Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 34

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366

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"The proposition had many drawbacks, not least of which was the scarcity of help to culti- vate the crop and the entire lack of experience in the laborers available. In this extremity, Mr. Curtis bethought himself of the Los Angeles Chinese market gardeners and their knowledge of celery growing, and at once entered into negotiations with a leading Chinaman to under- take the work of growing eighty acres of celery on contract, the Earl Fruit Company to furnish everything, including implements, needed in the cultivation of the erop, also money advanced for rental of the land and the supplying of water where needed by digging wells; so that $5,000 was advanced before a stock of celery was ready for shipment. The result was fairly successful, notwithstanding the untoward experience of the Chinese laborers at the hands of white men, who worried and harassed the Celestials both in season and out of season, carrying their unrea-

soning resentment to the extent of burning the buildings erected by the Earl Fruit Company, carrying off the implements used in cultivation and terrorizing the Chinamen employed to the imminent risk of driving them away entirely and thus sacrificing the crop for want of help to attend it.

"All this risk and expense fell directly on the Earl Fruit Company, for returns for their invest- ment could only come when the crop was ready for market, and it may easily be imagined that E. A. Curtis, as a prime mover in the venture, occupied a most unenviable position. But Mr. Curtis kept right on and overcame every obsta- cle that presented itself, and to E. A. Curtis, as manager for the Earl Fruit Company, is due the credit of demonstrating the superior advant- ages of Orange county for the successful grow- ing of celery and the introduction and establish- ment of an industry that has permanently added hundreds of thousands of dollars to the re- sources of the county.

"The crop from the land thus experimented with was shipped to New York and Kansas City and consisted of about fifty cars, a considerable shipment at that time, as prior to then a car load of California celery was an unheard of quantity. There was, of course, not much profit made for that season after everything was paid, for the items of expense were many and included all the loss and damage suffered while the crop was maturing and a bill of $1,100 paid an officer of the law for protection afforded the Chinese laborers while at work during the season. But it paid a margin of profit and proved beyond dispute that under favorable conditions celery culture might be undertaken with prospects of success, and this fact once established the rest was easy."

Celery growing has developed into one of the Icading industries of Orange county. It is esti- mated that the area planted this season to celery will exceed 2,500 acres. About 1,000 cars were required to move last year's crop. The celery cars carry 150 crates, or about 1,200 dozen bunches.

The area of celery culture has extended from the peat lands where it was begun, over a con- siderable portion of the "Willows," a tract of land lying between the old and the new beds of the Santa Ana river, the scene of the squatter contest of twenty-five years ago.

The Southern Pacific Railroad has a branch line running from Newport Beach, the terminus of the Santa Ana and Newport road, to Smeltzer (eleven miles), near the northern extremity of the peat lands. The station and shipping points on this road are Celery, La Bolsa, Wintersburg, and Smeltzer.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

THE OIL INDUSTRY.

Prospecting for petroleum in what is now the Fullerton oil district began more than a third of a century ago. In 1867 Major Max Strobel of Anaheim sunk a well in Brea canon. About the same time a prospect well was sunk on the Olinda rancho, but in neither place was oil found in paying quantities. With the imper- fect machinery in use at that time it was impos- sible to sink to any great depth. Indications were plentiful and every expert who prospected the cañons and foothills of the district was con- vinced that rich oil deposits existed in that locality. Brea cañon contained large deposits of crude asphaltum, and twenty-five years ago the Los Angeles Gas Company was shipping two car loads a week of brea for the manufacture of gas, it being cheaper than coal at that time. In 1897 the Santa Fe Railroad Company made

a rich strike, and since then oil development has gone on steadily.

The oil district extends from Brea cañon to the head of the Soquel canon. In depth the wells range from 800 to 1,600 feet. The output of oil in November, 1900, reached 35,000 barrels. The Santa Fe Railroad Company is an exten- sive operator; at the beginning of the present year it had twenty-six wells yielding 10,000 bar- rels per month. The price of land in the oil dis- trict advanced with boom-like rapidity. The Olinda rancho, containing 4,480 acres, was sold early in 1898, before oil was struck on it, for $15,000. The purchaser, after consulting some of his friends over his bargain, forfeited his deposit. Two years later the rancho was sold to a syndicate of capitalists for $500,000. The- oil of the Fullerton district is of superior quality. Its gravity ranges from 30° to 32°.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

ORANGE COUNTY-Continued.

