Plumas County CA Archives History - Books .....Quartz Township 1882
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Book Title: Illustrated History Of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

QUARTZ TOWNSHIP.

This is one of the two original townships into which the Plumas section of Butte
county was divided in 1851, but at that time embraced territory largely in
excess of its present dimensions. [See the official history on a previous page.]
The name was derived from the remarkable quartz discoveries made that summer on
Gold mountain, now known as the Plumas Eureka mine. On the twenty-third of May,
1851, a party of nine prospectors camped near Gold mountain, or Eureka peak. Two
members of the party, named Merethew and Peck, having gone to the top of the
peak to take observations of the surrounding country, came upon the bold
croppings of a ledge that showed rich quartz to be plentiful. The "original
nine," as they called themselves, or the "nine originals," as they were called
by others, gathered in friends to the number of thirty-six in all, and on the
fifth of June, 1851, organized a company. Satisfied that they had indeed "found
it," they named their ledge and company Eureka. The news soon spread, and miners
began to pour in from the Middle Feather, and from Nelson creek and vicinity.
The Eureka company claimed thirty feet square for each of its members; but the
new-comers being in a majority, a meeting was called, which cut the size of the
claims down to twenty feet. The Eureka company then staked off their ground,
took possession of the lake near by for a water supply, erected some arrastras,
and began to work in a modest way. The outsiders then organized a company, and
because of the fact that they numbered just seventy-six souls, they bestowed the
name of Washington upon their location. They were not content with the slow work
of arrastras, but wanted a mill at once. They went down to the flat on Jamison
creek, located a mill-site, and laid out a town, which was called the City of
76. A mill with sixteen stamps was erected, and ran but a short time, when the
company made a complete failure, having spent about $100,000. Another company
with forty members located some croppings on the south-east side of the
mountain, calling themselves the Rough and Ready company. Still another company
of about eighty men made the Mammoth location, north-east of the Eureka claim.
They were satisfied with what could be done by arrastras till the spring of
1856, when they were enabled to erect a twelve-stamp mill. The Rough and Ready
company erected a mill with twelve stamps at once, and so crippled themselves
that work had to be suspended in 1854. It was resumed in 1857 for a time, and
again suspended. The Eureka company worked with arrastras for a while, then used
Chili wheels. In 1855 they put up a twelve-stamp mill, followed a few years
later by one with sixteen stamps, to which eight more were added in 1870. In
1867 an injunction was secured by John Parrott of San Francisco to restrain Nane
Elwell, & Co., who had been working the Washington ledge with arrastras for
several years. In 1870 Parrott secured title to both the Washington and Rough
and Ready locations, having previously become possessed of the Eureka claim. The
following year he disposed of the whole property to the Sierra Buttes Company,
of London, England, the present owners. The new company erected a large mill the
next year, and have since been working the claims on a magnificent scale. They
also purchased the old Mammoth location, thus acquiring complete possession of
the quartz locations on the mountain. Plumas Eureka Mine is the name given to
the telegraph office, and Eureka Mills the designation of the post-office. They
are both located at the little settlement on the mountain-side, where the first
mill was built, and where the office of the company now is. There are also a
store and a hotel kept on the hill. Four companies of Italians pay the company a
monthly rental for the privilege of working tailings from the mill, in doing
which they are running about forty arrastras very profitably.

   JAMISON.—This is a small village on the creek of the same name, each named
after a pioneer of this section. In an early day it was a prosperous mining
camp, and a store was established as early as 1853. The first physician was Dr.
Geiger, who built the celebrated Geiger grade from Washoe to the Comstock. J.
Kitts kept a hotel in the early times, the same one managed later by George S.
McLear. The town has lived along as an adjunct to the mines ever since its
foundation. November 19, 1880, the entire place was consumed by fire. There are
now a hotel, post-office, store, express office, and saloon.

   JOHNSVILLE —This town is a growth of the extensive operations of the Sierra
Buttes Company, and was started in 1876. It is located on Jamison creek, on a
level tract of land neiir the base of Plumas Eureka mountain. In that year John
Banks located twenty acres, and erected a hotel building, now owned and kept by
Willoughby Brothers. The name was given it in honor of William Johns, the
popular superintendent of the mines. The first store in the new town was opened
by Martinetti & Co., in the building now occupied by Willoughby Brothers. The
second building in the village was erected by August Crazer, in 1876, and used
as a brewery. It was afterwards destroyed by a land-slide, and rebuilt. The
first school was taught in a private dwelling by Miss Adelia Cain. The town is a
thriving one commercially, having three merchandising establishments, kept by
Willoughby Brothers, O. B. Dolly, and J. F. Bacher & Co. There are two hotels,
the Mountain House by Willoughby Brothers, and the Johnsville. Besides these,
there are two meat markets, and the usual complement of saloons.

