An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day, Part 16

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > California > Los Angeles County > An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 16

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In the February number of The Californian, 1881, a monthily periodical, printed in San Francisco, now the Overland Monthly, Dr. J. P. Widney published an article upon the divis- ion of the State, in which lie discussed at length the geographical, topographical, climatic and commercial laws which lie back of and which produce this tendency to a separation, and stated that the natural working of these laws would in the end lead to a separation of the State into two distinct civil organizations, and that while it might be delayed, this division of the State was in the end inevitable.

Several weeks later, at a citizens' mass meet- ing held in Los Angeles, February 1, 1881, upon the subject of Wilmington Harbor im- provement, favoring the movement, an execu- tive committee, consisting of Messrs. E. F. Spence, J. P. Widney, J. G. Downey, A. B. Moffitt, J. G. Estudillo and W. HI. Perry, was selected to take charge of the work. This com- mittee selected a legal committee, to which were referred the following questions, in order that the legal status of the inovement might be made clear.

1. Is the Legislative act of 1859, as voted upon by the people and forwarded to Congress with the certificate of the Governor of Cali- fornia, still in force?

2. If that act is still in force, what legal steps are necessary to complete the division and establish the new State of Southern California?

3. If that act is no longer in force, what other course will become necessary to effect a division ? The answer was as follows:

1. The act of the Legislature of the State of California entitled, " An Act granting the con- sent of the Legislature to the formation of a different government for the southern counties of this State," approved April 18, 1859, page 310, is in full force and effect.

2. Under article IV., section 3, of the con- stitution of the United States, it only remains for Congress to admit the new State with a republican form of government.

3. To secure this last action no legal forms are required.

4. The mode mnost nearly conforming to precedent would be to secure the united action of a representation from each of the counties in the proposed new State, calling an election to elect delegates to a constitutional convention to be held at some designated time and place. Such a constitutional convention would then prepare a form of constitution for the new State and submit the same to a vote of the people, and upon its adoption and presentation to Congress, and the act of Congress admitting the new State, the work would be complete.

5. The election should be held as nearly as possible in accordance with the forins of our present election laws.

(Signed) THOM & STEPHENS, II. T. HAZARD,

C. E. THOM,

R. M. WIDNEY,

A. BRUNSON, S. C. HUBBELL,

GEORGE H. SMITH,

H. A. BARCLAY.

A circular letter was thereupon sent by the

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

executive committee to the Democratic and Republican county committees of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Kern and Inyo, requesting the appointment of delegates to a convention to be held in Los Angeles, Septem- ber 8, 1881, to consider the advisability of taking further action in the matter.

The convention met, many of the delegates being present, and the question was thoroughly discussed. The prevailing sentiment was that the division of the State was a necessity; that only by the establishment of a separate State could the full development and growth of Southern California be brought about; but the feeling seemed to be that the time had as yet hardly arrived to take the step. With this

understanding, and with the further under- standing that when a favorable time should occur a united movement would be made to the accomplishment of that end, the convention adjourned.

From this time on the subject never re- mained quiescent, but became a topic of con- stant discussion in the public press and among the people.

Early in the present session of Congress (1888-'89) General William Vandever, member of Congress from the Sixth California District, introduced a bill for the taking of steps anew for the division of the State. That bill is now on file, awaiting its turn, for the consideration in the order of business. A large mass-meeting in Los Angeles indorsed the bill.

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

ANNALS 1849-1889.

CHAPTER XI.

S the first part of the history of Los Angeles County naturally closes with the Mexican War period, the second part opens with the immediately succeeding; and it seems most convenient to give first the prominent events in journal form, continning to the present, and then follow with special topics more elaborately treated.

1849 .- John Goller, blacksmith and pioneer wagon-maker, was of the emigrants by the Salt Lake route. Louis Wilhart outfitted him with tools and helped him to customers. Iron works, as to cost, the native Californians were strangers to. One of them, as Goller used to say, paid $500 for an awning for the front of his resi- dence. The charge for shoeing a horse was $16. Stores then were scarce of iron. Goller hunted up old tires thrown away on the plains to make shoes. His first wagou remained on hand a good while. The native people gazed at it with curiosity, but distrust, and went back to their carretas.

1850-'53 .- The Indian tribes of the Mojave Desert give much trouble by stealing live-stock and murdering ranchers.

