USA > California > San Joaquin County > History of the State of California and biographical record of San Joaquin County; containing biographis of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume I > Part 2
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CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE INDIAN QUESTION
. . . . 223
Treatment of the Indians by Spain and Mexico-A Conquista-Unsanitary Condition of the Mission Villages-The Mission Neophyte and What Became of Him-Wanton Out- rages on the Savages-Some So-Called Indian Wars-Extermination of the Aborigines -Indian Island Massacre-The Mountaineer Battalion-The Two Years' War-The- Modoc War.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
SOME POLITICAL HISTORY.
. . . . . 229
Advent of the Chinese-Kindly Received at First-Given a Public Reception-The "China Boys" Become Too Many-Agitation and Legislation Against Them-Dennis Kearney and the Sand Lot Agitation-Kearney's Slogan, "The Chinese Must Go"- How Kearney Went-The New Constitution-A Mixed Convention-Opposition to the Constitution-The Constitution Adopted-Defeat of the Workingmen's Party-A New Treaty With China-Governors of California, Spanish, Mexican and American.
CHAPTER XXXV.
EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
..... 235
Public Schools in the Spanish Era-Schools of the Mexican Period-No Schools for the Neophytes-Early American Schools-First . School House in San Francisco-The First American Teacher-The First School Law-A Grand School System-University of the Pacific-College of California-University of California-Stanford University-Normal Schools.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CITIES OF CALIFORNIA-THEIR ORIGIN AND GROWTH
The Spaniards and Mexicans Not Town Builders-Francisca, on the Straits of Car- quinez, the First American City-Its Brilliant Prospects and Dismal Failure-San Francisco-Its Population and Expansion-The Earthquake of April 18, 1906-The Great Fire that Followed the Earthquake-The Effects of the Earthquake at Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley, San Jose, Santa Rosa and Other Points Around the Bay of San Francisco-Los Angeles, The Only City in California Before the Conquest-Popula- tion and Development-Oakland, Its Growth and Progress-Berkeley-Alameda- Sacramento, the Metropolis of the Mines-San Jose, the Garden City-San Diego, the Oldest City-Fresno-Vallejo-Nevada City-Grass Valley-Eureka-Marysville-Reddi-R- Pasadena-Pomona-San Bernardino-Riverside.
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CONTENTS.
(SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY)
CHAPTER I.
PAGE 259
THE FIRST INHABITANTS.
The Primeval Forest-Largest Indian Tribes-Governed by Chiefs-the Indian Wick-ey-up -Women Slaves-Their Food-Superstitious Ideas-Disease a Pestilence-Burial of Dead -Constantly at War-They Defeat General Vallejo's Soldiers-Weber's Treaty of Peace- Race Extinct-Coming of the White Man-Trappers at Castoria-French Camp-The Kelsey Family-Horrible Suffering of the Family-Lindsay Killed by Indians-Settlers Punish the Murderers-A Future Great City-Gulnac Obtains Grant of Land-First House at Stockton-Land of No Value-First Settlers on the Grant-Gold at Coloma-Stockton Gold Mining Company-Stockton in 1848-A Severe Winter-A Merry Christmas.
CHAPTER II.
THE CRY OF GOLD
.. .263
On to California-Life and Property Unsafe-Election of Delegates-San Joaquin's First Legislators Name Courts-Terrible Suffering-The Unfortunate Town Council-Necessity of Government-Meeting to Incorporate-First City Election-Terry's First Duel-City Opposed to Taxation-The Miners Depot-Stockton's Magical Growth-Survey of the Town-First Residence in the Valley-The Building Boom-Fire of 1849-Heavy Loss of Property-Pioneer Merchants-High Price of Goods-Business Lively-The Foreign Miners License-Oppose Unjust Taxation-The Peninsula as a Business Location-The "Bridgers" and "Ditchers"-Land Speculation.
CHAPTER III.
