An illustrated history of Sacramento County, California : containing a history of Sacramento County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future portraits of some of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also prominent citizens of today, Part 15

Author: Davis, Winfield J., 1851- 4n
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 916

USA > California > Sacramento County > An illustrated history of Sacramento County, California : containing a history of Sacramento County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future portraits of some of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also prominent citizens of today > Part 15

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

had reached his twentieth year he had deter- mined to come to California, and in September, 1856, his name was enrolled on the list of pas- sengers of the steamer Illinois, New York to As- pinwall. Crossing the Isthmus of Panama, he took passage on the steamer John L. Stephens, bound for San Francisco, which port he reached September 25, 1856. He received work in the office of Mr. Lefontaine, the first job printer of San Francisco, and remained in the city about two years. He then went to the mines. His first experience with the pick and shovel was at the Tuolumnne mines near Columbia, but two or three months later the scene of his labors was transferred to San Gabriel mines, Los Angeles County. He next went to the Arizona mines, where he remained about two years. In 1860 he returned to San Francisco, where he became one of the founders of the Abend Post, the second German daily paper published in San Francisco. In May, 1868, he came to Sacra- mento and founded the Sacramento Journal, German, and followed its fortunes until 1881. On the 5th of September, 1885, he launched the Nord California Herold, which has taken front rank among German papers. He also carries on, in connection with the newspaper publication, job printing to a considerable ex- tent, doing both German and English work, though principally the latter. His office en- joys a good reputation for the excellence of its work.

Mr. Schmitt is connected with Schiller Lodge, No. 5, I. O. O. F., and Sacramento Lodge, No. 80, A. O. U. W. IIe is Past Chief of Sacra- mento Stamın, No. 124, I. O. R. M .; has passed through all the chairs in Sacramento Lodge, No. 11, O. D H. S .; also in Sacramento Ver- ein-Eintracht. He is a member of the Sacra- mento Turn- Verein, and is one of the directors of the Germania Loan and Building Associa- tion. Mr. Schmitt was married in San Fran- cisco, January 22, 1862, to Miss Elizabeth Denger, a native of New York. They have had twelve children, of whom eleven are yet living. Mr. Schmitt is a man of superior in-

telligence, and wields a ready pen, and his pa- per lias a powerful influence in his chosen field.

Themis, an eight-page quarto Sunday paper, devoted to the material interests of Sacramento, dramatic and governmental criticismn and mis- cellany, printed with large type upon the finest kind of paper at A. J. Johnston & Co.'s, was started in February, 1889, by Win. J. Davis, W. A. Anderson and George A. Blanchard, and at this date is flourishing.

A few lesser papers have been published in past years in this city, which have not been named herein, exclusive of sheets issued in the interests of insurance companies and business houses, but their origin and death have been too obscure to warrant the necessary loss of time in searching out their history.

Total number of deceased periodicals, about seventy-five; of living, eight.

HON. WINFIELD J. DAVIS, Official Court Re- porter and Editor of the historical portion of this volume, and Editor of Themis, is of pure Welsh descent, both his parents being natives of Wales. His father, William Davis, died in this city, August 21, 1885; and his mother, whose maiden name was Elinor Parry, is still living, in Sacramento.

Mr. Davis was born in Utica, Oneida County, New York, December 5, 1851. In 1862 the family came thence to California, by way of the Isthmus, arriving here while the marks of the great flood of 1861-'62 were still plainly visi- ble, the waters having just subsided. After arriving here, Mr. William Davis purchased a ranch near Lincoln, Placer County, where he resided until 1869, when the family removed to Sacramento. Until this time, therefore, the subject of this sketch was innred to farm labor, In 1867, however, he began the study of short- hand, from a small book entitled "The Young Reporter," and worked at considerable disad- vantage, for want of the proper elementary text-books; but, as one would suppose from the power of his genius, he went right along with it and ultimately attained a success which not as many as one in a thousand attain who commence

HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

the study of this useful art. Entering the first grade of the grammar school of this city Sep- tember 19, 1869, in the midst of the school year, he graduated April 22, 1870, in the first rank with ten others in a class of thirty-four. Among his classmates were Ella Haskell, now Mrs. Cummins, the noted writer of juvenile lit- erature; P. E. Platt, of the present firm of W. R. Strong & Co .; Colonel C. F. Crocker, now vice-president of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company; E. B. Cushman, late sheriff of a county in Nevada; and Valentine S. McClatchy, now one of the proprietors of the Bee. After the graduation referred to, Mr. Davis entered the High School and remained there until Jann- ary, 1871. On the 2d of February, that win- ter, he went to the Bee office to learn the print- ing trade, and worked there until June, when he was employed in the office of the Daily Rec- ord, to set type and do short-hand reporting. In the line of reporting the first particular task he undertook was to report the proceedings of the Republican State Convention, held in June, 1871, which nominated Newton Booth for Gov- ernor. In 1871-'72 he reported the proceed- ings of the State Assembly for the Sacramento Union. At the close of the session, in April, 1872, he was engaged as one of the local editors of that paper, under the direction of Captain J. D. Young, now State printer. He was ad- initted to the bar of the Sixth District Court, April 7, 1879. On August 31, 1874, Mr. Davis was appointed, after a competitive examination, official short-hand reporter of the Sixth Dis- trict Court, by Judge Ramage. The district embraced the counties of Sacramento and Yolo. When Judge Denson succeeded Ramage Mr. Davis was retained in the office, and he continued to hold until the abolition of the conrt by the new constitution. On the organization of the Superior Court in its place, he was appointed official reporter of both departments of the Su- perior Court, and has held that office continu- ously since that time. In this capacity he has reported some of the most important cases that have been tried in this State; for example, the

prosecution against the proprietors of the San Francisco Chronicle at Placerville for libel upon United States Senator Sargent and Congress- man H. F. Page. The trial lasted about a month. Among the witnesses were many of the leading officials and politicians in the State. He also reported the trial of Troy Dye for the murder of Tullis, an account of which is given else- where in this volume; also the trials of Charles Mortimer for the killing of Mrs. Gibson; of ex- State Senator J. H. Harlan, at Woodland, for the killing of E. L. Craft; and the famous Gold Run Hydraulic Mining case, which occupied about two months.

Mr. Davis has also had considerable political experience. For several years he was chairman of the Republican City Central Committee. During the Blaine campaign of 1884 and the Swift campaign of 1886 he was chairman of the Republican County Central Committee, having the general supervision of these cam- paigns throughout the county. In each cam- paign there was a loss to the Republicans of but one candidate on the city and county tickets. In 1884 the candidate lost was that for police judge, and in 1886 that for supervisor in one of the country districts.

On Saturday night, immediately before the Presidential election of 1884, it was discovered that the Hon. Frank D. Ryan, the Republican nominee for the State Assembly from the Eight- eenth District, was ineligible, by reason of the fact that he had not lived in that particular dis- trict for a year, although he had been born and raised in an adjoining district in the city. Mr. Ryan resigned his position on the ticket, aud the nomination was tendered to Mr. Davis. The campaign was an extremely lively one. The result of the election, which was held No. vember 4, was that Mr. Davis was chosen by a vote of 1,498, to 822 for Hon. H. M. La Rue, the Democratic candidate, who was a popular man, had filled important State positions, and at that time was speaker of the Assembly. During the ensuing session of the Legislature, Mr. Davis was chairman of the Committee on Pub-

HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

lic Buildings and Grounds, and a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, Claims, and Water Rights and Drainage. During that ses- sion large appropriations were secured for the improvement of public buildings and grounds in Sacramento County. It was in that Legisla- ture, also, that the exciting measures concerning irrigation were brought forward, to settle which two extra sessions were called.

Mr. Davis has written extensively for the press, especially on historieal and political sub- jects. For his connection with the various pe- riodicals he has aided in establishing see the chapter on the Press, under heads of Sacramento Valley Agriculturist, the Enterprise and The- mis. In the winter of 1888-'89 he compiled one-half of a large volume entitled "The Gov- ernmental Roster of the State of California," of which 5,000 copies were issued by the Legisla- ture. In his library he has the largest collec- tion of books and documents relating to the history of California that can be found in the State outside of the State Library and a few in San Francisco.

Nr. Davis is a member of the California His- torical Society, and historian of the Sacramento Society of California Pioneers; also an honorary member of the Sacramento Typographical Union, No. 46. He was commissioned Major and En- gineer Officer of the National Guard of Califor- nia, November 16, 1881, and served on the staff's of Brigadier-Generals John F. Sheehan, Llewel- lyn Tozer and John T. Carey.

