USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego > City of San Diego and San Diego County : the birthplace of California, Volume I > Part 31
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Lower Otay, 19,000,000,000 gallons.
Barrett, 14,333,000,000 gallons.
Morena, 13,000,000,000 gallons.
SWEETWATER RESERVOIR.
The great Sweetwater dam, six miles in a direct line from the National City postoffice, was finished in March, 1888, the completion of the structure and the turning of water into the mains being cele- brated at National City on April 19 of that year, with more than 3,000 persons taking part in the festivities. The source of the supply stored in the reservoir is in the headwaters of the Sweetwater River, whose bed passes nearly through the centre of a large body of fertile lands which became the property of the San Diego Land & Town Company, originally a kind of first cousin of the Santa Fe Railroad. It was to bring water on these lands, comprising the larger part of the Rancho de la Nacion and to supply water for domestic use in National City and Chula Vista that the dam was built.
Construction of the dam was started in November, 1886, the first plans calling for a structure only 50 feet high. The dam, however, was built to a height of 90 feet from bedrock to the top of the storage section, 20 feet being below the outlet, giving a storage height of 70 feet. The length of the dam on top was 496 feet and at the bottom 76 feet. the thickness ranging from 46 feet at the base to 12 feet at the top. About 20.000 cubic yards of masonry was used. The original structure flooded 695 acres. In 1895 the parapet wall was raised five
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feet and strengthened to make it a storage section and the waste ways were enlarged. Another addition of 15 feet was built in 1910 and 1911, bringing the storage height up to 90 feet. The original capacity of the reservoir was 5,559,899,000 gallons. The first addition, in 1895, added 1,247,860,000 gallons to the capacity, and the second, in 1911, added 4,738,535,000 gallons, making a total of about 11,500,000,000 gallons. The flood of 1916 brought about 4,900 acre feet of silt into the reservoir, reducing its capacity to about 31,000 acre feet or 10,042,- 000,000 gallons. The original cost of the dam was $234,074 and that of the original distributing system was about $502,000. James D. Schuyler was engineer in charge and responsible for the design of the dam and its execution.
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GREAT SWEETWATER DAM, NEAR NATIONAL CITY Showing water running over spillway. (Photograph by Herbert R. Fitch.)
From 1898 to 1904 water was pumped continuously as a result of the long dry period which came to San Diego County. Orchards and vegetation suffered greatly in that dry "spell."
The Sweetwater system now contains 85 miles of pipe.
Col. William Dickinson of Kansas City was appointed general manager of the San Diego Land & Town Company. He died in 1891, and in 1892 John E. Boal, who had been his chief clerk and who is his son-in-law, succeeded him. In 1901 the Sweetwater Water Corporation was incorporated, and Boal was continued in its manage- ment, recently with the title of president.
THE VOLCAN SYSTEM
The Volcan water system includes the Warner's, Pamo and Sutherland damsites and reservoir sites, being the headwaters of the Santa Ysabel and the San Luis Rey rivers.
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Messrs. U. S. Grant and George Puterbaugh attempted at one time to sell water to the city from Warner's dam, which they pro- posed to build, and a definite offer was made to the city to furnish 1,000 inches of water for a million dollars, delivered to the city. Owing to the opposition of E. S. Babcock and the Southern California Moun- tain Water Company, this project was abandoned.
In May, 1905, H. E. Huntington, through his corporation, the Pacific Light & Power Company, determined to build Warner's dam, develop 5,000 or 6,000 horsepower of electricity and turn the water back into the San Luis Rey River, the power to be used for the Pacific Electric Railway, Los Angeles to San Diego. His associate in this enterprise was W. G. Kerckhoff, president of the Pacific Light & Power Company. Harriman purchased control of the stock of the Pacific Electric, and blocked Huntington's dream of an extension of the electric railroad to San Diego. The interests which Huntington and Kerckhoff had acquired Col. Ed Fletcher sold to William G. Henshaw in 1910.
Next the Warner's ranch was purchased, and Fletcher, asso- ciated with Henshaw in this enterprise, acquired for the Volcan Water Company practically all the riparian rights on the San Luis Rey River, from Warner's dam to the ocean, by outright purchase.
Later the Sutherland damsite on the Santa Ysabel River was purchased and about 1914 all the bonds of the old Linda Vista Irriga- tion District were purchased by the Henshaw-Fletcher interests, and the district dissolved. The assets of the district were acquired by Henshaw and Fletcher. They included the Pamo damsite and reser- voir site on the Santa Ysabel River.
