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 5

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 5
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 5
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 5
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 5

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).

On March 18, 1850, Alcalde Sutherland granted to William Ileath Davis, José A. Agnirre, Andrew B. Grey, Miguel de Pedro- rena, Thomas D. Jolins and William C. Ferrell, "for a new port," the traet known as New San Diego, which comprised 160 acres, and for which the grantees paid $2,304. It was stipn- lated that a new wharf should be built there within eighteen inonths, and William Heath Davis, by August, 1851, had completed a fine, substantial one, 1,300 feet long. It was used by the Government for several years. An at- tempt was made at once to colonize the new site. The first building put up there was erected by William Heath Davis, for a private residence, It was still standing in December, 1887, being known as the San Diego Hotel. Several others of the first houses built are still standing. About the same time the barracks were built for a depot of military supplies, the troops being quartered at the old mission,

Under the Mexican administratior, California had been politically divided into districts, each of which was under the local jurisdiction of a prefect, a sub-prefect, and a judge of first in- stance. Under the State constitution, adopted after California became a possession of the United States, provision was made for the continuance of these existing conditions "until the entering

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

into office of the new officers to be appointed under this constitution." On February 18, 1850, an act was passed dividing the State into twenty-eight connties, of which San Diego was the first created.

On March 2, 1850, was passed an act pro- viding for the holding of the first county elec- tions, and making it the duty of each prefect in the State to designate immediately a suitable number of eleetion precinets in each county of his district, and to give notice of the same, and of the election to be held. Accordingly Don José Antonio Estudillo, the then prefeet of San Diego, divided the new eounty into election pre- eincts, and, there being no newspaper printed there at the time, posted notices that an election would be held on April 1, 1850. A copy of the poll-lists and original returns of the two pre- cincts of San Diego bear the names of many men of note, including that of General Samnel P. Heintzelman, whose services during the civil war were conspicnons. The following is a list of the county officials then chosen: District Attorney, William C. Ferrell; County Judge, John Hays; County Clerk. Richard Ru-t; County Attorney, Thomas W. Sutherland; Conn- ty Surveyor, Henry Clayton; Sheriff, Agostin Harazthy; Recorder, Henry C. Matsell; As- sessor, José Antonio Estudillo; Coroner, John Brown; Treasurer, Jnan Bandini. The first county assessment roll shows the value of tax- able property in 1850 as follows: Raneh lands, $255,281; ten stores with capital of $65,395; six vineyards, whose value was not stated; eighty-eight houses, worth $104,302; 6,789 head of cattle, worth $92,280; total, $517,258. The assessment roll for the eity of San Diego for 1850 gave valnes as follows: Old Town, $264,210; New Town, $80,050; Middle Town, $30,000; total value, $375,160. The aggregate population of San Diego County in 1850 was 798, as given in the seventh United States census. The population of the city in that year was estimated at 650.

The year 1851 was remarkable in San Diego as inaugurating journalism there, since on May

29, 1851, J. Jndson Ames established the Herald, at first a very small sheet, which how- ever grew yearly. Lientenant Derby's connec- tion with this sheet, and the humor of his administration, are widely known, and the con- tributions he then supplied to the Herald were afterwards collected and published in the form of a book called "Phoenixiana,"-from his pen name, "Phoenix,"-which is to this day very popular.

In 1851 that favorite pioneer, Colonel J. J. Warner, who had removed his family some years previously to his valuable estate, ever since known as " Warner's ranch," was warned that an attack npon his place was impending from the Calmilla tribe of Indians, several hundred of whom lived in villages near by. While he discredited the reports, he took the precaution to send his family under safe escort to San Diego. Early on the second morning after their departure he was awakened by the cries of the Indians, who had surrounded the house. As was eustomary at the Mexican ranchos, there stood here several horses, saddled and ready for instant mounting, and loaded weapons were also at hand in profusion. Colonel Warner hastened to the rear honse-door to look for the horses, and was greeted by a shower of arrows from some 200 Indians there assembled; all of his horses were gone save one, and that was just being untethered by an Indian. A moment later, and a shot from the splendid marksman effectnally put a stop to the marauder's move. ments, and two of his eomrades who renewed the attempt to take away the horse fell like- wise. These three fatal shots threw the Indians into a panic. During their temporary retreat to the shelter of some ontbuildings, Colonel Warner decided to try to escape. His Mexiean servant was already killed, but there was in the honse a mulatto boy, the servant of an army officer at San Diego. This boy, who was a help- less eripple from rheumatism, had been sent to the rancho to benefit by the water of the neigh- boring hot springs, whose curative .properties were already noted. Resolved to save the lad

