USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 22
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In 1831. when Colonel J. J. Warner, the venerable repre- sentative of early days in Los Angeles, arrived here, San Gabriel Mission had about fifty thousand vines. There was also an old vineyard on the Los Nietos tract, a little south of the dividing line of Santa Gertrudes and Paso de Bartolo, and pear to the San Gabriel river. Within the limits of the present city of Los Angeles, the following vineyards existed :-
North-west of Aliso Street : Tiburcio Carillo, 4 acres; - Y'barra, 5 acres; -- Tapia, 2 acres; Lonis Bouchette, 4 acres; Henriquez Sepulveda, 4 acres; Yanuario Ahila, 6 acres; - Apoblasn, 2 acres; Juan Ramirez, 5 acres.
East Side of Alameda Street : - Ballesteros, 4 acres; Luis Vignes, 5 acres; Maximo Alanis, 5 acres.
East Side of San Pedro Street : N. M. Pryor, 2 acres; Antonio Maria Lugo, 8 acres; --- Cota, 4 acres; Rice and Temple, 4 acres; Vicente Sanchez, 8 acres; Benedicto Palomares, 4 acres; Antonio Sanchez. 2 acres: Jose Maria Abila, 8 acres; M. Requena, 2 acres.
West of San Pedro and South of Main Street : -- Romero, 5 acres; Vejar, 2 avres: - Moreno, 6 acres; - Valdez, 4 acres; Urquivez, 5 acres; - Alvarado, 2 acres.
One hundred and twelve acres in all, or say one hundred thousand vines, making a grand total of not to exceed two hundred thousand bearing vines then in the county.
Temple St.Stables
DENICE
TEMPLE STREET STABLES. D. G. STEPHENS, PROP. THE FINEST TEAMS AND SINGLE TURNOUTS IN THE CITY. HORSES BOARDED BY THE DAY, WEEK OR MONTH.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
.
65
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
At this time the principal drink of the common people was " aguardiente," pare grape brandy, and while there was much intoxication, yet mania-aspolu was wholly unknown. Not until the advent of American double distilled " Benzine and Strychnim," did the convivial Californian begin to find festive snakes gamboling in his boots, and friendly bats toying with his hair. A barrel of aguardiente hold about nineteen gallons, and usitally sold for thisty-live dollars, but in thirsty seasons the price frequently rose to seventy-live dollars and even higher.
Wine wax drank by the missionaries, aml all Don Lugo made a sweet wine by boiling grape juice to the consistence of syrup, then adding it to unfermented juice, thereby retarding fermentation.
I will he remembered that, when the missionaries of San Gabriel ardered their Indians to destroy the vineyards, these refused compliquer, having probably acquired too much love and veneration for aguardiente, al ferring to offend this, the only "spirit " they could understand in the whole enlendar uf Spanish saints. In 18441, when Mr. Benjamin D Wilson came to the county, these vineyards were still in a Nourishing condi- tim, und se mammained until the vandal Mexicans therenbut gradually ing them up and burned them for tire- wood. hu that same year ( 1811), we find the following note respecting the wine product of California, in the records of the United States exploring rxjaulition, heretufore referred to;
The country appears to be well adapted for grapes. Those that have been tried at the missions yield most abundantly, and almut two hnadred casks, ench af rightven gallons three thousand six hundred gallous) of brandy, and the same quantity of wine, are made. The cultivation of the grape increases yearly, but is not sufficient for the supply of the country, us large quantities of foreign wines and liquors are hruported, which pay an enormous duty; and although California may not boast of its dease population, every intelligent person I met with agreed that it consumed mare spirits in proportion than any other part of the world. Brandy solls for sixty to seventy dullars the cask, or four dollars n gallou, while the price idf wine is only eighteen dol- lars. The wine of the country which I tusted is miserable stuff, and would senreely be taken for the jnice of the grape.
According to Benjamin Hays Centennial History of Los Angeles County, page 201, there were one hundred and three vineyards and gardens in Los Angeles City at the time of the American occupation. This being the case, with what has already been said, Los Angeles county must at this time have grown all, or nearly all, the grapes raised in the territory; for Hittell places the whole number of bearing vines in California, in the year 1845, at two hundred thousand. In 1849 we find Los Angeles grapes selling for twelve and one-half cents per pound, on the vines, and thousands of boxes were shipped to San Francisco market, rio San Pedro.
Ilitherta the vinous prodnet had been wholly consumed at home, but in 1849, the manufacture of wines and brandies for export first began to attract attention. The pioneer in this , year were Frohling, Kohler & Co, the Sainsevaine Bros., and
enterprise wonll appear to have been William Wolfskill, who shipped some wine to San Francis as early as 199 II afterward gave his attention principally to the manufacture of brandy, and was followed closely, in with departments, by Juan Laguer Hoover, Louis Withart and Luis Vignes.
