History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 58

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846-
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1928

USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 58

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

2.84 6.26 2.80

0.41 0.45 1.95

T 0.21 0.70 0.46

0.07 22.65

1912-1913

0.71 T

0.21

0.29 4.10

2.03 0.43 3.00 3.73

1.36 2.29 6.23 4.85 8.71

7.02 1.83

1.10

0.06

0.26

0.45

18.87

1919-1920

0.01

0.25

0.15 0.28

2.24 0.09

2.48 3.58

0.10 4.75

1.09

3.43 0.80

0.92 0.40

T 0.82

15.01

1921-1922

0.21

1.71 0.21

1.65

Normals

0.00

0.04

0.34

0.90

1.89

3.05

2.88

2.54

2.98 1.41

0.68

0.08

16.79

0.80

0.18

1913-1914

0.09

0.08

0.90

0.65 1.07

0.77 0.19 2.69

22.71

1915-1916

0.04

0.19

4.37

3.48 0.55 1.28

0.70

2.63

4.48

2.87

0.06

0.01

0.21

8.80

1920-1921

0.02

1.84

0.98

4.88

0.77

0.01 0.22 0

T 16.27

1916-1917

0.01

0.84

0.41

1917-1918

0.54

1918-1919

T 0

6.33

0.02 0.50

1.36

1914-1915

0.78 0.01

the wind which carries ozone carries also moisture which, while it is most valuable to the rancher and his crops, to the small fruit grower and his berries, to the dairyman and his alfalfa, to the vegetable gardener and his products, is too stimulating for the neuras- thenic, the asthmatic, the weak and those who need warmth and shelter and protection.

"For these the eastern and western foot- hills with their sunny slopes, their freedom from fog and frost offers an equally delight-

arates it from the surface water, and comes to the surface bubbling with oxygen from the spring or deep well safe, cool and refreshing. No typhoid in its sparkle, for no germ can reach its source.

"In Alum Rock Canyon, on the San Jose City Reservation, the city's playground, there are more than a dozen mineral springs each differing in its analysis from the other, and each and all absolutely free to the public, and equal in medicinal value to those of any re-

1.17

0.38

0.01 0.25

0.02 14.56

1910-1911 1911-1912

10.58 6.35

19.45

12.63 9.36

1.06

4.87

1.04

1.49

Total

0.28

307

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

sort. At Saratoga in a most beautiful canyon, easily reached, is the Congress Spring, only equalled by its namesake in New York, while but a few miles away are the Azule springs and in the southern portion of the county the Gilroy Hot Springs and others too many to enumerate, but all assets to the well being of those who are seeking health and a comfort- able old age.

"An editorial in The Century for Septem- ber, 1894, will bear repeating here.

""What a blessed country California must be, practically exempt as its coast counties are from the summer complaints of children. What a boon to young mothers the glorious climate of the golden shores of the Pacific. No summer complaints, no diarrhoea of teeth- ing infants; no sleepless night, and tired nerves, and distracted parents, and worn out doctors, and exhausted nurses, and yarb teas.

" "There we have a climate for the little people who are slow in recovering, a climate which offers hope for parents who have suf- fered the loss of one or more little ones and who do not know which way to turn lest they lose others, perhaps yet unborn, and go child- less through life.'

"It is the possibility of outdoor life, of every day in the year in the open air that makes the children of Santa Clara County so vigorous, our young men and young women models of strength and beauty and our elders so sturdy and well preserved."

Belden and Pfister

Speaking of the weather the following story in which two of San Jose's distinguished citi- zens figure has been often told.

Years ago when Adolph Pfister was mayor of San Jose and David Belden was judge of the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, there was a drouth so intense that a W. C. T. U. convention looked like a spring freshet in comparison. The ministers and church people generally prayed for rain and prayed some more. Meeting Pfister on the street, Judge Belden said :

"Dolph, it's plain to me that the Lord is tired of being worried by these people. He wants to hear from us sinners. Let's you and me, the two leading sinners of this commun- ity, take a hand. You pray tonight, and so will I."

