Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 70

1 C3 2-FL OaManbliiiTribime March 10, 1963 being shown by glowing lights that bobbed above the rider's head and swung beneath his feet." Mr; 7 it Bale Mill between St. Helena and Calistoga influential. people there. Nearby, in the gold days, were other little towns with such names as Winter's Bar, Oregon Bar, and Pat's Bar. A flatboat ferry carried passengers and freight daily across the river to Poverty Bar but always moored at night at Lancha Plana.

In the gold days the town did a flourishing business. There were five saloons, five hotels, numerous stores, restaurants, bakeries, boarding houses, and a Wells Fargo office. The main street lay in the little valley that meandered out to the river, but branched into two streets about midway its length. When I saw the place there was an ancient stone ruin at this junction. It was said that the infamous desperado Sam Brown once lived here.

In later years he moved his trade to -Virginia City andCenoa-inNevadaJt was -in the latter place that he got into a quarrel with a blacksmith named Henry Van Sickle. Brown told Van Sickle he would kill him, saying: 'Henry, today is my birthday. I always kill a man on my birthday. I've put away 12, and you will make 13 a baker's Van Sickle ducked around a hallway corner and escaped. That night he loaded a double-barrel shotgun and waited on the Dayton-Virginia City road until Brown came by riding a mule.

Van Sickle then, at close range, fired both barrels, almost tearing his enemy's body to shreds. But there were also many clean, kind, neighborly people in the old town. I conducted one funeral at Lancha Plana a man who had lived a long friendly life. I remember his house 'stood on one of the hills overlooking the river. It was autumn' and all about was quiet with beauty of leaf and sunshine.

In" the1 distance I could see the locations of such old camps as Copper City, Towner-viUe, and Camp Opra. This latter had NE of the first American settlers in Napa Valley was Dr. Edward Turner Bale who was granted land by the Mexi can government in 1839. lne name of his grant had various Dr. Rockwell D.

Hunt tells us, "but we knew it as Rancho Carne Humana. It bordered Caymus Rancho, which had been granted to George Yount It will be remembered that the first Franciscan Mission in Alta California was founded in 1769, and the first Presidio followed almost at once. Very soon the question of allotting land to private individuals came up. In November, 1775, Manuel Butron was given possession of a small homesite. But it was not until 1784 that the true ranch movement began, outside the boundaries of missions and presidios.

Then Juan J. Dominguez established what became Rancho San Pedro of some 30,000 acres. About that time, also, Jose Maria Verdugo was granted Rancho San Rafael (36,000 acres) including much of the present cities of Glendale and Burbank in Southern California. Other grants were made under the Spanish regime, but more under the Mexican rule. Only two missions were founded north of San Francisco (San Rafael and Sonoma) but in the single decade 7 (183646) a total of 14 land grants were made in the present area of Napa County alone.

However, it should be added, the final settlement of claims under the American government involved much litigation, with mixed results. Dr. Bale erected his grist mill in 1846 often called the 'year of excitement' in California history. This project required some outlay of capital, which Bale obtained chiefly from the sale of land to incoming settlers. He was an Englishman, by birth, became a physician and surgeon, though apparently never practiced medicine to any considerable extent.

On an early cruise he, is said to have deserted a whaling vessel at Monterey in 1834, where he found a welcome from Thomas O. Larkin and set up a small apothecary shop. He is reported to have sold liquor to the Indians, contrary to law. Finding himself in difficulty he decided to move; meantime having won the. hand of Senorita Caroline Sobranes, a niece of General Vallejo." DR.

BALE and his bride went to Sonoma as guests of the kind-hearted general "Then," Dr. Hunt continues, "it was not long until he was fortunate enough to obtain the land grant mentioned. He had, of course, taken the steps necessary for adopted Mexican citizenship. In the 'Illustrated History of Napa published in Oakland in 1901 (Capt. W.

F. Wallace, historian), we find a firsthand and fairly full account of the old Bale Mill, prepared by G. W. Tucker. It is not commonly known that the first overshot wheel was 20 feet in diameter, but later it was greatly enlarged to 40 feet.

