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 6

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 6
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 6
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 6
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 6

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).

The city lies some four miles distant from San Diego, with which it is connected by the California Southern, which has its machine and car-shops, yard, wharf, etc., here, and by the National City & Otay Railroad, of which George J. Lockie is superintendent; this is a stand- ard-gauge steam motor line. This city owes its birth to the foresight and enterprise of the Kimball Brothers. Some twelve years since

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY. 1277578

these gentlemen noted the " superior quality " of the lands of the old " Rancho de la Nacion," or Nation's Farm of the Spanish regime; the freedom of the track from gullies, gravel, etc .; also the fine water front, with deep water, and the great reaches of fine lands sloping gently npward into fertile mesa or table lands. Fore- seeing the prosperous future for which this section was so eminently fitted by its natural characteristics, they purchased the rancho, which comprised some 27,000 acres, and on the tract laid out National City, building a wharf and a number of edifices, and making many sales of land. Indeed, so great was the imme- diate prosperity of the new city that a foolish jealousy sprung up lest this should prove a formidable rival of San Diego. It is pleasant to note that this unworthy sentiment, whose in- dulgence for some years injured both places, has been slain by the prosperity, and still more, by the vicissitudes, which they have passed through together.

It has already been seen how the Kimball Brothers gave 17,000 acres of their best land to bring the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé Railway to San Diego, and what a wise investment the offer proved to be. During the building of the California Southern, National City grew until her population numbered 1,000 people. Bnt the speedily ensuing stagnation caused it to lose at least one-half this, and it almost seemed that a majority of the buildings were vacant. But, with the extension in 1885 of the Cali- fornia Southern to Barstow, National City felt the impulse of improved times, and entered upon a new, and this time an assured, epoch of prosperity. The present population is some- thing over 1,500, refined for the most part, and among the most progressive and enterprising of California's citizens. The city has a postoffice, with daily mail service, express and telegraph offices, telephone service, a grange hall, a horti- cultural hall, and Episcopalian and Congrega- tional church edifices, the latter having a fine pipe organ. There are also other flourishing congregations. There is a two-story public

school building of fine proportions, well planned for graded classes. There is a fine hotel of fifty rooms, each of which has hot and cold water laid on, the house surrounded by porches commanding a grand view, and by a fine large yard filled with tropical flowers. Besides the usual conveniences of bath-room, bar and billiard room, etc., this hotel has connected with it a livery stable, and a bureau for sup- plying guns, fishing tackle, etc.

Among the industries of National City are the following: An olive-oil factory where are practiced the processes of crushing, drying and pickling this rich and nutritious berry. In 1888 this mill turned out 210 cases of oil, or 420 dozens of bottles. It will be an important factor in commerce and prosperity, as nursery- men report 30,000 to 40,000 olive trees to have been planted in the county during 1889; be- sides this the increasing product of the trees already in bearing will result in establishing an industry of large proportions. This mill has no near competitor, and there are in the State but two others of considerable magnitnde, namely, at Santa Bárbara and Los Gatos. Then there is the West Coast Parlor Match Company, with a capital stock of $15,000, of which $10,- 000 has been paid in. This is the only match factory on the coast producing parlor matches. There is a reduction works, which has kept a five stamp mill running most of the time during 1889, reducing ores shipped thither fron vari- ous points. There is the Commercial Company, conducting the largest business of its kind south of San Francisco. Throughout the dull season this firm has been kept busy shipping to various points on the coast, as well as into the interior and Arizona, its manufactures, consisting of agricultural implements, wagons, buggies, water pipe and wire goods. During 1889 there has been established a feed and barley crushing mill. There has also been established a tree- wash manufactory, producing preparations to aid fruit-growers in the extermination of fruit pests. There is the Pawnee Medicine Company, which is constantly filling large orders and doing

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

an extensive business. The Bank of National City, which is now in the third year of its ex- istence, had recently added a savings bank department for school children and other de- positors. There is a large lumber yard, a plan- ing mill of the latest and most improved system, several drug stores, and several stores for the sale of dry goods, groceries or general merchan- dise. Another enterprise of the year 1889 is the organization of a fire department, consisting of two hose companies with 2,100 feet of three- inch hose, and a hook and ladder company, all well manned with efficient officers and men. Hydrants are so distributed that all"portions of National City can readily be reached'for water supplies in case of fire.

