USA > California > Los Angeles County > Pasadena > History of Pasadena, comprising an account of the native Indian, the early Spanish, the Mexican, the American, the colony, and the incorporated city, occupancies of the Rancho San Pasqual, and its adjacent mountains, canyons, waterfalls and other objects of interest: being a complete and comprehensive histo-cyclopedia of all matters pertaining to this region > Part 22
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1880-81-82.
For the Farnsworth pamphlet, published in 1883, Dr. I. S. P. Lord furnished a valuable article on "Disease and Climate," based on his own weather records and notes as a practicing physician ; and from this I quote, p. 105:
"January 27, 1888, we had a snow storm, and snow lay on the ground several hours before melting, and was seen on the foothills south in patches the next day. Again, January 12, 1882, it snowed till the ground was white. On the 8th of December, 1881, it blew a gale all night and injured some buildings, etc. There were three hot, sultry nights in 1879, such as they have at the East. * Ice in the winter of 1882 and '83 attained the thickness of three-fourths of an inch under very favorable circumstances, as direct exposure and shallow water."
Of the wind storm above noted on December 8, 1881, P. G. Wooster writes : " Although our cottage was well braced and built in the form of a T, my wife did not dare remain indoors, but went out and sat down in the barley patch and held on to the stubble."
1884.
1882 and 1883 were "dry years," but 1884 gave destructive floods. The Pasadena Valley Union of February 23 [Saturday], 1884, says :
"Never in the history of Los Angeles county has been recorded so great a storm nor so destructive a one as that just passed, and for many years to come the "rain of '84 " will figure as an epoch from which to date important events in our meteorological history. As we went to press last Saturday, our record for the three weeks past shows 19.51 inches for that period, and all Saturday it continued. After dark the fall increased in force and came down in torrents which continued without intermission until the afternoon of Sunday, when a little rest was had; but only for a short period, for it was collecting renewed energy for another downpour, continu-
II
162
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
ing until midnight, when it cleared. No great damage was sustained in and around Pasadena beyond some heavy washes upon the steeper slopes and mesas, although some complain of owning an acre or two of real estate that had been transported from their neighbor's orchards by heavy washing. The most serious damage was done to the main cement ditch beyond John W. Wilson's ranch, about a mile of which was buried in the sand and debris, and about fifty feet destroyed. In the valley everything was flooded. At San Gabriel culverts were partially destroyed, and the plain beyond, embracing the El Monte and Savannah districts were covered with water.
* * * The Pasadena Central School has been closed during the past week on account of the storm, but will re-open as usual on Monday." [Several items through the paper show extensive rainfall, mudholes, wash- outs, impassable roads and streets at this time.]
The same paper of March 8th says : "On Monday morning [March 3] began another rain storm that for damage done surpasses the one last re- corded." The storm continued till Thursday, accompanied at intervals with sharp thunder and lightning. The local report continues : " A heavy and deep wash, beginning south of Mountain Avenue, near Lake Avenue, extended into one corner of the Mutual Orchard Co.'s orange grove, but beyond that shallowing out over a large area, then again cutting heavily wherever the ground has been recently plowed. Farther up the slope, crossing the Crank property, another large wash occurs, extending down through the lands of Clark Maudlin, Henry Wood and Samuel Bundy. On the Gano, Banbury and Woodbury estates, the damages have been very great, and will require thousands of dollars to repair. It is said a double harrow was carried bodily from somewhere about Swartwout's ranch down to near Villa street. [Over a mile.] This will give an idea of the force of the torrent."
"Later : About 250 feet of the main ditch on the Lake Vineyard Co.'s lands was washed out by the late storm.''
Again, March 15, the Union says : "This season will certainly exceed any previously recorded one, for rainfall. The wet season of 1862 gave this county 36 inches of rain, and not since then has it reached 30 inches. Now we have 35.18, with two or three good months to hear from ; so we can predict from 40 to 45 inches with almost a certainty."
