USA > California > Fresno County > History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Volume I > Part 46
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ences in the west in the building up of communities with and around the saloon have been repeated time and again since the Days of '49, with every mining rush, in Alaska, on the Klondike, in Nevada, in Arizona, in every western state and territory.
In a May, 1872, issue of the Expositor, county official paper, appeared the squib:
"Fresno now has fifteen public bars! 'Whar's' the temperance orator?"
The reference was evidently to the county. At any rate, seven of these "public bars" were carrying their ads in that same weekly issue. At Miller- ton as at Fresno, the Expositor was county official organ as well as of the saloon. The saloonmen were steady advertising patrons and the bulk of local news in many an issue was in personal mention of the saloonmen, or return of thanks with fulsome personal flattery for cool beverage gift on a sweltering day, or donation on any other day of sample of newly received drinkable stock. Such was the journalism of the day. Yet the pioneers were making history in every nook and corner, in every gulch and canyon, on plains and in mountains, on creeks and rivers. Seldom a word about these doings in the local paper. The art of news reporting had not yet been dis- covered ; the newspaper reporter had not yet been evolved. The editor pro- prietor published a weekly paper as a side issue to his job printery to accommodate the county printing and official advertising. That was his mission in life, with the added self appointed task of giving free advice on how to run the government and to claim free pass to everything under the sun as a special privilege.
The truthful and observant western historian cannot ignore the in- fluence of the advancing railroad and the tagging after saloon in the early western settlements. It was no different in Fresno than elsewhere. It was typical not only of the region but of the times and of the day. Much of that history of first beginnings as related to Fresno City has been overlooked. It is interesting in contrast in measuring the splendid achievement in the city of the valley, which had its rise and progress from such humble and uninviting beginnings. That record begins with the coming of the railroad piercing its way in direct line through the magnificent valley, steel track the connecting link to unite south, future center of population and commer- cial activities, with San Francisco, central of the state as distributor with one of the world's greatest seaports, while tapping the valley, its granary and wealth producer, and locating there in its lap what is to be one of the largest and most important cities of the state, the Fresno of wonders, of the smallest beginnings, the front and center as it is already. Few con- ceived in their mind's eye even the Fresno of 1918 in the following beginnings :
-1872-
February 7-Arthur Brown, superintendent of bridges of the Central Pacific Company, is preparing for the erection of the San Joaquin River bridge with a large force of men. . . . The truss bridge is framed and ready for shipment at the company's yard at Oakland as soon as the railroad reaches the stream. . .. The graders are preparing the road bed in the county and weather favoring the grade will be completed as far as the San Joaquin by the middle of March. Surprise was expressed if the cars were not running by the first week in June.
February 14 The Snelling Argus reports that the Visalia division of the Central Pacific is advancing southward and was then completed to a point near the Chowchilla, southern boundary of the county of Merced. At the mile rate a day of progress, the road to Visalia would be completed about the last of May.
February 28-Pile drivers are at work on the bridge across the Fresno and graders on both sides of the stream preparing the road bed. Track is
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laid, construction trains running to the south side of Ash Slough, six miles south of the Chowchilla, and progress being made at the rate of a mile a day. The Chowchilla bridge is a temporary one. The Expositor was informed that at least 2,000 laborers, white and Chinese, are constructing the road in the county, and prophesied that "the iron horse will be snorting and panting on the banks of the San Joaquin before the end of the month."
March 6-It is stated that the rails of the San Joaquin Valley branch of the Southern Pacific will be completed to the San Joaquin within two weeks. . .. It is learned that the railroad has bought two sections of land immediately south of the river for a townsite there and there is talk among Millerton business men of moving to it.
March 8-Road completed to a point within four miles from the San Joaquin.
March 13-Track completed to the Fresno on the 11th, and bridge also. A switch will be put in south of the Fresno for freight cars and goods may be hauled to that point from Merced. Mule teams are hauling the river bridge timbers from the end of the road. "The traveling is horrible and twenty-four mules were attached to a timber hauling wagon."
March 27-Locomotive crossed the San Joaquin on Saturday the 23rd and track laying south of it is begun. The grade is finished to near Dry Creek. Work on the permanent river bridge is pushed vigorously to be completed in six weeks. Switch and station south of the river will be about five miles from the river. Report was that the railroad would build a hotel there.
