USA > California > History of the State of California and biographical record of Coast Counties, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 38
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SACRAMENTO.
Sutter built his fort near the junction of the Sacramento and American rivers in 1839. It was then the most northerly settlement in Cali- fornia and became the trading post for the northern frontier. It was the outpost to which the tide of overland immigration flowed before and after the discovery of gold. Sutter's settle- ment was also known as New IIelvitia. After the discovery of gold at Coloma it was, during
1848, the principal supply depot for the mines. Sutter had a store at the fort and did a thriving business. Sam Brannan, in June, 1848, estab- lished a store outside of the fort, in a long adobe building. His sales amounted to over $100,000 a month. His profits were enormous. Gold dust was a drug on the market and at one time passed for $8 an ounce, less than half its value. In September, 1848, Priest, Lee & Co. estab- lished a business house at the fort and did an immense business. The fort was not well lo- cated for a commercial center. It was too far away from the river by which all the freight from San Francisco was shipped. The land at the embarcadero was subject to overflow and was deemed unsuited for the site of a city. Sut- terville was laid out on rising ground three miles below. A survey of lots was extended from the fort to the embarcadero and along the river bank. This embryo town at the embarcadero took the name of Sacramento from the river. Then began a rivalry between Sutterville and Sacramento. The first house in Sacramento, corner of Front and I streets, was erected in January. 1849. The proprietors of Sutterville. McDougall & Co., made an attempt to attract trade and building to their town by giving away lots, but Sutter beat them at that game, and Sacramento surged ahead. Sam Brannan and Priest, Lee & Co. moved their stores into Sac- ramento. The fort was deserted and Sutterville ceased to contend for supremacy. In four months lots had advanced from $50 to $1,000 and business lots to $3,000. A regular steam- boat service on the river was inaugurated in August, 1849, and sailing vessels that had come around the Horn to avoid trans-shipment worked their way up the river and landed their goods at the embarcadero. The first number of the Placer Times was issued April 28, 1849. The steamboat rates of passage between San Fran- cisco and Sacramento were: Cabin, $30; steer- age, $20; freight, $2.50 per one hundred pounds. By the winter of 1849 the population of the town had reached five thousand and a year later it had doubled. Lots in the business section were held at $30,000 to $50,000 each. The great flood of 1849-50, when four-fifths of the city was under water, somewhat dampened the enthusi-
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asm of the citizens, but did not check the growth of the city. Sacramento became the trading center of the mines. In 1855 its trade, princi- pally with the mines, amounted to $6,000,000. It was also the center of the stage lines, a dozen of which led out from it.
It became the state capital in 1853, and al- though disastrous floods drove the legislators from the capital several times, they returned when the waters subsided. The great flood of 1861-62 inundated the city. and compelled an immense outlay for levees and for raising the grades of the streets. Sacramento was made the terminus of the Central Pacific Railroad sys- tem, and its immense workshops are located there. Its growth for the past thirty years has been slow but steady. Its population in 1890 was 26.386; in 1900, 29,282.
SAN JOSE.
The early history of San José has been given in the chapter on Pueblos. After the American conquest the place became an important busi- ness center. It was the first state capital and the removal of the capital for a time checked its progress. In 1864 it was connected with San Francisco by railroad. The completion of the railroad killed off its former port, Alviso, which had been laid out as a city in 1849. Nearly all the trade and travel before the railroad was built had gone by way of Alviso down the bay to San Francisco. San José and its suburb, Santa Clara, early became the educational centers of California. The first American college founded in the state was located at Santa Clara and the first normal school building erected in the state was built at San José. The population of San José in 1880 was 12,570; in 1900, 21,500.
STOCKTON.
