USA > California > Riverside County > History of Riverside County, California > Part 26
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time has demonstrated that advantage has been taken of the early mistakes.
It was early discovered that there was a great deposit of por- phyry rock to the east of the colony, and this year a company was formed, crushers installed, and the quarry opened. The railroad company ran a spur to the quarry and crushed rock was shipped to different towns to be used in road and street work, thus opening the first industry of the new town and giving work to many. It was also known that the hills to the south abounded in clays of different kinds for use in making pottery. This year C. B. Hewit, later superintendent of the Southern California Sewer Pipe Company, investigated and found that the deposit of clay was of the best. The above company secured a tract of land about one and a half miles from town, a building 80x160 feet was erected, kilns were built, and soon an excellent quality of clay goods was being turned out, thus giving to the new town another industry that gave em- ployment to many men. This, now known as the Pacific Clay Com- pany, has established a reputation for clay goods second to none on the Pacific coast and is still turning out great quantities of its products.
In 1857 there was discovered what was supposed to be the richest tin mine in the world. The location of the mine was in the San Jacinto hills, commonly known as the Gavilan hills. For a great many years these mines had been in litigation, but in 1888 the litigation was brought to a close. With the settlement of a doubtful title, an English syndicate obtained control of not only the mines, but a vast territory surrounding them, styling them- selves The San Jacinto Co., Limited, of England. Many Califor- nians are familiar with the history of the legal proceedings involv- ing the title of the property, but few know the story of their dis- covery. Near the close of 1857 an old Indian chief of the Cahuilla tribe, residing with Mr. Sexton, of San Gabriel, Los Angeles county, became sick and felt himself dying. There was a secret on his mind which he wished to reveal to the man who had shown him so much kindness. He feared to do so, however, as it had been trusted to his faithful guardianship, and yet he felt that it would eventually become known through the prying curiosity of the white man who was penetrating every portion of the country, and from whom no secret could be much longer kept. Arguing thus within 17
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himself, and being anxious to benefit his friend by imparting to him the secret, he consulted his medicine man, who was in attendance upon him, but whose simples were now unavailing. Meeting at first with opposition from his counsellor, he had to overcome his scruples and finally obtained his consent to obey his orders when he should pass away to the land of spirits. Having thus conciliated his coun- sellor, he called to his side his generous friend Sexton and informed him that he was about to die and before dying he wished to impart to him a secret which would be the means of making him a rich man. He then informed him that he had given orders to his medi- cine man to conduct Sexton to the place where they obtained their medicine. He knew that the rock contained precious metal, and that he wished him to have the benefit of the knowledge of its exist- ence, satisfied that the Americans would soon find out what it was and its value. He was the last of his name and his family, and there were none to whom his obligations bound him to transmit his cherished secret. Accordingly, after the death of the old chief, Mr. Sexton, taking with him F. M. Slaughter, set out with his Indian guide to find the place where the medicine was obtained. The In- dian made his way to Temescal, then bore off to the mountains and finally came to the base of the Cajalco hill. On reaching this place the Indian seemed to be terribly exercised. Standing apart from his companions he commenced uttering strange sounds; shortly he broke into a sort of a chant or lamentation; his cries became louder and louder, his body became distorted, and swaying to and fro, he fell to the earth. This he repeated; then he spread out his hands to the east, then to the west, and in a moment started off. on a run up the hill in a straight line to a hole which was in the ground. Ar- riving at this he went through much the same gyrations and con- tortions. He then beckoned to his white companions to come up, pointing to the hole as the medicine hole. On being opened it was found to be a mineral vein and on being tested it was found to be tin. That lead is called the medicine lead on Cajalco hill and that is the manner in which its existence became known. The medicine was oxide of copper. Whether this story be true or not, the fact remains that the English company obtained control of the mines and a vast territory surrounding them. This year the English company sent an expert, a Mr. Crase, to examine the mines and report on what he found. The report he took back to England was most flattering,
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and the people of South Riverside had reason to believe that a vast industry would be opened right at their door. South Riverside was the nearest point to the mines. All supplies, and in fact every- thing that must go to the mines, would go from or through the new town. Therefore it was only reasonable that the people should expect . great things from the tin mines and patiently awaited results. .
The school facilities were of the most meager sort, with no margin for the growth of the district, and soon the matter began to be agitated. All was of the belief that a schoolhouse should be built, the only question was, how much of a schoolhouse should be built. The result of the agitation was a bond election and the voters, by a fair majority, voted to bond the district for $20,000. Twenty thousand dollars seemed something immense to those who voted against the measure, but the bonds were voted and sold at a small premium. A whole block of land was secured, after much debate, bounded by Ninth, Tenth, Victoria and Howard streets. The con- tract was let to A. W. Boggs, of Riverside, and work was commenced late in the winter.