CITIES AND TOWNS.

ANAHEIM.

N EXT after the Mormon settlement of San Bernardino, Anaheim is the oldest suc- cessful colony experiment in the state. The scheme of purchasing with their combined capital a large tract of land, dividing it into small farms and planting it with vines for wine making, was originated by several Germans re- siding in San Francisco. Early in 1857 they began an examination of different localities for their proposed colony site. In thre Los Angeles Star of September 19, 1857, I find these itcris regarding the project: "It is with much pleas- - ure we make the announcement that the com- pany who have for some time been sceking a location for an extensive vineyard have at last succeeded in obtaining land suitable to their purpose. The project is the most important ever contemplated in the southern country, and as it is to be carried out by energetic, practical men, there can of course be no doubt of its full success, especially as the stock required is already paid up.

"The Los Angeles Vineyard Company is com- posed of fifty share holders, who we believe are principally Germans, the majority residing in San Francisco. Each share is rated at $750. They have purchased a tract of land on the Santa Ana river, about twenty-five miles from

the city, consisting of 1,200 acres, which is to be laid off in lots of twenty acres each. Streets are to be made throughout the grounds so that each lot shall open on a good highway. * ** * The land has been purchased from Don Pacifico Ontivera, with certain privileges from Don Ber- nardino Yorba, from whose residence these grounds are situated about five miles. Mr. George Hansen, a very competent gentleman, has been appointed superintendent of the com- pany. This we understand will be the largest vineyard in the world, there being none in Europe of such extent.

"The company is under the direction of a board of trustees in San Francisco-president, Otmar Caler : vice-president, G. Charles Koliler: treasurer, Cyrus Beythien ; secretary, Jolin Fischer. In Los Angeles the affairs are carried out under the direction of an auditing commit- tce, composed of the following gentlemen: Messrs. John Frohling, R. Emerson and Jay zinsky; sub-treasurer, Felix Bachman." The San Francisco Alta of January 15, 1858, has this notice: "The stockholders of the Los Angeles Vineyard Society held a meeting on the even- ing of January 13, at Leutgen's Hotel, Mont- gomery street. They resolved to give the name of Anaheim to their vineyard in the Santa Ana valley in Los Angeles county." This effectually disposes of that pleasant fiction often repeated

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

of late years, namely, that the colony was named for the first child born in it-Anna Fischer. At the time it was named there were no families living there. Its name is a combination of the German word heim (home) and the Spanish form of the proper name Ana-a home by the (Santa) Ana river.

The improvement of the tract purchased was begun in the winter of 1857-58 and pushed forward vigorously by the superintendent, George Hansen. The Los Angeles Star of Jan- uary 30, 1858, contains this notice of the labor in progress on the colony site: "As may be expected, Anaheim is a busy place. All is life, industry and activity." *

* * "In the op- crations at present in progress there, are em- ployed seven men, fourteen horses and seven plows in making ditches; one man, one wagon and two horses procuring provisions and fire- wood; fourteen men, fourteen wagons and fifty- six horses in hauling fence poles; one wagon and ten horses in bringing cuttings; thirty-three men making ditches and fences; there are two overseers, besides cooks, etc .- making in all eighty-eight men, ten women, eighty-four horses, seven plows and seventeen wagons. The daily expenses are $216."

"The land owned by the company is a tract of one and a half miles long by one and a quar- ter miles broad. It is surrounded by a fence five and a half miles long, composed of 40,000 willow poles, cach of which is eight feet long, being six feet above the ground. They are planted one and a half feet apart, and are strengthened by three horizontal poles, and defended by a ditch four feet deep six feet wide at the top, sloping to a breadth of one foot at the bottom."

