History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 22

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660

USA > California > San Joaquin County > History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 22

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The council moved into the city hall in April, 1854, as they owned the south half of the court house. "It was admirably arranged and brilliantly illuminated with three elegant hanging lamps reflecting an illumination suffi- cient to read or write in any part of the room. The lamps were filled with whale oil (you can imagine the brilliant illumination). It has a rostrum and desk, with a handsome mahog- any railing around it. The room is complete and well arranged." This hall was used for all public assemblies, church festivals, con- ventions, Sunday and public school entertain- ments, until the building of Agricultural hall, where now stands the Yosemite Building. The city rented the hall to various parties, through the hall-keeper, Thomas Barnes. He opened the hall for the council meetings, receiving $1.00 per night. He also received a perquisite from each party to whom he rented the hall, each time giving the council five dollars. Al- though during the year the hall was occupied over thirty times the council received only seventy-five dollars from rents. There were too many "dead head" entertainments, and free rents given by councilmen through poli- tics and favoritism.

The largest and steadiest income of the council was the rent of wharf space. In 1855 they passed an ordinance "leasing out the new wharf in parts and parcels suitable for the vending of vegetables. The tents, six by eight or over, to pay $100 a month rent." The space was quickly occupied, as it was a fine business location for those who received their vege- tables by water. These cloth tents gave the city quite an income, although in later days the rent was reduced to twenty dollars per month. In my day I remember along tent row Louie Vilhac, the fish market, L. L. Rowland & Co., Richard S. Bates, B. Howard Brown, Joseph Hale and Heeney & Lochhead. The town was rapidly growing and the demand for wharf room was so great that in 1864 the council notified the tent occupants to vacate. At this time Louie Wagerman, a butcher, had a wooden shack at the corner of the bridge where now stands the Lodi and Sacramento electric car office. He erected his own building and paid the city twenty dollars a month rent. After several years the place became an eye- sore and a nuisance, but as it was one of the best business locations in the city Wagerman refused to vacate. The council then raised his rent to $100 per month "payable in gold or silver coin." That clause was inserted be- cause it was war times and Uncle Sam's paper money was at times below par.

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Victory of American Party

In the following year, 1855, there was a city, county and state election, and a new party known as the American or Know Noth- ing party was organized. The party was com- posed of Whigs and Democrats, and in their city ticket they nominated Royal B. Parker, a leading grocer, for mayor. The Democrats nominated Alvin N. Fisher, a stage proprietor. Two men more honorable could not have been placed on either ticket. The Know Nothings swept the state in the September election and they elected every city officer, except their mayor and one alderman in the Second Ward. The party held no convention, but selected their candidates in a secret meeting and, said the Republican, "Citizens not invested with the password were not allowed to enter the circle that formed it. It is headed Citizens' Ticket, to which it is about as much entitled as old Nick to righteousness."

As the Fourth of July drew near (the two previous councils had appropriated $500 to- wards the expenses of a celebration), the American council refused to appropriate a dol- lar and there was no celebration on that day. They also ordered the committee on public grounds to remove outside the town the old cannon which lay at the north end of the El Dorado Street bridge. This was simply spite work, and as the press truly stated, "We pre- sume the old gun has chronicled too many Democratic victories to be tolerated by the Know Nothings." On the morning of the Fourth, a company of patriotic young men, procuring a wagon fastened ropes to the ton- gue and getting the cannon, loaded it on the wagon, drew it to the bridge and fired a salute. Then preceded by a fife and drum they marched around town, firing a salute at every corner. The gun was in charge of its owner, William Walls, who had not been consulted as to its removal. In the evening there were fireworks. at the Zachariah gardens on Park Street, now a part of the State Asylum grounds.

