A four horse team hitched to a stage parked in front of the general merchandise store of Charles Litsch on Main Street in Shasta. Courtesy of Steve Brui.
During April of 1851 the construction of the first stage
road was completed into Shasta from Red Bluffs via Bells Bridge, Canon House
(Canyon House) and Lower Springs. Today, a good portion of this original stage
road remains intact near the junction of Swasey Drive and Red Bluff Road. It
took four months until any type of rig used this route.
It ended up
being a passenger stage coach driven by Marshall McCummings which made its
appearance in Shasta, coming off the newly developed stage road, in August of
that year. As it entered Main Street and parked in front of the St. Charles
hotel. McCummings was employed by stage proprietors Munroe & Felt of
Sacramento.
Additional rigs
would continue to transport supplies, provisions and passengers to and from
Shasta, as new roads were constructed and express agencies were established. Imagine yourself in
control of a rig driving along the dusty roads in northern California in 1851.
It wouldn’t be as luxurious as it is today with motor vehicles equipped with
air conditioning, heating and radios. The roads weren’t paved. There were no
gas stations and restaurants nearby. The stage journeyed into the Wild West as
the drivers and their passengers feared attacks by the Native Americans and by
the following year, highwaymen began targeting the stage after the
establishment of Wells Fargo & Company in California. Stage drivers often
carried fire arms with them for their protection when they weren't accompanied
by a shotgun messenger.
There were no
doors with locking mechanisms. Passengers riding inside the coach were
protected by a canvas which sheltered them from the blistering sun rays and
kept them dry during a rain storm. The drivers were known as knights of the
whip, they knew how to handle their stage on the rough-and-rugged terrain. Some
rigs were just a wagon without a canvas.
On March 6, 1851
the town of Shasta became the county seat of Shasta County. Shasta was now a
bustling city, and a future post office and a courthouse would be established
soon. Transportation services were in demand by travelers going to and from
Shasta. Shasta became known as the Queen City of the Northern Mines, or simply
the Queen City of the North. The Baxter & Munroe Stage Line was another
agency which was established in Colusa County in the spring of 1851. They began
conveying passengers north to Shasta even though Munroe and Felt of Sacramento
preceded them.
Then in, May of
1852 Hall & Crandall launched a series of coaches from Marysville to Shasta
and promised their clients that the trip to Shasta would not exceed more than
thirty hours of traveling. Their drivers kept that promise. Their stage’s made
various stops in Shasta County. Hall & Crandall was owned and operated by
Jered B. Crandall and the Hall siblings: Warren Hall and William Hall.
The first
official United States mail stage to bring the mail north to Shasta from Colusa
County was the Baxter & Company (formerly the Baxter & Munroe Stage
Line) on May 8, 1852. There were other stages that succeeded them offering to
bring packages and letters into Shasta as well but they weren't the official
United States mail carrier.
Above: an advertisement for the Baxter & Company, U.S. Mail Line of Stages from Shasta to Sacramento, the Shasta Courier newspaper of Saturday, April 9, 1853. The ad started running in March of 1853.
By June 21,
1851, Taylor’s Sacramento and Shasta Semi-Monthly Express had been conveying
passengers to Shasta departing from Sacramento on the first and fifteenth of
each month, via Marysville, Yuba City and Hamilton City with select stops in
between those towns as their coach pressed on-north. At Shasta, this express
opened a branch of their stage line which would commute passengers desiring to
venture north or north-west of Shasta. This express company made return trips
to Sacramento as well. It was one of the first stage companies established in
Shasta. It was owned and operated by L.W. Taylor of Sacramento.
Hall &
Crandall made local history when Jered B. Crandall drove their company's stage
from Shasta crossing over the Sierra Nevada Mountains on June 11, 1852 becoming
the first stage driver to achieve that accomplishment. According to an excerpt
taken from the Sacramento Daily Union newspaper they reported on June 7, 1852, the following:
“A branch of the
house of Adams & Co., is about being established in Shasta. Mr. I.N.
Briceland, well and favorably known in Sacramento, is to conduct the affairs of
the house there.”
