ifornia had arrived East and began to scatter around, central part of the Sierra Nevada. Here the Carson
showing to such a clear-headed speculator like Aspin- pass leading down into El Dorado county was the
wall that there was something, if not a million in it, most preferred one; another favored pass was following
and urging upon him the necessity of changing the up the Truckee river, crossing on the summit to Bear
plan of his three steamers, then under construction. river ridge and tracing down the latter river. Another
This was immediately done. and their completion route across the plains took a more northerly direc-
hurried on. No sooner than one of them had been tion, and passed over the Sierra Nevada by the Pitt
completed and equipped was she sent out on her voy-river route, or Lassen's Cut-off, to enter California in
age by the way of Magellan Straits for the Pacific the northern part.
ocean and San Francisco. The first to arrive at this
latter port on February 28th, was the California, the
Oregon followed on March 31st, and the Panama
entered San Francisco harbor on June 4, 1849. Thus
was opened up a new route to the El Dorado of the
Pacific coast.

However trustful everyone was of his own success, there were certainly few strong minded enough to set out on the expedition alone-dependent on their own. strength and good luck; all others not in possession of such amount of self-confidence attached themselves to a larger body of men, or formed a company for their own protection and satisfaction; this being a necessity for the travel overland, it was an attribute of the travel by sea giving an agreeable comfort. But the dependency in this direction as well as other necessary preparations, absorbed, with most of them, too much time to allow them to move on immediately, as the season was too far advanced, thus giving better opportunity for preparations and for making proselites for the emigration, to start on the journey as early as spring would allow the moving. The seaport cities as well as the frontier post of the far west, early in 1849, became the redezvous places of thousands of people, and their

Since the St. Louis newspapers, in 1840, had published the glowing description of California, out of Dr. Marsh's pen, this country, just far enough distant to become a field for the golden dreams of many a romantic youth; publications like Dana's "Two Years Before the Mast," and the Wilke's exploring expedition, had nourished this feeling, and some returned whaler had helped and aided in his circle with his de. scriptions, that the romance did not die out. Now, then, this land appeared again in a new dress, COVered with gold," and letters filled with gold dust had arrived together with more inviting descriptions and urgent invitations by friends. The romance had de-assemblage and the purpose for which they came, veloped into reality and the attraction grew to an irre- gave birth to many hitherto unknown branches of insistible strength, the youth talented with romantic dustry at these places. Here all the old horses, mules, fancy filled the ranks of the adventurers, ready oxen and cows, together with old wagons of every dewith the next chance to start for the newly ac- scription, were brought to these fitting-out stations quired American province, the new El Dorado, where and found a ready market and sale; the emigrants on everybody could help himself to as much of the their journey being compelled to pay the highest prices precious metal as he pleased, without the investment for all things of necessity. There, old vessels, laid of a great capital. And the only question to be settled up for years, and half rotten, or forgotten entirely at by these fresh made adventurers was to decide by their moorings, were brought to life again; a new what route they could reach their far destination the quickest. According to the home location, those liv. ing on or near the Atlantic ocean found it most convenient to go by water, either all the way around Cape Horn, or by the way of Central America, crossing the Isthmus at Panama, at Nicaragua, or across Mexico; while those of the Western States mostly preferred to go the entire distance by land across the plains, where several routes afforded the way to the Pacific coast the Santa Fe route, or generally called the Santa Fe trail, via the Arkansas valley to the Rio Many of the adventurers who were trying to Grande, then through Sonora to the Rio Gila, and make fortunes on this coast had an idea that this crossing the Colorado river to enter California from the country was lacking of everything, and they brought south-eastern part; or the route Fremont had taken, with them all the necessities of life; all the impleup the Platte river, through the South Pass of the Rocky ments, tools and machinery for starting most every mountains, through Utah, passing by Fort Hall, follow- trade; supplies were taken along to open stores of ing the Humboldt and Carson rivers towards the every description; printing presses and all the sup

coppering and other most necessary repairing was
done as fast as possible, the vessel fitted up as a pas-
senger boat and advertised as a fast sailing vessel in
best order, awaiting passengers for California, and
every one of them were filled with passengers who were
willing to risk the old crafts, being all anxious to reach
the far destination as fast as possible.

