[Dan De Quille, Staging in Early Days, Daily Alta California, 19 April 1885:1]

 

STAGING IN EARLY DAYS.

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Reminiscences of Perilous Trips Across the Sierras.

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VALENTINE'S FAMOUS RIDE.

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Whereabouts of Some of the Old-Time Drivers — Some Fast Trips— Ponies and Backboards.

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[WRITTEN FOR THE ALTA BY DAN DE QUILLE.]

            All old residents of Virginia City and San Francisco know that in the early days some perilous trips were made by stage coach across the Sierras. On numerous occasions great hardships were endured by both driver and passengers. I shall not attempt to give the "rough trips" in detail. A sample will be sufficient. I will briefly sketch a trip made across the mountains in 1867 by John J. Valentine, then Agent of Wells, Fargo & Co., in Virginia City, now Vice-President and General Manager of that Company on the Pacific Coast, as furnished me in outline by himself.

            On or about the night of February 21, 1867, a heavy snowstorm set in at Virginia City, and a heavy storm was also reported in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. On the morning of the 22d Mr. Valentine left Virginia City for California by the Placerville route. The coach started at 5 o'clock in the morning, and reached Van Sickles' Station, two miles beyond the town of Genoa, Douglas county, at 5 o'clock p. m. the same day, having traveled thirty-three miles. Here the snow was found so deep that it became necessary to halt for the night. The road ahead must be broken. At 6 o'clock the next morning, Mr. Valentine left Van Sickles' and attacked the snow. By 5 o'clock in the evening he had broken but two miles of road, but he did not give up the fight. He returned to Van Sickles' and again remained there over night. The next morning he started out at 6 o'clock, and by 2 o'clock in the afternoon had reached the eastern summit. Friday's station, ten miles distant from Van Sickles', was reached at 7:30 in the evening, and at 11 o'clock at night he arrived at Billy Mack's, four miles beyond Friday's, having traveled fourteen miles from the place of starting at 6 o'clock that morning. Mr. Valentine remained at Billy Mack's that night. It may be imagined that he went to sleep without rocking. The next morning he was aroused bright and early. It was found that it would be impossible to proceed farther, except an snowshoes. Accordingly, he procured a pair of snowshoes and at 6 o'clock struck out over a wild waste of snow, from fifteen to twenty feet in depth. Owing to the lightness of the new-fallen snow, it was very hard traveling. The shoes would not skim along on the surface, as on snow that had settled and become compact. At every step they sank several inches into the feathery mass.

ONE MILE AN HOUR.

            By 12 o'clock M., Mr. Valentine had reached Yank's, where he halted and had luncheon, having traveled six miles. At 1 o'clock in the afternoon, he left Yank's, passed the summit at 5:30 in the evening, and reached Strawberry Valley at 1 o'clock in the morning. He had then been on the snowshoes almost continuously for nineteen hours, and had traveled eighteen miles from his starting point in the morning — Billy Mack's. From 2 o'clock in the afternoon until he reached Strawberry it was storming furiously. The dismal nature of this trip may be imagined when it is remembered that on all sides lay a rugged wilderness, with nothing to be seen, even in daylight, but rocks and forests, and naught to be heard save the wild howling of the winds in the tops of the tall pines. The snow at this time was about seven feet deep in the valleys, and on the mountains was about even with the tops of the telegraph poles. On the fifth day of his trip Mr. Valentine" left Strawberry at 6 o'clock in the morning on board of a " scow," being a craft suitable for navigating melting snow, water or liquid mud. This vehicle of novel construction was drawn by six horses, driven by that famous whip, "Curly Dan." They reached Placerville that night at 8 o'clock, having traveled 49 miles. At Placerville ended the difficulties and dangers of Mr. Valentine's famous trip. From that place down to Folsom it could only be, at the worst, rainy, muddy and disagreeable.

S0ME FAST TRIPS.

            Having given a fair sample of the rough trips — without touching upon those attended by a loss of life — I shall give a few specimens of fast time. The first fast trip, of which everybody has heard, was in 1858, from Carson City to Placerville, Hank Monk driver and Horace Greeley passenger. The trip between the two points was made in twelve hours and forty minutes; distance. 112 miles.

            The next notable trip was made in July, 1862, from Folsom to Carson City, W. P. Bennett driver and Chas. McLean and two overland passengers aboard the coach. Distance between the two points, 122 miles; time, eleven hours and thirty minutes.

            Another very fast trip was made in 1864, from Virginia City to Sacramento. Charley Crowell drove from Virginia City to Yank's; Hank Monk thence to 'Strawberry, and Charley Watson to Placerville. Passengers left Virginia City at 11:10 P. M., and, taking the railroad at Folsom, were landed at Sacramento at 11 A. M. the next day. Distance, 152 miles; time less than twelve hours.

            In October, 1865, a fast trip was made between Virginia City and Folsom, by which passengers were landed in Sacramento in twelve hours and twenty-one minutes. On this trip John Spaulding (afterwards promoted to an agency by Wells, Fargo & Co.) was driver from Virginia City to Strawberry; Dan Taylor drove from Strawberry to Placerville, and Jerry Crowder from Placerville to Folsom.

