History of Riverside County, California, Part 12

Author: Holmes, Elmer Wallace, 1841-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 845

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Only five pastors have served during the twenty-five years of the life of the church, these being Rev. Dr. Stewart, Rev. R. H. Hartley, Rev. W. J. Arnold, Rev. Alex. Ekin and Rev. Dr. W. A. Hunter.

St. Francis de Sales Church was at first a mission of the San Bernardino church, started in 1888 by Rev. Father Stockman, a pioneer priest of California. The church is located on the city block bounded by Twelfth, Thirteenth, Lime and Mulberry streets. This block was donated for church, school, convent and hospital purposes by Mrs. Hattie Traver, a pioneer citizen of Riverside. The Catholics believe that there is "no true education without religion," and they are planning to erect first a parochial school on their property and next a church building which shall "impos- ingly represent Catholic endeavor in Riverside." One hundred and seventy-five English and 450 Spanish-speaking families are repre- sented in the congregation. The Catholic Indians are cared for in a mission chapel near Sherman Institute, and the church itself maintains missions at Crestmore, Casa Blanca and Spanish Town. The resident pastors have been Rev. J. McCarthy, 1893; Rev. M. Conneally, 1898; Rev. S. F. Cain, 1905; and the present incumbent is Rev. Peter H. McNellis.

Trinity English Lutheran Church was organized January 7, 1894, with a membership of twenty-six, which number has since increased to eighty. It meets for worship in a pretty building at the corner of Walnut and Ninth streets, which was completed and dedicated September 5, 1901. The pastors who have had charge of the parish are: Rev. J. S. Moser, 1893; Rev. George H. Hiller- man, 1896; Rev. A. E. Dietz, 1904; and the present incumbent, Rev. R. W. Mottern, 1909.

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Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Eden Church was organ- ized September 28, 1888. It has a present membership of 135. A church building was erected for its use on the corner of Tenth and Orange streets in 1891, and a parsonage built on the lot adjoining some years later. Among the more prominent of its earlier mem- bers were Ernest Carlson, Swan Johnson, Carl Carlson, N. P. Ben- son, Carl G. Engborg, William Johnson and Edwin Chelson. The first pastor was Rev. N. G. Brandelle, and among his successors are Dr. Edward Nelander, Rev. O. N. Glim, Rev. K. G. Peel, Rev. A. N. Le Veau, Rev. N. A. Nordstrom, and the present pastor, Rev. L. M. Dahlsten.

There is also a mission church of the German Lutherans who meet in the Adventist church on Twelfth street on the second and fourth Sundays of each month. Rev. Louis Achenbach is the acting pastor.

Grace Methodist Episcopal Church. The organization of the Grace Methodist Episcopal Church of Riverside had its inception at a meeting held October 15, 1907, and its legal incorporation was effected November 19 of the same year. At the outset it had 189 members on its roll, and its present membership is 393. Its first Sunday service was held October 4, 1907, in a little mission chapel at the junction of East Eighth and High streets, owned at the time by the First Methodist Episcopal Church, and which it subsequently purchased. The lots upon which the chapel stood had been donated by C. F. Marcy, and another was subsequently ac- quired, giving a building site 180x185 feet in area. Plans for building were promptly arranged, and on December 6, 1908, the present church building was dedicated, practically free from debt. The church has prospered under the pastorate of Rev. W. C. Geyer, who has had charge during its entire history, but who now gives place to the new appointee of the conference, Rev. D. B. Loof- burrow.

The First United Brethren Church of Riverside was among the earlier churches organized. It now has a membership of 216, and a church and parsonage located on East Eighth street, near Park. The church has a seating capacity of 500, and the whole property a value of about $20,000. Rev. W. H. Blackburn is the present pastor.

The First Church of Christ, Scientist, was organized in July,

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1889. It built upon the corner of Sixth and Lemon streets, in 1900, a beautiful church of the mission style of architecture, at a cost of over $15,000, which was furnished and dedicated free from debt. The members claim that here was the first place in Southern Cali- fornia where Christian Science was publicly introduced and classes instructed in the tenets of the denomination.

