A committee was appointed to prepare a subscription paper to be presented to the citizens of Jackson County for contributions towards defraying the expense of a preliminary survey of the proposed road. Over $500 were raised, in a few minutes, C. C. Beekman heading the subscription with $100, Col. Ross and others following with $50 each, while subscriptions ranged from five dollars up. From the enthusiasm manifested, we have no doubt the enterprise will be a success, and although Rogue River may not be navigable, Southern Oregon will yet have an outlet to the sea. Success to the undertaking.
Corvallis Gazette, January 17, 1879, page 2


    A JACKSONVILLE, Oregon, paper says: "A flock of geese flying rather low over Gin Lin's claim the other day, the man in charge of the hydraulic pipe turned it on them and succeeded in bringing down two of the birds, one of which was secured."
"Jolly Jokers," Geneva Lake Herald, Geneva, Wisconsin, January 18, 1879, page 4



    The Ashland woolen factory is again in full blast, with James Thornton as superintendent.
    Mrs. Brake, a woman revivalist, successfully conducted a "protracted meeting" on Wagner Creek, Douglas County, making a number of converts.
    Fears are entertained by many farmers that the weather will not permit them to plow until it be too late to put in as large an area of grain as they have been contemplating.
    The members of the Jacksonville Reading Room Association are considering the advisability of organizing a literary society, as an adjunct to which ladies may be admitted.
"Southern Oregon," Puget Sound Argus, Port Townsend, February 19, 1879, page 2


"Pacific Coast Items," Sacramento Daily Union, February 25, 1879, page 4


Sacramento Daily Union, March 5, 1879, page 3


Sacramento Daily Union, March 12, 1879, page 4


    Nine persons are in the Jackson County poor house.
    A flock of eleven swans have taken up permanent quarters in a small lake in Jackson County.
    Jacksonville Times: Will. Hunter, who has just returned from Applegate, says a rumor is in circulation there to the effect that a $2,000 nugget has been found on Silver Creek.
    A little shooting match occurred at Ashland the other night. Some hoodlums undertook to rock the cabin of Chas. Williams, a harmless old man, and one of the party received a load of fine shot as he was about departing from the scene at double-quick time for his pains.
"Oregon Items," Sacramento Daily Union, March 22, 1879, page 8


    MILITARY COMMISSIONS.--The following commissions were issued yesterday from the office of the secretary of state by direction of the governor: William Mason Colvig, assistant adjutant general on staff of Brigadier General Thomas G. Reames, with rank of major, Silas J. Day and Chas. Nickell, of Jacksonville, aides de camp on staff of Brigadier General T. G. Reames, with the rank of captain.
"City," Oregonian, Portland, April 3, 1879, page 3


    We have an old pioneer in Jackson County, Mr. James Savage, of Rogue River, who has raised a family of thirteen children. The boys, four in number, are between the ages of 14 and 23, and these four boys have manufactured, by their own unaided labor, three violins and a bass viol, all of exquisite tone and finish, and on which they execute difficult music, having been without an instructor. The instruments are made of cedar and maple, and but recently one of the boys was offered $40, which was refused, for his violin. The boys can make a rifle or a wagon, shoe a horse, mend a clock or watch, work out an algebraic problem, swing a pick in the mines, or follow a reaper with equal success. The girls of the family, nine in number, have the same musical talent, and are not ashamed to wrestle with kitchen work, afraid to mount a bucking horse, or row their skiff across the river, even when it is dangerously swollen.--Portland (Ore.) Bee.
San Joaquin Valley Argos, Merced, California, April 12, 1879, page 2