   Mohawk Lodge No. 292, I. O. O. F., was instituted at this place by J. M.
Chapman, D. D., September 8, 1880. The charter members were John Neville, M.
Willoughby, R. C. Bryant, John Daly, and F. Rodoni. The hall is over F. Rodoni's
saloon, and is well furnished. The lodge had a membership of 25 on the first of
January, 1882, with the following officers: John Neville, N. G.; R. C. Bryant,
V. G.; C. Stinson, R. S. N. G.; Thomas Delbridge, L. S. N. G.; R. Tramaloni, R.
S. V. G.; C. Rosetti, L. S.V. G.; M. Willoughby, Sec'y; F. Rodoni, Treas.; W. M.
Pratt, I. G.; John Daly, W.; Dr. Chas. M. Hill, Con.; J. C. Knickrem, R. S. S.;
F. Meffley, L. S. S.

   MOHAWK VALLEY.—This is a narrow strip of land lying on either side of a
stream of the same name, and well adapted to dairying purposes, to which use it
is largely put. As you enter the valley in going from Quincy to Reno or Truckee,
you first come upon the quiet roadside home of Uncle Billy Parker, an old
pioneer, well and favorably known throughout the whole section. He also keeps a
store for the accommodation of the sparsely settled neighborhood. Next is the
20-Mile House, kept by the Cromberg brothers, at which is a post-office called
Cromberg. Next is Sutton's, where is Mohawk post-office, William Knott,
postmaster. It was established in 1869, with the same gentleman in office, and
was recently removed to its present location. Here Mr. Sutton keeps a hotel for
the entertainment of travelers, and a store and saw-mill make quite a village.
Next is the fine Howe truss bridge, erected in 1881, at an expense of $3,877.
Some distance beyond the bridge is Wash post-office, established in 1875, and
named in honor of an old and respected citizen, Mr. Wash, recently deceased.
Located near Sutton's, on a beautiful knoll sloping to the east, is the quiet
Mohawk burying-ground. The site was chosen by a Mr. Trimble, who became the
first to be interred there.

   At the head of the valley, close up to the encircling mountains, is Sulphur
Springs ranch and hotel, property of George S. McLear, member of the board of
supervisors for this district. This is one of the most beautiful and attractive
of the mountain resorts of Plumas. It lies on the sunny side of the valley,
5,000 feet above the sea, overlooking fine meadows, beyond which rise the lofty,
snow-capped peaks of the Sierra summits. The water of this spring is warm, and
known as white sulphur. It has never been analyzed, but is believed to closely
resemble the famous springs of Virginia. The hotel building contains three
stories, is finely furnished, and pleasingly managed by Mrs. McLear and her
estimable daughter Frankie. It is located on the stage road from Quincy and
Plumas Eureka to Truckee, and the Sierra Iron and Quincy R. R. Co. will soon
have a narrow-gauge track connecting the valley with Reno.

   Prominent among the residents of the valley is Mr. G. W. Meylert, extensively
engaged in dairying and raising vegetables. He supplied the Plumas Eureka
Company the past year with 120,000 lbs. of potatoes, 30,000 lbs. of cabbage,
20,000 lbs. of turnips, 7,000 lbs. of beets, 7,000 lbs. of carrots, and 26,000
lbs. of onions.

   There are some gravel mines in the valley, a quartz ledge owned by Hapgood &
Co., which prospects well; also some rich iron ore yet undeveloped, but which
gives promise of great value. The valley and adjacent mountains are covered with
a heavy growth of excellent timber, and the coming of the railroad promises to
work wonders in the development of the latent resources of this region.

   The first settlement in the valley was made in the early part of June, 1851,
by Asa Gould and a few others on the Mohawk ranch, now the property of Mrs.
King. The same party, with a few others, among whom were Jamison, whose name was
given to the town of Jamison, and a Mr. Friend, located the Sulphur Springs
place, now the property of Mr. McLear, early in the following July. The name
Mohawk was given to the valley by these first settlers, in honor of the valley
by the same name in the Allegheneys, from which some of them came.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties

San Francisco: Fariss & Smith
(1882)


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