USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 76
USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 76
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ORCHARD SCENE-PICKING APPLES
and little farms were coming in all over the valley, but the lack of irri- gating water was the great drawback in spite of the fruitfulness of the land. Fruit trees would grow and live with the winter rains but did not bear much fruit when they came of age. At this juncture an irrigation district was formed and a committee appointed to provide for a supply of irrigating water and various sources were looked to for a supply mainly the San Jacinto Mountains, without any success. Finally Bear Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains with its large reservoir was selected as the most promising source of supply and a bargain was made with the Bear Valley Company to furnish water for 13,000 acres of land, and to pay for the water and put it on the land, bonds were issued to the extent of $442,000 and the 1200 inhabitants of Perris got busy and the whole of the valley from the top of the Box Springs grade took on a new aspect. The Bear Valley Company made arrangements to furnish water to other parts of the valley and houses sprung up everywhere, and at one time it was feared by some Riverside people when the time came for county division that on a vote of the people the county seat might be fixed in the Perris Valley.
The towns of Val Verde and Alessandro sprung up and Alessandro had a fine little town with a school, hotel and postoffice, with a large
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manufactory of irrigating pipes to carry the promised water and the valley in places was a network of pipes; but, alas, somebody had figured wrong for the water was not enjoyed long until it was found that the source of supply was entirely inadequate to supply the water promised and contracted for and for which every home in the valley was bonded to pay for. The whole valley was dotted over with splendid homes surrounded by vines, fruit trees and alfalfa, and without water every- thing was doomed and mortgaged without any hope of paying for without water. Naturally censure fell upon those public spirited citizens who had worked so zealously to bring the water into the valley, which through no fault of theirs had been taken away. Many small fortunes were wrecked, and many good families were lost to Perris. Houses were picked up and moved out of the valley, making the place look the more desolate. And the valley looked worse than it did before settle- ment. The flourishing town of Alessandro disappeared altogether except for its hotel. Several school districts were discontinued. Finally the few settlers that had stayed on commenced to sink wells and put in pumping plants and prosperity came to them and the valley begins to assume the signs of busy settlers, but not to the extent that it did in the first place when there were small homes and fruit. Under the new system of wells and pumping plants the ranches are larger and less fruit and more stock and alfalfa are grown. There is plenty of water in the valley. The Temescal Water Company takes several hundred inches of water out of the valley to irrigate Corona orchards.
Perris is now a flourishing town incorporated as a city, with a Cham- ber of Commerce, newspaper and other things befitting a modern city. A fine high school graces the city. In 1893 a government school for Indians was located about four miles north of Perris on an eighty acre tract of land, with suitable buildings. The school was a great asset to the valley, but for various reasons the site was not deemed suitable, the greatest reason being the fear of lack of water. The school is now located at Riverside. Many dark days have been passed through by the Perris people, but brighter days are ahead and those who stayed with it will reap the reward of renewed prosperity. As has been well said by Mrs. W. H. Ellis, to whom the writer is much indebted for much of the foregoing information published in 1912:
"When the city has improved its water system and more houses are surrounded by lawns and flowers ; when the city has electric lights, paved streets ; when there is a little better housekeeping on the part of the city : when the water bonds are paid and the beautiful foothill section is dotted with homes, we can well say that the prophecy of the board of directors of the Perris Irrigation District, uttered in good faith so many years ago, has really come to pass and that Perris the foothill city is 'a town that is on the map.'"
Since the above was written most of the things hoped for have been accomplished facts.
MORENO, lying at the head of the great Perris Valley about mid- way between Perris and San Jacinto, is another of those towns that in a measure sprung up in a night under the magic wand of water. and like Jonah's gourd it perished in a night when the needful water was with- held. Who can tell of the blighted hopes, the blasted fortunes, the heartaches and the broken homes that occur when a whole settlement is broken up and the cherished plants and flowers and ornamental creepers around the house, not to speak of the stately eucalyptus or the fruitful vine or larger fruit tree, that occurs when a great catastrophe happens
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such as did in the Perris Valley, when through a succession of dry seasons the very sources of the water dry up? This is what happened to Moreno when their supply of water was cut off.