In 1844 the Rancho Campo de los Franceses, Camp of the French, or French Camp, on which the city of Stockton is located, was granted to William Gulnac by Governor Micheltorena. It contained eleven leagues of 48.747 acres of land. Capt. Charles M. Weber, the founder of Stock- ton, was a partner of Gulnac, but not being a Mexican citizen, he could not obtain a land grant. After Gulnac obtained the grant he con-
veyed a half interest in it to Weber. Weber shortly afterward purchased his partner's inter- est and became sole owner of the grant. Some attempts were made to stock it with cattle, but Indian depredations prevented it. In 1847, after the country had come into the possession of the Americans, Weber removed from San José, which had been his place of residence since his arrival in California in 1841, and located on his ranch at French Camp. He erected some huts for his vaqueros and fortified his corral against Indians. In 1848 the site of the city was sur- veyed and platted under the direction of Captain Weber and Maj. R. P. Hammond. The rancho was surveyed and sectionized and land offered on most advantageous terms to settlers. Cap- tain Weber was puzzled to find a fitting name for his infant metropolis. He hesitated between Tuleburgh and Castoria (Spanish for beaver). Tules were plentiful and so were beaver, but as the town grew both would disappear, so he finally selected Stockton, after Commodore Stockton, who promised to be a godfather to the town, but proved to be a very indifferent stepfather; he never did anything for it. The discovery of gold in the region known as the southern mines brought Stockton into promi- nence and made it the metropolis of the south- ern mining district. Captain Weber led the party that first discovered gold on the Mokelumne river. The freight and travel to the mines on the Mokelumne, Tuolumne and Stanislaus rivers passed through Stockton, and its growth was rapid. In October, 1849, the Alta California reports lots in it selling from $2,500 to $6,000 cach, according to situation. At that time it had a population of about one thousand souls and a floating population, that is, men coming and going to the mines, of about as many more. The houses were mostly cotton-lined shacks. Lum- ber was $1 a foot and carpenters' wages $16 per day. There was neither mechanics nor mate- rial to build better structures. Every man was his own architect and master builder. Cloth was scarce and high and tacks at one time were worth $5 a package ; even a cloth house was no cheap affair, however flimsy and cheap it might appear. On the morning of December 23, 1849, the business portion of the town was swept out
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of existence by fire. Rebuilding was begun al- most before the embers of the departed city were cold and a better city arose from the ashes of the first. After the wild rush of mining days was over, Stockton drifted into a center of agri- cultural trade and it also became a manufactur- ing city. Its growth has been steady, devoid of boomis or periodą of inflation, followed by col- lapse. Its population in 1890 was 14,424: in 1900, 17,506.
SAN DIEGO.
In former chapters I have described the founding of the presidio and mission of San Diego. A pueblo of twenty-five or thirty houses grew up around the presidio. This is what is known as Old San Diego. In 1850 it was in- corporated as a city. March 18, 1850, Alcalde Sutherland granted to William Heath Davis and five associates one hundred and sixty acres of land a few miles south of Old Town, in con- sideration that they build a wharf and create a "new port." The town of New San Diego was laid out, the wharf was built, several houses crected, and government barracks constructed. A newspaper was established and the Panama steamers anchored at the wharf. San Diego was riding high on the wave of prosperity. But the wave broke and left San Diego stranded on the shore of adversity. In 1868, A. E. Horton came to San Diego. He bought about nine hundred acres of pueblo lands along the bay at twenty-six cents an acre. He subdivided it, gave away lots, built houses and a wharf and soon infused life into thic sleepy pueblo. In 1884 the Southern California Railroad was completed into the city. In 1887 San Diego experienced a wonderful real estate boom and its growth for several years was marvelous. Then it came to a standstill, but has again started on the high- way to prosperity. Its population in 1890 was 16,159; in 1900, 17,700.
FRESNO CITY.
Fresno City was founded by the Southern Pacific Railroad in May, 1872. The road at that time was in the course of construction. The outlook for a populous town was not brilliant. Stretching for miles away from the town site in different directions was an arid-looking plain.
The land was fertile enough when well watered; but the few settlers had no capital to construct irrigating canals.
In 1875 began the agricultural colony era. The land was divided into twenty-acre tracts. A number of persons combined together and by their united capital and community labor con- structed irrigating canals and brought the land under cultivation. The principal product is the raisin grape. Fresno City became the county seat of Fresno county in 1874. It is now the largest and most important city of the Upper San Joaquin Valley. Its population in 1890 was 10,818; in 1900, 12,470.
VALLEJO.
