USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 34
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SEPTEMBER 26th-There was a Union mass meeting in front of the Lafayette Hotel. Addresses were made by Messrs. Perkins, Monday and others. During this and the succeeding month there was a great exodus of miners to the Colorado river, and later to the mines of La Paz. Great numbers of miners from the upper country passed daily through Los Angeles.
The following notes are copied from Mr. H. D. Barrows' correspondence of the Bulletin :-
NOVEMBER 9, 1863-To-day the enrollment, preparatory to the draft, was inaugurated in Los Angeles. J. J. Warner has been appointed Deputy Provost Marshal for Los Angeles county. Wm. L. Reynolds has been appointed Enrolling Officer for each of the soh- divisions, which he has divided into three suh-divisions of the sub- district of Los Angeles. He has appointed a deputy enrolling officer for each of the sub-divisions, The following are the sub-divisions, with the name of the respective enrolling officer of each ?--
1. Los Nietos, Santa Ana, San Juan, and San Pedro, Geo. D. Fisher, enrolling officer.
2. Fau Gabriel, El Moute, San Jose. T. If. Burdick, enrolling officer.
3. City and towuship of Los Angeles and Tehachepe. John Evert- sen, enrolling officer.
NOVEMBER 25, 1863-A company of cavalry arrived in los Angeles from Camp Drum, also Company E. Fourth Infantry, under command of Cupt. Hillyer. They are quartered on the outskirts of the town. They were ordered here to preserve peace.
NOVEMBER 27, 1863-The companies of troops from Camp Drum, which arrived in this city on the 25th, are camped on the plaza. Capt. Gorham is in connuand of the cavalry, and Capt, Ilillyer of the infantry. The town bears quite a military appearance.
NOVEMBER 27, 1863-By an order of Col. Curtis, Camp Drum will be called Drum Barracks after December 1st.
DECEMBER 16, 1863-Col. James F. Curtis, Commander of the Military District, aad Major Hancock, have heen ordereil to San Fran- cisco. They left per steamer the 9th inst.
The following we copy from the News ;-
DECEMBER 16, 1863-Among the recent payments made into the
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98
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
State treasury by county treasurers, we notice that Los Angeles county paid in the enormous som of sixteen dollars and forty seven cents. Thin, perhaps, may be accounted for from the fact that the taxes for the present year are not yet collected and paid in. At the least calcu- lation, thirty thousand or forty thousand dollars are annually collected in this county, and expended in some manner, witbout reducing the enormous debt saddled upon the property owners of the county one cent. But instead the debt is increasing day by day. County scrip is worth comparatively nothing. It is a drug in the market.
About this time it was determined by the military anthori- ties to take entire possession of Santa Catalina Island, and many miners being at this time engaged thereon, the following order was issued :-
HEADQUARTERS, DRUM BARRACKS, December 25, 1863. In compliance with instructions from Hradquarters, Department of the Pacific, received this day, I hereby notify all persons on Catalina Inland to leave the same before the first of February nest.
B. R. W' EST.
Captain Fourth California Infantry, Commanding Post.
1864.
JANUARY-With the new year small-pox again umde its appearance in Los Angeles, but does not appear to have been very serious. Enrollment of the county progressed. Toward the end of the month a full company of calvary arrived at Drum Barracks.
FEBRUARY-During February there was considerable excite- ment in mining circles over reports of fresh strikes at the Colorado river mines. Imperative orders arrived From Wash- ington, directing the military authorities to assume at once exclusive possession of Santa Catalina Island, Much to the chagrin of miners and sheep-owners thereon, the following order was accordingly issued :-
HEADQUARTERS, SANTA CATALINA ISLAND,
Special Order No. 7. February 5, 1864.
No person or persons other than owners of stock, incorporated com- panies' employes, will be allowed to remain on the Island on or after this date; nor will any person be allowed to land until further instruc- tions are received from Washington. I hereby notify miners prospect- ing, or other persons, to leave immediately. By order
B. R. WEST.
Captain Fourth California Infantry, Commauding Post.
