July 30, 1969 (12 pages)

a VOLUME 49 ADA CO Serving the communities of Nevada City, Grass Valley, French Corral, Rough and Ready, Graniteville, 1, Scotch Hill, North Columbia, eans Flat, Remington Hill, Anthony House, Delirium Tremens. PERIODICALS SECTION CAL. ST. LIBRARY SACTO. CAL. 95814 Red Dog, You Bet, Town Talk, Glenbrook, Little York, Cherokee, [ North San Juan, North Bloomfield, Humbug, Relief Hill, Union Hill, Peardale, Summit City, Walloupa, Gouge Eye, Lime Kiln, Chicago Park, Wolf,: Christmas Hill, Gold Flat, Soggsville, Gold Bar, Lowell Hill, Baqurbon Hil Newtown, Indian Flat, Bridgeport, Birchville, Moore's Flat, Orl Columbia Hill, Brandy Flat, Mooney Flat, Sweetland, Alpha, Omega Washington, Blue Tent, La Batr Meadows, Cedar Ridge, Hili, Liberty Hill, Sailor Flat, Lake City, Selby Flat, Grizzly Sebastopol, Quaker Hill, Willow Valley, DROWNING OF THE SECRET vague. an accident." The fourth storytelling hour for children will be held Friday afternoon at the Nevada City library with Canada this week's Georgine Swartz is the adult in charge and she will be assisted by Ruth and Ann Berliner. The film, "Time of Wonder” will be shown at 1 p.m. with PLANATION CONCERNING TH “Anita Roberts "We don't know all that happened. His explanations have been rather ‘Cecile Wilson "I think it was WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF SEN. TED KENNEDY'S EX— E EVENTS SURROUNDING THE ARY? Glen Sanders "T'll go along with him, I believe." David Mills "No, not really, I didn't believe him." Story-telling hour Friday at NC_ materials on Canada given tothe children to take home. Mrs. Swartz will talk about books on Canada, The weekly storytelling hours are sponsored by Friends of the Libraries and rotate.each Friday between the Nevada City and Grass Valley libraries, 10 Cents ACopy Published Wednesdays, Nevada City WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1969 . The Soundi ng Board Editors story of Nevada City in 50’s is reprinted verbatim (EDITOR'S NOTE: The Nugget carried an historically important series of articles in 1951 titled "100 Years of Nevada County." These vignettes of our Golden Empire then were compiled into a book, only a few of which remain today. Because of local interest in things historical, the Nugget will republish those articles in ensuing weeks and encourages its readers to clip the stories and keep them for future reference and recollection.) WHAT NEVADA CITY WAS LIKE DURING THE FIRST ROUGH YEARS Aaron A, Sargent, one of Nevada City's most famous pioneers, was editor of the Nevada Journal in 1851, and in 1855 wrote the first comprehensive history of Nevada ies. Much _information published in this edition comes from . he pen of Sargent. His story of Nevada City in 1849 and 1850 is reprinted verbatim: "Nevada City is the largest and most prosperous town in Nevada county, and is not excelled by any other mining town in the state. From its location it has command of the trade of a very large portion of the upper country, and will be a formidable rival to Sacramento if a railroad is ever constructed from Sacramento, or the accumulation of sand in the river, now navigable at Marysville, prevents vessels from reaching that point. “The earliest settlers in this place were Capt. John Pennington, Thomas Cross and Wm. McCraig, who prospered in Gold Run in September, 1849, and built. cabin there. In October of the same year, Dr. A, B. Caldwell built a log store on Nevada Steet, back of Main street ravine, and from this circumstance the place was known, till long after as ''Caldwell's Upper Store". Dr. Caldwell had previously built a store at Beckville, four miles down the creek. In October a man, named Stamps, brought his wife and several children here, and built a cabin on the forks of the ravine back of Coyote street. His wife was the fist lady that graced this rough part of creation with her presence, Now, thank Providence, Nevada, with the progress of improvements in-other respects, is blessed with the society of a large number of the ‘dear, bewitching creatures." Boe? "The first building on Broad street dates back to the last of September, 1849, and was built by John Truesdale, just back of the lot where the Hotel de Paris now stands, In the spring of 1850, Truex and Blackman built a log store on the spot where the Empire now stands, at the foot of Main street, ."The first hotel opened in Nevada City was by Womack and Kenzie, early in the spring of 1850, on the spot ,ow occupied by Espenscheid's brick building. In April 1850, the "Nevada Hotel", on the site of the present Oriental, was built by J. N. Turner, of rafted pine boards; and what is singular as illustrating the immense size to which the heretofore unmolested tenants of the forests hereabouts had attained, the whole house. -thirty-eight feet front and forty-eight in depth, all the rafters, beams, floors, etc. -were taken out of one tree. The house opened on the first day of May with forty boarders, The moderate price of board and lodging in these days was $25 per week. The winter of 1849-50 was of a very severe nature, andthe transportation of goods from below was very difficult. In March, 1850, the snow was ten feet deep on the banks of Deer Creek --three times the depth it has ever since attained. Goods of all kinds sold at exorbitant rates. We instance a few of the staples of those days; fresh beef and pork sold at 80 cents per pound; molasses, $7.50 a gallon; flour at 44 cents; potatoes 75 cents: onions, $1.50; calf boots, $20; $7.50 a gallon; flour at 44cents; potatoes stout