USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1913 > Part 42
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ORIGIN OF NAMES
Elk Grove was so named because of a number of elk horns found in a grove of timber, near which in 1850 James Hall established his hotel and painted on its sign an elk's head. The name of Florin was given to that locality by the late Judge E. B. Crocker about 1864. The choice of that name was due to the great quantity of wild flowers to be seen in the fields. When the town was started in 1875, it re- ceived the same name. Folsom was named for J. L. Folsom, who died July 19, 1855.
There is some romance connected with the naming of Forest City in Sierra county, and it may not be amiss to mention in this connection the history of the name. The first store at the forks of Oregon creek was built by Samnel Hammond and was called Yomana store, from the bluff above the town, which was called by that name, meaning "Sacred Hill." In 1853 a meeting was held by the citizens for the purpose of selecting a name for the village. There was a tie vote for Forks of Oregon and Yomana. The matter was compromised by agreeing to call the town after the first woman settler. The first lady resident was Mary Davis, wife of a baker. After her advent the town was called indiscriminately Forks of Oregon and Marietta. Davis soon sold out to a man named Captain Mooney, whose wife's name was Forest. Mrs. Mooney was a woman of education and con- tributed several articles to the Marysville paper. The articles were dated from Forest City. The editor did not know the location of that place, but published the correspondence as it was sent in and thus the name was used for the first time. Mrs. Mooney afterwards called into consultation several of the leading citizens and succeeded in having the place formally named in her honor.
The name of Galt was suggested for that town when it was laid
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ont. John McFarland, who suggested the name to Judge E. B. Crocker, and who had come from Canada, desired to name the place after the town of Galt in Upper Canada, where he had served his apprenticeship. The Canadian village had been named in honor of a Mr. Galt. The valley of Ione was named before the town was started and owes its title to Thomas Brown, a lover of books, who selected the name after one of the characters in the Last Days of Pompeii by Bulwer Lytton. The town was first called Bedbug, then Freezeout and finally Ione.
Natoma is an Indian name signifying Clear Water. The name was given in 1850 to the Mormon island postoffice on the suggestion of the late Judge A. P. Catlin. Afterwards the township was given the same name. Sntterville was named after Gen. John A. Sntter. Andrus island was named after George Andrns, who died there in 1852. Rancho del Paso means Ranch of the Pass and is often al- luded to as the Norris grant, Samuel Norris having formerly owned the land. The American river was given that name by a company of western trappers who lived near its banks for a number of years between 1822 and 1830. Hicksville was named after William Hicks, an early settler. The Mokelumne river derives its name from a powerful tribe of Indians, the Mokelhos, who inhabited its lower banks and the adjacent territory. The Spaniards called it Rio de los Moqnelemnos. The Cosumnes river was named from the Cosum- nes tribe. Mormon island was named from the Mormons who settled there. Routier was named after Hon. Joseph Rontier. The Sacra- mento river was first named Jesus Maria by Lientenant Moraga and the Feather was named by him the Sacramento, but later the names were changed to their present form.
LEVEES
Previous to the flood of 1850 there had been no attempt at pro- tecting the city by levees, owing to a wide divergence of opinion among the citizens, many of whom, coming from the East, had had no experience with floods and could not be convinced of the danger. But the flood of 1850 effected a sudden conversion in many of these and they became ardent supporters of a levee plan. Surveyors were employed as the waters receded, to survey lines and locate a levee. On the morning of January 29, 1850, a meeting of citizens was called at the office of Priest, Lee & Co., to provide means to protect the city. Barton Lee was appointed chairman and J. L. L. F. Warren, secre- tary. Committees were appointed to lay ont the work, and at a second meeting, on February 2nd, estimates were presented and the city council instructed the city engineer to prepare plans and esti- mates for the work. Four commissioners, Barton Lee and II. Big- low from the city and T. A. Warren and Colonel Smith from the council were appointed to act with the engineer in locating the levee.
