USA > California > San Bernardino County > Ingersoll's century annals of San Bernadino County, 1769-1904 : prefaced with a brief history of the state of California : supplemented with an encyclopedia of local biography and portraits of many of its representative people > Part 54
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The hook and ladder truck carries about 150 feet of ladders and other necessary attachments which are used for speedy work in putting out fires. The two hose carts carry about 500 feet of hose each, and are of the best make. Altogether, the Redlands Fire Department apparatus is claimed to be as fine as any in the state. The horses, Chief and Prince, are beauties and have been gently trained under the supervision of Fred Herrmann so that now they are recorded as being among the best trained in the west for coming to the harness at the sound of an alarm.
THE SALOON QUESTION IN REDLANDS.
The "Temperance Question" has always been a vital one in Redlands. The people who settled the East San Bernardino valley were, as a rule, a class who did not patronize saloons. One of the first numbers of the Citro- graph announces that the first and only saloon in this section had just gone into insolvency with liabilities of $1.300 and assets of $200, and remarks that the saloon business has never been a profitable one in the East San Bernar- dino valley.
W. F. HOLT
523
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
Upon the incorporation of the city of Redlands, the question of high li- cense, or no saloon at all, was at once raised. Meetings were held; a Tem- perance League was organized, petitions were presented to the board of trus- tees on both sides, and a ballot of the voters was taken which resulted in a majority of one for no license : at the next meeting of the board of trus- tees one voter was reported as changing his vote, thus making the election a tie, and the trustees passed an ordinance granting license with the rate fixed at $50.00 per month. This was March 5th, 1889, and from this time until November 4th, 1896, the city continued under a license system, the only variation being in the price and the regulations prescribed. May 5th, 1890, the license was increased to $100 per month ; and at the same time the regulations governing the saloon were amended. March 3rd, 1892, an ordi- nance was passed permitting hotels to furnish their guests with wines and malt drinks, served at the table with regular meals, without license. Novem- ber 16th, 1892, this ordinance was repealed and a license of $10.00 per month was imposed upon hotels, at the same time, November 16th, 1892, the saloon license was raised to $300 per month and the regulations were increased un- til they constituted one of the most severe tests ever put upon the saloon bus- iness. The ordinance provided that "A quiet and orderly place be kept ; that the proprietor will take prompt action for securing the arrest of any person causing a breach of the peace in such place : that he will personally superintend such said business ; that he will not permit any minor, Indian. any drunken person, or any person known to be a drunkard, to obtain intox- icating liquors thereat : that he will suffer no drunken person nor lewd woman to remain about the place; that he will not perimt or allow to be brought therein any game or device of any kind; that he will not sell nor give away any intoxicating liquors to any person after having been requested in writing not to do so by the wife, guardian or parent of such person ; that he will carry on such said business on the ground floor and not in any base- ment nor in any upper floor of building; that he will not place nor keep any seats or chairs on the sidewalk in front of such place of business nor near there; that he will keep no chairs nor seats inside of such place of bus- iness except such as may be necessary for the use of himself and his em- ployees ; that he will neither sell not permit to be sold any liquor to be drank in any room except the room immediately fronting on the street or avenue and whose interior is exposed to view through a window, or windows from such street or avenue ; that he will not place or keep, or permit to be placed or kept, over, in, or upon any door or window of such place of business any curtain, screen, frosted panes, ground glass, paint or cover of any kind that shall obstruct a plain view therein from such street or avenue ; that he will keep such place of business closed from II p. m. each Saturday until six o'clock of Monday and from 10 o'clock p. m., until six a. m., of each succeed- ing morning."
524
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
It is said that the Stevenson brothers conducted a saloon under these regulations, paying $300 per month license and complying strictly with the requirements of the ordinance, although one of its provisions was somewhat of a dead letter-that providing against screening the windows-by the simple expedient of not washing the windows; flies and dust soon provided a screen that answered all purposes.
Ordinance No. 146, passed December 21st, 1892, still further increased the restrictions of the business, one of its provisions making a license good for only three months, and requiring a fee each time the license was paid. November 6th, 1893, the fee for license was reduced to $500.00 per quarter.