boots from $30 to $40; long handled shovels, $16. The only kinds of-medicines in the pharmacopaeia of the physicians of those days were calomel, laudanum and opium, which were administered for all diseases and wounds, with little respect to symptoms, "The first great mail arrived at Sacramento in December, 1849, and an express was immediately started by some brothers named Bowers, who charged the moderate rate of $2.50 for conveying letters and $1 for papers. This was the first express started from Nevada, remaining in operation till susperseded by the larger expresses from below. The news of the great mail having arrived below spread through the mines and created a great excitement It was the first visible token of a reali union between the Atlantic States and the wilds of the Pacific, and thousands were gladdened by intelligence of home and friends, separated by thousands of miles of desert and ocean. "An important element of the present business of this county is supplied by the saw mills that are erected wherever growing settlements create a demand for lumber. The importance of this business may be judged of from the fact that there are now eleven saw mills in prosperous operation within a circuit of two miles around the city. The first saw mill commenced in Nevada was on Deer Creek, just above the town, in August, 1850, and was built by Lewis & Co., witha water wheel, Shortly after, one Moore erected a steam saw mill on Little Deer Creek, now known as Hirst's Mill, and in this mill the first lumber in the place was sawed, In Holt's mill, four miles below Grass Valley afterwards burnt by the Indians, lumber was sawed as early as the 3rd day of May, 1850, and the first in the county. "The name of 'Nevada' was given to this settlement in March, 1850, on the occasion of an election of alcalde. A murder committed in the neighborhood, and Several other depredations, excited public attention, the residents concluded that, to prevent such occurrences! it was Continued on Page 11

a VOLUME 49 ADA CO Serving the communities of Nevada City, Grass Valley, French Corral, Rough and Ready, Graniteville, 1, Scotch Hill, North Columbia, eans Flat, Remington Hill, Anthony House, Delirium Tremens. PERIODICALS SECTION CAL. ST. LIBRARY SACTO. CAL. 95814 Red Dog, You Bet, Town Talk, Glenbrook, Little York, Cherokee, [ North San Juan, North Bloomfield, Humbug, Relief Hill, Union Hill, Peardale, Summit City, Walloupa, Gouge Eye, Lime Kiln, Chicago Park, Wolf,: Christmas Hill, Gold Flat, Soggsville, Gold Bar, Lowell Hill, Baqurbon Hil Newtown, Indian Flat, Bridgeport, Birchville, Moore's Flat, Orl Columbia Hill, Brandy Flat, Mooney Flat, Sweetland, Alpha, Omega Washington, Blue Tent, La Batr Meadows, Cedar Ridge, Hili, Liberty Hill, Sailor Flat, Lake City, Selby Flat, Grizzly Sebastopol, Quaker Hill, Willow Valley, DROWNING OF THE SECRET vague. an accident." The fourth storytelling hour for children will be held Friday afternoon at the Nevada City library with Canada this week's Georgine Swartz is the adult in charge and she will be assisted by Ruth and Ann Berliner. The film, "Time of Wonder” will be shown at 1 p.m. with PLANATION CONCERNING TH “Anita Roberts "We don't know all that happened. His explanations have been rather ‘Cecile Wilson "I think it was WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF SEN. TED KENNEDY'S EX— E EVENTS SURROUNDING THE ARY? Glen Sanders "T'll go along with him, I believe." David Mills "No, not really, I didn't believe him." Story-telling hour Friday at NC_ materials on Canada given tothe children to take home. Mrs. Swartz will talk about books on Canada, The weekly storytelling hours are sponsored by Friends of the Libraries and rotate.each Friday between the Nevada City and Grass Valley libraries, 10 Cents ACopy Published Wednesdays, Nevada City WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1969 . The Soundi ng Board Editors story of Nevada City in 50’s is reprinted verbatim (EDITOR'S NOTE: The Nugget carried an historically important series of articles in 1951 titled "100 Years of Nevada County." These vignettes of our Golden Empire then were compiled into a book, only a few of which remain today. Because of local interest in things historical, the Nugget will republish those articles in ensuing weeks and encourages its readers to clip the stories and keep them for future reference and recollection.) WHAT NEVADA CITY WAS LIKE DURING THE FIRST ROUGH YEARS Aaron A, Sargent, one of Nevada City's most famous pioneers, was editor of the Nevada Journal in 1851, and in 1855 wrote the first comprehensive history of Nevada ies.. Much _information published in this edition comes from . he pen of Sargent. His story of Nevada City in 1849 and 1850 is reprinted verbatim: "Nevada City is the largest and most prosperous town in Nevada county, and is not excelled by any other mining town in the state. From its location it has command of the trade of a very large portion of the upper country, and will be a formidable rival to Sacramento if a railroad is ever constructed from Sacramento, or the accumulation of sand in the river, now navigable at Marysville, prevents vessels from reaching that point. “The earliest settlers in this place were Capt. John Pennington, Thomas Cross and Wm. McCraig, who prospered in Gold Run in September, 1849, and built. cabin there. In October of the same year, Dr. A, B. Caldwell built a log store on Nevada Steet, back of Main street ravine, and from this circumstance the place was known, till long after as ''Caldwell's Upper Store". Dr.