I remember myself that during 1884 rain fell sometime during every calendar month of that year except September. The Union of October 11, says :
" A light rain accompanied by thunder and lightning, visited Pasadena on Thursday. At Los Angeles and along the Sierra Madre mountains it rained quite heavily, and an old-fashioned thunderstorm seemed to be rag- ing in the mountains."
The paper also mentioned generous showers on December 7, 8 and II.
WEDDING MUSICIANS SOUSED IN THE ARROYO.
Wednesday evening, April 9, 1885, a notable and historic wedding oc- curred at the residence of E. F. Hurlbut on Orange Grove Avenue. Miss Jessie Banbury, daughter of Col. J. Banbury, was married to Dr. F. De W. Crank, brother of J. F. Crank, who was President of the first railroad into
163
DIVISION TWO - COLONIAL.
Pasadena, and afterward built the great system of cableroads in Los Angeles. It had been planned to have the marriage ceremony at the M. E. Church, and then a reception at Mr. Hurlbut's, which was the largest and most com- modious residence then in the colony and was freely offered for the occasion, Col. Banbury's family being old friends and neighbors. But a great rain- storm compelled the entire proceedings to be held at the house. The mar- riage service was performed by Rev. Solomon Dunton, grandfather of the bride. A string band had been engaged to come out from Los Angeles and play, for the wedding guests to enjoy a little dancing. And here is where the romance of history comes into the case. The Pasadena and Valley Union of April 12, 1884, says :
" When Wangeman's string band, who were en route for the Crank- Banbury wedding, attempted to cross the Arroyo Seco on Wednesday even- ing, the vehicle was upset and the bold musicians were incontinently dumped into the 'raging main.' Being swimmers, they 'swam for the shore ' with a will, but minus a valuable violin and a cornet, which they lost in the stream. A city hack happening along opportunely, conveyed them to their destination, their own team being badly damaged. Mr. Hurlbut's old clothes were in demand ; and it was a little funny to observe the musical gentlemen wearing pants twelve inches too long, and coats with the waist seam where the tails should end."
1885. The Valley Union of Saturday, November 20, said :
" The flumes of the Pasadena Lake Vineyard Land and Water Company at Devil's Gate were washed away by the high waters Wednesday night, and will be immediately re-built at a cost of about $150 to $200."
1886.
The Union of January 22, 1886, gives this report :
"The experience of November 18 was repeated January 18-with a singular coincidence, just two months to a day. Rain had been falling with little intermission for several days, and Monday night there came a crisis. On that day and night fell over four inches of water, and everything was afloat. Great streams rushed through the streets, and at every available point miniature lakes formed, though thanks to the good natural drainage of Pasadena, the chances for the latter were very limited. The storm was severe and Eastern in its character. Good, old-fashioned, orthodox thunder and lightning, such as they wore in our grandmother's days, was startlingly frequent, and reminded the hearer of 'artillery of heaven' that used to be so favorite an accompaniment of western eloquence. Next morning the trains of our local road, which have become a pleasant feature of Pasadena life, were conspicuous for their absence. They did, indeed, toot a whistle afar off-away up toward Lamanda Park-but it was a case of 'thus far shalt thou come, and no farther'-they remained afar off and did not ap- proach Pasadena. The cause was a big vacuum where there ought to have been a road-bed across the 'wash' about Hill Avenue. This was repaired, but on the same day (Tuesday) washed out again and had to be rebuilt. There was also a washout of the culvert at Marengo Avenue. This did
164
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
not amount to much. Further down the damages were, a cave on the track at the Raymond cut, a similar one at the east end of the upper Arroyo bridge, a washout under the track opposite Sycamore Grove, a big washout at the lower Arroyo bridge, and extensive damage at Los Angeles. The bridge over the river at that place stood, but the approaches to it at both ends were washed away, the largest break being at the north end. From here the turn-table was carried and swept down the river against the Downey Aven- ue bridge, which it weakened so that a part of that structure also gave way and was carried down the stream. In Los Angeles the track in the yard was washed out and the passenger station undermined and carried down stream, it going against the S. P. bridge, where it had to be broken up to save the latter structure. The loss to the railroad we do not know, but judge that $5,000 would not be far out of the way.