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The engineer made an estimate of one hundred sixty-one thousand cubic yards of earthwork, but the levee was not located on the lines laid ont by him. On April 29th, the citizens voted to raise by tax $250,000 for constructing a levee, only fifteen voting against it. The levee was built during the year from the high ground near Sutter- ville west to the east bank of the Sacramento, thence northerly along the bank of the river to the month of the American and then east- erly along that river to high ground, about two and one-half miles. It was three feet high, six feet on top and twelve feet wide at the base, being much wider directly in front of the city.
But this was found entirely inadequate for protection in 1552. It was severely criticized by the Union of March 8th, and on the 10th the mayor recommended to the council the building of a levee on I street to Sixth, thence along the high ground to abreast of Sut- ter's Fort, and thence to the "Ridge." This was done, and the people felt secure once more. But on the night of December 19, 1852, a break occurred between Stewart's house on the American, and "the Ridge." It widened to eighty feet and the city was once more inundated. The water again entered the city January 2, 1853, but did little damage. July 29, 1853, an ordinance was passed ap- propriating $50,000 for raising and strengthening the levee, the work to be paid for in "levee serip," bearing interest at two per cent per month. This levee ran "from the intersection of the levee on the Sacramento river and I street; thence following the line of levee as built, down I street to Sixth; thence north along Sixth to the bank of the slough; thence along the slough northeasterly to A street; thence easterly along A street to Thirty-first; thence south- erly, inside of the slough (Burns) to R street; thence along R street to the river; thence along Front street to the beginning." No pro- vision was made in the $50,000 appropriation for the levee down R street and along Burns' Slough, this being voted afterwards by the citizens as a loan. Up to January 1, 1854, the sum expended for levee was abont $600,000.
In November, 1860, the levee at Rabel's tannery was strengthened by building a new piece of levee and a wing dam to turn the eur- rent away, but all precautions proved to be useless, for in March, 1861, the American river rose suddenly, carried away the wing dam, and seriously damaged the levee, but did not enter the city. December 9, 1861, the Thirty-first street levee broke near Burns' Slough, and broke again two weeks later, but was rebuilt. January 9, 1862, the American rose again, piling up the water at Rabel's tannery two feet higher than at any other part of the channel. It overflowed the levee and caused a large crevasse. A subscription of $50,000 was raised to close the break, and a new levee was built inside the old one. But this gave way on February 22nd, a crevasse eight hundred feet wide being washed out. This was repaired and in the spring
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and summer of 1862 the whole system of levees was strengthened, raised and put in good condition.
The project of turning the American river so that it would flow into the Sacramento river some miles below the city, as proposed by Mr. Zneblin and Mr. Robinson and brought into notice again lately, is not a new one, having been advanced by engineers in 1862.
In 1861, owing to the previous floods which had devastated the city, the matter of providing levees for its protection became a live issue, and the state board of swamp land commissioners was formed, the city of Sacramento being included within the limits of swamp land district No. 2. B. F. Leet was appointed by the board engineer of the district. He made a report recommending that the levee for the protecting of his district should commence at Brighton on the Ameri- can river, following the river down to the Sacramento city levee, and following the line of the levee down the Sacramento to Y street and thence down the east bank of the river. All of this levee above the city and in it was certified to the city levee commission, and C. C. Tracy was appointed the engineer to finish the job. From data se- enred by them during the flood of January 10, 1862, the engineers arrived at the conclusion that, as the reclamation of the valleys pro- gressed, thus contracting the area through which the water brought down by the two rivers must flow, it would be necessary to raise the levees each year, and that eventually Sacramento would find itself in the same position in which Marysville is today-that of discharging the flood waters on a level with the tops of the honses. An alterna- tive proposition was presented by cutting a large canal from the bend of the American river at Brighton to the low ground in the vicinity of Freeport, turning the American into the canal, and thus relieving Sacramento from the continual menace of the flood waters. This solution of the question has never been attempted, but is at present being seriously discussed.
