User:Pjbassett

== James Madison Bassett, b. November 9, 1830, d. April 24, 1903: California gold miner, 1851-53; Humbug volunteer, 1853 Rogue River Indian War; Pack train with former Capt. Charles McDermitt, Red Bluff to Yreka, 1854; Deadwood constable (Scott Valley Township, Siskiyou County), 1856-7; Editor-Publisher of Northern Journal and the Yreka Weekly Journal, Siskiyou County, 1859 to 1861. Yreka telegraph operator and manager, then appointed division superintendent of line between Yreka and Portland. 1867, built telegraph for Central Pacific railroad from the Sierras to Sacramento, then through Stockton and San Jose to San Francisco. Appointed division supt. of telegraph line from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Editorial writer for John Nugent's San Francisco Daily Herald. Chief editor (two and a half years) for the Stockton Republican. Then with Henry George's San Francisco Post and later managing editor of the S.F. Chronicle under Charles de Young. 1872, became editor-in-chief and general manager of the Los Angeles Daily Herald. 1875, wife dies and James returns to Oakland to edit Laura DeForce Gordon's newspaper during the campaign of 1876. 1877, publisher of "The Portico" then owner of the Golden Era until 1881. Hired as general inspector of the Southern Pacific railroad and also served as confidential secretary to SPRR president and California Senator Leland Stanford. Western Journalist: