Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 91

Section aklatth 01 rt butt? ySection I ave. HOMES-GARDENS TRAVEL SCOUTS row, nf FORUM-BOOKS feiL ART-MUSIC EDITORIAL PAGE STsji:" -r JJUUOG Uf AMIS VKKK. CLXXIV OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 1961 C-l NO. 22 I I T. 1 tft St.ftn flt the rpciHonpA nt 1lf fifTn Yiam.

HEY were still plying musical chairs on committee assignments in the State Assembly the past I i 1 VT' -f-A f. -i I -J" I ifH '-Ilk opposite present Ross Street stood J. Ross Browne's Pagoda Hill in the early 1 870s; ing to find relief. Failing in this, a messenger was dispatchedfor a physician The excruciating pains would not succumb 10 meaicai treatment and finally reached his heart and produced death Not until later was it determined that he had VklAt tiflliiM 1 was 54. Pagoda Hill Funeral services for J.

Ross Browne were held two days later, Dec. 10, 1875 Interment was in Mt. View Not until Dec. 20 did The Tribune print the funeral oration of the Rev. L.

Hamil-. ton, and from this we learn something of the Pagoda Hill mansion. "Everything he did or said or built or bought was an expression of the man," said the Rev. Hamilton. "Read his works and you are looking into his heart.

See his house on yonder hill. He was his own architect' Examine the details of his plan separately and you would say that nothing but grotesque ugliness could be made out of them. See them combined under his hand, and the charm of picturesque harmony rests upon the result in almost perfection. Nothing is conventional; everything is original. The gate is a quaint stroke of humor; yet it blends with the whole scene in a beauty that the most classic lions or statuary could never have given.

An unsightly excavation of rock was in his very doo yard at first, which would have repelled any ordinary prospector for a site. Under a few touches 'of his hand it has grown into one of the greatest attractions of a home abounding in beauty. Go through the rooms of the house, hung thickly on every side with pictures arranged by his own hand. You are struck at once with a kind of careless harmony. -Gems of art in the purest style interspersed with the most mirth provoking conceits.

No other mortal would have given them such arrangement. Yet you feel no discrepancy A Girl of Old Bodie The Knave: When I first saw old Bodie years ago a fire had destroyed most of the town, yet 75 to 100 people were still living there. From many sources I learned its story, but -the most interesting record is found in Ella M. Cain's "The Story 0 Bodie," published in 1956. In her book appears the romantic tale of the "Queen of Bodie's Underworld" Rosa May.

She was not the ordinary type of woman found in houses of ill fame, but rather a demure, pleasant-mannered girl; very beautiful and witha charming smile. She won the hearts of a host of men but fell under the curse of the town's respectable women; Two prominent men of Bodie society soon fell in love with her. One was a Cornish- man of considerable means, Billy the otner, Ernest Marks, was owner of the Laurel Palace Saloon. Miners in their "highgrading" of beautiful specimens of gold Ore lavished these upon her. One night in Marks' saloon Billy proposed a toast.

"Here's to Rosa May, the darlingest, sweetest bunch of loveliness that ever came into the camp," he said. Then he glowingly added, Ernest Marks grabbed his guns and ordered Billy not to drink to that toast. Someone saved Billy's life by shooting out the lights. Bad blood remained between the two and. at length, Rosa May loaded with riches, made a lengthy tour of Europe.

Finally she returned to her resort in the red light finery. It was soon revealed that she gave her heart to Ernest Marks by bestowing upon him a gold matchbox and cuff links' with his initials. Marks took special delight in displaying these gifts to every-, body, especially to Billy Then, in one of Bodie's worst winters, a terrible-scourge of pneumonia broke out. Rosa May went from cabin to cabin, house to house, nursing the stricken. She finally.

caught the dread disease and died. Marks; not permitted to bury her among the "respectable dug her grave in, the, "outcast cemetery" and built a picket fence around the plot. When later he died he was placed by her side. In the years after Rosa's death Billy and Ernie over looked their quarrel and played cards together. Mining failed, and Bodie became1 a ghost town.

When Marks died, Billy took care of his burial and his affairs. When Billy died the itreasured gifts Rosa May had given Ernie the costly gold matchbox and cuff links were found among Billy's keepsakes. John W. Winkley.1 1 THE KNAVE. week and several important chairmanships were said to remain Jip in the air.

One of the most interesting reasons the Knave's operatives heard was that the Kennedy administration' is casting eyes at some of theiawmak-ers Speaker Ralph Brown hopes to put in key spotsAmong them are Berkeley's Assemblyman WV Byron Rumford, veteran chairman of the Assembly Public. Health Committee, who is Teported under consideration for an ambassadorship or a ranking post in health, welfare and education. Rumford has' been In Washington for the Inaugural and it was assumed that he would find time between the ceremonials for some huddles with the high brass of his party, Sacramento boosters of the Berkeley solon pointed out yesterday that he was admirably suited for a Presidential appointment. A pharmacist, Rumford also holds a masters degree in public administration and has served as a public health investigator! He is affiliated with the American Political Science Association and in 1953, at the invitation of the State Department, went to Germany as a "Citizen Ambassador" of the United States. Whatever the reason for the delay in filling committee assignments some have suggested that it stems from the speaker's practice of extending the courtesy of an interview to each of the 80 assemblymen on their preferences, it's having an interesting effect.

