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 58
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Here the orange and the lemon, the olive and the grape, flowers of every variety, gardens and fields are all in the perfection of growth and of yield.
GEORGE B. CHAFFEY
567
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
One looks in vain for the haunts of vice and poverty in this vicinity. The fertile soil rewards its tiller so generously that the humblest home shelters comfort and what-in less favored localities-would be luxury.
The newcomer can hardly be persuaded that all this luxuriance of veg- etation, that the thriving town with its lines of steel rails extending far to the east and the west, with its delightful homes, its commodious school houses, its numerous churches and its handsome business blocks is all the result of less than twenty-two years of occupation.
In the winter of 1882, what is now the town and colony of Ontario was a barren waste extending from the San Antonio Canon on the north to the Rancho Santa Ana del Chino on the south and from Cucamonga on the east to Rancho San Jose on the west. No vegetation but sage brush covered these plains, even the Indians had not found them "good hunting grounds" and they had been left to the jack-rabbit and the coyote. The upper part of the colony, extending as far south as the old road between Los Angeles and San Bernardino, was a part of the original Cucamonga Rancho granted in 1839 to Don Tiburcio Tapia, by the Mexican governor, Alvarado. Upon the death of Señor Tapia the rancho passed to his daughter who later mar- ried Leon Victor Prudhomme, of Los Angeles and sold the property to John Rains, or rather to his wife, the daughter of Isaac Williams of Chino Rancho, whose money paid for the Cucamonga Rancho. Rains also purchased the interest of Jose Maria Valdez, a former mayor-domo of Don Tiburcio, and his wife, Maria Duarte. After the death of Rains in 1862, his widow claimed the entire estate as her individual property inherited from her father, Isaac Williams, and after considerable litigation was granted title. The property was later sold to the Cucamonga Company and in 1871 passed by Sheriff's sale to I. W. Hellman, the price bid being $49,209.45. At the same time the Cucamonga Company with headquarters in San Francisco, deeded to Mr. Hellman, all their right and title to the waters of Cucamonga Creek. In 1874 I. W. and I. M. Hellman deeded to the Cucamonga Homestead As- sociation a part of the Cucamonga Rancho with all rights to waters from springs, lakes, marshes, flumes, ditches and all other sources and all rights, perfect and imperfect, to the waters of Cucamonga and San Antonio cañons. In 1876, the Cucamonga Homestead Association deeded this property to the Cucamonga Company for the sum of $21,000. On April 15th, 1882, the com- pany granted to Captain J. S. Garcia and Surveyor J. C. Dunlap an option for the purchase of that part of the grant known as the "San Antonio lands" at the net sum of $60,000. This property comprised 6,216 acres, more or less, together with the water, water right and privileges of San Antonio Creek. also the waste water of Cucamonga Creek.
In the meantime George B. Chaffey, Jr., and Wm. B. Chaffey had lo- cated at Riverside and formed a partnership for the purpose of buying, sell- ing and improving real estate, water rights and water privileges, in San Ber-
568
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY .
nardino county. These enterprising gentlemen soon formed the acquaint- ance of Captain Garcia-so well known to the citizens of Ontario and so well beloved for his kind heart and courteous manners.