Through the efforts of Judson and Brown, the founders of Redlands and the building of the Bear Valley Reservoir, the settlement of Moreno was founded and an irigation district formed consisting of 25,500 acres of land bonded for $765,000 to bring water and put on these lands and everything flourished until, owing to prior disposition of the water rights of the Bear Valley water there was none left for Moreno, Alessandro or Perris, and what promised fair to be like a garden of Eden relapsed to its primitive condition. Grasshoppers helped to complete the desola- tion for when they could not get green leaves they would eat the bark off the trees and practically killed them. They come only for a season as they did in early days in Riverside but Riverside had water and sur- vived the calamity but when water was not to be had the damage could not be repaired. A great many of those who suffered and were driven out moved into Riverside, in some cases moving their houses as well, and in others selling them to Riverside people. Here they founded homes anew, many of them doing well. About five schools also went, in the general ruin, and of the bonds of the district they and the Perris ones were paid for years, lien on the land causing much litigation, hut by compromises and other expedients were finally disposed of.
For a few short years conditions were prosperous. An English com- pany with large holdings in the valley put in eight hundred and eighty acres to decideous fruits, and some four hundred and forty acres to olives and other fruits. The streets running through this tract were lined on either side with eucalyptus trees. This enterprise, however, was short- lived. A season of grasshoppers and finally the failure of water proved the ruin of the project. The little town of Moreno grew to be possessed of four brick blocks, one on each corner of the main street where it intersected another leading street. There were stores, offices and all the necessary conditions for a new town as has been seen to grow up in the modern Southern California. There was also a weekly newspaper. Those who had homes in the dry lands outside the irrigation district when sea- sons were not propitious could come in and help in the prosperity of their prosperous neighbors, and build up the settlement. Coming up to this time with its five hundred inhabitants, schools, churches and a fine literary society, composed of both men and women, it was an attractive spot for the making of homes and apparently as bright a future as any of the other thriving settlements of Southern California. In its latter days, when everyone was moving out of the valley a "globe trotter" pronounced it "The valley on wheels," where houses could be seen on trucks on their way to Riverside. The valley, however, is not a complete waste, for the Moreno Water Company, by its enterprise has some water from wells and other sources, and amid the dry winter farming there are several hundred acres that produce fine fruit, mainly oranges and citrus fruits, which are as fine as grown anywhere.
It was through Moreno that Ramona and Alessandro passed, accord- ing to Mrs. Jackson, when they got a good sight of San Jacinto Mountain on their way from San Pasquale to Soboba.
"Behold San Jacinto!" cried Alessandro. Ramona exclaimed in delight. "It is an omen, we are going into the sunlight out of the shadow," and she glanced back at the west which was of a slaty blackness. "I like it not," said Alessandro, "the shadow follows too fast." This saying of Alessandro was prophetic of what overtook Moreno.
WASMAHALLESFIRST NATIONAL BANK-GRAMMAR SCHOOL-PUBLIC LIBRARY-MAIN STREET, SAN JACINTO
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SAN JACINTO
Oh, San Jacinto, Thou mountain valley fair. Begirt by half a hundred hills, Enthroned 'mid beauty rare!
The San Jacinto Valley, embracing one of the most fertile areas in the State of California, lies at an elevation of about 1,600 feet above sea level, surrounded by hills, beyond which on the east towers Mount San Jacinto with its majestic peak clad a great portion of the year in snow, reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet. Its elevation, and its location 45 miles from the coast, give it a dry, health-giving climate, practically free from fogs, while the cool ocean breezes sweeping over it daily temper the atmosphere against excessive heat in summer and extreme cold in winter.
