USA > California > Tulare County > History of Tulare County, California with biographical sketches > Part 33
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COUNTY OFFICERS .*
OFFICE.
NAME. SALARY.
TERM EXPIRES.
County Judge
H. N. Carrol $2,000
Jan., 1868
District Attorney S. A. Sheppard $1,000
March, 1866
County Clerk J. T. Holmes Fees March, 1866
Recorder T. J. Shackleford Fees March, 1866
Fees March, 1866
Treasurer T. T. Hathaway
Fees March, 1866
Assessor
E. H. Dumble
Fees March, 1866
Surveyor
J. E. Scott
Fees March, 1866
Coroner
William A. Russell Fees March, 1866
Supt. of Schools M. S. Merrill
8250 March, 1866
Sheriff John Gill
SUPERVISORS .- First District, A. M. Donaldson, White River; Second District, R. K. Nichols, Woodville; Third Dis- trict, Pleasant Byrd, Visalia.
* All residents of Visalia.
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DESCRIPTIONS OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
Description of Towns and Villages.
TULARE CITY.
THE town site of Tulare City was surveyed, and the first sale of town lots was made at public auction in the latter part of 1872. A large depot, 240x40 feet, was built by the rail- road company, who, even at that early date, recognized the fact that it would be needed in a few years.
There was but one house in this vicinity before the advent of the railroad, all this section being given up to stock-raising. After the terminus of the road was moved southward, and the construction force had left, the town did not make mnuch head- way for several years. An enumeration January 1, 1873, placed the total population at twenty. In two years it had raised to 145.
This place sprang into existence on account of the railroad, and is essentially what would be called a railroad town. The railroad caused the country to be more thickly settled, and this population demanded home markets. The town is the nat- ural outgrowth of a demand on the part of the surrounding country, and therefore its permanence is established.
Tulare City was made the end of the San Joaquin Valley Division, and remained the terminus of the road from the time of the arrival of the first regular train, in July, 1872, until the following November. In the spring of 1873 the first engine- house was built, and contained stalls for seven locomotives. In 1875 the capacity of the building was enlarged to thirteen stalls, and extensive machine-shops were built the following year. In 1878 the company put in one of the largest and most substantial turn-tables on the coast. Many side-tracks have been laid, and all trains change engines at this point, going north or south. A large force of men are kept con- stantly at work in the repair shops, a division superintendent and a master mechanic are located here, and many of the hands employed by the company have their family residences here.
The round-house has thirteen stalls, and twenty-four engines work to and from this point, on the Tulare Division and the Goslien Branch. These shops employ twenty-four men. The blacksmith shops, steam hammers, spring forges, and copper shops are most perfect. The machine shop has thirteen lathes, planers and other machines; the boiler shops have rollers, shears, punches, etc .; the carpenter shop has burr saws, etc. Eight acres are inclosed and nicely ornamented with trees.
TULARE LIBRARY BUILDING.
In our views of this place will be found one of the beautiful and useful library building, erected by the liberality of the railroad company. The company has also provided an cxten- sive library, or reading-room, billiard hall, etc., for the conven-
ience of its employees when not on duty. The building, as will be noticed in the view, is of handsome design, and is one of the attractions of the village. It would be an ornament to any place.
At the annual meeting of the Tularc Library Association held July 2, 1883, for the election of officers, the following were elected: S. Johnson, President; C. F. Hall, Vice-President; H. Congdon, Secretary; H. H. Francisco, Treasurer; C. M. Fisher, Collector; J. U. Bennett, Superintendent; J. C. Rich- ards, J. S. Williams and T. A. Lewis, Directors. For the fiscal year ending July 1, 1883, the total receipts were $982.89; ex- penditures, $782.95; leaving a net balance on hand of $139 .- 94.
Tulare is situated on the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, about 167 miles south of Stockton, 251 miles from San Francisco, and 231 miles from Los Angeles. It is the end of two divisions-Tulare Division, extending to the south, and Visalia Division, to the north. Elevation above sea-level, 282 fect.
On the 5th of July, 1875, a disastrous fire occurred, destroy- ing the business portion of the town; but the place continued to grow, and, notwithstanding a drought in 1877-78, and par- tial failure of crops last year, the population cannot now be less than 1,200. During the year ending May 31, 1883, no less than ninety houses were completed.
Great pains have been taken to set out ornamental and shade trees, so that some of the streets arc almost embowered in shade from one end to the other, and others will be as soon as the trees are a little older. Some of the residences are hand- some, and most of them are neat and homelike. Among the numerous neat and tasty dwellings, we give illustrations of a few of the better ones, such as those of A. T. Cotton, A. D. Neff, E. J. Edwards, L. A. Pratt, Seymour Johnson, etc. Taken as a whole, Tulare City will compare favorably with most towns of its size in this or any other county.