Mr. Davis has a half-brother, W. H. Turnor; also a brother named Elmer L., and a sister named Nellie L.

There is one newspaper published in Folsom, the Telegraph, which is issued every Saturday morning. It was established in the early part of 1856 by Dr. Bradley, and was at that time known as the Granite Journal, Granite then being the name of the present Folsom City. The paper was conducted by Dr. Bradley for 7

several years, and was one of the most widely circulated papers in the State in that day of few newspapers. When the name of the town was changed from Granite to Folsom City the Jour- nul changed its name to the Folsom Telegraph. About this time the paper also changed hands, Win. Penry, now treasurer of Amador County, becoming the editor and proprictor, continuing as such for several years, when Wm. Aveling became his successor. At Mr. Aveling's death, which occurred shortly afterward, Mrs. Aveling took charge of the establishment, but after a short time sold it to Peter J. Hopper, now de- ceased, but for many years a well-known lawyer of this county. John F. Howe purchased the paper from Mr. Hopper about 1872, and pub- lished it up to the time of his death, which occurred ten years later, after which Mrs. Howe published it until July 19, 1884, when it passed into the hands of Weston P. Truesdell, who published it until August 1, 1888, when I. Fiel became associated with him, the paper being conducted by the two gentlemen until March 16, 1889, when Mr. Fiel purchased the entire paper, he in turn selling out to Thad. J. Mc- Farland, its present editor and proprietor.

THAD. J. MCFARLAND, the present editor of the Telegraph, was born in Benicia in 1854, and is a prominent member of the order of Native Sons of the Golden West. He was one of the founders of the Vallejo Daily Times, and also conducted the Biggs Recorder. For seven years he conducted the Wheatland Graphic, which ranks among the leading journals of Northern California. He is a praetieal printer, and a member of the Sacramento Typographical Union. Mr. McFarland's reputation as a news- paper man is such as to justify the prediction that the Telegraph will rank with the best, and Folsom be greatly benefited by his advent there.

At Galt the Gazette is a sprightly journal, published by Meacham & Campbell.

HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

EDUCATIONAL.%

CHAPTER XIV.

ACRAMENTO CITY has kept abreast with the times in the matter of education, and the conduct and success of her school system has always been a matter of pride. .

The first school established in the city was opened by C. T. H. Palmer, in August, 1849. Concerning the school, Rev. J. A. Benton, formerly pastor of the Congregational Church, wrote the following interesting account: "C. T. H. Palmer, formerly of Folsom, tanght the first school, so far as I know, ever taught in Sacra- mento. He taught during the month of Angust, 1849, and then abandoned the business. I do not know how many pupils he had, but the number could not have exceeded ten. I pur- chased from him in September the benches and furniture he had used, and opened the school again October 15, 1849, at the same place in which he had kept it. The place was on I street, in a building owned by Prof. F. Shep- herd. The structure was a one-story house, about 14 x 28 feet, covered at the ends with rough clapboards, and the roof and sides were covered with old sails from some craft tied up at the bank of a river. Some 'shakes' and 'pickets' were nailed over the places not cov- ered by the sails, near the ground. The door- way was covered by a piece of canvas fastened at the top and dropping before the opening. There was no floor but the ground, and that was by no means level. The school-house stood on

the brink of the slongh, or ' Lake Sutter,' near the northeast corner of Third and I streets. It was about sixty feet east of the east side of Third street, and the southern side of it en- croached a few feet upon I street. I street was not then passable for wagons. The remains of a coal-pit were in the middle of I street, a few yards eastward from the building. A small and erooked oak tree stood at the eastern end of the school-house, close to it and near the door. A sycamore tree and some shrubs of ash and alder grew ont of the bank on the northern side and close to the building. The filling up of I street and the advent of the Chinese now obliterate every trace of the building and its exact site. My school opened with four pupils, and in- creased soon to six, then to eight or nine. I do not think it ever exceeded twelve. By stress of weather and other cirenmstances I was com- pelled to close the school about the 1st of December, 1849. That was the end of my en- deavors in the way of school-teaching. It is my impression that Crowell opened a school in the spring of 1850, but it may have been during the following autumn. In the spring there were families enough to make school-teaching desira- ble, and the weather and other circumstances were such as to render it practicable. I know of no other schools in 1849 than Palmer's and mine."

