USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego > City of San Diego and San Diego County : the birthplace of California, Volume I > 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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
The match game yesterday, between the Extempore B. B. C., of Old Town, and the New San Diego B. B. C., was witnessed by a very large number of spectators, ladies and gentlemen. Owing to the high wind prevailing during the afternoon, the playing was not remarkable. We append the names of the "nines," noting that to offset the deficiency of two players in the Extempore nine, the last inning of the New San Diegos was not counted :
Extempore. Aguirre, 1b. Solomon, p. White, c. Zarnach, 2b. Levy, 3b. Hereford, lf. Cooper, s. s.
New San Diego. Russell, c. McKean. p. Gregg. 1h.
Parsons, 2b.
Stewart, 3h.
Winslow, S. S.
Grant, If. Ullman, rf. Buttrick, cf.
100 CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Score :
Extempore 3 2 4 3 4 3 8 4 4 35.
New San Diego 3 4 7 5 5 14 5 3 5 0-48.
Umpire-E. Harris. Scorers-For Extempore, Barry Hyde ; for New San Diego, M. C. Maher.
This game seems to have aroused considerable interest among local baseball players and enthusiasts, for in June the Lone Star Base- ball Club was organized at a meeting in Rosario hall, and the follow- ing officers were elected: Daniel Ullman, president ; Frank Buttrick, vice president : James Russell, recording secretary ; William E. Mc- Kean, treasurer, and the following as directors: A. Gregg, J. Parsons and W. McKean. John Harral was made captain of the first nine and Walt Mckean of the second. Club practice was set for every Wed- nesday and Saturday, and this notice was published :
"Any challenge addressed to the secretary will receive prompt attention."
Of course in those days there were fishing and hunting trips, as now. In winter ducks were plentiful near the city. Indeed it is only within camparatively recent years that False Bay (now Mis- sion Bay) has not been a paradise for duck hunters. And on shore rabbits were nearly everywhere. At a distance of a few city blocks from the present business centre at Fifth street and Broadway one could find plenty of them scurrying around in the sagebrush and rough undergrowth.
A vivid picture of the hunter's paradise which remained here until the '80s is drawn by Theodore S. Van Dyke in his "City and County of San Diego," written while the excitement of the "great boom" gripped all Southern California. He wrote:
"The valley quail of California abounded in numbers quite in- conceivable to eastern sportsmen. One hundred and fifty to 200 a day was an ordinary bag for a good shot, and in any of the canyons within a mile from the postoffice one could quickly load himself down with all he cared to carry back on foot. Fifty or sixty were a common score for one shooting only from a wagon in traveling from El Cajon or Spring Valley to San Diego in the morning or evening, and that many have often been shot there by one who knew nothing of wing shooting. This quail was found as high as 6,000 feet. above sea level, though not very abundant above 3,000 feet, and most abundant along the coast, where they could always be found in great numbers with absolute certainty. No attention was paid to the law, and no impression was made upon their numbers until the building of the railroad brought in a host of market shooters. These generally hunted in pairs, and two men have shipped in one winter from San Diego, 35,000 quail, nearly all killed singly.
"The small hare, commonly called 'cotton tail,' and the large hare, or 'jack rabbit,' also abounded in incredible numbers. Morn- ing and evening they played over every acre of mesa, hopped in scores around the edge of every brush-clad hill or patch of cactus. A bushel or two of them could be shot from a wagon in a few miles drive along any of the roads. But three years ago 135 were counted
.
CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY 101
along the road in a single trip from San Diego to Old Town, about three miles. By nearly everyone they were considered a great nuisance and they certainly were destructive to gardens and vines and young trees. There are, however, few of the old settlers who would care to exhibit a balance-sheet with rabbit meat on the credit side at even three cents a pound. The flesh of the cotton tail is as fresh and fine as chicken, and in no way resembling that of the eastern rabbit. It runs with a swift, zigzag motion that makes very pretty shooting, especially on bright moonlight nights, the flickering white tail mak- ing a fine mark for snap-shooting.
"Turtle-doves and meadow larks were also very numerous, the former especially, though not so abundant as the quail.
