USA > California > Kings County > History of Tulare and Kings counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 6
USA > California > Tulare County > History of Tulare and Kings counties, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the counties who have been identified with their growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84
With the exception of Dinnba, Orosi, Yettem and Redbanks, which have other sources of income, all of these new districts are solely dependent upon citrus fruit culture for support. In this con- nection the solid improvements at Woodlake, Strathmore and Terra Bella, particularly in the way of substantial business structures.
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
hotels, banks, newspapers, municipal water supply, coment sidewalks. etc., indicate the confidence of moneyed men in the potential produc- tive capacity of the community.
All of this expenditure in the way of permanent municipal im- provements, together with the outlay of capital incident to the installa tion and maintenance throughout the entire district of electric power systems, necessarily forms a portion of the entire sum today invested in the citrus fruit industry of the county. The estimate of $13,500,000. given at the commencement of this sketch, is shown, therefore, to be far too low. Twenty million would perhaps come nearer. Likewise, with reference to the present income. The estimate of $2,500,000 of present return was based on a production of four thousand carloads, four hundred boxes to the car, value $1.50 per box. The cost of labor for handling and packing and the salaries and profits of the men en- gaged in this business were not included. Thus a fairer estimate of the present revenue from this source would be $3,000,000.
The first plantings were seedlings, but practically all have since been replaced by Washington navels. The present pack of four thou sand carloads consists of about two hundred and fifty cars of lemons. four hundred and fifty cars of Valencias and the remainder navels. There are thirty-five packing houses in the district, and double that number will be needed as soon as the present new acreage comes into bearing.
Tulare county now ranks fifth in the state in the production of citrus fruits, but it appears certain that within four years it will take first place.
TULARE COUNTY'S DIMINISHED AREA
The present area of Tulare county is 4,863 square miles.
It is still a large county and its diversified topography and pro- ductions cause it to seem a veritable empire. How vast the area once included in its bounds can be seen by the following slices that have been taken from its territory: In 1856, Fresno county, with 6,035 square miles; in 1866, Inyo county, with 10,224 square miles; in 1866, Kern county, with 1,852 square miles; and in 1893, Kings county, with 1,375 square miles.
16
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
CHAPTER VI THE GENERAL RODEO
Three things were necessary in the early days of cattle raising in Tulare county to insure success. These were a branding iron, a range claim and a number of active cowboys.
There was a law at that time which had been passed by the legis- lature of '51, entitled "An act to regulate rodeos," which caused this condition. This law provided for a general rodeo on every stock farm. and if a rancher failed to make it, it could be made by any of his neighbors at his expense; and provided further that no man should mark or brand his stock cattle except at one of these general rodeos.
Of the law and its workings, Stephen Barton, writing in 1874, says: "The eap sheaf of the enactment, however, was this section: 'All unmarked neat cattle, the mothers of which are unknown, shall be considered the property of the owner of the farm on which they may be found.' These provisions of law resulted in this county in the unocenpied public domain being divided into range claims, and he that was unable to make a general rodeo soon found that he had no business to keep cattle, while those who undertook it found that the business of the year simplified itself to the task of assembling on his rodeo gronnd as many nnmarked neat cattle without mothers as it were possible to do. Can it be wondered at that, under snch cirenm- stances, cattle stealing should rise to the dignity of a science, and finally to that of a fine art? The business of manipulating a rodeo was at once more simple than that of stacking a deck of cards or that of picking the pockets of an unwary traveler. Further, it was more respectable and required, in one case, less capital, in the other, less conrage."
In 1907 occurred an incident at White River which at once illuis- trates the wealth once frequently found in the gold pockets of this section and brought to light a story of a mysterious disappearance, buried treasure and unfounded suspicion strange as any fiction.
It develops that in the early '80s Tom Bradford, a miner thought to have been quite successful, suddenly disappeared. No elne was obtained to his whereabouts; it was believed that he had met with foul play, and suspicion rested on J. M. White. At this time, so the story goes, Dave Hughes and okl man Caldwell were interested believers in spiritualism and gave seances and table rappings. At one of these performances they announced that Bradford had met his death at the hands of White. Great excitement ensued in the camp and White's denial of guilt was not believed.
