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, 1923, Part 40

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026

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, 1923 > Part 40

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In 1859 the citizens of Sacramento by an al- most unanimous vote taxed themselves one- quarter of a cent and purchased the quarter of a block on the northeast corner of Sixth and M streets, for building a pavilion for the so- ciety. On July 1 the corner-stone was laid, and the building, which still stands, was accepted on September 1. It was used as an agricul- tural pavilion till the second one was built in 1884. The second pavilion was built on Fif- teenth Street, between M and N, in the Capitol Park, and was in use until it was condemned, about fifteen years ago, and torn down. The old race-track was sold about eighteen years ago, and is now covered with fine residences. The new grounds of the society were pur- chased beyond the county hospital and build- ings erected there. The pavilion on Fifteenth Street was in the shape of a Greek cross, each part being 400 feet long, and cost $80,000, Sac- ramento city donating half the amount. To the earnest and intelligent work done by the society, California owes a great share of its

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improvement in stock, and in fruit-raising, grain-raising and other branches of agricul- ture, which have brought it to a front rank among the states of the Union.

The officers of the State Agricultural Society at present are: H. A. Jastro, Bakersfield, president ; T. H. Ramsay. Red Bluff, vice- president ; Charles W. Paine, Sacramento, sec- retary : Fred W. Links, Sacramento, assistant secretary. Directors: I. L. Borden. San Fran- cisco; Ralph W. Bull, Arcata; T. H. Dudley, Santa Monica ; Ellis Franklin, Colfax; Fred H. Harvey, Galt; H. A. Jastro, Bakersfield; E. Forest Mitchell, Belvedere; John M. Perry, Stockton; George W. Pierce, Davis; T. H. Ramsay, Red Bluff ; and George C. Roeding, Fresno.

Sacramento Valley Development Association

The Sacramento Valley Development Asso- ciation was formally organized at a meeting held at Woodland, Yolo County, January 15 and 16, 1900. The suggestion of such an or- ganization for the valley was evidently made by C. W. Thomas, an attorney of Woodland. He passed the suggestion on to Gen. Will S. Green with the request that the Colusa County board of trade call a meeting of delegates from the various counties and municipalities of the valley for the purpose of discussing the cre- ation of such an organization. General Green, realizing the need, prevailed upon the Colusa County board of trade to issue such a call, and the meeting at Woodland was the result. The records show that six counties (Colusa, Yuba, Sacramento, Sutter, Glenn and Yolo) were represented by delegates at that meeting. The meeting was called to order by C. W. Thomas, and D. H. Arnold of Colusa and George Clark of Woodland were elected temporary chair- man and temporary secretary. Among those who took a prominent part in this first meet- ing were: C. W. Thomas, Gen. Will S. Green, Robert T. Devlin, George V. Martin, Marshall Diggs, Dr. D. P. Durst of Woodland, Frank Miller of Sacramento, Hon. F. D. Ryan of Sac- ramento, James M. O'Brien of Marysville, Hon. George W. Pierce of Davis, J. O. Cole- man and Col. E. A. Forbes of Marysville. At this meeting Gen. Will S. Green of Colusa was elected president, and acted in that capacity until his death July 3, 1905. Soon after this meeting at Woodland the office of the associa- tion was moved to Colusa, and F. E. Wright of that place was elected secretary.

The call for the first meeting held in Wood- land invited delegates to attend the meeting of the Sacramento Valley Irrigation Convention. The second meeting was held at Oroville, where permanent organization was finally per- fected and the name changed to the Sacra- mento Valley Development Association.

The greatest difficulty confronting the or- ganization in its early days existed in the rais- ing of funds for its support. General Green personally visited the counties of the Sacra- mento Valley and appealed to the several boards of supervisors for an appropriation of fifty dollars each. The delegates from each county paid their own expenses for several years, and the lack of funds made it practically impossible for the association to accomplish any work which required the expenditure of any sums of money. Its moral influence, however, was great, and its first efforts were directed towards an educational campaign in the Sacramento Valley so that those already living here might know the opportunities and advantages that this district possessed in com- parison with other sections of the world. One of the first undertakings of the association was to confer with the owners of the Glenn ranch in Glenn County and induce its subdivision into small farm tracts. Efforts were directed to securing reports from the United States De- partment of Agriculture upon the various lands of the valley and the possibilities for irrigating the same. The Geological Survey was induced to send experts here for the pur- pose of mapping the sites for storage reser- voirs, and thus was started the study of the water-control problems of the Sacramento Valley.

