USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 32
USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 32
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CRAFTON. Included with the history of Redlands should be that of Crafton, which now forms a part of the former, and which is one of the oldest and most beautiful of the fruit settlements of San Bernardino County. Lying twelve miles east of the City of San Bernardino, at the mouth of the Santa Ana Canon and the base of the San Bernardino Range, through its settlement flows the beautiful Mill Creek zanja. About 1857 Lewis Cram and his brothers, already the owners of a chair factory at old San Bernardino, moved several miles further up the zanja in order to secure better water power, this being the first occupation of what is now known as Crafton. There were several other settlers shortly thereafter, and during the early '60s various parties located in this vicinity. The soil of the neighborhood was a rich loam and in the earlier years of settlement large crops of barley and wheat were raised and vineyards and orchards of apples, peaches and other deciduous fruits had begun to bear by 1865. In 1870 M. H. Crafts planted about an acre and a half of seedling orange trees, the first orange orchard in Crafton, and a few years later Dr. William Craig, Prof. Charles R. Paine and others put out quite extensive orange orchards of both seedlings and budded fruit. Sheep and stock were also kept during the early period, the work on the ranches being done largely by the Coahuila Indians. In 1872 Doctor Peacock of San Bernardino persuaded Mr. Crafts to take an invalid to board at his home. The sick man improved so rapidly that soon other invalids were sent to "Altoona" and in time the house was enlarged and made into a hotel and sanitarium. One of the visitors gave it the name of Crafton and another that of Retreat, and in time the place became generally known as Crafton Retreat.
On August 7, 1882, there was organized the Crafton School District, and the school was opened the same year. In 1887 bonds were voted for $6,500 and a new schoolhouse was put in use in 1888. Early in the '80s Mr. Crafts erected a two-story frame store building and opened a store for trade with the Indians, the second floor of this establishment being
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used for Sunday school and church services. About 1885 a postoffice was established at Crafton, with M. H. Crafts as the first postmaster, but since that time the name of the office has been changed to Craftonville, in order to avoid confusion with Grafton. Mr. Crafts having accumu- lated some 1,800 acres of land, in 1882 he organized the Crafton Land & Water Company and subdivided his land. A town site was laid out, forty acres was donated as a site for a Congregational college, which was the nucleus for Claremont College, and a reservoir for the storage of Mill Creek waters was constructed in the hills east of Crafton Retreat. In 1886 there was formed a syndicate with I. N. Hoag as controlling spirit for the sale of Crafton lands, and a number of eastern settlers came in, bought lands and established homes, making this a beautiful and prosperous settlement. When the City of Redlands was incor- porated, a portion of Crafton was included in the City of Redlands, but the Crafton School District continued to be maintained, supporting a gram- mar school.
LUGONIA. What was formerly Lugonia, and now is a part of the City of Redlands, lies in a gently rising valley west of the City of San
REDLANDS AND LUGONIA FROM "THE HEIGHTS," 1890
Bernardino. It was in this neighborhood that the old padres first settled. and here in 1856 that the Cram brothers started the first settlement at Crafton. In February, 1870, George A. Craw took up a government claim between these two settlements and thus became the first settler of what afterward became Lugonia. He was followed March 3d of the same year by James B. Glover, who located a claim on what later became Pioneer Street, and later by A. A. Carter, in whose family occurred the first birth in 1871 and the first death in 1874. Other settlers followed more or less rapidly, including Colonel Tolles, who planted the first orange orchard, which began to bear in seven years. In February, 1877, a new school district was taken off from Mission District, and at the suggestion of Prof. C. R. Paine, then county superintendent of schools, was named Lugonia, a word formed by the addition of a syllable to Lugo, the name of the original owner of the San Bernardino grant. The first schoolhouse was located at the corner of Church Street and Lugonia Avenue and later became a part of the residence of Truman Reeves, Esq. In March, 1877, Frank E. Brown, George A. Cook and A. H. Alverson of New Haven, Connecticut, visited this section, with which they were so delighted that they decided to establish a New Haven colony. While this failed to materialize, Messrs. Cook and Brown became permanent settlers, and the first year the latter purchased ten acres of the
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Tolles place, while in 1879 Mr. Cook returned with his bride from the East and bought land adjoining that of the Brown place. In 1877, E. G. Judson of New York City arrived and purchased land on Pioneer Street.