47
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
Mr. White, by means of letters to almost every town in the state, finally located Bradford and received letters convincing the neighbors of his innocence. In one of these letters Bradford stated that he had buried some gold in Gordon's Gulch, described the location and told White to get it and keep it to repay him for the trouble he had ex- perienced. Mr. White and his sons searched Gordon's Gulch over and over, but failed to discover the treasure.
In 1907 Bradford returned, having lost his eyesight and one arm through a dynamite explosion, and is now known as "Blind Tom." Securing a guide, Tom Willard, in Delano. Blind Tom arrived in Gor- don's Gulehi and by describing the location, which was by a chimney and near a flat rock surface, was conducted to the spot. A little dig- ging unearthed gold in various tin cans to the amount of twenty-five pounds.
Following the Civil war the failing output of the mines caused a lessened prosperity. The lack of transportation facilities was severely felt and many endeavors were made to secure rail connections.
Cattle raising continued profitable and herds were increased. The discovery of the immense grazing territory of the Sierras gave an impetus to sheep raising, and wool became the principal product.
The completion of the railroad through Goshen and Tulare in 1872, with the westward branch through Hanford in 1877 caused a rush of settlers. These either purchased land of the railroad or acquired title by pre-emption of homestead. The population increased very rapidly and farming on a large scale had its inception. Irrigating enterprises on a large scale were inaugurated.
It must be remembered that the county by this time had been greatly reduced in area, Kern having been cut off in 1856, and Fresno and Inyo in 1866.
The "No Fence" law of 1871, passed just before the coming of the railroad, rendered farming practicable and now commenced the era of wheat growing. Immense ranches were sown to the cereal, an acreage of from five to twenty thousand in one hody not being unusual. A section, or 640 acres, was considered a small farm. Tulare became the banner wheat producing county of the state. Fourteen thousand carloads were shipped in one season. The con struction in 1888 of the east side branch of the Southern Pacific, passing through the Dinuba, Exeter, Porterville and Ducor country, brought an immense acreage of fine wheat lands into cultivation. Sheep raising, meanwhile, since the disastrous drought of '77, had been declining.
In 1890 the county experienced what may be termed its third boom. The extraordinary yields and profits of fruit raising bad
18
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
been demonstrated by the erop sales of orchards in the two preceding years and now a general rush to plant trees took place. Probably fifteen thousand acres were set to trees and vines in this season.
The discovery of the adaptability of the foothill belt to citrus fruits, the finding of subterranean rivers, and the exploitation of the power of the mountain streams were incidents of the succeeding years. Dairying, conducted at first on a small scale with ineonsider- able profit, became shortly, from the increasing necessities of the rapidly growing city of Los Angeles, an industry of great im- portanee.
In general, the history of the county during the last fifteen years has been the prosaic development caused by the flourishing growth of industry, accounts of which are given under separate headings.
49
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
CHAPTER VTI EXETER AND OTHER TOWNS
When, in 1888, the railroad construction crew struck the town- site of Exeter they found themselves in the grain field of John W. Firebaugh. Behind them and before them stretched other fields of wheat. A few farm houses were in sight, but there was no vestige of a town, nor did it appear likely that there ever would be.
The Pacific Improvement Company, who had platted the town and owned the "city," found the sale of lots slow indeed. A black- smith shop, opened by John Hamilton, a store conducted by George W. Kirkman, a saloon and later a hotel constituted for several years the Exeter business establishments, and it was not until 1892 that a second general store, opened by R. H. Stevens, became necessary. At this time there were only two brick buildings in town, and the remainder consisted largely of mere shacks.
Not until 1894 did the first stirring of life manifest itself. George W. Frost and associates in that year commenced the extensive orange plantings at "Bonnie Brae," a short distance east of town. Not. however, until about half a dozen years after this, when these orchards came into bearing, did the community realize the value of the land adjoining and since then growth has been very rapid. A bank, now called the First National Bank of Exeter, became neces- sary as early as 1901, and in 1912 the banking business had so grown as to justify the advent of another, the Citrus Bank.
