USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles County, California, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, residences, fine blocks and manufactories > Part 36
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3. For making county officials salaried officers, and requiring all fees of office to be paid into the county treasury.
1878
The torch of Hymen hath ever burned brightly in Los Angeles. Thus in sixteen years from the time the marriage law went into effect, we find two thousand seven hundred and twenty couples taking upon themselves the pleasures and pains of matrimony, while only one hundred and twenty-two couples became weary and sought severance by divorce.
Early in January a collision between squatters and natives at the Ranchita resulted in the shooting of two of the latter.
January 20th was marked by the (leilication of Odd Fellows' Hall in Los Angeles, and delegations from all the other lodges in the county were present. Tlu: order of procession was as follows :-
1
S
-
-
T
-
4
121080
PUBLISHED BY THOMPSON & WEST.
A.L. WILSON.
VALLEY VIEW, ORANGE GROVE º RESIDENCE OF WILSON & BUTTOLPH, DUARTE, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, ELMONTE TR LOS ANGELES CO CAL.
FRANK D.BUTTOLPH .M.D
103
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
Gnard of Mounted Police. Band. Olive Lodge, Knights of Pythrias. (Gnard of Honor.) Los Angeles Stam, Red Men. (Gnard of llonot.) Marshal and Aides. Guardian, with drawn sword. Scene Supporters, with wands. Members of the Initiatory Degree. Members of the White Degree. Members of the Pink Degree. Members of the Blne Degree. Members of the Green Degree. Members of the Scarlet Degree. Band. Guardian, with sword. Officers of the several lodges. Representatives of the Grand Lodge. Most Worthy Grand Master of the State, District Depnty and Officers of the day, in carriages.
The dedicatory ceremonies were imposing to a degree, and the day closed with a grand ball and supper at Turn- Verein Hall.
On Saturday, June 8th, the oldest woman in America died at San Gabriel Mission. She was reputedly one hundred and forty-three years of age at the time of her death.
Col. John J. Warner furnishes the following obituary :-
Eulalia Perez de Gnilen was horn at Loreto, Baja California, wbere she married and resided until she hecame the mother of two children. With her two children, one an infant at the breast, she accompanied her husband, who was a soldier and who was a member of a small detachment of troops sent by land from Loreto to San Diego, not long after the founding of missions in Alta California by the Franciscan Friars.
·
She remained in San Diego where ber hushand was stationed some years, and until Mr. Guilen was transferred to the mission of Kan Gabriel, then comparatively a new mission, to which place she accom- punied him. She was the mother of a large family of children. While hving in San Diego she acted as midwife, and after coming to Sau Gabriel she followed that calling, both at the mission and in this city. Many of those at whose birth she assisted as midwife in Los Angeles have died years since, after having lived the biblical period of man's life -three score years and ten. Her age has not been known for some years past, which fact has caused some discussion. It is claimed by some of her descendants and others connected with her family, tbat her age exceeds one hundred and forty years. Some of her family or connections attempted, about two years ago, to take the old lady to the Centennial, but as other members of her family were unwilling to have their ancestor carried off to be shown as & curiosity, proceedings were instituted in the conrts here to restrain the commission of what they looked upon as almost a sacriligions act. Since then the old lady has lived with her danghter at the mission of San Gabriel.
In June a grand musical jubilee under direction of Mr. J. Strelitz, was held in Los Angeles for the benefit of the Good Templars' organization. The exercises were held in a mammoth tent, crected near the Methodist Church South. There were three entertainments given, all by local taleut, and all well attended, netting a very neat sun to the beneficiary. The success of this effort gave rise to the project for a grand musi- cal festival under the auspices of the Philharmonie Society, to be a general gathering of all the musical people in southern l'alifornia. It was finally set for December, to last five days.
The State Legislature having made an appropriation of
two thousand five hundred dollars to the Southern California Horticultural Society, this was utilized in the crection of the pavilion on Temple street, on a lot donated by Hon. P Beaudry. The first fair in the new pavilion was held in October, and lasted one week. Dr. J. (. Shorb, of San Francisco brother of the president, J. De B. Shorb, Esq.,, made the opening ad- dress. The races at Agricultural Park under the auspiers of the Southern District Agricultural Society, also continued one week. The attendance reached as high as two thousand five hundred persons in a single day.
September 14, 1878, mountain fires were raging in the San Fernando valley. The fire had burned over an area of about eighteen thousand acres, mostly brush, doing but little damage. A fire in the Sierra Madre, burned considerable brush, which ignited the bee ranch of Mr. Benner, burning his house and contents, two hundred stands of bees and about two and a quarter tons of honey. The loss to Mr. Benner was esti- mated at two thousand dollars.
