History of Sonoma County : including its geology, topography, mountains, valleys, and streams, Part 47

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. 4n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: San Francisco : Alley, Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1008

USA > California > Sonoma County > History of Sonoma County : including its geology, topography, mountains, valleys, and streams > Part 47

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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

circulated with a petition for the signatures of voters, to be presented to the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma county for their approval-a sure sign of the steady increase of prosperity. On October 17th, the Democrat says : " We are gratified to observe the amount of business transacted daily in our thriving little town, and the numerous evidences of substantial prosperity and improvement in our midst. New buildings are in process of construc- tion, and material improvements are being made in almost every quarter. Numerous wagons and horses, and crowds of persons on the main street give an appearance of considerable life to the place, while business men speak well of matters in the way of trade. In addition, the stages come in every morn- ing filled with passengers, and hardly a day passes but bands of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs are driven through town, on the way to the market below. All things considered, Santa Rosa is getting along very well, and her citizens have no cause to complain. There is not a vacant house in town, and rents pay a handsome interest on the investments, and property com- mands a good price."

In the month of March, 1867, the prayer of the petitioners for the incor- poration of the town of Santa Rosa under the laws of the State was granted by the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma county, and an election ordered to take place on the 11th for provisional officers, which resulted in the following choice : C. W. Langdon, J.F. Boyce, T. B. Hood, B. Marks, A. P. Petit, Board of Trustees; E. T. Farmer, Treasurer ; H. G. Parks, Marshal; J. H. Richardson, Assessor; C. W. Langdon being elected President; B. Marks, Clerk ; and P. B. Hood, Attorney. The first duty of the Board on organization was the passage of an Ordinance, No. One, providing for the establishment of a pound, and pro- hibiting the running at large on the streets of cattle, hogs, horses, vicious dogs, etc., and making it an offence against the authority of the town to leave saddle horses unhitched or unattended by reliable persons. On the 11th of May following the first regular election of Trustees was held, when J. F. Boyce, C. W. Langdon, A. P. Petit, B. Marks and F. G. Hahman were selected to be the Board of Trustees; H. G. Parks, Marshal; Z. Middleton, Recorder; E. T. Farmer. Treasurer ; P. B. Hood, Attorney; William See, Assessor ; and John Taylor, Pound-keeper.

In the early part of the year the "Kessing Hotel," situated on Main street, was opened by F. H. Coe, formerly proprietor of the Geyser Hotel, and supplied a desideratum long felt and acknowledged. This sign of the times was by no means a solitary instance, however, for during the latter part of 1867 there were no less than ten buildings being proceeded with at one time, while in the matter of trade, the busy hum of business was to be heard form morn till night.

On April 20, 1868, the annual appointment of the municipality resulted in the election of John T. Fortson, Thomas N. Willis, W. E. Cocke, George Noonan, and A. C. Raney, Board of Trustees; C. G. Ames, Treasurer; J.

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H. Farmer, Marshal; D. S. Sacry, Assessor; G. P. Noonan, Clerk, and A. W. Middleton, Attorney.

It would appear that the plaza had, up to this period, been allowed to get into a state of much disrepair, so much so that it was thought that the citizens had ceased to take any pride in its beauty or ornamentation. Such being the case certain parties obtained, for a consideration, a cession of all rights, present and prospective, which he might have in the plot, from Julio Carillo, who originally granted one-half the square-it is unnecessary to enter here on the subject of how he claimed such right, suffice it to say that on the night of the 14th April, a few individuals commenced the erec- tion of a frame building thereon. Marshal Parks immediately arrested Wesley Wood, James Hayward, Edward Minott, and William Harrow, workmen on the house, who were bound over to appear for trial. Three of them were carpenters employed to do the work by those who claimed the plaza under Julio Carrillo's bill of sale. On the 21st they were tried before Recorder Middleton, charged with violating a Town Ordinance, and after much difficulty in impaneling a jury was experienced, Wood was found guilty, and sentenced to pay a fine of thirty-eight dollars and seventy-five cents, the bare cost of the proceedings. The all-important subject of railroad communication at last took tangible shape in this year. On May 19th. the route from Petaluma, or that from Vallejo, Solano county, was left to the people, the choice being for the first named. Prompt proceedings were at once instituted, a full description of which will be found in our history of Petaluma, and on the 4th of July ground was broken at the Petaluma end of the line. . In the midst of prosperity some event will occur to prove to us that we do not fashion our coming or our going: on July 6th a fire broke out on Main, between Second and Third streets, which might have laid the principal portion of the town in ashes; however, owing to the strenuous efforts of the Fire Department the flames were subdued, but not until damage to the extent of four thousand dollars had been sustained, prinei- pally by Kessing & Tupper, Wise & Goldfish, and H. Vaughan. Notwith- standing this calamity, the Democrat, of the 25th July, says: It is very gratifying, in looking around us, to notice the steady march of improvements in Santa Rosa and its vicinity, which have taken place within the past three years, giving evidence of the progress of our county and the good taste and prosperity of our citizens. The alterations and improvements made in our county buildings, both for beauty and convenience, cannot be surpassed by any county in the State. Our new county hospital is everything that could be desired for beauty and comfort. Among the many handsome residences which have been ereeted we have merely space enough to mention those of J. M. Williams, Dr. J. F. Boyce, and A. P. Petit, all of which are beautiful structures, with all the latest improvements of first-class dwelling houses, and compare favorably with the finest residences in the county.

