History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 80

Author: Mason, Jesse D; Thompson & West. 4n
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West
Number of Pages: 758

USA > California > Santa Barbara County > History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 80

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HOTELS-THE ARLINGTON.

What visions are conjured by the word hotel! What a difference in the hostelries of the world! From the Palace Hotel, Del Monte, Pico House, Palmer House, Planters' Hotel, and many others which the traveler will call to mind, with their hun- dreds of well-equipped rooms, to the frontier hotel, with the dining-room, bedroom, kitchen and bar-room

ARE

THE ARLINGTON (SANTA BARBARA).

DIXIE W. THOMPSON. PROPRIETOR.

338

HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

all togther! What a reliefto the tired, weary traveler, to find pleasant quarters, where dainty bits of food tempt him to break his fast; where luxurious couches invite to repose; where the landlord is obliging and pleasant. Thirty years since, the only entertainment in Santa Barbara was at the Mission. The traveler was welcometo a bed, including the bed-fellows, fleas, bugs, scorpions, tarantulas, as well as lizards, rats and mice. It is not well to complain of hospitality. But, though a welcome is agreeable, it cannot convert a mud house into a Palace Hotel, nora stew of Chili pep- pers, onions and beef into a prime roast, nor the raw- hide couch into a French mattress with four-poster, fresh, well-aired sheets, and soft blankets. One is a battle, with the chances in favor of being utterly routed and demoralized; the other is a rest for the weary and bruised body-a balm for the vexed soul.

A description by an ancient traveler, of his first visit to Santa Barbara, thirty years ago, will give one an idea of the difference between a town with and without hotels :-

Landing on the beach from the steamer, by means of a lighter, a wave overtook him before he could recover the use of his legs, wetting him thoroughly and washing his carpet-sack out of his hands, which had $18,000 in gold in it. The returning wave ex- posed it so that it was recovered. It was now quite dark, and raining fearfully. Mission Creek was up, and he had the benefit of another wetting, for there was no bridge or other means of crossing. State Street was full of mud-holes, into which he frequently floundered. A half-mile up the street he saw a few lights faintly glimmering through the fog and rain. There was said to be a hotel-a sort of fair-weather affair, which had plenty of room for two or three to sleep on a raw-hide in a corner, when it was more pleasant to sleep out of doors, but which, when it rained, was filled up instanter. He could not even get a chance to sit by the fire and dry his clothes; all those chances were taken. He wandered around for awhile, and, by good luck, found an acquaint- ance, whose ability to entertain him was limited to a seat at the aforesaid fire and the inevitable Mexican stew. These were welcomed with great joy. Some of the surplus moisture was dispersed into the smoky and damp atmosphere of the hut; the balance was carried with the clothing. At this fire he sat all night on a ground floor. At that time there was an adobe building between the City Hall and the Carrillo Man- sion, which did duty as a hotel. It had a loft, or part of a second story, and therefore wore a pretentious look. Some time after, the St. Charles was erected. When this was put up, with its upper story and wide veranda, it was considered a credit to the city. Vis- itors would watch the town and sea, from the veranda and rejoice in being in a good hotel. As the population increased, greater hotel accommoda- tions were called for. The Morris House, now kept by James Swift, was thought to be a great step towards a well-equipped town. When it was built it was the

finest hotel south of San Francisco. When the town was in its greatest growth, hotel accommodations were very scarce. Committees were appointed to find private accommodations for the numbers that were continually coming. The Park Hotel was started by Ramon J. Hill; the orange orchard was quite an attraction to all who visited the town. The Occidental and Cook's, or the Clock House, followed in due course of time. These were all fine buildings, and each in its turn was the subject of much congrat- ulation.

The Arlington, however, was the favorite creation of the capitalists and friends of Santa Barbara. It was erected in 1875, at a cost of $170,000, by a joint stock company, most of the wealthy citizens of the upper town taking stock in it, Colonel Hollister, as usual in anything of the kind, taking the leading part. An elevated site was selected, overlooking the town and the sea. The furnishing was left to a com- mittee of ladies; in fact, the design was to have the building managed by ladies altogether, many of the stockholders presenting their shares to their wives. Mrs. Hollister, with other ladies, went to San Fran- cisco and selected the furniture, which cost some- thing like $30,000, and everything looked lovely.

