USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California. Volume I > Part 15
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"SEC. 12. The county judge shall receive as compensation two thousand five hundred dollars per annum, payable quarterly out of the county treasury, and the district attorney shall receive as compensation for his services one thousand dollars per annum, payable quarterly out of the county treasury of said county.
"SEC. 13. The county-seat of Alameda County shall be at the town of New Haven.
"SEC. 14. Alameda County shall be in the third judicial district, and there shall be four terms of the district court holden in said county each year.
"SEC. 15. The commissioners appointed to conduct the election as in this act specified, may also, at the same time, place, and manner, order an election for not less than five justices of the peace in said county, to qualify in manner as other officers elected under the provisions of this act, and shall hold their offices for one year, and until their successors are chosen and qualified.
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"SEC. 16. The recorders of Contra Costa and Santa Clara Counties, upon application and payment of the fees, shall transmit to the clerk's office of the county of Alameda certified copies of all deeds or other papers recorded in their offices, wherein the subject-matter of such deed or other paper is situated in Alameda County. The clerks of Contra Costa and Santa Clara Counties shall transmit all files in their offices, wherein both parties reside in Alameda County, or where the subject-matter is situated in said county, and for such services the clerk shall receive the fees allowed by law ; said clerk shall transmit as aforesaid, and upon like conditions, all papers and files relating to unfinished actions or proceedings in the nature of actions, whether original or on appeal, wherein both parties reside in said Alameda County.
"And also in local actions wherein the subject-matter in controversy is situated in said Alameda County. Nothing in this act shall be so construed as to prevent those persons now citizens of Contra Costa County, who by the operation of this act shall become citizens of Alameda County, from participation in and voting at the election to be held in Contra Costa County on the 26th day of March, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
"SEC. 17. The parts of counties out of which the county of Alameda is formed shall, for judicial purposes, remain in and constitute parts of the counties to which they respectively belonged before the passage of this act until the county of Alameda shall be organized under the provisions of this act."
THE FIRST ELECTION
Among the men who did most in shaping the affairs of the new county were Horace W. Carpentier, who was in the legislature and ma- terially assisted in the passage and approval of the act; our first county judge, A. M. Crane; the first county clerk, A. M. Church, and the pio- neer Henry C. Smith, who played an important part in the politics of the county for several years. The parties of that time were the Demo- crats and the Whigs, but party lines were not drawn in the first county election. However, there were plenty of candidates for each office, from three to six participating in the free for all contest. The men chosen were A. M. Crane, county judge; A. N. Broder, sheriff; Wil- liam H. Combs, district attorney; A. M. Church, county clerk; J. S. Marston, treasurer; Joseph S. Watkins, public administrator; H. A. Higley, county surveyor ; George W. Goucher, county assessor ; W. W. Brier, superintendent of schools. Jacob Grewel, of Santa Clara County, joint senator for that county, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, re- mained as such for two years following the election of 1853; and Joseph S. Watkins was our first assemblyman. The District Judge was Cra- ven P. Hester.
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PIONEERS OF THE TIME
It seems probable that some two thousand new settlers came to the territory now embraced in Alameda County between the census of 1850 and the creation of the county in 1853. No record of many of those who came is available; but a brief summary of the distribution of the settlers a short time before the influx can be made for the purpose of showing the great changes which have occurred. It had only been in the winter of 1849-50 that Moses Chase pitched his tent at what is now the foot of Broadway, upon the vast domain of the Peraltas. Then had come the Patten Brothers to Clinton; then Adams, Carpentier and Moon in 1850 to Oakland; and James B. Larue to San Antonio in 1851. At that time men were whip-sawing the redwoods at San Antonio into lumber. Between there and the Old Mission were chiefly the Mexican rancheros and their retainers. San Lorenzo was an Indian rancheria, with the Estudillo residence. Haywards was the site of the Castro residence. In the valley beyond, Amador had undisputed possession of his vast holdings. Mount Eden was little else than a wilderness; while New Haven was the Mission embarcadero, but without a house. A few settlers were in the neighborhood of Centerville, while John M. Horner resided near the old "Corners." Henry C. Smith kept store at the Mis- sion, and acted as Alcalde, administering justice under his appointment from General Riley. Warm Springs, so famous in later years, was known only to Indians and native Californians. Sunol was the lone inhabitant of the valley which bears his name. Augustine Bernal had come up from San Jose and settled at Alisal, now Pleasanton, in 1850; and he and Livermore, Noriega, Amador, and Francisco Alviso held ap- proximately half the county.
