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 59
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"Of all her cities and towns, San Bernardino county has the most rea- son to be proud of Ontario."
The passage of the first Santa Fe train through the Cajon Pass gave a new impetus to the central part of the colony. What is now known as "Upland" was started by the Bedford Bros., who gave to their 200 acre tract the name of Magnolia, a name which has been perpetuated in the beautiful hotel which they built and christened "Magnolia" Villa. At their sale held in May, 1887, they disposed of $50,000 worth of lots. On the 11th of May the "South Side Tract" was put on the market and the lots were sold at an average price of $150. Waddingham's Mill was moved across the track and a street opened to the newly completed Southern Pacific depot. The bank block was finished and two stores were in process of erection and sev- eral were planned. Shade trees planted on all the streets grew rapidly and soon made the south side a most desirable place of residence. During the year 1887 the corner-stone of the Methodist Episcopal church had been laid on G street and Euclid avenue and of the Presbyterian church on Ninth street and Euclid avenue ; plans were drawn for the Brooks Block near the Southern Pacific depot with a frontage of 120 feet on Emporia and 75 feet on Euclid avenue. Taken all in all the year 1887 was one of steady advance- ment in the "Model Colony." But the year was not to end without a slight check. December 14th, a furious wind and sand storm swept over the country and Ontario came in for her share. But though oranges and lemons were blown off, trees stripped of their leaves, houses filled with sand and dirt and unsubstantial buildings thrown down to make room for better ones, no material damage was done after all and a good lesson was taught to builders, for every well built edifice in the town stood the storm without damage. A better system of pruning was also devised so that the trees have stood more recent storms with but little injury.
In 1888 improvements went on as usual. The Methodist church was dedicated in January and the Congregational chapel on West A street was opened for service in March. The Bedfords, Clubine & Oakley and N. W. Stowell were grading streets, laying sidewalks and erecting buildings in their respective sub-divisions. On the 17th of March the Ontario Land and Im- provement Co. served an elegant banquet in commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the corner-stone laying of the College. The representatives of the press who were present on both occasions freely admitted that the
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predictions made five years before in regard to the future of Ontario had been more than realized.
The narrow gauge road was now in running order to Chino and the rails were laid for the electric road to San Antonio Heights. Lots on East Fourth street had been donated by the Land Co. for a cemetery and an as- sociation was formed to take charge of them. On April 17th, Miss Kate Field lectured in Ontario and she too was charmed with the "Model Colony." A new paper called the Observer was started this year with S. J. Holsinger as editor ; but he soon sold out to R. E. Blackburn, a young Ken- tuckian, full of energy and determination, who devoted himself with great zeal to the work of advertising Ontario, thus aiding in the work so ably be-
GRAVITY STREET RAILWAY
gun by the Record. The South Side added new business houses to the town with the completion of the Workman Block, Chas. Conant opened a drug store on the ground floor and R. O. Breckenridge a hardware store in an adjoining building which he had just completed. The second story of the Workman Block was a hall which has ever since been used for entertain- ments and all large gatherings that have taken place in Ontario. If its walls could speak they could reproduce many eloquent speeches and much wit and merriment. Rose's Hall on Euclid avenue was blown down by the storm of 1887 and is now replaced with a substantial brick block. The old hall was removed to Transit street and used for a time by the Episcopalians
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and was then remodeled and removed to Euclid avenue. The Chino depot was completed and occupied and the Brooks Building was finished and the postoffice removed to it. Horsecars were in operation on the San Antonio Heights railway while waiting for electrical appliances. This horsecar and gravity line at Ontario was one of the curiosities of California which every tourist was expected to see. Its novelty attracted extensive attention from eastern papers and magazines. After the seven miles pull up the avenue the weary horses or mules stepped lightly about the car, climbed upon a plat- form attached to the rear and settled themselves for a comfortable nap, while the car rolled easily down the long grade with its own weight as motive power. This device is said to have been invented by Mr. Jas. B. Tays.