VIOLATION OF LAW
... 269
Cheapness of Life-The Gambling Class-Shot While Sleeping-Died with Their Boots On-Murder of Corney-Bill Owens' Pony Stolen-Brutal Treatment of Criminals-Ex- citing Court Scene-Execution of Wilson and Salkman-Country Overrun with Horse Thieves-Captain Weber's Cool Act-Dead on the Sidewalk-A Severe Punishment- Reynolds, the Corrupt Judge-Ben Williams' Devious Ways-Amyx Indicted for Bribery -Murder of William A. Brown-Hanging of Jose Barrillo-Legal Executions in San Joaquin-Sydney "Ducks" Alarm Citizens-Tried hy a Mustang Court-Mock Funeral of James King of William-Terry Stabs Hopkins-Friends Request Terry's Liberty-His Stockton Reception-The Daly Squatter Fight-Battle of Waterloo-Murder of Breen- Mokelumnos Grant Affair.
CHAPTER IV.
LAND AND RIVER TRANSPORTATION
....... 276
The San Joaquin River-First Sailing Vessel-The Pioneer Steamer-The California Steam Navigation Company-Opposition Steamers-The T. C. Walker-Proposed Ship Canal- Fifteen Feet of Water to the Sea-Celebration of the Completion of the Overland-Rail-
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CONTENTS.
road Bond Election-Afraid of being Humbugged-First Excursion from Sacramento- Stockton and Copperopolis Railroad-First Locomotive to the Water Front-Stockton and Visalia Railroad Election-Traitors to the City-Celebration at Lodi-Packmule Trains- The Prairie Schooner-The Stage Coach-Great Strike-American Railway Union-San Joaquin Valley Lines, Santa Fe-The Western Pacific.
CHAPTER V.
PULPIT, SCHOOL AND PRESS.
.281
City of Churches-Pioneer Church-First Brick Church-First Pipe Organ-Methodist Church-First Private Schools-Organization of Public Schools-Pleasures of Childhood- A Mixture of Races-First Colored School-Admitted to the Public School-Little Gum Tye and His Queue-School Punishments-The Percentage System-School Examinations -Grading the Schools-Pioneer School Houses-Up-to-Date-Buildings-The High School -Its Graduates-A. H. Randall-Incompetent Teachers-Weeding Out Poor Teachers- The Standard Today-Teachers of Long Service-Marriage-William A. Houghton-First Class Work and Pay-High School Salaries-George S. Ladd-James A. Barr's High Ideals-Preparations for the Work-Gold Medal for Stockton Schools-Stockton Methods -Public Library-Founding of Same-Hazelton Donation-Pioneer Newspapers-San Joaquin Republican-Stockton Journal-Trouble Over Printing City Contracts-Killing of Mansfield-Taber Pardoned-Stockton Argus-Evening Mail-Stockton Independent- Stockton Evening Mail.
CHAPTER VI.
COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIES
.... 290
Wheat as King-First Farmers-Wonderful Crops From the Virgin Soil-Stockton the Wheat Center-Ship Building-Agricultural Implements-The Combined Harvester-Fruit and Vegetables-City of Windmills-Artesian and Gas Wells-Flouring Mills-Paper Mill -Woolen Mill-Tannery-Dairy Products-Glass Manufacture-Banks.
CHAPTER VII.
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL EVENTS.
. .. 294
Peculiar Political Conditions-Demands of the Offices by the Democrats-The Know Nothing Party-Henry A. Crabb-His Filibustering Scheme-Slavery Laws-Campaign of 1859-Broderick the Traitor-Terry Challenges Broderick-The Duel-Terry Acquitted- The Republican Party-Campaign of 1860-Secession Flags Flying-George W. Tyler- Republican Meeting Broken Up-July 4, 1861-Ringing the Bell of the Methodist Church South-The Coalition of the Republicans and Democrats-The Bitter Slavery Contest- The Sanitary Commission-Lee's Surrender-Assassination of President Lincoln-Flood of 1862-Diverting Canal-Visit of General Grant-Terrible Boiler Explosion-The Killing of Terry-Coxey's Army-Reception to the Teachers-Congressman James H. Budd- Ovation to Senator Stanford-Burning of the Pavilion-Death of 1908-Moral Reform Movements-Temperance Laws-County Sunday Closing Law-Eastern Immigration- Pledged to the Saloons-Defeat of the Loyal Arch-Wanted, Good Roads-Planning the Work-The Educational Campaign-The Good Government League-Party Platforms- Victory.
