History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 17

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206

USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions > Part 17

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The supply of game was practically unlimited as the following items will show. In February, 1852, Moses Wicks, T. W. Mulford, and the Smiths, sent to market, the fruits of their own guns, in that month, one hundred and twenty-five pairs of wild geese; fifty-three pairs of canvas-back ducks; sixty-nine pairs of small ducks; fifteen pairs of widgeons; forty-one pairs of spoonbills; twenty-seven pairs of teals; sixty-three pairs of broad-bill ducks; one hundred and ninety-two curlews; two hundred and seven plovers; forty-eight dowitches; one hundred and fifty-six "peeps"; forty-eight snipe; and one rabbit, being in all fourteen hundred and twenty-three head, for which seven hundred and seventy-one dollars and eighteen cents were received.

In 1852 the region around Mount Eden was first located by John Johnson, Alex- ander Peterson, George N. Myers, Fritz Boehmer, Joel Russell, William Field, Charles Duerr, while William Hayward took up his residence where the pretty little town of that name now stands. By this time our good friend A. M. Church had commenced store-keeping in Alvarado; Centreville had an accession to its strength in the persons of William Blacow and John Threlfall, where others soon came; Ed Niehaus and his partner, L. P. Gates, were on the Tyson and Morrison tract who owned many miles of country between the mission and Niles. We find in that vicinity then the names of Beard, Breyfogle, Brier, and Broder, Chamberlin, Coombs, and Crane, Ellsworth, Haley, and Huff, Marston, Moore, and Palmer. Near the Agua Caliente Ranch were Clemente Columbet, Henry Curtner, T. W. Millard, G. W. Peacock. In the Amador Valley there had appeared Jeremiah Fallon and Michael Murray-indeed the county had progressed towards a rapid settlement and gave earnest of its present prosperity.

At the start settlers had considerable difficulties to contend with in the uncertainty

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EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT.

of land tenure and consequently were saddled with a great amount of litigation, the questions involved being chiefly between Government lands and Mexican grants, a far more serious matter than the encroachments of cattle and other like annoyances. Of the capabilities of the soil they were entirely ignorant, as they were also of the proper mode of cultivation to be pursued. What might be a remunerative crop one year, the next might prove an utter failure, and under this uncertainty many lost heart and for- sook the plowshare for the pick and shovel at the mines, hoping there to replenish their depleted coffers. The price of the articles they required was very high, while the markets were in a perpetual state of fluctuation. The wages asked were ruinous, farm hands demanding four dollars a day, while to add to their grievances several of the settlers were forced to pay twice for their land ere they could feel them- selves undeniable proprietors, and were the individual a renter, then one-half of his yield was expected as payment. The most profitable crops were wheat, barley, potatoes, and onions. The sowers of barley, in 1851, reaped twelve and a half cents per pound when sold in the spring; those who planted potatoes in 1852, amassed competencies, which, in the following year were lost by the cultivation of the same commodity. Immense quantities were raised by John M. Homer in both years, in the first year realizing as much as a thousand dollars per acre; in the second year they did not pay the outlay for sacks and were allowed to rot in the fields. However, the crop of wheat in 1853 was prodigious, in many cases seventy-five bushels to the acre, and fully made up for the loss in tubers. So weighty were the heads that the entire crop had to be cut by hand and after threshing realized eight and a half cents at the mill. Having mentioned the subject of flour-mills we may state that in 1850 there was a very crude one at Niles, the property of J. J. Vallejo, and in 1852, one was built at the mission by E. L. Beard and H. G. Ellsworth. In 1853, how- ever, Mr. Vallejo built a larger one on the site of that already mentioned, run by water power, while in the same year J. M. Homer put up a steam mill at Alvarado- the one that was afterwards moved to Livermore by Calvin J. Stevens. It may be stated in the connection of agriculture, that the first blacksmith's shop in the county was erected in 1853 by John Boyle at San Lorenzo and was the germ from which has since sprung the extensive agricultural works there.

In the year 1854 Oakland became a city, and craved for the honors of being county seat, but the public voice elected that it should remain at Alvarado, not- withstanding that its location there was attended with many disadvantages. By this time the population had considerably augmented and stores for their convenience had been established at Centreville, by Captain Bond; at Brooklyn, by - Lacey. H. C. Smith had left the mission and joined issues with A. M. Church at Alvarado, and Oakland boasted more than half a dozen.