Two days after, with no rain in sight, Belden met Pfister again. "Look here, 'Dolph," said the judge, "did you pray for rain?" "No," said Pfister. "Why not, you old sinner?" "Had a sore knee and couldn't kneel down." "Well," replied Belden, "you pray tonight if you have to pray standing."

Whether Pfister prayed is not certain, but the next day it rained and rained plenty. Water fell in pails full. Everything was wet. It kept on raining. Then it rained some more. And then rained. Once more Belden met Pfister. "See here, 'Dolph," he said, "did you pray for this rain ;" "Course I did," said Pfister. "Well," said Belden reflectively, "I'm glad we didn't start together as I first sug- gested, and I'm willing to give you most of the credit. But say, Pfister, don't you think it's about time to inform the Lord that he is being too darned good to us?"

An Auto Camp

The Directors of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, realizing the need of providing ac- commodations for the hundreds of automobile tourists who are now passing through San Jose from all over the United States, have es- tablished an emergency auto camp at Cedar Brook Park, Twelfth and Keyes Streets. Ac- tion was taken in the matter in order to pre- vent visitors from passing through the city and going to other points before they had pro- perly seen San Jose. The park is available for immediate usage, under a lease obtained from the owner by the Chamber.

The new camping site covers an area of more than four acres, in which are hundreds of trees, benches and tables for the use of patrons, and numerous large buildings which could be used for shelter in case of heavy rains. Ample lighting facilities are provided by strings of electric lights running over the enter grounds, and a caretaker will be on duty all the time, it is stated, to assist and advise tourists in making their camp.

In order to aid campers who are passing through the city to find the grounds the Chamber of Commerce has arranged to place signs on the Alameda-Oakland Boulevard and South First Street, where they enter the city, directing people how to get there. The camp abuts onto Coyote Creek, along whose banks is an abundance of willows. The entire acreage is covered with a floor of grass, and a wonderful view of the mountains of the east- ern slope of the valley is an added attraction.

Presidential Elections

Following is the vote cast in Santa Clara County at the different Presidential elections since the admission of California into the Union.

1852-Pierce (D.), 829; Scott (Whig), 682. 1856-Buchanan (D.), 809; Fremont (R.), 576; Bell (Ind.), 673.

1860-Lincoln (R.), 1477; Douglas (North- ern D.), 881; Breckenridge (Southern D.), 722.

308

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

1864 Lincoln (R.), 1930; McClellan (D.), 1202.

1868-Grant (R.), 2307; Seymour (D.), 2330. 1872-Grant (R.), 2219; Greeley (D. and Lib. R.), 1670. 1876-Hayes (R.), 3326; Tilden (D.), 3065. 1880-Garfield (R.), 3116; Hancock (D.), 2820.

1884-Blaine (R.), 3839; Cleveland (D.), 3172.

1888-Harrison (R.), 4463; Cleveland (D.), 3933. 1892-Harrison (R.), 4624; Cleveland (D,) 4169.

1896-McKinley (R.), 6315; Bryan (D.), 4413.

1900-McKinley (R.), 7119; Bryan (D.), 4672. 1904-Roosevelt (R.), 8274; Parker (D.), 3090.

1908-Taft (R.), 7,988; Bryan (D.), 3836.

1912-Roosevelt (Prog. & R.), 10968; Wil- son (D.), 9173.

In the 1912 primaries, held in May, Roose- velt and Taft were the Republican contestants. The result eliminated Taft, the vote for per- sonal choice being 3296 for Roosevelt and 1666 for Taft. Roosevelt delegates to the Na- tional Republican Convention were elected at the same time. At the November election Taft, although he was the Republican nom- inee of the National Convention, had no place on the printed ticket. He received a few writ- ten-in votes, but the great bulk of the votes went to Roosevelt, who was nominated by the newly formed Progressive party.

1916-Hughes (R.), 16660; Wilson (D.), 14222.

