History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 41

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

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After operating his road for many years, Jacob Rich got into financial difficulties. The German Savings Bank of San Francisco took over the First Street and Willows road and J. B. Harmon for a time tried to operate the horse railway in the second ward. Finally L. J. Hanchett secured control of all the city roads, uniting them under the Peninsular sys- tem. In the meantime, the old horse railway line which ran along Fifth Street to Empire, along Empire to Fourteenth and thence to Mission Street was discontinued and standard gauge electric roads had been extended along Julian Street to the Coyote. Hanchett sold to the stockholders of the Southern Pacific Rail- road Company, and they named the San Jose system, the San Jose Railroads. These stock-

holders also purchased the out-of-town inter- ests of all the street railway companies, in- corporating under the name of the Peninsular Railroad Company, with Frank E. Chapin as superintendent. Now, San Jose has street rail- ways in every direction and country railways running to Berryessa and Alum Rock Park, and along Santa Clara Avenue, and an inter- secting street to Toyon station, on the east ; to the Willows, Los Gatos, Campbell and Saratoga on the south; to Cupertino on the west, and to Santa Clara, Los Altos, Palo Alto, Mayfield and Stanford University on the northwest.

San Jose is connected with practically every town and resort in the county with railway service. The Santa Clara Valley has a net- work of railway tracks, lines radiating from San Jose in every direction. The San Jose Railroads System has nearly one hundred miles of track.

The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Com- pany has its offices in a new two-story con- crete building on Market Street, near San Fer- nando. It has over 14,000 subscribers and its wires reach every city, town and village in the county. H. Winkle is the manager.

San Jose Post Office

The first mail communication established in the United States between San Jose and the outside world was in April, 1847, when As- sistant Quartermaster-General J. L. Folsom established a weekly mail between San Fran- cisco and Monterey by way of San Jose. Prior to this time, under Mexican and Spanish rule, the only means of communication had been by mounted messenger.

Under the postal system established by the military authorities, Jacob D. Hoppe acted as postmaster. Mr. Hoppe was a native of Maryland, and came to San Jose from Mis- souri in 1846. He was a member of the firm of Hoppe, Hawkins & Company, who kept a general merchandise store in a small frame building on South Market Street. In 1850 the firm built a new two-story adobe building on the northeast corner of Market and Santa Clara Streets. The post office was moved to a room on North Market, in the rear of the store. John R. Wilson, S. A. Clark, V. Staley and Judge R. B. Buckner were employed in the store and assisted with the mails. Hoppe was a prominent figure in the early history of San Jose, and his place of business was headquarters for the local politicians. Be- sides being postmaster he held the office of town councilman before San Jose had arisen to the dignity of a city government. He was also a member of the Constitutional Conven- tion and of the second city council in 1851. It

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is said that he decided the destiny of San Jose. When he was about to build his new adobe block he took a fifty-cent piece from his pock- et, threw it in the air, and said: "Heads, San Jose ; tails, Santa Clara." The coin came down heads and the block was built in San Jose. So great was his popularity that an old pioneer said that the whole town would have followed him to Santa Clara if the coin had shown tails. He was killed in April, 1853, in the explosion of the steamboat Jenny Lind, about four miles from Alviso.

John R. Wilson was the second postmaster of San Jose, having been appointed by Presi- dent Fillmore, August 7, 1851. S. A. Clark was Wilson's deputy. At the time of Wilson's appointment postage was forty cents per half ounce, prepayment being optional with the sender. Shortly after his appointment the pony express was established and overland postage was reduced to ten cents. Wilson resigned in 1852, and removed to Alviso, where he was engaged for several years in the warehouse business. Then he returned to San Jose, his death occurring a number of years ago.

In the latter part of 1852 Arthur Shearer was appointed postmaster, holding the office about one year. The office was removed to a building on Santa Clara Street, where the Auzerais House now stands. At this time there was a monthly overland mail and a weekly mail from San Francisco and Mon- terey. The next postmaster was Major John Patrick, a native of Arkansas and a veteran of the Mexican War. He died in 1869. Dur- ing his term the office was moved to South First Street, opposite El Dorado Street.

Gen. Charles E. Allen was appointed post- master July 15, 1856, and chose Ralph Lowe as his deputy. The office was again moved, this time to West Santa Clara Street. near Market. Allen was a pioneer of 1849. He was the first county assessor, afterwards county judge, and in 1855 was commissioned brigader general of the First Brigade, Second Division of the California Militia. He declin- ed the reappointment as postmaster tendered him by President Buchanan, but remained in charge of the office until his successor was ap- pointed by President Lincoln in 1861.

