Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 53

EDITORIALS A RES STrtbune TO VI. I tll( VOL CLVIII OAKLAN CALI FO RN I SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1953 NO. 46 I of an article that has been in the State Con stitution since 1879 and three months. Six years later, at the election of 1892, Warren B. English, the Democratic candidate 'for Congress from theThird District (including Alameda County) con- JHE Increase In spot and duplicate or companion bills Introduced in th( Legislature has been so phenomena the Knave 4s told, that serious con sideration is given in many quarters Merced Cattle King John Milton Montgomery, of Colonial and had a lead of only 25 votes over English.

The Revolution forebears, came to California from. result was tnat Hilborn was unseated and Kentucky in 1847. His birthplace was Louis- English, the Democrat, took office on April 5, ville and the date of his birth was the year 1894. Previously Hilborn had been elected to 1816. He located in' Monterey, arriving finish the unexpired term of Congressman there that same year.

Mrs. Hifgo Methmann, Joseph- McKenna, who had been chosen for who has conducted research, tells some of his iniportant post of United States Attorney story: "Three years later, in 1850, he became General. McKenna later was named; Justice acquainted with Mr. Miller, of Miller and Lux" the- Supreme Court of the United States, fame, and a partnership was formed. This tle mountain town of Altamont in east-union was kn6wn as Montgomery and fm Alameda County voted 37 for Hilborn to He had now stationed himself with Miller on 15 for English.

Several postmaster jobs the Merced River, that same year. By accord hands as a result of the unseating of. one took the east of Merced County and the Hllborn fav0 of English. other took the west. After a time they severed business1 relations.

Mr. Montgomery was on the east side. He had much cattle and livestock and had become a millionaire. He was the wealthiest and most enterprising man in that area. He owned a great load of land in Merced and Madera Counties.

Now his attention turned to serving the State politically. He was elected supervisor in Merced. In the 1870s he served in the Senate. In 1885 he was elected to the State Senate for two terms. At one period he financed the Madera Sugar Pine Flume without security.

The San Francisco Examiner of May 17, 1875, speaks of him as Merced County millionaire candidate for the Senate. His title throughout the State was 'Cattle King of Merced County'." Pioneer of 1847 "Snelling was the first county seat of Merced County. When the railroad came through, the county seat was moved to Merced. Here at Snelling Mr. Montgomery built his magnifi- cent home in 1871.

Here he had come as a pioneer in 1850 three years after his arrival in Monterey in 1847. He spared no expense for his home. His mansion cost $60,000, which i was a fortune at that time. According to Mrs. Jack Armstrong Montgomery, wife of his grandson, who 'was born in it, there were 21 rooms and 14 fireplaces.

The design was of 5 southern plantation in memory of his old Kentucky home. It was the most expensive and outstanding in the San Joaquin Valley. The construction was of brick burned on the I Montgomery place a few hundred yards from the house. The landscaping was from descriptions of the day. A feature of the i place was the planting of Cedars of Lebanon; there was a family orchard, ornamental shrubs, climbing roses, a marble fountahvand a pool filled with white water lilies.

The water ran through to a slough planted with these beautiful flowers which finally floated to the I river. This magnificent home was sold arid the' gold dredgers demolished it. A description of Mr. Montgomery reads: 'He reminds one of the boys that led emigrants across the plains, a man of few words but one whose counte- nance reminds one of the iron will within the man. His dress, modish gray, is never changed, and he courts no admiration.

He is neither handsome nor distinguished looking, but a plain bhmt farmer who says just what he John Milton Montgomery, California pioneer of 1847, had a number of children. One was born in a covered wagon which I 1 blind and was taken for a wild ride and forcibly bucked to the ground. As the waiting Indians followed the trail the found the Indian dead. The foreman, a man named Young, rode back to the ranch and notified Neal, who immediately ordered ithe Indians to get iome shovels and bury him where he fell. The old wagon road from Marysville to Chico ran past -Neal's place and one evening a stranger rode up on horseback and inquired if this was the Neal ranch and said he would like to stay all night.

