USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County, California : including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description > Part 32
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These are the chief among the steps taken by the Board of Trustees of the town of Gilroy to perfect its organization during the first year of incor- poration. From the amount of business transacted it will be seen that the municipality held no sinecure, but gave their time and labor to the best advantage for their rising town. With the improvements above enumerated, as a natural sequence, the population increased and building progressed, while brighter days were yet in store as the railroad was making rapid strides towards completion.
1869 .- At a meeting of the Board of Trustees held on February 15th of this year it was resolved that the citizens of Gilroy ought to give a public reception to the managers of the railroad and visitors to Gilroy on the open- ing of the road to that town, and that Frank Oldham, William Hanna and Jacob Reither, on the part of the Trustees be a committee to act with a like conclave of the citizens in the premises.
It can readily be conjectured how eager was the expectation, which would bring the railroad to the very doors of the good people of Gilroy; with what avidity they heard of each successive mile being laid that brought rapid locomotion to them, and the lively demonstration they were prepared to extend to its projectors on that comsummation devoutly to be wished. That happy day at length arrived, the morning of April 8, 1859, dawned with a beauty hopefully prophetic of the good to come. On that eventful day the iron horse was received at Gilroy by an exultant populace. From all parts of the surrounding country and from the adjacent counties had come an immense concourse of people to witness the fruition of hopes which had but a few years before been deemed unobtainable. A feast was spread, Gilroy put on its holiday attire, the guests were bidden, and all gave way to joy and gladness, and well they might for prosperity was at the threshold and sought immediate admittance. As if by magic, the hum of busy workmen was heard above the din of labor; the woodman's ax reverberated through
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mountains, while mighty redwoods crashed to the earth, sending echo back to echo, until lost beyond the reach of sound. The hammer and the saw, were hard at work, until in a little a country hamlet became a town of prosperity. The shake stores gave place to more seemly marts, the uneven, muddy and irregular thoroughfares, to well graded and macadamized streets; its rough and unpainted shanties, rarely blessed by the light of woman's smile, to neat and inviting cottages and comfortable homes, around whose hearthstones clustered groups of prattling children; its places of worship had increased fourfold, and its population in a like ratio. The open waste of meadow land was being fast inclosed; cultivated fields appeared on every hand and the valley covered with flocks and herds. Numbers of families had moved into Gilroy with the determination of making it their permanent home, while the promise for the future was as hopeful as might be.
On May 3, 1869, the annual municipal election took place, the following gen- tlemen being the successful candidates: Trustees, William Gill Mills, President William Holloway, C. K. Farley, Jacob Reither, J. A. Kiddey; Recorder, A. Warthen; Treasurer, J. Einstein; Assessor, P. Francis Hoey; Marshal, M. Gray ; Clerk, H. Wangenheim; August 23d, permission was granted to Messrs. Robinson and Isaac, on behalf of the Gilroy Fire Protective Association, to sink wells at the intersection of Monterey street, in the middle thereof, and on Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh streets; November 23d, John Sevenoaks and Z. Pierce were appointed Trustees vice C. K. Farley and William Holloway, resigned; while, on November 30th, it was voted that thirty dollars per month should be paid to Vigilant Engine Company, No. 1, towards their expenses. This is the first record we have of the granting of official cognizance to the Fire Brigade.
