USA > California > Tulare County > History of Tulare County, California with biographical sketches > Part 20
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GREAT VARIETY OF SOIL.
This county affords almost every imaginable variety of soil, and a dozen varieties may be found often within a distance of two miles square. As a rule, the nearer the hills the harder the land, though there are some exceptions. Hog-wallow land is generally solid and often gravelly, and the hog-wallows, so- called, are most numerous nearest the foot-hills.
One of the large productions of the county is wheat, Im- mense fields of this grain are annually harvested, producing
thousands of tons of wheat. After the first gold excitement came the stock business and then agriculture.
FOUR INDUSTRIAL PERIODS.
Thus far the county has experienced three industrial periods. First came the mining period, which begun before its organi- zation, and when a part of Mariposa County, extending to 1852-54, at the time of the Kern River excitement.
Second, the stoek-raising period, which arose upon the grad- ual disappearance of the placer mines, and which, as a general industry, except so far as sheep-raising is concerned, which yet in great part continues, ceased about 1874.
Third, the farming interest, sprung up about 1868. Prior to the advent of the railroad, agriculture amounted to very little. Simultaneously with this irrigation was begun, and with the enactment of a "no-fence" law, new life was infused into farming, and the rapidity with which the industry .has grown is truly wonderful.
TULARE COUNTY possesses every variety of soil and climate. The rich sandy loam is found in great abundance; is easily worked and produces almost anything that can be grown in the temperate or semi-tropical zones.
The valley may be said to possess no picturesque scenery. Like the prairies of the West, it is a vast undulating plain, or dead level, with an occasional tree, or park of oaks, to diversify the general monotony. The land is moderately well watered by numerous perennial streams and rivers. It is level or slightly undulatory, only a few feet above tide water, with an occasional low, gravelly knoll, sink, or depression, to diversify the general monotony of the landscape.
THE FOOT-HILLS.
In the foot-hills, and even in the more rugged and mount- ainous districts, there are occasional valleys susceptible of cul- tivation, while the hill-sides and table-lands of the foot- hill regions are peculiarly well adapted to horticulture, the finest fruit in the known world being produced in the greatest profusion along the western slope of the Sierras, many varie- ties being raised at an altitude of 3,000 feet above the level of the sea.
FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE VALLEY.
When a stranger travels over the hot and dusty plains of this great valley, he is very apt to put the question to himself, What is this country good for? The valley is seen to better advantage when a wheat harvest has matured. Yet there are probably a million acreson which no crops are matured. There are great spaces wind-swept and barren, yet capable of pro- ducing crops if sufficient water can be had. Now and then one eomnes upon a homestead, a little oasis in the desert. Every- thing is fresh and bright. The owner has either constructed an artesian well, or has secured water from some irrigating ditch.
g. B Zumwalt.
"PALACE RANCH. HOME OF J. B. ZUMWALT. 3 MILES NORTH OF TULARE CITY. TULARE CO. CAL.
101
ORGANIZATION OF TULARE COUNTY.
Organization of the County.
AN Act of the third Legislature of California, approved April 20, 1852, provided for the organization of Tulare County, and an election for the first county officers was held on the 10th day of the following July.
James D. Savage,* John Boling, M. B. Lewis, and H. W. McMillen were the Board of Commissioners appointed to hold . the election, and the following officers were chosen: County Judge, Walter H. Harvey ;* County Attorney, F. H. Sanford; County Clerk, L. D. F. Edwards; County Recorder, A. B. Gordon; Sheriff, Wm. Dill; Surveyor, Joseph A. Tiry; Assessor, James B. Davis; Coroner, W. H. McMillen; Treasurer, J. C. Frankenberger.
AN UNKNOWN COUNTRY.
The total population of the county exclusive of Indians, did not exceed sixty-five souls, and not one woman among them. So remote from centers of population was this new county, that long after its legal existence had been established it re- mained a terra incognita; so much so, in fact, that when the first County Treasurer went to the State Capitol to make his settlement with the State Treasurer, he was informed by that official that he had no knowledge of the existence of such a county as Tulare, and the County Treasurer experienced considerable difficulty in obtaining recognition.
A LARGE COUNTY.
Tulare County at that time comprised the greater part of what are now Kern and Inyo Counties, with a portion of what is now Fresno County. Tulare did not develop very rapidly after its organization, as the vast immigration to this State at the time was composed for the most part of gold hunters, and the Kern River and other mines had not at that time been discovered.
PROGRESS OF THE COUNTY.