And now to say what all was going along with
these vessels, besides the passengers, one could hardly
imagine anything that these smart Yankees had forgot-
ten.

boat, and a clumsy affair, but it was propelled by the aid of steam and with paddle wheels, and that specimen of our work we named Edward Everett, Jr. This steamer was the first one that ever navigated the Sacramento river; and it should be known in history that through the kindness of Edward Everett, the orator and statesman, the one hundred and fifty adventurers were proud to place his name on the sides of their rude craft, a wonder in those days, when only sailing vessels ascended the river."

plemental parts, to bring the blessings of the news to had purchased in Boston. It was a flat-bottomed the new country, whole houses, in all their parts, ready to be put up; one wing of Mrs. Perry's hotel at Salmon Falls, El Dorado county, came around Cape Hornwe could state a good many more, but this one example may suffice; more thoughtful people went on to invent machines for washing gold and sold them to the adventurers, who stowed them in with the other baggage to make use of when arriving at the El Doado. One party, made up as the "Ganargwa Mining Company," among other curiosities were accompanied by a coining press, with steel dies, for the coining of five and ten dollar gold pieces; for what could they do with all the gold that they expected to dig without being coined? And even the first steamboat ever run on the Sacramento river was imported that way by the excited adventurers. We give the following from a Boston newspaper, published as a "Recollection of the late Edward Everett ;" the writer of the article calls himself one of the party :

Thus the early gold-hunters started out on their voyage provided with everything the boldest imagination could think of; equipped, not as the law directed quite, but as the inclination dictated them. The trip around Cape Horn was tiresome and absorbed much time; but, after all, the travelers that took their choice of this route found that they had done the best, and in most every line of comparison the advantage was on their side. They made a continuous "In the month of December, 1848, a party of ad- progress, and after having sailed around Cape Horn venturers numbering one hundred and fifty, from all they did not need to worry themselves; they prothe New England States, became infected with the gold ceeded toward their destination, where they arrived fever, which raged then extensively all over the coun- fresh and strong, having their outfit right on hand in try, in consequence of discovering the precious metal the hold of the same vessel. The overland travelers in California. These men formed a company and starting with insufficient knowledge of their own purchased a ship called the Edward Everett, and necessities as well as the character of the country they named their company 'The Edward Everett Mining had to traverse, had their wagons loaded down to the Company.' The shares were three hundred dollars utmost with not much less of all kinds of stuff than each, and no person could hold more than one share, because the company wanted strength-not ornamental members. After the shares were allotted, and the ship purchased, it was suggested that Mr. Everett should be notified of the compliment the company had paid him, and that we should be happy if he would give us any information respecting the country we were about to visit, and the art of mining. The hint was acted upon, and in a few days we received a letter from Mr. Everett, in which he stated that, with facts and documents we desired, he had forwarded us a choice lot of books, the perusal of which he hoped we would find interesting during our long passage to the new El Dorado. There were about a hundred and fifty volumes. embracing Prescott's, Bancroft's Sparks' and other standard works; besides several text books relative to mining, some pamphlets regarding the climate, soil and geology of California, and works that gave a very distinct account of the early settlement of the Jesuits, and the manner in which they had extended their influence by the aid of Missionaries and Christianity among the Indians.

"After a six months' passage we arrived in California, moored our ship along the mud banks of Benicia and there built a steamboat with the material which we

the former class, soon enough found themselves concerned with difficulties, and experience was the master that taught them the right way. Most of the emigrants were overloaded with provisions to such an extent that it soon became a burden to them and their pulling animals; but short, they resolved to throw the burden overboard, and as others followed the same example, there could be found along the different emigrant roads piled up like cord-wood, all different articles of food, particularly hams, bacon and flourbarrels, and on more difficult points of the roads there were wagons loaded with goods left behind, on account of an insufficiency of pulling animals, those from the abandoned wagons being required more necessary for the balance of the rigging. From the Missouri river to the passes in the Rocky mountains there were but little difficulties out of natural causes, the road leading continuously sloping up towards the mountains; but in crossing the mountains an amount of difficulties were to overcome that none of them had thought of before. But the emigrants of 1849, having toiled with their wagons over unknown plains and wild mountains across, the sandy and alkali deserts, learning by experience many devices for passing successfully the most serious obsta

