History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 23

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1934

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age for the next seven years. All the officers were reelected.

As Santa Clara County is the largest fruit district in California, it follows as a matter of course that it is the largest canning and pack- ing district in the state. There are (1922) thirty packing houses owned and oper- ated by the California Prune and Apricot Growers, Inc., nine affiliated with that organ- ization and eighteen independent packers, most of them operating in San Jose. There are forty canning factories in the county. One of these, the Co-operative plant, is the largest in the world. In 1921 it absorbed 30,000 tons of fruit and employed nearly 1,000 people. In the busy season of that year the combined county payroll reached over two million dollars. A number of new canneries and factories will be built this year, for the business is increasing by leaps and bounds. There are several dehydrating plants in the county to take care of grapes, strawberries, prunes and other fruits and berries.

Practically all varieties of fruits and vege- tables except the tropical ones can be grown successfully in Santa Clara County. The prox- imity of the center of population and the ex- cellent transportation facilities have been great aids in the development of the valley.

The history of the fruit industry in the county is an interesting one. The adaptability of the climate and soil for horticultural pur- poses became apparent long before the first Americans visited the valley. The Fathers who planted the Missions, planted orchards at the same time, and found a full return for all their labor. The fertility of the soil was supplemented by a peculiarity of climate that enabled trees to grow many more weeks in the year than in other countries, while during the season of rest there was no freezing weather to chill their sap or delay their progress in the spring. The result was that a very few seasons brought orchards to a condition of fruitfulness. All this was demonstrated by the experience of the Fathers at the Missions, but even with this experience before them, the early horticultur- ists of the valley were astonished by the re- sults of their work.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

The Mission orchard at Santa Clara was the only source of fruit supply to the valley for many years. It furnished stock for the few orchards that were planted in the early years of the American occupation. These plantings were few at first, owing to the gold excite- ment, but when people began to return from the mines the plantings became more numer- ous. The scarcity of fruit and consequent high prices gave a great stimulus to horticulture. Apples imported from San Francisco sold for a dollar apiece, and other fruits in proportion.

The first orchards planted after the Ameri- can occupation, with the exception of a few private trees, were by E. W. Case, William Daniels and Joseph Aram. Case's orchard was about 350 trees and was on property front- ing on the Alviso road. Aram's orchard was of twenty acres and was situated where the Woolen Mills were afterwards built. Daniels' orchard was about one acre and was in the northern part of town, on a tract lying be- tween Julian and St. James, Market and First streets. Part of the trees planted by these San Joseans were furnished by a man named Ganz and were brought from Ohio. This was in 1852. In the succeeding year Case and Aram imported more trees from the nursery of Charles Hovey, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

One of the popular fall eating apples of Cen- tral California is the Skinner seedling. It is a San Jose production and originated from seeds brought across the plains by the late Judge Henry C. Skinner. He was one of the pioneer orchardists of the city and one of the promoters of the Santa Clara County Agricul- tural Society. He arrived in San Jose in 1850 and purchased the family residence of Harry Bee at the northwest corner of Julian and Nineteenth (then Fifteenth) streets.

The grounds were spacious, extending to Coyote Creek, and were enlarged by the purchase. of many acres in what is now East San Jose.

In the spring of 1852 Commodore Stockton, who then owned the Potrero de Santa Clara rancho, which lies between San Jose and Santa Clara. imported from Hovey's Massa- chusetts nursery a large number of trees for the purpose of starting a nursery. With these trees came a professional botanist named Shel- don, with B. S. Fox and Thomas Egan as as- sistants. Sheldon died on the Isthmus and Fox took charge of the enterprise, Egan as- sisting. With the party came also J. F. Ken- nedy as salesman and commercial agent. The nursery was established in April. 1853, and for some time was the depot for nursery supplies for the valley. The trees consisted of apples. peaches, pears, plums, nectarines and apricots. With this importation came also the first strawberries grown in the county.

In 1854-55 a Frenchman named Lavalle im- ported fruit trees and planted them in both nursery and orchard form on the property ly- ing north and west of Julian Street and owned by Peter O. Minor. He planted two acres and afterwards removed the trees to the west side of the Coyote on the property of the late Ed- ward Mclaughlin. In 1855-56 he had a very large collection of trees in his nursery, which he afterwards sold to H. H. Winchell, China Smith and William Smith, and they continued the nursery business for some years thereafter. L. A. Gould and B. F. Walkins planted three orchards and nurseries at Santa Clara at about the same time. J. A. Ballou, who was at that time employed in the Case orchard, and who at ninety-five years of age is still living, says that from the 300 trees planted then, about 800 pounds, mostly apples, were produced.

