History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 56

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

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Mayfield

Mayfield is sixteen miles northwest of San Jose. It has a perfectly working $35,000 sewer system and a supply of artesian water, pure and inexhaustible. After a chemical

analysis of the water, the Southern Pacific Railroad Company selected Mayfield as a site for the erection of a 60,000-gallon water tank for through trains. The town has fine rail- way connections. There are the Blossom route to San Jose, the Waverly Avenue ex- tension from Palo Alto, and Stanford Univer- sity and other lines in prospect. A municipal water plant is run on a paying basis, there is a modern grammar school, churches, electric lighting and every up-to-date public service, including a newspaper, the Mayfield News, published by W. J. Nichols. There are two fruit canneries, the Bayside and the Lock Foon, the latter conducted by a Chinaman who owns and operates another cannery at Alviso. The town also has a Chamber of Commerce, a town hall, a bank, churches, schools and fra- ternal organizations. Fruit growing, dairy- ing and chicken raising are the principal in- dustries. The California Chicken Company's ranch is one of the largest on the coast. The proximity of Stanford University gives the town exceptional educational advantages. The trustees are R. L. Pitcher, chairman ; Stephen Anderson, Frank Minaker, T. B. Scott, E. J. Kingham. S. M. Cuthbertson is the clerk.

Mayfield was settled in 1853, and in 1855 a postoffice was established. The railroad ar- rived in 1864, but the station was located three-quarters of a mile from town. Two years afterward it was removed to its present position. William Paul regularly laid out the town in 1867.

Morgan Hill

It is not generally known that Portola's ex- pedition, as it crossed the Coast Range, com- ing in from the ocean, first looked upon the Santa Clara Valley from the heights above what is now known as the incorporated town of Morgan Hill, twenty miles south of San Jose on the Southern Pacific Railroad. Strang- ers, as they pass by train through the Santa Clara Valley are always impressed wth the sharp outlines of the cone-like peak just west of Morgan Hill. This is El Toro (the Bull), and it has a well-defined spur running south, and another branching east, ending in two, rounded, wooded hills that lie in the corpo- rate limits of the town and on which cluster several beautiful homes. Morgan Hill is the name of a pioneer resident, the old home, with its vine-covered porticos, being near the high school and situated on the tract of land that was subdivided several years ago. To ascend El Toro is the desire, usually accomplished, of every person who spends even a few days in this neighborhood. It has a good climb, none too strenuous and well worth the trip, if

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only for the pleasure of the exercise and the splendid view at the summit. On the way half a mile from town, the experimental grounds of the Leonard Coates Nursery Com- pany are passed. Horticulturists from vari- ous parts of the United States, as well as from abroad, often visit these grounds. Mr. Coates is an enthusiast on the subject of the cultiva- tion of native plants and trees of California.

Morgan Hill lies on the crown of the val- ley, with a fall of nearly 300 feet, either north to San Jose or south to Gilroy. On the east the Coyote River pours through a most pic- turesque gorge into the valley, running toward San Jose. The hill scenery is magnificent and the country through the various ranges up to Pine Hill is wild and untouched by man. It is on the eastern side of the valley, near Morgan Hill, where Charles Kellogg lives. He is a noted bird lover and lecturer and his lectures are always illustrated by the singing of bird songs so that the hall itself will seem to vibrate with the melody. The Kellogg home is in a ravine, far up the mountainside, in the midst of a great grove of oaks.

Small farming is the main industry about Morgan Hill. Of the fruits the prune is the main crop, apricots, peaches, pears and all other deciduous fruits also being extensively grown. Apples do well, a good interest on the investment being realized. Grape growing is an extensive industry, the vineyards mainly nestling on the hillside. Prior to the enforce- ment of the prohibition law, a large winery a few miles south, the property of the Califor- nia Wine Growers' Association, was profita- bly operated. Nut growing is a money-mak- ing industry. Almonds and walnuts do well. The Live Oak Union high school, just north of Morgan Hill, on the state highway, is well situated amongst a grove of live oaks, with spacious grounds well planted with a variety of trees and shrubs. Five school districts are included-Packwood, Madrone, Machado, San Martin and Morgan Hill.

