USA > California > Santa Barbara County > History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 62
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The island passed into the possession of the broth- ers A. P. and H. H. More, by whom it is now owned. In 1874, there were 60,000 head of sheep on the island. The sales of wool were about $100,000. Amount of wool, 30,000 pounds. The natural grasses which support the sheep are of very fine quality, and remain green throughout the year, being nourished by the humid atmosphere. As before mentioned, a matanza has been established on this island for the wholesale slaughter of sheep when the over-stocking of the pastures, or the scarcity of feed makes it necessary. From the Press, of June 2, 1876, the fol- lowing account of it is extracted :-
THE SANTA ROSA MATANZA.
"The slaughter of sheep for their pelts and tallow on Santa Rosa Island, is still going on and will con- tinue for some time. 25,000 sheep are to be killed, which will leave from 15,000 to 20,000 on the island. The matanza works erected by the firm are said to
be among the largest and most complete on the coast. The kettles are of enormous size, large enough to take in several hundred sheep at a time. The num. ber of carcasses boiled daily averages about 1,200. The fires are kept burning from Monday morning to Saturday evening. The sheep are skinned, the in- testines taken out and the carcasses thrown into the kettles. After going through the kettles, the car- casses are thoroughly mashed up, the bones being softened so they will pulverize under the pressure of the hand. The offal is fed to hogs. In consequence of the sheep not being very fat in this year of short feed, the amount of tallow from each sheep is com- paratively small; still under this systematic mode of treatment, a fair price, considering the year, can be realized per head. The skins are salted. dried and packed for market. These operations require : large force of men."
INDIAN RELICS.
Aboriginal relies, similar in all respects to those of Santa Cruz Island. are found on Santa Rosa, and have been studied with equal interest. Seventy human skulls were recently uncovered through the action of the wind which blew away the overlying dirt and exposed them to view. The locality is sup- posed to be an ancient burial-place.
A PLACE FOR A COLONY.
" A very entertaining article on Santa Rosa Island is furnished to the September number of the Overland by J. Ross Browne. Probably few persons are aware of the fertile character of these islands, which lie out in the ocean just within our view, and how well adapted they are for fruit culture as well as for pas- turage. Taking Mr. Browne's description of it, Santa Rosa Island, in the hands of some princely million- aire, might be made a veritable ' Happy Valley,' from which none but an inexperienced Rasselas would wish to roam. Says Mr. Browne: ' Apples, peaches, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, quinces, etc., would seem to be well adapted to this region. There are sheltered nooks and valleys where figs, olives, almonds and walnuts would probably attain perfec- tion. Grapevines might also yield good crops where they are not too much exposed to the cool sea-breezes, which generally prevail during the summer months. The climate is genial; very little difference is per- ceptible in the temperature, winter or summer. The air is cool, though never cold. There are no wolves, coyotes, toads, centipedes, tarantulas, squirrels or gophers. The small red fox is the only carniverous animal to be seen on the island. Numerous springs. having their source in the principal ridge, furnish a sufficient supply of water, at convenient intervals, either for stock or agricultural purposes. Though the general appearance of the island, looking from the ocean, is unattractive, many parts of it are con- spicuous for their picturesque beanty. The views from the highest points in the interior are on a scale of grandeur rarely equaled by the best Pacific Coast scenery. Broad stretches of mesa, intersected by deep cañons and gorges, roll away down to the rock- bound shores beyond which lie in full view the adja- cent islands of Santa Cruz, San Miguel and Sant: Barbara; while to the west stretches the grand old Pacific. the monarch of all the oceans. Steam and sailing vessels are almost constantly passing up and down the channel, giving animation to the scene, and some assurance to the traveler that he is not alto-
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HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
gether beyond the pale of civilization. What more could be asked? But Mr. Ross Browne, mindful of the great problem of life, has set himself about to see how the fertility of this picturesque island of Santa Rosa can be made produetive of the most bread and butter-or, more strictly speaking, wool and meat. And he suggests no princely builder of a romantie island home, but colonization, farming and sheep-raising. 'Divided up into farms of 200 or 300 aeres each,' says Mr. Browne, 'Santa Rosa presents an excellent field for a grand colonization enterprise.' The suggestion is a good one, and we commend it to the consideration of those in quest of a location for such an enterprise."
