The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1915-10-07
CHRISTENING OF
DISASTER PEAK
Lake Charles. La. Oct. 2, 1915.

Z
the name "Rebel Creek" ! read IN
the papers Of a mining camp or O set
tlement away up near the Oregon line,
vest of Quinn River, having the name
of e'Disaster Peak | wonder if any
one now in Humboldt county knows
! the origin of that names
Here it is: In May, 1864. Dodge and
associates--a party of foGr-were mas
/ sacred by Bannoek Indians. 1t might
| have been by Piutes, but the Piutes
were our neighbors, therefore, we pre-
/ fcrred to say il was done by the Ban
poeks. Epler and Parkinson. county sur
veyors, in compiling and gathering
data for their map of Humboldt eoun-
/ ~ published by the Cottons, of New
! York, knowing the tragedy was near
| this prominent peak. put its name on
! their map, Disaster Peak and it
seems TO hold that name to this day.
/ The name was suggested bv Judge
q r. O'Bannon, now Of Berkeley, Cal
ifornia.
The killing Of this party and the
murder of DIR. Smeathman some 30 or
40 miles TO the west and south, in
March of the same year. was a trifie
more than the miners in the Humboldt
Ever country could stand. A party of
about twenty. led by that old Califor-
mia Indian fighter, A. j. Simmons, plan
ned an invasion Of their country. In
this party were Jack Bryden W. b.
Judd, Frank Wheeler. O. p. O'Bannon
snd others equally prominent In their
campaign the Indians were made 10
suffer severely. one Of the invading
party was killed and Frank Wheeler
severely wounded-by his own gun
however Frank Wheeler was a county
official. clerk of the District Court or
county clerk. ! have forgotten which.
This was perhaps the beginning, on
our part. of the Indian war. which last
/ "a until the end of 1865 In this war
! Maicr MeDermitt lost his life, IN
/ Quinn River valley, near the Oregon
hpe.
In this war quite sanguinarv battle
took place, July 10, 1865, some 90 miles
north of the French bridge WHINE
mueea) in Paradise valley. A party of
Indians attempted to drive off herd
Of government cattle. The few soldiers
in charge. after being recruited by 4
number of settlers, pursued and, ac-
cs riding TO accounts. killed them all
about 40 was stated, but -tsss number
vas doubtless exaggerated One white
settler was killed in this 10Th of July
fight.
also read of ''Bloody Canyon,
ever in the Humboldt range, IA miles
from Min CITY. noted for its antimonv
mines I happen to know of the cir
cumstanees that gave its name to this
canyon. In very early days, two pros
pectors-Haviland and Wetmore-dom-
I 4.,I IN. 4hta A Hica ant
arose between them and they got into
a regular istieuff row, and fought all
around for some time Onlookers final
ll separated them, when il was diseov
cred that neither had drawn blood.
Ever after it was called Bloody Can
yon.
Mr.. WetmOre made claim in Grass
/ Valley in lsG2-a hay ranch. lie cut
and stacked considerable hay, 5 or &
stacks. Others also made claims. They
called upon me, being county surveyor,
70 survey and stake the boundaries
We made our camp at Mr.. Wetmore =
stack yard, and on the last day of No
vcmber we finished the work. We were
about four miles south of the camp at
sundown when we finished. We saw a
huge cloud of smoke in the direction
If the camp and rightly surmised the
hav stacks were burning, and with the
stacks would go our camp and all It
contained On arriving at the scene OF
cur camp we found everything had
gone M in smoke-hay stacks, blank
cts, grub, guns, pistols, heavy clothing,
etc. 1t was now after sundown and
cold. There was nothing to do but pull
out for Star City, 30 miles away. |
was glad to learn that the fire did not
start from our camp. A couple Of squat
ters, two or three miles below started
n fire to burn OFF some grass. They
went away and left it, not putting it
entirely out. After their leaving, II
gathered new headway, running up to
our camp with consequences as related
above.
see the "'Gem mine" two or three
miles south of old Dun Glen, is "eom-
ing back Your Col. Thomas Ewing
can tell YOU all about the early days of
that mine. From the grass roots it ear.
ried the richest class of silver ore. |
should like to know 5f the later history
Of Col. Watson, Col. Ewings partner
in the mine Col. Watson was grad.
uate of West Point military academy,
saw service in the Seminole war, was
exceedingly liberal in his potations, but
always a gentleman, the promoter OF
jacksonville in Pajaro valley, Califor-
MIA.
During all the years of my aequaint.
anee with him | never heard him utter
"A profane or obscene word. His man
nors and language We're always in the
Lest form. | can pay this tribute 10
this old pioneer of the early CO.'S, and
could show up Col. Ewing If he were
rot here to resent il.
WILLIAM EPLER,
County Surveyor Humboldt County
ls6l-65