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 64

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1362

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 64

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Owing to the large increase in business, the Fresno postoffice was placed January 1, 1917, in the 200,000 class, with increase of salaries for post- master and higher officials.

Fresno with 521.7 miles of post office rural delivery service covered daily ranks second in the United States. Indianapolis, Ind., ranks first with 693 miles, but serves partly by horse while Fresno's ten routes are covered by automobiles. This rural service was extended 125 miles in July, 1917. and revolutionized by automobile delivery, aided by the level country and the fairly dense population on the rural routes. Each extends from fifty to fifty-four miles, and 15,000 persons representing 4,000 families are served by the city office. Capacity of a car is 800 pounds and eighty cubic feet space.

December was the climax month in the steady business increase in 1917 of the Fresno postoffice. The total was $34,356 as against $23,025.73 for the same period the year before, an increase of forty-two per cent. For the comparative years, the increase was about twenty per cent., the increase in postal rates only covering the last two months of the year. The quarterly business returns for two years are shown in the following tabulation :

1917

1916

First quarter

$54,970.37

$44,543.51

Second quarter

54,798.76

46,862.19

Third quarter

53,416.00

49,797.39

Fourth quarter

84,028.25

65,128.68

$247,213.38

$206,231.77

Firebaugh is unique in that it has no city taxes but the saloons and other licenses run the town government. The revenue is about $5,000 of which the saloons contribute $3,200, the restaurants $300 and about $1,000 by other lines. Eight saloons pay $100 quarterly and three restaurants twenty- five dollars. The town assessed property valuation is some $68,000.

The "Sun Maid" raisin brand of the California Associated Raisin Com- pany has been changed for a new carton design. The former picture of a pretty girl trimming a raisin pie aroused infringement complaint by a mince meat maker. The new picture shows head of a pretty girl set in the light of a rising sun.

Despite the loss of sixty-five sections of land to Kings County, figures of the county assessor show an increase of 300 per cent. in assessment roll valuations in fifteen years; 1900-$26,879,811; 1910-$58,929,496: 1911-$61,- 483,833, the year that operative property was withdrawn from local operation. 1912-$69,716,137; 1913-$80,920,688; 1914-$82,652,510 and 1915-$84,- 096,506.

Distribution of the M. Theo. Kearney estate to the state university was made in June 1910. It was inventoried at $1,471,118.06 and the executor charged with $1,542,238.53. In the distribution $1,075,790.40 in stock was transferred and $338,795 of property was on hand-the Chateau Fresno Park and stock in syndicate.

The historical Grand Central Hotel block, 100 feet on J and 150 on Mari- posa, was sold January 27, 1918, by Judge J. A. Cooper to Radin & Kamp for $300,000. It was and is the first three story brick building in the city erected about 1882 by J. W. Williams, who had conducted a blacksmith shop

436

HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

on the site. Fulton G. Berry bought half interest in the property in 1884 and in 1888 acquired a full interest. He paid $55,000 for the property and in November, 1905, sold to Cooper and his brother, Dr. J. C. Cooper, for $147,- 500. The latter sold back a half interest to brother, the valuation about doubling in a dozen years. J. and Mariposa holds the title of "the center of Fresno."

The Fresno Canal and Land Company was authorized in February 1917, to sell to the Fresno Canal and Land Corporation for $1,000,000 its stock and entire property, excepting only the interests in the Laguna Lands Limited. The corporation was authorized to issue 10,000 shares of $100 par value in payment executing a trust deed and issue $600,000 bonds at not less than ninety per cent., the proceeds to discharge the first mortgage bonds of the company. The latter sold water for irrigation in Fresno and Kings to owners of approximately 200,000 acres of land. It is a public utility and has outstand- ing $1,250,000 capital stock owned by the United Guardian Company, Ltd., an English corporation, and its total indebtedness of $1,573,862 is mortgage secured. It was incorporated in January, 1917, for the purpose outlined, cap- italized at $1,000,000 and $600,000 of the bonds to be substituted for the mortgage indebtedness, the balance to be paid by the original company stockholders.

According to the will of William H. Mckenzie, dated October 19, 1907, a trust was created to include the Fort Miller ranch and adjoining lands (Millerton site) in Townships 10 and 11-12 and lot 2 in the S. W. 14 of Section 6-11-12, with instructions that it shall not be sold unless by unanimous judgment it is for the best interests of the estate, "it being in fact my desire that if possible said property be not permitted to go out of the family."