B. Walker Bours Elected Mayor

The Democratic press were never so happy as when berating the opposition party and in 1857 they called the Democrat's attention to the fact in April that "the day of our annual election is approaching and it is time for the Democratic party to make their selection of public men to fill the various offices. It is perfectly certain that the combined forces of Know Nothingism and Black Republicanism will enter the field under the guise of a Peo- ple's Party. Like a celestial army of Chinese they will come into the field with a clash of gongs and shouts of reform and what not, but then they are more disagreeable than dangerous, as it is known they are all foam and

no cider." On the 29th the Democrats met in convention with H. T. Huggins as chair- man and Allen Lee Bours and Edward M. Howison, secretaries. They resolved that no delegate should have the right to vote for any candidate unless he was a legal voter and would support the nominees. The election was again by viva voce. There were three nomi- nations for mayor, Charles S. Stevens, Henry T. Compton and B. Walker Bours. The three named were vestrymen of the Episcopal Church, thus showing that in the early days men of religion were shaping the city gov- ernment. In the city election Bours had no opposition and he was elected by a vote of 647. The entire Democratic ticket was elected . except V. M. Peyton, J. P. D. Wilkins and A. J. Colburn, who were elected councilmen from the Third Ward on the People's ticket.

The mayor elected was not new in politics, having been elected an alderman in 1854 from the First Ward, this only a few weeks previous to his marriage, May 18, to Miss Louise Faulk- enberg. He was born in New York in 1823. and came early to California in the early days. In 1850 he came to Stockton and he and his brother, T. R. Bours, established the first banking house here, now the Bank of Italy. The mayor in delivering his message to the council said, "The financial affairs of the city are in a sound and healthy condition. Our taxes have already been reduced and our citi- zens look to you for still further reductions. The city charter allows you to expend only $16,000 a year. A fair estimate of the city's resources are as follows: Ground and office rents, $3,000; wharf stands, $3,400; liquor licenses, $3,500; wharfage, $9,000; dray licenses, $1,000; billiard licenses, amusements, etc., $1,000; totaling in all $21,000. The ex- penses are: Salaries-marshal, $2,400; city drayman, $1,000; clerk, $800; assessor, $400; wharves, streets and city property, $6,400; fire department, $2,000; printing, stationery, $1,000 ; incidentals, $1,000; total $16,000.

Dr. Grattan Deserts Democrats

The city election of 1858 was another Demo- cratic victory, the seventh victory since the organization of the city government. The entire Democratic ticket was. renominated in the convention and reelected. Two who were defeated on the Independent ticket were the printer, E. D. Eldridge, later a prominent cap- italist, and Jacob Sutherland, whom we recog- nize as the city burial ground gravedigger. In 1859 the political agitation in the East was felt in Stockton and the anti-slavery or Union men were beginning to marshal their forces for the great presidential election of 1860. We will hear more of this in a succeeding chapter. The Democrats met in the court house April 25 and Lot Day was elected chairman, the

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motion being put by William Lanius, the Stockton postmaster appointed by President James Buchanan. The secretary, Oscar M. Brown, two years later was a captain of cav- alry in the California Volunteers. Bours was again nominated without any opponent, the delegates voting viva voce. In the evening the Citizens' Democratic party met in the court house and Dr. Christopher Grattan, who now had deserted his old-time Democratic friends, was elected chairman of the meeting. B. W. Owens nominated Dr. E. S. Holden for mayor and he was elected by acclamation. Owens was an anomaly in that day, an anti-slavery and a Union man, a native of South Carolina. The election was May 2 and Bours was beaten by Holden 409 to 350. H. W. Gillingham. elected collector on the Citizens' ticket, was elected mayor in 1856 on the Democratic ticket.

Mayor Bours' Farewell Message

Mayor Bours, in bidding good bye to the council, never again to take part in politics, said, "Our official connection ends this eve- ning, and I beg to review the present condi- tion of the city which is financially in a strong and healthy condition. The income from ground rents and licenses has proven to be amply sufficient for all general expenses, in-

cluding salaries of officers and fire department. The city has no floating debt and for the past two years has paid cash for every demand against her as soon as audited. It is gratify- ing to be able to state that the credit of our city stands as high, if not higher, than that of any other city in the state. The receipts for the year have been $23,838.95 and the ex- penses $18,486.78. Among the disbursements of the fire department was that of repairing and constructing fire wells and cisterns, also the cost of the fire alarm bell, $1,636. A large outlay has been made for grading and gravel- ing streets in front of city property, which was absolutely necessary because of the dilapidated condition of the old planking. During the present year a beautiful and commodious school house has been erected for the boys' school. The ordinance requiring the retailers of liquor to present a petition to the council- men signed by three respectable citizens re- siding in the immediate neighborhood has had the desired effect of closing nearly all of the low dram and tippling places and a correspond- ing decrease in crime." Mayor Bours then retired, closing the first decade of Stockton's history, and vacating the mayor's seat in favor of Dr. E. S. Holden, who when elected mayor four times refused to longer serve as the city's servant.

