USA > California > Monterey County > History of Monterey County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, and mines : with biiographical sketches of prominent citizens > Part 31
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
M. E. Church South, corner of Fifth and Monterey streets. Services every Sabbath at 11 A. M. and 7 P. M. Prayer-meet- ings Wednesday night at 7 P. M. Singing exercises every Friday night. P. C. Barton, Pastor.
Christian church, north-west corner Seventh and Monterey streets. Services morning and evening at 11 A. M. and 7:30 P. M. Sunday-school at 10 A. M. Prayer-meetings on Wednes- day evening ; singing exercises on Thursday evenings. Rev. H. Wallaee, Pastor.
Catholie chureli, West street, between Fifth and Sixth. Mass at 10:30 A. M., Sundays and holidays. Vespers at 3:30 P. M., Sundays and holidays. Father J. W. Mahony, Pastor.
Presbyterian church, services in the M. E. Church South, every Sunday at 3:30 P. M. H. A. Newell, Pastor.
SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
F. & A. M .- San Benito Lodge, No. 211; Stated meetings the Saturday evening on or preceding the full of the mnoon. N. C. Briggs, W. M .; W. G. Lee, Secretary.
F. & A. M .- Athena Chapter, No. 46, O. E. S., meets the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month. Mrs. A. E. Briggs, W. M .; N. C. Briggs, Secretary.
I. O. O. F .- Mound Lodge, No. 166, meets every Thursday
evening. A. J. Blake, N. G .; E. J. Rector, Secretary ; T. L. Baldwin, N. C. Briggs, T. S. Hawkins, Trustees.
I. O. O. F .- Fidelity Rebekah Degree Lodge, No. 29, meets the second and fourth Tuesday in every month. Mrs. J. H. Drain, N. G .; E. J. Reetor, Secretary.
A. O. U. W .- San Benito Lodge, No. 96, meets every Friday evening. A. J. Holloway, Master Workmen ; A. Reetor, Recorder; D. C. Hoffman, Financier.
A. O. U. W .- Diamond Lodge, No. 5, Degree of Honor, mneets every other Monday evening. Mrs. R. M. Shackelford, Worthy Sister of Honor; Mrs. F. W, Ellis, Sister Secretary.
Pioneer Sportmen's Club .- Meets on the second Tuesday of each month, W. C. Land, Captain; C. M. Steinbeck, Secretary.
A. L. of H .- A lodge of the American Legion of Honor was instituted in Hollister by Mr. Noble of Petaluma, Deputy Supreme Commander of this State. This order is on the principle of the A. O. U. W.'s, except that the insurance is graded according to age, being from $500 to $5,000. Mark Pomeroy, Commander; A. Eaton, Vice-Commander ; I. J. Sherman, Past-Commander; A. P. Boyd, Treasurer ; S. F. Cowan, Secretary.
BANK OF HOLLISTER.
The Bank of Hollister is one of the institutions of the town and county that residents may feel proud of. It was ineorpo- rated in 1873, and opened August, 1874, with twenty-five per eent. of the subseribed capital paid up. T. S. Hawkins was elected President, and J. J. Bowen, Cashier. They still retain their positions, and are looked upon by the stockholders as efficient officers, and by the publie as honorable gentleman. The paid-up capital is $227,000.
VILLAGE AND FIRE OFFICIALS.
Trustees-T. S. Hawkins, J. G. Hamilton, Wm. Palmtag, C. C. Little, H. Snibley; Marshall, J. W. Robinson; Treasurer, G. G. Johnson; Clerk, R. Shaw.
FIRE DEPARTMENT-Chief Engineer, S. F. Cowan ; First Assistant, A. J. Craw; Second Assistant, J. P. Gury; Seere- tary, Robert Shaw; Treasurer, W. F, Dalzell ; Board of Dele- gates (meets second Wednesday of each month), B. S. Reetor, President ; Jas. Mears, S. F. Cowau, Wmn. Parker, Wmn Sperber, J. K. Allen, H. Snibley, Wm. Palmtag, Thos. O'Donnell.
