Collection: Books and Periodicals > Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins

About This Item:

Title: Volume 075-3 - July 2021 Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Collection Name: Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins # of Pages: 8 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2023-12-30 11:48:29 OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 04:06:34 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:06:34

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 8  

NCHS Bulletin July 2021 also a working man’s holiday as he met many of Nevada County’s own newspapermen: the Nevada Daily Transcript’s Nathaniel P. Brown Jr. and Marcellus S. Deal, and Rufus H. Shoemaker and Charles H. Mitchell at the Union offices in Grass Valley. Bell’s experiences on his journey to Nevada County, published in two parts, reads like those of an outsider, regardless of his years in California. His writing provides us with a rare view into the Black communities of Nevada City and Grass Valley, and his positive reception and treatment traveling to Nevada County and while staying here. His interactions with Jennie Carter add a bit of humor to his story. ° His articles appear as published with minor formatting changes. Editorial Correspondence, Nevada City, April 21, 1873. The journey from San Francisco to this place was very pleasant. I left at 7 1/4 o’clock by steamboat New World for Sacramento, via Vallejo, arriving at the former place at 12 1/2 o’clock, giving me an hour and a half before the leaving of the eastern bound train. I had an opportunity to see some friends in the Capitol City and refreshing the inner man. At two o’clock the signal of departure was given, and I again mounted the cars for Colfax at which place I arrived at 5 1/2 o’clock, passing nearly a dozen stations on our route. At Colfax we took stage for our point of destination, and here I must speak in favor of the travelling accommodations on the line of the Central Pacific Railroad. Whatever may be the privations suffered by colored persons elsewhere, here there are none—our civil rights are fully acknowledged, and we can obtain whatever we require, and have to pay for. On board the New World, at Sacramento and at Colfax, when the bell rings we can take a seat and call for what we want without hinderance or molestation. The same is observed on the Stockton route. Our ride from Colfax was very pleasant, but tedious. The long anticipated and dreaded horse disease, the Epizootic, interferes greatly with stage travel in this section of the country; nearly all the horses being afflicted.° Leaving Colfax at 6 o’clock we did not arrive at Glass Valley until 9 1/2 o’clock, a distance of only twelve miles. I have not yet had an opportunity of seeing Grass Valley, which I understand is quite a pleasant place; I shall, however, visit our friends there before my departure from Nevada County. Our ride from Colfax to this point was over a good road, but by a circuitous route, winding around mountains and by zig-zag paths; now along a precipice and then skirting a river which seems to be running up hill, which it crosses by a bridge which looks at a distance like a pigeon coop. From Grass Valley I could not observe the road, nor did I ask any questions being considerably out of humor at our delay. Jennie kiss’d me when we met, Jumping from the seat she sat in; Time, you rouge who like to get Sweet things in your book—put that in. Say I’m weary—call me sad; Say that health and wealth have miss’d me; Say I’m friendless, old and bad— But Jennie kiss’d me.’ Such was the reception given me when I arrived at Mud Hill on Saturday night. * The name is not euphonious, but it is rendered classical by the communications of “Semper Fidelis.” My friend D. D. Carter was waiting for me when the stage arrived at Nevada City at 10 1/2 o’clock, and with lantern and staff he conveyed me to Mud Hill, where the above greeting awaited me. The name is not at all applicable, for it is but a slight elevation from the city proper, and the snug cottage is surrounded by graveled walks and trees, flower vines and shrubbery. Sunday morning I went down-town returning about noon, and intending to go to church in the evening but a sudden shower of rain coming on I was housed for the day. While walking about town I was surprised at the many friendly greetings I received. Almost every third person I passed accosted me by name, and I soon ascertained that friend Carter had made my intended visit generally known. A city election takes place here on Monday, 5th of May, for three Trustees, Assessor and