    From Mr. L. F. Cooper, who has just been taking the levels of the new proposed route from Crescent City to Waldo, we gather some information that will be of interest to the people of Jackson and Josephine counties. It was discovered many years since, when too late, that the present wagon road between Waldo and the coast had been improperly located, and that instead of laying it in the lowest passes it had been run over the highest mountain to accommodate interested parties who had secured ranches along the line. The road, although rough and over very heavy grade, was used with profit by our freighters, but on the completion of the railroad to Roseburg the use of this road was nearly discontinued. It has now been ascertained that there is a natural pass actually nineteen hundred feet lower than the highest point on the old road, and through which a wagon road or narrow gauge railroad could be easily constructed. This route is by way of Gasquet's, up the middle fork of Smith River, to the divide at the head of Elk Creek, and down Elk Creek to Waldo. Snow at the highest point on this route rarely falls over a foot in depth, and it could be as safely traveled during the winter months. The distance from Crescent City to Jacksonville is one hundred and twenty-six miles, and when the immense resources of Jackson and Josephine counties are considered we cannot impress too strongly on our people the absolute necessity of the very shortest route by tide water. This is the only route by which we can reach the sea with our products, and our people will soon realize that there is an inflexible law bringing poverty to us if we cannot exchange the product of industry for those necessities which we cannot produce ourselves. We intend to continue the agitation of this subject, but those interested must remember that we only can suggest, while it is the duty of others to act if they would help themselves. Should we succeed in procuring the selection of Crescent City as the harbor of refuge there is not the slightest doubt but that we will have railroad communication with that point within two years. If we do not succeed our only hope is a new wagon road, and the sooner we conclude that we must help ourselves the better for us.
Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, June 4, 1879, page 2


    A young miss of Jacksonville, aged about sixteen years, has recently completed a quilt containing 4,060 pieces. A contemporary pertinently says she would have done much better to have made the quilt out of whole cloth and devoted the time wasted to useful work.
The New Northwest, Portland, June 12, 1879, page 3


    HARBOR OF REFUGE.--At a meeting of the citizens of Jacksonville, Oregon, held June 2nd, to discuss the harbor of refuge question, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted favoring Crescent City as the most favorable point on the coast for a harbor:
    Whereas, Congress has made an appropriation for the establishment of a harbor of refuge at some point between San Francisco and the Straits of Fuca; and
    Whereas, The growing interest of Southern Oregon and Northern California demand an outlet for their increasing products, and cheaper and more rapid means of transportation than are now offered; and
    Whereas, In our estimation Crescent City offers advantages as such port of refuge superior to any other suggested, therefore be it
    Resolved, That we, the citizens of Jackson County, recognize the importance of the establishment of said port at some eligible location midway between San Francisco and the Straits of Fuca and mindful of the benefits liable to accrue to us in case of such selection is accorded to Crescent City, heartily recommended the said Crescent City to the favorable consideration of the Board of Engineers by whom the port of refuge is to be located.
    Resolved, That we earnestly solicit the aid of the wholesale merchants and business men of San Francisco in presenting the claims of Crescent City to the Board of Engineers.
    Resolved, That, believing that the Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco can do much in securing favorable action for Crescent City in the location of the harbor of refuge; and inasmuch as the interests of San Francisco and those of Southern Oregon and Northern California are identical in this matter, we call upon the merchants of that city to use every honorable means to secure such favorable action by the said Chamber of Commerce.
Humboldt Times, Eureka, California, June 13, 1879, page 3


    The Democratic Times says Joaquin Miller used to drive an ox team for the Phoenix saw mills.
    Farmers are haying in Jackson County. The crop will be larger than ever before in this valley.
    An excellent bridge has been built across Griffin Creek, near the Dollarhide place, Jackson County.
    The Jacksonville Sentinel has information that the wool clip of Jackson County will exceed 300,000 pounds.
    Mr. Mace, of Bear Creek, Jackson County, clipped 520 pounds of goat's hair. The price received was 30 cents per pound.
"Oregon Items," Puget Sound Argus, June 29, 1879, page 2


    INDIAN VISITORS.--On Saturday a delegation of nine men from the Siletz Reservation arrived here on a pleasure trip. They are a remnant of the Rogue River tribe, and one of them, "John Smith," is evidently quite civilized, as on Monday he telegraphed a polite invitation to "Bogus Tom" at Yreka to attend a dance at "Kanaka" flat near here early next week. Verily these untutored children of nature are not so far behind the superior race in the matter of educating their "heels."
Oregon Sentinel, Jacksonville, July 2, 1879, page 3