"Next to the railroad loss, perhaps the greatest injury about Pasadena is to the water companies, whose works in the Arroyo were all at the mercy of the torrent. The flumes of the Pasadena L. V. L. & W. Company, which were carried away in November, were taken again this time, and will cause the same expense over again that it did before to replace them. The Orange Grove Company also lost some of their iron piping about Devil's Gate. The reservoir near the college broke away, and perhaps others that we have not heard of. Railroad communication with Los An- geles is thus far suspended, only a construction train running to carry the workmen repairing the breaks. They take passengers for the first time to- day, leaving them at the river. Regular trains will not be resumed until the Los Angeles river bridge is made passable, which it is hoped to do to- morrow. No mail came Tuesday, but the stage has since supplied the de- ficiency."
January 29, the paper said :
"The mail came up by cars Friday evening, for the first time since Monday (Wednesday and Thursday it came by stage), and was a big one -- thirteen bags, the largest ever received here."
December 14, 1887, a wind storm occurred which blew down Mr. Gould's residence at North Pasadena, then unfinished, although occupied by the family, and some its members were slightly injured. Other damage was done hereabouts, but nothing serious.
P. G. Wooster reports from his memorandum of February 29, 1888: "It hailed just at night. The heavy rain last night did much damage to streets."
1889.
This year was marked by a grievous visitation of worms; and the Pasadena Standard of May 11, reported about it thus :
"They destroyed the tomato, squash and pea vines in our own garden, besides roses, geraniums, verbenas, fuchias and other things in our front yard. It is the California cutworm or W-marked cutworm - Agrotis clan- destina-described in Matthew Cooke's work as "a naked, greasy looking, 16-legged caterpillar or worm. Order Lepidoptera; family Noctuidae. Do their devouring mostly by night."
165
DIVISION TWO -COLONIAL.
GREAT STORM -FOUR CHURCHES BLOWN DOWN.
1891.
The Pasadena Daily Star of December 11, 1891, said :
"Four years ago yesterday there was a storm of exceptional violence. Houses were unroofed and trees blown down, but no great destruction was wrought. Last night this section was visited by the hardest blow it has ex- perienced within the memory of the oldest resident. It was the culmination of the storm which began the night before, and it appeared to reach its height between three and four o'clock this morning. The wind came from the north and northwest at hurricane speed, rocking houses, taking off tin roofs and chimneys, threshing the fruit off from trees, bending and breaking down shade trees, driving through the streets and into the houses clouds of fine dust gathered on the wings of the storm as it came swooping down through the Canyada and the mesa at the foot of the mountains."
The paper then goes on to give a full account in detail of the destruc- tion wrought ; and I have compiled from its report the following table of principal losses :
Presbyterian church on East Colorado street ; tall, elegant round steeple blown over into the street.
First Methodist church, corner Marengo Avenue and Colorado street ; tall, square steeple with bell in it, blown over on the church roof and crush- ing it down.
Christian church on South De Lacy street ; all blown down-a total wreck.
North Congregational church, corner North Raymond Avenue and Jef- ferson street ; total wreck.
Raymond hotel, tin roof blown off from tower, eight or nine brick chimneys blown down, crashing through veranda roofs, and many windows broken.
Arcade block, tin roofing torn off, chimneys and iron cornice blown down, and $1,000 worth of heavy plate glass broken.
Brockway block, corner Marengo Avenue and Colorado street; chim- neys, roofing, skylights, cornices whisked and hurled away into the street, and five great lights of plate glass worth $1,000 broken.
E. S. Frost's two-story frame building near the corner of Broadway and Colorado street totally demolished, killing a horse and smashing up two buggies and a valuable bicycle.
Williams Hall, tin roof torn off.
Haskins's two-story brick blacksmith and carriage building on West Union street unroofed.
