An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day, Part 125

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1038

USA > California > Los Angeles County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 125
USA > California > San Diego County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 125
USA > California > Orange County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 125
USA > California > San Bernardino County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 125

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

writings, a circumstance which shortly led to his retiring from the paper, when he was suc- ceeded by a congenial associate, Eulogio F. de Celis, a native of Los Angeles, with a European education. Combating witli difficulties appar- ently insuperable, this paper has come to be the most influential paper printed in Spanish in California. It is the respected organ of the Hispano-American population where that race is still numerous and important. In 1880, Mr. Arevalo organized the La Cronica Publishing Company, a joint-stock association, limited to 100 shares of $100 each, which were all taken by the most influential citizens of Los Angeles and the State. Soon afterward, Mr. Teodoli withdrew from the company, which, after a time, leased the newspaper to Miguel J. Varela and Pastor de Celis, a brother of the original editor, who had also retired. Next, the Cronica passed into the hands of the Cardona Brothers; then E. F. de Celis again assumed the manage- ment, with S. A. Cardona and Thomas W. Tem- ple, the latter of whom is now sole proprietor.

L'Union Nouvelle was founded in 1879; it has been edited from the start by Mr. P. Geneé, the present editor and proprietor. It is a large four-page, eight-column sheet, 36 x 42 inches; it is taken by most of the 3,500 population of Los Angeles.

Le Progrés was established in 1883 by a cor- poration of the same name, whose object was to have in Los Angeles a true representative of the French population. Its founders and stock- holders are among the leading and most influ- ential members of the French element in Los Angeles. The first editor was Dr. Pigné du Puytren, who resigned the position in some- thing over a year, when Georges Le Mesnager succeeded to it, and he in turn resigned, to at- tend to private interests. Since then, the paper has been in charge of the directors' com. mittee. Felix Violé is now editor, and Thomas Laughlin, Jr., is manager. Le Progrés is issued every Saturday. It is independent in politics; and it enjoys a liberal advertising patronage.

The Porcupine is a weekly news and story

paper, which was started by Major Horace Bell, November 11, 1882, heading the sheet with the mnotto:

"For the cause that needs assistance, For the wrongs that lack resistance, And the good that I can do "

On September, 22, 1888, Major Bell retired from the editorship in favor of his son, Charles A. Bell, the present editor and proprietor of the Porcupine.

The Cactus, the only weekly illustrated paper in Los Angeles, was established by Carl Browne, its first number appearing February 11, 1883. It is a quarto, four-column slieet, whose princi- pal feature is its cartoons. It has passed through several local campaigns.

The Court Journal is a three-columnn folio, published on the morning of every week-day in the year, and devoted to recording the daily proceedings of the courts of Los Angeles County, thus making a convenient and valuable accessory to the office of every member of the bar, who are its chief patrons. It was first issued April 6, 1888, and its brief existence has been a varied one, as it has several times changed hands, and twice suspended publication. It is now considered a permanent fixture of the city, being pretty generally supported by the lawyers.

Los Angeles Life is a weekly journal, pub- lished on Saturdays, and devoted to gossip, criticism, literature, music, the drama, etc., and it is non-political. It first appeared in Los Angeles on December 8, 1888, under the title of the Critic. J. M. Shawhan was the proprie- tor, and he had, previous to its reinoval, con- ducted the paper in Pasadena for about eight months. On February 1, 1889, Mr. Shawhan transferred the business and good will of the Critic to Gilbert McClurg and L. Montgomery Mather, who changed the name to the Los Angeles Life. Mr. Mather afterward became sole proprietor. The paper has a good circula- tion, and is in a prosperous condition.

The Social World was established by Mr. Ward in 1886. It was then an eight-column,

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

four· page paper, devoted to social, dramatic and personal matters. Under another inanagement in 1887 it was made an eight-page, five column quarto, and much improved. In February, 1889, it was sold to the present owners, one of whom, W. H. Kennedy, has the management. The paper is published every Saturday. It is steadily growing in public favor and patronage.

The Commercial Bulletin was permanently established in January, 1887, as an advertising sheet. Its projectors were Fred W. Beau de Zart and John G. Hunsicker. The first few numbers bore the name The Weekly Directory, but the owners saw the necessity in future for a trade journal to represent the jobbing and manufacturing interests of Southern California, and so changed the name to the present form. That the paper has been successful is evinced by its well-filled columns and the advertisements of many of the largest wholesale, manufacturing and jobbing houses in the world. The sub. scription list extends through the southern counties of California, Arizona, part of New Mexico, and to El Paso, Texas. Fred W. Beau de Zart still conduets the editorial department.

