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 44

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 44

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In 1857 this company sold out, but as most of the stock was bought by the original stock- holders, little change was made. In 1867 so much of the land west of the works was washed away by high water that it was feared the structure would be undermined, and large quantities of cobbles were thrown into the river against the walls until the danger was checked. A special train, while coming from Rocklin for the purpose of bringing stone for this purpose, collided while on its return trip with a wood-train near Antelope Station, and the engineer, Roderick McRae, and Joseph Bryan, collector for the gas company, were severely injured. This accident claims the distinction of having been the first collision on the Central Pacific Railroad.

In 1872 articles of incorporation for the Cit- izens' Gas Light Company of Sacramento were filed, the capital stock being placed at $200,000. The trustees were: Joseph W. Stow, H. B. Williams, W. H. Montague, C. T. Hopkins, E. B. Mott, Jr., G. W. Mowe, Julius Wetzlar, G. Cadwalader, and J. F. Houghton. The articles of incorporation fixed the duration of the company at twenty-five years, but its life appears to have been less than that number of days.

The Pacific Pneumatic Gas Company was organized early in October, 1872, its purpose being to manufacture gas from petroleum. The company purchased a lot of land for $5,000 from the Johnston Brandy and Wine Company in what is known as Brannan's Ad- dition, south of the south line of S Street, running back to Front Street and having 120 feet of river front for wharfage. The property was sold in 1889 to W. D. Knights.

January 8, 1872, the articles of incorpora- tion of the Citizens' Gas, Light and Heat Com- pany were filed, the capital stock being $100,- 000, in shares of $50 each. The trustees elected were: W. E. Brown, J. R. Watson, R. C. Terry, R. C. Clark, A. Gallatin, W. E. Perry, H. C. Kirk, C. H. Cummings and James McClatchy. W. E. Brown was president ; Robert C. Clark, vice-president; Albert Gal- latin, treasurer ; and J. W. Pew, secretary.

The Sacramento Gas Company and the Citizens' Gas, Light and Heat Company con- solidated January 1, 1875, under the name of the Capital Gas Company, with capital stock, $2,000,000, in 40,000 shares of $50 each. Works were erected on that portion of Brannan's Ad- dition which lies between T and U Streets and Front Street and the river front, 500 feet deep

and 250 feet wide. In 1878 Smith & Company, of the Pioneer Mills, bought the Sacramento Gas Company's retort-house in Slater's Addi- tion and made it a warehouse capable of stor- ing 4,000 tons of grain. The railroad company bought the gasometer and the land it stood on, and sold the gasometer for old iron.

In 1856 the average daily output of gas was from 8,000 to 10,000 feet. The selling-price was $15 per thousand, and there were 113 con- sumers. In 1863 the number of consumers had increased to 600, and the city then contracted for forty-five street lamps at $9 a month each, the lamps to be lighted only during the ses- sion of the legislature. A new gas-holder was constructed in 1869, with a capacity of 60,000 cubic feet. February 1. 1870, the price of gas was reduced to $7 a thousand cubic feet, and there were at that time 33,000 feet of gas mains in use. During the same year the price of gas was further reduced to $6 per thousand, at which rate it was held for several years.

In 1871 there were 50,000 feet of gas mains in the streets of Sacramento, and in 1873, eighteen miles of mains were laid. In 1875 the consolidated companies had three gas-holders, of 60,000 cubic feet capacity each, in opera- tion where the present gas-works are located ; and the customers had to rely on these for gas until the new 500,000-cubic-foot gas-holder was constructed in 1908.

The Capital Gas Company combined with the Thompson-Houston Electric Light Com- pany on July 1, 1887, thus disposing of a competitor and combining electric lighting with its gas business.

In 1890 the Sacramento Electric Gas and Railway Company was formed, by the con- solidation of the Sacramento Electric Power and Light Company and the Folsom Water Power Company, and in 1902 this company acquired by purchase the Capital Gas Com- pany. In March of 1903 the Sacramento Elec- tric Gas and Railway Company was acquired by the California Gas and Electric Company. During all these changes improvements had been made in methods of gas-making. A plant for the manufacture of water-gas from anthra- cite coal and petroleum was erected and used in conjunction with the coal-gas works, and as petroleum became cheaper the water-gas superseded the coal-gas. In 1903 another ad- vancement in the process of making gas was made by the introduction of crude-oil water- gas, nsing California petroleum exclusively for the manufacture of gas, and the price was reduced to $1 per thousand.