April 6-Grade is completed to fourteen miles south of river and track laid for six miles. It looked as though the road would be at Visalia by May 1.
April 10-Otto Froelich erected warehouse to forward wool or other freights from the railroad station on the San Joaquin south side, Julius Biehl in charge. . . . The first wool shipment from county by rail and the first in anywise this season was one day last week, Louis Studer consignor. It was loaded at the station on the cars on the south side of the river. (Wool was fifty cents a pound ; sheep five dollars a head.)
April 24-Track is completed sixteen miles south of the river and grade nearly to the Kings River. During the week workmen built side tracks, and turn tables at the station on Dry Creek (Fresno). ... The Millerton Expositor noted that Mr. Hoff, right of way and local agent of the San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company has located a town near Dry Creek to bear the name of "Fresno." Engineers are preparing grounds for side tracks, turning tables and other conveniences generally provided at located towns. The Expositor had not seen the spot yet was advised "it is a desirable location and not ex- ceeding six miles from the center of Fresno County."
May I-The first write up of Fresno appeared in the following :
"We learn that business is very lively in the railroad station on the San Joaquin River. Immense quantities of freight for different parts of the San Joaquin, Tulare and Kern valleys. Wood is pouring in at a lively rate and the number of teams which arrive and depart daily reminds one of the palmy days of teaming Stockton used to enjoy. The station is a railroad town in the strictest sense of the word. It abounds in tents, 'rot gut' and roughs."
May 8-The Expositor breaks out in one of its periodical editorials on the removal of the county seat and says :
"The most prominent candidate for the honor at present is the embryo railroad town near the sinks of Big Dry Creek, dubbed 'Fresno City.' The location of this proposed town is the center of the finest agricultural land in the county, most of which is susceptible of irrigation from one of the branches of the Fresno Canal and Irrigation Company's ditch, besides being
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the outlet for the Dry Creek Valley, one of our most prosperous farming regions."
. News travelled slowly in those days. Foreman K. Maher of the advance grading gang reported that on the 29th of the month before twenty- five teams were at work in the advance six miles from Kings River and eighteen from Sycamore Station, the then terminus. Good water was struck at twelve feet.
May 15-The permanent bridge across the San Joaquin is completed and the track is being laid. As soon as cars are running. the road will be opened to "Fresno" and run on schedule, it was promised. Passengers were then being carried as far as Kings River by special train. On the 14th Bennett's stages commenced connecting with the cars at Fresno from Millerton and the trip was shortened one hour at least each way than when the connection was with Sycamore Station.
May 22-E. H. Mix, civil engineer, in charge of the work platting the town of Fresno visits Millerton. He reports that the field work will be completed in a fortnight. ... The courthouse square is located "on one side of the townsite upon a knoll which gives a commanding view of the balance of the town." Lots will be probably offered for sale in the course of three or four weeks. ... Otto Froelich merchandising in the new place has been appointed agent of Wells, Fargo & Company and opened a branch office. A daily express is run between Millerton and Fresno.
May 29-The telegraph office at Sycamore was moved Sunday the 26th to Fresno and henceforth passenger trains will run through to that point regularly. ... Stages from Millerton changed schedule to connect with Fresno cars at three A. M., and passengers from "below" will arrive at mid- night and be conveyed direct to Millerton. ... Notices of publication for new roads from the town of Fresno to other settlements in the county are being made. It is stated that "Fresno seems to be the grand center to which all eyes are turned."
June 5-Another editorial in Expositor urges reasons for the removal of the county seat, petitions for which to the supervisors were being cir- culated to be presented in July and the election call mandatory on 243 signa- tures. One of the arguments for a removal was that the county had no quarters for its officers and business, and it was cited that the Ridgway murder jury had to be removed to the county hospital as a place for delibera- tions and to permit the district court to proceed with its business and that it would be folly to expend more money on county buildings in Millerton for there are none to deny that the county seat must be moved sooner or later. . .. The Expositor experiences a change of heart and having con- versed "with several gentlemen" reports them as saying that they were highly pleased with the new townsite. The land for miles around is excel- lent, is as level as a floor, it is capable of being irrigated, water can be flown through the streets, used for irrigating, ensuring the decoration of the town with handsome trees, shrubs and flowers and making it delightful and attractive. . . . The railroad is putting up an immense depot 60x120 feet. Fresno will be the depot for Dry Creek, Millerton and Centerville. There is no question that it will soon be the most flourishing locality in the county.