1870 .- On February 28th, H. Miller announced his willingness to donate five acres for a Potter's Field, and would lay out twenty acres more in plots, and sell the same, which offer was accepted, and a committee appointed to inquire into the charges contemplated by Mr. Miller for such plots. It would now appear that preliminary steps had been taken, and indeed were in a fair way to perfection, to have the town raised to civic dignity, for we find on March 2d, the following minute: "It is resolved that when the Board of Trustees receive news of the signing of the charter incorporating the city, that we have a celebration, and that the Board act as a committee of the whole matter." March 7th, G. Hanna and C. Flewelling were appointed policemen, to serve under the orders of the Board of Trustees; March 16th, an Act, to incorporate the City of Gilroy, was signed, when the corporate limits were left unmolested, and the government of the city vested in a Mayor, a Common Council, to consist of six members, a City Marshal, who shall be ex officio City Tax Collector, a City Clerk, who shall be ex officio City Assessor, and a City Treasurer. It was directed that an election for
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these offices should be held on the first Monday of May, in each year, at which the legally qualified voters of the city, should elect the several respective officers, viz. : a Mayor, Clerk, Treasurer, and Marshal, to hold office for one year, and until their successors are duly elected and qualified; six Council- men, three to serve for a term of one year, and three for the term of two years. As these new officers did not come into power until the first Monday of May, 1870, their functions were assumed, on this date, by the Trustees, the President, William Gill Mills, settling into the civic chair, and his coadjutors, by a simple process, transmuted into a Common Couneil. Nous avons change tout ecla! On this date, March 16th, the salary of City Attorney, F. L. Hatch, was settled at five hundred dollars a year; March 17th, a piece of ground, containing twenty and thirty-three-hundredths aeres, was purchased from Judge E. Bennett, as a cemetery, the price being at the rate of forty dollars per acre, and Mr. Isaac engaged to stake it out into lots and avenues; April 5th, the following order was made: That the first street east of Forrest street, from where it intersects Sixth street, be known as Chestnut street; that the second street east of Forrest street, from Sixth street to the Pacheco Pass road, be known as Maple street; while on the same date the undermentioned business was transacted: The price of lots in the cemetery fixed; James A. Wright appointed Sexton, at the monthly compensation of forty dollars; and P. F. Hoey, chosen to fill the office of Pound-keeper. This brings us to the first regular election of officers under the new charter. These were elected May 10th, as under: Mayor, J. M. Browne; Councilmen, William Hanna, Jacob Reither, J. B. Morey, C. K. Farley, William Isaac, Volney Howard; City Treasurer, M. Einstein; City Clerk, George T. Clark; City Marshal, M. Gray. May 12th, upon the retirement of the President of the late Board of Trustees, and since the passage of the charter the acting Mayor, it was unanimously Resolved, "That we take great pleasure in publicly testifying to our high respect, appreciation and esteem of the services, of William Gill Mills, as Mayor and Executive officer of Gilroy, for the year past; that we thank him for his close attention to the business of his office, for his faithful attendance at our meetings, and for the courteous and gentlemanly demeanor that has ever characterized his intercourse with us; and for ourselves, and in the name of the people of the City of Gilroy we thank him for the zeal, energy, and ability that he has uniformly exhibited, and for his faithful, unselfish, honest and efficient administration of the office which he has held, and of the duties devolving upon him as executive officer of the Town and City of Gilroy." The Common Council were thereafter sworn in and took their seats. May 19th, the resignation of City Attorney Hatch, was accepted; May 23d, rules of pro- cedure, and duties of committees, were defined; June 13th, two hundred dollars was allowed to Vigilant Engine Company, No. 1, for a bell; June
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20th, permission was granted to the Pacific Pneumatic Gas Company to lay pipes and mains through the streets; July 25th, an order was passed defin- ing the compensation to be awarded to City Clerk, Marshal and Policemen : August Ist, the report of the Fire Committee, that water necessary for city use, could be readily obtained, in sufficient quantity, from the Uvas creek, was adopted, and directions given for the construction of three tanks, each fourteen feet in diameter and ten deep, one to be placed in the center of Monterey and Sixth streets; one in the center of Monterey and Fifth streets; and the Third in the center of Monterey and Fourth streets; August 29th, the privilege to supply the city with water, was granted to Donald MeKenzie and D. S. K. Buick; November 28th, instructions were given to call a mass-meeting of the inhabitants, to convene on December 2d, to discuss the propriety of contesting the Las Animas grant; while, on December 29th, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: " Resolved, that Hon. J. B. Felton be invited to visit Gilroy at his earliest convenience, and address the citizens, explaining his views upon the state of title to the land upon which the city is located, and the feasibility of contesting the survey, and defeating the elaim of the Rancho Las Animas to the same."
