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HISTORY
El
Dorado County, California.
CHAPTER
XVII.
El
Dorado County, Geographically,
Reaches from the plains of Sacramento, on the west, over
a dividing range, to the line of the State of Nevada on the east, a
distance of over sixty miles ; and from the Middle Fork of the American
river on the north to the South fork of the Consumnes river on the south ;
comprising an area of about 1,800 square miles. From west to east, there
is a gradual change of temperature, commencing with a region where snow
and frost are comparatively unknown, and where the summer heat is almost
tropical, and culminating in snows thirty and forty feet deep, and with an
occasional dip of the thermometer to twenty degrees below zero.
Occasionally the winter snows prevail as far down as Placerville (2,300
feet altitude), but here the temperature rarely reaches lower than ten
degrees below freezing. During the time when the freight and travel to and
from Virginia City all passed this way, the road over the summit, an
elevation of 7,373 feet, was kept open all winter, and passengers and
mails were regularly carried through.
In the lower part of the county the summer temperature
ranges from eighty to one hundred degrees, but as throughout California,
the nights are always pleasant ; while the dryness of the atmosphere
relieves the heat of the day of the sultry character so trying in the
Atlantic States. Occasionally, for a few hours during the middle of the
day, the thermometer has been known to register one hundred degrees, as
far up as Cedar Rock. This, however, is rare, and morning and evening
fires are generally required even in July, at an elevation of 3,500 feet
and above.
The summers in the mountains are delightful ; a medium
between the piercing breezes of San Francisco and the dull placidity of
the southern coast. The occasional sharp thunder storms keep the atmosphere clear,
pure and bracing, and many an invalid has been restored
to health as the result of a few month's campaigning under the pines ;
while the effect is not less beneficial on all who have the means and
leisure to enjoy a season of hunting and fishing in the delectable region.
No one can ever make such a trip without wishing to repeat it, and those
whose business takes them up there regularly, are always anxiously looking
forward for the time of the annual migration.
To come down from the clouds, El Dorado county is
bounded on the south by Amador county, west by Sacramento county, by
Placer county north, and by the State of Nevada and Alpine county east.
The scenery of the thus enclosed part of the State of California is
classified among the most magnificent in the world ; everywhere there is
something worth seeing, whether it be the quietly pastoral or grandly
picturesque. Fountain and lake, forest and meadow, peak and valley make up
this section of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. On this range are
found such prominent and noble points as Park Peak, Mount Tallac, Crystal
Peak, Thompson's Peak and Pyramid Peak ; besides innumerable lakelets of
beauty, such as Fallen Leaf Lake, Look Lake, Silver Lake, Clear Lake, Lake
Tallac and valley Lake. El Dorado lays claim to a portion of that
unequalled sheet of water, Lake Bigler, the principal inlet of the
lake--Emerald Bay--being in the county. El Dorado county is well off in
the matter of water, a host of creeks filling every bed in the spring,
while the Rubicon, the various branches of the American and Consumnes
rivers, which partly make the northern and southern boundary lines of the
county, partly run through it to their whole length, keep in flow
perennial. El Dorado possesses a great attraction in her underground
caverns, ornamented with those wonderful formations of nature's untired
work of many thousands of years called stalectites* and stalagmites. And
last, but not least, in the line of natural attractions there are the soda
and mineral springs, of which El Dorado county possesses a good many, and
though only little known yet, once doubtless will become sources of health
as well as of wealth.
For long years El Dorado county was one of the most
prosperous of the mining counties. It is estimated that the vast product
of the gold-fields of California at least $100,000,000 was taken out here.
There was a time when El Dorado county was a more important factor in the
State elections than the present metropolis, San Francisco ; yet for the
past twenty years the population and wealth has been steadily declining.
It is the repetition of all gold-mining communities : accumulations made
here, have been transferred to other regions, there to be enjoyed or added
to other riches. Scattered all over the Union are hundreds of men, now
rolling in wealth, who make their "stake" in the placers of El
Dorado county. A tithe of what has been carried away would have sufficed
to make these hillsides look like a garden and blossom as the rose. But
the industrious thousands who once swarmed in these canyons, digging for
the precious metal, have vanished, leaving ravished stream-beds and
abandoned camps, as the only monuments of their presence. Few remained,
save those who were too poor to get away, and these wander among the
hills, among the ruins of former prosperity, picking out a little from
crevices once passed by scorn, prospecting for pockets, quartz leads or
seams, satisfied if they can raise enough to keep soul and body together.