In the spring of 1918 sale was reported to E. V. Kelley and W. J. Simp- son of Fresno of the 160-acre Alta Sierra vineyard and fig orchard in the Clovis district for $110,000, also about the same time of the Glorietta Vine- yard for $100,000 and the Wawona for $70,000, besides a half section of the Webber lands. A few years ago all this land was in grain.

Fresno raised from $13,000 to $14,000 as its share of the Methodist state fund of $1,125,800 for the University of Southern California to endow pro- fessorships, purchase equipment and erect buildings.

A gigantic enterprise is involved in the proposed Kings River Irrigation and Conservation District. It is the plan to form a lake of the sinuous chan- nel of the Kings above Pine Flat with construction of a $9,000,000 reservoir, backing the water into the hills sixteen miles and impound 600,000 acre feet. The dam site would be only twenty-eight miles from the city and be a horse- shoe shaped wall 300 feet high, letting the water out at spillways and gates 100 feet below the surface of the water. It rivals the much vaunted Roose- velt dam project. It is proposed with the stored water to irrigate 1,000,000 acres in Fresno, Kings and Tulare during entire season with never danger of a dry year. The dam would be between two hills and of rock and concrete. The little place known as Trimmer Springs and the flumes of the Sanger Lumber Company to convey lumber from Hume to Sanger would be under water. Report is that in event of the construction of the reservoir the mills may be removed to the head of the reservoir. Not only is it intended to irrigate but also to drain the lands and lower the water levels. Ten districts are proposed and the estimated cost of construction varies in them. It is the project also to cement eventually all the canals in the district. There are 242,000 acres in the Fresno district and about 200,000 under water rights. Irrigation companies have 258 miles in canals, property and water rights are valued at $4,805,382.78 and a $1,500,000 option has been given. The Pine Flat project will give water to irrigate 600,000 acres and sufficient power will be developed to irrigate 400,000 more by drainage, the present alkali land can be reclaimed and all the land be made productive. Incorporated

437

HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

cities will be not asked to contribute but to give their moral aid and support. The district when organized will place the entire area under public control and ownership.

Notable land purchase among many that might be recorded is the one in January, 1918, for $125,000 by J. C. Forkner and associates of 1,700 acres including the railroad townsite of Herndon, near the San Joaquin River.

The destructive fire at the Eggers winery, east of town, was on January 14, 1913. Excepting the Eisen vineyard, it was the oldest in the county. It was purchased in 1897 by the California Wine Association and consolidated with its other wineries located at Selma, Wahtoke. Calwa, Reedley, Smith Mountain and Fresno. The combination of "Cal W A" gives the name to the town and Santa Fe switching yards at Calwa.

Advantageous, noteworthy and significant was the reported sale closed June 24, 1918, by W. N. Rohrer to John B. Newman of Los Angeles and Visalia of 500 acres of raw land in the proven Mount Campbell orange dis- trict for something over $40,000. The land is between the Alta Canal and Wahtoke Park on the one side and Mount Campbell on the other, about six miles north of Reedley, at the foot of the mountain, sloping gently and soil- dry bog and of unusual depth and fertility, the seller retaining eighty-five acres in oranges for a home. Rohrer took up the tract in 1900 when from the mountain could be seen miles of grain fields and a dozen or more com- bined harvesters operating in the field at a time and the soil thought fit only for grain. The Mount Campbell section has made a reputation for grapes, oranges and deciduous fruit and the plain has been transformed into vine- yards, fruit orchards and orange groves, with Navelencia bordering on the tract, a lively and thriving community. The Navelencia orange crop of the Rohrer home place brought in eastern markets eight dollars a box this year. The section is ideal for the orange and lemon and is one of the county's largest citrus belts.

The largest number of women to sit in the county in a civil action for damages on account of injury received in a collision between a bicycle rider and auto in a demonstration was in the case in which a verdict was returned June 27, 1918, for $5,000 damages. The number was six and the jury women were Mesdames L. M. Cross, J. B. Guinn, Gertrude Hewitt, Alice Powell, Leona Christensen and Fannie Berry, with the first named as the forewoman of the jury.