The population in 1860 was 4,368. In 1870 it was as fol- lows :-
TOTAL.
NATIVE. FOREIGN.
Farmersville.
807
755
52
King's River.
166
148
18
Packwood
214
172
42
Tule River ..
1,098
953
145
Tule Indian Reservation.
12
10
2
Venice
490
475
15
Visalia
1,626
1,377
249
Visalia
913
707
206
White River.
120
87
33
Total.
5,446
4,684
762
The State census of 1880 showed the following as the offi- cial population of the county by divisions :--
Kaweah and Mineral King Townships. . 1,053
Mussel Slough Township 1,776
Lemoore Township 1,744
Tulare Township 802
Tule River Township 2,282
White River Township 96
Visalia Township (including Visalia City) 2,628
Visalia City separate. 1,412
Total of county . 11,280
EARLY TIMES AND TROUBLES.
In early days there was a wild, rough population. This was a frontier country. The people were all armed against the common enemy, the Indian savage and the Mexican freebooter, and nearly all disputes were settled at the muzzle of the revol- ver and the point of the knife, and it is said that of the first officers of the county whose names are given above all but two met violent deaths in personal rencontres.
At a later date fierce political contests took place, and the office of the Visalia Expositor, a secession sheet, was destroyed by the soldiers of Camp Babbitt, March 5, 1863. The editor, L. P. Hall, had previously been arrested for disloyalty and re- leased.
A political fight occurred at Visalia, August 6th, same year, between a party of soldiers and a number of secessionists. One soldier was killed and three wounded. Great excitement prevailed throughout the community for several days after the affair, but it was finally allayed without further bloodshed.
FIRST COUNTY SEAT.
The Act of organization designated Woodville, a place five iniles northeast of Visalia, as the county seat, and on July 10, 1852, a band of hardy pioneers met at Woodville, held an elec- tion under an oak tree, and, following the forms of law by their acts, gave birth to a new political division of the State, there- after to be known as Tulare County, and elected the first county officers.
In 1854 an election was hell to determine whether the future county seat should be Woodville or Visalia. At this election eighty-five votes were cast, and Visalia, by a majority of four votes, was designated as the local seat of justice.
FIRST COURT HOUSE AND JAIL.
"The first Court House," says E. Jacobs, "consisted of a small log cabin surrounded by a cheap fence. The county jail eon- sisted of five stumps of trees within this inclosure, each with an iron ring attached to it by a staple, to which culprits were chained for security ; the several county officials carrying the county records in their hats and pockets.
"It was then a weak and primitive settlement surrounded by overwhelming numbers of half savage Indians, only kept in subjugation by the stern and indomitable courage of hardy frontiersmen.
"Then, means of communication with the marts of com-
*Savage was killed by Harvey as heretofore related on page 90.
102
PERMANENT LOCATION OF COUNTY SEAT.
merce was the slow moving ox-team; now, the railroad is at the door affording rapid transportation to all parts of this great country. Then, they had no postal facilities and at least a monthi was consumed in exchange of correspondence with the great metropolis of the State as well as the State capital, by theordinary mode by which letters wereconveyed; now, twenty- four hours yield the same results, and if so desired the trained lightning, annihilating time and space, obeys behests. Then, the primitive log cabin, or at least a brush shed, sheltered the settler and his family; now, on every side we see comfortable and elegant residences, evidencing wealth and prosperity. Then, the virgin soil of this fertile valley had not felt the aggressive art of the husbandman; now, orchards, vineyards, broad fields and groaning granaries are mute monuments of the capabili- ties of that soil. Then, the silence of nature held sway almost throughout the whole length and breadth of fair Tulare; now, the busy hum of industry greets the ears in whatever direc- tion you may turn, giving, as it were, happy greetings from happy homes."
NEW COURT HOUSE ERECTED.
The Board of Supervisors met in special session on Monday. April 10, 1876, for the purpose of receiving and adopting plans for building a new Court House and jail.
Plans and specifieations were presented by A. A. Bennett, Esq., and Messrs. Kenitzer and Raun, of San Francisco, and Charles Pressler and A. Beyer, of Visalia; and the Board, after canvassing the same, ordered that the plan and specifiea- tions presented by A. A. Bennett, Esq., be accepted.
Ordered-That the Clerk procure forth with 200 county bonds, to be issued in accordance with the Act of the Legisla- ture, to provide for the building of a Court House and jail.
Ordered-That bonds to the amount of $20,000, of the denomination of $500 each, be issued in accordance with said Act, and notice be given of the sale thereof by publication in the San Francisco evening Bulletin and daily Examiner, and the Tulare weekly Times, and Visalia weekly Delta, until Monday, May 29, 1876.