In acquiring this damsite, reservoir sites and riparian rights, many thousands of acres of land had to be purchased, and at the present time it is reported that between $3,000,000 and $4,000.000 is invested in the entire project.
Although no dams have been built, complete records of rainfall and stream measurements have been taken on both rivers. The United States Reclamation Service investigated this project with the idea of government acquisition and construction.
A concrete cut-off wall has been built at Warner's dam. An out- let tunnel 1.100 feet in length is built and concreted, including con- crete cut-off gates, several miles of conduit have been built, and a large amount of exploration work has been done, both at Pamo and Sutherland, but no dams have been built at either of those sites up to the present time.
The Sutherland dam is only 1512 miles from the diverting dam of the Cuyamaca Water Company on the San Diego River, and at the present time there are indications that the Sutherland develo- ment may be made in connection with the Cuyamaca system.
SAN DIEGUITO MUTUAL WATER COMPANY.
Colonel Fletcher conceived the idea of building the Lake Hodges dam, and putting the water on the 8.500 acres of land owned by the Santa Fe. Colonel Fletcher also formed a syndicate and bought several thousand acres of the coast lands between Del Mar and Encinitas. He interested in the Lake Hodges project William G.
(16)
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Henshaw and the Santa Fe Railroad, the Santa Fe Railroad owning a two-thirds interest, and Henshaw and Fletcher one-third.
The San Dieguito Mutual Water Company property consists of the Lake Hodges dam on the San Dieguito River, the San Elijo dam on the Escondido River, and the San Dieguito dam and distributing reservoir. Only Lake Hodges and San Dieguito dams have been built up to the present time. The San Dieguito Mutual Water Com- pany has also built the pipe line to the ocean, and has acquired the San Elijo damsite, reservoir site and riparian rights. The State Water Commission has given the San Dieguito Mutual Water Com- pany an extension of time until 1924 to complete the San Elijo dam.
Everything is in concrete, including the pipe lines. The Lake
LAKE HODGES DAM FROM BELOW Height 156 feet from bedrock; 750 feet in length.
Hodges dam is 157 feet high from bedrock-a multiple arch reinforced concrete dam. The length is 750 feet. It holds approximately thirteen billion gallons of water, and at a slight expense the dam can be raised fifteen feet and will hold twenty-two billion gallons.
There is sufficient water supply impounded by the San Dieguito system to irrigate approximately 20,000 acres.
The dam was completed in 1919. Lake Hodges is now 8.6 miles in length, and one of the most scenic lakes in the country.
Messrs. Fletcher and Henshaw made a contract both with the water company and with the City of San Diego, whereby for ten years the City of San Diego acquires two million gallons of water daily, delivered at the city limits of Del Mar. This water is being used in La Jolla, Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach.
About 8,000 acres have already been cleared of brush near Del Mar and are being put to water from Lake Hodges dam. It has
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been demonstrated that this land is practically frostless, and the great- est success of the farmer is in raising winter vegetables-peas, beans, tomatoes, chilli peppers, etc., winter crops that are harvested in Jan- uary and February and are shipped to New York, Chicago and other eastern points.
Officers and directors of the San Dieguito Mutual Water Com- pany are: Ed Fletcher, president : E. O. Faulkner, secretary and treasurer ; W. E. Hodges, William G. Henshaw, A. J. Olmsted.
CHAPTER XX
THE CITY'S CHURCHES.
The first Catholic church in San Diego-that is, at Old Town- is still standing, although no longer used as a church. It was the Church of the Immaculate Conception, organized January 10, 1850. When the Old Mission was abandoned in 1846, Fr. Vicente Pascual Oliva was in charge, and he remained until 1847, although only a few remained to worship there. Fr. Juan Holbein followed him and re- mained until 1850, when Don Jose Antonio Aguirre gave his house in Old Town as a place of worship. The house was remodeled and the Church of the Immaculate Conception organized. The original building was of adobes, but these were protected with weather boards in later years. The building is now used as a kindergarten. Father Holbein was in charge of the church until 1855, being succeeded by Father Meinrich, who was followed in 1857 by Fr. Jaime Vila. Other priests in turn to the time of Father Ubach were Frs. Juan Moliner, Angel Molino, Vicente Llover and Miguel Duran. Father Ubach came in 1866. On the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Mission, Father Ubach laid the foundation of a new church at Old Town, but when the rush to the new town began the church was left unfinished and it was not completed until 1916, under Fr. Joseph Mesny. Father Mesny was exiled from France, where he was or- dained in 1890. He came to the Old Town church in July, 1906, and also was assigned to be chaplain of the Old Mission, where at that time a school for Indians was being conducted by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Father Mesny remained at the Old Mission for eight years. Due to his efforts the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea at La Jolla was opened in 1908, and the Church of St. Agnes at Roseville in the same year. In 1912 Father Mesny opened the Sacred Heart Church at Ocean Beach. In 1916 the fine new Church of the Immaculate Conception at Old Town was opened.