The Second Church of Christ, Scientist, of Riverside, was regularly incorporated in April, 1893. The first public service was held May 10 in a dwelling house at No. 560 Seventh street, the reading room being located in the same building. In January, 1904, Leighton Hall was secured for the services, and the reading room was removed to the Glenwood Block, corner of Sixth and Orange streets, in April of the same year. In October, 1905, the Universalist Church was secured for a place of meeting. In Decem- ber, 1907, plans were accepted for a church to be located at the corner of Eleventh and Lemon streets, and in May, 1908, the first services were held in the new church. Since January, 1912, the reading room has been located in the Glenwood Block on Main street. The church has had a steady growth from the time of its organization.

Arlington Methodist Episcopal Church was formed March 22, 1893, by some thirteen citizens who found the distance to the First Church at Riverside a bar to regular attendance. A Sunday school had existed for some three years previous, with Rev. Alfred Ramey as superintendent, C. H. Ormsby, assistant, and Chester Crosby, secretary. A small church was built in 1907, but the rapid growth of the congregation made necessary a larger building, and in 1908 land was purchased on the corner of Magnolia avenue and Castle- man street, upon which a more pretentious edifice was erected. The church now has a membership of 215, a large Sunday school, and a well-located property worth over $11,000. The pastors who have served are: Rev. A. Ramey, Rev. E. Hoskyn, Rev. L. D. Loyd, Rev. C. J. Miller, Rev. W. G. Cowan, Rev. T. D. Ashleigh, Rev. W. C. Dane, Rev. F. L. Buckwalter, Rev. George Haffin and Rev. A. J. Mckenzie.

Highgrove Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in Octo- ber, 1890. It had only six charter members, but now has a member- ship of 149. The society built a parsonage in 1891 and a church in 1892, the latter being enlarged in 1904. The pastors have been

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Rev. J. C. Gowan, Rev. E. Hoskyn, Rev. C. J. Miller, Rev. E. W. Pasco, Rev. L. D. Loyd, Rev. F. A. Leak, Rev. S. M. Chase, Rev. W. G. Cowan, Rev. H. H. Baker, Rev. F. P. Sigler and Rev. S. A. Smith.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1893, with only three members, but it now has sixty. Its place of worship is at the corner of Tenth and Sedgwick streets. Its pastors have been Rev. D. R. Jones, Rev. Halford, Rev. Johnson, Rev. S. E. Arrington, Rev. Kennedy, Rev. J. Holmes, Rev. J. H. Wilson, Rev. G. W. Bussey, Rev. W. H. Williamson and Rev. S. E. Edwards.

The Second Baptist Church (African) was organized in 1892, with thirteen members, and now, 1912, has 135. The ministers who have had charge are Rev. John Clisby, Rev. Whitlock, Rev. J. W. Newby, Rev. S. H. Smith, Rev. Terrill, Rev. J. D. Gordon and Rev. F. W. Cooper. Its church is at No. 1162 Howard street.

The Arlington Christian Church was organized in January, 1905. Previous to this date the Rev. E. H. Gurley preached many sermons in this section of the city, and for a time the con- gregation met in a small frame building. It had at the outset only twenty-five members, but now has 150 and is one of the most prosperous of Riverside's churches. In 1912 it completed a handsome church building, constructed of cement blocks, and its property has a present value of $13,000. The pastors have been Revs. Cal. Ogburn, W. T. Adams, W. J. Bottenfield, J. H. Hall, C. R. Moore, and the present incumbent, Rev. S. D. Perkin- son.

The Free Methodist Church of Riverside was organized in 1907 with twelve members. It is located at No. 189 East Sixth street. Rev. J. B. Freeland was the first pastor, and he has been succeeded by Revs. A. C. Brown, S. F. Heilman and S. O. Yelvington, the last named having occupied the pulpit for three years.

The United Presbyterian Church was organized on April 12, 1905, and incorporated in the following November. It had an original membership of twenty-five, and its members in 1912 number eighty-two. It has a church property valued at $12,000, located on the corner of Orange and Lemon streets, which was dedicated in October, 1906. The church has no permanent pas-

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tor, but the pulpit has been supplied by Rev. John M. Ross, D. D., Rev. W. F. Johnson and Rev. J. S. Coie.

The Riverside Seventh Day Baptist Church was organized October 3, 1893, with an original membership of forty. It now has 105 members. The church is located at the corner of Park avenue and Fifth street. Rev. J. T. Davis was the first pastor, he being succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. E. F. Loofboro.

