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 29

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 29

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were lucky; if not they would go racing through the streets, the victor pelting them until there was nothing left of the rooster but the head and neck. The sport usually took place on St. John's day, on Washington Square. In the '60s the authorities prohibited the performance on the square and riding at a breakneck speed through the principal streets. They then transferred their rooster pulling to the banks of Mormon Channel near American Street.

Early Jewish Settlers

In the rush of '49 between two and three hundred Jews came to Stockton. They came like the multitude, to get gold, not like the goldseekers, to dig it from the earth, but to get it by trade rather than by manual labor. It was a very unusual thing to find among them a gold digger or a mechanic in Stockton. They were shopkeepers, merchants, peddlers and auctioneers. The first book store in town was owned by J. Rosenbaum on Center Street and near him was the clothing store of Ber- nard Frankheimer, who later moved to Main Street near Hunter and employed as a clerk David S. Rosenbaum, in after years one of Stockton's most progressive citizens. Another progressive citizen of the fifties was Isaac Zachariah, first a clothier and then an auction- eer. He planted a beautiful garden of fruits and flowers, and the public was at all times welcome. At one time the public school pic- nic was held there and he provided all the refreshments. Time and again the citizens and the fire companies were indebted to him for flowers for decorations. Another set of men were peddlers, and taking their packs upon their backs they would tramp over the county, selling their goods. Today their chil- dren are reaping the harvest of their hard- earned toil.

Among the well known Jewish families of Stockton were the Bernard Frankheimers, M. L. Abramsky, the Harts, David Safferhill, the Rosenbaum, Kullman and Saltz families, and later the Friedbergers from San Andreas, and the Levinskys from Woodbridge. Some of these men were prominent in secret societies .. Isaac Zacariah was the first noble grand of Charity Lodge, I. O. O. F., and Hyram Mitch- ell, who now sleeps in the Jewish cemetery, . was a charter member of Stockton Lodge of Odd Fellows and the first Odd Fellow in Stockton to attend a sick and needy brother until his death. Looking further we find the names of S. Friedman, Louis Rosenthal, R. G. Jacobs, Samuel Marks, E. Gumperts, A. Kol- berg and M. Stamper, Odd Fellows of many years ago. Among the Masons there were many and we find Michael Arndt, L. H. Frank- heimer, Dr. William and A. V. Friedberger,

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Henry Glick, Emil Gumpert, Alfred Haslach- er and Irvin Zeimer, 32nd degree Masons.

The Jewish religious organization is known as the Congregation Ryhim Ahoovim-Be- loved brethren-and, said Moses Marks in 1905, "A half century has gone by since this congregation was organized. This was in in 1852, and three years later the congregation, like King Solomon of old, said, 'And behold I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God.'" They obtained a lot on the north bank of the channel on Miner Ave- nue near Hunter Street, the rear of the lot being under water much of the time. Sub- scriptions of money were obtained from He- brews and Gentiles, and a small building was erected, seating probably 200 at a cost of $3,500. "The synagogue is a commodious structure and the whole reflects a high credit upon the congregation. It was lighted by a six-lamp chandelier with whale oil as a fuel. At the altar candles were used as in this day. The elegant and beautiful curtains which hid the Ark of the Covenant were presented to the congregation by Mr. and Mrs. M. Marks. An eloquent and impressive dedication discourse in English and Hebrew was delivered by Julius Eckmann of San Francisco." During the flood of 1861-62 there was two feet of water on the floor of the synagogue and a rushing river on the front and rear of the building, and as soon as possible the building was removed to a lot on Hunter Street oppo- site the home of Wm. Kierski. It was set three feet above the ground and provided with a portico and fence. The congregation wor- shiped in this house until 1905.

