Collection: Books and Periodicals

About This Item:

Title: A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Publisher: Lewis Publishing Company Published: 1891 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Source(s): Google Books # of Pages: 713 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-07-22 00:25:09 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 03:11:29 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 06:30:36

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

Page: of 713  

HISTORY OF NORTHERN the request of Marshall tested the nugget by boiling it in a kettle of lye, with which she was making soap. In 1885 she still had the nugget in her possession. After the gold discovery the family kept a boarding-house, having also a choice assortment of pigs, ard finally they removed to Southern California. The first business places in Coloma were those of Captain Shannon and Cady’s, the New York Store, S. S. Brooks’ store and John Little’s Emporium on the north side of the river. Warner, Sherman and Bestor, of the United States army, kept a store here during the winter of 184849, Bestor being the business man of the company. The first hotel was the Winters Hotel, Messrs. Winters & Cromwell proprietors. Sutter’s saw-mill was finished aud did good work, under the management of Winters, Marshal] and Bayley. Captain Shannon was also alcalde of the township and John T. Little the tirst postmaster. In 1852 a large two-story building was erected for a theater. One of Sutter’s iron howitzers is still—or was recently—decorating the Meyers Hotel. Nearly all the first experiments in agriculture were naturally made at Coloma, at first the most populous center. The place is now noted for her excellent peaches, as well as other fruits, Bartlett pears and grapes being also favorites. Fruit is shipped out both by way of Placerville and Auburn. At Coloma is an extensive winery and a popular summer hotel. The place is surrounded by orchards. Shingle Springs was an important point while the terminus of the railroad, but now is quiet. There is considerable quartz minining near by. Diamond Spring, on the railroad, has a saw-mill. Near by is El Dorado, a growing town. There is much qnartz-mining in this vicinity. Latrobe, a point lower down on the railroad, has attained considerable reputation as a resort for consumptives. Grizzly Flat is an important mining town, with two saw-mills and many flourishing orchards. Greenwood is another mining camp, ) CALIFORNIA. 137 with large fruit orchards in the vicinity. It makes some boast as a health resort, and, in case of a division of the county, hopes to become a county-seat. El] Dorado County possesses a most. abundant water supply, and many large ditches have been taken out for mining and irrigating supplies. Originally these ditches were probably taken out with no thought other than a supply of water for mining purposes, but they have proved of immense value to the county in fertilizing its lands. Among the larger is the El Dorado Water and Deep Gravel Mining Company’s ditch, drawn from stores of water collected in Silver and Echo Lakes. To utilize this water a tunnel is run through the Sierras, as they lie east of its summit. The California Water Company’s ditch is alsoof inexhaustible supply. A wealthy company, called the American Lumber Company, has recently been formed and is now constructing two very large sawmills in the great body of pine timber situated in the mountains. The product will be flumed to the railways. In Lake Tahoe, which fronts a portion of the eastern border of the county, El Dorado, in common with Placer County, possesses an attraction of great value. Here are situated Tallac, with its beautiful summer hotels, the property of E. J. (“Lucky”) Baldwin, the millionaire. Near by are also the great Rowland saw-mills, with large annual cut. The slate quarries at Chili Bar are the most extensive in the West, the slate of good quality, and an increasing amount being taken out. A guod quality of lime is burned at a point on the Auburn and Placerville Stage Road, there existing a strong ledge of limestone. In Placerville is published the Aountain Democrat, a leading paper of the mountains, established in 1852. The Observer, formerly published there, has lately been absorbed by it. The Gazette, a lively weekly, begun in 1880, is issned in Georgetown, while at Shingle Springs appears the /adependent, dating from 1885.