite Oakland, on the extreme western, needle-like projection of the Southern Peninsula, the Bay City, with its wharfs and shipping, telegraph and Russian Hills, and even the street lines in range of sight. To our right, as well as to our left, we have in the foreground the abrupt lines of the declivities of the mountain itself, with a labyrinth of sinuosities, terminating in the projection of two prominent head-lands, encircling Saucelito and Richardson's bay, at our feet; the one on the left, Corte de Madera, terminating in the head-lands opposite Angel Island, with Raccoon Straits and Stillwater bay between; that to the right massing itself in the Saucelito head-lands, forming the northern shore of the Golden Gate passage, with Lime Point, Point Diablo, and the Bonita Lighthouse; the opposite, or southern shore showing Fort Point, Presidio, and Black Point, and glimpses of the passage between; while the San Miguel, San Bruno, and Sierra Moreno Range form the ascending scale of the Southern Peninsula, with the distant Santa Cruz Range on the horizon. What at first bewildered the beholder with the impression of a confused ^archipelago, by following the lines of .the main land, resolves itself into the center of the Bay of San Francisco, between San Pablo and San Mateo, and the grand tide channel, the body of water between Contra Costa and the Golden Gate passage, with Angel, Yerba Buena and Alcatraz Islands —the latter with its formidable batteries—appearing as a mere rocky islet, an illuminated speck in the azure lake! We here reproduce the following lines which are from the pen of Mrs. F. D. Sweetser nee Maria E. Sutherland, a local poetess of much culture and sympathy of feeling. MT. TAMALPAIS. We will off! We'll away, at the breaking of day! From the slumbering town .to the green hills away! Let them sleep who can, with pulse heavy and slow, But away, light as thistledown, pony we go, Through fields and through valleys, o'er hill we will fly. Away to the haunts of the deer we will hie. We tread rarest scents from the dew laden flowers, And shake from the brushwood dew diamonds in showers; The birds songs are ringing out, joyous and free; The sweetest of all earthly music to me. We climbed our loved Tamalpais, rugged and steep, And light o'er the sage as the deer let us sweep. We laugh at all obstacles, we have no fear; On! on! my brave pony, the summit is near, At last we have mounted his grey rcfeky crest, All breathless and panting, awhile we will rest. The morning is tine; fast away rolls the mist, This scene of enchantment, what heart could resist! At our feet the Pacific, on whose wrinkled old face One homeward-bound steamer is traveling apace; Bravely and speedily, toward the broad Gate Where loved ones her coming so anxiously wait. Countless sails o'er the water, like huge sea birds fly, To all points of the compass the tiny barks hie. I follow their flight—like birds on the wing— And lift up my voice with the fishers and sing. On my right a miniature world is unrolled, All the glories of Nature spread out, and unfold: Tiny forests and valleys, and green rolling hills, Spreading plains, murmuring streamlets and gay dancing rills, In sunshine of amber, and soft viel-like shade, As if for my ^pleasure, at my humble feet laid. My love for these mountains no language can tell, Whose shade o'er my dwelling since infancy fell. I love thee, proud Tamalpais, guard of our town, Whose face in calm majesty ever looks down. Far grander and higher the Yosemite's white dome. But less dear to my heart, because further from home, Of the mountains of Scotland, my father oft tells, And with love that's inherent, my Scottish heart thrills; With the Highlander's rapture, my youthful breast swells, As I roam free, untramelled, o'er Marin's green hills. I love them! I love them! and shall till I die; When I pray that my grave in their bosom may lie. Thou, king of them all, with your grey rocky crest— When I die, may they lay me to sleep on thy breast. With regard to the derivation of the name of this famous mountain it is said that Tamalpais is a compound word belonging to the ancient Aztec language; Tamal signifying an article of food, prepared thus: cornmeal made into a stiff dough, inclosing a piece of meat, making a sort of dumpling, which is enveloped in a corn-husk and boiled. Pais, means region or country, thus, putting the two together in .English, then we have as a name for the region surrounding that noble elevation, "Dumpling Land." Another "undoubted authority" states that it is derived from the language spoken by the Nicasio Indians, the two words being Tamal, the coast, and Pais, a mountain, collectively, Tamalpais, coast mountain. To the reader is left the choice of either derivation. The following tale, in regard to Tamalpais, has been sent to us by an old resident, and may prove interesting: It appears that many years ago Jacob P. Leese