1920 -- Harding (R.), 19,565; Cox (D.), 6506; Debs, 1667; Watkins, 1014.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

LATEST HISTORICAL RECORD

In August, 1920, the name, Farm Owners and Operators was changed to the Federa- tion of American Farmers. At the annual meeting, held November 7, the following trus- tees were elected :

District No. 1- Robert Britton, Morgan Hill; Dr. H. R. Chesbro, Gilroy ; J. J. Nielson, Morgan Hill; J. W. Britton, Morgan Hill. District No. 2-J. A. Fair, San Jose; John Hassler, San Jose; A. R. McClay, San Jose ; J. S. Hensill, San Jose. District No. 3-T. D. Landels, San Jose; J. J. McDonald, Milpitas; A. M. Foster, San Jose ; H. F. Curry, San Jose. District No. 4-A. P. Freeman, Lawrence Station; A. W. Greathead, San Jose; S. E. Johnson, Cupertino; V. T. McCurdy, Santa Clara. District No. 5-Luther Cunningham Saratoga ; R. P. Van Orden, Mountain View ; WV. H. Hobson, Los Gatos; C. E. Warren, Cupertino. Trustees at large-E. L. Fellows, Santa Clara; E. K. Clendenning, Campbell ; T. J. Henderson, Campbell ; J. K. Durst, Sun- nyvale, and F. C. Wilson, Sunnyvale.

In August, 1920, the Liberty Amusement Company, represented by James Beatty, man- ager of the Liberty Theater, purchased the old Brassey building and the old telephone building on South Market Street, together with a frontage of twenty-four feet on South First Street, for the purpose of erecting a new $300,000 motion picture house. Work will be- gin in 1922.

During August, 1920, workmen removed part of the old adobe wall, the last relic of the famous old Mission of Santa Clara, that for years has marked the confines of an old struc- ture harboring a part of the present univer- sity. Researches made in 1920 to establish the site of the first Mission have been care- fully made, and the Catholic Fathers at the University of Santa Clara believe that the site selected by George Bray, a member of the Santa Clara County Historical Society, on the Laurel Wood near Agnew ranch is the correct one, and a monument will be set up on the spot, which is about a mile north of Santa Clara. On account of floods a second site was located and the corner stone was laid by Father Junipero Serra November 19, 1781, the first cross on the Laurel Wood site having been planted on January 12, 1777. The sec- ond Mission, near the present Santa Clara railroad depot, was destroyed by two earth- quakes, one in 1812, the other in 1818. The third and last site was selected in 1818.

In July, 1920, the Mohawk Oil Company leased 12,000 acres on the Dodge and De Hart property about a mile and half above Chit- tenden and commenced drilling for oil in 1921. The company's engineers sel- ected seven favorable locations for drilling, one of which is on the spot of the old Hum- phrey Mormon settlement, founded there 1 .! 1843, the buildings of which were burned to

309

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

the ground several years ago. The Shell Oil Company has gone into the business on a larger scale, having leased 12,000 acres to the left of Sargent, on the Miller & Lux property, and has already erected two derricks. The Shell people are spending large sums of money to develop this district.

The census figures for the cities and towns in Santa Clara County, released in August, show that the county has a total population of 100,588, a gain of 17,050 since 1910. One in- teresting figure is that of San Jose Township, which has 56,812. It is said that this repre- sents the true population of San Jose much more nearly than the 39,604 given out.

The figures for the towns are as follows:

1920

1910

1900

Alviso, Town

517

402

Gilroy City

2,812

2.437

1,820

Los Gatos, Town

2,317

2,323

1,915

Mayfield, Town . . . .

1,127

1,041

Morgan Hill, Town .

646

607

Mountain View, Town

1,888

1,161

Palo Alto, City

5,900

4.486

1,658

Santa Clara, Town

4,998

4,348

3,650

San Jose, City

39,604

28,946 21,500

In July the California Walnut Growers As- sociation was granted a lease of five years on the old Dame property in Santa Clara and will locate their plant on this site. The struc- ture will be 60 x 80 feet, and the Santa Clara County Association, affiliated with the Cali- fornia, plans to handle from 250 to 400 tons of walnuts every year. The present officers of the Association are T. J. Martin, president ; G. Payne, vice-president; C. J. Parks, secretary and treasurer. These men, with J. Conner, O. R. Prien, of Morgan Hill, Mr. Ayers, of Mountain View, and D. Luther, compose the board of directors. Joseph A. Conner was elected manager.

