Leases Road to Driggers

Brown was finally on the verge of success with this most difficult endeavor. He had every prospect for enormous profits from the Panamint trade, yet he apparently decided he had had enough of its never-ending maintenance problems and he leased the road to John J. Driggers of San Bernardino.

The lease, which began on May 1, 1875, was for a period of one year at $125 per month, and included all the houses and barns at the lower tollgate. Driggers was to maintain the turnpike in such condition that "ten and twelve mule teams and wagons" could safely "and conveniently pass along and over said road." Brown reserved the right for his family, and the families of his sons-in-law, Sydney P. Waite, Byron Waters and W. R. Wozencraft, to use the road free of charge, not to exceed two freight wagons and one stage.

Though Brown's turnpike had undergone a total reconstruction at the summit, repair elsewhere on the road had been neglected. There were people who were still dissatisfied, Captain Lane among them. It was in the month following completion of the project that he and George Blake published their notice that they and the other Mojave River settlers would "decline" to pay toll after May 1st if the road was not repaired.

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