On the night of February 13, 1855, the County Treasurer's office at Alvarado was entered and the safe in which were deposited the county funds opened, and the money, between eleven and twelve thousand dollars, stolen. This robbery is else- where more fully described, while it is believed to have been effected by some one that was perfectly familiar with the premises. In this same month the Court House at San Leandro, the former residence of the Estudillo family, was discovered to be on fire, and as there were no means at hand for extinguishing the flames, it was

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA,

entirely consumed. The county records and other valuable papers were saved, but the entire loss was estimated at from six to eight thousand dollars. In this month the District Court held its first session in San Leandro, but its business was con- siderably retarded by this untoward event, the Court being under the necessity of adjourning until suitable accommodation could be provided. The fire was supposed to be the work of an incendiary, instigated either by revenge excited by the removal of the county seat from Alvarado, or jealousy on the part of some neighboring town that aspired to the honor. If this be true, 'tis a sad and humiliating reflection on the weakness of human nature.

We have mentioned above the subject of "squatters," but it should have been said that in 1853 they associated themselves in order to protect what they thought to be their interests. To this end the following rules, which explain themselves, were adopted :-

" We, the undersigned, citizens of Alameda County, and settlers upon what are supposed to be the public lands belonging to the United States, within said county, believing that we can more effectually guard our interests as such settlers by mutually supporting and protecting each other: Therefore form ourselves into an association and adopt the following as the fundamental rules of our government :-

" First .- This association shall be known as ' The Pre-emptioner's League.'

" Second .- The object of this association shall be mutual support and protection in the defense of our pre-emption claims.

" Third .- The officers of this association shall be a President, two Vice-Presi- dents, a Secretary and Treasurer, and such temporary officers and agents as from time to time may, in the sound discretion of the association, be found necessary.

" Fourth .- It shall be the duty of the President, or, in case of his absence, any one of the Vice-Presidents, to preside at all meetings of the League.

" Fifth .- It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a full and fair record of all the proceedings of the League, and, when notified by the President, to call all meetings of the League.

" Sixth .- It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and safely keep all the funds belonging to the League, and to keep a correct account of all moneys by him received and expended for the League, and from time to time, as the League may require, report to this League the condition of the treasury.

" Seventh .- It shall be necessary for the Treasurer, before acting upon the duties of his office, to make and execute a bond, to be approved by the President of the League, in the sum of five thousand dollars, conditioned upon the faithful dis- charge of his duties as such Treasurer; said bond shall be made payable to the Secretary of the League, and by the Secretary deposited with the President of the League.

" Eighth .- All bills against this League shall be presented to the President, and if by him allowed to be just charges against the League, shall be paid by drafts on the Treasurer, said drafts to be drawn and signed by the President and counter-signed by the Secretary.

" Ninth .- Every person, to become a member of this League, must be a settler within the county of Alameda; must pay five dollars into the treasury, and subscribe

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to the following obligation, to wit: We, the undersigned, do solemnly agree, and by these presents bind ourselves, each to the other, and all to each one, that individually we will make no overtures to the land claimants for a settlement of our difficulties with them, and will reject all such as may be made to us by them until such overtures shall have been submitted to and approved by this League; that we will contribute equally of money in support of this League, and at all times hold ourselves in readiness to aid and assist each other to defend our homes and farms from the grasping avarice of the land speculators."

To this document one hundred and nine names were signed, who each paid the sum of five dollars. The machinery of the association was soon put in motion, the proper officers appointed, and thenceforward meetings regularly convened, and minuted in somewhat grandiloquent strains, as may be gathered from the following excerpt from a record book kindly placed at our disposal: "County Convention held at the ran cho of W. R. Richardson, on October 29, 1853: The sun shone gloriously, as if heaven smiled on our cause, and the old cannon, 'The Squatter,' belched forth its thunders, calling together the farmers around. On every side could be seen the hardy pedestrian and horseman, and four-horse teams with the 'Stars and Stripes ' floating gaily in the breeze. As they reached the ground three hearty cheers welcomed their arrival. After a friendly interchange of sentiments the President took the chair and called the meeting to order, etc." This is an introduction worthy of the lamented novelist, G. P. R. James, whose inevitable "two horsemen " paved the way to the romances that were wont to thrill our bosoms in our more youthful days.