The complete list of Santa Clara County boys in service during the European War who received citations or decorations for dis- tinguished or meritorious service is as follows :

Frank Angell, Stanford University; Cheva- liers de l'ordere de la couronne.

Captain R. WV. Ashley, Palo Alto; British military cross.

Mrs. Frances Bean, San Jose; cited by Bel- gium.

Milton Brown, Stanford University ; letter of commendation.

Lieutenant Douglas Campbell, Mt. Hamil- ton; distinguished service cross; four oak leaves; ace; Legion of Honor.

Kenneth Campbell, Mt. Hamilton; Italian war cross.

Donald Clark, Stanford; Croix de guerre.

Lieutenant C. C. Cottrell, San Jose; two American citations.

Philip A. Daley, Morgan Hill; distinguish- ed service cross.

Rowland W. Dodson, San Jose; Croix de guerre.

Professor II. R. Fairclough, Stanford Uni- versity ; order of the white eagle.

Harold Gentry, Stanford University; letter of commendation.

Corporal Reuben L. George, San Jose ; dis- tinguished service cross.

John Goodman, Stanford; Croix de guerre. Sgt. Walter J. Gores, Stanford University ; Croix de guerre.

Bryce G. Greene, San Jose ; Croix de guerre.

Sgt. Floyd Hopping, Los Gatos; distin- guished service cross.

Sing Kee, San Jose ; cited by America ; dis- tinguished service cross.

Mrs. Charlotte Kellogg, Stanford Univer- sity ; chevaliers de l'ordere de la couronne.

Harper H. Lewis, San Jose ; cited by Amer- ica.

Palmer W. Lewis, San Jose; Croix de guerre.

Wm. H. Rhodes, San Jose ; Croix de guerre ; American citation.

Prof. Samuel Swayze Seward Jr., Palo Alto; French Legion of Honor.

Corporal J. Howell Smith, Stanford Uni- versity ; Italian war cross.

Walter R. Suess, San Jose; Croix de guerre. Fred E. Vasquez, San Jose; distinguished service cross.

Maurice Widby, San Jose; letter of com- mendation.

Captain Robert Woodville, Palo Alto; French and American citation.

Sergeant Elmer T. Worthy, Stanford Uni- versity ; American citation; distinguished ser- vice cross.

Three more should be credited to Palo Alto. Alan Nichols, before he was killed, was award- ed the Croix de guerre, and afterward two palms were added. John Greer was cited for bravery and awarded the Croix de guerre. Sara F. Harker received a decoration from the Queen of Belgium.

In August, 1920, Santa Clara voted gram- mar school bonds in the sum of $100,000. Bonds for a new high school were also car- ried.

In August, 1920, $90 and $100 per ton were offered for wine grapes in Santa Clara Coun- ty. A dehydrating plant with modern machin- ery was opened for business in Los Gatos on August 26, 1920.

A Council of Boy Scouts of America was organized in San Jose in August, 1920. Of- ficers were elected as follows : president, Rob-

. ...

Sunnyvale, Town

1,675

310

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

ert I. Bentley, Jr. ; first vice-president, Archer Bowden; second vice-president, Charles L. Snyder ; third vice-president, Dr. J. L. Pritch- ard; secretary, J. Derol Chace; treasurer, A. B. Post. Fifteen acres in Alum Rock Park were set aside for the exclusive use and jurisdiction of the local Scouts, and were first used in 1921.