Alert Hose Company, No. 1 .- Foreman, Wm. Eastman; Assistants, A. J. Craw, Ed. A. Eaton; Secretary, D. G. Poole ; Treasurer, G. P. Griffith.
Wide Awake Hose Company, No. 2 .- Foreman, A. J. Hollo- way; Assistants, Geo. E. Shaw, Sam Moore ; Secretary, John Vareoe; Treasurer, Roderick Shaw.
Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company. - Foreman, D. C. Hoffinan; Assistants, F. Shackelford, D. H. Crevling; Secretary, T. S. Hawkins; Treasurer, A. Werz.
FARM, RESIDENCE AND BUILDINGS OF R. D. PEASE, HOLLISTER, SAN BENITO CO, CAL.
151
LEADING BUSINESS HOUSES OF HOLLISTER.
BUSINESS HOUSES OF HOLLISTER.
The following are the business houses of Hollister, together with the date of establishment, as given in the Pacific Coast :--
Rosenberg Bros. establisbed a branch of their Nevada store in Hollister, in the spring of 1874. The firm at that time, as now, consisted of Marcus Wolf and Morris Rosenberg, the latter attending to the store in Nevada City. The Hollister firm carries a large stock of goods, consisting of everything to be found in a store of general merchandise.
Thomas McMahon came here from San Juan in 1872. Mr. McMahon was an old resident of San Juan, and knows as much of this country as any other resident of the town. He has a large store, well stocked with groceries, provisions, dry goods, clothing, etc.
Meyer & Friedlander established a clothing and dry goods store here during the past few months, under the supervision of Mose O. Meyer. The firm has done a good business.
Risdon & Co., F. T. Risdon, mauager, came here from Wat- sonville in 1879. They keep a full line of groceries, pro- visions, etc., and have an extensive trade.
M. Harris deals in general merchandise. He came in 1874. William Courtney keeps a grocery and provision store. He established in 1879, but is a pioneer of the valley.
Oscar Bosse keeps a grocery store on Fourth street. Estab- lished in 1879.
There is but one hardware store in the town, C. G. Lathrop, proprietor. This store was established October 1, 1874, by Snyder & McConnell. Mr. Latbrop bought an interest May 1, 1876. MeConnell sold out May 22, 1878, and Mr. Latbrop bought out the remaining partner October 1, 1879. He deals in hardware, agricultural implements, guns, etc.
February 10, 1879, J. P. Gury bought the tin and stove store of J. G. Anderson. Recently B. F. Bonnell, of Tres Pinos bought an interest in the business, and the style of the firm is Gury & Bonnell.
H. Snibley, also in the tin and stove business, came here in 1872. In 1874, he bought out A. G. Annis, and has conducted the business ever since.
The San Jose Furniture Manufacturing Company has recently established a store, with Charles Hervey as manager.
Jacob Nye is the pioneer jeweler; has been in husiness since tbe fall of 1870. Besides keeping a full assortment of jewelry, he deals in stationery, etc.
J. T. Lowe, during the year 1880, opened a jewelry store in the post-office building. He is an experienced workman.
Thomas Yost has been postmaster sinee April 15, 1873, and has given entire satisfaction. In connection with the post- office he keeps a stationery and book store, which is as complete as can be found in any interior town.
James Mears caine in 1876. He keeps a variety store and news-stand ; is agent for the leading daily papers.
J. B. Shaw has the only tailor shop in town. He came in 1874, and bought out Levison, wbo was the first tailor in tbe place. In answer to an inquiry about his competitors, he said, " I bave seen the panorama of nine pass before ine."
Anton Werz is the pioneer boot and shoe-maker. He came in January, 1879. Besides doing custom work he keeps on hand an assortment of boots and sboes.