was surveying in portions of the district, and had with him as assistants the old Indian chief Marin, for whom the county was named, and some of his followers. It became necessary for Mr. Leese to establish an initial point on the top of Mount Tamalpais and wished that Marin and some others should go up with him. To this they made strong objections on account, as they said, that the top of the mountain was inhabited by evil spirits, and no one could-go up there and come back alive. Mr. Leese tried in vain to persuade some one of them to accompany him to the summit; he finally decided to go up alone, which he did, the Indians saying to him that they never expected to see him again. When Leese had reached the top, and accomplished his purpose, he was, for a time, puzzled to know how he could convince the redskins of his having reached the summit. To do this he placed a large limb across an old dead tree, thus forming a cross which could be seen from the valley below. He then descended and directed the attention of the Indians to the cross. Prior to this Marin had been considered by his followers, as the bravest man in the world; he therefore found that now it would never do for him to be afraid to attempt what a white man had accomplished. Marin then determined, against the most earnest entreaties of his men, to go up where the white man had been. Tearing himself away from his tribe he ascended that monstrous high hill alone, and when there had to study how he should convince his followers of the fact. All he had on were a pair of duck pants and a red flannel shirt, and hard as it was he concluded to part with his shirt and hang it on the arm of Mr. Leese's cross, which having done he returned to the foot of the mountain, but his followers seeing him without his garment, at once concluded that he had been robbed of his uniform by the Devil himself, but pointing out to them with becoming pride his shirt waving upon the cross, much joy was expressed on his restoration to them as the bravest of the brave. RAILROADS.—Of all the means which tend to cause the rapid settlement of a country, perhaps there are none which produce such quick results as the railroad. So soon as it is learned that the fiery horse is snorting through a hitherto unknown territory, so sure are travelers to make their appearance, and as the numbers of these increase, more certain is it that permanent occupiers will follow, trading posts be opened, and around their nucleus before the lapse of many weeks will a town spring up. As the transportation of freights is facilitated, so will produce increase, and as crops multiply, still more certain it is that peace and plenty will reign. The want of a rapid means of transportation had long been felt in Marin county, and though many lines of railroads from all parts of the surrounding districts had been mooted, it was not until the first year of this decade that a line of cars became unfait accompli. We will now consider the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad.—This line which traverses the entire length of the Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and Russian River valleys, was commenced in the year 1869, and was completed to its present terminus at Cloverdale in 1872. As a road, not one in the entire State is more complete in its appointments, while from its incipience to the present time it has progressed with the county, and reflects much credit upon its builders and upon its management. The builder of the line, and the President of the company is Colonel Peter Donahue. His attention was first called to the work by the Hon. A. P. Overton, now a prominent citizen of Santa Rosa and formerly of Petaluma. Colonel Donahue, with that keen business foresight for which he is so eminent among his compeers, at once saw the necessity which existed for such a road, took in hand, and pushed it to its completion with that iron will which knows not let nor hindrance. Of Colonel Donahue's labors, Mr. R. A. Thompson says: "To that enterprise, which has placed Colonel Donahue in the foremost rank of the business men of the great metropolis of the Pacific coast, we owe our excellent facilities for communication with San Francisco. When others faltered or drew back, he pressed to the front. His business sagacity and capital proved the "open sesame" which smoothed and made straight our highway to the sea, over which the varied products of Sonoma county are transported (a rich tribute) to his adopted city, San Francisco." Colonel A A. Bean, a most accomplished gentleman, is the manager of the line. North Pacific Coast Railroad.