"Ducks of nearly all varieties were found in every lagoon and slough. In many places, such as Warner's ranch, Temecula, San Jacinto. Elsinore and Santa Margarita, geese and sandhill cranes were very plenty during the winter. They covered the mesas and valleys of Santa Margarita at times by the hundred thousand.
"The sloughs and bays along the coast were lined with curlew, snipe, willet, dowitchers, plover, etc., and there was no prettier sight than the thousands of water-fowl riding on the smooth face of San Diego bay on a bright winter day. Where nearly all is now a watery blank and where even the sea-gull scarcely dares to fly, pelicans, divers, mergansers, shags, ducks of nearly all varieties, brant, sea- gulls. fish-hawks, terns and what-not were everywhere. So tame were they that from the wharf one could watch the divers beneath him swimming along under water behind a school of little fish, pick- ing them up right and left with dexterous motion. The black brant, the finest of American water-fowl, not known on the Atlantic coast, and rare on this coast south of Oregon, dotted the bay far and wide. Down Spanish bight, the dividing inlet of Coronado beach, where one may now watch for a month without seeing any, from 50,000 to 100,000 could be seen at the ebb-tide coming into the bay from the sea. Reck- less, idiotic shooting, the white man's hoggish disposition to waste and destroy. has reft this bay of one of its chief attractions.
"The antelope played over the plains of San Jacinto, Temecula and the mesa between Otay and El Cajon. The last of the latter band was killed about five years ago, (in 1883), the last of the Temecula band about two years ago (in 1886), and the sole survivor of the San Jacinto band was killed this last fall.
"The deer roamed from the coast to mountain-top.
"There never was much trout-fishing in this county. Trout were killed out of the Santa Ysabel creek many years ago by the Indians, by the use, it is said, of 'soap-weed.' They were swept out of Temecula creek by the flood of 1862. A few yet remain in the Pauma creek, though sadly dwindled in both numbers and size.
"Fair fishing may yet be had in San Diego bay. and the fishing outside the bar is about as good as ever. The barracouda and Spanish mackerel afford fine trolling, are gamey, ravenous and very plenty in season. In the kelp is found an abundance of rock-cod, red-fish, and other good fish, which can be caught in great quantities about all the year round."
102 CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY
George W. Marston, the well known San Diego merchant and citizen, was in San Diego at that time, and he recalled recently an inci- dent of the times which strikingly illustrates the small size of the San Diego of those days and its country-like surroundings. There had been heavy, late rains that year, and weeds had grown so tall on the lot at what is now C Street between Third and Fourth that when a man rode on horseback through them his head barely appeared above the luxuriant growth.
Many San Diegans went fishing in the bay and on the ocean. Then, as now, there were excursions for those who liked this exciting sport, as witness this newspaper notice :
"FISHING EXCURSION .- The yacht Restless sails for the fishing grounds this morning at 9 o'clock. Captain Niles invites those who are partial to the sport of fishing to bring their tackle and dollar and spend the day in fishing barracouta and red fish."
In the evening perhaps there was a dance. More or less formal balls were held at not infrequent intervals, and some of these were at Old Town. The Union of September 16, 1871, refers quaintly to one of these as follows :
"The ball at Old Town yesterday evening was, as we predicted it would be, a delightful affair. Several gentleman went over from New Town to enjoy the dance, and report themselves as thoroughly pleased with the way they were treated, and declare they will be sure to watch for the next Old Town ball."
Lack of transportation facilities in the city were beginning to be felt, and particularly was there thought to be need of a railroad between the new and old towns. A company, indeed, had been formed to build such a road, prominent in its affairs being William Jeff. Gatewood, who had founded the San Diego Union but had sold his interest in the paper; E. W. Morse, another well known pioneer, and others. In June, 1871, the company decided that it would try to go ahead with actual construction, but was forced to delay it. The following account of the stockholders' meeting on June 1 of that year is, however, of interest :
"At a meeting of the stockholders of the San Diego and Bay Shore R. R. Co., held at the office of W. A. Winder yesterday after- noon the following named gentlemen were elected to act as directors for one year: William Jeff. Gatewood, James McCoy, S. S. Culver- well, George A. Johnson, W. A. Winder, E. W. Morse, C. L. Carr. The board then proceeded to the election of officers, with the follow- ing result : William Jeff. Gatewood, president; James McCoy, vice president ; C. L. Carr, secretary. The company proposes commencing work at an early date. An assessment of ten percent on an amount equal to $1,000 per mile of the entire length of the road was levied and paid in. A survey of the route from Horton's addition to Old San Diego has been made by C. J. Fox, C. E., upon which the sum of $300 was expended."
CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY 103
An interesting little view of the San Diego of this period was given to the writer recently by Judge M. A. Luce, who came to San Diego early in 1873.
"At that time," he said, "practically the whole city of San Diego was in what is now the downtown district. There were no houses on the hill ( where the Florence Hotel was later built ) except Horton's : he had built at First and Elm streets, about half way up. One of the most pleasing sights in town was the Horton garden, which was on the site now occupied by the Academy of Our Lady of Peace, at Third and B streets. Here he grew a number of vegetables and had flowers and fruit trees in abundance, to show people what could be
LE
A. E. HORTON'S FAMOUS GARDEN
At what is now Third and B streets. The site is now occupied by the Academy of Our Lady of Peace. The photograph was taken in December, 1874, and appeared in a Chamber of Commerce booklet at about that time.
done when water was put on the soil in San Diego. The water he obtained from a well on the B street side of the property. the low part. Visitors were taken there to obtain a view of what could be done here.
"Captain A. H. Wilcox had a place just north of the Horton garden, on the site for some time occupied by the King's Daughters' home. That place, too, had a well. Captain Wilcox. it will be recalled, was a captain in the civil war, and when he came to San Diego was attached to the commissary department and furnished supplies to the soldiers at Fort Yuma.
"The water supply of the city at that time-except for those well-to-do residents who had sunk wells and had windmills to pump the water out-was obtained from wells which had been made in
104 CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY
the vicinity of the courthouse. This water was put in hogsheads, loaded on wagons and then peddled over town by several men. One of them was Joe Tasker, who died only this summer."
The growth of the city at that time soon made evident the neces- sity for adequate protection against fire. This demand in fact had been discussed for some time, and frequent newspaper reference was made to it. As the first step a benefit was given at Horton's Hall by which $250 was raised. and this was soon followed by another entertainment. In May, 1871, the movement resulted in the formation of the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company, the first fire-fighting organization of San Diego. A number of the leading citizens of San Diego were present and "manifested much interest in the success of the movement," according to an account of the meeting. The follow- ing committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions: A. H. Julian, John N. Mckean and G. W. Swain. A committee was also named to obtain a truck and the necessary apparatus. It was reported that the truck should cost $800, and as the company had only $280 at the time the hope was expressed that solicitations of the committee seeking subscriptions would meet with a liberal response. Subscrip- tions, however, were slow in coming in, and the truck was not com- pleted until late in 1871. It was built by a man named Whitaker, who used great care in seasoning the timbers and preparing the fittings.
The first officers of the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company were: Foreman, W. G. McCormick: first assistant, John M. Young ; second assistant, William P. Anderson; secretary, B. C. Brown; treasurer, A. H. Julian. Others who were prominent in the movement included Chalmers Scott, George W. Hazzard, who had come to San Diego in 1868, and for a time lived in a tent in the vicinity of Thirteenth and F streets : E. W. Nottage, John H. Todman and John M. Heidelring. The following is from the Union's account of the annual meeting held by the company on May 3, 1871 :
"The annual meeting of the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company of San Diego was held last evening. We are indebted to the sec- retary, Mr. William Lacy, for a report of the proceedings. The following named gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing year : President, Chalmers Scott ; Foreman, W. J. McCormick: First As- sistant, John M. Young; Second Assistant, William P. Henderson ; Treasurer, A. H. Julian : Secretary William Lacy. The company, by a unanimous vote. recommended E. W. Nottage as a proper per- son for the office of fire marshal for the city. Now that the organiza- tion of this company is complete, it is intended to push matters so that the proper apparatus shall be obtained without delay. Messrs. Overshiner and Tollmer were present at the meeting last evening and exhibited drawings of trucks, etc., and gave their opinions as to cost. It is to be hoped that all good citizens will aid this laudable endeavor to the full extent of their ability."