1851 .- John Gregg Nichols, born April 15, the first American child in the city. Population this year, 2,500. November 12, this year, late of a bright moonlight evening, standing alone at the door of his office, Main street, near Downey 7

Block, Benjamin Hayes was shot at by one within three feet on horseback. "The ball," says the Star, "passed through the rim of his hat and lodged in the wall on the opposite side of the room, perforating in its progress the door, which is fully an inch in thickness. The would-be assassins then instantly galloped off, and were never captured.

1852 .- August 16, the United States Land Commission met at Los Angeles to settle private land claims. Spirit rappings create much ex- citement at San Gabriel.

1853 .- Tejon Reservation established. Second survey of the city made by Henry Hancock, when the thirty-five-acre lots were surveyed and donated to actual settlers.

1854 .- Average number of violent deaths in the city not less than one a day !- mostly of Mexicans and Indians-but not unfrequently persons in the higher walks of life. There was no police force. November 16, the Southern Californian complains that "only four murders were committed during the past week." Sep- tember 5, Maria Francisca Villalobos de Tavia died, in the 112th year of her age. In August the supervisors appropriate $1,000 for the opening of a wagon road over the mountains between San Fernando Mission and the San Francisco Ranch.

1855. - In April fifteen ten-mule teams, be-

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

longing to Alexander Banning and W. T. B. Sanford, left Los Angeles for Salt Lake with 60,000 pounds of assorted merchandise. In March there was a great excitement over the Kern River mines, and steamers from. San Francisco brought a large number of passengers who were bound for those mines. Washing- ton's birthday was celebrated by a parade of the City Guards. Christmas and New Year festivals were accompanied by bull-fights. Abel Stearns and J. R. Scott build a brick flouring- mill.

1856 .- Vigilance committees were formed in Los Angeles and at San Gabriel. The people were greatly disappointed in not getting the Governor's proclamation of Thanksgiving Day until the day had gone by !

1857 .- Oysters and iee were among the modern improvements of this year. An epi- demic of putrid sore throat prevailed among the children. Sheriff Barton and party were murdered by Flores and his band near Santa Ana. Considerable uneasiness was felt in the city over the news of the Mountain Meadows massacre, which took place in September; a mass meeting was called at the Pavilion at the Plaza to investigate the facts, and resolutions were passed condemning the Mormons for the murder of the emigrants. In December another publie meeting protested against the sale of arms to the Mormons, and condemned the mer- chants of Los Angeles for shipping arms and ammunition to Salt Lake. The Anaheim colony was established this year. One of the Beaudrys built a brick block on Los Angeles and Aliso streets.

1858 .- A rise in real estate. Depredations and murders by Indians committed by neigh- boring tribes. In January 200 soldiers arrived, only twenty-six days from New York, on the way to San Bernardino. February 25, fire, originating in Childs & Hale's store and tin- shop, on Los Angeles street, and consuming $30,000 to $50,000 worth of property. In July 150 dragoons, under Captain Davidson, arrived from Fort Buchanan on the way to Fort Tejon.

Regular terms of the United States District Court were held, commeneing on the first Monday of March, September and December of each year. Captain Banning took a wagon train of seven ten-mule teams from, San Pedro to Fort Yuma, making the distance of 230 miles in thirteen days. In June the Surveyor- General of California made a demand on the county recorder for all public records of Los Angeles County pertaining to its history under Spanish and Mexican rule. The recorder at first refused, but subsequently was obliged by his sureties to accede to the demand, and the records were removed to San Francisco. The home papers denounced the proceeding as an outrage. In July, workmen employed in dig- ging where a building of Mr. Childs had been burned a short time before, discovered $5,000 in gold coin, which they appropriated, notwith- standing Mr. Childs' claim that it was his and had been hidden there by a dishonest clerk some years before. October 7, the arrival of the pioneer semi-weekly overland stage, twenty days from the Missouri River, was celebrated by the firing of cannon. Number of voters in the city, 600.