In the evening you may find them congregated at the nearest saloon,
entertaining each other with stories of the " flush times."
The good work accomplished by the few who staid here
because they wanted to, is sufficient to show what this country might
have been--and what it will be yet.
__________
Table
of Rainfall at Shingle Springs.
(Altitude 1,350 Feet.)
by J. R. Edwards, M. D.
Below we give a table of the rainfall for
19 years at Shingle Sprints in this county. It was made by the late Dr. J.
R. Edwards, beginning with September, 1849, and being continued to April
1868, which was a few months before his decease. This is probably the only
record existing of climatic observations made in the county, and supplies
the facts needed for a thorough knowledge of the character of the climate.
The heaviest rainfall in any year was 77.80 inches, during 1861-62 ; the
lightest, 17.20 inches, during 1850-51 ; the average 31.64 inches. The
heaviest rain in one month was 34.13 inches--January 1862. The next
heaviest 23.76 inches--December, 1867. The average fall during December
was 10.29 inches, during January 7.55 inches--more than half of yearly
rain being in these two months. A very small amount is shown for the six
months beginning with May--averaging a little more than one inch in that
month, and one ten-thousandths of an inch in August. As the result of
careful observations and registrations from the time of the first
settlement, this record is worthy of permanent preservation :
[ Click here for table]
Lake
Tahoe
Is located on the eastern side of the central ridge of
the Sierra Nevada. According to the observations of the United States
geographical surveying corps, under command of Lieut. George M. Wheeler,
the altitude of the lake is 6,202 feet above the level of the sea ; that
of Tahoe City, 6,251, and of Hot Springs, 6,237 feet. The water of the
lake being shed from the solid granite and volcanic mountains that compose
its boundaries by more than thirty streams, is extremely pure and clear,
and when in a state of quietness, one can observe fish and other objects
most distinct and perfect to the depth of from thirty to forty feet ; it
is of blue color and very cold, but never freezes in the winter. The
temperature 800 feet below the surface always remains at 39.2o , the point
of maximum density of fresh pure water ; at the surface in the hotest*
weather, the temperature rises to 68o, and in the coldest sinks to 38o
only. The deepest soundings ever made were 2,800 feet. The greatest length
of the lake is 21.6 miles ; the greatest breadth 12 miles ; and the area
of the whole sheet of water is about 195 square miles ; El Dorado county
is entitled to claim nearly one-third of this area as located within her
lines. The water is a buoyant as any other pure water, and it is as safe
for sailing crafts as any. No more danger than what is common to other
places need be feared, either from wind or waves ; though no Indian would
dare to cross the lake, affirming their belief that an evil spirit would
draw them to the bottom, if they would make an attempt.
The bed of Lake Tahoe, by some is supposed to be the
crater of an extinct volcano, and to be unfathomable. There are some
indications of undoubtable volcanic origin : the masses of scorious or
calcereous rock, mentioned already in Fremont's narrative, scattered all
about the lake shore and along the banks of the Truckee river ; a small
conical mound, evidently created by solfataras, may be seen near by, a
little to the northwest of Tahoe City ; and the occasional occurrence of
hot springs on the lake shore as well as in the lake, are evidence enough
for this theory. Proof of the later assertion is an incident that was
witnessed in September, 1866, from Saxton's saw-mill, by a number of
persons.' The water perfectly smooth and calm at the time, when suddenly
at a locality about two hundred and fifty yards out from shore, was
observed to rise in columnar form about five or six feet above the surface
of the surrounding water, but soon subsiding and falling down in a
whirlpool ; this phenomenon being repeated several times--one person rowed
out in a small boat and found the water at that spot quite warm. The bed
of the lake in the locality surrounding this accident is from thirty to
forty feet below the surface of the water, while at the very spot, for a
circle of bout thirty yards, a hole has been sounded that is at least
forty feet deeper, and no fish are to be seen around there, while in
former years it has been an excellent fishing ground.
The name of this lake forms a piece of history in
itself. The first mentioning of its existence was made by Fremont, who in
his report to the chief of topographical engineers, under date of January
10th, 1844, ways :
"Beyond a defile between the mountains, descending
rapidly about 2,000 feet, and filling up all the lower spaces, was a sheet
of green water, some twenty miles broad. It broke upon our eyes like the
ocean. The neighboring peaks rose high above us, and we ascended one of
them to get a better view. The waves were curling in the breeze, and their
dark green color showed it to be a body of deep water. For a long time we
sat enjoying the view ; for we had become fatigued with mountains, and the
free expanse of moving waves was very grateful. It was set like a gem in
the mountains, which, from our position, seemed to enclose it almost
entirely. Its position at first inclined us to believe it Mary's lake,
(sink of Humboldt or Mary's river), but the rugged mountains were so
entirely discordant with the description of its low, rushing shores, and
open country, that we concluded it some unknown body of water, which it
afterwards proved to be. The shore was rocky--a handsome beach, which
reminded us of the sea."
Fremont called it "Mountain Lake," and so it
was called in California until 1853.
In 1852, the surveyor-general, on a surveying trip for
the line of a new wagon road across the Sierras suggested the name of the
governor of California, Bigler, for the lake, and this title was conferred
upon it by an act of the Legislature of California, in honor of the honest
governor, whose reputation--as pure as the water of the lake--never had
been smirched by the tongue of scandal. And it became officially and
generally known as
"Lake
Bigler."
Dr. Henry De Groot, in 1859, was exploring the
mountains, and gathered at the same time a vocabulary of Indian words, in
the Washoe dialect. After him tah-oo-ee means a great deal of water ;
tah-ve, means snow, and tah-oo means water ; and being a writer for the
press, he published his explorations in the Scramento* Union,
suggesting at the same time the word tah-oo-ee, as an appropriate
name for Lake Bigler, being the Indian term "big water." And
when, in 1863, the Rev. T. Starr King and party visited the lake--this was
in the time of the rebellion, and Governor Bigler denounced by them as a
"copperhead" and secessionist, and therefore unworthy of the
honor to dedicate his name to so great a feature of natural scenery, and
he (Starr King) appealed himself authority to christen it Lake Tahoe.
California, as well as Nevada Legislatures have
repeatedly passed resolutions since that the name of the lake be Lake
Bigler, but the name of Tahoe in the mean time had become too much rooted
down, that the official declaration could replace it for general use,
disposing entirely with the Indian "big water," and now both
names are justified, though Lake Tahoe having the greater popularity.
Even a fourth name turned up for some time, and at
several times some efforts were made to adopt it officially. A map of this
country, published in Europe, was introduced here not infrequently by
European immigrants, arriving in early days, particularly those from
France, on this map the lake was marked Bonpland, called so with
Fremont's sanction, by Preuss, the draughtsman accompanying Fremont's
party in 1843 and 1844, in honor of Bonpland, a great traveler and
geographer accompanying Von Humboldt. All efforts, however, to
re-establish the name of Bonpland quieted down without any result.
From McKinney's creek, forming the county boundarie*
towards Placer, following the shore first south, then in a southeasterly
direction to the State line, El dorado has a shore-line on Lake
Tahoe--comprising Emerald Bay--of twelve to twenty miles, the State line
being resurveyed in 1876, was laid here about half a mile further east.
This portion of the lake shore was about the first settled in Lake valley,
though the population did not grow in proportion with other parts ; the
few hotels here, however, are just as well patronized by health and
pleasure-seekers from both California and Nevada as those of Tahoe City or
Glenbrook. There are the Lake House, Tom Rowland's place ; the Tallac
House, the property of E. J. Baldwin, (Lucky Baldwin), and the Fishmarket.
The old State Line House, about two miles east of Tom
Rowland's place, bunt down in September, 1877, being most pleasantly
situated on the lake shore, but its greater curiosity consisted in its
location on the State line between California and Nevada ; the latter
running right through the center of the dining-room, dividing the
dining-room table in the middle, making it optional with those taking
dinner whether they liked to dine in California or Nevada, or sit in both
States at the same time, by taking a seat at the end of the table, the bar
being in the State of Nevada.
About half a mile south of McKinney's and only a short
distance across over the county line, is another of the curious features
of the lake, called the "Georgetown snag." It is a dead tree
standing upon its end, having its anchorage in the water at the depth of
about 110 feet, rising from six to eight feet above the surface of the
water. The usual stand-point of this snag is about 150 yards from shore ;
but sometimes heavy winds cause it to shift around, yet it never has got
far from the spot where first discovered by white men.