Exeter now has a population of thirteen hundred, with an assessed valuation of city property of $388,000. The business section is constructed almost wholly of brick, many of the buildings being of two stories with handsome pressed brick fronts. Business is not confined to a few large emporiums, but distributed among a score of prosperous merchants.
At two elections attempts to incorporate Exeter were defeated because of the opposition caused by the inclusion of much farm property within the proposed corporate limits.
On March 2, 1911, the measure carried and under the leadership of the following officers the city commenced its career: Board of Trustees, G. E. Waddell, president; W. P. Ballard, J. F. Duncan. James Kirk, W. A. Waterman; city marshal, C. E. Mackey; city treasurer, E. H. Miles; city recorder, W. B. Moore.
The first important measure for the city's welfare undertaken was the establishment of a municipal water system, a public service previously in private hands and furnishing inadequate service. Bonds
50
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
in the sum of $42,000 were voted in 1911 and this year witnessed the completion and commencement of operation on a fine municipal plant. About nine miles of piping thoroughly cover the city and provide for its needs for several years. Fonr wells furnish a more than adequate supply of pure water and a storage capacity of 100,- 000 gallons gives good fire protection.
Modern school buildings are a feature, the high school building, constructed in 1910 at a cost of $10,000, being particularly handsome. The high school has been in operation but four years, yet six teachers are employed and a seventh has become necessary. In this comer- tion illustrative of the city's recent rapid growth it may be stated that last year's attendance was just double that of the preceding vear.
A very progressive Board of Trade has for many years materially aided the advancement of city and county interests. Through its efforts a citrus fair was held in 1909 which attracted great crowds of visitors, not only from the county but from the large centers of population. Both financially and as a promotion enterprise this fair was an unqualified snecess.
At the present time the Board of Trade is engaged in the con- struction of a handsome brick structure which will house the city officers, afford room for meetings both of the board and the city council and furnish the abode for an exhibit of the products of the surrounding section.
IInnt Bros., a big firm of fruit canners who are also owners of a large orchard in the vicinity, have recently established a large canning factory which gives employment through the season to several hundred people.
Prior to the completion, in 1899, of the connecting line with Visalia, Exeter was quite a stage and teaming center. Even after this, Exeter remained the terminns for the Lemon Cove and Three Rivers stages and when the orange and lemon orchards of the Lemon Cove district came into bearing, the prodnet, amounting to about a hundred carloads per season, was hauled to Exeter to be placed aboard cars.
The Visalia Electric Railway, completed in 1907, necessarily wiped out this traffic, but by increasing trading, traveling and ship- ping facilities, has been a great benefit to the city.
Exeter now has first class transportation facilities in four direc- tions. It may be said to be on the main line and two branch lines of the Southern Pacific as well as having an electric railway.
Aside from these connections and its central location, Exeter is situated in a peculiarly favorable position by reason of its being practically on the line separating the farming, dairying and deciduons fruit district from the citrus belt. Of course, there is no real line of demarcation and the land immediately surrounding the town is adapted
51
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
and devoted to both enltures. Orange groves, alfalfa fields, peach orchards and vineyards of table grapes adjoin.
Generally the farming and general fruit lands extend from the lowlands to the west to the neighborhood of the town, and eastward to the hills orange growing is in almost exclusive vogue.
The result is that the prosperity arising from the valuable productions of the fertile soil is not intermittent, but constant through- ont the year. The facilities for caring for these products are of the best. In addition to the cannery, there is a packing house for the shipment of fresh fruit to eastern markets, and four orange packing establisInnents.
MONSON
The station of Monson, on the line of the Southern Pacific north of Visalia, is in a fine farming section and there are a number of orehards and vineyards in the vieinity. It is a small village; the school employs one teaeher.
