Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 19

ha ED3Q(D DUALS IF EATOJKLE VOL. CXL OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, SUNDAY, FEB. 6, 1944 NO. 37 measles this" teacher had to stay home to care for the children. I was 14 at that time, and taught the school as a substitute, so I think I can claim the distinction of being the youngest school teacher in California.

I may add, teachers were very hard to get. We hear so much the past few years about good-neigh Klamath which he had followed for nearly a month. This remained the map ftame of these -waters iritil after 1850, when several river courses were explored and correctly delineated on the maps. The Indians inhabiting the region at the mouth of the Klamath were called by Smith the This is the name by which they are designated in a map showing is scheduled to 'visit Oakland tomorrow when he will dedicate a recreation center at the military hospital converted from the Oakland Hotel. It is Wallace's second visit to this city in the past four years, the first being a campaign appearance at Lakeside Park in 1940 when he was introduced by former State Chairman William M.

Malone of San Francisco. Malone is on the committee of arrangements for this visit. OverlancLjpoach line. I was born in San Leandro in 1863, and at the time of that disastrous quake was five years old, nearing six, and have a vivid recollection of all that transpired as I took rather an active part, as I nearly lost my life under a mass of fallen brick, escaping such fate by a matter of but a few At that time San Leandro was'the county seat of Alameda County, and the Courthouse was a rather ALIFORNIA'S consolidated election on May 16 when the presidential primary and the State direct primary will be joined in one election, and witlTthe use of one ballot, presents a few difficulties for some candidates, but is generally approved by leaders in both political parties. Immediate of the bill's passage at the special session of the Legislature was to speed up activity and to cause some quick decisions to be made by potential candidates who have been waiting to feel the ground swell of public opinion.

For instance, State Treasurer Charles G. Johnson quickly declared, himself in the race for the Republican nomination for United States Sena-, tor, and Dr. Walter F. Dexter, State superin- 'tendent of public instruction who had earlier been announced as a potential candidate for the same office, just as quickly declared him- the location of the various Indian tribes pub- in jsusiun auuuik loot-u. iviauy jjeiauno 1 1 3 4.

1 A 100J have speculated as.io the origin of the name Klamath River, but all these seem to have ignored or overlooked this interesting observation of Jedediah S. Smith. A meditative Indian broke his usual silence to sum up his observation of the whites: 'White man never learn nothing. He not ask. He all time Pq- SJiniDe I He lived in Deadwood in the old (Jays and in Lead; was a cowboy in the Dakotas, in Colorado -sen out.

saiq ne is toopusy trying arid Wyoming. RoyL. Sharpe of this city knew pay to defray funeral expenses. If the family Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok, Teddy Roose, was quite poor, grocer would ctoriate gro-velt, the biggest of the Guggenheims and the ceries, also the much-abused saloon-keeper humblest of prospectors. This man who came would contribute generously.

Quite solve war time educational problems to toss his hat into the" senatorial contest. Other potential Candidates from thevLos Angeles area are also expected to move, themselves out of the race within the few Candidates for the State legislative -off ices will also have to make decisions much earlier than they had anticipated. Determination of these, contests were originally scheduled to be made between February 28 and March 23, but now the battle lines will commence, forming on February 16 and must be completed by March 7. In this three week period beginning February 16 the candidates for Congress in each of the States 23 districts will have to be announced, a fact which is causing some of the district organiza tions.to hurry their "action. In Ukiah today there is a meeting of county central committee members from the 11 counties which make up the first.

congressional district to decide upon a Republican candidate to oppose Congressman Clarence.F. Lea. it i i Deleq elegations Speeded One thing the consolidated elections act accomplished waso arouse Democrats to activity in meeting the long dormant issue of who is to organize the Calif ornia.J3emocr.atic delegation here to finish his career as a newspaperman was but. the saddle. His newspaper friends respected his enterprise and experiences, marvelled at the variety of his pursuits, were humble his' estimates.

Roy L. Sharpe rode in the parade in Washington when Theodore Roosevelt was inaugurated because' he was a' horseman from the West, a "Rough' Rider" summoned for the honor. He became an expert for the DuPont Powder Works and an advisor to men in Washington who would kndw more about the West. At no time didJie put on front or pretend. It was some years ago, along about earthquake time, he came to this area to work for the Chronicle and later for The Tribune.