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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

The business portion of our town is also improving rapidly. We have a handsome, large and comfortable school house, which is occupied by three flourishing schools. Two new churches will be erected here this year, one of which, the Presbyterian, is now in the course of construction."

May 8, 1869, the following corporate officers were elected: Board of Trustees, Z. Middleton, George P. Noonan, William See, J. P. Clark, Edward Neblett; Marshal, J. Claypool; Assessor, J. H. Richardson; Treasurer, E. T. Farmer; Clerk, G. P. Noonan.

In regard to the prospective arrival of the railroad, a meeting of citizens was held in the court-house, on January 2, 1869, and a committee appointed to consult with the residents of the town, and those owning lands suitable for the purpose of a railroad depot, in respect to the loca- tion of the same. On the 6th they reported : "Your committee, to whom was referred the matter of soliciting a depot for the Sonoma County Rail- road, near the town of Santa Rosa, beg leave to report the following as the result of their service : From James P. Clark and Dr. J. F. Boyce they received an offer of two acres of land immediately east of the west line of the corporation, lying between the extension of the streets bounding the south and north side of the plaza, also streets up to the railway. This location is deemed by your committee as suited to the business interests of Santa Rosa, and is easily approached on both sides of the land proposed to be located. Messrs. Kiute and Morgan propose to donate to the company five acres, to be located four hundred yards from the bridge, at the end of the street leading toward Healdsburg, and in a northwest direction from said bridge, and agree to permit the company to take it in any shape they desire to have it. They also offer to give the right of way through their land, if their offer of land for a depot is accepted. Mrs. Lacey offers to donate two acres of land near the said bridge. Dr. Williams offers to donate eight lots, aggregating about one acre of land, on condition that the company will run their track along the street in front of his residence. Your committee believe that the land owners convenient to the line of road are liberally dis- posed, and will cheerfully accommodate the company and the people of Santa Rosa to a depot, satisfactory to all parties, when they ascertain fully what will be demanded. Respectfully submitted, C. W. Langdon, E. Neblett, G. A. Tupper." Upon motion, the land offered to be donated by Messrs. Clark & Boyce was accepted.

May 2, 1870, the annual election of town officers took place, the following forming the municipality : J. F. Boyce, E. T. Farmer, M. Johnson, F. G. Hahman, G. P. Noonan, Board of Trustees; G. T. Pauli, Treasurer; Taylor Harden, Assessor; Theodore Parks, Marshal.

On January 8th the Santa Rosa Water Company was incorporated, the object being to supply the town with pure and fresh water. The capital stock was thirty thousand dollars, divided into three hundred shares of one

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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

hundred dollars each, the Trustees being : J. M. Williams, L. D. Latimer, A. Thomas and F. G. Hahman. In the month of April following, another association, having the same object in view, named the Santa Rosa and Guilicos Water Company, filed articles of incorporation. This company, which intended to supply the wants of the town from the Santa Rosa creek, had a capital of fifty thousand dollars, divided into five hundred shares, and a term of existence limited to fifty years. The Trustees were ; H. W. Spencer, William Hood, Martin Hudson and Melville Johnson.