Tucker's account continues; 'The water was conveyed to the mill from a mountain stream by cutting redwood logs about 15 or 20 feet long, and about two feet in diameter, forming troughs of them by hollowing them out so as to contain the water. These were elevated on pins made of redwood rails and the ends of the logs nicely fitted together so that the water would flow to the wheel at the mill The cogs in the wheel were all made of wood, and while running made quite a racket. The millstones or burrs were taken out of the hill back of the mill and worked out by John Conn. The first miller was Harrison From this author we also learn that the first crop of grain in Napa -County, about 15 acres, was put into a pile and fenced in; then 30 or more mustangs, wild as were driven round and round at top speed 'until the wind would blow away all the chaff and Finally the wheat was put into big troughs filled with water, and by vigorous stirring 'the grit and gravel had all settled to the This process, and the drying of the wheat, took two or three days. At last it was ready to be hauled to the mill, each grist containing about 10 bushels.

Such was the primitive method of threshing in California." IN 1851' L. G. Little built a threshing machine at the mill. "This threshed virtually all the grain of the neighborhood," Dr. Hunt adds.

"But, before that, Dr. Bale had left the mill. He had died in 1849, bequeathing the mill to his oldest daughter who rented it to different parties. There is no point in, discussing here the final months of Dr. Bale's comparatively short life.

During the 1860s Ralph Ellis purchased the mill and installed an engine and new machinery, thus enabling him to keep it in operation when the water supply failed. Ellis finally sold the mill to W. W. Lyman. After grinding flour for the inhabitants of northern Napa Valley for upwards of a quarter-century, the mill lay idle for many years.

The beautiful old water wheel became gradually covered with a lush growth of ivy. In the words of G. W. Tucker it stands there a monument to the skill and industry of the men of the pioneer times in this His fervent hope that this monument might escape destruction by fire has, happily, been realized. A most beautiful picture of this grand old ivy-covered 1 mill wheel Is found reproduced in the 'Napa City NOR were the gentlemen of mighty calves who pressed the pedals the only paraders to be greeted with applause, huzzahs and pans of burning red fire along the parade route, Planer goes on to say.

"At least 50 ladies formed a feature of the procession that was lustily cheered by spectators from block to block. They were the members of the Alpha Gub participating in their first public parade. They carried themselves, in such a graceful manner, and made such a pretty spec tacle, that half the men along the line at once decided to take their best girl out on their wheels whenever an occasion such as Sunday in Golden Gate Park offered itself! The Alphas, however, did not stay to the omega of the fiesta. Much to the disappointment of the crowds on Market and Kearny Streets the young women switched off at Eighth St. They evidently feared that confusion might overcome them in the brilliant glare of the city's main thoroughfare.

Bonfires blazed at the corner of Market and Van Ness, red fire lighted the heavens, illuminated lanterns swung from myriad wires, flags and bunt ing fluttered in the gathering fog. Dozens of banners" and transparencies, with such messages as 'Repave Market 'Stop Star Gazing Look 'We Can't Ride 'No More '49 all directed to the Board of Supervisors-appeared on every hand. A mighty cheer arose from the waiting throng as a line of bobbing colors glimpsed up the dark avenue developed suddenly into the parading wheelmen. The bands burst into patriotic airs, the weary participants gathered at the curbstone, and the audience awaited the promises of the orators of, the evening." Preacher Inventor ONE of California's more colorful men of the 19th century in the mind of Thomas Miller of Paradise was the Rev. Coiumbus A.

Leamon. "He was born in Baltimore in 1803 and went west to Missouri during the 1840s where he built up a good trade in the furniture business," Miller relates. "In 1850 he came to California where he was eventually ordained a Methodist minister, serving principally in the northern mines. He organized churches in Nevada City and Grass Valley besides laying the foundations of about 12 other churches. In 1870 he was appointed to churches at Cherokee Flat and at Pentz.

Prominent Methodist families of the area then were Horne at Cherokee, Parrish of Lime Saddle, -nd the -Heckert-and-Penceamilies ofJKntz- Moanah Pence came with his fariily from Illinois. While mining he established himself at Pentz where he operated a store, post office and a social hall. Adam Heckert -was in the lumber business. Finished lumber was sent down from the mountains in flumes. Occasionally wild meat and even the families of miners were brought down the mountains via the flumes and flume boats.

Walking the flumes was a popular pastime for young people on Sunday afternoons. The big problem was how to reach the upper end of flumes. It was too far to walk, and hauling was not easy. It was at this point that the Rev. C.

A. Leamon, assisted by Adam Heckert, one of his parishioners, brought their inventive genius to work. They decided to use the flumes both ways. One began at the sugar pine mill at Rag Dump and extended 25 miles down to Pentz, a drop of 3,500 feet The Rev. Mr.