A few years ago an additional concrete building or annex was added to accommodate the increasing attendance at the school. The town is on the great state highway and there are many beautiful drives in the valley and mountains. One favorite drive is through Paradise Valley and over "The Divide" into Llagas Avenue. A few miles further on, at Redwood Retreat is the Robert Louis Steven- son bungalow, now the summer residence of Lloyd Osbourne, Stevenson's stepson. Still higher up, not far from a mountain stream, is a crescent-shaped stone bench, surmounted by an iron cross, under which is the inscription : "Frank Norris, 1870-1902. Simpleness and

gentleness and honor and clean mirth." Nor- ris, one of the greatest of American writers, lived in a log cabin nearby. It has a charming situation on the mountainside. The purity of the air and the aromatic fragrance of the woods gave him inspiration for some of his popular novels.

The Morgan Hill ranch was subdivided in 1892, and the town was incorporated in 1906. The Bank of Morgan Hill was established in 1905. The town has one newspaper, the Times, which came into existence in 1892. For twelve years G. K. Estes was editor. He sold out to the present owner, H. V. Pillow, in 1918. Now there are several general merchan- dise stores, one bank, a cannery, a packing house and a lumber yard. The churches are well represented. Population about 1500. The town is not merely noted for its fine horticul- tural and agricultural apportunities but also for its hundreds of cosy farm houses and for its poultry farms, dairy and stock ranches. In 1919 the enterprising women of the town or- ganized The Friendly Inn. The object was to have a civic center to take the place of the saloon. Here are found rest room, library, coffee and lunch room, and a large room for meetings.

In 1917 the farmers of the section formed a Farmers Union Stock Company and opened a general merchandise and agricultural im- plements store. In 1919 the receipts were $270,000. The latest progressive movement by the farmers is a cooperative garage.

A shocking event occurred near Morgan Hill on Tuesday, July 6, 1909. On that day Miss Isola Kennedy, a prominent temperance worker and president of the Tri-County W. C. T. U., went for a picnic in the eastern foot- hills about four miles from town. With her was Henry Merkle, a ten-year-old boy from Fruitvale, and Curtis Lane, another boy of about the same age. These boys, with an- other lad, Earl Wilson, were bathing in a creek that flowed past the picnic grounds, when a California lion of large size came out of the bushes and attacked young Wilson, in flicting ugly wounds on the scalp and ear. Miss Kennedy, ran to the boy's assistance to have the lion leap upon her and knock her down. She fought heroically, using a hat pin as a weapon of defense and trying desperately to save her neck from the teeth of the vicious beast.

The boys ran to the tents of the Bay Cities Water Company and called Jack Conlan. He seized a shotgun and ran to the relief of Miss Kennedy. She was still on the ground and the lion was tearing at her flesh. Two shots were fired by Conlan, but as they seemed to

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have no effect, he hurried back to the camp, procured a rifle and returning shot the lion in the head and breast.

Miss Kennedy was removed to town as quickly as possible and the next day a thor- ough examination of her wounds was made by Dr. J. T. Higgins, assisted by Dr. F. W. Watt. It was found that one ear was com- pletely eaten off, the other ear badly lacerated, while a three-cornered cut by the right eye had laid the bone bare. The left arm was fearfully mangled from bites and scratches, there being fifteen deep gashes from the shoul- der to the wrist. The right arm, leg and back were also lacerated. After suffering greatly Miss Kennedy passed away in September. Earl Wilson, the boy first attacked by the lion, died of lockjaw, superinduced by blood poisoning, shortly before this.

Berryessa

This village lies four miles northeast of San Jose, close to the eastern foothills. It is a populous fruit section and the trees are large and thrifty. Apricots, prunes, peaches, walnuts and cherries are grown in the vicinity of Berryessa Corners, where Capital Avenue and the Berryessa road come together. There is a general merchandising store, a Methodist church, a grammar school and an improve- ment club. The climate is similar to that over the floor of the valley. The elevation is at least 100 feet greater than that of San Jose and because of this fact the village has be- come an important apricot district. The elec- tric cars from San Jose to Alum Rock pass through the village. There are telephones, rural delivery and electric power for pumping.