As mentioned
before in my previous articles, Adams & Co., was a national express agency
which also transported gold and connected with other staging companies in the
United States, they also served as a banking corporation. By July 1, 1852, the
express office of Rhodes & Lusk’s Express Company was located inside the
office of the Sacramento City Bank in Shasta. Rhodes & Lusk’s Express
Company was owned and operated by James M. Rhodes and Hiram Lusk.
While the rigs were drawn onward by their horses to their destinations, staging to and from Shasta
continued. Their drivers also became a source of news from other towns and cities
in California as they would often report items of interest back to the local
newspapers, and in return the local media often printed their news in their
next issue. An example of ticket prices comes from Hall & Crandall who
advertised trips from Shasta to Sacramento and Sacramento to Shasta for $20 per
ticket. Other stage companies promoted the same prices. Local destinations were
cheaper to travel to. During the winter months roads became impassable due to
the heavy rains, while the creeks became swollen by heavy floods which caused
problems for many stage companies who closed routes to various places.
In March of 1853
a branch of the agency Cram, Rogers and Company, opened for business in Shasta
connecting it with Adams & Company. Their express agency had been in
operation since the fall of 1851 in Weaverville but they lacked business in Shasta
County until now. Their weekly express ran from Shasta into Portland, Oregon.
It was owned and operated by Robert Cram, F.A. Rogers, Richard Dugan, and A.E.
Raynes.
Hall &
Crandall’s express agency continued to conduct a thriving business. At Shasta, their
staging terminal was located in front of the El Dorado hotel, an establishment
operated by Dunn & Furney. Another new staging company which was
incorporated that month was McGee's Pitt River and Shasta Express owned by
Joseph W. McGee who transported passengers from Shasta to the Pit River
Diggings in the Pittsburg mining district along Pit River and those placer
mines along Squaw Creek. The placer mines at those locations and Bully Hill
were burgeoning with success and from that success McGee's business prospered.
On April 2, 1853
the Shasta Courier printed the following:
"STAGING FROM
SACRAMENTO CITY - We are indebted to the State Journal for this information
that there thirteen lines of stages running out of Sacramento to different
points in the mines. These lines have 747 horses, and 67 coaches in daily use,
and are valued at $368,000. The Sacramento, Colusa, Tehama, Red Bluff, and
Shasta Line, owned by messrs. Baxter & Co., according to this statement,
has 100 horses and 6 coaches, valued at $50,000. The Sacramento, Marysville,
and Shasta Line owned by messrs., Hall & Crandall, numbers 150 horses and
12 coaches, valued at $55,000. Owing to a very bad portion of road, between
Marysville and Tehama, this last named line, during the last winter, was not in
operation further than Marysville, and we apprehend, in consequence of the late
heavy rains, will not be extended beyond that point for several weeks to come.
Baxter & Co.'s line has been over the road between the road to Tehama and
this point, at an immense cost, nearly the entire winter, and two weeks since
running clear through from Colusa. We presume, until the roads improve, their
coaches will not run further down than Tehama." (SIC)
Major road work
was in progress in Shasta County so coaches and wagons could travel over them
without any problems. While the road construction commenced on the Lower Springs
Road below Shasta and in between the Canon House (Canyon House). Another road
which was being repaired was the Middletown and Horsetown Road often used by
Hall & Crandall. By summer the roads returned to normal with heavy traffic
passing over them.
By the end of
the year, a new addition was added to the St. Charles Hotel for a new express
company which was established on January 1, 1854, called the California Stage
Company, according to the January 7, 1854 edition of the Shasta Courier. A
branch of their office already existed in the New Orleans hotel in Sacramento.
The company's property and their fine coaches according to the Shasta Courier
were valued at $1,000,000 and their agent in Shasta was Mr. Buckingham.
On February 17,
1854, James M. Rhodes and Hiram Lusk dissolved their partnership pertaining to
the Rhodes and Lusk's Express Company. Rhodes still contained ownership of his
stage line and he changed the name to Rhodes & Company's Express which made
stops at Shasta, Weaverville, Yreka and Jacksonville connecting with the Wells
Fargo & Company.