Gradually Lugonia, lying above the "danger" line of frost, surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, and possessed of fertile soil and a good supply of water, became an attractive and productive settlement, and by 1885 a large acreage of orange trees had been set. Dr. J. D. B. Stillman, a scholar, physician and author, located in 1879 at Lugonia, where he bought a tract of land north of the zanja and began the planting of a vineyard of 100 acres, setting out 120,000 vines of the choicest varieties. In 1885 he erected a completely equipped settlement and began the manu- facture of the finest wines. During the summer of 1881 G. A. Cook opened a store in a small building located near the fruit dryer of Judson & Brown, but in the fall moved to the Gernich place on Lugonia Avenue, and two years later sold this building and built another on a lot opposite the present site of Casa Loma. Opened for business July 28, 1882, so rapidly did trade grow that Mr. Cook was forced to enlarge four times in the next three years, being patronized by ranchers for miles about, miners and Indians. On September 5, 1882, the postoffice was estab- lished at Lugonia, with Mr. Cook as postmaster, and the telegraph and telephone station were also located in this store. In 1885 Mr. Cook sold out to F. E. Brown, and the building was occupied by the B. O. John- son Company until the removal of that firm to Redlands. In 1887 the Bank of East San Bernardino Valley, which later became the First National Bank of Redlands, was organized and was at first located in the store mentioned, but with the completion of the Wilson Block was removed to the corner office therein. The Terrace Congregational Church was completed and occupied in January, 1883, in November of which year the Lugonia Water Company was organized.
In 1884 the Lugonia School District voted bonds to the amount of $6,000 to build a schoolhouse, which was ready for occupancy in January, 1885, being at that time one of the largest and best schools in the county. What was known to the old settlers as the "hogback," the high ground north of Mill Creek zanja, was now transformed into the "terrace," where some of the finest homes of Lugonia were built, and also the loca- tion of the Terrace Villa Hotel. In 1886 Messrs. Berry and Wilson erected a two-story business block on the latter site of the Casa Loma, the lower story being divided into floors and the upper floor containing a hall with a seating capacity of 500, known as the Opera House. The opening of this house of entertainment brought forth a long article in the San Bernardino Times, the "story" being crowded with fulsome praise and numerous encomiums. The growing little community, like others, was affected by the boom period, and March 31, 1887, a town plat was filed. At a regulation excursion and land sale which was held not long thereafter, it was reported that nearly every lot had been sold and that good prices were the rule rather than the exception. In September, 1887, the newspaper was started known as the Southern Californian, with H. E. Boothby as editor, but it had only a short career, expiring in 1888.
Right at a time when Lugonia's prospects seemed the brightest, the later community of Redlands began to attract settlement, and this soon brought about the question of incorporation. While it was generally conceded that the amalgamation of the two towns was the sensible thing to do, the matter of a name was an obstacle that was hard to surmount. However, after the matter had been discussed and thoroughly thrashed out for more than a year, the name of Redlands was finally agreed upon, and this ended in the incorporation of the latter city, November 26, 1888.
CHAPTER XVII
COLTON
The formation of the Slover Mountain Colony Association, in 1873, marked the beginning of the history of the community of Colton. This organization, which was composed of William H. Mintzner, president ; J. C. Peacock, Ambrose Hunt, W. R. Fox and P. A. Raynor, bought 2,000 acres of land lying on the sandy place to the south of San Bernar- dino and bordering on the Santa Ana River. from William A. Conn. This property had been considered worthless for farming, but the asso- ciation platted the property and began to offer inducements to settlers. A tract of land with a well was offered the first settler, and in 1874 Dr. W. R. Fox selected forty acres, built a house and moved in with his family, thus becoming the first resident of Colton. He was soon followed by others who settled on Colton Terrace, these including Rev. James Cameron and the Gregory brothers.