The most important industry is the Flick- inger Fruit Cannery. Only extras are packed. There are 250 acres in the tract and buildings of all kinds for handling the fruit. About 200 men and women are employed during the busy season. The business was started in 1886 by J. H. Flickinger. When he bought the land in 1880 for his orchard and cannery it was in pasture, grain and mustard, and honeycombed by squirrels and gophers. He immediately inaugurated a revolution. He planted his orchard, fought squirrels and go- phers, spent money lavishly until as a result of his efforts, in 1887, he turned out orchard products that sold for over $100,000. Mr. Flickinger died in 1898, and the establishment has since been conducted by the Flickinger family. L. F. Graham is the president and manager; Chas. T. Flickinger is treasurer ; Miss F. Flickinger is secretary, and W. R. Leland is superintendent. Of late years the equipment has been so improved that the can-

nery is able to perform more and better work than formerly. Cherries, apricots, peaches and tomatoes are handled.

For many years J. F. Pyle, a pioneer of 1846, conducted a cannery on his ranch of eighty-four acres at the corner of the King and Maybury roads. In 1907 the cannery business was removed to the corner of Fifth and Martha Streets, San Jose. About 300 people are employed during the busy season. The manager is Harry Pyle; superintendent, E. G. Pyle, both sons of J. F. Pyle.

In the month of December , 1877, the set- tlers in Berryessa were wrought up to the highest pitch of enthusiasm over the cheer- ing news from Washington that the suit in- volving the title to the lands they occupied had been finally dceided in their favor by the Supreme Court of the United States. The event was celebrated on December 22 by a grand barbecue in the school house enclosure. When the hour of noon arrived the place was thronged with people. Berryessa turned out every man, woman and child, while San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Mayfield, Mil- pitas, Alviso and Evergreen were represented by large delegations, the total number of par- ticipants exceeding 1500. Uncle Ike Bran- ham, assisted by the ladies of the village, su- perintended the arrangements for the barbe- cue proper. Besides all the attractive essen- tials of the meat feast, there was an array of succulent extras fit for a kingly epicure. The festivities opened with a mass meeting in the school house, which failed to accommodate · more than one-third of those who desired to listen. Congratulatory addresses were deliv- ered by Hon. S. O. Houghton, Hon. C. T. Ryland, Judge Lawrence Archer, Hon. Thomas Bodley, J. R. Hall and J. H. M. Town- send, after which the attack on the tables commenced. After the feast Bronson & Dag- gett's band summoned the people to the school, where dancing was kept up until after midnight.

The history of the suit is as follows: The disputed tract, which covered the village of Berryessa, contained over 15,000 acres. In 1852 Nicolas Berryessa filed a claim on the land before the United States land commis- sioner, under a permit from the alcalde of San Jose. The evidence to support the claim was lacking and afterward an amended petition was filed. This petition set up a grant from the Mexican government, which, however, had been lost or mislaid. To support his claim Berryessa filed what in Spanish is called a diseno, which is a topographical sketch or chart, showing a tract of land comprising 15,000 acres. It was alleged that this chart

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was attached to the petition upon which the grant was originally issued. In 1853 the claim was declared a fraud on its face. Many of the topographical features delineated had no existence prior to 1852, while the assertion was made that the grant was issued in 1835. But the most glaring defect was this: lt showed the Aguaze Creek as running from the hills straight to the Coyote, while, as a mat- ter of fact, the Aguaze turned to the north about half a mile east of the Coyote, the wat- ers finding their way through the willow thickets to form Penetencia Creek. This was prior to 1852.

In that year a settler dug a ditch and built fences, and in the fall the creek sent down its waters, which entered the ditch and contin- ued on, cutting a channel through which the waters were afterward discharged. Still an- other defect in the diseno was the representa- tion of a two-story house in the north corner of the rancho, known to have been built in 1850, while the diseno was alleged to have been made in 1835. In consequence of these defects the Berryessa claim was rejected by the land commissioners.

Afterwards Horace W. Carpentier, of Oak- land, acquired possession of nearly all of Ber- ryessa's claim and prosecuted it in the courts. He had been unable, however, to present any archive testimony. Similar cases had gone before the Supreme Court and the rule had been laid down that land claims could not be confirmed which did not have archive testi- mony in support of them. Defeated in all his proceedings, Carpentier, in 1865, suddenly al- leged that he had found a book of record in the surveyor general's office in which was a copy of a grant to Nicolas Berryessa. It was on a loose sheet of the book and subsequent investigations showed that it was not a part of the original record but had been placed in the book long after the original entries had been made. The claimants were routed again and no evidence has been found in either Mexican or California archives to show that such a grant ever existed.

