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HISTORY
El
Dorado County, California.
LOCAL
HISTORY.
PLACERVILLE
(HANGTOWN, RAVINE CITY)
[section 3 of 5-- 1, 2,
3, 4,
5]
The first theater was built and opened in the city of
Placerville in 1852. This was the "Placer Theater," and it was
used for theatrical performances, for concerts and for lectures, as well
as for public meetings. The "Empire Theater" came next, and was
quite successful in doing some opposition. But the big fire of July 6th,
1856, destroyed them, with many other buildings, and a new theater was
built on the site of the former Empire by O'Donnell & Russell. It was
arranged with a capacity for 1,500 people, and opened on October 30th,
1856, under the management of John S. Potter, with an address composed for
the occasion and read by Miss Granice, and a play of the Risley Troupe.
Mr. Schulz was the architect of the house. The year 1871 saw the springing
up--or rather the "rolling up"--of the rink mania, and most
every town was anxious to have its own skating-rink. Placerville, of
course, took the lead in El Dorado county, and Mud Springs, Shingle
Springs, Georgetown, Coloma and others followed to procure or build up a
hall for this purpose. Messrs. Creighton & Childs built a new
two-story building for this enterprise, now Sierra Hall, which was opened
September 1st, 1871, and as long as the people took a fancy to this
healthy exercise the hall was crowded every night, and old and young,
gentlemen and ladies, all were amusing themselves on the rolling skates,
and for quite a while all other public places were deserted, the skating
rink absorbing all interest for amusement and entertainment.
 This sport gone to rest, the people soon found out that
they needed some new attraction, and some one proposed the idea to combine
some horse races with the County Fair. This idea found acclamation and
friends between the members of the Agricultural Society, and in April,
1878, Messrs. Thomas Frazer and C. H. Wetherwax undertook to look around
for subscriptions to a race track fund, with a view to locate the track at
Fr. Hunger's field, north of town. Between other subscriptions, Mr. Hunger
offered to donate the ground, worth about $500; T. R. Stephens subscribed
$100 ; Varozza & Co., $50 ; Rafetta & Co., of Smith's Flat, $200 ;
Thomas Potts, $100, and other sundry small sums were signed with equal
liberality, so that the work seemed to be secured. The preliminaries of
the work immediately began. The original survey for the race track was
made by Captain E. A. Smith, County Surveyor, who lid out the track and
superintended the work. It is a half-mile track, and, notwithstanding the
uneven location, is the best that could be laid out here. The grand stand
is thirty-six by fifty-six feet, and the stable contains tem large and two
smaller stalls for the accommodation of racing horses. Besides, there is a
pen building for the exhibition of stock. The expenses for the building of
the race track and buildings counted up to $1,500.
The first Fair on this new ground came off September
10th to 13th, 1878, and the following is a record of the races that came
off in connection with it:
September 10th. Running race, in which Cordwood Johny,
Nep and Billy Hanlon were entered for a half a mile and repeat. The first
named horse took the race, making the first heat in 53 seconds.
September 11th. Trotting race; mile heats, best 3 in 5,
contest between Placer Belle and Young Diamond, the former won the race in
three straight heats. Time, 2.58, 2.56, and 2.57 1/2.
Running race; half mile and repeat, Cordwood Johny and
Zephyr, the former winning in two straight heats in 54 and 53 seconds.
September 12th. Running race; single dash, half mile,
Smith mare and Proctor horse, won by the mare in 55 seconds.
Mile and repeat. Black Willow and Ecliptic, won by the
former in 1.53 and 1.54.
September 13th. Half mile dash between Smith mare and
Proctor horse, the mare winning in 55 seconds.
Trotting race; between Jack Steward, Haymaker and Elko,
mile heats, best 3 in 5, Haymaker took the first two heats in 2.42 and
2.41; Elko being distanced on the second heat, Steward was an easy winner
of the next three heats in 2.40, 2.41 and 2.42.