There are in National district four commodi- ous school-honses, including that, recently built at Chula Vista. These accommodate the 300 children recorded for the year's attendance, who are under the charge of a popular and scholarly principal and seven experienced assistant teach- ers. National City has the only free kinder- garten in the county. It was fonnded in 1888 by Mrs. Frank A. Kimball, who largely sup- ports it, financially and otherwise. It has a principal and three assistant teachers, and sixty children have been under their charge during the past year. A Town Improvement Society has been organized for the purpose of fostering home adorninent, and encouraging the beautify- ing of the city by planting trees along the streets. There is something really remarkable in the class of residences to be seen in this little city and its environs. No matter how small and modest the home, the owner of each seems to have been fired with a spirit of emula tion which prompts him to aim at equaling, in beauty and attractiveness, the more imposing dwellings of his wealthy neighbors. The care- fully tended orchards, the scrnpulously kept gardens, the trees, fruit-bearing and ornamental, the clicerful flower-beds, the innumerable bits of beantifying effort, often modest, but always tasty, convey an impression of thrift and pros- perity about all the homes of this section.

Partly within the city's limits is the beanti- ful Paradise valley, which adds to the other conveniences and Inxuries a Sanitarinm and In- valid's Home. Many important enterprises are being developed by the San Diego Land and Town Company, which is a corporation com- posed almost entirely of directors and stock- holders of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé Railway. Among their other improvements is the National City & Otay Railroad, the motor line already mentioned; which runs one branch to the Sweetwater dam and the little town of La Presa, and another to Chula Vista, Otay City, Oneouta, and Tia Jnana, on the Mexican border, making a standard-gauge line thirty miles long. Another splendid achievement is the Sweetwater dam across the Sweetwater river. This is the greatest structure of the kind in the United States, and there are in the world but four or five of greater height. This was begun by the company already mentioned, November 17, 1886, and it was completed April 7, 1888. It is built in a rocky cañon at the outlet of a fine natural reservoir, of a heavy granite rock, containing some mineral which makes its weight about twenty per cent. greater than New Hamp- shire granite, the rock being laid in Portland cement. The dimensions are: length at base, 76 feet; length at top, 396 feet; thickness at base, 46 feet: thickness at top, 12 feet; height from bed-rock, 90 feet; height from river bed, 80 feet. The reservoir covers 700 acres, and it will hold 6,000,000,000 gallons of water. The water is conveyed from the dam through wrought-iron pipes to the surrounding lands, and it supplies, at low rates, National City for household and irrigation purposes. Not less than sixty-five miles of wrought-iron pipe has been laid already. Adjoining National City lies a tract of 5,000 acres of beautiful mesa land, with a rising slope toward Otay and Tia Juana on the east, which is known as

CHULA VISTA.

This name (being the Spanish for "Lovely View ") could hardly be more aptly applied

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

than to this tract, commanding a view of the bay, the sea, the distant Coronado islands, the city of San Diego and its surrounding satellite towns, National City as well, and behind all, as a splendid background to the wide scope of ocean, beach, valley and plateau land, the great majestic mountains. It is now somne three years since Colonel W. G. Dickinson outlined his scheme for the subdivision of what is now known as Chula Vista, a scheme which contem- plated a suburban town of fruit farms, ranging in area from two and a half to ten acres each, whose owners, as a condition of purchase, would be required to build houses upon their tracts to cost not less than a certain sum, eventually fixed at $2,000. In due time this scheme was worked out and the lands placed upon the market.

This tract is six miles from San Diego. Although it was put upon the market too late to participate in the boom, Chula Vista has progressed remarkably. Many miles of avenues liave been graded and set to trees, and water has been put upon the entire tract.

A. Barber's place, on Third avenue, is a five- acre tract, whose improvement was begun less than two years ago. It is set to a variety of fruits, both citrus and deciduous. Its product- iveness is attested by the fact that the trees have this year yielded all the fruit Mr. Barber's family could use. Numerous illustrations were seen on these grounds of the ambition of the young trees to bear fruit. A lemon tree, less than two years in the ground, has over 100 lemons on it. Mr. Barber decorated the lapels of each of the visitors' coats with a handsome boutonniere.