BUSINESS HOUSES,
Among the prominent features of the town we may mention a full complement of general merchandise, hardware, provision and grocery stores, two good hotels, besides private boarding- houses, one first-class restaurant, two livery stables, two drug and variety stores, post, express, and telegraph offices, bakery, millinery, fruit, tobacco, and notion stores in profusion, city water-works, carriage and wagon factory, blacksmith, wheel- wright, and paint shops, undertaking establishments, baths, saloons, meat and vegetable markets, real estate and insurance agents, physicians, a dentist, one legal firm, artificial stone and concrete-pipe factory, tin-shops, harness and saddlery store, and a shoemaker. Among the most prominent of these we may mention-
L. A. PRATT, undertaker, contractor, and builder. Has been established in business since the location of the town, and is
TULARE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION'S BUILDING. TULARE CITY CAL.
RESIDENCE OF SEYMOUR JOHNSON. COR. H & TULARE STS. TULARE CAL.
.CITY RESIDENCE OF E. J EDWARDS. TULARE CITY. TULARE CO. CAL.
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DESCRIPTIONS OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
not only the pioneer undertaker of Tulare, but also is recog- nized as carrying as large a stock as can be found in the county.
Mr. Pratt is a man of good judgment, and enterprising, as is shown in the contribution of his elegant residence to our list of illustrations, to aid in showing the improvements of Tulare City. He is well and favorably known throughout this coast, and has contributed largely to aid in its development.
GEORGE. G. BUCKLAND manufactures buggies, buckboards, phaeton carriages, wagons, and agricultural implements. He also makes the Buckland Patent Buckboard-gear, and parts of the same for the trade. He has invented and manufactured three kinds of sectional harrows. He has a good brick shop.
DEWITT & RICHARDSON deal in real estate, and are well posted on all lands in Tulare County, and especially those about Tulare City and the artesian belt. Large and small ranches bought and sold in Tulare, Fresno, and Kern Counties. Fruit lands a specialty.
POST-OFFICE DRUG STORE .- The chief drug store of Tulare is kept by Brooks Key, who deals in all kinds of drugs, medi- cines, toilet articles, perfumery, etc. Physicians' prescriptions accurately compounded night and day.
TULARE CITY WATER WORKS were started in 1882 by D. W. Madden. He sank an artesian well and from the water pumped up he is supplying the place. The pipes are now laid in all directions, some 8,000 feet in all, and the storage capac- ity of the tanks, which are arranged one above the other, and are some sixty feet in height, is +0,000 gallons. (See illustra- tion.)
PACIFIC HOTEL is the leading one of the town, with D. W. Madden as landlord. The Pacific was started by Sawyer & Baalanı, of Sacramento, and afterwards sold to John F. Jordon, present Auditor of the county, and rented to various parties. But success never attended it until it came into D. W. Mad- den's charge, who after purchase made many additions and improvements. He has done much to promote the growth of the town and is genial, frank, and liberal.
NEWSPAPERS OF TULARE CITY.
There are three newspapers issued in Tulare City. The Tulare Register was started by Messrs. Black & Cox, December, 1882, and transferred to the present management on the 24th of February last. Its career has been one of uninterrupted progress from its very inception. It is now published by Messrs. Shanklin & Pillsbury. Each issue contains some im- portant information about the county. We have used in this work valuable matter taken from their columns which are always replete with local news.
The Alliance Messenger is issued weekly, and is owned by a joint-stock company, and is devoted to morality, temperance, and Christianity. Rev. F. H. Wales is the managing editor,
and has contributed much to the success and popularity of the enterprise. The Tulare County Christian and Temperance Alliance, composed of various church and temperance organi- zations, contribute to its maintenance. The Alliance Messen- ger is published every Thursday evening by the Alliance Mes- senger Publishing Co., under the auspices of the following Board of Directors: F. H. Wales, President, Tulare; J. M. Moore, Secretary, Hanford; John Reed, Treasurer, Hanford; S. Fowler, Tulare; J. B. Zumwalt, Tulare; A. W. De Witt, Tulare.
The Tulare Telegraph was started by J. A. Studabecker, in 1882. It was issued as a daily. It has changed hands once or twice but is now still under the first managment.
D. W. MADDEN, a view of whose hotel and water-works appear in this work, is a native of Pennsylvania, having been born in Montour County, in 1825. In 1844 he left Pennsyl- vania, with but $18.00 in his pocket, and walked to Michigan, then known as the far West. Here he remained about a year, and then went on to Illinois, where he taught school for two ycars.