Ordered-That notice by publication be given, that on Sat- urday, May 6, 1876, the old Court House and jail will be offered for sale at public auction, and that proposals will be received at the same time for furnishing suitable rooms for county offiees and a court room.
Bids for building a Court House and jail in Visalia were received and opened in June by the Board of Supervisors; the bids are as follows :--
Albert Washburne $68,772
Hall & Kelley 72,800
Power, Ough & Warner. 73,230
Carl & Crowley
74,491
Stevens & Childers 59,700
James H. Sullivan. 74,846
M. C. Smith 74,715
A. Byer .
71,877
Weishar & Switzer
63,840
Each bid was accompanied with a check of $2,000, accord- ing to requirement. Stevens & Childers' bid being the lowest, the Board awarded the contract accordingly, June, 1876.
Sheriff Wingfield sold the Court House and jail at Visilia, May 6th. A. H. Glasscock secured the Court House for $682.50, and R. E. Hyde purchased the jail for $225.
The county officers occupied the hall until the completion of the new Court House.
FIGHT OVER COURT HOUSE.
The erection of a new Court House, and consequent perma- nent location of county seat, at Visalia, naturally drew out considerable opposition from other localities. A meeting was held at the Court House, and called to order by Mr. Fairbanks, from Tipton. C. W. Clark was nominated as chairman, and E. T. Buckman, of Tulare, was appointed as Seeretary.
On motion of A. T. Cotton, the chair appointed the com- mittee, consisting of A. T. Cotton, Mr. Fairbanks, A. Fleteher, L. A. Pratt, and I. N. Wright, who intro luced the following :---
" WHEREAS, We gladly embrace this opportunity of raising our voice against the manipulations and wire-workings of scheming and designing men, who are fast bringing the poli- tics of our country into disrepute, and making of our boasted democracy a myth and a laughing stock; and whereas, it is with dread that we look forward to where we are drifting, and are fully persuaded that the time for action has now arrived; inasmuch as already the masses are looked upon and treated as serfs to do the bidding of and pay homage to their political masters, who in turn make cheap promises to the people, in order to secure large profits to themselves; and whereas, we recognize in the matter of the Tulare County Court House Legislation fresh and glaring evidence of corruption, and a strong desire to tyrannize over and outwit the people; and in various articles in the organ of the Court House upon this sub- ject, we observe a disposition to insult and to injury, therefore, " Resolved, That we consider the various bills passed by the last Legislature of our State, in relation to the Court House in this eounty, and the removal of county seats, as an outrage on the majority in the county, and in violation of the Constitution of the State and of the United States.
" Resolved, By the tax-payers of Tulare County to-day rep- resented in convention, that we will make an effort to assert our right to be taxed, and our consent thereto obtained, as expressed in the usual way by the ballot.
" Resolved, That we look upon the method whereby the said Court House bill became a law, as subversive of the rights of the people, as wrong in principle, and as outrageous in fact.
" Resolved, That the principles involved in the sail Court House bill enables the minority to oppress and enslave the majority, to tax their property without their consent for the purpose of enhancing the wealth of the few at the expense of the many.
" Resolved, That the building of a new Court House at the time was wholly unnecessary and uncalled for, and is believed to be a part of a system of plunder whereby a few designing men may rob the people for their own benefit.
" Resolved, That we will use all and every legal means
103
ERECTION OF NEW COUNTY COURT HOUSE
within our power to defeat the operations of said Court House bill, until an expression of the will of a majority of the tax- payers of this county can be had at the next election for repre- sentatives.
" Resolved, That any and all loss or inconvenience resulting from the premature pulling down of the old Court House, lies at the door of the authors of the iniquitous Court House Bill.
DEDICATION OF COURT HOUSE,
Notwithstanding considerable opposition, the work proceeded, and the new building was dedicated October 27, 1876.
Various organizations participated in the solemn ceremonies, which were conducted by the Most Worthy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of F. and A. M.
John Mills Browne, was presented by the citizens of Visalia with a handsome and elegantly engraved silver trowel, as a token of respect and an appreciation of his highly honored position and services.
A highly interesting address was delivered by E. Jacobs, Esq.
The following is a list of the articles deposited in the corner stone :-
LIST OF ARTICLES.
Roll of officers and members of Visalia Lodge, No. 128, F. and A. M., and a copy of their by-laws.
Proceedings of Grand Lodge of F. and A. M. of California.