K. Coleman opened a boot and shoe shop in Hollister in 1873.
Dave Gluckman started in business in 1878. He has met with some reverses, but now has an entensive trade, and carries a large stock of goods.
There are two millinery stores in the town, one kept by Mrs. Graves, established in 1870, and one by Mrs. Coleman, estab- lished in 1874. Mrs. Wells has been engaged in dress-making since 1876.
Two harness and saddle shops, the one first established being kept by J. G. Hamilton; the other by L. Thorton. Both of these gentlemen carry a large stoek of goods.
THE MCMAHON HOUSE.
The McMahon House is the leading hotel, Reetor Bros., proprietors. They took charge of the Western Hotel December 15, 1874. When the McMahon House was completed they moved into it, and opened it for the first time December 16, . 1877. They are energetic business men, and have given the people of Hollister a hotel first-class in all its appointments.
The French Hotel was established in 1871 by Joe Marehetti. who now keeps the only oyster saloon in town. Mr. Bayle, the present proprictor, took charge of it in 1876.
James Ross, a genial host from the Highlands, has kept the Eagle Hotel since 1876.
Thomas O'Donnell, proprietor of the San Benito House, is a pioneer. Exeepting a sbort stay in British Columbia, he has been here since 1879.
The town has three butcher shops. One kept by O. D. Peck, who has been here sinee 1870; one by E. H. Campbell, and the other by J. H. Townsend.
Latture & McCoy were in the livery business bere in 1874. They were burnt out in 1879, but cleared away the ruins and erected a new stable on the site of the old one, on Fifth street, where they can now be found.
There are two drug stores, one kept by J. H. Boyer, and the other by Ed. Eaton. Both gentlemen commenced business in 1879.
S. T. Wells came here in 1875, and is now running a black- sinitli and machine shop. He has no specialty, but makes any- thing, from a wheelbarrow to a threshing machine, or a plow- share to a steain engine. There are other blacksmith sbops, kept by Holloway & Sons, M. Shermau, W. F. Reynolds and A. Eaton.
152
DESCRIPTIONS OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
F. Cunning has the monopoly of the fruit and vegetable business, excepting the opposition of peddlers. He went into business in 1875.
W. Degner deals in wall paper, paints, oils, etc. He came here in an early day.
G. G. Johnson, real estate and insurance agent, came here November 26, 1876, and began work a few hours after his arrival.
R. P. Lathrop is tbe leading hay merchant, and proprieter of the Mammoth hay warehouse with a large storage capacity. He has been in business since 1876.
C. C. Little, in the grain and commission business, came to town in October, 1873.
Joel Redway has lately established himself in the business of photography, and is prepared to execute anything in his line with satisfaction and dispateb.
Wm. Palmtag and Eastman & McClure are the prominent liquor dealers. In 1869, Mr. Palmtag ran a brewery wagon from Watsonville to Hollister. In 1872 he came over here and established in the liquor and cigar business. Now, besides having a large wholesale and retail establishment, he takes orders for lumber, and is agent for the Hamburg and Rotter- dam steamship lines.
Eastman & McClure, retail liquor dealers, established here in 1872. They subsequently moved to the quarters they now occupy, known as the Magnolia Saloon. In con- nection with their magnificent bar they have a large billiard room.
There are two dentists in town and five physicians, four allopaths and one eclectic ; six practicing attorneys ; a public school with five teachers, an academy with three teachers, and a private school.
San Benito Township.
ADJACENT to San Benito is quite an area of good farming land, on which early sown grain seldom fails to make a crop. But this section is unlike other portions of the county, inasmuch as grain Bown late seldom makes even good hay.
San Benito is quite a little place, composed of a score or more of sociable and pleasant people. W. H. Blosser, Buchanan Smith, and John Golden have places in what inight ;be terincd the eastern suburbs. N. Schlesinger keeps the village storc, and also attends to the duties of postmaster.
