USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 31
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compared with the native Calfornians and emigrants, they have, in a great measure, set the civil authorities at deliance. On the 20th ult .. at the request of the municipal unthorities, and on their imimatin of their intention to resign il they could not be sustained, I proceeded to San Diego to communicate with Major Fitzgerald. U. S. A., to pre- vail on him, if possible, to send a foree destined for the Rancho Cuino, some thurty miles from here, to this place. In consequence of these representations. I understand that a company of Dragonus and one of Infantry are on their march here.
A movement has been made to procure a separution of the sonthern section of California from the north and its organization as a Territory. A petition to Congress to that effect, signed by some two hundred per- sons, has been forwarded to Santa Barbara and San Diego for further signatmies. The ostensible leaders in this movement are native Cali- fornians, and their ostensible motive is the fear of taxation; the real leaders are Americans, and their motive is the Southern interest in slavery. Quite an excitement has been caused within a few days, by an attempt on the part of some slaves introduced from Texas to assert their rights to freedout. One person, who had taken the negro's part with more zeal than judgment, was ordered by a committee of five, appointed by a meeting of Americans, to leave town within twenty. four hours. Ile appealed to the authorities l'or protection, but they were unable to give it, and he was forced to leave at the designated time. Mob law, to use the harsh but truthful term, is triumphant as regards the existence of negro slavery in this district. We are anx. iously expecting something from the Legislature relative to our city, county, and judicial organization.
Respectfully your obedient servant,
STEPHEN C. FOSTER, Prefect of Los Angeles District. His Excellency, P. H. BURNETT, Governor of California, San Jose.
Bearing upon the same subject, we clip the following from the Evening Express :---
A CURIOUS DOCUMENT.
Mr. Stephen Foster has brought to our notice the record of an old Agreement which he discovered in the archives of the District Court, dating back to the year 1850. The agreement was executed by one Jas. R. Holman and recites that,
" Whereas, in 1850, I removed from the county of Crawford, Arkan- sas, bringing with me a negro woman named Clanpa, aged about twenty-nine years, which said negro woman bas two sons, one named Granberry, aged six years on the 15th day of the month of October, 1850, and one named Henry, aged five years on the 15th day of Jan- mary, 1850, and whereas said woman and her two suns were, hy the laws of Arkansas, my slaves for life, and whereas the said Clanpa has, by hier removal by me to the State of California become free; and whereas I am anxious to retain the services of the said Clanpa for the period of two years from the date of these presents. I therefore now do covenant and agree that, if the said Clanpa shall serve me faithfully for the period of two years, I will agree, and by these presents I do, from and after the expiration of said two years, frirever set free the said Clanpa, and hereby release all right, title and interest iu ber ser- vices.
And npon the conditions aforesaid, I agree that from the time the aforesaid boys shall respectively become twenty-one years of age, relinguish all my right, title, claim and interest in and to the ser- vices of the said boys and then forever set them free. The said Granberry shall be free on the 15th day of October. 1865, and said Henry shall be free on the 15th day of January, 1866.
And furthermore said Holman binds himself to pay the full amount of money due from him to Whitheld Bourn. to whom said boys are mortgaged, and to redeem the said boys in full from all obligations in consequence of said mortgage.
[Signed.]
O. S. WITHERBY. District Judge.
Executed June 20, 1857."
Whether the woman Clanpa served faithfully her two years' term and received the stipulated freedom for herself 'is not fortheming, but before the boys came to their majority. it is certain that Uucle Sam
rx
RES. OF JOHN MEADE, VERNON, LOS ANGELES C9 CAL.
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY CALIFORNIA.
stepped in and executed the terms of the contract most effectually. We are afraid, by the way, that Aunt Claupa was guilty of an anachronism in stating the ages of her boys; for, according to the specifications in the contract, one must have been born October 15, 1844, and the other Jannary 15, 1845, making an interval of only three months between the two, which was not consistent with the comfortable, easy going ways of ante-bellum times, Aunt Clanpa must certainly have been at sea in her dates.
