USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego > City of San Diego and San Diego County : the birthplace of California, Volume I > Part 20
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144 CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY
The "panic" of 1893 had its effect in San Diego, compelling one bank to close forever and making trouble for others, but the financial atmosphere in San Diego was soon cleared up in good shape. The next few years were not marked by any remarkable progress.
"San Diego, Our Italy," was the title of an interesting booklet issued by the Chamber of Commerce in 1895 and containing a wealth of solid information. This information gives rather good idea of the general condition of the city's business and industrial life at that time.
To the fruit growing industry of the back country is given great emphasis, and a published report of the number of trees, both bear- ing and non-bearing, placed the total at 6,475, of which about 4,800 were citrus trees. Some space in the booklet is devoted to mining. The Julian gold mines are credited with having produced more than $3,000,000 in the period between 1870 and 1893. Seven of the Julian mines are mentioned by name and several of them were said to have had 10- and 20-stamp mills in operation
The assertion was made that San Diego had for several years past been one of the leading counties in the United States in the produc- tion of honey. The annual output was given at between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 pounds.
Four firms were named as being engaged in the fishing industry here, and the value of the total product of the industry is placed at $106,010.
Considerable space is given to transportation lines. The La Jolla line, the Coronado road, the Cuyamaca line and the National City & Otay are mentioned with the Santa Fe as the county's transportation routes. Under the heading, "A Railroad Men's Railroad," a brief account is given of the San Diego, Pacific & Eastern project, which had been indorsed at mass meetings by the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Trade and the City Council. This road was to have run northeast to Utah.
In a summary of the city's attractions the booklet says :
"The city is connected with San Francisco by rail and steam- ship lines. Among other things of which any city may be justly proud, San Diego has a $150,000 county courthouse ; as fine a public library containing over 12,000 volumes; 20 churches, and 30 church organizations ; 8 graded public schools : 5 kindergartens ; 45 miles of graded streets ; 41/2 miles of paved streets; 44 miles of sewers, cost- ing about $425,000: 14 miles of gas mains : 65 miles of water mains ; 44 miles railways, including a magnificent electric car system; 15 electric light masts, each 125 feet high ; pure, cold mountain water ; a $100,000 opera house : 5 incorporated banks : 4 daily newspapers ; the largest hotel in the world, at Coronado; the Old Mission building and many other points of historical interest ; a fire-alarm system costing $7,500, and a well-equipped fire department. There are also many magnificent brick blocks that would do credit to a city of 100,000 inhabitants."
The building record for the year ending December, 1894. is given, showing 200 buildings were put up, at a total cost of $300.000.
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A special chapter devoted to San Diego harbor is convincing in the array of figures published. The number of vessels arriving dur- ing the years 1893-4 is given as 322, with a total net tonnage of 241,035. The value of dutiable imports is named at $307,918.04, and of free imports, $52,929.33-a total of $360,847.37. Lumber receipts are named as 17,724,000 feet : coal, value. $235,264.60 ; cement value, $45,172.73. Revenues collected by the customs office at the port amounted to $95,127.24. for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894.
The chapter also states that San Diego was chosen as the coal- ing station for the British North Pacific naval squadron, having been given the preference over San Francisco.
The chapter thus treats of wharves and docking facilities :
"Some idea of the wharf accomodations may be had from a partial description of the Spreckels Bros'. wharf. which is 3,500 feet long, and was built at a cost of over $90,000. The coal bunkers on the wharf have a capacity of over 15,000 gross tons. The machinery is of the most modern and best improved type, and in point of effi- ciency second to none in America. The wharf has a track connecting it with the Southern California Railway. Ships are unloaded directly into the bunkers, from which a train may be loaded in fifteen minutes.
"In addition to the Spreckels Bros.' wharf there are the Santa Fe's the Pacific Coast Steamship Company's, the Dock Company's and the Russ Lumber & Mill Company's costing from $25.000 to $80,000 each, and from 2,000 to 3,200 feet in length." .