October 14th, 1896, Trustee Crissman introduced an ordinance prohib- iting the sale of liquors entirely. This was referred to City Attorney Ben- nett, who after pointing out some portions which would not stand litigation, was directed to draw up an ordinance which would stand. This he did and on November 4th, 1896, a strict prohibition ordinance was passed. A number of prosecutions were held under this ordinance and several convictions se- cured, the Supreme Court upholding its provisions.
In 1898, another vigorous campaign was prosecuted and the prohibi- tionists carried the election by a decided majority. It is now believed that the open saloon is a thing of the past in Redlands.
The liquor ordinances have always been so strict that much trouble has arisen over the illegal selling of liquor. While under the license system, a number of cases for violation of the city law were prosecuted; some of these arousing much feeling. In the fall of 1891, several druggists were arrested for violation of the ordinances governing the sale of liquor by drug stores. Many charges and counter-charges were made, detectives were brought in from outside to work up the cases, but at the trial in February, 1892, they were all discharged. Since the prohibition of saloons, a close watch of the druggists has been maintained. There have been many prosecutions and some convictions have been obtained : but, as a rule, however, it is difficult to secure convicition in these cases before a jury.
For some years the matter of a change in the city government from that of a city of the sixth class to the municipal rule administered by a mayor and council under the form of a city of the fifth class, has been agitated. In October, 1902, a committee of fifteen freeholders were elected by the people to prepare a charter for the new city government. This committee, after careful preparation, submitted an instrument which was voted upon Decem- ber 27th, 1902 and was heavily defeated; the chief cause for the failure be- ing the clause permitting the city council, under certain conditions and reg- ulations, to grant a "hotel license allowing hotels to furnish vinous and malt liquors to their guests in connection with and as a part of their regular meals." This clause pleased neither the high license advocates nor the pro- hibitionists and undobutedly killed the charter, although other objections to the passage had some influence in the result.
525
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
The "charter" was again brought forward and April 11th, 1904, an elec- tion for another board of freeholders was held; the charter after long de- liberation, was formulated, but when submitted to the people at the Novem- ber election was defeated for the second time.
WOMEN AND THEIR WORK.
Pioneer Women.
It is very difficult for those who have come to Redlands in later years and found a beautiful city with every modern convenience and improve- ment, to realize that less than twenty-five years ago the only "improvements" in all this region, with the exception of a very few ranches of long settle- ment. were young orchards-mere rows of sticks-with perhaps grapes, po- tatoes, or garden truck growing between the rows to yield a little income during the long waiting; rough board shanties, or barns; and country roads, deep in dust the greater part of the year, with no bridges over arroyos which were often raging torrents in winter time, and with the nearest post office at San Bernardino and the nearest railway station at Colton.
The women, most of whom came from homes of refinement and culture in New England and the eastern states, found themselves living in the rudest of temporary makeshifts, with bunks for beds and furniture manufactured by their husbands and finished and supplemented by their own ingenuity and skill. There were then many Indians in the valley and they had to sub- due their fears and learn to accommodate themselves to their strange neigh- bors. At that time there were few trees and consequently little shade to fur- nish refuge from the intense summer heat, while the hot winds swept unhin- dered through the valley,-it is small wonder the old settlers declare that the climate is growing cooler.
The little handful of women who lived in Lugonia in the early eighties formed the first club in this city of clubs. This was an informal meeting to- gether once a week to "talk things over." Here ways and means for light- ening the burdens of pioneer life were discussed and later comers were initi- ated into the shortcuts of California house-keeping. The stories of growing bedposts : of alfalfa matresses which, when once molded to the form, were best left undisturbed ; of the matron who "folded down" her clean clothes and placed them under the chair cushions to be pressed; of the dish pans and um- brellas that were spread over beds to catch the streams of water that trickled through shake or tent roofs, are amusing enough now .- but they were ser- ious facts at the time.
The people who now gather weekly in the beautiful churches of Red- lands and look about upon complete and artistic fittings cannot appreciate the feelings of the old settlers who can look back to the days of beginnings. Mrs. Seymour, who was one of the first women in the Redlands settlement,
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
tells of her first church going when she reached Lugonia in 1881. Church services had been discontinued during the summer, but on the last Sunday in August they were resumed. A few faithful ones gathered in the little old board school house in Lugonia. They found it unswept, dusty, forlorn. There were but two chairs,-one of these, its broken seat supplemented by an old atlas, was used by the organist ; the other-too far gone for even this remedy-was assigned to the minister, Rev. Mr. Ford, who perched gingerly upon the edge of the broken frame. At the prayer meeting on the next Thursday night a lamp was brought by one of the ladies and four bits of tallow candle, which Israel Beal melted off and stuck upon the desks beside the four hymn books of the congregation, supplied light. Mrs. Crafts, in her histories of the Congregational churches, has given us an account of these early prayer meetings.