June 12-Jefferson M. Shannon appointed agent for the Central Pacific at Fresno. . . . Again an editorial urging action on the county seat removal, agitated and debated upon for years. Constant agitation prevents anything being done to improve Millerton. Removal should not be to a corner of the county. ... Effort being made to dedicate the freight depot at Fresno by a "grand ball" as soon as the "edifice" is completed, running an excur- sion to Stockton and way stations and building "sufficiently large to accom- modate a host of dancers."
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June 19-The Millerton-Fresno mail stage goes via Big Creek twice a week. "This seems something like going back to first principles" and "to be within twenty miles of daily communication with the outside world, yet literally to communicate with it but twice a week seems hard."
July 3-Two column letter from "the pen of one of our heaviest tax- payers" with editorial comment published. The writer made argument in favor of Centerville as against Fresno for the county seat. This false prophet said "Fresno Station has no claims on our people for making it the county seat, neither can it advocate a situation that promises to be permanent. On the west side of the track you find a barren desert, extending to Hawthorne station ; on the north side of said station towards the San Joaquin distance of fifteen miles is equally unproductive. while on the south side toward Kings River the entire route being dotted with drifted sand hills resembling India sands, not a settlement to be seen in either of the above directions, and if an experience of thirteen years residence in this region is of any benefit to predict the future I predict that said deserts are likely so to remain- then what is there that entitles said station as making it the capital city of our county? Why distance the county seat in an open prairie without a tree nearer than twenty miles-depending on transported fuel and trusting to a soulless corporation to bring to the settlers many delicacies that are now grown on our rich bottom lands?" . .. All county removal petitions have not been filed hence the application before the supervisors went over to the August term. . . . Superintendent Lohse of the Easterby rancho con- tracted with the railroad to transport 100 tons of wheat to San Francisco. . The first grain ever exported from the county to the San Francisco market was last week from the A. Y. Easterby rancho on Fancher Creek. Also from Berenda copper ore, a lot of thirty-five tons, from the Balti- more mine at Buchanan at five dollars and fifty cents a ton. . . . June 25 lots in Fresno were sold at private sale. Prices ranged from $250 to sixty dollars, the first for choice corner lots. The sale was not what it was ex- pected it would be, but "as it was not announced no one outside of the town knew of the sale until after it had transpired."
July 10-Thomas Whitlock is first in Millerton to announce intention to move to Fresno to go in the carpenter business. .. . Agitation begun in Fresno for a school house. ... Building operations are so brisk "that within a few months' time Fresno will be the largest town in the county." . One stable is completed. Russell H. Fleming and J. T. Wyatt were to erect another, French of Centerville was to build a butcher shop, M. A. Schultz a large building and Otto Froelich a store, and a hotel has been completed. "Water, very good at that, can be obtained at forty feet." . . There has been much talk about the sand hills and the dust and the desert like appearance, but the Expositor editor "was unable to see these horrors" notwithstanding that, as he says, it was his business to do so. . . . At the Easterby rancho with Charles S. Lohse as superintendent, three headers, a steam thresher and upwards of fifty hands had harvested the crop and there were yet three weeks of work ahead. Forty tons of wheat were being shipped daily by rail to San Francisco-the product of this farm and 1.000 tons be- tween then and the 1st. of August. There were twelve acres of corn stand- ing ten feet high and melons and pumpkins in abundance. "This 'piece' com- pares favorably with the balance of the 'sand heap' (Fresno) which stretches over a scope of country of about thirty miles one way and fifty the other. It is certainly not so good as a large area of the country in the vicinity is."
July 12-First reported fire in Fresno ; bag of mail destroyed ; originated from engine spark.