The novel spectacle of camels as pack animals was first seen at Los Angeles Jannary 8, 1858, when a drove of fourteen, under the manage- ment of Lieutenant E. F. Beale, arrived from Fort Tejon. Each animal carried a thousand pounds of provisions and military stores, traveled thirty to forty miles a day, and found their own subsistence, in the most barren country. These camels were frequently seen in Los Angeles afterward. In 1856, when Pierce was President of the United States, the Government became possessed of that portion of Arizona known as the Gadsden Purchase, which covers large desert tracts. As an experiment, the Government coneluded to purchase camels to be used as pack animals in traversing these vest wastes, and accordingly Commodore David D. Porter met Philip Tedro, popularly known as " Ili Jolly," whose services were engaged and through whom he bonght seventy-six camels; and these

HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

were shipped directly to Indianola, Texas, then across to Albuquerque, where they arrived in fine condition, in charge of Hi Jolly. IFere an expedition was fit'ed out, under command of Ned Beale, and the camels were first brought into active service. The objective point was Fort Tejon, and the route lay along the thirty- fifth parallel? The expedition consisted of forty-four citizens, with an escort of twenty soldiers, and the camels provided the packing, in some instances carrying as much as a hundred gallons of water. They arrived safely at Fort Tejon, then made a trip back to Albuquerque, and again to Fort Tejon. Tiring of the camels, the Government condemned them, and they were sold at Benicia to two Frenchmen, who took them to Reese River, Nevada, where they were used in packing salt to Virginia City. The animals were afterward taken to Arizona, and for some time used in packing ore from Silver King mine to Yuma down the Gila River. For some cause the Frenchmen became disgusted with their property and turned the camels loose npon the desert near Maricopa Wells. Their presence frightened the mules in the freight teams and many of them were killed on that account by the drivers. In the fall of 1882 several were caught and shipped East for a show, and the others were wantonly killed, except possibly two, which were so wild that they are seldom seen. .

1859 .- In February the contract for the con- struction of a market-house and city hall was let to John Temple, for $30,000. Work was commenced in March and finished in September. It is the present court-honse. The City Coun- cil borrowed $200,000 for improvements. Thirty- one brick buildings erected in the city this year. The two-story Arcadia Block, on the southwest corner of Arcadia and Los Angeles streets, with eight large stores on the ground floor, was built this year; as also two stories of the Temple Block, fronting on Main, Temple and Spring streets. There were eleven attorneys and seven physicians resident in the city. The vote was 1,020. Utah trade active. In Jannary about

sixty wagons left Los Angeles for Salt Lake; one firm alone sent forty teams. April 19, a contract was let for the erection of a telegraph line from San José to Los Angeles. Times were liard.

1860 .- Considerable emigration from this connty to Texas,-attributed to the difficulty experienced by white laborers in procuring work here, most of the vineyardists employing Indians and Chinamen. First telegraph mes- sage received in Los Angeles, at 8 P. M., Octo- ber 8. The following message was sent:

Los ANGELES, Monday Evening, October 8, 10 o'clock P. M.

H. F. TESCHEMACHIER, EsQ., President Board of Supervisors, San Francisco: Allow me, on behalf of the citizens of Los Angeles, to send you greeting of fellowship and good feeling on the completion of the line of telegraph which now binds the two cities together.

HENRY MELLUS, Mayor Los Angeles. SAN FRANCISCO, October 9, 1860.

HENRY MELLUS, EsQ., Mayor Los Angeles: Your dispatch has just been received. On be- half of the citizens of San Francisco I congrat- ulate Los Angeles, trusting that the benefit may be mntual.

H. F. TESCHEMACHIER, Pres. Board Supervisors.

July 18, General Frémont visited Los An- geles and was greeted with a salute of fifteen guns. In November, Lady Franklin, widow of Sir John Franklin, accompanied. by her niece, Mrs. Cracroft, visited Los Angeles.

1861 .- May 25, a grand Union demonstra- tion at Los Angeles. The national banner was presented by Phineas Banning, in behalf of the citizens, to the Union Club, and was accepted by C. Sims, the president, in an appropriate speech. A procession was had, in the following order: Band of the First Dragoons, Los Angeles Grays (thirty men), California Pioneers, the Union Club (150 members), Company K, First Dragoons (fifty men). City Officials, French Benevolent Society and the citizens on foot and on horseback. The procession marched around the Plaza, down Main and Spring streets and by the court-house; the national flag was un-

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

furled to the breeze, the band struck up the "Star-Spangled Banner," and thirty-four guns were fired,-one for every State in the Union. Fiery and patriotic speeches were made by General Drown, Major Carlton and Captain W. S. Hancock, subsequently of national fame. A company of volunteers was raised in Los An- geles, to form a part of the 5,000 ordered from the State. The United States IIotel and the Bella Union had been placed under a military surveillance by Captain Davidson, on account of secession influence; but in September a Union German, obtaining possession of the United States Hotel, the Stars and Stripes were raised over its roof and the restriction removed. In October the regular troops were concentrated at San Pedro to take passage on a l'anama steamer for the East. A subscription of $100 per month was raised by the citizens to receive daily dis- patches from the East concerning the war.

