CHAPTER II

TRAINS-TRACTION
ENGINES-STAGES

The Stockton-Copperopolis Railroad
The Mountain Traction Company
Stages and Stage Drivers

THE STOCKTON - COPPEROPOLIS RAILROAD

In spite of all the efforts being made to speed the process of keeping the stream of copper ore flowing to Stockton, The rich mines early appeared to demand the aid of the iron road. Thus, E. S. Holden, pioneer businessman and ardent promoter of all that might aid the development of Stockton, proposed to build a rail line between the two cities. The Stockton-Copperopolis Company was organized in 1862 with a capital of $1,500,000. (1)

The California State Legislature of 1863 authorized the counties of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Calaveras, and Tuolumne to subscribe funds in aid of this railroad. (2) On completion of a survey conducted by R. P. Hardy, it was estimated that it would cost $1,181,000 to construct the road and equip it with rolling stock.

In May, 1863, San Joaquin County citizens went to the polls at a special election to vote bonds of $100,000 for aid in its construction. Although the measure carried in the city of Stockton, it was defeated in the county. Linden, as well as many other farming districts, expressed the conviction that agriculture would be destroyed if rails superseded the freight wagons drawn by horses and mules "with such voracious appetites for the luxurious grains produced in San Joaquin County." Thus, a great hue and cry was raised against ruining well-established business to bring to life a new mechanized industry. (3)

Freight Team At Milton

In spite of obstacles, the railway company reorganized in 1865 and a new and less costly line was surveyed. Just as plans were under way to put on an intensive promotion campaign, the richest copper deposits became exhausted, (4) the bottom dropped out of the market,(5) and the prosperity of the region declined.(6) Although twelve miles had been graded along the right of way by the contracting firm of Ivers and Nagle, all operations ceased.(7)

In March, 1867, however, Congress was induced to grant a subsidy of five sections of land per mile of road to encourage its construction.(8) This grant was conditioned upon a subscription of $200,000 upon which five per cent was to be paid in and work commenced before March, 1869, ten miles to be completed annually until the road should be extended to Copperopolis. The Company failed in its venture, however, and, in order to save the franchise and land grant, was forced to transfer its rights to the Central Pacific Railroad Company which company constructed the road as far as Milton, (9) a distance of thirty miles, completing construction on December 14, 1870. (IO)

The Stockton Power Press Print 1870.
The Prospectus of the Stockton and Copperopolis Railroad.

"Copperopolis, the eastern terminus of the Stockton and Copperopolis Railroad, lies at the south end of Salt Spring Valley and is surrounded by her rich and extensive copper mines--the Union, Keystone, Empire, and Calaveras--the scores of other mines of copper as yet but little prospected. These mines sent to market during the years that they were worked, from 1862-1865, over $3,000,000 worth of high grade copper ore. We have the fullest confidence that when the road is completed to Copperopolis a branch will be constructed to the timber region east of us. The Railroad Company can carry freight between Copperopolis and Stockton for $3.50 per ton--a reduction of 800 percent Every possible inducement should be held out to the Company to build the road and its construction urged forward as rapidly as practicable.

"Captain Mouton was President of the Company. Construction was begun at Stockton by Mr. Talbert, the contractor, on December 2, 1870. The Company had a construction engine called "Copperopolis." By February 1871, the road had been completed to Peters and a station established at that point from which freight was distributed. For a short time Peters was a lively community.

Locomotive (the Copperopolis)

"Grading then continued east of Peters and continued to the eastern terminus of the road which was about five miles south of Jenny Lind in Calaveras County and about the same distance westerly of Salt Spring Valley. The town which was created at this point was called Milton, named in honor of the engineer, Milton Latham, who laid out the road.

"Between 500 and 600 Chinese were employed as laborers on the roadbed under skilled write labor. "The first passenger train came to Milton on the 4th day of July, 1871, and a great celebration was held at that place on the railroad's commencement of service.

Exercises were held at Rock Creek Grove about a mile out of town. Mr. L.M. Schralk of Golden Gate, near Paloma, was chosen as Presidentof the Day and Thomas B. McCarty, G.W. Trahem and J.W. Batchelderwere selected as Vice-Presidents, and F.W. McClennahan as Secretary.