            Some good time was also made between Virginia City and Carson, and of this I shall give one or two examples. In 1864, on the 4th of July, Ned Hudson and John Spaulding on the seat, the trip (eighteen miles) was made from Carson to Virginia in sixty-three minutes. They changed horses at the Mound House and changed the express and mail at Silver City and Gold Hill. They drove six horses and had six passengers, express, mail and baggage. This was very fast — heavy load and stoppages being considered — but in April of the same year Wm. M. Lent and Johnny Skae, with four horses and Smith Gray as driver, had made the trip in fifty-three minutes, changing horses at the Half-way House.

THE PONIES AND BUCKBOARDS.

            Something should be said in this article about the "ponies" and the " buckboards." All old residents of the Pacific Coast will remember the great pony-express line across the Plains in the early days ; also the incident of a Sacramento lady placing a garland of flowers on the neck of the first pony upon his arrival in that city. Even as late as 1861 our latest news from the Atlantic seaboard came by " pony." "Cock-eyed Bob " and other celebrated riders of the Plains are still gratefully remembered by reporters and many others on the Comstock. These swift riders gathered news as they flew, told us of the movements of Indian tribes and of the latest pranks in Mormondom ; for at that time the umbilical cord had not been severed by which we were attached to Utah. (It was cut March 2, 1861.)

            In 1868 the Pacific Express Company and Wells, Fargo & Co. ran " ponies " between Reno and Virginia City. Wells, Fargo & Co. had twenty-four horses on the route and at each trip ran twelve, with four riders ; distance between the two points, twenty-one miles. The Pacific Express Company were equally well equipped. The first race in that year was won by Wells, Fargo & Co., their time being 61 minutes and that of the Pacific Express Co minutes for the twenty-one miles.

            In October, 1869, these two companies had another big race. They each placed twenty horses on the route and ran nine. Time by Wells, Fargo & Co., 58 minutes ; by the Pacific 64 minutes.

            In 1869 backboards for carrying the express matter were placed on this route by Wells, Fargo * Co., and there were some exciting races between these and the Pacific pony. In that year the writer of this article— with W. P. Bennett as driver, and five teams or changes— made the trip in one hour and five minutes, beating the Pacific pony by about two minutes.

            The Pacific Express Company and Wells, Fargo & Co. were running as opposition lines on this route from June, 1868, until December, 1869, during which time the Pacific never came in ahead but once — and never once came in ahead on a backboard race.

            On the occasion of a race between the rival companies, all Virginia City was in the streets, the telegraph poles and on the house-tops. There were bets of all kinds, from those for cigars and drinks up to hundreds of dollars in gold coin. Whether the races were between stage coaches, backboards or ponies, all were ready to back their judgment with coin or desirable merchandise, — whisky and cigars.

SOME OF THE OLD-TIME DRIVERS.

            Very few of the old-time drivers are now on the Comstock — but two or three — and hardly half a dozen are to be found in all Nevada. " Baldy Green" (so called on account of a dearth of the "vegetable production on the summit of his cranium" ) drove between Virginia City and Carson, also eastward from Virginia City on the Overland, and on other routes in Nevada. "Baldy" is remembered on the Pacific Coast as the most unfortunate among the drivers as regards encounters with " road agents." These gentry appeared to follow poor "Baldy," let him go on what route he might. His coaches were so often halted and robbed that " Hand down that box, Baldy !" became a standing joke on the Comstock. " Baldy" thus made the acquaintance of "Rattlesnake Dick," Jack Davis and several other gentlemen of the highway. " Baldy" finally went up into Idaho, and still they asked him to hand down the "box" — meaning Wells, Fargo & Co.'s treasure box.

            Billy Wilson, an old driver and stage man, came over from California in 1860 and started a line of stages between Virginia City and Carson. Before coming over the mountains he owned a stage line between Nevada City and San Juan.

            "Big John" Littlefield drove out of Sacramento for years in the early days. Afterwards he was on the Henness Pass route. He was a man who weighed about 250 pounds. Daring the war he enlisted and was stationed at Fort Churchill, where he was known as Lieutenant Littlefield. He died at Gilroy, California, in 1872.

            Miles Nesbit, a driver on the Henness Pass road, was killed in Virginia City in 1866, by the running away of his team. He was thrown from his seat on the coach as it whirled into F street, landed on his head and was taken up dead.

WHEREABOUTS OF THE OLD DRIVERS.

            " Curly Bill " (William Garhart), an old Henness Pass driver, is now in San Francisco ; Billy Hodges of the same route is in Yosemite Valley ; Si Hawley of the Henness killed himself at Lake Tahoe a few years ago ; Johnny Burnett of the Henness killed himself at Austin, Nevada, about nine years ago; , " Smokey," an old Henness driver, is now in Reno ; Ned Blair, of the same route, died in Virginia City some years ago ; Tom Stephens of the Henness, is now in San Francisco ; George Emory of the Henness, is now driving on the Bodie road ; " Pony King " of the Placerville, died in Carson about two years ago ; Hank Monk, the driver of Horace Greeley, died in Carson in 1884; E. Douglass, called "Dug," for short, drive for a time between Virginia City and Reno, but is better known as the driver of the bus between Virginia and Gold Hill. He is still in Virginia City. Charley Watson was a well-known driver on the Placerville route. He is now, somewhere in California.