J. m. Quinn
CALIFORNIA
CHAPTER I.
SPANISH EXPLORATIONS AND DISCOVERIES.
F OR centuries there had been a vague tra- dition of a land lying somewhere in the seemingly limitless expanse of ocean stretching westward from the shores of Europe. The poetical fancy of the Greeks had located in it the Garden of Hesperides, where grew the Golden Apples. The myths and superstitions of the middle ages had peopled it with gorgons and demons and made it the abode of lost souls.
When Columbus proved the existence of a new world beyond the Atlantic, his discovery did not altogether dispel the mysteries and su- perstitions that for ages had enshrouded the fabled Atlantis, the lost continent of the Hesperi- des. Romance and credulity had much to do with hastening the exploration of the newly dis- covered western world. Its interior might hold wonderful possibilities for wealth, fame and con- quest to the adventurers who should penetrate its dark unknown. The dimly told traditions of the natives were translated to fit the cupidity or the credulity of adventurers, and sometimes served to promote enterprises that produced re- sults far different from those originally intended.
The fabled fountain of youth lured Ponce de Leon over many a league in the wilds of Florida; and although he found no spring spout- ing forth the elixir of life, he explored a rich and fertile country, in which the Spaniards planted the first settlement ever made within the territory now held by the United States. The legend of El Dorado, the gilded man of the golden lake, stimulated adventurers to brave the horrors of the miasmatic forests of the Amazon and the Orinoco; and the search for that gold-
covered hombre hastened, perhaps, by a hun- dred years, the exploration of the tropical re- gions of South America. Although the myth of Quivira that sent Coronado wandering over des- ert, mountain and plain, far into the interior of North America, and his quest for the seven cities of Cibola, that a romancing monk, Marcos de Niza, "led by the Holy Ghost," imagined he saw in the wilds of Pimeria, brought neither wealth nor pride of conquest to that adventur- ous explorer, yet these myths were the indirect cause of giving to the world an early knowledge of the vast regions to the north of Mexico.
When Cortés' lieutenant, Gonzalo de Sando- val, gave his superior officer an account of a wonderful island ten days westward from the Pacific coast of Mexico, inhabited by women only, and exceedingly rich in pearls and gold. although he no doubt derived his story from Montalvo's romance, "The Sergas of Esplan- dian," a popular novel of that day, yet Cortes seems to have given credence to his subordi- nate's tale, and kept in view the conquest of the island.
To the energy, the enterprise and the genius of Hernan Cortés is due the carly exploration of the northwest coast of North America. In 1522, eighty-five years before the English planted their first colony in America, and nearly a century before the landing of the Pilgrims on Plymouth rock, Cortés had established a ship- yard at Zacatula, the most northern port on the Pacific coast of the country that he had just conquered. Here he intended to build ships to explore the upper coast of the South Sca (as
3
34
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
the Pacific Ocean was then called), but his good fortune, that had hitherto given success to his undertakings, seemed to have deserted him, and disaster followed disaster. His warehouse, filled with material for shipbuilding, that with great labor and expense had been packed on muleback from Vera Cruz, took fire and all was destroyed. It required years to accumulate an- cther supply. He finally, in 1527, succeeded in launching four ships. Three of these were taken possession of by the king's orders for service in the East Indies. The fourth and the smallest made a short voyage up the coast. The com- mander, Maldonado, returned with glowing re- ports of a rich country he had discovered. He imagined he had seen evidence of the existence of gold and silver, but he brought none with him.