First step in a series of formal preliminaries in the formation of a great irrigation district on the West Side and embracing the counties of Merced, Stanislaus and Fresno was taken in July, 1918, at Merced when petition signed by freeholders of Merced was presented to the supervisors to pass on the sufficiency of the signatures. If sufficient to meet local demands, copy of the petition was to go to the state engineer for approval and back again to the supervisors to settle the boundaries before calling an election to organize the district. And so as to the other counties in turn. As the greater acreage is in Merced County, proceedings were initiated there. Acreage and valua- tions in the three counties are these :

Acres

Valuation

Merced

297,553

$5,137.730

Stanislaus

70,562

2,915,652

Fresno

58,012

1,659,695

Total

426,127

$9,713,077

The territory embraces all the land under the service of the San Joaquin and Kings River Canal & Irrigation Company (Miller & Lux) and organiza- tion contemplates the purchase or condemnation for public use of the com- pany's rights. Of the land included in the proposed district, less than half is under water or cultivation. The Miller & Lux monopoly has protested against

438

HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

the district enterprise and pursued the ancient camouflage of inducing signers to withdraw their names from the filed petition on the plea that they signed under a misapprehension of the effect and nature of the enterprise. The Southern Pacific Railroad has fifty miles of reservation in the district and it also has protested against taxing it on a basis equal to that governing irri- gation taxes of farm lands. The proposed district is said to be second only to the one organized last year in Imperial Valley and embracing one-half million acres.

After having been in operation for eight years, Coalinga discontinued July 1, 1918, free delivery of mails. The reason was that the government only pays carriers thirty-five dollars a month and men could not be secured at that wage in these times when man power is in such demand. The matter was taken up with Washington but no larger appropriation was to be secured.

Coalinga went dry May 19, 1918, leaving in the county as the two "wet" towns Fresno and Firebaugh. It was a woman, Genevieve C. Baumbach, that was the first offender arrested for a violation in the sale of liquor in dry territory. The jury deliberated two hours before finding her guilty and the fine imposed was fifty dollars.

The big excursion to Berenda to meet President Theodore Roosevelt on coming out from the seclusion of a visit to Yosemite Valley was on Monday, May 18, 1913. Eleven coaches of welcomers went from Fresno alone.

December 27. 1890, the rain storm for the season was reported to have had no equal since the winter flood of 1861-62. The day after, the canal head gates at Centerville washed out and there was flood damage all over the county.

Picnic with barbecue at Sanger September 3. 1890, marked the comple- tion of the Moore & Smith lumber flume from Millwood in the Sierras, a noteworthy accomplishment of the times.

Report was made December 12, 1890, of the discovery by S. L. Packwood and I. N. Barrett of the remains of a petrified man in the Cantua Canyon. The sensation was great. Geologists, who examined the alleged petrifaction. pronounced it a genuine one of a giant. The find was exhibited for a time and hawked the country over. The hoax was in the end exposed. It was manufactured from cement for speculative show purposes and buried to be conveniently "discovered" in due time. The expose was complete, even to the person who was the mould for the "petrifaction."

Coalinga voted April 8, 1918, dry by a small majority out of a total of 1,304 votes. At the same election, $20,000 bonds were voted to complete the water works system.

On the 30th of May of the Centennial year-forty years ago-a news- paper item recorded the fact that J. E. Longacre and J. C. Berry riding across the plains from Fresno to Kingsburg observed a band of antelope huddled in consternation. A coyote had been surrounded by the antelope, striking at him with their fore feet while he snapped in every direction in self defense. The combat was watched for a distance of two miles and the coyote finally escaped.

A. J. Law advertised forty years ago in June, 1876, in Fresno city that he had received an invoice of forty-eight coffins "of all sizes, styles and prices." He received them direct from the factory, he sold a coffin as low as six dol- lars per and announced his ability "to supply this entire section of the valley."

At the Sanger town incorporation election in April, 1908, the vote was ninety-six against, seventy-seven for and seven did not vote on the question.

Forty years ago at the close of the month of May, 1878, the record is that the steamer Clara Belle, Capt. Jack Grier, unloaded lumber and posts for Gustavus Herminghaus at Parker's Old Store, fourteen miles below the rail- road at Sycamore, the highest point on the river ever reached by a steamer and the only time that one had come up so far since 1867. Herminghaus own- ing a large tract on the river and Fresno Slough had then received 250,000

439

HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

feet of lumber by steamer from San Francisco to fence in 15,000 acres of graz- ing land. The fence followed the line of the surveyed road from White's bridge to Fresno for seven miles and diverted travel from the long used route along the river.