July 26-H. B. Underhill, the town lot agent, visited Fresno and ordered off all settlers on the railroad reservation who had not purchased lots and instructed those who had purchased to pay up. All the "railroad traders"
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who go forward with the railroad folded tents and departed, leaving none behind but actual settlers, in consequence of which the town looks and is deserted. Whatever progress it now makes will be permanent. . . . School apportionment for fifty-three children eighty-one dollars and fifty-eight cents, number in county 812, per child one dollar and fifty-three and nine-tenths cents.
August 7-Wheat yield of Easterby Rancho, 1,783,117 pounds shipped ; 20,000 sacks still on the ground; 4,000,000 total yield in pounds. With a reduction in shipping rates 12,000 acres would be put into wheat next season.
August 10-Large land owners from San Francisco were met by M. J. Church and taken on tour of inspection of the canal of the Fresno Irrigation Company. A. Y. Easterby and W. S. Chapman were in the party.
August 14-M. A. Schultz commences erection of large two-story house. . Otto Froelich's new store will be ready for occupancy in two weeks- "a fine structure." ... Dancing party at the passenger depot on 10th. It was an impromptu affair by pleasure seekers from the Kings River. ... Fresno and neighborhood want a postoffice. Nearest postoffice is sixteen miles distant and yet all mails have to pass through the town.
September 4-The Millerton-Fresno stage has been made a tri-weekly affair running Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
September 18-Dancing party announced by P. J. Larquier for the 23rd at the County Seat Hotel. . .. Postoffice at Fresno established with Russell H. Fleming as postmaster. Office at Leroy Dennis' Fresno Station on the Fresno River discontinued.
September 25-City children of school age, forty-six boys and thirty- four girls, total ninety ; in county 473, and 452, total 925-a gain of 113. . . . Postoffice established at Sycamore on the Central Pacific Railroad, Charles E. Strivens postmaster.
October 5-First political meeting held at Fresno at passenger depot. William Faymonville chairman, A. W. Roysdon of Stockton spoke, as did Judge Robertson and Russ Ward of Snelling and Attorney General Jo Ham- ilton, he for an hour and paying a "beautiful tribute to Fresno, the banner county of Democracy in California."
October 10-Ball at Larquier's was "well attended" and "the supper was excellent." A bibulous Mexican became enraged because "a young lady" refused to dance with him and because at supper he was denied drink. He was induced to surrender knife and pistol but in the handling of the latter it was discharged and there was a promiscuous stampede. Some twenty shots were fired but only one took effect in the fleshy part of a greaser's leg.
October 25-There are three patients at the Millerton County hospital and one prisoner at the county jail. . . . The immense amount of wool being shipped to the railroad station is astonishing, even to the "oldest residenter." The cotton field of C. D. Fields near Centerville "presents the appearance of snow banks."
November 6-The first Fresno business "ad" in the Millerton Expositor is that of B. S. Booker & Company, grocers and general produce and provi- sions at Tulare and Front.
November 13-John T. Wyatt starts feed and livery stable in Fresno. His is the second Fresno "ad."
November 18-Otto Froelich contracted to carry the mail from Fresno to Millerton thrice a week.
November 27-Fresno residents will petition for a public road to Miller- ton. . . The town is "still improving" and contains "two stores, four hotels and eating houses and three whiskey mills." ... Complaint made that lots have been sold to Chinese in the center of town; they might be kept on the southwest side of the railway track.
December 3-Water is flowing in the big San Joaquin and Kings River canal. "It looks like a huge river." ... For the first time in many years
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water is running in the Fresno River within about three miles of the Monte Redondo .... E. Jacob of Centerville announces the erection of "a large and substantial store" at Fresno. . . . Miller & Lux are fencing their land near Firebaugh's Ferry with lumber from steamers that ran up the river during high water. They had up one string of fence, five boards high, for upwards of thirty miles. . .. The San Joaquin and Kings' River Canal Company leased for five years from Miller & Lux 5,000 acres of fenced in land to be put into grain the first year. At the end of the first 1,500 will be put into alfalfa and revert to owners. At the end of the five, the remainder was to be similarly seeded. ... Report is that the plain on both sides of the railroad from Fresno "is alive with new settlers." Houses are going up in all directions and general preparations are being made for land farm- ing. Many are being assisted by large land owners; others are locating on government land of which there is considerable unoccupied. "Verily Fresno County is coming out." ... Business is reported brisk "down at Fresno." Besides being "the debouching point for a large portion of the county." local trade has sprung up with "the large number of new settlers." B. S. Booker & Company bought and shipped to San Francisco fully 1,000 turkeys. Land transactions are so many that the Expositor begun the periodical publication of "Real Estate Transactions," unheard of before thing in the county. ... First newspaper published notice of a birth in the new town was of the following, nearly one month belated :
"At Fresno, November 9th, 1872, the wife of John T. Wyatt, of a son." Coincidentally was a Stockton "ad" announcing "baby carriages, perambu-
lators." . There was agitation at this time in favor of a movement origi- nating in Stockton for "a second railroad down this valley," a narrow gauge line to serve the county east of the Central Pacific because "the business of this valley demands its construction," with Stockton as the natural market and outlet. The project reached the point later of two route surveys.