The Steam Laundry, two-story building on Wilson Avenue and Villa street, a total wreck. Machinery not much damaged.
Capt. Thornton's two-story frame block on South Fair Oaks Avenue went to smash, down across the sidewalk.
Nine or ten cottages or dwellings were mentioned as blown down, be- sides many more residences and business houses more or less severely dam- aged ; and yet nobody seriously hurt within Pasadena.
I66
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
The telephone and telegraph service was of course in a state of wreck- age ; but the railroads did not miss a train. As the damage to buildings and personal property was caused by wind and not by fire, there was no in- surance to recoup any of these losses.
March 21, 1894, icicles eight inches long were reported at Rev. Mr. Northrop's, 330 North Lake Avenue, and frost spray all around on the shrubbery, guavas, etc. This was deemed remarkable enough at the time to give it publicity.
Mr. Harold S. Channing, our young meteorologist, grandson of the eminent Wm. Ellery Channing, D. D., of Boston, prepared the following valuable tables for the Pasadena Star in October, 1894, and I copy them here for permanent reference :
RECORD OF RAINFALL AT PASADENA.
YEAR
JAN.
FEB.
MAR.
APR.
MAY | JUNE
JULY
AUG.
SEPT.
OCT.
NOV.
DEC.
THE YR.
1882
.80
1.70
.00
1883
.93
4.45
1.80
.58
2.36
.05
.00
.00
.00
1.30
.00
2.73
14.20
1884.
6.10
13.21
12.99
5.93
.77
1.90
.00
.20
.00
.25
.89
3.95
46.19
1885
1.22
.00
.05
3.00
·33
.II
.00
.14
.00
.00
7.49
2.05
14.39
1886
7.40
2.32
2.43
4.11
.IO
.05
.05
.26
.04
.IO
.12
1.12
4.98
20.45
18×8
7.40
1.57
5.62
.46
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.45
5.68
6.71
27.89
1889
.09
1.08
8.83
.41
.95
.00
.00
.62
.00
.9.31
1.43
17.17
39.89
1890.
7.92
2.66
.90
.60
.20
.06
.00
.00
.26
.07
·35
3.52
16.54
I891
.J4
10.75
.68
1.84
.73
.00
.00
.00
.09
.00
.05
2.25
16.53
1892
1.54
3.40
4.23
.25
3 94
.00
.00
.00
.00
.62
3.72
4.30
22.00
1893.
7.65
2.78
9.84
.47
.70
.00
.00
.00
.00
.80
.20
4.77
27.21
1894
1.51
.82
.96
.13
.61
.00
.00
.09
.85
Mean.
3.51
4.32
4.05
1.67
.91
.18
.02
.II
.13
1.15
1.98
4.38
23.95
Data furnished by THOS. NELMES.
Computed by H. S. CHANNING.
COMPARISON OF THE AVERAGE MONTHLY RAINFALL OF PASADENA AND LOS ANGELES FOR THE PAST TWELVE YEARS, BEGINNING OCTOBER, 1882.
JAN.
FEB.
MAR.
APR.
MAY
JUNE
JULY | AUG. | SEPT.|
OCT.
NOV.
DEC.
THE YR.
Los Angeles.
3.02
3.76
3.42
1.15
.50
.14
.04
.06
.13
.90
1.71
3.84
18.67
Pasadena.
3.51
4.42
4 05
1.67
.91
.18
.02
.II
.13
1.15
1.98
4.38
22.41
Ratio of Pasda. to L. A.
*116
*115
*118
*140
*182
*129
*55
*183
*100
*128
*116
*III
*120
*Per cent.
H. S. CHANNING, Voluntary Observer.
The record for 1884 shows the largest rainfall for any one year of the duodecade; and December, 1889, shows the largest amount in one month.
LIGHTNING STRIKES A BARN. 1893.