A Hebrew Marriage

An event in the synagogue which created considerable interest in the community be- cause of its novelty was the marriage in Janu- ary, 1859, of Samuel Faulk, of San Francisco, to Miss Lenken Swartz, of Stockton. Long before the hour set for the ceremony the build- ing was crowded with Jews and Gentiles, anxious to witness the Jewish marriage cere- mony, as it was the first marriage of the kind in Stockton. At the appointed, hour the bridal party, fourteen in number, arrived at the syn- agogue, marched up the aisle to the platform in the following order, first, four young lady bridesmaids accompanied by four groomsmen, then came the bride accompanied by two mar- ried ladies, and behind them the bridegroom and the husbands of the two matrons, the latter witnesses to the marriage contract. The wedding party standing front of the Ark of the Covenant, Rabbi Julius Eckmann ad- dressed the audience in "a happy style, and alluded to the fact that the national prejudice against the Jews was passing, as evinced by

the large number of Gentiles present." He then addressed the bride and groom upon their duties. This short address was followed by a prayer. The platform was then covered by a white satin canopy or "chuppa" and be- neath it stood the bride and groom, the rabbi, the two male witnesses and their wives. The bridesmaids and groomsmen stood at the cor- ners of the platform, two at each corner, the men supporting the canopy by long staffs. The obligation of the synagogue, which was very solemn and impressive, was then admin- istered to the bridal couple. The rabbi then read aloud the marriage contract stating that the bride and bridegroom did "on the 24th of Shevatt in the year 1519 enter into a certain contract." The year corresponded to the 30th of January, 1859. The blessing was then chanted in Hebrew. During this time one of the witnesses held in his hand a silver tankard and a glass tumbler, and as the marriage vows were pronounced the husband and wife each took a sip of liquid from the tankard. The glass was then dropped to the floor and the husband crushed it with his foot. This ended the ceremony. The bridal party and their friends then wended their way to Turnverein hall and sat down to a magnificent dinner and those present then enjoyed the dance to the music of a fine orchestra until near midnight.

As early as 1851 the Jews of Stockton set apart a sacred place of burial for their dead. In that year the Hebrew ladies requested Cap- tain Weber to give them a burial plot. He complied with their request and gave them the block bounded by Union, Acacia, Pilgrim and Poplar streets, then outside of the city limits. They enclosed a small part of the block with a high rough-board fence, and a burial was there made as early as 1852. This was Stock- ton's first permanently established cemetery. The Hebrew ladies were anxious to erect a suitable fence around the block, but the condi- tions were such that nothing could be accom- plished until 1859. In that year the Hebrew Ladies' Benevolent Society gave a ball in the city hall January 20 "for the purpose of rais- ing funds to be appropriated to the building of a fence around the Hebrew burial ground. They secured. one of the best citizens to act as manager and the ball was a financial success. The ladies cleared $375.75, and in February at a meeting of the Congregation Ryhim Ahoo- vim, of which Joseph Marks was president and Bernard Frankheimer, secretary, the money was presented to them by Miss Rebecca Marks, together with $100 from the society. as a donation to the fund. "The fence around the Jewish cemetery has been quite com- pleted," said the reporter in December, 1859, "and the place is now an almost exact coun- terpart in appearance to the Odd Fellows bur-

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ial ground." What became of that fence I don't know, but for many years the block has been enclosed by a fence of Osage orange trees. It is an evergreen memorial to the pride and perseverance of the first Hebrew Ladies' Benevolent Society.

The Oppenheimer Duel

The Hebrews were a highly moral people for from early childhood they were taught the religion of their fathers and the Mosaic law. Even their personal .difficulties were settled out of court. There was one case, however, where the Jew, like Shakespeare's Shylock, wanted blood. The difficulty occurred in April, 1860. Samuel Frankenthall and M. P. Oppenheimer, a wholesale cigar dealer, en- gaged in a fight over some trivial matter. Later Frankenthall, in telling of the fight to a friend, remarked that he would rather believe a Chinaman or a negro than Oppenheimer. When Oppenheimer heard of his opponent's remark he demanded that the Jew retract the insulting words. Frankenthall was stubborn and refused to change his opinion of Oppen- heimer. Then the latter challenged his enemy to mortal combat on the "field of honor." The seconds were selected and by the terms of the agreement the two men were to meet west of the asylum at six o'clock in the morning. The weapons used were navy revolvers and the duelists were to stand twelve paces apart back to back, and at the word, wheel and fire. After one round, in which no one was in dan- ger but the seconds, an attempt was made to adjust the difficulty, but Frankenthall would not go back of his opinion regarding adver- sary. After firing two more rounds, each man, shooting holes in the air, the seconds succeed- ed in ending the deadly affair, Frankenthall saying that he would believe Oppenheimer as quickly as he would a Chinaman or a negro. This assertion satisfied Oppenheimer and the parties again became friends.