1879
In June there were extensive mountain fires raging around the valley, and lice ranches suffered considerable loss. In July M. Jacob Moerenhaut, the French Vice-Consul to Los Angeles, died; and in November Col. E. J. C. Kewen, a prominent lawyer and old resident, also departed this life.
1880
Has so far but few events worthy of record, which have not already been noticed in previous chapters. There is one, how- ever, which we must not overlook-a visit from " Modest Ben Butler."
At this point we drop the country history as a whole, and will briefly review the several townships separately.
The following is a complete list of the Post-offices in Los Angeles county at this time (July 1, 1880) :-
Amargo, Garden Grove,
San Fernando,
Anaheim,
Gorman's Station, San Gabriel,
Azusa, Los Angeles,
Santa Ana,
Capistrano,
Machado,
Santa Monica,
Citrus,
Newhall,
Savannah,
Compton,
Orange,
Spadra,
Elizabeth Lake,
Pasadena, Tustin City,
El Monte,
Pomona, Westminster,
Florenee,
Ranchito,
Wilmington.
CHAPTER XXX.
SOLEDAD TOWNSHIP.
The Most Northerly Township-Area and Topography -Water-Railroad and Stations-San Francisco Ranch Early Times-Enterprise of H. M. Newhall-The First Grain Fieldls-Wheat Enterprise on a Large Scale- Ilorticultural Experimenta Stock-Minerals-The Town of Newhall.
This is the most northerly of the townships, being-" All that part of Los Angeles county, lying north of the summit Ridge of the Sierra Madre or Main Coast Range," which range here inclines suddenly iulm, surrounding and inclosing the great Los Angeles valley.
The area of Soledad township is about one million two hun- dred thousand square acres, or say something more than one- third the entire area of the whole county. The north-eastern half or triangle, is covered by a corner of the Mojave Desert; the south-western half or triangle, by rugged and precipitous mountains, interspersed hy occasional small fertile valleys and płains.
This township is watered by the Rio del Eluno, a stream of but small importance, and by the Santa Clara river, which here takes its rise. Numerous small streams drain into a considerable body of water (about six hundred square acres) known as Elizabeth lake, lying near the castern edge of the mountain range, and abont one-third of the distance from the northern to the southern boundary of the township. There is a small settlement near this point.
Into the north-western portion of the township extends a por- tion of the great " La Liebre " Rancho, owned by E. F. Beale, Esq., and used by him as a sheep pasturage.
The Southern Pacific Railroad, in its course from San Fran- cisco divides the township into almost equal parts, until it strikes the castern edge of the mountain range, when it diverges westerly through La Soledad Pass; then sontherly, through the San Fernando mountains and San Fernando valley to Los Angeles ('ity. There are on this railroad within the limits of the township-seven stations located, viz. :-
Lancaster,
Alpine,
Acton,
Ravenna (Soledad City),
Lang,
Kent, Newhall.
None of these are of any importance- save as small inining centers-except the last named, being also the most southerly.
SAN FRANCISCO RANCH.
The San Francisco Ranch (upon a part of which the embryo town of Newhall is situated), contains in round figures, some forty-nine thousand acres. It was formerly the property of
Fulton Wells,
Norwalk, Silverado,
Downey,
104
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
the Del Valle family, and later, of Colonel Thomas A. Scott, but was purchased some seven years ago, and is still owned by 11. M. Newhall, Esq., of San Francisco. Only some thirty-six thousand acres of this ranch lie within the limits of Los Angeles county ; the remaining thirteen thousand acres forming a part of Ventura county.
In carly times, this was one of the principal stock ranges of southern California. Presenting as it does, an endless diver- sity of landscape, hill and dell constantly succeeding each other, the whole dotted with hundreds of venerable live-oak trees- as beauteous in foliage, and as stately in growth as the leafy patriarels of many an English park-it needs but little imag- iuation to enliven the serne once more with myriads of cattle and horses, guarded by their ever-watchful vaqueros.
But it is to the now proprietor, that the San Francisco Ranch owes its present condition of development; and to him alone, the tiny settlement of Newhall owes both existence and contin- nance. In October, 1878, when he appeared on the scene, this vast body of land-believel by all, save himself, to be abso- lutely valueless in an agricultural sense-lay inert, and wholly neglected. The Southern Pacific Railroad passed through it, and a little south of whero the village now stands, a short side- track extended. These, with a small oil refinery erected some years before, constituted the only improvements upon the ranch.
lle came from the upper country with workmen, tools and materials, and took the desert by storm. At first, he and his men lived in tents, the only available means of shelter. As upon a battle-field, under canvas, his plans were formed, and from under eanvas his men sallied forth to execute thein. It was a battle-field-he was warring with the powers of Nature.
