USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 11
USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 11
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One beneficial effect of the coming of railroads to this locality, how- ever, was that they brought also with them the telegraph. In 1873, when the wires had reached Anaheim, the citizens raised the necessary bonus of $2,500, demanded by the Western Union Company, the line was com- pleted September 18, of that year, and the first message was sent out by De La Montaigne Woodward, and who, as president of the board of town trustees, dictated the first message, which was sent to A. E. Hor- ton, founder of San Diego.
The coming of the telegraph and the iron horse to San Bernardino County marked the date of a new era of development and the birth of a spirit of progressiveness and constructiveness.
CHAPTER V A DECADE OF PROGRESS
It had been predicted and fully expected that the coming of the Southern Pacific Railroad would mean instant and unprecedented pros- perity in San Bernardino County. As is often the case, however, the most optimistic were not the best informed or those possessed of the highest judgment. While the railroad for all practical purposes elim- inated all trade and freighting business with Arizona, and cut into the business formerly handled by the stage lines, there was still the necessity for much stage travel and post routes in all directions. Incidentally a stage made regular trips between San Bernardino and Lugonia and Red- lands until the completion, in 1888, of the railroad to those points, and for many years a stage line was kept up between the county seat and Colton and Riverside and did a fair amount of business.
At first the railroad took over practically all the business in the way of freighting that it could handle, but the merchants of San Bernardino. after some figuring, found that goods could be shipped to Anaheim Land- ing by steamer and hauled from that point by mule team cheaper than they could be brought to Colton by the railroad, and the patronage thus given the "mule line" eventually caused the Southern Pacific to reduce its freight rates. In 1882 the California Southern Railroad reached Colton, and in 1883 the first train entered San Bernardino. Two years later the branch to Waterman was put through and San Bernardino thus secured a second transcontinental route.
The great increase in population which had been predicted was handi- capped by the high railroad fares, and the number of new settlers fell far below expectations. But if the growth was not phenomenal, still it was steady and healthy, and in 1880 the county had a population of 7,786. In assessed valuation the county increased from $1,339,337, in 1870, to $3,159,456, in 1880, and $11,189,842, in 1885.
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GROWTH OF FARMING AND FRUIT GROWING. During this epoch there began the great horticultural awakening in the San Bernardino Valley. According to statistics compiled by the State Board of Agriculture, in 1873 there were 7,111 orange trees in the county. In 1879 the value of the fruit products of the county was given as $56,612, a figure that had increased to $106,457 by 1881, in which the number of orange trees was placed at 15,435. That the era of orange planting had been ushered in was shown in the fact that out of 1,018,537 fruit trees reported in 1885, 214,513 were orange trees. During this time Colton grew in size and population, the colony of Etwinda was established and the work of development begun under progressive methods; Chaffey Brothers pur- chased the land and laid out the model colony of Ontario with a large acreage of groves, orchards and vineyards, and Richard Gird made extensive improvements on his Chino Rancho, especially along the line of improved cattle.
FURTHER ADVANCEMENT OF SAN BERNARDINO. Incidents that at the time of their happening are often looked upon as calamities frequently turn out as blessings in disguise. During the years 1878 and 1879 the City of San Bernardino suffered from several large and disastrous con- flagrations. The buildings burned in these fires, however, were for the
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most part composed of frame, and the fires served to call the attention of the people to the menace of structures built of such inflammable mate- rial. Thus, in rebuilding with brick buildings, the fire danger was greatly lessened and the city took on a better architectural appearance.