On April 7th, 1889, the Citizens' Bank opened in the Brooks Block with J. P. Robertson as president and M. V. McQuigg as cashier. About the same time the Ontario Fruit Co. began business at North Ontario. It was conducted by the Bordwell Bros. and Mr. Fassett and proved a great benefit both to Ontario and Cucamonga in the marketing of deciduous fruits. In the early part of 1890 the Southern Pacific Hotel was opened in the Brooks Block under the management of W. H. Brooks, Jr., who had furnished it in elegant style. In June, the People's Building and Loan Association was or- ganized, an institution which at once became popular and which has proved to be a most excellent Savings Bank. In October occurred the second sale of the Bedford Tract, now Upland. It was purchased by the Harwood Bros., to whom the interests of the Land Co. had been assigned.
In November, 1891, Ontario was incorporated as a city of the sixth class. the great mistake being made of only taking in a half mile square. An at- tempt was made to rectify this mistake some years later, by taking in all the colony lands. Finally in 1900 a tract of twelve square miles was incor- porated. During the year 1891 the San Antonio Light and Electric Power Co. was organized for the purpose of furnishing electric light to Ontario, Pomona and Redlands. To this company belongs the credit of being the first plant for long distance transmission of electricity in the United States. In 1892 the current was delivered to Pomona and San Bernardino at the dis- tance of eighteen and twenty-eight miles respectively, at a line voltage of 10,000, an achievement hitherto unheard of. The Belle vue Cemetery Associa- tion was organized in 1892; the stock sold rapidly and the lots on Mountain avenue were at once put in shape. The first interment was that of Mr. Leonard Potter in March, 1892.
The cannery, established by the Ontario Fruit and Produce Co., was running full blast during the summer of this year and proved a great suc- cess in the handling of deciduous fruits. But unfortunately the company, with no experience in the business, went into orange packing, paying high prices for fruit and selling at a loss and the result was a complete failure
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and the cannery was closed to the great loss of the community, such an es- tablishment being almost a necessity in this fruit growing section.
The year 1893 marked the first decade in the history of Ontario and it was fittingly celebrated on March 17th by the reception given to the Edi- torial Association of Southern California. The Record-Observer of March 22nd gave full accounts of this event with the speeches and poems read. On June 17th, the Ontario Fruit Exchange filed its papers of incorporation and the following October the Lemon Growers' Exchange of Ontario was or- ganized. During the years 1894-5 Ontario experienced a building boom. The Osborne Block, Drew Building, Friend Block, Westminster Presbyterian church and Citizens' Bank Block were erected, beside many small buildings and private residences. A system of sewers was established, cars were first run by electricity and electric lights were furnished the town.
In August, 1896, R. E. Blackburn obtained control of 1100 acres of Chino Rancho, adjoining Ontario on the south and now known as "Blackburn's Addition." This property was put up- on the market and sold rapidly. On December 3, 1897, the Brooks Block was completely destroyed by fire, oc- casioning serious loss to the town.
It was a fine building containing the Southern Pacific Hotel, the postoffice, a stationary store and various offices. There was but little loss to merchants, the fire having started in the upper story, thus having allowed time for the removal of goods on the ground floor. In 1898 the Leach Building was ANDREW RUBIO erected and occupied by the owner as a hardware store. In 1899 the Waterman Condensing Co., with headquarters in New York, removed its plant from the northern part of the state to On- tario. Under the management of Mr. Elton B. Shaw, the company began the manufacture of California Grape Fruit, Lime Juice, Liquid Lemon, Lemon Extract, Orange Marmalade, Pomelo Juice, and other fruit extracts. For some years the amount of deciduous fruit produced in this district em- phasized the fact that a cannery in Ontario was a necessity. Accordingly in the spring of 1901 a number of citizens met and organized the Ontario Fruit Co., several taking stock who had lost money in the previous attempt to es- tablish this industry, thus showing their unselfish desire to benefit the town.
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As a result of this organization the most complete cannery plant in Califor- nia was established and ready for business in the summer of 1901. The re- sults of the first season's work were quite satisfactory-about three-quarters of a million cans having been put up and about 80 tons of dried fruit handled. As in all new enterprises there were difficulties to be overcome, but the stockholders have faith in the ultimate outcome.
And now having briefly sketched the history of our "desert born" town through two decades, we shall notice some salient features of today.
WATER SUPPLY.
In any description of the model colony of Ontario, information concern- ing the water system is of paramount importance; for without the magic touch of water the enterprise of the Chaffey Bros. would never have been inaugurated. For the purpose of furnishing the tract with an ample supply, · the San Antonio Water Co., was organized in 1882, water rights in the San Antonio creek having been purchased, including the overflow and underflow.