The society life of Placerville is very
accomplished one, few places of its size can boast of as many secret
orders and other societies, all full of membership. There are two Blue
Lodges of F. and A. M.: one commandery K. T.; two lodges I. O. O. F.; one
Encampment I. O. O. F.; one Tribe I. O. R. M.; one Grove Druids; one
Division Sons of Temperance. Several of the orders have a membership of
one hundred and upwards. In addition to these there are: a Post of the
Grand Army of the Republic; a Military Company; two well organized Fire
Engine Companies; a Dramatic Society; and Eclectric Society; a Brass Band;
a Philharmonic Society, for well-sustained churches.
E. Clampsus Vitus,
is a name of a benevolent society, organized in Placerville on November
28, 1855. The following is a list of the first elected officers:
D. K. Newell, Newell, N. G. H.; Dr. B. F. Keene, R.
P., J. M. Granthm, C. P.; Dr. Ober, C. V.; W. Henderson, Chap.; Dr.
Rnkin, R. G. S.; F. H. Harmon, R. G. M.; W. A. January, R. G. F.; John
Ballard, O. H.; N. Cisco, J. H.; L. B. Hopkins, D. F. D.; J. T. Dovoe,
Tyler, D. W. Gelwicks, Secretary; W. Salmon, Treasurer.
The membership of the society was growing fast, as it
was a point of honor to obtain admission. Other towns were anxious to
organize similar societies at their places, and the Grand Consistory of
Placerville granted a charter to Brother D. K. Newell to organize a lodge
of the society of E Clampsus Vitus, first in Coloma, then in El Dorado,
and gain in Georgetown.
Placerville
Philharmonic Society.
In accordance with a meeting held on April 28, 1870, at
Placerville, the committee on permanent organization and business reported
a code of laws for the government of the society, recommending its name:
"The Placerville Philharmonic Society," that the admission fee
for active members is $3.00, and for honorary members $5.00 per annum,
giving power to the Board of Managers to levy assessments, should the
finances of the society demand it. The code of laws were adopted as
recommended by the committee, were unanimously elected:
H. S. Morey, President; Levi Shepherd, Vice-President;
Al. Stewart, Secretary and Treasurer; A. L. Frost, H. H. Hernandez, and H.
S. Morey, Board of Managers.
Placerville
Guards.
A military company was organized on January 30th, 1855,
under the name of Placerville Guards. After the performance of the
necessary preliminary business, the company proceeded to the election of
the following officers : L. A. Norton, Captain; A. W. Bee, 1st Lieutenant
; Frank S. Roff, 2d Lieutenant ; T. M. White, 3d Lieutenant ; J. W.
Shields, 1st Sergeant ; E. Church, 2d Sergeant : Wm. Walker, 3d Sergeant ;
T. S. Wilcox, 4th Sergeant ; A. Coleman, 1st Corporal ; S. S. Lewis, 2d
Corporal ; James Carson, 3d Corporal ; T. G. Douglas, 4th Corporal ; J. W.
Shields, Secretary.
This company of figure-heads made a failure before the
year, when they had organized, came to an end, and in a meeting on
November 28th, 1855, the Placerville Guards were re-organized. The
following gentlemen who had belonged to similar companies, prior to their
arrival here, and who thoroughly understood the business, were elected
officers :
Alex. Hunter, Captain ; Wm. Jones, 1st Lieutenant ; I.
S. Titus, 2d Lieutenant ; Mr. Dorsey, Brevet 2d Lieutenant ; Sam. Lion,
Orderly Sergeant.
Company
A. Placerville Volunteers.
Organized January 23d, 1858. The following is a list of
the first officers ; Wm. Jones, Captain ; O. A. Crandall, 1st Lieutenant ;
George T. Cromwell, 2d Lieutenant ; Benjamin F. Harrover, 3d Lieutenant ;
E. Nickerson, 1st Sergeant ; Wm. Reynolds, 2d Sergeant ; S. W. B. Wilson,
3d Sergeant ; S. H. M. Bonnell, 4th Sergeant ; Wm. Justice, 1st Corporal ;
J, H. Naper, 2d Corporal; J. W, Redman, 3d Corporal ; Calvin Van Eaton,
4th Corporal. The Company numbered 102 rank and file.