At Mrs. E. L. Williams' place, on Second avenue, another example of rapid progress is seen. This is a five-acre place, upon which are over 400 trees, chiefly orange and lemon, in the proportion of about two of the former to one of the latter. The trees show a remarkable growth, especially the lemon trees, which have distanced the orange by nearly one-half. The land at Chula Vista is evidently especially good for lemons.

Two years hence some of these avenues will be nothing short of lovely. Their grades are good and they extend from National a distance of some eight miles.

More than fifty fine residences have been built at Chula Vista, and twenty others are under contract.

Some of these improved places are worthy of note, as illustrating the quality of the soil when supplied with water and cultivated with in- dustry.

Colonel Dickinson's place, a little farther north, occupies one of the most commanding sites about the bay of San Diego, and is one of the best improved. The house is a fine piece of architecture, its interior arrangement and finish being conspicuously convenient and at- tractive. There is a blue-grass lawn in front that is so thickly matted that one cannot part the blades with the hand so as to expose the ground without the greatest effort, and which feels as soft and velvety under the feet as a Brussels carpet. At another part of the grounds a circle of fountains play into a reservoir, in which sport a number of beautiful gold fishes.

There is also a sixteen-acre Eureka lemon orchard, set out in July, 1889, by Professor W. A. Henry, of the Madison, Wisconsin, Uni- versity.

Mr. J. M. Johnson is making somewhat of a nursery of his place and is not afraid to experi- ment. He shows some orange buds a month old, set in sprigs sprung from seeds planted last March. He believes he can hasten production by budding in this way. One of his curiosities is a three-foot growth of orange from a seed planted last March. Mr. Johnson's local pride will not permit him to admit the possibility of such a growth anywhere else than at Chula Vista.

On National avenne, is the place of J. L. Griffin. This is a pioneer place, and antedates Chula Vista. It is a seven-year-old improve- ment, and is noteworthy for this, that it effect- ually disproves the assertion so often heard that citrus fruits can't be grown near salt water.

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

Mr. Griffin's place is less than a mile from the bay, yet one can see there as fine oranges and lemons as ever were grown, the trees fairly groaning under their burden of fruit, and both trees and fruit bright and clean from every species of scale or smut. And the windward sides of the trees are just as full of fruit and just as clean as the leeward. Mr. Griffin has a lemon tree from which he has picked from Jan- uary to January 1,302 lemons by actual count. This tree is now very full of fruit. He has 200 apricot trees, from which he sold this year eight and one-half tons at $70 per ton. This was an "off year" for apricots. Mr. Griffin's place contains ten acres and he has repeatedly been offered $10,000 for it, and one would-be pur- chaser not long ago was willing to raise this offer $2,000.

It is to be noted, too, that in achieving these results, Mr. Griffin had to rely upon a wind- inill for his water supply, whereas now an abundant supply can be had from the company's pipes.

Chula Vista is fast realizing the ambition of its projectors, in spite of dull times. Two years hence it will be a beautiful and thrifty place, and not many years will be required to make it one of the prettiest and most productive places in Southern California. There is no idleness in this prophecy. The groundwork of it has already been realized, and. all the conditions of soil and water and climate are there to carry it to a perfect fulfillment. One cannot look npon Chula Vista's progress withont feeling a revival of faith in the destiny of the bay region. From a point on the northern verge of Chula Vista a view is had of almost the entire Sweet- water valley below the dam. From this point the advantages of irrigation are apparent in the numerous gardens and orchards that are be- ing made all along the course of the stream. It is from this source that strawberries find their way to the San Diego market during every month of the year.

Six miles below Chula Vista lies the ()tay valley, with its nucleus,

OTAY.

Otay proper embraces the inesa and valley of the Otay, deriving its name from this level mesa tract, six miles in width and twelve miles long, which signifies in the Indian dialect, " Wide, level knoll." This section of mesa and valley land is situated twelve miles south of the capital town of San Diego County, the principal port of the great southwest and the future gateway to the commerce of the world.

