USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of Central California > Part 18
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ASSETS-Cash on hand. $ 25,629.12
Expense. .. $3,424.20
Taxes. . 2,008.58 }
5,432.78
Bills rec'd and current
acc'ts 560,896.81
Real estate 30,300.00
Furniture and fixtures. 2,000.00
Stocks
1,265.00
Total
$625,523.71
LIABILITIES-Deposits
$218,159.38
Due banks 45,683.71
P. & L., & contin- gent fund 48,811.64
Reserve fund. 50,000.00
Capital. 250,000.00
Due savings and
loan bank
12,868.98
Total
$625,523.71
Subscribed capital, paid up, $250,000.
The Savings and Loan Bank of San Benito county, with the same directory as the Bank of Hollister, has a subscribed capital of $250,000, of which $50,000 is paid up in gold coin. Its last sworn statement showed, June 30, 1892:
ASSETS-Loans on real estate. . .$114,823.85
Due from banks 12,868.98
Expenses
284.05
Other assets 3,482.30
Total $131,459.18 LIABILITIES-Capital, $50,000.00
Due depositors, 81,459.18 131,459.18
The Farmers and Merchants' Bank of Hollister, established in 1892, in its first semi-annual statement of July 2, shows:
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SAN BENITO COUNTY.
CHAPTER X.
SAN JUAN AND OTHER SETTLEMENTS.
N the modern town of San Juan has had a compsrtively uneventful history. The building of the Southern Pacific railroad at some distance away from the old mission town drew much of the traffc which formerly centered there, to other points. The popula- tion of San Juan, in 1890, is given by the census at 463. The school census of 1892, gave the number of children under seventeen, only as 309, which at a three or three and one-half ratio indicates a present population of the district of nearly 1,000 souls. The trustees (1892) of San Juan school district are: John Breen, D. Willson, G. S. Tremaine, and the principal of the school is F. S. Wallace.
There is one, three-class school building in the district, and school is maintained ten months in the year.
SCHOOL CENSUS STATISTICS.
SAN JUAN DISTRICT.
No. of children between 5 and 17, white, 80 boys; 169 girls; total 249
No. of children under 5. 60
No. of children under 17 309
No of children between 5 and 17 who have at- tended public school. 100
No. of children between 5 and 17 who have at- tended private school 114
Total 214
No. of classes, grades, grammar. 1
No. of classes, grades, primary. 2
Total 3 No. boys enrolled. 73
No. girls enrolled 62
Total 135
No. belonging, average. 77
No. daily attendance, average. 70 Percentage of attendance on average belonging ... 90 No. pupils enrolled in grammar grade 33
No. pupils enrolled in primary grade .. 102
Total. 135
Average salaries paid teachers. $75
CURRENT EXPENSES
Receipts balanced July 1, 1891
$1,418.80
Received State and county.
$2,401.00
Total $3,819,80
Expenditures, paid teachers' salary
$2,262.00
Expenditures, paid rents, etc.
478.02
Balance June 30, 1892
$1,079.78
Valuation ; lots, buildings and furnishing.
$3,000.00
Valuation ; library and apparatus.
$500.00
Total
$3,500.00
No. volumes in library
300
The St. John's Institute, or Orphans' Asy- - Inm, was founded in 1865. It is under the direction of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. They occupya three-story brick building surrounded by spacions grounds.
There are a Congregational and Catholic Church in San Juan. Also a lodge each of Odd Fellows, Masons, Order of Eastern Star and Order of Good Templars.
Rev. Father Valentine Closa, rector of the Roman Catholic Church as San Juan, came there in 1874, as assistant to Rev. Father Rubio; and on the removal of the latter to San Buenaventura, Father Closa became rector in full charge of the parish. Father Closa was born in Catalonia, Spain, in 1841, and came to America in 1871. He was ordained a priest the next year, and officiated as such, first at Los Angeles before he came to San Juan.
Tres Pinos, (Three Pines) is a thriving town eight miles south of Hollister, and the
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SAN . BENITO COUNTY.
terminus of the San Benito branch of the Southern Pacific railway, which was extended to that point in 1873. This is the shipping point for an extensive, and very productive region. Large quantities of grain, hay, dairy products, poultry, wool, hides, etc., are an- nually brought to the Tres Pinos station to be sent to market by rail.