As early as 1865 the lake was commenced to be looked at
as a water-way, its water became plyed then by two sailing crafts
(schooners); but with the increasing influx of summer boarders and
tourists the necessity arose to add to the attractions of the lake another
new feature, and as a steamer was thought to fulfill the whole programme
the best, so a steamer was built and launched, christened Gov. Stanford,
navigating the lake since the summer of 1873. The Stanford is a
nice, strong boat, built as a side-wheeler with two decks, in the
regularly sound-boat style. Her daily trip runs from Hot Springs to Tahoe
City and thence to Glenbrook, whence she takes the direction to Lake
Valley, Emerald Bay and Tahoe ; these trips connecting with the Central
Pacific Railroad on the one side, and the Benton's (Carson) stage (Hank
Monk driver) on the other side. The opposition has put in existence a
second passenger steamer the Niagra ; she is a paddle wheeler, like
the former, of about the same size, and as her owners have taken the
contract for carrying the mail, she is known as the United States mail
boat. The Meteor is a third boat, built ass a propeller, and
considered as the fastest boat on the Pacific coast, she is able to make
on the lake about twenty-five to twenty-six miles an hour ; but she only
occasionally attempts to satisfy passenger transportation as she is
engaged in the lumber trade.
Lake
Tahoe.
Bright Tahoe
lake ! For poet's pen fit theme
O, would the power were mine to paint the scene,
The charm that keeps me ling'ring here, beside
Thy shore, in peaceful quiet to abide,
And watch thy waters flow ; or catch the gleam
Of white sails floating o'er, the while they seem
Majestic swans,--and other craft that trace
Their course from point to point along the base
Of these surrounding mountains, which so grand
And brave, are rearing high their crests and stand
Like mighty sentinels to guard thee round,
And keep thy waters in their destined bound.
The fitful
roll of sparkling wavelets on
Thy beach, the white-caps ever and anon
That form and break--that come and go, the shade
Of diff'rent colors on thy surface made ;
The voice of singing birds among the trees,
Wind music in the pines,--all lull to ease.
So here I idly
rest ; or, venturing more,
Thy neighboring points of interest explore.
I fish in Fallen Leaf,--without success,--
From off its southern shore, the mountain side
From climbing visitors no more shall hide,
The Soda Springs ; romantic place to all
Who love the woods, the rocks, the water fall.
Forever marked with white shall be the day
I sailed into the haven Emerald Bay ;
And noted none the less are trips I make
To view the beauties of the Cascade Lake--
The wonders of Cove Rock.
Mineral
Springs. Gilmore's Springs
Mr. Nathan Gilmore is an old El Dorado county man--an
early resident of Placerville--since years he is herding cattle and angora
goats, of whom he has quite a band pasturing on the shore of Fallen Leaf
Lake. Sometimes in 1873, when looking after his cattle between Tallac and
Angora Peak his attention was attracted to the foot-tracks of many wild
animals all tending in a certain direction, and following the tracks he
discovered these springs. There are, as in most every other locality where
mineral springs are found, several distinct springs, each discharging a
different sort of water. The main spring is reddened all about the edges,
with the deposits of iron therein. You watch it, and up from the rocky
bottom you see great belchings of gas rising from time to time. These
belchings are irregular, and more marked at sometimes than at others. The
effect would seem to be the infusion of the waters with their sparkling
qualities by those upheavals of gas. This spring flows 200 gallons per
hour. An analysis by a skilled chemist shows it to contain these
ingredients; carbonic acid, sulphuric acid, seroxid of iron, sodium,
bi-carbonate of lime, magnesia, silica, hydrogen gas, organic acids and
other things needless to mention. The iron is there in very strong
proportions. As a corrective tonic and alternative water, this is found to
be a most effective agent.
The other spring seems to be the most promising of the
two; its water is almost identical in taste with Congress Water, only more
pungent.
Mr. Gilmore has built at his own expense a wagon road
from Fallen Leaf Lake to the springs and the drive over from Yank's, is
one of the most interesting and satisfactory jaunts a person will
undertake and is bound to prove a great attraction to sightseers and
tourists as well as to the public in general. The distance from Rowland's
to Gilmore's Springs is 10 miles.
There are a good many more remarkable springs, both hot
and cold, known in the same part of the county which deserve a thorough
examination, but as nothing is done yet in the matter we only shall
mention the Soda Springs, near Loon Lake about 40 miles above
Georgetown,
which are excelling anything of the kind in the State. The springs are the
property of Messrs. Winslow and Wentworth, of Georgetown.
The
Cosumnes
Caves.
