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 39
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LEADS A FEARFUL LIFE.
·
"After my discharge from San Quentin, I returned to the house of my parents, and endeavored to lead a peaceahle and honest life. I was, however, soon accused of being a confed- erate of Procopio aud one Soto, both noted bandits, the latter of whom was afterwards killed by Sheriff Harry Morse, of Alameda county. I was again forced to become a fugitive from the law officers ; and, driven to desperation, left home and family, and commenced robbing whenever opportunity offered I made but little money by my exploits. I always managed to avoid arrest. I believe I owe my frequent escapes solely to my courage (mi valor). I was always ready to fight when- ever opportunity offered, but always endeavored to avoid bloodshed.
"I know of nothing worthy of note until the Tres Pinos affair occurred. The true story of that transaction is as fol-
low: I, together with four other men, including Chaves my Lientenant, and one Leiva (who is now in jail at San Jose, awaiting an opportunity to testify, he having turned State's evidence . camped within a short distance of Tres Pinos. I sent three of the party, Leiva included, to that point, mak- ing Leiva the Captain. I instructed them to take a drink, examine the locality, acquaint themselves with the number of men around, and wait until I came. I told them not to use any violence, as when I arrived, I would be the judge, and if anybody had to be shot I would do the shooting. When I arrived there with Chaves, however, I found three men dead, | and was told that two of them were killed by Leiva, and one by another of the party named Romano ; the rest of the men in the place were all tied. I told Leiva and his com- panions that they had acted contrary to my orders, that I did not wish to remain there long. Leiva and his men had not secured money enough for my purpose and I told a woman, the wife of one of the men who were tied, that I wonkl kill him if she did not proeure funds, She did so, and we gathered up whint goods and clothing and provisions we needed, and started for Elizabeth Lake, Los Angeles county.
HIS EXPLOITS IN TULARE COUNTY.
"I went to King's River in Tulare county where, with a party of eight men besides myself, 1 captured and tied up thirty-five men. There were two stores and a hotel in this place. I had time to plunder only one of the stores, as the citizens aroused themselves and began to show fight. The muunbers were unequal and I retired. I got about eight hundred dollars and considerable jewelery by this raid. I went from there to a small settlement, known as Pauama, on Kern River, where myself and party had a carouse of three days, dancing, love inaking, etc. El Capitan Vasquez was quite a favorite with the señoritas. It was well known to the citizens of Bakersfield, which is only two or three miles from Panama, that I was there, and arrangements were made for my capture ; but the attempt was not made until I had been gone twenty-four hours, They then came and searched the house in which I was supposed to he concealed. When I left Panama, I started for the Sweet-water mountains, and skirted their base, never trav- elling along the road, hut keeping along in the direction of Lone Pine. I returned by the way of Coyote Holes, where the robbery of the stage took place. Here Chaves and myself cap- tured the diligencia and sixteen men. Chaves held his gun ' over them while I took their money and jewelry. We got about $200 and some pistols, and jewelry, watches, etc .; also a pocket-hook helonging to Mr. James Craig, containing ahout $10,000 worth of mining stock, which I threw away. One man was disposed to show fight, and to preserve order I shot him in the leg and made him sit down. I got six horses from the stage company, two from the station,"
187
SPANISH RODEOS, OR CATTLE GATHERINGS.
Rodeos, or Cattle Gatherings.
AS EARLY as the first settlement of California, cattle were in- troduced from Spain and Mexico. But little atteation was paid to lailk or butter; cattle of every lescription and age ran wild together. They soon multiplied, aad in great herds grazel upon the hills and roamed over the valleys. They were used only for their hides and tallow, as there was no market for the meat. For many years this was the chief article of export and commodity of trade. Whole herds were slaughtered upon the fields, the hides and tallow carried away, and the carcass left whero the animal was slain.
These cattle resciubled wild beasts of the forests jaore than cows ; they were generally of n yellowish-brown or drab color, with large, dark circles around the eyes and nostrils; long, slim legs, and as lank as a honnd and swift as a deer.
There was on all the cattle ranches a time set apart at eer- tain scasons, generally in the spring of the year, for the purpose of collecting the cattle in order to overlook and couut them, aud to brand the young ones with the mark of the ranch, and perforus certain other operations, as well as to accustom them to take the fold and prevent thein from running wildl.
This was called a rodeo after the old Spanish custom, and was a holiday to all the inhabitants of the rauch and its vicinity. Numbers came from great distances to assist and collect their cattle.
METHOD OF CAPTURE.
On an occasion of this kind the cattle were driven into a large ring fold at a wide opening on one side. This was after- ward all closed np, except a small door left for the cattle to be forced out at. Those to be operated upon were made to escape at this door singly; and when a bull found himself in the open field he nsually made off with the utmost speed, pursued by a gang of horsemen swingiag their lassos in the air, and while in full chase, and when they got within point blank, those foremost throw their lassos, some round the horns, others rouad the neck, some would entrap a hiud leg, others a fore oac. They then stop short their well trained borses and the bull falls as if shot, tumbling heels over head.