Announcement was made early in October, 1920, by several men closely connected with the Port Sunnyvale project that the Federal- Poulsen Telegraph and Construction, which had been operating a radio plant at Palo Alto, had secured a site from the Spring Valley Water Company about 1500 feet south of the turning bowl of the port for the erection of the largest radio station on the Pacific Coast. The new station will be one of the most pow- erful in existence, having sufficient power to send and receive messages to and from all parts of the world. Over 112 tons of struc- tural steel, to be used in the construction of the tower, which is to be 600 feet high, are being prepared in San Francisco. Several carloads of piling have been ordered by the company for use in construction of the plant, which will occupy a site approximately 400 feet square. Over 4,000 cubic yards of con- crete are to be used in the construction of the necessary buildings. The cost of the entire plant is estimated at somewhere in the neigh- borhood of $175,000. The Federal-Poulsen people plan to build a similar plant at Port- land, Ore., the Sunnyvale plant and the Port- land plant to be worked together on many messages. It was, however, found necessary to construct the Sunnyvale plant before start- ing work on the Oregon station.

D. B. Levin, for many years manager of the local Hippodrome Theater, was, in Septem- ber, 1920, appointed manager of the Loew photoplay department of the Pacific Coast. William H. White was appointed San Jose manager.

On September 27, 1920, the San Jose Coun- cil reduced the annual salary of the city man- ager from $6000 to $3600. On October 5, WV. C. Bailey, the manager, was discharged, and C. B. Goodwin, city engineer, was appointed in his stead.

In September, 1920, articles of incorpora- tion of the Direct Steel Process Company, which is to have its principal place of business in San Jose, were filed with the county clerk by B. W. Lorigan, attorney. According to the articles the new concern is incorporated for the purpose of constructing iron works, foundries, rolling mills, developing and work-

ing iron ore, manganese ore, limestone, and other ore. Robert Lang, of Oakland, and Howard Bardue, W. J. Johnston, George Frank and Charles H. Nash are directors of the corporation.

Development of the Moody Gulch oil lands, situated in the Santa Cruz Mountains, above Alma, were undertaken on an extensive scale in October, 1920, as a result of the leasing of the holdings by the Trigonia Oil Company, an Oregon corporation. Wells were cleared out and twenty-five new wells were sunk. Charles Lilly, a Los Angeles capitalist, is the heaviest stockholder in the company. The oil thus far produced has a high grade paraffin base. Gasoline is also produced.

In September, 1920, a rich quicksilver strike was made at the Guadalupe mine. H. C. Davy is the owner of the property and he claims that the mine now ought to be good for 400 or 500 flasks of quicksilver a month.

In October, 1920, the city of San Jose used $33,000 out of the funds paid to the city from the estate of the late Anna E. C. Backesto in the purchase of a park site in the second ward. The property is located between Twelfth, Thirteenth, Empire and Jackson Streets, and was formerly owned by J. Q. A. Ballou. A tract of land adjoining may be pur- chased by the board of education for the bene- fit of the school department.

In 1922 P. H. Scullin, general secretary and organizer of the National Industrial and Peace Association, organized a branch in San Jose. It is claimed that the Assocation is one of the most efficient organizations in behalf of per- manent industrial peace. On April 27th Dr. Ray Wilbur, president of Stanford University, was chosen president. The directors are Dr. A. C. Jayet, Dr. Tully C. Knoles, Victor Challen, F. J. Rogers, Dr. H. C. Brown, Mrs. J. R. Rogers, Rev. Chas. Pease, Rabbi H. B. Franklin, Rev. J. M. Ross, Mrs. A. T. Herr- mann, Mrs. E. E. Stahl, Mrs. E. H. Osburn, C. D. Harvey, A. L. Wilson.

Figures given in the report of the State Con- troller show that San Jose is the cheapest gov- erned city of approximate population in the state. The per capita costs are: Berkeley, $12.49; Long Beach, $15.61 ; Pasadena, $20.57 ; Fresno, $15.94; Stockton, $18.23; Alameda, $13.25 ; San Jose, $11.92. On May 1, 1922, at an election an ordinance was carried fixing the rate of taxation from December 1, 1922, to December 1, 1923, at $1.30 on each $100 of taxable property, exclusive of the amount necessary to pay principal and interest on the bonded indebtedness of the city. The rate it supplants is $1.35.