The Exponent, published every Saturday in East Los Angeles, is a four-page, seven-columnn paper, 24 x 36 inches. It was established July 28,1888. In politics it is Independent Repub- lican, but it is devoted chiefly to local and family matters. The proprietors have erected a publishing house, equipped with steam presses and a neat book and job office. These gentle- men, Charles A. Gardner and L. S. Akerman, are both practical newspaper men of many years' experience.

In September, 1877, the Rural Californian, then called the Southern California Horticult- urist, was established in Los Angeles. Two years later, George E. Rice, the present editor, bought and consolidated this and several other publications more or less devoted to agriculture, naming the new paper the Rural Californian. There was an interregnum of his work from 1886 to 1889, when Mr. Rice resumed the editorial chair. The Rural is a neatly printed

illustrated monthly journal of forty-eight broad double-column pages, bound in an illuminated cover. It is devoted to the discussion of topics relating to the farmn, the orchard, and the home. It has a large list of readers, not only in South- ern California, but throughout the State. and also in the East.

The Pacific Coast Poultry Journal, C. O. Cummings, editor, was first issued in May, 1889. It started ont as an illustrated monthly journal, in magazine form, with imperial quarto page of three columns.

The Southern California Christian Advocate was founded by its present editor and publisher. Rev. P. H. Bodkin. It began issue March 1, 1886, having superseded a district quarterly issued by Rev. R. W. C. Farnsworth, A. M., of the Los Angeles District Methodist Episcopal Church. For nine months it was issued as a medium fonr-page monthly, under the super- vision of the Los Angeles Preachers' Meeting. In November, 1886, its field was enlarged, its uame changed to its present title, and it was made a sixteen-page semi-monthly, with a local advisory committee, which raised a subsidy of $500 to aid the editor and publisher in the work. Since then the paper has been again enlarged, and additional subsidies provided. At the session of Conference held in Pasadena, September 13, 1888, the Advocate was made the Conference organ, thus raising it from the character of a local concern to that of an official paper. The present editor was unanimously elected by the Conference, and, as is nenal, he was appointed to the work by the Bishop. The publication committee was enlarged to embrace representative men of the entire Conference, and another subsidy raised. The subscription list has grown with reasonable rapidity, and numbers 1,500 or 1,600. The paper bids fair to be self-supporting in another year. It is entirely managed by the editor, who has fre- quently issued large editions of ten or twelve pages.

The Los Angeles Churchman, first issned in January, 1888, by Rev. Thomas W. Haskins,

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

its present editor and proprietor, is a monthly magazine of some twenty pages of three columns each. It is devoted to "the interests of the church in Los Angeles and Southern California." It embraces articles on various religious and Sunday-school topics. Its circulation is about 500 copies.

The Southern California Baptist was first issued February, 1887, with Rev. W. B. Wright as editor. It started as a weekly of sixteen pages of four columns each. After the first three numbers were issued, Rev. G S. Bailey, D. D., assumed the editorship, which he retained until June 15, 1889. The paper has received a liberal support and has prospered from the beginning, its influence extending beyond the limits of the section. In February, 1889, its name was changed to the California Baptist.

The Pentecost was first issued in 1885 as a quarterly publication. The following year it was changed to a monthly, and since the mid- dle of 1887 it has been issued semi-monthly. No advertisements are inserted in this paper, which is a four-page sheet of four columns to the page. The paper and plant, including a job printing office, is the property of the "Holi- ness Band" societies of Southern California and Arizona; its editing and publishing is done by L. A. Clark and W. C. Brand.

