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 31
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R. Strellnauer, east side of Main street, between Sausal and Gabilan.
MEAT MARKETS .- Il. E. Abbott, west side of Main street. E. and C. O. St. John, west side of Main street, between Gabilau and Alisal.
TOYS AND NOTIONS .- R. Strellnauer, cast side of Main street, between Gabilan and Sansal.
Lyon Cohen, nudler the Abbott House.
FLOURING MILLS .- Empire Mills, Tobey & Hudson, proprie- tors, Sausal street,
Standard Mills. Hudson & Holloway, proprietors, Alisal St. BOOT AND SHOEMAKER .- G. A. Tolman, cast side of Main street, opposite the Abbott House.
WATCHES AND JEWELRY .- Harry Heerdt, in Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express office.
LAGER BEER .- Salinas Brewery, Lurz & Meuke, proprietors. WINKS AND LIQUORS .- R. Strellnauer, east side of Main street, bet Gabilan aud Sausal.
INSURANCE AGENTS -W. P. L. Winham, Main street.
L. H. Garrigus, Main street. J. R. Eardley, Maiu street.
BI,ACKSMITHING .- Iverson Bros., Gabilan street.
J. V. Lacey, Sausal street.
A. Bullene, corner Main and Alisal strects.
TEACHERS OF MUSIC .- T. R. Davenport with J. P. Stanley. Will J. McCoy, music rooms at the residence of Win. Bur- beck, corner Riker and Areher streets.
DENTISTRY .- Dr. G. B. Lemon, Central Hall building, Main St. DRUGS AND MEDICINES .- Eagle Drug Store E. K. Abbott, proprietor, corner Main and Gabilan streets.
STOVES, TINWARE, ETC .- Peter Eitzert, east side of Main street. BREAD, PIES, CAKES, ETC .- Pioneer Bakery, E. Rinehardt, pro- prietor, east side of Main street, bet. Gabilen and Alisal. REAL ESTATE AGENTS .- W. P. L. Winham, J. R. Eardley and L. H. Garrigus.
FRESH FRUITS .- J. F. Hay, R. Strellnauer and Geo. Warren. LIVERY STABLE .- Fashion Stables, Franks & Lean, proprie- tors, Ceutral Hall block, Main street.
LAWYERS .- Webb & Wall, Central Hall building, Main street. H. V. Morehouse, west side of Main street, uear Gabilan.
W. M. R. Parker, Wasson building, Main street.
F. Sherwood, Dean's building, Main street.
N. A. Dorn, Court House.
R. M. F. Soto, Wasson building, Main street.
S. F. Geil, Riker's building, Main street.
Gregory & Shipsey, west side of Main street, between Gabilan and Central Avenue.
Dodge & Clipperton, Wasson building, Main street.
S. L. Cutter, Riker's building, corner Main and Gabilan Sts. PHYSICIANS .- E. K. Abbott, Eagle Drug Store.
O. S. Trimmer, west side of Main street.
S. M. Archer, Santa Rita. E. S. S. Root, Gonzales.
Castroville.
SKETCH OF THE TOWN AND VICINITY-LOCAL RESOURCES AND PROSPECTS.
BY JOSEPH MERRITT.
AN intelligent observer wrote as follows, after a brief visit to this town: "The first introduction to Castroville, which is situated about a half mile from the railroad depot, is not prepos- sessing, since only small cottages, scattered here and there, wildly, yet in abundance, are met with; but upon entoring it, one enn see signs of life, business and thrift, and can forget the first impressions in the realization of the fact that there aresubstan- tial stores and residences, pretty gardens and plenty of trees. And then, if we stand in the handsome plaza in front of the stately Catholic church-in the cast the Queen of Night man- tling in her robes of filmy, golden mist the fading forms of the Gabilan mountains; in the west still lingering the l'aintest rays of a saffron sunset-and mark the mollowed light fall softly on roof-tops, or pieree in fitful filagree the cypress, pines and eucalypti, the tinkling guitar and the musical moaning of the ocean chianting a requiem for the dying day, we may well
'Lift up deep eyes from dusty ways of mart and money'
And call Castroville a charming little town."
