Jackson County News: 1854

The Infamous Black Bird Southern Oregon History, Revised

Jackson County News: 1854

    A woman tavern keeper on Applegate Creek in Jackson County wrote to her niece in 1854: "Em, I should like to have you here, but a young lady is so seldom seen here that you would be in danger of being taken by force."
Federal Writers Project, Oregon: End of the Trail, 1940, page 6 I've been unable to locate the source of the letter. Anyone?

    NEW TERRITORY.--The people in the southern counties of Oregon, and northern counties of California, are out in favor of a new territory, in which they propose to include Shasta, Trinity, Humboldt, Siskiyou and Klamath counties. The Yreka Herald says:
    Northern California and Southern Oregon--A New Territory.--The increase
of population, the permanent growth, the steady progress of improvement, and the almost daily development of new resources of wealth in Northern California and Southern Oregon, have rendered this section not only the most wealthy, but given it advantages over any other portion of the Pacific Coast.
    Here we have a climate which for health is not surpassed by any in the known world. We are free from all fevers, floods, and pestilences of the Sacramento Valley. The farmer has a market at home for all his produce, with natural barriers against all competition from abroad forever. Our valleys are fast settling up, and the voice of the plowman may be heard, as he turns the virgin soil, mingling with the echo of the woodman's ax. The hardy sons of the farmer pioneers of the Western States are progressing with their improvements. They bring with them their families, and are making for themselves a home in this delightful country, where the monster poverty is easily conquered, and where fortune smiles upon all who persevere in industry and sobriety. The auriferous deposits are as rich and extensive as any in California, affording profitable employment to thousands of miners. In short, our population will in one year from the present time be immense.
    As yet we have received little of the benefits from the general government to which our comparative importance entitles us.
    The interests of Northern California and Southern Oregon are identical--while those of Northern Oregon and Southern California, with which we are now connected by state and territorial bands, differ from us widely in interest.
    For the better development of our numerous and extensive resources of wealth, it is necessary that this portion of the country should be formed into a new Territory. We want a voice in our national assembly, to urge upon Congress our immediate wants. We have never had any of the benefits of the appropriations either to California or Oregon. They are of course swallowed up, either by the dull
monster of the north or the grasp of the south. Connected as we are with California
and Oregon, although we pay our full proportion of tax, yet owing to our great distance from, and the difficulty of access to the capitols, we are a drag upon both
state and territory. Our representatives both from Oregon and California, in the general government, have been so wrapped up in the mighty affairs of the older settled portions of the State and Territory, that they have neglected to secure for us even the benefit of a postal arrangement of any kind, with the exception of a one-horse mail from Oregon semi-occasionally.
    Our Indian affairs have either been grossly neglected or attended to in a halfway kind of style, which is far worse than entire neglect--leaving the hardy pioneer to defend himself and his family from the murderous hand of the savage as best he could, or be murdered like dogs--our cattle driven off and our property destroyed
with impunity.
    Our bays and rivers are susceptible of great improvement.
    We want but to be properly represented in the general government to secure to us the aid to which we are entitled, and which is so necessary to the growth and development of this part of the country.
    We want a new Territory. The people of the Umpqua say so. Humboldt, Klamath, and Siskiyou are unanimous in favor of it. The Rogue River country join with one unanimous consent. A voice from Mendocino to the Umpqua cries, let us have a new Territory. It is caught up in the mountains and is resounded from the Trinity to the Calapooya. The people are unanimous.
Nevada Journal, Nevada City, California, January 6, 1854, page 1

    The Indians who were in custody in Jackson County for murder had made their escape. They were assisted by other Indians in the neighborhood.
"News from Oregon and Washington Territories," Weekly Placer Herald, Placer, California, January 7, 1854, page 3

From Yreka.

    We are indebted to C. C. Beekman, of Cram, Rogers & Co.'s Express, for the Mountain Herald of Dec. 31st.
    We perceive that a call has been made, by prominent gentlemen, upon citizens of Jackson County, O.T., to assemble in general mass meeting at the Robinson House, Jacksonville, on Saturday the 7th day of January, 1854, at 4 o'clock p.m., for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of taking measures to effect the formation of a new Territory out of that portion of Southern Oregon and Northern California lying between the Calapooya Mountains on the north and the Trinity Mountains on the south; and also to appoint delegates to a general convention to be held at Jacksonville, on the 23th day of January next. A similar call has been made upon the citizens of Siskiyou, to meet in Yreka on the 14th inst., for the same purpose. Indeed, leading citizens of Jackson, Douglas and Umpqua counties, Oregon, and of Siskiyou and Klamath counties, California, have taken all the necessary steps to secure a full representation in the proposed general convention, to be held at Jacksonville on the 2th inst. The Herald advocates the movement.
Shasta Courier, Shasta, California, January 7, 1854, page 2

    NEW TERRITORY.--The citizens of Klamath and Siskiyou counties, in this state, and Douglas and Umpqua counties, in Oregon Territory, are to hold meetings in their several counties, and appoint delegates to a general convention to be held at Jacksonville on the 25th inst. The convention has for its object the formation of a new territory out of that portion of Oregon lying south of the Calapooya Mountains, and that portion of California lying north of the Trinity Mountains.
Sacramento Daily Union, January 9, 1854, page 2

Items from the South.