There are no cloud-reaching church spires; nor magnificent temples, nor even brown stone-fronts, but there is an air of pretension that would do credit to citics of more importance.
The country here is capable of producing almost anytbing, but being railroad land, which ought to have, but has not, reverted back to the Government, it bas not been improved as it otherwise would have been.
PARK MILLS AND SURROUNDINGS.
From San Benito to Park Mills it is about five miles. Stephen Kennedy, A. J. Smith, J. D. Justice aud W. K. Goff reside along here. The Park Mill is owned by C. A. Werner, a thorough, practical miller, and much of a gentleman. It has all the appliances for making a superior article of flour, and with Mr. Werner to manage it, to say that the flour is superior would be superfluous. The mill is run by water, has a fall of forty-two feet on a twelve-inch Turbine wheel which makes seven hundred revolutions per minute. The capacity of the mill is about a barrel and a quarter per hour, and as it is run sixteen bours out of the twenty-four it can readily be seen that more flour is manufactured than can be used in the immediate locality.
J. F. CORNWELL'S place must not be forgotten as you travel down the San Benito river. He is very desirably situated, and as pleasant a man as can be found in the county.
A few miles from here is a historic spot in San Benito county, known as Robber's Roost, the place where the noto- rious Vasquez and companeros waylaid the stage, tied the pas- sengers down on the sands of the river while they appropriated the treasure belonging to the party, This is an appropriate spot for such deviltry, and the applicability of the name is forcibly evident.
Paicines Township.
PAICINES is composed of a hotel, store, post-office, saloon, and blacksmith shop. Fifteen years ago Mr. Sepulveda kept a store here. In 1872 Mr. A. Snyder, now a resident of Santa Ana valley, was proprietor of the store. It was during this year, or the year following, that Vasquez inade his first raid, Paicines being the scene of the mercenary and murderous act. Snyder and others were tied down, while the bandits went through the store; $500 in money was found and appropriated by them, and a lot of goods and eight or nine horses taken. Three persons, Redford, Davidson and a Spaniard were killed by the outlaws, who thought no more of taking a human life than a hunter would of killing a rabbit. This was the crique for which Vasquez was tried and executed. The bandits loi- tered around the place for an hour or more before they rode away toward the south. Paicines at present is a quiet little village, with one of the best country hotels in the State. It is kept by the McPhail Bros., who also own the store and do a fair business in the line of general merchandise. J. N. Hubler, formerly of Hollister, does the blacksmithing, horseshoeing, carriage and wagon making. A. B. Grogan's ranch is the largest in this portion of the county. It contains nine thou- sand and fifty-four acres, and has a nice residence, sometimes used by Mr. Grogan as a summer resort.
153
DESCRIPTIONS OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
Paicines is a large scope of farming country, settled by an industrious and apparently prosperous class of citizens. The mountains, where they can be tilled, produce the finest quality of wheat, but the quantity is not so large as the product of the valley land. Grapes and other fruits do well here. The climate is salubrious aud equitable, the elevation of the coun- try being only slightly above Hollister. In faet, it is said and authenticated by restored invalids that Paicines and surround- ings is one of the most healthful spots in the world.
Brown's valley is about six miles from Paicines. Henderson Brown, of Hollister, owns over one thousand three hundred acres in this valley, besides controlling two or three sections of range in the adjacent mountains. This year he has rented out all of his farm land, and will give his entire attention to his stock.
CINNABAR AND NEIGHBORHOOD.
Twenty-one miles from Hollister is a little place which bears the significant and mineralogical name of Cinnabar. Judge C. Y. Hammond is the major-domo here, and surrounded by what a Southern man might mistake for a plantation. Nearly all men possess some distinguishing peculiarity, and the marked trait in the Judge's character is the mania for huild- ing houses. If be continues, in the course of twenty years he will have quite a little village at Cinnabar.