In 1528 Cortés was unjustly deprived of the government of the country he had conquered. His successor, Nuno de Guzman, president of the royal audiencia, as the new form of gov- ernment for New Spain (Mexico) was called, had pursued him for years with the malignity of a demon. Cortés returned to Spain to defend himself against the rancorous and malignant charges of his enemies. He was received at court with a show of high honors, but which in reality were hollow professions of friendship and insincere expressions of esteem. He was rewarded by the bestowal of an empty title. He was empowered to conquer and colonize coun- tries at his own expense, for which he was to receive the twelfth part of the revenue. Cortés returned to Mexico and in 1532 he had two ships fitted out, which sailed from Acapulco, in June of that year, up the coast of Jalisco. Portions of the crews of each vessel mutinied. The mu- tineers were put aboard of the vessel com- manded by Mazuela and the other vessels, com- manded by Hurtardo, continued the voyage as far as the Yaqui country. Here, having landed in search of provisions, the natives massacred the commander and all the crew. The crew of the other vessel shared the same fate lower down the coast. The stranded vessel was after- wards plundered and dismantled by Nuno de Guzman, who was about as much of a savage as the predatory and murderous natives.
In 1533 Cortés, undismayed by his disasters, fitted out two more ships for the exploration of the northern coast of Mexico. On board one of these ships, commanded by Bercerra de Men- doza, the crew, headed by the chief pilot, Jim- inez, mutinied. Mendoza was killed and all who would not join the mutineers were forced to go ashore on the coast of Jalisco. The muti- neers, to escape punishment by the authorities, tinder the command of the pilot, Fortuno Jim- inez, sailed westerly away from the coast of the main land. After several days' sailing out of sight of land, they discovered what they sup- posed to be an island. They landed at a place now known as La Paz, Lower California. Here Jiminez and twenty of his confederates were killed by the Indians, or their fellow mutineers, it is uncertain which. The survivors of the ill- fated expedition managed to navigate the vessel back to Jalisco, where they reported the dis- covery of an island rich in gold and pearls. This fabrication doubtlessly saved their necks. There is no record of their punishment for mutiny. Cortés' other ship accomplished even less than the one captured by the mutineers. Grixalvo, the commander of this vessel, discovered a des- olate island, forty leagues south of Cape San Lucas, which he named Santo Tomas. But the discovery that should immortalize Grixalvo, and place him in the category with the romancing Monk, de Niza and Sandoval of the Amazonian isle, was the seeing of a merman. It swam about about the ship for a long time, playing antics like a monkey for the amusement of the sailors, washing its face with its hands, combing its hair with its fingers; at last, frightened by a sea bird, it disappeared.
Cortés, having heard of Jiminez's discovery, and possibly believing it to be Sandoval's isle of the Amazons, rich with gold and pearls, set about building more ships for exploration and for the colonization of the island. He ordered the building of three ships at Tehauntepec. The royal audencia having failed to give him any redress or protection against his enemy, Nuno de Guzman, he determined to punish him him- self. Collecting a considerable force of cava- liers and soldiers, he marched to Chiametla. There he found his vessel, La Concepcion, lying
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
on her beam ends, a wreck, and plundered of everything of value. He failed to find Guzman, that worthy having taken a hasty departure be- fore his arrival. His ships having come up from Tehauntepec, he embarked as many sol- diers and settlers as his vessels would carry, and sailed away for Jiminez's island. May 3, 1535, he landed at the port where Jiminez and his fel- low mutineers were killed, which he named Santa Cruz. The colonists were landed on the supposed island and the ships were sent back to Chiametla for the remainder of the settlers. His usual ill luck followed him. The vessels became separated on the gulf in a storm and the smaller of the three returned to Santa Cruz. Embarking in it, Cortés set sail to find his miss- ing ships. He found them at the port of Guaya- bal, one loaded with provisions, the other dis- mantled and run ashore. Its sailors had de- serted and those of the other ship were about to follow. Cortés stopped this, took command of the vessels and had them repaired. When the repairs were completed he set sail for his colony. But misfortune followed him. His chief pilot was killed by the falling of a spar when scarce out of sight of land. Cortés took command of the vessels himself. Then the ships encountered a terrific storm that threatened their destruc- tion. Finally they reached their destination, Santa Cruz. There again misfortune awaited him. The colonists could obtain no sustenance from the barren soil of the desolate island. Their provisions exhausted, some of them died of starvation and the others killed themselves by over-eating when relief came.