SAN MIGUEL ISLAND
Is the most western one of the group, and is 7} miles in length and 23 miles in breadth, and is assessed to the Pacific Wool Company.
MISCELLANEOUS.
One of the most notable events in the history of the islands was the wreek of the steamship Winfield Scott, in the early years of the Pacific Mail Steam- ship Company, whose vessel she was. It is said that the wreck was visible beneath the water for twenty years after. Since the disaster the steamers of that line are not allowed to pass through the channel, but keep outside of the island. There is a eurious phase of animal life in the thousands of rats and miee which inhabit Anacapa, and are supposed to be the descendants of those which deserted the sinking mail steamer. This island, as before stated, is en- tirely devoid of fresh water, the sheep and goats thercon deriving moisture from the copious dews. In times of drought the resource fails, for it is asserted that the sheep all perished on the two smaller Anaeapa Islands in a certain season of drought.
NATURAL RESOURCES.
Besides the grasses which give sustenance to innumerable sheep, there are certain other natural sources of wealth incident to the islands and channel, which merit deseription. Among these are the seals and sea-lions, sea-otters, and the various species of edible fish and mollusks which exist in these peace- fnl waters.
SEAL HUNTING
Is a remunerative business on some of the islands. During the summer of 1879, Rogers & Company, of Santa Barbara, had fifteen to twenty men engaged in hunting the seal on the San Miguel and Flea Islands. The hunters follow along the beach, shoot- ing those they find on the rocks; other parties flay off the blubber and carry it to the trying place, where it is slowly cooked to extraet the oil, by an experienced person. The oil is ranked with that of the whale in value, and finds a market in San Fran- cisco. The nose and whiskers (smellers) are sold to the Chinese for some of the customs incident to their civilization. The skins and intestines of the seals are
utilized in making garments for the Alaska market.
Sealing on Anaeapa Island is usually carried on in December, because they congregate in great num- bers at the beginning of winter, and for another reason that they then are fattest, yielding the largest quantity of oil, being ten to forty gallons to the seal. There is no wood or water on the island; the erack- lings or seraps of the tried blubber is used for fuel. and water has to be carried in barrels to sustain the party through the hunt, which may last two or three months. In early days the islands, or the different portions of the Anaeapa which are separated by channels, was so covered with seals that it was im- possible to converse in their vicinity from their noise, which is something between the burking of a dog and the noise of hogs. The seal hunters gener- ally shoot the seals on the shore from boats, and tow the bodies to the landing where the blubber is stripped off and boiled in the kettles provided for the purpose. The surf, at all times breaking on the islands, is liable to overwhelm the boats and drown all on board, or dash them against the rocks. Many persons have lost their lives in this way. In July, 1874, Captain Brown, a seal hunter on the islands, was overwhelmed by the surf, and instantly killed. The sea lion, though inclined to be peaceable if let alone, is dangerous when wounded, and will tear a boat in pieces in little time. Some of them are of great size, weighing as much as 2,000 or 3,000 pounds. They have terrible fights among themselves for the possession of the females. Their long ineisive tecth enable them to inflict dangerous wounds. The hand- ling of the oil, whether in the shape of blubber or eutting it up and boiling it, or handling it in barrels, is a disagreeable business, but like everything else that offers a remuneration, finds willing hands. Thirty or forty barrels of oil is the usual catch of the erews hunting seal on Anaeapa.
A sea-lion was killed on San Miguel Island in July, 1879, that was fourteen feet long, and was estimated to weigh between 3,500 and 4,000 pounds. So says Captain Mullet who has been engaged in cap- turing sea-lions for exhibition, etc., for about eight years, and has eaught nearly 200.
OTTER HUNTING
Has been quite an industry in former years. The animal finds its food in the bands of kelp which are from one-half to two miles from shore. The hunters cautiously approach the feeding grounds in small boats, and shoot the animals before an alarm is taken. The otter is amphibious, and will swim half a mile under water. In later years, as the otters were thinned out, the hunters extended their opera- tions further. In 1873 the schooner S. D. Sanborn, under command of J. B. Burton, went to the north- ern coast of Japan in pursuit of otter, and returned in November with a cargo of some 5,000 skins, worth $25,000 or $30,000.