Bear Valley, a pretty and fertile tract in San Benito county, about twenty-five miles sonth of Hollister, located in the Gabilan mountains, at an altitude of about 1,000 feet, was originally known as Cholame or Chalone valley, it being the source of Cholame creek. It is said to have derived its name from the following incident. One Mr. Innes used to range stock in the then Chalome valley and the adjacent country. When on one of these trips, with his vaqueros, the party encountered a large grizzly bear near the present location of the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Bacon. They lassoed this bear and made him captive. He is said to have been a fine specimen of his kind, and created some talk. The valley was from that time known as Bear Valley.
Mrs. Elizabeth Bacon was the first white woman to locate in this valley. It was in November, 1866, and the reader can get some further information on this subject by referring to the biographical mentions of Mrs. Elizabeth Bacon, on another page of this work. Henry Melindy, John T. Prewitt and George Butterfield, are all well-known pio- neers of the valley. Vasquez, the noted bandit and his lieutenant, Claves, frequented this section during their reign of terror. It
is related by these pioneers that they were evidently kind-hearted, genial fellows, never giving them tronble. Especially is this true of Chaves, who was frequently at the home of Mr. Melindy, and, at times, during his ab- sence, while Mrs. M. was at home alone with her little ones. He was, however, al- ways gentlemanly and courteous, kind and sociable. He said that one, " Indian Joe, who was nearly, if not quite, a full-blooded Indian, drew him into evil ways which brought him so much trouble." Chaves was a half-breed Indian.
Bear Valley is about seven miles long, and varics in width. It descends toward the Salinas valley. Cholame creek, which drains Bear valley, flows into the Salinas river, emptying therein at Chalone station, on the Southern Pacific railway.
The first school held in the Bear Valley district, San Benito county, was in Septem- ber, 1874. The first school teacher was Mr. P. Troy.
The Methodist Episcopal Church Sonth of Bear Valley was organized about 1875, and has a membership of fourteen. It is one of a circuit of the following churches: Peach Tree, Bitter Water, Bear Valley, Live Oak and Paicines. A Sunday-school has been organized and well supported for about twelve years past; George M. Butterfield, superin- tendent.
The soil of Bear Valley is deep and very fertile, producing large crops of wheat of fine quality, barley and vegetables and fruit of all kinds. Frosts are almost unknown, because
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SAN BENITO COUNTY.
of the elevation of the valley and of the hills which surround it. As an enthusiastic local writer has said: "This spot is as fair as an ideal of Eden, and is only one of many simi- lar spots in San Benito county." He says the bears "have all disappeared and the name only remains to remind old residents of the exciting hunt of pioneer days."
Paicines, Panoche, New Idria, Vallecitos are thriving settlements. The San Benito and Priest valleys are fertile, healthful and beantifnl valleys. The Dry Lake and Bitter Water regions are attractive localities for in- dustrious settlers, and although as yet sparsely occupied, there is abundant evidence that those who have made their homes here are prosperous and contented.
Although the main industries of the upper or southern portion of San Benito county are the raising of grain and hay and stock, yet fruit culture is likely to become prominent in the future. The foot-hills throughout this region are undoubtedly adapted to the vine. The splendid results obtained by Mr. Palm- tag with several kinds of foreign grapes, serve as a pointer which others may follow with confidence. Though his wines are young, they show plainly enongh, to the discerning, some- thing of the future possibilities of this section in viti-culture. Some of his wines properly blended and aged, would sell in any markets in the world.
One peculiarity of San Benito county is, that much of its mountainous regions are susceptible of cultivation, almost from their base to their summits. Indeed natural grasses
grow to their very tops. The peculiarities of the foot-hill regions of California, of soil, drainage, freedom from frosts, etc., admirably adapt them to fruit-culture, as the people of many sections of the State have abundantly demonstrated. The vineyards of the future of California will be located on the foot hills and hill-sides.
THE CIENEGA LIME KILNS
were started in 1885, by J. J. Bort; he took out the first load of lime on the 1st day of January, 1886, from a forty-barrel kiln. The lime ledge proper was bought from the Government under an Act of Congress, which provides for the developinent of stone quar- ries and timber tracts. There are now four large kilns in operation with a capacity of 6,000 barrels of lime per month. There is an abundance of wood for fuel near by-pine, white oak, live-oak, etc. A large number of men are employed in connection with these works.
The lime rock is hard and white; in fact, is marble rock, and carries about ninety-nine per cent of lime and contains no flint. It brings the highest market price in San José, Stockton, Oakland and San Francisco.