Captain Mouton, the superintendent of the railroad was escorted to the stand by the Rev. Mr. Yager to read the Declaration of Independence. The Honorable S.P. Scaniker was the Orator. A brass band and glee club rendered patriotic music and songs during the day.

Hourly trains were run to and from Stockton, and upon the arrival and departure of each train a loudmouthed cannon fired a salute. It is estimated that over 2000 persons joined in the celebration in Milton that day. In the evening the freight depot was cleared and dancing commenced and continued until midnight, when the last train took its departure for Stockton. Fireworks were displayed after dark.

The Company had its roundhouse in Stockton. In addition to the Milton line the Company owned a branch line from Peters to Oakdale.

In May, 1888, the Company was consolidated with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company and the line into Milton was operated by that company until it was discontinued.

Milton was a very busy place for a number of years after the railroad was built. Freight for most of Calaveras County and part of Tuolumne County was shipped to that station, and great teams hauled to various towns of the Mother Lode in both counties. Stages with mail and passengers made daily trips to and from Milton.

Shipping Copper Ore at Milton

Travel to the Big Trees and Yosemite Valley was routed through Milton and private cars from the east remained at the station while their owners visited the great natural resources of Calaveras and adjoining counties.

With the coming of the railroads into Valley Springs and Angels Camp, and later travel by automobile, the train service declined until only a mixed train once a day was run into Milton. Thus service was gradually discontinued to Milton and finally stopped in 1940.

"The following persons served in the capacity of station agents at Milton: Blanchard, Egan, Glasford, Burton, Dake, Humphrey, Miller, Hemphill, Sowerby, and Carey. Agents were discontinued at Milton in 1933 but the train service was continued intermittently for seven more years.

"Mr. Beysser was station agent at Milton for the railroad, from the time freight first began moving through Milton until his death in 1895.

A quote from the unpublished manuscript of Ronald E. Limbatigh and Willard P. Fuller, Jr., Calaveras County Mining Logging and Railroading, 1848-Present aptly sums up the significance of Copperopolis to the nation: (11)

"During the Civil War, the Calaveras Copper boom caught the imagination of capitalist and prospector alike at a time when California gold production plummeted. Copper fever during die Civil War period in California cast a wide- ranging spell that infected nearly every mining region and promoter from the northern Siskiyous to the Mexican Border. Surface gossan that promised much more than it yielded sent copper stock on the San Francisco Exchange up and also caught up unwary investors (even Henry George). By the 1860's the mining world had its eye on Calaveras County, considered by the 'experts' to be the most promising copper County in California."

 MOUNTAIN TRACTION COMPANY
Early 1900's

The steam traction engine, a train without tracks, was an attempt to replace the teams hauling ore to Milton.

The lumber industry used a number of traction engines and made up trains of wagons to be drawn by a single engine. In some cases, the first wagon behind the engine also had a small steam engine that could be used to assist on a hard pull, by diverting steam to it from the main engine. A restored engine, "Old Beth", from the Fullen Lumber Mill in the Avery area, is on display at the Angels Camp Museum.

The Mountain Traction Company operated in Copperopolis in the early 1900's but proved to be too slow a costly and the teams finished out the era until the advent of the solid tire trucks, "Garfield", "Sterling," and "Morelan".

It was necessary to provide an alternate road as the traction engines were not allowed on most of the public roads because they frightened the horses, and the iron wheels tore up the roadbeds.

The route of the traction engines was from Copperopolis to Milton west on the Stockton Road to the Flow Ranch and north through Hodson; thence, northwesterly through the Kuhn Ranch on a well-graded roadbed to the South side of Salt Spring Valley Dam, and from there to Milton.

One of the largest fires in the area of Milton Road to the Stanislaus River was caused by a boiler malfunction one of the engines.