The Jewish Reform Movement

In the last few years of the 19th century a wonderful reform was made in the Jewish re- ligion. The reform movement in Stockton was led by M. S. Jaffee, and it resulted in a separation of the Congregation Ryhim Ahoo- vim, the departure of Rabbi Davidson, who had been their rabbi for over twenty years, and the establishing of a new synagogue on Fremont Street between California and Sutter.

Dedication of the Temple

In the year. 1900 the old synagogue was fast decaying from the stress of winter storm, summer heat and over half a century of ser- vice, and the congrgation planned to build a handsome Temple Israel, but when the bids

were opened for the construction of an edifice of wood it was found that the bids for mate- rial, especially that of lumber, was so high that the lowest bid was $2,000 higher than the architect's estimate, and they were compelled to defer for a time the building of a new tem- ple. In 1905 it was erected at a cost of ap- proximately $14,000, and seating about 400 persons, was dedicated Friday evening, Sep- tember 12. Early in the evening it was crowd- ed with Jews and Gentiles, the last named forming more than one-half of the audience. The ceremonial service was preceded by an organ prelude by Karl Brueck. A prayer was then offered in Hebrew by Rabbi Montague of San Francisco. While the choir was sing- ing the rabbi retired to a rear room and imme- diately returned accompanied by two gentle- men carrying the sacred scrolls. These they delivered into the keeping of Rabbi Voorsan- ger. After reading a passage of scripture ap- propriate to the occasion, he deposited the scrolls "within the sanctuary over which stands the tablet of the law." The next cere- monial was the lighting of the "perpetual light" and H. Marks, the president of the Con- gregation, arose from his seat with a lighted taper in his hand and repeated first in Hebrew and then in English the sacred words, "Hear, () Israel, the Lord our God the Eternal is one God." He then read in Hebrew from the new English version of Genesis 1:1-2 trans- lated for use in the Jewish service. Up to this time the temple was dimly lighted but as the president repeated the last line, "And God said Let there be Light; and there was Light" he lit the perpetual light and the full flow of gas was turned on in the candlebras. Following the address of Lucius L. Solomon of San Francisco, M. P. Stein stepped upon the plat- form, accompanied by little Hattie Glick- now Mrs. Carl Steinhart-bearing the key of the temple on a cushion. The key he present- ed to the president, who in receiving it said in part, "The unlocking of this door is an invi- tation to the people of all denomination to enter and be welcomed." The Hebraic prayer by Rabbi Cohen was preceded by the choir singing the one hundredth Psalm, the choir singing during the Rabbi's absence the hymn, "Sh'ma Yisroel." Just previous to the remarks of President Marks the song of "Etz Chay- him," Tree of Life, was sung.

Concluding his address Miss Bessie S. Ro- senbaum sang the hymn, "Lead, kindly light," and the anthem "I will magnify Thee, Oh Lord," following the address of President Marks. H. Weinstock's address on "Why We Build Beautiful Houses of Worship" was fol- lowed by the dedicatory address by Dr. Voor- sanger, the choir then singing the Jewish

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hymn, "Ador Olam." The benediction was then pronounced by Rabbi Cohen.

Arrival of Chinese

The Chinese are a paradox. They are more troublesome to the authorities than any other class of foreign population, because of their gambling, opium smoking, prostitution and tong wars. They are the most desirable of servants and employes because of their docil- ity ; never go on a strike and are willing to work for a fair living wage. They began com- ing to Stockton as early as January, 1852, the little steamer Kate Kearny bringing quite a number to the city in that month. They con- tinued arriving and in June, 1858, the reporter paid his respects to them as follows: "On Monday night the Helen Hensley brought up over 200 Chinamen and they were later quar- tered in the Chinese hovel, corner Hunter and Channel streets. The crowd started yester- day for the mines and seated on their luggage on the mule teams they chattered like a lot of apes, which they resemble somewhat." As to their number living in Stockton, the first census report we have is in 1870. In that year they numbered 1,629, in 1880 1,997, in 1890 1,676, and in 1910 1,873.