The city directory of 1895 listed 30 churches, two morning news- papers, and one evening newspaper, seven architects, 82 attorneys or firms of attorneys, and six banks, the Bank of Commerce, Blochman Banking Company, First National. Merchants National. San Diego Savings and Savings Bank of San Diego County: there were three building and loan associations : seven civil engineers, 17 dentists, and nine drygoods houses, the list including George W. Marston, then at the northeast corner of Fifth and F streets, John Black, S. W. Bone, Mrs. M. V. Carroll, the City of Paris, J. W. Cregan, M. A. Lesem, L. Speyer and the White House. Two engraving firms then found work here. There was nearly sixty retail groceries, a good indication of the way in which the town had spread by that time. There were sixty-five physicians and surgeons practising here then, and it is of interest to note who some of them were. Dr. P. C. Re- mondino, dean of the physicians now practising in San Diego, was, as today, at Fifth and Beech streets. Dr. C. M. Fenn, another well known physician, was at 651 Seventh street. Dr. D. Gochenauer had his offices in the Express Block. Dr. Francis H. Mead was in the Keating Block, Fifth and F streets. Drs. Fred and Charlotte Baker were in their old offices at Fifth and C streets. Dr. T. G. McConkey, who was promintent also in the rowing club, was in the Bon Ton Block, Sixth and D streets. Dr. R. J. Gregg, now retired but still living, was at 850 Fourth street. Dr. F. R. Burnham, who lived then at 1708 C street. had offices in the Kuhn Block, Fourth and D streets, Dr. J. C. Hearne was at Fourth and Ash streets.
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The public library in those days was at Seventh and F streets, in the St. James building, over the postoffice, and had only about 12,000 books. There were about 75 real estate dealers listed. There were 14 printers in the 1905 directory, one of the firms being Garrett & Smith at 723 Fifth street. The Western Union Telegraph office was on F street. The only theatres were the Louis Opera House and the Fisher Opera House. The only undertaking firms were Johnson & Co. (P. M. Johnson and J. E. Connell) at Sixth and E streets, and W. W. Whitson & Co., at Fourth and E streets. The list of retail liquor dealers contained 37 names.
The fire department, of which A. B. Cairnes was chief, was only partly paid at that time. It had 41 men, two steam engines, three hose carts and one truck and ladder outfit. There were only 25 alarm boxes in the city, the central office being 930 Third street.
The Chamber of Commerce then had its rooms on F street between Third and Fourth. The city hall was at Third and D streets, and the redoubtable William H. Carlson was mayor.
The San Diego Electric Railway Company's lines at that time were as follows :
From the foot of H street east to National avenue and Thirty- second street : from the foot of Fifth street north to University ave- nue, where it connected with a horse-car line running to the Cable Pavilion. The D street line ran from the foot of H street to D, then on D to Fifteenth street ; an extension to Twenty-fifth street was being made at the time. There was a so-called belt line running around the business section to and from the Coronado ferry. On First street there was a horse-car line running from D street to Hawthorne.
The Coronado Belt Line Railroad, from San Diego to Coronado, ran trains around the bay then. The National City & Otay road, now part of the San Diego & Arizona system, was running trains to National City, Chula Vista, Otay and Tia Juana. The San Diego & Arizona system, was running to Foster, from which point a daily stage ran to Julian. The San Diego, Pacific Beach & La Jolla ran steam trains to La Jolla.
In those days Edward W. Scripps, the newwspaper publisher, had established his residence at Miramar. Joseph Jessop, the jeweler, also had his residence there.
Some thirty residents of Julian were listed as miners in that year.
Such were conditions in the city at the end of 1895-about seven years after the boom had collapsed. The city was not growing vigor- ously, but it had gained encouragement from the manner in which some of its citizens, notably, John D. Spreckels, had shown their faith in the place. Hopes were still entertained of a railroad running directly East from the port, the failure of the Santa Fe to provide such an outlet having become apparent. New blood was being added to the population-vigorous, hopeful pioneers of the later days-and the old pride in San Diego was as strong as ever. To that was added, bit by bit, more hope for the future, to which the people of San Diego looked with confidence.