HABITS OF LIFE-AMUSEMENTS,
In the early days, the habits of the people were-like the times-primitive. The only mode of conveyance (other than the sarklle) possessed by the native aristocracy, was the carro or carrete. This consisted of a frame or platform, about five feet by twelve, set upon a rough axle and a pair of wheels. These wheels were sawn from a solid log of wood, two to three feet in diameter; were abont ten inches in thickness at the center, but tapeted down to about five inches at the rim, where they were sometimes bound with iron tires, but generally not. An awning, dependent from corner standards, was stretched over the top, and under this rechined the señoras, señoritas and niños of the family, ou their way to church or fandango. This vehicle was drawn by oxen, and the yoke (a straight piece of timber) was fastened across the foreheads of the animals, just. below their horns, by means of rawhile thongs. The men usually rode on horseback ; now charging rapidly in advance, swinging their long rictus; now returning at full speed, shout- ing and gestienlating like wild Indians; wow wheeling rapidly around the slow-moving team, and inciting them to greater effort by eries and blows; and now curbing their snorting steeds, and leaning beneath the curtained canopy, to exchange trifling badinage with its smiling ocenpants; or, perchance to receive the guerdon of a flower frin the fair hand of some dark- eved daughter of Castile. Even Don Abel Stearns, surrounded by his Spanish family, used only the native carro until 1853. When at last he did import a modern carriage from Boston, it was looked upon by his neighbors as a vain innovation, rather to be deploreil than otherwise, and certainly nuit to be trusted.
Upon such expeditions as we have described, not unfre- quently in the near distance might be seen several raqueros following after with a band of cattle. These cattle, in effect, constituted the purse of the party. Upon reaching the city they were at once marketed, and their price was countel on to defray the expenses of the trip.
The purchases made by the rancheros in those days are the subject of many regretful recollections by old merchants. Thus Jolm O. Wheeler, Esq, started a store (general merchandise) in 1550, on the very ground where his office now is; and he says his business averaged from tive thousand to six thousand dollars per day Thus Mr. John Jones, another prominent merchant in the years succeeding 1832, frequently cleared (says his widowy sixty thousand dollars per annum over and alove all expenses-from the local and Mormon trades. The usual
order for goods of a California gentleman was hix sword; this was much more frequently sent than his signature, and was quite as well known. _ Nearly all goods were purchased in unbroken packages, and prices were never asked Truly these Were prosperous days for the merchants of Los Angeles.
The following sketch of Los Angeles City and county, as it appeared in 1853, is from the pen of A. Waite, Esq, editor of the Downey City Courir :-
The population of the city at that early day was largely Mexican or native, the total not exceeding, probably, three thousand souls, The settled area of the city was very limited -there benig but a l'ew adobe houses here and there en Main street, below where the Romelhanse now stands, built in 1855. On streets back of Main, and running par- ullel with it, a few houses were to be encountered, prinequally on Spring street. Los Angeles and Commercial were the main business streets of the town. One adobe hotel at that time accomodated the travel to the place, and was all sufficient. But one solitary brick structure reired its walls within the precivets of the Angel city, three or four woodeu tenements, and the balance were adobe houses. A mail reached us abont once a month, ky a slow-going steamer, from San Francisco. The post-office was kept in a small seven-by-nine room, with an old box divided into pigeon holes, and was kept on a sort of free-and-ensy principle. Half the time there was no one in attend- ance, and if a citizen thought there ought to be something for him he didn't bother about hanting np the postmaster-he went into the shanty and helped himsell. It didn't take long to look over the whole ol the mad matter. Of the business hon-es in existence at the time to which we refer there is not at this time a single one doing busi- ness with the exception of M. Keller, Not a Protestant place of worship existed in the city, meetings being held occasionally in a frame building belonging to Wm. Abbott. In short, the town way then what many towns in Mexico are now-sleepy, and dreamily glid. ing along without caring a d-n for the future. Outside the city of Los Angeles the only two hamlets in the county were the Monte and Mission of San Gabriel, each containing a few detached houses-San Gabriel nearly all Mexicans, the Monte, Americans, The wide expanse of country was comparatively abandoned to the immense herds of cattle and hoc-es, allowed to roane at their own sweet will Lus Angeles City had no school buildings, and bnt one weekly newspaper, printed in the English and Spanish languages, was published in the county, What is now San Bernardino was then known as the Mar- mon Ranch. a settlement of Latter Day Faints. * * * * * The exports of Los Angeles were confined principally to grapes, agriculture then being in a sort of primitive condition, the natives in many instances to be seen jdowing with a forked stick. For years the county -lept in its Rip Van Winkle unconsciousness; it did not retrograde but it did not progress, The people were not ambitious; all their needs were supplied and calmly they drifted aloug without a thought of striving for greater things.
