History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 58

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

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STREAMS .- Chief among the streams which belong to the township of Brooklyn is the San Antonio Creek. As early as the utility of the redwood trees was demon- strated the head of the stream became an embarcadero, and here, as early as 1851, did the late James B. Larue establish a trading-post. Of other streams, which all come babbling down from their mountain fastnesses, are the Indian Gulch Creek, which separates Brooklyn from Oakland Township, and falls into Lake Merritt ; Sausal, and San Leandro Creek, the dividing line between the townships of Eden and Brooklyn.

CLIMATE .- Like that of Alameda Township, Brooklyn is free from fogs; indeed, while Oakland is enveloped in its dull, gray mantle, and the Bay of San Francisco is all but impassable from its opaque mist, the uplands of the township under considera- tion revel in the glorious delights of an unconcealed sun, thus there is a purity of air which makes this section a joyous sanitarium. In certain portions frosts are not known, while its general evenness of temperature makes it the garden above all others

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

of Alameda County. High winds are the exception, and those which come, usually from the northeast, stay not long enough to do aught of damage.

SOIL .- The soil of Brooklyn Township is principally composed of adobe and elay, and differs considerably from that of Oakland or Alameda, inasmuch as the former is a sandy loam. It is said that one can cultivate a larger area in one day in Alameda than he can on the adobe land of Brooklyn; but this is by no manner of means a disadvantage. The light, sandy soil soon dries for an inch or two below the surface, therefore sufficient moisture is not retained at such a depth to promote germi- nation of the seed, consequently it is necessary to commence garden operations as early as the month of January, planting, as the season advances, deeper into the soil. The soil of Brooklyn Township, however, although requiring much greater muscular exercise and severe working to bring it into perfection for planting, and to keep it in that state, is always sure of producing a bountiful yield, although there are certain portions that do not produce remunerative crops. But this is the exception. The tendeney of the soil known as adobe is to crack, but this may be prevented by continu- ous working, while it possesses a well-known virtue above the sandy loam in so far as it does not readily part with its moisture.

PRODUCTS .- Although not exclusively an agricultural section, the products of Brooklyn Township may be stated generally as grain, hay, fruits, and vegetables- There are few spots in California possessed of more varied advantages. Here the cereals fructify to perfection, but while in certain portions grapes, currants, and black- berries will not develop into rich maturity, the Bartlett pear, the Washington, and the Yellow Egg plum here find their richest perfection. It possesses orchards than which there are none finer in the whole length and breadth of the land, those of F. Rhoda, R. S. Farrelly, L. Stone, W. Vandyke being. especially noticeable, while the stretch of land lying along its western border displays a care in cultivation that speaks well for the thrift of its possessors.

TIMBER .- In what may be termed the pre-American days there was one belt of redwoods which was known by the name of San Antonio, and where the production of lumber was carried on to a great extent. To-day the site of the forest is to be recognized only by the gnarled stumps of trees, with shoots springing therefrom. These were the only forest-trees in the county, save the usual clusters of oaks that give a park-like appearance to the scenery. With the settlement of the district trees exotic to it were planted, and at present we have large groves of the eucalyptus, besides different species of ornamental trees, in the vicinity of the several mansions which have been erected in every part of the township.

MEXICAN GRANTS .- Brooklyn Township is comprised entirely in the territory known as the Rancho San Antonio, granted to Don Luis Maria Peralta for meritorious services, on August 23, 1820, the lands lying within its boundaries being those given to his two sons, Antonio Maria and Ygnacio Peralta; and on the San Leandro Creek, in what is Brooklyn Township, did the two brothers erect their adobe house, the first residence built within its borders.

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BROOKLYN TOWNSHIP.

EARLY SETTLEMENT .- It is beyond a question of doubt that the first settlement made within the boundaries of Brooklyn Township was by the two brothers Ygnacio and Antonio Maria Peralta, who resided in an adobe house on the banks of the San Leandro Creek, but when this residence was constructed is lost in obscurity, although it may be right to conjecture that it was about the years 1821 to 1825. The lands of this powerful family extended from the above-named stream on the south to San Pablo on the north, and at the foot of the hills the two sons dwelt until the year 1842, when the magnificent estate was parceled out between them, Antonio Maria taking up his residence in Fruit Vale, and Ygnacio continuing in the old homestead. Here they remained in Arcadian simplicity to be disturbed eventually by the advent of the foreigner.