April 9, 1862, the legislature created a board of city levee com- missioners, to consist of five members, and pending the regular elec- tion, named H. T. Holmes, Charles Crocker, William F. Knox, Charles H. Swift and Francis Tukey to act until the election should be held. In 1878 the citizens voted to build a levee from Front and Y streets, along the old line of the American river to the northern boundary of the city and thence to Brighton, on the line of the Central Pacific, to the embankment of the Sacramento Valley road. The cross levee of the railroad on R street was the only protection of the city on the south until the Y street levee was built, in December of that year. As all the breaks of the levees in the early years except one had been from the flood waters of the American river, this danger was minim- ized by turning the course of the American river. This was done in 1868, by entting a canal from a point just below the railroad bridge over the American, through a point of land, by which the channel of
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the river was changed and the stream was made to empty into the Sacramento about a mile north of its old month. The current was thus thrown away from the levee, and the intervening ground has grown up to willows, thus rendering the north levee secure. The sharp bend which flung the river current against the levee at Twenty-eighth street, at Rabel's tannery, and which the engineers reported in the floods of 1861 and 1862, piled the water up two feet higher than it was below the bend, has been filled in with sand and detritus, a spur levee having been built by property owners to deflect the current.
Some years ago the Southern Pacific Company proposed to the city trustees that, if given the privilege of storing their extra cars on the levee north of the city, they would widen it and keep it in repair, and the offer was accepted. Since that time the levee has been greatly widened and strengthened, and is considered almost, if not quite, impregnable to the waters. This levee has been repeatedly raised since 1867, when the American river rose to the greatest height known till that time, and might have inundated the city again, if the railroad embankment to the bridge, which at that time was solid, and obstructed the free course of the water, had not given way, and re- lieved the situation. A number of years ago the Y street levee was raised several feet and widened, after the Lovdal break had convinced the city authorities that the safety of the city would be conserved thereby.
For many years our levees have been considered as securing the absolute safety of the city, as in times of flood the levees on the Yolo side generally gave way or else the levees below the city yielded, as in the case of the Lovdal break and the Edwards break. But during the past year the levee on the Yolo side above the city has been greatly raised and strengthened by the Vallejo Northern Electric Company, while the reclamation work being done by the Natomas Consolidated Company will still further contract the carrying capacity of the American and Sacramento rivers in flood times. This increases the danger to the city levees from a great and sudden rise of the rivers in an unusual rainy season. In view of this fact, the idea of the engineers in 1862 has been revived and is being seriously discussed, as a means of relieving the situation, and varions plans are proposed. Perhaps the most feasible and permanent solution of the question would be that suggested in the report of the United States reclama- tion and irrigation surveys, that a series of immense storage reser- voirs could be constructed on the torrential streams tributary to the Sacramento river, impounding the flood waters and conserving them for summer use in irrigating the valley lands, instead of allowing them to run to waste to the sea, inflicting sometimes immense damage to the dwellers of the lowlands.
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THE FUNDED DEBT
An act was passed in 1872 by the legislature providing for a board of commissioners of the funded debt sinking fund of the city. In 1858 the city and county government had been consolidated and the supervisors given authority to fund all "legal debts and liabil- ities" against the city and issue new six per cent bonds for them. Under the stress of flood and fire and other causes a heavy bonded debt had been incurred. The general opinion held that much of the debt was without authority of law and could not be classed as legal obligations. Under the act of 1872 the supervisors not only funded the debts that were considered legal, but also all of the old bonds presented, which were held to be illegal. Great opposition was aroused to the paying of bonds so funded. In 1864 a law had been passed authorizing the city trustees to levy a special tax of one-half per cent to raise a sinking fund for the purchase of the bonds at a rate of not more than thirty cents on a dollar, but the tax rate already was so high that no action was taken. In 1872 a law was passed restraining the commissioners from paying more than thirty-five cents on the dollar for any of the bonds, which had not for ten years sold above that price, but generally at about twenty cents. In 1880 on the 1st of January the debt was, in round numbers, with accrued in- terest on the bonds, $2,414,000. After much litigation a compromise was made during the administration of William Land as mayor, and the debt was refunded for $1,500,000.
