The record-union., 1897-07-12
DEATH OF A PIONEER HOST.
ALL OLD TIMERS KNEW AND
LOVED GEORGE Balls.
A Man Who Ministered to the
Wants of the Travelling Pub
lie in Early Days.

Published notices of the death OF
George w. Balls, who passed away June
18th at his home, Edgewood, near Red
Bluff, bring to mind important chapters
in the history of this county. He lived
here in the early sos and through the
COS, and was a distinctive type of the
best class of men who helped make our
early local history. Few indeed of our
old timers but remember George Balls
and his wayside hotels, which to many
a homesick traveller took the place of
his own fireside back in the States"
Balls kept several of these hotels at
different times and places, commencing
with the old Somerset House up beyond
Latrobe. To-day that historical inn is
almost forgotten, and its entire busi-
ness diverted to towns along the rail-
road, but in 1854 it caught every bit
of travel from Hangtown and it's neigh
boring diggings to this city. That was
the hight of the old regime-the golden
days of rich claims, fabulous finds and
giant hearted men. The highways were
rutted by steady professions of freight
caravans carrying provisions to the
wealth pockets of the Sierra foothills
and bullion down to the city banks.
Stages We're crowded, pack trains, i'm
migrant wagons and foot travel contfn-
uous. The old Somerset feasted it's hun
dreds daily, turning away no one. A
broke" miner, or man with a busted"
enterprise bunked with the best and
usually departed with a free-handed
loan from the host jingling in his pock-
ct.
After leaving the Somerset, Balls kept
the old Monte Cristo year, then mined
a couple of years at Cooks Bar, at that
time bonanza of rich placers and hy-
draulic claims, but although he struck
it rich, bookkeeping suited him bet
ter, and taking the old Daylor's Ranch
House, twenty miles from Sacramento,
Balls made of it what was in those
rough times an ideal resort. There
must be many yet living who will re-
member with a thrill of pleasure the
one hOmelike shelter they were sure of
on their hard round of business and
travel to and from this city and jack
son, lone, Fiddletown Drytown, Vol
cano, Sutter Creek, and a host of other
towns now mined out and forgotten.
Every one talked of getting home to
Balis.' Sometimes the great line OF
Observation-Disclosures and back
actiOned, with a thousand mule bells
ingling-circled in, one or two hundred
strong, about the great corral. The
mules, six or eight to a wagon, were
provendered by their wagons, as the
big barn could only house supplies.
Most of the teamsters slept in their
'schooners,'' but always the sleeping
roon-"corral,' it was called-bunked
its scores of tired men in clean blank
cts and real sheets Ca rare luxury,
while the long dining room, seating a
hundred and fifty, had often to serve
it's two and three tables.
OF this big caravansary Mr.. Balls and
his wife who had been Miss Adelia Nc
Glashan, were the presiding geniuses,
and made the place so popular that
majority of travellers planned always to
reach there, late or early, at least twice
in round trip. TeamsterS laying off
for a rest left there their outfits and
surplus money bags for safe keeping;
and their families loitered at
Daylor's for a days rest. No carOusing
or drunk kenness was ever permitted
on the premises, so that quiet travellers
could sit with as much hOmelike COM
fort under the poplar shaded front cor
ridors as in their own dwellings.
The writer has seen many a notable
guest-great men or millionaires of to-
day-tarrying under those spreading
trees. Among them-the whole list
would take in too nearly every notable
men as Milton S. Latham, Senator Jim
r1 81 Iql
John Conness, Alvinza Hayward, and
dozen since famous State officials
were very frequent guests. Sometimes
a grand ball was given in the monster
barn, calling out all the young folks in
the city and from three or four counties
adjoining. Church & Jones, then mere
youths, played at these balls.
The Balls family prospered and in
course of time eleven handsome chill
dren played about the porches and were
made much Of. Indeed, they were roy
ally petted in way to astonish the
child of to-day, when children are no
rarity.
Daylor's stood where the Costumes
now makes a bend, and near the best
crossing in the county, but winter
floods swept away its thick adobe walls,
its generous outbuildings and most of
the ancient poplars. driving Balls and
his family TO a hotel of their own a
mile up the river, where for many years
they turned the tide of teamster travel
Nineteen years ago this most famous
of California country landlords sold
out and moved to Edgewood beau
tiful mile-square farm in Tehama,
where his last days were ended. He
was II years old. He leaves a widow
and seven living sons and daughters,
many grandchildren, and a sincere
mourner in ever one who ever knew
Honest George" his soubriquet in the