In the fall of 1854, Rev. James Woods, in his " California Recollections," estimates the population of Los Angeles to have been about five thousand. About four thousand of these were Mexicans, five hundred Americans, and the remainder English, Scotch, Irish, German, Dutch, Swiss, French, Italian, Swedle, Norwegian, Russian and Europeans generally ; Los Angeles being at this time, as to population, a minial ure of California. as a whole having one or more representatives from every country and nation in the known world. Nine-tenths of the building- were adobe; brick and frame structures were the exception, and very rare.
Speaking of primitive customs, even s, late as 1557, in his letters to the San Francisco Bulletin. Mr. H D. Barrows says :--
The Californians still keep up the practice of plowing with their bull-tongue, one-handle plows, and in fastening their yokes to the uxen's horns, as in the primitive times. Soch customs seem odd in this fast uge, and vet a Cahfornian will often get a bigger erop than an American. Their "sharpened-stick plows" loosen the ground derper than the more nadleru plow-shares. Many of the natives also still adhere to their old, uncouth carretas or carts, with alid worden wheels, although modern ones and two-borse covered carriages are becming very common among the rancheros. The Spaniards drive their teams with goads, pointed at the end ; and in driving, they go prondsenonsly on either the " near" or "off" side, ur behind, and more generally ou horseback than afoot. The terms " haw" and "gre" lowve, I believe, no synonyms in Spanish, either techureally or in practice, Although many of their modes of doing things seem alme to foreigners, yet place one on horseback (their normed condition), and give him a rinte, and he will beat the world in expertness and skill, Give a Californian the wild charm and freedom of horseback riding, and ke de-pises your cumbersome modern modes of locomotion by ruilrouds and steamboats.
As in all Spanish countries, thr natives were very devout in their religious observances; yet they generally managed to unite fun with their devotions. The following account of the relebration of a noted holy day, is from the Lis Angeles Stur of August 22. 1857 :--
THE PELEURATHUN OF AUGUST LOTIL.
The Spanish baptismal name of this city is La faidul de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles, and the loth of August is celebrated as the noiversary of the patron saint of our vineyard city, According to the Catholic doctrine, the mother of Christ did not die, but was tuken up into Heaven withont the separation of the spirit from the body. and is continually ndored hy all the heavenly throng of angels and nrchangefs as their queen.
Atter the conclusion of early mass, an Int about 9o'clock a. s., high mass was celebrated in the Catholic church. The Californian Lancers on fout, armed with rifles, masted in the celebration of the mass, The firing of this company (composed entirely of natives of the country), and with but little or no previous drilling, was most admirable. At the conclusion of mass, the pupils of the female school, headed by their instructre.ses, the Sisters of Charity, came out of the church in pro- cession, bearing the image of our Lady, under a canopy ; they were joined by the Lancers, and passing around the public square, re-entered the church.
The appearance of the procession as it left the church, and during its march, was imposing. The canopy covering the representation of the angelic queen, tastefully orioimented, was borne by girls dressed in white. The girls of the school, with their heads uncovered, and in uniform white dresses, Followed; then came the Lancers, the rear of the company being brought up by a mounted division, which (armed with lances) had been on duty duritos the morning. In the afternoon, at prayers, the Lancers again attended church, and joined the evening procession, Their appearance and Jeportment throughout the day were highly commendable. A bull-tight took place in the upper part of town, in the afternoon, which was attended by a dense crowd of spectators. This diversion, as usual, was attended with various casual- ties. One hombre, more imprudent than proficient, in the endeavor to perform some exploits on foot (which are usual at bull fights in Mexico and Lima), was caught and tossed high in the nir u number of times by an infuriated bull. After some delay he was rescued and taken from the ground in a ifeless state, No hope had been indulged by the anxious erowi for the unfortunate mao from the moment he was first tossed in the air. as he fell apparently dend After being taken from the ground, he showed signs of returning animation, and upon exam. ioation, it was found that he had two rius broken and severe internal bruises. A number of horses were badly gored, and some even to death. This branch of amusements was kept up for three days, to the evident delight of the boys, and to the great sulfering and ruin of many a noble xteed.