Cortés, finding the interior of the supposed island as desolate and forbidding as the coast, and the native inhabitants degraded and brutal savages, without houses or clothing, living on vermin, insects and the scant products of the sterile land, determined to abandon his coloniza- tion scheme. Gathering together the wretched survivors of his colony, he embarked them on his ships and in the early part of 1537 landed them in the port of Acapulco.
At some time between 1535 and 1537 the name California was applied to the supposed island, but whether applied by Cortés to en- courage his disappointed colonists, or whether
given by them in derision, is an unsettled ques- tion. The name itself is derived from a Spanishi romance, the "Sergas de Esplandian," written by Ordonez de Montalvo and published in Se- ville, Spain, about the year 1510. The passage in which the name California occurs is as tol- lows: "Know that on the right hand of the In- dies there is an island called California, very near the terrestrial paradise, which was peopled with black women, without any men among them, because they were accustomed to live after the fashion of Amazons. They were of strong and hardened bodies, of ardent courage and great force. The island was the strongest in the world from its steep rocks and great chiffs. Their arms were all of gold and so were the caparison of the wild beasts which they rode, after having trained them, for in all the island there is no other metal." The "steep rocks and great cliffs" of Jiminez's island may have sug- gested to Cortés or to his colonists some fan- cied resemblance to the California of Montalvo's romance, but there was no other similarity.
For years Cortés had been fitting out cx- peditions by land and sea to explore the un known regions northward of that portion of Mexico which he had conquered, but disaster after disaster had wrecked his hopes and in- poverished his purse. The last expedition sent out by him was one commanded by Francisco Ulloa, who, in 1539, with two ships. sailed up the Gulf of California, or Sea of Cortés, on the Sonora side, to its head. Thence he proceededl down the inner coast of Lower California to the cape at its southern extremity, which he doubled, and then sailed up the outer coast to Cabo del Engano, the "Cape of Deceit " Fail- ing to make any progress against the head winds, April 5. 1540. the two ships parted.com- pany in a storm. The smaller one, the Santa Agueda, returned safely to Santiago The larger, La Trinidad. after vainly endeavoring to continue the voyage, turned back. The fate of Ulloa and of the vessel too, is uncertain. One authority says he was assassinatedl after reach- ing the coast of Jalisco by one of his solliers, who. for some trivial cause, stabbed him to death; another account says that nothing is known of his fate, nor is it certainly known
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
whether his vessel ever returned. The only thing accomplished by this voyage was to dem- onstrate that Lower California was a peninsula. Even this fact, although proved by Ulloa's voy- age, was not fully admitted by geographers until two centuries later.
In 1540 Cortes returned to Spain to obtain, if possible, some recognition and recompense from the king for his valuable services. His declin- ing years had been filled with bitter disappoint- ments. Shipwreck and mutiny at sea; disaster and defeat to his forces on land; the treachery of his subordinates and the jealousy of royal of- ficials continually thwarted his plans and wasted his substance. After expending nearly a million dollars in explorations, conquests and attempts at colonization, fretted and worried by the in- difference and the ingratitude of a monarch for whom he had sacrified so much, disappointed, disheartened, impoverished, he died at an ob- scure hamlet near Seville, Spain, in December, 1547.