There was but little wine or brandy sent out of the county. however, until 1504. in which year two forman gentlemen. Mer, Koller & Frolling, established a vineyard at Las Angeles, and commenced the manufacture of wine on a large scale, shipping to San Francisca, where they established an agency The following year the Sain vaine brother- pur chased the vineyard of Luis Vignes, and also entered exten. sively into the mannfacture, making the first shipment of his Angeles wine to New York This firm also made the first attempt at the manufacture of champagne 1857 ever male in the county. The official returns of 18:15 showed one million, live hundred thousand bearing vines in California.
In 1556 the three largest vineyards in Los Angeles county contained respectively eighteen thousand, twenty thousand and twenty seven thousand vinos. One thousand tons of grapes, une hundred and ti ty thousaml gallons of wine, and tive thunsanl gallons of brandy were shipped. The price of grapes was so low in San Francisco, that shippers scarcely paid expenses.
Early in September, 1857, Mr. I. D. Barrows, of Los Ang. eles, sailed for New York, upon the steamship California. bearing with him a bamlsome present of various Los Angeles productions to President Buchanan The donors were Win. Wolfskill Esq, and Don Manuel Heynena, these, as it were, representing the native Californian, and earliest .American orchardists and wine growers of this county. The present included a barrel of tine old California port, made by Mr. Wolfskill from his own vineyard in Los Angeles, then said to be probaldy the largest in California; two cases of white and red wines; brandy from the pure juice of the grape ; Angelica wine, and half a dozen other brands, all grown and made by Don M. Requena, who at that time bore the reputation of being perhaps the most successful producer of wines upon the Pacific roast. There were also presented to the President at this time California oranges, sweet lemons, citrons, almonds, English wal- nuts and grapes, all said by Eastern connoisseurs to have been equal to the best Italy could possibly produce. The vari- ons express companies and common carriers along the route all refuse I compensation for the carriage of these articles. The shipment of wine for 1857 was two hundred and fifty thousand gallons,
In Isis there were abont a million of bearing vines in Los Angeles county, and as many more were planted out during that year, the prunings, which had hitherto been burned, being saved for this purpose. The principal manufacturers of that
M Keler The latter shipped to San Francisco about one hundred thousand pounds of grapes, mund inade also fifty-five thousand gallons of wine. One of his vineyard, containing right thon and vines, produceslone hundred and ninet.vn thou- sand eight hundred and thirty -nine pounds of grapes an aver ar of nearly fifteen pounds to rach same. During the fall months some of the larger manufacturers pressed from live thousandl to ten thousand gallons daily The quoted price of bearing vineyards in Las Angeles that your was one thousand dollars per acre, but the wine was from this out produced in with almondance, and through carebyttes in manufacturing su depreciated in quality, that within four years the value of vineyards had fallen fifty per cent Fruhling, Kahler & Co. manufactured one hmudrel thousand gallons of wine in Esås ; Sainsevaine Brothers one hundred mud fifteen themismund gallons.
The erup of 1559 was very light, not exceeding two thirds that of 1838, get the grapes only ranged in price from one and one-half cents per pound on the vine, to two and three cents in San Francisco, according to quality. A new industry was abled this year in the manufacture of raisins, Some vins were much injured by a worm somlow hat resemlding the cut wram, while a portion of the prop was destroyed by mikew The total production of wine in the county was estimated at three hundred thousand gallons In nlition to this about ton thousand gallons of brandy were much, and some four hundred thousand pounds of grapes were shipped; the total value of the erop fouting somne two hundred thousand dollars.
In ISSO une-year-old wine was offering in los Angeles at. tilty cents a gallon, and hard to sell nt that The graven being nufavorable, hardly an average crop was harvested
In 1861 California manufactured one million gallons of wine. We clip the following from the San Francisco Chronicle of December 19. 1879 :--
In 1861, L. J. Rose, B. D. Wilson and J. L. Sainarvaine cononenved regular and large shipments of wine and brandy tu New York and Bos- ton. At the same time the Anaheim settlement began to manufacture wine in moderate quantities. The pioneers at Anaheimi were A. L.AN- genberger, R. Dreyfus, F. Kroeger, Il. Bremerman, F. A. Korn, Theodore Reiser, F. Hartung, W. Kueng, II. Werder, John Fischer, I. P'. Zeyn, H. Hammel, P. F. Seult, Mr. Kuchel, R. Litke and numerous others, who simultaneously commenerd the manufacture of wine from their vineyards, then but three years ofd. The growth of the vineyards of Anaheim and the wine and brandy shipped Into this time forward became a rapidly increasing quantity .
