USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > A memorial and biographical history of the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future; with full-page steel portraits of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 27
USA > California > Santa Barbara County > A memorial and biographical history of the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future; with full-page steel portraits of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 27
USA > California > Ventura County > A memorial and biographical history of the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future; with full-page steel portraits of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 27
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In April, 1873, extensive bodies of gyp- sum were found on the Ojai Rancho.
On June 23, 1873, the Ventura Reading Club was organized.
In 1873 Mr. Bradley, on account of ill- health, retired from the Signal, Messrs. W. E. Shepherd and John T. Sheridan succeed- ing him.
In January, 1874, was published the first report of the county treasurer, which showed that the preceding year's receipts were $20,- 522, and the disbursements $5,018, leaving a balance of $15,504.
In 1874 were made extensive additions and improvements to the wharf constructed at San Buenaventura in 1871.
On November 23, 1874, the Ventura Lib- rary Association was incorporated.
During 1874 there was a notable advance in population and in wealth throughout Ven- tura County, and many new and important institutions were organized. The Fourth of July was here celebrated with a vim and an originality perhaps not equaled elsewhere in the State. In August, the question of local option in regard to the traffic in liquor came
up in Ventura, but on putting it to a vote of the people, the temperance faction was put badly in the minority. On September 19, the bank of Ventura was founded; on September 20, the trotting park was opened to racing. At the election this year, some attention was paid to the nativity of the voters, and the population was found to be very cosmopolitan, numbering members from almost every country. The tax list showed thirty-five citizens owning from $10,000 to $187,000 each worth of property. A notable feature of this year's record was the remarkable lowering of rates and fares. The jealous com- petition between the South Pacific Coast Steamship Company and the California Steam Navigation Company, brought the fare from Ventura down to $3 to San Francisco, and $4 to San Diego, while merchandise was transported for $1.50 per ton. The shipments of produce from San Buenaventura for the six months ending May 1, 1874, were: wheat, 5,600 sacks; barley, 23,000 sacks; corn, 6,000 sacks; beaus, 2,100 sacks; wool, 1,000 sacks; hogs, 300; sheep, 700; petroleum, 1,876 barrels.
The winter of 1874-'75 was an exception- ally wet one. In one week of January, 1875, 9.32 inches fell at San Buenaventura, while the fall in the Ojai Valley was tremendous, it being estimated that ten inches of water fell within twenty-four hours, whereas, even in those sections where the fall sometimes amounts to sixty inches in the season, a fall of three inches in twenty-four hours is con- sidered excessive. Peculiarly enough, too, the excessive fall here was not general throughout the State that season. The phe- nomenal quantity here was attributable to cloudbursts. The rivers, San Buenaventura and Clara, were for days at a time impass- able.
The year 1875 witnessed the establishment
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VENTURA COUNTY.
of various institutions of the highest impor- tance to the comfort and advancement of the section. The " Monumentals," a fire com- pany, was organized, comprising in its officers and members many of the most respected citizens of San Buenaventura. The Ventura Gas Company was also instituted, the city appreciating the need of efficient street illu- inination; and an impulse was given to manu- factoring industry, in the opening of a large steam planing-mill.
The Free Press was first issued November 30 of this year, running for a very few months as a daily, and continuing as a weekly.
The diversity in the California field of · politics at this time bore its natural fruits here as elsewhere. There were three State tickets before the people, and Ventura en- tered into the canvass with great energy and enthusiasmn; the Republicans, fearing injury to their cause by the disaffection of the tem- perance people, prepared a ticket to unite these two factions. Nevertheless, the Demo- crats elected most of their candidates. This election took also the sense of Ventura for the new Constitutional Convention, at this time offered for snffrage.
It was on April 13 of this year that a final settlement of finances was effected between this and the mother county of Santa Barbara, under the terms of the act of March 22, 1872. The commissioners from Ventura, Thomas R. Bard and Charles Lindley, met with C. E. Huse and Ulpiano Yndart, of Santa Barbara, and, making the estimates and balancing accounts, they found Ventura en- titled to $581.52.