The hotel was opened with much rejoicing; but it is much easier to build a hotel than to run it. The first is a paying out business; the latter a paying in business, or it will soon stop. The manager was not wise, and in a few months, instead of dividends, which were going to keep the stockholders' wives in pin-money, came a necessity for assessments. This was a phase of the matter not anticipated. The ladies soon contrived to shift the assessments on to their husbands; and the husbands, instead of paying the little bills, and letting the ladies run their favorite hotel, shifted the responsibility on to Colonel Hollister, who soon became sole proprietor of the white ele- phant. In this predicament, the Colonel looked around for a suitable person to take charge -- some one who could attend to the business; who could con- trol the service, train the waiters to obedience with- out servility; who could set a good table without waste; who could rule his little kingdom, and furnish pleasant homes to an army of pleasure-seekers. Some advised one imported from New York, or some of the large cities; but Colonel Hollister did better than to import a Leland or an eastern celebrity. He em- ployed Dixie W. Thompson, who made a success of the management, until the hotel became not only a favorite stopping-place for the public, but a paying institution. The hotel is well represented by the accompanying engraving. It is three stories in height, with a tower rising to a height of a hun- dred feet. The building is what is called " L-shaped," with kitchen, dining-room, and other offices situated in the inner angle, one story in height. The lower story is divided into office, sitting-room, parlor, read- ing, baggage, and other necessary rooms. The read- ing-room and parlor are really balls, with carpets,

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MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.

places for fires, upholstered chairs, books, papers, paintings, and everything that can make them cheer- ful and comfortable. The stairways are broad and of easy ascent, so that in case of a panic or fire, there is little probability of a dangerous erush. There are ninety guest rooms, each one of which gets the sun- shine a portion of the day. A broad veranda runs around the building, furnishing a means of exercise in stormy weather. From the balcony may be seen the town, the sea and the mountains, with their ever-changing hues.

VIEWS FROM THE TOWER.

This rises high above the main building, and for this reason gives an unobstructed view of the coun- try for miles around. Towards the town, the streets filled with carriages and people vanish towards the sea, which glimmers in the sunlight like molten silver, the kelp bed, the vessels on the channel, and the islands apparently approaching and receding as the sunshine or shadow covers them. At one mo- ment, oue is ready to say the islands are only a mile or two away, so clearly are they defined; then again the mists or golden haze falls, until the outlines are barely perceptible, and look a hundred miles away.

West, towards the Patera, are the orehards, vine- yards and lovely homes, half concealed in shrubbery. On the north, the mountains, which attain a height of nearly 4,000 feet in a few miles, are a perpetual delight. Whether we view them at sunrise or sunset, the effect is always grand. The orange-tints of sun- shine fade into the crimson of slanting rays, or deepen into the purple of shadow, almost as rapidly as a smile is sueceeded by a frown. The ever-chang- ing tints and shadows are fascinating and bewilder- ing studies for a painter. When his colors are brought to the right tone, the vision has fled. Noth- ing ean exceed the delicious softness of the mount- ains, after they have bathed their heads in mists that elimb up their sides from the sea. Visitors at the Arlington never tire of studying these changes. It must not be inferred that these phenomena are visible only from the Arlington. Its commanding position gives a better opportunity than other places afford.

THE GROUNDS

Have been laid out with especial eare. Wide earriage- ways and walks lead from one attraction to another. In one part may be found the Dragon Tree; in an- other a Loquot. The amount of shrubbery is not so great as to interfere with the views.

The elevation and distance from the sea render it a fi tting residence for those afflicted with Inng diffienl- ties, while it is so near that a few minutes' walk bring s one to the bathing-grounds. The street cars carry passengers to the bathing-grounds every quar- ter of an hour. It is well patronized, more than a hundred guests having been quartered in the town for want of room. Recently the college has been fur- nished with beds, to be used as an extra for the Arlington, when circumstances require it.

FIRES.

The experience of most California towns is to have been burned several times. The average life of a town was formerly considered about four years. The mining towns were generally compaet and built of shakes (thinly split shingles) or thin pine lumber, which, in the hot summer sun, became as inflamma- ble as tinder. When the fire was once started in such a place a few minutes saw its utter destruction. Santa Barbara houses were well-built of adobes, with tile roofs. This, with the scattered character of the town, and the small use of fire in so mild a climate, have made large and destructive fires unusual.

BURNING OF THE AMERICAN IIOTEL.