These willow poles took root and made a liv- ing wall around the colony. Across the streets were gates, which when closed shut out all in- vaders. This live fence was necessary to keep out the tens of thousands of cattle that roamed over the plains for miles on all sides of the little vineyard colony. The superintendent, George Hansen, constructed for the company a main zanja seven and a half miles long to bring water from the Santa Ana river to and through the colony tract and about three hundred and fifty miles of lateral ditches for distributing the water to the different tracts. On each twenty-acre lot, eight acres of vines were planted the first year. These were cultivated and cared for by the com- pany. At the end of two years the vines first planted had come into bearing, and all assess- ments having been paid a division of the lands was made. Fach shareholder had paid into the general fund $1.200. Each lot had a value placed on it according to situation, improvements, etc., the values ranging from $6co to $1,400. The

division was made by lot. As each stockholder had paid in the same amount, viz .: $1,200, the man who drew a $1,400 lot paid over $200 to the equalization fund, and the man who drew a $600 lot received $600 cash. In addition to his vine- yard lot, cach shareholder received a lot in the town plot. After the distribution, a number of the colonists came down from San Francisco, built houses on their lots and entered on the career of vineyardist and wine makers. Each proprietor assumed control of his vineyard lot December 15, 1859, and thereupon the company management ceased.

Among the original settlers there was but one man who understood the art of wine mak- ing. The colonists were mostly mechanics. "There were several carpenters, a gunsmith, an engraver, three watchmakers, four blacksmiths, a brewer, a teacher, a shoemaker, a miller, sev- eral merchants, a bookbinder, a poet, four or five musicians, a hatter, several teamsters and a hotelkeeper."*

They went to work with that patient industry characteristic of the Teuton. They had to learn the art of wine making mostly by experiment- ing. The colony was thirty miles from Los An- geles, the nearest point to obtain supplies. From there they had to haul lumber for building and all other necessities, until they established a land- ing on the ocean twelve miles from the town.

It was a hard struggle for several years, but their perseverance and industry won. The prop- erty that cost them an average of about $1,080 originally, at the end of ten years was worth from $5,000 to $10,000. The colonist during that time had supported their families and paid for their improvement from the products of their lands.

Unlike the Spanish pobladores (colonists), who always built a church first and left the builling of a school house to those who came after them, the Anaheim colonists built the school house first and left the church building to those who came later.

In the town plot of forty acres, which oc- cupied the center of the colony, a lot had been reserved for a school house. On this a commo- dious building of adobe had been erected to serve the double purpose of a school house and assembly hall, but during the great flood of 1861-62 the waters of the Santa Ana river over- flowed the colony site and damaged the founda- tions of the school house, rendering the building unsafe. A school was maintained in the Water Company's building on Center street until 1869. when a new building was erected.

The original colony tract contained 1,165

*Nordhoff.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

acres (it was part of the rancho San Juan Cajon de Santa Ana), and was purchased from Juan Pacifico Ontiveras for $2 per acre. In 1860 the Anaheim Water Company became the possessor of the ditches and water rights originally be- longing to the Anaheim Vineyard Company. The stock of this company was an appurtenance of the land and could not be diverted from it. This company originally incorporated with $20,000 capital stock. In 1879 its stock was in- creased to $90,000, and the ditches extended to cover what was known as the Anaheim ex- tension.

The Cajon Irrigation Company's ditch was completed in November, 1878, at a cost of $50,000. It tapped the Santa Ana river at Bed Rock cañon, and was, at the time of its com- pletion, fifteen miles long. It has since been extended. In 1879 the Anaheim Water Com- pany bought a half interest in this ditch. All the water interests on the north side of the Santa Ana river have been consolidated into the Ana- heim Union Water Company. Anaheim was in- corporated as a city February 10, 1870, but a city government was too great a burthen for the people to carry. The legislature of 1872, on pe- tition of the tax-burthened inhabitants, disincor- porated it. It was incorported as a town by act of the legislature March 18, 1878. Thompson & West's History of Los Angeles county, pub- lished in 1880, says of the schools of Anaheim: "The town of Anaheim boasts of the hand- somest school building and the largest school in the county outside of Los Angeles city."

For several years the school buildings had been inadequate for the school population. In 1877 Prof. J. M. Guinn, who had been principal of the Anaheim school for eight years, drafted a bill authorizing the district to issue bonds to the amount of $10,000. He was instrumental in securing its passage by the legislature. It be- came a law March 12, 1878. The bonds were sold at par and the school building, costing over $10,000, was built out of the proceeds. This was one of the first, if not the first, instance in the state of incorporating and bonding a school district to secure funds to build a school house- a method that since has become quite common and has given to California the best district school houses of any state in the Union. Ana- heim school district was extended to take in what was formerly Fairview district and a four- room school house erected in West Anaheim.

NEWSPAPERS.