Early in 1876 came a disaster for Ventura, in the loss of the Kalorama, which was an iron schooner-rigged steamer of 491 tons' burden, belonging to the Coast Steamship Company; she had accommodations for sixty- three cabin, fourteen steerage and thirty-nine
deck passengers. Built in England, and purchased for the coast trade, she had been since the beginning of 1873 plying between San Francisco and San Diego, and way ports, alternating with the Constantine. On Fri- day, February 25, 1876, she lay at Wolfson's wharf, when, being chafed by the roll of the surt, she was ordered to move ont to the floating buoy. On the way thither, the screw fouled with the mnooring line, and left the vessel at the mercy of the wind, which drove her ashore at once. No lives were lost, but as she lay on the beach the heavy machinery broke loose in her hull and beat her to pieces; the loss was $77,500.
Ventura, always fond of civic displays, cele- brated the Fourth of July in this the Centen- nial year, with actual pomp. Besides the program of parade, orations, music, etc., a dinner was prepared on the grounds for no less than 3,000 individuals. At Sespe also, there was a spirited celebration.
There had now been added two more pre- cincts (Santa Paula and Conejo) to the origi- nal eight in the county, and they polled at the presidential election in this year an ag- gregate of 1,097 votes. The Hayes elect- ors received 608 votes, the Tilden electors 590; Pacheco, Republican nominee for Con- gress received 694, and Wigginton, Demo- cratic candidate, 532. There were now 1,400 names on the Great Register, and an estimated population of 7,000, being just double that in the county at the date of organization. There were now twenty-seven citizens paying taxes on $10,000; twelve paying on more than $15,000; seventeen on $20,000 to $50, 000, and one each paying respectively $75,- 000, $100,000, $150,000, and $200,000.
The year 1877 was made fairly calamitous by a dronth of excessive severity. Great numbers of sheep and cattle perished from the lack of feed caused by the dry weather,
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VENTURA COUNTY.
and multitudes were saved only by transpor- tation to distant pastures where feed was plentiful. T. Wallace More, of Ventura, sent 10,000, and Metcalf & Co., 6,000 head of sheep through the Soledad Pass to Elizabeth Lake, in Los Angelos County, where good grazing was found and great herds of cattle were sent by various owners to Arizona.
On March 29, 1877, the brig Crimea, of 223 tons, loaded with lumber, while made fast to the wharf, parted her lines and was beached during a heavy westerly gale and sea; loss $9,200. It was reported also that a portion of the wharf was washed away.
On the evening of October 22, Charles Bartlett and Walter Perkins walked down the wharf to watch the heavy rollers, caused by a southeaster. Finally, alarmed by the tremendous height of three, the largest they had ever seen, the gentlemen decided to beat a hasty retreat, and they ran up the wharf at full speed. When they had covered some two-thirds of the distance to shore, the first of the rollers struck and breached the wharf, and at the progress of the wave the piles bent down before it like grass-stalks. The two fleeing men barely saved themselves from being overtaken by the waves, and the wharf reeled and rolled beneath their feet as they fairly flew along it.
. On December 1, the brig Lucy Ann, of 199.61 tons, here parted her moorings in a northwesterly gale and a heavy sea, and was wrecked, with a loss of one life and $6,500.
These repeated disasters caused the people of Ventura to yearn for a Government appro- priation for a breakwater, and they accord- ingly entered a petition therefor. In conse- quence of their representations, Lieutenant Seaforth, of the United States Engineers, examined the port or roadstead, and made an exhaustive report, adversely, however, to the construction of the breakwater.
Ventura County made substantial progress this year; business was in a prosperous con- dition, and manufacturing interests were be- ginning to awaken. A substantial brewery had been erected, with a capacity of 1,500 gallons per week. The Casitas Pass road was inaugurated this year, under an $8,990 con- tract, the expenses being met by the issue of bonds for $8,000, which were sold for $8,580 to Sutro & Co., of San Francisco, thus index- ing the solvent condition of the county; the assessed value of all taxable property here had now risen to $3,270,161.