The largest fire of Santa Barbara broke out on the morning of March 6th, in the American Hotel, which was a three-story building, built of bricks set on edge, the walls being but eight inches thick. Losses: Mr. Cranston, $5,000; C. D. Lataillade, 8200; Gaspar Oreña, 84,000; E. Van Valkenberg, $800. This was supposed to have been the work of an incendiary. At this fire it was discovered and first appreciated that water was needed to afford any security against eonflagrations.

In 1873, an alarm of fire was raised, which was responded to by but five members of the fire depart- ment; great complaint followed.

The Index of March 19, 1872, contains the following account of the most serious fire that ever occurred in Santa Barbara :- .

BURNING OF ST. VINCENT'S INSTITUTE.

" The cry of fire, at all times alarming, is in Santa Barbara just now, owing to the want of suitable apparatus to extinguish flames, the signal for general consternation. Consequently, when the smoke was seen issning from the roof of St. Vincent's College on Monday afternoon, but few moments elapsed before a vast crowd had assembled around the building. Conspicuous among the busy workers was the Pioneer Company, No. 1, but who brought nothing but anx- ions hearts and willing hands, before which a fire is not expected to succumb. There are times when even an inanimate bit of machinery is of more value than the highest of human feelings, and this was one of them. A proper fire apparatus would have been of more value than all the hearts that beat helplessly in that vast crowd. The building burned down, of course. It was valued at 820,000, and the eyes of all Santa Barbara were bent on it in sympathy the whole afternoon, and everybody was implorin.g that the gale, which was blowing furiously and threatening to spread the flames, would stop, but it did not. The college was destroyed. The building was isolated, and through that the town was spared. 1 large number of orphans were rendered homeless by this fire; a building devoted to benevolent and edneational purposes, one that was an ornament and pride to the town, was made a blackened ruin. * * * May this burning of St. Vincent's be the means of opening our eyes to the necessity of a well- organized and equipped fire company."

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HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

THE PIONEER FIRE COMPANY

Was organized Jannary, 1874, with Joseph A. Rich, Foreman; Otto Kaeding, First Assistant; W. R. C. Brown, Second Assistant; Clarence Gray, President; W. H. Brady. Secretary; F. Salomon, Treasurer. Measures to obtain an engine were considered; a dramatic entertainment was proposed in order to raise the money. The Town Trustees expressed a willing- ness to issue city bonds for the purpose on permis- sion of the Legislature. Also to build an engine- house, arrange fire-plugs, etc.

April 16, 1874, an appeal was made in the Index for better facilities for extinguishing fires. The St. Vincent's building could have been saved, in the opin- ion of that paper, with proper fire apparatus, costing but a small portion of the loss ($20,000) on that building. The fruit of this and similar appeals was the final purchase of an engine, Mortimer Cook acting as agent in the matter. The machine was built by Button & Blake, of Watertown, New York, and on its arrival November 6, 1874, was given a "reception" of some magnitude. On July 15, 1875, Protection Hook & Ladder Company was organized, officered as follows: President, Geo. Russell; Captain, Henry Decker; First Lieutenant, Nick Smith; Second Lieu- tenant, Tom Hart; Treasurer, James Joyner; Secre- tary, S. F. George.

The Democrat, of May 25, 1878, contains this peculiar announcement :-

FIRE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

" Mrs. Mary A. Shaw, who left Santa Barbara by steamer a few minutes before the fire, was arrested at Oakland and brought back. An examination of the premises showed a design of firing the place."

Several minor fires have occurred at different times, but the town is less subject to fires than most towns, for the reasons, first, there is little fire used, on account of the mildness of the climate; secondly, the buildings, except on State Street, are mostly isolated, and fires do not readily spread. Fire is not seriously dreaded for these reasons.

WATER COMPANIES.

The Santa Barbara Mission, like all others, had brought water from the mountains to irrigate their orchards and for domestic purposes. The canals were well laid out, and lined with brick. These took the water from Mission and Little Mission Creeks, and deposited it in the brick-lined reservoir near the church, where it was distributed to the various places of consumption. The reservoir, some fifty feet in diameter, was well constructed of brick and plastered. A filter or purifier, some hundred feet above, removed the trash which the streams brought down.