And again we read in Mr. Barrow's letters to the Bulletin :- JUNE 3, 1858-The feast of " Corpus Christi" was celebrated in Los
92
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Augeles with considerable jung, and was pretty generally observed as a holiday., In the morning low and high , masses were said in church under the direction of Biskup Amal, three or four priests assisting. In the afternoon, holy and profane, clergy and laity, together with the schools of the Sisters of Charity-nearly a hundred girls-all dressed in white, marched in a grand procession aronml the plaza, escorted by the " Southern Rifles" and the " Lancers," preceded by a bail of music.
Up to the passage of the. "Sunday law" (1833, amended 1870), ball lights, an l all amusements of like character, were hell on Sun lay afternoon After that Aet was passed, they were but frebly sustained, for San lay is the Mexican's holiday. Occasionally, however, they were hell on weekdays, and the fun was by no means restricted to Los Angeles City. Thus we real :
TUESDAY, JUNE 24th, the good citizens of San Gabriel, in accord. ance with their pleas of ammerments, announced a " grand commute" latween a ball and a bear, a ball-fight, and sandry other sports of the kind. A large number of people were attracted In the spot, siune in carringen, some ou luises and others un foot, which created no little bustle and rxcitement in that usually pesceful villige. The spurts if the ring, how ver, did not by any means come up in the expecta- tion of the ciusd, owing to the shabby conduct of the bears, who withl unt come aml he killed. Two had been captured fy the upra.inn, In one escaped. nul the other after giving his cajdor a >pec. immu id' what he supposed was in store for himself, rincluded pat 1 come up in the scratch. Corrquenily the fight was poly hetwern horsemen and bulls ; and not withstamling the expertness of the riders. some of the loss were badly gared by the intariated bull .. The ".pt" ched by a contest with a man in fine and a bull; and. but that the sharp Inons of the quadruped had been sown off; the "muren" would have ber u dispatched in short order. In the evening fandangos werr in order.
And again, under date October 3, 1860, we fiml this para- graph in the News :-
Bt.I.t.FIGHT .- On the 31st ult. and Ist inst., bullfights were the opler of the day aming the Californian and Mexican population in the upper part of the city; given, we bebeve in commemoratin of Mramun Judrpemfore, though nt rather a late day we should think. 'I'wie lenlls were kilkul, aml a little child run over by me of the m. though with little injury to it. We hope the time will come when such exhibitions, disgusting and brutal to the eye, will cease.
Another Favorite amusement of the Californians iu Los Angeles consisted in digging a hole in the ground, placing thewin a live fowl, then lilling the loose earth in around it, until only its head was visible above the surface. A circle of horsemen was now formed-say on . hun lred vards in diame- ter; and at a given sigual these would charge upon the chicken pell-mell. He why enull seize it by the head, drag it forth, and retain it, notwithstanding the efforts of his com- panions to catch him and take it away from him, won the prize. But this pastime, in company with bull-fighting and bear- baiting, in fact, all the destinetively native gantes, received their lenth-blew in the much anathematized "Sunday-law"- Carrumba!
But of all the many sports and amusements current in Los Angeles during the early years, horse-racing was by far the most important. Bear-baiting an 1 bull-fighting, an | chicken- catching were well enough to while away a Sabbath afternoon.
but a horse race: Ah: that was the Californian's " darling sin, " and upon that he would-ave. aml will yet stake his last dollar, or even the coat from off his back :
Of the many important races run in Los Angeles, Unt few have: attracted more attention than that of 1832, in which the " Black Swan" heat "Pico's geldling" in a rnn of three leagnes.
The following account of this famous race, is from the Daily Star of June 24, 1875.
A THREE- LEAGUE RACE-AN EVENT OF LOS ANGELES IN 1802.
Twenty odd years ago, the Picos of Los Angeles owned a fanums geld- ing of native breed, which was unequaled for bottom, and with which they had frequently beaten Jo-e Sepulveda, winning from him consid- erable sums of money and herds of stock. He determined to get even if jor-ible, and kept the waiter constant'y in miml.
