Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-04-05
From the "Call."l
TRINITY COUNTY,
BY T. Z. JONES.

(Slsklyou) between Its northern boundary
and the Oregon line. In shape, it is long
and comparatively narrow. With the
exception Of the south part, lying next to
Mendocino county, it lies in such shape
rs to include within its boundaries all the
territory drained by the Trinity River and
its branches. In the south and south :
western parts of the county, we pass out
of the watershed of the Trinity, upon the
heads of streams which empty into tho
ocean. Trinity County WAS named after
its principal river. In the Summer of
1915, the late MAJOR Pearson b. Reading,
with mixed company Of whites and In
dians, visited the head waters of Trinity,
and was quito successful in trapping. He
gave the name it has since borne, in the
belief that it emptied dh ecty into Trni-
dad Bay. Such is not, however, the
case. The Trinity forms a junction with
Klamath River about twenty miles from
the county line. In 1913, after the dis
covery of gold by Marshal, at Suttor's
Mill (or Coloma), the Major, who then
owned and was settled upon the Reading
Grant, in the Sacramento Valley, organ
lied company of men, chiefly domesti-
Gated Indians, and in July crossed the
Trinity range of mountains, by differ
ent route from any now travelled, and
reached Trinity River near the point
where Weaver Creek empties. Here he
found very rich surface mines, and the
party worked with great success for a
time. Some Oregonians, on their way to
the mines by land, heard of the where-
abouts Of Reading ard his party, and
coming to the place he was working
(since called Readings Barr, objected to
the Majors Indian help. Reading there-
upon disbanded his company and returned
to the Sacramento Valley. Other pros
pectors began now to come in, but it was
not until the following year that Weaver
Basin was discovered and settled.
AS the gold miners we're the cause Of
the first settlement of the county, so min
ing has continued the chiefndustry ofthe
population from thst time until the pres,
ent. The earlier workings were confined
mainly to the beds and lars of the num-
erous streams, but with the introduction
of hydrsulics, operations were carried on
upon more extended scale. Two causes,
in the meanwhile, combined to keep this
county from advancing in population and
| nj 70, he IL
gree enjoyed by other counties whose
natural resources were no creator than
ours. One was the distance which all
kinds Of mining supplies had to de trans
ported another, the fact that the greater
portion ot the county lay away from any
direct line of travel, which prevented the
ingress and retention of chance popula
zion. Other points were much nearer
base of supplies ard more accessible to
the mining brotherhood, offered rs invIt-
| ing field of labor, and it is thus followed
that during those years when the mines
were in the flush Of success, counties of
far less area possess three and four times
the population. The result is that at the
present time there are openings for sue
cessful mining here that, had the country
been more favorably and conveniently
situated, would have been worked out
years ago. One thing, however, should
be borne in mind-that to mine success
fully in the manner now in use requires
organization. With each year that pass
es, the miner requires more water for
working as the deposits are followed
back. 1t is not now SO easy matter for
three or four men to combine together
and, by putting ditch on some place
they have found, secure themselves in the
possession of a claim which will furnish
labor for years, although these opportu>
mites are not entirely gone. There are
many places 10 which the attention of
capita could be directed for safe and
profitable investment, though perhaps the
best association for that purpose would be
that Of number Of men, each possessed
of some means, vino could com inc their
labor and money together in develop
ing gravel range.
Beginning with the southern portion of
the county, we find a broken, mountains
Gus reg ion, but highly adapted for grazing
and pasturage; and great deal OF land
has been taken up whhin few years past
for these purposes. The south line Of the
county is in the fortieth parallel Of lati-
4.l and thip io h. N mi Df II
the width next to Mendocino County be-
ing about twenty-six miles. For the
first fifteen years after the organization Of
the State Government, this section was
unsettled by whites, the Indians being
numerous and hostile. They were finally
brought to terms oy the six companies of
mountaineers organized in 1858 for the
purpose Of subduing them, though de-
tached bands made occasional iorays into
the settlements, bent on piIlage and muir
der. The last of these bands killed a man
named Burke, who lived in the upper part
Of Hay Fork Valley. in the Fall of 1868.
Half dozen determined men took their
trail at the house of Burke (Which was
burned by the Indians and followed il
day after day until they overlook the saw
ages, killing or capturing the entire party.
This was the last of our Indian troubles,
and when it became safe, it was not long
in becoming better known, and rapid set
tlement followed. Though this was the
last settled part of the county, II has been
nearly all brought under the Government
survey, and many of the settlers have
patents for their land. The local Land
Office is at Eureka, Humboldt County.
There are two polling places, but the vote
aast ia Hoht tha inha bitants haino seat