Simon M. Cutler succeeded General Allen in July, 1861. He was the first postmaster of the new Republican party. He removed the post office to South Market Street. He died in 1868 and his brother, James M. Cutler, acted as postmaster until 1869. Judge Chas. G. Thomas was the next appointee. The of- fice was moved to South First Street, opposite El Dorado Street. The business of the office increased until it became necessary to employ 15

four clerks. Judge Thomas, who had been justice of the peace prior to his appointment as postmaster, died in 1875.

President Grant appointed Dr. F. A. Clark postmaster in May, 1873. The increase in the business of the office made it necessary to se- cure more commodious quarters. The office was moved to the corner of Santa Clara and Market Streets, in the Hensley, afterward the Rea, building, where it remained until July, 1888. Dr. Clark was a native of Ohio and came to California in 1850, settling in Santa Clara County. He had served as deputy as- sessor of internal revenue, deputy county re- corder and city superintendent of schools, re- signing the last position to become postmas- ter. He died in 1894.

S. B. Anderson was appointed postmaster by President Hayes April 4, 1877. He had served as deputy postmaster for ten years. When the office was removed to the Hensley block, the merchants of that vicinity subscrib- ed a sufficient sum to pay the rent of the build- ing. The money appropriated by the govern- ment for rent was used entirely in the pay- ment of clerk hire and incidental expenses. The department did not approve of the post- master's action, and he was removed from of- fice. Anderson was a veteran of the Ciyil War, and has been dead for more than twenty years.

Daniel C. Bailey succeeded Anderson, tak- ing office in April, 1878. He was reappointed by President Arthur, August 1, 1882, and served until July 1, 1886. After repeated at- tempts Bailey succeeded in having a free de- livery established October 1, 1885. The prin- cipal objection of the department to the estab- lishing of free delivery was the poor system of street numbering then in vogue. Bailey imme- diately took steps to have the houses and bu- siness buildings renumbered, and finally se- cured the adoption of the present system. The carriers were then granted him. Bailey was a native of Maine and came to California in 1851. He was in the grain business uintl 1871 when he was elected county recorder. He died several years ago.

Samuel H. Wagener came after Bailey, his appointment by President Cleveland being made in April, 1886. He had never taken an active part in politics and his appointment dis- pleased the politicians and bettered the ser- vice. He retained efficient clerks and car- riers and all his appointments were made on merit. During his term the office was remov- ed to the corner of First and San Antonio Streets. Wagener was a druggist. He came to San Jose in 1877, after having served as treasurer and mayor of Muskegon, Mich. He has been dead many years.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Dr. Thomas Kelly was commissioned as postmaster by President Harrison May 1, 1890. During his term the office became first class and the civil service rules were extend- ed to all free delivery offices. Dr. Kelly was a veteran of the Civil War, and died a few years after the expiration of his term of of- fice.

John W. Ryland. appointed postmaster August 24, 1894, died in 1922. He was a na- tive San Josean, was educated in Santa Clara College and Hastings Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1879. He was a Demo- crat and was a candidate for state senator in 1886, running in a Republican district and losing by only six votes. In 1892 he was de- feated for Congress, although he carried his own county against a usual Republican ma- jority of five hundred. The appointment as postmaster came to him without solicitation. Few postmasters have met with so many difficulties as did Mr. Ryland. Before his time much of the clerical work had been done by carriers, while the eight-hour law governing carriers' time, had never been strictly en- forced. The Post Office Department issued orders that this law must be enforced: also that carriers must not perform any clerical work. To provide for the performance of this work and at the same time maintain the effi- ciency of the local service, Mr. Ryland found it necessary to reorganize his office and also rearrange his carrier routes. In doing this he made many improvements, the most import- ant of which was the delivery of the afternoon mails from San Francisco nearly an hour ear- lier than had been the custom.

Maj. W. G. Hawley was the next postmas- ter. He received his appointment from Presi- dent Mckinley in 1898 and served until his death, September 4, 1912. From that date un- til October 16, 1912, I. A. Ball was the acting postmaster. On October 16 John R. Chace received a recess appointment, which lasted

until July, 1913, when Byron Millard, post- master until June, 1922, received a regular appointment from President Wilson. Mr. Millard made a most efficient officer. He carried through many improvements and the office for nine years was one of the best ap- pointed and best managed in the state. The receipts for the calendar year 1921 were $233,- 048.79. In 1920 the receipts for the year were $214,647.44; in 1899, $49,201.57. I. A. Ball, a veteran in the service, is the assistant post- master. In April, 1922, Millard was succeeded by John R. Chace, who took charge in June.

