USA > California > San Benito County > History of San Benito County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, and mines : with biographical sketches of prominent citizens > Part 23
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Joaquin Bolado is in the prime of life and bids fair to con- tinue in the enjoyment of his estates and business for many years. His career shows that energy and perseverance are the chief roads to fortune. He married Miss Julia Abrego in 1857, and they have one child, Julia Bolado.
He was one of the firm of Sanjurjo, Bolado & Piyol, who were commission merchants in San Franeiseo; also kept large droves of stock in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties. He is now in partnership in the wholesale buteher business in San Francisco (Bolado & Hasson), he being the senior partner.
GEORGE A. MOORE.
In a pleasant nook of the Gabilan mountains, surrounded by sheltering hills, which proteet it from the cold winds which sweep over the valley in the winter, stands the home of Mr. G. A. Moore, one of those thrifty men of whom every one says ; He is a self-made man.
Mr. Moore is a native of Maine; was born August 15, 1829; farmed until he came to California, and is married and has four children, viz .: George H., Carrie C., Arthur S., and Ervin W. His wife is a native of Hallowell, Maine, and her maiden name was Emma C. Carr. Married July 11, 1867. His par-
112
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF RESIDENTS.
ents were A. W. and Eliza Moore, of North Anson, Maine, his birth- place.
Arriving in. San Francisco in June, 1857, after a pleasant voyage of twenty-eight days, via the Isthmus, he went to Santa Barbara county, then to Los Angeles county, where he keep eight thousand sheep, and came, in 1869, into this county, where he is engaged in farming and stock-raising.
Mr. Moore's thrift and hard work was not without blessing, for after hard toil he now owns a farm of one thousand and seventy acres, located within five miles of the county seat, railroad, church, and school, and within twenty miles of water communication. Hc cultivates two hundred acres for grain, twenty-five acres of vineyard, and the rest he uses as pastur- age for liis stock, consisting of oue hundred head of cattle, six horses, and sixty hogs.
His fine orchard contains mostly soft-shell almonds, some peaches, apricots, apples, pears, cherries, in fact, some of all kinds of orchard fruit. Amongst his stock we find some thoroughbred Durham cattle (Golden Duke), and two fine calves full hloous, so that, on the whole, Mr. Moore can be more than satisfied with his success.
THOMAS F. WHITESIDE.
Au advcuturous spirit brought Mr. Thomas F. Whiteside and two brothers into this State. Mr. Whiteside is a native of Oxford county, Canada, where he was horn August 24, 1836. His parents, who had eight children (he being the third eldest), were John and Mary Whiteside. At the age of fifteen Mr. Whiteside went to Wisconsin, where he rafted on the Missis- sippi river for four years. Then in 1857 he came, by the way of Panama in thirty days, to San Franciso, which, after a short stay, he left in order to get rich in the mines. He mined a short time at Michigan Bluffs, and turned towards Gilroy. From Gilroy he made an excursion to Frazer river, but his funds giving out, he returned to Gilroy. In 1859, he, in company of another gentleman, went to Alviso, Santa Clara county, where they farmed for three years; then going to Nevada he tried various businesses, making quite a success of it. He also farmed for several years in Salinas, Monterey county, after which, in 1871 he moved to his present home, which is beau- tifully situated in the foot-hills south of Hollister, on the west bank of the San Benito river.
In 1867 he was married to Miss Mary E. Boyd, a native of Arkansas, and is now the head of a family of seven children- Willie J., Maggie F., Hattie E., Alice E., Francis T., Florence M., and Ernest Elmer Whiteside.
Mr. Whiteside keeps fifty head of cattle, thirty hogs, and fifteen head of horses on his farm, which is within two and a half miles of the county seat and church; the railroad runs past within one mile, a school is close at hand, and water travel can be reached within twenty miles. The farm consists of four
hundred and thirty acres of good land, averaging fifteen contals per acre, also a fine orchard of all kinds of fruit.
Mr. Whiteside was well acquainted with Mark Twain (Sam Clemens), remombering his droll ways vividly, and having been with him when Mr. Twain's carpet-sack was attached for a board bill.
GEORGE S. HARMON.
One of the coziest homes, which bids fair to he a credit to its owner and to the county, belongs to Mr. G. S. Harmon. The house, which has a fine appearance, is encircled by a yard dot- ted with choice trees and shrubs, some of which are Lebanon cedars, rose trees, bridal wreath, etc. A fine view of the Gabilan mountains is obtained from his veranda, and the adjoining young orchard bears as fino table fruits as are to be found in the county.
