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 15

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 15
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 15
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 15
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 15

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).

Although the military post was finally re- duced in 1866, a few troops have been there quartered much of the time since then, a de- tachment occupying the barracks at present.

It is not unlikely that the Government will deem it wise to re-establish a military post at San Diego in the future, as it affords one of the most favorably situated points on the coast for the purposes of a military depot.

The rest of San Diego's military defenses is represented by the First Brigade National Guard of California, Ninth Infantry Regiment, Rawlins Cadwallader commanding; and by Company B, San Diego Guards organized in April, 1881. Douglas Gunn is the present Captain.

An excellent idea of the commerce of San Diego may be had from the appended state- ments of statistics relative to

CUSTOMS AND EXPORTS.

The fiscal year at the custom house ends on the 30th of each June. The records as kept there relate to the fiscal year only. The following shows the collections at the custom house for the years ending June 30, during the past decade:

1880.

$ 23,583

1881

24,382

1882.

253,089

1883.

91,139

1884.

12,661

1885.

5,739

1886.

10,717

1887 ..

29,845

1888.

311,935

1889.

156,176

$1,029,266

The value of the exports from the port dur- ing the past three years has been,-

Ending June 30, 1887.

$ 165,909

30, 1888

371,360

" 30,1889 376,799

To December 31, 1889.

164,817

$1,078,885

The number of vessels entering from foreign ports during the same year has been,

Ending June 30, 1887. 116

30, 1888. 284

4. 30, 1889 225

To December 31, 1889.

713

During the same period there have cleared from the port for foreign ports vessels as follows :

Ending June 30, 1887. .109

30, 1888 233

30, 1889 181

To December 31, 1889.

590

San Diego district stands third on the list as an economic district, as in only two other dis- tricts is the cost of collection less in proportion to the amount collected, than it is here.

During the present year an experiment has been tried which in itself was successful in more ways than one. Three vessels which ar- rived here coal laden secured cargoes out for Seattle and went there for cargoes of wheat.

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

The Highland Light cleared with 208 tons of brick and 140 tons of hay; the Southern Chief took away 330 tons of brick, 305 tons of hay, and twelve tons of lime; the Richard III, loaded with 110 tons of common brick, 167 tons of pressed brick, 277 tons of hay, and 112 tons of barley, the three shipments being as follows: by the Highland Light, 348 tons; by the Southern Chief, 647 tons; by the Richard III, 666 tons; making a total of 1,661 tons sent out. These are the first shipments sent north, and the success of the saine may lead to a large business in that direction in the future.

The trade with Mexico shows a large increase over that of last year, although it is not easy to secure all the data necessary for a complete com- parison. During the year the Mannel Dnblan or the Pacheco has been running regularly, and part of the time both. The time during which botlı steamers were running was in February and Maich, when the excitement which followed the discovery of gold in Alamo cansed so great an influx of ininers and freight. During those months the trade both by sea and via Tia Juana was considerably heavier, and it has been only since that time that any record has been kept which could be secured at the Tia Juana line. It is undeniably true, however, that the amount of business done heretofore by the line has been more than doubled during 1889.

The following tabulated statement of the business done at the frontier custom-house of Mexico shows the extent of this increased traffic during the months named. The report for the last two months could not be obtained, but the amount of business is abont the same as that of the months preceding. The following is the table:

Months.

No. pack- ages.

Value.

Duties col- lected.

Total pounds. 375,327

March

7,856

$31,553.00

$11,193.88

Apri

1,293

11,932 00

2,372.74

301,669

May

16,799

46,074.00

3 029.15

225,925

June

5,993

26,902.00

2,677.62

345,079

July

9,215

28,965.50

3,495.98

324,470

August

1,997

19,986.25

2,684.27

372,324

September .

