USA > California > Sonoma County > History of Sonoma County : including its geology, topography, mountains, valleys, and streams > Part 48
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The regular meetings of the Board were, on the 17th, ordered to be con- vened on the first Wednesday of each month ; and a committee appointed to draft resolutions defining the order of business, and the making of rules and by-laws to govern the Trustees in their deliberations. On April 19th, the following is minuted : " That C. G. Ames be, and is hereby employed to sur- vey and establish the grades and corners of the streets;" at which time the following resolution was also offered by Trustee Tupper : " Resolved, That an iron pin, some three feet in length, driven in the ground its full length, and standing near the south-westerly corner of Colgan's Hotel, in the city of Santa Rosa be, and the same is hereby declared the initial point of the survey of the town of Santa Rosa, being the south-westerly corner of block No. sixteen, as surveyed by John A. Brewster, a plat of which survey is now on file in the office of the County Recorder of Sonoma county; and that the muzzle of a certain cannon, planted in the ground, near or at the north-west corner of block No. fifteen, according to the plat of the survey of the town of Santa Rosa by John A. Brewster, be and the same is hereby declared a point in the southerly line of Third street of said town and the north-west corner of block fifteen." On the first of May, Mr. Eliason was engaged to establish the grade of the streets. On the 7th, it was " Resolved, That peddlers of fish, vegetables, and other minor articles of trade used as
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food, engaged, or to become engaged in selling the products of their own labor, be exempted from paying a license-tax, and that all persons engaged or to become engaged in selling such articles, not the product of their own labor, shall pay a license-tax of five dollars per quarter." On the same date, the following ordinance was unanimously passed : "The Board of Trustees of the city of Santa Rosa do hereby ordain as follows: That any person who shall be convicted of the violation of any of the ordinances of the city of Santa Rosa, and sentenced to pay a fine or to imprisonment in the city prison, or both, may, during the term of his imprisonment, be compelled by the City Marshal to work on the public streets." The survey of Mr. Eliason was accepted as the official grade of the city on May 9th, and on the same date, the grading of Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, A, B, C, D and E streets was ordered. On the 23d of May, W. A. Eliason was appointed City Surveyor; and the City Marshal allowed salary at the rate of eighty dollars per month. June 14th, the committee for that purpose reported that the Gas Company would light street lamps at nine dollars a lamp per annum, an offer that was accepted; on July 3d, permission was granted to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows to erect an iron stairway on Third street, to lead up to the upper story of a building about to be erected on the corner of that thoroughfare and Exchange avenue; it was then ordered that the street on the east side of the plaza, extending from Third to Fourth street, be called "Hinton avenue," and that to the west be called "Exchange avenue;" while on the 8th August the Marshal's salary was raised to ninety dollars per month. At the previous meeting the City Attorney had been directed to confer with the proper authorities in regard to the repairs to the bridge across the Santa Rosa creek; at this session the following report was made: " A proposition was received from the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma county to the following effect, viz .: That they would have the bridge across the Santa Rosa creek (on the Petaluma road) repaired, and pay one- half the cost of such repairs, the city paying the other half, and leave the final decision of the question as to whom the bridge belonged, county or city, to the District Judge, the party against whom decision is rendered to pay back the amount paid by the party in whose favor decision is rendered." The proposition was accepted. On same date notice was given to the Super- visors to have the sidewalk around the hall of records lowered to the grade of the streets and that around the court-house repaired. An ordinance was adopted on August 19th, fixing the tax on property within the corporate limits at sixty-five cents for one hundred dollars; a street tax of two dollars was ordered to be levied on every male over twenty-one years of age residing in the city, except the active members of the Fire Department; and a tax of two dollars on each dog owned and kept within the city. October 2d, it was ordered that all boys, eighteen years of age and under, found on the streets after nine o'clock P. M., without permission of parents or guardians,
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should be arrested and locked up; on the following day, Trustee Robinson resigned, and F. H. Coe appointed in his stead; and on December 4th James Hill presented a demand against the city for damages in the sum of five hundred dollars sustained by him through the breaking in of the top of a cistern on Main street, at its intersection with Second street. Hill made a statement on oath that the damage did not exceed one hundred dollars, which sum was tendered to him in gold coin, but he refused it, and his original demand was rejected by the Board.
