Stolder & Zeller Buildings By Tom Phillips On the southwest corner of Charles and 6th Street was the adobe building of Ed Bell. Ed Bell came to Mariposa from Tennessee in 1849. He was elected to the office of County Clerk, Auditor and Recorder. His adobe building served as a meeting room for the Court of Sessions before the Courthouse was built. He was paid $100 per month for the use of his house on court days. Ed Bell died on December 10, 1869 in Mariposa. The property passed through the hands of J.C. Hopper and R.S. Miller before being purchased in 1863 Conrad Gishel. Conrad Gishel opened a bakery and hotel on the property. His wife, Martha Beighle-Gishel ran the hotel. The complex was burned down in the 1866 Fire. The property was sold to Henry Rupelt and was divided into two separate lots. Henry Rupelt began his plans to build a hotel and the second lot which passed through the hands of Hugh Davanay and A.M. Swaney ended up being sold to John G. Fritz in 1870. After almost ten years of planning and gaining funds, Rupelt, began construction only to fall from the upper story and breaking his back. He survived the fall, but would not complete the building. He sold the incomplete structure to Winslow Gallison. Winslow Gallison came to Mariposa in the spring of 1850. After a short career as a miner, he opened a Blacksmith shop and followed that occupation most of his life. He married Jane McCready in 1859 and had a number of children. Jane ran a boarding house until she and her husband purchased the incomplete hotel. They completed the hotel and opened the “Gallison Hotel in 1877. The Gallison Hotel was the stage stop for the Yosemite bound stages. Mrs. Jane Gallison was sister to John McCready, who ran one of the local stage lines. The Gallison Hotel was a splendid wood building and fitted up in the most complete manner. It was one of the chief ornaments and headquarters of the town. The hotel was papered and painted and featured a ceiled entirely lined with cloth. The second floor to the building contained a dozen sleeping-rooms divided off by two halls, one running lengthwise of the building and the other at right angle across the building. The stair way to the second floor started about one third of the way into the building. One problem which really did not mean anything at the time was that there was but one entryway. The Fritz Butcher Shop With the help from Hugh Davanay, John Fritz built his new butcher shop and house on the corner of Main & Sixth St. The August 12, 1870 Mariposa Gazette stated; NEW BUILDING.—Mr. John Fritz has just erected a very neat butcher shop on the corner opposite Odd Fellows’ Hall, and will soon occupy it as a place of business. By 1871, John Fritz began to lease portions of the Las Mariposas Grant to raise cattle and other animals for his business. John Fritz came from Germany and in 1865 had a butcher shop in Millerton. In 1867, he married Fredericka Warner and by 1869 had moved his operation to Princeton. The new shop in Mariposa would be a good addition to his future. In the 1873 tax records John Fritz was listed with the following possessions: $200.00 in coins, 1 wagon, $150 in county script, 10 stock cattle, 2 horses, 1 beef cattle, 12 cows, 3 goats, 12 calves, 50 sheep, 1 mule, 50 lambs, 2 hogs, $5.00 in chickens, and furniture $20. He also had the lot in town with improvements totaling $550.00. John Fritz and his family continued to prosper but faced a tragedy in April of 1881 when their eldest son, Johnny, passed away from pneumonia. Mariposa would be visited by another tragedy in December of 1884 when a fire broke out on the east side of Main Street. The main business portion of town between the Odd Fellows Hall and the Fire Proof Schlageter Hotel was destroyed. Several businesses and the residence of Mrs. Adams were burned to the ground. The fire tried to leap across the street to the Gallison Hotel, but the application of water saved it from harm. This was only a preview of what was to come for the Gallison Hotel and the Fritz Butcher shop. In 1887 a fire broke out in the Gallison Hotel and before it was over both the Gallison Hotel and Fritz’s Butcher shop laid in ruins. In 1892, John Fritz sold the property to W.S. & Emily Zeller who built their residence there. By April 1893, Zeller added a new yard fence and porch making a decided improvement to the appearance of the town according to the local newspaper. W.S. Zeller added a unique feature to his home in 1895. He had a tunnel