MARCH - Early in March numerous bands of Cahuilla and other Imlians, began to arrive from Toros in a starving romlition, seeking for the means wherewith to sustain life. Company I. First Cavalry, arrived at Drum Barracks with their horses and accoutrements.
APRIL. 26th-This Company left for the Rio Grande, under command Major Gorman.
MAY 5th-Mr. H. D. Barrows writes to the San Francisco Bulletin :-
Business is dull and times are exceedingly hard. Much suffering aml destitution among the poorer classes of the population in this part of the State are anticipated before another rainy season comes ronal. Ilitherto the lower class of Mexicans, when worst came to worst, could steal beef rather than starve : but most of the cattle have died off, or have been driven away, and there are very few left for them to steal. Ordinnrily they might make a shift in live on atule, fri-
joles, pumpkins, etc., but many poor families have not even their animals lett them with which to plow so as to put in crops, and besides, here, within the city limits where lauds are susceptible of irrigation. is about the ouly place that anything can he made to grow.
We have a new ordinance this spring which requires the water to be paid for in advance, instead of nfier the crops ure made as heretnfnre. Serious fears are entertained that mauy pobres will have to starve this season or be dependent on charity for the wherewithnl to sustain life.
MAY 10th-The following appears in the News :-
On May 9th a detachment of native California cavalry, under com- mand Lieutenant Cox, arrived in Los Angeles from Drum Barracks, and arrested Mr. J. F. Bilderbeek, of Los Angeles, nud immediately conveyed him to the barracks. The arrest was ande hy order of Colonel J. F. Curtis, military commander of the Southern District of California. Mr. Bilderbeck was arrested on the charge of disloyalty : he having publicly sail, when conversing in regard to the Fort Pillow massacre. "That he hoped the Confederates would kill every negro who might be taken with arms in his hands, and every white man who might be in command of them or with them."
MAY 28th-Company B of the Second Cavalry, under com- mand of Captain John C. Cremong, reached Drum Barracks from the Rin Grande, having been absent from California two years.
JULY-The Fourth was passed without notice.
AUGUST - The native company of cavalry, organized at Santa Barbara, under command of Captain De la Guerra, were rncamped on the outskirts of the city. Captain W. G. Morris, acting assistant quartermaster at Drum Barracks, was exchanged with Captain W. F. Swasey, of Benicia.
SEPTEMBER-On the 15th the troops were withdrawn from Santa Catalina Island; and about the same time Fort Tejon was abandoned.
OCTOBER 14th-A mammoth inass-meeting and Union rally, in front of the Lafayette Hotel, was addressed by Hon. T. G. Phelps, Hon. Ramon J. Hill, and Mr. Ybarra.
NOVEMBER Ist-Another grand Union rally and torchlight proression at Los Angeles, which the people of Wilmington attended en masse. During this month many soldiers, whose period of service had expired, were mustered out. A large proportion of them settled in the county.
1865.
During this year many large Mexican grants of land were sub-divided ; crime only was active, apparently, and we have but little to relate of general interest.
FEBRUARY-Soldiers' aid societies were organized by Rev. J. H. Chapin, United States agent for the sanitary commission, in Los Angeles, Wilmington, and El Monte.
APRIL 19th-A public funeral to the late murdered Presi- dent Abraham Lincoln, was held in Los Angeles. The town was draped in mourning, all business suspended, and the various societies marched in regalia. The procession was escorted by Captain Ledyard's Military Company. The relig- jous services were conducted by Rev. Elias Birdsall. Three
men were arrested by the military commander on the previous day for glorifying in the assassination, and were confined in Drumn Barracks on a charge of treason.