During 1856 the State Horticultural Society held a fair in San Jose, and from the exhibi- tion the reputation of Santa Clara County fruit spread and people came hundreds of miles to see it.

In 1853 a Horticultural Society was formed in San Jose. The meeting for the organization was held on the grounds of Louis Prevost un- der a giant live oak tree. There were present William Daniels, Louis Prevost, Lonis Pellier, J. R. Bontemps, B. S. Fox and E. W. Case. Nearly all the old-time fruit growers became members. The names of Joseph Aram, R. G. Moody, Davis Divine, L. A. Gould and John Llewelling appear in the list. This pioneer society afterwards united with the Agricul- tural Society. Both societies ceased to exist many years ago.

In 1856 nearly all of these early orchards had commenced to bear, and the quality of the fruit and the promise of extraordinary produc- tion gave these pioneer orchardists an idea of the remarkable resources of climate and soil. This year stands out prominently as the date of the introduction of the French prune to this county, and in fact, to this coast. The fruit has become a standard and will always remain a favorite with orchardists. The history of its first importation is as follows: Louis Pellier. a vine and fruit grower of France, had come to California in the winter of 1848-49. After try- ing his fortune in the mines he journeyed to San Jose in 1850 and purchased a tract of land fronting on the west side of San Pedro near St. James Street. The tract was for years known as Pellier's Gardens. Here he planted a nursery and orchard and cultivated flowers and plants. His brother, Pierre, had come out a year before and was assisting him at his work. When Pierre arrived he brought with him the cuttings of some of the finest varieties of grapes, among them the Black Burgundy,

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Chasselas Fontainebleau and Madeleine. In 1854 Louis Pellier sent Pierre back to France with instructions to go through Burgundy and other parts of the country and secure the best varieties of fruit grown in each section. Pierre was assisted by his brother John, and two years were spent in gathering stock. When they returned to San Jose they had cuttings of the Petit prune, Gros prune and many va- rieties of cherries, pears and plums. The Petit prune at first was not very popular, but it was finally brought to the attention of John Rock, who recognized its value and soon popular- ized it.

B. S. Fox in 1853 established a nursery of his own on Milpitas road. He had with him Thomas Egan and the acreage was soon in- creased to 200 acres. Fox was not only a pio- neer fruit grower, but a man of great scientific knowledge. A large orchard was developed from the nursery and to his enthusiasm Santa Clara County owes much of its early horticul- tural development. He died in 1881 and his landed property was left to his nephew, R. D. Fox, who conducted the nursery successfully for many years and then became connected with the California Nursery at Niles.

In 1854 came James R. Lowe. He was an Englishman by birth and a professional botan- ist. He had been engaged in some of the most prominent landscape garden operations of the English nobility and had come to the United States to superintend some work for New Eng- land nurserymen. He came to California at the request of Major S. J. Hensley, of San Jose. He laid out the famous Hensley grounds on North First Street, which up to the time they were subdivided into lots contained more rare plants than any similar area in the state. Mr. Lowe was in constant communication with the superintendent of the Duke of Devonshire's gardens, and hardly a mail was received at the San Jose postoffice that did not contain some rare plant, bulb or cuttings from the Duke's gardens.

J. Q. A. Ballou went into the fruit business on his own account in 1856. At that time he purchased the place on the Milpitas, after- wards occupied by him as a homestead, and in February, 1857, he planted about 500 trees, principally apples and pears. In 1858 he added 1500 more trees. In 1861 he procured from Louis Pellier grafts for fifty French prune trees. From these grafts he had his first crop of prunes in 1867. In 1868 he dried eleven tons of fruit for the Eastern market.