CHAPTER XI

THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

Y ESTERDAY the big five-ton auto pumps and chemical engines went thundering along the streets at a thirty-mile clip, bells ringing and sirens blowing in response to an alarm of fire. It was the sole business of those firemen to extinguish the flames, Since 1887 we have had a paid fire department. Pre- vious to that time the fire department was composed of volunteers, men who were willing to give their time and money and risk their life in the saving of property from fire. All honor to these men in their heroic work in many a hard-fought battle with the fire fiend; they are as much entitled to honors as the hero on the battlefield. The soldier is fed, clothed and given shelter and a small wage by the Govern- ment and goes forth to battle for his country and save the people and their property from destruction ; the firemen leaped from his bed at the midnight hour or left his work during a hot summer day, at the alarm of fire, to battle with the flames and save property and perhaps life. He was only given a small sum of money to

take care of the fire apparatus and by some common councils he was even begrudged that amount. As for clothing, many was the time when the firemen ruined their clothes and pocketed the loss. A particularly disastrous fire in that respect was that of the Sperry Flour Mill, Sunday afternoon, April 2, 1882. The firemen were all in their "Sunday best;" no time to make any change of clothing, and many a fireman was out of pocket from ten dollars to fifty dollars. So much for the glory of being a volunteer fireman.

The volunteers were not only the property savers of the city, but they were the social, intellectual and political leaders as well as firemen: the department was composed of laborers, mechanics, merchants, clerks, attor- neys, bankers and judges. They were in some instances officers in secret societies, and on one occasion, Charity lodge of Odd Fellows quick- ly adjourned at the cry of fire ; four of the offi- cers- were members of the fire department. In the courts all firemen were exempt from jury

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duty : this was a state law. As leaders in social life they gave all of the balls, parties, picnics and excursions of that day and they were the events of the season. We will not devote much space to the practical work of the volunteer fire department; the extinguishing a fire as quickly as possible, all-important as it is today such work is commonplace and of no interest to the general public. We will therefore write principally of the social life of the department, its patriotic, competitive and stirring events, some of them not creditable to those engaged ; and its benevolent and charitable features.

Preliminary Organization of Department

Before the city was born the volunteer fire department was organized. At the citizens' mass meeting in the Owens House June 15, 1850, for the preliminary organization of a city government, a committee was appointed com- prising George W. Mason, W. T. Shannan, J. W. McKenney and James E. Nuttman, all of them former eastern firemen, to report at an adjourned meeting, a plan of organization of a temporary fire police. At the assemblage June 18, the committee reported, "Having taken into consideration the important subject committed to them, and fully examining every particular connected therewith, find there is not at present in town a single fire engine or any means of arresting the ravages of fire, save by the common water bucket, nor have they been able to procure the requisite amount of money to purchase even the buckets so neces- sary at present to save the property of the citi- zens of Stockton, when the awful element is raging in our midst. The committee further "recommend that the City of Stockton proceed at once to elect a chief engineer and other offi- cers, subject to the chief engineer, and forth- with organize a company of 100 men who, under the command of said chief engineer, shall have the entire control of the fire depart- ment during the continuance of a fire. The committee would also recommend that a com- mittee be appointed for the purpose of solicit- ing subscriptions from the citizens of the town to purchase at once, hooks and ladders, with the necessary apparatus to be placed in charge of the fire department, convenient for their in- valuable services in case of fire. The commit- tee believe and are of the opinion that by their early fulfillment and execution much good will result to the citizens of this place and the evils consequent upon the calamitous ravages of fire, will be in part, if not entirely curtailed and zealous action is most earnestly invoked in this matter." Eight days later the citizens met in the same place as at the previous meeting, and the requisite number of persons having been obtained they proceeded to start the or- ganization of a fire department by electing a

set of officers, J. E. Nuttman, chief engineer, Asa C. Bradford, first assistant engineer, and Emil Judge, secretary.