MAY 7th-Two more arrests were made on a similar charge. JULY-We copy the following from the News' columns :-
The celebration of the Fourth of July in Los Angeles, was rendered most unfavorable by the rain of the day and night previous, and tbe rain which tell on that day, and continued until long after the hour at whieb the ceremonies of the day were to have commenced, thus deranging the entire programme of the day. At one o'clock P. 3I. citizens repaired to the City Hall, where the Hon. W. E. Lovett delivered an able address ; music by tbe Los Angeles German Glee Club. The Declaration of Independence wns read by Rev. E. Birdsall : also read by Mr. P. Ybarrn, President of the Junta Patriotica, in the Spanish language. At the close the crowd of citizens repaired to the Los Angeles Garden, where a sumptuous dinner had been prepared by the proprietors of the Lafayette Hotel.
The exercises of the day closed by the usual National salute at sun- set. Los Angeles was thronged the entire day with people from all party of the county.
1866.
This year was distinguished by a large increase of population to the county, great business activity, and marked financial pros- perity. In the "Historical Sketch" before referred to (pages 67,68), Dr. J. P. Widney, says :--
The third period, or age, in the history of Los Angeles may be said to have commenced with the tide of immigration, which set in for southern California ahout the year 1866. * *
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Still, the great mass of population remained unchanged, and, while the new element organized business, reached out to the interior, to Arizona, to Salt Lake, for trade. yet outside of the pueblos the slumber of the old rancho life was hardly disturbed. The towns, however, stirred to the new spirit and began to cast off their lethargy. Sail vessels and tben steamships began to frequent the ports. Steamer day usurped the place of "poco tiempo" in the reckonings of trade. Men of bu-i- ness sagacity began quietly to secure large tracts of land, and real estate in the towns, foreseeing the rapid enhaucement of values which must soon take place.
The immigration was not always made up of the more peaceable elements of society. Men of questionable character, muen of no char- acter, drifted in. Money was plentiful, and the gamblers found a con- genial field. The revolver shared with the Courts in the settlement of disputes. It is even reported that during a session of one of the Courts, the majesty of the law failed to repress the instinctive reliance of the American sovereign upon his weapons. Pistols were drawn, and the Judge, after vainly commanding the peace, rushed half way up the stairs out of harm's way, and peeping cautiously over the rail- iug at the angry disputants helow, testily called out : " Now shoot, and bed-d to you !"
It was a time, too, of practical joking : jokes oftentimes sadly trying to the nerves of innocent visitors from abroad. It is related that once upon a time, as several of the leading citizens were entertaining a party of visitors, newly arrived, in one of the saloons where the ton were wont to resort, doing the honors of the city to the strangers, pos- sibly initiating them into the delightful mysteries of draw poker-any- how it was said that everything was lovely and serene, when a noise at the door attracted their attention, and their horrified gaze met the grim eyes of a townsman gloomily glancing at them along the sights of a shot-gun that looked like' n double-barreled columbiad. while a determined voice muttered : "I'll shoot, even if I don't kill more than half a dozen !" The visitors were called by urgent business to San Francisco the next day, and, it is said, forgot to return.
The distance from Los Angeles to Salt Lake by road is only eight hundred miles or thereabouts, and at that time, this was
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEET.
EUCALYPTUS GROVE. RESIDENCE OF MRS PHINEAS BANNING, WILMINGTON, LOS ANGELES CO CAL.
99
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
the auly practicable route for freight for at least four months in the year. The traffic between California and Utah was enormous, and all carried on by the Los Angeles and Cajon Pass route. Thus we read under date January 26th in Mr. Barrow's correspondence of the Bulletin before referred to :-
One Los Angeles merchant is loading twenty-six wagons. Auother is going to load a whole train with honey-hees, which are scarce in Utah. * * *
Last winter they commenced coming down from Bannack, Idaho, four hundred and lifty miles beyond Salt Lake, after goods and live- stock. Considerable numbers of both horses and sheep were driven from here to Bannock and Boise. This winter there are parties here after goods all the way from Helenu, Montana, five or six hundred miles beyond Salt Lake, away up near the head-waters of the Missouri und Columbia rivers. One thousand three hundred or one thousand four hundred miles of land transportation for heavy freight hy mule trains seems appalling. but there is no help from it for a portion of the year. In the summer they get supplies up the Missouri river to within one hundred and seventy-five miles of Ilelena. One of these parties (Mr. Lusk) is loading ten teams, and offers thirty eents per pound for considerable additionnl freight that he has not facilities for transport- iug himself. He expects to he two and a half to three months on the road, arriving in Montana in early spring, when, for a well-assorted stock he can get his own prices.