The Southern California Practitioner, a monthly medical journal, was established in January, 1886, its editors and founders being J. P. Widney, A. M., M. D., Dean of the Col- lege of Medicine of the University of Southern California; Joseph Kurtz, M. D., Professor of Clinical Surgery; and Walter Lindley, Pro- fessor of Obstetrics in the same college. These gentlemen have remained in charge of the jour- nal, having associated with them Frank L. Haynes, M. D., Professor of Gynecology in the college. The Practitioner, while treating of all matters pertaining to the science of medicine and surgery, has mapped ont for itself as a specialty one particular field, viz .: the careful investigation of the climatic peculiarities and climatic laws of Southern California, and of that

great inland platean which embraces Arizona, New Mexico, and the elevated portion of the interior of Mexico; the effect which these climatic peculiarities may have upon race types, race development, and race diseases; the local changes which through human agency-sneh as irrigation, drainage, cultivation, planting or clearing of timber-may be produced in climate; the question of race habits, of food, drink and manner of life; the physiological and patholog- ical effects of the crossing of bloods; and all of these questions as affecting the Anglo-Tenton in taking up his abode in this, to him, new climate. This is a new, a broad, and a hitherto unworked field; and the Practitioner hopes to add somewhat to the stock of human knowledge in this direction, and to help toward the solution of these problems. It will also endeavor to present the salient features of various sections of this now widely-known climatic belt, so that physicians in the Eastern States and abroad, who may be recommending a change of climate to invalids or persons of delicate constitutions, may have accurate information upon which to base a selection. In carrying out the plan of work thus ontlined, the Practitioner, which is the pioneer in the field, has hardly issued a number without some valuable climatic article; and it has become standard authority through- out the continent in this new line of climatic and disease study.

The Pomona Times was established in 1882 by Messrs. Short & Morton. In December, 1883, the first number of the Pomona Weekly Courier was issued, with John H. Lee as editor and publisher. On April 1, 1884, the two papers were consolidated, under the name of the Times-Courier, with J. H. Lee and W. D. Morton as editors. In April, 1886, Lee & Sumner began the publication of the Daily Times, the first daily issued in Pomona, and the only one to the present writing. The Times-Courier is continued as the weekly edi- tion. Both papers are independent in politics, but strong in support of all industries and in. terests that tend to develop the resources of

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

Los Angeles County, and especially the beauti- ful San José valley and the city of Pomona. The Pomona Progress was established in Jan- nary, 1885, the first issue appearing on the 31st of that month. It was then owned and man- aged by E. E. Stowell. Pomona was then a hamlet of about 1,500 people, and the Progress, with its superiority of material and style, was an innovation on the rural journalism that the town had had hitherto, and it soon made for itself a prominent place in the eastern part of the county. In January, 1886, the plant and business of the Pomona Telegram was added to that of the Progress, which continued, through various managements, to be a handsome and successful paper.

BANKS.

Banks are the thermometer alike of the trade and the wealth of the community or cominon- wealth in which they are situated. Measuring Los Angeles by this standard, there are few cities of its size in the United States, or even in the world, upon as substantial a financial basis; for there are none, perhaps, of equal population, which have a larger number of thoroughly solid banking institutions. The aggregate working capital of the eleven banking houses of the city runs into millions of dollars, while the combined wealth of the gentlemen officially connected with them probably exceeds $30,000,000. The first National Bank was organized in 1875 as the Commercial State Bank, with a capital stock of $177,100. The first officers were: T. F. Patrick, formerly of Chicago, president; Edward F. Spence, cashier. In October, 1880, the bank was nationalized, and it became the First Na- tional Bank of Los Angeles. It was now or- ganized on a capital of $100,000 stock, and $50,000 surplus. J. E. Hollenbeck became president, Mr. Patrick having died some time before. On the death of Mr. Hollenbeck, Mr. E. F. Spence was elected president, and he still fills that position. J. M. Elliott bring the pres- ent cashier. Saving the year 1887, the business of this bank has steadily increased ever since its

opening. It does the largest exchange business in the city, drawing direct on all the principal cities of the East and Europe. It has open ac- counts with about 4,000 depositors. It is also a United States depository. Its present capital stock is $200,000, with a reserve fund of $50,000, and undivided profits of about $190,000. The aggregate wealth of the directors is estimated at 84,000,000. The management has always been conservative. The bank has always paid mod- erate dividends.

The Los Angeles County Bank, the second oldest bank in Los Angeles, was organized under the laws of the State, opening its doors for business in July, 1874, with a capital stock of $300,000. The first four years of its existence, it did both a commercial and a savings business; but since 1878 it has been a commercial bank only, the capital stock being reduced to $100,000. The first officers were: J. S. Slauson, president; J. M. Griffith, vice-president; J. M. Elliott, cashier. The policy of this house has been conservative, and its career prosperous. It has paid large dividends and its stock is worth 100 per cent. premium. The deposits now aggre- gate $500,000, and its capital and surplus $220,000. It does a large exchange business, drawing on all the principal cities of the United States, Europe, China and Japan. The present officers are: John E. Plater, president, and George E. Stewart, cashier.