It must be stated that the trustees, R. B. Taylor, F. H. Robinson and P. M. Coburn, set aside from the $20,000, $1,500 for the purpose of building a schoolhouse in the new town of Auburndale, then in the Yorba school district. The trustees experienced much troubled with the contractor and finally took the work from him and finished it themselves.
On Sunday, July 8th, occurred the first church dedication in the new town. The Congregational church, though built in 1887, was not finished; the walls were unfinished, the seats were boards laid on boxes and the early worshippers felt that they really were at the ragged edge of civilization when they entered the edifice. But now the building was finished and well seated, and the walls tastefully decorated. The Rev. C. B. Sumer, of Pomona, preached the dedica- tory sermon and the event marked an epoch in the history of the new town, this being the only place of worship. The building at that time faced the west and later was moved to the position it now occupies.
Late in the fall George L. Joy began the erection of a magnificent residence on the corner of Garretson avenue and the Boulevard, the present residence of the Platt sisters. Mr. Joy intended this for his residence, but before it was finished a Mr. McCarty, who had fallen
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in love with South Riverside, persuaded Mr. Joy to sell him the house. Mr. Joy did so and at once began plans for a still larger residence.
And so the colony. grew. Every prospect was bright and 1889 ยท opened auspiciously. The groves that had been set out were thriving wonderfully, and many new ones were being set. The growers were looking forward to golden profits. But now the colonists were to be tested by adversity, for as the weather began to grow warm came that scourge of new California towns, the grasshopper. In millions they came and soon the bright prospects were turned to gloom. The fight with the hopper was on in earnest. It was a condition that must be met and conquered or lose the valuable trees. One grower had a drove of turkeys which he drove up and down the rows of trees de- vouring hoppers as they walked. Another had ducks for the same purpose. Many pounds of strychnine were placed at the base of young trees and thousands of hoppers were thus killed, but all to no purpose. The scheme of enclosing the trees in cheesecloth sacks was tried, but the hoppers ate their way into the sacks and made the matter worse, and as a last resort gunny bags were tried and they were a success, keeping the hoppers out, or away from the trees. But this was not resorted to until the trees had suffered consid- erable damage, and it was long before many of the trees overcame the damage done, and perhaps some were injured permanently. The hoppers were present for two seasons, but the second season little damage was done. Although the hopper created so much trouble and damage, yet new settlers came and new groves were set out, and though building was not as brisk as the year previous, still new houses continued to be erected.
About this time considerable dissatisfaction began to be manifest in regard to the name of the town. It was said that people in the east carried the idea that South Riverside was a suburb of Riverside and that through this misconception South Riverside lost many who would otherwise have settled here, and it was said that many River- siders encouraged this misconception. However that may have been, the dissatisfaction existed and intensified as time passed, culminating in the final changing of the name.
The pipe line that was first laid irrigated land only below Ontario avenue; above this point was perhaps the best land in the colony and this year the Land and Water Company laid plans to add another
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pipe line, the same to be about on a line with Lemon street. This would give water to about two thousand acres of fine mesa land, on which are raised the finest lemons in the world. The year 1889 was somewhat of a blue year for the orchardist and the year 1890 was a year of anxiety, but though the hopper was very much in evi- dence, yet constant watchfulness prevented the damage that might otherwise have been done. It is said by old Californians that every new community must have the fight with hoppers until the land, or the most of it, has been cultivated. In the early part of 1891 a com- pany was formed in St. Louis, Mo., styled the Boston and South Riverside Fruit Company. This company bought many acres of land which was set with trees under the able management of T. P. Drink- water, who held the position for many years.