4,046

18,583.50

3,279.65

383,292

October

1,993

3,518.00

3,279.85

404,523

49,191

$192,514.25

$31,987.14

2,734,589

Much of this business was transacted from here to the line via the National City & Otay road, from whence freighters took it to the mines, though some of it was freighted on both sides of the line. The principal articles which enter into the trade with the lower country are: Quicksilver, steel in bars, coal, all kinds of tools for miners, etc., lumber, machinery for mining purposes, hay, grain, giant powder, fuse, caps, cotton goods, clothing, cotton, linen and wool, brandies, almonds, sugar, sausages, coffee, onions, potatoes, beer, chocolate, wines, dried fruits, crackers, fruits, flour, lard, butter, honey, pastes, dried fish, pepper, cheese, salt, sardines, wheat, beans, vinegar, glass articles, steel and iron articles, copper sheets, shot, curtains, band instruments, watches, liand machines and hand mills, carts, wagons, carriages of all kinds, black powder, articles manufactured of wood, all kinds of furniture, articles manufactured of board and paper, saddles, harness and leather articles, shoes and leather boots, coal oil, oils of all kinds and drugs, brooms, axle grease, soaps, chewing tobacco and tobaccos of all kinds, can- dles, etc., etc., etc.

Trade via the steamer line has also greatly increased. During the year 1888 the value of exports to Mexico was $128,824.86. The in- crease is readily seen in the following report for the last four months, or since September 1, 1889. During these four months the number of packages handled was 37,119; pounds of freight, 1,661,537; feet of lumber, 173,046; valne of merchandise, $74,620.22. By the above it will be seen that the entire business of 1888 was not twice what it has been during the past four months.

The return business from Lower California is not so heavy, consisting principally of gold ore and hides, besides bullion.

At present there is a good trade between the western ports of Mexico and San Francisco. All of this trade rightly belongs to San Diego, and in time she must receive it. This line, which it is announced will export and import fruits, hides, woods and merchandise in the

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

United States and Mexico, will probably be the means of first diverting the large business which now passes this port on its way north.

A comparison of the reports of freights re- ceived by steamer during the years 1888 and 1889 will show that the freight received during the earlier year was nearly double that received during the latter.

At first glanee that would appear to be a bad showing, but it is not, for the simple reason that in 1889 the back eonntry raised what in 1888 the steamship company brought from San Franeiseo. In 1888 a visitor to the wharf just after the arrival of a steamner would have seen tons of ernshed barley and grain brought in from the north. During the present year, how- ever, hardly a sack has been brought here for home consumption. Barley and grain ship- ments for the north by steamer are frequent, one of the latest shipments being 220 tons, via the Alexander Dnnean, from National City. In addition the ontgoing shipments for the past year are nearly double that of 1888. Next year the shipment out will be much greater, and by 1895, at the present rate of inerease, the company will need extra steamners to bear away the freight which San Diego will produce for her northern neighbors.

Although one importation during the two pre- eeding years had overstocked the Ininber yards, the year 1889 witnessed the importation of 21,540,974 feet, mostly pine and redwood, from the north; three cargoes, aggregating 1,176,440 feet, of prima-vera logs from Mexico, this indus- try being begun during this year. This Inmber is reshipped to the East, for the mannfacture of fine furniture; also a total of 128,739 rail- road ties.

Among other imports were 400 tons of pig iron, 102 tons tin plates, 75 tons gold ore, 180 tons of general merchandise and a vast quantity of oil brought in the sehooners constantly ply- ing between this port and Ventura.

The following is a comparison of the shipping business of the port of San Diego with that of the ports of San Francisco and San Pedro, the

figures being taken from the San Francisco Shipping Report and Commercial News :--

On the 22d day of July, 1887, the tonnage on the way to San Pedro from foreign and eastern ports was 21,271 tons; on the same day in 1888, it had inereased to 47,403 tons, and on July 22, 1889, it had fallen off to 4,356 tons, a loss of 90 per cent. in one year.

On July 22, 1887, there were 13,946 tons on the way to San Diego; one year later it was 38,001 tons, and on July 22, 1889, it had de creased to 20,466 tons. This is a falling off of 60 per cent., as against San Pedro's 90 per eent., or 25 per cent. in favor of San Diego.

On July 22, 1887, the total tonnage on the way to the port of San Francisco was 264,569 tons; one year later it had increased to 324,296 tons, and on July 22, 1889, it had fallen off to 241,632 tons. This is a falling off of 40 per cent. To summarize, then, San Francisco has during the past year deereased 40 per eent., San Diego 65 per cent. and San Pedro 90 per cent. in tonnage from eastern and foreign points. In this showing, San Francisco not having been subject to " boom " infl .. enees, the falling off was dne less to reaction than at other ports.

