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Page: of 8
eS oe
e Eccentric
AND THE NEWSPAPERSescape.”’ ”
Of the numerous legends regarding Lola’s trips into -the
mountains, such as the ride to Rabbit Creek for Lotta Crabtree,
only one is actually reported in the papers of that time: a pack trip
with “Old Block” (Alonzo Delano) and group to the Truckee
Meadows. It has been said that Independence Lake in the high
Sierras was named by Lola Montez for our July Fourth national
holiday. As the trip was made in July, it might be that this is one of
those rare truths handed down throughout the years. y
__ Grass Valley Telegraph, July 13, 1854: “Off For the Mountains— Quite a party started out this morning for a trip to the Sierra
Nevada: Madame Lola Montez, Old Block, Dr. Delevan and others
of the company. It is their intention to be absent two or three
wee Rds oa $
Dr. Delevan, an agent for a New York Company, had purchased the Massachusetts Hill Mine Delano & Company, in 1851,
and erected a mill with a system of wheels running ina circular box
similar to an old-fashioned bark mill. That it proved a failure is,
noted in a letter from Jonas Winchester to his wife on March 4,
1854: ‘Conaway finds his affairs here have not been well nanagec:
by Dr. Delevan, who has spent much money in foolish experiments.
He is several thousands worse off than though he had staid’
(stayed) here.’ Soon relieved of his duties as Superintendent of the’
Massachusetts Hill Mine, Dr. Delevan was free to join Lola and Old
Block on their trip across the summit. : ,
‘Daily Evening Herald, July 30, 1854: ‘‘Lola Montez in the
Mountains—A dispatch from Grass Valley to the Union says:
‘Madame Lola Montez and party have just returned from their,
excursion to Truckee Meadows: when they were about leaving on:
their return, Lewis Dalafield (Delevan), one of the party, getting
his horse ready a few minutes before the others, started in adjyance, driving a pack horse with the provisions of the party. The,
‘others started shortly after him, but did not see him afterwards.
They were two days without provisons. It is feared that he has been
s cut off by Indians. A party will start from here in search of him.”
y The Golden Era; August 6, 1854: “‘Old Block At the Summit—
Fs We have taken the liberty of withdrawing the injunction of secrecy
is from the transactions of ‘Old-Block’ and party, while making the
tour to the Downer (Donner) cabins. He informed us that he enjoyed himself hugely not withstanding the eccentricities of ‘the
divine Lola’, who was one of the party, and who contributed not a
little to its interest. At length, however, after reaching the summit.
from causes which our charity is willing to attribute to the rather
elevated altitude of the encampment, Lola found vent for an
exuberance of feeling or indignation at a supposed want of con-.
sideration for her rank, manifested by some party, by quarreling
with her private secretary, during the entire of one long cold night,
and the next morning ‘a solitary horseman’ might have been seendescending the western slope of the Sierra in the direction of Grass
Valley. That man was the author of ‘Chips’. He was prepared to
face the tumult of a howling wilderness—nothing more. Lola and
three or four others returned the next day, finding their way into
Grass Valley after a fast of 24 hours caused by the mysterious
disappearance of the pack mules bearing the provisions of the
company and the man in charge of them. During the short fast,
Lola expressed her willingness to bolt a mule cutlet, but a
lamentable paucity in the company of these animals compelled her
to forego the tempting delicacy. The lost man has since turned up
and it is confidently asserted that his sudden disappearance with:
the provisions was the result of accident and not premeditated’
determination to tame the spunky Countess by starvation.”
Grass Valley Telegraph, August 3, 1854: “Mr. L. Delavan the
report of whose loss among the Sierra Nevada caused quite an
excitement in our village last week was found on Friday last by a
party from Nevada. He had lost both of his animals three days
before, and during that period had been wandering around, and;
nearly exhausted by hunger, exposure and fatigue. The pack horse:
which he was driving at the time he left his party, crossed the river,
and Mr. Delavan in attempting to follow, was thrown from his.
mule, which also crossed the stream. It is indeed most fortunate
that the affairs terminated no more seriously. Aside from his.
danger from starvation, he was in Indian country, where murder
and depredation is no uncommon occurrence. The remainder of the
party including Madame Lola Montez arrived in town on Wednesday last. They also were two days without food inasmuch as the A PACK TRIP in the mountains. (Photo from Hutchings California Magazine,
pack horse with which Mr. Delavan started carried the entire 1895, courtesy of the California State Library, Sacramento.)
provision of the company.”’:
: (CONTINUED NEXT WEEK)
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