STAGE LINES SERVICING COPPEROPOLIS

Soon after the founding of Copperopolis different stage lines began service to the new town. A tri-weekly express stage line was established in 1861 by Littlebran and Aylesworth. Shortly after this R. Fowler and A. Shafer established another line which ran on alternate days. This ensured daily communication between Stockton and Copperopolis. These stages left the Weber House at 7 a.m. each morning and arrived in Copperopolis at 4 p.m. The fare was $4.00. A line of stages ran daily between Copperopolis and Murphys and connected with the Stockton, Mokelumne Hill and Columbia stages. The fare from Copperopolis to either of the latter places was $5.00. R. Boy who ran the Coulterville stages, started another line from Sonora to Copperopolis, via Chinese Camp. On January 21, 1864, the Stockton Daily Independent reported that the Copperopolis stage had changed hands from Coastes and Company to Charles Sisson.

Mail Stage at the Union Hotel

John H. Shine, in 1885, secured mail contracts and managed stage lines between Sonora, Oakdale, Copperopolis and other points. He was presented with a gold watch by Wells Fargo and Co. in 1876 for valuable services rendered and for being instrumental in saving their holdings from highway men. According to Joseph Henry Jackson's book, Anybody's Gold, John Shine was once held up by Black Bart on Funk Hill.

STAGE RUNS

In June of 1871 the Central Pacific Railroad's "Copperopolis Short Line" from Stockton to Milton, Calaveras County, was completed. Passengers and goods could now come as far as Milton by train. Sisson & Co.'s stage line then ran from Milton to Chinese Camp. The rates were, of necessity, lowered...

In the '70's the "Nevada Stage Company" moved a large portion of their equipment and many of their driver from Nevada into California. This is a development in staging seldom mentioned by historians, but as late as the car '80's, stages bearing the sigh "Nevada Stage Co." ran into the Yosemite Valley over the Big Oak Flat Road. This interstate transfer has been corroborated by interviews. The owners of this line are given as Parker, Pease and Clugage and their "Yosemite Run" operated from Milton to the Valley via Chinese Camp. In 1881, an advertising boolet put out by the Nevada Stage Company states: "A stage meets the train at Milton at 9:35 a.m.; stops for lunch Copperopolis; arrives at Nest's Station at 6:00 p.m. for dinner and the night's stop...

When John Shine of Sonora became manager of the Nevada Stage Line he appealed to Henry Crocker to build a stage station and pleasing stopping place on his property especially for women travelers. The property being between the South Fork of the Tuolumne and a few miles below Hodgdon's Meadows, the old stopping place.

On March 1, 1886, the Great Sierra Stage Company was incorporated, having purchased the "Yosemite Run" of the Nevada Stage Company. John Shine of Sonora became the company's superintendent and manager. The Great Sierra Stage Line ran stages from Milton to Yosemite Valley via Copperopolis, O'Byrne's Ferry and Chinese Camp.

In 1897 the construction of the Sierra Railroad was begun, joining Oakdale with Jamestown and Sonora, Chinese Station, a short distance from the town, served Chinese Camp. Yosemite passengers no longer used the Copperopolis Short Line unless they intended also to visit the Calaveras Big Trees.

Among the company's best remembered drivers, many of whom drove for the Nevada Stage Co., were Marfi Burell, Rice Markley, William Carlton, Joseph Ridgeway, John Dennis and Andrew Shine, "Al" Harkness, Donal McLean, Adam Thomayer, Ned McGowen, Joseph Mulligan, Messrs. Mott and Stoddard, Joseph Johns, Archie McLean, Tom, Jack and Bill Gibbons, Clark Stringham, Samuel Smith, Billy Walton, Billy Hendricks, George Townsen Thomas Hodgdon, Thomas Jackson who married Margaret Solinsky of Chinese Camp, and William Hodges, distinguished by a scar on his head from a bullet fired by the bandit Vasquez. (12)

A STAGE DRIVER

This tale concerns a Calaveras County stage driver by the name of George Carlton:
George Carlton, When first known to this scribe in 1900 was nearly 70 years of age and was stableman at the Frank Baker Livery and Feed Stable in the one and only main street that ran north and south through Copper and ha been so occupied for many years.

Back in the days when there was a stage line from Sonora and Jamestown, via O'Byrnes Ferry, it passed over the Stanislaus River through the old covered bridge. At Copper the stage paused for the passengers to get breakfast at the Honey Hotel, where every morning 365 days a year, half a fried chicken, hot biscuits with chicken gravy, fried potatoes, jam, jelly, syrup, or honey with hot coffee were served for 75 cents. Here a change of horses was made and more mail bags and express taken on with the complement of well-fed passengers for the 15-mile trip to Milton at the end of rail from Stockton.