At this time the Western Development Company was constructing the track of the Southern Pacific Railroad eastward from Spadra, and as the tract of the Slover Mountain Company lay directly in line between Spadra, the terminal of the Southern Pacific at the time, and the San Gorgonio Pass, through which the road was to cross the mountains, negotiations were opened with the construction company and the railroad. It is not unlikely that the promoters had received an inkling that the railroad must take this course, for while San Bernardino was not on the track, there must be some point through which its goods could be handled. At any rate an agreement was entered into with the railroad's representa- tives whereby the association was to deed to the Western Development Company, which was but another name for the Southern Pacific, one mile square of land, the railroad to make this its headquarters for the San Bernardino valley, to lay out and improve a town site and to share in the proceeds of the sale of lots. Out of this agreement grew the law suit of Raynor vs. Mintzner, which was one of the longest and hardest fought in the annals of San Bernardino County, and which was finally adjusted by awarding Raynor an undivided four-sevenths interest in the original holdings of the Slover Mountain Association.
The contract referred to was signed April 17, 1875, and tanks and a station were built at once. On August 11, 1875, the first train that ever entered San Bernardino Valley reached Colton. This station had been named in honor of one of the officials of the railroad, D. R. Colton, and for a year or more was the terminus of the line. The first station and express agent at this point was L. E. Mosher, whose later career as a writer and newspaper man and his sad death are well known throughout the state. One of the first settlers in the new town was M. A. Murphy, representing the Pioneer Lumber Company, whose office and yards were among the first improvements made. One Callahan was another early business man, conducting a restaurant, while the next place of business to open its doors was a buffet. Even before there was a residence in town, A. M. Hathaway and N. E. Davenport contracted with Jacob Pol- hemus & Son of San Bernardino for the erection of a store building, in which they installed some $20,000 worth of goods and began at once to do a rushing business. In this store was located the first postoffice, and
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Mr. Hathaway acted as postmaster. Jacob Lairs was the first hotel- keeper of Colton, opening his house, which was built right after the store building, May 20, 1876, in which month the Riverside Press credits Colton with nine buildings, these probably including the residences on Colton Terrace. The first residence within the town proper was a three- room house built for N. Davenport.
The Transcontinental Hotel, a frame structure, was erected by the railroad company in the fall of 1876, and when burned in what was suspected to be an incendiary fire, a year or so later, was replaced with a brick building, known as the Capitol Hotel, fitted up in what was then considered remarkable style and under the management of Dr. Albert Thompson. In 1876 the Presbyterian Church was organized by Rev. James Cameron. The first meetings were held in the hotel, but the next vear subscriptions were raised for the erection of a church building, and after a trip to the East Mrs. Cameron returned with sufficient funds so that the edifice was dedicated free of debt.
The Colton Advocate, Colton's first newspaper, made its appearance in 1877, under the ownership of Dr. Gofrey and Mr. Franklin, from whom it was purchased in 1878 by Scipio Craig, who changed the name to the Semi-Tropic. Through its columns, and personally, he did much to advance the interests of the new town. However, although Colton was the railway point and received the support of the Southern Pacific Com- pany, the town had much to contend with. That a town could grow up at Colton was an idea scorned at first by the surrounding communities, as noted in the editorials of the day, which fairly bristled with sarcasm. Not unnaturally there was much bitterness for some years, yet, while receiving no encouragement from its neighbors, Colton continued to grow and prosper.
In June, 1877. the Colton Land & Water Company was formed and absorbed the original association. The new concern acquired the rights to Raynor's Springs and also put down a number of artesian wells and riped water into Colton for irrigation and for domestic purposes. About 1879 the Colton Terrace Company was organized and by securing water from Garner's Springs and from the old Rancheria ditch, and also by sinking artesian wells, was able to put water upon a considerable tract of the higher lands.
