Collection: Books and Periodicals

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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  

20 HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. Ross property in 1867, Charles Fairfax anda man named Dixon being the purchasers. They managed the property for a few years, when Fairfax died. In winding up the estate and business of the firm it became necessary to sell the property. J. W.Call became the purchaser of the upper and much the larger proportion of the ranch, on which stands the old Fort Ross buildings ; and of the southerly end Aaron Schroyer bought a large tract. These gentlemen are practical in their ideas of business and the property is now so handled as to yield a profit. At present, throngh the very center of the grounds once enclosed by a heavy stockade, now a connty road runs. The Bennitz residence is converted into a public hotel, and a building once used as quarters tor Russian officers is now a saloon. In an outside building is a store and postoflice. The towers in what was the diagonal corners of the fortress are now roofless, and, in consequence of the worm-eaten condition of the logs are canting over, and it is only a question of time when they will topple to the ground. The Greek chapel yet stands erect with roof and belfry in fair preservation, but is no longer used for holy purposes. Even the Russian cemetery to the sonth of the fort, that was quite plainly visible twenty-seven years ago, is now nearly obliterated. Accompanied by Mr. Call we visited the old Russian orchard half a mile back from the fort. The fence made of heavy split boards by the Russians is still in fair preservation. We entered and plucked Spanish bellflower apples from trees planted by the Russians back of 1820. The twenty or thirty apple, plum and prune trees yet standing are moss-covered and their bark honey-combed by the busy bills of birds. We went back still further and took a walk through the redwood forest of new growth that has sprung up from stumps of trees first cut by the Russians when they settled at Ross. Not over half a dozen of the old redwood forest trees are standing in the grove, and, but for the fact that the stumps are there yet from which the present forest sprang, we should not have recognized it asa forest growth of the present century. The trees have made marvelous growth. Laving a pocket rule with us we measured a tree that was four and a half feet in diameter; and we were assured by Mr, Call that there were trees in the grove full five feet in diameter. This grove is, doubtless, of from sixty to seventyfive years’ growth. We are thus exact and explicit in reference to this furest of new growth because we know there is a wide-spread fear that in cunsequence of the rapidity with which our redwood forests are being converted into lumber, that species of timber will ultimately become extinct. Right there, overshadowing vld Fort Ross, is the refutation of such fallacy. SPANISH COLONIZATION. Echeandia had become Governor of California by appointment of the Mexican Government. He was ordered as early as 1827 to establish a fort on the northern frontier, either at San Ratxel or San Francisco Solano. The presence of the Russians at Noss doubtless inspired this order, and then such a post would not only bea notice to those Muscovites that they must not venture further south, but would be a source of security and protection to the newly founded missions as well. The Governor had no funds to put in successful execution the order. The next year he seems to have ordered a reconnoissance for a suitable place for a military station, but nothing further was done at that time. The years had sped; California was rent with internal discord; the old missions had been looted until they were fast going to ruin, and on the 14th of January, 1833, Figueroa arrived at Monterey, the newly appointed Governor. To evolve order out of chaos seemed to be his high resolve. Figueroa had received special instructions from the Mexican Government to push occupation and settlement of the northern frontier with energy. In obedience to these instructions Alferez Vallejo was ordered to make an exploration, select a site, and offer land to settlers. To aid in this work the old migsions