First Hook and Ladder Truck

Following out the recommendation of the committee there seems to have been formed what was called a Hook & Ladder company, for in August, 1850, great praise was given "to the patriotic enthusiasm of the management of the Hook & Ladder company for their zeal and activity in forwarding the preliminary arrange- ments to obtain the subscriptions. They are all paid and the apparatus is present." What that apparatus was we are left to conjecture. Probably a two-wheeled truck made to carry the implements quickly to a fire. In October, 1850, George Buffum notified the council that the hooks and ladders were ready for use, and given in charge of the street commissioner they were housed on the Court House Square. When the engine house was built on Weber Avenue, near El Dorado Street, for the Weber engine company, the Hooks were there placed. Two months later the Webers complained to the council that there was not enough room, and the Hooks were removed to Center Street, where they were placed in the rear of a coffee stand near Center and Levee, and in the fire of May 5, 1851, they were burned up.

That was Stockton's most disastrous fire in more ways than one, as catching fire from the shavings made in the erection of a hotel, it burned over more ground, destroyed more val- uable property than any succeeding fire, and badly crippled the fire department, what there was of it, by burning most of the fire hose and badly injuring the fire engine, because improp- erly handled. Chief Engineer Nuttman and many of the firemen had gone to San Fran- cisco to see the ruins of the big fire at that place a few days previous and amateurs, taking out the Weber engine to play water on the flames, the fire caught them between two buildings and nearly destroyed the machine.

The Weber Bucket Company

The Weber Engine No. 1 was at that time an organized company, claiming an organization since July 4, 1850; so reads the granite stone set in the front wall of their old engine house on the Peninsula. The date of their organiza- tion was always a disputed point between them and the Hook and Ladder company, because of the fact that the oldest company always had the place of honor the lead of every parade. The Webers claimed that date because of the fact, that at the great fire of December, 1849, a large number of citizens running to the fire with buckets formed two long lines from the channel to the fire. One side passed along full pails of water, the opposite side returned the

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buckets to the water to be refilled. Then they called this the Weber Bucket Brigade and organized their company. They made this bluff work as the Hook and Ladder company was the meekest and mildest body of men in the department.

Organization of Weber Engine Company

The common council were informed in Jan- uary, 1851, by many of the citizens, that if they would purchase an engine a fire company would immediately be organized. Captain Weber, then a member of the council, stated that anticipating the necessity of a fire engine he had obtained one in good order for imme- diate use. He offered to let the council have the machine at cost price, $3,799, payments to be made in three, five and six month install- ments. The council immediately accepted his proposition and January 29, 1851, Major Ham- mond, as Weber's agent, was instructed to deliver the engine to the chief of the fire department, James E. Nuttman. In the mean- time some thirty citizens, men who formerly were firemen in the Eastern States, organized a company, in honor of Stockton's, founder they adopted the name of Weber Engine Com- pany No. 1 and elected the following officers, James E. Nuttman, chief engineer, W. . H. Brown, first assistant engineer, William Adee, foreman, P. Q. Brown, first assistant foreman, E. B. Veeland, secretary, John W. Lewis, treasurer, and William H. Ward, steward. Young and full of energy, they celebrated the event March 1 with a festival, and a represent- ative of the press was on hand for he wrote three days later, "We have seldom been more pleased than we were on Saturday last at the festival of the Weber company which took place in commemoration of the beginning of the company. It was a brilliant affair in every way worthy of the occasion. The meeting took place at 5 o'clock at the engine house and they marched to the New York Hotel, where the best dinner we ever sat down to was spread. Every delicacy of the season was upon the table, and a bottle of champagne by the side of each plate. The dinner was given at the expense of the company. Patriotic speech- es, toasts and songs were the order of the day and 'all went merry as a marriage bell.' " Their first fire occurred March 6, in a tent on the peninsula, "and the company played on the flames with their beautiful engine and saved the office of Major Hammond. The necessity of another engine was obvious to every person who witnessed the conflagration."