C. Y. HAMMOND is the postmaster at this place, and also Jus- tice of the Peace. During his ahsence, his daughter Nellie attends to this department of Uncle Sam's postal service. One would think that the Judge was surrounded by quite a colony of people to sce the houses on his premises, but they all helong to him. A view of his property is given on another page,
Erie Township.
ERIE is sixty-five miles south of Hollister. The place consists of a post-office where the people of Hernandez valley and neigh- borhood get their mail. It is near the bead-waters of the San Benito, surrounded by precipitous mountains, the summits of which are four thousand feet above the level of the sea. The post-office derives its name from the school district, and sup- plies cight or ten families with mail. The valley contains about two thousand acres. The mountains cut up by deep cañons, their summits overgrown witb chaparral, their sides covered with mountain oak and underbrush, are all that is to be seen.
BITTER-WATER VALLEY.
At the southern end of the valley is a section called Bitter- water. The Hon. E. C. Tully came here about 1860, when his nearest post-office was Gilroy, sixty-five miles distant, and
only two families resided on the road. If he has not made the financial success of life which some under similar circum- stances would have made, he has done what is far greater and better, raised a large family of hoys who are gcutlemanly, hon- orable and intelligent. The weary never come to his house without finding rest, nor the hungry without being fed. His place has been and is a familiar stopping-point for teamsters and stockmen of this section, an asylum for the helpless and homeless.
A narrow-gauge railroad is talked of to reach this section of the country, of a length of fifty or sixty miles from Tres Pinos, the present terminus of the railroad. The section it would pass through is a stock country of considerable importance; por- tions of it are well adapted to agriculture; and there are loeal- ities that are rich with undeveloped mines. Besides, a railroad would tap New Idria, and obtain all the freighting from that quarter. The Picacho mines, now in the hands of a rich company that proposes to develop it, would, doubtless, furnish consider- able freighting. In fact, if such a railroad were constructed, wbat are now prospect holes would soon be converted into mines, as there is no doubt from the croppings that rich depos- its of quicksilver exist in many places.
Tres Pinos, the Railroad Terminus.
TRES PINOS, six miles south of Hollister, lies on the Tres Pinos creek, and forms the terminus of the Hollister branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Indeed, the town owes its existence to this fact. It is the spot to which most of the team- ing is brought from the mountains. At first it was the inten- tion of the railroad company to run their southern line through the San Benito valley, but a later choice fell on the Salinas valley. The county has not been left out in the cold, however, aud a branch from the main line at Gilroy has heen run to Hollister and Tres Pinos, thus giving quick communication and cheap transportation to the most productive part of the county.
At Tres Pinos are large cattle-yards, and from this place stock is shipped by rail to San Francisco. This is a small vil- lage, supporting a few business houses. Being the railroad terminus, considerable trade and business naturally centers bere from the mines still further south. Tres Pinos became noted as the scene of one of Vasquez' raids, more fully mentioned elsewhere.
OTHER LOCALITIES.
Besides the towns already mentioned may be added Bear Valley, Bitter Water, Carneros, Erie, Emmet, Fairview, Gabi- lan, Jefferson, Lone Tree, Live Oak, Pacheco, Paicines, San Felipe, San Benito, San Juan, Santa Ana, Union, Hollow Creek and Yanitos.
154
MINERAL WEALTH OF SAN BENITO COUNTY.
San Benito County Mines.
THE PICACHO MINES.
SEVENTY-FIVE miles south of Hollister, near the boundary line of this county, on the quicksilver belt leading from the New Almaden to the New Idria, and occupying an eminence from which the source of the San Benito river can be viewed. are locatedl the Picacho mines. They are four miles from the San Benito river, which, a few miles above, finds its source in a number of small rivulets that are fed by some of the numer- ous springs which are to be found in these mountains. The river bed is narrow; and the cañon through which the water first flows, after the confluence of the little streams above mentioned, is deep and steep.