The first and only record or report of damage done by lightning in Pasadenaland that I found was the case of Banning Bros.' barn, December 27, 1893. The Daily Star of that date said :
" About 4 o'clock this morning, during the sharp thunder storm that was prevailing, an alarm of fire was rung in from the center of town and the department turned out in the driving and copious rain to find that the large barn of Banning Bros. on Walnut street near the Terminal R. R. track was on fire. * * The fire was caused by lightning striking the corrugated iron roof. A resident of that section of town says he saw the bolt strike and that it appeared to split the roof in two parts, and to send up
1.15
.17
18.18
1887.
.19
10.66
.27
2.33
.28
.00
.17
.00
.33
....
167
DIVISION TWO- COLONIAL.
as if by the rebound, a ball of fire. The burnt building belonged to Ban- ning Bros., of Los Angeles, and was formerly used for their transportation company stables. Of late it has been leased for storing hay, and at the time of the fire Hammell & Co. had about sevent-five tons of that commodity in it."
In another article the same paper said :
" The crisis in the rain storm which set in anew Monday night, was reached about 4 o'clock this morning, when commingled rain and hail poured down fiercely, accompained by wind and sharp thunder and light- ning. It was the most pronounced pyrotechnic display by the heavenly forces we remember to have experienced in Southern California."
And Harold S. Channing, volunteer observer for the U. S. Weather Bureau, reported upon this same storm thus :
"The sharp electrical display and hailstorm of 4 a. m. this morning was due to the unusual northward movement of the storm center yesterday off the Southern California coast to Northern California. The storm center passed east of this meridian at ro a. m. An abnormal fall of ·37 inch in barometric pressure occurred yesterday. The total rainfall for the present storm up to ro a. m. is 2.20 inches." December 27, 1893.
ALL.PATTERSON. MY
ORANGE GROVE AVENUE AT CROSSING OF CALIFORNIA STREET, LOOKING SOUTH-1883.
THIS OAK TREE and one other determined the location of Orange Grove Avenue. The first school and school-house, the first postoffice appointment, and the two first churches in the Colony, were all at or near this corner, with a view to starting the "business center" here.
I68
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
DIVISION THREE - BRAINS.
CHAPTER IX.
ANNALS OF THE SCHOOLS .- First schoolteacher and first pupils .- School buildings from 1874 to 1894 .- Successive teachers for twenty years .- Successive trustees for twenty years .- The central school lot's public sale, 1886 .- Graduates of High School .- Tables of School statistics.
Our Colleges, etc .- Sierra Madre College .- Pasadena Academy .- Throop Polytechnic In- stitute .- Father Throop Day .- Classical Schools .- Business College.
List of Pasadena Graduates or Students at State Normal School, State University, Stan- ford University, and Pomona College.
ANNALS OF THE SCHOOLS.
The colony settlers of Pasadena were of that class of people who regard puplic schools not as a mere ornamental appendage, but as one of the prime necessities of a civilized community. They were connected with San Gabriel for school purposes ; but measures were taken at once to have a new school district, to be called San Pasqual, created by the County Board of Super- visors. This was effected in August, 1874, and J. Banbury and H. G. Ben- nett were appointed as the first trustees of the new district, and Thos. F. Croft as school census marshal. They held their first meeting August 27, 1874, and organized for business by making J. Banbury chairman, and H. G. Bennett clerk. On September 7, they met again and employed Miss Jennie H. Clapp to teach a school for one month. On Saturday, September 12, 1874, the first school election was held, at which Col. J. Banbury, H. G. Bennett and Dr. W. W. Edwards, received each ten votes-all that were cast -and thus the people had a full board of school trustees of their own choosing. Meanwhile, on September 10, the first school in Pasadena had commenced its work, with only two pupils the first day, Jennie and Jessie, the twin daughters of Col. J. Banbury ; but in about a week the attendance had in- creased to sixteen. This first school was held in the house of Wm. T. Clapp, on Orange Grove Avenue near California street, being taught by his daughter Jennie- now Mrs. Rev. F. J. Culver. At the end of the month the school had grown so large as to require more room, and in October it was closed to wait until a school-house could be erected. A rough board structure was built at a cost of about $300, on the west side of Orange Grove Avenue a few rods below California street, where Mrs. Sarah Ware's resi- dence now stands. Thos. F. Croft with his historic mules donated the haul- ing of the lumber. The house stood by a great spreading live-oak tree which was afterward unwisely grubbed up by the roots to "clear the land." Miss Clapp re-opened the school in this rough pioneer building on January 28, 1875, and continued it through that school year. The pupils of that first school were : Jennie Mosher, Charlie Mosher, Lavinia Mosher, Olive
169
DIVISION THREE - BRAINS.