The only disaster of consequence in the history of San Diego was that which befell the gunboat Bennington of the United States Navy
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in San Diego harbor on July 21, 1905. The vessel, a ship of the third class, was lying in the stream, about to depart for the north, when the forward and main port boilers exploded at about 10:30 a. m. The ship was soon enveloped in steam, and aboard the craft was a scene of horror which will live long in the memory of those who saw it in part. The explosions and the scalding steam killed fifty-one men outright. Of the injured who were taken alive from the fated gunboat, nine died later, making the total death list sixty. There were forty-six others who were injured, many severely. About ninety of the crew escaped without injury.
The injured men were rushed to the Agnew Sanitarium and St. Joseph's Hospital or to improvised hospitals, many kinds of vehicles being pressed into service. Volunteers came from all parts of the city to aid in relieving the victims, many of whom suffered agonies with a fortitude that called for glowing praise.
The funeral of the victims was held July 23, the people of the city joining in the tribute to the sailors who had given up their lives. Most of the victims were buried in the Military Cemetery on Point Loma, where, in January, 1908, the Bennington monument, a beautiful shaft, was unveiled.
CHAPTER XIV
SAN DIEGO'S RAILROAD HISTORY
From the early '50s to 1919 San Diego hoped for but still was without a direct rail outlet from her magnificit harbor to the Eastern States of the Union. From 1883 on, to be sure, the Santa Fe ran trains here, but early in San Diego's dealings with that railroad it became apparent that the San Diego line, instead of being a direct road, was doomed to be a branch line, and such it is at this day, al- though its importance has increased with the years and in recent times the railroad company has apparently done everything reasonable to advance San Diego's interests. The fine station built before the Exposition at the foot of Broadway is an example of that friendly interest in San Diego's advancement and appreciation of the city's legitimate demands.
It remained, however, for John D. Spreckels, eminent and loyal San Diegan, to bring to realization the dreams which his city has cherished for the many years of a direct road to the East.
The early ideas and hopes for such a rail outlet as was provided when the San Diego & Arizona was completed in 1919 were, naturally, more or less hazy. The Federal Government, however, granted ap- propriations for preliminary surveys in the early '50s. One of these was completed and reported in 1853; that report was published by Col. J. Bankhead Magruder, president of the Atlantic and Pacific Rail- road Company, which had a name of such resonance and significance as to deserve perpetuation as one of the great transcontinental lines of the United States. The other survey was made only a few months later. although the report was not made public until 1856: this survey was made by Col. Andrew B. Gray for a route for the Southern Pacific, on the 32d parallel, for the Texas Western Railroad Company.
Early in the stay of Lieut. George H. Derby at San Diego, in the '50s when he was building up his fame as the author of "Phoenix- iana," he acquired railroad enthusiasm to some extent-certainly to sufficient degree to mention it in his writings. For instance, although San Diego at the time was just a little part settlement, principally at Old Town and La Playa, and was growing very gradually, he fore- saw that it some day would be a railroad terminus. "Should," he wrote, "the great Pacific railroad terminate at San Diego, an event within the range of probability, the Playa must be the depot, and as such will become a point of great importance." His prophecy, so far as it relates to La Playa, has not been fulfilled, but the rest of it has become realization. And those who have watched closely the progress of events along the Pacific coast, especially in Southern California, have become convinced that, with the completion of this
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direct railroad outlet, may be dated the beginning of San Diego's most remarkable period in commercial and industrial importance.
A period of remarkable prosperity for San Diego as a result of her new railroad connection will be a pleasant chapter to follow the chapter of many disappointments. And what a chapter! First, when everything seemed to be favorable, the outbreak of the Civil War, paralyzing commerce for years and halting the progress of the South- ern States, on which San Diego relied in early days for railroad help. Then "Black Friday" in 1873, stopping Thomas A. Scott of the Pennsylvania road in his nearly successful attempt to bring a railroad through to San Diego. Then in the '80s the disappointment due to the failure of the Santa Fe to do what the people of San
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UNION STATION, SAN DIEGO Used by the Santa Fe and the San Diego & Arizona Railways. ( Photograph by W. E. Averrett.)
Diege had hoped would be done. Later, with the case of the San Diego & Arizona, trouble in Mexico, financial stringency and the World War-none of which, however, daunted or dismayed its builder, Mr. Spreckels, and his closest associates.