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

entrusted to his care, Colonel Warner placed the boy upon the single horse, hung thereon his pistols and two rifles, and mounted in front of the boy. He was away before the Indians could interfere with him, and so dashed on till he reached a village of friendly Indians, where his herdsmen were quartered. Thence he sent the hoy on with an escort of the loyal Indians, and when the herdsmen had gathered in the stock, the master took a number of his own people and rode back to the rancho, where the Cal- millas were improving the opportunity by ap- propriating the stock of merchandise, worth some $6,000.

At this time, most of the large ranchos car- ried a very considerable stock of general mer- chandise, for purposes of trade with its employés and dependents, with neighbors and travelers; and these effects at "Warner's " the Cahuillas were plundering. To Colonel Warner's small escort they opposed a slow of great hostility, and the men fled without capitulation. Being left single-handed Colonel Warner was under the necessity of abandoning the field, and he accordingly rode away to San Diego. A con- siderable military escort under Major, afterward General, Heintzelman, attended the family on their return to the rancho, which was their home for thirteen years, until 1857.

As far back as 1854, a transcontinental rail- road was projected to terminate at San Diego, and in the years following, one or two other lines were proposed; but, owing to the uneasy con- ditions politically throughout the United States, and the feeling of prospective insecurity, little was done beyond the organization of a company, and the survey of the route between the port and the confluence of the Gila and Colorado rivers, in the first instance. A notable spirit of enterprise was then developed, however, and the project would probably have been success- fully prosecuted, but for the breaking out of the civil war, and its premonitory indications.

In a freshet in 1825 -- there had been one be- fore, in 1811 -- San Diego river, which had dis- charged into False bay, had changed its channel,

and broke through into the harbor. There were other floods in the winter of 1839-'40, and in 1855. During this year, Lieutenant Derby completed the dam which was to turn the river back into False bay, this being his mission to San Diego. Two years after, it was swept away by another great freshet, and this was followed by another flood in 1862. After the destruction of the Derby damn the citizens constantly en- deavored to prevail npon the Government to renew the good work; but no appropriation could be obtained from Congress until nearly twenty years after. It now discharges once more into False bay.

The first overland mail was carried on horse- back, from San Diego to San Antonio, Texas. It left San Diego August 9, 1857, and was thirty-four days en ronte.

From 1859 to 1867 San Diego history had alnost no salient points, or occurrences of es- pecial interest. The winter of 1861-'62 was marked by unusually heavy rains, the fall being nearly thirty inches, as against an average fall of nine inches.

Even the civil war passed with little effect upon this point beyond the transportation of the troops to the East by steamer, and the filling of their places by volunteer forces.

On April 6, 1867, Alonzo Erastus Horton arrived at San Diego. He had attended, a short time previously, a private literary gathering in San Francisco, where San Diego, its climate and harbor, was a topic of discussion. Mr. Horton was greatly impressed by the accounts of this section, and decided to visit it. The city, such as it was, at that time was situated at Old Town, a Government barracks, officers' quarters, the remains of the William Heath Davis wharf, and a very few other constructions, being the only signs of human habitation at "New Town." Nevertheless, Mr. Horton's practical judgment and keen foresight led him to believe that this point was the site of an important city of the future; that powerful advantages were to be derived from locating the city directly on the bay shore; and that it would be an excellent