KAWEAH
Two miles north of Three Rivers is the postoffice and stage station known as Kaweah. It is located beside a picturesquely tree and vine bordered streamlet that is a feeder to the north fork of the Kaweah river. Much tillable land in large part devoted to apple orchards lies hereabouts and the neighborhood is, for a mountain settlement, well populated. There is a daily stage to Lemon Cove and during the summer months a stage is run from this point to Giant Forest.
NORTH TULE
North Tule is the name given to the fertile valley of the Tule river after it issues from the western slopes of the Sierras, in the southeastern part of Tulare county. The valley is about thirty miles long with an average width of five miles and with numerous side valleys entering it. The soil is very fertile and has long been known for its fine apples. Many villages and settlements are found along the valley, among which are Milo, Cramer, Baldwin Flats, Dunean's Flat, Springville, Globe and China Flats.
PIXLEY
Another of the stations of note on the line of the Southern Pacific is the flourishing town of Pixley. It is in a rich farming dis triet and is an important point for grain dealers. It is in the artesian country and large alfalfa fields have been sown, and dairying is coming to the front. There is a fine school house, hotel and several mercantile houses. Much of the lands about the town were owned by people of San Francisco and they named it in honor of the talented Frank Pixley, founder and editor of the Argonaut.
52
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
TIPTON
The town of Tipton had its origin with the coming of the Southern Pacific Railway and was made a depot. It is in the midst of a rich farming and dairying country, and some of the people have planted orchards. It is the natural shipping point for a large part of the lower Tule country, but the town has not grown with the rapidity of other places. It has a number of mercantile and other business houses and the business men are confidently expecting that in the next few years there will be a large influx of people. There are a number of artesian wells in the vicinity and the dairy business is growing to be of great importance.
ALILA
The most southerly town in the county on the line of the rail- road is Alila. It is in the country between the sinks of Deer creek and White river, and in the artesian belt. It thus has a rich and valuable country around it. There are good warehouses and a large amount of grain is handled here. The school and church are well represented and there are a number of business houses in town.
POPLAR
Poplar is not the name of a town, but rather of a rich farming country west and south from Porterville, and being southeastward from the Woodville country. It is a famous stockraising section and also a fine country for grain. In the early days the land owners here united and brought in a supply of water from the Tule river. This was by means of the Bid ditch. A co-operative company was formed and established a general merchandising house that is still doing business.
FRAZIER
One of the most beautiful sections of Tulare county is Frazier valley, which lies about twenty-five miles east and south of Tulare ('ity. It borders the Tule river above where the river emerges into the more open plains. It has a postoffice and a number of farms and orchards. It is, with its side valleys, some fifteen miles long and five miles wide. The valley is now attracting much attention as being a choice locality for early fruit and vegetables. It is finely watered and is comparatively free from frosts.
WOODVILLE
The name Woodville was given to a rich farming country lying along the south side of Tule river, eight miles west from Porterville and twenty miles south of Visalia. It derived its title from the extensive groves of white oak covering the country. A store was established at an early date and a postoffice located there, besides
53
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
a schoolhouse, and people in the neighborhood are beginning to put ont orchards and hope in a few years to have a prosperous town there. The soil is very rich, and alfalfa fields are becoming numerous and much attention is paid of late to dairying.
STRATHMORE
One of the late towns to spring up in Tulare county is Strath- more, and it has from the first shown a lusty growth. On the line of the railway between Lindsay and Porterville it is the depot for one of the fine orange districts of the county. At the citrus fair held in Visalia in 1910 Strathmore made a remarkably fine exhibit of citrus and deciduous fruits, olives, pomegranates and other products.
ESHOM VALLEY
A few miles east of Badger lies the mountain dale called Eshom Valley, one of the beauty spots of the county. The valley is several miles long and in places a mile wide. Though situated at a high elevation not far below the edge of the pines, the soil is warm and fertile and farm crops, vegetables, berries, apples, ete., produce exceedingly well. There is much good grazing land in the vicinity and the hills being thickly wooded with acorn-bearing oaks, hog raising has proven a profitable branch of the stock raising industry.