A large quarry of white building marble will soon be developed on the property. Abundance of water is piped to the works from springs on the mountain side three-quar- ters of a mile distant. A motor railway has been constructed from Tres Pinos, the terminus of the Hollister branch of the Southern Pa- citic line, a distance of twelve miles, to these
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SAN BENITO COUNTY.
works, in order to facilitate transportation of lime and stone to market. This road was built and is owned by the proprietor of the lime works, Mr. Burt.
PRIEST VALLEY HALL ASSOCIATION
was incorporated under the laws of the State, in June, 1892, for the purpose of building a young people's hall, to be used for balls and social gatherings, etc. The directors are: Martin Griffin, John Clayton, John Myers, Richard Folks.
The capital of the association is $500, all paid in. The hall is octagonal or eight- square in form, and one story high. As a dancing hall, eight sets of dancers can be ad- mitted on the floor at one time. The orches- tra stand is in the center. It is suitably seated with portable seats, so that it can be used for other public occasions. The build- ing is surmounted with a flag-staff, and is a credit to the young people of Priest Valley.
CHAPTER XI.
THE EUCALYPTUS IN CALIFORNIA.
S many portions of California are tree- less on account of the long summer dronth, the introduction of the eucalyp- ti, of many varieties, from Australia, has been worth millions of dollars to the State. In the first place, these trees, after being started, will thrive remarkably through our dry seasons; they grow so straight and tall and so close together that they will produce more timber per acre than almost any other tree, and both timber and
fuel will always be in demand where forests are scarce. In many of our valleys or low hill lands, which only a few years ago were treeless, now may be seen small clumps, and not infrequently extensive areas of the tall eucalyptus giving to our landscapes, form- erly so bare of trees, an appearance not un- like that of eastern landscapes.
Many citizens have learned by experiment that a eucalyptus grove, especially if rea- sonably near a market, is often more profit- able, acre for acre, than a vineyard or fruit orchard. The trees grow very rapidly, straight as arrows, from fifty to seventy-five feet high or more, which permits of their being planted closer together than any other trees; their height, quick growth, and near- ness together, combined with their excellence as fuel, and the fact that they may be cut down as often as every five years, when they will grow again as thriftly as before, make them take rank as one of the most desirable class of trees that can be grown in this coun- try of annual wet and dry scasons. The first blue-gum grove planted in this immediate sec- tion was set ont in Castro valley in 1869, al- though the tree itself, or the seed, as an ex- periment, was brought here sometime before that.
The eucalyptus also yields oils or balsams; and its roots, it is commonly believed, ex- tract malaria from swampy soils, rendering them more or less innocuons.
There is another incidental benefit to be derived from eucalyptus, or any other forests,
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SAN BENITO COUNTY.
which ought not to be overlooked, especially in a country of dry summers like ours.
Although neither mountain ranges nor dense forests will cause the moisture-laden air currents, which bring rain, to blow from the south, nevertheless, when in winter from other causes the currents do come, forests and mountains aid in extracting or precipita- ting their aqueous burden. In other words, without being in the remotest degree the original cause of rain, or the coming of the southerly winds which bring it, they do aid, when those moisture-bringing currents come, in increasing the amount of precipitation. Air currents heavily ladened with moisture, in passing through dense forests, must un- load or discharge their burden more rapidly, because of both the obstruction and the lower temperature they encounter, than they would in passing over an arid, unobstructed plain, or a desert; as for similar reasons, as everyone knows, the rainfall is very much greater on the windward side of high, snow- covered mountain ranges, than it is on their leeward side or even on the level plain.
As the eucalyptus will thrive during our summer drouths, when most other trees will perish unless cultivated or irrigated, its valne to California can not be computed. Its great value is bound to be more and more appre- ciated.
The Eucalyptus, which grows all over Cali- fornia, and is an object of curiosity to the Eastern visitors, belongs to the myrtle tribe. There are 150 varieties of the tree. They are nearly all natives of Australia and the
Hawaiian islands, and have already been in- troduced into most of the tropical and tem- perate countries of the world.
Two kinds have been chiefly cultivated in California, the red gum, resinifera, and the blue gum, globulus, which is the better known. It is famous for its rapid growth, as it often makes an increase in height of from six to nine feet in one year. The tree continues growing at this rate until it has reached an enormous size.
In 1862, it is said, an Australian merchant desired to send to the London exhibition a specimen of the large-growth Eucalyptus, but no ship could be found long enough to carry the giant.