Eaton, Belle Eaton, Will Eaton, George Eaton, Ben. Eaton, Jennie Banbury, Jessie Banbury, Agnes Elliott, Whit. Elliott, Howard Conger, Florence Ed- wards, Forest Edwards; Joseph M. Wilson, Belle B. Wilson, children of John W. Wilson ; and Charles and Maggie Wilson, children of John Bunyan Wilson. The Eaton children then resided at Fair Oaks (now Hon. J. F. Crank's place), over three miles from the school-house; and the Wilson children resided about two and half miles up the Arroyo on the La Canyada road.
For the school year of 1875-76 a Mrs. Rodgers was engaged ; but after two weeks' work her health failed, and Miss Eugenia Rudisill conducted the school through this and the next year-1876-77. Meanwhile, in the winter of 1875-76 a neighborhood literary society had been formed. These colonists had come together mostly as strangers to each other, from many different sections of the country, and needed some common center for both social and intellectual intercourse and cultivation of acquaintanceship ; and the literary society furnished such a gregarian center for the neighborhood by holding meetings once a month in the school-house. Very soon more room was needed, and the young men of the colony took the matter in hand and built an additional room to the school building. The literary society's meetings were made up of formal debates ; topical papers with discussion following ; recitations, essays, music ; mock trials ; a local paper called "The Reservoir," written up to suit the occasion [See Chapter 7]; etc .; and there was thus brought out an amount of talent for writing and speak- ing that astonished the people themselves.
In 1876 the Lake Vineyard Colony was commenced on the west side of Fair Oaks Avenue, with L. D. Hollingsworth as the leading figure in the movement for its settlement, as is fully explained in Chapter 5. He intended to build a store and start a trading center or village on the high ground at the corner of Colorado street and Marengo Avenue, because that was the most sightly place for it, but the west side people made earnest appeal to have it not so far from them, but at least on the line between the two col- onies ; and as the population was then mostly on the west side, Mr. Hol- lingsworth yielded the point, and built his store near the corner of Fair Oaks and Colorado street. It was in April, 1875, that the name Pasadena had been officially adopted ; but even before that a petition was forwarded to Washington for a new postoffice by that name, which was granted March 15, 1875, with Josiah Locke named as postmaster. He declined to serve on the small salary of twelve dollars per year. Then Henry T. Hollingsworth was appointed to the place, and he thus became Pasadena's first bona fide postmaster. This settled the postoffice to be kept in the Hollingsworth store ; then J. H. Baker moved his colony blacksmith shop from west Wal- nut street down here; and a Mr. Watson started a meat market ; and other kinds of business began to gather around this point.
170
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
The same year, August 8, 1876, Hon. B. D. Wilson donated five acres, right across the street south from the store, to the San Pasqual School Dis- trict for school purposes. The gift was accepted by the district ; and to con- firm title and make the acceptance conclusive, the school-house on Orange Grove Avenue was, after some natural friction between the two sections, moved November 10, 1876, onto the five-acre lot; and during the school year of 1877-78 Mr. Newell Matthews officiated as principal teacher, with Miss Florence Royce as assistant; they also held the same positions for 1878-79. During the summer vacation of 1878 P. G. Wooster taught a private school in the public school-house. Among his pupils were Sherman Washburn (nephew of S. Washburn, Esq.), Will H. Townsend, Olive Eaton, Nellie Richards, Jennie and Jessie Banbury.
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