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

speculation to purchase the pueblo lands, then considered worthless, that skirted the edge of the bay east of "New Town." First, he began to agitate an election of city trustees, and the candidates were nominated and elected withont opposition. Then he caused to be surveyed 880 acres which he desired to purchase. His will- ingness to bny was made known to the pueblo authorities, and they advertised the property as to be offered for sale at public auction. The day of the sale found but one bidder, Mr. Hor- ton, who accordingly bid in the whole tract at $26 an acre. This tract is now the main por- tion of the city of San Diego. Mr. Horton had his new possession platted under the classifi- cation of " Horton's Addition" and went to San Francisco to put it on sale. It can not be said that his success was at first notable. Old im- pressions were strong. That mnad wag, Lieu- tenant Derby, had langhed a really good thing into disrepute, as is often done by people who laugh, particularly if on paper, with any degree of cleverness. The term "Sandy Ague," and many sly allusions to the spot as the favorite habitat of the lively flea, the luxurions horned toad, and the business-like rattlesnake, still rankled, deeply and darkly. Moreover, people of guilty consciences had uncomfortable feelings as to the supposed loftiness of the temperature. But "Father" Horton was full of faith and sin- gleness of purpose, and he never allowed him- self to be discouraged. He held to his property steadfastly, and worked for it earnestly. During the infancy of the new city, he was ready to give land to every one who would add to its value by putting improvements upon it, but was more than once disappointed by faithless promises. To one man he gave a fine block of land, on which to build a hotel, but the hotel was never erected. To another, who now occu- pies a high position in the federal service, he gave another block which he bought back from the recipient, two years after, for $4,000. He gave one block for the site of a flouring mill, and to the county he deeded the block whereon stands the court-house. In all he gave away

fourteen whole blocks, and detached lots with- out number, including that on which stands the Methodist church, on the corner of Fourth and D streets, now valued at $60,000, and to each of the other religious denominations as well he gave lots for church edifices. By val- nation according to present prices, the real estate Mr. Horton has given away is worth at least $1,000,000. Beside this, he expended at various times over $700,000 of his own capital in im- provements and development of the city. He built the Horton House, for many years the largest aud finest hotel in San Diego, extending along all one side of the plaza. He it was who built the first wharf-since the Davis wharf had fallen into decay -- which he afterward sold to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, they in turn selling to the Pacific Coast Steamship Company, the present owners. Indeed, for three years, this gentleman carried the whole town, it may be said, upon his own shoulders, paying the salaries of the officials, and the run- ning expenses of the corporation. Always ready was he to help the needy and deserving, and when all other employment failed he would always contrive to find work for married men, by which they could support their families. For a long time, this energy, this earnestness and singleness of purpose, this devotion, were but scantily rewarded. Mr. Horton's returns for the year 1867 were but $3,000; in two years they had increased to $85,000. It now began to appear as if the projected Memphis & El Paso Railway would shortly become a fait accompli, and railroad meetings were the order of the day.

Among other notable events of the year 1869 was the visit of the vencrable statesman and patriot, William H. Seward. He reached San Diego on September 18 of that year, and was received with fitting honors. Two well-known citizens, Don Miguel de Pedrorena and Fran- cisco P. Foster, accepted an invitation to join Mr. Seward's party and accompany him to Mex- ico. In Mr. Seward's company came various distinguished men, among them General W. S.

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

Rosecrans, Colonel Thomas S. Sedgwick, Gen- eral M. C. Hunter, of Louisiana, and Congress- man Roots, of Arkansas.

It was during this period, too, that the brothers Frank and Warren Kimball bought the 27,000-acre Rancho de la Nacion, and laid out upon it, some four miles from San Diego, the town of National City, which, after sharing for some years the prosperities and the reverses of the parent city, was ultimately to prove a most potent factor in the institution of a con- dition of affairs which should serve to establish both on a stable and permanent basis of ad- vancement.

Many new-comers arrived on every stcamer from the north, not a few of those who were at- tracted by the bright, hopeful prospects of that period being among the "old residents" of the present. The town grew rapidly until it was a little city of 1,200 or 1,500. But that flatter- ing hope proved delusive, there was another total collapse, and the town having no internal resources nor tributary elements, became utterly stagnated.

In 1870 the population of San Diego County was 4,951, of which one-half was in the city. The total value of all kinds of property in the county was $1,722,837, two-thirds of which was in the city. There were 1,790 houses in the county, of which 915, or more than one-half, were in the city. The statistics of production of that period showed the whole number of fruit trees in the county, of all kinds what- soever, to be 223; the total number of grape- vines, 1,487; the number of acres planted to grain, including wheat, barley and corn, 3,126.

The Chamber of Commerce of San Diego was organized in March, 1870.

