Mittie the Novel

Mittie had red hair that brighten the clear blue Sierra sky as the children raced to find the first stocky red snow flower creeping out from the edge of the retreating snow lines. She wore her braids wrapped around her head and her cheeks were pink from the cool spring air that awakened the valley from winter's long sleep. Four year old Wildey had no trouble keeping up, he was eager for adventure in the mountain ravine overlooking his father's sawmill in the high Sierra.


To proof a title to 450 acres of lush timberland, the family was required to spend a few weeks every summer in a primitive cabin. One room with a window satisfied the claim, and to Wildey's delight left no room for children indoors. The grassy meadows, streams and tall pine were his summer home. His greatest obstacle was his sister Mittie.

Mittie was less impressed, even at the age of eight she could read in McGuffey's Fifth Reader; she could certainly be trusted to roam with her younger brother. She hoped this year would be better. The cabin was one dark room with a dirt floor, and a loft. There were no visits to Mr Case, the school teacher, who lived across the road in Randolph. He encouraged her love for books, but the cabin was too dark to read. She tried reading to Wildey, but he only liked hearing the same short stories with pictures.

Rover, the black labador retriever, didn't seem to mind the floor or Wildey's endless antics which earned him the official title of 'Chief Delayer of Operations'. The three were inseparable friends among a small tight-knit crew of seasoned workers who moved the logs from stump to sawmill. Wildey explored Rover's thick black fur and then mischeviously tugged Rover's ear.

"Stop, it", said Mittie snapped as she impatiently reached for Wildey's hand. Mittie had red hair that fell below her shoulders and danced against the stark blue Sierra sky when she tossed her head at the sound of Rover's yelp. The toddler giggled, and jolted. Rover was quickly in pursuit, emphatically barking while he nipped at Wildey's shirt, which was all great fun until Wildey fell. Rover's impatient tugging annoyed him and he cried out angrily as tears did not ease the sting of his fall. At first Mittie tried to calm the large dog who was now excited by Wildey's whailing, but the dog continued barking. So she picked up Wildey and brush him off.

"Bad Dog", Wildey glared accusingly.

"No blood, no broken bones. I think Rover taught you a lesson." Mittie smiled as she brushed his hair from his face. She knew the lesson wouldn't last long, but he willingly took her hand and went down the path home. "It time to eat."

The sounds of axes and falling trees stopped. Rover bounded ahead of the children, to inspect each bush for strangers and clear the path of snakes before the children. Their shadow was very long as Wildey soon forgot his pain and the children rushed home to a warm meal.

Sawdust Trails

These fallers areshown in the process of falling a large sugar pine with a handsaw, or “misery whip,” and axes. Along with their faithful companion, they have an assortment of wedges, axes, a shovel, and iron bars. It could take experienced loggers like these about 2 hours to fall a tree this size.

From Plumas
County: History of the Feather River Region, by Jim Cook.
More pictures from CaGenweb


E.L Case (aka Eliphalet) and the Lebroke Saw Mill are mention in the Sierra Valley and Etta of this 1885 Sierra Directory. J.D. Myers sold his mill to Lebroke.

Sierra Valley (or Sierraville, as it is commonly called) is the agricultural metropolis of the county, and the principal town of the celebrated valley whose name it bears. It has post, express and telegraph offices, a population (town and vicinity) of seven hundred and ninety, stands at an elevation of 5,000 feet and is situated in the eastern part of the county, thirty-six miles northeast of Downieville and twenty-eight miles from Truckee, on the Central Pacific, with which place it has daily stage connection. The valley is thirty miles long, and has an average width of five miles. It runs from the southeast to the northwest, and in shape resembles a horseshoe. It has about 50,000 acres of good farming land, a great portion of which is under cultivation, and yields an immense amount of hay, wheat, barley, oats, rye, dairy produce, etc., much of which finds a ready market at good prices in the lumber and mining camps of the surrounding mountains, while some of the surplus is shipped to Nevada City and Grass Valley. A great many fine horses and cattle are shipped to the lower country. The valley, with the surrounding hills, is a favorite pasture range for dairy and stockmen from below. They bring their herds up here for the season every year, and find an immense improvement, besides realizing a large increase of product. The lumber of this region is very superior. Large qualities of sugar pine are shipped from this district as far east as Salt Lake. The belt of choicest wood extends from Sierraville to Quincy. Four large mills, with planers, are operated in this part of the valley. They manufacture about 5,000,000 feet annually. Besides furnishing the lumber two of the mills manufacture doors, blinds, shingles, etc., and a furniture factory is in operation at Etta, near Sierraville, which is kept running up to its full capacity. Lebroke's Saw Mill, a representative establishment, located near the town, will turn out from 10,000 to 12,000 feet of lumber per day, and 30,000 to 40,000 shingles. The town possesses a weekly newspaper - The Leader - which enjoys a large circulation in the valley, a large school house, a carriage factory, a public hall (The Alhambra, owned by Mr. D. P. Stewart) and several prosperous business houses. The most important manufacturing business, next to the saw mills of the valley, is Darling's carriage and wagon shop. It has all the facilities for turning out new and complete work. During the past year it has turned out a large number of wagons, implements, etc. Campbell's Sulphur Baths, one and a half miles east of the town, where a group of hot springs are found, has a large hotel, to which a capacious dancing hall and pleasure grounds are attached. It enjoys, during the summer, a patronage as full as its accommodations will permit.

In 1859 mining for silver from Comstock Lode created such an explosive demand for lumber that within one month the cost of lumber tripled to $300 for 1000 broad feet. The growth of the logging industry continued after the silver industry ended, it was an easy solution for David Myers, Mittie's father. He had learned to build mills from his father and grandfather, who came from Germany. Although he hadn't intended to move to California, the army did not pay for his return home after his company escorted a mule train across the desert from Missouri in 1863. By the 1870's steam power had become more common, but one of the most successful mills that was powered by a water-driven turbine. This was the technology he choose to power the new sawmill located 6 mile from Webber lake.

A Hitherto unsung exhibitionist and her pedigree

Randolph, California or Sierraville

Whatever remains is designated as Sierraville. The grist mill, Father's planning mill, the hotel and the livery stable sat on the Feather River, 26 miles south of Truckee near Beckwith. Here stopped the Truckee Stage, our sole connection with the railroad and the outside world

I was born on January 13, 1871 in midst of a blinding snow storm. My father made his way through snow drifts for 15 miles to reach the doctor. They returned safely to my mother's side, though they had risked being caught in on a snow drift or blocked by a road along the way. How lucky we were, sometimes the snow reached a depth of ten feet or more leaving us shut in for weeks. Even on the hottest summer day it is not unusual to see mountain ridges still coated with melting snow.

In 1949, the house I was born in was still standing. It became known as the Joy House because my father sold it to "Al Joy" in 1876. I didn't recognize it until someone called my attention to it.