Placerville
Fire Department.
 Prior to the spring of 1853, there existed o such thing
as a regularly organized fire company in Placerville, although a number of
unwieldy hooks had been purchased by contribution some time previous,
which had for their depository the backyards or the allies of the embryo
town.
On the evening of June 23d, 1853, a number of the young
men of the town met together at White's Hall, with the intention for form
a band that had for its purpose the protection of life and property from
the ravages by fire. The meeting was called to order, Alex. Hunter called
to the Chair, and Robert Cummings appointed Secretary ; the object of the
meeting having been stated, those present proceeded to organize the
Neptune Hose Company No. 1., and adopted as their motto; "We're
ready!" Of this company Alex. Hunter was elected Foreman, Joseph H.
Fisher, Assistant Foreman. But now it became necessary to have a carriage,
hose, etc., and a committee was appointed to obtain them. Mr. Frank Allerton undertook to build a carriage, and the hose was ordered from San
Francisco. The company thus becoming involved in expense, that nearly
caused an embarrassment pecuniary situation ; but just then Mr. Alfred
Bell generously came to its assistance, by advancing the necessary means.
Messrs. Lee & Marshal, of the Pioneer Circus, on a visit to
Placerville tendered the company a benefit, which realized $900.00, and
this generous act enabled the company to pay off all its indebtedness, and
free itself from liabilities.
The first hose house of the company was situated on
Maiden Lane, now Center street, which location involved great
inconveniences ; and when the city was incorporated the company applied
for an appropriation to purchase a house and lot in some more convenient
locality with. After the preliminary instances were passed and the means
raised, the city authorities went on to purchase a house and lot for the
use and benefit of the department on Main street, where afterwards
Dorsey's block has been built up. The fire of July 6th, 1856, that swept
everything before it, rendered the company homeless, not only losing all
their furniture, hose and fixtures; the Council, a few days after the
fire, sold the lot upon which the house had stood to Mr. Dorsey. For a
full year the Neptunes without a home, destitute of enough means to
provide a house for their carriage or accommodations for themselves, they
kept their regular meetings at any place they could obtain the privilege
for doing so, and more than one time the idea of disbandment turned up;
but they went through the struggle victoriously and about a year after the
big fire they again came in the possession of house and lot situated on
Coloma street, purchased from Mr. Conrad. Here the Neptunes found their
home, and have kept it there ever since, and from here this body of
courageous men, an honor to the town, started out to their obliging and
effective work in all kind of danger, or when called for. A subscription
was made up in January, 1858, towards purchasing n engine for the Neptune
Hose Co. No. 1. whose name then was changed into Neptune Engine Co. No. 2.
A new fire engine was ordered from the celebrated manufacturing place of
Messrs. Hunneman & Co., of Boston, which arrived by the ship Hesperus,
about the first of February at San Francisco. The engine bears the
following inscriptions: "Neptune No. 2." "We're
Ready," the motto of the company. The engine house of the Neptunes
was built in the fall of 1860, the stone for the beautiful front was
quarried by county prisoners at Stony Point.
The "Hope Hook and Ladder Company" of the Fire
Department was re-organized in March 1855, and the following gentlemen
elected officers of the company : James C. Pinney, Foreman; Peter Quinlin,
Assistant Foreman; Alfred Bell, Secretary and D. Newbauer, Treasurer.
The great damages by the fire of the year of 1856 had
shown the citizens of Placerville that even the best organized fire
company will be lost confronting a great fire without a fire engine; and
thereupon a meeting was held on the 13th of April, 1857, for the purpose
of organizing an engine company, Charles Gowan, was called to the chair,
and A. Hoffmeister appointed Secretary.
The company was organized as "Mountaineer Engine
Co. No. 1", at a meeting held t Concert Hall, on May, 22, 1857, and
the following officers elected : Foreman, J. H. Vanderbilt ; Assistant
foreman, John O'Donnel; Secretary, Wm. Jones; Treasurer, Wm. Lacey;
Delegates, Chas. Gowan and Gus. Hoffmeister.