Various new buildings and industries began to make their appear- ance. The most complete amusement enterprise on the Pacific Coast, outside of San Francisco, was established at San Bernardino in 1883. in the erection of the theater by Messrs. Waters and Brinkmever. In 1882 a telephone service was established between the Transcontinental Hotel at Colton and Starke's hostelry at San Bernardino, and Riverside and Redlands were also reached by this line, which was under the man- agement of R. T. Blow. In 1873 the first franchise for gas works was let to William Farrell & Company, who purchased a lot opposite Starke's Garden and erected a plant. However. the quality of the gas furnished not proving satisfactory, the plant was soon shut down. A franchise was secured by the National Gas Company of New York City, in 1881, and this concern put in an extensive plant, by which the city was first lighted November 2, 1881. In speaking of this achievement, a local newspaper.1 stated editorially: "Gas under the new dispensation is a brilliant success as was abundantly made inanifest last evening. The brilliancy of light from many places of business and residences was equal to an illumina- tion. It is a light soft, pure, clear and brilliant. Its power and diffusive qualities, united with its other good merits, make it a marvel among the successes of artificial illumination. The exhibition of its effects last eve- ning was highly gratifying to the throngs on our public streets, to our citizens in their residences, to our guests at the hotels, and to those enjoying the charms of the dance or the delights of social intercourse." "And after all that," remarks a contemporary writer,? "it is only a year or two before the "Times" is kicking vigorously about the poor gas and without doubt protesting every bill of $5 per thousand."
BOOM TIMES AND EXPANSION. From earliest times San Bernardino has been fortunate in having the services of men of progressiveness and public spirit who have been ready to lend their disinterested abilities to the furtherance of the city's interests. In the parlance of the early days, such a man was referred to as a "boomer." This term came into some disrepute in later days through the sudden failure of a number of "boom" towns, and as a result the appellation given to the local enthusiast in these days is that of "booster."
However, in the days of San Bernardino's biggest boom, the period from 1885 to 1890, no stigma attached to the name of boomer, and one of the greatest and most persistent of these, as well as one of the most effective, was L. M. Holt, who. as editor of the "Southern California Horticulturist," the "Riverside Press" and "Horticulturist," the "Orange Belt," the "Times-Index" and other papers, did excellent service in attract- ing new settlers and informing the general public as to what could be done in making use of the natural resources of this region. Largely through his initiative the Citrus Fair at Chicago, in 1886, was held and called atten- tion to thousands of people to the "golden era" in California. Closely following Mr. Holt as a boomer was Scipio Craig, editor of the Colton "Semi-Tropic" and the "Redlands Citrograph." Mr. Craig, for years wrote and worked without cessation in behalf of the advantages of this locality and no man has done more to advance the country's home industries.
1 The "Times." 2 Ingersoll.
MT. SAN BERNARDINO
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The big boom period was precipitated by the railroad rate war of 1886, which followed the dissolution of the Transcontinental Traffic Association. This war, in which both freight and passenger rates were slashed with the utmost prodigality, caused a big influx of settlers. Of course, all those who visited the state as opportunists taking advantage of the lowered rates did not remain, but all had the opportunity of seeing what water, soil and climate, utilized by intelligent industry, had accom- plished for various sections, and the boom which began in the spring of 1886 was a natural result. It was likewise, as Ingersoll points out, a remarkable example of the contagious excitement which sometimes sweeps through a community and deprives men of their reason and good sense. Pioneer, "tenderfoot," promoter and farmer alike lost their heads and apparently believed that the possession of California soil, with the remotest possibility of water, was a sure road to fortune. The craze followed the regularly established lines for such occasions. The opening of the boom was characterized by the rapid changes in ownership of orchards, ranches, lots and farms, each change being marked by an increase in price. This naturally bred a craze for buying for investment and speculation, followed by the syndicate-colonization movement.
Among the additions and suburbs in and about San Bernardino offered for sale were: Fairbanks', Everts', Owen's and Christy's additions ; Urbita, St. Ehno, Daley and the Hart tract, and outside of the city some of the settlements originated during the boom period were Redlands, Lugonia, Beaumont, Sonth Riverside, East Riverside, Rialto, the Barton tract, Banning, Allessandro, Terracina and Auburndale. A fair example of one of the features of the early stages of the boom is found in a "Grand Excursion and Auction Sale of Real Estate," February 24, 1886, at which free drives, free lunch, free fruit and a continuous band concert were among the inducements.