A meeting of citizens was had on May 28th of this year at the court- house to confer with the committee having the business in charge, of moving the Southern Methodist College from Vacaville, Solano county, to Santa Rosa, should such be deemed advisable. To this end, Honorable R. C. Haile, Colonel Charles Ramsey, and Reverends O. P. Fitzgerald, W. R. Gober, and George Simms, the committee on the location of the college, paid Santa Rosa a visit on June 1st, and after a thorough examination and consideration of the inducements offered, resolved to locate the seat of learning in that town, the Santa Rosa committee conferring with them being, Judge A. Thomas, W. S. M. Wright, H. T. Hewitt, John S. Taylor, and Henry Mizer. In a short time the sum of fifteen thousand dollars was raised for the purpose of erecting the college building, which was in due course, accepted by the Directors. The committee in whose hands was placed the responsibility of choosing a suitable location whereon to erect the new structure, selected a portion of the north-east tract of land adjoining the town, belonging to Messrs. Ames and Farmer. Mr. Leonard, of San Francisco, made arrange- ments for the immediate commencement of work on the edifice, which was promised to be both handsome and substantial, and to cost about the sum mentioned above as having been subscribed. The corner stone was laid with full Masonic honors on the first October, with much ceremony. The building was to be when finished, three stories in height, each room to be well ventilated and furnished with every requisite for the convenience and comfort of students, while an able corps of professors had been secured.

The first session of the Pacific Methodist College commenced in Santa Rosa on February 1, 1871, under the superintendence of Prof. Chas. S. Smyth, in a large brick building, the property of Messrs. Ames and Farmer, the college not being yet completed. It was, however, duly inaugurated August 9th of that year, when addresses were delivered by Governor H. H. Haight, Doctor Fitzgerald, State Superintendent of Schools, and Rev. W. R. Gober, of Sacramento. The faculty was then composed as follows: President, A. L. Fitzgerald; professor of mathematics, Charles S. Smyth; professor of lan- guages, Charles King; primary department, Miss Florence Miller; musical department, F. F. Zelmer; teacher of French and Spanish languages, Miss Louisa Parks.

In the month of February, 1870, work was commenced on a new public

CAPT JOSEPH R. WALKER.

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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

hall by Mr. Klute, and the building of a Catholic church was fast progress- ing toward completion. W. B. Denison had started a factory about a mile from town on the Healdsburg road, where he was manufacturing all kinds of crockery ware. In the month of October gasoline was first introduced into the city, and four lamps for its use erected on the plaza, many more being erected on Main street during the following month; while in Novem- ber the Santa Rosa Bank was established, having as Trustees, David Burris, T. N. Willis, E. T. Farmer, C. G. Ames, and A. Thomas, the capital being one hundred thousand dollars.

At this period, July 1870, says one of the many writers on Sonoma county, Santa Rosa is one of the prettiest little towns in the State of California. It is the county seat of Sonoma, and the second largest town in the county. Santa Rosa is sixteen miles from Petaluma, which latter place is the principal shipping point for the county, and a large portion of Mendo- cino and Lake counties, twenty miles from the town of Sonoma, sixteen miles from Healdsburg, and twenty-six from Bodega. The town was origin- ally laid out by Julio Carrillo, Hoen, Hartman and Hahman, in 1853; since that time it has grown steadily, and now contains a population of fifteen hundred, it having been incorporated for upwards of two years. There is a regular line of mail coaches running from Petaluma to Cloverdale, and a daily mail, Sundays excepted. Between five and six hundred votes are polled at this place. The county property here is valued at sixty thousand dollars.

The public school is kept open for eight months of the year. Four teachers are employed during the winter months, and five in the summer, with an average attendance of two hundred and seventy-five children. Besides this, two private schools are well supported. The Catholics, Baptists, Methodist Episcopals, South Methodists, Presbyterians, Christians and Seventh-Day Adventists have each a church building, while the Episcopalians hold their services in the court-house.

The Santa Rosa Library contains about two hundred volumes of historical, biographical, poetical and other instructive works. There are five brick buildings occupied by dry goods and provision stores, one brick building used as a livery stable, one for a drug-store, and one for a bookstore, while there is a two storied brick unoccupied, one brick engine house, and two brick residences. The largest and finest residence is owned by Dr. J. F. Boyce and the second largest is the property of Henry Klute; the other dwellings are one and two story frame buildings.

It has five dry goods and provision stores, three family grocery stores, three drug-stores, one bookstore, three hotels and two restaurants, one whole- sale and retail liquor establishment, five retail liquor saloons, one billiard saloon, three wagon manufactories, one carriage and buggy manufactory five blacksmith's shops, two saddlery shops, two tailor shops, two tin and hardware stores, three boot and shoe shops, one boot and shoe store, two

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lumber yards, five carpenter shops, one cabinet and furniture establishment, one chair factory, one bakery, three livery and feed stables, two barber shops, one daguerrean gallery, two millinery and dress making establishments, two · paint shops, one cooper shop, one jewelry and watch and cloek maker's store, one public hall, one fire-engine, and the largest interior newspaper published in the State, having a circulation of one thousand two hundred copies, and a liberal advertising patronage. The Masons and Odd Fellows have each a prosperous lodge located here. There are three physicians and eight lawyers.