In this enterprise, the eller Mr. Newhall was ably assisted throughout by his son, H. G. Newhall, Esq., and by his present superintendent, Mr. D. W. Fiekls.
That year they were too busy ereeting the hotel and out- buildings, fencing land and grading roads, to do more than make a trial of the capabilities of the soil. As a test, they sowed five hundred acres with wheat and barley, and though late in planting, the result far exceeded their fondest anticipa- tions; the average yield being one thousand one hundred and twenty-four pounds to the acre.
Encouraged by this success, Mr. Newhall broke np nearly right thousand acres for the next crop. (About three thousand acres of this land had first fairly to be made, being covered with a dense growth of chaparral and sage-brush, which had to be cut, grabbed and burued.)
In this operation, he used six gang-plows, and plowed to an average depth of four and a half inches, the six plows covering in all about sixty acres each day. The land was then seeded with " Propo" wheat, by means of seed-sowers, two of which, together averaged abont one hundred and forty acres per day.
At the commencement, forty pounds of seed to the acre was used, but as the season advanced, this amount was increased to sixty pounds. Mr. Newhall now thinks, that it was a mistake to nse so inueh sced, and that thirty-three pounds iucreased to forty-five pounds, would have given better results.
So soon as the young grain appeared, a twenty-foot roller, drawn by six horses, was made and put to work, and in two months covered some two thousand acres. Mr. Newhall con- [ siders that by this means, the air vessels are broken in the ground, the moisture retained therein, and the yieldl of grain largely increased.
When the writer visited these wheat-fields-about July 1, 1880, harvesting was in full progress, and after a careful review of every other portion of this county, and of many other parts of the State, he knows of none that will exeel them in luxuriant growth. In places, the stalks stood so rank and thiek that even a squirrel would find difficulty in forcing his way through; the heads were uniformly full, and the grain well- formed. Mr. Newhall's superintendent, D. W. Fields, Esq., estimated this year's yield at from eight hundred pounds per acre in the poorest spots to two thousand two hundred pounds per acre in the best portions; with a general average on the whole land under grain, of oue thousand five hundred pounds to the acre; or a grand total for the crop of six thousand tons. This immense harvest they intend storing for the present. The other principal wheat-fields on the ranch (within the limits of Los Angeles county), are those of H. G. Newhall, Esq., two thousand acres; and Lyon & Howe, two hundred acres.
The Santa Clara river runs fifteen miles through the middle of the San Francisco Ranch, carrying a fine stream of pure water the year round, this being supplied by living springs at the source. At the lower end of the ranch (in Ventura county), Mr. Newhall has made a series of ditches, by which he can irrigate some four thousand acres. Here he grows alfalfa and corn in abundance; while he amnses himself with experiments in sugar-cane, flax, Japanese bamboo, and a large variety of tropieal and semi-tropical fruits, all of which are doing well.
In a small orchard near the station, he has planted out about one thousand five hundred assorted fruit trees, including apples, walnuts, peaches, pears, nectarines, plums, etc., etc., together with a few oranges. All but the oranges are doing well, but for these the weather is too cold.
STOCK.
Mr. Newhall has abont seven hundred head of cattle on the ranch, and about as many more, belonging to other parties, are said to be scattered throughont the township. Of sheep. there are probably ten thousand in Soledad township. Bee-ranch- ing is here quite an important industry; there being probably
one thousand two hundred colonies in all, seattered throughout the township. The principal owners are
Mitchell. . 600 colonies 250
Stewart.
Dunton 170 =
MINERALS.
This was one of the earliest scenes of goldl discovery in Cal- ifornia. Placer mines are still worked during the winter season, by Chinamen and natives principally. The yield amounts to several hundred dollars per week, while water lasts. Quartz leads are not now worked.
Coal is known to exist in the mountains, but none of the ledges have been yet developed.
This township is the scene of the extensive oil operations, and here are situated the oil wells and refining works, which we have fully described in our chapter on minerals.
NEWHALL.
The town of Newhall, at present, consists of an exceedingly handsome hotel-with store attached, out-buildings, barns, warehouses, several dwellings. a depot, blacksmith shop, lum- ber-yard, school-house, and the inevitable following of small saloons.