Coming up from the south with a hendl of cattle, his attention was attracted by an exceedingly handsour mare, owind by the ferry men. The old man's eyes ghttered as he looked at her, "Could she run?" "Swift as the wim !! " "Could she run a long distance?" "Surely; she was a thorough-bred English race-bourse." " Where did she conte from?" " Australia, and her name was the Black Swan." " Did they think she could run three leagnes?" "If any other horse muld." This brief endloyay sums up the queries and answers. IIr determined Io carry the mare tu Los Angeles and challenge his racing enemies. Inumas Mott. une of the owners in the ferry made the bargain. Dou Jose was in pay expenses and put up the racing nowey, while the owners of the mare, were to give him the services of the mare and Themselves, and have an interest.
Su great was the event that they sold out their ferry, and with the mare travelel to Lus Angeles The crafty odd fellow went ahead, however, and made the raer before the handsome animal should come. The rare was to be run on the San Pedro road, the hurses to start and run fonr miles and a fraction in the direction of Los Angeles, then ture. a just and return to point of beginning. They were to run at the end of three months, play or pay, ail they were also to run for len thon- sand dollars in coin, and a thin and head of hurned cattle. tu be curraled nu the ground at the time of the raer. It should be understood that no forh it was requisite in such cases, ns the word of a Ch ifornia gen- tleman was as good as his hond. The Swan arrived, and went into hravy training. Her appement did unt receive as good treatment.
The race why brought out the population from far and pear, The grandees of Santa Barbara, San Luis, and even from Monterey came, whilst all San Diegn was there. The Califormans had early laken siles with their horse, and the Americans were ri_idly arrayed for the Swan. The horse was to be ridden Califoruin fishion, that is the rider was strapped on the animal's bare back, and his owners and backers were to be permitted to ride heside him and whip kim. The mare came out equipped according to the American fashion, light racing saddle and spurs, and light boy-weights were not taken into account. * * * It was agreed in the American party, that at the turning point, the Swan should be checked, her mouth -ponged out, and a moment given for breathing; sopposing adways that she would be far enough ahead. She was to be kept under steady pull and spared from strel and lash.
The custom amongst Californians when they offer to bet with you, is to hand you the sum proposed to be bet. If. at the close of the race, you have won, yun keep the money, but if, on the contrary, you bave lust, yon return double the amount given you. The crowil. as we have s'ud, was immense, and the excitement intense. A German, named Bachmau said that in a few moments.he had his buggy almost laden with cuiu sy eager and prompt were the Califormans lo bet. In fact, he had staked nearly his wlode fortane, which was considerable. This oceurret with all who went om, and who bet. which left the Califur- nians masters of the situation, so far as hetting was concerned, At length, the horses started amil-t the yells of thousands, and were followed by hundreds of mounted cavaliers. The mare led off. and under a strong pull, notwithstanding the convoys of the horse whip-
ped him mercifully, at the end of the third mile, had opened a gap nt about one hundred and lifty yards, but when she came to the turn, the horse was so evidently hohling his own, if net gaining, that Mott seized her by the bit and jerking her around the post, ordered the rider to give her the steel and let her go. Though she sprung forward like a thunder-bolt, yet the game horse commenced gradually to close the gap, and from there home the strug- gle was terrible to behold, as with distended nostrils and ponting sides, the twn gallant coursrrs thundered forward. Bat condition was too much for the will California horse; his rival passed the goal louror five lengths ahead, but bleeding at the flanks from the spur, and so weak mil exhausted, that she had to be supported as she was " cooled otf." The Californians gracefully yielded the victory, and it is said that Dou Jose Sepulveda was a winner to the extent of more than fifty thousand dollars. But that seemed to be of less consequence to him than his vietigy. A part of the contract was, that he should be permitted to purchase the mare if he winihl, As soon as she had been cooled off, he called fir her to be brought to hint, and taking the bit out of her mouth turned ber loose, and raising his haml in the presence of the assembled multitude vowed that she should never again be bridled or stilled; and he kept his vow. sbe ran loose on the plains till her death.
It was well for the Californians to enjoy life, and spend their money freely, while they hal it. It did not last long. There was sovu a falling off noticeable, both in the frequency of the races, and in the amounts of the stakes. Under date January 9, 1857. Mr. H. D) Barrows writes to the Bulletin :---
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