A committee was appointed to purchase an engine, which
was bought from Engine Co. No. 1 of Sacramento, together with 250 feet of
hose, for the sum of $2,500.
At a meeting of the company in the first part of June,
1857, the name was changed from "Mountaineer" to Confidence
Engine Company No. 1." On account of the latter name, being so deeply
carved into the engine that its removal was considered quite an
impossibility ; and therefore the embers agreed to rather adopt the name
than to deface the engine, which was built by John Agnew, of Philadelphia.
This Confidence Engine Company No. 1, after having kept
up their organization for twelve years, with only very little assistance
from the city, withdrew as an active company in the Placerville Fire
Department, on June, 19, 1869, stating that the company had been forced to
succumb on account of indebtedness on their building, and pretty heavy
taxation to themselves in order to keep their property.
The citizens of Placerville, however, were not satisfied
with the withdrawing of the engine company, and opened a subscription
list; the ladies of Placerville also willing to participate in the
interest and welfare of the city, gave a festival on July 13th, at the
Pavilion, for the benefit of Confidence Engine Company No. 1, which
proved fine affair and financially an entire success. The receipts
were $396.35, this, together with the amount subscribed by the citizens,
aggregated a sufficient sum to pay off al the indebtedness of the company,
and to make all the necessary repairs on their buildings. Thus, Confidence
Engine Company No. 1 was reorganized on July 9, 1869, and with their new
Jeffrey's Engine, they have been taking active part, when called for
assistance, ever since. Confidence Engine house, after the old building
had been partially destroyed by fire, on September 1860, was erected at
the present site in the fall of 1860, the expenses were covered to a
certain part by subscription.
Young America Engine Company No. 3, organized at
Placerville on the 1st of June, 1860, and on the 28th of June the
following officers were elected: Wm. McCormick, Foreman; Solon L. McFarlin,
First Assistant; John McCone, Second Assistant; Jas. W. Edwards, Rec.
Secretary; W. S. Lowell, Financial Secretary; D. W. Lewan, Treasurer; Jas.
Todd and O. A. Crandall, Delegates.
Placerville, as we have stated before, never was laid
out after a certain plan, but built up answering the situation, and in
full accord with the name of the "Ravine City," spreading all
along the creek and from there branching off the different ravines; and
however often the town property might have changed hands, none of the
purchasers was looking after, that his title was correct and good. The
ground where Placerville stands was neither grant, nor had it even been
taken up according to the pre-emption law, and those who sold the first
town lots were nothing else than frauds, because they had not more right
to them than any one of the purchasers, but such was life in California in
early times. This state of affairs, in after years, caused much trouble in
the transaction of property and the city authorities, pushed from all
sides, were compelled to take steps to settle this disagreeable situation;
and after much tedious and vexatious delays, finally in 1872, the
negotiations arrived at a point when the people of Placerville could prove
up and acquire titles to their homes, etc.
The Sacramento Union of August 9, 1872, published
the following: "The United States Land office of this city is in
receipt of information from the Commissioner of the General Land Office,
that cash entry No. 582,, made July 7, 1871, by John R. Patton, City
Clerk, in trust for the inhabitants of Placerville, and covering the south
1/2 of northeast 1/4, southeast 1/4, east 1/2 of southwest 1/4, southeast
1/4 of northwest 1/4 of section 7; west 1/2 and southwest 1/2 of northeast
1/4 southeast 1/4 of northeast 1/4, west 1/2 of southeast 1/4, and
northeast 1/4 of southeast 1/4 of section 8; southwest 1/4 of northwest
1/4, northwest 1/4 of southwest of section 9; north 1/2 of northwest 1/4
of section 17; north 1/2 of northeast 1/4 and northeast 1/4 of northwest
1/4 of section 18; township 10 north, range 11 east, containing 1,160
acres, has been approved and filed fr patenting. The patent will issue to
the corporate authorities of the city of Placerville, in trust for the
inhabitants thereof, and will recite that no title shall be hereby
acquired to any mine of gold, silver, cinnabar or copper, or to any valid
mining claim or possession held under existing laws of Congress.
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