cles. Zigzag trails had to be cut on the too steep hillsides to facilitate the passage of pack animals, and even of light wagons, and the rudiments of some of them may be found to the present time, though overgrown with lichen and ferns as well as all kinds of chaparral oftentimes wagons had to be taken down by ropes, or by attaching limbs of trees as a drag to enlarge the friction and thus break or retard the speed or pressure.

transportation of passengers-all ready to be either chartered or sold to a company of emigrants.

John Conness, now of Boston, but for years a citizen of El Dorado county, with many other future prominent citizens of this State, took passage on May 9th, 1849, on board the whaler-ship Sylph, Captain Francis Gardiner, of Fairhaven, and arrived at San Francisco, California, after an involuntary visit to the port of Tacamas, Republic of Ecuador, about 55 miles north of the equator, on July 26t, 1849.

The number of arrivals on the water-way at San Francisco, from April 12th, 1849, to February 28th, 1850, was 43,824. The emigrant road from the Carson Pass down into El Dorado alone, saw passing over it, if not more, at least as many arriving emigrants as those who landed at San Francisco.

CHAPTER XVI.

ORGANIZATION OF COUNTY AND COUNTY COURT SEAT.

El Dorado county is one of the twenty-seven counties into which the State was divided at its organization, their boundaries being the matter of an act signed February 18th, 1850.

When the order of the day brought up the debate for subdividing the state into counties, it was found that not only the geography of the territory, to the greater extent, was still unknown and the rest veiled, but the population was still so uncertain and unsettled, the course of the rivers as well as the character of the mountains not sufficiently known, that all this caused much perplexity and delay. But it must be said, they did the best they could do under the perplexing cir

The number of emigrants from the Western States that set out in the spring of 1849, during the months of April, May and June, on their travel across the plains can only be approximately estimated, varying between 50,000 and 80,000, organized in companies numbering from about a dozen up to several hundred, most of them men, comparatively few women and children accompanying their husbands and fathers to the new country. Most of the emigrants, coming by the Santa Fe route, went to the southern mines; those entering the territory by the Pitt river route went to the northern part; the Truckee river pass led down to the mines on Bear, Yuba and neighboring rivers; and the Carson [ass brought those hunting the El Dorado down to the American river, and being satisfied here, they called it El Dorado. A third route to reach the El Dorado on the Pacific coast was by the way of the Isthmus of Panama, and the emigrants who had selected the same, without any doubt calculating on the shortest and cheapest way, found they had made a miscalculation, and were in the worst condition of all the emigrants; for after being landed at Chagres, Navy Bay, or some other harbor, together with their baggage and eventually other outfit, they had to go across the Isthmus either afoot or on mule's back and await the arrival of the next steamer. Thus from 5,000 to 8,000 American emigrants were com- cumstances, and however ungainly in shape or bounpelled to take involuntary lodgings up to the time when their chances would turn up to move further on, and not being accustomed to the tropical climate, malarial fever, cholera, etc., were ravaging badly in their ranks, and only the ardent desire to reach the land of such extravagant reports and so favorable promises could keep the minds of most of them upright. But the few steamers (only two were running yet on the Pacific ocean) could not give passage to one-fourth of the people arriving every week, the price for tickets run up immensely, and as comparatively few of the emigrants had been wise and precautious enough to pro- In 1850, when the vote was taken for the location vide themselves with through tickets to San Francisco, of a court seat in the county, Coloma received the largthere was a good chance for other vessels that hap- est number of votes, for the reason it then had hardly pened to be around in this ocean. Vessels of every any competitor of note, as up to that time most all description came flocking into Panama harbor to get the population had concentrated around Coloma. But their share of this travel; unloading their cargo if its development was limited and the increase of its necessary and making some arrangements for the population could not stand the comparison with other

daries, some of the counties might have been laid out first, causing many a correction in later years, the boundaries of El Dorado, with the first choice, struck the right point; little or no alterations have been necessary up to the present day. As the county in which the discovery of gold was made, and consequently having the greatest attraction for all those who had come to hunt up a fortune in this new El Dorado, and being one of the largest and richest counties in the mining district, she was deservedly complimented with the name she bears.