CASTROVILLE LOCATED.
The site of the town is upon the Castro grant, known as tho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo raneho. The town was founded early in 1864-thus being the pioneer town of the Salinas valley-by Juan B, Castro, one of the owners of the ranch, ex-County Treasurer and a son of Don Simeon Castro, a Judge under the Mexican rule at Monterey. The liberality of the proprietors of the town site in donating lots for public purposes, and to such private individuals as would ereet substantial resi- dences, has done much towards aiding the growth of the town, which, with its immediate vicinity, has a population of about one thousand. The latter donations no doubt account, to a large extent, for the straggling nature of its outskirts. The town is well laid out in blecks, with good, wide streets, several of which have avenues of well-grown trees along them. Most of the business establishments are located on Merritt street, which lies on the main road to Moss Landing. Considering that the town is not incorporated, the citizens are deserving of great eredit for the many noticeable improvements. Private enterprise has reared substantial and home-like residences in tbe midst of pretty gardens, embowered in trees, principally gum, eypress, pine, pepper, acacia, and nearly all kinds of
161
CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS OF CASTROVILLE
fruit trees hunguration with is attendant live nere and taxation, will probably follow nut long lines and it sany then be expected that this little barge will make the ment of her opportunities for as a svouten-year-old city, she is a leth. bit " behind her inland sister Salinas, in municipal impres ... ments
The surroundings are such as to justify the warmest faith of the citizens in the future of the town, for in its iuune liate vicinity are the excellent agricultural, grazing and would lands of the l'astro rancho, besides the l'ooper, Santa Rita, Escarpines, and Estrada rancho, containing a productive ana af some forty thousand acres Of this little town it may well Ir Mail :-
" Nature matra her hills with valleys, Netr her meals where waters flow "
It is a noticeable and highly commendable fact, that several of the large land-owners, among whom may le named Juan B. Castro, and the Sanchez and Merritt families, Imve subdivided their lands into small farms and building lots of all sizes. which are sold, according to their location and qualities, at prices ranging from St to $100 per acre. The lands may in. classified into the rolling upland, to the north-east of the town. consisting of a variety of soils, from the light, sandy formation tu the black, heavy alobe, while in the opposite direction. towards and beyond the Salinas river, which winds its way about a couple of miles from town, the soil is likewise varil. but with a preponderance of the sedimentary and adobe quali- ties. On the Castro uplands the average yield of wheat. [".T acre, is thirty bushels, and of barley fifty bushels, though one hundred bushels of the latter grain have been raised in some cases, and the yield of wheat has reached eighty bushels here and there. The eastern portion of this rancho, being wooled and well sheltered, is used chiefly for grazing, dairying and the growing of fruits, many varieties of which are successfully cultivated. The prices are from St to $15 for grazing and orchard lands, and from $25 to $100 for farming lands,
AMPLE RESOURCES.
On the uplands and low hills east of town there is an almost inexhaustible supply of good oak or cord-wood, a large trade in which with San Jose and other points is carried on by the medium of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Along the river an abundance of willows also contributes to the wood traffic. The water is pure and excellent in quality, plentiful in supply, and never-failing even in the driest seasons It is realily reached at a maximum depth of twenty feet. The climate is very equable and pleasant, as well as healthful, the therinometer rarely rising above sixty degrees, and scarcely ever touching eighty degrees. The proximity to the sea proluces a bracing atmos- phere, while the sea mists of heavy dew are almost of as much benefit to farmers os heavy rains. The erops mature better by
in ut tos to fun ! in the State
The product of the district are ond' the av ran veld of which has already lowen given petales of excellent quality aul large size, apposially on the l'osper ranel, and fruit of all kinds excepting the mot de heste of ami-tropical, san- ate The orchard of John Bowery. Mr. Ruth, and onhers. Speaks volumes in this respect Dansing a very succesfully carried on and a fine quality of butter is made The apiary of R. J Adorek, in San Miguel cama, from which la exports yearly Husket pounds of first-class honey, is dosering of intention.