When the Americans came, the clear, running streams attracted their cupidity. The fact of a prior possession of the water did not militate against their rights. A franchise for bringing water into the

town was granted to Guillermo Carrillo, which was soon after transferred to C. E. Huse, who thereupon claimed exclusive right to the creeks. Serious com- plaints were made of the conduct of C. E. Huse, who owned the franchise for building water-works, but would neither build, nor permit others to do so, notwithstanding several were both able and willing. He contended that he acquired a vested right, which even the Legislature could not impair, by granting the right to any one else to bring in water. The several sources of water were claimed, first, by indi- viduals; second, by the grantees of the Najalayegua Grant, and also by persons under the Possessory Act. It appeared that the town, being now restricted to the Haley Survey, could not exercise jurisdiction over the outside lands, and neither could they grant rights infringing on the rights acquired by the first franchise. This statement was made to the Town Council in protest to the petition of Cooper, Brinker- hoff, and Ord for a water franchise, at a meeting of the City Council held November 1, 1877. These facts had been evolved in a discussion of a proposal to issue bonds to the amount of $75,000. Mr. Dun- shee thought it bad policy to load the city with so heavy a debt, as the revenue derived from the fran- chise would not suffice to pay the interest on such a sum. The draft of a bill to be presented to the Legislature, providing for a special election to deter- mine the question of issuing the bonds, was discussed, some of the Councilmen taking the position that such an election would only open the door to fraud, as money would be spent to influence votes. The friends of the water bill urged that if the water-works were purchased, the city would eventually own them (twenty years) without more cost for water than at present. The town, they said, under the use of the water would become green and beautiful; the value of property would be much enhanced; it would give employment to the laborer, and avoid the fate of San Francisco in having a turbulent population.

The present water-works are the result of a trans- fer of the Mission works to the present owner, O. N. Cadwell, who purchased of the Bishop, making such arrangements as would leave the Mission the neces- sary amount of water. They have improved the channels and extended the pipes to the most settled portion of the city. The supply is not sufficient for the future, hut answers for the present. The rates have been established as follows per month :-

For tenements occupied by not more than six persons. $ 2 00

For tenements and boarding-houses the same, with an addition of 25 cents to each person

For small families occupying rooms in large buildings_

1 00.

Restaurants. 3 00 to 6 00

Hotels not exceeding 50 rooms. 25 00

Small stores and shops. 50 cents to 1 00

Large stores and shops 2 00 to 4 00

Saloons 1 50 to

3 00

ME ELHANYS HALL

SANTA MARIA TIMES PRINTING OFFICE

SANTA MARIA TIMES OFFICE MEELHANY'S HALL & STORES, J. M. ME ELHANY PROPR. SANTA MARIA, CAL.

RESIDENCE OF F. W. BAKER Jr., SAN BUENAVENTURA, VENTURA CO. CAL.

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MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.

Rooms in 2d or 3d story, occupied as offices. . 50

Photographie galleries. 2 00 to 6 00

Public water-closets, one seat. 1 50

Each additional seat .. 50

Private water-closets 50

Public baths in boarding-houses and barber- shops, 1 tnb

2 00

Persons dissatisfied with the established rates might use a metre, paying at the rate of 50 cents for each thousand gallons, with reduction for large quantities.

The community is hardly satisfied with the present arrangement. Artesian wells have been proposed, and some $250 expended in testing the amount of water in the de la Guerra Spring. Since Judge Fer- nald was elected Mayor, new efforts have been made to determine the matter. An engineer, G. F. Allardt was employed to examine the water-sources around the city. He estimates the water supply available as follows :-

Mission Creek, 300,000 gallons per day; San José Creek, 72,000 gallons per day; Hot Springs, 130,000 gallons per day; Cold Stream, 81,000 gallons per day; total, 583,000 gallons per day.

The quality of this water is pronounced good for domestie purposes. This supply might be supple- mented by water from wells for sprinkling the streets, and flushing the sewers. He thinks, however, that it cannot be safely used for household purposes.

He also entered into elaborate calculations as to the cost of impounding the waters. so as to obtain a yearly supply. He estimates the cost of erecting such reservoirs as something like $60,000 to $80,000, according to the construction, whether of brick or stone.

All of these sources, except the wells, are subject to private ownership, which would have to be extin- guished before they could be made available for the publie. The matter of impounding the winter rain-fall, however, may be considered without this detriment.

STREET RAILROAD.

Santa Barbara has one street railroad, running from the Arlington Hotel to the beach; length some- thing less than two miles. The original franchise provided that it should be extended to the mission, but the road stopped when the town ceased growing. The portion already built is a great convenience, as passengers are carried quite to the beach, bathing grounds and steamboat landing. Various lines have been projected to the Hot Springs, to the Carpenteria, and the Goleta; the latter will probably be built in a few years.

