Yuba County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter 6 Navigation On The Rivers 1924 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 3, 2012, 2:02 am Book Title: History Of Yuba And Sutter Counties CHAPTER VI NAVIGATION ON THE RIVERS Previous to the year 1849, the navigation of the rivers above Sacramento City was confined to the voyages of canoes, whaleboats and small sailboats. These were used by the settlers to facilitate their journeys from one settlement to another, and to transport the supplies from the depots nearer the metropolis. Illustrative of the difficulties attending early navigation and transportation, the following may be mentioned. In 1848, by the aid of an Indian, a man living in this vicinity felled a sycamore tree and with axes fashioned it into the form of a canoe. In this frail and clumsy vessel he made the voyage to San Francisco, taking with him a barrel of corned beef, a present from Michael Nye to his brother-in-law, William Foster. Cordua started a trading post at his ranch and brought goods from San Francisco up the Sacramento and Feather Rivers in a boat. The winter of 1848-1849 was dry, and during the first part of the season the water in the Feather River was extremely low. Vernon, in Sutter County at the junction of the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, was then supposed to be the head of navigation, and it was at this point that most of the supplies for the northern mines were unloaded from the sailing vessels. It is said that after the location of the town, in April, 1849, several ships from Eastern ports discharged their cargoes at the landing-. In the spring of this year whaleboats went up Bear River as far as Johnson's Crossing, loaded with miners. They passed over the overflowed lands, and not up the stream, as the current there was too rapid. As yet the steamers had not visited the incipient city on the Yuba, the carrying trade being confined to sailing vessels. About the first of July, 1849, the river was so low that they grounded on Russian Crossing, a shoal about fifteen miles below Vernon. In the summer of 1849, Nicolaus Allegeier had a launch which he employed in transporting goods from San Francisco to supply his store at Nicolaus. It registered about fifteen tons and was propelled by oars and the wind; an old sailor, Jacob Walldorff, commanded, and had a crew of half a dozen Indians. During the last portion of 1849, a large number of whaleboats plied between Sacramento and Marysville, carrying goods and provisions. In the fall of this year and the spring of the next, large steamers came around the Horn and went up Feather River as far as Nicolaus. In 1849, a government vessel, with supplies from Camp Far West, came to Nicolaus, and the cargo was hauled in wagons to the fort. The winter of 1849-1850 was exceedingly wet, the whole country being flooded. The Feather River was high and the river steamers made their advent just in time to ascend the channel as far as Cordua's Ranch, or Yubaville, as it was called shortly after, and before, the adoption of the name Marysville. This change of the terminal point of navigation from Vernon caused its fall, the rise of the upper town proving the destruction of the lower. In the latter part of 1849, the Linda Company, in a vessel called the Linda, arrived after a passage around the Horn, and took the ship to Sacramento. They brought with them the machinery for a small stern-wheel steamer. This was transferred to a scow at that place, and the crude and diminutive steamer was named the Linda. As soon as it was constructed, a cargo of freight was loaded for a man named Ferguson, who kept a store at Barton's Bar. In the last part of 1849, about December, the little steamer came up the river and went as far as the location of Rose's Ranch. When the Indians along the river saw this strange object ascending the stream, propelled by an unseen power, and heard it puff, they thought an evil spirit was pursuing them and fled to the woods. After seeing it land at the bank, and on perceiving that the whites were not at all afraid, they came out and expressed themselves much pleased with the new and strange kind of boat. During January, 1850, a small side-wheel steamer, the Lawrence, under command of Capt. E. C. M. Chadwick, made her appearance at Marysville. She had been built in the East, and was shipped around the Horn in sections. There seems to be some difference in opinion as to which steamer, the Linda or the Lawrence, deserves the credit of being the pioneer; but there appears no reasonable doubt that the Linda was the first to ascend the Feather and Yuba Rivers. The Lawrence continued to make regular trips between Marysville and Sacramento, proving exceedingly profitable to her owners, and very convenient to the traveling public. The fare to Sacramento was $25; and freight, including the blankets of the passengers, was eight cents a pound. For $1.50 a berth could be secured, but the occupant was obliged to furnish his own bedding. The success of this boat, and the immense amount of travel, soon brought other steamers onto the route. The third boat to appear was the Governor Dana, in April, 1850. She was a stern-wheeler, of about eighty tons register. In April, 1850, the fare from Marysville to San Francisco was $35. About the middle of 1851, it was found that the snags imbedded in the bottom of the river were likely to prove serious impediments to its navigation, and might stop it altogether, a result that would prove extremely disastrous to Marysville. The business men, as well as other prominent citizens, met, and agreed to pay by subscription for the removal of the obstructions. The contract was let, and the labor commenced. The work was completed before the rainy season set in, but the subscribers to the fund were not all prompt in fulfilling their promises. It was only by great exertions that the amounts subscribed could be collected. On August 16, 1851, the steamer Fawn was blown up on the river, several miles below Marysville. In 1854, despite the fact that river transportation between San Francisco and Marysville was sought by many vessels, the California Steam Navigation Company and the Citizens' Steam Navigation Company were formed to compete for the business. Of the latter concern, John H. Jewett and Peter Decker, who formed the well-known banking firm of Marysville, were president and trustee, respectively. In 1874 a new line of steamers was started by D. E. Knight, W. T. Ellis, and J. R. Rideout. The steamer C. M. Small was purchased and placed on the route to San Francisco. In 1875 the company built the D. E. Knight at Marysville. These two steamers carried freight up the Feather River until the early nineties, when the filling of the channel with mining detritus, pouring in from the mountains at each freshet, caused navigation to cease. A movement is on foot at the present time to induce the United States government and the State of California to interest themselves in the reestablishment of navigation on the Feather River. The success of the C. M. Small and of the D. E. Knight is being used as proof of what can be done if navigation is restored on the stream. The C. M. Small was built in this State, and was of 120 tons register. She was a stern-wheel, low-water boat. The Knight was of 160 tons register, and also a stern-wheel, low-water boat. Both were freight-boats, carrying grain and produce to San Francisco and returning loaded with merchandise. Four barges were operated in connection with these boats. They were the Hope, Marysville, Sutter, and Paradise. During the period just prior to the withdrawal of the boats on account of the condition of the channels of the Yuba and Feather Rivers, all merchandise destined for Marysville was landed either at Yuba City or on the opposite bank of the Feather River, where a small freight-shed was maintained. From this point the freight was hauled into Marysville by teams. During the winter and seasons of high water, however, the boats were able to reach the foot of D Street and land at the levee, a great accommodation and saving to the merchants of Marysville. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF YUBA and SUTTER COUNTIES CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the Counties Who Have Been Identified with Their Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY PETER J. DELAY ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 1924 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yuba/history/1924/historyo/chapter6319gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 9.0 Kb