In January, 1906, the Sacramento Electric Gas and Railway Company became a part of the Pacific Gas and Electric system, and is now under the management of C. W. McKillip.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

The company not only operates an extensive gas and electric system, but maintains and operates a large street-car system through Sac- ramento. The company likewise owns and operates a large system of hydro-electric pow- er-plants in the mountains above Sacramento, which supply that city and many other locali- ties with light and power. The increase in the number of small and large irrigation proj- ects in the foothill districts and the valleys has called for extensive pumping-equipment to take care of that feature of the power business. The most modern facilities for the manufac- ture and storage of gas have been provided.

Water-Works

The first plant in Sacramento that could be termed "water-works" was the five-horse- power pile-driver engine of William P. Henry, near the foot of I Street. By this, water was pumped up from the river by suction into a reservoir, from which carts were loaded, and the water was peddled out by the gallon. There was an antipathy to monopolies even in those days, long before "trusts" were heard of. "Uncle Billy" Anderson thought he perceived the germ of prosperity in the industry, and he soon started a rival enterprise at the junction of Second Street with "the Slough." The two parties carried on a successful business in com- petition with each other until they formed a combination with A. A. Bennett, and erected more elaborate works just south of Henry's engine, constructing a tank that was much higher and better protected.

The city grew, and more extensive water- works became necessary. In consequence, in the fall of 1852, George Gordon and the "Sac- ramento Water Company" each presented to the city plans for the construction of a system of water-works, which were submitted to the people in December. The plans were rejected by popular vote. At the same time, however, the people voted a tax of three-quarters of one per cent for works of some kind, to be there- after fixed upon. Plans and specifications were advertised for by the city council, and a Mr. Kirk presented plans, which were adopted. The specifications called for a brick building, 50 by 127 feet on the ground and the top of the wall 361/2 feet above the present grade of J and Front Streets. The floor of the second story was to be sixteen feet above the J Street grade, and the reservoir was to be 50 by 128 feet and 61/2 feet high, the greatest depth of water to be five feet. The reservoir was to be on the top of the building. The price was to be $120,000. The building was completed and the tank filled April 1, 1854, and the occa- sion was celebrated by the citizens on April 6. The building stood until recent years, and was

known as the old water-works building. Some years ago it passed into the possession of the Southern Pacific Company, and it has since been torn down.

The first bonds of the water loan were issued August 12, 1853, and the total issue of bonds under this loan was $284,495. The first super- intendent of the new works was William P. Henry, who had been the first man to intro- duce anything like pumping-works for water- supply into the city. The first parties who pur- chased water from the new works were Adams & Company, who paid for a fifteen days' sup- ply at the rate of $12.22 per month. There were seventy-three customers in April, 1854; 155 in May ; 260 in June ; and 403 by November.

During the year 1855 two and one-fourth miles of water-pipes were laid, which, with fifty hydrants and twenty-one stop-gates, cost $23,600. The reservoir capacity was 200,000 gallons, and the pumping capacity 39,100 gal- gallons per hour. By March 1, 1856, the total length of pipe laid was eight and one-fourth miles, and a few years later a Worthington pump was added to the equipment. The ex- tension of the pipe system decreased the pres- sure, and complaints of scanty supply of water became frequent in the remoter parts of the city. At last, on April 6, 1870, a disastrous breakdown occurred to the works, for some time shutting off the water-supply. It was evident that something must be done to reme- dy the condition, and on June 6, Superintend- ent McCleery brought before the board of trustees plans prepared by A. A. Bennett, an architect, to raise the old building at a cost of $10,000. June 22, 1870, Turton & Knox began to raise the tanks fifteen feet, and a new stand- pipe was put in. This partially remedied the trouble : but it was only a temporary relief, and it soon became evident that nothing less than a new system of works, with a largely increased capacity, would satisfy the people's demands.