districts, particularly those of Hangtown and Weber the preceding section, until after the proposals for such creek. And ere long the ambition of the people of contract shall have been advertised by the court of

the first named district grew high enough to start an agitation for the removal of the county court seat to Placerville, as being located so much more convenient and the most central location of the county. Public meetings were held at Placerville, in January, 1854, and as the result of a resolution then adopted, the following bill for the permanent location of the county court seat of El Dorado county was introduced in the State Legislature :

The People of the State of California, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. The county judge of El Dorado county shall, at least four weeks prior to the next general election, make proclamation to the voters of said county, and shall cause the same proclamation to be published in all the newspapers published in said county, as often as the same may be issued, that at the next general election the question of the removal of the county seat shall be voted on by the qualified voters of said county, and stating the form of ballot to be used at said election, which shall be as follows: "For County Seat," naming the place to be voted for, and said ballots shall be counted at the same time, and in the like

manner as those cast for the officers to be chosen at said election.

SEC. 2. The returns of the votes so cast for a county seat shall be made to the county clerk as in manner provided by law.

SEC. 3. After the returns shall have been canvassed, it shall be the duty of the county judge to declare that place which shall have received the greatest number of votes, to be the county seat and shall cause the same to be certified to the Secretary of the State.

sessions, for at least two weeks, in all the newspapers published in said county, which proposals shall specify with exactness the size, and manner of construction, and the time within which the said buildings shall be completed, and no member of the court of sessions or other county officers, shall be interested either directly or indirectly in the contract so made.

SEC. 6. Within sixty days after the execution of such contract, or as soon as the buildings at the new county seat shall be ready for use and occupancy, it shall be the duty of the court of sessions to cause to be removed, the public archives, records and other property of said county, to the place so declared to be the county seat; and the terms of the county court of sessions and the district court of said county shall thereafter be holden at the county seat.

SEC. 7. Whenever the buildings now occupied at the present county seat shall be no longer needed for public use, it shall be the duty of the court of sessions to order the sheriff of the county to expose the same for sale at public auction, to be sold to the highest bidder, together with the ground belonging thereunto; the proceeds of which shall be paid into the county

treasury.

The sheriff shall furnish a bill of sale of all the property sold, to the county treasurer, and take the treasurer's receipt for the moneys paid him on account of such sale; which receipt shall be filed as a voucher with the county auditor.

SEC. 8. All laws or parts of laws conflicting with the provisions of this act so far as they or either of them are applicable or relate to the county of El Do rado, are hereby repealed.

This act, passed by the Legislature of California in April, 1854, was the result of a petition of the citiSEC. 4. If it shall be ascertained that the place zens of Placerville, introduced as a bill in the Legischosen, as aforesaid, for the county seat of said county, lature in session; the city of Placerville being incoris other than the town of Coloma, the court of ses-porated about the same time and being undoubtedly sions shall immediately proceed to make all necessary the most important town in the county, and in full uncontracts for the erection of a court-house and jail, derstanding of the way and means how to increase her and other necessary offices for the county seat, which significance, made great efforts to get the county seat contracts shall be given to the lowest responsible bid- changed from Coloma to Placerville, making it plausider. Bonds and sureties shall be required of a re-ble that suitable buildings for court-house and offices sponsible character, equal in amount to the price to would be given by the citizens. The Legislature, as be paid for the erection of the buildings specified in such contracts; and payments shall be made on the contracts in such manner as the court of sessions shall deem most conducive to the interest of the people of the county; provided that no payments shall be made until the completion of the buildings according to contract, and until they shall have been received by the court of sessions.

above stated, submitted the question to the decision of the people at the next general election, to come off in September of the same year, giving the matter an ample chance for agitation in the meantime.