At this period was considerable discussion of a railroad project which was not transcontinental in scope, but to which, nevertheless,
CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY 105
newspapers not only of San Diego but of other cities devoted consi- derable space. This was for a line between San Diego and Los Angeles. San Francisco newspapers reported that it would probably be "pushed ahead" at once, but nothing came of it or anything like it until the Santa Fe system, years later, built the connecting link. Yet the Union in San Diego submitted the matter as one of great importance, declaring that it was "the great enterprise of all others demanded just now" and that "no personal jealousies or conflicting interests should be permitted to endanger its accomplishment." It was reported that eastern capitalists were ready to build the road if proper inducements were offered and that negotiations with them had resulted in "flattering prospects of success."
"It is to be hoped." said the Union, that there will be but one feeling in San Diego in regard to this matter; and for the sake of this part of the state-and especially of this city-that those of our citizens who are at variance as to other measures, will be united in favor of this, and lend to it, if not material aid, at least their moral support."
Interesting comment on the character of San Diego's population at this time is made in an article which appeared in the Union of Sept. 13, 1871, as follows :
"Occupation of Voters of San Diego County .- A list of the vari- ous trades and advocations pursued by the citizens of San Diego whose names appear on the Great Register of this county, has been handed us for publication. The list embraces 85 different classes of pursuits, divided among 1,796 citizens. The number of farmers is greatly in excess of that of any other pursuit. and the mining interest has the next largest number of followers. The occupation of 'Gentleman' is confined to one single person, and but one 'capitalist' figures on the page of the Register. Three 'speculators' is a small number for a town accused of being populated wholly by men of that profession, vet, only three voters plead guilty to being engaged in speculation. We have six clergymen, twenty-two physicians and fifteen printers. showing conclusively that our moral, physical and intellectual health is well looked after. Our rival city, Duluth, sometime since intimated that we had more than our share of drinking saloons, but we think that there are few counties which have over 4,000 inhabitants that can show less than 20 saloons, that being the exact number of saloon keepers who have enrolled on our Register, and, as a rule saloon keepers do not neglect to exercise their privilege of voting. The lawyers from quite a respectable company in point of numbers, there being thirty-three. enough, we think, to enable us to dispense with outside assistance.'
Among the interesting records of the time is that made by the assessor in February, 1872. Among his assessments were the fol- lowing :
A. E. Horton $124,971 1
John Forster
87.681
Kimball Bros. 52,849 1 1
Sublett. Felsenheld & Co.
42,156
1
1
1
1
1
41,899
San Diego & Gila R. R. Co.
1
1 1 1
1
106 CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Louis Rose
36,330
P. W. Smith
35,700
J. S. Mannasse & Co. I
38,566
Cave J. Couts
26,122
Bank of San Diego
20,000
A. F. Hinchman
16,195
Joseph Nash
15,720
E. W. Morse
14,840
John Wolfskill
14,559
Levi Chase
14,100
Hawthorn & Wilcox
13,465
Robert Allison
13,238
Estate of James Hill ( deceased)
11,616
S. S. Culverwell
11,113
McDonald & Co.
10,165
1
I
1
1
1
1
1.
1
1
1
I
I 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1 1 1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
t
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
İ
I
1
1
1
1
Reference already has been made to the fact that the Great Register of the county in 1871 showed 1,796 voters. By 1875 the number had grown to 2,304.
A view of conditions has been afforded. Now a few words about some of the San Diego men of the times. As a rule they were hardy, unafraid, full of the courage and convictions which actuated the pioneers of those days. A review of their names and their biographies shows that many of them are of Irish descent: some of the most prominent citizens of San Diego in 1871 fall into that list. Some were from the New England States and New York. Others -quite a large percentage of the total number-came from the Southern States : their presence and influence were felt during the Civil War period. As will be seen, a large proportion of them arrived in San Diego in 1869.