Then came the first influx, and Oakland was incorporated in 1852 with possibly a hundred voters. Men in the Redwoods commenced to scatter and secure lands. Alameda was laid out in 1852 by Chipman and Aughenbau; and Damon and Clark established their landings in Brooklyn township. Wicks, Mulford, Minor and William Smith squatted on lands near San Leandro. Then Capt. John Chisholm and Capt. William Roberts commenced warehouses there for shipping oper- ations to San Francisco. Then came Robert Farrelly, the Blackwoods, Kennedys, McMurtys, Cranes, Harlans, Johnsons, and Campbells- the founders of "Squatterville." Mount Eden lands were claimed in 1852 by Charles Duerr, Fritz Boehmer, George Meyer, Alex. Peterson, Joel Russell and William Field. Hayward pitched his tent on the open
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spaces. A. M. Church returned to the county in 1852 to start a store at New Haven. John Threlfall and William Blacow located at Center- ville; Tim Rix opened his "zinc house;" and John M. Horner gathered his brothers around him for extensive farming operations. L. P. Gates, Ned Nehaus Morrison and Tyseon were then located between Niles and the Mission; and others came, including the Combses, Marstons, Haleys, Chamberlains, Palmers, Breyfogles, Watkinses, Briers, Berds, Moores, Broders, Ellsworths, Smiths, Huffs; while still further south the newcomers included George W. Peacock, Henry Curtner, Thomas W. Millard, the Columbets, and others. Michael Murray and his friend Fallon appeared at Amador; together with J. W. Dougherty, William Glasskin and John Scarlett. James Johnson had branched out in the sheep business with Murray, Allen and Capt. Jack O'Brien. J. West Martin, John English and the Knapp Brothers had started to culti- vate ground on the Santa Rita Rancho. J. W. Kottinger founded Alisal, or Pleasanton; Green Patterson was at the old Livermore resi- dence; and Zimmerman was at the Mountain House, the outpost of our civilization of that time. These were the names of the prominent pio- neers handed down to us through the passing years, who were here but a short time before the creation of the county, and the list contains the names of many who were prominent for years afterwards in politics and in the business enterprises of the early days.
COURT OF SESSIONS MEETS
The old Court of Sessions managed the affairs of our county at first, performing the functions later conferred upon the board of super- visors when created. The first term of the Court was held at the county seat, Alvarado, June 6, 1853. Hon. Adison M. Crane, County Judge, presided; and in addition there were present A. M. Church, Andrew H. Broder, and William H. Combs, the county clerk, sheriff and district at- torney. The five justices of the peace chosen at the first election gath- ered there to choose two of their number as the associate justices of the court. These men were A. W. Harris, I. S. Long, David S. Lacey, A. Marier and John McMurty. David S. Lacey and I. S. Long were so honored. Their first act was to admit the district attorney to practice law. They then proceeded to divide the county into six townships, namely: Contra Costa, Clinton, Eden, Washington, Oakland, and Murray. These divisions remained only until December
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12 of that year, when they were re-bounded and reduced to five, namely : Oakland, Clinton, Eden, Washington and Murray. On January 5, 1878, they were again changed to six-Alameda, Brooklyn, Eden, Mur- ray, Oakland and Washington.
After the creation of the township boundaries, the court next con- sidered the application of the Contra Costa Steam Navigation Com- pany for a renewal of their license or franchise for ferries. H. W. Carpentier appeared as their attorney. This franchise had originally been granted to William H. Brown, but had been assigned. The court ordered that the petition be granted for a year commencing April 7th following, and fixed the charges the company might make at 50 cents for each foot passenger ; $2 for each horse, mule or cow ; $1.50 for each empty wagon; 50 cents for each hog or sheep carried; and 25 cents for each hundred pounds of freight.
Road matters were then considered, the county being divided into seven districts. Number seven commenced at Oakland and ran north to the county line, near the Vincente Peralta home, and R. M. Randall was appointed supervisor. A petition was presented asking for a road from the Peralta residence to Oakland. Another one was presented asking for a road commencing at Alvarado and running northwesterly to intersect the road between San Antonio and the Mission San Jose at some point between Alameda and San Lorenzo creeks.