Capt. Miller, of Jackson County, has permitted us to make the following extracts from a letter received from one of his constituents:

Yreka, January 1, 1854.

    Hon. John F. Miller--Dear Sir:--Being weary with the monotony of Jacksonville, and having the temporary contract for carrying the mail between here and Canyonville, I determined to spend a part of the Christmas holidays in the queen of the mining towns. Everything is brisk and lively here at this time. Provisions and dry goods plenty and cheap. The tavern tables are loaded with the necessaries and luxuries of life. This time last year the citizens could scarcely get a pound of bread to eat at any price. What a contrast. Now 50 or 60 thousand pounds could be had at 25 or 30 cents per pound. Flour sold yesterday, by the trainload, at 20 cents.
    There are 7 stores or brick business houses on Main Street, 12 on Miners Street, and 4 more in different parts of town. There was a ball given at the Yreka Hotel, last Monday. It was the most brilliant affair that has ever taken place in Northern California. The citizens of Jacksonville, Jackson County, O.T., intend having a Jackson ball at the Robinson House on Monday, the 9th of this month, in honor of the Jackson victory over Packingham, on the 8th of January, 1815. Success to the Jackson jubilee.
    The first thing that took place of interest after your departure was the marriage of Hardy Elliff to Miss Melvina Baker, on the 15th ult. Good, better, best! If Hardy could get as young, beautiful, amiable and accomplished a girl as Miss Baker, what may not nika do? I am informed a correspondent of the Times heralded the marriage in it a week before it took place, while Hardy was compelled to remain a bachelor a week longer, much against his will. We would have had a good joke if the lady had told him afterwards you kant kome it quite. By the by, Mr. Elliff kept a good house at the east end of the Canyon, before he was married, for the accommodation of travelers, and now as he has a "live woman" at the head of the table, you may expect something extra. Call and see.
    I was at church this morning, and heard quite an animated sermon. I, however, could not learn his name nor the denomination to which he belonged, from his discourse, but I am informed that the is the Rev. Sutton, from Michigan, and that he and others have formed a new church here called the Yreka Union Church, which is a union of the scattering Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopalians, and Christians. He appeared to be in good earnest, and he is probably a very good fellow, as he sent us neither to hell nor heaven.
    The snow in the trail on the Trinity Mountains is 4 and 5 feet deep between here and Shasta City, and the snow and mud almost intolerable. Trains have recently been upwards of 35 days on the road from Crescent City to Jacksonville. The snow is now only 8 or 10 inches deep on the Siskiyou Mountains, which is as deep as it has been at any time this winter.
    From the best information we have there is a good harbor at Coos Bay, and plenty of water at all seasons of the year for the largest class vessels to enter the harbor with safety. Recently a road has been viewed from Coos Bay to Lookingglass Prairie, and they report that it is only 60 miles to Coos Bay from the west end of the Canyon, and that a wagon can now travel the route three-fourths of the way without any trouble. This will make Jacksonville only 125 miles from one of the best harbors in Oregon. If a good wagon road was made to Coos Bay, prices would change materially in Rogue River Valley. Flour would sell for 8 and 10 cents, and other freight would cost not more than 6 or 7 cents from San Francisco to Jacksonville while at present we pay 15, 20, 30 and 40 cents per pound even from Scottsburg and Crescent City.
    The citizens of this place and Jacksonville are in good, cool earnest about a new Territory, to be formed out of Southern Oregon and Northern California. Mass meetings are advertised to be held in a few days in Jackson, Umpqua, Douglas, Klamath and Siskiyou counties, to elect delegates to attend a general mass meeting to be held at Jacksonville, on the 25th of this month. This is right. I wrote and spoke three years ago that nature and nature's God had divided California and Oregon into 7 or 8 separate and distinct states. Then let one be made north of Columbia River and east of the Cascade Mountains, one south of the Columbia and north of the summit of the Calapooia Mountains, one including Umpqua, Rogue River, Shasta and Scotts valleys, one or two out of the balance of California, and in time three or four east of the Cascade Range of mountains. The sooner these divisions are made the better for Southern Oregon, yea, the better for every citizen of the Pacific Coast. Make each and all of these divisions, and then each state and Territory will have as many square miles as two-thirds of the states of this Union, and it would give us a respectable influence in the American Congress. If we had been represented by two or three delegates in Congress in place of one, our wants would have been better known in the States, and if our wants had been well known long ere this time we should have had a weekly mail between Oregon and California, which would have saved Southern Oregon and Northern California an enormous tax, which is weekly paid the express companies. But as it is, up to this good hour there is no mail carried between here and Shasta City, a distance of only 125 miles, and the officers of the post office department think 500 dollars sufficient to pay the expenses of carrying the mail on this route for 12 months, when in truth and in fact the actual cost would be four times five hundred. It only wants a few more members and delegates in Congress to let the members of the Atlantic States know what it costs to live in a gold country, for us to get justice done. The express companies bring 500 or 600 letters to this place every week and get two dollars for each letter, yet our government neglects, fails and refuses to pay more than five hundred dollars annually for transporting the mails from Shasta to this place, while the citizens pay double that to expresses every week. We have a good and generous government, that would scorn to neglect any of her citizens like Southern Oregon and Northern California have been neglected, if the members of the American Congress knew their true condition. Then let us have another Territory and another delegate to represent our interest; then, and not until then, may Southern Oregon and Northern California expect to get their proportional part of the distribution of the funds in the national treasury.