Carlton was known as an expert reinsman with a perfect record of no accidents, even in the days when the stages traveled via Reynolds Ferry and the narrow winding road up and over the gap of Barth Mountain, where Black Bart occasionally sallied forth to rob Wells Fargo, and down the long grade into Copper.

It so happened one day the nearly empty stage was hitched up with six fresh horses as usual, at the stage barn, later to be owned and operated by Frank Baker, that George mounted the box, took up reins, and whip, and sent the outfit rolling up the street of Copper and to swing around in front of the post office as he had done hundreds of times before. In swinging the prancing team to bring it about with a flourish and a sudden stop at the right spot and head for Milton, he turned the stage over on its side in the middle of the street, much to his chagrin. The stage was righted by many willing hands and George turned the outfit over to the second driver who gladly carried on. Well, to make a sad story sadder, the same thing happened the two following days, making three times in succession. George was crestfallen, had lost his skill and nerve, was so badly shaken that he quit his job and never drove a team again, not even a single rig. After months of rest to recover his usual calm he took the job as stableman in the stage barn. He was a bachelor and a grand old man. (I 3)

CALAVERAS WEEKLY CITIZEN - San Andreas, California
Saturday, March 24,19M
VOL. XXIX--NO. 46.
ANOTHER AMATEUR STAGE ROBBER.
James Starr Confesses to a Very Serious Charge

Held Up the Copperopolis-Milton Stage Last Monday
and was Caged the Next Day

On Monday afternoon, at about 5 o'clock, a man masked in a white handkerchief and armed with a shotgun, stopped the Copperopolis and Milton stage near the town of Hodson and robbed the passengers. Instead of lining them up, he held out his hat and commanded them to drop their belongings therein. There were three passengers, besides the driver. The robber secured $17.10 and carried away the stage driver's ivory handled knife and cuff buttons, all indicative of a novice's work. It is said that the passengers had amongst them more than $200, which they saved, throwing into the robber's hat only their loose change. The stage robber wore a pair of blue overalls and a blue jumper. It was noted that he had a rag tied on one of his thumbs and his mask had but one slit for the eyes, a somewhat novel feature of stage robbery.

Constable Fouts, of Angels, a very capable officer, with some assistants, was soon on the trail of the robber and gathered some very important testimony.

The veteran Sheriff of the county, Ben. K. Thom, also at once took field, and on Tuesday the robber was arrested in Fagan's hotel, at Copperopolis. His name is James Starr, a Young man 19 years of age, who lives with his mother, who is separated from her husband, at Copperopolis.

Starr is well connected in this county, where he was born. He is the son of I.E.Starr, an old resident of Milton, and his brother, Johnny Starr, holds an important position with the Utica Company, at Angels, being the foreman of the blacksmithing department. When Starr was arrested he offered no resistance. He was kept at Copperopolis over night and brought here on Wednesday afternoon. Though Driver Des Champ and others are reported to have fully identified the man, he insistently denied his guilt, until taken before Judge Cooley, at Angels, on Thursday morning, when he weakened and confessed to his crime. There is other strong evidence against Starr. He is blind of one eye, which might account for the fact that the mask worn by the robber had but one eyelet. 'Me useless eye might have been recognized.

The fact that Starr had been drinking when he went out on his expedition, that he took with him a bottle of wine and that subsequent to the robbery he was seen sleeping in the brush along the roadside may account for his want of caution later on. He walked into Copperopolis with his breechloading double-barreled shot-gun on his shoulders, clothed in the same garb he wore at the time of the robbery, and is said to have been drinking with one of the men he had robbed at the moment he was arrested.

Starr has been of late leading a rather wild life. He has been given to drink and has patronized the gaming tables. He is little more than a boy, and it is supposed that he was in somewhat desperate straits and committed this crime when in liquor.

Since the above article has been put into type Constable Fouts took Starr to Angels for arraignment before Justice of the Peace Cooley. Starr then weakened and made a full confession to the Constable and to the Justice.