Mr. Harmon gives us a graphic account of what can be dono with a willing disposition and a pair of strong hands. He was born in Machias, Mainc, April 5, 1831; attended school and worked in his parents' (George and Eliza Harmon) saw- mill, he, at the age of nineteen, being head sawyer. In 1850 he, like many others, wanted to go to California in order to get rich in the mines; so packing up he took passage in Port Machias, and arrived, after a seven months' trip around Cape Horn, in San Francisco, August 24, 1850.
His health being poor on his arrival, he abandoned his orig- inal intention of going to the mines, and took to farming instead. He went to Santa Clara county, where he hired out as a farm hand for one year, then, having saved up some money, he took a farm on shares. Later on he lived in Ravenswood, San Mateo county, for twelve years, where he, in partnership with J. Leavitt (Harmon & Leavitt), engaged in farming and dairying, the size of that farm being one thousand four hundred acres.
In 1859, Mr. Harmon made a visit to his old home in Maine, going and returning by the way of the Isthmus of Panama. Afterwards (1865) he farmed eight hundred acres near May- field, Santa Clara county, where he, in 1866, married Miss Anna E. Kenney, who was horn in Mansfield, Massachusetts, the fruit of which marriage is a boy named George Fred Harmon. In 1870 he moved to Santa Cruz county, where he kept a dairy and lumberyard for eight years, then he moved again into this county, arriving in 1879.
Mr. Harmon owns a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, fine, sandy loam, which never fails to yield an average of fif- teen bags of wheat per acre. Vegetables and alfalfa grow also nicely, and furnish food for his twenty-five head of cattle, ten horses and colts, and ten hogs. The city of Hollister, with its schools, churches, and railroad station, is within five miles of his ranch, and water travel can be reached within twenty miles.
Biographical Notices are continued elsewhere.
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RESIDENCE AND RANCH OF H. MAYERS, CASTROVILLE, MONTEREY CO. CAL.
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113
CLIMATE. GEOLOGY, BOTANY AND HEALTH.
Climate, Botany and Geology of the Vicinity around Monterey Bay.
BY C. L. ANDERSON, M. D.
MONTEREY and the adjacent region is eminently adapted for beautiful and pleasant homes. It is in regard to this that we propose to discuss somewhat partienlarly the physical conditions of this region, including its geology, botany and climate, in their relations to health and homes. For without health and comfort of body, of what good to us are all the beauties and resources of nature-all the allurements of art ? We have no eyes for glow- ing scenes of earth and sky-no ears for concord of sounds.
It must be true, therefore, that the physical conditions which contribute most toward a healthful body, and spread before us an esthetic outlook to nourish and invigorate the mind, must be the most desirable place for a permanent home.
It is also true that a large part of the human race are seeking a country where they may find the blessings of health and a genial clinate, with such natural surroundings as may give variety to some simple, it may be, but beautiful home.
Clinate, more than any other one property, determines the comparative and intrinsic worth of a country for habitation. Every other condition may be, to a less or greater degree, altered by humnau agency; climate remains a steadfast servant to its mistress, Nature. The soil may be unfruitful, timber wanting. the waters unfit for use; man remedies such defects, and nations are planted in the midst of these adverse surroundings. Cli- mate, unaltered, outlasts the labor of races.
In the location, then, of a permanent settlement and the choice of a home, climatic conditions form the first and chief factor. Men pierce the frozen barriers of the north, or brave the wasting torrid heats in pursuit of wealth, ouly that they may dwell in comfort where the seasons come and go mildly. Human adventurers are not bound by frost and heat; and yet homes are not made of choice too near the extremes of either.
Enough seasonable variation exists to make the race vigorous, to produce grains and fruits of the finest quality, and the best varieties of domestic stock. At the same time out-door labor suffers little interruption by reason of weather stress.
FAVORABLE LOCATION OF MONTEREY.
Monterey is near the line of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes of north latitude. It looks out toward the north on the Bay of Monterey and the Pacific ocean. Panama steamers may be seen in the west. Santa Cruz at times may be dimly out- lined, twenty-six miles across the bay, a little west of north; Santa Lucia range of mountains looms up as a background, to the height of three or four thousand fect, beyond Monterey. The Gabilan mountains stand in bohl relief in the east, guard-
ing as it were the entrance of the Salinas river into the Bay of Monterey. Northward, and forty miles di-tant, stands Mount Bache, ("Loma Prieta.") the highest point in the Santa Cruz mountains The valley's behind Monterey are narrow, (cauons in many places.) winding, and are timbered; while the mount- ain sides, often to their summits, are clothed with a dense flora of trees, shrubs, and smaller plants. This verdure, much of it evergreen, gives to the seawar l slope of these mountains a dark green appearance as we look at it from the bay or ocean.