The hotel and store, are owned and conducted by D. W. Fiells & Co. This hotel is one of the finest and best appointedl in the State, outside of San Francisco, and were it not for the alinost certainty of a large increase of population within the near future, would seem to be strangely out of place. A pretty little park, with small fountain, ornaments the front, and the trees therein are growing rapidly.
Newhall is a regular stopping place for the Los Angeles and Ventura stage line; also for all trains-north and south-on the Southern Pacific Railroad.
CHAPTER XXXI.
SAN FERNANDO TOWNSHIP.
The Old Mission-Early History-The First Marriage-The First Birth- Extensive Buildings-Present Condition-An Old Church-The Ghost of a Friar-Mission Gardens-San Fernando Ranch-Early History-EI Encino Ranch-El Escorpion Ranch -Pico Reservation-Wheat -- Sheep -Bees-Minerals-Water-Town of San Fernando.
THE OLD MISSION.
THE mission of San Fernando Rey was founded at the joint expense of Charles IV, of Spain, and the Marquis of Branci- forte, Viceroy of Mexico, in honor of Ferdinand V, King of Castile and Aragon. The church was dedicated by Padre Fermin Francisco Lasnen on September 8, 1797, and immedi-
RESIDENCE OF JOHN H. SHIELDS, FLORENCE, LOS ANGELES C9 CAL.
PUBLISHED AT THOMPSON & WEST
105
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
ately succeeding the consecration, Padre Francisco Dumetz assumed control as resident minister, which position he retained for several years. On the Sth day of the following month October, 1797), the first marriage was celebrated by Padre Dumetz, between two Indian neophytes named respectively Laureano and Marcela, aud the first male child born in wed- ' lock was the offspring of this pair on July 29, 1798. Up to 1847 there had been nine hundred and twenty-three marriages, two thousand one hundred and forty deaths, and three thousand one hundred and forty-nine baptisms.
At one period of its history there were nearly one and a half miles of buildings connected with this mission, these including residences, work-shops, schools and store-houses, all of which are uow in ruins. The edifice erected especially as an abode for the padres and reputed to be the finest of its kind in Alta California, is, however, still standing and in a fair state of preservation. It is principally interesting as having been the abude of the Mexican General, Andres Pico, and was his head- quarters during the war of occupation. It is two-story, nearly three hundred feet in length, by eighty fect in width, inside measurements; and the walls-of brick and adobe-are four feet thick. The rafters, after being cut in the mountain forests mauy miles away, were dragged here by Indians and oxen, cach log being occasionally turned upon the way, " that all sides might be planed alike." They are as smooth as though really plaued. The long corridor of this building is paved with brick, and the heavy tile roof is supported by arches aud col- minns of masonry. Many of the windowsare protected by iron bars, giving it a somewhat prison-like appearauce.
The church building-in all the tottering decrepitude of venerable decay-measures forty-five by one hundred and fifty fect within walls. It is entirely dismantled, and no service has been held therein for over a year. A huge owl, sole sur- vivor of the many wise heads who have here held forth, was perched upon the ruined altar as we entered. He scolded at us as once the worthy friars scolded their trembling converts; then spread his wings and, like them, departed. Was he the ghost of some early padre, reviewing the scenes of his carthly trials and triumphs- fasts and feasts ! Quien sabe ?
The mission gardens still contain some two hundred old olive trees, and about one thousand seven hundred ancient vines; also a few pear and peach trees, all bearing well-at least promising well this year. For the past two years the lessee says they have proved almost an utter failure. Small zaujas furnish a precarious supply of water for irrigation.
SAN FERNANDO RANCH.
The San Fernando Ranch contains one hundred and twenty- one thousand five hundred and forty- two aeres. In 1845, this property still belonged to the Mexican Government, but was
under control of the Governor of California, and General Andres Pico held a ten-year lease thereof, to expire in 1853. In 1846 General Pico soll the ranch to Eulogio de Celis for fourteen thousand dollars. This he did in order to raise funds to prosecute the war, and the sale was subsequently approved by his Government. He retained his Grave, however, by the terins of the sale, and in 1853 this was renewed for three years, upon condition (which he afterward fulfilled, of pur- chasing one-half of the ranch, inchiding one of the mission gardens and half of the buildings, for fifteen thousand dollars. Thus the property came to be owned equally by Andres Pico and the heirs of de Celis, deceased. About 1871, a number of persons under the corporate name of the San Fernando Farm Homestead Association purchased the major portion of Pico's mulivided half-fifty-nine thousand five hundred and tifty acres-for one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars. This was allotted to them in the southern half of the ranch. From this sale were excluded the vineyard and one thousand acres adjoining, water for the same, the mission buildings, etc., etc.