Seven-eights of these Mongolian residents were men and their occupations were prin- cipally of the menial class ; some were servants in private families ; some hotel and restaurant cooks, and in 1854 quite a number were en- gaged in catching and curing fish. These fish they caught in the Stockton Channel, fishing sometimes where now stands the Hotel Stock- ton. In curing the fish "they operated on a large schooner and were experts in cleaning them and salting them down in pork barrels, where they found a ready sale in the mines." Hundreds of them were miners and they would camp in Stockton for the winter. It is stated that millions of dollars worth of gold was saved by them, as they were willing to work at a small profit, diggings deserted by the white miners. In later day as the population increased they became laundrymen, vegetable gardeners and hucksters, blackberry pickers, merchants, island renters and potato raisers.

Their foods in the earlier days was of the simplest kind, principally rice, pork, sugar and the finest quality of tea imported from China. They were very fond of ducks and chickens when they had the money to purchase them, ate neither beef nor mutton. The cooked food was set on the floor in large bowls and the Chinamen, squatting around in a circle, would help themselves directly from the bowl to their mouth. The Chinese of today patronize the baker for bread and pastry. Many of them have been family cooks and they appreciate good living. 11

The Chinese in early times were located on Bridge Street between Hunter and El Dorado, facing Stockton Channel. Their habitats were an old story-and-a-half house, formerly a French hotel, and several one-story shacks that in the early day had been places of busi- ness. Crowded into these places with no means of ventilation or sanitation, these houses soon became the foulest ill-smelling spots in the city and a menace to health and the morals of the community, especially the children, for there was a public school only a block away. "They were quiet and peaceful during the day, but at night they made the hours hideous with their infernal bawling and wrangling. "They have become an unbearable nuisance," said the scribe, "but the cold water remedy has been very successful in stopping it in other cities, notably San Francisco, Sacramento and Marysville." Taking the hint as suggested by the Republican, some parties in May, 1854, quietly took one of the fire engines from the engine house late in the evening, set the engine and drawing water from the Channel literally drowned out the shacks. The next morning it created a sensation and considerable feeling because of the disgraceful and unwarranted act, but no arrests were made.

Burning of Chinatown

The water cure was not a success, for the Mongolians went back to their water-soaked hovels as soon as permitted and remained there for several years. In July, 1862, the destruction of these hovels was "regarded as a public benefit." The fire broke out about eleven o'clock at night caused by the explosion of a lamp and in one hour the buildings were a bed of coals. They were owned by George Deitz, a gunsmith, Emile Hestres and M. Poursille, of Philadelphia. Upon the ruins was built the two-story brick now standing. Another disgrace to the city was the house at the corner of Channel and Hunter. Time and again efforts were made to set fire to the place, but the Chinamen were foxy. They guarded the house every night during the summer and threw pails of water upon the shingled roof. Nightly there would be from twenty to fifty Chinamen bunked in a room 20x40 feet, the bunks placed steamboat style, and sometimes they would lay so thick upon the floor it was impossible to walk across the room. The house was finally torn down and the present brick structure erected.

There was good money in renting buildings to Chinese tenants and parties with capital erected one-story buildings for them on Wash- ington Street, between Hunter and El Dorado. They were soon filled with Mongolians and in a short time the same filthy and outrageous conditions existed as in their former location.

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They were in a measure isolated for several years as there was but little travel along the street and but few families in that vicinity. At this time many Chinese women had arrived and many of them undesirables.

As the years rolled on more Chinese crowd- ed into that locality and houses for them were erected on both sides of the street. Their presence depreciated the value of property round about, and poor persons began to settle there. Things were getting pretty bad and in September, 1867, Charles Hubner, an honest plain-spoken Hollander, capitalist, and mem- ber of the common council, published the fol- lowing: "To the citizens and taxpayers living in the vicinity of the new Hong Kong, which is permanently settled and located in the heart and midst of the great and flourishing city of Stockton: You hoped that some day you would be relieved of the great evil, but your hopes have been dashed to pieces. The idea that you could pass along the street corner of El Dorado and Washington, without taking a perfume bottle along and smelling frequently of its contents you had beter give up. Don't dream, that the time will come when you can sleep without being disturbed by a band of hell-escaped wolves. Don't imagine that you can walk along Washington Street without blushing, for the city fathers will take no measure to suppress this evil. Don't imagine that your sons and daughters will be able to go to school along that street without blush- ing. You have tried in vain to remove the Chinese from your midst. It would seem as if every officer has taken a special oath to cher- ish and protect them in their crimes. To the Chinese I would say, go on with your ungodly crimes. Call the youths of your city into your dens, and show them all that is worth seeing, for you are protected by the strong arm of the law." This was no exaggerated statement made by Mr. Hubner, and up to a few years ago it was a common report that the higher- ups were paid "hush money."