In 1852 he left for California, coming overland, making the trip in six months, and took up his residence in Sacramento, where he followed stage driving, and was afterwards agent for the stage company of Sacramento. He remained there till 1860, when he went to Placer County, and kept hotel for twelve years. He then moved to Hollister, San Benito County, remaining there two years, and in 1875 he removed to Tulare County and engaged in farming and sheep-raising. In 1876 he took up his residence in Tulare City, where he has since resided. In 1877 he bought the hotel which he now occupies, and has made large additions thereto.
It is always instructive to read of the trials as well as suc- cesses and failures of other people. He came to this county, and was in the employ of Sisson, Wallace & Co., in charge of lumber-yard. He afterwards took charge of the Lake House, which burned soon after. Mr. Madden is one of the best citi- zens of Tulare, active and energetic.
He was married to Miss Nancy E. Carnhan, a native of Pennsylvania, in December, 1859. They have one hoy and three girls, Lillia E., Maggie E., Mary M., and Washington D. Madden.
TULARE LODGE, NO. 68, K. OF P.
This order has for its object to disseminate principles of friendship, charity, and benevolence. It was organized at Tulare City, February 11, 1882. Its greatest membership is sixty-five.
The following is the names of officers for July, 1883: D. S. Woodruff, C. C .; G. Q. Gill, V. C .; John Farrar Sen., Prelate; L. A. Pratt, M. A .; Geo. Buckland. K. of R. and S .; D. Mc- Donald, M. of E .; T. Rudolph, I. G. ; and J. Richardson, O.
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DESCRIPTIONS OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS.
This is a society known as Tehachepi Division, No. 125, whose objects and aims are to elevate men who are in the profession of locomotive engines and to aid and assist widows and orphans of deceased members. The order originated at Detroit, Michigan, in 1863, as brotherhood of the Foot Board and this order was organized August 17, 1864, as B. of L. E.
The first officers of Tulare Division were A. D. Neff, C. E .; D. T. Bolger, F. E .; C. E. Wiekstrom, S. E .; D. C. Horton, F. A. E .; Marion Patehen, S. A. E .; W. R. Hatfield, Guide; and Joseph Paine, Chaplain. The greatest number of members at any time was twenty-eight. About $1,800 have been distrib- uted in charities and benefits.
The present offieers are: J. L. Bachelder, C. E .; E. J. Ed- wards, S. E .; W. H. Main, S. A. E .; W. W. Wright, Guide; J. C. Richards, F. E .; R. S. Goble, F. A. E .; W. W. Aehorn, T. A. E .; A. D. Neff, Chaplain.
The charter members were: Samuel Richardson, A. T. Fowler, W. MI. Richardson, H. Kelsey, J. Lemprand, F. Heild, C. B. Faust, G. A. W. Faust, J. R. Faust, D. MeDonald, Jesse Richardson, H. G. Rogers, J. Bargion, E. H. Holland, L. A. Pratt, John Reid, Caleb Coakley, Thos. Helm, T. M. Thomas, L. D. Murphy, P. L. Anthony, W. M. Bruce, W. Adams, J. H. Faust.
OLIVE BRANCH LODGE, U. D., F. A. M., was organized Mareh 9, 1883. Its first or charter members were: L. D. Mur- phy, J. A. Goble, L. Gilroy. F. T. Berry, Robt. MeMillen, R. C. Clarke, Thos. Cross, B. W. Jauehius, Wm. Carpenter, F. W. Gor- hamn, Geo. Faust, J. C. Gist, B. M. Alford, J. F. Uhlhorn, T. W. Maples.
The present offieers are: L. D. Murphy, Master; J. A. Goble, Senior Warden; L. Gilroy, Junior Warden; F. T. Berry, Secre- tary; J. F. Uhlhorn, Treasurer. The greatest number of mem- bers at any one time was twenty-seven. Regular stated meet- ings of this lodge are held on the second Friday of each month.
TULARE COUNCIL, No. 89, ORDER OF CHOSEN FRIENDS, meets every Wednesday evening at 9 o'clock. This order was instituted July, 1882, with thirty-six charter members, and is in good eondition.
TULARE LODGE, No. 78, A. O. U. W., installed new officers as follows: C. F. Hall, P. M .; E. T. Bueknam, M. W .; T. A. Lewis, Foreman ; Jas. Doyle, Overseer; John O'Kief, Guide ; Mr. Treadwell, Reeorder, and J. L. Barnes, Financier.