In 1862, according to Hittell, California had ten thousand, live hundred acres under grapes, or about nine and a half mil- lion vines, more than one-third of which were in Los Angeles county. Los Angeles City had one million, nine hundred thonsand vines, and Anaheim four hundred 'thousand. Ile mentions the following as among the largest vineyards in the State :-
66
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
B3. 1). Wilson.
100,000 vines.
William Wolfskill
85,000 S
M. Keller
61,000
'T. J. White
50,000
J. R. Scolt.
50,000 =
The crop of grapes this year was very large.
The season of 1863 was remarkably favorable for the growth of grapes, and the crop was correspondingly large. The prices realized were very low, ten dollars per ton being the ruling rate at the vineyards.
In 1864 the crop was called a "two-thirds crop," yet from seven hundred and lifty thousand to one million gallons of wine were made in Los Angeles county. A present of wine sent to New York parties by M. Keller, was seized by the Custom authorities as foreign importation, and Kohler & Frolling having forwarded some to the German Princes, received an order to replenish the Royal cellars of Germany.
"The vintage of 1865 was estimated at one million gallons of wine, and seventy-five thousand gallons of grape bramly. The Government tax on the latter (fifty cents a gallon) amounted to thirty-seven thousand, live hundred dollars. The following premiums were awarded at the State l'air :-
Bost still white wine, 4 yoursohl, and over, Ist prem., B. D. Wilson & Fon.
..
..
=
4 und over, ' 4.
=
4
11
=
3
.. und over, " =
Best poort, mudeirn, sherry, claret, hest exhihit of wines from native gripes,
Best white still wine, one year old,
second premiun, M. Keller.
= red
= angelien 46
Grapes sold at from one and one-fourth to one and one-half cents at the vineyards.
In 1866 over one million gallons of wine were made in the county, of which Anaheim maile about four hundred thousand gallons, In October The wine-growers of the county formed themselves into an association to be known as the " Los Angeles Grape-growers' and Wine-makers' Society." The following officers were elected :-
lon. B. D. Wilson.
President.
Mathew Keller. Vice-President.
H. Kohler. . Treasurer.
H. D. Barrows Recording Secretary.
J. J. Warner . Corresponding Secretary.
In 1867 there were thirty-six distilleries in the county, of which Los Angeles had fifteen, Anaheim fifteen, and six at other points. Most of these were engaged in the manufacture of brandy, that paying better than wine. The crop this year
was large, and the amount of liquor produced correspond- ingly ~1.
In May, 156%, the " Los Angeles Wine-growers' Association" was incorporated, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, in five hundred shares of one hundred dollars each.
President.
1l. J. Yarrow l' Beaudry . . Treasurer.
Trusters H. I. Yarrow. F. O F. Temple, P. Beaudry, Manuel Coronel, (. V. Howard, H. D. Barrows, E. Vache.
The capital was invested in property purchased from Messrs. Vache Bros., adjoining the Wolfskill property, comprising extensive appliances for the manufacture of wines and brandies. also considerable manufactured stock. Mr. Emile Vache acted as superintendent.
During 1869 there was considerable dillienlty between wine- growers and the Revenue authorities, and Hon. B. D. Wilson was sent to Washington as a commissioner to represent the wine interests of Los Angeles at the capital.
In 1870 there was a marked falling off in the quantity of brandy manuľ ietured, owing to the arbitrary rulings of the Rev- enne Department on the question of taxation. In 1871 there was an excellent crop, and the wine yieldl is said to have been twenty-five per cent larger than that of any previous year. The succeeding few years were marked by a falling off in erops, owing to the low price of grapes, which, in 1875, soll For forty cents per one hundred pounds. The establishment of a bonded warehouse in Los Angeles has had an excellent effect, however, and while the smaller vintners have, as a rule, retired from the business of manufacturing, and left this in the hands of a few, the grape interest of Los Angeles county is to-day in a healthier condition than ever before.
The Assessor's report for 1879 shows thirty distilleries at present in the county. The wine yield for that year is put at two million gallons, and brandy eighty-five thousand gallons. A still larger yield is anticipated for 1880. The following esti- mate of vines in the county is from correspondence of the San Francisco Chronicle, December 19, 1879 :-
NUMBER OF VINES IN THE COUNTY.