The Berryessa settlers bought of the city of San Jose under the belief that Berryessa had no grant and that the territory was pueblo land. The Supreme Court of the United States at last confirmed their title and the long litigation was over. S. O. Houghton and Montgomery Blair argued the case for the set- tlers. E. R. Carpentier and Judge Phillips, of Washington, appeared for Carpentier.

Alma

Alma is beautifully situated in a grove of oaks on a bench beside the Los Gatos Creek. three miles above Los Gatos and twelve miles

from San Jose. The village is not large, con- taining a store, postoffice, blacksmith shop, a railway station and a number of pretty resi- dences. It is an important shipping point, as there are in the mountains above extensive fruit growing districts. The climate is very pleasant. Alma escapes the fogs which visit the coast slopes of the mountains to the west and as the elevation is 560 feet, the weather in the daytime is not so warm as in the valley. It is one of the choicest sections in the state for apiculture. as there are few other locali- ties which furnish so constant a supply of food and the honey is very white, has a deli- cious flavor and commands a ready sale.

On the Mount Pleasant road, up Cavanagh Creek, on the property of the San Jose Water Works, there is a strong soda spring, which contains iron and magnesia. The water flows from a small pool by the side of a stream which comes up in silvery bubbles through the clear water which is alive with ebullition. The sides of the spring have the familiar snuff-brown of oxydized iron. The water has gained quite a reputation for its medicinal qualities, which, of course, are confined to the minerals, the so-called soda taste being im- parted solely by the carbonic gas. The Moody Gulch oil wells, now used for the manufacture of gasoline, are situated but a short distance from Alma.

Wright's Station, though a small village, is an important shipping point, as it is the depot for the extensive fruit growing section in the surrounding mountains. It is located at the head of the Los Gatos Canyon, sixteen miles south of San Jose. Travelers on the cars re- ceive little intimation from what they see along the route to the station, concerning the rich and beautiful section which crowns the mountains above the heavy belt of timber which covers the hillside and reaches down into the stream rushing through the canyon. The roads which leave the little space of open ground by the depot to enter the leafy tunnels through the woods furnish no suggestion of the vine-clad slopes, the orchards, the tower- ing redwoods, the green fields and the cosy homes which adorn the great territory above and beyond. The beauty of this section can not adequately be described. Within the past decade people in search of sites for homes have climbed the mountain sides, searched out the springs and made winding roads around the knolls, up the canyon and to the very summit.

Ambrose Bierce, the noted satirist, critic and short story writer, resided for several years in the hills a few miles from Wright's. He went to Mexico in the fall of 1913 and

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his fate was a mystery until James H. Wil- kins, a San Francisco Bulletin writer and for- mer state's prison director, visited the City of Mexico in March, 1920, and there learned what had befallen the eminent Californian. Wilkins knew Bierce and while in Mexico he talked with one of the members of a firing squad before whom Bierce stood in 1915 and died like a soldier. The story was verified by a picture of Bierce which the Mexican took from the dead American's body.

The story runs thus: Bierce and Melero (the Mexican) joined Carranza's forces, but later separated. In 1915, Melero, as a Villista, heard of the capture of a mule train which Bierce had commanded. The Villistas made the capture, but returned to headquarters with but two prisoners-a muleteer and a tall. white-haired American. After a pere mptory court martial the two were sentenced to be shot.

"A one-eyed man would have known that the American was a man of distinction," said Melero. "The muleteer-an Indian-dropped to his knees, prayed and motioned the Ameri- can to follow his example. The American hesitated a moment, then straightened, folded his arms and waited. There was no delay. An officer signaled, the shots rang out and the two prisoners fell forward. "Their effects were searched," continued Melero, "and I took this photograph in the hope that it might sometime identify the American."

Of Bierce's stories, Elbert Hubbard, who was one of the Lusitania's victims, once said : "Ambrose Bierce is the boss of us all. He can do without us, but we can't do without him and still have the sunshine and the shade. He knows life in its every phase. Owen Wister gave this opinion: "Some of the things that Bierce wrote are wonderful-a work of genius, in fact." Joel Chandler Harris expressed this opinion : "If I were Santa Claus, I'd put into the hands of every intelligent man and woman in the United States an edition of Ambrose's Bierce's remarkable stories of soldiers and civilians." Arthur Brisbane said: "Ambrose Bierce is one of the best writers in America, perhaps the best."