The boom hotel was a feature, likewise, and every town had its struc- ture of this kind, amusingly out of all proportion to its surroundings, as to size, grounds, fittings and otherwise. A few, a very few, of these hotels remain as hostelries, exciting the wonderment of the tourists; others were torn down for their lumber ; still others were converted into schools, and a large percentage passed away in flames. Every possible advertising scheme was used, and no extravagance of language was too great for the purposes of the professional promoter. One specimen of newspaper advertising will serve to illustrate this. It appeared in a local rewspaper3: "Boom! Of All the Booming Booms in the Booming City of S. B., the Boomiest Boom Is the Boom of the Hart Tract-the Garden- spot of Beautiful Base Line. Fourteen prizes aggregating $16,000. First thirty lots will be sold for $750 each; the remaining forty lots, $850 each. Buy early and make $100."
Just to what extent the boom period had an effect on the assessment rolls of the county is shown by the following figures: 1880, $3.680,745; 1885, $11,189,842 ; 1886, $13,309,750; and 1887, $23,000,000. The popu- lation jumped from 7,786 in 1880 to 25,497 in 1890. The city of San Bernardino alone increased from 1,675 in 1880 to 4,012 in 1890.
It is frequently stated that boom times are detrimental to a city and that in the long run the unnatural conditions of such a period are paid for and more in the years that follow during which the community is "getting back to normalcy." However, it cannot be said that San Ber- nardino County's boom did not have its beneficial features. A local writer summed the matter up as follows: "It is true that during the
3 The "Times." 4 L. M. Holt in the "Orange Belt."
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boom years of 1886 and 1887, there was a considerable amount of wild speculation that had little or no foundation. Acre property was cut into town lots where no town lots ought to be. Dry land was sold at high figures regardless of prospective irrigation, or whether or not the land would be productive. The question of production was never discussed. The only argument used for the time being that the property could be bought today for $2,000 and sold next week for $3,000, or in a few weeks for $5,000. And yet during this wild speculative craze there were estab- lished many solid improvements that have since been turned to good use in building up the country and making it attractive to eastern people who are seeking homes in our midst. * * The boom was not an evil in all respects. During that period of intense speculative excitement there were many foolish things done and many men lost money. But as a whole there was more money made than lost and the country as a whole forged to the front in a manner that could not be equalled under any other cir- cumstances in less than several decades."
In support of the foregoing, it may be interesting to note several improvements which had their inception at the time of the boom, and which, if not the direct result, thereof, were hastened by the increase in wealth and population which the boom caused. Bear Valley reservoir and water system, the most important in the county, was carried to com- pletion and a large acreage put under irrigation and put out in fruit as a result. The Gage Canal at Riverside was finished in 1888; the River- side water system was greatly increased; the South Riverside water system was constructed, a number of smaller water companies were organized and began active development of water and orchards, and the acreage of orange trees multiplied very rapidly. Numerous large and handsome public buildings, residences and business structures were erected in advance of their need, but which were later found available. The transportation companies kept pace with the advancement, many branch lines being built and improvements in service and rolling stock being made. The boom was certainly responsible for great material improvements which would not have appeared for years in the natural course of events.
ADVANCEMENT FROM 1890 To 1921. The depression which invariably follows a boom period had its natural effect upon the industries and advancement of San Bernardino County, but it was not of lasting dura- tion. The county recovered from its setback, gradually but surely, and the end of 1921 finds its industries thriving, its resources being developed in a progressive, healthy and natural way, its people prosperous and con- tented and its outlook for the future one of a highly encouraging character.
The account of this advancement naturally falls into divisions taken up in following chapters covering the development of irrigation, large increase in citrus fruits, development of mineral resources, water power, electricity and large industries, etc. :
CHAPTER VI PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS
San Bernardino County's first public building was the Mormon Council House, which, as heretofore noted, was used as the County Court House for some years, but the first building erected by the county was a jail, which was built in 1858. It was about this time that the one-story brick residence erected by Q. S. Sparks on the corner of Fifth and E streets was rented by the county, and its business was transacted therein until 1862. The supervisors then bought the residence of Charles Glasier, which stood on the site occupied by the present Court House, and which was used until the building of the "old" Court House in 1874. This was a two-story frame building, costing $25,000, which was at the time one of the best structures of its kind in the state, and which was erected on the lot already owned by the county, although petitions were made for a new location closer to the public square.