TULARE LODGE, No. 195, I. O. G. T., meets every Tues- day evening at 7 o'clock, P. M., in Masonie Hall. S. West, W. C. T., J. H. Morton, W. S.
TULARE CITY LODGE OF ODD FELLOWS was instituted in May, 1883, by C. H. Murphy, of Visalia. J. S. Barnes Noble Grand; F. Rosenthal, Vice Grand; E. M. Wilson, Seere- tary, and E. Churchill, Treasurer.
A. T. COTTON, who has one of the best residences in Tulare City, and represented among our views, was born in Will County, Illinois, in 1849. When but five years of age his parents started for the land of gold. Fitting themselves out with an ox-team and wagon, in which they placed their household treasures, they bid good-bye to old associations, and joined a train bound overland. The long and weary trip oceu- pied six months, and just after they reached the line of the State, in Lake Valley, the father sickened and died. This oeeurred in the fall of 1854, when the family moved into, and settled in Sacramento County.
The most of young Cotton's time was spent in Sacramento County, until 1871, although he spent some time in El Dorado County during 1857 and 1858. Attended sehool in Alameda in 1859-60. Resided in Placerville in 1860-61. Went to New York in 1865, and spent one year. In 1871 he moved to Tulare County, and engaged in well-boring. In 1873 he opened a tin-shop in Tulare City, to which he has sinee added stoves and hardware and house-furnishing goods, and is doing a good business.
In 1869 he married Miss Josephine Gregory, a native of California. They have three children, Willie, Fred, and Daisy 'Cotton.
FINE RESIDENCES.
Tulare City is surrounded by many good farm places, and on these are well-arranged and comfortable homes, yet even the most enthusiastie admirer of Tulare County must admit that few of her farm-houses ean make any pretensions to elegance. There are some very neat ones and many that are commodious and comfortable, but few of the old settlers are so proud as to make it necessary that their dwellings shall be painted in order that they may live happily in them.
J. B. ZUMWALT has the finest country residenee in the county. This house and immediate surroundings makes the largest of our illustrations. The main building is 36x40 feet two stories high, with a hip roof and deck. It has eight large and airy rooms with lofty ceilings, four of them above and four below. The hall-ways are broad and the stairs have a very gradual and easy rise. This building is entirely sur- rounded by double porches, that proteet it from the direet rays of the sun. Immediately in the rear of the main building and eonneeted with it by the poreh is an L 20x40 feet, one story high, containing a dining-room, kitchen, pantry, and bath-room. This building also is entirely surrounded by a broad porch. Good porches, and plenty of them, are indispensable to comfort anywhere in the interior of California where the sun comes down with so mueh force during the summer. Mr. Zumwalt's porches added $2,000 to the cost of his residenee. The whole structure bears unmistakable evidence of good material, skillful workmanship, and painstaking thoroughness in every detail.
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DESCRIPTIONS OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
J. B. Zumwalt was born in St. Charles, Missouri, July 11, 1832. His parents died when he was five years of age, at which time he went to live with an uncle in Palmyra, Mis- souri, who treated him with so much severity that he ran away. But the county afterwards appointed a guardian for him, who taught him the blacksmith trade, but who was after- wards killed by lightning.
Mr. Zumwalt then went to Paris, Missouri, and remained two years with Mr. Enoch Wilson, until gold was discovered in California, when Dr. H. J. Glenn (recently murdered) of Colusa, and others, left Paris for gold mines. It was soon reported that they had made fortunes in the mines. Every- body else was crazy to go to California.
He was fitted out by J. C. Fox, a wealthy merchant of Paris, which place they left April 9, 1850, in company with Henry Davis, Mr. Wilson, and others, with ox-teams. They made the trip in about four months. At Carson City he and another young man left the train and walked the balance of the way, arriving, as miners say, " dead broke." He stopped first at Hangtown, Placerville, aud engaged in blacksmithing, and mining. He continued mining at Gold Hill and other places in El Dorado County until 1855. He afterwards mined in Shasta County with fair success. He stayed in Shasta until 1857, when he took a trip east for six months.
In 1858 he left the mines and opened a blacksmith shop in Red Bluff until 1864, when he removed to Grand Island, Colusa County, where he bought land at $1.25 per acre. He farmel there for fourteen years. He then sold this farm at $50.00 per acre and removed to his Tulare farin. He came to this county in 1878 and engaged in farming and stock-raising.
His farm consists of 1,000 acres of rich sandy loam adapted to small grain, alfalfa, and fruit. It is located seven miles from the county seat, and near school and church. The Southern Pacific Railroad runs through the farm.