A Certificate of
Deposit, No. 3408 – Fred K. Marquand has deposited in this office $160.00. Express
Banking Office of Rhodes & Company. Dated: June 26, 1855, location: Shasta,
Shasta County, California. From the collection of Jeremy Tuggle.
Express racing
came to fruition as early as 1853 while the stage lines competed against time with each other. In 1854, they began competing with each other on certain tracks of road.
For example the Shasta Courier newspaper reported the following on June 24, 1854:
"EXPRESS
RACING - The expressmen have recently been enjoying some very good sport on
Fridays, riding down the road to meet the stage, and then, with the latest
papers racing back to our office. On yesterday they raced ten or twelve miles
each Express having two horses and two riders on the track. And as their riders
were fearless and the horses very swiftest animals in the place, of course they
done some tall traveling. Time not known; supposed to beat 2:40. That the
interest of the race was not permitted to wane during the run, may be gathered
from the fact that Mr. Ned Tracey, of Adams & Co.'s Express who delivered
the papers about five minutes ahead of the other Express, rode the last four
miles somewhat in the style of a wild Indian - that is to say hatless. He did
not tarry sufficiently long before our office to enable us to perceive whether
he had run himself out of his boots or not - rather think he had. It is a
source of great satisfaction to us, that while these gentlemen are thus
enjoying the finest kind of sport, they are at the same time enable to do this
office, so great a favor by delivering our papers an hour or two in advance of
the stage." (SIC)
Most of these
express races were held on the Shasta to Weaverville Road. Ticket prices for
stages from Shasta to Sacramento increased to $25 in July with ticket prices to
Maryville increasing to $20. Return trips to Shasta on the stage from these
places cost the same amount of money. In August, of that year the Greathouse
and Company Mule Train owned by George L. Greathouse and his siblings became
incorporated at Shasta running from the St. Charles Hotel in Shasta to
Callaghan's Ranch at the head of Scott's Valley where it connected with McComb
& Company, and in Shasta it connected with the California Stage Company.
One stage coach
accident which caught the attention of the local media on August 26th stated
the following:
"STAGE
ACCIDENT - We regret to learn that a few days since, once of the California
Stage Company's was upset, between the Prairie House and Cottonwood, and
several persons severely, though not dangerously, hurt. The passengers all
testify that the driver was in no manner to blame for the accident. See their
card in the advertising column." (SIC)
An influx of
passengers arrived in Shasta on stages in October. A majority of travelers were
traveling towards Siskiyou County as the mines in that northern portion
of the state were booming which made express
companies in Shasta busy conveying passengers. Then on, December 8, 1854, Adams &
Co., made a local record by travelling from Red Bluffs to Shasta, a distance of
45 miles at that time in three hours and ten minutes.
As the year came
to a close, the New Year took effect and business became steady in January of
1855. The Shasta County Board of Supervisors approved a road tax taxing three
days’ of labor at $7.50, which local citizens paid for, there were also
twenty-three road districts which were created and approved by them. Each of twenty-three
road districts had a road master which were in charge of repairing certain
roads within the county. It was up to them to restore Shasta County roads and
highways so the coach or wagon can pass over them with ease.
Adams &
Company was thrown into suspension on account of their bank failing due to
their funds being exhausted, in late February or early March, and their Shasta
branch eventually closed down. The express companies who were connected with
them were forced to make arrangements with other stage lines. Former employees
were employed by other agencies in the area, one of their former agents, Mr.
Buckingham, was hired by E.W. Tracy & Company’s Express. This was a brand
new express which took over Adams & Company’s stage route to San Francisco
from Shasta owned by E.W. Tracy. Tracy was also a former agent employed with
Adams & Company. Tracy became a director of the brand new Pacific Express
Company which opened a branch in Shasta as well and they hired the former
employees of Adams & Company to run their staging company.