The products of this tree are numerons and varied. The wood is said to be valuable for carpenters' and builders' uses. The gum or resin is employed in the manufacture of soaps, perfumes, lozenges, court-plaster, lini - ments, syrups, pomades, toilet vinegars, as well as many preparations used for artistic purposes, such as varnishing oils, veneer, and tracing paper. There has been for some years established in Paris a store for the sale of Eucalyptus perfumery.
But by far the most valuable and import- ant property of this tree is its power of cor- recting malaria. This quality is, perhaps, due to the aromatic oil which the tree con- tains, or more probably to the drainage ef- fected by its roots. It has been proved in many countries in which the tree has been planted. In Algeria the cultivation of the tree has rendered many low-lying or marshy
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SAN BENITO COUNTY.
districts inhabitable, where, in the early years of French occupation, foreigners could not live on account of deadly fevers.
The Eucalyptus was first planted in Cali- fornia in 1858, and now there are thought to be not less than 10,000,000 of these trees in this State, each from fifty to sixty feet in height.
CHAPTER XII.
TWELVE YEARS' RAILROAD TRAFFIC.
HE following official statistics, kindly furnished by G. L. Lansing, secretary any controller of the Southern Pacific Company, are very significant as showing the industrial progress of the counties through which the " Coast " division of the Southern Pacific Company runs, during the twelve years past. These figures show a steady, healthy and vigorous increase of traffic during the entire period specified:
SOUTHERN PACIFIC R. R. CO., OF CALIFORNIA, COAST DIVISION.
YEAR.
EARNINGS.
MILEAGE.
TONNAGE.
1880
$1,018,844.00
176.29
228,653
1881
1,158,014.78
176.29
278,350
1882
1,257,399.35
176.29
301,859
1883
1,282,512.89
197.19
293,801
1884
1,468,176.34
202.21
363,434
1885
1,281,762.96
202.31
309,290
1886
1,649,824.83
288.71
438.192
1887
1,727,244.85
288.71
446,976
1888
2,085,937,64
290.71
602,437
1889
2,134,712.88
309.11
566,625
1890
2,289,047.57
309.11
634,354
1891
2,345,663.79
309.56
602,402
MILES.
The above division of the railroad extends from
San Francisco to Tres Pinos. 100.50
From Carnadero to Santa Margarita 153.10
BRANCHES.
Castroville Junction to Lake Majella 19.52
21.20 Pájaro to Santa Cruz 10
Aptos to Monte Vista. 7.44 Hillsdale to Almaden 7.80
Total 309.56
Although the above comprehensive tables include traffic on railway lines which extend beyond the limits of Monterey, San Benito and San Mateo counties (the segregated sum- maries of traffic within these counties not being easily accessible) they are very sig- nificant as showing a steady, healthy in- crease in business of the series of valleys through which those arteries of commerce run, which ought to be encouraging to the fortunate communities which have their homes in those pleasant valleys.
CHAPTER XIII.
VASQUEZ, THE BANDIT.
HE name of Vasquez, around which so much odium attaches, because of the acts of ontlawry of one who bore that name, Tiburcio Vasquez, once belonged to a respectable family in Monterey ; and some members of that family still reside in Monterey county, who are industrious and law-abiding citizens. Tiburcio, who even before he arrived at the age of maturity took to evil ways, was born in Monterey county, in 1837. It is said that before he was twenty years old he kept a low dance house in Monterey, where some Americans who fre- quented the place quarreled with him, and his house acquired a bad name, so that he was compelled to abandon it. He insisted that they were the aggressors, and that he only defended himself and his friends. Refusing
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SAN BENITO COUNTY.
to be arrested, he left Monterey and went to Mendocino county, where again an unsuccess- ful attempt was made to arrest him, resulting in a fight and his escape the second time. He himself says that he then went to his home in Monterey and begged his mother's blessing, and told her that thereafter he was going to defend himself.
Having become embittered, partly through his own faults and partly through the faults of others, he evidently had became desperate and reckless; and he commenced stealing horses, robbing stages, etc., and as other des- perate characters joined him he became bolder and more reckless in his career of crime in different parts of the State. In 1857 he was arrested for stealing horses at Los Angeles and sent to the State prison, from which he made his escape, but was soon caught and sent back to the penitentiary, where lic remained till his discharge in 1863.