The point of diversion is in the San Antonio Cañon about two miles to the northwest of the colony tract and for the first one-half mile the water is conveyed in a cemented ditch to the main pipe line at the base of the mountain. Here the water enters the largest main. The system of dis- tribution over the entire tract consists of pipe lines, about sixty miles or more in extent, varying in size from six to twenty-two inches or more in diameter.
Iron and steel riveted pipes are used where water is delivered under pressure, otherwise vitrified or cement pipe is laid. Pipes three or four inches in diameter are used for domestic purposes.
The San Antonio Water Co. likewise delivers water to the incorporated town of Ontario, but the Board of Trustees takes care of its distribution in a network of pipes belonging to the town. From the end of the main pipe line near the base of the mountain, to the Southern Pacific track at Ontario is a distance of about seven miles. Considerable water has been developed by a tunnel extending up the cañon more than half a mile and tapping the under- flow.
When the colony was started, it was thought the San Antonio Creek in connection with its underflow would furnish abundant water for irrigation. The San Antonio Water Co. had a right to one-half the water that flowed in the bed of the creek. It was estimated-before the years of deficient rainfall came-the flow at its lowest stage in July amounted to 96 inches. It was estimated the underflow furnished 200 to 250 inches more. Up to a flow of 624 inches of water running in the bed of San Antonio Creek, Ontario is entitled to one-half. When more than 624 inches of water are flowing in the
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
creek, Ontario is entitled to one-half of 624 inches and to all the surplus. It is thus seen the colony has a fine water right.
There are 6064 shares of capital stock, one share to each acre, the water right being an inch of water to each ten acres. The water is delivered monthly to the highest point of each ten-acre tract in a run of thirty inches for 24 hours. The system at present irrigates about 6000 acres.
It was demonstrated for years that an average rainfall insured Ontario an ample supply of water during the irrigating season. But there came a series of years remarkable in the history of California for light rainfall The horticulturists of the colony owning property valued at millions of dol- lars, naturally became greatly alarmed. With commendable energy the Directors of the Water Company purchased additional land and water rights and proceeded to make developments.
At Cucamonga 130 inches of water from artesian wells were secured from Cucamonga Fruit Land Co. Other sources of supply were purchased Ten wells have been bored, six at Claremont and four on the upper north- west end of the Ontario colony. From these ten wells considerable water has been pumped and delivered in the main pipe lines. The services of Geo. Chaffey (mechanical engineer and founder of the colony) were secured and pumping conducted in an economical manner. In the future one man with a central electrical plant could pump a whole system of wells. The San Antonio Water Co. has now four sources of supply; first, from the San Antonio Creek; second, from the tunnels; third, artesian water; fourth, that pumped from numerous wells.
In Ontario land owners are water owners, and water is king. A share of stock goes with every acre sold and irrigation is carried on throughout the year. According to the report of Engineer Geo. Chaffey, made Nov. Ist, 1899, between two and three hundred inches of water were pumped from a series of wells. In all average years the supply is so abundant during part of the year that water is allowed to go to waste .- Ontario Observer.
The average flow coming to Ontario from San Antonio Creek in the last seventeen years for July, August and September measurements, was 300 inches ; from San Antonio tunnel, 75 inches ; from Cucamonga tunnel, 130 inches ; total gravity flow 505 inches; pumped water from seventeen wells on 16th street, 500 inches, and from four wells at Claremont 100 inches, making a total of 1,100 inches now available as a water supply.
THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.
As has already been mentioned in this article, Ontario, besides her great adaptability to the production of fruit of other kinds, was found to be in the true citrus belt. Her soil under the excellent system of irrigation prevailing in the colony, produces oranges, lemons and pomelos of unex-
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
celled appearance and flavor. She has now hundreds of acres of Washing- ton navels and her lemons-most of which are seedless, or nearly so-are superior in quality to the imported fruit. A recent analysis by the official chemist of the New York Produce Exchange, shows that twelye California lemons are equal in value to seventeen imported lemons tested under like conditions.