The captain has given in his own words an account of a visit made by the Chaffey Brothers to the Garcia homestead-a visit fraught with great results for Ontario :
"On Thanksgiving Day, 1881, J. C. Dunlap, Civil Engineer, of San Ber- nardino, accompanied by Geo. B. and Wm. B. Chaffey, called at my home in Etiwanda for the purpose of purchasing my place. Dinner was just ready and as the gentlemen were tired, dry, and hungry, you can imagine a good turkey dinner would tempt them. After dinner we went up the cañons to see the water supply. At this season the water was at its lowest degree, Dry Cañon hav- ing only 100 inches and the Smith ditch but 50 inches. I owned one half of the water in Dry Cañon and all of that in Smith Cañon, making 100 inches in all. The Chaffey Bros. were pleased with the water in sight and with the land I had to offer. I sold them in all 1,000 acres. A preliminary survey was made and the next week I deed them all my right, title and interest in the above mentioned land and water and as soon as I could, moved my effects, and gave them posses- sion of the property. Not long afterwards I went to San N. W. STOWELL Francisco and interviewed the Cucamonga Company and bonded their Cucamonga lands with one half of the water flowing from San Antonio Creek for $60,000. I took John C. Dunlap as a partner and he was to have one half of the commission over and above the price fixed by the company. Mr. M. L. Wicks, of Los An- geles, and Prof. Mills. of Mills' Seminary, Oakland, were then operating largely at Pomona. As soon as my option was put on record in San Fran- cisco, Mr. Wicks interviewed Mr. Dunlap and offered quite a sum for it. Chaffey Brothers then offered Mr. Dunlap and myself the same price as the other parties for the option. We consented to let the Chaffey Brothers have it and Mr. George Chaffey and myself went to San Francisco to make ar_
569
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
rangements with the Cucamonga Company. Our contract having been sur- rendered, Mr. N. W. Stowell was set to work to make cement pipe and also put up the first house in Ontario, between Eighth and Ninth. Soon afterward the. Chaffey Brothers built a barn and a boarding house for their men. Andrew Rubio was put in supervision of the work. J. C. Dunlap was set to work with a gang of men to lay off the tract. On March 17th, cement pipe had been laid as far as the college grounds and a grand dinner was given in honor of the day by the Chaffey Brothers on the mesa-a beautiful spot 1800 feet above sea level. Dinner over, the representatives of the press and the other guests went to see the ceremony of the laying of the corner-stone of Chaffey College. Few thought at that time that Ontario would ever be what it is today. Some few small houses were commenced then,-the com pany's office, the hotel, my house and that of Mr. Stowell had been started. I can thus claim pioneership in Ontario, one of the best places in the world. in Etiwanda, and in the great state of California, of whose society of pio- neers I am a member."
It is said that the plan of the Chaffey Brothers for their new colony of Ontario, named for their former home in Ontario, Canada, was the most perfect then formulated for colonization. They distributed the water for irrigation over the whole tract and delivered it on each lot in concrete and iron pipes. This alone required some forty miles of piping. In October, 1882, they organized the San Antonio Water Company and entered into an agreement with them whereby the water was ultimately to become the prop- erty of the land owners.
They also planned to lay out and improve a main thoroughfare through the colony and accordingly Euclid avenue was extended from the depot seven miles due north and set out with eucalyptus trees on either side, while a double row of palms was planted through the center. They donated a tract of twenty acres for a college and made provisions for endowment.
Work was pushed vigorously during the first year and many improve- ments were made. The house which Captain Garcia mentions as the first built in Ontario has been moved from its first location and now stands just north of the Presbyterian church in North Ontario. In December, 1882, Mr. L. L. Dyar, of Klamath, Oregon, came out from Los Angeles to look at the San Antonio lands. So well pleased was he that he returned in Jan- uary and on the first day the land was offered for sale became a purchaser. At the same time land was purchased by Mr. L. W. Strong and Mr. L. W. Whitaker. Mr. Dyar, who did not bring his family until 1885, boarded at the house built by the Chaffeys where Andrew Rubio, assisted by a Chinese cook, provided refreshments for the inner man. Mr. Whitaker lived in a tent on the ten acres where his house now stands and where he has lived ever since. Mrs. Whitaker was the first woman to live in Ontario and she had rather a lonely time without the companionship of her own sex, although
570
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
no doubt there was plenty of gossip circulating among the men who held forth at Rubio's boarding house; nor was there any dearth of news from Los Angeles and San Bernardino for although there was no railway station at Ontario, the Chaffeys had made arrangements with the Southern Pacific for travel. A man had only to wave his hat and the train would slack up and take him on. But when it was decided to run an excursion to Ontario on March IIth, to celebrate the corner-stone laying of Chaffey College of Agriculture, to which all the representatives of the press in Southern Califor- · nia were invited, the Southern Pacific had not sufficient faith in the new en- terprise to put in a switch. But the Chaffeys, who were men of determina- tion and admirable foresight, did not shrink from any expense that seemed necessary to the success of their undertaking, and on the appointed day two crowded trains, one from Los Angeles and one from Colton, brought the ex- cursionists to Ontario. A carload of provisions was also brought for the
MRS. O. SWEET
O. SWEET
grand dinner to be given on the mesa. Teams from Pomona, Etiwanda and all the neighboring country brought visitors to the mesa and later to the college grounds, where the corner-stone was laid with appropriate cere- monies. For a full account of the speeches, music, poetry, etc. that graced this most interesting event, the reader is referred to the Ontario Fruit Grower, of Jan. 9, 1883. This paper was edited by Edward A. Weed and was published in Riverside, pending the erection of a printing office in On- tario.