Bill introductions this session are running well behind 1959, when, as we recall, the committee lists were out within the first 10 days. It appears that some authors are reluctant to introduce particular pieces of legislation until they able to study the complexion of the committees to which those measures may be' assigned. Civil War. Centennial When South Carolina seceded from the Union on Dec. 20, 1860, she demanded alLlederal property in the state.

It was a time of crisis. Fort Sumter refused, to sur-renderVand when fired upon thefollow-ing April (1861), the Civil War had begun. The "irrepressible conflict" was on. With this brief prelude, Dr Rockwell D. Hunt today points out that in this year, 1961 Americans everywhere will observe the Centennial Anniversary of the beginning of the war.

"What part did California play in the tragic 'war between the states'?" he "It is inaccurate to call the California of 1861 either a Northerner Southern state. As to the character of the population, we were in reality a border state more like Kentucky than New York. Northern sentiments and Southern sentiment were almost equally divided, though the balance probably tipped slightly toward the North. Many public officials as well as the common people were put to a very severe test: should they remain loyal to the Union cause, or should they espouse the cause of the Confederacy? Besides, there was a large foreign element. The French in San Francisco were advised to be neutral and not join either army.

But, in general, as Charles B. Tur-rill declared, 'The foreign element was a tower of strength for the Northern It is a serious mistake to allege that California made no significant contribution tor the Union cause during the Civil War. Quite the reverse is true. hasten to say, in summary: California supplied two full regiments of cavalry, eight regiments of infantry, a battalion of native California cavalry, and another (called Mountaineers) of infantry, in addition to several companies of volunteers to Massachusetts and ashington Territory. Among the personnel of the Armed Forces' conspicuous leaders (sometimes claimed as Calif ornians) are such names as Grant, Sherman, Hooker, Halleck, Sumner and Baker, of the Army, and Far-ragut, Goldsborough, Porter, Alden and Baldwin, of the Navy.

'Our Contribution "But," adds Dr. Hunt, "this Is by no means all. The complete story would include details of several factors too often It should be remembered that California citizens in uncounted numbers Vent to the front, enlisting under their 'home states for service; numbers which would have increased except for the strong Southern sentiment which kept many in California. The 'California Com- any was speedily recruited under com-Jnand of Charles S. Egenbrodt, who resigned as an Alameda County supervisor.

They sailed out of the Golden Gate in On the north side of Chabot Road about December, 1862. Five weeks later they were acclaimed in Boston, then became a part of the Second Massachusetts Cavalry The company of native Cali-fornians, organized at San Jose, equipped themselves with lassos, being expert in their use. At home, while there was strong Southern sentiment in different areas of the state, the loyalty and devotion to the Union proved to be invincible, even in the face of organized activity of influential" secret societies such as the Knights of the Golden, Circle and the Knights of Jhe J. Columbian Star, plus several powerful newspapers and many public speeches and sermons; To be. remembered with gratitude, on the.

other hand, are the devoted labors and patriotic fervor of those eloquent champions of liberty and union such as Thomas Starr King, Edward D. Baker and Martin C. Briggs. Others, scarcely less important, were John Bid-well, James McClatchy, Henry Edgerton and Cornelius Cole. The superb service rendered by King earned him an honored "place in Washington's Statuary Hall.

Baker made the supreme sacrifice for his country when his life was taken at the Battle of Ball's Bluff. On Jan. 10, 1862, Leland Stanford was inaugurated 'War Governor' of California. His election 'lifted from the shoulders of loyal Unionists a great burden of It is rightly regarded as one of the decisive events of California historythe state remained intensely loyal to the Union and the Stars and Stripes. California Gold lK "Dr.

John W. Caughey's statement that 'Gold shipments rather than fighting men were California's greatest contribution to the Northern cause' may seem immoderate, but considering the time and circumstances, it cannot be far from the actual truth," continues Dr. Hunt. "It is reported that each steamer sailing out of the Golden Gate two.or three a month-carried an average of more than a million dollars in gold during the four-year war period. On one shipment there was upwards of $3 million, sent 'to help win the That was before the time of the Red Cross; but there was the great Sanitary Commission.

The eloquence of Thomas Starr King, heard in various parts of the state, not only saved the commission from threatened financial ruin but was chiefly instrumental in obtaining approximately $1V4 million out of a national total of less $5 million in cash from the entire nation. In those days of the depreciating value of the greenback, California gold was a real godsend to the nation and the Union cause. A distinguished French scholar went so far as to declare, 'It was the gold of 'Calif ornia that brought the fatal stroke to the institution of slavery in the United As this centennial year (1961) unfolds, it is an excellent time to review the facts and vicissitudes that beset the Golden State during those unhappy years, and to express renewed appreciation of the one great central fact, that despite all opposition and irrecoh- cilable forces, California stood true in time ot peril. rounded by a broad veranda completely embowered with the passion flower, stood in the midst of a garden which lay open to the sun with a vision of water and purple hills beyond All of this was the same when Mark Twain was a caller there in 1866. The Rev.