The Pieacho mines are very conspicuous for the huge red peaks, wbich, like silent monitors to the wild country, lift their heads above the mountain crest, and have given the name to the place. These rocky peaks contain cinnabar in greater or less quantities, in some places the red streaks show- ing wbere the metal has run out of the rock. On top of the mountain is a vein that would astonish old miners. There is a lead of out-eroppings three hundred feet in width. Some years ago the mines were operated under the supervision of Tom Cody; the ore was taken out by miners on tribute, so that the veins on top of this mountain have been stripped down a dis- tance of a few feet, and wherever there were favorable indi- cations there are small holes, where a few tons of ore have been extracted, probably obstinate rock encountered, and the place abandoned. A visitor says, to use a mining phrase, the place is full of " wdd-cat holes." It is plain to'any one that this kind of work could not last and would not pay very long. On top of the hill is a shaft one hundred and fifty feet in depth, and from the top to the bottom good pay ore is in sight. This much is known to an absolute certainty. But tbe present company are not satisfied with tbis, so are running a tunnel which will strike the center of the mountain four hundred and fifty feet below the surface and about nine hundred feet from the place of entrance. If quicksilver is found at this depth the supply will be absolutely inexhaustible, AND THE MINES WILL BE WORTH MILLIONS. The tunnel is now in a distance of six hundred and twenty feet, and should be near the ore. It is probable from the configuration of the ledge that it dips a little, which will make the tunnel longer bofore reaching metal thau one would think from a cursory glance. At present the ininers are making progress very slow. The roek is quartz, as hard and tough as nature could make it.
The New Idria mines are some eight miles distant, and the Fourth of July, San Benito, Monterey, and other claims are near by. A short distance east of the Pieacho is a forest of pines and cedars, some trees measuring five and six feet in diameter.
DATE OF DISCOVERY OF MINE.
The Picacho mines were discovered in 1858, and located shortly afterwards. Wiley Williams and E. C. Tully were two of the original locators. At one time the mines employed a large force of men, and the ruins of the boarding-houses and a number of other dwellings just over the summit near the mines tell where the town of Picacho was started. A few hundred yards distant is a superior kind of clay, from which the tile that made the hearths and floors of some of the dwellings, now fallen into ruins, was taken. Several of the old honses have been crushed by snow, which has fallen on these mountains to a depth of five feet, and not unfrequently it is two feet deep.
There are trees which have been broken by its weight. And this within seventy-five miles of Hollister, where boys go shoe- less the whole year. We certainly have a diversity of climate in California only equaled by its salubrity.
The mines are owned by a New York company, possessing tbe capital and enterprise to develope them.
INTERESTING STORY.
There are some very interesting tales connected with these mines, for it must be remembered that twenty years ago tbese mines were much wilder than they now are. Grizzlies were numerous. We saw the port-hole in the chimney of the old boarding-house, made by Bill Cody and another gentleman, through which they intended to kill a bear that was making nightly raids upon a hog-pen a few feet from the house. Bruin came after his accustomed meal, and Cody saw him not forty feet distant, slaughtering the hog, but didn't fire. After a brief interval he concluded that it would be better to shoot from the top of the house, so he and his friend climbed up to see. They had a fine view, and after watching bruin a while Cody said to his friend: " You get down and get the gun, and I'll shoot." "O, never mind, Mr. Cody, I am very comfortable," replied his companion from the top of the ridge-log. And there they sat, bke " patience on the monument," until the bear had eaten his fill and gone into the chaparral.
SAN BENITO MINE.
The San Benito mine is located in the hills of this locality. It was recently bonded to a Jan Jose company, who proposed to re-open it immediately ; but, we are informed, are deterred by a disputed title, another party claiming to have purchased the mine from the original owner. It is on the same lead as the New Idria mine, and if worked and managed properly, it would doubtless pay well. A short distance further down the creek and on the summit of the mountains to the right are the conspicious Picacho mines.
Gypsum is found in the mountains near by. If it were not for the cost of transportation, the gypsumn inines here would be valuable.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.