The churches are two in number, the larger one bring the Catholic, of which Rev. Hugh Curran is parish priest. The Union church handling is wel for all Protestant denominations. There is no resident Protestant clergyman, last a serman is preached nearly every Sunday by one minister of another from Salinas Rov. Gira, Mccormick, Presbyterian; Res .1. S MeGowan, Episcopalian, and Rov. A. S. Gilduas, of the M E. church, hava preached here frequently during the past for years. There are two cometories. One belongs to the Oil Follows, and is prettily plantel with canalmental were, which have already attained substantial and hautaine jaro- portions. The other belays to the Catholic church, Bul is well arranged and kept in orderly style.
The public school is nuder the charge of Mr L. B. Wilson of San Jose, as Principal. He is a graduate of the California Normal School, and a painstaking and thorough teacher. Hi4 assistants are Miss Chra C. Richardson of San Jose, and Miss Nellie Stirling of Castroville, both very competent teachers. According to the census of 1880, there were 256 children in the district, of whom about 100 were enrolled. There are two school buildings, one of which is a handsome structure; they are valuel at 87,000. The library is valued at $400. The yearly expenditures amount to $2,500. During the current school year ten months' school will be maintained. The trustees of the school district are W. A. Anderson, Israel John- son and Jos. Merritt, the first named being chairman of the Board, and the last named District Clerk.
SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
The town has several fraternal societies, as follows: Con- fidence Lodge, No. 203, F. and A. M., of which A. P. Potter is W. M., and John A Malloy, Secretary; Salinas Lodge, No. 152. I. O. O. F., A. H. Longley, & G., Hiram Roth. V. C., Joseph
152
THE BUSINESS PLACES OF CASTROVILLE.
Merritt, Secretary and I. K Brokaw, Treasurer. l'astroville Lol, No. 103 \ O I W. Louis Meyer, M W . Jos Merritt. Recorder, Dr. John Parker, Medical Examiner, Castroville Laxlge, No. 446, 1 O. G T., L. B. Williams W C T., Miss Nellie Stirling. W. S. The Goal Templar, have a member- ship of alemnt sixty aml are doing well. The 0,bl Fellows have about fifty members, own their own hall, have considerable money out at interest, and aluywyther are in a very pro-per- ons condition. The lodge of Workmen is comparatively small but is gaining members. The Masons have also a onall mem- bersbip here, but own the building in which they meet. Ould Fellows Hall is used as a place of meeting by the Workmen an'l Good Templars, as well as the Odd Fellow4.
The date of the organization of each of the above-mentioned lodges is as follows: Masovic, July 19, 1869 ; Odd Fellows', January 23, 1869 ; Worknun's, May 28, 1879; Good Trm- udar's, May 24, 1877.
THE OLDEST ODD FELLOW.
While referring to loent fraternities it may be appropriate to mention that one of the oldest men in membership in the Order of Oddl Fellows is a resident of Castroville. William Childs, now in his seventy-sixth year, joined the Order in Bal- timore, Md., in 1828 -- fifty-three years ago-and was a con- temporary in the lodge-room with Wildey and others whose narues are venerated on necount of their early and honored con- nection with Odd Fellowship in the United States. Judge Childs has probably no senior, in length of membership, ou the Pacific coast.
The professions are represented by John Parker, a thoroughly educated and successful physician and surgeon ; William Chills, Justice of the Peace; M. R. Merritt, couveyancer and Notary Public.
THE CASTROVILLE ARGUS.
The town has one newspaper, the Argus, which was estab- lished in March, 1869, and has been managed hy the pres- ent editor and proprietor, Joseph Merritt, since January 1, 1875.
The public halls are Schmidt's and Cooper's. Two hotels, the Overland House, kept by M. King, and the American Hotel. John Mills proprietor, together with the Castroville Restaurant conducted M. L. de Fraga, cater to the wants of the traveling public.