In September, Asa Walker, S. P. Hopkins, H. M. Randall, B. F. Ferris, A. Marshall, William Fleming, Calvin Rogers and S. H. Rob- inson were elected justices of the peace. Marshall and Robinson were named associate justices of the Court of Sessions. F. K. Shattuck was a deputy sheriff during the year 1853. In November George M. Blake of Oakland petitioned the court, asking that Contra Costa township be abolished and combined with Oakland township. A poll-tax for high- way purposes was imposed during the early period of the county's ex- istence. In 1853 all able-bodied men between 18 and 45 were required to perform two days' labor. In 1854 this was made four days, or a settlement of $3 for each day. In 1854 the total amount spent by the county for educational purposes was $4,765. There were 577 children in the county between the ages of five and eighteen, of which 330 were boys. The average daily attendance was but 129. The county's assessed valuation that year was $4,383,179, with a state tax of $26,298.91. There were only eleven voting precincts in the county at the first election.
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ALVARADO LOSES COUNTY SEAT
Like most counties of western states, Alameda County has had its county-seat fights. It was not long after the establishment of the county government at Alvarado that an agitation was commenced for its re- moval, and San Leandro was picked out as the settlement most likely to take the honors away from Alvarado. There were then only a few scattering houses around the old Estudillo homestead. In some manner, whether legal or not, an election was called for December 30, 1854, to vote upon the question of removal. There were a total of 2,368 votes cast, of which San Leandro received 1,301. There were only 116 cast at San Lorenzo, while at the polling place in Alvarado there were 393. An interesting feature of the contest was the fact that Washington township cast 776 votes, while there were only 708 cast in all of Oak- land township. Oakland, however, went almost solidly for San Lean- dro, giving the town 660 votes to but 48 for Alvarado. Oakland's vote upon this occasion gave the county seat to San Leandro, and a new im- petus to the village; just as Oakland's vote later took the county seat away from its neighbor. County officials thereupon moved to the new seat of government, and then moved back again to Alvarado until the legislature on February 6, 1856, by a special act, authorized the re- moval to San Leandro.
The pioneer manufacturing plant of the county was the old adobe flour mill built at the Mission by the fathers. Up until 1853 it was the only one in the county, but during that year two more were erected in Washington township. One was built at Niles by J. J. Vallejo, using waterpower ; and the other at Alvarado by J. M. Horner, steam power being employed in the latter. The Clinton mill was commenced in 1854. Fruit-growing first received attention in 1853, when a group of settlers sent to Rochester, New York, for a shipment of trees. Prior to that the only fruit trees were grown around the Mission. But it was not long before a nursery came, Mr. Lewelling coming from Oregon to start that enterprise. Churches up to this time were few. Catholics either went to San Francisco for services or to the Mission. Three or four protestant churches had been organized in Oakland, of which mention will later be made. The only jail in the county was the flimsy affair of the City of Oakland. The county did not have one, although there were quite a few calls for such a convenience. The sheriff or deputies had to stand guard over those in custody, or else lock them up in a room at the Brooklyn Hotel.
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THE FIRST COUNTY SUPERVISORS
In February, 1855, the Court of Sessions ceased to exist as a part of the county governing agencies, and in its place appeared the newly created Board of Supervisors. Washington township selected as its supervisor, Henry C. Smith; Murray township elected J. W. Dough- erty; Eden township, S. D. Taylor; Clinton township, J. L. Sanford; Alameda township, James Millington; and Oakland township, J. L. Sanford. At that time supervisors were elected annually, although the other officers in 1855 were given two-year terms. In all. there were only 1,716 votes cast that year, of which 535 were cast in Washington township; 388 in Eden; 279 in Brooklyn; 85 in Alameda : 63 in Mur- ray; and 366 in Oakland. The first meeting of the county supervisors was held on April 2, 1855, in a building rented for a courthouse at San Leandro, to where the seat of government had been removed. One of the first actions of the board was to authorize the erection of a court- house, frame in construction, 30 by 60 and 12 feet high, and to cost not more than one thousand, two hundred dollars. The Estudillo estate do- nated a site for the courthouse building. The new board also com- menced war upon Carpentier and his toll bridge, which the first Court of Sessions had permitted the Oakland attorney to construct across San Antonio Slough. The board resolved that the bridge be declared a public highway. This franchise had been granted June 6, 1853, by which Carpentier was permitted to erect the bridge and to charge 12 cents for each footman; 25 cents for each horse, cow or mule; and 50 cents for each vehicle drawn by one or two animals. Other terms of the agreement had been that Carpentier was to surrender the bridge to the county at any time within twelve months on payment of the original cost of construction, together with 3 per cent per month interest. The brige, however, remained a toll-bridge despite the resolution of the board.