The village had grown to be a community of some 300 inhabitants hy 1880, in which year the San Jose Packing Company put up a cannery and began handling fresh and dried fruits in large quantities. The Colton Marble & Lime Company was formed in 1881 and began the erection of a plant at Slover Mountain, and, when the Santa Fe system came into Southern California, Colton shared in the prosperity that struck the entire part of the state. When work was commenced on the Southern California Railway, there was much discussion as to what route it would take to reach San Bernardino, and at one time it seemed that it would sidetrack Colton entirely, but after the citizens had secured a right-of- wav and donated land for the erection of the shops, the road entered Colton August 21. 1882, and regular train service commenced between this city and San Diego, although the legal fight between the California Southern and the Southern Pacific roads prevented San Bernardino from securing such service for more than a year. When matters were finally settled, Colton, as the junction point, received additional business.
During the "boom" years Colton, like its sister cities, grew rapidly, 300 acres just north of the original town were platted and placed on
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the market and the streets were graded and water brought to the tract. In 1886 the daily Semi-Tropic made its appearance. In 1887 the South- ern Pacific purchased the unsold lots of the original town site of Colton and the Colton Land & Water Company passed practically out of exist- ence. In July, 1887, the town of Colton was incorporated as a city of the sixth class, and in November of the same year the city trustees granted a franchise for the motor road, this being operated between Colton and San Bernardino and Riversity by the Southern California Motor Company, and later by a receiver, until July 25, 1896, when it went into the hands of the Southern Pacific Company. The first street pavements were put down in 1888 and a franchise was granted the Electric Light & Power Company of San Bernardino, this company securing its power from the Riverside Canal near Colton. In 1889 the Fire Company was formed and an engine purchased, and October 16, 1889, the town voted $12,000 in bonds for the erection of a City Hall, which was erected during the following year.
Keeping pace with its municipal advancement were the city's business interests. The canning company experiment of the San Jose concern had not proven a success, and in 1886 the Colton Fruit Packing Company was organized and began canning and drying fruit. Jacob Polhemus erected the first brick building in the town, a two-story structure, in 1886, where he had originally settled in 1877, and the First National Bank was established in the same year, this being a business growing out of a private banking enterprise which had been carried on for several years by S. M. Goddard and James Lee, who were at the same time doing a large business as wholesale flour and provision dealers. In 1889 Colton shipped more citrus fruit than any other point in the state, 581 cars being billed out of the place over the Southern Pacific alone, while in the following year the same company sent out 811 cars of fruit. During the season of 1889 the Colton Canning Company put up 1,000,000 cans of fruit and packed forty tons of dried fruit and 40,000 boxes of raisins. In 1889 R. M. McKie purchased the Colton Semi-Tropic and renamed it the Chronicle, and about the same time the Colton Enterprise was started and was followed by the Colton News.
During the '90s Colton's growth was sure but slow. The citizens did not lose their faith or enthusiasm, and when the question of the new Courthouse came up they made earnest efforts to secure the county seat for their town, offering to donate a block of land and to build a suitable courthouse, not to cost less than $200,000. The proposal might have been accepted, also, but for the fact that the town was within the pro- hibited distance from the county line after the division of the county. During these years a number of substantial business blocks were erected, as well as the Marlborough Hotel and the Baptist Church; the streets were graded and macadamized and the railway park was improved and beautified. The electric service, installed between Colton and San Ber- nardino in 1902, added greatly to the transportation facilities.
In 1881 a company of Riverside men began to quarry marble from Slover Mountain, lying three-fourths of a mile southwest of Colton, under the style of the Colton Marble & Lime Company, a concern that was succeeded in 1887 by the California Marble Company. In December, 1891, there was organized the California Portland Cement Company, which completed its plant at Slover Mountain and began the production of cement in April, 1894. . This is one of the big industries of Colton, and its product, of the finest kind, is shipped all over the surrounding country. Vol. I-15
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In addition to the big railroad shops, Colton has several other industries of importance. One of these is the Globe Flour Mills, which, in 1902, erected one of the largest milling establishments in the state, located at the junction of the Southern Pacific Railway and the Santa Fe.