Reminiscences of long ago are ever full of pleasure or of pain; but more.deep the pain where man's blood has been shed to avenge a fancied wrong. Unhappily, the so-called " code of honor " was too much in vogue in the early Californian days, and too often friend met friend in deadly combat. The incident we are about to relate describes how two men whose love for each other was like that of Jonathan to David, became maddened by jealousy and poured out each other's blood.

Four-and-thirty years ago, the spot on which Oakland now stands was almost an unbroken solitude. The shores of Lake Merritt, where now broad avenues, lined with stately mansions, adorn and beautify the thriving and populous city, was then a wilderness of trees and undergrowth, save here and there an open glade of a few acres in extent. The whole of the territory embraced within the present city limits could not boast of more than half a dozen dwellings, scattered along the margin of the bay, from the creek to the Point. On the 24th of December, 1849, the echoes of these silent woods were awakened by the sharp report of fire-arms, the green sward of one of these openings stained with human blood, and the lives of two intelligent beings went out forever from the joys and sorrows of earth to test the mysteries of the hereafter. On a spot near where Twelfth Street Bridge now spans the estuary a tragedy was enacted that beautiful winter morning that never became known beyond the few intimate friends of the actors, but which carried mourning and lamentation into two happy Southern homes on the banks of a far-off Southern river. Compan- ions in boyhood, college chums in youth, and devoted friends in early manhood, these two men had met that holy Christmas Eve, with dire hate in their hearts, determined to take each other's life. It was the old, old story of rivalry for the hand of a beau-

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA,

tiful maiden, which had grown into jealousy and ripened into an all-absorbing passion for revenge. The love of excitement and wild adventure had brought them to Cali- fornia, one by the way of the Isthmus and the other overland, and, meeting in San Francisco, a trivial occurrence kindled the smouldering embers into a fierce flame that nothing but blood could quench. With a few selected friends they both crossed the bay in a small boat, and, rowing up the creek until a favorable spot was reached, disembarked. Their positions taken at ten paces, the word given, and each lay pros- trate on the ground, one shot through the heart, the other with a bullet in his brain. Silently their earthly remains were lifted into the boat, and side by side in death's grim embrace were they conveyed to San Francisco, where they were quietly buried, and the world moved on as though nothing had transpired outside of the usual course. Thus ended Alameda County's first duel, but unfortunately not its last. Two of these others we have described elsewhere.

There are many "beautiful spots" throughout the world, from the gorgeous Orient to the brilliant Occident-

" Where the rivers wander o'er sands of gold, Where the burning rays of the ruby shine, And the diamond lights up the secret mine, And the pearl gleams forth from the coral strand."

We doubt if the sun-light reveals any more eloquent in natural beauty, or richer in natural resources than our own Contra Costa, the "opposite coast" of the first Spanish settlers. It stretches for more than forty miles along the waters of the splendid San Francisco Bay, and diagonally opposite the city of the same name --- the marvel of the age-the reality that rivals romance, before which the magicians' wands become powerless-" they cannot do so with their enchantments." Verily, we live in a marvelous age, when the wildest dreams of imagination fall within the limits of the actual. If our capabilities keep pace with our experiences, the poet is yet to be who can tell us of our future.

But will the reader journey with us to the summit of the Contra Costa Range and place himself in the position thus described by Byron :-

" A king sat on the rocky brow, That looks o'er sea-born Salamis And ships by thousands lay below-"

And here he will find himself the center of a circle which has for its radius more than eighty miles. The long chain of mountains visible in the far-away east is the Sierra Nevada Range, white with eternal snow. There the grizzly bear makes his home and the fearful avalanche falls; but within these rock-ribbed mountains, girdled with ice, are untold riches deposited for future generations. See ! Before lies the grand panorama of the Great Artist, spread out in all its perfection of beauty and sublimity. That passage 'of water to the right, running in a northerly direc- tion is the Straits of Carquinez, through which our river steamboats distribute wealth and happiness to the fertile uplands of the north. In the southern distance lies the city of San José, shining like a brilliant constellation in the morning sunbeams. Mount San Bruno, enveloped in amber haze; the glittering hills of our Ocean City, and the Golden Gate limit our western prospect. In the east the sun is shining brightly above the Sierra Nevada, pouring a flood of golden light upon

Lysander Stone

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EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT.