PRINCIPAL BUSINESS HOUSES.
Among the leading business inen are the following :- Wood, Dutcher & Co., J. B. H. Cooper, L. B. Keating and Miller & Co., dealers in general merchandise ; Black & Son, proprietors of the Castroville Flouring Mills; A. H. Longley, tinsmith and ›lealer in stoves and hardware; J. E. Watson and J. W Mitchell, fruit and general variety ; H. D. Grandpre and ohn Rairdon, harnessmakers; C. R. Whitcher and E. R.
Fanruf, blacksmiths; I. K. Brokaw, wagonmaker; W. H. Gib- son, lenler in grain anl flour ; A. Wright, painter; John l'ar. ker, druggist ; ('has, Thiriet, watchmaker and jeweller; J. H. Hillman, upholsterer; '' Canra Is, shoemaker ; W. A. Ander- son, builder anl contractor; Garcia &' Soto and MI. Matthews. barbers; J. M. Pomber, livery stable: Knoch & Zimmerman, meat market: Mr. Bartley, photographer ; M. V. Walsh, L. Meyer, H. Roth, P' Casey, G. Tomasini, Walter Henry, saloon- krepers.
The brick building in which Wood, Dutcher & Co. carry on their extensive general merchandise trate is the most impor- tant building in the town proper, if we, perchance, except the stately residence of .1. B. 11. Cooper (the son of Captain J. B. R Cooper, of early pioneer fame). County Supervisor at large ant a merebant carrying on business in the brick store adjoin ing that we have just mentioned. In Mr. Cooper's store is located Wells, Fargo & Co.'s express office, W. 11. Gibson, agent, and .f. C. Forbes, clerk. The Western Union Telegraph othier is in Wood, Dutcher & Co.'s store, T. Wood being the manager, and Alex. Patterson the operator.
The post- office is at present at the drug store, but will prob- ably be removed soon, T. Wood having recently been appointed Posturaster. The present Postmaster is Israel Jolinson.
W. S. Pierson discharges the duties of station agent at the Southern Pacific Railroad depot, which is the point of june- tion of the road from Monterey and that from Soledad to San Francisco.
The Chinese have their quarters in town and are quiet and well-behaved. They find employment in wood-chopping dur- ing the winter months and threshing mustard and binding grain in sunumer.
A FINE RESIDENCE.
HENRY MAYERS of San Francisco has a fine residence descrv. ing of notice. It may almost he called a mansion, so elegant is it in style. It is placed on a hill a short distance from town, commanding a beautiful view, over park-like glades and rolling woodlands, of the valley and bay. The gardens, out- huildings and all other improvements give evidence of care and taste. Dairying is carried on to a large extent on this farın and some grain is grown.
PUBLIC READING- ROOM.
The town has a public reading-room, opened this winter hy the local lodge of Good Templars, and it is well supplied with books, magazine and newspapers, most of them donated hy members of the order and by other persons who have thus shown an interest in the success of an institution whose influ- ence in behalf of education and good morals is bound to be felt in the community.
RANCH, AND RESIDENCE,OF MR.J. B.SMITH. SANTA RITA, MONTEREY CO,CAL.
$ 1.
RESIDENCE OF J. M. SOTO. SANTA RITA. RANCHC. MONTEREY CO. CAL.
RAILROAD AND WATER COMMUNICATION.
Bis the magistrale Justier William t'hille the township officer are Contables J R t'aslay an IJ M Putoler Roal Overwar. fico la Ritchey ; Deputy Sheriff M R Merritt The representative of this district in the Board of Supervisor is Juan B l'astro. The Chairman of the Board. J B. II Conquer, is also a resident of Castroville.
In the rightorbowl there is also a large area of swamp land, the reclamation of which, as is proven by viville realt. in the case of parech that a few years ago were protitles and unproductive, is practically at all con Some of the last and richest lands in this part of the county are of this class. The reclamation of extensive tracts of -wamp and marsh others a field for capital which half a decade's work would iwyond question demonstrate to have been most wisely chosen.