Of the events of general interest which occurred in the year 1872, we find that on the 28th of February the Maxin Gas Company of Santa Rosa was instituted, under a Board of Trustees, consisting of John Brown, E. T. Farmer, F. H. Coe, C. Kessing, and H. B. Stanley, which organized by electing John Brown, President; C. G. Ames, Secretary; F. B. Lyle, Treasurer. The company having purchased a lot of land, situated on Fifth street, near Mendocino street, commenced to build thereon, and in the second week in March began the laying of pipes in the streets, the town being first .lighted on the night of Tuesday, the 9th of April. The Democrat, of March 23, 1872, has, in enumerating the buildings erected during the year 1871, the following: The cost of these buildings have ranged from five hundred up to twenty-seven thousand dollars, the Methodist College, in Farmer and Ames' Addition, having cost the latter sum. This college is in a most flourishing condition, and enjoys the reputation of being one of the best educational institutions in the country. In the Morgan Addition, the Christian denomination have purchased a lot and will this Summer erect a college building, at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. Contracts have already been entered into for the erection of a large number of new buildings, and work will be commenced on the same as soon as the lumber can be placed on the ground. There is a large amount of capital here, which those who control it, if they act wisely, will employ in starting some manu- ufacturing enterprises, thereby giving another and new impetus to the spirit of progress which is already in our midst.
As has been said, a Christion college was to be started; the Board, under whose auspices this work was to be commenced, met on May 15th, and organized, Elder A. Johnson being elected President; G. A. Tupper, Treasurer, A. McMeans, Secretary. A Building and Finance Committee being then chosen, and on the 28th of the month the contract for the building was let to J. E. Johnson, of San Francisco. The dimensions of the new structure are: Length of building, one hundred and three feet six inches; depth' sixty-nine feet six inches through the center, which projects in front from each end of the building. From ground line to the top of the cornice the measurement is fifty feet three inches, and from thence to the top ball of the dome, thirty-two feet six inches. On either side of the projection men- tioned are two handsomely ornamented porches, forming the main entrances.
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Through these are entered two cross halls, ten feet in width; from each of these halls a stairway leads to the upper story. They are connected through the center of the building by another hall, eight feet wide; on the outer side of each of these cross halls are three large recitation rooms. On the front side of the connecting hall is a large room which will be used as a boys' preparatory department; on the rear side are two large rooms, con- nected by folding doors, which may be used separately, or together, as the occasion may require for a girls' preparatory class. On the second floor the cross halls and recitation rooms, six in number, correspond with those below. The chapel, sixty-nine by forty feet, occupies the whole space between the cross halls on this floor. It is a handsome room; the ceiling is rounded, across the front there is a gallery which is entered by stairways from the cross halls. The whole building is thoroughly ventilated. The architecture is of the modern style. The cornice is supported by moulded brackets. The windows in the lower story are segment, and in the upper circle halls, all the center windows are of the circle head ullion pattern. On the top of the building is a handsome cupola, ornamented with sixteen circular dormer windows. The contract price was nineteen thousand dollars, com- plete. The building is an original design by A. P. Petit; the plan of the interior was arranged by Elder Johnson; J. E. Johnson, of San Francisco, is the contractor, and Barton England, the superintendent for the Board of Trustees. On September 30th the college was dedicated with much cere- mony, and a learned and exhaustive address delivered by T. H. Lane, of San Jose.
On the 14th of November yet another dedication took place, the hall of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows being opened with all the ceremonies consonant with that fraternity. It is a spacious building, well proportioned, while the Order is in a most flourishing condition.
During this month preliminary steps were taken to organize a parish at Santa Rosa under the Episcopal church, by electing the following gentlemen as officers: Dr. R. P. Smith, Senior Warden; W. H. Bond, Junior Warden; E. W. Maslin, G. W. Jones, F. G. Nagle, L. A. Martin and F. P. Thompson, Vestrymen. The Rev. G. C. Lane, who had been officiating, notified the bishop of the election of church officers, and requested his consent to the organization, which was granted by Bishop Kip on the 18th December, and the vestry formed by electing F. G. Nagle Secretary, and L. A. Martin Treasurer, the parish, on the motion of Dr. Smith, receiving the name of "The Parish of the Incarnation," and Rev. G. C. Lane appointed Rector for the ensuing year.