The county's new temporary courthouse was ready for occupancy during the early part of July, 1855, and on the 10th of the month Judge Hester opened his court in it. But it was soon decided that the county seat had been illegally moved from Alvarado, and it was but a short time until the center of county government shifted back to the triple- named town-Alvarado, New Haven, or Union City. The board met there again on August 16th. In January, 1856, however, another spe- cial act of the legislature named San Leandro as the county seat. At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors at the latter place on March 10,
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Clinton and San Antonio were united under the name of Brooklyn. A new township was carved out of Washington and Eden townships and named Jefferson; but this action was rescinded before the next election. San Leandro secured its first newspaper this year, when W. P. Rogers and W. G. Hamilton launched the Alameda County Gazette. The two Oakland papers at that time were the Leader, established in 1854 ; and the Contra Costa, founded in 1855. The school census of the year showed an increase in population of those between five and eighteen years. The total number was 847, but only 387 were in attendance. Among the facts brought out by the county assessor's report for the year were the fact that there were forty miles of telegraph wire in operation in the county, a steam sawmill, two steam flour-mills, two flourmills driven by water, one toll-bridge, a flowing artesian well at Alvarado, another at Alameda, and several others of lesser magnitude.
The new $30,000 courthouse authorized in 1855 was occupied for the first time August 10, 1856, and the old courthouse was disposed of by auction. At that time the board took up the proposition of building a bridge from Seventh Street in Oakland to Jackson Street in Brooklyn, which had been discussed for a year or so as a means to compete with Carpentier and his toll-bridge. A. J. Coffee was voted $6,000 with which to complete a bridge at these points, to be finished by March 4, 1858. On the 5th of the following October the board, by a divided vote of three to two, voted to pay Carpentier $6,000 for his bridge, the war- rants being issued to Carpentier and to Edson Adams and John B. Watson, who were also part owners at that time. Commissioners Shat- tuck, Mason and Dougherty voted for the purchase, but Larue and Wray were opposed. The transformation of the toll-bridge to a free one was a welcome event to the residents compelled to cross the creek. Another transportation improvement of the year was the inauguration of three daily trips by the steamer Peralta. This took place on January 6th, landings being made at "Peralta Landing," near Alameda. But more important than that was the organization of the Oakland and San Antonio Steam Navigation Company by Larue, to run competing steamers between Brooklyn, Oakland and San Francisco. The old Min- turn line had been in operation for some years, but its service had caused dissatisfaction, and the new company readily found a market for its stock and for patronage. The Minturn company, however, re- alized the situation, and put the Contra Costa on the run to augment the Clinton, and increased their trips to nine per day.
The legislature of this year came to the relief of J. S. Marston, who
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up to that time had been made to shoulder the burden of being respon- sible for money stolen from the county and state by burglars during his term as county treasurer. The amount of money stolen while the funds had been kept in an insecure place during the days when the county seat was at Alvarado was over $8,500. The legislative act relieved him of the payment of $1,395.40 to the state, and $7,156.40 to the county.'
FINED FOR BULL FIGHTING
Bull fighting in Alameda County was a popular Sunday pastime in the pioneer days. It was a hard matter for some to break away from the old sport, as one old county record shows. In June, of 1858, Justice of the Peace J. W. Luttrell fined Miguel Marquis the sum of $150 for in- dulging in his favorite desires on the Sabbath. The fine was paid under protest, and later returned by order of the county supervisors. Marquis some time later was tried for murder, received the extreme penalty, but was acquitted after a new trial. Fruitvale was brought to the public's attention this year, for on July 4th a celebration was held there at which William Van Voorhies is said to have delivered an eloquent oration. Centerville also observed the day with a celebration, and there was a bachelor's ball at the county seat.
During the summer of 1858 a daily mail (except Sunday) was es- tablished on the route between Oakland and San Jose. The pioneer farmers met on July 24 and established the Agricultural Society, the first organization of its kind in the county. A. H. Myers was chosen as president ; H. C. Smith and F. K. Shattuck, vice presidents ; E. S. Chip- man, secretary; Frank F. Fargo, treasurer; and Robert Blacow and Alfred Lewelling, directors. It was about this time that Warm Springs sprang into prominence and became known all over the state as a fa- vorite watering place. Clement Columbet moved a house from San Jose to be used as a hotel, and the place was leased by Alex. Beaty in 1858. Later Leland Stanford purchased the property.
