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  

212 HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. December 16 following, as the agreed candidate of both parties. Ex-Governor H. 8S. Foote, referred to in this chapter, was born in Virginia in 1800; graduated at Washington College in 1819; commenced the practice of law in 1822; edited a Democratic paper in Alabama in 1824~’82, and then resided many years in Mississippi, by which State he was elected United States Senator. In 1852 he was elected Governor of that State, having resigned his Senatorship. He came to California in 1854, joined the Native American party, and was their candidate for United States Senator in 1856, being defeated by David C. Broderick. In 1858 he returned tu Mississippi and took an active part in politics; represented Tennessee in the Confederate Congress. One of his daughters became the wife of William M. Stewart, United States Senator; the other two daughters married and reside in this State, and two of the sons are practicing lawyers on the Pacific Coast. During his life Foote became engaged in three duels, in two of which he was wounded. He possessed considerable literary ability. In 1866 he published «The War of the Rebellion” and “ Seytla and Carybdis,” and in 1871 a volume of reminiscences. He was also the author of “Texas and the Texans,” published in 1847. He died near Nashville, Tennessee, at his residence, May 20, 1880. THE PRESS. On the 28th of April, 1849, at Sutter’s Fort, the first Sacramento newspaper, the Placer Times, was started by E. C. Kemble & Co., as an off-shoot of the Alta California, of San Francisco. The merchants in the vicinity rallied about the pioneer publisher and subscribed liberally to secure him from losss. A lot of old type was picked up ont of the Adda office, an old Ramage press was repaired, a lot of Spanish fuolseap secured in Sin Francisco, and the whole shipped to Sacramento on a vessel known as the Dice me Nana (says my mamma), the first craft to carry type and press to the interior uf California, which trip she made in eight days. An office was built for the paper about 600 feet from the northeast corner of the bastion and near what is now the corner of Twenty-eighth and K streets. It was a strange mixture of adobe, wood and cotton cloth, but answered the purpose. The paper was 13 x 18 inches in size, with a title cut from wood with a pocket knife. All sorts of expedients were resorted to in cutting off and piecing out letters to make up a complement of * sorts” in the cases. The press had a wooden platen, which needed constant planing off to keep it level, and the rollers were anything but successes. The Times appeared on Saturdays until June, when chills and fever drove Mr. Kemble to “The Bay,” and T. P. Per Lee & Co. took charge. Per Lee ran the paper two weeks, but being a tyro in the business gave it up, and J. H. Giles took charge as agent for E. Gilbert & Co., owners of the Alta, In July the Times removed to Front street, where it flourished well fora time. The subscription was $10 per In November, 1849, after a brief period of reduction in size, it resumed its old shape and was removed to Second street, between K and L. April 22, 1850, it began to appear as a tri-weekly, and J. E. Lawrence made his editorial bow. June 5 following, it appeared as a daily, and thus won the die tinction of being the first daily paper of Sacramento. In July it was enlarged one-third. October 8, same year, it was purchased by Loring Pickering, J. E. Lawrence and L. Aldrich, the price paid being $16,000, which included the cost of the building and two lots. Aldrich soon sold out tv the others. The paper had been neutral, but in 1850 inclined toward Democracy. When the Squatter Riot excitement came on, it had been valiant in defense of the real-estate owners, but under its new management was less partisan. annum. Its last issue was dated June 15, 1851, during which month it was consolidated with its rival, the Sacramento Transcript. The latter had been started April 1, 1850, as