Compared in many other ways, San Diego shows better proportionately than San Fran- eisco. For instance, in 1878 (taking the same date, July 22, right through) San Pedro had 21,271 tons on the way, San Diego 13,946, a difference in favor of San Pedro of 7,000 tons; in 1888 San Diego had 58,001; San Pedro 47,403, or a difference for the year in favor of San Diego of·11,000 tons. Thus, in 1888, San Diego not only equaled the 7,000 tons, but gained 11,000 tons beside,-a total gain of 18,000 tons in one year over San Pedro.

San Francisco has 23,000 less on the way to- day than in 1887; San Pedro 17,000 tons less than in 1887, while San Diego has 7,000 tons inore than she had in 1887. Thus, it will be seen, San Francisco tonnage is lower than it has been in four years, San Pedro the lowest in three years, while San Diego shows an increase of 50 per eent. These figures are all official.

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

RESOURCES.

In the future of San Diego County the orange tree, and more particularly the lemon tree, will undoubtedly play a part of great importance.

This county is the home of the grape. It is also the land of the lemon, and it is next door neighbor to the abiding place of the orange.

There is no better index to the healthy and steady growth which San Diego now enjoys than the reports which the farmers, fruit growers and ranchinen daily bring to the city. Scarcely a day now passes that does not bring with it a number of boxes of oranges for the San Diego market. The San Diego County oranges have already found a place in the San Francisco market, and large orders have been received for this year's crop. Shipments East will begin soon, and this year the shipment will be much larger than on previous years. Shipments of lemons are also beginning to be made, and future years will see a great ontput in this line.

Some partial index of the belief of the people on the subject of this being a fruit country mnay be found in the report published elsewhere of the number of fruit trees found by the assessor. In 1887 there were 91,000. During the next year the people more than doubled this number, inaking 191,000, and in the past year they doubled up once more to 380,000. Every indi- cation points to the belief that this year the doubling process will be continued.

The aereage of oranges and lemons is hard to arrive at with any degree of certainty. Reports have been received from some of the horticult- ural districts, but not from all, and some of the sections in which the citrus fruits are grown are not reported at all. This incompleted report shows that in San Jacinto and vicinity there are 85 acres; Perris, 20 acres; Elsinore, 20 acres; Wildomar, 20 acres; Murrietta and Temecula, 45 acres; Fallbrook, 40 acres ; San Luis Rey, 50 acres ; Pala, 45 acres; Escondido, 80 acres; Poway, 40 acres; Encinitas, 16 acres, and National, 65 acres, making a total reported of 526 acres, which is probably less than half the acreage, as the Cajon conntry and other ranches are not named.

During the present year considerable atten- tion has been turned to the culture of the lemon. Lemon culture is forging ahead of the orange or the grape as a money-making investment. There are a good many reasons why the lemon may be considered better than the orange. I; is a heavier bearer, and in maturity the branches are continually weighted to the ground. It is a constant bearer, the fruit ripening at every season of the year, and there is not a week throughout the year in which ripened lemons may not be picked for the market. Besides this, when the lemon is subjected to a process known as the Sicily sweat, it is a more valuable pro- duetion and sells for more money in any market than does the orange.

A Government fruit inspector, recently in the county, stated that he knows of no section of the country where the trees bear so heavily and make such an extensive growth in the same year. Mr. Wells, one of the most experienced fruit-growers of the Sweetwater valley, states that he can almost insure to anyone who desires to go into the lemon-raising industry an income of $500 per year per acre after the first five years.

There are, perhaps, 100,000 acres of choice lemon land within easy access of San Diego, and there is no reason that the attention of this section should not be turned in that direction. San Diego can have a monopoly on the lemon business, as there is not another section in the State where they can be raised so successfully as in the bay region.

With a view to the proper development of this great industry, a company has been formed for the promotion of lemon culture, which has secured possession ot 300 acres of fine land jus back of National City, and will plant the whole of it to lemon trees. Another company has also been formed by other prominent San Diego capitalists, who have secured another tract of land below National City, and propose going into the business also on an extensive scale. The returns from this enterprise may not show large by next year, but three, four and five

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

years hence the lemon companies will be heard from.

These two companies will plant upwards of 20,000 trees this year, if they can get them. That is a pointer for another profitable invest- inent. The orange and lemon nurserymen will make money during the next few years. The supply does not equal the demand and the prices are therefore kept up. Trees are shipped here from Florida and other parts of the South, and still the demand continues. The present indications are extremely strong that this year will witness the planting of many thousand trees of all kinds, and grain land and hay land must give way to the march of fruit.