CHAPTER XXXIV CAPITAL AND CAPITOL
California's history contains one peculiar feature. It never passed through the territorial stage deemed necessary for the other states previous to their admission. The United States took possession of it when war was declared against Mexico, ontwitting and outman- euvering the English, who were preparing to seize it. From that time until its admission as a state it was under the rule of a military governor. June 3, 1849, Gen. B. Riley, the military governor of the state, issued from Monterey a proclamation for the holding of an election on August 1st of that year to elect delegates to a general convention and for the filling of several necessary offices. At this election delegates were chosen to the constitutional convention, which met at Monterey September 3, 1849, prepared a constitution that was submitted to the people and ratified by them on November 13th of the same year. At the same election an entire state and legislative ticket was elected, as well as two representatives to congress. The legislative assembly of San Francisco and a provisional government meeting at San Jose had both recommended the calling of such a convention in
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order that some plan of government might be evolved that would put an end to the chaotic condition of affairs existing. General Riley had the wisdom to recognize the desires of the people, as thus expressed, and issued his proclamation instead of asserting his authority to govern.
The senators and assemblymen-elect met December 15, 1849, at San Jose, and on December 30th the state government of California was established and Governor Peter H. Burnett was inaugurated as the first governor of the state of California. Soon afterwards William M. Gwin and John C. Fremont were elected the first United States senators from the state. There had never been a territorial form of government, California had never been admitted to the Union. Not- withstanding these facts, the people had elected a state government and United States senators and representatives, who immediately started for Washington, to work for the admission of their state to the Union. The unparalleled audacity of California's pioneers broke all precedent of routine as to statehood admission and showed that they were the stuff of which men born to rule are made. It mattered little to them what legal objection there might be to their action, nor that congress had passed no bill for her admission, and might never pass one. California had declared herself a state, and not only that, but a free state, and had sent her representatives to Washington to notify congress to hurry up and admit her. And her audacity won ont, too. Such an achievement is worthy of more than one page in any history relating to California, and her sons and daughters should see to it that the brilliant achievement of their sires is not forgotten.
As soon as Governor Burnett was inaugurated, General Riley, with rare judgment, issued a remarkable proclamation, as follows: "To the People of California :
"A new executive having been elected and installed in office, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the state, the undersigned hereby resigns his powers as governor of California. In thus dissolving his official connection with the people of this country, he would tender to them his heartfelt thanks for their many kind at- tentions, and for the uniform support which they have given to the measures of his administration. The principal object of all his wishes is now accomplished-the people have a government of their own choice, and one which, under the favor of Divine Providence, will se- cure their own prosperity and happiness, and the permanent welfare of the new state.
"Given at San Jose, this 20th day of December, A. D., 1849. "B. RILEY, "Brevet Brig. Gen., U. S. A., and Governor of California. "By the Governor: W. H. HALLECK,
"Brevet Captain and Secretary of State."
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The constitutional convention fixed the seat of state government at San Jose. The first legislature therefore met there on December 15th following. Finding the accommodations there too limited, how- ever, it accepted the proposition of Gen. M. G. Vallejo to remove the capital to his place. They met there January 5, 1852, but found themselves in a worse plight than at San Jose, as the general had undertaken more than he could accomplish, and was behind with his contract to furnish a building for the session. Sacramento then be- stirred itself, and indorsed the court of sessions in its action in offer- ing the use of the courthouse to the legislature. That body accepted the offer January 12, 1852, and lost no time, arriving here the next day on the steamer Empire. The city put on gala attire and the citi- zens welcomed the members with a grand ball, at which the tickets were sold for twenty dollars.