Leamon proposed, contrary to the law of gravity, a saddle between th two shoulders of the flume. On each side were two wheels, with a paddle water-wheel between. Weight of the water rushing down hill caused the waterwheel do turn gears which revolved and sent the saddle boat back up the mountain to the mill. His idea was patiented in 1876 Nostalgia CARRIE Pratt Elwell credits her remembrance of so many Spanish residents In this area to the fact that her mother was Spanish. "I remember one lady who was the chum of my sister, many years my senior," she relates.

"This woman was a granddaughter of Captain. Richardson, who accomplished so much for California in its early days. Richardson Bay was named for him. When I knew her she was a tall, handsome woman with a beautiful, fair complexion. I also recall she was a divorcee, having been supplanted in her marriage by other women.

She was entitled to her support, and each month she had to go personally to the bank where her husband was employed to receive her check from him. I think his name was Reck, but I'm not sure. He insisted on this procedure, and she had to accept it. Time went on until one day she fell and broke her hip. Needing professional care, she was taken to Laguna Honda Home.

Later she died there. She was one of the many who suffered poverty and dissolution after the Americans took over." -THE KNAVE 1 lends moderns a bit of yesteryear's charm many desperate whites and Mexicans, among whom at times would appear the notorious Murietta. It was said that their boothill cemetery was filled mostly of victims of whisky. John W. Winkley.

Bicycle Parade THERE was a great midsummer hubbub in San Francisco 67 years ago when cyclists turned out in gala array for what is believed to have been their greatest parade, according to Edward T. Planer, a history buff of considerable experience in these parts. "Two thousand cyclists with floating flags and gleaming paper lanterns rode their steeds of steeV mtlLjingling bells, from-26th and -Folsom Streets through Kearny and Market to Van Ness Ave. on the foggy evening of Saturday, July 25, 1896," Planer tells us. "The whole affair was in celebration of the victory gained by the property owners and residents of the Mission District in their up hill fight for good streets and road surfaces without cobblestones.

Men, women and children, singly and in tandem, individually or as dubs, pedaled along the city's thoroughfares in a parade of 15 divisions accompanied by five bands riding in wagons, all shepherded by a contingent of San Francisco's 'finest' mounted on bicycles. And the wheels! Some were laced with vines, flowers, tinsel and tissue paper; others hid their shining spokes beneath gay bunting, while still others seemed to be revolving discs of light guided by mystic men in garbs of flame. Every rider operated with at least one paper lantern, and the more expert cyclists carried from two to a dozen, the degree of efficiency in the art of pedaling By Mi Kg parKs Samuel 8. if RCI I k. Wt oi THE FTR5T JEEESBrERIAt CHURCH IN OAKLAND WAS ALSO A AND EDU- 4WTi LATIGFLY 1NTAL IN THE OP THE -J CALIFORNIA- California i- This massive 40-foot waterwheel at the old County Portfolio and Directory, published and engraved by H.

A. Darms in July of 1908. It is a charmingly picturesque scene. But it could, not thus long continue. It was decaying rapidly and must be rescued from utter destruction.

In 1923 Mrs. Sarah Lyman presented the mill to the Native Sons of the Golden West The ivy was removed as a conservation measure. On June 19, 1941, the property was deeded to the County of Napa; seven years later, through the persistence and devotion of Miss Ivy Loeber of the Napa County Historical Society, and the generosity of Napa County supervisors, a caretaker was assigned to the mill Today the mill is visited by tens of thousands of tourists each year." Lancha Plana THE KNAVE: Some 50 years ago I was pastor, of the big brick church in lone, a building that the late Dr. Tully Knoles always called "the Cathedral of the Sierra." While there I conducted many funerals of old-timers in the neighboring communities. Among them was one who for years had lived in Lancha Plana (Spanish for Flat Boat).

We buried him up the river on a high bluff cemetery where the gurgling waters intermingled with the last rites. Lancha Plana was mostly in ruins, and there was little left of the once busy town of Poverty Bar across the river. I looked up the story of old Lancha plana and learned that it had been a large and busy community, though quite rough and wild. It amazed me to learn that Governor Stanford closed his campaign for governor in this old community. There must have been some very Though IT MADE HIM A CONSPICUOUS TARGET POR POSSESTlBURCIO VASQUEZ, NOTORIOUS BANDIT CHIEF THE 1970" S.STUCK OUT HIS NECK BY PIDINS WHITE HORSES.

tRONICALW HE WAS CAPTURED ATOOT AND HANGED 1st flietl PLANE TQ LAND ABOARD SHIP was piloted by who successfullv set his plane down on a platform built on the deck of the Pennsylvania anchoreid in San Francisco bav in JANUARY OF 1911 j.m i fiat i'ir i iiiihw- 'J.