List of officers and members, and copy of by-laws of Damascus Encampment, No. 44, I. O. of O. F.
List of officers and members of Four Creeks' Lodge, No. 94, I. O. of O. F. Holy Bible, preseuted by I. N. Matlick.
By-laws and members of Visalia Chapter, No. 44, R. A. M., and one trade- dollar, half-dollar, and twenty ceuts.
Constitution of U. S. of America, in manuscript, by A. Beyer.
Copy of Regulations of School Laws and of School Libraries, by W. A. Wash.
Copy of California Revised School Laws, by W. J. Ellis.
Announcement of Visalia Normal School, September 4, 1876, by McPhail & Orr.
Copy of Tulare Weekly Times of October 28, 1876, containing a fine picture of the Court House as it will appear when finished, and a description of the several rooms.
Copy of Visalia Weekly Delta of October 28, 1876.
ยท Copy of Visalia Iron Age of October 25, 1876.
Copy of Great Register of Tulare County, California, for the year 1876.
Poster aud programme of the Centennial celebration on the 4th day of July, 1876, at Tulare City, California.
One redwood knot of the largest redwood tree of Tulare County, forty-three fcet in diameter, three hundred feet in height, by Geo. Kraft.
A piece of silver ore from the Emma Mine of Tulare County, by Geo. Kraft. One ten-dollar note of the late Coufederate States of America, by Geo. Kraft.
One Prussian silver dollar, by R. Broder and Leou Jacob.
Two phials of wheat grown in 1876, by E. Jacob.
One $20 gold piece, 1873, by E. Jacob.
One $5 gold note, First National San Francisco Gold Bank, 1870, by E. Jacob.
One one dollar currency note, by E. Jacob.
One twenty-five cents currency, by E. Jacob.
Nine foreign coins, San Francisco Journal of Commerce, October 26, by E. Jacob.
One trade dollar and a number of foreign coins, by Dr. Davenport.
Copy of the Ulster County Gazette, published in Ulster County, New York, in the year 1800, January 9th, containing an account of the death of Gen. George Washington, by P. H. Martin.
VIEW OF THE COURT HOUSE.
We present to our readers, as a frontispiece, a fine page view of this grand building which is 60x95 feet, with a wing on either side 12x31 feet, exclusive of breaks, porticoes, and all other projections; basement 12 feet; main story 15 feet. The district court room 22 feet; county court room 22 feet; upper corridor, clerk's office, 17 feet. The balance of the rooms in the upper story, 17 feet.
For the brick-work, excavations were made for foundations 3 feet 6 inches, below the average surface of the ground; the main walls have 7 feet foundation. The main walls, two bricks piers up to the top of the pedestal wall, eight inches additional; pilasters four inches to top of cornice; vault walls 21 inches; inside partition 13 inches, front piers and columns 21x24.
Penryn Granite sills and steps are at front and rear, leading to basement; all the outside door-sills are 8 inches thick. All stone-work is of bush hammered work and same set in cement. A jail is in a part of the basement, as well as some of the offices for county use.
Messrs. A. L. Stephens and Arnold Childers, of Sonoma County, were the contractors, and A. A. Bennett, Esq., of San Francisco, architect.
COURT HOUSE BONDS ISSUED.
By the Court House Act the Board of Supervisors were "authorized and directed to issue the bonds of the county to an amount not exceeding $75,000; all bonds to be payable twenty years from the date of their issuance, with interest at the rate of ten per cent. per annum, payable annually on the second Monday in January in each year; both principal and interest to be made payable in U. S. gold coin only. The bonds shall be issued in denominations of $500 each, and shall be signed by the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and County Clerk. Interest coupons shall be attached and signed in like manner. The Supervisors shall issue $20,000 of the bonds within sixty days after the passage of this Act, and shall issue the remaining amount of $55,000 of the bonds from time to time at such times as shall be necessary to pro- vide funds for the progress of the construction of the Court House and jail, provided for in this Act, and for the payment of claims to become due therefor. All bonds issued under the provisions of this Act may be paid and discharged by said county at any time after ten years from their respective dates, which right of payment and discharge shall be specified in each bond.
" All moneys derived from the sale of the bonds shall be set apart as a 'Court House Building Fund,' and shall be applied, laid out, and expended in the building of and constructing a Court House with jail in the city of Visalia, in Tulare County said building to be erected in the present Court House square,
104
LOCATION AND SIZE OF TULARE COUNTY.
and the necessary county offices in and for said county, and furnishing the same, and improving the Court House grounds.