There is not a fruit, from the apple and the plum, to the banana and the orange, that does not in some portion of the county of San Diego reach a high state of excellence. There are many portions of the county where better ap- ples are grown than can be found in any of the older sections of the East. The trees are usually sturdy and come into bearing in one-half the time they do in the Eastern States. The fruit is large, juicy and finely flavored. While this is strictly true of the higher sections, or what might be termed the apple district, the fruit has been successfully raised in many other sec- tions of the country.

As to the peach there is no more delicious fruit to be found in the United States than may be picked from many orchards of this county. The plum grows very thriftily and the fruit is large and luscions, and not subject to disease. Quinces do very well and grow to a great size. The leading varieties of cherries are grown and reach great perfection. The trees in the higher altitude are great bearers and limbs bending to the ground is not an uncommon sight in the Santa Ysabel conntry.

The climate seems peculiarly suited for the apricot, the fruit attaining a delicacy of flavor not to be found in any other section of the State nor in any other State. Nectarines grow wherever the apricot thrives and in San Diego

attain a like peculiar flavor of their own. Prunes also thrive, while the industry of fig- raising is one in which San Diego County bids fair to soon bear off the banner of the whole Western hemisphere.

An industry which promises excellent returns is -the growing of the English walnut. The tree flourishes wherever it has been tried, grows rapidly and bears very heavily. Small fruits, such as the raspberry, blackberry and straw- berry, do excellently. Strawberry plants bear all the year round in San Diego and the fruit is displayed for sale every day. It is a prolific bearer, and there is an immense future in its cultivation.

In olive culture the county is coming into the front rank. The trees grow readily from cut- tings, and so rapid is their growth that they pay the expense of cultivation the third year. The imported oils of Italy cannot be compared with the San Diego County product, and it will take bnt a few years for the facts to be made known to the world.

San Diego County is the home of the grape. The dryness of the atmosphere, the freedom from fogs and the regularity of the temperature, have formed a climate that is perfectly suited to viticulture. Good wine is made, while the San Diego County raisins may be said to lead the world in quality.

As stated above, San Diego is the home of the grape, and more particularly may this be said of the raisin grape. According to the re- port of the county assessor, within the limits of the connty there are 4,107 acres of raisin grapes planted. This figure is, by most of those engaged in the industry, considered too small for the whole county. The assessment, it is true, was made last summer, and ground is con- stantly being broken all over the connty and planted into vineyards.

In El Cajon valley the raisin has gained its strongest foot-hold, as is shown from the follow- ing table, giving the name of the ranch owners and the acreage:

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

OWNERS.

ACRES.

The Vineyard Company. .800

The Boston Company .800

Major Levi Chase. .200

A. L. Holt. .200

The Cowles ranch .187

Small ranches of 5 and 10 acres. .900

Total. 3,087

Other valleys, particularly in the immediate vicinity of El Cajon, are almost entirely given up to the raisin grape, while in other portions of the county the average is large and constantly increasing.

The yield of the year is variously estimated, none putting it lower than 90,000 boxes, which is undoubtedly too low. It is true that a num- ber of vineyards are young and not yet in bear- ing, but an estimate based on the shipment of the vineyard company with 800 acres in grapes, the shipment of the year would amount to 120,- 000 boxes and over.

None of the raisin growers have received completed returns from their shipments, and therefore no estimate of the receipts of the in- dustry can be given. Not too much, however, can be said of the quality of the raisins of San Diego County, in support of the first propo- sition, that San Diego County is the natural home of the raisin grape. California raisins have for some years been conceded to be far superior to the Mediterranean countries, and it is rapidly driving the importer out of the high- er grade of Eastern markets. With the fact established, it remains to be demonstrated that the San Diego raisin is the best of the best. It is this for several reasons. One is, that the climate of San Diego County is such that the raisin can be sun-dried, while in the north the rains compel the use of the drying house. An- other reason is that the season being a little longer, the grape bunches fill to the end with completely matured fruit, so that the dried rais- in bunches are large, and the raisins all of the first grade. There remains still another reason, and that is, that the El Cajon raisin, though large, more nearly approaches seedlessness than does the raisin of the upper country. The

cause of this has not been assigned, but it is probably the difference in the distribution of the moisture in the earth.