As the organization grew the need of addi- tional funds was apparent, and a custom was inaugurated which exists at the present time, that each county should contribute to the sup- port of the organization a fund equivalent to one-half cent on each one hundred dollars of assessed valuation.

In 1909 the need of extensively advertising the Sacramento Valley was evident, and the association undertook to raise an advertising fund of $50,000 a year for five years, or a total of $250.000. This fund was raised for three years, a magazine was established and pub- lished for six years, and $95,000 was spent in this way. The organization has grown to be recognized as one of the largest factors of pub- lic improvement on the Pacific Coast. Its work is extensive, consisting of the installation and maintenance of exhibits at various points throughout the American continent. issu- ance of literature, advertising in publications throughout the United States and various other lines of activity.

Soon after the death of General Green. Hon. Marshall Diggs, who had been closely identi- fied with the enterprise since its inception, was elected president, and still holds that office. In August, 1903, the office was moved to Sacra- mento, where a building especially built for the purpose near the Southern Pacific depot is occupied. W. A. Beard of Oroville was

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selected as the secretary-manager, and still fills that position. The officers of the associa- tion at present are: Marshall Diggs, presi- dent; Newton Cleveland, E. Franklin, C. H. Dunton, Ernest Weyand and W. A. Beard, vice-presidents; W. A. Beard, general man- ager ; C. F. Dillman, treasurer ; Miss M. Sex- ton, secretary. Directors: Morris Brooke, Sacramento; Newton Cleveland, San Fran- cisco; A. L. Conard, Red Bluff ; Marshall Diggs, Sacramento; C. H. Dunton, Sacra- mento; H. C. Flournoy, Quincy; E. Frank- lin, Colfax; Floyd Forbes, Marysville; I. J. Proulx, Willows; B. F. Rush, Suisun; Louis Tarke, West Butte; Ernest Weyand, Colusa ; and W. A. Beard, Marysville. The organiza- tion embraces the counties in the Sacramento Valley watershed and is representative of the valley's commercial organizations.

Chamber of Commerce

The Sacramento Chamber of Commerce has grown into a live, throbbing, influential com- mercial organization that is generally consid- ered by the leading boost bodies over the country to be the most ably conducted of any in the West, and surpassed by few in the United States. The growth of the Chamber was accelerated and its greatest activities were launched during the administration of Harry S. Maddox, secretary-manager, who was in office during the memorable campaigns of 1919 for clear water and more schools, two big factors in the city's constructive programn. The success of these campaigns is largely to be credited to the organization, so ably led by Secretary Maddox, with the assistance of President Charles E. Virden and the wide- awake board of directors.

During 1920 Arthur S. Dudley, who had been the assistant secretary and active man- ager of the Los Angeles Chamber of Com- merce, succeeded Mr. Maddox, who resigned to take up other work which soon led to his selection by Governor Stephens as the state market director. Mr. Dudley has made good from the start. Through his live methods he has awakened the public spirit of Sacramento, which for years had lain dormant as regards many community activities, and has forged

together the most progressive men and women of the city into a full-fledged fighting-force for the building of a greater Sacramento. He almost immediately set at work to erect a new home on the lot owned and kept up at contin- ual expense through the payment of taxes and interest, without deriving any material good in return except in the increased value of the property ; and in December, 1921, the hopes of the officers, directors, and members of the Chamber were realized, when the organization moved into the new $85,000 home on Seventh Street, adjoining the "Sacramento Bee" build- ing. The new home is elegantly furnished and has every facility for carrying on the various activities of the boost body. When the build- ing was occupied, it was free from debt, and the lot was also paid for.

The following were the officers and directors in office during 1921, prior to the advent of the new board during the fall of that year : Charles E. Virden, president; Mitchell W. Nathan, vice-president ; Charles B. Bills, treas- urer ; and Arthur S. Dudley, secretary-mana- ger. Directors: C. B. Bills, L. F. Brenner, F. E. Conner, Herman Davis, C. F. Dillman, Albert Elkus, J. C. Havely, Fontaine Johnson, J. C. Hobrecht, Chris R. Jones, Carl A. La- mus, J. E. Lynn, M. W. Nathan, Charles E. Virden, H. E. Yardley, Wilson D. Bennett, Fred W. Dawson, W. E. Hibbitt, H. G. Krebs, Ben Leonard, Royal Miller, A. W. Nor- ris, Dr. J. H. Parkinson, Fred C. Weil, and Clinton Harber.

