Historical Clippings Book (HC-12) (520 pages)

w 6 iy Edmund G. Kinyon Queen of Alpha Diggings Story Brings Memories The “Queen of Alpha Diggings” has become quite a topic for conversation among oldtimers in the Grass Valley-Nevada City region after a recent recapitulation in The rail of a romantic episode in the family of Emma Nevada. Several residents recall the exciting days of her last visit to her birthplace near Washington, an occasion that set this region in festival mood for the whole week ending March in 1902, The world renowned coloratura singer, who was born in Alpha in 1859 and already as a child of three sang in one of its churches, got a reception so wrought in admiration that even the seasoned primadonna became speechiess . with emotion. The papers over. flowed with panegyric oratory and graphic stories about the inyasien . , of Nevada City and Grass Valle) for the gala event on March 31. Cities Crowded For days caravons arrived from every direction and Grass Valley und Nevada City were hard pressed as hosts. From Columbia anc Nerth San Juan, from Downieville and North Bloomfield, from Roug! and Ready and Suckers Flat, from Smartsville and French Corral, from Red Dog and You Bet, from South, Middle and North forks of the Yuba came buoted gentlemer with beards, goatces and handlebar mustaches, Some came dressed in boiled shirts, many in_ their miner's garb, but all grocmed with fresh hair comb and _ blackened boots. From Camptonville came “Bull” Meek, famous stage driver, with a load of homefolk. From Timbuctoo came the MgCarthys, who argued with Meck’ who was the greatest singer, Jenny Lind or Emma Nevada. The old stage driver was as loyal a defender of . the Mother Lode Nightingale on the west side of the Sierra as Hank }} Monk was of the Comstock Nightingale on the east side, Although she was one and the same person her voice had a great difference according the old drivers of the six horse teams. L £ was golden, on the east side silver, “When on Easter Sunday, Mareh 30, 1902, old Diamond Stack pulled into Grass Valley from Colfax, bearing its precious cargo, there were thousands about the depot to cheer the golden-voiced home rere nen On the west side it . ) town sip ; Se et opts . 3 The narrow gauge brass-trim. med engine rounded the bend. Its } shrill whistle signaled its approaching stup at Grass Valley. As the Queen of Alpha Diggings debarked from her red plush coach there was an uproar from Nevada county’s multitude that could be heard as far as Town Talk. Nevada City’s Band, there in all its glowing colors, struck up the strains of Home, Sweet Home. . “When Emma's hazel eyes gaz. ed at the multitude and the glorious reception extended her, she was tempted to draw her handkerchief to dry tears of joy. What exultation! What demonstration! What celebration:” Alice Shebley and Mary Watts, former Mills college classmates, were there. Amongst the crowd stood “Eliza Prisk,” belle of the Cousin Jacks. Emma had not seen her former singing partner for many years. Into the waiting carriage went Emma with her husband, Raymond Palmer, and brother Elvin Wixom. Through the streets of Grass Valley they toured in open landau, Up Mill street they were drawn, passing by the former homes of Lola Montez and Lotta Crabtree. Lola had departed before Emma strolled the streets as a child, But . Lotta knew Emma well. And as Lotta sang for the miners, prancing on the anvil in the blacksmith shop in Rough and Ready, so Emma learned to sing the Star Spangled Banner from Bill Alexander's Blacksmith anvil. Piety Hill Greeting . From Grass Valley the cortege . went to Nevada City. Everywhere . along the road were perched pioneer folk of the day's of ’49, all greeting the Warbling Songbird of the Yuba. Spectators from Piety Hill waved and cheered and along Jordan street, countless handkerchiefs waved. Folk lined up along Gethsemane street were not too . pious to cheer on Sunday and a shouting crowd lined Tribulation Trail. Down Jacob's Ladder came the commonwealth, descending enroute to the National Hotel, where the crowd was so thick the carriage could hardly make its way. Laure] Parlor of the Native Daughters were welcoming her and she greeted the people from , the hotel baleony. At the reception in the upstairs lobby she met many old friends, among them Conrad Grissel, with whom she of. ten played in Washington, where the Grissel family conducted a hotel. And when she learned that Goorge A, Legg was born alt Omega she quipped that she was anyway the first and he the Jast. The gala performance the following night in the Nevada Theafer was an experience that none of the lucky would ever forget, People were climbing into trees and on the roofs of nearby houses the better to hear the songbird, who had hardly room enough left on the stage, for all the heaped flowers. x Sang ‘Like an Angcl’ When she finally got a chance to perform after the thunderous greeting, her singing was “that of: an angel right from heaven.” “Her’ presence swayed and swept the multitude from the Diggings. It. charmed the hair-chested Cousin Jacks as well as it enthralled the _ music “lovers from Aristocracy Hill.” When she left the following day “tears dimmed anxious eyes of sturdy miners and flamboyant youth. Hoary seers with callousad hands; men of rigid frame with [hearts of oak; the bombastic and the silvered venerable; the gentry and peerless: blue blood; the uncouth and those of social graces; the fashionable and the four hundred all were brought to a common level by Emma’s charm. Is it any wonder they hated to say goodbye?” a <4 oN.