The "old" courthouse answered the purposes of the people until 1887, when the supervisors submitted a proposition to vote bonds to the amount of $125,000 for building a County Jail and rebuilding the County Court House. The amount of the bonds and the site chosen met with strong opposition, and the supervisors then proposed a bond issue of $75,000, for the erection of a Hall of Records, and when this was voted down, the officials levied a tax of $40,000 to build the last-named struc- ture. It was the opposition to this plan that started the talk in regard to a possible change of county seat and of county division. The super- visors carried through their work, however, and the year 1891 saw the completion of a modern fireproof, earthquake proof building of Colton marble and Mentone sandstone, in which were placed the county records.
The board of supervisors, consisting of William H. Randall. J. N. Victor, J. C. Turner and I. W. Lord, continued to wage a fight for an appropriation of sufficient amount to erect a suitable court house and jail and after bond propositions were twice voted down, they took the drastic action of levying direct taxes and letting out bids. This subsequently brought forth charges that the sums expended were extravagant and unnecessary, but the work went on apace, and in 1898 the county saw the completion of the finest edifice in the county (with the exception of the Southern California State Hospital) and one of the most complete and convenient courthouses in California. The design of the building, which is built of Mentone sandstone, with trimmings of Colton marble and Sespe sandstone, stone floors, iron stairways and spacious hallways and rooms, is dignified and attractive.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STATE HOSPITAL AT PATTON. Among the institutions of California, there are few which are more thorough, modern and built on a larger scale than the Insane Asylum at Highlands. The only state institutions in the southern section of the state prior to 1890 were the Reform School at Whittier and the Normal School at Los Angeles, but during the session of the State Legislature, in 1889, a bill was passed providing for the construction of an Insane Asylum in one of the five southern counties, a representative from each of which formed the board of commissioners, as follows: Joseph Brown, San Bernardino; M. S. Severance, Los Angeles; W. N. Hawley, Santa Barbara ; K. P. Grant, Ventura; and James Kier, San Jacinto. After examining
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numerous propositions the commission finally decided to purchase 360 acres of the Daley Tract, at Highlands, with 60 inches of water from the North Fork Ditch, for $114,000. The appropriation of $350,000 provided for by the bill called for the purchase of the site and the erection of the main building and north and west wings, in addition to which the hill provided for the appointment by the Governor of a board of five trustees, all to be Southern California men, three to be appointed for two years and two for four years, and thereafter all appointments to be for a term of four years. Another provision of the bill was that it author- ized the board to select an architect to prepare the plans of the building, and also appoint another competent architect to act as superintendent of construction.
Gov. R. W. Waterman showed good judgment in the selection of the hoard of trustees, which was composed of H. A. Palmer, H. L. Drew, E. F. Spence, John Anderson and M. A. Murphy. The wisdom of their
COUNTY COURT HOUSE, LOOKING DOWN E STREET, SAN BERNARDINO
selection was shown in their first act of employing Messrs. Curlett & Eisen of Los Angeles and San Francisco to draw the plans and specifica- tions, and the appointment of T. H. Goff, of San Bernardino, as super- intendent of construction. Peter Crichton, of San Francisco, was the lowest responsible bidder in the erection of the structure. The corner- stone of the building was laid December 15, 1890, with appropriate cere- monies, and the first building was completed in 1893, fully equipped with electric plant, complete water and sewer system and all modern con- veniences. Opened August 1 of that year, it had as its first wards 100 patients brought from the northern part of the state, and Dr. M. B. Campbell acted as the first superintendent, holding that office until Sep- tember, 1904. In 1902 an appropriation was made to complete another wing of the building and this was finished in 1903 at a cost of $250,000. By 1904 the buildings accommodated more than 800 inmates, the monthly payroll of the institution was $4,100, and the annual expenditures were placed at $138,000. A completely equipped farm, extensive orchards and grounds, are largely cared for by the inmates who are thus healthfully and usefully employed.