In a moment he is secured by tyiag the lassos round his legs, aud by some of the vaqueros lying down on his head. In this state the wildest bull lies perfectly motionless and suffers whatover operation has to be performed almost without mak- ing an effort at resistance.
Says L. C. Branch: "I have seen rodeos at my father's place on tho Tnolnmne river, though when quite small, yet I remem- ber the circumstances well. People would come from all over the neighboring country; some even from the Merced river, the San Joaquin, and Tuolumne."
SPRING RODEOS.
About May 1st, the spring rodeos begin_ When a rodeo is to be held va any given range, notice is sent out in advancu to the men in charge of neighboring ranges, and when the rodeo takes place cies of the neighboring ranges will be represented by one or laure vaqueros, who assist in the work. Roaming about at will, the cattle of ditl'erent owners become mingled in the course of a season, and at the rodeo they are sorted out and separated. The calves stay with their respective mothers, and thus any confusion of ownership regarding them is prevented. The calves belonging to the range are branded while the ro:leo is in progress. The cattle and calves belonging to other ranges are then driven off by the agents of their respective owners. One rodeo succeeds another, each ou a different range, until all the cattle have been sorted out and claimed and all the calves branded. In the fall, rodeos are again in order Euch owner has his own private brand and car-mark. Besides the brand and ear-mark, a dewlap, made by an upward or a downward cut transversely through the loose skin of the neck is commuonly added,
CATTLE STAMPEDES.
One of the great causes of loss to which cattle iaen are liable, is stampeding. This is a dauger to which all large droves of stock are ever subject. Stampedes are caused by a sudden fright which instantaneously spreads through a whole herd, and starts them off in a moment on a mad, headlong, resistless rush to escape from some imaginary peril. Stampedles usually occur at night, but sometimes in the day. In Paradise valley, Nevada, last winter, 1,300 cattle confined in a number of corrals took fright one night and broke out of their inelos- nres, rushing off in a body. A nulaber of them were killed in gullies. Many were not recovered for weeks, and some have not yet heen found. They were fat cattle, ready for market, and the loss to their owners hy the stampede way ia the neighborhood of $10,000. Cattle lose enoriaously in weight by a stampede, aad are left in a very bad condition. It requires months to again fit them for market. And having oace stam- peded they are liable to do so agaia oa the slightest provoca- tion. They do not recover from the original fright for weeks, the wild run leaving them in a state of nervous exhaustion. Cattle will stampede even when yoked to wagons. In 1849 sixty teams of cattle, five yoke to a team, all drawing emigrant wagons, stampeded on the Sweetwater, in Colorado, and ran sevea or eight miles before they came to a halt.
Horses and mules are also subjected to stampede. As might be supposed from their well-known eccentricity of impulse aud tenacity of purpose, mules make a worse stampede than either horses or cattle. When a large band of mules stampede, they go so far and scatter over so much country that a large loss usually results.
188
ACRES AND VALUATION OF ALL PROPERTY.
FINANCIAL AND STATISTICAL TABLE.
Showing the Acres of Land, the Value of Property. the Rate of Tax on each Sioo Valuation (the State tax being 62} cents) for every County in Californ a for the Year 1880, as reported by the Controller of State.
NAMES
ro) ordicneral . .
al by the Sur.
laad, as report.
Suuther of Actes of
Value of Real Fa-
Fatto. . . . .....
menta on Fest
Valur af linprove.
mive of mancy . .
Value of Persial
maticos .....
Boardof Equali-
Value of Rastronel
ing money .. . ..
Property incluil.
Total Value of all
Rate of Taxation ..
and Co. Taxes. .
Amount of State
4,503,904 $ 1,902,753 $
Alameda.
472,859 8 31,310,033 $
1 10
1
11,970 99
Alpine. .
302.822
1,000,569
952,103
770,158
84,000
Amador
175,266 10
Butte .
1,130,245
7,670,882
1.431,556
2.652,111
1,019,67 4
8,837
2,608,316
3 00
54,367 14
L'alaveras
622,717
1.024,399
485,951
1.043,341
600,760
17.875,773
1 30
188,374 15
Colusa.
1.472,773
13,243,135
1,173,591}
1,309,680
002,095
8,171,064
-
2 50
16,731 52
Del Norte ..
990,673
272,437
235.022
287,725
978,325
208,413
2,989,733
2 17!
50,580 17
El Dorado
1,210,504
987,280
728,090
520,085
1,608,714
1,501.485
7,533,327
2 00
120,865 GO
Fresno
121,673 97
Humboldt
2,620,799
3,499,433
1,228, 155
1,749,451
484,479
1,177,662
3 00
32,515 86
Inyo . . ..
131,728 52
Kern
5,181,885
2,166,755
524,071
1,374,557
1,736,006
5,853,881
2
75
2 55
54,046 99
Laku.
690,990
1,338,825
557,002
621,133
2,550,274
2 55
30,925 43
Lassen ..