"For the purpose of paying the interest on the bonds, the Supervisors shall, at the time of levying the county taxes for each year, levy a special tax on all property in the county, sufficient to pay the interest on all bonds then outstanding, as the same shall fall due. The special tax thus levied shall be assessed and collected as other county taxes are assessed and collected, and be set apart as a special fund, to be known as the ' Court House Bond Interest Fund,' and out of this fund the coupons on the bonds shall be paid as they fall due.
" In and for the year 1886 and each year thereafter until the whole of the bonds are paid, the Board of Supervisors shall levy and cause to be collected a tax sufficient to pay ten per cent. of the whole issue of the bonds, and the tax thus levied and collected shall be set apart as a special fund, to be known as the 'Court House, Bond, and Redemption Fund.'"
COUNTY BOUNDARY DISPUTES.
In 1857, the County Surveyor, O. M. Brown, of Fresno, was authorized to run the line dividing Fresno from Tulare, Mariposa, and Merced Counties.
August, 1856, Hewlett Clark and James Smith of Fresno, were appointed a committee, to meet a like number of com- mitteemen from Tulare, Merced, and Mariposa Counties, to adjust the boundary lines between said counties.
About 1859-60, an effort was made to attach a large portion of Fresno County to Tulare, but the citizens of Fresno gener- ally fought hard against the proposition, and it was defeated.
The surveyors of the boundary line between Tulare and Fresno Counties discovered the fact that several parties who were supposed to have been residents of Fresno belonged to Tulare. Among whom were K. W. Jones, near the Coast Range; Joseph, William and Lemuel Harp, and James Hodges, near Kingsburg; Jesse Loudy, north of Laguna de Tache; L. R. Beard, above the railroad, on the Fresno side of King's River; H. D. Brewer, on south side of the river, below Kings- ton. The line crosses King's River at the head of the Last Chance Ditch.
The commission appointed by the Legislature to ascertain the amount due Tulare County from Kern were as follows: E. Jacob and R. Nichols for Tulare, and W. L. Kenneday and E. E. Calhoun for Kern County.
After the gold fever allayed and the immigrants started into agriculture, it was found that the soil of Tulare was remarkably productive and so farming began to be carried on quite extensively.
Size of the County.
FROM data furnished by the gentlemanly and efficient Receiver, Hon. Tipton Lindsey, at the Land Office at Visalia, we make the area of the county estimated at 4,000,000 acres. This is probably to be divided about as follows :-
Area of Tulare Lake, 300,000 acres; area of valley lands, 1,700,000 acres; area of mountain lands, 1,000,000 acres; area of foot-hill lands, 1,000,000 acres; total, 4,000,000 acres.
There are in the county of unsold lands on the plains exclu- sive of all railroad lands probably 400,000 acres. Of the foot-hill lands about one-half have been sold, and of the mountain lands but little have been disposed of.
"There is a large extent of country," says the Delta, " to the north and east of Visalia-probably not less than 200,000 acres-that requires very little water for irrigation; in fact, that to the east of the town is swamp land, and would require drainage rather than irrigation. These lands are particularly adapted to blackberries, strawberries, fruits, and vines. They are held, mostly, by not to exceed four or five men. Were they subdivided into small tracts and disposed of at say $40.00. per acre, within the next two years it would add a large popu- lation of industrious and thriving people. We would call the attention of capitalists on the outside to these lands, and invite an inspection."
AMOUNT AND KIND OF LAND.
From information kindly furnished us by the Register at the Visalia Land Office, we learn that " The Visalia land district embraces Fresno, Tulare, and Kern Counties. These counties are a great level valley with the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the east and the Coast Range on the west. They contain more than 5,000,000 acres of level land and more than 2,500,000 acres of mountain and foot-hill land.
" Through the center of these counties, north and south, runs the Southern Pacific Railroad. The odd numbered sec- tions of land for twenty miles on each side of this road belong to the railroad company. The even numbered sections of Government land within these limits are held at $2.50 per acre. The Government land outside of these limits is $1.25 per acre. None of the Government lands are subject to pri- vate entry; they can be obtained only by pre-emption and homestead settlers.
" There is," says J. D. Hyde, Register, " more or less vacant Government land in almost every township in this district, amounting in the aggregate to many thousands of acres. A large portion of these vacant lands are good, and are capable of pro- ducing, with proper cultivation, all the products of the soil of the temperate and semi-tropical zones. Much of this vacant land is as good in quality as private lands in the district worth $25.00 per acre; but these private lands have been increased in
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