"Southern Oregon," Sacramento Daily Union, August 2, 1879, page 1


    The Jacksonville Times says the wool product of Jackson County this year will be over 300,000 pounds, and will net sheep owners in the neighborhood of $50,000. The wool clip of Siskiyou this year was about 260,000, but it netted the sheep owners fully $54,600. So it must have brought better prices than Jackson County wool did.
Sacramento Daily Union, August 7, 1879, page 3




    Col. John E. Ross' mammoth four-year-old colt was weighed Wednesday and kicked the beam 1,580 pounds.
    Millers in Jackson County are now busily engaged in grinding the new crop, which seems to be quite heavy, considering the rust.
    Millers are now offering 55 cents a bushel in Jackson County for wheat on thirty days' time, and 60 cents when six months' time is given.
    The Parker boys, living on the road between Ashland and Linkville, killed a panther that measured ten feet from tip to tip last week.
    The Tidings says: Emigrant wagons pass through Ashland every day. Most of them are bound northward, although occasionally one is seen heading southward.
    Capt. Ankeny, while at Sterling last week, let the contract for digging the extension of his ditch to a Chinese company at $4.25 a rod, who took it quite low.
"Oregon Items," Puget Sound Argus, September 18, 1879, page 2


    The Ashland Tidings says: Gray wolves are numerous in the mountains between here and Linkville.
    Several parties at Yreka intend sending to Oregon this fall for a supply of winter apples, the crop having been frozen out there last spring.
    The Roseburg papers tell of a San Francisco drummer who unreasonably abused a Coos Bay stage driver and got thoroughly whipped for his pains.
    The grape crop of Jacksonville county is very fair and of excellent quality. A considerable quantity of wine will no doubt be manufactured this season.
    Work is progressing finely at the Sterling mine. The ditch will be completed and everything ready for active operations when the rainy season commences.
    A Fort Klamath correspondent says: Some hoodlums started a fire in the woods last week, causing the garrison to be turned out to fight the fire two days in succession.
    The Democratic Times says: F. Luy received a lot of leather from Portland upon
which John Orth's brand could still be seen, he having sold the hides it was manufactured from.
    The fishing season is just opening along the coast. R. D. Humes, of Rogue River, begins operations with 150 salmon a day, and a 40-lb salmon sells at Siuslaw for twenty-five cents.
    Owing to the farmers bringing in more wheat last week than the machinery of the Ashland Mill could dispose of, the proprietors chose the third story for a storing room and filled a large bin, the weight of which was too much for its support and down it came with a fearful crash, covering the floor of the second story with wheat six feet deep.
Puget Sound Argus, Port Townsend, October 9, 1879, page 2


    Jacob Ish, of Jackson County, got 4,000 bushels of oats from 50 acres. The grape crop in that county is fair and of superior quality.
"Oregon," Vancouver Independent, Vancouver, Washington, October 9, 1879, page 8


    The Applegate and other streams in Southern Oregon are very low.
    T. G. Reames, Democratic candidate at the last state election for Secretary of State, narrowly escaped death while on a hunting expedition in Jackson County last week. He was going down a canyon a distance away from camp sometime before dusk, when a snowstorm suddenly came up and night followed soon afterward. Unable to return, he wandered about without food and in his shirtsleeves. The moisture had saturated the matches he had with him, and left no alternative than to walk about to prevent freezing. After that all was a blank until late next morning, when he awoke to find himself seated alongside a log and so badly injured as to be unable to walk. A sheepherder passed by soon afterward, but he seemed unwilling to lend any assistance. Mr. Reames managed finally to reach his camp by crawling, where he lay helplessly until about 2 o'clock that night, when James Reames and a companion, who had been advised of the affair by the sheepherder, relieved him from his perilous position, after being out two days and two nights.
"Oregon," Sacramento Daily Union, October 28, 1879, page 4


TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
    I recently passed through the town of Jacksonville in pursuit of my avocation, selling laces of all kinds, and while there I met with an experience both novel and unusual. After I had been there for several days, and had visited nearly all the private residences in the place, I was waited on at my hotel by parties representing themselves to be the Marshal and the President of the Board of Trustees of the town, who informed me that I must either pay a peddler's license of $10 or be placed under arrest. The Marshal at the same time assured me, between hiccoughs, with as much dignity and importance as his condition would permit, that he would not require his fee of me. 1 told the so-called representative of the people that I was of course unacquainted with the special ordinance that I had unwillingly [sic--unwittingly?] transgressed, and, after my explanation, the dignified and courteous representative of the Board concluded to remit the license, on condition that I confine my sales to the hotel. I duly appreciated the courtesy of this gentleman, as, being sober, be was in a fit condition to discharge the important trust delegated to him by the people be claimed to represent; but, from what I saw of his official associations, I am inclined to think he is in the unhappy position of "poor Tray." [Addison Helms was Jacksonville Marshal in 1879; Hermann H. "Ham" Wolters filled in when Helms was out of town. Nathaniel Langell was President of the Jacksonville Board of Trustees.]
    Shortly after the interview terminated, I learned that there had been no attempt to enforce this ordinance against men, who had recently had been selling statuary, plated ware, etc., from house to house and on the streets, and from this I am led to think that these officials were either ignorant of their own law until some irate local dealer had called their attention to it, or this was an ex post facto law, passed for my especial benefit; or it might have been a premium on sex that this famous city sought to impose on me.
    If such an ordinance had existed as was claimed, what right had the President of the Board to exempt me after having demanded the license as a requirement of law? A woman's idea of law is that it is immutable, unchangeable, and operates against all transgressors without the distinction of sex, and, had the Board required all persons to pay this license in accordance with this special ordinance, I do not think that even I would have been exempted.
    Another fact I noted was that the demimonde flourish on the principal street of this town, notwithstanding that they violate an ordinance in doing so.
    Perhaps it would be as well if the authorities were to hunt up their "Book of the Law" and expunge the noxious matter that they have forgotten in their zeal to advance the interests of local dealers that I was supposed to be interfering with.
    In conclusion, I will say that I have never before, during the six years I have followed the same business on this coast, been asked to pay a license, and I wonder at the disposition manifested in Jacksonville to deprive a woman of the means of earning an honest and respectable livelihood. Has woman no rights that appeal to the justice and honor of menu?
    Yours for a just enforcement of law.
The New Northwest, Portland, November 13, 1879, page 1.  Jacksonville's Ordinance No. 8, enacted in 1860, taxed peddlers "ten dollars per month, with five dollars and twenty-five cents added for Recorder's fees for issuing the same." Judging from the Jackson County commissioners' journals, peddler's licenses were rarely collected.