In addition to the above, the religious needs of the city are cared for by the Seventh Day Adventists, who hold regular ses- sions in their church on Twelfth street, Elder Richardson being in charge in 1912. The Primitive Baptists, Elder A. V. Atkins, pastor, hold a monthly service in the same church. The Holi- ness Church meets at the corner of Ninth street and Park avenue, Rev. R. H. Amon, pastor. The Salvation Army has for years held services at various points in the city, Ensign Harris being in charge in 1912.

The Congregationalists maintain a Japanese mission school on Fourteenth street; the Methodists a Japanese mission on Fifth street, and the Presbyterians two Spanish missions, one at Casa Blanca, and the other on Fourteenth street, Rev. Samuel Solomon having been in charge of both for years.

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CHAPTER XI. YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION By E. W. Holmes

It was on the 24th of November, 1884, that the first meeting was held in regard to the formation of a branch of the Young Men's Christian Association in Riverside. It was presided over by Dr. T. L. Magee, and J. H. Goodhue acted as secretary. Among those most prominent in effecting the organization were J. D. Chamberlain, E. C. Love, K. F. Hendry, O. T. Dyer, Judson House, A. M. Mackey and H. N. Sanderson. The first officers were B. W. Handy, president; John Cook, vice-president; J. H. Goodhue, secretary, and Thomas B. Stephenson, treasurer. The association affiliated with the state organization September 4, 1885, and was incorporated December 6, 1886, the members of its first board of trustees being O. T. Dyer, E. F. Kingman, H. P. Moore, B. W. Handy and Matthew Gage. The Association occupied rented quarters for several years, and when, in October, 1887, it became necessary that the organization should have a building of its own, Frank A. Miller, with his usual generosity when a worthy enter- prise has needed assistance in Riverside, gave a lot in the Glen- wood block, on Main street, for the association's use, and equally generous contributions from others made it possible to erect upon it a building which served them excellently until 1909. The association had by this time outgrown this first building, and the popularity of the institution, and its needs of larger and better equipped quarters, enabled its members to obtain generous finan- cial aid from the citizens generally, and build upon the corner of Eighth and Lemon streets the splendid block which they now occupy. It cost over $75,000, and is one of the best arranged Association buildings for a town of its size in the United States, having a lobby, reading room, assembly hall, gymnasium, baths, plunge, bowling alleys, handball and basket ball courts, and one story of dormitory rooms, which provide income to the Associa- tion and furnish rooms for young men who are away from home. The present membership is between five and six hundred, of which 200 are boys. The Association employs a general secre- 8

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tary, an assistant secretary, a physical director and a "boys' work" secretary, all of whom give their whole time to this most important work. The men who have served as president since its organization are as follows: B. W. Handy, John Cook, S. L. Alderman, J. H. Goodhue, M. S. Bowman, A. A. Adair, J. F. Crowe, E. P. Clarke, W. W. Roblee, C. E. Rumsey and J. M. Davison. The general secretaries have been few in number but earnest in labor. Those who have served in that capacity are: Rev. W. H. Robinson, Moore Hesketh, George F. Herrick, C. W. Janes, J. George Hunter and W. R. Hale. A lady's auxiliary was organized April 28, 1885, and has been a great help to the Association ever since. Mrs. M. E. Hewitt is now its president, and Mrs. Houston Harlan its secretary.

It was twenty-one years later, November 5, 1895, when the first meeting was held to organize the Young Woman's Christian Association, "to assist the spiritual, intellectual, social and phys- ical development of the young women of the city." Two hundred members, and subscriptions to the amount of $500, were promptly secured, and on the 5th of December, 1905, the organization was completed and the following officers elected: President, Dr. Louise Harvey Clarke; first vice-president, Mrs. Homer A. Plimpton; second vice-president, Mrs. Cora Gyde; third vice-president, Mrs. O. L. Moorman; fourth vice-president, Mrs. J. F. Hanna; record- ing secretary, Mrs. J. R. Strang; corresponding secretary, Mrs. C. Goodrich; treasurer, Mrs. H. O. Reed.

Furniture was contributed by generous friends and the Asso- ciation was first located in the Pennsylvania Block. Larger quar- ters were soon needed for a well-equipped gymnasium and a lunch department, and in November, 1907, they moved into the Rey- nolds Block, on Ninth street, where rooms had been specially ar- ranged for their use. Within a few years the demands for larger accommodations have made necessary the enlargement of these quarters, and the cafeteria occupies a fine large room on the first floor, while the Association has besides rest room, parlors, phys- ical director's office and large gymnasium on the second floor, and above a fine roof garden for social as well as gymnasium uses.