the scene. The tout ensemble of the picture is sublime beyond description and is no less beautiful in detail. Before us the magnificent Bay of San Francisco, bordered by sunny slopes, abrupt steeps and evergreen woodlands is floating in graceful curva- tures, away in the dim distance. The silver arteries flow brightly through the valley, imparting life to business and vitality to the vista. Along its margin, nestling among the grateful shade, see the flourishing towns of Oakland and Alameda; farther south on the border of a navigable stream are to be discerned the villages of Alva- rado and Union City, while beyond is the quaint old Mission of San José. These places are all connected by steam and the finest roads in the State, over which vehi- cles can progress with almost railroad speed, rendering drives through any section of this valley, an unalloyed pleasure. How full of busy human life is this valley, which, thirty years ago, was covered only with grazing herds and an occasional adobe. It presents a checkered scene as well, emblematic of life. The farmers plow their land in squares, and the rich, dark loam, just seeded, forms a striking contrast with the bright green of progressed vegetation.

The form of the valley is oval, the length stretching north and south. It appears from the heights to be an amphitheater, surrounded by hills with no open view to the ocean save through the Golden Gate at the west, which gives it the appearance of having been the bed of an inland sea, as has been mentioned before, and the pecu- liar character of the soil justifies this idea. The natives hold a pretty tradition to this effect: They tell us that "many years agone" the surrounding mountains were the walls of a great sea, but the Storm-King came in wrath and maddened the waves, driving them furiously against the rock-bound shore, when the father of waters opened the Golden Gate and received them into his peaceful bosom.

Those masses of unshapen rocks that crouch upon the bosom of the ccean, far out from the Golden Gate, are the barren Farralones. Ah! A splendid clipper is entering under a press of sail-a perfect sea-bird,

"She walks the water like a thing of life,"

And brings to our shores the products of every clime: God bless the sailors! A steamship follows close upon her track, with teas from Sinim's Land. And what is this trail of smoke along the shore? It is the line left by the swift-winged cars, bringing news from the Eastern States and Europe-news from the dear ones we left in the dear old homes of our childhood-time-proved friends, with hearts as true and tried as steel, and as warm as ever.

After this digression we will take up the thread of our chronicles and state that on July 24, 1858, the Alameda County Agricultural Society was formed, the gentlemen signing the Constitution being H. C. Smith, Dr. H. Gibbons, A. H. Myers, Harry Linden, W. W. Moore, J. M. Moore, R. Blacow, Alfred Lewelling, P. J. Camp- bell, Frank F. Fargo, H. Lewelling, G. W. Fountain, Mark T. Ashley, F. K. Shattuck, S. Shurtleff, Isaac B. Rumford, E. Wilson, Hiram Keeney, J. Blacow, W. H. Davis, John B. Ward, J. L. Wilson, D. E. Hough, E. S. Chipman, C. C. Breyfogle, J. A. Lent. The benefit of such societies was dilated on by J. Silver, of Philadelphia, while it was decided to hold semi-annual fairs, one in the spring, for the display of flowers, early grains, and the products of the horticulturist; and the other in the autumn, for the exhibition of stock, general farming produce, late fruits, and vegetables, and

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

such other articles that could be shown to greater advantage at this season of the year. The first officers were, A. H. Myers, President; H. C. Smith, F. K. Shattuck, Vice-Presidents; E. S. Chipman, Secretary; Frank F. Fargo, Treasurer; Robert Blacow, Alfred Lewelling, Directors.

In this year, 1858, the Warm Springs first attracted attention as a place of fash- ionable resort, and on July 29th were opened by Alexander Beatty, with a grand ball. They had been originally utilized by Clemente Columbet, who moved a house all the · way from San José to the spot. After 1858 the Springs were much affected by the world at large, but since their purchase by ex-Governor Leland Stanford, their pris- tine uses have been abandoned.

The following is an abstract of the annual report made by Rev. J. D. Strong, on November 23, 1861, to the State Superintendent of Instruction :-

Children from four to eighteen years of age.

1828

More boys than girls. .

III

Increase during the year.

204

Children under four years.

1076

Under twenty-one years.

2997

Born in California

1765

Deaf and Dumb.

Blind. .

Scholars enrolled in the Public Schools.

772

Average daily attendance

437

Number of schools.

Teachers employed during the year.

Average salary per month

$61 00

Average number of months the schools were open.

733

School Fund received from State.