Johnte ichards

BIOGRAPHICAL

JUDGE JOHN EVAN RICHARDS .- A distin- guished pioneer, eminent in the public and intellectual life in which he has so long and so actively partici- pated, is John Evan Richards, Judge of the District Court of Appeals of the First District, who resides at 338 South Tenth Street, San Jose, near which city he was born on July 7, 1856. His father, Richard Evan Richards, was born in Llangollen, Wales, while his mother, Mary Hamilton before her marriage, was a native of Ballykelly, County Derry, Ireland. The father emigrated to the United States in the early thirties and followed the trade of an engraver in the State of New York. In 1849, drawn by the world- wide movement toward the California gold-fields, he came to Cailfornia by way of Cape Horn and engaged in mining on the south fork of the American River, where he mined successfully for about two years. In 1851, however, he removed to Santa Clara County and settled near Edenvale. There he purchased a ranch, which he devoted to the raising of stock and grain. Mary Hamilton who had broken away from the narrow environment of her native village and come to the United States in 1837, had also followed the golden lure and come to California in 1852 by way of Panama, settling in the Santa Clara Valley. In 1854 Richard Richards and Mary Hamilton were married and in 1856 the subject of this sketch was born. Seven years later Richard Richards purchased a ranch at Berryessa, to which the family moved, and there in 1867 he died, from congestion of the lungs. His widow and only son continued to reside at Ber- ryessa for the next several years during which the boy gained his early training in the public school.

Judge Richards recalls with the fondest memories his days at the Redwood schoolhouse at Berryessa. He used. for example, Wilson's Fifth Reader, issued in 1864, and even now, when the Judge wishes inspir- ation for a public address, he takes down his boy- hood copy of this once famous school classic, and cons over some of the sketches, many of which he then learned by heart.

In 1869, Mrs. Richards and her son went to Ire- land, by way of the transcontinental railroad, on a visit to her childhood home. It took seven days to cross the continent by rail and an equal time was required for the ocean passage to Liverpool. The trip held in store many wonderful experiences for the California country lad who had never before ridden on a railroad train or ocean liner. Every day on land and sea was a new marvel to his eager eye and retentive memory and he still relates with zest the incidents of that early experience.

Arriving in the north of Ireland with his mother, they remained there for a year, during which time the boy attended the same school, taught by the 'self-same pedagogue to which his mother had gone in her childhood. Master Brewster was the Irish school- master's name; he had taught there for more than fifty years; and the thoroughness of the instruction imparted is still recalled with grateful recollection. The youth was much impressed with the simple yet sturdy habitudes of the Scotch-Irish people, whose 21

lives were occupied in the growing and marketing of their products and in otherwise discharging the plain, everyday duties of their rather insular exis- tence. Some forty years afterward a correspondence sprang up between Judge Richards and a cousin, who still lives in the region, and the well-read Judge marvels at her letters, which, with no other basis than that exceptional early training, are wells of English undefiled. At the end of a year, however, the mode of life in this old and easy-going country began to pall upon them and Mrs. Richards and her son decided to return to California. Upon reaching home they took up their residence in San Jose, and there the youth attended the old high school of San Jose which then stood upon the site of the present Horace Mann school, remaining in that institution two years. In 1872 he matriculated at the University of the Pacific where he took up the classical course, and from which he was graduated in 1877 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then went to Ann Arbor, Mich., entering the Law School of the Uni- versity of Michigan; and in 1879 graduated from that university with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Returning to California, he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court; and soon became actively in- terested in the social, educational and political life of the community in which he lived. In addition to the duties of his growing practice he became chief editorial writer on the "Mercury" with the idea of thereby perfecting his literary style. He also lec- tured upon economics, history, rhetoric and law in the University of the Pacific, and he also early be- came a lecturer upon varied subjects and a writer of very acceptable verse. In 1895, Mr. Richards opened an office in San Francisco as general counsel for the San Francisco "Call."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 58

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846- Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1928

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846-
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1928