The raisin industry is fully established here, though possibly it is not as great as in other places. Its profitableness has been demon- strated, and capital is backing it as fast as it can. Next year will see a large increase in the acre- age of the raisin grape.

The following table showing the number of boxes raised in the years named will give an idea how rapidly the raisin industry is being developed :

1888 -- Boxes shipped. .50,000

1889- " .90,000

1890-estimated ..

108,000

AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS.

The substantial increase in the extent of land under cultivation in the county over last year, is an encouraging sign of the times, and fur- nishes good evidence of the progress of this section. The actual increase for 1889 over 1888 is 55,063 acres, while the number of fruit trees growing have increased by nearly 200,000. In the immediate region of the bay there are over 400 acres of land planted to oranges, while fully eighty acres are covered with lemon trees. Of the 5,000 acres planted to grape vines there are 609 acres of vines bearing grapes for table use, 278 acres of wine grapes and 4,107 aeres of raisin grapes. The following table will show the increase in the number of acres sown over 1888:

KIND.

1888.

1889.

Wheat

6,093

14,026

Oats.

520

1,550

Barley.

6,496

30,447

Corn.

481

2,084

Hay.

10,090

9,523

Grape vines ...

3,781

4,994

Number of fruit trees growing. ... 191,526

380,176

From the above it will be seen that while in 1888 there were but 27,461 acres of land under cultivation, in 1889 there were no less than 62,524 acres receiving the attention of the hus- bandman. The increase in 1890 will be much greater.

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

Predominant as are, undoubtedly, the agri- cultural interests, there is another source of great future wealth in San Diego County which must be duly considered; that is, the mineral element. The industrial minerals having been duly regarded in connection with their respect- ive sections of production, it remains to review the question of the yield of precious metals.

As has been previously stated, the back coun. try has been receiving the greater portion of the increase in population during the past year. The valleys in the mountains are becoming populous centers. Small towns in the inland are growing to importance, and rich ranches, fruit farms and cattle ranges are being de- veloped. The country surrounding San Diego is adapted to frnit-growing, and is gradually being devoted to that use.

The increased acreage given to grain shows that the land is occupied, and is being made ready for fruit production. The data regard- ing the occupation and cultivation of the .back soil is not large, the only exact information being found in the annual report of the county assessor, from which many interesting facts are obtainable.

One of the greater industries of the county heretofore has been the production of honey. This, however, is gradually giving way to other industries. Bees live and make their honey from the wild flowers, largely from the white sage. As the ground is given up more and more to grain and fruit cultivation, the bee in- dustry has been supplanted, the other uses for the land being found more profitable. The number of bee-hives in the county was, in 1887, 17,779; in 1888, 15,340; in 1889, 14,947; showing a decrease as explained above. A similar decrease is shown in nothing else assess- able by the county otticial.

1887.

1888.

1889.

Number of cattle.

22,272

21,046

23,562

Number of cows.

2,866

3,597

3,957

Number of calves

3,657

3,411

1,126

Number of colts.

1,286

1,423

1,930

Number of goats.

775

1,360

1,365

Number of hogs

1,459

2,487

1887.

1888.

Number thoroughbred horses. 27

Number of graded horses ...

2,844

2,892

3,047

Number of American horses ..

908

1,224

1,814

Number of Spanish horses. . 2,283

2,030

3,111

Number of mules.

296

540

593

Number of oxen

Number of sheep and lambs. .

37,582

41,779

Centals of wheat

1,190

9,608

Centals of barley

4,149

11,855

Centals of corn

120

160

Tons of hay.

603

3,795

The increase in all of the above is gratifying to the statistician. The increase in stock, as well as that of grain on hand, shows a growing interest in the occupation and cultivation of the soil.

The increase in the above classes of taxable property is not, however, as much a matter of pride to the lover of San Diego County as the increase in the number of acres under cultiva- tion in 1889 over the record of foriner years. In 1887 there was a great excitement about wheat-growing. Everything else took a minor place, and nearly every foot of ground which could be planted was put into that grain. Since then other grains have been receiving the greater attention, and in turn all have had to give way before the advance of the fruit tree and grape-vine The following shows the acre- age in cultivation :

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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