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The site for this asylum is one of the most beautiful in the state, and the buildings and grounds are wonderful pieces of finished workmanship, and reflect credit upon the state in its care of the unfortunates under its care.
Dr. John A. Riley is superintendent of the institution with most able assistants. At the close of 1921 there were 2,425 patients in the insti- tution.
THE COUNTY ORPHANS' HOME. The San Bernardino County Orphans' Home was founded in 1893, when the Associated Charities of San Bernardino City, consisting of Mrs. Robert F. Garner, president ; Mrs. Laura P. Bidgood, secretary and treasurer ; Mrs. Olive Byrne, vice president, and Mrs. F. M. Johnson, Lewis Jacobs, S. F. Zombro and H. Goodcell, trustees, secured the lease of the Hart place, at the corner of C Street and Base Line one of the oldest and most beautiful locations in the city comprising an acre of ground set with fruit trees of many kinds and with an abundance of shade and room for playgrounds. After some necessary alterations the institution was opened with about twenty children as wards, most of them being transferred from the Orphans' Home at Los Angeles. The building was enlarged and refitted in 1896. and in 1899 was chartered and incorporated by the state, after which it drew necessary funds from the state for the support of all orphans, as well as their education and training. In 1901 the county supervisors Erected a sick ward for the use of the Home. About 1915 the county assumed control of property and orphans, boarding them in private homes.
COUNTY ROADS. Very little work was ever done on the early roads of the county, which generally followed the contours of the country, and which could boast of no bridges. The Mormon road up Waterman Canon was the first constructed road, and in 1861 the first toll road in the county was built by John Brown, Sr., H. M. Willis and G. L. Tucker, who were given a franchise for the construction of a toll road through the Cajon Pass, which was accordingly built, and in 1862 John Brown started a ferry across the Colorado River at Fort Mojave. Later the Dalev Road was built. For twenty years, the life of the franchise, this toll road was kept open and in good condition and much heavy traffic went over it. The drowning of a citizen by the name of Tibbits. to the south of Colton, between Riverside and San Bernardino, caused the county officials to take notice of petitions that had been made frequently, and in 1877 the first bridge was put across the Santa Ana River.
For many years there was a demand for a free mountain road. The citizens wished a road which would give them free access to the mag- nificent scenery and the wonderful air and water of the great mountain range. Although many projects were discussed no definite action was taken until 1903. when the passage of a new act by the Legislature enabled counties to build roads out of the general funds. San Bernardino County at once took action and started the work of building roads that has been carried on without interruption to the present. Likewise the county was one of the first to develop a system of oiling its roads and hardening its roadbed, pioneers in this work being J. B. Glover and Theo. F. White, the former of Redlands and the latter of Chino.
MOUNTAIN ROADS. Late in December, 1902, a petition to empower the county supervisors to legally commence spending money on a mountain roadway, was drafted by City Attorney C. C. Haskell, to be presented to
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the Legislature, and in February of 1903, word was received that the proposition was meeting with favor in Sacramento, with every assurance that the bill would pass.
Early in March came the news that the hill empowering the county supervisors to construct, as well as purchase roads into the mountains had been signed by Governor Pardee.
A meeting was held at Urbita Springs to jubilee over the final success, when City Attorney C. C. Haskell and Assemblyman Maj. F. E. Prescott told the "story," giving special praise to the press of the valley in having the bill passed. The first step in the accomplishment of free roads into the mountains was gladly received by the public.
Then rose the momentous question, "Shall the supervisors build in Cold Water Canyon, East Twin Creek or purchase the Arrowhead toll road?" On January 1, 1905, one of the wishes expressed by all, as the New Year's "best gift," was that there might come to them a free road into the mountains, before another New Year.
SCENE ON "101 MILE DRIVE"
In 1905 the toll road in Waterman Canyon was bought, then com- menced the buying of branch roads, building spurs, approaches, switch- backs, cutting down hillsides, which took long months that exterded into the years before a completed roadway was had.
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