    J. S. Howard, the surveyor sent out by the citizens of Jackson County to make a preliminary survey of a wagon road to Crescent City and estimate the probable cost thereof, returned on Tuesday last. He is now engaged in preparing a report of his labors, which will be submitted to the meeting announced for tomorrow afternoon. Mr. Howard, after thoroughly and carefully examining the country through which the road must run, is convinced of the feasibility of constructing, at no insurmountable expense, a first-class road open the year around. He is fully prepared to answer all questions and will elucidate by map and figures that the people of Southern Oregon can, for a paltry sum (when the importance of the interests at stake is taken into consideration), free themselves from the masterly inactivity that now pervades this section.
    From a conversation with Mr. Howard we learn that he preliminarily surveyed two routes. He first went through from Waldo and examined the route called the "Lower Trail," running by the way of and up Elk Creek Pass (altitude 2,400 feet) and down the middle fork of Smith River to Gasquet's, altitude 425 feet. At Gasquet's, a bridge of about 100 feet span would be required to cross the middle fork of Smith River. Eight miles from Gasquet's the south fork of the same stream (over which a bridge similar to the other would be necessary) is encountered. Two miles further is Mill Creek, from whence the distance to Crescent City is seven miles, a total of 65 miles from Waldo. Thirty-five miles of this will be sidehill grading, with eight miles more to build through the redwoods. The cost of
this road would be fully $50,000.
    On his return Mr. Howard took the same road to Gasquet's for 17 miles from Crescent City, and from thence examined the Hendershot route, leaving the middle fork of Smith River at Gasquet's and running between Patties Creek and the upper trail to the forks of said creek; thence up the northwest fork to Hendershot's pass or divide, 20 miles from Gasquet's, altitude 3,000 feet; thence down a branch of Illinois River three miles to the old Crescent City road, intersecting some seven miles from Waldo, making the entire distance by this route 47 miles, of which only 36 miles of new road must be constructed. A grade of about one foot in sixteen can be obtained and the cost of bridging, etc., will be about $40,000. The distance from Jacksonville to Crescent City by this route would be 112 miles.
    Mr. Howard found the people enthusiastic in the matter, seemingly determined that the road shall be put through next season, in time for the fall freight. This was particularly the case at Crescent City, one firm there (Johnson & Malone) alone agreeing to take one-fourth the stock. A meeting to take this question into consideration was held on the 13th, the results of which have not reached us as yet. It is evident, however, that the whole country is aroused to the necessity for immediate action. The golden opportunity has arrived and to neglect it now would be but to admit our inability to cope with the most feasible and important of projects and place ourselves before the world in the unenviable position of nonentities unable to help themselves.
    And while we are thus trying to solve the greatest problem that has ever presented itself to the people of Southern Oregon, it is gratifying to perceive the substantial encouragement that is being received from the press and people of California and elsewhere. San Francisco is taking a lively interest, and her journals are urging upon capitalists the advisability of taking steps toward securing the valuable trade of this section. The Chronicle has a lengthy article descriptive of Del Norte County, which is no doubt thrown out as a feeler. The Bulletin, the leading commercial paper of the city, goes still farther, indulging in the following well-timed remarks:
    "The development of Southern Oregon rests upon two requirements--first, the improvement of the Crescent City harbor, not, however, an expensive task; second, the construction of a narrow-gauge railroad from Crescent City to Jacksonville, Oregon. We understand that a perfectly practical route exists, and one which opens up many fine tracts of government land for farming, mining and grazing, besides tapping some magnificent bodies of timber. The investment of one million dollars will, we are assured, carry the enterprise to successful termination. The road, after crossing into Oregon, would tap the counties of Josephine and Jackson. The rich valleys of Siskiyou, lying about Yreka, could also be reached by a branch line."
    It is unnecessary for us, at this late date, to dilate upon the advantages that will accrue from the speedy inauguration and completion of this enterprise. We have time and again dwelt upon them and they are also too apparent to be overlooked. The grandest opportunity ever offered the people of Jackson, Josephine and Lake counties presents itself. If they fail to heed it the responsibility rests entirely with them. Prompt and decisive action alone will accomplish that which they have for years anticipated others would execute for them. The time is ripe for a forward movement, and procrastination will be suicidal. Therefore, let us be enthusiastic in the cause and push onward to the goal.
Democratic Times, Jacksonville, November 21, 1879, page 2