The election this year distributed the offi- ces pretty evenly between Democrats and Republicans. One office was yielded to the Democrats with considerable bitterness of spirit by the Ventura constituency, who, with the Republicans of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, had nominated T. R. Bard, the reputed wealthiest man in the county, as the Republican candidate for the State Senate, as against Murphy, a wealthy land-owner of San Luis Obispo. Mr. Bard was nominated with- out a dissenting voice, and received a hand- some majority in his own section, but the Democratic vote in the other two counties elected his opponent.
The chief item recorded for 1878 is the arrival from San Francisco, in January, of the apparatus of a hook and ladder company, following the " Monumentals," long the only fire company in Ventura.
The record of public events for 1879 is mostly political. This was the year of the Workingmen's agitation, so that three tickets, partial or entire, were in the field. Wbite and Perkins, two of the three gubernatorial candidates, addressed the people of Ven- tura, as did also Denis Kearney, the agita- tor-in-chief of the Workingmen; he, however, was not received here with enthusiasm. The result of the election was a pretty fair
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VENTURA COUNTY.
distribution of the offices among the three parties.
The progress of matters agricultural in this section may be judged from the following figures: With a total population of about 7,000, the assessed valuation of property was about $3,394,000, with a cultivated area of 75,000 acres. The crops comprised: barley, 36,000 acres; corn, 19,000; wheat, 13,000; beans. 1,800; flax. 1,250; alfalta, 900; oats, 550; potatoes, 300; canary seed, 285; and 570 of vegetables, peanuts, tobacco, etc. In orchards and vineyards there were 37,000 acres, of which 1,500 acres were planted to English walnuts, 300 to oranges, 210 to grapes, 75 to lemons, and abont 1,100 to other fruits.
Early in 1880, the people of Ventura were thrown into violent excitement by an affair whose mystery continned unraveled. Miss Jennie McLean, an accomplished young lady, a favorite in the community, while alone and engaged about household matters, was at- tacked and struck down by a terrible blow on the head, dealt by some unknown party, who heat her into insensibility. Her jewelry was not taken, and it was never known whether her assailant was man or woman, nor whether the object was plunder, jealousy or revenge, although Miss McLean was not known to have an enemy in the world. The deed had the seeming of a frenzy of insanity, rather than the act of an ordinary criminal, and it is not impossible that it was such, and that a connection might have been traced between this and an occurrence some three weeks later. On June 15, a young man named Mills, nephew of Governor A.A. Low, boarded the stage at Ventura, and after traveling a few miles it was noticed that he held a new hatchet, with which lie threatened to kill the driver unless he kept ont of the way of par- ties who, Mills fancied, were in pursuit of himself, in order to take his life. The driver
was compelled to keep his horses lashed to a run for miles, to avoid having his head split open. The unsatisfactory passenger, on reaching Newhall's Rancho, sprang to the ground with his hatchet, and with deer-like speed ran to the hills. Some days later he was found, being reduced to a famishing con- dition.
On the 26th of December, the ill-fated wharf met with another misfortune, the waves carrying away 200 feet of its onter end, to- gether with some freight piled thereon.
The traffic from this port had now attained such proportions that the facilities for traus- portation were entirely inadequate.
In round numbers, San Buenaventura ex- ported in 1880, 4,000,000 pounds of corn, 800,000 of barley, 1,400,000 of wheat, 1,- 100,000 of beans, and 60,000 of potatoes. From Hneneme were shipped during this period abont 2,100,000 pounds of corn, 240,000 of barley, 2,200,000 of wheat, and 64,000 pounds of wool. From the three counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura, were shipped 1,800,000 pounds of wool during this year.
The events of 1881 were neither exciting nor of a nature to make a permanent impress upon the community. There were two mur- der cases, of a commonplace character, upon the docket; there was some animation in local musical circles, and there was a temperance agitation, which led to the establishment of four lodges of Good Templars, with an aggre- gate membership of over 300. Also, eighty feet of extension were added to the wharf, Beyond these, and the Garfield funeral exer- cises; which were of a character truly im- pressive, there were chronicled no points of especial interest. Assessed valuations, $3,347,787.