The original colony lands had been augmented hy the purchase of rail- road and government sections and by purchase from private individuals until they now extended as far south as the tracks of the Southern Pacific
571
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
railroad. The land now occupied by the town of Ontario was bought from Major Henry Hancock.
The fame of the "Model Colony" as Ontario was named was spread by the excursionists and their friends. Settlers flocked to Ontario from Canada and different parts of the United States and even from more distant coun- tries so that the founders were kept busy making out title deeds and piping water to the tracts as they were sold. Early in 1883, Mr. Dan Nicols, Cap- tain N. G. Gill and others brought their families to Ontario and Mrs. Whi- taker was no longer the only woman in the colony. In March a postoffice was established with Mr. L. Alexander as postmaster. In June when the Com- pany's office was completed the postoffice was located in it and also the rail- way station and express office. The Ontario Hotel was completed and opened in July under the management of Mr. O. Sweet. This gentleman also donated a number of valuable books as a starter for a public library. In Sept. Mr. J. H. Fawcett became manager of the hotel and the first pub- lic entertainment, consisting of music and reading, was given in the hotel parlors, Oct. 26th. Of those who took part on this occasion Mrs. James Birch is now the only one living here. It may be interesting to know that the first wedding in Ontario was celebrated May 12, 1883. A school dis- trict was formed this year with Captain Garcia, Mr. Fawcett and Captain Gill as trustees.
The Chaffey Brothers had purchased of Jas. Norton 160 acres of land in San Antonio Cañon for $5,000. July 16th a new Land Co. was organized consisting of George Chaffey, Jr., W. B. Chaffey, J. E. Plater, J. S. Slauson and R. M. Widney. Two years before Richard Gird had bought the Ching Rancho and considerable intercourse was now carried on between the two settlements. Ontario had already several business houses, with more in prospect. Euclid avenue had been graded and planted with shade trees and the contract had been let for the Chaffey College building. A. E Payne's grocery, McMannis' blacksmith shop, D. T. Jones' general store, and Smith & Griffin's livery stable were all in running order while numer- ous private residences were in process of erection, noticeable among which were those of Captain Garcia and Dr. Ellwood Chaffey on Euclid avenue, and that of J. B. Tays on G street. The public school was established March 8, 1884, in the attic of McIntyre's carpenter shop with 14 pupils, Miss Nellie Case of Riverside being the first teacher. In the meantime the "adobe" had been built by L. M. Holt for a printing office but was never used for that purpose. The second term of the public school was begun in this building in September following, and in the beginning of the next school year it was transferred to the College building where two east rooms on the first floor had been granted for its use, pending the erection of a suitable school build- ing. Mrs. J. C. Dunlap was the teacher at this time.
The old "adobe" was long one of the landmarks of Ontario: after be-
E. P. CLARKE
573
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
ing occupied as a school room, a kindergarten, public library, a plumber's shop, a carriage establishment, a place for religious and other gatherings, it was removed in 1895 to make room for the Citizens' Bank Building which now occupies the northwest corner of A street and Euclid avenue. Im- provements went rapidly forward in 1884 and there was quite an influx of skilled mechanics, some of whom are still doing good work in Ontario. Mr. W. J. Nicholson, whose excellent carpenter work is to be seen in some of our earliest buildings, is still actively engaged at his trade. In the latter part of 1884, Mr. W. J. Waddingham's planing mill and lumber yard went into operation adding greatly to the convenience of settlers-most of whom wished to build at once on their property. Mr. Waddingham, himself a con- tractor and carpenter, contributed largely to the development of the "Model Colony."
On December 16, 1885, appeared the first issue of the Ontario Record, owned and published by the Clarke Brothers. It was printed in the build- ing near the Southern Pacific station known as the Waddingham Mill of- fice, Mr. Waddingham afterwards purchasing it, when the Record moved to its new quarters on the corner of A street and Laurel avenue. We quote from a letter of Mr. E. P. Clarke, "The Record was started December 13, 1885, and my most vivid recollection of the night we ran off the first edi- tion on a hand press is of the howling of the coyotes-that pretty well il- lustrates the primitive conditions that prevailed in Ontario at that time." Mr. E. P. Clarke's reminiscences of the "First Night in Ontario" may also be of interest :
My First Night in Ontario.