3,400,820
435,674
228,420
621,476
1,303,430
1 50
257,769 78
Los Angeles
3,080,625
10,477,432
3,033,059
2,798,393
2,054,979
18,502,652
1 1 65
1 81
142,336 48
Mariu.
326,367
5,539,902
1,238,390
1,431,207
694,322
Mariposa
088,234
600,687
325,078
516,459
1,405,603
3 00
38.811 51
Mendocino.
2,280,339
2,977,519
1.123,609
2,160,699
6,373,983
2 00
111,717 00
Merced.
1,260,805
3,766,056
584,179
1,285,573
744,702
6,757,416
2 00
114,625 20
Modoc ..
1,700,773
692,746
828,845
797,905
2,365,439
2 90
49,016 35
Mono .. .
2,130,420
4,906,709
820,726
1,579,416
734,772
8,076,874
1 65
116,756 36
Napa ..
505,075
4,456,835
1,954,834
1,990,131
656,473
0,182,661
1 80
143,372 44
Nevada
720,084
1,334,835
1,854,523
1,887,315
801,812
9,061,990
1 90
128,754 55
Placer
915,923
2,403,291
1,398,920
1,757,777
2,322,169
7,999,343
1 50
84,583 98
Plumas
1,700,497
931,008
525,5.34
606,276
2,100,302
?
44
46,881 33
Sacramento
620,460
11,744,870
6,033,345
6,188,105
1,360,013
25,748,193
1 50
278,488 57
San Benito.
076,550
2,494,734
484,235
676,541
260,040
3,052,935
1 573
57,864 66
San Bernardino ...
13,550,900
1,669,007
586,577
692,604
720,156
3,680,746
1
2
10
San Diego.
9,580,384
1,307,302
341,948
900,748
2,424,633
4,095,469
2 444
73,190 22
San Francisco
27,862
122,029,808
42,968,640
68,583,967
190,228
253,520,32G
1 991
4,336,917 25
San Joaquin.
870,720
17,622,162
3,121,408
4,799,557
1,684,5,34
27,463,315
1
50
280,155 28
San Luis Obispo ..
2,290,285
2,604,457
572,097
1,395,711
4,678,048
2 25
92,583 76
San Mateo. .
293,059
4,419,910
1,559,745
1,392,710
369,800
7,764,610
1 87
115,497 65
Santa Barbara
1,450,063
3,200,634
895,001
1,290,504
5,487,053
2 25
83,821 25
Santa Clara.
830,145
14,579,401
4.938,534
4,311,119
1,351,266
25,530,723
1 50
369,061 87
Santa Cruz
280,080
3,804,533
1.216,707
1,160,922
311,S14
6,596,512
2 10
118,023 12
Shasta ..
2,410,987
970,712
453,461
951,129
380,963
2,813,577
2 50
49,560 05
Sierra.
510,259
693,359
394,045
533,270
43,507
1,741,537
2 95
42,257 13
Siskiyou
3,590,771
1,323,528
710,474
1,576,491
3,724,857
1 80
47,919 81
Solano.
530,267
7,461,32G
1.600.617
1,869,928
1,004,529
12,124,576
1
90
165,662 05
Sonoma.
960,919
10,016,225
3,584,508
3,597,396
1,213,493
18,805,853
1
62
246,212 16
Stanislaus.
966.766
6,558,542
783,700
1,667,594
608,015
9,182,046
1
60
98,348 00
Sutter.
391,158
3,656.128
434.002
888,146
202,640
5,202,790
1 75
68,267 88
Tehama
2.000.781
3,977.270
615,683
1,173,333
821,502
6,627,363
40
105,515 79
Trinity.
1.680,SS0
403,951
202,050
447,000
1,093,939|
2 75
24,711 77
Tulare ..
4,100,250
1,49,929
1,863,226;
1,383,943
1,169,499
6,408,888
2 36
112,041 60
Tuoluuine
1,250,440
703.069
609,869
623,427
1,976,572
2 65
44,108 21
Ventura
1,077,548
2,046,859
395,90S
859,011
3,331,979
2 00
57,885 78
Yolo
651,148
7.845,624
1,408,552
2,319,274
874,378
12,909,950
1 55
153,686 16
Yuba.
395,110
1,752,093
1,111,152
1,653,789
410,798
5,035,252
100,891 02
{ 2 50
Totals
100,529.924 $ 349,157,295 $ 111,536,922 $ 149,656,007 $31,174,120 $ 666,202,674
$10,136,353 09
Ur
COUSTILL
(SI 35
$522,057 23
11,202,102 %
59,241
110,507
366,699
3 00
565,502
162,008
2 08
07 307 84
12,898,094
1 70
123,379 92
470,800
5,264,509
S63,649;
Contra Costa
5,180,972
3,795,415
6,607,380
2 25
6,500,489
321,548
358,826
2,750,418
580,230
352,208
892,029
1,843,058
1 80
23,85€ 66
Monterey
1 90
?
53,408 98
2711,045
Proje.rty exclu.
buscaurl hy Stato
txte .....
0,208,448
2.872,387
820,250
8,924,530
G
2 20
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