Volume 040-3 - July 1986 (8 pages)

California as to the rainmaker’s ability to a deliver the goods. Mr. Hatfield was the first to respond, and he agreed to come and break the drought inside of a week for $250, no rain no pay. Next came a response from the Los Angeles man to whom the telegram was sent. Relative to Hatfield’s ability to bring about precipitation he said that opinion was divided. As in Los Angeles, opinion in Nevada County is divided as to whether or not Mr. Hatfield brought about any change in the weather's condition. It is only fair to state that in this division of opinion the adherents of Hatfield are in a decided minority. When the clouds assembled and the rains descended on the i8th there were a great many who inclined to the belief that the man from the south was making good. Conditions seemd to favor him. But the precipitation was slight. For seven days following, no rain fell in this immediate vicinity, although Mr. Malloch and others told of the precipitation which was filling the ditches leading to the reservoirs of the South Yuba Canal Company. On Sunday a drenching rain fell here and the mountains were covered with snow, the fall reaching a considerable depth in some places. Mr. Hatfield has a great deal of faith in mself. He has more than anyone else. He claims that out of his thirty experiments hitherto conducted, twenty-nine were successful. That’s certainly encouraging. Whether his thirty-first venture will be classed in the category of his successful achievements is up to Mr. Hatfield. He may assert that he demonstrated his ability anew. But opinion will be divided as to his merits. He is honest enough to admit that he cannot cause rain to fali except under certain conditions. He was favored, but he made a bad guess. He ought to have set his trap for a snowstorm.” On the 28th we learned that Hatfield had been a visitor for a few hours to get his money. This was also the first time that readers learned Hatfield had a first name-Charles M.! He had been in Nevada City on the 27th after leaving Lake Spaulding where there was all ready a fall of snow. He was accompanied by his brother who had aided him in his demonstrations. His time for earning the 250 dollars had been up on Sunday and a storm had come on that day. In a conversation with a Union reporter at the depot just before departure, Hatfield said that in half a century the science of attracting rain will be common and every country will be equipped to break droughts. He said the newspapers had misquoted him considerably and his position had been misunderstood. He objected to being called a rainmaker, stating that he only attracts moisture to sections under favorable conditions. Mr. Hatfield also said, “I do not bring rain out of cloudless skies, where there is none to be found. That would be an impossibility”. On the same day the Union stated ‘The long looked for storm is at last at hand but instead of a warm rain it turned into a cold desultory snow storm. It rained and it snowed and last night the ground was covered with indications of more storm today. The snowfall amounts to 1.14 inches making 1.87 for the season; which is about 14 inches less than last season to date. Lake Spaulding had 20 inches of snow. On the 30th the reservoirs were filling and enough water had been retained to permit a general resumption of mining operations. The Pennsylvania started two mills, and the Empire would soon have plenty of water for all purposes as would the North Star.” A final article on December {0th was headed, “It’s Raining Twenties”. “That is the way it looked to mining men last night when the gentle patter of the drops was heard. Rain began falling early in the evening continuing for sometime and at night there was every indication that a genuine old fashioned storm had gathered, probably just to show what could be done without the aid of Hatfield.“ Acknowledgments: All information and quotations are from copies of the Daily Morning Union, November 3, 1905 to December 10, 1905. Diary of a Trip From Grass Valley to Donner Lake, Lake Tahoe and Independence Lake At the present time it is possible, by automobile, to make the round of Nevada County and visit the principal places, in one day. In the early days of the county, this was different; such a trip took days. The reader may remember the trip to Truckee Meadows, made by Lola Montez andd her friends in July 1854, as described by Theo Reidt in the Bulletin for April 1983. In this issue of the Bulletin we offer another report on a trip through the county, made about ten years later, in August 1864. The author, Rose Farrington Stone, was born in Maine on the second day of December 1829. She came to Grass Valley in 1851 and started school ina little cabin, located at the site where the Lola Montez house stands now. August 3-16, 1864 by Rosine Farrington Stone She instructed 12-15 pupils. At this site, there was a large oak tree under which tree the first election in Grass Valley was held. Rose was not a teacher for a long time; on the first day of August 1852, she married Jeremy P. Stone. Jerry, as he was usually called, was born in Massachusetts in 1827, He moved to Ohio where he settled as a merchant. But not for a long time; in 1849 he came to California. He lived in Placerville for one year ana thereafter moved to Sacramento, Yuba County and finally Grass Valley in succession. The Stones had four children, Marion P., Harold, Emma S., and Anna. Marion became a teacher like his mother had been. He married Minniv Lewis on June 2, 1878. In the 1895 directory he is listed as a teacher in Grass Valley. They had three children, Karl W., Merle and Rosa F. Emma married William Henry Butler. In the 1885 directory we find him listed as a farmer in Rough and Ready. No data on Harold or Anna were found. The career of Jerry Stone can be followed in the various directories. Apparently he was mainly in the water business. In the 1856 directory he is listed as a ditch agent, in the 1861 directory as a miner, in the 1865 directory as a ditch man, in the 1867 directory no occupation is given, in the 1871 directory as a ditch agent again and in the 1895 directory as a ditch owner. He was the first to supply Grass Valley with 23