The Los Angeles National Bank, opened for business June 12, 1883, was organized in May of that year, having a capital stock of $100,000 paid in. The officers, who, like the board of di- reetors, are the same as at starting, are: George H. Bonebrake, president; John Bryson, Sr., vice-president, and F. C. Howes, cashier. This bank has now $500,000 capital stock, $50,000 surplus, and it has paid abont $130,000 in dividends to its stockholders. Its deposits average fully $2,000,000; it is a United States depository.

The Southern California National Bank was organized in July, 1886, and was opened the August following. The first officers were: II.

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

H. Boyee, president; L. N. Breed, vice-president; W. F. Bosbyshell, cashier. On January 1, 1888, an accumulated surplus of $10,000 was added to the capital; the capital stock was increased on May 1, 1888, to $200,000, the increase being readily taken. At the same time a dividend of 16 per cent. was declared to the old stockholders. On December 31, 1888, after repeated increase, another dividend of 4 per cent. was declared. During that month the stock sold as high as 117. This bank now has $200,000 capital stock paid in, and a surplus, undivided profits, of $22,000. Its thirty-eight stockholders represent an aggre- gate capital of over $7,000,000. The present officers are: L. N. Breed, president; W. F. Bos- byshell, vice- president; C. N. Flint, cashier.

The University Bauk was incorporated in March, 1887, opening its doors on April 18, with a capital stock of $100,000, to which has been added an earned surplus of $20,000, and undivided profits of $37,717.22. This bank was established originally in the interest of the Uni- versity of Southern California, to provide a safe depository for and profitable employment of the increasing funds of that institution, too large to be safely handled by any other method than a regular banking system. The bank does, more- over, a regular commercial banking business, drawing directly upon Chicago and New York, and through its correspondents on the principal European cities. It has also introduced a new banking feature, in the way of first mortgage bonds, issued and for sale by it. These are secured by a first mortgage on over three times their face value on improved real estate, which bonds are issued to the bank as trustee to secure the payment of the bonds to the bearer, the mortgage security being wholly independent of the solvency of the bank, as the failure of the bank would leave the holder of the bond secured by the borrower's first mortgage on his prop- erty.

The California Bank was incorporated An- gust 7, 1887, and opened for business November 1, 1887. Its subscribed capital stock is $500,-

000; paid up, $300,000; and its surplus $20,000. There has been no material change in its man- agement since it commenced business. H. G. Newhall is president, H. C. Wittner vice-presi- dent, and T. J. Weldon, cashier. This was the last bank to join the Los Angeles Clearing House, being No. 8.

The East Side Bank was organized as a State Bank under the laws of California, and opened on April 1, 1887, with an authorized capital of $100,000, of which 850,000 was paid up. This bank draws exchange direct upon San Francisco and the principal Eastern cities. From the first, it has done a profitable business, and since the first six months of its existence it has paid five per eent. semi annual dividends to its stock- holders. Its average deposits are abont $100,- 000. The officers are: William Vickrey, president; Thomas Merideth, vice-president; Uri Embody, cashier

The Security Savings Bank and Trust Com- pany of Los Angeles was organized January 11, 1889, under the State law of California, to do the business of a savings bank and trust com- pany, with an authorized capital of $200,000. This bank lends money on real estate, and pays interest on deposits. J. F. Sartori is its cashier.

COLONEL JAMES CLINTON ROBINSON,

a prominent business man of Los Ageles, was born at Birkenhead, on the Mersey, just oppo- site Liverpool, in 1848. At the age of thirteen he became an apprentice of George Francis Train, who was the pioneer of English tramway locomotion. With such a tutor, and himself possessed of an unusual amount of natural abil- ity, he soon aequired a knowledge of the busi- ness which paved the way to his subsequent career. After serving seven years at Birken- head young Robinson came to America, where he devoted himself so assiduously to his profes- sion that his health failed him and he was obliged to return to his native country, arriving there in 1870. A year was spent in Liverpool gathering tramway experience, another in Dnb-

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

lin, and two in Cork, where he gained the repu- tation of being "full of invention and endless resources which he zealously applied to the inter- est of his chosen enterprise."