It cannot be said exactly that the Record was born by accident, but it was certainly started by reason of "a fortuitous combination of events." Whether propitious or "unpropitious," the sequel must determine. The present owners of the Record expected to engage in newspaper work in Pasadena until a few days before the decision was made to found the Record. Unexpected developments there, however, forced us to look for a new field.
Knowing something of Ontario's reputation as a growing colony, I went to Los Angeles and interviewed Judge Widney, who was then a member of the Ontario Land Company. He favored me with an elaborate and bom- bastic statement delivered in his usual condescending manner. It had much the effect of a "dead cold frost" on my budding hopes, but later on I saw W. B. Chaffey and elicited from him some accurate information and a little encouragement. The upshot was that I came to Ontario with him that night. This was about the last of October, 1885.
After supper at the Ontario Hotel, then managed by F. W. Wilding, I started out to find the town, and interview the merchants. I stumbled around in the dark awhile and finally found a grocery store kept by A. E.
574
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Payne, who was also postmaster, and D. T. Jones' general merchandise store. Mr. Payne was located in the adobe, in front of which the Holbrook Block was afterwards built. Mr. Jones was in his present building.
I wasn't a tenderfoot exactly, having been in California three months in 1884, but I was then fresh from the east and but recently out of college. I had knocked about the world some in various capacities, but what I didn't know about starting a paper in a new western town would fill a Sunday is- sue of a metropolitan daily. I know that things seemed pretty "raw," and the outlook for "ads" wasn't especially rosy with two stores to solicit from.
Mr. Payne thought it doubtful if we could get more than 25 subscribers to a paper in Ontario. Mr. Jones was more sanguine and made a liberal promise of support, which he has been fulfilling in a liberal way in every issue of the Record for ten years.
After interviewing Mr. Payne and Mr. Jones, I attended a social given by the ladies of the Congregational church, in the historic adobe, which then served as church, hall and school room. The room was filled, and it was a mystery to me where the people all came from. Seeing the multitude, I felt like thanking God and taking courage, so far as the newspaper enter- prise was concerned. I don't remember much about the program except that Misses Dyer and Piddington sang "Juanita" and W. P. Henderson gave a reading. The committee in charge of the lunch, as I remember, consisted of Mrs. Waddingham, Mrs. Horton and Mrs. Moores, and of course the spread was "au fait," as is always the case at socials in Ontario.
The next morning I discovered a livery stable, kept by Moores & Smith ; a drug store over which Dr. Watson presided-in the room now used by Mytton's photograph gallery ; and a hardware store kept by Johns & Stein- beck, near where Powell's grocery now stands. That seemed to be about all I could count on for local advertisements; there wasn't even a real estate office, except the Land Company's office. But Ontario ozone is very stin- ulating to the courage, and I decided that we would risk the venture. There was no rent available and W. J. Waddingham offered to put up a building. A name for the fledgling was discussed. Observer was urged by some, but Record was the choice of the publishers, and so the child was christened.
During the day I visited the college, a bare building on a dusty plain. Prof. Wheeler and Miss Blount had just made a beginning with what Judge WVidney was pleased to designate as an "agricultural college." Later John C. Lynch drove me to Cucamonga, where we sampled some of the walnuts and artesian water (yes, that is correct, I think), for which the winery had been famous for half a century.
That night I returned to Pasadena, and within a day or two the prospec- tus of the Ontario Record was issued and the materials ordered. What further vicissitudes ensued before the paper was issued is "another story," as Kipling would say."