We once more turn to the city records. On January 2, 1873, the fol- lowing resolution of the trustees, adopted at a meeting held on November 13th of last year, was ordered spread upon the minutes of the Board, viz .: "At an especial meeting of the Board held November 13, 1872, the Board
John Fritsch
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employed Thomas Brothers to make a survey of the corporate limits of the city of Santa Rosa, together with all portions of farms or lots divided by the city line and lying inside the city limits; also, to resurvey the old town and all additions thereto on file in the Recorder's office, and make a map of the same, said map, when completed, to be delivered to the City Clerk; and for the above work the city shall pay Thomas Brothers three hundred dollars."
On April 5th, the following corporation officials were elected : James P. Clark, Preston Davis, Jeremiah Beam, F. J. Proctor and A. Runyon, Board of Trustees, Mr. Beam being chosen President; George A. Thornton, City Clerk; J. F. Fortson, City Attorney; G. T. Pauli, Treasurer; James H. McGee, Recorder; J. M. White, Marshal; Peter McDouall, Assessor; Wesley Brock, Street Commissioner.
May the 7th, the Santa Rosa Water Company request the privilege to lay water pipes; while on the same date the following ordinance was passed ; " That the owners of each house situated within the city limits shall provide and keep on the premises, in a place where it can be readily reached, a ladder of sufficient length to reach the top of the house, to be used in case of fire, and the occupants of each house shall keep not less than three buckets in some place of easy access, for use in case of fire." Tees for hydrants were ordered to be placed in the streets on June 10th; on August 6th, certain petitions in regard to sidewalks were accepted, and the prayers therein contained granted, and an ordinance passed requiring property- owners to put up a good and substantial hitching-post in front of their respective houses, within ten days of notice. On the 20th of the month, it was resolved that a survey be made of the south side of Fourth street, from the east corner of the hall of records to the west end of that street, in view that it may be widened, so that it should run parallel with the north side of that building; while on the 30th a resolution was passed that any person should have the privilege of erecting a post and gas-lamp on the corner of Fifth and Mendocino streets, and when so completed the city would supply the gas for the same. September 13th it was directed that the word less be struck out in the ordinances wherever it occurs, so that a smaller fine than the penalty named may be imposed by the Recorder; on the 16th, suit was ordered to be commenced against the county of Sonoma for amount expended by the city in widening sidewalk around the hall of records. On October 7th, the day of Board meeting was changed to the first Tuesday in of each month, and on December 15th, J. G. Pressley, Esq., was appointed City Attorney.
The first meeting of subscribers to the savings Bank of Santa Rosa mnet on January 18, 1873, and the following resolution adopted : Resolved, That this bank incorporate as the "Savings Bank of Santa Rosa," of discount and loan, under subdivision of twenty-seventh, section two hundred and eighty, Civil Code. A. Runyon, John Brown, H. Wise, A. P. Overton, Lew.
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W. Miller, Daniel Brown and W. A. Eliason were elected Directors for the year ending December 31, 1873, and a Board organized by the election of A. P. Overton, President; John Brown, Vice-President; F. G. Hahman, Cashier.
Articles of incorporation of the Santa Rosa Water Company were filed on February 27, 1873, the capital stock being one hundred thousand dollars, divided into one thousand shares of one hundred dollars each, the Directors being E. T. Farmer, C. F. Juillard, F. G. Hahman, Jackson Temple and James P. Clark; term of existence, fifty years. In reference to this under- taking the water is taken from the junction of the Alamo and Santa Rosa creeks and conveyed on the south side of the latter to the reservoir, one mile below, on the lands of the Gibb's estate. The fall, from where the water is taken at the creeks, to the reservoir, is thirty-five feet; the supply-pipe to the reservoir is eleven-inch, and the mains, from the reservoir to the town, are nine-inch for a portion of the way and seven-inch for the remainder. The reservoir has a capacity of not less than thirty millions of gallons. The next in order of improvements are the Santa Rosa Empire Mills, which were established by H. F. Schulte and Thomas Dobbins on October 29, 1873. Their capacity is one hundred and twenty-five barrels of flour per day, while of barley there may be ground in the same time thirty to thirty-five tons. The mills contain four run of stones and a seventy-five horse-power engine.