The next exploration that had something to do with the discovery of California was that of Hernando de Alarcon. With two ships he sailed from Acapulco, May 9, 1540, up the Gulf of Cal- ifornia. His object was to co-operate with the expedition of Coronado. Coronado, with an army of four hundred men, had marched from Culiacan, April 22, 1540, to conquer the seven cities of Cibola. In the early part of 1537 Al- varo Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca and three compan- ions (the only survivors of six hundred men that Panfilo de Narvaes, ten years before, had landed in Florida for the conquest of that province) after almost incredible sufferings and hardships arrived in Culiacan on the Pacific coast. On their long journey passing from one Indian tribe to another they had seen many wondrous things and had heard of many more. Among others they had been told of seven great cities in a country called Cibola that were rich in gold and silver and precious stones.
A Franciscan friar, Marcos de Niza, having heard their wonderful stories determined to find the seven cities. Securing the service of Estevanico, a negro slave, who was one of Ca- beza de Vaca's party, he set out in quest of the cities. With a number of Indian porters and
Estevanico as a guide, he traveled northward a hundred leagues when he came to a desert that took four days to cross. Beyond this he found natives who told him of people four days further away who had gold in abundance. He sent the negro to investigate and that individual sent back word that Cibola was yet thirty days' journey to the northward. Following the trail of his guide, Niza travelled for two weeks cross- ing several deserts. The stories of the magnifi- cence of the seven cities increased with every tribe of Indians through whose country he passed. At length, when almost to the prom- ised land, a messenger brought the sad tidings that Estevanico had been put to death with all of his companions but two by the inhabitants of Cibola. To go forward meant death to the monk and all his party, but before turning back he climbed a high mountain and looked down upon the seven cities with their high houses and teeming populations thronging their streets. Then he returned to Culiacan to tell his wonder- ful stories. His tales fired the ambition and stimulated the avarice of a horde of adventurers. At the head of four hundred of these Coronado penetrated the wilds of Pimeria (now Arizona). He found seven Indian towns but no lofty houses, no great cities, no gold or silver. Cibola was a myth. Hearing of a country called Quivira far to the north, richer than Cibola, with part of his force he set out to find it. In his search he penetrated inland as far as the plains of Kansas, but Quivira proved to be as poor as Cibola, and Coronado returned disgusted. The Friar de Niza had evidently drawn on his imagination which seemed to be quite rich in cities.
Alarcon reached the head of the Gulf of Cai- ifornia. Seeing what he supposed to be an in- let, but the water proving too shallow for his ships to enter it, he manned two boats and found his supposed inlet to be the mouth of a great river. He named it Buena Guia (Good Guide) now the Colorado. He sailed up it some distance and was probably the first white man to set foot upon the soil of Upper California. He heard of Coronado in the interior but was unable to establish communication with him. He de- scended the river in his boats, embarked on his vessels and returned to Mexico. The Viceroy
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Mendoza, who had fitted out the expedition of Alarcon, was bitterly disappointed on the re- turn of that explorer. He had hoped to find the ships loaded with the spoils of the seven cities.
The report of the discovery of a great river did not interest his sordid soul. Alarcon found him- self a disgraced man. He retired to private hic and not long after died a broken hearted man.
CHAPTER II. ALTA OR NUEVA CALIFORNIA.
W HILE Coronado was still wandering in the interior of the continent search- ing for Quivira and its king, Tatar- rax, who wore a long beard, adored a gol- den cross and worshipped an image of the queen of heaven, Pedro de Alvarado, one of Cortés' former lieutenants, arrived from Guate- mala, of which country he was governor, with a fleet of twelve ships. These were anchored in the harbor of Navidad. Mendoza, the viceroy, had been intriguing with Alvarado against Cortés; obtaining an interest in the fleet, he and Alvarado began preparations for an ex- tensive scheme of exploration and conquest. Be- fore they had perfected their plans an insurrec- tion broke out among the Indians of Jalisco, and Pedro de Alvarado in attempting to quell it was killed. Mendoza fell heir to the fleet. The return of Coronado about this time dispelled the popular beliefs in Cibola and Quivira and put an end to further explorations of the inland re- gions of the northwest.
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