Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-27
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
REVIEW OF THE CENSUS TAKEN THIR.
TEEN YEARS BEFORE THAT.
Navigation of the Sacramento in Early
Days-Oid Peter Lassen's Canoe
Various Local Incidents.

ton of the inhabitants of California, after
1876, was made in 1S47. while Colonel Ma
son was Territorial Governor. It was one
of the first official acts of his Secretary of
State, Henry w. Halleck, at that time a
Lieutenant of Engineers. The only locali-
ties from which returns were made were
the valleys of the Sacramento and San Joa-
quin and the then village of San Francisco.
A correspondent of the UNION, in letter
from San Diego, dated July I, 1860, sent
some particulars thereof, together with the
following review of the early history of
this portion of the State:
II was the agent for Captain Sutter at
the time [of the taking of the censusl and
assisted in the work. As we neglected
making marine report for the Sacramento
river, give 1t here, as the contrast is as
great as that of the population. The only
regular packet running between the EN-.
barcadero of New Helvetia (now the beauti-
ful city OF Sacramento and Capital of the
State) and Yerba Buena (now San Fran.
cisco) was Suffers launch Sacramen o, q
seventeen-ton schooner. She was built by
the Russian American Company at Sitka
for the sea otter service at Bodega, and sold
to Captain Suffer in 1885, l last saw her
lying at Washington, opposite your city.
In 1858, rooted over and used as q house by
salmon-fishers. She was coppered and
copper-fastened and officered and manned
by Indians captain and six men before
the mast. The entire crew was changed at
every trip, and she ran regularly. Ere.
quently there was not pound of freight
to go down, but it was the only way we
had OF getting our mails that were brought
M on nf ma nv,1 ~ IL
papers were quite fresh to us when they
were not more than one year old.
Occasionally the Indian Queen Perry
McCoon Commander, sloop of ten tons,
would make trip. Captain Sutter had
another line running from New Helvetia
TO the Hook Farm on Feather river. The
craft was an open yawl called the White
Pinnace, and was rowed and poled by six
naked Digger Indians. Sometimes she
would extend her trips to New Mecklen.
burg on the Yuba river (now Marysville),
to get load of tallow and hides. Old Peter
Lss:eo would make one or two trips a wear
from his ranch north of Chico, on the Sac
ramento river, to Yerba Buena in a canoe
made from the trunk of huge sycamore
tree, in which he crossed the bay in perfect
safety
"The Mormons had settlement up on
the San joaquin in 1S47, and ran small
sloop. This constituted the MOSQUITO feet
OF 1867. What vast change in thirteen
years saw statement lately in the Alta
to the effect that the first steamboat that
ever ploughed the inland waters of Califor-
MIA was built at Benicia in 1S49, and called
the Pioneer. l made the first and onlv
trip on Captain William A. Liedesdorff's lit.
tie Russian steamer from San Francisco to
New Helvetia. She had no name, but has
since been called the Sitka At that time
was the New Helvetia (Sacramento) CORE.
spondent of the California Star, but did not
publish my notes of that trip, as Captain
Leidesdorf was very sensitive at that time
on the subject of steam boats. The day
after her arrival from the Sacramento river
she was sunk by a southeaster, and went
down in deep water, where Battery street
now is lined by wholesale houses. We
left San Francisco on the 2Sth of Novem.
Der, lS47, and arrived at New Helvetia De-
cember 4th-six days and seven hours on
the briny deep. After the boat had sunk
she was raised and hauled up by oxen into
Bush street. above Montgomery. Her en-
gines were taken out and she was converted
into schooner yacht and cbristened the
RAINBOW, and ran as packet on the Sac
ramento river after the discovery of gold.
What became of her after that DR.. Parker.
presume, can TELL"
the result of the census of 1S47, which
flls severa! columns of the old UNION, and
from which these figures are taken: Num-
Der OF males of all nationalities in the
country east of the Sacramento and San
joaquin rivers on December %. 1S47, IL
756; femsles. 10,90l; total, 22,657: cattle.
10000; horses, 2,500; mules, 20; sheep.
1000; hogs, 1000; Touring mills, 5 water
and horse-power); tanneries, 1; dwelling
houses, 60; school-houses, 0.
From the Buttes northward-males. TO-
O65 females, 8 $780, total, 1861.
The San Francisco census was taken bv
+. z. Gilbert. That town had 321 males
and l3S females, total population of 459
Eight of the children comprising that
number were born of immigrant parents.
There were two weekly newspapers-the
Star, published by Sam Brannan, and the
Californian, published by II. r. Buckelew,
successor to Robert Semple
.........Calvin B. Mcdonald, who is now
grinding out editorial thunder for an Ore
gon iournal-he who made the American
Flag such power during the war-was
thirty years ago an obscure young man
editing the Sierra Citizen at DownieviIe.
He was the Fourth of July orator at place
called Wet Ravine in that year (1S60), and
the metropolitan press were making all
sorts of ridicule over his Grafton, which
was OF the fiery kind. One passage was:
IT is eighty -four years to-day since the loud
talking tongue of Independence bell proclaimed
American liberty to the world. Far and wide
has that proclamation been rung to the nations
and It's inspiring exhortation has reused the
slumbering spirit of liberty on the watch rocks
OF the Alps; IN the thatched cots ges of Erin; in
the deep defiles of indomitable Hungary; among
the splendid ruins where the degenerate Roman
bewails the departure of his ancient national
glory and along the frosty latitu les of the cold
coasted north. where wild Lofoden whirls to
death the roaring whale" Coextensive with
the light has gone that immortal declaration
Plymouth to the promontories of Alaska IL has
through three-quarters of century. found an
nual response wherever the blood of an Amer
lean quickens with the morning light
Mcdonald concluded his Grafton in these
words:
And when the sublime structure of our re-
public falls, let 1t be in the chaos of nations
Even then, may Liberty, seizing her standard
relighting her torch at the common funeral
pyre, and mounting through tumultuous and
terror r-stricken clouds, stand imperishable on
the battlements of Heaven, and wave last
good night 10 the world.
.........In those days the following was
given as the fayorite recipe for an editorial
beverage, and the worst of it is it was too
generally observed: Take one pint of
whisky; stir it we'll with spoonful of
whisky; then add another pint of whisky;
Ocot Win SpOOU, I'll IQe tlne
pouring in more whisky. Fill large
bowl with water, and have the servant set
1t out OF your reach. Take tumbler, pour
in two spoonfuls of water; then pour out
the water, and fill up with whisky, and
add to the above. Flavor with whisky to
your taste. Results stunning editorial"
......-.T The fact was published thirty years
ago that, in 1887, Abraham Lincoln, then
a member of the Illinois Legislature, pre-
sented report taking issue with series of
resolutions asking the Government to abol-
ish slavery in the District of Columbia
Lincoln was then a strong enemy of
slavery, but IN his report he condemned the
policy OF the Abolitionists. and held that
the question was one that should be deter
mined by the people of the District.
.........A call was issued for the organiza-
ton of Bell and Everett party in this
clty. 1t was signed by A. P. Catlin. II. o.
Beatty, Q. s. Coffin. James Maddux. David
Meeker, r. H. Mcdonald, L. A. Booth. B.
II. Lee. G. w. Bowie, John II. Gass, M. II.
Fowler, G. w. Davis. Daniel S HAYDEN. ].
ID. Shirley, G. w. Whitlock, James Scott
and James Queen.
.........A party Of Piute Indians came
upon young man one day on the bank of
stream n Long valley, New, and des.
perate fight ensued. The white man,
though badly wounded, made a gallant
stand, killing three of the sayaces spd die