The valley of the Otay slopes gently to the bay. It is skirted by the river and abrupt rise of the level mesa on the south and is four iniles from the Mexican border. The valley embraces a large tract of fruit and garden lands that are easily watered by means of shallow wells or by irrigation systems, which naturally abound in the mountain range on the east, where the waters of the Otay, Cottonwood and Tia Juana rivers take their rise, affording an abun- dance of water that can be easily developed and which, doubtless, will soon be utilized and brought on to the vast area of mesa and valley lands of the Otay and Tia Jnana.

Windmills are now used to a great extent for supplying water in the valley, and quantities of grapes, guavas, oranges and figs are now mar- keted, and the vegetable gardens are yielding great profits by their ceaseless production the whole year round. Potatoes are dug here for the San Diego market, which find a ready sale at from two to three cents a ponnd. Here during the past season 90,000 gallons of wine were made. and up the valley adjoining the 6,000 acres belonging. to the Land & Town Company, now used for a sheep pasture, 150 tons of wool were clipped and shipped from Otay.

This season 3,000 tons of hay have been ex- ported from here by rail, besides great quanti- ties of grain, milk and eggs. The valley and the mesa are being occupied very fast.

The town site of Otay is beautifully located, ensconced between the mountains and the sea, connected with San Diego by the National City & Otay Railroad, joining the beautiful Chula

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

Vista tract on the north, now supplied with water from the San Diego Land & Town Com- pany's pipe-line, which crosses through their 5,000-acre tract from the Sweetwater dam. Three miles to the west of the town beats the ocean. The location is just far enough from the water to have the wind shorn of its sharpness, making it the most even, all-the-year-round cli- mate on the face of the globe; invalids afflicted with various diseases soon find a speedy recov- ery, and the old renew their youth. The town is progressing and fast settling up with a happy and industrious population. Over forty houses, many of them fine villa liomes, having been built during the past year. The watch factory, filling the great necessity of giving employ- ment in the most favored clime, is a colossal enterprise. The building is of brick, tliree stories in height, 38 x 100 feet; the works will employ from 300 to 400 workinen, capable of turning ont 250 watches per day. A syndicate of capitalists has been formed, comprising the leading men of wealth. Among the number are F. A. Kimball, E. W. Morse and other bank- ers, who have now taken stock in the factory, and the business of watchmaking, now and well under way, will be pushed speedily for- ward.

In no part of the State is there richer garden land than in the Otay and Tia Juana valleys, and nothing grows or is raised in California which does not thrive and grow to perfection here. On the fertile mesa and valleys are raised with profit the finest hay, wheat and barley, and all the cereals produced throughout the country; the orange and corn thrive side by side. It is the natural home of the orange, the lemon, the fig, olive, guava, walnut and vines of all varie- ties. The apple does well here, and the small fruits, such as strawberries, blackberries, etc., grow to perfection. Parties engaged in diversi- fied farming find the soil adapted to all its branches, yielding a steady and perpetual income. A branch of the motor line runs from Otay to Oneonta, where there is a good hotel, and whence stages convey the traveler who desires to tread

the soil of Mexico in this direction to the bound- ary line and the division monument.

Somewhat north of east of the Otay mesa, than which it is further from the coast, and eighteen or twenty miles from San Diego, lies the Janal Rancho, containing some 6,000 acres, whose elevation is 400 to 800 feet. Some six miles yet further eastward, at an elevation of some 550 feet, is the Jamul Rancho of some 5,000 acres. This is bounded on the eastward by a tall, rocky range, from 3,000 to 4,000 feet high, which, like other ridges, harbors many mountain parks and valleys. The Janal is sep- arated from Mexico by the blue range of the San Ysidro; the soil of this and the Janal is either a fine red granite or a brown adobe of extraor- dinary richness, which, together with the situa- tion, is nncommonly favorable for vine and fruit growing. The orange, in particular, reaches perfection in the Jamnl valley, one of whose in- habitants has taken, for his oranges, at district, county and State exhibitions, premiums attest- ing the superiority of his wares over every other orange-producing section in California.