CHOICE HUNTING AND FISHING.
in the hills cast of town there is abundaner of game, such as rahbits and hares, and, in season, the sportsman will find, also, plenty of qmail amt doves. The sloughs and lakes in the vicinity nbound with water-fowl in winter, the duck list embracing the prized canvas- back aud mallard, and also teal. widgeon and other varieties. English snipe are not rare, either, and, though geese are not as plentiful as when this valley was more sparsely populated, the autumnal haze that doats over shorn fiells is still pierced by many an anserine phalanx. The sport of hunting is here, in short, within the reach of all who have the leisure and energy to enjoy it. For fishing the favorite resort is Moss Lauding, where people from Salivas, too, and from other parts of the valley frequently, luring the summer months, spend a day picnicing and surf-fish- ing. It may be well to note, in this counection, that in addi- tion to the catfish and other varieties previously deposited in the Espino-a lake, near town, that beautiful sheet of water was recently stocked with land-locked salmon.
THE WATER- COURSES.
The water power, taken into consideration with the pro- ducts of this section, is well deserving of the attention of capi- talists. The Tembladera slough, connected as it is with the principal lagoons of the valley, and having, within three miles of the towu, a natural reservoir-the Espinosa lake-one mile or more iu length by a quarter or half a mile in width, with ten to fifty feet of water, is a continuously flowing stream fifty to one hundred feet in width, with a depth of five to ten feet and a fall of perhaps twenty feet, producing a current of about four miles an hour. This stream approaches within two hundred feet of the towu, emptying, about a mile to the west into the Salinas river, and could be profitably utilized for woolen mills, beet sugar factories, and paper-making. Devoted to these industries it would be a veritable stream of Pactolus, , direction of its sea-side caravansary, the Hotel del Monte.
for the canty pol ices al undane of wol leets suitable for sugar -making an known todo will live and draw is yearly burn I in vast quantities The das cannot be far distant in the future when there raw materials will In nadl in the man- ner suggest: 1
This water-our the Taladra, has for some thin just been favorably Ineke I ışı iş the ateamslap firm of Camelall Perkins & l'om ommeton withthe content of a cal to wann quint mar Salma. A topographical survey has allaily ten ma le tether with estimates on the art of changing the stresin where thedead and of growing the rules of which it bas a thus growth the ajot of the sahip company bring to compare with the Satin In Fucitic Bailand Company for the ujqur valley grain, which, on account of distance from Moss Landing, has at present only an nuithet ly rail It is believed that if the cause be not restricted a narrow gauge will be, from the Landing up the valley, though this pher, ns the produrers from Sabinas City south are loud and earnest in their invitation to the steamship company to relieve them from the necessity of strengthening and supporting a monopoly.
RAILROAD AND WATER COMMUNICATION
The prospects of Castroville, as, indeal, of all the towns of the Salinas valley, have been materially retarded by local jeal. ousies and contending influences, both public and private ; but as these subside, or become arranged, the reasoning becomes justiliable that, since evast towns in the United States, and throughout the universe, in fact, have generally Income of greater commercial importance than those inland, the future of a town located only two and a half miles from a good shipping point (Moss Landing); at th point of junction of the railroads from Soledad and the port of Montetry to San Francisco ; within easy approach of a third port, Santa Cruz, over a nar- row gauge road only ten miles distant, which, although badly damaged during the winter, will soon be again in repair, with the possibility of exchange for a broad-gauge road ; and backed by one of the most extensive and fertile agricultural dis- tricts in the State, cannot be anything but a bright one.
A few distances (by rail) are here given, in miles : From Castroville to San Francisco, 109.7 ; to San Jow, 50.7; to Gilroy, 29.4; to Pajaro, 10.3; to Monterey, 15.4; to Salinas, 7.9; to Chualar. 18.8; to Gonzales, 24.8; to Soledad, 33.2. Farcs: From Castroville to Monterey, Salinas or Watsonville (l'ajaro), 75 cents ; to San Francisco, $4.75 with a slight reduction if a round trip ticket be taken. Passengers from San Francisco to this place, with hand-baggage only, usually buy tickets for Monterey, price $3.50, and leaving the cars at Castroville, save $1.25. The fare to Monterey is lower than to Castroville, from San Francisco, owing to steainship competition and to the fact that the railroad company desires to encourage travel in the
154
MOSS LANDING AS A SHIPPING POINT.