In the month of August we find the Board of Supervisors negotiating for the purchase of a lot on the corner of Fourth street and Exchange avenue whereon to erect a new hall of records, in accordance with a bill passed by the Legislature providing for the issuance of bonds, etc., for this purpose. On the 6th September, James M. Palmer, a member of the Board of Super- visors, protested against the purchase of any real estate for the purpose of constructing a hall of records thereon, and also against the construction of said hall on any lot except the court-house lot. Notwithstanding this protest, matters progressed, for on the 13th of the month the bid of A. P. Petit for its construction was accepted; on the 21st he filed his bonds and the work was directed to be proceeded with. The corner-stone was laid with Masonic ceremonies on March 4, 1871, and the building was finished in November of that year.

In the year 1870, there was a wish expressed that the Odd Fellows' College and Home should be located in Santa Rosa; a subscription list was started and a considerable sum of money subscribed to get it here, but as there were very many other places competing for this honor, a more favored spot has been thus hallowed.

On November 22, 1870, the first passenger car bearing the name " Dona- hue " arrived at Santa Rosa amid considerable rejoicing, thus making con- neetion through to San Francisco boats, Clark and Bostwick running stages to the terminus. Up to this time the iron-horse had not actually been brought to the city; on the 12th November the question of the site for a railroad depot was settled at a publie meeting. The company, it was resolved, was to have seven aeres of land situated half-a-mile from the court-house and lying between Third and Fourth streets. The property formerly belonged to Messrs. Boyce and Clark, each of whom gave one hundred dollars towards its purchase for the use of the railroad company. The citizens of the town subscribed three hundred dollars and the Board of Trustees became responsible for the balance. With this matter arranged, property contiguous to the site of the future depot was at once laid off into town lots, while the city itself appeared to gain new life, the business places increasing and the hotels doing a thriving trade through the increase of travel, etc. Freight increased and considerable traffic was inaugurated in real estate.

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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

It may be remembered that about the year 1868, Wesley Woods and several other parties elaimed to be the owners of the plaza, basing their claim on the purchase of all the right, titles and interest of the original owner, who had previously given the land to the town, the elaimant asserting that the town had never formally accepted the gift, and, furthermore, that the conditions precedent to its taking effect had not been complied with. About that time Woods and others hastily erected a shanty on the plaza and claimed to be in possession. Considerable indignation was aroused by this proceeding and the building was summarily torn down and the parties arrested for violating a local ordinance. Subsequently, they brought a suit in ejectment to recover the land and were non-suited when the case came up. Then a change was made to Marin where the matter rested for a time. In the latter part of November, 1870 the case came up in that county, and again the plaza "jumpers " were non-suited. Returning imme- diately to Santa Rosa they once more entered on the disputed ground and shortly after day-light on the morning of December 2, 1870, another rough board shanty presented an ugly appearance on the plaza. The parties, this time, appeared determined to maintain their supposed rights, and an old citizen of the town who attempted to demolish the structure on his own account was knocked down and driven out of the inclosure in a very rough manner. The town Trustees soon after took the business in hand; a war- rant was issued for the arrest of the "jumpers," and Marshal Parks was ordered to remove the building, all of which was done in a vigorous and summary way. On December 6th, Woods and others were tried before Justice Brown, and after a protracted trial were discharged, the case remain- ing where it was-the only preventive to future operations of this nature being the passage of an ordinance by the City Fathers which made any attempt to build on the Plaza more certain of punishment and conviction.

May 1, 1871, the city election took place and the following officers elected: F. G. Hahman, J. M. Roney, M. Johnson, R. M. Martin and R. K. Hayes, Board of Trustees; Treasurer, G. T. Pauli; Assessor, J. H. Richardson; Mar- shal, Theodore Parks.

This was a year of general progression to Santa Rosa; the impetus given to business of all kinds continued, peace and plenty reigned, and the town prospered. In May the establishment of the Christian College was first mooted, but more of this as we proceed.