The present (1922) officers of the Chamber are: C. E. Virden, president ; L. F. Breuner, vice-president; C. B. Bills, treasurer ; A. S. Dudley, secretary-manager ; and Irvin Engler, assistant secretary. Directors : Ben Leonard, H. E. Diggles, Milton J. Ferguson, George D. Hudnutt, Alex Kaiser, H. J. McCurry, Mrs. J. D. Meredith, John H. Miller, S. W. Russell, L. S. Upson, H. G. Krebs, J. H. Parkinson, Clinton Harber, E. S. Carpenter, F. A. S. Foale, E. A. Gammon, Fred J. Johns, J. E. Lynn, C. B. Bills, L. F. Breuner, W. A. Hicks, W. F. Purnell, Herman Davis, W. E. Hibbitt, F. E. Conner, C. E. Virden, A. M. Bullock, W. I. Elliott, H. E. Yardley, J. H. Stephens.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

CHAPTER XXX

HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS

I N AN earlier chapter reference was made to the suffering in 1849 and 1850 of the inhabitants of Sacramento and the immi- grants who came across the plains or around the Horn in search of gold. Some of them had lost their stores of provisions or exhausted them. Some had started without calculating on the conditions they would find here. Some had been despoiled by the attacks of Indians, and, losing their horses or cattle, had been obliged to abandon part of their wagons and stores. And some of those coming by both of the routes had been attacked by scurvy on account of the scarcity of vegetables, and were in wretched condition when they arrived here. The generosity of General Sutter afforded the impoverished strangers temporary relief, but more than temporary relief was needed where there were so many destitute and suffering.

The situation in Sacramento was graphically set forth by Dr. Morse in his history. He says: "At this time Sacramento was a nu- cleus of attraction to the world. It was the great starting point to the vast and glittering gold fields of California, with the tales of which the whole universe became astounded. and which men of every clime and nation sought to reach, without a moment's reflection upon the cost or hazard of such an adventure. The only consideration upon the part of 100 .- 000 gold-seekers who were preparing for emi- gration to California was dispatch. Time wasted on prudential outfits, upon the acquire- ment of means beyond the passage fee to San Francisco, and peradventure a little spending money to dissipate the impatience of delay. was as well wasted in any other way. What were a few dollars that required months to accumulate in the Atlantic states, to the gold- gleaming ounces that California gave weekly as compensation to the simplest labor ?

"All that men seemed to wish for was the means of setting foot on California soil; few were sufficiently provident in their calcula- tions to provide, anything beyond the mere landing at San Francisco. Out of the thou- sands who landed at the above place in the interval referred to, not one in 100 arrived in the country with money enough to buy him a decent outfit for the mines. Such was the heedlessness with which people immi-

grated to this country during the incipient progress of the gold-seeking fever. In all parts of the world vessels of every size and condition were put up for the great El Dorado, and as soon as put up were filled to overflow- ing with men who had not the remotest con- ception of the terrible sufferings they were to encounter. Along the entire coast of the American continent, in every prominent port in Europe, in nearly every maritime port in Asia, and in nearly all the islands in the world, were men struggling with reckless determina- tion for the means of coming to California. The savings of years were instantly appropri- ated, goods and chattels sold at ruinous sac- rifices, homesteads mortgaged for loans ob- tained upon destructive rates of interest, and jewelry, keepsakes and pension fees pledged for the reimbursement of a beggarly steerage passage for thousands of miles to the town of San Francisco.

"These are facts with which the world is now familiar, and this being the manner in which people embarked for the Eureka state, it can be easily imagined how those landed who survived the untold and unutterable suf- fering endured from port to port. From the Ist of August, 1849, the deluging tides of immigration began to roll into the city of San Francisco their hundreds and thousands daily ; not men robust and hearty by a pleasant sea voyage, but poor miserable beings, so fam- ished and filthy, so saturated with scorbutic diseases, or so depressed in spirits as to make them an easy prey of disease and death, where they had expected naught but health and for- tune.