Vallejo was founded for the state capital. It was one of several towns which had that tem- porary honor in the early '50s, when the state capitol was on wheels, or at least on the move. The original name of the place was Eureka. General Vallejo made a proposition to the leg- islature of 1850 to grant the state one hundred and fifty-six acres of land and to donate and pay to the state within two years after the ac- ceptance of his proposition $370,000, to be used in the erection of public buildings. The legisla- ture accepted his proposition. The location of the state capital was submitted to a vote of the people at the election on October 7. 1850, and Vallejo received more votes than the aggre- gated vote of all its competitors. Buildings were begun, but never completed. The legisla- ture met there twice, but on account of insuffi- cient accommodations sought other places where they were better cared for. General Val- lejo's proposition at his own request was can- celled. In 1854 Mare Island, in front of Val- lejo, was purchased by the general government for a United States navy yard and naval depot. The government works gave employment to large numbers of men and involved the expedi- ture of millions of dollars. The town began to prosper and still continues to do so. Its popu- lation in 1890 was 6.343; in 1900, 7.965.
NEVADA CITY.
No mining town in California was so well and so favorably known in the early '50s as Nevada
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
City. The first discovery of gold near it was made in September, 1849; and the first store and cabin erected. Rumors of rich strikes spread abroad and in the spring of 1850 the rush of gold-seekers came. In 1851 it was estimated that within a circuit of seven miles there was a population of 30,000. In 1856 the business sec- tion was destroyed by fire. It was then the third city in population in the state. It has had its periods of expansion and contraction, but still remains an important mining town. Its population in 1880 was 4,022; in 1890, 2,524; in 1900, 3,250.
GRASS VALLEY.
The first cabin in Grass Valley was erected in 1849. The discoveries of gold quartz raised great expectations. A quartz mill was erected in 1850, but this new form of mining not being understood, quartz mining was not a success; but with improved machinery and better meth- ods, it became the most important form of min- ing. Grass Valley prospered and surpassed its rival, Nevada City. Its population in 1900 was 4,719.
EUREKA.
In the two hundred years that Spain and Mex- ico held possession of California its northwest coast remained practically a terra incognita, but it did not remain so long after the discovery of gold. Gold was discovered on the head waters of the Trinity river in 1849 and parties of pros- pectors during 1849 and 1850 explored the country between the head waters of the Trinity and Klamath rivers and the coast. Rich mines were found and these discoveries led to the founding of a number of towns on the coast which aspired to be the entrepots for the sup- plies to the mines. The most successful of these proved to be Eureka, on Humboldt Bay. It was the best located for commerce and soon outstripped its rivals, Arcata and Bueksport. Humboldt county was formed in 1854, and Eu- reka, in 1856, became the county seat and was incorporated as a city. It is the largest ship- ping point for lumber on the coast. It is also the commercial center of a rich agricultural and clairying district. Its population in 1880 was 2,639; in 1890, 4,858; in 1900, 7,327.
MARYSVILLE.
The site on which Marysville stands was first known as New Mecklenburg and was a trading post of two houses. In October, 1848, M. C. Nye purchased the rancho and opened a store at New Mecklenburg. The place then became known as Nyc's rancho. In 1849 a town was laid out and named Yubaville. The name was changed to Marysville in honor of the wife of the proprietor of the town Covilland. His wife was Mary Murphy, of the Donner party. Marys- ville, being at the head of the navigation of the north fork of the Sacramento, became the en- trepot for mining supplies to the miners in the rich Yuba mines. After the decline of mining it became an agricultural center for the upper portion of the Sacramento. Its population in 1880 was 4,300; in 1890, 3,991 ; in 1900, 3,397.
REDDING.
The Placer Times of May 8, 1850, contains this notice of Reading, now changed to Red- ding: "Reading was laid off early in 1850 by P. B. Reading at the headwaters of the Sacra- mento within forty-five miles of the Trinity diggings. Reading is located in the heart of a most extensive mining district, embracing as it does, Cottonwood, Clear, Salt, Dry, Middle and Olney creeks, it is in close proximity to the Pitt and Trinity rivers. The pet steamer, Jack Hayes, leaves tomorrow morning (May 9, 1850) for Reading. It has been hitherto considered impossible to navigate thic Sacramento to this height." The town grew rapidly at first, like all mining towns, and like most of such towns it was swept out of existence by fire. It was devastated by fire in December, 1852, and again in June, 1853. Its original name, Reading, got mixed with Fort Redding and it now appears on all railroad maps and guides as Redding. Its population in 1890 was 1,821; in 1900, 2,940.