Here would appear to be the most appropriate place to refer to the unset tled state of the City Titles, which is likely to be for some time to come a serious hindrance to the prosperity of Gilroy. Originally, the entire valley was owned by a few Spanish families, principally the Ortegas, Sanchez, Castros, Vasquez, and others, and comprised the following ranchos: San Ysidro, Las Llagas, Solis, Junstiac, Carnadero, Sal si Puedes, and Las Animas, Upon the last there settled a large number of Americans who, as we have seen, gradually formed the city of Gilroy. A grant having been obtained for the heirs of José Maria Sanchez, these titles were confirmed; but all held as tenants in common, and will so hold until a decision is arrived at; until this is attained no great harm may arise, but a deterring influence is exer- cised whereby probable settlers hold aloof. The history of the grant is shortly this: On August 17, 1803, Feliz Beranceur, then Viceroy and Governor of New Spain, made a conditional grant of the Las Animas Ranch to Mariano Castro. In the year 1828 Mariano Castro died, leaving his widow, Josefa Romero de Castro, and eight children, viz .: Josefa, Encanacion, Carmen Maria Lugardo, Joaquin, José, Felipe, and Vicente Castro, and as he died, intestate the property, according to law, descended to his heirs in the follow- ing proportions : To the widow, one- half thereof, and to the children each one-sixteenth. On August 7, 1835, Josefa Romero de Castro sold to José Maria Sanchez all of her interest therein; on September 21st, Carmen Castro sold her interest also to Sanchez; and on October 16, 1847, Joaquin Castro, José Castro, and Felipe Castro also conveyed their interest to Sanchez, thus giving him a title to three-fourths of the property, the remaining fourth con-
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tinuing to be the property of Josefa, Encarnacion, Maria Lugardo, and Vicente Castro. On April 5, 1852, José Maria Sanchez filed his petition with the Commissioners to ascertain and settle private lands and claims in the State of California, sitting as a Board in San Francisco, in which he claimed the confirmation of the title to this traet under the name of El Car- nadero or Las Animas. Shortly after Sanchez died intestate, leaving sur- viving his widow, Maria Encarnacion Ortega Sanchez, and five children, viz .: Vicente, Refugio, Candelaria, Guadalupe, and José Gregoria, to whom on February 14, 1853, the Board of Commissioners confirmed the premises and title as petitioned for by the deceased Sanchez. From this decision an appeal was taken to the District Court of the United States for the Northern Dis- triet of California, and on May 18, 1856, this Court entered a decree of con- firmation to the widow and heirs-at-law of Sanchez, and declaring their title valid. Some time afterward the Attorney General of the United States gave notice that the appeal would not be prosecuted to the Supreme Court, and the District Court on January 26, 1857, decreed that the claimants have leave to proceed under the former decree of the Court as under final decree, by which decree the proceedings upon this title became final. A survey of the premises, the title of which was thus confirmed, was now made and the same confirmed by the United States District Court on June 10, 1865, and a decree entered accordingly. This decree was then taken on appeal to the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of California, where, on September 7, 1866, it was decreed that the Decree of the District Court, of June 10, 1865, be in all respects affirmed. On March 15, 1873, a Patent was issued for the land confirmed and surveyed as aforesaid. On February 15, 1858, Josefa Castro, who still held her sixteenth part of the premises, sold her title and interest to Martin Murphy, who on June 9, 1860, conveyed the same to Johanna Fitzgerald. September 15, 1852, Vicente Castro sold and conveyed to Alexander Godey all of his right and title to the premises, and afterward Godey was succeeded as owner of the sixteenth part of the tract conveyed by Vicente Castro, by Thomas Rea. Henry Miller claims to have acquired all of the title and interest of Encarnacion and Maria Lugardo Castro, in the Las Animas, ten years before the Patent above referred to was issued. The Rancho contains twenty-one thousand three hundred and seventy-seven acres, lying in the southern portion of Santa Clara county, the city of Gilroy being situated upon a portion thereof.
1871 .- On January 20th, it was resolved, "That His Honor J. M. Browne be, and he is hereby, authorized to employ on behalf of the Common Council the services of J. B. Felton of Oakland to test the validity of the right of the claimants of the Las Animas Rancho to the land upon which the city of Gilroy is situated." To the partition suit then instituted by the three plaint- iffs mentioned above, viz .: Johanna Fitzgerald, Thomas Rea, and Henry
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Miller, there were no less than one thousand and thirty-two defendants, tenants and claimants of portions of the Las Animas Ranch, including all of the land-owners of Gilroy. Of these the first two hundred and sixty-eight alleged to hold their titles with the plaintiff's, under convey- ances made by the widow and heirs of Mariano Castro; the other defend- ants claimed to have some interest which it is designed the action shall determine. Under date March 10th, we find that the fire-bell was wont to be rung when no occasion offered-as a frolic simply-it was therefore ordered by the Common Council, that any company causing such false alarm to be sounded would lose its elaim to one month's allowance for Steward for cach alarm so made; May Ist, the following Corporate officers were elected : Mayor, Volney Howard; City Clerk, George T. Clark; City Treasurer, John M. Einfalt; City Marshal, George T. Headen; Councilmen, J. H. Corey, E. B. Hitchcock, W. N. Steuben, for two years; Jacob Reither, William Isaacs, C. K. Farley, for one year. August 2d, directions were issued towards the establishment of a Fire Department; October 2d, a com- mittee was appointed to confer with the officers of the Gilroy Water Com- pany in regard to making the necessary arrangements for the placing of hydrants, ete,, for the purpose of supplying the city with water in ease of fire; December 11th, a motion that the City Attorney draft a memorial to the Legislature praying for a change in the charter, so as to extend the southern limits of the corporation southward sixty-four chains from the south side of Fourth street was carried.