Early in the year 1873, the Trustees of the Baptist church of Santa Rosa purchased a lot on the corner of B and Center streets on which, in the month of February, they commenced the erection of a building, Gothic in style of architecture, and of the following dimensions: The main church building, fifty-six by thirty-seven feet, with an elevation of thirty-two feet. Adjoining the main building, in the rear, is a chapel thirty by forty feet, containing, besides accommodation for the Sunday school, the library and committee rooms. Over the front entrance to the church is a large Gothic window. From the base to elevation of tower and spire, located at the left front corner of the edifice, is sixty-nine feet. The building cost about five thousand dollars. We append a few interesting reminiscences in regard to the Baptist church and congregations in this city: The first house of worship was built in 1854 at Franklin, a mile and-a-half from Santa Rosa, but, in 1855, it was removed with the rest of that short-lived village, to this town and placed upon the lot on third street where it now stands, being used as a tenement house. It was the third protestant church erected in the county, James Crane being the contractor. The cost of the building was defrayed by public subscription, with the provisions that it should be free to all denom- inations when not in use by the Baptists. Elder J. McCorkle held the first services in the building. The first Baptist State Conference was held at Franklin and shortly afterwards a Sunday-school was organized there.
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Among the organizers of the church were Martin Hudson and Mrs. Hudson, William Hudson and wife, Alexander Dunbar and wife, Frank Bedwell and W. C. Cattron. It was used for a number of years by other denominations. Reverend O. P. Fitzgerald preached his first sermon in this county in that church. Elder Stephen Riley was the first Pastor, Eaton the next, then followed Elders Joseph Roberts, Tripp, C. King, John Luke, S. A. Ringo, N. A. Bailey ; the present incumbent is S. A. Taft, D. D.
The last item of interest for the year under notice is the eventful storm of December 3d, which covered the streets of Santa Rosa and the surrounding country with several inches of snow. Ere the sun got too hot the citizens were to be seen reveling in the luxury of snow-balls, while we are told that J. P. Clark, with a keen remembrance of gone-by sleigh rides, improvised such a vehicle out of an old packing-case, and was to be seen steering his way through the public thoroughfares with relish to himself and satisfac- tion to his friends.
On February 3, 1874, the contract and agreement between the city of Santa Rosa and the Santa Rosa Water Works was ordered to be signed by the President of the Board of Trustees and the City Clerk, while in this regard the following Ordinance was passed: "The right to lay down water pipes in and through the streets of the city (of Santa Rosa) is hereby granted to the said Santa Rosa Water Works, provided the said water pipes are put down under gronnd, and so as to not obstruct the passage of the said streets or in any way injure the same; and provided further, that the said Santa Rosa Water Works furnish the said city with water to the extent of their means in case of fire or other great necessity, free of charge, and in all respects conform to the laws of the State in relation to water corporations. The right granted by this Ordinance shall continue for fifty years."
. The annual election of a municipality was held on April 6th, when the undermentioned gentlemen were selected: J. Beam, E. L. Davis, P. R. Davis, James Morrow, Jr., and A. Neece, J. Beam, President of the Board of Trus- tees ; George A. Thornton, City Clerk; J. M. White, City Marshal; J. G. Pressley, City Attorney; H. G. Parks, City Assessor; W. Mock, Street Commissioner ; and G. T. Pauli, Treasurer.