When Bierce lived in the hills above Wright's, he made many bicycle trips to San Jose. On one of these trips his bike broke down and he went into a shop on Santa Clara Street for the necessary repairs. The young man in charge promised to have the job done in an hour and then said: "What name. please?" "My name is Ambrose Bierce," said

the great satirist in his most dignified man- ner. "All right, Mr. Pierce, come back in an hour and your wheel will be ready for you." "Bierce is my name," snapped the author. "I get you, Steve," cherrily responded the re- pairer. "I won't forget." Bierce, somewhat mollified, went out. It may be said here that while not a vain man, Bierce was proud of his position in the world of letters and it was balm to his soul to think that his name was a household word in California. Praise never offended him, but detraction irritated him. As for crass ignorance he had no words with which to express his contempt and disgust. At the end of an hour he returned to the shop. The bicycle was ready for him and as the re- pairer took off the tag Bierce saw that the . name written in pencil thereon was "Ambers Peerce." The satirist glared at the repairer. opened his mouth to speak, concluded not to. and went out, hardly comforted by the know !- edge that there was one man in the state who had never heard of him.

Several years before this episode, Bierce. residing in San Francisco, made frequent vis- its to San Jose. On one of these visits his companion was Arthur McEwen, a brilliant journalist, whose written language was some- times as sharp and scintillant as that of Bierce. After seeing the sights of the city, Bierce sug- gested that they hunt up the late Charley Shortridge, then publisher of the Mercury, and take him for a hack ride. McEwen agreed to this and, learning that Shortridge was at home, the hack was driven to the place and Shortridge was invited to come out. The San Jose newspaper publisher showed himself at a second-story window and declined the invi- tation, asserting that he was tired and needed sleep. While Bierce was protesting, Short- ridge closed the wndow and returned to his bed. The entente cordiale heretofore existing between the two men was then and there broken never to be reestablished. Each said unkind things about the other and finally Bierce impaled and then embalmed Short- ridge in a couplet in "Black Beetles in Amber."

One of Bierce's early friends was that wit. politician and bon vivant, Paul Neumann, who for years was a member of the cabinet of King Kalakaua. of the Hawaiian Islands. He delivered a lecture in San Jose while the peo- ple were laughing over a rhyming clash be- tween him and Bierce. Both wrote for the IF'asp and they frequently joshed each other.

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Bierce did not always get the best of it as the following will show :

"Neumann on debt emits his sparks Of wit, with wisdom by the ream ; All feel the weight of his remarks And he the burden of his theme. His words run off page after page On debt. What is it but the shout Of Sterne's poor starling in a cage? 'I can't get out, I can't get out.'" -Ambrose Bierce.

"Striking each tradesman and each friend Though none will trust and none will lend, Bierce works himself into a pet And clamors of the sin of debt. I thus translate his sturdy din, 'I can't get in. I can't get in.'" -Paul Neumann.

Patchen

Patchen, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, above Lexington, an old stage station, boasts of a postoffice and a few residences. It is on the old Mountain Charley road, about two miles from the Mountain Charley ranch. In the early days grizzly bears abounded in the Santa Cruz hills and Mountain Charley (Charles McKiernan) was a great bear hunter. For a while he killed deer for the San Fran- cisco market, making over $7,000 by the work. He kept a flock of sheep, but one night a Cali- fornia lion (cougar) got among them and killed seventy. After this misfortune McKier- nan sold his sheep and became one of the noted bear and lion hunters of the state.

Not long after he had parted with his sheep he was hunting about three miles from his home, when he discovered a large grizzly bear lying on her haunches with her head turned towards him. McKiernan approached to within ten steps of the bear, dismounted from his mule and shot the bear in the back of the head. Supposing he had killed her, he commenced reloading his gun. After he had put in the powder and was about to ram down the ball, the bear made a rush at him. Mc- Kiernan grabbed the pommel of his saddle and was about to mount when the mule jumped, jerked away from him, leaving him sprawling on the ground, and ran home. The bear in the meantime had returned to her nest where she had left her two cubs. But she did not stay there long. McKiernan had just got to his feet and was in the act of picking up his gun when the bear made for him. As there was no chance to shoot, McKiernan took to his heels. Next day he returned to the place to find the bear dead. The cubs were in the

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History of Santa Clara County California with biographical sketches, Part 56

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