The general secretaries have been Miss Maud Ewing Ross, 1906 and 1907; Miss Lenoir McCoid, 1907 and 1909; Miss Emma J. Parsons, 1909 and 1912; Mrs. Olive H. Mulholland, 1912.

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The membership has fluctuated in recent years, but averages about 875. The trustees, who are the legal representatives of the Association, are S. H. Herrick, Gaylor Rouse, C. L. McFarland, Dr. C. Van Zwalenburg, Mrs. Sarah J. Ford, Dr. Louise Harvey Clarke and Mrs. W. F. Taylor. C. E. Rumsey was chairman of the board from the time of its organization until his death, since which time S. H. Herrick has filled that position.

CHAPTER XII. SHERMAN INSTITUTE By E. W. Holmes

One of the conspicuous features of Riverside, of which her citizens are proud, is the great government Indian school located . on Magnolia avenue in the Arlington section. The name was given it as a tribute to the late Vice-President Sherman, a warm friend of the American Indian, who was at the time of its organization the chairman of the congressional committee on Indian affairs. There had been a school for Indian youth near Perris, which, under the management of Harwood Hall, had demonstrated the value of such a method of training the Indian for American citizen- ship, and when it became evident that larger accommodations and better surroundings were necessary to carry forward effectively this splendid philanthropic work, the effort to secure the pro- posed larger institution for Riverside had the support of men of national reputation, like Albert K. Smiley of Redlands, Collis P. Huntington, and others, and of the California representatives in both houses of congress. The cornerstone of the first building was laid June 18, 1901, by Hon. A. C. Tanner, assistant commis- sioner of Indian affairs, Senator Perkins and others taking part in the exercises, and in May of the following year nine of the buildings were completed, and the enrollment of pupils began. The school has an enrollment in 1912 of 631 pupils, who hail from twelve states and represent fifty-five tribes. The manage- ment of Harwood Hall, and of his successor, Frank M. Conser, has been admirable, and the character and acquirements of the

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graduates who have gone out from Sherman Institute to take their places among other American citizens furnishes the strong- est possible evidence of the sensible and thoroughly practical training given them. That the climate and other advantages claimed for the location by those who urged it is evidenced by the report made by Superintendent Conser at the end of the tenth year of its existence, when he says: "The school is located in the midst of people of the highest culture and refinement, and the student of Sherman Institute is fortunate in his fight for character and education to be surrounded by such influences. There has not been a liquor saloon in the city for many years, and the sympathy of the entire community is with the Indian boy and girl. In fact, a more favorable environment could not be found for an educational institution than Riverside." The school grounds proper contain forty acres, beautiful with lawns and walks and orna- mental trees, amid which are located thirty-five buildings of the Mission style of architecture. Adjoining is Chemawa Park, fur- nishing ample space for field sports. Few colleges have build- . ings and surroundings more beautiful than those of Sherman Institute.

The course of study provided carries the student through the eighth grade, and those who desire can enter the high school or business college of Riverside. But the industrial courses are placed upon an equal plane with the academic. The boys are taught carpentry, blacksmithing, printing and other trades, and the girls trained in sewing, general housekeeping, laundry work and nursing. The Indian children gathered here have shown a special aptitude for music, and the girls' mandolin club and the boys' brass band have always ranked high in a musical way.

Four miles below the school proper the government has a hundred-acre farm, well equipped, where the students are given training as regular farmers, and in dairying and vegetable grow- ing. The vegetables, butter and milk produced supply the needs in this direction of the entire school. The farm has a value of some $75,000, and its products in 1912 amounted to $8,379. The total value of the land, buildings and equipment of the school and farm doubtless exceeds $450,000.

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CHAPTER XIII. CALIFORNIA FRUIT EXCHANGE By E. W. Holmes

Riverside has reason for pride over the many things which her people have successfully worked out that have been of im- mense value to the state at large. Among these not one has proven more beneficial than the formulation and adoption of the method of co-operative marketing of her fruit crop known as the California Fruit Exchange. Its success has been so marked and the results so beneficial to all connected with the citrus industry, as well as to all departments of horticulture through- out California, that the story of its inauguration and growth deserves detailed mention in the records of Riverside.