575
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
The first telegraphic message was sent from Ontario Dec. 11th, 1885, by Mr. J. V. Benson. Mr. C. P. Lyndall having been installed as station agent and telegraph operator took charge of the express office also, succeed- ing Mr. Waddingham who had been station agent pro tem. In August, 1885, the writer first visited Ontario, having letters of introduction to Mr. W. B. Chaffey. That she was pleased with the pure air and the brilliant prospects of the "Model Colony" is evidenced by the fact that after a three weeks stay at the Ontario Hotel, she became the owner of the twenty acre tract se- lected by W. B. Chaffey for a home place and of the lot on which the Ohio Block now stands. The contract for this building was at once let to W. J Waddingham. The back ten acres on 23rd street were sold in 1887 to Col. Jas. Paul who planted them to oranges and erected a handsome residence- Linda Vista. Mr. Ensley completed, in 1885, the brick building on the cor-
GENERAL VIEW OF ONTARIO COLONY-1885
ner of Euclid avenue and D street, now occupied by the Ontario steam laundry. The upper story has been used for various purposes, being at one time utilized by the Unitarians as a place of worship. Even more rapidly than in 1884, did the new colony progress in 1885. The closing of the year saw the opening of the College for educational work: the nucleus of a li- brary and reading room; the establishment of the Methodist church and of Congregational services and the organizing of the lodge of the A. O. U. W. Almost every branch of business was represented at this time. J. V. Ben- son opened the first boot and shoe store in the furniture ware-house of Mr. Drew, afterwards renioving to more commodious quarters in the newly finished Ohio Block. Dr. E. D. Watson started the first drug store in the colony in the front room of his house on Euclid avenue. The Ontario Meat Market, supplied from the Chino Ranch, was doing a large business. Steele supplied harness with all its adjuncts to numerous customers. Dowse kept a large poultry yard on San Antonio avenue,-all his fowls being thorough-
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
bred. Shaw's nursery furnished fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs of every description and D. Nicol, an experienced landscape gardener, lent his · aid in beautifying both public and private grounds. Real estate and insur- ance offices began to display their signs but no lawyer had yet appeared. Col. L. D. Graves acted as Notary Public and his services were in frequent demand on account of land sales. Drs. Watson, Chaffey and Gregory looked after the sick while Revs. P. H. Bodkins and W. H. Wolcott attended to the spiritual needs of the settlers. Mrs. Davis and Miss Tipton success- fully conducted a millinery and fancy goods store and Mrs. Horton was among the first-if not the very first-dressmaker in town. Church socials, lectures, dances and other entertainments were frequent so that the colon- ists did not lack for diversion.
In the spring of 1886 an important change took place in Ontario. The fame of the Chaffey Brothers had gone abroad and the success of their plans -particularly their plan for furnishing water to arid lands-had attracted the attention of the Australian government which offered large inducements to the Chaffeys to come to Australia and establish a colony under a similar system. Accordingly the Chaffey Brothers disposed of their interests in Ontario to what has ever since been known as the Ontario Land and Im- provement Company. It was comprised at that time of Messrs. H. L. Mc- Niel, G. L. Stamm, D. McFarland, of Los Angeles; Col. O. L. Picher, of Pasadena ; G. C. Hager, of Orange; F. G. Gissing, of Toronto; Milton and Lyman Stewart, of Titusville, Pa .; C. E. Harwood, of Springfield, Mo., and Chas. Frankish, of Riverside, the latter being manager and resident agent of the company. Several members of the company became residents of the colony and at once began to improve their lands. The land office was re- moved to the west side of the avenue and surrounded with ornamental shrubs. Two public halls had now been built as well as many picturesque cottages and villas, while the growth of vegetation seemed almost miracu- lous. Ontario was found to be in the true citrus belt and therefore capable of producing the choicest oranges and lemons, as well as the most delicious of deciduous fruits. This fact had its influence in attracting settlers and land sales were numerous in 1886.
During this year a very important purchase was made from the Pomona Land & Water Co. by the Ontario Land and Improvement Co,, namely, what is known as the "South Side," a tract of about 950 acres, two miles in length and about three-quarters of a mile in breadth extending along the Southern Pacific track and bounded on the south by the Chino Rancho. Section 24, sloping north from the track on the west side of the colony, was also purchased by the same Land Co. in Dec., 1886. This month contracts were let for the bank building to be put up, running 115 feet along the Southern Pacific track with 60 feet front on Euclid avenue. Plans were also made for the subdivision of all the lands south of the railroad. The closing
577
HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
of 1886 and the beginning of 1887 showed the completion of the second school building in Ontario and also a large addition to the Ontario Hotel. The Clarke Bros. had moved into their brick printing office : the fine residences of Mr. Frankish and others were looming up among their vines and flowers. Everything seemed to give promise to an unexampled period of prosperity for this "child of the desert." The San Bernardino Courier writes thus of the town :
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