Ventura's bean crop for 1880-'81 amounted to 35,000 bushels.
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VENTURA COUNTY.
The season of 1882 appeared less prosper- ous than many preceding years, to judge by the assessment roll, which showed a diminn- tion from that of the preceding year, being at present $3,171,127. This loss was due mainly to the decrease in sheep, of which large numbers died in the winter and early spring.
The State election, held November 7, 1882, gave the Democratic candidates slight majori- ties, ranging from six to forty-five votes. There were cast here thirty-five votes for the Prohibition candidate for Governor.
The assessment roll for this year showed a depreciation, enumerating property worth $3,171,127 only, while the previous year had shown $3,347,787. This was mainly due to the loss in sheep, of which large numbers died in the early spring. This county pro- duced 30,000 bushels of beans in the season of 1881-'82.
The delinquent tax list of Ventura for 1883 was so short, being only one and a half columns, that the Signal printed it gratis as a matter of news, and the Free Press officially at a nominal price.
Ventura County was awarded the first premium for county exhibits at the Mechanics' Institute Fair of 1885 in San Francisco.
The next succeeding feature of general interest, was the construction, in the fall of 1886, of the Coast Line branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad, whose advent brought new life and development to the section.
The following figures, taken from the official returns for 1887 of the county clerk, county auditor, and county assessor, will serve as a basis of comparison of the developments of the past few years:
1885, Total value assessed property, . $4,574,208
1886,
1886, " county indebtedness, 22,000
Number acres assessed.
449,937
Real estate, other than town property, . $4,050,467
Real estate improvements thereon,. 322,865
Real estate, city and town property,. 618,107
Improvements on same, 245,939
Total value real estate,. 4,668,574
Total value real estate improvements, 568,304
Total value personal property, 1,178,694
Total assessed valuations, $6,415,572
Total county indebtedness, bonds out-
standing, $22,000.00
Cash in county treasury, November 5, 1887, 14,292.14 Amount thereof applicable to indebtedness, 6,684.79
Bonds paid January 1, 1888, 8,000.00
Total county indebtedness, July I, 1888,. .. 14,000.00
The rate of taxation for 1887 was $2 on the $100.
For 1887 there were shipped from the ports of San Buenaventura and Hueneme the following, all of which were produced in Ventura County :
Beans, sacks 114,989
Corn,
58,486
Wheat,
93,558
Barley,
424,485
Potatoes,
4,686
Flax Seed, =
7,150
Eng. Walnuts,
1,171
Mustard,
1,004
Bird Seed,
1,638
Eggs, cases
1,040
Honey,
9,630
Oil,
bbls. 31,170
Oil,
tanks 2,362
Wool,
bales 1,755
Lemons,
boxes 2,007
Hogs,
No.
11,978
Sheep,
7,445
Hides,
916
The estimated population being 7,500, this would allow to each of 1,500 families of five persons in Ventura County an income of $1,328.
For 1888-'89 the San Buenaventura Wharf Company's statement showed export ship- ments of 174,158 packages, and import ship- ments of 113,227 packages of merchandise and 5,715,140 feet of humber.
4,693,698
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VENTURA COUNTY.
Over the Hueneme wharf were exported during this period 534,757 packages, of whichi 436,539 were sacks of beans, 18,143 sacks of wheat, 30,302 sacks of corn, and 32,864 barrels of oil, thus showing the chief staples for the year.
In addition to the above shipments out of the county over the Southern Pacific were as follows, in pounds: beans, 1,766,700; grain 1,110,900; potatoes, 147,500; cattle, 160,000; sheep. 100,000; hogs, 2,360,000; flour and mill stuff, 384,000; bees and honey, 214,300; dried fruit, 218,400; green fruit, 1,090,000; nuts, 40,800; wool, 402,300; hay, 1,871,000; brick and tile, 357,200; stone, 3,176,340; oil, 41,268,000; asphaltum, 261,500; miscellane- ons, 2,861,000.