And a person coming by ship from the south, after seeing only barren, smooth mountains, with but occasionally a spot of timber, along the southern coast, would at once conclude that here on the Bay of Monterey is a sheltered, well-watered and fertile region. And so it is.
WIND CURRENTS OF THE COAST,
The winds that blow from the north-west pretty constantly during the dry season, cold and dry. pass Santa Cruz Point, flowing in a strong current across the bay and up the Salinas valley. The timber-covered mountains on the northerly and southerly side break and temper the wind force, while the strong current, passing some miles outsile, produces an eddy on the land, thus making a favored spot, and in such a place stands the city of Monterey.
This movement of the air currents along the coast has been noticed by Professor Davidson, of the Coast Survey. When the north-west summer winds are blowing with considerable forec, he has observed a counter lai current, or a sort of coldying of the land breeze. The configuration of the coast on the sides of the Bay of Monterey favors the production of a wide eddying air current, extending some fifteen or twenty miles inland. So that what is not uncommon on a sinall scale along the coast, north and south of San Francisco, is magnified in the region about Monterey bay. These eddies of air are always mild. They are usually warmed by the land and the sun, and favor largely the growth of vegetation. As a means to give regular- ity to these eddies, a gate or opening in the coast is necessary. For example : at San Francisco, the Golden Gate achinits a large air current, which spreads out on the Bay of San Francisco, Howing off into the numerous valleys, and becoming equalized with the surrounding air in temperature and other qualities. This renders millness to the climate of San Rafael, Berkeley, Oakland, etc., by the counter currents so modified.
A wider and more extensive opening exists on the south- eastern coast of the Bay of Monterey-the Salinas valley. This opening is about six miles wide and extends for one hundred miles back, offering but little obstruction to the inland flow of the strong air current which sweeps across the bay. No such gates exist for several hundreil iniles north of San Francisco; in fact not until the mouth of the Columbia is reached. And none south of the Bay of Monterey, to any great extent, until we approach the valley or plains of Los Angeles; although an
114
WIND, FOG, AND RAIN-FALL OF THE COUNTY.
extensive air uldy is in the region of Santa Barbara, giving that place a very mill and genial climate; yet this does not depend on an opening in the Coast Range, but rather on a point of landl projecting into the ocean current and breaking its force, I'm> causing a counter-current on the margin of the main flow.
EXPLANATION OF WIND CHART.
Attention is called to a map in front of this book, prepared to illustrate the wind currents of the Pacific coast from April to October, and to show the points where the yearly and monthly temperature and rain-fall have been ascertained, as explained in the table accompanying this article. The seale of the map from north to south is much shortened, in order to bring the most important eoast openings within a short »pace.
On the Pacific coast, the ocean and air currents during the wimmer season, say from April to October, very nearly eoin- ci,le. Professor George Davidson says that "a south-west wind is extremely rare " during this part of the year, and that the prevailing currents of air and water are from the north-west. Ships sometimes make a long taek even to the one hundred and fortieth degree of west longitude, where the currents are more northward. The wind current follows the trend of the coast, gradually drawing toward the land, passing through "wind gaps." The Professor confirms what I have already said in regard to counter-eurrents on the land. He has noticed these when some fifteen or twenty miles back on some high peak or mountain. When the wind blows down the coast, overlapping the land, and flowing over capes and promontorics with a strong current, two or three miles inland the air is often cahn and warm. Such is remarkably the case in the Santa Cruz and Monterey mountains. We may observe the white-caps a mile or so out, while standing on some high point, searcely a couple of miles inland, we enjoy a very mild breeze.
FEW OPENINGS IN COAST RANGE.
The whole eoast from Sitka to San Diego is mountain walled, naving but comparatively few gates. Henee the currents are compressed, and forced with considerable rapidity along the eoast southward. Opposite or above Monterey they begin to bend westward, in the equatorial or return Japan currents. A portion, however, passes toward and above the land, spreading out eastward from Los Angeles to San Diego. This wind, however, is mild and genial, and adds much to the pleasantness of the region bordering on the Sauta Barbara and San Pedro channels. And were it not for occasional siroccos, that come from the deserts south-eastward, this would be a most favored region as regards climate. North of Santa Barbara these des- ert winds are seldom felt-perhaps never as far north as Mont- erey bay.