The beloved Fr. Antonio D. Ubach had been in Old Town, in charge of the Catholic congregation there for about six years when a disastrous fire, on April 20, 1872, destroyed many of the principal buildings and turned the scale in favor of the newer community started by A. E. Horton. Many of the congregation removed to New Town, as it was called, and in 1875 Father Ubach had a frame church building erected at Fourth and Beech streets. There on Jan- uary 31 of that year St. Joseph's Church was dedicated. As the result of Father Ubach's labors, a fine brick church, the present structure, was erected in 1894, and that is regarded as a monument to the revered priest, "the last of the padres." Father Ubach died March 27, 1907, after an illness of several months. He was succeeded by
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CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY 245
the Rev. Bernard Smyth, who died in February, 1912. On March 29, of that year the Rev. Joseph Nunan was appointed rector of the parish and served until July, 1914. The next pastor was the Rev. E. A. Heffernan, who had been rector of the parish of Our Lady of Angels. He remained until his death, in January, 1919. In March, 1919, the Very Rev. John J. Brady, dean of the Catholic parishes of the district, was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's and still holds the place. Father Brady had served for four years as an assistant to Father Ubach.
Father Ubach, who became widely known partly because he was regarded as the "Father Gaspara" of Helen Hunt Jackson's book, "Ramona," was a native of Catalonia, Spain. He was educated for a missionary priest at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and traveled many thousand miles as a missionary among the Indians of the early days. He came to San Diego in 1866 and remained here until his death. His passing broke one of the last links connecting the present day with life of the older San Diego, and his funeral was one of the most impressive and most largely attended ever held in the city. Bishop Conaty conducted the elaborate ceremonies and pronounced the eulogy. A perfect mass of floral tributes was laid to his memory, but none of these offerings attracted more attention than did the wild flowers sent by the Indians of the mountains.
St. Joseph's parochial hall was built in Father Nunan's time. A parochial school was started by the church in 1920.
The present assistants at St. Joseph's are the Rev. Paul Dillon and the Rev. Daniel Hurley.
The second Catholic parish in the new city is Our Lady of Angels. In August, 1905, Bishop Conaty sent the Rev. William F. Quinlan to San Diego to establish this parish, and the district east of Sixteenth Street and south of Upas was set aside as its field. The first services were held in the old armory hall on National Avenue between 28th and 29th streets on the second Sunday in October. Steps were soon taken to build a church, a lot at 24th and G streets was bought, and the cornerstone of the edifice was laid July 28, 1906, the Right Rev. Bishop Conaty officiating. Although the church was not finished at the time, mass was celebrated in it on Christmas Day of that year. The church was dedicated December 8, 1907. of the following year. On the same date the western boundary of the parish was changed from 16th Street to 12th Street. Father Quinlan was promoted in October, 1909, to the pastorate of St. Andrew's in Pasadena and was succeeded November 1, 1909, at Our Lady of Angels by the Rev. Eugene A. Heffernan. Rapid growth of the parish continued in his pastorate, and a parochial school was built in 1912. being opened in the fall of that year by the Sisters of St. Joseph. When Father Hef- fernan went to St. Joseph's in 1914, he was followed at Our Lady of Angels by the Rev. James A. O'Callaghan. He was promoted to St. Patrick's in Los Angeles on December 31, 1918, and was followed here by the Rev. P. J. MeGrath, who remained until November, 1921. being followed by the Rev. William E. Corr, who had been diocesan director of the Bureau of Catholic Charges, Los Angeles. Father McGrath became the Very Rev. P. J. McGrath. V. F., dean of Fresno.
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Under Father McGrath's pastorate much was done to decrease the church debt and to build up the various activities of the parish. The present assistant at the church is the Rev. Michael Sullivan.