Caldwell had previously built a store at Beckville, four miles down the creek. In October a man, named Stamps, brought his wife and several children here, and built a cabin on the forks of the ravine back of Coyote street. His wife was the fist lady that graced this rough part of creation with her presence, Now, thank Providence, Nevada, with the progress of improvements in-other respects, is blessed with the society of a large number of the ‘dear, bewitching creatures." Boe? "The first building on Broad street dates back to the last of September, 1849, and was built by John Truesdale, just back of the lot where the Hotel de Paris now stands, In the spring of 1850, Truex and Blackman built a log store on the spot where the Empire now stands, at the foot of Main street, ."The first hotel opened in Nevada City was by Womack and Kenzie, early in the spring of 1850, on the spot ,ow occupied by Espenscheid's brick building. In April 1850, the "Nevada Hotel", on the site of the present Oriental, was built by J. N. Turner, of rafted pine boards; and what is singular as illustrating the immense size to which the heretofore unmolested tenants of the forests hereabouts had attained, the whole house. -thirty-eight feet front and forty-eight in depth, all the rafters, beams, floors, etc. -were taken out of one tree. The house opened on the first day of May with forty boarders, The moderate price of board and lodging in these days was $25 per week. The winter of 1849-50 was of a very severe nature, andthe transportation of goods from below was very difficult. In March, 1850, the snow was ten feet deep on the banks of Deer Creek --three times the depth it has ever since attained. Goods of all kinds sold at exorbitant rates. We instance a few of the staples of those days; fresh beef and pork sold at 80 cents per pound; molasses, $7.50 a gallon; flour at 44 cents; potatoes 75 cents: onions, $1.50; calf boots, $20; $7.50 a gallon; flour at 44cents; potatoes stout boots from $30 to $40; long handled shovels, $16. The only kinds of-medicines in the pharmacopaeia of the physicians of those days were calomel, laudanum and opium, which were administered for all diseases and wounds, with little respect to symptoms, "The first great mail arrived at Sacramento in December, 1849, and an express was immediately started by some brothers named Bowers, who charged the moderate rate of $2.50 for conveying letters and $1 for papers. This was the first express started from Nevada, remaining in operation till susperseded by the larger expresses from below. The news of the great mail having arrived below spread through the mines and created a great excitement It was the first visible token of a reali union between the Atlantic States and the wilds of the Pacific, and thousands were gladdened by intelligence of home and friends, separated by thousands of miles of desert and ocean. "An important element of the present business of this county is supplied by the saw mills that are erected wherever growing settlements create a demand for lumber. The importance of this business may be judged of from the fact that there are now eleven saw mills in prosperous operation within a circuit of two miles around the city. The first saw mill commenced in Nevada was on Deer Creek, just above the town, in August, 1850, and was built by Lewis & Co., witha water wheel, Shortly after, one Moore erected a steam saw mill on Little Deer Creek, now known as Hirst's Mill, and in this mill the first lumber in the place was sawed, In Holt's mill, four miles below Grass Valley afterwards burnt by the Indians, lumber was sawed as early as the 3rd day of May, 1850, and the first in the county. "The name of 'Nevada' was given to this settlement in March, 1850, on the occasion of an election of alcalde. A murder committed in the neighborhood, and Several other depredations, excited public attention, the residents concluded that, to prevent such occurrences! it was Continued on Page 11