1872 .- January Ist. It would appear that before this date a Chief Engineer of the Fire Department and a Fire Commissioner had existed, but who these officers were the records do not show; that there were such is evi- dent, for on that date we find the report of the first was read and filed, while the salary paid to the latter then ceased: January 15th, L. V. Parsons was appointed City Clerk, in place of Mr. Clark, who, on his resignation being accepted, received the thanks of the Council for the faithful manner in which he had performed his duties: February 5th, we note that certain residents of Gilroy had sent a protest to the Legislature against the passage for the Bill to amend the charter, on the ground that it is propose l to involve the city in a large expense for constructing a levee, it was therefore found necessary to give a distinet denial to these statements, at the same time making it known that the only work contemplated was the grading of cer- tain streets in the western and southern portions of the city so as to prevent overflow: February 7th, an ordinance to organize the Fire Department of the city of Gilroy was passed, as also one granting a water franchise for twenty-five years, and another permitting the Pacific Pneumatic Gas Com- pany, for a like term, to lay pipes in the streets; on this date the office of City Attorney was created, and its duties defined ; while a City Police force
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was established; April 1st, R. B. Buckner was appointed Police Judge; May Ist, the annual election for the corporation officers took place, the choice falling on the undermentioned gentlemen: Mayor, Volney Howard; Marshall, G. T. Headen; Treasurer, J. M. Einfalt; Clerk and ex officio Assessor, L. V. Parsons; Councilmen, Thomas Rea, Alexander Hay, Moses Korn, for two years; J. H. Corey, E. B. Hitchcock, W. N. Steuben, for one year; City Attorney, W. L. Hoover. July 1st, the stacking of hay within the corporate limits was prohibited.
1873 .- January 6th, R. B. Buckner was elected Police Judge ; May 5th, the petition of Gilroy Hose Company No. 1, to have charge of a new hose car- riage, lately purchased, was granted, and a committee appointed to make arrangements for them to occupy part of the room in possession of the Eureka Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1. August-4th, an ordinance was passed regulating the speed of, and preventing the obstruction of streets by, railroad trains, and to prevent the moving of cars while detached from a locomotive. In this year, the election of city officers became biennial.
1874 .- January Ist, the petition of Neptune Hose Company, No. 1, to be admitted into the Fire Department, was granted; May 5th, at the periodic election, the result was as follows: Mayor, William N. Furlong ; Marshal, J. C. Woods ; Clerk, F. G. Dyer; Treasurer, J. M. Einfalt ; Councilmen, Thomas Rea, William H. Steuben, A. G. Cole, J. H. Gardner, J. C. Morey, Adam Riehl; September 1st, Chief Engineer Kossell draws attention to three fires during the past quarter, and strenuously urges steps to better prevent like catastrophes; October 5th, it was resolved by the Council to purchase the property of the Gilroy Fire Protective Association for three thousand one hundred and fifty dollars, such sum to be paid in installments, the effects consisting of a fire engine, apparatus, equipage and engine house.
1875 .- The lease of quarters for Neptune Hose Company and Eureka Hook and Ladder Company, from Volney Howard & Co., directed to be recorded in the office of the County Recorder; April 5th, Billy Kiddey was directed to assume control of the new fire-bell; and, September 6th, the report of Chief Engineer McDuffee was, on his retirement, adopted, and James White appointed in his stead.
1876 .- January 3d, J. P. Martin was elected Police Judge; January 4th, the bid of four hundred and twenty-three dollars and fifty cents, tendered by W. H. Burroughs for the construction of a City Hall, on the jail lot, was accepted; March 11th, the proposition of J. R. Rhinehart to furnish street signs, paint the names and place them in position, for thirty dollars, was adopted, May Ist, the result of the yearly election was: Mayor, William Hanna; Marshal, A. G. Hinman; City Clerk and ex officio Assessor, Thomas D. Satterwhite; Treasurer, Samuel Barclay; Councilmen, L. A.
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Whitehurst, Adam Riehl, John Paine, Jacob Reither, Eli Emlay, Amos Robinson; June 21st, a vacancy having occurred in the office of City Treas- urer by the death of Samuel Barclay, W. H. Burroughs was appointed to fill the position ; July 17th, the purchase of the Eureka Hook and Ladder truck was effected; September 25th, a committee was appointed to defend the suit brought against the city, for two hundred and twenty-five dollars, claimed to be due for services rendered by City Attorney G. M. Mason.