But his old instincts returned and he turned highwayman again, with Procopio and Soto, and others. His party made an attack on Tres Pinos, in San Benito county, and killed three men and bound several others; and Vasquez threatened one of these latter with instant death unless he had his wife bring a certain sum of money as a ran- som, which she brought. After the awful tragedy at Tres Pinos, Vasquez made his way south, and on the road it is said he seduced the wife of one of his men, Antonio Leiva, who in revenge gave the officers at Los An- geles much evidence concerning his criminal
career, his methods, etc. Vasquez and Chavez subsequently robbed a stage on the Owens river road, capturing considerable booty in the form of money, watches, etc. April 16, 1874, at the head of a small gang of robbers, he made his appearance at the sheep ranch of a wealthy Italian, Alexander Repetto, about six miles east of the city of Los Angeles. Tying Repetto to a tree he compelled him, under pain of instant death, to sign a check on Temple & Workman's bank, Los Angeles, for $800. A young man, a nephew of Repetto, was thien sent to Los Angeles to get this check cashed, and warned that at first indication of treachery his uncle would be killed. Upon arrival at the bank , the boy's manner excited suspicion, and the bank officers detained him until he told why the money was so urgently needed. Sheriff Rowland was notified and he at once organ- ized a posse and started for the San Gabriel mission; but the boy, by hard riding across the country, reached the ranch ahead of them, paid the ransom and released his uncle. The robbers fled north across the inission road toward the mountains, as the sheriff had expected, and met Charles E. Miles and John Osborne, whom they robbed of' valuable gold watches when almost in sight of the officers, and then quickly continued their flight to the mountains and made good their escape.
This was Vasquez's last exploit as a high- way robber.
For a long time Sheriff William R. Row- land of Los Angeles county had been quietly laying plans for his arrest. Again and again
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SAN BENITO COUNTY.
the game had escaped, but "it is a long lane that has no turning." Early in May, 1874, he learned that Vasquez was making his headquarters at the house of "Greek George," about ten miles due west of Los Angeles, and and north of Santa Monica, and not far from the Cahuenga pass.
The house was situated at the foot of a mountain and was built of adobe in the form of a letter L, the foot of the letter being toward the mountain range, and the shank extending sonthward. Behind the house ran a comparatively disused road, leading from San Vicente through La Brea Rancho to Los Angeles. In front of the honse a small bunch of willows surrounded a spring, and beyond these a vast rolling plain stretched westward and southward to the ocean. A window in the north end of the building afforded a lookout over the plain toward Los Angeles for many miles. Other windows in like manner commanded the remaining points of the compass. The middle section of the shank was used as a dining-room and a small room in the southern extremity as a kitchen.
It was well kuown that Vasquez had con- federates in Los Angeles, who kept him con- stantly posted as to all plans laid for his capture. This being the case, the utmost secrecy was necessary. The morning of Thursday, May 15, was determined on for making the attack, and during the following day horses for the sheriff's party were taken, one by one, to a rendezvous on Spring street, near Seventh. To disarm suspicion, it was
determined that Sheriff Rowland should re- main in Los Angeles, and the attacking force, eight in all, was placed in charge of the under sheriff, Albert J. Johnston. The re- maining members were: Major H. M. Mitch- ell, attorney at law in Los Angeles; J. S. Bryant, city constable; B. F. Hartley, chief of police; W. E. Rogers and D. K. Smith, citizens; and George A. Beers, special cor- respondent of the San Francisco Chronicle. The party were armed with rifles, shotguns (loaded with slugs) and revolvers.
At 1:30 A. M. they started, and by 4 o'clock had arrived at Major Mitchell's bee ranch, situated up a small cañon not far from the house of Greek George. Here Under-Sheriff Johnston left a portion of his party, while with the rest he climbed the mountains to reconnoiter. A heavy fog at first obsenred all objects, but as it lifted they could discern a horse, answering in appearance to that usually ridden by the bandit, picketed near the house. Twice a man resembling Vasquez came out of the dwelling and led this horse to the spring, then back again and re-picketed him. Soon a second man, believed to be the bandit's lientenant (Chaves), went in pursuit of another horse; and then Johnston prepared for action.
His two companions, Mitchell and Smith, went in pursuit of the man last seen, while he returned to the bee ranch, marshaled his forces, and prepared to attack the house. Fortunately just at this moment a high box wagon drove up the cañon from the direction of Greek George's house. In this were two
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SAN BENITO COUNTY.
natives, and the sheriff's party at once climbed into the wagon and lay down, taking with them one of these men. The driver they commanded to turn his horses and pro- ceed back to Greek George's honse, driving as close thereto as possible, and promising him that on the least sign of treachery they would shoot him dead. He obeyed his in- structions, and in a short time the house was reached and surrounded.
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