Under date January 19th the New's says, editorially :- BUSINESS PROSPERITY OF OUR CITY AND COUNTY.
At no time for the past ten years of our history has the eity or county of 1.03 Augeles shown such unmistakable signs of permanent prosperity : our merchants have larger stocks of goods on hand than at any time since the settlement of this eounty by the Americans. Wholesale establishments superior to auy in the State outside of San Francisco, if not equal to any in that city, have sprung up in this city during the past few years; the amount of goods drawn from this city for the pur- pose of supplying the extensive markets of Great Salt Lake und surrounding country, as well as Montana Territory, during the winter months, contribute very materially to swell the extensive business already transacted by our mercantile community: Montana and other Territories are drawing very Inrgely on this county For horses nud cat- tle to supply their markets, the sale of which, at liberal prices, are compensating our rancheros for the losses sustained by them on account of the drought in former years, while the increasing demand for agri- cultural lands show that the farmers appreciate our salubrious climate and productive soil. In every part of the country new farms are being laid out and substantial farm houses and other buildings are heing erected, that give to the country an appearance of permanency that speaks volumes for the confidenee of our citizens in the permanent prosperity of the county. In one township alme, that of Los Nietos, more than thirty comfortable frame buildings have been crected in the past year and the voting population increased from hl'ty to more than une huudred.
The appended tahle gives some idea of the condition of the county at this time :-
COUNTY ASSESSOR'S REPORT, SEPTEMBER, 18GG.
Laud euclosed, acres
16,626
cultivated «
14,000
Wheat,
650; bushels
13,000
Barley,
5,000;
150,000
Corn,
4,500;
180,000
Beans,
..
500;
5,000
Putatnes,
250;
25,000
sweet,
20;
=
1,000
Ilay.
..
200:
tons
400
Alfalfa,
50;
150
Cotton,
200:
25,000
Broom.corn,
75:
Butter, Ils
Checse, Ilts
100,1100
Eggs, doz
100,000)
Wool, 1bs
405,4KM)
Grapes-vines,
3,000,000; tons
8,800
Wise, gallons
600.000
Apple
trees.
6,927
Pear
8,917
Plum
6,203
Cherry
140
Nectarine
152
, Quince
550
Apricot
1,718
Lemon
1.47x
Orange
8,799
Pomegranate "
604
Almond
427
llorses, American
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Spanish Wild
2.570
Mules.
F06
Asses.
149
Calves
1,800
Stock cattle.
13.414
Sheep
135,000
Goaty
432
Chickens
200,000
Turkeys.
1.000
Ducks
2,500
Geese.
1,200
Bee hives
687
('attle slaughtered, 4,032; value
$40,320
llogs slaughtered. 2,000;
$20,000
Sheep slaughtered. 5,400;
810,000
(irist-mills, water-power. 3; rnu of stone, 5; value. Grain ground, hushels
18,333
Irrigating ditches 7 miles in length, 12316, value.
$128,000
Turnpike roads 1 mile in length, 3; cost
$20,000
Weekly papers.
2
Assessed value of real estate
$1.149.267 05
personal property
1.204,125 35
Total
$2.353.302 40
On which State tax is
27.570 03
:
County "
59,305 49
Total tax.
$87,075 52
According to the News :-
The amount of merchandise landed at San Pedro and Wilmington in 1866 was one thousand tons per month, and the same year there was exported from Los Angeles county. in grain, fruits, wine, brandy, wool, hides and other merchandise, five hundred tons per month.