The City of San Jacinto is situated in the northern portion of the valley. It has a population of 1,000, while several times that number reside within a few miles in the surrounding country. Its residents enjoy practically all the comforts and conveniences of a modern city. It is forty miles east of Riverside, the county seat, at a terminus of the Santa Fe Railway, and is connected with Los Angeles, San Bernardino. Riverside and other Southern California cities with continuous paved highways which afford the best of auto and truck transportation. Two auto stage lines, each running three and four stages each way daily, connect it with all principal outside points. Truck lines from it transport freight and produce daily to and from Los Angeles and other markets. It is furnished with gas and electricity, and is supplied with the purest and best of artesian water by the municipal water plant. It has several miles of paved streets and cement sidewalks. It has a bank, two real estate offices, two garages (honestly conducted), two implement stores, a creamery, blacksmith shop, several grocery, dry goods and general mer- chandise stores, drug store and other stores, office and business houses usually found in small, thrifty cities. There are several churches, a pic- ture show, billiard hall and skating rink. Its graded school is housed in a beautiful and commodious building. Its high school is on the accredited list of the state's colleges and universities. There are lodges of the leading fraternities, a splendid Woman's Club and a live Chamber of Commerce. The social and moral atmosphere of the community leaves little else to be desired by those seeking pure environment for a family. The inhabitants are almost all kindly, thrifty, patriotic Americans; there are a few Mexicans; but Chinese, Japs, Negroes, Hindoos and other undesirable elements are rarely found here.
The price of improved acreage-land having the water developed- from which one can immediately begin to obtain a living and an income, is still available at from $150 to $500 per acre. Cheaper lands may he had in some parts of the valley; but those wishing to derive early returns are advised to consider improved and developed properties.
About twenty miles easterly from town, among the mountain pines, are Keen Camp and Idyllwild Inn, resorts where tourists and vacationists find comfortable accommodations amidst the most inspiring scenery.
Four miles northwest of town are the Gilman Relief Hot Springs, a commodious pleasure and health resort with hotel, plunge, cottages and many other conveniences and attractions ; and with natural mineral waters containing sulphur, iron, arsenic and other minerals. This resort
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is patronized to full capacity the year round, and to its highly curative waters are credited some of the most remarkable cures of record.
One mile north of town, nestling upon the hillside and affording views of the valley and mountains of beauty unsurpassed, are the Soboba Lithia Springs, a spot of historic interest, having been anciently named and used by the Soboba Indians. This resort affords hot and cold water containing sulphur and other minerals; but is famous chiefly for its superior lithia water, and is rapidly gaining an enviable reputation among health-seekers and those looking for pleasure and recreation in unique and beautiful surroundings.
A couple of miles east of town is the Government Reservation of the Soboba Indians-these Indians and their plight at the time having given Helen Hunt Jackson her inspiration for the writing of the wonderful story of Ramona. The scenes and associations bring hundreds of pilgrims to the valley every year. Springing from that beautiful story a spirit of romance is impressed upon the whole region. Sam Temple-the original for "Jim Farrar" of the story-lived at San Jacinto many years. "Aunt Ri"-admitted without question by all commentators-was a Mrs. Jordan, who formerly kept a hotel at old San Jacinto, where she died a few years ago. She told to Mrs. Jackson the story of the sick baby and corroborated many of the incidents of the murder of Alessandro. Mrs. Mary Fowler, who, as Miss Sheriff, was the first teacher of the Soboba Indian School and with whom Mrs. Jackson visited and gained much information regarding conditions of the Indians, still resides at San Jacinto, where she is president of the local Shakespeare Club.
The surrounding hills and mountains are Meccas for sportsmen. Quails and rabbits abound in the edges of the valley and in the foothills and canyons, trout in the mountain streams and deer in the higher altitudes.
The water facilities of the San Jacinto Valley are unsurpassed. The great watershed of the San Jacinto Mountains, bounding the easterly side of the valley, furnish the source from whence surface water flows in winter and an inexhaustible supply of underground water percolates under the surface of the valley lands throughout the irrigating season. A few flowing wells are found in the lower or western end of the valley ; but the greater portion of irrigated lands are supplied with water pumped from the underground streams. In the northern portion, when the artesian streams are tapped, the water comes near the surface so that pumping is not expensive. Both gasoline and electricity are used as power for pumping. In the central and southern portion of the valley an abundance of water is furnished for irrigation by the Citizens Water Company at reasonable rates.
The soil is mostly a rich, deep sandy loam, easy to handle and holding moisture well-a soil you will delight to work. Here is found the rare combination which a prudent investment demands, to-wit: the best of soil, an abundance of water, a healthful climate and surroundings of great natural beauty-where can you beat it? What you see with your eyes you believe. Here you may see farm and orchard products of many varieties grown successfully and in profusion.