Late in 1854 there was organized in San Diego a company which used the comprehensive name San Diego & Gila, Southern Pacific & Atlantic Railroad Company. It was duly chartered at Sacramento and elected these officers, nearly all of whom became prominent in the city : President. James W. Robinson : Vice President, O. S. Witherby : Treasurer, Lonis Rose: Secretary, George P. Tebbetts: Directors, J. W. Robinson, Gen. H. S. Burton. E. W. Morse, Joseph Reiner, John Hays, M. M. Sexton, Louis Rose. L. Strauss, J. R. Githchell. George Evons. O. S. Witherby, and William C. Ferrell. As was the case later with the San Diego & Arizona, the purpose of this
150 CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY
company was to build as far as Yuma, Ariz., there to connect with whatever line might be built to that point from the East. To start such a work it was necessary to make a survey from San Diego over the mountain to what is now the Imperial Valley, no previous survey having taken in that section. The surveyors followed the general line of the San Diego River up as far as Santa Ysabel, at which the mountain to the East now forks, one lateral going to Warner's ranch and the other climbing the hills to Julian. The surveying party brought back a very encouraging report which to some extent was verified in later years when the San Diego, Cuyamaca & Eastern Railroad was built as far as Foster, with intentions to keep climbing over the mountains to the East. In 1855 the city voted to give the company nearly 9,000 acres of land with the proviso that the road be built. It never got beyond the surveying stage. While hope was still strong for it in San Diego, the Civil War began to loom, and that soon became reality. After the war there were several other railroad projects from which San Diego got small hope, but it was not until 1871, when the Texas & Pacific was organized, by Thomas A. Scott and a group of associates, that this hope came anywhere near realiza- tion. The following year, Scott, who was head of the great Pennsyl- vania road of the East, got authority from Congress to build from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast. San Diegans then selected a committee of forty citizens to work toward the end that San Diego might be made the western terminus of the Scott road. Thomas L. Nesmith was made chairman, and A. E. Horton, who by that time had put into the new town an enthusiasm which could not be restrained. went to Washington to confer with Congressman S. O. Houghton of California and Gen. Thomas S. Sedgwick, who several years before had made a survey to San Diego. Scott seemed very favorable to San Diego's presentation and he made arrangements to come here on a visit. As soon as he reached the coast, August 20, 1872, he announced that he had come to the West purely on business "in fact, to visit San Diego, the Western terminus of the Texas & Pacific Railway." He also said: "Work will be commenced at San Diego im- mediately, as the charter of the company requires the line to be com- menced at that place before the end of the year." The Scott party was described at the time as "the largest party of distinguished persons ever visiting the Pacific coast." Certain it is that its coming across the continent aroused much interest, and when it started down the coast from San Francisco, to which it had gone by rail, and in considerable style, the San Francisco newspapers sent along reporters to "cover" the doings at San Diego. They did it, too, at considerable length. The trip down the coast was made on the steamer California, a stop being made at Santa Barbara. The arrival here was on August 26. It is well here to stop a moment and consider the makeup of this party, indeed distinguished.
These were Directors: Col. Thomas A. Scott, president of the road ; Gen. G. M. Dodge, chief engineer : W. T. Walters of Baltimore, Col. John W. Fornay of Philadelphia, Former Senator John S. Harris of Louisana, John McManus of Reading, Pa., and Gov. J. W. Throck- morton of Texas. Others in the party were : Col. George Williamson of Shreveport, La., Senator John Sherman of Ohio, N. P. Dodge of
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Council Bluffs, Iowa. W. H. Rinehart of Rome, Italy, John P. Greene, secretary to President Scott, W. H. Brady, D. B. Jackson, agent of the Pennsylvania Central Station at San Francisco, Miss Walters and Mrs. John P. Greene. Accompanying the party from the North by invitation were Gov. R. C. McCormick of Arizona and Senator Cornelius Cole. There was a large crowd at the wharf to wel- come the visitors headed by the "Railroad King," as the Union of that time described Scott. Carriages took all to the Horton House, then the finest hotel in all Southern California, and greeting them all there was Horton, "the happiest looking man we have ever seen." A meet- ing had been arranged for outdoors that evening that all San Diego might see and hear Scott, but while the party, or most of it was out taking carriage rides that afternoon, a light rain, not to be expected at all at that time of the year, came up, and it was decided to have the meeting in the rink under Horton's Hall. This was soon crowded. Chairman Nesmith of the Citizens' Committee presided and presented Col. Scott, who spoke at some length. He declared he did not see why the railroad shold not be built to San Diego within five years. He referred to the fact that other communities-"your neighbors"- would be working for trade with the East, and mentioned San Fran- cisco in particular. But he added : "Your location is so many miles nearer to the Atlantic that you must certainly secure the most liberal share of the commerce I have referred to."