One notable survivor of that period in San Diego is Daniel Cleveland, who as those words are written, is the oldest practicing attorney of San Diego-filling out a record which he began here in 1869, when he arrived in the city and began the practice of law in partnership with his brother. William H. Cleveland, who had begun practice here in the Civil War days. Daniel Cleveland, who was born in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., on March 21. 1838, had gone to Texas in 1859. In August, 1865, as the Civil War was closing, he was commissioned mayor of San Antonio and in his term which lasted about a year, is credited with having put the city's finances into good condition. He had been pronounced in the support of the Union cause and was put in charge of the San Antonio Express, the first Republican paper of Texas. Late in 1866 he went to New York, remaining a year, then returned to the Pacific coast, practicing law at San Francisco for about two years. Here Mr. Cleveland was always prominent and active. Early attempts to get a railroad to San Diego enlisted his loyal support : he was actively identified with the negotiations of Tom Scott's proposed Texas & Pacific and was attorney for that road for about five years. He was also attorney for the Bank of San Diego. In 1869 he became senior warden of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and not only held that place for many years but also acted as lay-reader when there was no rector, as was often
CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY 107
the case. Trained early on commercial lines, later for the law, active in his practice for half a century, prominent in church and benevolent work, enthusiastic in the study of botany, with his knowledge of and services in that field recognized by distinguished experts, a consider- able and successful investor in real estate, he has indeed marked out a notable career in San Diego-and all this he has done although for a number of years he has not been in robust health. His first marriage was in July, 1921. A member of a distinguished oid family which included Grover Cleveland, President of the United States, he has kept the family name bright.
Another who arrived here at that time and who played an active part in the history of the '70s was Thomas L. Nesmith, a New Hamp- shire man. In 1870, when he set foot on San Diego soil, there was nothing much to indicate that some day a real city would be built here. Sagebrush and cactus were everywhere except in the little downtown section where, due to Horton's determination and activity, there were half a dozen buildings. The Horton House, to be sure, was going up, but it took courage for a new-comer to acquire full satisfaction of the future from the signs then visible: yet Nesmith, like many others, was confident and he remained with his family. It was Nesmith who was made chairman of the Citizens' Committee of Forty which started early negotiations for a railroad to the East and kept up the hope of San Diego until Tom Scott's plan failed. He was chairman of the big meeting which welcomed Scott and his distinguished party here in the summer of 1872. He was a leading citizen, respected by all who knew him. Incidentally, Nesmith's daughter, Henrietta. became the wife of Gen. A. W. Greely, chief of the signal service bureau and noted Arctic explorer.
Still another was Aaron Pauly, an Ohioan, who came to California overland among the first of the gold-seekers of the days of '49, and who remained in the northern part of the state until 1869, when he came to San Diego. He had been running a store at Maryville, and on arrival here he opened another, landing his first stock of goods of Horton's wharf, then recently finished. He too played a large part in the early history of the city, became prominent in real estate dealings and investments, was first President of the Chamber of Com- merce, had a part in the work whose purpose was a transcontinental railroad ending at the port of San Diego: in association with D. C. Reed, who later became mayor, he built the Reed-Pauly block in what then was thought likely to become the business centre and was identi- fied in many other ways with the progress of San Diego. Also. he was head of a company which built a wagon road from San Diego to Yuma, Ariz. One son. C. W. Pauly, is still a resident of San Diego and has been actively identified in recent years with banking interests of the city.
A remarkable sturdy San Diegan of those days was John G. Capron, who since 1867 had been in charge of the overland mail transportation. The mail was discontinued during the Civil War, but when that struggle was over the service was resumed. At that time the mail came across Imperial Valley from the East, a stop being made at Warner's, but then the line went up to Los Angeles and San Francisco, missing San Diego. In 1867 the route was changed
108 CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY
to include San Diego. The contractors had been losing money, it is related, and when the change was ordered they took that as a good excuse to throw up the contract. Capron, who had been mail driver, came to San Diego to reside and took the contract to carry the mail from El Paso to Los Angeles. He kept it until 1874. Mr. Capron died several years ago.
Capt. Samuel Warren Hackett was another "old-timer" who was a resident of San Diego at the time. From 1870 to 1878 he was engaged in cattle-raising in Lower California having sold out the whaling interests which had taken up most of his attention, but he was of course identified with the life of the community even in his absence, although not to such an extent as he had been with the progress of Old Town.
William E. High, a Pennsylvanian, had come here in 1869 and had bought 160 acres 18 miles southeast of the new town, but sold it in a few months for a larger section nearer town, adjoining the big National Rancho, and after a few years more came in as far as Chollas Valley and began raising fruit. That was in 1874, and High soon built up a reputation for excellent products. He was later identified with several institutions of the city and county includ- ing the Cuyamaca Railroad and the Consolidated National Bank.
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.