The plantings in the celebrated Willow Glen district were commenced as early as 1868, when W. C. Geiger set out a portion of his cherry orchard on what is now Willow Street. In 1862 C. T. Settle planted an orchard of ap-

ples and pears on what is now the northeast corner of Lincoln and Minnesota avenues. At that time this district was covered by a dense growth of willows and the lower portion was subject to overflow by the Guadalupe River. The only road was El Abra, since called Lin- coln Avenue, and the main central portion of the district was owned by Settle, Cottle and Zarilla Valencia. Settle was soon followed by Royal and Ira Cottle, who also planted apples and pears. Soon afterwards Miles Hills and a Mr. Sampson purchased the Valencia tract and subdivided it into ten-acre lots. The first experiment was with strawberries. The ven- ture was so profitable that it created great ex- citement and soon everybody in The Willows was planting strawberries. The industry flour- ished for some years and then came into com- petition with the strawberry growers on the lowlands near the bay. Here the artesian wells gave a great flow and The Willows people could not pump water and successfully com- pete with their lowland neighbors. They con- verted their berry patches into orchards.

One of the earliest orchards of the county was that of D. C. Vestal, on Twelfth Street near the Berryessa road. It was started in 1854 and was devoted mainly to apples and pears. It was on Vestal's place that the Moor- park apricot was first propagated for market. George Hobson, who had an orchard and nur- sery on the tracts afterwards occupied by L. F. Sanderson and now known as Luna Park, had two of these trees, but held them in little estimation on account of their irregularity in ripening. From these trees Vestal procured buds and worked them into a few trees on his place. When the fruit appeared he was so greatly pleased with its size and flavor that, in 1869, he planted three acres. His experi- ments attracted attention and the Moorpark came into universal favor. The Vestal tract is no longer an orchard. A few years ago it was subdivided into building lots and but few of the old trees remain.

As there were varieties of fruit which could not wholly be taken care of by the canners, a company was formed in July, 1874, to meet the situation. It was called the "Alden Fruit and Vegetable Preserving Company," and the projectors were W. H. Leeman, F. C. Lee- man, C. T. Settle, Ira Cottle, Royal Cottle, Oliver Cottle, S. Newhall, W. W. Cozzens. R. C. Swan, K. D. Berre, A. D. Colton, Miles Hills, J. M. Battee, T. B. Keesling, M. Hale and Pedro de Saisset. They purchased an Alden evaporator and placed it at the corner of the San Salvator Street extension and Jo- sefa Street. During the few years of its ex- istence the company turned out some good fruit, but the machinery was not adapted for

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

the work, so the company concluded to retire from business. W. W. Cozzens and G. A. and C. F. Fleming afterwards tried evaporating, with marked success. The business was dis- continued about twenty years ago.

At this time The Willows was the principal orchard section of the county. The older orchards of Ballou, Tarleton, Aram, Vestal and others were north of San Jose and David Hobson had an orchard near Berryessa. The orchards of Gould and Walkins were at Santa Clara and there were others in other places, but The Willows section was nearly all planted to fruit and it came to be believed by many that this was the only section in the county where the fruit industry could be successfully conducted. There is a record of one man who . owned a fine place in Berryessa, who bought a tract of ground in The Willows in order to have an orchard. That same Berryessa farm is now one of the most promising orchard places in the valley.

In 1856 Lyman Burrell planted fruit trees and vines in the mountains above Los Gatos. This was the first planting in the mountains. In 1873 an almond orchard, now absorbed by the town of Los Gatos, was planted, and in 1874 J. F. Kennedy, in the hills east of Los Gatos, planted a small orchard. In 1876 W. D. Pollard planted twenty acres two miles north of Saratoga and the next year the once famous O'Banion & Kent orchard was started. William Rice planted an orchard in the same neighborhood. These men were looked upon as fools. It was at first predicted that the trees would not grow in such dry, thin soil. When the trees did grow it was prophesied that they would never have vigor enough to bear a paying crop. At six years old they yielded about $500 per acre (a large amount of money for those times), and then came the prediction that they would die out in a few years. But as time passed and the trees did not die, the scoffers accepted the facts and be- gan to plant for themselves.

The orchard interests of Berryessa are not of an early date. Following David Hobson, with his small orchard, came J. H. Flickinger and the real development of one of the richest fruit sections of the state really began. The story of the Berryessa development will be told in the chapter relating to the prosperous towns of the county.