He has a small orchard, young, but it is doing well and some of the trees have made a remarkable growth. "We were shown," says the Register, "a seedling tree two years old that has a trunk three inches in diameter, and a top ten feet square, that is full of fruit. Twelve months from the day this tree came up through the ground it was in blossom, and bore fruit that season. We were also shown some Carolina poplars two years old that were grown from cuttings, that now measure from twenty to twenty-six inches in circumference." He keeps on the ranch about 80 ncad of cattle, 150 hogs, and 22 horses.
He married, in 1860, Miss Lydia A. De Witt, who was a native of Kentucky. They have five boys and five girls.
Mr. Zumwalt is one of the most active citizens of Tulare County, and cheerfully aids every enterprise calculated to advance the interests of his county. He has been engaged in the real estate business, and is familiar with the quality and location of the lands of Tulare County and surroundings.
VISALIA, the county scat, is situated in an exceedingly fertile region, and is the terminus of a branch railroad which connects with Central Pacific Railroad at Goshen seven miles away.
Samuel Allen informs us that when he came to Tulare in 1854, there was one store in Visalia kept by Nathan Baker; one blacksmith shop by a man by the name of Turner; a boarding-house by John P. Majors; and one saloon, the keeper's name not remembered. At that time there was no Court House or jail. The court was held in a building that was also used as a jail.
At that time there was a corral or pen used as a fort, made of timber nine feet long set in the ground. Inside of this there were several cabins. The Indians were a little troublesome at times so the people had to take to those places occasionally for safety.
He says "at times the few that were there at that time, were obliged to live for weeks on grain ground in hand-mills or large coffee mills, using it without bolting.
"About 1854, two grist mills were erected, one by Phil. Wagy, and another by Dr. Mathews & Bros. At this time it would have been utterly impossible to have built a railroad where it now runs. The canal dug from Tulare Lake to Fresno Slough has lowered the lake so that it has receded as much as ten and fifteen miles and made good farming land, where at that date the fish were swimming."
As early as 1860, Visalia was quite a village, and during '63 and '64 United States troops were stationed there. During the latter part of the war the place became quite important both as a military station and as a freighting point from Stockton. It is situated in the northern part of the county, in a heavily timbered section. The country surrounding is very level, and all the clear lan l is devoted to farining, pasture, etc. A con- siderable portion of the country to the east is swampy, but can be successfully drained, and consists of some of the best land in the county.
BUSINESS PLACES OF VISALIA.
Visalia has gas and water-works which supply the people with gas for illumination, and water for irrigation and domes- tic purposes. Visalia has three hotels, three restaurants, nine stores, five variety and boot stores, two saddle and harness shops, six blacksmith and wagon shops, five livery and feed stables, two jewelers, three barber shops, three vegetable and produce stores, two tin and stove stores, one furniture store, ten attorneys, nine physicians and about two' dozen saloons.
There are five church edifices and seven organizations. A lodge of Masons, Odd Fellows, Good Templars, and a literary club. There is a good normal school in Visalia. The Masonic and Odd Fellow's Hall building cost $20,000. The Good Templar's Hall $6,000. There is one general banking-house, and a Government Land Office here, and the county Court House and jail, with many substantial residences.
168
DESCRIPTION OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
The place is well laid out, but poorly built; the buildings generally, especially in the business portion of town, are low and uncomely structures; yet there are some pretty private resi- dences and good business houses recently put up.
A fine Court House has been crected at a cost of $75,000. It is a splendid structure, a pride to the county and an orna- ment to the town, and is fully described elsewhere.
The Bank of Visalia has a paid up capital of $200,000 and does a large business; R. E. Hyde, President, and J. J. Mack, Cashier. It was organized about 1875, and has been under the same judicious management as at present since starting. The building they do business in is a handsome brick, on Main Street, and is 70 feet by 20. The Tulare Flouring Mill runs three burrs and makes fifty barrels of flour and grinds forty tons of feed in twelve hours-runs by water or steam. The flour has a wide reputation.
This city has a large, good public school building, occupied by six teachers. The Visalia Normal School was organized in 1880. The first year it numbered 64 pupils, the second 99, the third 104. The aim of the institution is to qualify students for the practical duties of life, as well as for the teacher's profes- sion,
By a branch railroad to Goshen, regular connection is made with the trains running north and south on the San Joaquin Valley Railroad. Mr. R. E. Hyde, one of Visalia's live men, formerly a merchant, is President of this railroad.
The city is supplied with gas and water. The water-works were erected by Messrs. Fox & Wild, as builders. The dimen- sions of the building are: At the base twenty-six feet square, and at the top where the tank rests, it is twenty-two. The tank holds about 30,000 gallons, and is kept full of water by means of a steam engine of twenty horse-power.
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