EL ENCINO RANI'II.
The Rancho " El Eneino" was formerly a part of San Fer- nando. It contains four thousand four hundred and sixty and seventy- three one-hundredths acres, three thousand three hundred of which were owned, in 1874, by Eugene Garnier, Esq., and used by him for sheep pasturage. There is a fine spring on this ranch, flowing many thousands of gallons daily. It is stocked at present with about ten thousand sherp.
EL ESCORPION RANCI
Is owned by McGill Leonias. There are abont one thousand acres under wheat. The remainder is used for sheep pasturage. There are fine sulphur springs on this ranch.
PICU RESERVATION.
1
This tract is all under wheat, owned by Pico aud Porter.
WHEAT.
The principal wheat hitherto grown in the San Fernando valley, has been of the Australian and Sonora varieties. Odessa wheat seems, however, to do the best, aud will be planted hereafter in preference. There are about thirty-eight thousand acres under wheat, and two thousand acres under barley this year, throughout the valley, and a yield of ten centals to the acre is expected. The principal wheat- growers here this year are-
McClay & Slaughter, Huhhard & Wright. Al. Workman, Beckett & Wright Cross & May. Lopez & Cummings,
Porter Brothers.
John Jennifer.
Patton & Smith,
McClellan & Haskell.
J. Parsons,
-- Smith.
Vannyse & Lankensheim,
T. M. Loup.
FRUIT
Has only just been started in the valley, but nearly all varie- ties promise remarkably well.
SHEEP.
There are great numbers of sheep in the Sun Fernando val- ley and on the neighboring foothills. Their numbers are estimated by Hon. Charles Met 'lay at one hundred thousand, divided as follows :--
Lankensheim.
.30,000
Encino Ranch . 10,000
Ilonaletch
15,000
Derone.
... 20,000
MetTay
2,000
Porter
4,000
McGill
10,000
Burbank
5,000
Other owners
BEES.
There is a very large bee interest in the mountains adjacent to San Fernando. The strength of the principal munches is esti- inated as follows :-
COLONIES.
COLONIES.
Schaiser Brothers.
150
May
230
Allen
150
Lomp
100
Wood
Bridges
Kiehline
1225
Keagle
.230
Jlarps
50
Miller
80
Praster
130
Smith
80
Wilson
50
Haskell
230
Lundy
70
Felipe
200
Rinaldo
75
MINERALS.
There are extensive brea deposits, and good indications for oil, about four miles north of the town.
WATER.
There are no artesian wells in the valley as yet, but one bored in the foot-hills some years ago still flows, and it is believed by the inhabitants that artesian water can be had for the boring. Most of the ranches have surface wells, but some of them are obliged to draw water, in box wagons, from a large spring about half a mile north of the town, which, with care, supplies an abundance. The Pocaima ereck runs to the edge of the valley all the year round, but needs reservoirs and piping to make the water available. The Paloma creek (called locally San Fernando crecky runs as far as the reserva- tion. Natural springs are quite numerous.
TOWN DF SAN FERNANDO.
In 1874 Hon. Charles McClay laid out the present town of San Fernando. In April of that year, a free excursion train was run from Los Angeles, and a large number of people attended. Dr. John S. Griffin named the town. An auction of the lots was held in Los Angeles on July 30, and several hundred were disposed of, varying in price from six to twenty dollars, for town lots twenty- five by one hundred fect.
4,000
106
HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
A post-office was established in 1874. The present post- master is Mr. A. B. Moffitt.
The town has at present quite a number of residences, also one hotel, one billiard hall, depot building, two stores, three saloons, one school-house.
The school-house was erecteil in 1876, at a cost of six hun- dred dollars. The school has an average attemlance of ahout thirty.
There is no church, but the Methodists hold service in the school-house. Rev. Mr. Wenk is the present minister. The society was established about two years ago.
The Southern Pacific Railroad Company is now erecting a new station ahont three miles south of San Fernando, to accommodate the wheat and hee interests of that section. It is lo be known as MeClay Station.
CHAPTER XXXII.
LOS ANGELES TOWNSHIP.
HANCHES in Los Angeles Township.
Ims ASERLES U'IrY Imperfect Records Earliest Records in Existenre-The Pachlo in 1835 Erectol into a City - Capital of California-Complition uf tlu. l'ity at the Americas Orrupation -List of City Archives io 1847 -- Act of furorporation The First American Child-Carcent Events by Yracs, 1855 tn ISSO.
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