The following is a careful estimate of the number of vines in the county, and the localities in which they are planted: Anaheim, nine hundredand fourteen thousand; Azusa, forty-five thousand; Cienega, sixty-five thou- sand: La Ballona. thirty-five thousand; Pasadena, ninety-four thousand; La Puenta, one hundred and five thousand; Los Nietos, ninety-five thou- sand; Los Angeles City, one million, three hundred and seventy-five thousand; Yorha, fifty thousand; Tustin City, thirty thousand; Orange, one hundred and sixty-four thousand: Santa Ana, forty thousand; San Jose valley, forty thousand: San Juan Capistrano, thirty-five thousand; San Fernando, fifteen thousand; Verduga, fifteen thousand; Westmin- ster. seventy-five thousand; Vernon. two hundred and twenty thousand; Santa Anita, E. J. Baldwin, one hundred and sixty thousand; Sunny Slope, L. J. Rose, five hundred and ten thousand; Lake Vineyard, Shorb & Wilson, three hundred thousand; Los Rohles. General Stone- man, two hundred thousand; Fair Oaks, J. F. Crank, one hundred
aud sixty thousand; A. Brigden, sixty thousand; William Allen, sixty thousand; Sierra Madre Villa, forty thousand; Marengo Ranch, Bacon & Co., thirty thousand; Dew-drop Rauch, L. H. Titus, forty thousand; San Gabriel Mission, one hundred thousand; Garden Grove und Centralia, fifty thousand; miscellaneous, fifty thousand, making a grand total of tive million, one hundred and seventy-two thousand vines in the county, of which ahout four hundred thousand are so young as not to he in good bearing order yet, but they may be included in the bearing vines of 1880. During the present winter about one million, two hundred thousand vines will be planted, of which four hundred thousand will be planted in the vicinity uf Anaheim: in Los Angeles about three hundred thousand; in the San Gabriel valley two hundred thousand: m Santa Ana val- ley one hundred thousand; and in La Ballona two hundred thousand. Na allowance has been made in this statement for the small domestic vineyards that are attached to numerous ranches for family consump- tion.
CHAPTER XXII.
MINERALS.
(1771-1880.)
Los Angeles as a Mineral County-Gold-The First Discovery in California- Subsequent Discoveries in the County-Silver-Early Discoveries~Sil- verablo, and the Santa Rosa Mining District -History of the Discovery, and Present Condition-Copper-Coal-The Black Star Coal Mine-Santa Clara Coal Mine-Salt-Bitumen -Petroleum.
IN a country devoted par creellenes to AGRICULTURE, We should scarcely expect to find much mineral wealth; but to this rule-if it be one-Los Angeles county must be counted an exception. Within its ample boundaries repose deposits of gold, silver and copper, besides many of the baser metals. Here also are found coal, salt, bitumen, petroleum, marble, soap-stone and peat, all waiting for the awakening touch of capital.
In this chapter we propose to touch briefly upon the history of each of these products in the order indicated.
GOLD.
In March, 1842, the first gold ever known to be found in California, was discovered accidentally in the San Franci-quito Canon, thirty-five miles north-west from Los Angeles, by & native named Francisco Lopez. The news of this discovery caused considerable excitement, and for several years these mines were worked regularly-principally by Mexicans-but the deposits were not very rich, while water was scarce, and after a time the mines were abandoned.
In 1853-4 goldl was discovered in the foot-hills on Santa Anita Ranch. The usual rush of miners followed, and a towa site was lail off. The gold here proved small and scarce, water was difficult to procure, and gradually the mines were deserted. One company is said to have sunk forty-five thousand dollars at this point.
In 1854 gold was found on the San Gabriel river and in the neighboring canons. These mines were worked for many
red
grupe hraudy 3
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KYSOR & HENNESSY, ARCHITECTS.
RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH MULLALLY, COR BEUNA VISTA & COLLEGE ST$ LOS ANGELES. CAL.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST
67
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
years, and at times paid well. In 1871 hydraulic works were here erected, and extensive ditches were built. They are now idle.
Iu 1869 goll miney were opened on Santa Catalina Island. During the Civil war thewe were worked by the soldiers there stationed (when off duty), but never with much result They . are still occasionally worked.
In 1868 quartz mines having been discovered in Soledad Canon, the first quartz will in the county was there erected. For a lime the mines paid, but are now idle. Placers in this neighborhood are still worked by Chiunmen and natives, but only during the winter months.
Without doubt, much gold has been taken out of the county, since the first discovery. According to Major B. C. Truman (Somni Tropient California, 1874, page 98):
During the past eighteen years, Menara. Ducommun and Jones, mer. chants of Los Angeles, have purchased, in one way'and another, over two million dollars worth of gold dust taken from the placer claims of the Fan Gabriel river, while it is fair to presume that, among other merchants, and to parties in San Francisco, has been distributed at least u like amount. The statistics of the San Francisco munt show that Inc one year nearly forty thousand dollars' worth of dust was sent from Los Angeles county for colning purpose4.