With the arrival of these energetic pioneers, who commenced traveling over the country searching for lands which to purchase or on which to locate, the San Antonio Redwoods were discovered, and as early as the summer of the year 1847 they were well known, and a trade with Yerba Buena (San Francisco) had sprung up. We have been informed by the Hon. Elam Brown, of Contra Costa County, that he was there then, whipsawing lumber. In short, here many of the earlier citizens gained their first Californian experience. Then came the discovery of gold in January, 1848, and with it the rush of people to the Pacific Coast. For the first year all went to the mines, but as they wearied, sickened, or lost heart, they tried fortune in the lower country, and many came to the redwoods of San Antonio to find employment in the manu- facture of lumber and shingles. It was not long ere steam was introduced.

In or about the year 1849 a Frenchman, whose name is not now remembered, commenced the erectio n of a mill in the redwoods, which had never been completed, but passing into the hands of the late Harry Meiggs in 1851, was by him sold to Volney D. Moody, the present President of the First National Bank of Oakland. In 1852, D. A. Plummer, now residing in Brooklyn, entered the employment of Mr. Moody, and in the following year purchased the concern. In 1852 two more mills were erected by William and Thomas Prince, and a man named Brown. Subse- quently Tupper and Hamilton put up another, as did also a man named Spicer, which last stood at the head of the cañon, its neighbor being Prince's mill, and lower down the Tupper and Hamilton place; Mr. Moody's stood about a mile on this (the Brookyn) side of the summit. In course of time, from its convenience to the rapidly increasing city of San Francisco, the timber was in a very few years completely sawed out, and the hundreds of laborers who there found work were compelled to depart to seek "fresh fields and pastures new."

In the month of August, 1849, there arrived in .California three brothers, Robert F., William, and Edward C. Patten, who, after passing the intervening time in San Francisco, in the month of February, 1850, crossed the Bay to visit the giant redwoods of San Antonio, of which they had heard a good deal. Procuring a whale-boat they made for the Contra Costa, and landing near the Brooklyn end of the railroad bridge, which is a continuation of Seventh Street, Oakland, found the country a vast undu- lating field of luxuriant grass, some ten inches in height. They at once bethought themselves of farming, although at that time it was generally believed that the pro- lific soil was naught but a barren waste.

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

At the period of which we write we are informed that the native Californians were bound by a most solemn pledge not to sell, nor even give information in regard to lands. They said: "If we can't fight these heathens out, we can starve them; for we can keep them from a permanent settlement here." Undeterred by this fact, how- ever, the Pattens sought the advice of a Frenchman, who had pitched his tent not far from the San Antonio Creek, and, through him, entered into negotiations with Antonio Maria Peralta, at his house in Fruit Vale, which culminated in their leasing one hundred and sixty acres, and, taking possession, became the first permanent Ameri- can settlers in Brooklyn Township.

In a visit to the first named of the three brothers, the venerable octogenarian informed us that, when they arrived, there was a shanty standing on the site of the blacksmith establishment of Northey & Wagar, but by whom it was built is not known; this much has been ascertained, however, it was, early in 1850, in charge of a man named Hoober, a Pennsylvanian printer, but when the Pattens came it had been abandoned. The brothers also found, when they crossed the bay, a man named Moses Chase, in ill-health, living in a tent about where the foot of Broadway, Oak- land, now is, and attended by a friend. Chase had determined to return to the Eastern States, and had come to the Contra Costa to pass his time in hunting and recuper- ating during the mild Californian winter, ere going back to his home in the spring, but this journey he did not at that time accomplish, for the brothers taking a liking to him induced him to join them, which he did, and was afterwards invested with the like proprietary rights as themselves. In 1851 the Pattens leased an additional three hundred acres for a term of eight years. In 1850 they had commenced farming, but on the extension of their territory they laid nearly the whole of their possessions under a crop consisting chiefly of barley and wheat, and to them is the honor of turn- ing the first furrow, with the first American plough, between Oakland and the Mission San José, while, as an instance of the luxuriance of the vegetation, during the first year of their residence fifty tons of hay were cut on the site of Clinton, which netted seventy dollars per ton, the market price being cighty dollars, but ten dollars of which were deducted for freight to San Francisco.