Previons to 1854 the public schools of the

HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

eity were merged with those of the county, and were under the superintendence of the county assessor, by virtue of his office. The State school law of 1851 provided for a super- vising school committee in each city, town and incorporated village. The attempt made bere to establish a common school under that law failed, and in 1852 the Legislature repealed the act and passed a new one, which gave to cities and incorporated towns the control of the com- mon schools within their limits, with a pro- vision that if the municipal authorities did not exereise that power the county assessor should have charge of them and be ex officio county superintendent. The act was again amended April 26, 1853, and that year the county assessor, H. J. Bidleman, appointed under the amended law a Board of School Commissioners for the city, consisting of Dr. H. W. Harkness, G. J. Phelan and George Wiggins.

The commissioners appear to have been very tardy in establishing schools, for the newspapers of the time frequently demanded thein to do their duty and open a public school. The following advertisement appeared in February, 1854:

" PUBLIC SCHOOL .- The citizens of Sacramento are hereby notified that the school commission- ers for this city will open a public school on the southeast corner of Fifth and K streets, on Monday morning, February 20, 1854, at 9 o'clock. G. H. Peck will have charge of the male department, and Miss Griswold of the female department. By order of the Commis- sioners of Common Schools."

On that day the school was opened. This was the first public school established in this eity. Two rooms were occupied, one by the boys and one by the girls. The first day fifty boys and forty girls attended. Most of them were between seven and nine years of age, and the greater portion of them had never before attended school. Four days afterward there were ninety boys and seventy girls in attend- ance, and it was found that there was not suf- ficient room to accommodate all the scholars. Soon there were 200 altogether. As the build-

ing was not large enough to accommodate so many, another school was opened in an old building known as the Indiana House, on I street, near Tenth, and A. R. Jackson was ap- pointed teacher. As this school also became too crowded, another building was leased, on the corner of Tenth and G streets, and to this place the girls of I street school were removed and placed in charge of M. E. Corby. June 19 a school for boys and girls was opened near the corner of Seventh and K streets, of which W. A. Murray had charge. Early in June, the first primary school was opened in the rear of the Fifth street school, in a building formerly oc- cupied as a mechanic's shop. Miss A. E. Rob- erts was appointed teacher.

In July, 1854, it is said that there were 261 pupils in the public schools and 250 in private schools.

October 2, 1854, an or linance was passed by the City Council, which had been drafted by N. A. H. Ball, providing for the election of a city superintendent of schools and a Board of Education. The board was to assume the con- trol of the city schools, which was at that time vested in the county assessor. The conneil elected Dr. H. W. Harkness, Superintendent, and N. A. H. Ball, George Wiggins and Dr. T. A. Thomas, Trustees, or members of the board, which organized on the 1st of the following month. Harkness occupied the chair and Ball was secretary. At the first meeting they esti- mated the school income and expenses for the ensuing year at $22,000. December 7, after somne controversy, County Superintendent Bidle- man and county commissioners surrendered to the City Board full control of the pub- lic schools established by them in the city, with all the property, on condition that the latter liquidate the outstanding debts contracted for the schools. The indebtedness thus assumed amounted to 87,500. On the 11th the county superintendent and commissioners resigned their offices, and the City Board assumed exclu - sive control of the schools of the city.

The first common-school house in the city

100

HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

was erected on the corner of Tenth and H streets, upon a lot tendered rent free by John H. Gass, and was dedicated Jannary 2, 1855. The build- ing was erected by A. B. Asper, who contracted to build it within fifteen days, for $1,487.

February 5, 1855, a primary school was es- tablished at the corner of Eleventh and I streets, and Mrs. Eliza A. Wright was elected teacher.

At a meeting of the board, held the 13th of that month, the number of scholars allowed to each school was fixed at fifty to sixty. When the complement of scholars was made up the teachers were to register the applicants. If a pupil absented himself for one week without a good excuse, the teachers were to notify the board and the scholar's parents, erase the name from the roll, and notify the first on the list of applicants of the vacancy.

Dr. H. W. Harkness, the city superintendent, submitted his first quarterly report February 13, 1855. He reported six schools in success- ful operation, with accommodations for 414 pupils, but 578 have made application to enter the schools during the term. Average attend- ance, 463.

The board adjourned sine die April 10, 1855, their term of office having expired. In March the method of electing members of the Board of Education had been changed by special legisla- tive enactment, taking from the City Council the anthority to create the board and giving it to the people, who would elect such officers upon the first Monday in April of each year. The number of commissioners was also increased to six.