The pioneer newspaper of Anaheim and also of Orange county is the Anaheim Gazette. The first number was issued October 29, 1870.

It was established by George W. Barter, who

obtained a subsidy from a number of public- spirited citizens to found a newspaper in Ana- heim. He bought the plant of the defunct Wilmington Journal. The old press that he obtained had come around the "Horn," and in 1851 had been used in printing the Los An- geles Star, the pioneer paper of Southern Cali- fornia. Barter, after a short and inglorious ca- reer, sold the paper to Charles A. Gardner in 1871. Gardner sold it to Melrose and Knox in 1872. Knox retired in 1876. Fred. W. Atheran was connected with the paper for a time in 1876-77, after which Richard Melrose became sole proprietor and continued so until it was sold to its present proprietor, Henry Kuchel. The Orange County Plain Dealer was estab- lished at Fullerton, March, 1898, and afterwards removed to Anaheim. It is an eight-column, four-page weekly; size of page, 20x25 inches. Its present editor and publisher is J. E. Val- jean.

For a quarter of a century Anaheim was the greatest wine-producing district in California. About 1885 a mysterious disease attacked the vines. Within five years from its first appear- ance two million vines that made up the vine- yards of Anaheim and vicinity were dead. After the destruction of the grapevines, the vineyard lots were planted with orange trees and English walnuts. These have come into bearing and have transformed the appearance of the old vineyard colony. The living wall of willows that once surrounded it and the four gates on the four sides that shut out the great armies of cat- tle that once roamed over the plains beyond disappeared long ago. There is little in the present appearance of Anaheim to remind the old-timer of the "Campo Aleman" (German Camp), as the native Californians named it forty- five years ago.

CHURCHES.

The pioneer church of Anaheim is the Presby- terian. It was organized by Rev. L. P. Webber (the founder of the Westminster colony) in 1869.

The church building was erected in 1872, at a cost of $3.500. The Episcopal Church of Ana- heim was organized April 27, 1875. The church building was completed in the fall of 1876, at a total cost of $3,600. The Roman Catholic So- ciety was organized in 1876. A church, costing about $1,000, was built in 1879. These are the pioneer churches. In addition to these, the Methodist Episcopal North and the Christian denominations have church buildings.

FRATERNITIES.

Anaheim Lodge No. 207, F. & A. M., was or- ganized in October, 1870. The lodge built a hall

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

in 1874, at a cost of $4,000. Anaheim Lodge, I. O. O. F., was organized January 23, 1872. Odd Fellows' Hall was erected in 1875. Orpheus Lodge No. 237, I. O. O. F., was organized No- vember 5, 1875. Orion Encampment No. 54, I. O. O. F., was organized January 4, 1876. Anaheim Lodge No. 85, A. O. U. W., was or- ganized March 5, 1879. It surrendered its char- ter in 1893, but was reorganized under the same name and number in June, 1900. The various fraternal organizations are well represented in Anaheim.

IMPROVEMENTS.

In January, 1875, the Southern Pacific Rail- road completed a branch to Anaheim. For nearly two years that town was the terminus; then the road was extended to Santa Ana, where it ended. In 1887 the San Diego line of the Southern California or Santa Fe system was built through the city. The same year a num- ber of vineyards in the eastern part of the town were divided into building lots. The Hotel del Campo, a $40,000 tourist caravansary, was built, but it did not pay and came very near bankrupt- ing its progenitors. The city has steadily pro- gressed through all vicissitudes. It has a bank (the Citizens'), a number of stores, several man- ufacturing establishments, and is the center of a large trade. Its growth has always been solid and substantial.

CITY OF SANTA ANA.

Santa Ana, the capital of Orange county, was founded in October, 1869, by William H. Spur- geon. He purchased the allotment of Zenobia Yorba de Rowland, one of the heirs to the ran- cho Santiago de Santa Ana. The tract pur- chased contained seventy-six acres. This, with the exception of ten acres reserved for a public square, Mr. Spurgeon platted in town lots and placed on the market for sale. He built a store room, 18x36 feet, on the northeast corner of Fourth and West streets, of rough redwood boards battened. This was the first building erected in the town. In this building he opened a general merchandise store. At first the only patronage he received from the citizens of the town was his own, for the reason that he constituted the town's entire population. But he did not long remain "monarch of all he sur- veyed." Others joined him, and in December there was a population enough to organize a school district. The district was named Spring. In January a public school was opened; Miss Annie Casad was the first teacher. The school house was a rough board structure, with long, backless benches for seats, and no desks or blackboards. It stood on Sycamore street, near Third.