In the early part of 1891 the tin mines opened in earnest. A Colonel Robinson was placed in charge by the company and he proceeded to make the mountains ring with the hum of labor. A large number of skilled and unskilled workmen were employed, vast quantities of material of all kinds were ordered, all of which was brought from or through South Riverside; many teams were needed, as the road to the mines was but a trail after leaving the county road, and before Cajalco hill was reached much hard hill and treacherous grade had to be passed, thus making it neces- sary to load as light as possible. Soon great pigs of pure tin began to come over the trail and down to the South Riverside railroad depot for shipment and it was published to the world that the only tin mine in the United States, near South Riverside, was proving an immense success, and the settlers of the colony felt sure that this great industry had come to stay. Everyone had a small piece of tin which he showed with pride to those who visited the town. Through the tin mines the town was the recipient of an honor not usually accorded to small towns. President Harrison and the governor of the state, Markham, honored the town by stopping here a short time. Near the railroad depot was erected a great pyramid of tin. Surmounting it was an inscription telling that this was the first tin produced in the United States. The presi- dent stood near the pyramid and was photographed, as also was the governor, after which the president spoke briefly and congratulated South Riverside and California on having such a magnificent indus- try. Thus the fact that an actual tin mine was in operation and
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turning out tons of tin was spread broadcast over the country. Everything pertaining to the tin mines was done on a magnificent scale, the buildings were of the best, the machinery of the finest; the superintendent and his staff lived like princes; money was poured out lavishly, and the amount of tin produced began to grow less. But great plans were made; in the Hoags canyon they began the construction of a dam, and lower down the canyon vast masonry work was done with the intention of tunneling the hill to the base of the shaft and reducing the ore in the canyon instead of doing so at the hill top. This was no doubt good, had the amount of tin that was being produced warranted such procedure. But Mr. Robinson was called to London by the directors and roundly censured for the reckless manner in which he had spent the money meant to operate the mines, and he was dismissed. In his place was sent a Mr. Harris to look over the situation and report to the directors. But the shipment of tin gradually fell off, work gradually ceased, until, about July of 1892, work ceased entirely and the following winter all of the buildings, machinery, and whatever could be moved was sold at auction to satisfy claims. Thus died the great tin mines; many claims were not satisfied and the loss to some was great. Although the mines were a seeming failure, and though many were financial losers thereby, yet the mines were a boon to South River- side. Much of the money spent so lavishly found its way to the town, and many settled here on account of the mines. The money so spent came at a time when there was no income from the lands planted and perhaps the gain to the people, indirectly, was greater than the loss. It is not now known how great or how small the deposit of tin is in the lands worked thus far. It may be that in the future the belief of the dying Indian may prove true and vast deposits of tin be found. Today the masonry in the Hoags canyon is over- grown with weeds and trees. The site of the dam may be found by the evidences of past labor and Cajalco hill and the trail leading thereto has gone back to the primitive; where once was the hurry and bustle of labor is given over to the jack rabbit and coyote. While the tin was being smelted on Cajalco South Riverside was growing; acre after acre was being planted, a solid foundation being laid which would yield future wealth. In January, 1892, the Land and Water Co. let the contract to construct the upper pipe line. As before noted this would irrigate about two thousand acres of the
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finest land. Work was pushed along rapidly and in May of the same year the opening of the pipe line was celebrated. The whole population took part and made it a time of great jollification. Many acres were sold on that day and very soon the tract began to fill up with oranges and lemons.
The St. Louis Fruit Co. bought largely of the orange heights tract. This company was formed in 1892 and has been a factor in town ever since. At present the company owns one hundred and eighty acres of lemons, employs seventy-five men and this year shipped two hundred and twenty carloads of lemons. It was or- ganized under the name of the St. Louis Fruit Co., but several years ago the name was changed to the Corona Lemon Co. and since the change has been under the very able management of S. B. Hampton.
The social side of the young community also began to take form. In June of this year the Independent Order of Foresters organized with a large membership, the first organization of the kind in the new town. Later the Odd Fellows and Masons organ- ized, and so the town began to take on an air of a really settled community and the little fruit thus far grown was an encouraging sample of what the future would bring.
In the beginning the Land and Water Co. set aside, for ceme- tery purposes, land beyond the wash, north of town. This was used for burial purposes until 1892. The winter of 1891-2 brought copious rains, so much that the low ground north of the depot was full of water and it was impossible to get to the cemetery. This was an unfortunate condition, as there was no place to bury the dead and those who died during the flood period had to be buried in the most convenient place. This caused an agitation for a different place for a cemetery. A few citizens met and proposed to secure a cemetery site and form an association. The first trustees elected were R. D. Barber, William Corkhill, N. C. Hudson, P. M. Coburn, T. P. Drinkwater and O. A. Smith. After looking at several proposed sites the spot now used as a cemetery was chosen and bought from the Land and Water Co. The land is beautifully located on the bluff near Commercial street on the northeast and on Rimpau street on the southeast. The bodies that were in the older ceme- tery were removed to the new site and the change was very accept- able to everyone. It was incorporated under the name of the South
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Riverside Cemetery Association, and though the corporate name has not been changed, the name it is known by is Sunny Slope Ceme- tery, a name selected by Mrs. E. L. S. Joy.
The building operations this year were considerable. Many new houses were built, and Main street was improved by the build- ing of the one-story brick building next to the Bank Building on west side of Main, also J. C. Stege, a pioneer merchant, built the two-story brick building on the east side of Main street below Sixth street. This was a very fine building and added much to the ap- pearance of the town.
The first gratifying results to the orange growers came in Jan- 'uary, 1893, when the first carload of oranges was shipped; the fruit was grown by George L. Joy, A. S. Fraser and N. C. Hudson. There being no packing house built as yet the fruit was packed in the groves. ,The fruit proved to be of the finest quality and an ex- cellent advertisement for the new colony.