The post office is now located at the south- east corner of Market and San Fernando Streets, on the site of old Chinatown, destroy- ed by fire in 1887. During the congressional campaign of 1888 Hon. Thomas J. Clunie pro- mised the voters of San Jose that if they would send him to Congress he would secure an appropriation for a post office building for the city. He was elected and kept his pro- mise, securing with the aid of Senator Hearst and Hon. W. M. Markham, an appropriation of $200.000. The ground cost $39,454.67. The cost of the building, which is built of sandstone, was $138,852.21, leaving a balance of $21,693.12.

The basement of the building is used for the heating and ventilating apparatus. In the south end is a room where the bulky articles of the parcels post are routed and distributed. The first floor is used entirely by the post of- fice and consists of one large room, money or- der and registry rooms and departments for general delivery and parcels post. The two large rooms on the second floor are for the use of the internal revenue officers and the Government Weather Bureau, the latter di- rected for many years by Maurice Connell, one of the survivors of the Greely Arctic Ex- pedition. He died in 1921 and was succeeded by E. S. Nichols.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Clubs of San Jose's Men and Women-Daughters of the Revolution- The Carnegie Library and the Free County Library-The American Legion-The County Pioneers-Sainte Claire Club, etc.

San Jose can show as large a number of Women's Clubs as any city of its size in the Union, for the women of the city are intelli- gent, cultivated and refined, and if they do not arrogate so much to themselves as do their sisters in Boston or Philadelphia they are found as eagerly pressing on in the paths of art, literature and music.

The San Jose Woman's Club is the largest of these organizations, its object being to pro- mote acquaintance, good-fellowship and coop- eration among the women of the city and vi- cinity, and to furnish a civic center where questions of importance to the community may be freely discussed and acted upon in the hope of promoting the interests and welfare of all concerned. The club was born in 1894, and the work is done in departments. The charter list of membership was, at the start, left open for one month. At the expiration of that time the enrollment showed forty names. The number steadily increased until the mem- bership reached 200. During the great Euro- pean war, the number dwindled to one hun- dred and fifty, but after hostilities had ceased there was a steady gain in membership. The club has never lost sight of the ideals upon which it was founded and is recognized as a power for good in the community. Its motto is: "All for one and one for all."

In 1897 the club joined the General Federa- tion of Clubs and in 1900 became affiliated with the State Federation. During the first three years of its existence the directors serv- ed in turn as president, and in 1898, Mrs. Ste- phen A. Jones was elected as its first regular president. She served two years, and was fol- lowed by Mrs. E. O. Smith, the founder of the club, in whose fertile brain was conceived the plan for a club house and the division of the work into departments of civics, music, art, literature, travel and social and household economics. This arrangement has continued to the present time. At the beginning of Mrs. Smith's second term of office her health failed, and the vice-president, Mrs. W. C. Kennedy, was obliged to carry on the work For the two years following, Mrs. Kennedy was the president, and it was during her incumbency that the money ($4000) was raised by enter- tainments for the building of the present club house on South Third Street, now Santa

Clara. It was also during this period that an , auxiliary to the club was formed. This con- sisted of the daughters of the members, who were permitted to use the club house for their meetings. About fifty young ladies responded and their club, which later was named To Ko- lan, came into being. In appreciation of her labors, Mrs. Kennedy, upon retiring from of- fice, was elected an honorary member.

Mrs. Alex. P. Mungotten served as presi- dent, 1904-06; Mrs. W. B. Hill, 1906-08; Mrs. Viola Price Franklin, 1908-09: Mrs. A. A. Fowler, 1909-11. It was during Mrs. Fowler's administraton that the club took up the mat- ter of incorporating as a body, the original in- corporation of a part of the club as a "Club House Association," not having proved satis- factory. The by-laws were amended and the whole club was reincorporated under the name of "The San Jose Woman's Club."

From 1911 to 1912. Mrs. J. V. Haley served as president. The following came in turn: Mrs. C. E. Randall, 1912-13: Mrs. O. P. Shrout, 1913-14: Mrs. J. E. Hancock, 1914-15 ; Mrs. Fred Schumacher, 1915-16: Mrs. Paul Clark, 1916-17 : Mrs. N. J. Grey, 1917-18; Mrs. S. Wills and Mrs. A. D. Grant, 1918-19; Mrs. F. H. Easty, 1919-20; Mrs. Eva E. Stahl, 1920-21.