The organization of a second fire engine company was brought about in a curious man- ner. As stated, in the fire of May 5, 1851, all of the hose of the Weber engine was destroyed and the machine badly damaged. The engine

was repaired, but without hose the engine was worthless. The company petitioned the coun- cil for fire hose. Their request was not heeded until they threatened to disband. Then the council sent the chief engineer to San Fran- cisco to purchase 500 feet of fire hose. The hose was scarcer than gold, and hose could not be purchased unless you bought with it the fire engine. Then the council bought of the firm of Davis & Smith, a fire engine, the "piano" make, fire hose and hooks and ladders for $6,000. They had to take the entire outfit to get that hose, and as the hooks were a little short, the firm threw in 500 extra feet of fire hose. The engine was delivered to the city in August, 1851, and given to the Webers for their use.

Protection No. 1 Organized

After the May, 1851, fire the citizens were cautioned to be more guarded in their domestic use of the destructive element and to subscribe the necessary funds for a hook and ladder com- pany. Several meetings were held with that object in view and November 15, 1859, C. O. Burton, at one time foreman of the company, told of its organization on that date. The meet- ing was held in Brown & Carlisle store on the spot where stood Scott's saddlery, (Main Street, north side, just below El Dorado). At the meeting James W. Underhill was chairman and George H. Sanderson secretary. In those days the company met at the stores of the dif- ferent members, as there was no accommoda- tions for warmth in the truck house, which was nearly opposite the Republican office (same block further west). "The truck was bought by the city from Davis & Smith, to- gether with a little 'one-horse' red engine at a cost of $4,000. The truck of course has been greatly improved. The company was organ- ized with twenty-eight members."

Reorganization of Weber Company

Things worked smoothly and harmoniously in the Weber Engine Company until the latter part of May, 1853. At that time there seems to have been an election of officers. The com- pany was composed of Boston, New York and Baltimore firemen, young men who had "run mit de machine" in those cities. The chief engineer had been a New York fireman, Ned Colt was a Baltimorian, and Henry Chanfrau was a Bostonian. They had assembled at the Angelo House for the purpose of reorganizing the company. The New Yorkers wanted James Lynch as foreman of the reorganized company, but the Bostonians had selected Henry Chanfrau as their leader. They had the majority of votes and the following officers were elected, Henry Chanfrau, foreman; F. E. Pacey, first assistant, James Goodman, second

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assistant ; John Utter, secretary and Edwin W. Colt, treasurer. The company then adopted a uniform of blue shirts trimmed with white, black trousers, black belts and blue tarpaulin hats. This uniform was not changed during their existence, except the hat for which the regular stiff leather fire hat was later substi- tuted.

Eureka Company

The New Yorkers were much discomfited because of their defeat and nineteen of the Webers seceded, and assembling in the Angelo House two days later, June 2, organized the Eureka Company. They found as members the liveliest men in the city and before many years elapsed they found themselves one of the most popular engine companies in the state. After selecting their name they completed their organization by electing the following officers, James Lynch, foreman, Wm. B. Clark, fire assistant, Elbert Weeks, secretary and D. S. Clark, treasurer. Having completed their organization, they asked the council for the new engine that was in use by the Weber Company. This was refused them and they consented to use the pioneer machine on con- dition that they should have the next new engine bought by the city. In the latter part of 1853 the council set aside $4,000 for a new fine engine, and a few weeks later the council heard of an engine on sale in San Francisco. It was what was known as a Hanneman end- stroke tub engine. It was brought to the coast for Los Angeles, but the little pueblo was unable to pay for it. Chief Engineer Colt was sent to San Francisco and purchased the engine at a cost of $4,500, city script. On arriv- al of the machine the entire fire department turned out, and preceded by the Coggeshal brass band, they marched to the wharf. The firemen manned the ropes, and hauling the new engine to the corner of Main and Center streets, tested her water-throwing power. The new machine was turned over to the Weber Company and the Eurekas took the piano engine.

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History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 22

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849 Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1660

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660