We have already mentioned the embarcadero of San Antonio, whence was exported the lumber from the redwoods. Early in the year 1851 the superior advan- tages of this location became known to the late Hon. James B. Larue, therefore mov- ing from San Francisco to the opposite shore he acquired some property from Antonio Maria Peralta, and there determined to found the nucleus of a town-mayhap of a mighty city. Ere proceeding, however, with his means of attaining this desired end, let us inform the reader of what. manner of man this gentleman was.

James Buskirk Larue was a native of Bergen County, New Jersey, where he was born February 6, 1800. Having received a good practical education in his native State he afterwards engaged in the manufacture of paper, but feeling that greater scope was necessary for his energy he followed the advice subsequently given by Horace Greeley to young men and "went west." In 1836 he settled in Michigan, and entered largely into the business of lumber-making, but owing to a disastrous crisis in the trade, he was compelled to succumb to misfortune, yet, honest man that he was, he gave up his all for the satisfaction of his creditors. That his manly worth

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BROOKLYN TOWNSHIP.

and business capacity were appreciated in that State, ive find from the fact that he was at one time put forward as a candidate for the high office of Lieutenant-Gov- ernor, but suffered a party defeat. In the year 1849, in company with a number of others, he came to California, and, after passing a short time at the mines, returned to San Francisco, and finally, in 1851, took up his residence in Brooklyn Township, where he continued to reside until the day of his death, on January 7, 1872.

His first establishment, which was a tent covered with hides, stood in the neigh- borhood of what is now the junction of Twelfth Street and Fifteenth Avenue, and here he opened a store having as its chief object the supplying the lumbermen in the redwoods with goods. He immediately, however, commenced the construction, near by, of the house now occupied by Louis Winegard, whither he transferred his goods from the tent, and took up his residence with his wife and his son Luke, being joined, early in 1852, by Antonio Fonte. This gentleman, who is now engaged in business at No. 800-802 East Central Avenue (Brooklyn), East Oakland, informs us that when he first came to the township in November, 1851, besides the tent of Mr. Larue, a Mex- ican named Manuel Paracio had a corral standing in the center of the ground now bounded by Twelfth and Fourteenth Streets and Fourteenth and Sixteenth Avenues, while a man named Parker h :d a "rum-mill" where the store of Andrew Hempel now stands on East Twelfth Street, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth Avenues. This place, we are given to understand, had been built some time previously by a man named Dean. To the rear of the planing mill, now conducted by the Mendocino Lumber Company, stood a slaughter-house, occupied by Fisher & Son, while in the vicinity of what is now Twentieth Street stood a large farm-house, in which dwelt one Manuel Baragan, a Chileno, who farmed the whole of the Bray and Kennedy tract as far as the pres- ent boundary line of Alameda Township. The land to the west of Fourteenth Ave- nue was then what we have already mentioned as being farmed by the Patten Broth- ers and their associate, Moses Chase. Among those who settled in the redwoods in the year 1851 was William C. Blackwood, and who is now a resident of Eden Township.

In the year 1852 the Pattens erected the first residence in what afterwards became the village of Clinton, their dwelling previously being nothing more than a tent, which was often placed in jeopardy by the herds of wild cattle which then roamed at will over the district. In this year the first ferry from the embarcadero of San Antonio to San Francisco was started, the craft used being a "plunger," which received from her owner-a Frenchman-the name of the Pirouette, on account of the facility with which she could be brought up into the "wind's eye." At this time there was a great deal of traffic with the lumbermen, whose numbers could be counted by hun- dreds. In the year 1852 Duncan Cameron settled near the embarcadero, and on arrival found a butcher named Fuller, besides Allen, Chase, Larue, the Pattens, Michel and Lemoine, residing in the place, while there were some Portuguese earning a living by raising poultry, boating, and fishing. He then established the first livery-stable in the town, with only three horses. In this year Joseph and Isaac Freeman erected the Mansion House, which stood on the northeast corner of Fifteenth Avenue and East Twelfth Street, and conducted it as an hotel; and about the same time George Gaskins built on what is now the corner of East Fourteenth Street and Sixteenth Avenue.

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

In this year, also, a man named Hopper built a blacksmith's shop on the bank of the creek-now the foot of Sixteenth Avenue-but shortly after was succeeded by one Redman. Subsequently it was purchased by V. S. Northey, who now owns it. In 1853 Mr. Cameron built a larger livery-stable, while about this time the first school was established, and built by subscription.