At the election in April, 1855, Francis Tukcy was chosen Superintendent, and R. P. Johnson, HI. Honghton, F. A. Hatch, J. F. Morse, Geo. W. Woolley and George Wiggins, Commission- ers. The new board organized on the 11th of the month, and Woolley was elected secretary. At this time the monthly salaries of the teach- ers amounted in the aggregate to $1,350, and the rent bills for school-houses to $300. On the 15th, Lce & Marshall's circus gave a benefit for the schools, and the profits were $321. After-

ward the same circus company gave other bene- fits to the schools.

May 5 the board elected teachers. On the 25th it adopted a set of by-laws and rules of order. The by-laws provided that the board should consist of six members and one superin- tendent; that it should hold regular monthly meetings on the last Saturday of each month; and that special meetings may be called at any time by the superintendent or a majority of the members. The board was divided into three supervisory committees, who were to preside over the schools in their respective wards, and have special superintendence over them. On the 17th of June, Woolley resigned his position as secretary of the board and Dr. Hatch was elected to fill the vacancy. On the 19th a reso- lution was introduced that the Bible be adopted as a text book in the grammar schools, and that a portion of it be read by the teacher on open- ing each day. It was laid on the table, but at a subsequent meeting it was taken up and passed, after striking ont the part requiring its use as a text book. September 8, 1855, a resolution was adopted abolishing corporal punishment in the schools, and providing that when a pupil shall prove incorrigible under the ordinary modes of punishment the teacher should temporarily sus- pend him until a decision of the board should be obtained.

February 12, 1856, A. R. Jackson, Principal of the Grammar School at the corner of Tenth and HI streets, was dismissed from his position as a teacher, because he refused to collect an assess- ment from his scholars under the provision of the rate bill prescribed in the school law of 1855.

In February, 1856, Tukey resigned his posi- tion as superintendent, and Dr. F. W. Hatch was elected in his stead. William E. Chamber- lain was elected a commissioner in the place of Hatch, and choseu secretary, which office Hatch resigned when he was elected superintendent .. From the annual report submitted by the latter March 18, 1856, we learn that there were 466 scholars registered during the year; average at- tendance, 254.

101

HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.

Early in 1856 W. H. Watson succeeded Woolley as a member of the board. In April a superintendent and board were elected, and on the 11th of that month the new board met for the first time. It was composed of Hatch, re- elected superintendent; Dr. C. Burrell, David Maddux, John F. Dreman, J. F. Thompson, A. Montgomery and C. H. Bradford; the latter served until May 5, when he left the State, and on May 12 the board devoted the sum of $25 per month to the support of the colored school, which was tanght by J. B. Anderson. This was the first instance where they had received assist- ance from the city. In November, 1856, J. B. Harmon succeeded Burrell as a member of the board.

On April 11, 1857, occurred the first meeting of a new board, consisting of J. G. Lawton, Superintendent, and Samnel Cross, R. A. Pearis, David Murray, H. J. Bidleman, P. W. S. Rayle and G. L. Simmons, Commissioners. The last mentioned was elected secretary. In the latter part of this year, the building of the Franklin Grammar School, at Sixth and L streets, was commenced. The corner-stone was laid Decem- ber 22, under the auspices of the Masons. The structure was completed the ensuing year, at a cost of $7,500.

On May 4, 1858, the school directors, com- posed of the Board of Education appointed nnder the city and county " Consolidation Act," held their first meeting, and elected Saninel Cross, President, and Dr. Simmons, Secretary. Daniel J. Thomas was appointed a director in place of Dr. R. A. Pearis, by the Board of Supervisors; but this appointment was declared illegal by the Board of School Directors.

October 4, 1858, the Board of Education con- sisted of G. J. Phelan, A. G. Richardson, H. J. Bidleman, T. M. Morton, H. P. Osborne, G. I. N. Monell, John Ilatch and G. L. Simmons. They elected Phelan, President, and Bidleman, Secretary. Hatch did not qualify and the Board of Supervisors elected David Meeker to fill the position. Simmons resigned in January, 1859, and C. A. IIill succeeded him. Early in 1859

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Author: Davis, Winfield J., 1851- 4n Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 916

Author: Davis, Winfield J., 1851- 4n
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 916