August 21st, the property tax was fixed by the Board in meeting assem- bled, at fifty-five cents per one hundred dollars; the street tax at two dollars for male adults between twenty-one and sixty years of age, and the dog-tax at four dollars. The appended order was made on the 4th of September: Section 1 .- That the privilege of laying a street railroad along the middle of Fourth street from the present depot of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad to the eastern line of the city limits, and in the middle of the street around the plaza, and along C street from the plaza to Second street, be, and the same is, hereby granted to John T. Fortson and his asso- ciates for the term of twenty years, provided the said road is constructed,
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equipped, and cars placed thereon in running order in six months from the date hereof, and provided further, that the cars thereon be propelled by horse or mule power. Section 2 .- The grant of the privilege in Section one shall be subject to all the restrictions, conditions and limitations mentioned in section four hundred and ninety-eight of the Civil Code of California. Section 3 .- That the right to regulate freights and fares on said railroad is reserved to the Board of Trustees of the city of Santa Rosa. Section 4. That a discontinuance of the running of the cars upon said railroad after the same is built and equipped for the space of ten days without the permission of the Board of Trustees of said city, shall work a forfeiture of this franchise. On October 6th the following was ordained: Section 1 .- Every keeper of a saloon, dram-shop or tippling house, and every person who within the limits of the said city sells or disposes of any spirituous, malt, or fermented liquors, or wines in quantities of one quart or less, shall pay a license of five dollars per quarter, in advance. Section ?.- Any person who shall sell and dispose of any liquors mentioned in Section one of this ordinance in quantities of one quart or less, without having first obtained a license, shall be sub- ject to the penalties mentioned in Section forty-seven of an ordinance passed by the Board of Trustees on April 19, 1872.
Santa Rosa would appear to be still going ahead in the year 1874. On the 6th October a handsome new brick building was commenced by J. Ridg- way behind the hall which bears his name, and opposite to the residence of Doctor J. F. Boyce, the contractor being Arnold Childers; and death had come in and removed one of her oldest citizens, Judge William Ross, a resi- dent of the county since 1852, and the first lawyer to establish himself in Santa Rosa, died in the town on the 10th of April, He was a native of Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, and when quite a young man studied law and was admitted to practice in the State of Ohio, whither he had moved with his family. He filled the office of Auditor in Perry county, Ohio, from 1840 to 1849. In April of that year he came to California and first settled in El Dorado county; in 1852 he removed to Sonoma county; in 1854 he came to Santa Rosa; and in 1860 he was elected to the State Legislature. He afterwards served the county for two years as District Attorney, filling, to the satisfaction of his constituents, the duties of that important position. Judge Ross was among the last of a number of lawyers of more than average ability, who practiced at the bar on the organization of the county govern- ment, in the old town of Sonoma. Ex-Governor Boggs, Maupin, Cook, and the brilliant Wilkins, pioneers in Sonoma county, one after the other have fallen before the Destroyer; to this list is now added William Ross. At the meeting of the court on the 13th, the District Attorney in bringing the news of his death to the knowledge of the court, moved that "out of respect they now adjourn"; Judge Langdon seconded the motion, and paid a touch- ing tribute to his memory. He said that while Judge Ross had faults com-
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mon to mankind, he had also many redeeming traits of character. The blighted breath of slander never escaped his lips against any man. He was true to his friends and generous to his enemies.
March 2, 1875, we are informed by the city records that gas lamps and drinking hydrant were ordered to be placed in the center of the plaza.
On April 5thi the following corporate officers were sworn in: C. C. Farmer, President; A. Korbel, A. H. Smith, F. B. Morgan, and W. B. Stanley, Board of Trustees; G. A. Thornton, City Clerk; G. T. Pauli, Treasurer; J. M. White, Marshal; J. G. Pressley, City Attorney ; J. H. McGee, Recorder; Street Commissioner, Wesley Mock; Assessor, P. McDouall.
An ordinance regulating a drainage system was passed on May 7th, and on the same day it was directed that that portion of the city lying to the south of the creek should be known as South Santa Rosa, and the street from the bridge, southerly, be called Santa Rosa avenue. September 9th, the property tax was set at sixty cents per one hundred dollars; the street tax at two dollars, and the dog tax to be reduced to two dollars. On the 19th October, W. G. Atkins was appointed Fire Marshal, with instructions to assume charge of the fire hydrant, while on the 30th the resignation of J. G. Pressley was accepted, and J. T. Campbell appointed City Attorney in his stead. A new bridge was ordered, on November 8th, to be built across the creek on C street, and on December 7th, the plan of Z. King & Co. for an iron bridge was adopted.
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