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ISLANDS, CHANNEL, AND HARBOR.
FISH IN THE CHANNEL.
Well informed persons have expressed the opinion that in no part of the world was there a better or greater variety of fish. The sheltered character of the channel is favorable for many kinds, the warmer temperature. the kelp, and other surroundings all encouraging the growth of the finny tribe. Among other species, the perch (surf fish), shovel-nose, sea bass, smelt, barracuda, flounder, halibut, red-fish, herring, capeline, podlers, mackerel, and sardine are prominent, also several species of shell-fish.
The United States Fish Commissioners spent some time in the channel. They found on the coast of California over 270 species of fish. Among these were nineteen species of shark. Two caught in the harbor of Monterey belonged to the man-eaters, and were twenty-four and twenty-eight feet long respect- ively, weighing two tons each. Another variety on the coast was thirty-three feet long, but were not danger- ous, however, having small teeth. Monterey Bay was the richest in species, having 130, and San Francisco about the same. Santa Barbara has ninety-five; San Diego, eighty; Puget Sound, ninety. It may not be here amiss to call attention to the abundance of mackerel found in the channel. The water is sometimes fairly alive with them. and they have been caught in large numbers, one party hav- ing secured 200 in two hours, near the islands. These fish are reported to be plentiful at Prisoner's Harbor, at Santa Cruz Island.
ABALONE SHELLS
Are obtained on the rocks near the islands, at low tide. The animals stick to the rocks so tight that they have to be pried off with a crowbar. It is related of a Chinaman that, seeing one apparently partly loosened, he stuck his fingers under the shell, and was caught as in a trap, and was drowned by the rising tide. The shells are found attached to the rocks between high and low water. The clambering over the rough rocks, sometimes in a great hurry, to avoid the surf which always rolls heavily, and the hard work necessary to detach the shells, make shell hunting dangerous and laborious. In this rough and dangerous way, fifty tons or more of these shells are gathered for the San Francisco market, to be worked up into various ornamental forms, which derive their beauty from the peculiarly tinted interior lining of the shells. This is a nacreous substance, similar to mother-of-pearl in its appearance and origin. The meat is dried in large quantities by the Chinese and shipped to China. It is said to be a favorite mate- rial, when grated fine, for soups. When ready for ship- meut it looks much like the hoofs of cattle or horses and would be, without the grating process, about as digestible.
Cray fish, of a very large size, are found in great abundance along the shores.
TURTLES.
July 19, 1877, a large turtle of the hawkbill species, and weighing 700 pounds, was caught near the Santa Rosa Island, by the surveying party of the McArthur. It measured eight feet across the breast. Subsequently the Press estimated its weight at 1,200 pounds, but then it was to beat an Eastern turtle's weight. At another time it was reported that --
" A nondescript monster of the turtle family was caught in the channel by some fisherman. Supposing it to be edible, the steward of the Morris House served it up for his guests. It was what is called a leather-back turtle. Dimensions, 5} feet by 3}; weight, 800 pounds. No deaths recorded."
THE HARBOR.
In natural connection with the subject of the islands and channel of Santa Barbara, comes a con- sideration of the harbor facilities of the chief town of the county, more especially of the projected
BREAKWATER AND DREDGING OF THE ESTERO.
It must be borne in mind that, properly speaking, there is no harbor at all at Santa Barbara, the only protection against heavy seas from the south, south- east, and west being afforded by the islands, which partially break the force of winds, and render the chan- nel comparatively calm; but the benefits do not extend to protecting the anchorage from southeasters. To meet the dangers of winds blowing from that quarter, several plans of harbor improvements have been proposed at different times. The subject was first agitated as early as 1869, when Congress was asked to make an appropriation for a breakwater, but either from want of an active lobbyist at Washington, or, as some say, a rival project at Point Sal, the matter was dropped before it assumed any definite shape.