When the Lugonia church was built the women, of course, bore a large share of the burden. They were, most of them, hard-working mothers of families, yet some of them came miles to work in the "dryer" and earn the money for the bell. The church was obliged to borrow $500 to complete the building and by the death of the loaner was unexpectedly called upon to re- pay the sum. A little less than $100 was available. Where was the rest to be obtained? The men, when they could find no answer to the question, turned the problem over to the women. The ladies, after deliberation, ed- cided to hold a "Fair"-the first church fair in the East San Bernardino val- ley. George A. Cook had just completed his store building opposite the present site of the Casa Loma and above it were two or three vacant rooms and a small hall. Here the ladies served a New England dinner ; one room was filled with the fancy work and various articles made for sale by the sew- ing society ; another room contained a display of home-made canned fruit, pickles, olive oil, etc. ; the second day a luncheon was served and an entertain- ment provided for the evening. The entire population of the vicinity must have turned out, for the proceeds of the two days came to nearly $400 and the lebt was paid off.
But it was not only in devotion to church work that these pioneer women were notable. The story of Mrs. David Morey's nursery,-of the years of hard work that were at last rewarded-has frequently been told. While her husband worked at his trade of carpenter, she cared for the orange grove. In 1884 she planted a small bed of orange seed. She succeeded so well with the plants that the next year she put in 25,000 seed and in time sold the lit- tle trees to Judson and Brown. She continued to increase her nursery stock until 1889. when she sold 25,000 trees to Mathew Gage, of Riverside, at a good price.
One of the most effective exhibits of California fruits ever made in the east was that sent by Mrs. George A. Cook, of Lugonia, to the New Orleans Exposition in 1884. She collected and put up in Mason jars, quart size, one
527
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
hundred varieties of fruit, all grown in San Bernardino county. Many of these fruits, such as the cactus "apple" or tuna, the pomegranate, nectarine and guava, were at that time almost unheard of in the east. These fruits were canned in their natural state-in one case three peaches filled a jar- and their beauty of coloring and form made a most attractive display. The exhibit drew much attention and was awarded a premium of $250. It was afterwards displayed at the Louisville, Ky., State Fair and was then re- turned to Lugonia.
U. W. P. I.
On December 21, 1888, a meeting was held in the Y. M. C. A. hall for the purpose of forming an organization among the ladies of the new town of Redlands. At this meeting twenty-four ladies gave their names for mem- bership. Mrs. B. B. Parkhurst was chosen president and Mrs. S. J. Hayes, secretary ; Miss Mary Hale treasurer. The constitution adopted stated : "The ladies feeling an interest in the growth and beauty of this valley do organize an association for the purpose of aiding in the work they so much desire, namely, the improvement of the general appearance of our town." The name, "United Workers for Public Improvement," was adopted.
The ladies decided that their first work should be the placing of street signs. They pushed the matter vigorously and soon had fifty redwood posts set up, with the names of streets on black signboards, lettered with white. By this time the society numbered thirty-three women and nearly forty men, the latter becoming honorary members by the payment of $1.00 a year. Their next move was to beautify the grounds of the railway station. On February 22, 1889, the ladies, assisted by the Redlands Orchestra, gave a promenade concert at the Opera House. The money thus obtained with other sums gained by sales and work of various kinds was spent in beautify- ing the Southern California station. Messrs. Judson and Brown had donated to the society a piece of land on condition that a fountain be placed thereon. This was the next object to be attained. A Minstrel Club was formed, among its members being F. G. Feraud, J. F. Drake, Fred Gernich, H. W. Allen, C. P. Squires and others. The ladies prepared costumes and a drop curtain, and on June 28th, the California Minstrels made their first-and last-appearance in a very successful concert which netted the U. W. P. I. $55.00. During the next fall a fountain was purchased and was eventually placed in the "triangle." The ladies of the Chicago colony also formed a branch of this society out of which grew the Woman's Exchange under the management of Miss Foote. In October, 1889, Mr. J. B. Glover presented the ladies with two street lamps. Andrews Brothers donated lumber for the posts, and one of the lamps was placed at the fountain and the other at the railway station.