A number of schemes were considered from 1858 to 1872, but were abandoned successively. among them being the Holly system. Water from the various wells and from the river was analyzed. The analysis of 120 ounces of water taken from the Sacramento River during the April freshet of 1870, and evaporated to dry- ness by James Bell of San Francisco, left a residuum of 2.59 grains, composed as follows : Gypsum, 1.27 grains; epsom salts, 0.70; salt. 0.21 : silicate of potash, 0.13: silica, 0.25 ; iron, only a trace : loss, 0.03 grain. July 20, 1872. a special election was held, as a result of which it was decided to adopt one of the three plans offered by the Holly Company, and which would cost $58,000. The west fifty feet of Lot 4, between H and 1 Streets, and Front and

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

Second, was purchased by the Capital Savings Bank and the National Gold Bank of D. O. Mills & Company, and the deed was presented to the city. On receiving this deed the trus- tees passed a resolution to accept it, and to reserve from the bonds authorized to be issued $20,000, subject to such further legislation as might be had, for the purpose of paying the banks the money advanced by them, the amount advanced by the Capital Savings Bank being $8,000, and that advanced by the Na- tional Gold Bank being $7,000. Work was immediately begun on the new works, and was pushed to completion as fast as possible ; but the machinery was not in shape to under- go its trial or test of capacity until July 17, 1873. When its capacity was thoroughly tested, it proved to be fully up to the demand of the specifications, and on the 28th the works were accepted by the trustees. The amount of bonds authorized by the act, ap- proved March 30, 1872, for the purpose of erecting the works, was $191,307.50, but the amount issued was only $189,993.15.

The Holly rotary pumps proved to be worthless for the water-works, but the gang pumps put in by the company did good serv- ice for many years. Early in 1878 a pump, generally known as the Stevens pump, was built in the Central Pacific Company's ma- chine shops, and installed in the west side of the water-works, where it did good service for years. Becoming superannuated, it was later used only in emergencies, or when repairs were being made to the other pumps. The capacity of the plant has since been increased from time to time, and a 12,000,000-gallon pump was put in.

Sacramento's forty-year fight for clear water triumphed on June 28, 1919, when the city voted by a large majority to issue $1,800,000 in bonds for the purpose of erecting a modern filtration plant and water-works system. This proving inadequate to complete the works, due to some depreciation because of the low bond market and the increased cost of labor and material, another election was held on December 21, 1921, and bonds for an addi- tional $900,000, making a total of $2,700,000, were carried.

The plans for the filtration plant, originally outlined in the survey and report of Charles Gillman Hyde, nationally known engineer, were adopted, and Major Hyde was engaged by the municipality as the consulting engi- neer during the course of construction. With him have been associated other engineers skilled in filtration design and construction, including C. G. Gillespie, the resident en- gineer.

When completed, the water-works system and filtration plant will be the most modern in the country, and the filtration capacity and storage facilities will be sufficient to take care of the needs of a city of five times the pres- ent population of Sacramento. The Coast Construction Company of San Francisco are the contractors. It is expected that the plant will be completed during the fall of 1923, when the clear, pure water from its reservoirs will be turned into the mains of the city.

The Telephone

The Sunset Telephone Company made its first appearance in Sacramento in 1879, and the first telephone installed was a hand re- ceiver. In 1882 the Sunset Telephone Com- pany installed a plant in the Western Union Building on Second Street, between 1 and J, using the old Gilliland switchboard and Edi- son transmitter. The next year the Blake transmitter and a two-position switchboard were installed. In 1883, also, the first long-dis- tance line was installed between Sacramento and San Francisco, the circuit being relayed at Benicia. In 1885 the office was moved to Third and J Streets, upstairs, and a four-position switchboard installed, a copper circuit being built to San Francisco, using the Humming long-distance transmitter, which was intro- duced about this time. From this start the long-distance service in the northern part of the state grew up. Between 1885 and 1897 the company added a couple of copper loops, weighing 172 pounds to the mile, between Sac- ramento and San Francisco, and on May 4, 1897, the first heavy copper loop weighing 435 pounds to the mile for each wire, was com- pleted between the two cities.