1862 .- " Small-pox, measles and secession raged in Los Angeles:" several fatal cases. Heroic remedies resorted to, etc. In January, three steamers were unloading troops at one time at San Pedro, and on the 19th 4,000 men were encamped there. Also a large number of soldiers were encamped at Fort Latham on the La Ballona Ranch, under Colonel Forman. In October Camp Latham was broken up and the troops removed to San Pedro. In November the small-pox broke out among the Indians of Los Angeles City and spread rapidly.

1863 .- The small-pox prevailed extensively among the Mexican and Indian population; as many as fourteen were known to die in one day. In March the epidemie subsided, " for want of further material to work upon." A majority of the Indians of the city were dead, besides many throughout other portions of the county. Major Ilenry Hancock was in command at Drum Bar- racks. July 4 was not celebrated in the city. The soldiers at Camp Ballona Harbor celebrated it in grand style. July 31, a detachment of troops from Drum Barracks encamped in the city for the purpose of protecting the Union men. A Union mass meeting was held on Main

street in front of the La Fayette Hotel, now the St. Elmo, September 26. In September a great exodus of ininers occurred to the Colorado River, a large number of prospectors from the upper country passing through the city to the mines at La Paz. November 9, J. J. Warner, who had been appointed Deputy Provost Mar- shal for Los Angeles, began the enrollment pre- paratory to the draft. His deputies were George D. Fisher for the southern end of the county, T. H. Burke for the eastern part, and George E. Vertsen for the city and the northern part of the county. Companies of soldiers were sta- tioned in Los Angeles all this year, to preserve the peace. In May the Mexican people held a grand glorification over the defeat of the French forces at Puebla. Salt Lake trade continued good, notwithstanding the war. December 25, Captain B. R. West issued an order from Drum Barracks notifying all persons on Santa Cata- lina Island to leave before the 1st of February.

1864 .- Small pox existing again. In Febru- ary there was another rush of miners to the Colorado, occasioned by reports of fresh strikes in the mines. Business was dull and times ex- ceedingly hard. May 9, J. F. Bilderbeck, of Los Angeles, was arrested by a detachment of native Californian cavalry, commanded by Lieu- tenant Cox, on the charge of disloyalty. Mr. Bilderbeck had said when conversing in regard to the Fort Pillow massacre, that he hoped the Confederates would kill every negro who might be taken with arms in his hands, and every white man who might be in command of them. The Fourth of July was not celebrated. In September the troops were withdrawn from Santa Catalina Island, and about the same time Fort Tejon was abandoned. Union rallies and processions were held in October and November.

1865 .- Many large Mexican land grants were subdivided. April 19, a public funeral was held in respect to the death of President Lin . coln. All business was suspended, the city was draped in mourning, and the various societies were in procession in appropriate regalia. The procession was escorted by Captain Ledyard's

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

military company. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Elias Birdsall. About that time several arrests were made of parties wlio glorified in the assassination. The Fourth of July was gloriously celebrated, notwithstanding the heavy rain, by a procession, literary exer- cises and a dinner. Sore throat and typhoid fever prevailed during the summer. Business prospects were better, and fine orchards planted in every direction, and vineyards improved and enlarged.

1866 .- The Salt Lake trade became exten- sive, reaching as far as Bannock, Idaho, 450 miles beyond Salt Lake, or over 1,200 miles from Los Angeles. Business generally was ex- ceedingly brisk, and real estate was active. The population of the city was about 5,000. Goods were shipped all the way to Helena, Montana, overland with teams, a distance of about 1,400 miles.