Those who moved close to him learned that rare stories occasionally might escape his tightly closed lips. He was in Deadwood, one day (many in fact, but the Knave is recounting one of Roy's memories) when Calamity Jane came from the and with profanity and gestures summoned the community attention, 'I'U- 11,4 3 1 4. 1 yelling insults and obscenities. "But," said Roy Kauieieu auuui jane aim aiie waa Sharpe, "no one tried to put her in jail or urge her out of the small town scene." old boys knew her; knew she had been friend to the sick in the cholera days; knew of the money she had to-the-ationalr-conventionT The piublenriras through common school, and at 15 joined a sur- been. one of those politicaL situations which no- vevmg party in the swamp lands pf 0 -ody wanted to touch for fear it would At 19 ne was in the United States Army, lead-out and kick him in the face.

Former Governor- a group of Texas Rangers against Olson reraainr in position to do some talking guerrillas, a captain of scouts who was in in Washington by virtue of his title of national many engagements, and- rose to be a colonel. the iPraanmPih- bor, policy. Well, in these good old days we had genuine' good neighbors, and their policy was "do to others as they do unto you." Always helping each other in any way when needed. There was only one doctor for a long time that tried to take care of the sick in three towns. Often when a mother expected an increase in the family, and the doctor was on other cases, the neighbors -would officiate, and as there' were no nurses, and help very scarce, the neighbors would care fpr mother and If there were other children in the family they would be tared lor in, homes of neighbors.

When a miner met his death in a mining, accident, the men would each give one day's often a benefit dance would be given to help someone in need, and by the way, those dances were not the kind usually pictured as wild ahdlLWpolly were not that kind. We would have an ali-night dance, supper at midnight; tickets Including a fine supper, without any liquor, were' $3 a couple, extra lady $1. There was no smoking in the hall. If a man went outside "to get a drink and tried to get tough, the floor manager would tap him on the shoulder, and return his money. And, here is something about the way ladies dressed: Everyone tried to have something better than the other one.

The first half of the night we wore real sheer dresses with long train, no sleeves and low neckline. We would either go home and change to another dress of warmer material, or several of us would rent a room in the hotel and would change our dresses there. The dances would close by daylight, as we only had about two of these dances in a year. They were very much enioved. 1 ir -i irageay firriVed "Our little town had its tragedy side of life.

Two men of the same not related, got into a quarrel. One of the men had been paying attention to the 'other man's Wessor He was immediatery 6 o'clock that night the duel took place in street across from the hotel. off the tip of one of the SeConds' ears, the next shot killed the aggres- sor- At tne preliminary examinnation, the man was acquitted. Another tragedy occurred when the man guarding the brick of bullion was in the furnace room and two men tried to steal the gold brick, but unsuccessfully. They killed the watchman.

Footprints of two' men were traced for some distance, but they got away, and were never apprehended. There were also numerous incidents of amusing char- acter. There was quite a large band of what was known as Digger Indians, the dirtiest tribe one ever saw. In the early Fall they would visit all the towns, doing their "fandango dances. "We would either be spending a quiet evening, but usually were in bed, when suddenly a loud whoop, and our house would be surrounded with painted half-naked- Indians, with feathers in head band, tomahawks hung peifuiinlll soTSOtme they would bang our doors, and would not leave until we gave money, clothes or food.

That was their way to get enough to sustain them during the Winter. But one night they met their Waterloo. Indians are, as you know, very superstitious. They stopped at one house, and when they banged the door the lady opened the door and started-to laugh. Her false teeth that did not fit dropped to the floor, and those Indians let out one yell, and ran like the devil himself was after them.

Our houses there were mostly cheap frame buildings, as they were-all built on mining ground. The house we lived in had doors and windows that came around the horn. For years we had to depend-on a few wells for drinking and cooking Water for laundry and housework had to be carried from the cueek that rah through the center of town. About 1875 water was piped in from lakes several miles distant. We hardly had enough to bathe in, and yet no one seemed to be affected by unsanitary conditions.