Late in 1889 the statistics gathered from the Southern Mill and Warehouse Company showed shipments as follows : Barley, 2,676,123 pounds; Lima beans, 2,109,090; common beans, 756,243; corn, 308,750; wal- nuts, 10,000; honey, 74,463; apricots, 145,- 726; miscellaneous, 300,000. Total ship- ments, actual weight, 6,380,395 pounds.
At the same time there was in the ware- house: of barley 2,089,090 pounds; wheat, 453,010; honey, 54,853; common beans, 136,839; making a grand total of 9,114,187 pounds of farm products, from which, making a low estimate, the farmers of this vicinity innst have derived an aggregate revenne of $200,000.
The statement of the San Buenaventura Wharf Company for the year ending May, 1890, shows transactions over that structure as follows: 44,748 bags corn, 54,692 bags beans, 25,370 of barley, 1,393 of potatoes, 2,737 of wheat, 1,199 of dried fruit, 2,323 of walnuts, 86 of popcorn, 83 of almonds, 221 of peanuts, 35 of mustard seed, 9 of garlic, 1,220 packages of merchandise, 234 of house- hold goods, 3,167 cases honey, 90 cases Inbri-
cator, 215 of coal oil, 262 of eggs, 1,207 empty beer kegs, 1,362 boxes oranges, 1,047 boxes lemons, 294 boxes raisins, 4 of butter, 393 green apricots, 607 of apples, 18 of per- simmons, 15 of peaches, 38 of nectarines, 104 of pears, 74 of limes, 20 of prunes, 1,333 barrels asphaltum, 1,091 of distillate, 6,045 of ernde oil, 322 barrels of empty bottles, 209 of tallow, 624 tons asphaltum, 89 tons of old iron, 527 bales wool, 1,350 bales hides, 153 bales pelts, 27 bales seaweed, 31 coops live fowls, 1 steam engine, 4 horses.
The imports were 93,563 packages mer- chandise, and 261,059 feet of lumber.
The value of the wharf warehouses and fixtures is placed at $79,000 at this time.
Some idea of the relative charges on freight may be formed from the statement that the income of this wharf from all sources. was $11,754.43 during the year.
The Hueneme Wharf Company for 1889- '90 shows exports as follows :- 279,613 sacks barley, 17,018 of wheat, 34,638 of corn, 396 cases honey, 13,462 sacks beans, 1,447 bales wool, 295 sacks mustard seed, 223 of wal- nuts, 4,824 of potatoes, 519 cases eggs, 1,202 hogs, 2,117 sheep, 249 boxes butter, 46 coops fowls, 489 bundles hides, 122 bundles pelts, 86 barrels tallow, 29 sacks apricots, 30 of onions, 2 of beeswax, 3 of peas; miscellane- ous packages, 963.
Ventura County at present, October, 1890, contains twenty-one election precinets, as fol- lows :- San Buenaventura precincts, Nos. 1, 2 and 3; La Cañada, Rincon, Santa Ana, Ojei, Cuyama, Piru, Camulos, Sespe, Santa Paula, Nos. 1 and 2, Saticoy, Monnd, Pleas- ant Valley, San Pedro, Simí, Conejo, Spring- ville and Hueneme.
The postoffices in Ventura County are Ven- tura, Hueneme, Santa Paula, Saticoy, Nord- hoff, Bardsdale, Camulos, Fillmore, Matilija, Montalvo, Newbury Park, New Jerusalem,
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VENTURA COUNTY.
Piru City, Punta Gorda, Simí, Springville, and Timberville. The first five are money order offices, and Ventura has international exchange.
There are four banks in Ventura County, aggregating paid up capital amounting to nearly $400,000.
The present officers of Ventura County are are as follows :---
E. H. Heacock .. . State Senator
G. W. Wear (with Kern County). .Assemblyman
B. T. Williams. Supreme Judge
W. H. Reilly. .. Sheriff
L. F. Eastin. .County Clerk
W. H. Jewett. Auditor and Recorder
Orestes Orr. District Attorney Paul Charlebois. Treasurer James Donlon Assessor
C. L. Bard. County Physician
F. M. Patton. Coroner
C. T. Meredith. Supt. Public Schools
J- T. Stow. County Surveyor
A. W. Browne.
B. W. Dudley
F. A. Foster
County Supervisors.