PLACES OF REMORT.
The sandy beach at How Landing is a good one for bathers and affords a splendid drive for many miles around the Bay of Monterey, so that the towns-people need not wander far from home for sen-side enjoyments; and on the whole, such are the advantage of soil, climate and shipping facilities which Castro- ville posses, that her citizens have only to remember that
" Progress only laya the dummies, Not the live men, on the shelf,"
To grasp the rich possibilities of this favored region.
Although C'astroville, owing to the humidity of its surround- ings, can do with less rain than other portions of the Salinas valley, now and then there is partial failure of crops, and business of all kinds is consequently affected. The idea is gaining ground that there must be a thorough change in the farming system ; irrigation must be in- troduced to counteract the chances and effects of dry seasons, In this district this can be done without a very great expenditure, owing to the before-mentioned supply of water, and at the other end of the valley a scheme has for some time been under consideration for the irrigation of an area amounting to about twenty thousand acres, The visit of Mr. J. D. Schuyler, Assistant State Engineer, to this county, in connection with the irrigation question, will, it is believed, be fruitful of good results.
It is also very desirable that ranches be more gener- ally subdivided into farms, owned by those who till them, and that there should be a greater diversity of agri- culture and inercased attention in regard to preserv- ing the quality of land. The present methods must yield to better, under which the soil, instead of being im- poverished and drained of the same ingredients year after yenr, will be rested and benefited by the alternation of grains and other erops. To the system of tenaney now prevailing are dne, in great part, the unfavorable conditions and undoubtedly retrogressive effects to which reference is made, nor can lasting improvement come to the community until this system of yearly leaseholds is modified or abolished.
Moss Landing.
A FEW words now concerning Moss Landing, which is one of the most important shipping points in the county. This land- ing was established in 1866 by Captain Charles Moss, now res- ident in San Francisco, but is now owned by the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. Situated at the mouth of the Salinas river and Moro Cojo and Elkhorn sloughs, or tidal rivers, it stands partly on the wide-extended city lands of Monterey-the
steamship company deriving its title from Mr. David Jacks, who purchased those lands some years ago ~and partly on the Castro Grant, and is distant about two and a half miles from Castroville, with which it is connected by a good road. The landing proper runs out abont a hundred yards into the Bay of Monterey and is approachable at all times except during the rarely occurring tempestnous weather. The several large warehouses are capable of containing about 15,000 tons of grain, and the general air of business about the place gives it quite an important appearance. In connection with it are the Gibson Landing on the Salinas river and the Watsonville Land- ing on the Elkhorn slough, adding nhout G,000 tons to the storage capacity. The stern-wheel steamer Vaquero, drawing about three feet of water, and of one hundred Jons reg- ister, was brought from the San Francisco and Petaluma line to run between Moss and the other landings, and for a long time served as a feeder of the grain steamers running to San Francisco. Grain at the Watsonville Landing, for example, was loaded in sacks upon eight ears of a capacity of ton tons ench, and these were run upon two lines of track laid upon the steamer's deck and terminating in a turn-table, and discharged, upon the boat's arrival at the Moss Landing wharf, directly into tho hokls of the ocean steamers. This mode has, however, recently been discontinued, and instead of the steamer Vaquero, lighters are now employed. The change is an economical one, while answering every requirement. A steamer makes two regular trips a week between San Francisco and Moss Land- ing, but sometimes extra steamers are put on for the accommo- dation of shippers. The quantity of grain, potatoes and beans handled at Moss Landing each year must, we think, exceed 10,000 tons. Mr. S. N. Laughlin is the resident agent at Moss Landing and Mr. M. A. Hudson the agent at the Watsonville Landing.
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