In 1856 Sylvester Newhall built a nursery and planted an orchard in The Willows. In 1863 John Rock established a small nursery on land near Alviso. He soon moved to the Boots place and in 1865 purchased forty-eight acres on the Milpitas road near San Jose and planted a nursery of fruit and ornamental trees. In 1879 this place became too small for

his operations, so he purchased 138 acres. The rapid strides of the California fruit interests made such demands on the Santa Clara County nurseries that in 1884, Rock, with R. D. Fox and several other nurserymen, organized the California Nursery Company and purchased 463 acres near Niles, which were planted in trees and garden stock. The nursery, en- larged and beautified, is still running, though John Rock has been dead for many years. .

The San Tomas orchard, a mile southeast of Saratoga, was planted by T. W. Mitchell in the early '80s. In 1880 G. A. Gardner pur- chased the tract on the Los Gatos road on the northeast corner of what was afterwards called "Orchard Homes." Newhall's forty-acre prune orchard was planted in 1883, and about this time fruit tree planting was carried around Campbell's Station and along the Infirmary and Grewell roads. The Bradley prune orch- ard was planted in 1875. The large plantings north and west of Santa Clara, together with those of the Doyle, Cupertino and other dis- tricts, date from 1880. Following came plant- ings in and about Evergreen and along the Monterey road.

There are but few orchards in the immedi- ate vicinity of Milpitas, but the hillsides to the east have been utilized by Portuguese garden- ers for the planting of potatoes, peas, beans and other vegetables for the midwinter market.

It would hardly be possible to give the names of the owners and dates of planting of all the orchards in the county. Among the biographical sketches in this book will be found the experiences of very many of the county's leading fruit growers, and these sketches are intended to fill up the details of this general history.

To wander among the great orchards in summer, when every tree is bending beneath its weight of fruit-purple prunes, golden ap- ricots and yellow peaches tinted with the crimson hues of wine-is to walk in a terres- trial paradise like Adam before the Fall. Eves there are in plenty, bright-eyed, ruddy-cheeked daughters of California, who will tempt you to eat your fill of the refreshing fruit, which you may do without fear, within reasonable limits.

As the orchards of the valley increased in number and bearing capacity, the fruit grow- ers began to fear that perhaps the crops would be wasted for the reason that no one had yet attempted to preserve them for market. But the danger was averted by the enterprise of Dr. James M. Dawson, the pioneer fruit can- ner and packer of the valley. He put up the first canned fruit for market in 1871. From observation of the superior quality of fruit grown in the valley, he foresaw the marvelous

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possibilities of the climate and soil for fruit production as a factor of commerce on the Pacific Coast, and he also realized that for the fruit industry to attain any importance it was a prime necessity that means should be pro- vided to prepare and preserve the fruits in the immediate vicinity of the orchards. Acting upon these convictions and stimulated by the wise counsel and hearty co-operation of his wife, he resolved to start a fruit cannery in this valley. An ordinary cooking range was purchased and placed in a 12x16 shed kitchen in the rear of their residence on the Alameda ; and on this the fruits were all heated before being placed in the cans. The fruits were ob- tained from orchards in the neighborhood and the season's output, consisted of 350 cans The next year the base of operations was changed to San Jose, the cannery being lo- cated in an orchard at the corner of Six- teenth (now Twenty-first) and Julian streets. W. N. Stevens, a brother-in-law, was taken in as partner. The pack that season was double that of the first.

In 1872 Lendrum & Company, grocers, joined the firm and a large building was erect- ed on the corner of Fifth and Julian streets, in which the pack of that season-nearly 800 cans-was made. A year or two later the business was incorporated under the title of the San Jose Fruit Packing Company, Dr. Dawson being made president. The plant was enlarged and the pack increased to 25,000 cans a year. The business continued until 1878 when Dr. Dawson disposed of his interest and retired.

In 1879 Dr. Dawson returned to his place on the Alameda and resumed the business in a moderate way in a building erected in the rear of his residence. The following year he took in his son, E. L. Dawson, as an equal partner, the firm title being. "The J. M. Daw- son Packing Company." The plant was en- larged from year to year. In 1883 Dr. Dawson retired. He died in 1885 and his son contin- ued the business.