"Thus did mining adventurers pour into San Francisco, nine-tenths of whom, for a few months, took passage to Sacramento. How- ever debilitated they might be, however pen- niless and destitute. still this, the great focus of mining news, the nearest trading point for miners situated on a navigable stream, was the only place that men could think of stop- ping at for recuperative purposes. Hence. from Cape Horn, from all the Isthmus routes. from Asiatic seaports, and from the islands of the Pacific, men in the most impoverished health were converging at Sacramento. But these were not the only sources of difficulty

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to Sacramento in 1849; for at the same time that the scurvy-ridden subjects of the ocean began to concentrate among us, there was an- other more terrible train of scorbutic sufferers coming in from the overland roads, so ex- hausted in strength and so worn out with the calamities of the journey as to be but barely able to reach this, the Valley City.

"From these sources Sacramento became a perfect lazar-house of disease, suffering and death, months before anything like an effective city government was organized. It must be remembered that in proportion as these scenes began to accumulate, men seemed to grow indifferent to the appeals of suffering, and to the dictates of benevolence. The more urgent and importunate the cries and beseeching mis- eries of the sick and destitute, the more obdu- rate, despotic and terrible became the reign of cupidity.

"In the month of July, 1849, these subjects of distress and the appeals of misery became so common that men could not escape them ; and if there had been the utmost attention paid to the exercise of charity and protection, it would have been impossible to liave met the demands of the destitute, sick and dying as a commensurate sympathy would have dictated. Such was the difficulty with which facilities for the care of the sick could be procured, that even the few who had money could not purchase those comforts which even the poor- est in the Atlantic states can enjoy. Dr. Crai- gan's hospital at the Fort was the most com- fortable place, but such were the necessary demands for boarding and nursing that men could not avail themselves of such care. Soon after the establishment of this hospital, Drs. Deal and Martin opened another hospital in one of the bastions of the old Fort. This led to a reduction of the cost of hospital board and attendance, but still it was too dear a com- fort to be purchased by more than one in five of the accumulating invalids of the town. The sick of the city were in consequence thrown upon the exclusive attention of a society which had become so mammon-ridden as to be al- most insensible to the voice of want. Not only were the victims of scurvy evolving a general distress, but also those who supposed themselves acclimated were beginning to feel the sweeping miasmatic fevers which were peculiarly severe during this first season."

Early Hospitals

The first organized efforts to relieve the suf- fering were made by the fraternity of Odd Fellows, individual members of which formed an informal organization. Gen. A. M. Winn was elected president, Mr. McLaren, secretary, and Captain Gallup, treasurer. They devoted

themselves untiringly to the sick and suffer- ing, and an immense amount of relief was dispensed. Still men sickened and died and often were not even wrapped in a blanket for burial. Coffins were from $60 to $150 apiece and could not always be procured, but the as- sociation spent thousands of dollars for them.

The cholera made its appearance on the 20th of October, 1850, and raged for nearly a month, the death roll of which can never be known. The stricken city was nearly depop- ulated for a time. In April, 1850, the Free- masons and Odd Fellows together built a hos- pital, the board of trustees being elected by both orders.

Dr. Dow had a "Thompsonian Hospital and Botanic Medicine Store" on K Street, between Second and Third. The price of admission per day was from five to twenty-five dollars, "ac- cording to trouble and expense."

Drs. T. J. White and C. D. Cleveland had a large hospital at the corner of Ninth and L Streets that would accommodate 100 patients, and Drs. James S. Martin and B. R. Carman conducted the "Sutter's Fort Hospital" inside of the Fort. Drs. Morse and Stillman also had a hospital at the corner of Third and K Streets.

Besides these, there were several physicians, first at Sutter's Fort and afterwards in the city, who received boarding patients, but very few sick persons had the means with which to pay the prices asked.

County Hospital

It became necessary, therefore, at an early date, to establish a public hospital, at which all cases could be taken in and cared for. This was done, the first one being opened in the business part of the city, Drs. J. F. Montgom- ery, Johnson Price, George W. Williams and Proctor being among the first physicians con- nected with it. The city directory of 1853 contains the announcement, "Drs. Johnson Price and George W. Williams, Physicians to the County Hospital, corner of I and Seventh Streets." About that time Proctor and Price established a hospital on Second Street, be- tween I and J, with seventy-five or eighty beds, and entered into a contract with the county for keeping the poor, numbering about fifty, and charging very high prices. Three of four years afterwards the county, having meanwhile built itself a hospital on the corner of Tenth and L Streets, endeavored to break the contract, but Price and Proctor sued and obtained judgment against it. This county hospital was erected on the northeast corner of the present Capitol Park. It was torn down and removed shortly after it was vacated, soon after the Civil War.