In 1871 the Texas Pacific Railroad was or- ganized, it was voted a handsome subsidy, ten miles of the line were graded, hopefulness and enthusiasm flourished, and so many strangers poured in that the population reached about 4,000. Many handsome edifices were built, in- cluding the present court-house, and the county seat was removed from Old Town to New Town,

most of the American settlers and not a few of the Mexican residents of Old Town accompany- ing it.

Again, in 1872, San Diego was visited by some of the most eminent Americans of the age. On August 18 of that year the United States steamer Hassler arrived from the coast of South America, conveying Professor Louis Agassiz and wife, Dr. Thomas IFill, ex-president of Harvard College, and various other people notable in the scientific world, who belonged to the IIassler expedition. Six days later, Colonel Thomas A. Scott, escorting a large party of celebrated men, arrived, on a visit connected with the project of the Texas & Pacific Rail- way. Among the "railroad men" were: Gen- eral G. M. Dodge, W. T. Walters, of Baltimore, John McManus, of Reading, and Hon. John S. Harris. Then there were: Senator Joh'n Sher- man, of Ohio; Governor J. W. Throckmorton, of Texas; Colonel Jolin W. Forney, of Phila- delphia; Colonel George Williamson, of Lonisi- ana; W. H. Rinehart, the sculptor; Governor R. C. McCormick, of Arizona, and ex-Senator Cole. On the night of the 26th there was held an enthusiastic railroad meeting, at which most of these eminent men were present; and San Diego still prides herself upon the eulogies then pronounced upon her elements and her future by some of the most notable among these gen- tlemen, the justice and accuracy of whose pre- vision has been more than sustained by the history of the years succeeding.

The lands in 1853 confirmed to the pueblo comprised eleven square leagues, or 32,000 acres. There were persons who later claimed that the quantity of land of the city should be reduced to four square leagues, and on their ap- peals the matter was brought before the Depart- inent of the Interior. These disputes were finally settled January 31, 1872, by the decision of the Secretary of the Interior, who sustained the city's title to the full amount of eleven square leagues.

On February 23, 1872, the State Legislature finally passed an act, introduced in the Senate by Mr. McCoy, whereby all prior conveyances

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

of lands by the municipal powers of San Diego were legalized, ratified and confirmed.

In 1873 there passed Congress a bill which created San Diego a "port of entry." Prior to that time this had been a " port of delivery "only.

It was precisely this period which witnessed the development of many of Mr. Horton's prac- tical improvements, including Horton's Hall, Horton's Bank, the Horton House, the wharf, and many other buildings. It is to be remarked that most of these erections hold their own with . the edifices recently constructed, so it is readily to be seen that they must have been very large for the city as it was at that time, and some of them were even extravagant. For instance, the building now occupied by the Hamiltons was built for a city market, and it would have been adequate for the purpose for a city ten times as large as San Diego then was. It was during this time of prosperity that the first telegraph line was built.

But the financial crash of 1873 came, and the Texas Pacific failed to come to San Diego, be- cause of the impossibility of borrowing capital. The population of San Diego declined to abont 2,500, and that of National City to a few scores. Dozens of houses stood vacant, dozens (to make a moderate computation) of men were out of employment, and ere many months the streets of both towns were almost deserted.

By the season of 1875-'76, the "winter vis- itor " had appeared at San Diego, attracted by climatic charms. His clan arrived in such numbers as to stimulate to a considerable ex- tent business in the line of hotels and boarding houses. His stay, however, was usually brief, and his interest superficial. He saw no sub- stantial or enduring attractions in the section. San Diego appeared to have no resources, no back country; and the apparent scarcity of water seemed to preclude future development. Moreover, the existing conditions were very primitive and inconvenient, and the lack of easy postal facilities and ready and comfortable trans- portation were grave drawbacks.

In 1876 it was attempted to have the bonds

of the Texas Pacific guaranteed by Congress, but the measure was defeated by pressure from the eastern and northwestern sections. How- ever, the movement did not stir San Diego from the lethargy into which she had fallen.

In 1879 there was a slight, brief agitation caused by the rumor of a prospective railway, which proved unfounded.