The San Jacinto Valley is one of the best alfalfa districts in the world. Here the deep, rich loamy soil, with abundant water, makes alfalfa, the premier of forage plants, reach its highest perfection. Some lands here yield as many as nine cutting of alfalfa a year; the average is about six cuttings per year, each cutting running from 1 to 11/2 tons to the acre. Nine tons per acre per year is a good average yield in this section. Alfalfa is the basis of dairying, cattle feeding, hog raising and poultry raising throughout the Southwest ; it is the crop for the man who
SAN JACINTO VALLEY
Vol. 1-37
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wishes to make his acreage a quick cash producer. Alfalfa and cows bring a steady income every month of the year. Milk is carried by trucks every night over the paved highways to Los Angeles-the evening's milk from here reaching there before breakfast the next morning. The local creamery is another avenue for the profitable disposal of cream.
The advantages afforded by the abundant sunshine and dry atmos- phere of the valley make fruit growing a most profitable industry. The splendid size, quality and flavor of the peaches, apricots, pears and apples grown in this valley have won for them a place upon the market suffi- cient to distinguish them from fruits grown in less favored sections. English walnuts and olives also do exceedinly well; and also among the foothills, in a practically frostless zone, are grown as fine oranges and
APRICOT ORCHARD, SAN JACINTO, SEPTEMBER, 1920; PLANTED MARCH, 1915
lemons as may be found anywhere. Because of its peculiar climatic con- ditions, it is difficult to find another locality where there are as few pests to fruit trees as here. All semi-tropic fruits do well, but those above mentioned have proven the most profitable. A bearing orchard means lifelong support and independence.
Berries also grow and bear well. Frequently berries and garden truck are profitably grown between orchard rows until the trees come into full bearing.
All varieties of vegetables grow to perfection. This section is particu- larly suitable for Irish potatoes-those grown bring the highest market prices. Sweet potatoes, onions and tomatoes are also raised profitably. A large section in the western end of the valley is peculiarly adaptable for sugar beet culture. Cotton is being tried out in the valley. The cotton fields yield good crops. Indian (or field) corn, as well as all other corn and sorghum crops, and all varieties of squashes and pumpkins, produce abundantly.
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Hogs feed ravenously on alfalfa; and a dairy ranch makes them a very profitable side issue. From pighood up to the 300 pounder the porker gets his living mainly in the alfalfa field; then he may be quickly fattened on a combination of alfalfa, grain and skimmed milk and con- verted into cash. The market is always ready, and hog raising is one of the surest and quickest of profit-producers. Cholera and other diseases are negligible among hogs in the San Jacinto Valley. Cattle, hogs and poultry make an ideal money making combination.
Poultry raising, properly managed, gives sure and quick returns from a comparatively small investment. Conditions are favorable for all kinds of fowls. A number of ranchers in the valley are making a specialty of raising turkeys for the high-class hotel and cafe trade of Los Angeles ; and as their contracts are renewed from year to year it is needless to say the business is profitable. In spite of the large local production, the demand is greater than the supply.
Thousands of acres in the valley, where water has not been developed for irrigation, are dry-farmed to wheat and barley-both hay and grain being very profitably raised and constituting one of the chief industries.
In the extremes of the valley, and in the surrounding hills and moun- tains, the grazing of cattle is extensively engaged in, considerable range on Government lands being available for that purpose. Canyons and hills furnish ideal locations for sheep and goat raising.
Along the foothills, where the white sage, black sage, wild buckwheat and hundreds of other flower-bearing plants and shrubs abound in season, bee-keeping is carried on extensively. During the months when bee range in the hills becomes short, the bee men frequently transport their hives to the lower valleys where the bees may gather honey from blooming orange and lemon groves, thus working the whole year around.
ELSINORE is one of the many health resorts in Riverside and South- ern California where warm medicinal springs prevail, but in addition to being noted for its springs it is a great fruit country as well as adapted to grain growing. The country around the lake possesses a very rich alluvial soil, the washings for ages from the surrounding mountains and the drainage from all the territory as far as Temecula. Apart from any other natural features of mountain or valley, or comfortable and picturesque homes, Elsinore will always be noted for its lake, which is a gem surrounded by mountains.