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Dr. Montgomery was the county physician again in 1857; 1858-1859, Dr. G. L. Simmons ; 1859-1860, Dr. Montgomery; 1861, from No- vember, Dr. G. J. Phelan; 1869, from Septem- ber, Dr. Montgomery; 1870, Dr. A. C. Don- aldson, with Dr. G. A. White as assistant.

The county then purchased some land from James Lansing, about sixty acres on the up- per Stockton road, a mile south of the city limits, paying about $11,000 for it. Here the county erected a fine building and removed to it about seventy-five patients from the old one. This hospital was burned October 5. 1878, and the patients were removed to the "Old Pavilion," on the corner of Sixth and M Streets, and cared for temporarily. until the new one was built, in 1879, which was more commodious and better arranged than the first one. It was built on the "pavilion" plan, with four wings radiating from the central struc- ture, and cost about $65,000. The farm pro- vides fruit, vegetables, milk and various other things for the use of the inmates. Recent ex- tensive improvements have been made, in- cluding a new fire-proof concrete building and home for nurses. The old building is now used as an administration building, and the elderly people are also housed there.

Dr. G. A. White became county physician in 1872, and continued as such until 1904, with the exception that in the spring of 1879, the homeopathists were put in charge of the hos- pital, Dr. George Pyburn serving for three months, and Dr. George M. Dixon the suc- ceeding four. Dr. Laine, regular, finished out the unexpired term. Dr. White stood in the front rank of the surgeons of the state, and brought the hospital up to a high state of effi- ciency. In the year 1904, he was succeeded by his son, Dr. John L. White, who met with a tragic automobile accident at Twenty-first and M Streets on the night of March 31, 1917. which resulted in his instant death. In a very few years he had amassed considerable wealth from his lucrative surgical practice, which gained a state-wide name for him.

White Hospital

On January 12, 1910, Dr. J. L. White, as owner and manager, opened the White Hospi- tal at Twenty-ninth and J Streets, with sev- eral four-bed wards, and in addition to these, thirty private rooms. For years he was super- intendent of the County Hospital, and was considered one of the most successful sur- geons in northern California. The approxi- mate value of the hospital was $90,000. The annex was completed in May, 1911, with twelve rooms on the upper floor for patients. The hospital rapidly found its way into public favor and is in a very prosperous condition.

Since Dr. White's death, his widow has con- tinued the White Hospital under efficient management, although its increasing business has caused the institution to outgrow its facili- ties. Mrs. White now has architects prepar- ing plans and specifications for a new hospital.

Southern Pacific Hospital

In the early days of the Central Pacific's history, the road ran through a sparsely set- tled country, with the towns few and far be- tween, and of small size. Accidents in the railroad man's life are frequent. In those days most of the road's employees were new men on the Coast, and but few of them had relatives that could take care of them when disabled. It remained then, in most cases, for the company and their comrades to take care of them. These calls for donations were fre- quent and burdensome, and the company finally concluded that it would be best and most humane for it to build a hospital where the employees could be treated and cared for when sick or disabled, whether they had means or not. Sacramento was the place chosen for the hospital and an old residence was leased for the purpose. In 1869 the Cen- tral Pacific Hospital was built at a cost of $64,000. It was of four stories, 60 by 35 feet, with two wings, 35 by 52 feet, and a kitchen twenty-four feet square. It had six wards, besides eight private rooms for patients, and contained a library of 1,500 volumes. The ex- ecutive and medical staff was excellent. It was supported by a monthly contribution of fifty cents each from each officer and em- ployee, which entitled them to free medical treatment in case of sickness or injury while in the employ of the company. It proved of very great benefit to the employees. In 1900 it was removed to the Charles Crocker resi- dence on F Street and Eighth; and the con- struction of a new hospital was begun in 1911 on Second Street. This was completed in 1912, and has since been used chiefly as an emergency hospital, most of the ordinary cases being sent to the company's hospital in San Francisco.

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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, 1923, Part 40

Author: Reed, G. Walter Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1026

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026