Another pioneer packing company, the Golden Gate, was incorporated in 1877. Since then it has grown to be one of the largest fruit packing establishments on the Pacific Coast. The plant is on Third and Fourth streets, between Julian Street and Hensley Avenue. In 1881 the entire works were de- stroyed by fire. New and larger buildings im- mediately succeeded the old ones and the best and most approved machinery was secured. Geo. M. Bowman was superintendent and manager for over twenty years and at his death the management was assumed by Elmer E. Chase, whose rare business ability was exhibited in many improvements and a large- ly increased output. In 1917 the packing house

passed into the hands of the Hunt Bros., who own packing houses in several sections of Central California, Mr. Chase joining forces with the Richmond Company.

The Los Gatos Fruit Packing Company was organized in 1882, with fourteen stockholders and the following officers: Samuel Temple- ton, president; James E. Gordon, secretary ; J. W. Lyndon, treasurer ; Robert Walker and Michael Miller, directors. The institution commenced work in a building 60x80 feet. with machinery capable of handling 5000 cases in a season. The plant was steadily increased, new buildings were erected and every means taken to meet the demands of the trade. But dull times came, the company became insol- vent and in 1888 went out of business.

During the eighties the fruit industry in- creased by leaps and bounds, vineyards, pas- ture and grain lands were converted into fruit orchards until the county became one vast orchard-the largest fruit producing section in the world. In 1886 the consumers of fruit in the East became convinced that the prunes grown in Santa Clara County were superior in quality to those grown in France. This su- periority is due to two causes: First, because the peculiar soil and climate of the county induces a thriftier growth, a more perfect ripen- ing of the fruit and complete development of the sugar; second, because of the method of curing practiced here. In France the process through which the prunes are carried results in cooking the fruit to a greater or less ex- tent. This renders it soft and pleasant to eat, but when made into sauce it loses much of its flavor. In the California process where the fruit is cured by exposure to the sun, no cooking results and the fruit retains its full flavor.

The present main strawberry section of the county lies north of San Jose and Santa Clara, toward Milpitas and Alviso. The first per- son to go into business in this district was Mr. Cary Peebles, who planted a few acres in 1868 on the place afterward owned by Mr. Agnew at Agnew's Station. His success in- duced other plantings and in a short time the whole belt of country where flowing ar- tesian water was available was engaged in this industry. In late years strawberry cul- ture has been undertaken north of Berryessa in other sections of the valley. Large tracts of land have been leased by Japanese and Chinese and now (1922) the Orientals con- trol the bulk of the valley's berry output.

The following showes the annual orchard production of Santa Clara County: Apples, 10,000 tons; apricots, 25,000 tons; cherries, 10,000 tons ; grapes, 40,000 tons; peaches, 25,- 000 tons; pears, 18,000 tons; prunes, 60,000 tons ; plums, 37,700 tons; almonds, 200 tons;

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walnuts. 300 tons; berries (strawberries, blackberries and loganberries), 65,000 chests. Olive industry fairly large, producing both ripe pickled olives and olive oil.

Soil productions-Sugar beets (for refiner- ies), 150,000 tons: beans (canning), 500 tons ; peas (canning), 150 tons; spinach (canning), 1,000 tons; tomatoes (canning), 60,000 tons ; potatoes (fall), 1,000 tons; potatoes (early), 1.500 tons; other vegetables (cabbage, cauli- flower, celery, artichokes, lettuce, squash, corn, onions, etc.), 2,500 tons.

Annual exportations, domestic and for- eign-Canned fruits, berries and vegetables, 100,000 tons; dried fruits, 65,000 tons; green fruits, 12,000 tons; garden seeds, 1,000 tons; miscellaneous soil products, 2,000 tons.

Forty per cent of the prunes are sold in foreign markets and 60 per cent in domestic markets : 20 per cent of the canned fruits find foreign markets and 80 per cent domestic markets. The forty canneries in San Jose and Santa Clara County put out approximately one-third of the entire canned output of Cali- fornia.

The total acreage of orchards of various kinds of fruits in Santa Clara County, in round numbers, is as follows: Apples, 1,200 acres ; apricots, 7,000 acres; cherries, 4,000 acres ; figs, 40 acres ; olives, 250 acres ; peaches, 5,000 acres ; plums, 11,500 acres; prunes, 80,- 000 acres, dried; pears, 3,500 acres; lemons, 200 acres ; limes, 10 acres; oranges, 40 acres ; pomelos, 10 acres; grapes, 10,000 acres; al- monds, 400 acres; walnuts, 1,000 acres; total, 124,150 acres.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 23

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1934

Author: Sawyer, Eugene T
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1934