It was in May, 1898, that there was excitement over the discovery by . J. M. Lowe of gold bearing quartz at Trimmer Springs, and there was a "rush" and considerable of an exodus from Selma. It was a pocket, which as stated at the time "may turn out $50,000 or it may peter out." It did peter ont.

It was about the middle of May, 1898, that fig growers were interested in the arrival from Naples and receipt by George C. Roeding from the agricul- tural department of a consignment of Capri or wild figs containing the blas- tophaga or fig wasps for the pollenization of the female or Smyrna fig.

At the special election held in May, 1908, in Kingsburg, the vote was seventy-two for and thirty-four against incorporation and a "dry" board of city councilmen was elected. The town was the second in the county to vote "dry."

There were many, but they were late comers, who believed that the 1898 season was the hardest in the history of the state as a drought year. Edward Lane of Lane's bridge who came to the valley in 1869 and drove sheep over the territory now within the city limits recalls that the drought year of 1877 was much more severe, there was comparatively little feed in the valley. the supply was not more than to last about six weeks and the price of sheep dropped from three dollars a head to twenty-five cents. Nearly all the sheep- men of the valley were bankrupted that year.

At the . school election in Easterby district in April, 1908, Mrs. William Forsyth, Mrs. Hector A. Burness and Mrs. James Y. Beveridge were elected trustees, defeating by a vote of fourteen to six Burness. Beveridge and L. R. Rogers, being the first time in the county that a school board of women was elected. They served their term but never again has the experiment been tried, though women are members of many school boards in the county.

The Margherita vineyard of 307 acres was sold in July, 1918, by Mrs. E. B. Rogers for $150,000 and the deal was the largest about that time. Vineyard was one of the best known in the county, located about four miles east of the city and was one of the show places of the county. The sale was to New York, San Francisco and Fresno capitalists.

There was a registration in the county for the August, 1918, primary elec- tion of 34,883, of which 15,574 were Republicans and 13,688 Democrats, as against 28,465 in 1916.

With from 7,000 to 8,000 acres signed up in August, 1918, for the Califor- nia Alfalfa Growers' Association Fresno County became the banner county of the state as the result of the organization campaign. The state has about 20,000 acres in alfalfa.

The first woman constable in the county is Miss Rae Gayton of 482 San Pablo Avenue, appointed in August, 1918. She had been doing clerical work for Township Constable George E. Machen and was deputized to serve civil attachment papers.

Another notable vineyard sale of August, 1918, was that of the Glorietta of 160 acres for' approximately $128,000 or about $800 an acre. The buyer was an Oakland American-born Chinese. The sale of the vineyard was its second during the year, and the buyer in spring bought the quarter section Wawona vineyard across the road from the Glorietta which is three miles north of Clovis.

A vineyard section of the Alvina Land Company, about ten miles south of Fresno, was for $180,000 another August, 1918, sale. The buyers were the Kamikawa Bros. Five hundred forty acres of the section are planted to vines' and peaches. The land lies near Monmouth, one mile west of the Santa Fe Railroad. One hundred acres were to be planted and payments will cover a period of eight years.

440

HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

The first formal reunion picnic of the Fresno County Pioneers' Associa- tion was held at grass-carpeted and tree-shaded Riverview Saturday, June 20, 1914.

Of interest was the sale in August, 1918, of twenty acres in alfalfa, one mile east of the county fair grounds, by Mrs. M. E. Carlisle to B. N. Hall of Madera for $14,000, the price of $700 per acre considered reasonable in view of the location so near town. The ranch is a noted one in Fresno an- nals, once a part of the Fresno Winery Company tract and when first seeded the pioneer alfalfa tract in the county. Transfer was to take place January 1, 1919, and seller had for years advance sales for the crops.

An August, 1918, sale that was remarkable for the price involved and for the history of the property was the passing of the noted Glen Ellen orange and lemon grove of N. W. Moodey, one mile north of Centerville, to Mrs. May Perkins Mckinnon of Oakland, Calif., daughter of George C. Perkins, former governor of California and later United States senator from this state. The sale was for a little over $2,000 an acre for twenty-nine and three-fourths acres. This property is noteworthy as the pioneer citrus grove in the Centerville district established after years of persistent and costly effort in the demonstration of the adaptability of the soil and climate of Fresno for the cultivation of citrus fruit. The twenty-two and one-quarter- acre old place includes the twenty-four-year-old lemon orchard and one of the oldest in the county. The fruit has always taken first prize when ex- hibited, and in the market brought fancy prices because of quality and supe- rior picking and hand packing. Sales of the crop were always in advance to eastern dealers.