North of these valleys and east of the National Ranch, there is a series of plains and valleys, nearly all Government land, which are occupied by bee-keepers and stock-raisers. These are called the Jamacha plains, Lee's valley, Lyon's valley, Lawson's valley, Corte Madera, Cotton- wood valley, Pine valley, Guatay valley, Lagnna and Mataqueqnat. There is a very fine fruit orchard and farm, with an apiary, the prop- erty of Mr. B. S. Sheckler, in the Cotton- wood valley, which is one of the most pictur- esque spots in the county. This section coni- prises a very extensive area of fine country, most of which will be brought under cultiva- tion ere long, producing grain and the decidu- ous fruits, which are raised to some extent already. Dairy farming also will become a very profitable enterprise in these mountain valleys. The rainfall in this section is abundant and never-failing. The thickly-wooded mountains abound in game, and they are a favorite resort of hunters and camping parties.

HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

THE POTRERO.

This is the center of a large area of country near the boundary line, of which the principal industries are farming, bee-keeping and stock- raising, including much attention to hogs. A good deal of grain and hay is raised, and some of the bacon cured hereabonts is sent to market. The honey product is considerable. There is good land for raising fruit, especially apples, but very little attention has been given as yet to this matter. A large portion of the land of this section is Government land, and it is there- fore likely to be settled quite speedily. Land is sold for $10 to $25 per acre. The population of this section is about 400; it lias a postoffice withi tri-weekly service, a school-house and four stores.

TIA JUANA.

Four miles beyond Otay, five miles from the coast, and sixteen from San Diego, is the Tia Jnana valley, in which is situated the village of Tia Juana, on the boundary line partly in the United States and partly in Mexico, a custom- house being maintained on the Mexician side, where also, three miles farther down, are the celebrated hot sulphur springs. Strong indica- tions warrant belief in the existence of similar springs on the American side. Both these val- leys abound in rich farms and orchards. Lands range from $50 to $100 per acre within their limits.

The voting precinct embracing the Otay and Tia Jnana valleys is called Monument. Each of these settlements has its owni church, school- house and other features of progress.

To return to National City: No part of San Diego County produces more richly: all the citrus fruits, all varieties of grapes, notably the raisin grape, many deciduous fruits and all of the berries reach about as near a state of perfec- tion as fruits inay, and the products of the sec- tion have repeatedly taken first premiums at county, district, and State fairs. Somne six miles beyond National, at the lower end of the bay, is South San Diego; rounding the curve a nar- row strip runs northward for several miles, com-

pletely shutting out the sea beyond the harbor. Opposite the city of San Diego, this unique peninsula broadens into a tract of land, which, if it had been square, would measure a mile and a half on each side. This is

CORONADO BEACII,

Which is one mile across the bay, from San Diego. Connected with this by a very nar- row isthmus is another island-like tract, the estnary between them being called Spanish Bight. The history of Coronado Beach has been phenomenal. In 1886 there was not the semblance of a human habitation on the penin- sula, and although streets and avennes had been mapped out earlier, not a honse was built until after January 1, 1887. Now there are hundreds of houses for dwelling and business purposes, three hotels, fine drives, nurseries, landscape gardens, foundries, lumber and planing mills, fruit-packing establishments, works for bitum- inous and asphalt paving, and boat and ship- building establishments. It is estimated that the sales inade on this peninsula have amounted to between fifteen and twenty millions of dollars, and have well repaid the original ontlay of something like a million and a half of dollars, expended in preparing the place for occupation. A large steam ferry connects Coronado Beach with San Diego, plying half-hourly. The soil here is a very rich loam, with a large admix- ture of disintegrated granite, underlaid by a stratum of decomposed shells. It is pronounced equal in fertility to the finest sea-island cotton soil on the Atlantic coast, and specially adapted to the development of rare tropical trees, shrubs and fruits, whose propagation in the United States has always failed hitherto. The water, which is piped to South San Diego, Coronado Heights and Coronado Beach, comes from a series of living springs in the Otay valley, and it is considered a most important feature among the general attractions. Besides being very soft, pure and pleasant to the taste, chemical analysis shows it to be highly medicinal, being peculiarly adapted for, and beneficial in, all

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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