Santa Ana was about two miles south of the old stage road that led from Los Angeles to San Diego. This road was the so-called Camino Real or Royal Highway that had been traveled for a century. There were no bridges across the Santa Ana river at that time. In winter when the wa- ters were high, on account of the quicksands fording the river was a hazardous undertaking. The Rodriguez crossing, just north of Orange. on the old stage road, was the only safe crossing in times of high water. Mr. Spurgeon built a road at his own expense from the stage road to his town and subsidized the stage company to diverge its route through Santa Ana. He se- cured a post-office for the town and was ap- pointed postmaster. His salary was the munifi- cent sum of $1 a month. He held the office until 1879, when the yearly compensation had in- creased to $800. Then several public-spirited citizens were not only willing, but anxious to re- lieve him of his burden. At first the town grew slowly. Much of the country around it was held in large tracts and was sparsely settled. In 1877 the Anaheim branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad was completed to Santa Ana. This gave the town an impetus that sent it way ahead of its competitors, Orange and Tustin. It be- came the business center of a large area of coun- try.

The first newspaper established in the town was the Santa Ana News, founded by Nap. Don- ovan May 15, 1876. It was not a paying ven- ture, and after running it about a year he sold it to Spurgeon, Fruit and James McFadden, who experimented with it for a time and then dis- continued its publication.

PIONEER CHURCHES.

The first church organized at Santa Ana was the Methodist Episcopal South. The organiza- tion was effected at a meeting held in the resi- dence of W. H. Tichenal in December, 1869. Services were held in a private residence at first, and later on in the school house. A church building was erected in 1876. The Methodist Episcopal Church North was organized in 1874. The Baptist Church was organized in Marclı, 1871. Its building was completed and dedi- cated in September, 1878. The United Presby- terian Church was organized June 22, 1876. Its edifice was completed August, 1877. These are the pioneer church organizations, all of which were organized over a quarter of a century ago. Now almost every religious denomination is represented in the city.

FRATERNITIES.

The following named are the pioneer fraternal organizations : Santa Ana Lodge, F. &. A.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

M., was organized October 1, 1875. Santa Ana Lodge, No. 236, I. O. O. F., was organized October 30, 1875. Santa Ana Lodge, No. 151, I. O. G. T., was organized January 19, 1878. Santa Ana Lodge, No. 82, A. O. U. W., was or- ganized February 27, 1879. Sedgwick Post, No. 17, G. A. R., was organized December, 1879. The following named orders and societies, in ad- dition to those named above, have organizations in the city: Sedgwick Woman's Relief Corps; K. O. T. M. Tent No. 8; Santa Ana Command- ery, No. 36, K. T .; Santa Ana W. C. T. U .; Her- mosa Chapter, O. E. S .; Santa Ana Council, Fraternal Aid Association; Santa Ana Lodge, K. of P .; Shiloh Circle, Ladies of the G. A. R .; Santa Ana Camp, Woodmen of the World; Court Santa Ana, Foresters of America; L. O. T. M., Ekell Society; Uniform Rank, K. of P .; Court Silverado, I. O. F .; Sycamore Lodge, Re- bekalıs.

BANKS.

The pioneer bank of Santa Ana is the Com- mercial, incorporated in April, 1882. It tran- sacts a general banking business.

The First National Bank was organized May, 1886. It has a paid-up capital of $150,000. It pays interest on deposits, as well as doing a general banking business.

Orange County Bank of Savings was organ- ized in 1889. It pays interest on deposits.

THE PRESS.

Santa Ana is well supplied with newspapers. The pioneer paper of Santa Ana, as has been previously stated, was the Santa. Ana Weekly News, established May 15, 1876, by Nap. Dono- van. It was short-lived. The next paper was the Santa Ana Herald, established in October, 1877, by Nap. Donovan. In 1880 it was sold to Jacob Ross. November 13, 1881, A. Waite became the publisher. He continued in charge to 1886. As the Orange County Herald, weekly and semi-weekly, it is now published by Hon. Linn Shaw.

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Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 34

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co. Number of Pages: 1366

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366