The first express system was installed in Sacramento during the year 1893, and in 1894 the office was moved to Sixth Street, between I and J, where a complete express system was installed. Under this system the old one was done away with, the subscriber taking the re- ceiver off the hook and calling "central." This system was maintained until the office was moved to the present building, constructed for the company, between Fourteenth and Fif- teenth, in 1910, where a complete one-pound common battery switchboard was installed. The first underground system in Sacramento was installed in 1894. The company began business with several hundred subscribers, the rate being $6 per month for many years, until the rival company was formed.

The Capital Telephone & Telegraph Com- pany entered the field in competition with the Sunset Company in 1893, a demand for cheap- er telephone service having arisen. The stock- holders were mostly citizens of Sacramento.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

The ordinary rates of the Sunset at that time were $6 a month, but the new company cut the rate down to less than half that amount and forced the Sunset finally to meet its rate. The company commenced business with 400 subscribers, which was more than the Sunset Company had at that time in Sacramento. George M. Mott was the first president, and M. J. Dillman was vice-president and general manager for more than twelve years of its service to the community. During this time the company extended its lines into Placer, Eldorado, Amador and Yolo Counties, and ultimately reached a list of 1,250 subscribers. It had central exchanges in Sacramento, Folsom, Roseville, Loomis, Newcastle, Ant- burn, Shingle Springs, Placerville, Jackson and Ione. The company was the outgrowth of a general dissatisfaction with the high rates and poor service of the Sunset, and was successful from the start, both financially and in the service rendered, but experience showed that the telephone business is a nat- ural monopoly, and that two systems in the same community become a nuisance, causing much annoyance and extra expense. In 1906

the company sold out to the Sunset Com- pany, which used the system in connection with its own for several months and then consolidated both systems. Hon. Frederick Cox was president for eight years and for the next four years M. J. Dillman was president and manager. The office was located on Fifth Street, between I and J.

The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Com- pany now own and control the telephone sys- tem in Sacramento and throughout the val- ley. The Sacramento exchange serves 17,398 telephone connections, and the increase in the number of telephone instruments is tax- ing the operating-department in keeping pace with the new business.

The division headquarters of the Sacra- mento and San Joaquin Valleys are main- tained in Sacramento. The officials are as follows: Division superintendent, F. L. Mc- Nally ;· division superintendent of plant, E. H. Long; division superintendent of traffic, O. Cole, Jr .: manager. John L. Yarnall; su- perintendent of traffic, B. F. Evans: wire chief, E. P. Cutler.

CHAPTER XXXVI

THE COMING OF THE RAILROADS

The Building of the Central Pacific

T HE INCEPTION of railroad building in the county of Sacramento, as well as in the whole state, has made very in- teresting history. The building of the Sac- ramento Valley Railroad which ran from Sac- ramento to Folsom, a distance of twenty-two miles, in 1855-1856 (it being the first rail- road constructed in the state), was the direct cause of the construction of the western half of the great transcontinental railroad known as the Central Pacific.

As far back as 1846 the building of a rail- road 'across the plains and over the moun- tains had been agitated in congress and out of it by Asa Whitney, until 1850. He was sup- ported in his effort by Senators Benton of Missouri and Breese of Illinois. February 7. 1849, Senator Benton introduced a bill in congress for the building of a Pacific railroad, this bill being really the first tangible effort made in that direction. The formation of a company of citizens of Sacramento, Nevada and Placer Counties was the first effort made

in California for the building of an overland railroad. Articles of incorporation of the Sac- ramento, Auburn and Nevada Railroad Com- pany were filed in the office of the secretary of state. August 17, 1852. They contained the names of twenty-six subscribers of twen- ty-eight shares each, at a value of $100 a share, with the names of the following direc- tors: S. W. Lovell, Placer County; F. (). Dunn, John R. Coryell. Charles Marsh, Isaac Williamson and William H. Lyons of Ne- vada County : John A. Read. J. B. Haggin and Lloyd Tevis of Sacramento County. . survey was made of a line from Sacramento City, through Folsom, Auburn and Green Valley, to Nevada City. The line was sixty- eight miles long, and the estimated cost of construction was $2,000,000. The survey was continued from Nevada City through the Henness Pass. But the enterprise assumed too gigantic proportions for the means of the incorporators, and they were forced, much against their will, to abandon the prosecution of the undertaking.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

