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Volume 3 (1858-1859) (592 pages)
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Page: of 592
490 HUTCHINGS’ CALIFORNIA MAGAZINE.
long-to-be remembered “ French War”
which took place in 1851, under the following circumstances: —A Frenchman
sunk a shaft on a spot which since then
has been known as French Hill, and
struck diggings of extraordinary richness,
and which excited him to such a degree
that nothing but the firing of numerous
rounds of powder from an old musket
could sufficiently satisfy his enthusiasm
in demonstrating his joy. This very naturally called a crowd together to know
what was going on: when, in hopes of
being equally fortunate, several other
persons, among whom were a number of
Americans, staked off claims adjoining
the Frenchman’s. One of these persons
whose name was Blankenship, having
struck the same lead as the Frenchman,
was not content with the product of his
own claim, but must “‘ follow the lead”
into Frenchy’s. When this was discoyered the latter very loudly and bitterly,
yet justly, complained in broken English,
and a number of his countrymen flocked
around him, who upon learning the facts
would not allow Blankenship to remain
there.
He immediately went to town and by
unfair representations influenced a large
party of Americans to go up with him to
“clean out the Frenchmen;” when all
their tents and tools were burnt, and the
owners obligedto leave. Now, being discomfited, they went to Happy Valley, San
Andres, and other places, and obtained
reinforcements of their countrymen, who
threatened to destroy the town of Mokelumne Hill, and lay violent hands upon
everybody. By this time as the defenders
of Blankenship had learned the true facts
of the case, their enthusiasm had entirely cooled off and the Frenchman were allowed to discharge their chivalrous valor
in their'own way, and reinstate their
countryman in his rightful claims, while
the disconsolate cause of the whole, was
required “to take his pick and his pan,
his shovel and his blankets, with all that
he had, and go prospecting;’’ and it
served him right.
The construction of the Mokelumne
Hill Canal to the north fork of the river,
in 1852, 753 and 54, at a cost of $600,000;
a large proportion of which proved to be
but a sorry investment to the original
stockholders—attracted several thousands
of miners to the vicinity, a few hundreds
of whom found and worked tolerably remunerative diggings, and the others went
empty away. This influx caused a comparatively large addition to the buildings
and area of the settlement.
Onthe night of the 20th of August, —
1854, the whole of this town, withthe exception of a few buildings on Lafayette
street, was reduced to ashes; but was
speedily rebuilt, and in a much more substantial manner.
Ii is the county seat of Calaveras county, and the business centre of a large district, from whence miners draw most of
their supplies.
Its resident population is about eleven
hundred; with fewer families in proportion, perhaps, than any other town of the
same size in the State. There are three
churches—Methodist, Presbyterian, and
Catholic—and one public® school-house.
A weekly paper, entitled the “Calaveras
Chronicle,” is here, edited and published
by Mr. John Shannon ; and, but for the
too frequent and lengthy discussions of
political questions, to the exclusion of
much valuable local news, it is a faithful
advocate and exponent of the interests of
the county. :
Mokelumne Hill being the county seat
of Calaveras, and the business centre for
Jesus Maria, West Point, Rich Gulch,
Poison Gulch, El Dorado Caiion, Independence, Esperanza, Buckeye, Big and
Middle Bar, and several other mining
camps, it is destined to survive the ups
and downs pertaining to mining towns in
general, and will be Mokelumne Hill as