            John Wilson, a Henness driver, is at present keeping a livery stable in Reno, and is owner of the theatre at that place ; Lige Downer, of the Placerville, is now in California taking care of the racehorse Tump Winston ; Frank Henderson, of the Placerville, is in Canada ; Charley Livermore, of the Henness, is now in Idaho ; Dye Tyrell, of the Placerville, is now in Colorado — for several years he was Wells, Fargo & Co.'s division agent at Denver ; Steve Hamon, who in the early days had a stage line between Virginia City and Washoe City, died of heart disease a few days ago at Elko while seated on the box of his coach ; Jim Dike, an old driver for Langton & Co. on the route from Virginia City to Marysville, is now in California ; "Cub" (Dubois) Bigelow, who drove for Langton & Co. between Virginia and Carson, and who also drove on the Henness Pass, Placerville and Overland routes, is still in Virginia City. In early times in California he drove between Oroville and Dogtown and between Sacramento and Marysville. Alex. McShea was an overland driver, whose present whereabouts is unknown ; " Jim Muggins " (James Lynch) was a driver on Jim McCue's line over the Henness route before the time of the Pacific Express. He died in Oregon four years ago. Ben Billings also drove for McCue on the Henness Pass road. Sam and Billy Russell, who owned the first line of stages run between Virginia City and Dayton, are now somewhere in California. " Dave Red," who drove out of Virginia City on the overland with "Baldy" Green, was drowned some years ago while taking a bath in a pond or reservoir in the neighborhood of Austin, Nevada. Charley Hainsworth, also an overland driver, is now agent of Wells, Fargo & Co., on some route leading into Boise City, Idaho. Charley Stoddard, a Henness driver — remembered as the man who upset his coach into the Truckee river — is now in the Atlantic States. The one black sheep is Dan Smith, who upset his coach at the foot of the Geiger grade, killing Mrs. Kruttsnicht. He was convicted of robbing the mail in Oregon and sent to the penitentiary. Billy Blackmore, an old Henness driver, is now at Carson City. W. P. Bennett, for many years in the employ of Wells, Fargo & Co. at Virginia City as driver of stages, backboards and express wagons, is now at Gold Hill working in the Yellow Jacket mine.

STAGE LINES OF EARLY DAYS.

            Owing to the nature of their business, their roving and unsettled life, it is a difficult matter to keep track of stage drivers. They move from one line to another, or are shifted from place to place on the same lines. A few more of the old-time drivers might perhaps be searched out, but I think I have given about all of those that are well remembered by the people of Virginia City and San Francisco. Among the stage lines that were in operation in the early days may be mentioned Langton & Co.'s Pioneer Express, from Virginia City to Downieville, San Juan and Marysville, and of which J. S. Albro was the Virginia agent ; Jim McCue's line, by way of the Henness Pass, and the old California line, with several small and transient lines in various directions. Lloyd Rawlings, who was the Virginia City agent of the California for some years, is now in Mexico ; Ike Mooney, at first driver and afterward agent of Langton's, is in Sierra county, California, and C. C. Cooper, who was also agent of the same line for some years, is in California. George A. Gray, who was agent and driver for some of the small lines, died in Virginia City about ten years ago. "Big Jake," who was a driver on the Henness Pass road in the early days and a well-known sport, is somewhere in California.  

" THE HOTEL OF THE TERRITORY."

            In concluding the article it seems proper to give a description of the International Hotel — the great stage house — as it stood in 1862, when it was proudly designated "The Hotel of the Territory." The description is one written at the time, and is as follows : "This new hotel, now finished, is the main feature as a building in the city. It is three stories high, with a front on C street of thirty-eight feet. The lower story of the hotel, apart from the main entrance, is occupied as stores by S. Wasserman & Co., tobacco and cigar dealers, and Durning & McGeoghegan, drygoods merchants. A kitchen and storehouse are also located on the same floor. On the second floor, which is on a level with the B street entrance of the hotel, is a parlor, 18 by 20 feet, and also ten bed-rooms, so arranged that two of them can be thrown together, so as to make a bed-room and parlor for families. The third, and upper story, has sixteen rooms, which contain double beds. From the roof of the house, which is surrounded by a firewall three feet high, a magnificent view of Virginia City and the surrounding country can be obtained. A flagstaff, forty feet in height, is also placed there. The building is entirely fire-proof. [The big fire of October 26, 1875, did not find it so.] The iron work upon the house alone cost over $4,000 ; and the entire cost of the building, exclusive of furniture, was $14,000. The old building on B street will still be continued as a portion of the hotel, and will shortly be superseded by a continuation of the new one."  

            All this, the then proprietors — A. S. Paul and I. C. Bateman — put into their advertisement. The present International Hotel is six stories in height, cost $115,000 and was furnished at a cost of $45,000.