In April of this year the Woman's Christian Temperance Union was reorganized; in the first year of the colony this organiza- tion started, but soon died out. A number of ladies felt that there was much need of a reading room in the town for the use of many men who had no means of obtaining good literature, and that the organization could take this matter up along with the other work of their society. In fact this work was a part of their duty. Hence they reorganized and at once started a movement for the establishment of a reading room. The churches co-operated with them and the latter part of this year a reading room was opened in the store room now occupied by George Allensworth as a grocery. It was very successful and was kept open for a number of years.
The movement that interested the citizens of the town and county this year was the division of the county or the formation of the new county of Riverside. The county bill was passed by the legislature in February and signed by the governor on March 11. An election was held on the 2nd of May to ratify and elect county officers. South Riverside voted almost solid for the new county. There was much disappointment that one or more of the offices did not come to South Riverside. Perhaps Riverside thought that we asked for too much at the convention. Be that as it may, South Riverside felt sorely disappointed not to have one representative in the county government. The change meant but little for the
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town of South Riverside, yet everyone felt satisfied. This year the Episcopalians organized with ten members. The Rev. Alfred Fletcher was pastor; for several years, or until they built the pres- ent church building, the members met in the schoolhouse. In June of this year a Grand Army Post was organized by the veterans of the town, naming it Carleton Post. At the time there were but few veterans in the town, but as time passed their numbers were in- creased by new arrivals. The Post is still flourishing.
George L. Joy perfected plans for a new residence and the beautiful residence on the Grand Boulevard was the result. Mr. Porter of Riverside was the contractor and it was finished in the year 1893. This is perhaps one of the finest residences, if not the finest, in the town and is located in the finest resident portion of the town.
There was no cessation of tree planting, new groves springing up all through the colony. The experiment had proven that there was no better land or location for citrus fruits and it soon got abroad that South Riverside was a very favored corner of the world. But one thing marred the prospect, and that was the fear of shortage of water. The lands purchased by the Land and Water Co. in the Temescal canyon were no doubt expected to furnish enough water for the colony for many years. The years from the beginning had been favored in winter with a good supply of rain, but in 1893 began a series of dry years, and while new wells were sunk in the water bearing lands, yet it did not materially increase the total water supply. The fast increase of acreage set to fruit soon made it apparent that the water supply was not sufficient. This was a most serious condition, as water being king, a possible shortage was not comforting to think of, in fact not enough water meant ruin to many who had put their all in citrus fruit. The mat- ter began to be agitated and meetings were held to devise ways and means of increasing the supply. At this time the water was under the supervision of the Land and Water Co., each buyer, of land with water on it being a stockholder. The company made every effort to increase the supply, but in vain, and it was evident that some other location than the Temescal must be found for the devel- opment of water.
The cry, not enough water, has been the cry of very many Cal- ifornia towns, and when all is considered it is not strange that such
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should be the case. The people of the east knew little or nothing of irrigation, and thousands who came here knew as much of the value of water as the natives of the Peruvian mountains. Hence it is not strange that the promoters of the colony believed that they had plenty of water. However this may have been, the shortage existed and after much discussion it was decided to buy the Lake Elsinore. This lake, about twenty miles from the town, contained a large volume of water and bad it been pure would have been a veritable Godsend to the people of South Riverside. The lake was tapped in 1895 and the water conducted to the lands and used in the orchards. The difficulty seemed to be overcome and the land .owners were satisfied that the water question was permanently settled. But their hopes were soon shattered, as the water began to have a damaging effect on the trees and it was found by analysis that continued use of the water would eventually destroy the trees. This was sad for the orchardists and it began to look as though fate was certainly against them. First the grasshopper, then shortage of water and then water that was killing the trees. Irrigation with it was discontinued and the growers had to be put on short allowance of water until something could be done. One ray of light to the grower was the quick recovery of the trees as soon as the water from the lake was stopped. There may have been some groves that took years to recover, but the majority were soon restored.
In this same year of 1893 Oscar Theime, a native of Holland, bought the piece of land on the corner of Lester and Lemon streets and began to improve it. It was Mr. Theime's intention to make it very beautiful and he succeeded in so doing. A part of the land was set to citrus fruit and the balance of it was laid out in an artistic manner. Costly and rare trees of many species were set out, many rare and beautiful shrubs and plants, and today Lemonia Grove is the show place of the town. Mr. Theime made this his home for a number of years, and finally, on leaving the town, the place was purchased by W. H. Jameson, who takes pride in keeping it beautiful.
At this time R. B. Taylor purchased the property which he named Cerrito Rancho, on the edge of the colony lands southeast of town. This property Mr. Taylor improved by setting it out to citrus fruits, mostly lemons. Near the center of the property is
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