THE COLTON FRUIT EXCHANGE. In 1892 there was organized the Colton Fruit Exchange, an association of fruit growers organized for the purpose of packing and shipping their own fruit at actual cost. This exchange used the old pavilion, which was erected for the State Fair, as a packing house, giving them a space of 200 square feet, formerly the largest building used for this purpose in Southern California. The growers in this corporation receive all money over and above the actual cost of packing and shipping their fruit, there being no other profits paid to anyone whatever.
There are a number of other packing houses at Colton and a large amount of fruit is handled every year. In 1886 Colton held its first Citrus Fair in the old cannery building, and a second fair held here, in 1891, proved a great success. Such enthusiasm was raised that the citizens took steps toward providing the city with a suitable building for fairs and expositions, and $12,000 was donated. The Southern Pacific offered to donate lots, providing only that the building should be erected by January 1, 1893, and the committee in charge erected a handsome stadium, 80x192 feet, the most complete and comprehensive building of its kind then in Southern California. On March 16, 1893, the State Fair was held at this pavilion with the finest exhibit of fruit ever seen in the state up to that time.
COLTON'S WATER FACILITIES. Colton's first water supply was brought to the new community by the railroad company for their tanks and for town purposes from Mathew's or Meek's Mill, which had been established about one-fourth mile southeast of the City Hall for many years. Later the Colton Land & Water Company piped water from Raynor's Springs and from artesian wells in the vicinity thereof, but it was not until July 2, 1888, that the people made a movement calculated to give the community an adequate water service. On that date they voted $60,000 to purchase land 'with water now or hereafter to be developed, and for constructing a system of reservoirs and pipes." Accordingly the water supply of the Colton Terrace Company was purchased. That further development was made is shown in an article which appeared in the Colton Chronicle of 1897: "The supply of water owned and available by the city is abundant and of the finest quality." During the dry season of 1899-1900 Colton put in four pumping plants, operated by electricity, and in 1902 two of these plants were in operation, yielding 175 inches of water.
The first electric light and power of Colton was furnished by a San Bernardino company, power being obtained from the Riverside Canal. Later a contract was made with the Redlands Electric Light & Power Company. who furnished the town with 50 horsepower, twelve arc lights and over 800 domestic lights. The Edison Company later furnished the town with more than 100 horsepower.
EDUCATION. In 1876, when Colton School District was organized, a small frame schoolhouse was erected. In 1883 a two-story brick building, containing four rooms, was erected, to which was donated a school bell by Mrs, D, R. Colton, widow of the man in whose honor the town was
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named. In 1886 bonds of $10,000 were voted and in the following year the North Side Grammar School was built, a brick structure of eight rooms. This was followed in 1903 by the South Side Primary School, which cost $4,000, and in the same year bonds were voted for a high school building. This was completed in 1904, being a handsome cement and brick structure, containing a large assembly hall, recitation rooms, laboratories and full equipment for a modern high school. The Colton High School was organized in 1896 with Prof. W. F. Bliss as principal. The approximate value of school property is $100,000.
COLTON'S CHURCHES. The first church at Colton was the Presby- terian Church, which was organized in 1876 and has always remained a strong religious factor in the life of the city. Its pastor is Rev. Harry Leeds.
In June, 1884, the first Methodist service was held at Colton, the service being preached from the platform of the Southern Pacific Rail- way station. A class was organized and the conference of the following year sent a minister. During 1886 and 1887 a church was organized, a lot purchased and a church and parsonage erected at a cost of more than $4,000. The church maintains a Sunday school, as well as several societies. The pastor is Rev. John Gabreilson. Rev. J. J. Roach is pastor of the Baptist Church.
The Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was built about 1893, and is a neat frame structure located at South Colton. In its belfry hangs the old bell made in the '60s at Agua Mansa for use in the "little church." The old "campo santo" at Agua Mansa is still used in connection with this church.
As years go, it was a long time since 1876, when Colton became a town by virtue of its being a railroad station, to the present year of 1921, with its buzz of industry and homes of upwards of 6,000 people. It was in 1887 that a company organized in Colton built the first street car line into San Bernardino-stages were charging fifty cents one-way trip, but when the street cars ran the fare was reduced to thirty-five cents. Today a fifteen-cent round trip gives evidence of much increased patron- age to warrant the reduction.
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