FOGS PREVAIL ON THE COAST.
Fogs are prevalent during the summer season in the line of the north-westerly air-current. These fogs are the effect of a eold current slowly penetrating a warm current of air, or vice versa. The vapor contained in the warmer body of air is con- densed, becoming clouds at or near the surface of the carth. The condensation of this vapor, giving out its heat, usually ren- ders the fog mild in temperature and not unpleasant. This is especially tho case where there are eddying currents. As soon as the temperature of the different bodies of air are equalizedl. the fog disappears. As we pass southward from Cape Mendo- cino thicse fogs become milder, especially as we reccde from the main current of air, which begins to spread wider as wo approach the Bay of Monterey, on account of the eastward trend of the coast line, and the north equatorial current towards China and Japan.
We may remember, as a rule, that along the Pacific coast, places exposed to the north-west have more fog in the season of north-west winds than places open to the southward. And also that the rain-fall is greater in the latter places than in the former, because our rains come with the southerly winds. Of course this applies to places of nearly the same latitude, remem- bering that the rain-fall decreases from north to south. (Sce meteorological table.) As an illustration of this rule, the rain- fall at San Francisco is 21.79 inches. It should be less at Santa Cruz and Watsonville, because they are situated fifty miles south of San Francisco. But they stand with a southern exposure, and consequently receive 22 to 23 inches. We should expect, if we had any way of measuring fog. that San Francisco, and places of like exposure, would receive proportionately a greater amount than the Monterey region.
RAIN-FALL ALWAYS AMPLE.
The rain-fall along the coast north of Monterey is always sufficient. Taking Watsonville as a representative central point, we may say that so far as agriculture is concerned, there is seldom a deficiency injurious to vegetation. Together with the direet rain-fall and the fogs, there is always enough moist- ure to mature the crops. The summits of the Santa Lucia and Santa Cruz mountains receive almost double the amount of rain that falls near the sea level. This has been demonstrated at the Springvale farm, the home of Mr. D. M. Locke, in the Santa Cruz mountains, who has kept a record of the rain-fall for the last three or four years, showing a total each year of nearly double that of Santa Cruz City. Thus the Santa Lucia and the Santa Cruz mountains become a reservoir for a large amount of water, a good part of which finds its way to the sea in small streams. In faet, almost every mile from the Pajaro to Pescadero is furnished with a perennial stream. The groves of redwoods and other trecs, by their dense root fibers, hold
115
A DESIRABLE AND HEALTHFUL CLIMATE.
this rain-fall like sponges, only giving out as it is required and drawn away by the surrounding dryness.
FORESTS CONSIDERED INEXHAUSTIBLE.
It may be asked, if these groves of timber in these mountains should be cut away, would not the region become as barren as the mountains north and south of them ? I think it would. Possibly the rains would, in a little tinie, bring into existence a crop of trees to take the place of the fallen ones. Although the supply of timber is very great in these mountains, it cannot be considered inexhaustible. The rapid increase of population and consequent demand for building material and fuel will in time lead to the denudation of the regions nearest to the large cities. Consequently a preservative policy should be adopted at au early day, by which a portion of the land should retain, at least, the younger growth for future use. It would indeed be a wise policy to enforce a law to this effect if it cannot be donc otherwise. The general future good of our State requires it, and especially the places in and near the timbered lands.
SALUBRITY OF THE AIR.
Temperature has much to do with our comfort and health It is true that mau may live in almost any climate on our globe by the aid of clothing, shelter, food, aud other artificial helps. But it is certainly more pleasant and conducive to lon- gevity to live in a climate where the minimum of such aids are necessary ; where it is not required to spend one-half the year in preparations to keep from freezing and starving the other half. Neither is a tropical climate the best. It fosters indolence by an excess of heat, and need of an occasional cold and stimulat- ing air. The tropical climates in addition are usually prolific in diseases, and the atmosphere is rare and humid, producing and favoring debility.
North of Cape Mendocino the rain-fall begins to be un- pleasantly abundant, although the temperature is not unfavor- able.
One would therefore prefer a climate medium in these respects. It should be warm enough and dry enough to require but little confinement in-doors. There should be range enough in temperature to give variety, and not enough to shock the human system by sudden changes of hcat or cold, humidity or dryness.