'I don't keep transient said Neal. This was not the truth, f6r he ftept travelers. 'You better go to the next place, Bidwell keeps It had been raining hard all day. But the man refused to go as he was soaked to the skin and his horse was Neal gave him his supper- and ordered his horse to be fed. After supper he dried his clothes and retired.

The following morning he asked Neal what he owed him and Neal's reply was nothing at all, 'when' you're by here again drop He had wanted to try the man out for stamina. At this period California was plagued with the exploits of a noted desperado, Vasquez, who operated from Amador County up through Butte, robbing and stealing and sometimes murder. Finally he was caught and sentenced to be hanged. He owned a considerable lot pf property and while in jail ordered a special coffin with soft padded cushions. When inquiry "was made as to why the cushions, he replied, 'Itrs so soft I will sleep here well The winter of 1863 and 1864 was very dry.

The ranchers and stockmen of the San Joaquin Valley drove great bands of horses and sheep up through the Sacramento Valley in search of feed. Sheep could be bought for 25 cents per head and cows for $10 a head. This was the early beginning of the sheep industry in Tehama County and today it ranks as the number one county in the State for raising sheep. One of the early day sheep raisers of my day "was Joe Nunes of Jellys Ferry who frequently drove large bands of sheep to Red Bluff -for shipment on the train to Sen. Francisco for slaughter.

As a boy I frequently visited some of the sheep corrals west of town and with the aid of a broom, dust pan and gunney sacks, filled the sacks full of rich sheep manure and loaded same In my cart with old Nelly my faithful horse as the means of transportation. Upon arrival in Red Bluff I sold my mother's friends sheep manure for fertilizer for their lawns for 25 cents a sack. Today that same sack would probably bring five or six Prescott School The Pre'scott School, named after William H. Prescott, historian, was established in 1866 at what was then Ninth and Prescott, dirt roads surrounded by woods. It was a one-room primary, the site of was purchased from Judge Samuel Bell McKee for several hundred dollars.

Later, the school was enlarged to two classrooms, with Mrs. William Bradshaw as the first principal, and 42 pupils. By 1868 the attendance had grown to such proportions that the Board of Education, with a committee from the City Council, bought adjoining property to "the Point School," as Prescott was affectionately known. The new building, opening in 1869, consisted of two stories, four rooms on each "the largest and most up-to-date school building in Oakland," with C. W.

Brodt as principal, with a salary of $150 per month, his associate teachers, who were the Misses Alexander, Wheelock and Saylor, receiving $65 to $85 per month. Walter J. Johnston supplies this information: "One doesn't need much stretch of the imagination to visualize 'those school days at Prescott back in the sixties. Water from wells had to be pumped by hand. A battered tin cup was held by the, pupil, the teacher pumping with both hands to satisfy the childish thirst.

To protect the children in the rainy season, plank side- walks were laid in frpnty of the school and halfway across the street, while sheds were about the yard, complete with wooden benches. There was also a wooden trough beside the pump where the kids washed up, drying their faces later on roller towels. One can. see the early day scholar laying out his humble fare at noon, with a dash of water to wash it down a far cry from the modern school cafeteria with its chrome kettles, gaily decorated lunch rooms, with wholesome appetizing foods, prepared by experts who cater to the health and well being of Oakland school children. In this year two additional rooms were added to the second floor, and in the following year a drawing class was introduced to augment the school program.

In 1875, the West Oakland area" was growing by leaps and bounds, so a new building was erected. And in 1876, with the new structure given over to the grammar grades, the primary classes were held in the old building. Then in 1879 additional rooms were added, with a wing in 1882. In 1883 Prescott had 21. rooms, with four more rooms added this same year, still leaving the school crowded.

THE KNAVE of all the Indians between the Consumnes and Merced Rivers. At that time he was about 25 years of age, 6 feet tall, straight as an arrow, a majestic forehead, and a keen penetrating look. He was well educated, having received his education from the Padres of-' Santa Clara Mission. This Chief was very aristocratic, a good linguist, honest and a good Spanish scholar. However his pride of character would only permit him to converse with whites through an interpreter.