During this year Larue built the steamboat Oakland at Steamboat Point, to put on the run to San Francisco. Passenger fares were also reduced to 25 cents.
Oakland made a bid for the state capital in 1859. The legislators of the county secured the passage of a resolution appointing a com- mittee to look into the advisability of moving the capital to Oakland. This committee reported favorably, but on a vote the East Bay city lost out by a margin of twenty-eight to thirty.
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During the year rumors regarding the county treasurer's office under Breyfogle resulted in the appointment of Jonathan Mayhew and Sam M. Davis by the supervisors to audit the books. The report of these men showed a shortage of $8,107.37, for which the county was eventually repaid by bondsmen.
The first annual fair of the Alameda County Agricultural Society was held in the Plaza pavilion in Oakland, opening on October 4th and running until the 14th. These fairs were held annually thereafter for several years by the society, until it was merged with the Bay District Agricultural Association.
THE LARGEST TAXPAYERS OF 1859
The books of the county treasurer and assessor for 1859 revealed a few interesting statistics. The assessed valuation of the county was $4,094,169. The total taxes assessed amounted to $56,756.52 for the year 1859-60; of which sum $33,271 was the county's share, and $23,485.23 the state's portion. Both Eden and Washington townships possessed more wealth than Oakland township. The valuation in Oak- land was given at $679,913; Washington township, $1,016,845; Eden township, $1,085,618. Land in Eden township was assessed on an average of $11.14 per acre; in Washington township, $10 per acre; in Oakland township, $15.80; in Brooklyn township, $11.56; in Alameda township, $39.44; and in Murray township, at an average of $1.10 per acre. The largest taxpayers of the time were J. J. Vallejo, William Castro, the Estudillo family, Hathaway, Brady & Crabb, the Soto family, J. B. Larue, Ygnacio Peralta, A. Alviso, S. B. Martin, H. G. Ellsworth, J. W. Dougherty, F. Higuera, the Livermore estate, the Contra Costa Steam Navigation Co., Edward Minturn, Robert Simson, E. L. Beard, A. M. Peralta, Clemente Colombet, A. B. Fabes, A. Sunol, W. M. Lubbock, Earl Marshall, G. W. Patterson, Mrs. A. C. Colombet Thomas G. Carey, H. N. Carpentier, Benjamin Holladay, C. J. Stevens, A. Lewelling, California Steam Navigation Co., Z. Hughes, Richard Threlfall, William Glaskin, Coffee & Risdon, H. P. Irving, William H. Souther, E. S. Eigenbrodt, Mulford & Co., William M. Maddox, Cull & Luce, R. B. Donovan, Jesse Beard, J. Lewelling, A. L. Pioche and Domingo Peralta. Vallejo's assessment was for $190,050. From that amount, the above list contains the names of all persons who were assessed in excess of $10,000. Carpentier had his property valued at $15,000 for taxation purposes.
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The county had a sufficient number of doctors and physicians by 1860 to perfect the Alameda County Medical Association. The federal census of the year gave the county a population of 8,927. It might be of passing interest to note that Sacramento County then was more pop- ulous, with its 24,145; and that Santa Clara County also exceeded Ala- meda County by being credited with 11,912 inhabitants. The legisla- ture of 1860 passed a bill for the education and care of the indigent deaf, dumb and blind of California, and contracts for $10,000 worth of improvements were let after the adoption of plans and specifications for buildings at Berkeley.
THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD
The county's first military company was formed in Oakland on August 31, 1861. This was the old "Home Guard." James Brown was chosen captain; John Potter, first lieutenant; W. H. Puffer, second lieutenant; and J. H. Hobart, brevet lieutenant. Two recruiting camps were established on this side of the bay, Camp Downey and Camp Mer- chant. Camp Downey was situated on the old race track, out San Pablo Road. A thousand volunteers were assembled there to protect the fed- eral mails and watch communications East. Camp Merchant was the home of the cavalry force of 500 men, and was located on the Kennedy farm, in Brooklyn township. In August this force broke camp and pro- ceeded to San Francisco by way of San Jose; and then went farther south. A company of dragoons was formed at Centerville in 1862, under a new military act of the legislature.
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