Vita mins, calories, germs, microbes, were not heard of, and yet people seemed to live to a great old age. The old house still stands there, whose the man lived to be 104 years old. People went to bed early, got up early, some walked miles to work, and children walked two and three miles to school over rough and rocky trails. We surely have come a long way, as most children, previous to gas shortage, had to take the auto to go to the corner grocery. I lived in Amador City 34 years, and as far as knowam-JDne of three-persons living of the 1859 pioneers." THE SNAY massive unun sliulluic ui iwutuum uiu a massive brick structure of two stories and a half, with a sub-basement that was utilized as' a jail.

The building occupied a block of land facing Hayes Street on the east, Davis Street on the north, "the latter being the business street of the town. On the other side of Hayes Street, facing the Courthouse, was the Webber House, built of brick (since. demolished), with the main entrance on Hayes Street, the building" in the shape of an ell on both Hayes and Davis, and housed a laree tiroDQrtion of thecountv employees, and their families, ranking in" fame with the old Estudillo House, which was of wooden coristructionljand withstood the'vio-lence of the earthquake. Court House Topples "The first great 'shock left Courthouse in with but a few shaky walls remaining. Fortunately, but one life was lost, that of a Mr.

Josselyn, who was running down the granite steps when he was engulfed with tons of fall- -ing brick. Others were more fortunate, as the wall fell before they reached the doorway, and they scrambled down the incline of wreckage. Between, shocks, which were frequent, hundreds of volunteers pitched brick to' recover the body of Mr. Josselyn and to make a passage to a doorway to release a dozen or-more of frightened prisoners in the jail. Among those that were lucky enough not to pass the iron-rimmed doorway were a number that became prominent in the history of both the county and the State, among them being the famous sheriff, Harry Morse; L.

C. Morehouse, for many years a member of the State Board of Equalization, and C. E. Palmer, in later years president of the Union Bank of OaklancL One of the most spectacularescapes was that- at. P.

R. Borein, later county recorder. had been doing night clerical duty, and at the time of the shock was asleep on a cot in the attic, adjacent to the wall. The wreckage fell outward, and instead of being smothered with debris, his cot simply tobogganed down the still slidinfl brrckarifi ne'linded "on the lawn with- out a scratch, except a slight cut on the temple. It was stated that Pete claimed nineri? up until he hit the lawnFdf then thought it was a nightmare.

The corner of the Webber House was occupied by a widely. known barroom presided over by thermal Frank ElUott, and in the Davis ell was located the county newspaper, edited by S. S. Saul." While Indians Wait David Rhys Jones chronicle left us in the Scalp River'cbuntry'a week ago, and was giving us some Indian lore and narrative concerning -the appearance of Jedediah Smith's American trappers on Hunter's Creek. The Indians had been warned of the coming of strange men and animals on the day before Smith arrived! They were filled with fear All day long thelndians watched from behind i a 1 A 1 1 rocKS ana trees as.

me Americans dumcu mem- selves on Hunter's Creek in drying out the wet furs, ill recovering animals left behind on the journey, arid in futile attempts to kill some wild animal for food. Two or three times dur ing the day the Indians met in council to discuss the procedure which they should follow. Some of them advocated that they kill the whites before the whites had a chance to kill them. Always some advised that they wait and watch some more. Before nightfall the issue was settled by the observation' of one Indian, who de clared that among these" strangers was one huge man who.could easily kill, all of the In- dians.

Here we" have the Indians identifying for ixs 'Big'ohn Turner; a member of Smith's party, and later a resident of Oregon and of -California. Nearly 18 years passed after this before burner set out on the second Donner rescue party. 'All Time Talk' "When the Americans were encamped on Hunter's Creek most of the men had not yet been on the shore of the Pacific. My Indian informer continued: 'This big man was not afraid. He walked alone the mile arid a half over the.

trail to the Pacific. He mounted a high iook off his cap, folded his arms, and stood a long time looking out over the ocean. Then he replaced his cap and walked slowly back over the trail, past many Indian homes. He was. not More than a cen- tury had passed since Turner respectfully ad mired the Pacific before the mental archives of the Indian was unlocked.