On January 16, 1873, a meeting was held at the Shaw House to consider the matter of memorializing Congress for harbor improvements. J. A. Johnson, O. I .. Abbott, and C. E. Huse were appointed a com- mittee to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of the meeting. The following resolutions were adopted:
Resolved, That our Senators and Representative in the Congress of the United States be requested to solicit from the Government, at the earliest practi- cable period, an appropriation of $100,000 for the construction of a breakwater at the port of Santa Barbara, for the benefit of commerce and navigation (or for dredging the estero so as to form an inland harbor).
Resolved, That the Secretary furnish a copy of this resolution to our Senators and Representatives.
The Times urged that in view of the fact that the Pacific Mail Steamers could not be induced to lie alongside of, or come up to the wharf, that the Gov- ernment should be petitioned to construct a break- water, to which the Press replied :-
"One cannot refrain from expressing surprice at
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HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
the outrageous falsehoods stated by this unblushing enemy of the place. How can any one, who has the interest of the place at heart, fail to rebuke this hired organ of a wealthy railroad opponent of the interest of Santa Barbara."
The Times retorted that there had been quite enough of talk about the climate and natural advan- tages of Santa Barbara, most of which it heartily endorsed; that it was time to do something for our- selves-bring pure water into every street; bring about railroad connections with the commercial world, and secure the construction of a breakwater :-
" Will the Press say that Santa Barbara does not need a breakwater ? * * We assert that * steamers cannot with safety approach our wharves." [This was in 1872-73, when steamers anchored near the kelp and sent goods to the shore or to the old wharf in lighters. It was pronounced unsafe to tie to the wharf recently erected by Stearns. How true this was ten years of subsequent use of the wharf demonstrated.]
" One side asserted that the swell- was nothing; that it was perverseness and stupidity that prevented the steamers from landing at Stearns' wharf. [It may be observed that the steamship owners, Goodall, Nelson & Co., had an interest in the old wharf, which did not extend into deep water, but was approached by lighters.] Stearns did not belong to the Times clique, ' hence these tears.'
PETITION TO CONGRESS.
" To the Honorable the Senate and House of Represent- atives, in Congress assembled :-
" Your petitioners, residents of Santa Barbara in the State of California, most respectfully beg leave to. represent to your honorable bodies that on the coast of California, between San Francisco and San Diego, a distance of about 500 miles, there is no safe or sheltered harbor: that between these points a refuge is greatly needed for the protection and repair of vessels disabled by storms during the winter sea- son, and for the convenience of the rapidly increasing commerce of the coast; and they represent that there is no point on the coast of California so well adapted to the creation of a harbor as the town of Santa Barbara, which is situated on the margin of the Santa Barbara Channel; that this channel, about twenty- five miles wide and ninety long, lying between the coast and the islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa, is similar to the Mediterra- nean Sea in many of its features, is comparatively smooth, is easily accessible from the ocean, and is entirely free from reefs and shoals; that at the town of Santa Barbara there is an outlet, or estnary, into which the tide flows in the winter season, and which, in the judgment of competent engineers, can be easily and cheaply excavated and protected by a sea wall at its mouth, so as to form a safe and convenient har- bor for the accommodation of ships and vessels navi- gating along this coast.
" They further represent that Santa Barbara Chan- nel forms the natural outlet of the great interior basin of the continent which stretches from the Rocky Mountains to the Sierra Nevada, and that the system of railroads which has been projected and partly constructed, running southwesterly from
Utah, Colorado and Nevada, as well as those from New Mexico and Arizona, will find their shortest, cheapest and most practicable routes to tide water at this portion of the Santa Barbara Channel.
" They further represent that, some years ago, the United States Government caused this portion of the coast to be carefully sounded, and the Bureau of Coast Surveys is already in the possession of all the data required to show the importance and prac- ticability of the work of excavating the estero at this point.
" And they represent that at a mass meeting of the citizens of this town, recently held, the plan of improving the harbor by dcepening the estero has been ratified without a dissenting voice; and the Trustees of this town have endorsed this project by the passage of a resolution requesting our Senators and Representatives to solicit an appropriation from Congress for this object.