December 11-Appeal made to plant shade trees in the new town. E. C. Winchell announced for sale at his ranch one mile east of Millerton "5,000 cottonwood shade trees, straight, tall and thrifty and of all sizes."
December 18-The editor of the Expositor rambles in Fresno and notes Fleming's livery and stage stable, also that he has completed a dwelling 24x16, kitchen 12x16, also barn 52x40. John T. Wyatt has completed his 58×40 stable and also a dwelling. B. S. Booker had finished a 42×18, one and a half story building with merchandising store room 30x18, and sinking a well nearly in front of the house for public use. M. A. Schultz is complet- ing a 44x24 two-story hotel with large kitchen in rear. These are only a few of the "many improvements now being made at this place" and "business of all kinds appears to be increasing" and it "must soon become the center of trade for Fresno County." . . . Discovery made of what appeared to be "a dead man hung by the neck to a telegraph wire." A coroner's jury was summoned before the practical joke was revealed. . .. M. A. Schultz will dedicate his hotel about January 1. ... Martin McNully starts a black- smith shop. ... Otto Froelich announces himself as a general merchant at Fresno, with Julius Biehl as manager. ... A party was given on the 11th at Booker's store with supper at Larquier's. ... Booker shipped 1,000 pounds of old rags to San Francisco. This is "a new business." . . . School apportionment for Fresno is $122.50. ... Augustus Weihe on the line of the canal near town is putting in a section of land to grain and 100 acres to cotton and corn. He has built house and barn and dug well. (The section is now covered by one of the finest residential parts of Fresno.) .. . Drought threatened, there having been during the season "nothing wetter than a heavy dew." A five-inch rain storm visited the section Sunday the 22nd as the season's first, rain again on the 24th and on Christmas day.
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CHAPTER LIV
IRRIGATION AND THE TREES ARE ATTRACTING BIRD LIFE. AGITATION IS ON FOR RAILROAD COMPETITION. SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ESTAB- LISHED. GRAIN GROWING ACREAGE EXTENDING. SETTLERS' CABINS ARE SPRINGING UP ON GOVERNMENT LAND. TOWN IM- PROVEMENTS ARE BRISK BUT NOT STABLE. FIRST FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION IN NEW TOWN. TWENTY-FOUR INDIVIDUALS HOLD OVER 681,000 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY. CANDIDATES TO THE FORE FOR THE COUNTY SEAT. FRESNO'S DOMINANT IN- DUSTRY IS IN THE BAR ROOM.
Not all the changes that were taking place were of man's origin. Bird life began to invade man's newly appropriated domain. So inhospitable had been the place where the town was located that the twitter of the bird was unknown. As a phenomenon was hailed the town visit on Sunday, September 12, 1874, of myriads of field or meadow larks. They appeared to have come from a distance. Their appearance was so unusual that the Expositor con- sulted "Ye Oldest Inhabitant," Johnnie Hoxie, and he sagely declared that the appearance of the birds betokened an early and heavy winter. As an- other marvelous change that had come over the country, it was noted by the Expositor April 26, 1876, that three years before the only birds in the neighborhood were ground owls and a few predatory birds, except in the winter and spring when aqueous fowl abounded. Since the irrigating ditches were excavated and trees and shrubbery planted, twenty or more varieties of birds had made their appearance as permanent settlers.
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