The parish of St. Vincent's embracing, roughly speaking, what is known as the Mission Hills section, was established in 1913. Of this church the Rev. James H. MacRoberts, C. M., was the first rector. Property at Hawk Street and Fort Stockton Drive was bought, and mass was offered in a temporary church seven months after Father MacRoberts' appointment. Father MacRoberts was promoted in July, 1915, to the pastorship of St. Vincent's Church in Los Angeles, and he was followed at the Mission Hills church by the Rev. Fr. Leo Sweeney, also a Vincentian. Father Sweeney was called to assist in the parish of St. Vincent's in Kansas City, Mo., and was succeeded here February 7, 1920, by the Rev. Fr. William P. Ponet, the incumbent. St. Vincent's parish boasts the honor of having the first Catholic troop of the Boy Scouts of America in San Diego.
St. John's Church, Normal Heights, was built in 1913 under the pastorate of the Rev. L. P. Golden for the parish which has been organized in that fast growing section by the Rev. Peter McNellis. Father Golden's health compelled him to retire in 1918, when the present rector, the Rev. T. F. King, was appointed to take charge of the parish.
For Spanish-speaking residents the Rev. Father McGrath of Our Lady of Angels erected a little frame church, Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, in Logan Heights in 1919. For about two years this church has been attended as a mission of Our Lady of Angels parish, an effort being made to obtain the services of a Spanish-speaking priest when possible. In June, 1921, Bishop Conaty appointed the Rev. Juan Coma as Cura-Parroco. Father Coma is a native of Spain who came to this country in 1901 and completed his studies at New Orleans. He was sent to California in 1920 after long service in the diocese of Corpus Christi, Texas.
The parish of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, East San Diego. was established in August, 1911. The Rev. P. F. Mclaughlin was the first rector. He was succeeded in 1918 by the Rev. M. J. Con- neally, who served until 1920, being relieved by the Rev. M. McCor- mack, who in turn was followed by the Rev. James F. Mitchell, who served until May 15, 1921, when the present pastor, the Rev. W. J. Clancy, was appointed.
The Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea at La Jolla, was dedi- cated on June 10, 1910. The church was built under the guidance of the Rev. Joseph Mesny, then in charge of the old San Diego Mis- sion. First mass at La Jolla was celebrated some time before that by the Rev. Joseph O'Keefe, O. F., in the summer cottage of the late J. B. Mannix.
In November, 1921, the bishop of the diocese directed that a new parish be established in San Diego. It is to be known as St. Patrick's, and the Rev. Father Ashe has been appointed to take charge 1
of it.
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EPISCOPAL
To the Episcopalians belongs the distinction of being the first Protestant denomination to hold services in San Diego. On December 31, 1850, the Rev. John Reynolds, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was appointed army chaplain for the troops stationed at the Mission Post. He conducted his first service at Old Town on July 10, 1853, following an announcement in the Herald that "hereafter the Rev. Dr. John Reynolds * chaplain of the United States Army, will conduct divine services at the court house, and for the first time we have Protestant church services in our town of San Diego."
Doctor Reynolds, who had been rector of the Episcopal church at Stockton before coming to San Diego, removed to the Atlantic States about August 31, 1854, and thereafter no regular Protestant church services were held at Old Town until after Horton came.
Following his arrival in October, 1868, the Rev. Sidney Wilbur proceeded to arrange for services at new San Diego. On November 8, 1868, he held his first service in the old government barracks, play- ing a borrowed melodeon as well as preaching. Interest in his services increased, and early in 1869, he organized a parish ; and in May a church building was erected on two lots donated by Mr. Horton, on the northeast corner of Sixth and C streets. Money for the building was donated by the Episcopalians of San Francisco. This was the first church building of any kind in new San Diego. The building was of two stories and Mr. Wilbur and family made their home on the second floor. The building was used until about November, 1869. when it was removed and a building, known as Trinity Hall, was erected on the same spot. This building was removed, in April, 1871, to the southeast corner of Fourth and C streets, on lots which are now covered by the Brewster hotel, and which Mr. Horton conveyed to the society in exchange for the lots on Sixth and C streets.,
The two parish lots on the Brewster hotel site were sold in August, 1886, and two lots on the southeast corner of Eighth and C streets purchased. The church and rectory were built in 1887 and the first service held on Easter of that year. The name of the or- ganization formed at the first parish meeting, held November 26, 1869, was the Parish of the Holy Trinity. The first vestrymen were Rev. Sidney Wilbur, Daniel Cleveland, E. D. Switzer, Oliver T. Ladue, J. S. Buck, C. P. Rudd, K. J. Ware, G. E. Nottage. Daniel Stewart and John T. Hawley.
New articles of incorporation were adopted and filed on January 22, 1887, and the name of the parish changed to St. Paul's.