In March, 1853, congress passed an act pro- viding for a survey, by the topographical en- gineers of the army, of three routes of a transcontinental railway - the northern,

southern and middle routes. The surveys were made as ordered, and the report sub- mitted to congress and published, with elab- orate engravings of the scenery along the routes, topographical maps and representa- tions of the animals and plants discovered. These reports were doubtless valuable, but they did not demonstrate the fact that a rail- way route was practicable over the Rocky and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. The demon- stration of that fact was to be made later by Theodore D. Judah, who had been the chief engineer of the Sacramento Valley Railroad- the first railroad built in California. Mr. Judah became convinced, while engaged from 1854 to 1856 in building this road, that it was practicable to build a road over the Sierra Ne- vada Mountains, the only range that had be- fore been deemed impracticable. He made at his own expense trial surveys over several of the supposed passes over the Sierra Nevadas. While these were only barometrical surveys, they were sufficiently accurate to convince him that there was a practicable route, and that a road could be built.

Armed with the data he had thus obtained, Mr. Judah lost no time in presenting his views and ideas at all times in order to awaken inter- est and advance the project of a Pacific rail- road. In 1856 he succeeded, through a con- current resolution of the California legisla- ture, in having a railroad convention called, to meet in San Francisco, September 20, 1859. Many prominent men of California composed this convention, among them being Hon. J. A. McDougal, Hon. J. B. Crockett, Major John Bidwell, Hon. J. B. Axtell, Hon. James T. Far- ley, Sherman Day and others, of California, together with delegates from Oregon and ad- joining territories. The convention sent Mr. Judah to Washington, D. C., to endeavor to procure legislation favoring the building of a railroad, and he proceeded thither, arriving in time to be present at the opening of the Thir- ty-Sixth Congress. He lost no time after ar- riving in Washington, in visiting the various departments and collecting from each one all the information that was likely to be of assist- ance to him in presenting plainly and clearly to congress the importance and feasibility of the enterprise which he desired them to take favorable action upon. While this session was unfortunately so fully occupied with political matters that he was unable to gain an effective hearing, and therefore made but little impres- sion on congress as a body, a great deal of good was effected by hint through personal

interviews and the presentation of his views and aims, backed up by the data gathered, with the different members and many promi- nent men. He had acquired such a thorough knowledge of his subject that he rarely failed to convince his auditors of the entire feasibil- ity of the project he had espoused. In con- junction with Hon. John C. Burch, then a member of congress from California, he drew up a bill which contained nearly all the pro- visions of the bill finally passed in 1862. It was printed at private expense and a copy sent to each member of congress and senate.

In 1860 Mr. Judah returned to California and immediately set about making a more thorough survey of the Sierra Nevadas for a pass and the approach to it, than he had hith- erto attempted. He was accompanied on this work by Dr. D. W. Strong of Dutch Flat, who contributed much from his private means to- ward payment of the expenses incurred in prosecuting the survey, as well as aiding it by his intimate knowledge of the mountains. When the Central Pacific Railroad Company was incorporated Dr. Strong became one of its first directors.

On completion of these surveys, which were made with a barometer, Mr. Judah made a trip to San Francisco for the purpose of laying his plans before a number of capitalists of that city and trying to induce them to form a company to finance the work and carry it to completion. He was chagrined to find his ideas coldly received, and at obtaining no financial support in that city. He returned to his hotel one evening, after becoming con- vinced that it was futile to make any further trial to obtain financial aid in San Francisco, and remarked to a friend: "The capitalists of San Francisco have refused this night to make an investment, for which, in three years, they shall have ample cause to blame their want of foresight. I shall return to Sacramento tomorrow, to interest merchants and others of that place in this great work, and this shall be my only other effort on this side of the conti- nent."

Mr. Judah had previously placed his plans and estimates before James Bailey, a Sacra- mento friend, who was struck by the force of his arguments and calculations. By Mr. Bai- ley he was introduced to Governor Stanford, Mark Hopkins, E. B. Crocker and Charles Crocker. He was already acquainted with C. P. Huntington. A meeting of the business men of Sacramento was called. Mr. Judah laid his plans and statistics before them and steps preliminary to the organization of a com- pany were immediately taken. The organiza- tion was perfected and the articles of incorpo- ration filed with the secretary of state June

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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 44

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