Francis J. Rock, a priest of the San Francisco Archdiocese, tells about their meeting in his biography of J. Ross Browne published in 1929. "Mark Twain had returned from his Sandwich Island trip," Father Rock relates. and Ross Browne had often crossed each other's path in life (now) it was just the moment that Mark Twain was preparing his first public lecture.

He was' to appear in, the Academy of Music on -Oct. 2, 1866. But not having had expert-ence he was rapidly losing courage. Whilst in this state of apprehension he came upon Ross Browne in San Francisco and delightedly greeted him. 'Browne, you are just the man I want to He explained his quandary and expressed anxiety Browne was by this time a well-known lecturer and could give him the desired direction.

Accordingly, Browne invited Mark Twain home to. Oakland for the few days previous to the lecture, and urged 'him to try out his material, on Jhis houseful of children. Needless to say, the result was gratifying. The enthusiastic response of the Browne's entirely fortified Mark Twain's courage Heading Home It was after Browne's return to Oakland from his brief tour-of duty as Minister to China in 1869 that he began to acquire land on the outskirts of Oakland. He sold his Jackson Street home in 1872 and by 1873 he hid erected his Pagoda Hill mansion.

Chabot Road was then called First Avenue. Pagoda Hill stood opposite where Ross Street enters Chabot yRoad today. Behind Pagoda Hill today we find Ross Circle. Both were named for J. Ross Browne.

Pagoda Hill was demolished and subdivided after Browne's untimely death in 875. The Tribune of Dec. 8, 1875, reports: "As the light of this beautiful day broke over the hilltops the spirit of J. Ross Browne passed away The sad event took place at an early hour this morning at the residence of Mr. W.

C. Little on Broadway, near Moss Avenue. Mr. Browne returned from the city last evening on the 4:30 boat, and was met at the Broadway station by his wife with buggy. They at once started for his home' hear Temescal.

He was feeling as well as usual until he had reached the outskirts "of the city, when he was seized with violent stomach pains. HJs wife desired to turn back for medical assistance, but Mr. Browne deemed it un- necessary and wanted to get home. The pains increased (and) he consented J. Ross Browne There are many students of American literature, who insist that J.

Ross Browne (1821-1875) is one early-day author-lecturer who gave truer word pictures of pioneer California life than either Bret Harte or Mark Twain. We do know that Browne blazed the trail for Twain down the Mississippiwhen in 1838 he (Browne) hired out as a common hand on a flat-boat trading between Louisville and New Or leans. But it wasn't ontu1866 that the two humorists met, and by that time Browne had already called Oakland his home for 11 years. That is our present interest in the renowned Mr. Browne his home in Oakland.

His residence here brought Oakland to the attention of other author-lecturers of his time, such as Bayard Taylor (1825-1878) and the great Mark Twain (1835-1910). Twain and Taylor each were guests in the Browne home here, much to the profit of both men. At that, time the Browne residence was on Jackson Street, between Fourth and Fifth-Streets. Realtor-Historian Albert E. Norman tells us that Browne paid $1,200 for this initial piece of property, but that from time to time land was added to the Browne estate until it stretched all the way to the estuary.

However, the later purchases are4presumed to be speculative buys inasmuch as present-day title search show that numerous parcels of land were "turned over" by Browne through the years. The Jackson Street home he held until 1872 when it was sold for $13,000 and became the site of St. Joseph's Academy. It was in 1858 that Bayard Taylor visited Browne's Oakland home. Browne was then a U.S.

Customs Inspector. Taylor's previous visit 'to Oakland had been in 1849 when he described what was to become Oakland as "a ranging plain for elk and coyotes." After visiting Browne here in 1858 he wrote: "Now Oakland is the Staten Island of the bay region. Steamboats run almost every hour between the two places We cross the bay in an hour and we enter a sort of estuary of the bay." Here the shores rise in gentle undulations, its prevailing tawny hue forming a mellow background for the thick, dark green forms of the, venerable oak trees. Steamboats, warehouses, cottages, gardens, orchards, fenced fields, roads striking off into the country, carts laden with produce, horsemen, fishing boats, omnibusses, stages, were among the features which suggested age and long established order Sand-And Courage At the pier, Taylor reports that Browne's little Indian boy was waiting for him with a light wagon hitched to the steadiest of gray horses. "The streets were inundated 1 with sand.

A few1 planked sidewalks assist locomotion, but beyond this you travel along ankle deep in the dry, loose, -drifting substance He described Browne's residence as- "oriental in aspect a pleasant two-story cottage sur- i' i.