SILVER.
In 1859 n silver mine was discovered near Fort Tejon, which was owned and controlled by Los Angeles capitalists. One away was said to yield one thousand dollars to the ton.
In 1863 silver was discovered at Soledad, Tejunja, and on Santa Catalina Island; also pieces of the same metal were found in the bed of the San Gabriel river. During the follow- ing your several ship kinds of are were shipped Trinn the Santa Catalina wines to San Francisco. This was said to average from eighty to one hundred and fifty dollars to the ton, the highest nssay being six hundred dollars. About one hundred and fifty claims were taken up on the island.
One of the principal silver mines in the county was that known as the "Zapatn Silver Mine," situated up the San Gabriel canon. This mine was owned by Dr. Winston and others, who spent sowie thirty thousand dollars in tunneling; but the work received a severe check by a landslide which occurred in 1874. necessitating the opening of a new location.
SI,VERMI.DO.
The most uoportant deposit of silver-bearing ore at present kuuwu to exist in Los Angeles county, is at Silverallo Camp. in the Santa Rosa Mining District, Santa Ana and San Juan Townships. The following neconnt of the discovery and present condition of this mineral belt is furnished to us by Mr. Henry S. Knapp, assayer and general manager of the New York Min- ing Company.
The first discovery of silver in the Santa Rosa district was in the fall of 1877, by Mr. Henry Cassidy, who located the
" Gray- back" lle. This vein subsequently proved to be dis. tinetly traceable for about three miles From this lode some two hundred tons of ore have been shipped to San Francisco. where it yieldedl a net profit of about one hundred and forty dollars [wer ton.
During the winter of 1977 s, the mining district was July organized, and a Recorder elected, but only very little pro- pecting was done until the following summer, when some four hundred to five hundred prospectors came upon the ground. and about live hundred claims were locatel. During that summer Judge J W. Clark of Anaheim purchased a tract of land in the Madeira C'anon and laid out a town. A post-ollice was here established that fall, and in a very short time the new town of Silveraldo Instead of three hotels, three stories, seven saloons, two blacksmith shops, two meat markets, a schert school, and all the other industries of a first-class mining camp. Town lots sold as high as seventy-five dollars euch, yet nearly all the dwellings were canvas tents only, and the occupants of board shanties were looked upon as " bloated aristocracy "
Three of the principal claims finally consolidate l to form the " Blue Light Mining Company," President. W. T. Lambje. This company at one time employed from fifteen to twenty
Another company was incorporated under the title of the " Florentine Mining Company." They employed eight or ten men, and shipped soure ore.
A question of adverse claim arising between these two com- panies was carried into the courts, and has given rise to such embarrassing complications that both companies have been severely crippled.
In June, 1879, the "Santa Rosa Mining and Milling Company of New York " was incorporated, anl purchased claims apon the " tray-back " and other lodes. They are now in active operation. Huntingdon & Company and the "Santiago Min- ing Company," are also operating in the district, and have discovered ore yielling rich assays.
The surface ores found in this district resemble somewhat the lead carbonates of Leadville. Colorado; but below the surface the lead disappears and the ore takes on the form of sulphuret of silver, the silver being found commingled with iron, copper, and in some instances with antimony and zinc.
A semi-weekly stage carries the mail to and from Santa Ana, and while Silveraklo is not at present " booming," yet the prospects of the camp are certainly good; and its prox- imity to the agricultural districts, an abundance of wood and water, good roa Is and cheap supplies, make the life of a miner here much more agreeable than is generally the cas :.
About six miles south of Silveraldo, in the main Santiago cañon, the "Santiago Gold and Silver Mining Company." President, T J. F. Boege, are also conducting mining operations.
The ledge upon which they are now working was located in 17%. by T A Darhnz. one of the present incorporators It shows a two-foot face of ore matter, which has yielded assays running fran ninety four dollars to two hundred and tifty . four dollars per ton. The ore is a conglomerate mas appar- ently fused of iron and gilena, hearing silver. Some two hundred feet of tunnels have been ran so far upon the claim
RUPER
In [0] copper was discovered in Soledad canon, and a rush to that region followed Many claims were located, and three hundred thousand dollars is alleged to have been spent in developments, but all to no avail Koh and beautiful sei mens were found, but the mines did not pay and were ahan dened. Copper has been found in many parts of the county since, but never in paying quantities
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