Hubner was anxious to abate this evil, and he jointly with others, purchased some lots on Mormon Channel just west of Center Street and erected some cheap houses anticipating that the Washington Street denizens could be prevailed upon to remove to the new locality. Before the shacks were completed they were set on fire and burned down. The people in the neighborhood said they didn't want the Chinese out there. New buildings were erect- ed and without lessening the number in the old Chinatown the new buildings were soon occupied. There took place the only double murder in San Joaquin County. It appears that two Chinamen, a Sam Yup Co and a

Hong Wo Co man, were gambling. The Hong man lost and refused to pay the debt, where- upon eight of the Sam Yups surrounded him and attempted to force him to "pungle up." He was a fighter, however, and drawing a knife from his blouse, he stabbed a Sam Yup named Hong Pang who dropped dead. In the excitement Mr. Hong broke away and fled towards the tules, accompanied by another Hong man. Pursued by Sam Yups they began shooting and Sam Yup fell mortally wounded. A Sam Yup then ran to the police office and Officer Jerome Myers was sent out to hunt for the murderers hiding in the tules. As it was near dark he could do nothing and started back to town. Before he had gone far he heard a shot. He and his companion hurried to the spot and found a Hong Wo man had been killed. Myers questioned the Chinese but it was of no use. These "tong wars" are still going on, and many Chinamen have been killed by the "hatchet men" of the other company, because of some crime or insult. There is no possible way for the authorities to punish the murderer as his company will perjure them- selves in his favor, employ the best attorneys to defend him, and the other company dare not testify against the murderer, fearing that they will be killed.

The Joss House

The religion of the Chinese is Buddhism. a religion as old as the pyramids of Egypt. In Stockton they had their Buddha, and some- times they had two of them. Their principal god was in the second story of a Chinese tem- ple or "Joss house' on Hunter Street adjoin- ing Turnverein hall, and there during their re- ligious festivals the Chinese would come from far and near by the hundred and bow down before, and worship the "big Joss." In 1881 the old wooden structure was torn down and in its place they erected "one of the most sub- stantial brick buildings in the city" at a cost of $7,500. The second story was fitted up as . a Chinese temple and over $5,000 was expend- ed in fitting up the interior. On one side of the room on an elevated seat sat the new Joss, dressed in all of the color of the rainbow. When sitting he was over eight feet in height, with arms four feet in length. He was a hid- eous looking monster, scowling upon his wor- shipers as they bowed and burned incense be- fore his shrine. The temple was dedicated by a three-days ceremonial of priestly prayers, incense and food offerings, and open to the public, thousands of persons visited the place and admired the many excellent specimens of Chinese skill and handiwork. A few years ago the building was sold and converted into a rooming house and meat market.

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A Chinese Funeral

One of the oddest events of the Chinese was a funeral. They are a very superstitious peo- ple and when a Chinaman died every effort was made to keep the devil from getting him. As the funeral procession wended its way to the cemetery a Chinaman sat upon the hearse with the driver and threw out small slips of red colored papers with Chinese characters upon them, to keep the devil from getting the spirit of the deceased. If the deceased was poor no music, no mourners nor hacks, if wealthy or a man of influence, he had music, a Chinese or American band, paid women mourners who, dressed in white, their mourn- ing color, marched behind the hearse; then came the friends in carriages. Bringing up the rear was an express wagon carrying food for the dead on his celestial journey. This food comprised rice, tea with china tea cups, and other delicacies and a whole hog nicely roasted. On arrival at the cemetery the body was interred in a place set apart especially for Chinese, the food was placed upon the grave and around it burning tapers of incense. The food was usually left there for three or four days, but when the tramps began appro- priating the food after the Chinamen left the place, they fooled the weary willies by return- ing to town with the food. Every Chinaman believes that his spirit could not rest in eternal peace unless his bones be buried in his native soil. So after a time when the body has de- cayed, the director of his company disinters the remains, and scraping clean the bones, packs them in a small air-tight box and ships them to China. Every few years hundreds of these boxes are exported, containing the bones of deceased Chinese from all parts of the state.

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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 29

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