C. N. Baker.
E. H. Owens.
OFFICERS OF THE U. S. CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT COURTS SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA.
Stephen J. Field Circuit Judge
Lorenzo Sawyer. Circuit Judge
Erskine M. Ross District Judge
George Denie U. S. Attorney
David R. Risley
U. S. Marshal
William M. VanDyke Clerk of Circuit Court
E. H. Owen.
.Clerk of District Court
Charles L Batcheller
¿ Standing Master and
Examiner in Chan.
COMMISSIONERS.
William M. VanDyke Los Angeles
E. H. Owen. Los Angeles
Charles Fernald. Santa Barbara
L. C. McKeeby . Ventura
San Diego
Charles G. Hubbard.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
Ventura County lies 300 miles southeast of San Francisco, and twenty five miles northwest of Los Angeles. It is bounded
on the west by Santa Barbara County, on the north and east by Kern and Los Angeles counties, and on tha south by the Pacific Ocean. It also includes the islands of San Nicolas and Anacapa, lying respectively abont eighty and eighteen miles from the mainland. These islands are resorts for seals, sea lions, otter, and aquatic birds. They are included in the total area of 1,296,- 000 acres, divisible into arable land, pasture land and mountain land. There are about 200,000 acres of very rich country, of which as yet little over 70,000 acres have been brought under cultivation.
This county contains various fertile val- leys, the most important being the Santa Clara, Ojai. Simí, Conejo, and Sespe, besides some small mesa and mountain valleys. The soil is mainly a rich, dark brown, sandy loam, 10 to 150 feet deep. The surface is nearly level, or but enough diversified to add to the beauty of the situation.
WATER SUPPLY.
Ventura County perhaps is the best watered county in Southern California. The Santa Clara River, which rises in the Soledad Mountains near the Mojave Desert, enters the county at the southeast corner, traverses its entire length, furnishes an abundant sup- ply for a large portion of the Santa Clara Valley, and is a never failing stream. It flows in an easterly direction about sixty miles through the southeastern portion of the county, and empties into the ocean about six miles southeast of San Buenaventura.
The Santa Clara River takes its rise sev- enty miles inland, in the rugged cañons of the Soledad Pass Hence it flows west by south, swelled by several large tributaries, mostly coming from the north ward. It passes through the Santa Barbara range at Santa Paula, some fifteen miles from the
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VENTURA COUNTY.
coast, and ends at the seaside in an estero or lagoon, which shows no communication with the sea, save when the winter floods tear away the intervening bar of sand. At Santa Panla this river receives the waters of the Santa Paula Creek, formerly called the Mupu; east of this, the Sespe empties, and near the boundary line, the Piru.
Tributary to the Santa Clara are the Santa Paula, Piru, Big and Little Sespe, which are fine, clear, living streams, furnishing an un- faillng supply of water for all that portion of the county comprised within the original grants of Sespe, Santa Paula, Saticoy, and San Francisco ranchos. The Lockwood, Alamo, Hot Springs, and Pine are feeders of the Piru and the Sespe.
The Ventura River rises in the Santa Ynez Mountains, in the northern portion of the county, and flows in a southerly direction, and through the beautiful Ojai Valley to the sea at San Buenaventura, which city it sup- plies with pure water and excellent water- power. Its tributaries are the Arroyo San Antonio, Cañada Leon, Santa Ana, Cañada Larga, and Los Coyotes, which water large portions of the Ojai, Canada Larga, and Santa Ana ranchos.
These rivers are fed by numerous springs and mountain streams which run into them from almost all the canons. The Ventura River alone furnishes water enough to irri- gate, were it necessary, every acre of land in the valley through which it flows. This river furnishes the water-power to run the large flouring-mill at Ventura, which at need could be kept running day and night through- out the year.
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