On the second day in the same camp the. Americans and Indians traded food and trinkets, including fish, clams and lamprey eels. Smith gave the name Smith's River to the water course, of the Trinity and a p. "'I 1 tt iUUyillci Ui VUl. JUtft.

nuyb Mrs. Betty Hays Norris, the youngest daughter of the late Col. Jack Hays, famous as one of. the Texan Rangers in the Battle of the Alamo died in Oakland within the week. Like many other Southerners, after thp Civil War.

to paeans of Northern carpetbaggers, they moyed tQ California and settled in Oakland where colony of old Southern famiiies had already established themselves. Their home was back of Piedmont on a large estat? through which'the" main Fish Ranch Ro.ad passed-on JL Contra Costa -County. These fine Southern families formed ope of the early links in our social history and known for. their generous hospitality and entertainments. Among the more prominent were those of General Kirk-ham, Judge Glascock and General Heath from Virginia, Judge Samuel.

Bell McKee from North 'Carolina, Judge Baldwin, Judge Garber and John B. Felton, noted for his wit and as an attorney, from Alabama; another attorney was Major Mhoon from Tennessee while W. Foote, son of the governor of Mississippi, had established a reputation as a criminal lawyer. The W. Prather and Blow families came from Kentucky and Col.

Jack Hays from Texas. Mrs. Norris married first John McMul-lin after whom the town of that name in Fresno County was named and as a widow married Mr. Norris. She has lived quietly for a number of years in Oakland where she had many old friends.

The Father's Story Col. John T. C. Hays, one of the very first of Oakland residents, had a life of adventure and romance. Born in Tennessee in 1817.

he went the Mexlcanapihe-distingoTSTicd-mmsetl under General Taylor, especially-in the Battle j't was in historic ClonelHayr crossed the piains to California and arrived in Sah Francisco, then overrun by desperate criminals. Colonel Hays ran for sheriff against the famous gambler and hotel man, Col. J. J. Bryant.

It was an exciting campaign, with all the accompaniments of brass bands, fist fights and mass meetings, and Hays Upas returned the winner. He was selected in '51, and held the office, until 1853. In 1860 we find Hays leading expe-. aftiong the neighbor-' hood of Pyramid Lake in Nevada, and he was also in the Washoe wan But it was in 185J, when he was sheriff across the bay, that he began to direct attention to the land over here. Present Oakland and its suburbs then was controlled as a vast rancho by Vincente Peralta, under a Spanish grant, but settlers were beginning to come over.

Hays bought land south of Lake Merritt, and, when he retired as sheriff, came over here to live. He gave to the city the jan(j upon which the College of California was iocated, a college which later became the The Earthquake of 1868 Within a few short months, more than three-quarters of a century will have rolled past 'since this disastrous quake (the one in 1868) marked a distinct, mile post in the history of California, particularly affecting San Francisco and the Bay area. F. Morin of Berkeley recounts: "San Leandro at that time "was the county seat of Alameda County on the east side of the bay, a -Village of not exceeding 1500 people, and Oakland was a straggling settlement with but a few thousand inhabitants. It might to recall that the State was but 18 years old, still raw and primitive, with 'the long-horned Mexican cattle still roaming the Berkeley and Oakland hills.

Oakland waterfront consisted of mud flats, and the only communication with San Francisco was by ferryboat via the estuary, with a terminus.at the foot of Broadway. That year marked the. completion of the Central Pacific Railways now the Southern Pacific Company, which was the only transcontinental railway across the entire U.S.A., thereby eliminating the famous committeeman for caiuornia annougn it is generally recognized that he wields little in- fluence on the party members and leaders at: home. For that reason such party leaders-is State Chairman Alfred Robertson of Santa Bar- and Atty. Gen.

Robert W. Kenny hesitated to step in and make decisions on their own. inhere was also the intra-party contest between 'Kenny and Robertson to be taken into account, eSjjfe of these men seeking to establish selves, head During the recent special session of the Legislature this rivalry became apparent when the prison reform bill spon- sored by.Gov. Earl -Warren was being conad ered. Robertson let his opposition to the ure be known, and he went so far as to call a caucus of the Democratic House and Senate members to solidify the Democratic position which he hoped to dictate.