Oregon Statesman, Oregon City, January 24, 1854, page 2

THE NEW TERRITORY.--Mass meetings were to be held in this connection at Jacksonville, O.T., on the 7th, and at Yreka on the 14th inst. The convention will be held at Jacksonville on the 25th inst.
Sacramento Daily Union, January 16, 1854, page 2

For the Oregonian.
JACKSONVILLE, O.T., Jan. 17, 1854.

    MR. DRYER--Sir:--Enclosed please find an extra from the Yreka Herald, received here today with news of a late outbreak of hostilities with the Shasta and Klamath Indians, in the neighborhood of the Klamath Cave. A company of volunteers is organizing here to go to the assistance of the whites in that vicinity. The Indians in this valley are perfectly quiet. Business at this place is rather dull, caused through the scarcity of water for the miners. So far we have had a very mild winter, and have had but very little snow or rain. This weather has been of great benefit to farmers, as they have lost no time in either plowing or sowing wheat, barley and oats. The wheat crop will not be less than 3000 acres, and about half that much of barley and oats. A flouring mill put up in this valley next summer is bound to make a fortune, and if I understand the art of milling I would certainly risk a right smart chance. The miners in this place and vicinity, who have water to wash with, are doing well--making from $8 to $20 to the man. Provisions and goods of every description are selling at low rates. Flour, 16 cents per pound; bacon, 35; pork, 40; sugar, 30; coffee, 40; rice, 20; butter, 75; boots, $4 to $8, and other goods in the same ratio.
    The road from here through the canyon is very good; great improvements have been made on it by Mr. Jesse Applegate, who has been untiring in his exertions to improve it.
    Your excuses for not heretofore visiting this valley cannot be taken any longer, as the roads are passable from Portland to this place for wagons, carriages, buggies and good loping horses, and I am sure if you try it you will call it a pleasure trip of another sort to the one of last summer on the mountain. Come to this place first and return by way of Coos Bay and Scottsburg.
Yours, truly,         S.E.
Oregonian, Portland, February 11, 1854, page 2

    DIVISION OF THE TERRITORY.--We have been shown letters received by the southern members, urging upon them the necessity and expedience of making a move for the division of the Territory. A convention is to be held on the 25th of this month in Jacksonville, for the furtherance of this object. It is contemplated to make a new Territory out of that portion of California north of the Trinity Mountains and of that portion of Oregon south of the Calapooias. This question and the one in regard to the relocation of the public buildings have been prolific of considerable outdoor discussion. A majority of the members are opposed to a division of the Territory at the present time, but are willing to give the south the university if the southern members can agree on the location, but there seems to be but little probability of this, as the members of Umpqua and Douglas desire its location at Winchester, and the members of Jackson County at Jacksonville.
"Legislative Summary," Oregon Statesman, Oregon City, January 24, 1854, page 2

Administrator's Notice.

NOTICE is hereby given to all persons interested in the estate of JOHN R. HARDIN, late of Jackson County, deceased, that letters of administration have been issued to the undersigned, out of the probate court of said county, bearing date Oct. 17th, A.D. 1853, upon his said estate. All persons having claims against said estate are requested to present the same within the time prescribed by law, or they may be precluded from the benefit of the same; and all persons indebted are requested to make immediate payment.

JOHN W. McCULLY, Adm'r.