California as to the rainmaker’s ability to a deliver the goods. Mr. Hatfield was the first to respond, and he agreed to come and break the drought inside of a week for $250, no rain no pay. Next came a response from the Los Angeles man to whom the telegram was sent. Relative to Hatfield’s ability to bring about precipitation he said that opinion was divided. As in Los Angeles, opinion in Nevada County is divided as to whether or not Mr. Hatfield brought about any change in the weather's condition. It is only fair to state that in this division of opinion the adherents of Hatfield are in a decided minority. When the clouds assembled and the rains descended on the i8th there were a great many who inclined to the belief that the man from the south was making good. Conditions seemd to favor him. But the precipitation was slight. For seven days following, no rain fell in this immediate vicinity, although Mr. Malloch and others told of the precipitation which was filling the ditches leading to the reservoirs of the South Yuba Canal Company. On Sunday a drenching rain fell here and the mountains were covered with snow, the fall reaching a considerable depth in some places. Mr. Hatfield has a great deal of faith in mself. He has more than anyone else. He claims that out of his thirty experiments hitherto conducted, twenty-nine were successful. That’s certainly encouraging. Whether his thirty-first venture will be classed in the category of his successful achievements is up to Mr. Hatfield. He may assert that he demonstrated his ability anew. But opinion will be divided as to his merits. He is honest enough to admit that he cannot cause rain to fali except under certain conditions. He was favored, but he made a bad guess. He ought to have set his trap for a snowstorm.” On the 28th we learned that Hatfield had been a visitor for a few hours to get his money. This was also the first time that readers learned Hatfield had a first name-Charles M.! He had been in Nevada City on the 27th after leaving Lake Spaulding where there was all ready a fall of snow. He was accompanied by his brother who had aided him in his demonstrations. His time for earning the 250 dollars had been up on Sunday and a storm had come on that day. In a conversation with a Union reporter at the depot just before departure, Hatfield said that in half a century the science of attracting rain will be common and every country will be equipped to break droughts. He said the newspapers had misquoted him considerably and his position had been misunderstood. He objected to being called a rainmaker, stating that he only attracts moisture to sections under favorable conditions. Mr. Hatfield also said, “I do not bring rain out of cloudless skies, where there is none to be found. That would be an impossibility”. On the same day the Union stated ‘The long looked for storm is at last at hand but instead of a warm rain it turned into a cold desultory snow storm. It rained and it snowed and last night the ground was covered with indications of more storm today. The snowfall amounts to 1.14 inches making 1.87 for the season; which is about 14 inches less than last season to date. Lake Spaulding had 20 inches of snow. On the 30th the reservoirs were filling and enough water had been retained to

permit a general resumption of mining operations. The Pennsylvania started two mills, and the Empire would soon have plenty of water for all purposes as would the North Star.” A final article on December {0th was headed, “It’s Raining Twenties”. “That is the way it looked to mining men last night when the gentle patter of the drops was heard. Rain began falling early in the evening continuing for sometime and at night there was every indication that a genuine old fashioned storm had gathered, probably just to show what could be done without the aid of Hatfield.“ Acknowledgments: All information and quotations are from copies of the Daily Morning Union, November 3, 1905 to December 10, 1905. Diary of a Trip From Grass Valley to Donner Lake, Lake Tahoe and Independence Lake At the present time it is possible, by automobile, to make the round of Nevada County and visit the principal places, in one day. In the early days of the county, this was different; such a trip took days. The reader may remember the trip to Truckee Meadows, made by Lola Montez andd her friends in July 1854, as described by Theo Reidt in the Bulletin for April 1983. In this issue of the Bulletin we offer another report on a trip through the county, made about ten years later, in August 1864. The author, Rose Farrington Stone, was born in Maine on the second day of December 1829. She came to Grass Valley in 1851 and started school ina little cabin, located at the site where the Lola Montez house stands now. August 3-16, 1864 by Rosine Farrington Stone She instructed 12-15 pupils. At this site, there was a large oak tree under which tree the first election in Grass Valley was held. Rose was not a teacher for a long time; on the first day of August 1852, she married Jeremy P. Stone. Jerry, as he was usually called, was born in Massachusetts in 1827, He moved to Ohio where he settled as a merchant. But not for a long time; in 1849 he came to California. He lived in Placerville for one year ana thereafter moved to Sacramento, Yuba County and finally Grass Valley in succession. The Stones had four children, Marion P., Harold, Emma S., and Anna. Marion became a teacher like his mother had been. He married Minniv Lewis on June 2, 1878. In the 1895 directory he is listed as a teacher in Grass Valley. They had three children, Karl W., Merle and Rosa F. Emma married William Henry Butler. In the 1885 directory we find him listed as a farmer in Rough and Ready. No data on Harold or Anna were found. The career of Jerry Stone can be followed in the various directories. Apparently he was mainly in the water business. In the 1856 directory he is listed as a ditch agent, in the 1861 directory as a miner, in the 1865 directory as a ditch man, in the 1867 directory no occupation is given, in the 1871 directory as a ditch agent again and in the 1895 directory as a ditch owner. He was the first to supply Grass Valley with 23