" Wherefore they pray that an appropriation of the sum of $250,000 may be made for the construc- tion of an inland harbor at the town of Santa Bar- bara, by deepening the estero and building a sea wall, and your petitioners will ever pray, etc.
" Santa Barbara, February 13, 1873."
This petition was drafted by a committee com- posed of Messrs. J. A. Johnson, C. E. Huse and O. L. Abbott. The same persons also reported to the cit- izens the character of and reasons for the under- taking.
" Your committee to whom was assigned the duty of preparing a memorial to Congress for an appro- priation for harbor improvements, with special refer- ence to the deepening of the estero of Santa Bar- bara, beg leave to report as follows :-
" If there were not a single inhabitant in the town of Santa Barbara, the necessity would still exist for creating here a harbor of refuge. From San Fran- cisco to San Diego, a distance of about 500 miles, there is not a single point at which a ship in stress of weather can put in for safety and repairs. Santa Barbara is situated about midway on this line of coast upon the shore of the Santa Barbara Channel. This channel is in many features similar to the Med- iterranean Sea. The islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa, stretching along the southern cdge of the channel, answering to the southern shore of the Mediterranean, break off in a great measure the force of the southeastern storms and leave the waters of the channel comparatively calm. Nature has done very much here to form a harbor, where it is so much needed, and it requires only a little effort on the part of man to complete it and render it one of the safest, most accessible and best harbors in the world.
"A glance at the map of the world shows that Santa Barbara is on the natural highway of com- merce between the Eastern and Western Hemisphere. The construction of the Atlantic and Pacific Road along the 35th parallel will connect the Santa Bar- bara Channel with the great valley of the Mississippi and the Atlantic States, teeming with population and wealth. It is now certain that this road will be speedily constructed, in order to afford a transit across the continent, which shall be free from the shows which close the Union and Central Pacific Railroads, or from the sand-storms which will close the Texas and Pacific if it is ever built across the desert to the cast of San Diego. The route of the Atlantic and Pacific is not open to either of these objections, and
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Do serious obstacle will be encountered either in its construction or in its operation.
" After a somewhat protracted discussion the pub- lic is beginning to perceive and consider the bearing of the facts above set forth; and hence, in the march of events, the time has now come for taking such steps as are necessary to secure aid from Congress to improve our harbor and make it adequate to meet the wants of a great commerce.
" On investigation, your commmittee are of the opinion that the construction of a breakwater which meets the wants of a harbor at this point will not cost the Government an amount less than two mil- lions of dollars. There can be no hope of securing an appropriation of so large an amount for some years to come, and in the meantime the opportunity which now presses upon our attention for making Santa Barbara the chief seaport of the southern coast will have passed away. It only remains, then, for your committee to consider the practicability of making an inland harbor by deepening the estero.
" In taking up this branch of the report the com- mittee wish to premise that the best engineering skill of the world is now engaged in constructing a work in many respects similar to that proposed to be done here, namely, the opening of the great Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea, and the building of piers out to deep water at the mouth of it to pre- vent the formation of sand-bars at its entrance. But a more familiar and striking illustration of the suc- cess which has attended such undertakings is given us at Chicago. The trend of the lake shore and movement of the tides at Chicago * bear a striking similarity to the coast and tides at Santa Barbara. In former years the sand was constantly filling up the mouth of the Chicago River, and incessant dredg- ing was insufficient to keep the channel open and permit the entrance of ships. A pier was at last constructed out into deep water, a distance of about half a mile, which proved to be a perfect protection against the sand, even in the most raging storms which swept in on that shore. Other places afford like illustrations, which your committee deem it unnecessary to name.
" Perhaps it ought to be further premised that the idea of converting the estero into an inland harbor is not new. It was mooted many years ago; was proposed three years since by General Rosecrans, one of the best civil engineers of the world, and has been held by some of our most intelligent citizens for years past as the most effective method for con- structing a good and permanent harbor at Santa Barbara. Upon this point the committee will only add that provision has been made for a similar inland harbor on the bay of San Francisco, by the reserva- tion of fifty acres called the China Basin, which will be inside of the front line of the city of San Fran- cisco, and provided with an entrance, buildings to be erected entirely around it, except at its mouth.
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