1867.
Throughout this year the business of exporting freight to Montana, Utah and Arizona, was continued with considerable vigor. There were heavy rain-storms in the spring and roads were washed out to such an extent that-
MARCH 12th-No mail had been received from San Francisco for over two weeks.
JUNE 7th-John J. Tomlinson, a resident of the county since Js3s. and member of the forwarding and commission house of Tomlinson & Co., died al the Warm Springs, San Bernardino county.
JULY 4th-Was not celebrated in Los Angeles, but an oll- fashioned barbeone was held at Los Nietos : Wilmington also celebrated. At the latter place a fracas resulted in the death of two soldiers and a Portuguese.
SEPTEMBER 13th There were about one thousand troops nt. Drum Barracks, and complaints of their disorderly condnel were very common. They were accused of drunkenness, and many serious ontrages upon citizens. Desertions were frequent, and their officers seemed lo have no control over Them.
SEPTEMBER Ioth The anniversary of Mexican Independence was celebrated by a procession. Speeches were made by Don Guerra, Don Villa Lobos, Don Antonio Captura and Dona Tiburcio.
In the year 1867 Los Angeles was first lighted with gas. During this year, also, Doctor Griffin and Hon. B. P. Wilson, by means of # ditch, creating some fifteen thousand dollars, brought the water (' the Arroyo Seco nut upon the lunds of the San Pasqual Rancho. ( Historical Sketch, page 70.)
1868.
This year was marked by the incorporation of the Los Angeles and San Pedro Railrout Company. The effect of this upon real estate was at once apparent. Under daty March 8th the News says :-
Since the incorporation of the Los Angeles and San Pedro Railroad Company a lively business has been carried on in possessory chims to the south and cast of the city | Los Angeles]. Large numbers of pen- ple have settled upon the vacant lands in the localities mentioned. The advance nf real estate is a noticeable feature. During the past week. land situated two miles from the jdaza sold for eighty dollars per acre. that could have been bought one year ago for fourteen dollars per acre. Nearer the business center, lots one hundred nud twenty feet front are now selling l'or one thousand dollars, which could be purchased three months ago for three hundred dollars.
During March the City Hall was fitted up with offices for use of the county othicials.
SEPTEMBER Ist-The New editorially claims an increase of eight hundred tax-payers since last year, and continues :-
The population of the eounty is now about twenty-five thousand. one- third of whom are engaged in agricultural pursuits, and produced and sold in 1866 over one million dollars' worth of produce, or about four Irundred dollars for every man, woman and child, in the county. * * * * *
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Los Angeles supplies the greater portion of Arizona, soutbern Utah, Kern county, Owens river, Sageland, and other rich and populons min- ing districts, making it, with a population of ten thousand. the most important commercial city south of San Francisco. * *
Many of the largest grants of land in the county bave keen sub-di- vided and thrown into market, at prices and upon terms within the reach of all.
SEPTEMBER 16th-The anniversary of Mexican Independence, was duly celebrated with procession, speeches, etc.
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Fig
1,842
Olive
Waluut
3,508
:
8,163
Cows
2,019
Work oxen
Hogs.
4,000
-
Brandy
70,000
l'each
10,000
$10.000
100
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
The following is from the News of January 1. 1869 :-
MASONIC HALL DEDICATION.
The new hall creeted in this city for the Masonic fraternity was ded- icated on Thursday, December 29, 1868, at three o'clock p. M. Past Master S. Prager Inving been speciully commissioned hy the M. W. Grand Master of the State of California, to act as Grand Master. officiated, assisted by the following named uflicers, appointed by him for the occasion :--
Acting Grand Pursnivant, O. F. Switzer. Stewards, Higby and llieks.
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Secretary, H. Hamilton. Treasurer, J. Goller.
Jr. Warden, W. Woodworth.
Fr. J. F. Burns.