The climate is so tempered by the altitude that it has become a resort favored by tourists in summer. Eshom Valley is of historic interest as being once the home of a great tribe of Indians whose powerful chief, Wuk-sa-che, more than once led them to victory in battle with the Monaches. The Indian name of the valley was "Cha-ha-du," "a place where clover grows the year round." Or- lando Barton states that when he first visited the valley, in the '60's, he saw droves of Indians eating clover there.
The valley was visited as early as 1857 by James Fisher and Thomas Davis, and derived its name from Mr. Eshom, one of the first residents, who settled there and engaged in farming. In 1862 Jasper Harrell laid claim to the valley but did not succeed in holding it. His foreman, J. B. Breckenridge, was killed by the Indians in 1863.
ALPAUGH
In early days Tulare lake covered a much greater area than at present. Near its southeastern end existed a large island owned by Judge Atwell of Visalia, and known at Atwell's Island. Long since the waters of the lake have subsided, the island no longer exists, but its location is marked by the growing town of Alpangh. The whole section hereabouts was for many years used by Miller & Lux as a pasture for their immense herds of cattle. The lands were deemed unfit for agricultural purposes. 4
54
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
In 1905 a syndicate of Los Angeles capitalists obtained control of 8861 acres, comprising Atwell's Island, and placed it on the market in small tracts on easy terms. A large number of purchasers were found and these, with their families-two hundred and twelve persons in all-came up to settle. So general was the idea among old residents of the county that this land was worthless that the enter- prise was "knocked" on all sides. Every Alpangh colonist was told that he was an "easy mark." The Visalia Board of Trade serionsly considered the passing of a resolution condemning the land sale as a swindle, but were dissnaded from hasty action by Ben M. Maddox.
The colonists did have trouble. With most of them funds were scarce, and many had to leave temporarily. There was trouble in getting a supply of good water. Perseverance overcame these obstacles. A school district was organized in 1906, a church and school house erected and home building was recommenced. Suc- cessful experiments in raising alfalfa and vegetables were con- ducted, artesian wells were sunk and a supply of water obtained. this not sufficient, however, for irrigation purposes. But the wells put down were found of double value. Besides water, they sup- plied a natural gas that can be used for heating and lighting.
The colonists have increased in numbers and much activity is shown in raising vegetables. Quite a business has been established in the canning of tomatoes, peas, etc. The raising of garden seeds for the market has proved especially profitable and it has been found that the fine silt soil is peculiarly adapted to the production of asparagus, onions and other vegetables. The colonists have arranged to get a bountiful supply of water for irrigating purposes from the Smyrna wells, distant a few miles south.
South and west from Alpaugh much work is being done in the reclamation of submerged lake lands by the construction of levees. Alpangh is situated eight miles south and west from Angiola. The Santa Fe railroad contemplates the building of a spur to connect Alpangh with the main line, and this, it is believed, will not be delayed, as shipments fully warrant it.
TAGUS
While the name Tagns, applied to the switch on the Sonthern Pacific track about midway between Goshen and Tulare, is not worthy of mention, the neighboring country, or Tagus district, is. The Tagus ranch of several thousand acres devoted to dairving, alfalfa and grain farming has proven exceptionally profitable, espe- cially since the experiment on it of raising sugar beets. Of neces- sity enltivation for this purpose was very deep and thorough and crops since have been extraordinarily large. The neighborhood is
55
TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
almost exclusively devoted to alfalfa and dairying. Probably no district in the county delivers more butter fat to the creameries in proportion to its area than the Tagus section.
GOSHEN
The town of Goshen, seven miles west of Visalia, dates its his- tory from the completion of the railroad to that point, in May, 1872 Here the contemplated branch of the Southern Pacific from San Francisco by way of Gilroy, Tres Pinos and Huron, was to join the line of the Central Pacific, proceeding from Stockton south. A passenger and a freight depot was built, large numbers of lots sold, and it was thought that before many years Goshen would become an important city.
The construction, in 1874, of the Visalia-Goshen railway inspired renewed hopes in the future of the town as a great railway center. In 1876 work was commenced on the westerly branch, running through the Mussel Slough country, and supposed to make connec- tions at Tres Pinos. This road got as far as Alcalde only.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.