The clubs in the County Alliance are as fol- lows: Manzanita Club, founded in 1884, Mrs. Milo P. Phelps, president : The Monday Chub, founded in 1904. Mrs. Fred Fehren, president ; Out-Door Art League, founded in 1904, Mrs. J. W. Davy, president; The Art History, founded in 1883, Mrs. Nicholas Bowden, pres- ident: To Kolan Club, organized in 1902, president, Mrs. Willard Hayden; Willows Reading and Study Club, organized in 1897, Mrs. J. R. Henwood, president; Short Story Club, a branch of the Pacific Short Story Club, organized in 1911, Mrs. W. C. Kennedy, president : Santa Clara Woman's Club, found- ed in 1904, Mrs. A. E. Osborne, president ; The Shakespeare Club, of Santa Clara. Miss Laura Mills, president ; Mountain View Wom- an's Club, Miss Emma Stevens, president; County Woman's Club, Campbell, Mrs. J. Fred Smith, president; Morgan Hill Wom- an's Club, Mrs. Giles Bradley, president : Sun- nyvale Woman's Club, Mrs. Sophie Durst. president ; Palo Alto Woman's Club, Mrs.

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HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Emily S. Dixon, president ; Gilroy Woman's Club, Mrs. Catherine T. Ryan, president.

Besides the County Alliance there is a County Federation of Clubs, composed of the following: Manzanita Club. San Jose Wom- an's Club, Santa Clara Woman's Club. Palo Alto Woman's Club, Mountain View Wom- an's Club, To Kolan, Perdita Circle, Los Ga- tos : History Club.

Other clubs not affiliated with the San Jose ' Woman's Club or the County Federation are The Fortnightly. founded in 1899, Mrs. J. D. T. Tuthill, president ; Sempervirens Club, A. P. Hill, president, and Mrs. W. C. Kennedy and Chas. Wesley Reed, honorary presidents : the Chautauqua Circle, Miss Lulu Blanchard, president ; The Art History Club, Mrs. Nich- olas Bowden, president: The Eastern Star, Mrs. 1. E. Dickenson, worthy matron; the different circles, guilds, societies and alliances of the churches: the Parent-Teachers' Asso- ciation of the public schools ; the Y. M. C. A., Y. W. C. A., the Y. M. I. and Y. L. I .: the different courts, the different Parlors of the Native Sons and Daughters, the Women's Relief Corps and the Congress of Mothers, and many others.

Newman Hall and Club

In 1904 Archbishop Riordan furnished the money for building Newman Hall for the Catholic girls attending the State Normal School. The location is on South Fifth Street near the corner of San Fernando Street and close to the Normal grounds. It is a hand- some, imposing structure, an adaptation of the. Roman-Corinthian style of architecture, and is admirably arranged for the purposes for which it was constructed. It was Archbishop Rior- dan's idea to provide a place where the Cath- olic Normal girls might meet to be further instructed in the Catholic doctrine and at the same time have a rest and club room. A chaplain was furnished and when not engaged in religious services the girls of the club -- for a club was formed-give entertainments, hear lectures and have the benefit of the well- stocked club library. There are eighty mem- bers of the club and the finances are looked after by the Catholic members of the Normal alumni. Mrs. R. Johnson is president of the student body. The upkeep of the institution is in the hands of the Catholic women of the city of San Jose.

Sainte Claire Club

There is no finer nor more picturesque building in San Jose than the one occupied by the Sainte Claire Club. It is situated on St. John Street at the corner of Second, and was built by Senator James D. Phelan in 1894. The club was organized November 15, 1888,

and for five years occupied rooms in the Rucker block. Dr. Pierce was the first presi- dent and C. M. Wooster, secretary. In 1906 the new building was shattered by the earth- quake, causing the club to seek quarters else- where. In 1907, repairs having been made, the club moved back to the old stand. The membership at present is 100. Luncheon is served every day. There are nine living and bath rooms on the third floor, card room and library on the second floor and social hall, dining room and kitchen on the first floor. The officers for 1920 were J. M. Parker, presi- dent; K. H. Plate, vice-president ; Chas. A. Barker, secretary. Other directors. A. E. Holmes, H. A. Pfister, James W. Findlay, F. A. Wilder. Following are some of the names of the deceased members: Hon. B. D. Murphy. W. P. Dougherty, Judge James R. Lewis, Col. A. K. Whitton, Ralph Lowe, Peter Etchebarne, Isaac Loeb, Gabriel Loeb. J. Naglee Burke, D. W. Burchard, James M. Rucker, Dr. G. W. Seifert, Harry Edwards. Peter C. Colombet. O. A. Hale, Judge Bond. J. R. Patton, L. A. Sage, Capt. N. D'Oyly, James H. Lyndon, W. J. Wilcox, Chas. Chap- man, Hon. C. T. Ryland and J. F. Green.