In the year 1854 C. B. Strode, of the law firm of Jones, Tompkins, & Strode, of San Francisco, acquired six thousand acres of land from Antonio Maria Peralta, sub- ject to the lease held by the Patten Brothers, to whom he made the proposition, that they should deed to him one-half of three pre-emption claims that had in the mean time been taken up by them, in consideration of their lease being canceled and the whole four hundred and eighty acres platted for the purpose of building a town. The survey was at once completed and duly recorded as the town of Clinton. The lots found immediate purchasers, the first property deeded being that now occupied by Badger's Park, the owner being Captain J. Nagle. In this year a large hotel was built by the property-owners of the town of Clinton, and placed in charge of Captain Wagstaffe, while in that year Hon. Thomas Eager came to the township, embarked in the lumber business in the redwoods of San Antonio, and erected his residence in the town of Clinton. Among the other accessions to the strength of the township in this year were J. A. Rose, now a resident of Murray Township, Andrew Hempel, and the deceased John Mathew.

In 1854 there was a considerable native population resident in the township who indulged in the favorite pastime of bull-fights, while the town grew apace, and increased in regard to the number of its inhabitants.

As early as 1852 a steam-ferry was established between Brooklyn and San Francisco, the pioneer steamers we are informed being the Kangaroo, Hector, and Red Jacket; these were followed by the Contra Costa (which was afterwards blown up and several lives lost) and the Clinton of the Minturn line. In the year 1857 the late James B. Larue, believing that the rates of fare then charged were excessive and detrimental to the interests of the residents of Alameda County, became associated with several others and established an opposition ferry line between Brooklyn, Oakland, and San Francisco, under the style of the "Oakland and San Antonio Steam Navigation Company," its originator becoming President. Having purchased the steamer Confi- dence, from her was built the San Antonio, which made her initial trip in April 1858. A general reduction in the rates of fare and freight ensued, one-half in the case of the former, and two or three hundred per cent. in the latter. In the fall of the same year the Oakland was launched and placed on the line, and during the summer of 1859 a lively opposition was kept up by the rival boats. The enterprise did not pay as well as its promoters anticipated and a great majority of them were anxious to sell out. The California Steam Navigation Company purchased a large amount of the stock, and tried very hard to get the supremacy, thus Mr. Larue was forced to buy a suffi- cient amount to control the entire business or allow the whole scheme to fail; and, in doing so, he became largely involved. In 1862 the Oakland and San Francisco Railroad and Ferry Line was established, and the steamers were sold to them. But, be that as it may, frequent and rapid communication with San Francisco and low fares and freights were established, which naturally increased the value of property.

Gra

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BROOKLYN TOWNSHIP.

On January 20, 1859, W. A. Bray established himself on the Oak Tree Farm and commenced agriculture. Here he built a fine mansion, planted shade-trees, cultivated fine orchards, and made handsome lawns. In the spring of 1860, E. H. Derby took up his residence near his friend, commenced making improvements, and these formed the center around which has sprung a country of beautiful residences. To these gentlemen are we indebted for the delightful piece of locust-lined avenue in front of their dwellings. Soon after them came Henderson Lewelling and Governor Weller, whose places are now occupied by Hugh Dimond and Frederick Rhoda.

Generally speaking the farmers and horticulturists have been successful. The orchards of Messrs. Rhoda, C. T. Hopkins, J. V. Webster, and Schumaker are among the finest in the State, while that of R. S. Farrelly, near San Leandro, for its size, is not surpassed by any.

EAST OAKLAND, or BROOKLYN .- This portion of the City of Oakland as con- stituted at the present time is made up of the three villages of Clinton, San Antonio, and Lynn. The first of these was that portion of the town on which the Patten Brothers located in 1850; the second where we have said was the embarcadero, while the last was situated on the heights, and sprang into notoriety from its being the site of a large boot and shoe factory established there in 1867. It is our purpose to treat these three hamlets as the nucleus of the town of Brooklyn ere it was swallowed up by its big neighbor, Oakland.