1877 .- January 1st, J. P. Martin was elected Police Judge ; and on Feb- ruary 14th plans and specifications for the increase in size of the cisterns were adopted, and the contract awarded to W. H. Burroughs, which was afterwards rescinded, however, on the discovery that Mr. Burroughs being one of the city officers he was disqualified to enter into such an agreement, fresh bids were therefore called for, and that of James White accepted. The work was duly performed, reported as done to the satisfaction of the Fire and Water Committee, April 13th, and adopted by the Council.
1878 .- January Ist, Perry Dowdy was elected Police Judge; May 6th, the following gentlemen were elected to serve as city officers for the next two years: Mayor, A. Riehl; Clerk, Thomas D. Satterwhite; Marshal, S. M. Christy; Treasurer, George E. Hersey ; Councilmen, L. A. Whitehurst, Jacob Reither, D. Thornton, William Fitzgerald, M. Casey, W. R. Bane ; June 3d power was granted to the Board of Fire Delegates to consolidate the two companies.
1879 .- January 20th the Mayor was granted full power to act in making the necessary arrangements for the defense on the part of the city in the suit to partition the Rancho Las Animas, entitled Henry Miller et al. versus Massey Thomas et al., who, February 33, reported that he had entered into a contract with W. W. Hoover, to conduct the case in the city's behalf.
1880 .- January 5th, Perry Dowdy was elected Police Judge ; and May 7th the yearly election was held with the following issue: Mayor, John G. Otto; Clerk, Thomas D. Satterwhite; Marshal, C. S. Adams; Treasurer, George E. Hersey ; Councilmen, E. B. Dangerfield, Jacob Reither, R. Cobb, H. C. Morey, William Fitzgerald, D. Thornton.
Methodist Episcopal Church, South .- This, the earliest church in Gilroy, was organized June 4, 1853, when the locality of the city was known as Pleasant Valley. The Stewards then appointed being: Joseph Davis, Dr. B. Bryant, R. B. Harris, E. G. Cannon, George Williams, and Joseph Twitchell. The only organizing member was Mrs. Nancy Bryant, wife of the doctor mentioned above, a rather curious fact, when taken in connection with the advancement since made by the body in Gilroy. The Presiding Elder on the occasion was W. E. Gobe, and the Circuit Preacher J. T. Cox, the district
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being included in that of San Francisco, and the circuit embracing Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Juan, and Pleasant Valley. On May 13, 1854, a Sabbath-school was formed, and with such good promise that it opened with five teachers, twenty-five scholars and a library of one hundred and fifty volumes. During the year 1855 a church was erected at a cost of one thousand dollars, and B. Bryant, W. R. Bane, William Harvey, E. P. Wright, and John Eigelberry appointed Trustees of the building, the Rev. A. M. Bailey being Circuit Preacher. In the year 1836, Rev. J. G. Johnson suc- ceeded Mr. Bailey. We will now give the names chronologically : In 1857, Rev. John L. Sanders was Preacher in charge; 1858, Rev. O. Fisher, Presiding Elder, T. C. Barton in charge; 1859, H. N. Compton vice Barton, J. W. Stall rice Compton; 1860, J. C. Simmonds vice Fisher, Presiding Elder; 1861, M. Evans vice Simmonds, B. R. Johnson vice Stall; 1863, A. M. Bailey, Presiding Elder, J. C. Pendergast in charge; 1864, S. W. Davies, Presiding Elder; 1865, J. Emery in charge; 1866, I. L. Hopkins in charge; 1867, John McClay, Presiding Elder; 1868, J. L. Burchard in charge: 1869, E. R. Miller, Presiding Elder; 1870, J. P. Jones in charge; 1871, J. C. Sim- monds, Presiding Elder, J. C. Pendergast in charge; 1872. George Sim, Pre- siding Elder, W. F. Compton in charge; 1874, W. A. Finley in charge; 1875, W. F. Compton in charge ; 1876, J. W. Mahon in charge; 1877, Samuel Brown, Presiding Elder, T. A. Atkinson, the present pastor, in charge. It should be remarked that in the year 1871 the present church was built, on Church street near Third. The present membership is about eighty ; the office bearers are: D. Thornton, C. W. Bronson, W. W. Beauchamp, H. Reeve, W. R. Bane, C. Weldon, J. R. Bane, C. B. Crews, P. Dowdy, O. D. Dryden, and J. Phegley. There is in connection with the church a well-attended Sabbath-school, under the superintendence of D. Thornton.
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