The record-union., 1893-04-14
STORY OF AN ARGONAUT.
Genial Janitor Curtis Relates an Incl
dent of Early Days.
How He pIloted Whisky Train Into
Yreka In 1S54-Receivod by
a Brass Band.

While it is not generally known, or the
fact has been lost sight OF, it is neverthe-
less alleged by DIR. J. S. Curtis, the vera
cious city janitor, that he is one of the
argonauts or early pioneers of California.
When DR.. Curtis is at leisure he fire.
quently resorts to "reminiscences of early
times, and when he has a fair chance he
usually digs up some neglected history
that is worthy Of preservation. lie Is
not only versatile, but is very efficient in
dealing with narratives based upon his
varied experiences and adventures. If
the doctor ever swerves from strict,
matter-of- fact statements he does it
artistically and with the skill of an &C
complished but otherwise reliable
linguist.
During calm at the police station the
other evening he announced, in casual
way, that he was the first man to pilot a
wagon train into Yreka, Siskiyou County.
at was in 1854" said he, that. merely
for recreation and to do one a favor at the
same time, l volunteered to conduct a
wagon train from Colusa to Greka. There
was at that time a large and thriving
population at Yreka, and they were short
of specially were they lack
ing III WHISKY anu OIner llRuI DuI IS1tll-
site necessities.
I'VE started from Colusa with four ten
mule prairie schooners, in each OF which
we loaded three pipes of whisky, brandy
and gin, together with few sacks of
flour and other lesser luXuries. A re-
markable thing to me at the time was
that the mules were all white, mules of
that color being notably scarce and valu-
able then.
After leaving Red Bluff we left the
wagon road, leaving the town of Shasta
to the right, and followed up the Sacra-
mento River, making our road as We
went, and of course we encountered OBJ
stacles."
You encountered some mountains up
that way, didn't your" queried one of his
auditors.
''Oh, well, we found hills, but we fol-
lowed the valley from Red Bluff and
kept along the river. OF course we didn't
travel fast, for we had to make our road.
cut trees down and clear them away. and
mules-especially white mules-are not
noted for speed. We had bells on the
mules and the music of the bells helped
them along. But, as l was saying, when
we got to Rogue River"
"No GU must be mistaken in that river.
doctor; there is no Rogue River this side
of Yreka," interrupted reporter.
maybe l am; l thought it was Rogue
River, butt
"Must have been Cow Creek" broke
in the know-it-all scribe.
at might have been Cow Creek" con-
tinued the pioneer, lat any rate, when
we got to Yreka-"
But that is a mountainous country,
doctor, and it is over hundred miles
from Red Bluff to Yreka. Besides,
there's Shasta Butte to cross"
I'VE didn't go over the Butte, we went
around it-up the river through the finest
valley you ever saw. We stopped at
some farmhouses, and the women folks
there fixed up some of the best dinners |
ever saw-hot biscuits and coffee that"
There were no farms north of Cow
Creek in 1854" said an interested police
man.
Nothing but Indians there at that
time" observed Judge Buckley, who had
just come in.
''Oh, there were Indians there, toe"
continued the doctor, after a pause, but
OF course having been there | know what
1 am talking about. l was in advance of
the wagons one day, and | saw Indians,
and returned to the party"
Hurried back, as it WERE" observed
the Judge.
'Well, 1 didn't waste any time" said
the doctor; but when the Indians saw
the wagons and the white mules they Just
must have dropped dead-never saw
luGlIl dSdllls W utu We BOI 10 Teha The
citizens came out"
You went up the valley all the way?"
questioned the reporter.
"Y-e-s."
"What valley?"
well, l have forgotten, but we went
for about hundred miles. The trees
were so thick we couldn't see much of
the country. Well, at Ireka the citizens
came to meet us with a Drass band,
and"
There is no valley between Cow
Creek and Yreka. You must have gone
over Shasta Butte, and | never heard of
mule teams going over" murmured the
reporter.
They never did go over" said Judge
Buckley. THE doctor can't be depended
upon any more when he talks"
By this time the story-teller had be-
come somewhat ratified, and when agi-
tated the doctor is inclined to stutter.
"Now, Judge" said he, that is I'M
kind. In all your Life you never heard
me s-s-p-eak -"
1.-THE truth without trimmings" inter-
posed Judge Buckley. But go on, don't
let me interrupt you"
"W-w-well, at Yreka, the b-brass band
met us, and there were s-speeches and
Had brass band, did they?" queried
new arrival.
'O-o-of c-c-course, for they met us and
pay GU S-o-SSNc l1A p pdlIlOllc airs.
You still had three pipes of whisky in
each wagon, presume" chimed in the
reporter. "A pipe is big barrel, isn't
it, doctor?"
YES, we had t-t-taken some gallons
out on the w-way, of course, but w-what
we d-d-drank was never missed"
mot from twenty-four hogsheads of it.
of course"
"Wwas it t-t-twenty-four 1 s-said g?
Oh, yes. so it was; but we had f-f-four
w-wagons, and t-ten mules on each
w-w-wagon, Judge"
IF you make that story stick, doctor.
you will have TO prove it. If you do
prove it, nobody will believe it. even
them" said an officer
''Of course he can't prove the story,
said the Judge. IF he will prove he
was in Yreka in 1854, and that there was
brass band there, I'll guarantee him
the position of Bailitf in the Police Court
for the term
"D-d-do you th-think 1 would s-serve
in that ca-ca-capacity, Judge? 1 Wv
wouldn't be a p-p-police oIhcer, but l
will p-prove whatever l say, or you c-can
p-put me in the j-j-jag insti-t-t-tuteu' And
the doctor, somewhat excited, was citing
numerous references to prove that he was
pilot for the great white mule train, when
his audience deserted him.
ANOTHER MINING COMPANY.
SacramentanS in Quest of Ell Dorado