The first house built in the town was that of the Pattens, and it was placed in regard to its survey on block number eight. The next settler we have already shown was the late James B. Larue. But it is unnecessary to repeat, for this infor- mation has been given to the reader elsewhere. In 1854, when the town of Clinton was laid out and Captain Nagle purchased the property now known as Badger's Park, he then built the second house in Clinton where it still stands in the center of the beautiful demesne. In the same year David S. Lacy erected a store at the corner of what is now East Twelfth Street and Twelfth Avenue, there being associated with him in the concern one B. M. Atchinson. On the northeast side of Twelfth Street, between Eleventh and Twelfth Avenues, a large hotel, three stories in height with seventy rooms, and costing thirty thousand dollars then, was erected by the owners of the town of Clinton, and placed in the charge of Captain Wagstaffe. Some six or seven weeks after it had been completed and occupied it was destroyed by fire. But why attempt to particularize. The town had taken a good start, for land was much sought after on account of its salubrity and beauty of location. The number of citi- zens had vastly increased, business enterprises had been effectually commenced, there- fore consolidation was deemed necessary. To this end, in the year 1856, a petition was presented to the Board of Supervisors of the County of Alameda praying that such an union should take place; the prayer was granted and the villages of Clinton and San Antonio became Brooklyn, the name being taken from that of the vessel in which the proposer of the resolution, Hon. Thomas Eager, had come to California in 1849.

By the Act of the Legislature passed April 4, 1870, the villages of "Clinton, Lynn, Brooklyn, and vicinity" were constituted a body politic and corporate by the

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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

name of the Town of Brooklyn, the boundaries being as follows: "Commencing at the bridge at the intersection of Encinal and Park Avenues, as laid down upon the published map of Oakland and vicinity (of William F. Boardman, City and County Surveyor), and thence following in a northerly and easterly direction along the bound- ary line of the city of Oakland and following said boundary line to a point opposite the center of Prospect Street; thence northeasterly, across Lake Shore Avenue to the center of the highway leading to Lake Park; thence along the center of said highway to an intersection with Indian Gulch; thence easterly along the center of said Indian Gulch, to the southerly and. westerly line of the lands of John Hem- pel (excluding said lands); thence along the westerly line of said lands for- merly the property of Duncan Cameron, to an intersection with Sausal Creek (at the northeast corner of Porter's plot); thence southerly along said creek to the north- erly lands belonging to George Stevens; thence westerly, along said line to the north- west corner of said lands, at the westerly line of Lynn, as shown on said map; thence southerly, along said line to the northeast corner of the northern addition; thence southerly, along the easterly line of said northern addition, to the northwest corner of the Cameron plot; thence easterly along the northerly line of said Cameron plot to the northwest corner of Ghirardelli's plot; thence southerly along the westerly line of said plot in a direct line prolonged to the southerly line of the old County Road; thence westerly along the southerly line of said road to the northeast corner of the land of Sevin Vincent; thence southerly along the dividing line between the lands of said Vincent and W. A. Bray prolonged in a direct line to a point in the south line of Adam's Avenue; thence westerly to the northwest corner of the lands of Joshua Tevis; thence southerly along the westerly line of the lands of said Tevis to the southwest corner thereof; thence easterly along the land of Mrs. Requa; thence southerly in a direct line to the place of beginning." Section two of the Act vested the government of the town in a Board of five trustees, an assessor, and a clerk to be ex officio treas- urer, an election being ordered for the first Monday in the month of May of each year. On May 4, 1870, that election was accordingly had, and resulted as follows: H. A. Mayhew, Hiram Tubbs, Adam Cannon, Charles Newton, Henry Tum Suden, Board of Trustees; A. W. Swett, F. Buel, C. C. Knowles, School Directors; J. F. Steen, Clerk and Treasurer; C. E. Webster, Assessor. Mr. Mayhew was elected Pres- ident of the Board of Trustees on May 7th. On May 1Ith a proposition of Asa How- ard to erect a building on Block number forty, Washington Street, in which the meet- ings of the Trustees should be held, and offering it at a rental of ten dollars per month was accepted, and the officials subsequently transacted their affairs in that edifice. On the 14th May, O. Whipple was appointed Town Marshal; and on Sep- tember 2d, the name of Jackson Street in the ancient village of San Antonio was directed to be thenceforward called Humbert Street. On the 30th of the same month the right to lay pipes in the streets was granted to the Contra Costa Water Company; while the same meeting gave directions that hydrants should be placed on Washing- ton Street, at the intersections of Chase, Jones, Clay, Polk, and Larue Streets; a fran- chise being granted to the Oakland Gas Company to lay their pipes on the 14th October.

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History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 58

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