As the fruit orchards of Ontario and the surrounding settlements came into bearing, the question of marketing, of necessity, came to the fore. At first the marketing of citrus fruits was largely experimental, while a can- nery and various drying establishments took care of the deciduous fruit which could not be marketed fresh. Out of many organizations and ex- periments the present co-operative system of marketing has worked itself out and while the methods are yet far from perfect, the packing and handling of citrus fruit has become a great industry requiring knowledge, skill and good judgment, as well as the best modern appliances for every department connected with the business.
The Ontario-Cucamonga Fruit Exchange is composed of all the citrus handling houses in western San Bernardino county, and at present has the following members: Lemon Growers' Association, Upland ; Cucamonga Citrus Fruit Association, Cucamonga ; Mountain View Orange and Lemon Ass'n Upland ; Stewart Citrus Ass'n, Upland; West Ontario Ass'n, Narod : Upland Citrus Ass'n, North Ontario; Etiwanda Citrus Ass'n, Etiwanda ; Citrus Fruit Ass'n, Ontario. These packing houses represent about 7.000 acres of citrus fruits. In the same district there is nearly an equal acreage of deciduous fruits and vines and a large cannery, four fruit drying estab- lishments and a plant for manufacturing fruit extracts, etc., which in 1903 put out 400 cars of products, valued at $400,000. The thirteen pack- ing houses in the district handled about 2.500 cars of fruit.
Ontario Fruit Exchange.
The Ontario Fruit Exchange is an association of the Ontario-Cuca- monga district of the Southern California Fruit Exchange. Directors, L. S. Dyar, president ; G. P. Daum, vice-president ; D. R. Crawford, John Craw- ford, A. P. Harwood; secretary and manager, Charles D. Adams. At a public meeting held June 3. 1893, in Ontario, Cal., the Ontario Fruit Ex- change was organized. On September 25 it agreed to become an associa- tion of the San Antonio Fruit Exchange. Two years later it withdrew from the corporation in order to enter. in November, 1892, the Southern Cali- fornia Fruit Exchange, as a separate district exchange, representing itself and the lemon growers' organization. This position it occupied for two years. In 1897 it withdrew from the double function of both a district ex- change and an association within a district, in favor of a new corporation formed to act as district exchange, and it became one of the associations
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
comprised in the Ontario-Cucamonga Fruit Exchange. This is a brief his- tory of the parent exchange organization of western San Bernardino county, comprising Ontario, Cucamonga and Etiwanda, about which the other ex- change associations have grown up, and to this fact is duc the distinctive term applied to its brands, viz: "Nucleus Bear" brand, "Nucleus Quail" brand, and "Nucleus Owl" brand. Great care is taken to keep up the high character of these brands, and justify their reputation in the market. The numerous special orders sent in for them are an indication of the esteem in which they are held.
In the apportionment of the territory of our Ontario-Cucamonga dis- trict among the different associations which comprise it, the extreme west- ern part of the Ontario district, which is also that of San Bernardino county, is the territory which comes under the care of this association, and its prin- cipal packing-house is therefore located at Narod, about two miles west of Ontario proper. This association handles oranges and grape fruit only.
Citrus Fruit Association of Ontario.
The colony of Ontario was one of the first to follow Riverside's experi- ence in the development of the orange. The colony is peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of citrus fruits and these two facts give to that section today fine orange and lemon groves of mature age and fine producing powers. The Citrus Fruit Association was formed in 1898, but its progress has been very rapid. It now contains a membership of 225 stockholders, said to be the largest in numbers in the associations in Southern California. The packing-house is located on the eastern side of the city of Ontario, with convenient trackage and containing abundant room. The house is 200 feet by go feet and is fitted up with the most improved machinery and appli- ances for grading, sizing and packing the fruit. As this house is also used to prepare lemons for marketing, storage room is amply provided for that department also, giving the management the best of facilities for the work. Two brands are sent out. the fancy as "Special Bear," and the choice as "Special Quail." The officers of the association are: G. W. Russell, president ; J. T. Lindley, vice-president ; M. V. McQuigg, G. T. Stamm, H. H. Morgan, H. Little and Dr. Graettinger. The manager is F. A. Little, and the secretary A. T. Hamilton.
The Upland Citrus Association.
This is the largest organization in the district of the Ontario-Cucamonga Fruit Exchange and the youngest member of the family. Its name 'arises from the fact that it handles the oranges grown by its members on the high- est lands cultivated in the Ontario colony-the foothill territory which ex- tends from the base of the mountains on the north to a short distance below the Santa Fe railway on the south. North Ontario is the shipping point for
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
all this "upland" fruit, and has the distinction this season of shipping the largest quantity of early fruit sent out from any point in Southern California.