PASADEN.A.
Pasadena is a child of the colony era of the early 'zos. Its original name was the Indiana Colony. In 1873 a number of persons formed a company for the purchasing of a large tract of land and subdividing it among them. They in-
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corporated under the title of the San Gabriel Orange Grove Association and purchased four thousand acres in the San Pasqual rancho, sit- uated about nine miles east of Los Angeles city. This was divided on the basis of one share of stock being equivalent to fifteen acres. Each stockholder received in proportion to his invest- ment. The colonists turned their attention to the cultivation of vineyards and orange or- chards. In 1875 the name was changed to Pasa- dena, an Algonquin word meaning Crown of the Valley. The colony had become quite noted for its production of oranges. In 1887 the great real estate boom struck it and the cross roads village suddenly developed into a city. It has become famous as a tourist winter resort. Its population in 1890 was 4,882; in 1900, 9,117.
POMONA.
Pomona was founded by the Los Angeles Im- migration and Land Co-Operative Association. This company bought twenty-seven hundred acres of the Rancho San Jose, lying along the castern border of Los Angeles county. The town was laid off in the center of the tract. The remainder of the tract was divided into forty- acre lots. The town made a rapid growth at first, but disaster overtook it. First the dry season of 1876-77, and next a fire that swept it almost out of existence. In 1880 its popula- tion liad dwindled to one hundred and eighty persons. In about 1881 it began to revive and it has made a steady growth ever since. It is the commercial center of a large orange grow- ing district. Its population in 1890 was 3,634; in 1900, 5,526.
SAN BERNARDINO.
San Bernardino was originally a Mormon col- ony. In 1851 one hundred and fifty families were sent from Salt Lake to found a colony or a stake of Zion. The object of locating a colony at this point was to keep open a line of commu- nication with some seaport. San Bernardino was near the old Spanish trail which led out through the Cajon pass. Goods could be transported to Salt Lake from San Pedro at all seasons of the year, which could not be done to Salt Lake
over the central route westward or eastward during the winter. The leaders of the Mormon colony, Lyman and Rich, bought the San Ber- nardino rancho from the Lugos. A portion of the land was subdivided into small tracts and sold to the settlers. The Mormons devoted themselves to the cultivation of wheat, of which they raised a large crop the first year and re- ceived as high as $5 per bushel. The colony prospered for a time, but in 1857 the settlers, or all of them that would obey the call, were called to Salt Lake by Brigham Young to take part in the threatened war with the United States. The faithful sold their lands for what- ever they could get and departed. The gentiles bought them and the character of the settlement changed. The city of San Bernardino has an extensive trade with the mining districts to the cast of it. Its population in 1890 was 4,012; in 1900, 6,150.
RIVERSIDE.
Riverside had its origin in the colony era. It began its existence as the Southern California Colony Association. In 1870 an association, of which Judge John W. North and Dr. James P. Greves were leaders, purchased four thousand acres of the Roubidoux rancho and adjoining lands, aggregating in all about nine thousand acres. This was subdivided into small tracts and sold to settlers at a low price. A town was laid off and named Jurupa, but this being diffi- cult of pronunciation its name was changed to Riverside, which eventually became the name of the settlement as well. An extensive irrigrating system was constructed and the cultivation of citrus fruits became the leading industry. The Bahia or Washington navel orange has made Riverside famous in orange culture. It was propagated by budding from two small trees sent by the Department of Agriculture to a citi- zen of Riverside. The city of Riverside in area is one of the largest cities of the state. Its boundaries include fifty-six square miles. Its corporate lines take in most of the orange groves of the settlement. By this means mu- nicipal regulations against insect pests can be better enforced. The population of Riverside in 1890 was 4,683; in 1900, 7,973.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
219
EARLY DAYS AND PRESENT PROGRESS.
BY C. H. RODGERS.
Away back in the dim ages, in an arm of the sea, the tides swelled and receded-breakers dashed against the confining mountains - strange monsters of the deep disported over the waves or basked in the shallows.
.As time wore on, and with each season's freshets, streams that emptied into this bay came laden with the wash from the mountains. On meeting the salt waters the current was checked and matter held in suspension settled to the bottom. With this constant deposit the water grew shallower and shallower, finally receding entirely, leaving a marshy waste cov- ered with coarse vegetation.