To these energetic ladies of the U. W. P. I. must be given the credit
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
for a successful inauguration of the work for public improvement which has always been a strong feature of Redlands history.
The good ladies of the city had formed an Auxiliary to the Y. M. C. A. soon after the organization of that society, and very materially aided in the furnishing of the "old" rooms and in the social work of the young men. February 12, 1889, the women formed a branch of the W. C. T. U., which has always taken an active interest in the saloon question and has had a large share in the credit of making Redlands a town of "no saloons."
The Contemporary Club.
The Contemporary Club was organized in 1893 as a "parlor club" with a membership of twenty-five. The first officers were: Mrs. H. D. Moore, president ; Mrs. Geo. E. Otis, vice-president ; Mrs. Kirke Field, secretary. Its object was the literary and social development of its members. The first meeting was called by Mrs. William Howard White and Mrs. H. D. Moore, at the residence of the latter in Terracina and the meetings were held at the homes of the members until 1896, when, after much discussion, it was decided to throw the club open to all women of Redlands and vicinity. The membership was then very rapidly increased and the meetings were thereafter held in churches or public halls. The club became affiliated with the General Federation of Clubs, this same year. In 1901 the club pur- chased the old Presbyterian chapel and converted it into a meeting place. But the many activities centering in the club and the rapidly increasing membership, now over two hundred, led the ladies to the serious contem- plation of a club building. To further this object the club became an in- corporation in 1902; stock was issued and plans matured. May 23, 1904. the corner stone for the building was laid and in October the Contemporary Club building was completed and dedicated with fitting ceremony. It is a neat and substantial edifice, with an auditorium seating 700, and pleasant parlors, committee rooms, etc., the whole costing some $30,000.
The club now has a membership of about 250. The present officers are: Mrs. Llewellyn Johnson, president : Mrs. Alonzo Hornby, vice-president : Mrs. Argyle J. Brier, recording secretary ; Mrs. Christopher A. Sanborn, cor- responding secretary : Mrs. Edward G. Judson, treasurer.
The past presidents of the club have been Mrs. H. D. Moore, Mrs. Lee H. Utt, Mrs. George S. Gay, Mrs. Henry D. Moore, Mrs. C. A. Sanborn, Mrs. George T. Greenleaf and Mrs. John H. Williams.
The Spinet.
On the afternoon of October 15, 1894, a few music-loving people of Red- lands responded to the invitation of Mrs. Margaret Howard White to meet at her home, Casabianca Ranch to organize a piano club. There were pres- ent Mrs. White, Mrs. Kate Butler Hewitt, the Misses Fackler, Crossman,
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Hale, Squires, Havers, Barnes, Paine and Cartlidge. Mrs. White was chosen president, and for the first season a study of the general history of music was planned. "The Spinet" was suggested as an appropriate name and was adopted at the next meeting. The club met cvery three weeks on Friday afternoons at the homes of the members, where a miscellaneous program was given to club members only. After a few meetings it was decided to hold the meetings in McGinness' hall and to admit the public, a small fee being charged. At that time only pianists were active members, and singers violinists and players of other instruments were associate members. The first evening recital held under the auspices of the Spinet was given at the home of Mrs. A. G. Hubbard, on May 17th, 1895, by Herr Thilo Becker of Los Angeles. The next season the recitals were given in the Y. M. C. A hall where the afternoon recitals of the club have ever since been held.
In June, 1896, Miss Louise Hoppock was elected president but resigned in November and was succeeded by Mrs. E. H. Spoor. In the fall of 1898 Miss Annette Cartlidge was elected president. At that time a student de- partment, composed of the pupils of active members was organized and since then three extra afternons during the season have been devoted to Student's Recitals. In 1901, Mrs. A. G. Hubbard was chosen president of the society.