After Captain Weber had discovered gold on Weber Creek, now' in El Dorado County and had returned to his ranch near Stockton he was visited by Hascuhe and some of his under chiefs. Weber told the Indians of the discovery of gold and explained to them the value of the metal and further told them that it was evident that there was gold on the Calaveras, near Ha-suche's rancheria, and, if they would go back into the hills and discover gold, it would be of much benefit to the Indians of that region. Hasuche hac five minor chiefs under him, namely, Pack-no, Antonio, Polo, Alcalde Charley and Panchito. Hasuche detailed Alcalde Charley and five or six of his tribe to accompany Captain, Weber to. his: discovery, learn how miners obtained the gold and return and search for gold.

Alcalde Charley returned to his rancheria on the Stanislaus mustered his tribe and proceeded up Carson Creek to discover gold. Proceeding up the creek to-near where the town of Carson Hill is now located they discovered gold. It is sometimes said this was the original discovery of gold in Calaveras County. Pack-no a civilized Indian and chief of the tribes on the Stanislaus. He also at one time belonged to the Mission of Santa Clara He was the most active Indian in the mountains, an excellent horseman, brave and daring.

He had a great influence over his tribe that numbered over 200 warriors, women and children." Some Others Judge Smith continues with tales of some other chiefs: "Antonio, of all the chiefs that the whites came in contact with in 1848-49, none were as good and true as this aged chief. He thought no evil of any. person. He was friendly to the Americans. His about 150 inhabitants and he invited the whites to come and dig for gold in his country.

Antonio died I in March or April 1850, just above McDermott's Bridge on the Calaveras Great mourning took place among his tribe upon the occasion of his death. Cremation was performed on a small knoll just above the bridge. More than a bushel and la half of beads, all his valuable and rich serapes, bows and arrows, clothing were Tiled on his body before fire was applied to the wood and all (together consumed. The beads alone had cost the chief their weight in gold, that; being the price he paid for them when purchased. Some of the serapes burned had cost the thief over-55 ounces of gold dust.

Polo was a wild Indian chief. He rebelled while under Hasuche and carried on a relentless and bloody civil war for some He became rebellious when Hasuche objected to him stealing horses from the Americans. Hasuche, offered a reward of 100 pounds of gold for his head, but he escaped into the mountains. He was chief of the Indians on the Mokelumne, brave and cunning, good looking, and never indulged in the use of intoxicants. Polo was shot by an ex-lieu- tenant of Stevenson's regiement at Rich Bar on the Mokelumne River in the spring of 1851.

Polo's tribe occupied that part of Calaveras Couny abovd Mokelumne Hill and around West Point. Alcalde Charley was very close to Hasuche and a sub-chief. He was a powerful Indian and in addition to discovering gold on Carson Creek he helped in the working of the deposits. weighed about 230 pounds and on one occasion carried 2.00 pounds of flour from McLean's Ferry to Vallecito. He did this feat for John Murphy, one of the brothers for which the town of Murphy was named.

Panchito acted as chief for a tribe of about 200. They ranged around Murphys, Cave City and the rich acorn section between these places and the Mokelumne River." Eajrlier Tehama Days; Notes of this and that are set down by Leslie J. Freeman from records and family memories of older days. He tells us: "Tehama and Yolo Counties had some eccentric characters, one of whom was known as Sam Neal. Neal owned a large tract of land, where Durham is now situated.

He was the possessor of hundreds of horses and cattle as well as a rancheria of Indians. He was known as 'a -tyrant in treatment of his Indians. One of his offended him one day and he forced him to ride an outlaw bronco, that could not be tamed. The horse was known to kick and bite and all the Indians were, afraid of him. The Indfans were told to lasso him in the corral and blindfold him, after which the poor frightened Indian was forced to mount him.

When the Indian mounted the wild animal he raised the Old Power Houses Fifty years ago water power, electric plants in California were few and primitive. Some of these, Johni W. Winkley tells me, were found around the little foothill city of Auburn In Placer Counly. Says Mr. Winkley: "I came to Auburn 45 years ago and found there a young man named Bill Johnson, who had been working in- several of these early-day plants.