Rev. Dr. Kellogg, of Cleveland, Ohio, who succeeded Rev. Wil- bur, resigned on December 1, 1870. Daniel Cleveland was licensed to act as lay reader, upon request of the vestry in January, 1871, and acted frequently in that capacity, serving as senior warden for thirty years.
Rev. J. F. Bowles became rector in February, 1872, and remained a few months. In October of that year Rev. Hobart Chetwood came. He remained until May. 1881. The lay reader then served until July 25, 1882, when Rev. Henry B. Restarick took charge of the parish. There were about twenty communicants then, but when he
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left twenty years later, there were more than 400. Through his labors a fine new parish church and rectory were built and four other church buildings-two in San Diego, one with a rectory at National City, and one at Bostonia-were erected. He was ordained to the priesthood in Iowa in June, 1882, and until his election and consecration as Bishop of Honolulu, in 1902, he had only one parish-St. Paul's, San Diego. He was consecrated bishop in his own parish church, July 2, 1902.
Rev. Charles L. Barnes was chosen to succeed Mr. Restarick, and is still rector.
St. James's Mission on Logan Heights was founded in 1888 by Bishop Restarick. In 1891, two lots were purchased at Twenty-sixth Street and Kearney Avenue, and a church building erected. This . later became an independent church. The rectors, since 1889, have been : Messrs. Sanderson, S. H. Ilderton, James R. De Wolfe Cowie, F. W. Chase, A. L. Mitchell, F. A. Zimmerman, Alfred R. Taylor, and Alfred Kinsley Glover.
All Saints, at Sixth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, is another of Bishop Restarick's foundations. Rectors of this church have been the Revs. J. A. M. Richey, Joseph McConnell, Richard A. Bolt and C. T. Murphy, the incumbent.
St. James by the Sea, on Prospect Street, La Jolla, started with a small congregation, with Daniel Cleveland as lay reader. The Rev. William Bedford Jones is now its rector.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL
The Methodists were a close second to the Episcopalians in or- ganizing a congregation at Horton's Addition. The Rev. G. W. B. McDonald was the first Methodist minister to hold services. He ar- rived January 12, 1869. Prior to that H. H. Dougherty, who came to San Diego October 10, 1868, held meetings at the homes of men- bers. The Rev. I. H. Cox followed and remained until October, 1869, when he was relieved by the Rev. D. A. Dryden, who was the first regularly appointed minister to take charge of the congregation. In January, 1870, formal organization was made and a church building, located on the northeast corner of Fourth and D streets, was dedi- cated. Mr. Horton donated the lots. Later a new brick building was erected on this same site, the wooden structure being removed to 646 India Street. It was used as a barracks for the volunteers during the Spanish-American war.
The dedication of the original church building took place on February 13, 1870. The Rev. M. C. Briggs, of Santa Clara, preached the sermon. The first board of trustees consisted of : A. E. Horton, C. B. Richards, R. D. Case, N. W. Hensley, J. W. Gale, G. W. B. McDonald, J. M. Young, W. F. Pettit and E. Aylesworth.
The new brick building of three stories, erected in 1887, was used jointly by the church and as a business block, the rear of the second and third stories containing the auditorium and the balance of the building being rented for business offices. This church was dedi- cated on February 26, 1888. The Rev. R. S. Cantine, of Los Angeles, preached the sermon. The congregation outgrew these quarters and
CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY 249
in 1905 the building was sold and plans drawn up for the fine new church building at the northwest corner of Ninth and C streets. John W. Hamilton, of Mexico, delivered the principal address. The cor- nerstone of the new church was laid July 1, 1906.
Among the pastors who have served are the following : the Revs. G. W. B. McDonald, I. H. Cox, D. A. Dryden, H. H. Dougherty, W. Inch, J. R. Tasey, James Wickes, G. S. Hickey, T. S. Houts, M. MI. Bovard, J. L. Mann, A. H. Tevis, P. Y. Cool, A. M. Bunker, T. S. Uren, E. S. Chase, M. F. Colburn, L. M. Hartley, R. L. Bruce, A. M. Gibbons, L. T. Guild, Richard D. Hollington, D. D., and the Rev. Lincoln A. Ferris, the present pastor.
The Central M. E. Church, at the corner of Sampson and Har- rison Avenue, was established January 12, 1887, by the Rev. J. I.
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FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SAN DIEGO
Foote. The cornerstone was laid July 31, 1887, Bishop Fowler offi- ciating. The pastors since include D. H. Gillan, J. Pittinger, C. M. Christ, Bede A. Johnson and Rev. A. E. Shultz. the incumbent.
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