This, in turn, was periodically inundated by swollen torrents laden with mineral, vegetable and animal matter-the cream of the lands drained.
With the addition of these deposits, possibly aided by upheaval. the surface was gradually raised until was formed one of the richest and most productive spots on earth, the land we now occupy, Pajaro valley.
Pajaro valley, at a remote period, may have been the great highway for the drainage waters of the western slope of the Sierras and the vast central valley of California including the river systems of the Sacramento and San Joaquin.
In a report written in 1845 by Lieut. Joseph W. Revere of U. S. Navy, we find as fol- lows: "The Indians have a tradition that at no remote period of time the Bay of San Fran- cisco was a great inland lake or sea of fresh water, the only outlet being the Rio de los Pajaro (Bird river) which still empties into the Bay of Monterey. General Vallejo informed me that a very old Indian had told him that he had lxcard his father say that his grandiather had traveled by land to the 'lui' or cast at Monterey, from the north to the south side of
the bay, across what is now its entrance, but which was then a mountain, and that an earth- quake rent the mountain asunder and opened the present passage into the Pacific. Of course the level of this huge lake was much higher than the Pacific and it must have covered the whole of the valleys leading down to it, including the vast Tulare valley and plains. All these valleys bear evidence of having once been the bed of a large body of water which has partially been drained off. The former existence of such a wide spreading sheet of water may still be traced and its channel is still noticeable in examining the Tule lakes, all of which communicate at a high stage of water with the San Joaquin. The shells and other deposits are appropriate to fresh water and can be accounted for on no other hypothesis than the Indian tradition."
Those familiar with the topography of this coast will agree that were an obstruction placed across Golden Gate, conditions as described in the Indian tradition would exist to-day.
A familiar instance of the filling in process and formation of new land by streams, and one which serves to illustrate the theory already advanced, is shown in the College lake. Thirty years ago the lake extended one-fourth of a mile further northward than now and the depth in the middle was about thirty feet. On accoun of the deposit brought in by streams on the north this part has receded and the depth of the lake has decreased at least one-half.
The first recorded discovery of Pajaro valles by civilized man was made on October 8, 1700. by an expedition headed by Don Gaspar Pus- tola, Governor of California, who, wirle thi priests, about thirty-five soldiers and fifteen Th dians, were ordered north from San Diego do locate Monterey bay.
After the tiresome journe of several Imin
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IHISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
dred miles over desert and parched soil, so favorably impressed were these people with the beauties of this valley that Father Crespi, the scribe of the party, wrote of it: "A meadow beautiful to behold because of the great variety of trees and plants." The first mention of the redwood was made at this time and was discov- ered in our valley.
It is said that the places traversed by this party were named by something suggested by the surroundings.
Pajaro (bird). What name more appropriate! Where else could such numbers and variety be found! The absence of birds in their journey, contrasted with the animated scene spread out before them-a beautiful valley tenanted by myriads of the feathered tribe, could not fail to impress them. What other name could be sug- gested? Greeted by songsters-canaries, ori- oles, larks, linnets, blue-birds, mocking-birds, robins. From trees on the hillside came the whistle of the quail, chirp of jay and wood- pecker, wail of the dove. From the willow's along the streams were heard the caw of the crow and twitter of blackbirds. Humming- birds flitted among the flowers. Floating on waters of lake, stream and slough were count- less water fowl-geese, ducks, swans, and wading in the marshes the crane, snipe, curlew. Circling overhead were the eagle, hawk and buzzard. Even at night the explorers were re- minded of the presence of birds through hav- ing their slumbers disturbed by hoot and screech of owls.
For the fifty years succeeding its discovery very little is recorded of Pajaro, although it was traversed frequently by people passing from the Mission of Santa Cruz to Monterey and San Juan.
The first to appreciate the locality as a suit- able place to establish a home was Don Antonio Maria Castro, who applied in 1820 to the government of Spain for a grant of land which he called Vega del Rio del Pajaro (meadow of the river of the Pajaro) and which land extended along the south side of the Pajaro river from a point near Vega station to Aromas P. O., and contained 4,310 acres. The grant was not received from Spain, for in 1821, sirable fruit.
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