At his home ih Hayward he was telling me lately of his interesting experiences there. His first electric power plant job was with the old Central California Power Company, which had a station at Bowman, two miles above Auburn. The generator was a large one for that day, I and Bill got his first lessons in operating one. After some tifne he transferred to a power plant at Newcastle, five miles below Auburn. This was a two-generator station, one genera tor running constantly, and the other cut in to take up the peak load of electric use.

Bill had an old cat as companion of lonely hours at the power house, jj One day as he turned on the second generator there was a terrific noise of screeching fromJ the armature. Bill quickly snapped off the machine and out wobbled his friend, the catf He had climbed in there for a nice, warm snooze, but he never tried that cozy spot again. Later Bill was put on the old Bell Electric Company plant just out of Auburn on the Rock Creek Road. This was built and operated by the Bell family of Auburn and was a primitive affair. The generator was run by a long, 18-foot belt under the floor.

It was likewise a lonely job with only one man on duty at a time. But Bill could never keep a cat here, though he tried several. They seemed to become fascinated by the moving belt, and sooner, or later4 would spring onto it. There would be a slap, slap sound, and Bill Would have to spend some time scraping cat off the belt. The" work at the plant was not hard, but the night hours in that isolated place were dull and I tedious.

Bill's father was an early-day gold miner, and he recalled an inci dent on the flooded American River. High water had picked up mining equipment and some cabins and floated them down stream. A small shack went sailing by'with a Chinese ton top. He waved and shouted, 'Don't know where me going, but me on the No one could reach him and nobody seemed care. He was never seen again." Felton Bridge Carrie Pratt Elwell (Mrs.

F. writes: "A highway. Perhaps some Oaklanders will remember the two Cotton Brothers. One of them' (I-believe his name was Charlie) was a handsome and charming chap, lacking a fore-" arm. He became very proficient in using the Stump with theaid of a metallic extension to Which he would screw on a hook, knife, spoon or anything that would make the arm usable." to elimination of bifurcated sessions of the Legislature.

Those solons who think it's time for a change point out that the "spot" bills are not only potentially dangerous but actually violate the intent of the Constitution. They have, of course, been so; considered for years. In fact observers seemed to throw up their hands in horror 30 years ago when they found that one-sixth of the bills introduced were "skeletons" put in to hold a spot for amendment after the recess. Today, if estimates are anywhere near correct, riot one-sixth but more than two-thirds of the jbills confronting the lawmakers when they return February 24 will be of the spot variety, if that many bills are meaningless in present form what need is there for a recess? The recess is supposed to give lawmakers and interested citizens time to acquaint themselves with pending measures. But the Legislature could recess from now till- doomsday and neither it, nor the public, would become any better acquainted with the exact nature of a measure which now reads in its entirety, for example: "This Act shall be known as the Water Protection District No.

1 Act." Time-Wasting Bill Although the twin evil, the duplicate or companion bill, doesn't contf avert the Constitution, it is equally irksome, ahd time consuming, as far as the solons are concerned. Whether they can, or will, do anything about it is a question. There have been repeated, unsuccessful attempts in the past reduce the quantity of bills in order to improve the quality. The elimination of duplicates would seem to be a logical first step but thus far no one has come up with a formula that could win the required number of votes to plafce it in effect. When 'a bill introduced in.

one house is duplicated by one in the other house, the situation isn't so bad because if one measure drops by the wayside the other can be started through the legislative mill. Understandably a senator might be interested in seeing that all the measures introduced by assemblymen in his district were protected by introductions in the upper hotise, or vice versa. But the situation becomes ludicrous when dozens of identical, or virtually identical, bills are introduced in one house and many of them are then duplicated in the opposite house. Just how many companion bills are in this time we haven't been able to ascertain, but we've been assured the number Is large. Naturally many of the companion and spot bills will not be moved, but they cannot be overlooked until the final gavel drops in June.