In 1875 Mr. Robinson, at the age of twenty- seven, was elected general manager of the Bristol system of street railroads. Taking this position when the system was hardly begun, hav- ing but two miles of completed tramway, he developed it, during the seven years of his man- agement, into one of the most successful and extensive systemis in England. Upon retiring from this position to take that of a more Incra- tive one, he received the most complimentary and substantial testimonials from the board of directors of that company, from the citizens of Bristol and the staff.

In 1883 he was chosen, out of more than fifty applicants, as general manager and secre- tary of the Edinburg Street Tramway Company. Here he found no small difficulties to overcome. Up to the time of his taking charge the line had not been a paying one. There was great dis- satisfaction among the stockholders and disaf- fection among the officials. But by his charac- teristic tact and firmness he soon brought order ont of chaos. and finally succeeded in placing the system in a most satisfactory condition. The directors at the last meeting of Mr. Robinson's administration of that enterprise took occasion to express in the highest terms their apprecia- tion of his valuable services. While in Edin- burg he prepared and read before the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, of which he was a member, an exhaustive paper on tramways, giv- ing a detailed account and argument in support of the cable system.

In May, 1883, he was elected to the position of general manager of the Cable Corporation of London. Upon taking the position as man- ager of the cable system in the metropolis of the world, his first work was to complete and equip the Highgate Hill Cable Tramway, " which line was opened with so much eclat by the Lord Mayor" on the 29th day of April, 1884. To James Clifton Robinson, the subject of our

sketch, belongs the honor of opening the first cable road in Europe, for which he received the most complimentary testimonials from the com- pany, the citizens of that great city, and from the press.

After completing this line Mr. Robinson took up the profession of " consulting and organizing manager of tramways," and was frequently called upon to give evidence on new schemes before committees from both Houses of Parlia- ment. This work and that of securing several valuable patent rights, occupied all his time until 1888, when he again visited the United States with a view to disposing of his patent rights and make a tour of the country. While in Chicago, in November, 1889, he was tendered the position of general manager of the Los Angeles Cable Railroad, which position he ac- cepted and soon came to assume charge. Amid many discouragements he has achieved the honor of putting into successful operation one of the most perfect cable railway systeins that can be found in any city in the world. Having achieved the same brilliant success here which crowned his efforts in Great Britain and Europe, Mr. Robinson may be classed among the most suc- cessful tramway men of the world.

The final completion and successful opening of the Los Angeles Cable Railway System has inaugurated a new era of prosperity for Los Angeles. It comes almost in the form of a benefaction, and Colonel Robinson, as the active head and intellectual force which controls and regnlates the ponderons enterprise, is esteemed and regarded as the practical benefactor.

Colonel Robinson, aside from his perfect knowledge of his profession, is a man of wide information and broad views. He has been an extensive traveler, a critical observer of men and things, his keen judgment of human nature and his versatile tact in handling, and, if needs be, in controlling men, make him popular in the community, and with his numer- ous employés; and the high esteem in which he is held has been practically and most suitably manifested by the public banquets that have

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

been given in his honor by the citizens of Los Angeles, and also subsequently by his employés. He is a man of the moment, genial in his man- ner, a fluent and eloquent public speaker, and, withal, a gentleman of whom Southern Califor- nia in general and Los Angeles city in particu- lar may be justly proud to claim as a citizen.

OTHER TOWNS.

In 1855 Don Antonio Maria Lugo, owner of the San Antonio Rancho, of nearly 30,000 acres, lying between Los Angeles city and the San Gabriel river, finally granted to him in 1838, partitioned the same-reserving a homestead for himself- among his sons, José Maria, Felipe, José del Carmen, Vicente and José Antonio, and his daughters, Doña Vicenta Perez, Doña Maria Antonia Yorba, and Doña Merced Foster. In 1860 Doña Merced Foster and Don Vicente Lugo sold their respective portions to parties who immediately resorted to subdivision and sale in sinall lots. The first deed is from Isaac Heiman to David Ward, dated June 21, 1865; followed by other sales in 1865 and 1866. Be- fore this, John G. Downey had begun the sub- division of the Santa Gertrudes Rancho lying along the San Gabriel river, and containing 22,000 acres. These two tracts, wi h their set- tlements, have long been known as Downey City, twelve iniles southeast from Los Angeles, a town with a newspaper, business houses, and intelligent and contented farmers; and Los Nietos, which in 1836 had a settlement of 200 persons, subsequently dispersed, but which has " at the present a large population of farming people of good habits and antecedents. This distriet, with all the river land, up to El Monte, is pre-eminently the " corn country."

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1038

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1038