Notable incident was the closing August 21, 1918, of negotiations for the purchase from the California Associated Raisin Company of over half a million dollars' worth of Fresno raisins by the British government, J. S. Marple representing the British Food Ministry conducting the negotiations with the co-ordination and purchasing department of the U. S. Food Ad- ministration. The purchase was of Sultanas wholly, contract called for im- mediate shipment and purchase practically cleaned out the 1917 Sultana crop. The British government has always bought San Joaquin Valley raisins through the spot markets but this was its first great purchase direct from the association. A large part of the purchase was to be rationed to the soldiers in the army.

Opportunities yet offer themselves in Fresno, notably in the real estate line, witness the September, 1917, experience of David Andreas in the sale of a 160-acre vineyard to Mrs. Alfreda Verwoert of San Francisco who is largely interested in realty in the Hanford, Kings County, neighborhood. The sum of $93,000 was paid for an eight-year-old Muscat vineyard, located nine miles east of Fresno city. One year before, Andreas added the property to his holdings paying $64,000. In the interim, he harvested a crop valued at $20,000. With the $29,000 difference between buying and selling prices and the crop return a net increase of $49,000 was enjoyed on the one year's in- vestment. The estimated crop for 1917 went to the buyer.

July 7, 1917, ground was broken at Piedra in the foothills on the Kings River, above Sanger, by the Piedra Magnesite Company for one of the most modern calcining plants in the country, if not in the world. The mine of which there is a mountain and the equipment represented an investment of nearly a quarter of a million of dollars, financed by former Portervillians who have had experience in this line. The capacity of the plant is over a carload per day. Magnesite is used in manufacture for various purposes but is essential in the making of fine steel for cannon and rifles and cannot be substituted because of its heat resisting qualities. The kiln is eighty-three feet long, tapering to eight in diameter and weighed over eighty tons when ready for burning, filling two cars in the transportation of the parts. The trunions supporting the kiln are erected on thirty-two cubic yards of con-

441

HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

crete bases. The cooling tower rises to a height of sixty feet and is fed by 125 feet of chain buckets, another chain automatically distributing the cal- cined product to various parts of the shipping building. The fire and heat in the kiln to burn out the ore adulterations are so intense that the flames can be viewed only through heavily smoked glasses, being too bright for the naked eye. The machinery is driven throughout by electric motors of special design. The plant began operations September 21, 1917.

The California Associated Raisin Company has become an immense business corporation. According to its published financial report made in November, 1917, the 1916 raisin crop of 103,800 tons was sold for $13,595,- 070.50, good progress was being made in the marketing of the new crop to be about 35,000 tons in excess of that of the year before and the final pay- ment of $1,739,503.70 on the 1916 crop was ready to be made, making the record price for raisins. The expense was $3,381,105.82 for packing, selling and maintenance of the association, leaving a net balance of $10,213,964.68 for division among the associated growers. The figures on tonnage were:

Variety

Tonnage

Receipts Gross

Muscats

75,049

$9,226,467.65

Thompson's Seedless

19,235

2,992,247.39

Sultanas

5,911

822,899.91

Malagas

312

42,531.88

Feherzagos

499

39,802.57

Northern Bleached Thompson's

2,783

469,640.63

Northern Bleached Sultanas

1,980.47

103,800

$13,595,070.50

The financial statement showed :

ASSETS

Quick assets

$3,991,753.18

Invested assets

556,428.18

Deferred charges

10,742.02

Total assets

$4,558,923.38

LIABILITIES

Current liabilities

$3,040,263.95

Special reserves

92,205.38

Capital and surplus

1,426,454.69

Total liabilities

$4,558,923.38

The grape industry of California is an immense one. According to the bulletin of the State Board of Viticulture Commission $63,000,000 is the value placed on California's 1917 grape crop and $150,000,000 on the state's grape industry. 1916 was the greatest in returns that the industry has experienced, the raisin crop was 30,000 tons above normal and amounted to 155,000 tons, the wine production of 37,000,000 was almost normal and the grape crop the greatest known.

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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 64

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858- Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1362

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1362