In 1881 one of the founders of National City, who had worked untiringly for the section, proposed to endeavor to induce the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé Railway to build to San Diego; and, although his suggestion elicited but skepticism and ridicule from his fellow-cit- izens, he loyally and determinedly persisted, went East at his own expense, talked, urged, argued, refused to accept rebuff or discourage- ment, and -- at last succeeded. Capital conde- scended to listen to one inducement-the offer of 17,000 acres of the best land on the bay, from the splendid National Ranch. Two direc- tors of the road came ont to investigate; they saw, and found it good. Several thousands of acres more were offered by other parties. The California Southern was organized, and in 1882 it was finished to Colton, San Bernardino County, from National City, which terminus grew to a population of about 1,000, while San Diego had gained some 15,000 inhabitants.

The hopeful expectations from this road were doomed to disappointment. It had no direct eastern connection, and there was much opposi- tion from other sections, so that travel over it was practically nil. As a climax, the winter of 1882 -'83 was a very dry one, and the crops failed on all the unirrigated lowlands. By the autumn, National City had lost half its population, and San Diego lost more than its recent increase. Finally, early in 1884, most of the railroad in Temecula Cañon and Santa Margarita was washed out by a flood, having been built too low by Eastern engineers who did not under- stand the requirements of the Pacific coast cli- mate. It took something like nine months to replace the road and restore traffic, and even then very dull times still continued.

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

Early in 1885 work was begun on the exten- sion of the California Southern to Barstow, and it was then understood that San Diego was to be the Pacific terminus of the Santa Fé systemn.

Almost coincident with this movement was the beginning of work on an extensive water system and the consequent development of agri- cultural wealthı.

The growth of San Diego had now begun in earnest. From a probable 5,000 inhabitants in 1885, it increased to at least 30,000 by the close of 1887.

The history of San Diego for 1888 and 1889 is hereinafter set forth.

POINTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

AROUND THE BAY .- THE HARBOR.

San Diego bay is a land-locked sheet of water, twelve miles long and from one to two miles wide, with abundance of deep water for thon- sands of vessels, and iniles of good wharfage front, quite safe and sheltered. It is formed by: on the west, the long, high promontory called Point Loma, which extends out from the main land about eight miles, like a gigantic finger pointing southward; on the north, the land rises in gradual slopes, sweeping from west to east like a crescent, and from the east curving sonthward, to where begins "the sandspit " that encloses the bay on the south as it runs, a nar- row ribbon of sand, that leaves between its point, widened into Coronado beach, a narrow but excellent channel, whose bar has twenty- three feet of water at low tide, the water being so smooth that the largest ships can enter, even in the roughest weather and sail all the way up the channel to a wharf or an anchorage, with- out a harbor-pilot or a steam-tug. During the great storm of February, 1878, when the wind reached the highest point ever registered by the signal service at San Diego, the Hassler, a large steamer of the United States coast survey, lay directly upon the bar during the whole storm, taking soundings and surveying the harbor. During the same storm, the coast-line steamer

Orizaba dared not put in at any stopping-place between San Diego and San Francisco; and even at the latter-named port she had to lie off outside three days before venturing to cross the bar. The report of the United States coast sur- vey furnishes abundant and incontestable proof of the superiority of San Diego's harbor.

Surrounding the bay for miles and miles stretch gentle slopes and pine mesa land, suit- able for farms, for detached villa homes, or for town sites, and the bay coast and adjoining ocean coast are both already thickly dotted with links in the chain of growing cities. Next to San Diego, sontheasterly, toward the boundary line of the Mexican republic, and at present next in importance also, lies

NATIONAL CITY.

This is one of the most enterprising towns On the coast, and it is destined to attain great commercial importance in the near future. Its position is at the extreme northwestern corner of the Rancho de la Nacion, which comprises a part of the San Diego Land and Town Com- pany's great tract. This is the terminus of the great Santa Fé Railway, which corporation lias located its principal machine and car shops, yard, etc., here. besides a pier or wharf, extend- ing into the bay 2,300 feet. The terminal grounds at National are the largest in the United States, comprising 225 acres, on which thirty tracks have already been laid. The com - pany owns six miles of bay water front, its round-house accommodates forty eight locomo- tives, and it has erected here the other build- ings suitable and necessary to a transcontinental line terminus.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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