About a stone's throw from the Cosumnes Copper mine,
there is one of these most wonderful freaks of nature. It was discovered
in 1850, but we are unable to give the name of the discoverer. Three
entrances lead into these elegant and magnificent apartments, to wander
through all these various avenues and subterranean halls and passages, it
affords a man about four hours, some of the communicating passages are so
low and small that a person has to lay down and move in a worm-like
position. The cavern is imbeded* in a solid mass of excellent marble,
columns and pilasters, ornamented at their capitals with volutes and
modillions, at irregular intervals interest the visitors attention, while
fine representations of tapistry are engraved on its walls. Every form of
stalectites imaginable droopingly hang suspended, presenting all the
variegated colors of the rainbow, and brilliantly sparkle from the pale
light of a candle like a thousand diamonds, while a like proportion of
stalagmite underneath, with their sugar coated surface are presented to
the eye of the viewer. There are many compartments of this underground
construction that have never been visited by man, for in a dozen different
places the openings in the rock not being sufficient to even admit the
hand, but by applying the candle the light would stream into apparently
splendid and capacious vaults beyond.
The
Alabaster Cave,
or Coral Cave, located on the road from Pilot Hill to
Rattle-Snake bridge, near the foot of Whisky Bar hill, and a short drive
of about five miles from the first named town, takes us over to the mouth
of this wonderful cave. We descend a short flight of steps and we
involuntarily step on the very threshold of the first and main room, to
gaze with awe and admiration on the brillantly* beautiful scene before us;
Here we realized the exquisite words of Keats; "A thing of beauty is
a joy forever." This grandly magnificent work of nature unmistakably
is "a thing of beauty." Pending from the ceiling in innumerable
stalectites*, singly and in clusters, some glittering in the purity of
their alabaster whiteness, others of variegated colors, presenting a scene
of unrivaled beauty; while in the ceiling itself every tint of the rainbow
is softly and harmoniously blended. Wherever the eye turns it will rest on
the stalectites and stalagmites of all shapes, sizes and we had almost
said colors, for some are slightly tinted with blue, green and red. Here,
on the right, is a frozen waterfall with icicles hanging around it;
passing it we arrive in front of the natural pulpit, richly decorated with
stainless white drapery falling gracefully over this twelve feet high
ornament. A little further and we come to the Ladies' Bower, the dome of
which is its most attractive feature, being perfect in its proportion and
neat colors. The Music Gallery, elevated ten or twelve feet above the
floor, is surpassingly beautiful--carvings of unequalled richness, grace
and beauty suspend from above , throw a shadow, light and wavy as the
"soft tints of morn" over it; the best view of it is from
a little eminence directly in front of it--But we only give an imperfect
sketch of a few prominent objects in this singularly beautiful cave, we
have not the temerity to attempt to give a correct description of it; we
confess our inability to do justice to the subject, and must leave the
task to more competent hands. It must be seen to be appreciated.
The principal room is one hundred feet in length, from
ten to thirty feet in width, and about the same in height. There are
several smaller rooms, and a lake on the end of the large room which has
not yet been explored. Arrangements were made, in early days, by the
proprietors, Messrs. Moore and Smith, to illuminate the rooms with lamps,
and surround all the inconvenient places with railings, to protect
visitors from soiling their clothes or slipping up in their prospective
tour.
The cave was first opened for the public examination in
the Spring of 1860, and then was one of the greatest attractions, not less
than forty visitors a day did register their names for the first year in
the book which the proprietors, with wise precaution, had laid out for
that purpose, to prevent the registering on the walls. And by this means
the cave has preserved its virgin appearance and its charms of beauty.
A third but smaller cave may be found on the premises,
and near the lime kiln of M. W. Manning in cave
valley, after which the
district took its name. All indications are proving that this cave once
has been embellished with equal beauty as Alabaster cave, but vandalism of
the most cruel kind has broken away all the attributes of beauty, leaving
hardly anything besides the naked walls, blackened by the smoke of fires.
The cave consists of two compartments, the first one being about 20 feet
long and wide, and was used in early days as a dancing hall. Messrs. Flagg
and Tout gave here a series of balls, in the years 1856 and 1857, for
which tickets were sold at $5:00*. Later it was used as a winecellar, but
proved unfit for that purpose. At the present time it stands idle. It is
seldom that one of the few scattered travellers* passing by, takes a fancy
to peep in, and read the history of its destroyed beauty together with the
names of many a vandal from its walls and ceilings ; one of these names,
A. A. Houston, is accompanied by the number 1847; undoubtedly one of the
first visitors to this cave, supposing that the number given truthfully
indicates the year of the visit. A smaller compartment in the rear is now
half ways filled up with stones from the partly broken down ceiling,
forming a large skylight. Whether these two compartments are but the
antichambers of other more capacious subterranean rooms, or this is all
that will be found, is impossible to be decided under the present
circumstances, but there are strong indications to suppose a greater
connection of caves in this vicinity; like other mountains of the same
character are showing.
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