Lola Montez in Grass Valley (PH 17-1)(Undated) (40 pages)

CEEGESESSddSSIddIdddsddsIdLEDEKdEdddOdOEddS received burns of the hands in the rescue. While the family recuperated, the citizens of Grass Valley gave a benefit in support of their favorite troupers on June 15 of that year. PART XI “A Pack Trip with Old Block” The summer of 1854 is notable inGrass Valley for its transition from a mining camp to a village and to a community groping for municipal order. . Grass Valley Telegraph, May 18, 1854: “Never /' since our first acquaintance with Grass Valley have we noticed so much improvment as at the present. yy The few remaining buildings on Main Street built with am eG, aR clapboards are being torn down and new ones of good = ee Se eee sawn lumber put up in their stead. In other parts of the town too, we see fine edifices in the course of ~~ Wlustration from “Old Block’s Sketch Book.’ erection. On Main Street Mr. J, Lambert has put up A : Although Alonzo Delano did not intend this -a frame dwelling house, which is worthy the enterP prise of its Sarereintotnes places houses have been . sketch by Charles Nahl to exemplify the hazardput up by Mssrs. Norton, Lamb, Dean and others, ous experience of Dr. Delavan in the Sierras, it which are ornaments to our town. We believe we can does seem to be a fitting illustration of his ordeal say with truth that no other towns of equal size in the while on the pack trip with “Old Block.” — mountains can boast of as good buildings as Grass P . ; : Valley. More families have located permanently here Courtesy of the Bancroft Library, University of . than is common in mining towns. The quartz business has: proved to be a profitable one, and it is expected there will soon be other mills erected for the working of ledges recently tested, and everything indicates our continued prosperity. While such is the case, we regret to say that we have persons amongstus who, by their opposition to schemes necessary for the safety of our town, and which are calculated to have a healthful influence on society, are doing their utmost to support the many nuisances which still abound amongst us. Last week, there was a petition handed up to the court, praying to have our town incorporated. Although it was signed by more than three-fourths of the property holders in town, yet some, whose interests are identified with the continuance of the pestiferous curses which hang like an incubusonsociety, found means to prevent its being granted. We believe some well meaning persons have opposed this measure, thinking it would be onerous on account of _ taxation. To these, we have nothing to say, but let them -remember that the persons who have heretofore volunteered their services to watch their property, will do so no longer, and if a night watch is kept up, the expenses must be paid, which will amount to more than the tax which they so muchdread.” Main street was cleared of filth, graded and the dust sprinkled down during the summer of 1854. The making of bricks proved to be a special boon on the growth of the town. The following item was reported in the Grass Valley Telegraph for August 16, 1854; “A brick kiln within a few rods of town has just turned out a lot of splendid bricks.” Adams Express Company began immediate construction on its building at the corner of Main and Mill Streets, where the Rainbow Realty is now located, completing it in November of that year. Grass Valley Telegraph, November 16, 1854: “ ‘Old Block,’ catching the spirit of the progressive age,is about to erect within the express and banking house of Wells Fargo and Co., (part of 88 Store on Main _ Street) a substantial fire-proof vault,-which improvements will give to both the banking houses named, a security not previously felt.” Lola Montez, a skilled equestrienne, must have noticed the changes in the growth of her adopted _ Village on her rides about the valley. A correspondent to “The Gold Era” reported, “Lola -Montez alias Madame Hull, is still here, rusticating in her rural retreat, seemingly enjoyii.g herself, and can occasionally be seen riding out puffing her cigar with as much gusto as a Broadway dandy. ‘California. Grass Valley Telegraph, May 25, 1854; “Narrow Escape — Madame Lola Montez came very near closing her eventful career on Sunday last. While riding for exercise, along a steep ridge, a little distance from her cottage, she observed a cluster of beautiful flowers on the opposite side of a wide ditch. Anxious to obtain the flowers, she reined her horse for the leap without sufficiently stopping to heed the ground. The horse cleared the ditch, butso steep was the ascent of the ground upon which he alighted, that he instantly fell backward, precipitating his fearless rider, into the ditch below. Fortunately, the water was shallow, but more fortunate still, the horsestruck some timbers lying across, beneath which lay the fair lady safely ensconced, and cooly watching the motions of the struggling animal directly above her. Assistance was at hand, and the Madame was speedily relieved from her dangerous position. It was truly a most fortunate and narrow escape.” PART XI i “A Pack Trip with Old Block (Continued) Of the numerous legends regarding Lola’s trips into the mountains, such as the ride to Rabbit Creek for Lotta Crabtree, only one is actually reported in the papers of that time: a pack trip with “Old Block (Alonzo Delano) and group to the Truckee Meadows. It has been said that Independence Lake in the high Sierras was named by Lola Montez, for our July Fourth national holiday. As the trip was madein July, it might be that this is one of those rare truths handed down throughout the years. ‘ Grass Valley Telegraph, July 13, p854: “Off For the Mountains — Quite a party started outthis morning for a trip to the Sierra Nevada: Madame Lola Montez, Old Block, Dr. Delevan and others of the company. It is their intention to be absent two or three weeks.” Dr. Delevan, anagentfor aNew York Company, had purchased the Massachusetts Hill Mine from Delano & Co., in 1851, and erected a mill with a system of wheels running in a circular box similar to an oldfashioned bark mill. That it proved afailureis noted.