On January 31, 1872, pursuant to a call made by the chairman of a com- mittee appointed at a previous meeting to draw up a city charter, the citizens of Santa Rosa met at the court-house to receive and act upon the results of the labors of said committee. Judge Ross, the chairman of that committee, drew up the charter and read the provisions of the bill under which it was proposed to incorporate. Another committee, composed of J. P. Clark, Robert Morgan, C. G. Ames, J. M. Williams, Mr. Davis and Mr. Springgins,

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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

were appointed to consult and decide upon a boundary line, and report at a meeting to be held on the following evening. At seven in the evening on February Ist this meeting was convened, and after assembling discussion was had as to the propriety of making the north bank of Santa Rosa creek the south boundary of the city. On this a motion, announced from the chair and seconded by Mr. Farmer, was adopted, fixing the boundaries of the new incorporation as follows: Commencing in the middle of Matanzas creek, at the northeast corner of the land of John Brown and John Richards; thence southerly on the eastern line of the lands of Brown and Richards to a point in continuation of the northerly line of the Santa Rosa and Sebastopol road; thence westerly in a direct line to the northerly line of said road, and along the northerly line thereof to a point thirty feet westerly from the middle of the railroad track of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad Company; thence northerly, parallel with the middle of said railroad, to the northerly bank of Santa Rosa creek; thence westerly and northerly along the bank of said creek to the land of James P. Clark; thence northerly in a direct line across the lands of J. P. Clark and J. F. Boyce to the southwest corner of Wesley Mock's land; thence northerly along the westerly line of Mock and Morgan's land to Morgan's northwest corner; thence easterly along the northerly line of Morgan's land, and a continuation thereof, to the westerly line of the Healdsburg public road; thence southerly along the westerly line of said road to a point in continua- tion of the southerly line of H. Wilson's land; thence easterly to and along the southerly line of said H. Wilson's land to his southeast corner; thence in the same direction on the land of G. W. Davis to a point due north of the northeast corner of J. M. Williams' land; thence south to Williams' north- east corner; thence southerly along the easterly line of J. M. Williams' land to Santa Rosa creek; thence down the middle of said creek to a point due north of the place of beginning. At this meeting John Brown was Chair- man and F. P. Thompson Secretary.

The first entry in the only book of records of the city of Santa Rosa to which we have been able to gain access, reads : "Board of Trustees, City of Santa Rosa, April 8, 1872. In conformity with the provisions of an Act of the Legislature of the State of California, entitled ' An Act to incorporate the city of Santa Rosa,' approved A. D. 1872, prescribing the time and method of organizing; the Board of Trustees of said city under said Act, Messrs. J. M. Williams, A. Runyon, J. Beam, G. A. Tupper and J. W. Rob- inson, Trustees elect. These were duly sworn into office by John Brown, Justice of Peace, J. M. Williams elected President, and George A. Thornton, City Clerk; committees were at once appointed to procure a suitable room for Board meetings, and the examination of the calaboose; on the 12th it was reported by them that the fire company had tendered the use of the room in rear of the engine-house, free of expense, on condition that the

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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

Board should furnish and otherwise fit it up; this was accepted, and the necessary repairs ordered. On the same date the bonds of the following city officers were accepted : G. T. Pauli, City Treasurer; J. H. McGee, City Recorder ; J. T. Fortson, City Attorney ; A. C. Raney, Street Commissioner ; P. MeDouall, City Assessor. We find the following on record under this date: "On motion of Mr. Tupper, seconded by Mr. Beam, the Board then took up the matter of the contested election in case of City Marshal, notice having been filed with the City Clerk by J. M. White, declaring his inten- tion of contesting the election of W. H. Mead, to whom the Judges of Elec- tion had issued a certificate as City Marshal elect. The parties to the con- test having been notified by the Board, through the Clerk, of the time at which they would proceed to determine said matter of contest, and being present either in person or represented by counsel, Mr. Mead being repre- sented by J. Brown, Esq., and Mr. White by C. W. Langdon, Esq. Upon a careful recount of the ballot by the Board the result was found to be a tie vote. In accordance with the provisions of the charter, the Board then pro- ceeded to elect one of the two contestants to the office of City Marshal with the following result : Mead, three votes; White, one vote; Mr. Runyon vot- ing for White. On motion of Mr. Beam, seconded by Mr. Tupper, W. H. Mead was declared to be the choice of the Board for the office of City Mar- shal, and the following order directed to be spread upon the minutes of the Board : Resolved, That W. H, Mead be, and he is hereby declared to be Mar- shal of the city of Santa Rosa."

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History of Sonoma County : including its geology, topography, mountains, valleys, and streams, Part 47

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. 4n Publication date: 1880 Publisher: San Francisco : Alley, Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 1008

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. 4n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: San Francisco : Alley, Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1008