The Spinet has always tried to obtain the best talent possible for their recitals and each year has given several evening entertainments at which such artists as Miss Neally Stevens, pianist ; Max Heinrich, Mrs. Gertrude Auld Thomas, David Bispham, Josef Hoffman and many other distinguished and artistic performers have been brought to Redlands by this means.
In 1898 it was deemed advisable to admit the associate members to full membership and this has added much to the efficiency and scope of the club. In 1901 about twelve hundred dollars was expended for entertainments and this amount has been increased to fifteen hundred dollars each year since.
Lovers of music residing in Redlands will readily accord to the Spinet a full appreciation of the work accomplished by them as a musical club. The study and practice in preparation for the afternoons and the determination to secure for Redlands the best artists for the evening concerts, have re- sulted in the present prosperous condition of the club, and give promise of greater usefulness in the future.
CHURCHES.
Trinity Episcopal Church.
In 1886, Messrs. Judson and Brown offered to give substantial aid toward an Episcopalian chapel for the new settlement of Redlands. In consequence Rev. A. Fletcher, the Episcopalian missionary at Colton, aided by the late Frank Hinckley and George E. Otis, determined to secure the donation. Sub-
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
scriptions were obtained, and June 6, 1887, the cornerstone of the building was laid by the Right Reverend J. H. D. Wingfield, bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church in the missionary jurisdiction of Northern California. The building was located in Residence Tract on the corner of Center street and Cypress avenue. Messrs. Judson and Brown, beside donating the site on which the church stood, gave land and money to the amount of $600. The building cost about $3,000, and was formally dedicated on July 17, 1887. This, the first church in Redlands, was known as "Trinity church of Red- lands, of the mission of Lugonia and Redlands." Rev. A. Fletcher continued in charge until 1892 when the church became a parish, with the Rev. W. S. Manning, D. D., now assistant rector of Trinity Parish, New York city, as the first rector. He was followed by the Rev. J. D. Easter, who served as rector for five years and was then retired as rector emeritus, while the Rev. F. F. Johnson was rector in charge.
In 1896 it was deemed advisable to remove the church to a point nearer the center of population, and the building was placed on the southeast corner of Cajon street and Olive avenue. Here it remained until it was removed to its present site on the grounds of the new chapel where it will be used as a Sunday school room and parish house.
In 1903. Mrs. A. C. Burrage proposed to give a memorial fund of $20,000 for the erection of a new chapel for Trinity church. The parish purchased a large lot on the southeast corner of Fourth street and Fern avenue, and here a beautiful chapel, simple, yet dignified in structure was erected. It was dedicated on Easter Sunday, 1904. The parish members provided the furn- ishings, including a pipe organ costing $6,000, and a vested boy choir is now maintained.
September 1, 1904. Rev. Angus Mackey Porter became rector of the parish.
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Mrs. E. P. R. Crafts.
The first Protestant services in Eastberne valley were held in 1873, by the home missionary from San Bernardino; Rev. Josiah Bates, who preached at the residence of M. H. Crafts, in Crafton, the congregation being com- posed of the family, the Crafton boarders and the ranch Indians. Rev. W. C. Stewart succeeded Mr. Bates in 1874. Preaching was kept up semi- monthly on Thursdays by these missionaries. The Indian Sunday school was started about the same time.
In April, 1876, the first prayer meeting in Lugonia was held at the resi- dence of Col. Tolles, Rev. J. T. Ford, the missionary pastor from San Ber- nardino, presiding. There were present Col. Tolles and wife, M. H. Crafts and wife. Truman Reeves and wife, G. W. Beattie and Rosa Belle Robbins.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
These cottage prayer meetings were kept up for years, meeting fom house to house every Thursday evening. They were always well attended, people going from three to six miles, no matter what the weather. Mr. Ford was never absent. There were several conversions.
Mr. C. E. Brink, a Baptist, was influential in starting a Union Sunday school in the summer of 1877. This school convened in the Lugonia school house. on the corner of Lugonia avenue and Church street. Mr. Brink was elected superintendent and Walter Mossman, now of Boston, taught the Bible class. Mr. Brink afterwards suggested an organization, somewhat after the plan of the Y. M. C. A., and was chosen its president. Rev. J. T. Ford, pastor of the church in San Bernardino, preached in the school house every Sun- day afternoon. Mr. Mossman presented an organ to this little band, and Mrs. Brink was organist.
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