But he found Kenny on the opposite side of the fence in complete accorcl the Governor's program. So powerful was the Kenny influence on the party's legislative members that the- caucus was' disbanded without action, arid the final vote showed mostAof the Democrats supporting the prison reform is re- 1 1 .1 MiJ ol, A .1, "'1 even was cse enough to the manjoun the ks stock of his gun. Wild Bill wsn 1 so Le were "fWen. who were worse, but Bjl had nerve ankvel "ujr the same acceptancies with the Knave. He died suddenly this week and with him died stories of prairies, Indians, frontier fighting, mining rivalries, the Roosevelt Rough Riders, and-the West's boom town characters.

He could spin rare" yarns out of experience. It is a pity he never wrote them And. Roy Sharpe said a word in criticism against any man save some few whom he knew to be "four-flushers" and hypocritesr Amador City in 1859 "I have often read of different towns on the Mother Lode," Helen Dean Bolander tells me. Never having read about Amador City, I thought a story of the once prosi might be of interest to the readers of the Knave Section of the Oakland Tribune. The town of Amador City is situated between Drytown and Sutter Creek, both at onetime also prosperous mining towns, the population of "Amador City at the' most from 900 to 1000.

The keystone, mine near center of the town was at one itime the richest mine in the State. One, the one was so rich they sacked it up until it could be crushedthe" miners were obhged. to undress and leave their mining "clothes in' the changing rooms to prevent anyone from carrying away gold in their clothes. One man was caught stealing from the concentrators, and serveed a term in Folsom Prison. The Keystone was closed for a' number of years, but, was reopened a few years before i Pearl Harbor catastrophe.

Then the machinery was all taken away for war material. Several other mines in and near Amador City were all operating at one time. The Bunker Hill mine, one mile away; South Spring Hill. mine, IY2 miles, and the original old Amador mine, all good producers and I firmly believe there is plenty of gold still in "them thar arrived in Amador City June 1859, at the age of 8 months. My parents were Mr.

and Mrs. Robert Yinn. My mother taught a private school for some time, $1 per week for each pupil. My father was justice of the peace for some. time.

The public school- house was just a shack. The one teacher first employed had to teach the eight grades. Later primary teacher was hired, a widow womanL who was taking care of 7 her "brother's five motherless children. During an epidemic of aavancea to we siaKeiess; respected ner I ported-that-aftcr this display of sUeiiglli, thmu University of Californiaand moved to Berke- is-a movement to get Kenny and Robertson an(j was liberal in support of all public together as" the joint sponsors of the 'Demo- movements. His Wife, Susan was de-cratic fourth term ticket for President JJoose- scencje(j from the Calverts of 'Maryland, and velt.

They will "choose the delegates from the his home was a center of hospitality. John Hays various' congressional districts," and also ''Hammond, 'mining engineer, was a nephew. ''mine the State's delegates.at large. Qne" of the first of our citizens, Col. "Jack" Olson, again by virtue' of hir position as Cali- Hays was a man of qualities, a stout-hearted forriia national committeeman, cannot be en- citizen, rich in the experiences of pioneer Cali-tirely ignored and will be given a seat on the fornja delegation, but he will be given no voice in the selection of the remaining delegates.

Wallace Visit Vice-Presicknt. Henry Wallace's visit to the' Bay area today and. tomorrow is being used as Qi motif for a Democratic "party" rally and display of enthusiasm. But. the situation is not without its embarrassments and signs of party I strife.

Attorney General Kenny is general chairman of, the affair, and characteristically gave organized labor a prominent spot in the picture. To Jack Reynolds, Oakland labor leader currently under Federal indictment for conspiracy and whisky black market, opera- tions, he awarded the honor of distributing East- bay invitations to. the mass meeting at the San (Arancisco auditorium where Wallace will speak tonight. Reynolds is a leader in the joint C.I.O.. and A.F.L! committee for political activity which Kenny addressed a week ago in Oakland in support of Democratic party unity.

Some of the party leaders, it seerpjfe, do not relish the attention bestowed on Reynolds and would like to see someone else hi that position. Wallace.