During the session the contest for the honor of being the state capital grew hotter and hotter between the rival claimants, and all sorts of legal technicalities were put in use to influence the selection of a location. The state records had been at San Jose, the place selected as the seat of government by the constitutional convention, and doubts were entertained by many as to the legality of removing them to Vallejo, there being no safe place there for keeping them, and also as to whether they conld be removed to Sacramento, which had not yet been declared the capital.
On April 30, 1852, the legislature passed a bill declaring the seat of government to be at Vallejo, and ordering the governor to remove the state records to that place. General Vallejo then procured a can- cellation of his contract, and the legislature, after meeting in Vallejo in January, 1853, soon adjourned to Benicia, declaring it to be the capital. It met there again Jannary 2, 1854, when Governor Bigler submitted to it a communication from the mayor and council of Sacra- mento, tendering to the state the free use of the courthouse, with its safe, vaults, etc., together with a deed for the block of land between I and J, Ninth and Tenth streets. On the 9th of February, Senator A. P. Catlin introduced a bill in the senate providing for the fixing of the permanent seat of government at Sacramento, and accepting the block of land, which was passed. The legislature then adjourned to this city, where the citizens received the members and state officers with an enthusiastic demonstration.
The legislature met in the new courthouse March 1, 1854. But its troubles were not all settled yet. On the 24th of the month it passed a law compelling the supreme court to hold its sessions here, but that body retaliated by holding the opinion that San Jose was the constitutional and legal capital, and refused to come. Subsequently, however, a change of judges of the supreme court effected a decision that Sacramento was the legal capital. In accordance with that deci- sion, all sessions of the legislature since 1854, with the exception of
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that in the year of the great flood, 1862, have been held in Sacramento,
On April 11, 1893, a few days before the adjournment of the leg- islature, the Evening Bee published an article making some grave charges against the personal character and conduct of some of the legislators, and thanking God that the legislature was abont to ad- journ. The edition became known as the "Thank God" edition. The members of the legislature took umbrage at the article, and claiming that it was an insult to the whole body, hastily formulated a resolu- tion anthorizing the people of the state to vote on the removal of the capital to San Jose, and rushed it through the same evening, many members regarding it as a joke on Sacramento. The result created great excitement in the city, and an indignation meeting called at the courthouse denounced the Bee and assured the legislature that the article did not represent the sentiments of the community. The next day the board of trade ordered a boycott on the Bee for injuring the interests of the city. The Bee stuck by its guns and offered to prove its charges, but the legislature adjourned without reseinding the reso- Intion. The incident occasioned much bitter feeling, but in the end was beneficial to Sacramento, for the citizens, while admitting that the removal of the capital would be a blow to their civic pride, re- sented the slurring taunt that its retention here was a financial neces- sity to the city, and inaugurated and carried to completion a number of public improvements that were the initiation of the united work of the community in making Sacramento one of the most beautiful cities in the state. While the vote of the people, if the matter had been referred to them, would have been against the removal, the issue was not made, for in April, 1894, the supreme court decided that the resolution of the legislature was unconstitutional.
In 1907 a number of members of the legislature took umbrage at Sacramento, and a constitutional amendment was adopted, remov- ing the seat of government from Sacramento to Berkeley, as a pun- ishment to the former city. It was submitted to the people of the state at the election in November, 1908, and was defeated by so de- cisive a majority that it is not likely another of similar import will ever be introduced again.
In April, 1856, the legislature provided for the issue of bonds amounting to $800,000 for the erection of a Capitol building on the plaza between Ninth and Tenth, I and J streets, which had been deeded to the state by the city for that purpose. The board of com- missioners appointed to superintend the building approved the plans of Reuben Clark for the structure, awarded the contract to Joseph Mongnes for $200,000, and broke ground for the building on Decem- ber 4th. On the 15th of the month, however, the commissioners re- fused to issue the bonds, because the supreme court had decided that the state had no authority to contract so large a debt. The contractor brought suit to compel the fulfillment of the contract, but he was
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