$2,130 00

Received from County.

$5,417 00

Raised in the districts.

$2,324 00

Total expenditure during the year.

$9,986 00

Average for each pupil enrolled.

" The amount raised in the various districts by voluntary subscription is as fol- lows: Alvarado, one hundred and eighty-two dollars; Union, two hundred and eighty- seven dollars; Eureka, two hundred and twenty-eight dollars; Lockwood, two hun- dred dollars; Centreville, one hundred and ninety-four dollars; Ocean View, one hun- dred and forty-four dollars; Alviso, one hundred and seven dollars; Alameda, one hundred and six dollars; Mission San José, San Lorenzo, Redwood, and Temescal, raised less than one hundred dollars each, while Murray, Peralta, Edenvale, Oakland, and Brooklyn, depended entirely upon the public fund. The amount thus raised by the districts this year is only one-half as large as that raised during the previous year, and the average expenditure per scholar is also less. The Union, Brooklyn, Oakland, Murray, and Ocean View schools were maintained ten months or more; the Mission, nine months; the Alvarado, San Lorenzo, Alameda, and Murray's Landing, eight months; the Lockwood and Eureka, seven months; the Alviso, five months; and the Redwood, Temescal, and Peralta, four months.

" There are three times as many male teachers as female in the county; the aver- age length of the schools is greater this year than last, but the average salary paid for teaching is less, and the average attendance on the schools less. All except three

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or four of the teachers have had from three to twenty-one years' experience in teach- ing, and nine intend to devote themselves to the profession for life.

" The school-houses in the county generally, are unfit for use. With three or four exceptions, a humane man would feel that they were scarcely fit to shelter his ani- mals. Too small, badly constructed, worse furnished, and unpleasant in every way, they cannot but have a sad influence over the tastes and feelings and character of those whom they are assisting to educate. Those in Oakland, Brooklyn, and Alameda, are especially inadequate to meet the wants of the scholars-Oakland and Brooklyn each need a school building adapted to a graded school. Oakland especially with its four hundred and sixty-four children drawing the public money, has not adequate school accommodations for more than thirty scholars. The remaining three hundred . and eighty-six are practically unprovided for. At the same time that district has more than sixteen hundred dollars lying idle in the county treasury. The Peralta and Bay Districts also need school-houses.

" In addition to the public schools there are nine private schools and colleges in the county, with about one hundred and ninety pupils."

What a change is now observed from this sad state of affairs; to-day no county in the Union has greater reason to be proud of its school advantages. Alameda County has become the educational center of the State and bids fair to maintain her high reputation.

The winter of 1861-62 is one that will never be forgotten in the memory of those who experienced its inclemencies. Snow lay in the valleys despite the sun's rays, and the last Sunday in January, 1862, ice formed to the thickness of an inch. So severe were the early rains, and so high the tides, that all low lying lands were sub- merged. The Alameda Wharf was lost to sight for a time and the ferry-boats were compelled to suspend some of their regular trips; Amador Valley was transformed into one great lake; the San Leandro Creek rose to so great a height that some build- ings near the bay were carried away, while one of the piers of the bridge was consid- erably damaged; much destruction ensued at Niles, San Lorenzo, and Yoakum's Ferry; while traffic was nearly suspended, the meetings of the Court of Sessions and Board of Supervisors being adjourned on account of the difficulty of travel. The volume of water that fell in the month of January was immense; on the 23d of that month an inch of rain fell in the short space of forty minutes, while the San Lorenzo Creek rose seven feet and two inches in fifty-eight minutes. The flood would appear to have been general throughout the State; for it is estimated that damage was done to the extent of seventy-five millions of dollars. This gloom overshadowed the hearts of all the farmers, for their crops were threatened with destruction: as we write, March 23, 1883, the same despair has settled upon the agriculturists but because there has been no rain! Truly the farmer's lot is not a happy one! We are told that as late as the month of April, 1862, Mission Peak and the higher hills were capped with snow, and on May 17th were bedecked in a like manner, while as late as the month of June the county was visited by frequent showers of rain, notwithstanding all of which the crops were promising. Indeed, the year 1862 was phenomenal as regards the weather, and had there been a Wiggins to prophecy the raging of storms and dire catastrophes, our farmers might well have felt apprehensive. On the 18th of August,

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History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 17

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood Number of Pages: 1206

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206