Besides Coloma, anxious to keep what had been in her possession since the organization of the county, and Placerville, three more aspirants entered the contest for the county seat. Georgetown also marched SEC. 5. No contract shall be made as specified in in the field for the agitation for removal of the county

seat. The Mountain Democrat of May 18th, 1854, gives the following:

"At a meeting of the citizens of Georgetown and the northern portion of El Dorado county, held at Georgetown on the evening of the 12th inst., on the subject of the removal of the county seat, T. W. Brotherton, Esq., was called to the chair, and Joseph C. Terrell, appointed secretary. Whereupon the following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That a standing committee of five be appointed to devise and carry into execution the best means to secure the election of Georgetown for the permanent county seat of El Dorado county, and said committee report at "Warren's Hall," at 8 o'clock, two weeks from to-night.

Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in the State Journal, the Sacramento Union, and in the papers of this county. On motion, the meeting adjourned.

T. W. BROTHERTON, Pres't.

WHEREAS, The Legislature of California has left the question of the permanent location of the county J. C. TERRELL, Sec'y." seat of El Dorado county to be decided by the qual Georgetown, however, withdrew in favor of Greenified voters of said county at the approaching elec-wood Valley, and if it had not been for the jealousy tion;

of Diamond Springs, we don't know why the county seat would not have been removed in 1854 from Coloma to Placerville. At the general election of September 6th, 1854, the following vote was given for county seat:

AND WHEREAS, For the opinion of this meeting, Georgetown is the most suitable place in the county for the permanent establishment of the county seat, possessing as it does, many advantages unequal ed by any other place spoken of to be voted for the county Coloma...

seat.

Among which advantages might be mentioned the regular manner in which it is laid out, and the great width of its streets; which not only afford extraordinary facilities for business and travel, but are almost a sure guaranty against fire.

Placerville....
Diamond Springs...
Mud Springs....
Greenwood Valley..

4,601

3,745

2,073

685

441

Immediately after the election, for the first time some talk was circulating to divide the county of El In addition to which, her citizens never have been, Dorado, on account of her huge dimensions, but in and it is presumed never will be found wanting in fact as the hearty wish of some politicians to try the energy, liberality and public spirit, as is evidenced by experiment, expecting to have better control of the the fact that we have a large and spacious town hall-votes of the county in the diminished shape; but for an edifice unequalled by anything of the kind in the this time it was of no consequence whatever. About mountains of California-as well as a large substan- a year later, however, a member of the State Assembly tial church, built by the citizens generally, without by the name of White gave notice in the House that distinction of sect or creed, and free for all Christian he would introduce a bill to divide the "Empire denominations. Also a fine district school-house, fin- county." ished after the most approved models, and affording the best accommodations for the children of the district. We have also an inexaustible supply of mountain water, which requires neither snow nor ice to make it palatable, as well as a never-failing stream running through our midst; and as for beauty of scenery, salubrity of climate and uniform good health, we challenge the world to find a parallel-making Georgetown altogether one of the most desirable places for the permanent location of the county seat, that can be found in the county of El Dorado. Therefore,

Resolved, That we will use all honorable means within our power, to secure the permanent location of the county seat of El Dorado county at Georgetown. Resolved, That if Georgetown is successful in procuring the county seat, that we pledge ourselves to donate to the county of El Dorado, for county purposes, the large and commodious building in said town known as the "Town Hall."

The question of the removal of the county seat from Coloma to Placerville, that had been slumbering since the election in the fall of 1854, turned up again in the spring of 1856. This time the first request was made by the population of Cosumnes and White Oak townships, comprising the whole population of the southern and southwestern part of the county, who by reason of the geographical location of their places of residence, would be benefitted by a removal of the county seat to Placerville, as the most central and conveniently located place. Coloma, in anticipation of this second contest, that promised to become a more serious one, and that she might not be able to come out of it as lucky as the first time, opened subscription lists and solicited names for remonstrances.

At Placerville the citizens convened at a large and enthusiastic meeting March 15th, 1856; Mayor Jervey was called to preside, Captain W. H. Smith and exMayor A. Hunter were chosen vice-presidents, and W.