Two of the above named. Hon. C. T. Ry- land and Hon. B. D. Murphy, were able law- vers and orators. In the late '70s the Demo- crats controlled the State Legislature, hold- ing 83 out of a total of 120 votes. A United States senator was to be elected that year and the candidates were C. T. Ryland, James T. Farley, Mark McDonald and Niles Searles. Ryland was easily the ablest of the candidates. He as a San Josean of lofty intelligence and scrupulous honesty. A native of Missouri, he came to California when a boy of nineteen. He drove a mule team across the plains and arrived in California with only a few dollars in his pocket, but his laudable ambition and strong character soon led him into one good position after another. He was clerk of the Board of First Instance in San Francisco and afterwards was private secretary to Peter H. Burnett, first governor of California. He mar -. ried the governor's daughter, was admitted to the bar and in time rose to be one of the leading business and political factors of the state. His career as a lawyer opened in San Jose, and after years of success he gave up the law to enter the banking business. It was thought by his many friends in San Jose that he would have a walkover in the race for the United States senatorship, but these friends failed to take into account the fact that he was not a wire puller and that he had pitted against him some of the seasoned politicians of the state. But he made a game fight and

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it took twenty-five ballots to decide the issue. Farley winning without a vote to spare.

Hon. B. D. Murphy, of San Jose, was then a member of the State Senate. He was not a candidate for United States senator, but one of his staunch friends. Hon. Tom Fowler, who represented several counties in the San Joaquin Valley, resolved to give Barney a complimentary vote. Tom, a big, bluff West- erner, dealt in horses and talked "horse" from morning until night. His nominating speech was impromptu and Hon. John A. Hicks, the San Jose realty dealer, who was then a mem- ber of the Legislature and heard the speech, says it was about the richest thing that ever came out of the mouth of a California solon. Fowler first likened Barney to a horse and, as Hicks remembers it, he spoke somewhat after this fashion :

"It gives me great pleasure on this momen- tons occasion to place in nomination a thor- oughbred who never had the blind staggers. He sees straight and goes straight for what he sees. He is gentle when handled right and if she have the courage a lady can drive him. He is neither wind-galled, spavined nor has the heaves unless he is heaving some Republican maverick out of his way. True, he will kick up his heels when he feels good, but you may bet your bottom dollar that he will never kick over the traces. He is all wool and a yard wide thoroughbred and he can trace his lin- eage back to old Brian Boru who assisted St. Patrick in driving the snakes out of Milpitas. And, gentlemen, he is not a crib sucker, al- though if he lands in the senatorial crib he will make suckers out of all who oppose the principles of our noble party. Look at him and note that he measures up to the standard set by those matchless steeds that have been world beaters since the days of Alexander Yoell. Moreover, and don't let the fact escape your memory, he has horse sense, and that is saying a good deal in these days of windy rhetoric. And he'll stand without tying and doesn't need any sugar to make him good. be- cause he's good all through and all the time. He doesn't need a cinch, though it's a cinch that he'll make good, even if he has to take the bit between his teeth. Take him, don't pet him, for he'll do his work without petting, feed him three times a day, and between meals if you feel like it. for he is a good feeder and will come a-running to the manger, and you'll get more than your money's worth. Gentle- men, I am proud to place in nomination the Honorable Barney Murphy, of San Jose."

At the conclusion of the speech the great chamber resounded to the laughter and ap- planse of the assembled legislators.

Columbia Circle, C. L. S. C.

Chautauqua is represented in San Jose by Columbia Circle, which was organized in 1888. Mrs. Harriet M. Newell was the first president. Other presidents were Mrs. Addie Garrigus, 1894-1900: Mrs. Louisa George. 1900-06: Mrs. Mattie Herrington, 1906-07 : Mrs. Mary Haywards, 1907-08: Mrs. Maria Morse, 1908-09; Mrs. Ida Wadams, 1909-10; Mrs. Sarah Baker, 1910-11: Mrs. Mabel With- row, 1911-12; Mrs. Luhu Blanchard, 1912-20. Mrs. Blanchard was reelected for another year in 1920.

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 41

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