The lake is about five miles long and two miles wide, but varies in size according to dry or wet seasons. All of the drainage from the south or west side of the San Jacinto Mountains, thirty miles or more away, as well as all the country between, and all the way round to Temecula and the mountains from Temecula to Lake Elsinore, finds its way into Lake Elsinore. Only in very wet seasons does any water find its way from the San Jacinto River into the lake. In extremely wet seasons the lake fills up and overflows into the Temescal Canyon and down past Corona into the Santa Ana River .. The road bed of the Santa Fe Railroad which follows the course of the lake on its way to Temecula had to be raised top rovide for the occasional rises of the lake. Owing to the fact that the lake loses its surplus water by evaporation the water is alkaline and not adapted for irrigation or domestic use, it having been tried at Corona and found to be injurious to orange trees.
Elsinore is a favorite health resort, the medicinal hot springs being health giving and the mud baths beneficial for rheumatism and other diseases. Its elevation gives a moderate climate in summer tempered by the sea breezes. Boating can be enjoyed on the lake and in the
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season there are ducks and water fowl, while certain varieties of fish manage to exist.
Elsinore is noted for its olives. In the younger days of the settle- ment a young man named Albers, from St. Louis, Missouri, set out one hundred and thirty-five acres to olives, and every one pronounced the proposition a foolish one, but the olive orchard proved a greater success than even Mr. Albers or the public anticipated, and the olive industry has branched out to a large manufactory of cured olives and olive oil. As a sort of reminder to his detractors Mr. Albers at first called his olive orchard "Albers' Folly" and it was so known for years, but since his factory has been enlarged and production increased the name has been dropped and Elsinore olives and olive oil are favorably known in Southern California. Of late years the factory and main place of business have been removed to Riverside for greater convenience. A new brand of canned olives has been put on the market, called Minced Olives, which are flavored and minced (with the stones removed) which finds great favor for sandwiches and picnic parties.
Elsinore is a fine town, with all the modern appliances of a city, such as schools, churches, etc. The fruits grown around the lake are apricots and peaches and cannot be surpassed, and fine walnuts are also produced.
The town is noted for its clay products, which are obtained and manufactured two or three miles east of town. A vein of good coal has also been worked but the cheapness and convenience of oil has super- ceded the use of coal as fuel. A branch of the Santa Fe Railroad gives a convenient outlet, both for clay and its manufactured forms. Else- where the clay industry is given in more enlarged form.
Messrs. Collier, Graham and Heald were the founders of Elsinore. as also the little town of Wildomar east of Elsinore, where there is good farming and fruit land and abundant water for pumping for irrigation purposes. Alfalfa is one of the staples.
Murrietta, a nice town on the Santa Fe is further up the valley and is an old settlement for stock men in the early days of American occupa- tion. The town is a healthy town, with churches and schools convenient. It is noted for its hot mineral springs and health resort, with its hotel and sanatorium.
Temecula, about sixteen miles from Elsinore, is the oldest settlement in the valley. It is the terminus of the Santa Fe Railway and has been a resort for Indians from time immemorial and is noted in Mrs. Helen Hunt Jackson's Ramona and the location of the Wolff store. Ramona. the wife of Wolff was a great friend of the Indians and of Mrs. Jackson. who made her headquarters there for a time when gathering material for her great story. Mrs. Jackson also derived the name Ramona from her and honored Mrs. Wolff by calling her book Ramona.
In the early days of Riverside. when labor was scarce, Indians used to come from Temecula to Riverside to help clean ditches and the settlers found where muscle was concerned it was the cheapest and best to be obtained. From one dollar to a dollar and a quarter per day was the general wages paid. Whiskey was the hane of the Indian and although its sale to the Indians was prohibited by law. if they had the money they could always get drink. The bootlegger is by no means a modern inven- tion, and it would seem as if some people esteem it a special virtue to break the law where liquor is concerned. The Indian drunk, and the Indian sober, are two different beings.
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