The road at present is under the management of Greenlee & McPhail.

THE GAS WORKS

Are the property of A. P. More. The investment is small, but the gas in quality and quantity is satisfac- tory. The mains are extended only to the business

portions of the town. Sometimes a spasm of economy will prevent the lighting of the street lamps. The first works were much inferior to the present, which were reconstructed in 1875, and much enlarged and adapted to the use of petroleum instead of gasoline, which had unsatisfactory results. The new works were thus deseribed in the local papers of that date :-

" The construction of new gas works in Santa Barbara marks another step forward in the history of our city. The gas heretofore supplied to our citizens has not given satisfaction. It was manu- factured from gasoline, expensive to the consumer, and variable in its light-giving qualities. The new gas is manufactured entirely from ernde petroleum, just as it comes from the well, and gives a clear, steady, and brilliant light, superior to that made from coal. The new gas is retorted from the crude petroleum on precisely the same principles that gas is retorted from coal, though the arrangements neces- sary to retort petroleum are simpler in their con- struction and less expensive.

" Immediately outside the main building is a large reservoir, capable of containing over 100 barrels of petroleum. This is underneath the surface of the earth, so as to be absolutely safe from fire. From here petroleum is pumped as it is wanted, by hand, into a small metal tank inside the building, from which it is drawn off as may be needed to supply the retorts. From the retorts it is carried in pipes through water, in a large vessel, to be washed; thence, in pipes laid underground. it is conducted abont fifty feet distant to the large. gasometer, where it is stored away for use. This large gaso- meter will hold 15,000 feet of condensed gas, enough to supply a city of 10,000 to 15,000 inhabitants for one day; and it can be recharged every day if neces- sary. The gas is then carried through a machine, where it is reduced by air to a thinness sufficient for use, from which it is supplied to the street mains. The cost of manufacturing gas from petroleum is con- siderably less than from coal, because the refuse stuff is used for fuel to heat the retorts, very little wood being needed, and the service of one man only required. There is no explosion possible, and no odor while burning.

" The street main is now laid from the wharf to the new hotel-the Arlington House-from where it will branch off to Mortimer Cook's, and also for several blocks in the opposite direction. Already thirty-three street lamps are in place, and more are ordered. The burners are the same as are used for coal gas. Those now in use will not answer for this new gas.

" This manner of manufacturing petroleum gas is patented by Luce Brothers, who have superintended the construction of the works.

" Although the price of gas will be to consumers the same per 1,000 feet as heretofore, there is a virtual reduction of about one-third of the price of the old gas, owing to the fact that 2,000 cubic feet of the new will give as much light as 3,000 of the old.

" Too much praise cannot be given to the Messrs. Luce for the energy with which they have carried forward this enterprise. When everything is com- pleted we feel safe in saying that no city on the coast will be better lighted than Santa Barbara, and we congratulate her citizens on having plenty of light and the best of light."

342

HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

CRIME.

The true historian deals with crime as a disease, to be accounted for on natural principles, as the result of conditions and circumstances, the logical sequence of events. Life, in the early age of Califor- nia, presented few temptations to crime. There was no inducement to obtain money for display in either dress or buildings. The habits of the people were simple and wnostentatious. Family traditions of honor and position formed the largest basis of respectabil- ity. Wealth seemed a natural consequence of such an inheritance, and did not subject one to the trials as the suddenly-acquired fortunes of modern times; hence, no taint of fraud attaches to the formerly wealthy families of Santa Barbara. The conquest of the country by the Americans, and the gradual absorption of the lands, inevitably caused much ill- feeling between the two races. The common people could not look on with indifference while their hered- itary notables were being displaced, and the inferior, in their opinion, at least, conquerors installed in their places. There was always a condition of quasi war, a feeling of justification in getting back some of the property once belonging to them. Solomon Pico's gang was raised and kept up on this feeling. The loneliness of the country, the frequent travelers with well-filled saddle-bags in search of herds of cattle, and the impossibility of detection in consequence of the distance of the murdered men from the mines, their base of operations, and the laxity of the law everywhere in Calitornia, formed a combination of circumstances which would have produced crime anywhere. Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico are instances to the point.

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History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 80

Author: Mason, Jesse D; Thompson & West. 4n Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West Number of Pages: 758

Author: Mason, Jesse D; Thompson & West. 4n
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Thompson & West
Number of Pages: 758