driven into the mountain west of town and laid a 3-inch iron pipe from that spot to his home, store and stable. A cement dam was put in at the mouth of the tunnel to act as a storage reservoir. A year later, wooden and galvanized tanks were added to his water system. He kept the smaller of the tanks for daily use and the larger tank, 9,000 gallons, available in case of a fire. In February of 1902, Zeller built a store in front of his residence. The building consisted of two rooms to be used as a store. In 1897, W.S Zeller and his family moved to Palo Alto and they continued in the mercantile business. He moved to Oakland and then to Alameda where he died in 1929. Many different businesses have used the building since then. 1907–W. R. Bray’s had “The Popular”, 1913–Sam McGouran had a Telephone Exchange, and J.C. Grosjean stored cars in it for awhile. 1914–It was divided in a store run by the Gann’s and a pool hall/barber shop. 1927–Jim Dulcich turned it into a Grocery store/soda shop/telephone exchange. 1937–California Market was the business there. Presently there are several small stores that reside there. The Stolder Building Richard B. Stolder was a young attorney during the 1887 fire. He was staying in the hotel when it caught fire and had to leap over 25 feet from the back of the building to escape the fire. His mother came to Mariposa to care for her son, but while she was away her husband, Anthony Stolder, suffered a burst blood vessel. She immediately returned to Coulterville by horseback traveling by night and arrived before her husband died. R.B. Stolder came the next day by phaeton horse cart. The Stolder Family came to California in 1858 and settled in Coulterville. Upon the death of her husband, Jane Stolder moved to Mariposa were she lived with her sons. Jane lived in the house on eighth street until she passed way in 1910. R.B. Stolder was elected District Attorney from 1888 to 1892 and from 1910 to 1918. W.B. Stolder served Supervisor for District 3 from 1908 until 1912. W.B. Stolder was one of the early Klondike miners. He was one of the few that actually hit it big there. He had profitable claims on the Bonanza and Hunker Creeks. R.B. Stolder joined his brother in September of 1898. In November of 1900, W.B. Stolder purchased the lot where the Gallison Hotel stood. In 1901, he hired L.B. Chenowith to build a 44 X 77, two story building with a basement. The basement was to be 12 feet deep and the first floor was to be divided into four stores with drug store ran by Dr. Webb. The upper story was to contain 18 rooms. One feature the building was sure to have is more than one entrance. The building still stands today. Stores are located in the basement area and at street level. This building is still in use today in the same fashion as it was constructed. It has been known as the Stolder Building, the West Hotel, the Conway Hotel, and is now called the Mariposa Hotel-Inn. March 12th 1887 FIRE! FIRE! MARIPOSA’S INFLICTIONS REPEATED THE GALLISON HOTEL Fritz’s Residence and Butcher Shop Laid in Ashes Narrow Escapes—Supposed Fatal Injury Between four and five o’clock this morning, March 5th 1887, the alarm of fire was given, which aroused the inhabitants of the town from a slumber so profound, that the fire was beyond control before guests of the Gallison Hotel, and its proprietors, could be aroused. The fire was caused by the explosion of a lamp in the hall of the second floor, which was kept burning at night for the convenience of guests. The occupants who appeared in the hall and ran the gauntlet of fire, that we have learned the names of, were: R. B. Stolder, Court-reporter Pratt and wife, Abe Mann and wife, Capt. B. F. Meyers, J. H. Lawrence and J. B. Littlejohn. The fire evidently raged with great rapidity, from the fact that a few who were some seconds behind time, were cut off by the flames from the stairs, and compelled to jump from some twenty feet from a back window. Among then was Mr. R. B. Stolder, a young lawyer, who evidently was very much frightened, for he made a square jump from the window, striking on his back across a railing, injuring him so seriously that he was unable to move and but for the exertions of Mr. James McCauley, would have perished in the flames. At this writing, Saturday 10:30 A.M. Mr. Stolder lies in a very critical condition. His parents who reside near Coulterville have been notified. The next two most serious injured are Captain B. F. Meyers of Mariposa and Mr. J. B. Littlejohn