Several other members of the Scott party spoke. So did Prof. Louis Agassiz, who had come here a few days before on the steamer Hassler, which had brought a party of scientists from the East for exploration and acquisition of various specimens of animal life. Prof. Agassiz said "This day is the one from which you can date your real prosperity." The good professor of course was not able to look into the future and see the "Black Friday" that was on the calendar of the Fates.
The next afternoon Col. Scott met with the Citizens' Railroad Committee and the Board of City Trustees in the parlor of the bank, the San Diegans being assembled to hear his proposal, expressed simply, as it came from the great railroad man to the humble. ex- pectant community :
"First-That you give us a clear and perfect title to all the lands of the San Diego & Gila Railroad Company.
"Second-That you give us the right of way through the city and county of San Diego, 100 feet wide at the stake lines.
"Third-That you give us the lot of land (as designated on the map) 1,500 feet in length by 600 feet in width, adjoining the water- front, with streets and alleys vacated.
"Fourth-That you give us 100 acres of tidelands (as designated on the map) to be acceptable to the company as to shape ; or the same amount of tidelands within the boundaries of Horton's addition, ad- joining the shore.
"The title to these lands to be clear and perfect as given in the agreement.
"If the passenger depot is selected in Horton's addition, or other- wise, the tidelands to be adjoining."
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A committee was appointed to confer with a special committee of the San Diego & Gila company with reference to terms on which the lands granted to that company could be obtained for the new railroad venture, and a second meeting was held in the parlor of the Horton House that afternoon. The San Diego & Gila committee, headed by Col. W. Jeff Gatewood of the World, proposed to sell the required lands for not less than $100,000. This proposal was ac- cepted, and it was voted to notify Colonel Scott that his terms were agreeable. Scott immediately said that he was eager to go ahead with actual construction work.
"I don't expect to live forever," he remarked, "and I want to see this road finished before I die."
"San Diego is jubilant," said the Union next day in describing the feelings with which the city took the news. "Scott has passed his word, and he never goes back on a pledge."
The feeling of jubilation was evident throughout a farewell ban- quet which was served at the Horton House. After the viands had been eaten and the wine had been used in toasts, a salute was fired and the party was escorted by happy San Diegans to the steamer California, which took the visitors on the first leg of the journey back East.
Formal transfer of the property and franchise of the old San Diego & Gila to the Texas & Pacific was made in the following De- cember. The San Francisco papers at the time valued the properties at $3,000,000, and it is said that Colonel Scott himself valued them at $5,000,000.
Grading work on the San Diego end of the proposed road was started on April 21 of the next year. The ceremony was hastily arranged, but was nevertheless impressive. Work was started on the railroad lands about 100 yards from the Mannasse & Schiller addition. Among those taking part was J. S. Harris, a director of the Texas & Pacific : Thomas L. Nesmith, head of the citizens' committee, presided, and said :
"The day has at last arrived. The Texas & Pacific, as you are well aware, has been endowed by Congress with extensive land grants, and it has been further liberally aided by the State of Texas suffi- ciently so as to guarantee its completion.
He also expressed the hope that the road could be finished in time for all San Diegans to travel over it to the Centennial celebra- tion in 1876, a remark which was heartily cheered. Horton who turned the first sod, paused after he had taken off his coat and hat to start the task and said :
"'I regard this as the greatest honor the Pacific Coast could pos- sibly confer upon me.'"
At this time there were some murmurings of discontent in San Diego that progress on the new railroad was not faster, but Scott, it seems, was doing all he could. In the fall he went to Europe to com- plete arrangements with French financiers for taking bonds. While the papers were being drawn up he went away for a visit. The papers were completed and the financiers were ready to sign, but
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