1867 .- Major Ben. C. Truman gives this not very flattering picture of Los Angeles: "Crooked, ungraded, unpaved streets; land lean; adobe honses, with flat asphaltum roofs; with here and there an indolent native hugging himself inside a blanket or burying his head in the inside of a watermelon,-were then the notable features of this quondam Mexican town." Trade with Utah, Montana and Ari- zona was exceedingly brisk. June 13, fire, originating in Bell's Block on Los Angeles street, consumed $64,000 worth of property. July 4 was not celebrated in Los Angeles. The town first lighted by gas this year. On July 1 a brass band was organized. Angust 10-11, the Mexicans celebrate the anniversary of the conclusion of the Mexican war and the surren- der of the City of Mexico into the hands of the Liberals, with speeches, procession, music, fire- works, etc.

1868 .- Jannary 20, D. Marchessault, Mayor of the city, committed suicide by shooting him- self in his office. The third survey of Los An- geles City made by George Hansen this year. The Los Angeles & San Pedro Railroad was in- corporated; the stock was owned by the county.

Population of the county, 25,000. Work com- menced by the Canal & Reservoir Company upon the canal and reservoir which now sup- plies the Union Ice Works, formerly the old woolen mill. City Water Company organized. First bank organized, by Alvinza Hayward and John G. Downey, under the firm name of Hay- ward & Company; capital, $100,000. Later, the same year, the banking house of Hellman, Temple & Co. was organized. A severe form of typho-malarial fever prevalent in the autumn. The new Masonic Hall dedicated September 29.

The real growth of the city is said to date from 1868. Benjamin Hayes writes in 1876:

"At this time, the fall of 1868, there was no three-story building in the town, while the only two-story business houses were the old Lafay- ette, the older portion of the Bella Union, with the stores of Barrows and Childs upon Los An- geles street, Stearns's Block, Bell's Block, a por- tion of the Lanfranco building, the older portion of the United States Hotel, Allen's corner, the Court-House with the part of Temple Block facing it, and a two-story adobe where Temple's Bank now stands. The portion of Downey Block facing toward the Temple Bank had a few one-story adobe rooms, with a wide gateway in the middle opening into a corral. This gate- way had connected with it somewhat of a tragic history, as, upon the cross-bar above, five des- peradoes were hanged at one time by the Vigi- lance Committee. The Roundhouse [a residence on Main street] was then npon the outskirts of the town. Captain Clark's house was fairly in the country, but little of the property around being even fenced in. The hills above town and across the river, now dotted with houses, were then bleak and bare. East Los Angeles had not yet even been dreamed of."

1869 .- Great demand for houses. Unprec- edented advance in real estate. Building and improvements going on rapidly, but still a financial depression existed. October 24, the corner-stone of their proposed hospital was laid by the French Benevolent Society, with cere- monies. In the early part of the year small-pox

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

raged in Sonoratown. October 26, free excur- sion to Wilmington, of two trains, both carry- ing 1,500 people, over the newly completed road.

1870 .- Exciting rumors that the mayor and council had been issning scrip unlawfully caused their arrest; but the rumors were un- founded. In February the buildings in the business portion of the city were ordered num- bered, in order to facilitate the compilation of a city directory. St. Patrick's day was celebrated by the Irish citizens. Street railways talked of. Drunkenness and pistol shooting rampant for months, especially among the Indians of the town. Liquor was regularly retailed at 110 different places in the city. "Nigger alley" described as the vilest of resorts. January 27, fire, beginning in Cohn & Norton's dry-goods store on Aliso street, consumed a number of stores and other buildings. February 9, fire, originating in John Baker's lodging house on Arcadia street. There was a large amount of freighting to the Owens River country. Peti- tions and protests were circulated to the Legis- lature on the question of the division of Los Angeles County on the line of the San Gabriel River, creating the new connty of Anaheim on the east side.

1871 .- Downey Block erected. Thirty-five practicing lawyers in the city. February 10, A. A. Boyle died, aged fifty-five years. In March an ice machine was put in operation; price of the product, 4 cents a pound. Septem- ber 15, the Mexicans celebrate the independence of Mexico. Although but three were present at a mass meeting called to contribute for the destitnte at Chicago, after the great fire, the citizens afterward raised several thousand dol- lars for the purpose. In October occurred the Chinese massacre, described elsewhere. In May mails three times a week were established between Los Angeles and San Bernardino. During this and the succeeding five years the Fourth of July was celebrated in grand style. October 31, opening day of the Southern Dis- trict Agricultural Society's fair. This society

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092