CEEGESESSddSSIddIdddsddsIdLEDEKdEdddOdOEddS received burns of the hands in the rescue. While the family recuperated, the citizens of Grass Valley gave a benefit in support of their favorite troupers on June 15 of that year. PART XI “A Pack Trip with Old Block” The summer of 1854 is notable inGrass Valley for its transition from a mining camp to a village and to a community groping for municipal order. . Grass Valley Telegraph, May 18, 1854: “Never /' since our first acquaintance with Grass Valley have we noticed so much improvment as at the present. yy The few remaining buildings on Main Street built with am eG, aR clapboards are being torn down and new ones of good = ee Se eee sawn lumber put up in their stead. In other parts of the town too, we see fine edifices in the course of ~~ Wlustration from “Old Block’s Sketch Book.’ erection. On Main Street Mr. J, Lambert has put up A : Although Alonzo Delano did not intend this -a frame dwelling house, which is worthy the enterP prise of its Sarereintotnes places houses have been . sketch by Charles Nahl to exemplify the hazardput up by Mssrs. Norton, Lamb, Dean and others, ous experience of Dr. Delavan in the Sierras, it which are ornaments to our town. We believe we can does seem to be a fitting illustration of his ordeal say with truth that no other towns of equal size in the while on the pack trip with “Old Block.” — mountains can boast of as good buildings as Grass P . ; : Valley. More families have located permanently here Courtesy of the Bancroft Library, University of . than is common in mining towns. The quartz business has: proved to be a profitable one, and it is expected there will soon be other mills erected for the working of ledges recently tested, and everything indicates our continued prosperity. While such is the case, we regret to say that we have persons amongstus who, by their opposition to schemes necessary for the safety of our town, and which are calculated to have a healthful influence on society, are doing their utmost to support the many nuisances which still abound amongst us. Last week, there was a petition handed up to the court, praying to have our town incorporated. Although it was signed by more than three-fourths of the property holders in town, yet some, whose interests are identified with the continuance of the pestiferous curses which hang like an incubusonsociety, found means to prevent its being granted. We believe some well meaning persons have opposed this measure, thinking it would be onerous on account of _ taxation. To these, we have nothing to say, but let them -remember that the persons who have heretofore volunteered their services to watch their property, will do so no longer, and if a night watch is kept up, the expenses must be paid, which will amount to more than the tax which they so muchdread.” Main street was cleared of filth, graded and the dust sprinkled down during the summer of 1854. The making of bricks proved to be a special boon on the growth of the town. The following item was reported in the Grass Valley Telegraph for August 16, 1854; “A brick kiln within a few rods of town has just turned out a lot of splendid bricks.” Adams Express Company began immediate construction on its building at the corner of Main and Mill Streets, where the Rainbow Realty is now located, completing it in November of that year. Grass Valley Telegraph, November 16, 1854: “ ‘Old

Block,’ catching the spirit of the progressive age,is about to erect within the express and banking house of Wells Fargo and Co., (part of 88 Store on Main _ Street) a substantial fire-proof vault,-which improvements will give to both the banking houses named, a security not previously felt.” Lola Montez, a skilled equestrienne, must have noticed the changes in the growth of her adopted _ Village on her rides about the valley. A correspondent to “The Gold Era” reported, “Lola -Montez alias Madame Hull, is still here, rusticating in her rural retreat, seemingly enjoyii.g herself, and can occasionally be seen riding out puffing her cigar with as much gusto as a Broadway dandy. ‘California. Grass Valley Telegraph, May 25, 1854; “Narrow Escape — Madame Lola Montez came very near closing her eventful career on Sunday last. While riding for exercise, along a steep ridge, a little distance from her cottage, she observed a cluster of beautiful flowers on the opposite side of a wide ditch. Anxious to obtain the flowers, she reined her horse for the leap without sufficiently stopping to heed the ground. The horse cleared the ditch, butso steep was the ascent of the ground upon which he alighted, that he instantly fell backward, precipitating his fearless rider, into the ditch below. Fortunately, the water was shallow, but more fortunate still, the horsestruck some timbers lying across, beneath which lay the fair lady safely ensconced, and cooly watching the motions of the struggling animal directly above her. Assistance was at hand, and the Madame was speedily relieved from her dangerous position. It was truly a most fortunate and narrow escape.” PART XI i “A Pack Trip with Old Block (Continued) Of the numerous legends regarding Lola’s trips into the mountains, such as the ride to Rabbit Creek for Lotta Crabtree, only one is actually reported in the papers of that time: a pack trip with “Old Block (Alonzo Delano) and group to the Truckee Meadows. It has been said that Independence Lake in the high Sierras was named by Lola Montez, for our July Fourth national holiday. As the trip was madein July, it might be that this is one of those rare truths handed down throughout the years. ‘ Grass Valley Telegraph, July 13, p854: “Off For the Mountains — Quite a party started outthis morning for a trip to the Sierra Nevada: Madame Lola Montez, Old Block, Dr. Delevan and others of the company. It is their intention to be absent two or three weeks.” Dr. Delevan, anagentfor aNew York Company, had purchased the Massachusetts Hill Mine from Delano & Co., in 1851, and erected a mill with a system of wheels running in a circular box similar to an oldfashioned bark mill. That it proved afailureis noted.