w 6 iy Edmund G. Kinyon Queen of Alpha Diggings Story Brings Memories The “Queen of Alpha Diggings” has become quite a topic for conversation among oldtimers in the Grass Valley-Nevada City region after a recent recapitulation in The rail of a romantic episode in the family of Emma Nevada. Several residents recall the exciting days of her last visit to her birthplace near Washington, an occasion that set this region in festival mood for the whole week ending March in 1902, The world renowned coloratura singer, who was born in Alpha in 1859 and already as a child of three sang in one of its churches, got a reception so wrought in admiration that even the seasoned primadonna became speechiess . with emotion. The papers over. flowed with panegyric oratory and graphic stories about the inyasien . , of Nevada City and Grass Valle) for the gala event on March 31. Cities Crowded For days caravons arrived from every direction and Grass Valley und Nevada City were hard pressed as hosts. From Columbia anc Nerth San Juan, from Downieville and North Bloomfield, from Roug! and Ready and Suckers Flat, from Smartsville and French Corral, from Red Dog and You Bet, from South, Middle and North forks of the Yuba came buoted gentlemer with beards, goatces and handlebar mustaches, Some came dressed in boiled shirts, many in_ their miner's garb, but all grocmed with fresh hair comb and _ blackened boots. From Camptonville came “Bull” Meek, famous stage driver, with a load of homefolk. From Timbuctoo came the MgCarthys, who argued with Meck’ who was the greatest singer, Jenny Lind or Emma Nevada. The old stage driver was as loyal a defender of . the Mother Lode Nightingale on the west side of the Sierra as Hank }} Monk was of the Comstock Nightingale on the east side, Although she was one and the same person her voice had a great difference according the old drivers of the six horse teams. L £ was golden, on the east side silver, “When on Easter Sunday, Mareh 30, 1902, old Diamond Stack pulled into Grass Valley from Colfax, bearing its precious cargo, there were thousands about the depot to cheer the golden-voiced home rere nen On the west side it . ) town sip ; Se et opts . 3 The narrow gauge brass-trim. med engine rounded the bend. Its } shrill whistle signaled its approaching stup at Grass Valley. As the Queen of Alpha Diggings debarked from her red plush coach there was an uproar from Nevada county’s multitude that could be heard as far as Town Talk. Nevada City’s Band, there in all its glowing colors, struck up the strains of Home, Sweet Home. . “When Emma's hazel eyes gaz. ed at the multitude and the glorious reception extended her, she was tempted to draw her handkerchief to dry tears of joy. What

exultation! What demonstration! What celebration:” Alice Shebley and Mary Watts, former Mills college classmates, were there. Amongst the crowd stood “Eliza Prisk,” belle of the Cousin Jacks. Emma had not seen her former singing partner for many years. Into the waiting carriage went Emma with her husband, Raymond Palmer, and brother Elvin Wixom. Through the streets of Grass Valley they toured in open landau, Up Mill street they were drawn, passing by the former homes of Lola Montez and Lotta Crabtree. Lola had departed before Emma strolled the streets as a child, But . Lotta knew Emma well. And as Lotta sang for the miners, prancing on the anvil in the blacksmith shop in Rough and Ready, so Emma learned to sing the Star Spangled Banner from Bill Alexander's Blacksmith anvil. Piety Hill Greeting . From Grass Valley the cortege . went to Nevada City. Everywhere . along the road were perched pioneer folk of the day's of ’49, all greeting the Warbling Songbird of the Yuba. Spectators from Piety Hill waved and cheered and along Jordan street, countless handkerchiefs waved. Folk lined up along Gethsemane street were not too . pious to cheer on Sunday and a shouting crowd lined Tribulation Trail. Down Jacob's Ladder came the commonwealth, descending enroute to the National Hotel, where the crowd was so thick the carriage could hardly make its way. Laure] Parlor of the Native Daughters were welcoming her and she greeted the people from , the hotel baleony. At the reception in the upstairs lobby she met many old friends, among them Conrad Grissel, with whom she of. ten played in Washington, where the Grissel family conducted a hotel. And when she learned that Goorge A, Legg was born alt Omega she quipped that she was anyway the first and he the Jast. The gala performance the following night in the Nevada Theafer was an experience that none of the lucky would ever forget, People were climbing into trees and on the roofs of nearby houses the better to hear the songbird, who had hardly room enough left on the stage, for all the heaped flowers. x Sang ‘Like an Angcl’ When she finally got a chance to perform after the thunderous greeting, her singing was “that of: an angel right from heaven.” “Her’ presence swayed and swept the multitude from the Diggings. It. charmed the hair-chested Cousin Jacks as well as it enthralled the _ music “lovers from Aristocracy Hill.” When she left the following day “tears dimmed anxious eyes of sturdy miners and flamboyant youth. Hoary seers with callousad hands; men of rigid frame with [hearts of oak; the bombastic and the silvered venerable; the gentry and peerless: blue blood; the uncouth and those of social graces; the fashionable and the four hundred all were brought to a common level by Emma’s charm. Is it any wonder they hated to say goodbye?” a <4 oN.