—The North Pacific Coast Railroad extends from a point in Marin county, opposite San Francisco, through that county into Sonoma, and terminates at Duncan's mill, on Russian river. Milton S. Latham is President of the company. W. F. Russell is Secretary and general agent, John W. Dougherty is general manager, W. B. Price is Auditor and general passenger agent, C. B. Mansfield is assistant superintendent, and J. W. Fillmore, train despatcher. The road was first opened January, 1875. Freight cars cross the Bay of San Francisco on barges to the opposite shore at Saucelito, the land terminus of the road, a distance of six miles; or, reversing the order, they carry the freight laden cars from the terminus to the city. Each barge has a capacity for twelve loaded cars, making a great saving in transporting freight. The road has a second terminus on the Bay of San Francisco, at San Quentin, by a branch road, which leaves the main line two miles north of San Rafael. The Saucelito terminus is used for freight business, while the San Quentin terminus is used principally for the passenger business. This latter terminus is connected with San Francisco, a distance of about nine miles, by two elegant ferry boats, built in New York exclusively for this line, and for travel between the city of San Francisco and San Rafael. The road is a narrow gauge, being three feet between the rails. Leaving San Rafael, the road runs through Marin county, passing Ross* valley by Fairfax and Pacheco, to the summit, known as White Hill, at the head of Ross valley. The grade in this ascent is one hundred and twenty-one feet to the mile, and so doubles back upon itself that in one instance the tracks are not one hundred yards apart after traversing a distance of three-fourths of a mile. At the summit the road passes through a tunnel thirteen hundred feet long, and descends into the valley of San Geromino creek to Nicasio, and from there to Tomales. The route to this point is through a splendid dairy country, and, for all those rare beauties of scenery peculiar to California, it can nowhere be surpassed. For a year and a half the northern terminus of the road was at Tomales, fifty-four miles from Saueelito. The entrance to Sonoma county was barred as it were, by a wall of solid rock, through which it was necessary to cut a tunnel seventeen hundred feet in length. The men who formed this company were not to be deterred by obstacles even as formidable as this rocky barrier; they pierced it, and soon the hills which enclosed the fertile valleys of southwestern Sonoma echoed the steam-whistle of the approaching locomotive. The road was finished to its destined terminus on Russian river in the winter of 1876-7. Just before reaching Valley Ford the road crosses the Estero Americano, and enters Sonoma county, passing Valley Ford, a .pretty village; but just why its church should have Been built across the line in Marin county, is beyond our ken. Steaming north, we pass Bodega Corners depot, and next Freestone. Just beyond Freestone the road enters the redwood timber belt, ascends Salmon creek by a steep grade to Howard's Station, crossing there the summit of the divide between the waters which fall, on the south, into Bodega bay, and on the north, into Russian river. Just before reaching Howard's the road passes over one of the highest bridges west of the Mississippi river. The bridge is one hundred and thirty-seven feet high. At Howard's we have fairly entered the redwood timber fields, and begin to realize the ultimate aims of the projectors of this enterprise, and the business it is destined to develop. Up to the fall of 1876 there were only three small saw-mills on or near the line of the road,-and the great expense of hauling made them available only for the local trade. It has been but nine months since the road was completed, and there are now (1877) on the line of the road six large saw-mills, sending to market daily one hundred and seventy-five thousand feet of lumber, besides great quantities of shingles, laths, pickets, cord-wood, tan-bark, and charcoal. Streeten's mill is owned by Latham & Streeten; has a capacity of fifteen thousand feet per day; has about one thousand acres of land; employs forty men. The Russian River Land and Lumber Company is owned by Governor M. S. Latham, the largest owner of timber-land in this section, having ten thousand acres in one body. From Streeten's mill to Duncan's, with the exception of two miles, the road passes through its land; It owns all the timber-land on the old Bodega Rancho that lies in Ocean township. Its two mills—the Tyrone mill and the Moscow mill (at Moscow)—have each a capacity of forty thousand feet per day. Each mill employs from eighty to ninety men, and in the logging for both mills about sixty cattle are employed. The logs are hauled to mill on small locomotives, or tramways laid with railroad iron. The lumber, as at all the six saw-mills, is loaded directly on the cars, and not rehandled until delivered at the wharf in San Francisco. The saving of labor, expense and breakage, from this fact alone, will at once be appreciated by any one familiar with the lumber business. The next mill below is one of the mills of the