    The Sentinel makes a strong point in an article under the above caption in its last issue when it says that the people of Jackson County are throwing away annually in the matter of unnecessary freighting expenses a sum equal to their taxation. This is easily demonstrable. As at present imported, the merchandise from San Francisco comes to us by the overland route over nearly two hundred and fifty miles of railroad and then has to be hauled in freight wagons about a hundred and seventy miles; by the circumlocution [sic] route it travels some seven hundred miles by water and is then about three hundred miles north of us. Of this distance it comes two hundred miles by rail and still has to be hauled over a hundred miles by wagon, making a trip of about a thousand miles. Our merchants now find it cheaper to ship by the northern route, notwithstanding the great distance, so we may compare the Crescent City route with that. By way of Crescent City freight would need to be hauled over a wagon road a little shorter than that between us and Roseburg, a road, however, which would doubtless, if properly built, be more easily traveled than the latter; from San Francisco to Crescent City is but a little over three hundred miles by water. So we should save the freightage upon the two hundred miles of railroad, never less than half a cent a pound, and the difference in ocean freightage which the saving of about four hundred miles in distance and the towage and pilotage on the Columbia river would make. Add to this the saving of the cost of handling the freight once and the slight difference in favor of the Crescent City road which teamsters will be able to make in hauling, and we may safely conclude that the people of Jackson County would save nearly twenty dollars upon every ton of freight which they ship to or from San Francisco. This saving, it must be remembered, would not fall into the hands of those only who are directly engaged in the shipping or mercantile trade; it would be shared by every individual who buys a pound of sugar or nails or leather, by everyone who takes part in the consumption or use of the merchandise brought from the outside world into our valley. What the people of this valley would save in one year is amply sufficient to meet their share of the expense of building the road. To take a simple example: Something over 200,000 pounds of wool is exported annually from Jackson County. The saving of one cent per pound upon this would amount to two thousand dollars. Let those directly interested in wool growing contribute two thousand dollars to the building of the new road, and when they ship their next year's clip of wool by the new route they will get the two thousand dollars back in the one cent per pound more which they will receive for their wool. So it will be with all who may contribute. To speak of our people collectively, they will in contributing toward the building of the new road only be paying in advance a small portion of their next year's freight bill. The road will cost them absolutely nothing but the interest for a few months on the amount of about one-fourth of their annual freight bill, and when once built it will be dropping money into their pockets every year.
    Thus, in the narrowest view of the subject, it is seen that the simplest rules of economy leave our people but one course to pursue in this matter. What would be thought of the business sagacity of a man who could save his taxes every year hereafter by simply paying them in advance for the next year if, having the means at command, he should neglect to take advantage of the extraordinary opportunity? This is the situation of our people on the Crescent City wagon road matter. Will they act upon business principles?
Ashland Tidings, November 21, 1879, page 2




    The recent heavy rain storm in Southern Oregon resulted in great damage. Immense quantities of lumber, several mill dams and thousands of logs were swept away.
"News in Brief," Mining and Scientific Press, San Francisco, December 20, 1879, page 404


    The census to be taken next year will show a great increase in the population of Jackson, Lake and Josephine counties.
    The Jacksonville Sentinel says: Deer are very plenty near Flounce Rock, Messr. Owen and Fred having killing ten one day.
    The Ashland Woolen Mills will consume 100,000 lbs. of wool during the present year, as against 30,000 lbs. for the preceding one.
    P. Donegan of Jackson County disposed of his fall clip of wool at 28 cents per pound, which is a very good price for that article in any market.
    Teams continue to arrive at Jacksonville notwithstanding the inclement weather. They are evidently as irrepressible as they are generally cultus.
    A great number of hogs will be slaughtered and cured this season in Jackson County. Several of our farmers have already commenced the work of destruction.
    Nearly $2,400 has been subscribed for the new Presbyterian church in Jacksonville. Besides this, quite a neat sum also been raised for furnishing the inside of the building.
    Abrahams, Wheeler & Co. of Roseburg propose attaching machinery to their large warehouse for the purpose of cleaning grain. As opposition is the life of trade, times will be lively.
    Two horses belonging to Mace Bros. of Butte Creek, Jackson County, were found in the stable one morning last week dead. It is supposed that they came to their death by poison, as they seemed well enough the evening before. One was a fine Boston colt.
    Someone has estimated that Jackson County lost $10,000 this season by the war among millers, whereby flour has been put down to the extravagantly low figure of $16.50 per thousand pounds, and farmers were unable to receive even 60 cents cash a bushel for their wheat.
Puget Sound Argus, December 25, 1879, page 2


    The Jacksonville (Or.) Times says that it is estimated Jackson County lost $10,000 this season by the war among millers, whereby flour has been put down to the extravagantly low figure of $16.50 per thousand pounds, and farmers were unable to receive even 60 cents cash per bushel for their wheat.
Stockton Daily Independent, Stockton, California, December 30, 1879, page 4




Last revised February 20, 2024