of Hornitos. Captain Meyers, who had probably not slept away from home a night for twenty-five years, stayed last night at the Gallison Hotel. He was just about starting back on a visit to his old home and children in New Jersey. And in order to be on hand and in readiness for the stage in the morning, he stopped at the Gallison Hotel over night, where the stage starts from in the morning. The Captain in his endeavor to escape from the fire, had his feet, hands and face pretty badly scorched and he at present lies at Mrs. Georgianna Adams. The Captain had to traverse a path of flame and falling cinders fully thirty feet, before he reached the stairs, and in his haste, dropped his pants containing $700 in twenty dollar pieces, beside some other valuables. He will probably be bout again in a few days. Mr. Littlejohn jumped from the back window of his room a distance of about 25 feet, spraining his ankles and disabling him all through his body. He was taken to Schlageter’s hotel, the extent of his injuries is not known. Mr. Jas. H. Lawrence was the last to leave the upper story and passed down through a perfect arch of fire with his pants in one hand and his valise in the other. When he passed down the steps they were enveloped in flames. His speedy exit, probably saved him from further injury, other than having his hair singed on the top of his head, also the soles of his feet were slightly burned. He lost his coat, hat, vest, watch, books and $17 in coin, and valuable papers. He, together with other occupants, who are not otherwise injured, are perfectly satisfied with their escape. Able Mann had one of his feet burned but not seriously. Mr. Mann and Mr. Pratt, each had a double responsibility on their hands, and it is said it was with the stronger efforts that they saved their wives from perishing in the flames The Gallison Hotel was a splendid wood building, and had been fitted up in the most complete manner; besides it was one of the chief ornaments and headquarters of the town. Its loss creates a sad vacuum and gives it the unfortunate “Butterfly Village” another black eye. The Hotel was insured for $2,000, probably one-third of the entire loss. The only thing saved was the organ. Mr. and Mrs. Gallison with others, were turned out to the street with nothing but their nightclothes. It is said, that it required a strong effort to get Gallison awake and get him out of danger. Fritz’s residence and butcher shop was on an adjoining lot, about fifteen feet distant. They saved most of their furniture, but the building reduced to ashes. There was a light insurance. Mrs. Fritz’s little girl, who is quite sick with the scarlet fever, was carefully removed to some of the neighbors. Doctors Turner and Kearney have been in close attendance upon the injured and sick ever since the occurrence. The alarm of fire brought out male and female alike, and all lent a hand, more particularly the ladies, who were ready, God bless ‘em, to do any work, from carrying water to administering to the wounded. It would have astonished a San Francisco fireman to have heard them giving orders to some of the men, who were standing around, apparently not knowing how to take hold. Conspicuously to be observed assisting, more heroically, in the great emergency were Misses Mamie and Julie Kerrins, Mrs. John Grove, Mrs. Ellingham and several others, whose names we cannot call to mind, they were packing water and passing the buckets as familiar as though they has been there before. The two young Walkers, sons of Judge Walker, were noticeable, and rendered good assistance. Our San Francisco boys know just how to go through a fire, it is part of their education. The foregoing, which constituted a “GAZETTE EXTRA,” The hotel was so nearly fitted up, papered and painted, that we do not suppose there was one in fifty who knew it was entirely ceiled with cloth. Another feature which was equally objectionable, there was but one ingress and egress to the second floor of the hotel, which contained a dozen sleeping-rooms divided off by two halls; one running lengthwise of the building, and the other at right angle across the building. The ingress was in from a pair of stairs, starting up from the front door which opens out the street, and running up and striking the second floor about one third of the way of the building as it stood upon the lot.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 15:03:52 +0000
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