Madrona Land and Lumber Company, near the intersection of Howard creek with Russian river. This company has about one thousand acres of land, and the mill has a capacity of twenty thousand feet per day, employing fifty men. A branch track runs three-fourths of a mile up the Russian river to another mill of this company, having a capacity of twenty-five thousand feet per day, and -employing sixty men. Following down the Russian river we pass the Moscow mill (already mentioned), and cross the river on the four-hundred-foot bridge to Duncan's mill. Mr. A. Duncan, the senior proprietor, is the oldest lumberman on this river. He owns four thousand acres of land, principally on Austin creek, which empties into Russian river opposite of Moscow. Duncan's mill has a capacity of thirty-five thousand feet per day, and employs seventy-five men. It is estimated that the lands owned by these parties will produce six hundred million feet of lumber. Immediately upon the completion of the road, the southern terminus of the northern coast stages for Stewart's Point, Valhalla, Mendocino City, Point Arena, and Navarra Ridge, was changed to Duncan's mill, making a great saving in time for all the northwest coast. A description of this road would be incomplete without referring to the great inducements it offers to pleasure-seekers and sportsmen. It is not a sufficiently strong assertion to say that no route of eighty miles out of San Francisco offers such a variety of beautiful scenery. Moscow and Duncan's mill (opposite the river), are two charming spots, and as picturesque as any in the State. The ocean winds, tempered by the distance of seven miles up the Russian river, prevail all through the Summer. Here are to be found the finest fishing and shooting. Austin creek is one of the notable trout streams in the State; quail abound; deer are still in the forests and glades. Salmon can be caught in large numbers in the river. We now conclude this portion of our work, and for any matter which may not be found in the foregoing pages, would refer the reader to the histories of the townships farther on. We have endeavored not to rob county history for the benefit of township history; in many cases, however, it has been impossible to follow the rule, therefore the annals of some of the latter are much fuller than others; this may or may not be a fault; at any rate when certain portions have been omitted in one place they will be found in another. We append the following beautiful lines by Bayard Taylor, as fully portraying the past, present, and future of Marin county:— O FAIR young land, the youngest, fairest far Of which our world can boast,— Whose guardian planet, Evening's silver star, Illumes thy golden coast,— How art thou conquered, tamed in all the pride Of savage beauty still ! How brought, O panther of the splendid hide, To know thy master's will! No more thou sittest on thy tawny hills In indolent repose; Or pour'st the crystal of a thousand rills Down from thy house of snows. But where the wild-oats wrapp'd thy knees in gold, The ploughman drives his share, And where, through canyons deep, thy streams are rolled, The miner's arm is bare. Yet in thy lap, thus rudely rent and torn, A nobler seed shall be: Mother of mighty men, thou shalt not mourn Thy lost virginity! Thy human children shall restore the grace Gone with thy fallen pines: The wild, barbaric beauty of thy face Shall round to classic lines. And Order, Justice, Social Law shall curb Thy untamed energies; And Art, and Science, with their dreams superb, Replace thine ancient ease. The marble, sleeping in thy mountains now, Shall live in sculptures rare; Thy native oak shall crown the sage's brow,— Thy bay, the poet's hair. Thy tawny hills shall bleed their purple wine, Thy valleys yield their oil; And Music, with her eloquence divine, Persuade thy sons to toil. Till Hesper, as he trims his silver beam, No happier land shall see, And Earth shall find her old Arcadian dream Restored again in thee! Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA; INCLUDING ITS Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatography; TOGETHER WITH A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Early History and Settlement, Compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish and American Pioneers; A Full Record of its Organization; A Complete Political History, including a Tabular Statement of Office-holders since the Formation of the County; Separate Histories of Bolinas, Nicasio, Novato, Point Reyes, San Antonio, San Rafael, Saucelito, and Tomales Townships; Incidents of Pioneer Life, and Biographical Sketches of its Early and Prominent Settlers and Representative Men; ALSO An Historical Sketch of the State of California, In which is embodied the Raising of the Bear Flag ILLUSTRATED. SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1880. 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