Architeet, J. Q. A. Stanley. Deputy G. M., C. 11. Larrabee.
Chaplain, A. W. Edelman.
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Organist. H. D. Barrows.
Orator, C. E. Thom.
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Sr. Deacon, W. Kalisher.
.Ir. A. Henderson.
Marshal, Wm. Buffum.
A large number of members of the sister lodges and ladies and gen- tlemen uf the city were present. At the close of the ceremonies, the Acting Grand Master. S. Prager, made a few appropriate remarks, and was followed by Rev. A W. Edelman, who delivered an able and inter- esting dedientory address, after which there was music by the choir. and Hon. C. E. Thom, orator of the day, was introduced, and delivered un address that for historic truth and eloquence deserves the first place in the gems of Masonic literature. The entire coremouy was eon- Incted in a manner highly creditable to the various officers and frater. nity. Acting Grand Master Prager acquitted himself with more than ordinary ubility, and the whole ceremony was both imposing and instructive. At half past eight d'elock. r. M., the members of the I'ra- ternity nud a number of invited guests partook of a splendid collation at the Lafayette Hotel, at which the most happy feeling prevailed. The hall itself is an imposing building, two stories high, and thirty. live by cighty feet deep, and erected under the supervision of E. J. Westen, Architect. The lodge rooms are well ventilated, and fur- nished throughont in the most elegant manner, bandsome carpets on the floor, nud all the usual furniture of a lodge-room of the finest qual- ity : is lighted by three elegant chandeliers and a number of jets, mak- ing twenty- five lights in all, and is a credit to the taste and liberality of the officers and members of Los Angeles Lodge, No. 42.
The following resume of events is from Doctor J. P. Wid- ney's pen, in the " Historical Sketch :"-
Railroads were then a thing of the future. The writer vividly rec- olleets standing in front of the United States Hotel, in 1868, one night of a steamer's arrival, and hearing the rival stages of Banning aud Tomlinson cume up Main street, racing to get in first, horses on the gallop, and in the darkness a mau on each stage blowing a born to warn people in the street to clear the track. * *
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In the year ists work was commenced hy the " Canal and Reservoir Company " upon the canal and reservoir which now supply the woolen mill. This was the first turning of attention to the hill lands west of the city, which before were considered practically valueless. This year marked au era in the business of the southern portion of the county. in that, for the first time, Anaheim Landing was made a regu- lar stopping place by steamers. This was the year, too, in which the first successful artesian well was bored in the county. A fair flow of water was obtained upon the mesa laads about six miles hack of Wilmington. The well was sunk npan the property of Messrs. Downey and Hellman. So great a curiosity was it considered that the stages turned aside from the road to give passengers a sight of it. One other event, and most important of all, renders this year memorable in the Instory of the industrial development of Los Angeles. This was the carrying of the vote to issue county bonds for one hundred aud fifty thousand dollars, and city bonds for seventy-five thousand dollars, to
assist in the building of a railroad from the city of Los Angeles to San Pedro harbor. This was the first step in the development of thic railroad system which is uow so rapidly opening up the resources of southern California. And yet this road, only twenty-two miles in length. was looked upon by many as a foolish undertaking which would never pay expen-es. One old resident, a man of wealth, contemptu- ously declared that two trains a mouth would accommodate all the wants of trade for years to come. (Six years later the number of cars arriving daily at the Los Angeles depot with freight from Wilmington averaged, for weeks at a time, from fifty to sixty.) This year settlers began to come in rapidly upon the lands ahout Comptou, the town receiving its name from one of the first and most prominent of the new comers. The lands tbrawn upou the market by Governor Downey at Los Nietos were also quickly settled by an industrious farming pop- ulation. In July of this year the " Los Angeles City Water Company." represented hy Dr. Jobn S. Griffin, Mr. P. Beaudry and Mr. S. Lazard, received a franchise for supplying the city with water for domestic purposes for a period of thirty years, and by agreement, and purchase of existing works, became possessed of a sole right.
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