In the shipping house of the Upland Association is found some of the best machinery now in use in that line. The house is lighted throughout by electricity and equipped with all the modern appliances run by electric power. The association has from the beginning taken great pains to maintain uni- formity and excellence in its brands. The "Upland Bear" is the fancy brand and the "Upland Quail" the choice, these qualities having such a fine reputa- tion in the east that it is not always possible to gratify all the dealers who prefer them.
The directors are as follows: J. L. Paul, president ; W. B. Stewart, vice- president ; B. K. Brant, J. N. Huehn and W. T. Leeke. The secretary and manager is Charles H. Adams. The association has done its share toward making the acceptance of the exchange unanimous at Ontario.
Lemon Growers' Exchange of Ontario.
Five lemon growers of Ontario and Cucamonga form the directorate of this well-known association. They are C. E. Harwood, president; W. B. Stewart, vice-president ; J. N. Huehn, W. Scott Way and C. E. Keyes. J. W. Freeman is the secretary and manager. This organization was formed in the fall of 1893, and is the oldest organization for the marketing of lemons in California. From its foundation it has been loyally sustained by the growers at Ontario and Cucamonga, and last year was the most successful of its existence.
The Ontario Exchange handles a very superior quality of lemons, the soil being peculiarly adapted to the perfection of that fruit. It is claimed that the most successful lemon grove in Southern California is located at Upland.
SCHOOLS.
The Ontario School District was organized in January, 1884, and the first school was opened in March following with Miss Nellie Case as teacher. It was held in various private buildings and in rooms in the College building until January, 1887, when the Central school building was completed and occupied. This building has cost about $6,000 and is surrounded by two and a half acres of ground which is well laid out and is now well shaded.
In 1889, the Seventh street and South Side buildings were erected, each at a cost of about $2,500. Since that time the West Side school has been put up at about the same cost and a one-story first grade building erected on Euclid avenue. The San Antonio district, which is practically a part of Ontario, has a neat and commodious building costing about $3,000 and em- ploying two teachers. The Upland school employs four teachers.
For the season of 1903-4 Ontario employed fifteen teachers in her graded
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
schools and had an average attendance of 519; the San Antonio school had an attendance of 40 pupils. Under the able supervision of Prof. Jefferson Taylor, who has been at the head of the school for a number of years, the Ontario schools have reached a high standard and are doing efficient work.
In 1901, a High School was established in the city which is already well organized and well equipped. The building formerly occupied by Chaffey College is now utilized as a High School building, and the school last year had a faculty of six teachers, with Prof. Taylor at the head, and an enroll- ment of 134 pupils.
THE CHURCHES.
As early as 1883 religious services were established in the colony of Ontario, although there was then no church edifice. Now there are so many that it might be said of Ontario as of Rhode Island in the time of Roger Wil- liams-if a man had lost his religion, he might certainly find it here.
Taking the churches in the order of their establishment, we shall begin with the
First Methodist Episcopal Church. Methodist services were held in the parlors of the hotel in the autumn of 1883, the Rev. Mr. Fleming officiat- ing, and persons of all denominations attending. The Methodist church proper was organized soon afterward at the home of Mrs. S. W. Strong on San Antonio avenue. The first members were Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Strong, Mr. and Mrs. D. T. Jones and Mr. H. C. Oakley. As soon as the "adobe" was finished the services were held in it until the completion of the college chapel, when the congregation assembled there, and this continued to be their place of worship until the present edifice was built on the northwest corner of G street and Euclid avenue. This church is incorporated and its attend- ance has so increased that it has been necessary to make two additions to the building, notwithstanding the fact that the church lost a good many mem- bers when the North Ontario M. E. church was organized. In 1883 the Sabbath school was started in the attic of McIntyre's carpenter shop with Mrs. D. T. Jones as superintendent. It was afterward removed to Mr. Jones' house and then to the "adobe" and the college chapel. Mrs. J. L. Pollock is the present superintendent. The church has about 250 members, with an Epworth League, Ladies' Aid, and Mission Society, etc. Including the par- sonage, its property is valued at about $10,000.
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