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 CALIFORNIA. 143 William Carson, of the firm of Dolbeer & Carson, cut the first saw-log in the county in October, 1850. Hon. John Vance, for three terms the mayor of Eureka and one of her most prominent as well as most wealthy citizens, began operations in 1850. In the same connection should be mentioned David Evans at the head of the Excelsior Mills, and the late Allen McKay, who founded the Occidental Mills. In connection with shipping we must mentiom Captain H. H. Buhne, a pioneer of 1847, who was one of the Laura Virginia company that first entered Humboldt Bay. He is an extensive tug and ship owner. These men all started poor and by enterprise and energy made their way upwards to wealth and honor. Next to lumber and kindred industries ranks 8TOCK-RAISING AND WOOL-GROWING. The annual wool clip of the county is about 2,000,000 pounds. The stock interests are also very large. The late Hon. John Russ was one of the first, in 1852, to drive cattle into Humboldt. He acquired a vast fortune, leaving a widow and family who reside in the comfortable family mansion near Ferndale. Butter and cheese making’is another important item in the business of the county. Gold-mining is also still a large interest, although not so important as formerly. Fishing is conducted quite extensively on the bay and off the coast. In matters of TRANSPORTATION, Humboldt County is singularly favored by water and almost entirely shut off by land. Two regular lines of steamers are on the route between Eureka and San Francisco, one runs regularly to, San Francisco from Eel River, calling at Shelter Cove on the way, while a fourth runs regularly between Arcata and San Francisco. In 1888, the total numbers of arrivals and departures of vessels was 736 and 702, respectively, showing the magnitude of the shipping trade. The destination of many of these vessels was to foreign ports, as Australia, South America, Europe, etc. There are ten or a dozen railways in the county, all but two of them being simply logging roads. The two are the Eel River & Eureka Railroad, which runs twenty four miles up Eel River, and Arcata & Mad River which runs twelve miles up the Mad River. From the terminus of the former a stage line connects, through Mendocino County, with Ukiah and the San Francisco & North Pacific Railway. A railroad to extend from Eureka to Red Bluff across the mountains is being now much talked of, and if built would add greatly to the importance of Eureka, and probably make it the terminus of a trans-continental road. Humboldt County people take great pride in the fact that there are NO CHINESE IN THE COUNTY. In 1885, following a series of outrages by the Chinese, which culminated in the death of a prominent citizen, the people of Eureka notitied them to leave, which they did with all their goods and chattels. Other towns throughout the county took similar action, and in some instances bought their property. . THE PRESS. The newspapers of Eureka are metropolitan in tone and represent ably, as do the other journals of the county, the interests of their section. The Zimes (morning) and Standard (evening), the one founded in 1854 and the other in 1875, have both daily and weekly editions. The Maz (1887) and the Western Watchman (1884) are both weeklies. In Ferndale is published the E’nterprise (1879). In Arcata is the Union (1886). In Arcata is also printed the Z’ncinal, (1887), which is published at Glendale, near by. Rohnerville supports the Herald (1881); Blue Lake, the Advocate (1888), and Hyderville the Home Journal (1889). All of these are weeklies. LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION, Humboldt County has been represented in the State Assembly by the following: L. M. Burson, 1860; Jonathan Clark, 1875-76; John