The Greathouse
and Company Mule Train owned by the Greathouse siblings printed a notice in the
Shasta Courier on May 12, 1855, reporting the cancellation of their coaches
from Shasta to French Gulch due to the condition of the terrible roads. To
substitute their coaches they issued one of their fine mules to clients wishing
to travel the roads. They would eventually have to return the animal to its
owners. By that date, William McTurck, was their agent in Shasta.
On May 14, 1855,
another new express company was featured in the Shasta Courier newspaper owned
and operated by Charley Uhl who was making profits off miners engaging in
mining activities on Dog Creek in the Sacramento River Canyon. On that date Dog
Creek was booming with three or four hundred miners on that stream. The deposits yielded lucrative results and Uhl was happy to transport them back and forth.
In June, road
improvements continued in Shasta County by the local road masters. On June
11th, another loss to Shasta was the dissolving of Cram, Rogers and Company,
what lead to this unfortunate loss is not known. By June 30, 1855, the miners on Dog Creek in
the Sacramento River Canyon were now actively producing gold along Hazel Creek, a few miles above Dog Creek. Due to this mining boom, Uhl’s
express began transporting passengers to both Dog Creek and Hazel Creek from Shasta.
As various rigs conveyed passengers in and out of the area, new stage lines were incorporated. While new
industries emerged at Shasta, It attracted newcomers to settle there. By the
end of the year, Shasta County had the following highways and roads open to the
public:
Road from Shasta, Red Bluffs via Lower Springs, Canon
House (Canyon House) and Bell’s Bridge (alias the (Old) Stage Road)
Road from Shasta to Red Bluffs via Briggsville
Road from Shasta to Weaverville
Road from Main Street, Shasta via Downer’s, Vosburg’s,
Maher’s, Franklin City and Tower House ending at French Gulch
Road from Shasta via Waugh’s Ferry, Quartz Hill, Lake
Ranch, Bass Ranch, Pittsburg, Pitt River Diggings, to Copenhaven &
Company’s Ranch on Squaw Creek, and Pit River
Road from Stockton & Andrews’ Bridge via Horsetown
Road from Jackass Flat to Bald Hills via Stockton &
Andrew’s Bridge
Road from Conger’s Ranch to Stockton & Andrews’ Saw
Mill on Clear Creek
Road from Lean’s Ferry via Cottonwood to McCumber’s Mill
continuing to Daingerfield’s Ferry and Smith’s Ranch
Road from Daingerfield’s Ferry to Jones &
Sheperdson’s Ranch from crossing of Battle Creek
Above: an advertisement for the Cram, Rogers and Company from the Shasta Courier newspaper of Saturday, April 16, 1853.
RESOURCES:
Baxter and Co’s Line of Stages - The Shasta Courier
newspaper, Saturday, March 12, 1853
New Express - The Shasta Courier newspaper,
Saturday, April 9, 1853
A Daily Mail - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday,
April 16, 1853
Daily Mail - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday,
April 30, 1853
Staging Into Shasta - The Shasta Courier newspaper,
Saturday, May 7, 1853
Hall & Crandall’s Line of Stages - The Shasta Courier
newspaper, Saturday, May 7, 1853
Staging - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, May 7,
1853
Quick Trip - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday, May
14, 1853
Grading Main Street - The Shasta Courier newspaper,
Saturday, June 25, 1853
New Stage Company - The Shasta Courier newspaper, January
7, 1854
Greathouse & Company’s Mule Train - The Shasta
Courier newspaper, January 7, 1854
Stage Accident - The Shasta Courier newspaper, Saturday,
August 26, 1854
The Travel This Way - The Shasta Courier newspaper,
Saturday, October 28, 1854
Stage Coach Monument Historic Marker in Shasta
My Playhouse Was A Concord Coach, an anthology of
newspaper clippings and documents relating to those who made California history
during the years 1822-1888, by Mae Hélène Bacon Boggs. Published by
Howell-North Press ©1942
Our Storied Landmarks - Shasta County, California,
written and published by May H. Southern
©1942
Shasta County, California A History by Rosena Giles,
published by Biobooks, ©1949.
Shasta: The Queen City by Mabel Moores Frisbie and Jean
Moores Beauchamp. Published by California Historical Society. ©1972
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