And they add to what has become 3 fantastic work load on committees. We checked one Assembly 'committee and found that if it spent three hours in every committee session scheduled between reconvening and the June adjournment it would be able to devote only four minutes apiece to each proposed law referred to it for consideration. Screening Needed An example of a combination of the spot and duplicate bill problem ia 'ound in connection with Bay area crossings. Without regard to the category in which they fall, there are at least 26 bills "which have.a bearing on crossings and 14 of them deal specifically wilh the situation. Provision -for southern crossing studies are contained in ten measures and there are four separate measures on Bay barriers.

Those who would like to expedite the legislative process feel that there should be some advance screening or some way of amalgamating measures which do not conflict. Obviously, they point out, there aren't 26 different approaches to solution of the crossing Getting back to strictly spot bills for a moment, we thought you might like a few samples from the hundreds that poured in on the final day of the bill introduction period. A typical measure says: "Section 5391 of the Streets and Highways Code is amended to read:" That's all. One bill changes the wording of an Alcoholic Beverage Control Act section from "shall be' to "is," while the next changes the following section of the same act from "is" to "shall be." An election code amendment would change "shall publicly canvass the votes" to "shall canvass the votes publicly" and you can be certain that the author didn't put that in just because he was "a purist when it came to grammar. And what would you make of a bill which adds a section to the Code of Civil Procedure reading: "The State of California is hereby declared to be an inseparable part of the United States of America and Ihe Constitution Jof the United States is the.

supreme law of the State of California." We don't think the author believes that California is: going to pull out of the Union, and we're almost certain that he is aware that the language In his bill" is imply a restatement, brought them over -the plains as they came l. recent article andV picture in The Knave de-through Nevada. She was called Mary. His scribing the covered bridge at Felton was the wife was Elizabeth Armstrong. They enter- incentive for a trip there to look at the old tained constantly in the big house, one of their bridge which was built' 60 years ago by my guests being Senor Pacheco.

Their youngest husband, then a young civil engineer, for the child was named John Armstrong Montgom-vr Cotton Brothers of Oakland, a contracting ery, who married Adyline Neighbor, now Mrs. firm no lqnger existent. When erected; this Henderson, who lives on the old property was just an ordinary horse-and-buggy bridge in Snelling. Her son, Jack Armstrong Mont- over the San Lorenzo River. It had no top gomery, lives with his wife, Nita Norvell and no sideboards.These additions were made Montgomery, past regent of Piedmont Chapter, later by persons unknown to the builder.

An-Daughters of the American Revolution, in other bridge, a short distance away, was built Oakland. Mr. Montgomery, pioneer, died in in later years to take oare ofthe newly aligned 1891." An 1886 Election Recently this page printed an interesting yarn dealing with the contested election of a member of Congress from the Fifth California. District in the year of 1886. N.

W. Armstrong tells me there were several unusual incidents; at that election including that of a Democratic! Eqi-Jy Indian Chiefs Governor, one Washington Bartlett.who'cap-j tured the gubernatorial post by the small lead The Calaveras County Historical Society, of 654 votes over his Republican opponent, though new, is among the leaders of those John F. Swift. On the other hand a Republican organizations throughdut the State which are was chosen Lieutenant Governor at the same performing invaluable service'in keeping alive time, the winner being R. W.

Waterman, who the old stories and preserving the relics 'and defeated M. F. Tarpey, the Democratic candi-r reminders. Its bulletins are filled with inter-date, by a lead of 2493 votes; At the same esting and authentic tales of other years and November 1886, Alameda County! its memebrship, uhder the presidency of Judge had a candidate for Governor in the late Judge: J. A.

Smith, has a real enthusiasm for its pur-Joel Russell of Hayward, endorsed by both poses. In the January bulletin Judge Smith the Prohibition and Farmers parties. Governor has the following concerning some Calif orn-Bartlett was Inaugurated in January, 1887, but ians who were here before gold and at the died only nine months later when the Repub- time of its discovery, Indian chiefs. From it lican Lieut Robert Waterman assumed I quote: "At the time of the discovery of gold office and served for the ensuing three years in California, Hasuche (Jesus) was head chief.