These the conditions generally agreed upon by the best authorities, not only for the well-being of invalids suffering from the principal discases that flesh is heir to, but for those in robust health that they may remain well. Any climate, there- fore, characterized by sudden and violent changes of temperature, cold and humid; or even dry and irregular, with extremes of heat and cold, is not favorable to good health; especially is it conducive to diseases of the lungs. A climate where people
must remain in-door» a large portion of the time on account of its inclemency, must engender disease.
It would seem, then, that so far as temperature is concerned. the central and southern region of the Californin coast, when sheltered from the north-west wind and fire from the sirenerus of the east, within the How of the mill edlying eurrents of air that have just arrived from the broad expanse of water and been warmed by the sunshine and heat of the land, would be of all places the most healthful. In these localities the thermom- eter seldom rises above eighty degrees, and rarely comes down to the freezing point. Out- door life is practicable at all seasons and almost every day in the year. Oppresive heat is seldom felt, and nothing colder than a slight frost during the coldest. mornings of winter. During all the summer months, from April to November, there is a steady temperature of air a few miles ont from the land. At the Farallones, forty- five degrees is about the summer standard-near the mean annual temper- ature of Sitka, near twenty degrees farther north. This is coll. especially when accompanied, as it nearly always is, with a strong wind. But near the coast, the water and air are rapidly modified, as is illustrated by the following table, for which Inm indebted to the Rev. Dr. Willey, of Santa Cruz, at least for the Santa Cruz observation. I have added for comparison the water temperature at a place on the Atlantic coast near New- port, Rhode Island, taken by Captain R. J. Edwards; and also the air and water temperature at Santa Monica, Los Angeles couuty. All these observations were made in the year 1876.
TABLE SHOWING TEMPERATURE OF AIR AND WATER.
1876.
Jan.
Feb.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
Sept.
October.
Nov.
Dec.
SANTA CRUZ. Air. . Water
54.4 54.9 52.2. 58.6 59.2 60.2 61.8 63.0 61.3 59.4 32.8 55.2 52.1 32.7 52.2 57.2 57.2 58.2 60.4 60.2 60.0 56.3 54.7 53.3
SANTA MONICA. Air. Water.
63.0 G8.0 63.5.65.2 69.0 69.5 08.0:65.5
NEWPORT, R. I. Water ...
32.0 30.1 34.4| 43.0 52.5 G1.7 69.5 70.4 05.3 58.3 43.7 36.2
The observations for Santa Cruz and Newport were taken at from 9 to 11 o'clock, A. M., in water eight to ten feet deep. The air temperature was taken in the shade of the powder-mill wharf, just over the water. At Santa Cruz and Monterey, sea- bathing is not uncommon in the winter season, and the tempera- ture quite endurable. At Santa Monica the water tempera- ture of the four summer months seems to stand above air tem- perature. The water where the temperature was tiken must have been distant from the ocean currents, to attain such a high degree of heat. I find them in the Fourth Report of the State Board of Health, of California.
· Rev. Dr. Willey was a pioneer minister of Monterey, and preachedl his first settrun there February 23, 1549.
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A FAVORABLE CLIMATE FOR INVALIDS.
The temperature of the water is not constant each year. In the months of June, July, August and September in 1876, the water temperature stool at about sixty degrees. Probably at Monterey City it was about the same. Observations taken in these months during 1880 show the temperature to be sixty- five degrees, although the air was coller than in 1876. The rapid and profuse growth of sea-weeds in certain years and seasons also indicates the advent of warin currents of water from the north. The summer heat, favored in the north Pacific by long days of sunshine, is evidenced in the water currents that flow along our coast, bringing that heat with them.
SEA BATHING AT ALL TIMES.
The general experience is that water at a temperature between seventy and ninety degrees is, for bathing purposes, rather too relaxing in its effect. It does uot bring about a tonic and stimulating feeling so necessary to secure the benefit of a sca batlı. When invalids and persons of rather feeble constitu- tions can gradually become accustomed to the lower temperatures in the open warm air, say fifty to sixty degrecs water, and seventy to eighty degrees air, they are invigorated. The experiments should at first, however, be carefully made, so as not to bring about injurious congestions of the internal organs. Only a few minutes' time in the water, then allowing the blood to return to the surface. Otherwise, such persons would do better to use the hot bath, ninety-five to one hundred and five degrees. But persons, young and of a robust constitution, may be still further strengthened by even the winter sea bathing, which is often enjoyed in this bay.
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