With the rapid increase in the orange crop, due to the im- mense area planted to citrus fruits, the weakness of the early marketing methods was thoroughly demonstrated. The commis- sion men who at first handled practically the entire crop were more concerned about their fees than in developing larger mar- kets. Or if they sought these their experiments proved costly to the individual grower, whose fruit they sacrificed to that end. The tariff tinkering of the political theorists, throwing working- men out of employment everywhere in the populous manufac- turing centers and thus compelling them to retrench in such things as seemed in the nature of a luxury, lessened the demand for oranges, and for years a large proportion of the growers failed to receive for their product sufficient to pay for its packing and transportation. The large shipping concerns not only secured ille- gal rebates from the railroads, but owned or controlled all the refrigerator cars, so that they made a profit, not only from their cheaper railroad rates, but through their ownership of the cars were able to know of the markets into which their competitors were shipping, and thus be able to fill such markets with their own goods before the arrival of that of their competitors. It was, indeed, a grave situation which confronted the men who had invested their all in orange groves and had waited years for them

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to mature, and it forced a study of the problem which resulted, after years of effort, in a method of marketing which has been of inestimable value, not only to the Riverside growers, but to the people of the entire state.

While many others worked with him to secure the formula- tion of a marketing plan which should enable the grower to obtain a just return for his labors, no man so thoroughly deserves the credit for the perfection of the plan which has worked so bene- ficially to the state, as does T. H. B. Chamblin of Riverside. Being as modest as he is efficient, he has not paraded his part in this splendid work, but the records show that his colleagues have fully recognized the value of his service, for before his retirement from active work they, by unanimous vote in conven- tion, thanked him as the formulator of the plan, and later he was given a beautiful loving cup, which the family will long prize as a material evidence of the appreciation shown him.

The Pachappa Orange Growers' Association, of which Mr. Chamblin was manager, was the first organized effort at co- operative marketing. Its experience suggested the larger organi- zation, which was effected at an enthusiastic meeting held in April, 1893, known as the Riverside Fruit Exchange. At this meeting plans were made for the formation of eleven local asso- ciations, whose representatives should be the directors of the central exchange. The plan promised so certain a help that a large proportion of the growers promptly affiliated, and later the growers everywhere showed their faith in the plan, and an enthusiastic convention of growers was held in Los Angeles, where a third organization was effected, called the board of control, or marketing department, to be known as the Southern California Fruit Exchange. After a few years of successful marketing of the products of the orchards the organization was enlarged to include the whole state and handle other than citrus fruits, and is now called the California Fruit Exchange.

Just as Riverside had formed its district exchange from the numerous neighborhood associations, who packed their own fruit under brands of their own choosing, so it was with other fruit- growing centers, each having its central exchange and sending representatives to form the central body which attended to the marketing. The great central exchange employs a salaried man-

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ager, a necessary office force, and sales agents in all the great marketing centers.

The foundation of the organization is the local association, a strictly neighborhood affair. Each member gets exact credit for the fruit he contributes, and the same price for his fruit as does his neighbor for the same grade. His fruit is packed at cost, sold at cost, and through the pooling system may obtain the average of the markets for the entire season. The associa- tions do not pool with each other, each locality being required to rely upon the merit of its own fruit and the honesty of its pack for its standing in the market.

The results during nearly twenty years testify to the success and value of the organization. For ability and fidelity in man- agement, together with achievement of the end sought in mar- keting a perishable product, it stands without a parallel, and clearly demonstrates the fact that tillers of the soil are fully capable of "attending to their own business." Where formerly it was im- possible to market successfully five or six thousand carloads, some 50,000 carloads are now marketed at a price sufficient to maintain the industry on a sound basis.

The first trustees of the Riverside Fruit Exchange were: T. H. B. Chamblin, D. W. McLeod, H. A. Westbrook, A. H. Naftz- ger, George Frost, J. B. Crawford, J. H. Wright, M. J. Daniels, A. Keith, S. C. Evans, Jr., and R. W. Meacham. A. H. Naftzger was made president of the organization; M. J. Daniels, vice-presi- dent; S. C. Evans, Jr., secretary; and since 1900, John Jahn, Jr., has been the Riverside manager.

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History of Riverside County, California, Part 12

Author: Holmes, Elmer Wallace, 1841- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 845

Author: Holmes, Elmer Wallace, 1841-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 845