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 60
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North Ontario M. E. Church. In 18go some members of the Ontario M. E. church, residing at North Ontario, formed a class presided over by Rev. Daniel Ayres. They held prayer meetings in residences and preaching. services in halls and such other places as could be obtained. Their faithful and constant work finally resulted in the organization of a church by the Rev. W. A. Wright, pastor of the Ontario church, on October 1, 1899. The
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new church had a membership of 80, which is now increased to more thani 100. They have built a church costing about $6,000 and have a parsonage adjoining. The Sunday school was organized in 1896.
Bethel Congregational Church. This church was organized by the Rev. J. T. Ford, general missionary for Southern California, March 22, 1885. Of the charter members, Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Moore and Mrs. Emma Joliffe are still living in Ontario. The first meetings of the church were held in the residence of Mr. Jos. Waddingham ; they were then held in the "adobe." On the erection of the Ohio block, the northeast room was given, rent free, for their worship until Rose's hall was secured for permanent use. When this hall was blown down in 1887 a room was again given for the use of the church in the Ohio block and services were held here until the erection of their church, which was ready for use in the winter of 1888. Lots were given on the south side to the church by Mr. W. J. Waddingham, but it was deemed advisable to build on the present site, corner of Palm avenue and A street, and lots were accordingly purchased there. The first pastor, the Rev. WV. H. Wolcott, began his services in March, 1885, and closed his efficient labors in June, 1888. Revs. A. E. Tracey, Allen Hastings and John Barstow followed.
The church building is a comfortable and well arranged frame structure. The present membership of the church is more than 150.
The Christian Church. The Church of Christ of Ontario was organized October 11, 1891, at the residence of Mr. Geo. W. Russell by Rev. Mr. Wilson of Pomona, with fifteen members, nine of whom are still living in Ontario. The first public services were held in the A. O. U. W. hall, October 18, 1891. Services continued in this hall until the Rev. B. F. Coulter donated the use of a room in a block that he had just built. The Sunday school was organ- ized in May, 1892. Services were held irregularly wtih. the Rev. Garvin of Pasadena preaching until June, 1895, when the Rev. Mr. Logan became pas- tor, followed by Rev. Waggoner. The church, which numbered about twenty members, had a hard struggle for existence. In 1897 they began holding ser- vices in the Unitarian chapel on Euclid avenue, which building was later purchased by Mr. Jas. Young and presented to the church. So the church now has a home.
Christ Church (Episcopal). During the winters of 1884-5 and '85-86 occasional services according to the prayer book of the American church were held in the parlors of the Ontario Hotel, conducted by Rev. C. F. Loop or Rev. J. D. H. Browne of Pomona. In 1886 the upper story of the Rose block was secured and a mission of the Episcopalian diocese of Los Angeles, to be known as "Christ Church Mission," was established and was for a number of years under the charge of a missionary resident at Pomona and served jointly with that mission. Rev. J. Simonds was the first clergyman and Chas.
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F. Chaffey the first warden. In 1896, May 18th, the mission was formally received by Bishop Johnson as a parish.
In the year 1887, the lower floor of the Rose building was destroyed by the wind storm, but the upper floor, which had been used for Episcopalian services for years, was deposited intact on an adjoining lot and was at once fitted up and used to house the hardware and drug stores which had formerly been located in the lower story of the building. When the Episcopalians se- cutred a lot of their own, they bought the one-story building which they had previously occupied as the upper story of the Rose block and removed it to their lot. During the winter of 1893-4 it was decided to remove the chapel to a more favorable location, and lots were purchased for the present site; the old building was removed and enlarged and fitted up into a most con- venient and attractive chapel. In 1901 another lot adjoining the church prop- erty was purchased and a large and well appointed rectory was built.
The changes and interregnums of the Ontario mission had been frequent until 1895, when the Rev. R. H. Gushee was placed in charge by the bishop. Father Gushee was then in deacon's orders but has since been ordained a priest in his own parish. He has since remained with this parish, which has grown in strength, usefulness and grace since his coming.
First Baptist Church. During the spring of 1894 several of the Baptist families of Ontario held prayer meetings at their various homes. Among those who were foremost in making these meetings successful were Mrs. L. M. Knox, Mrs. M. E. Baldwin, Mrs. H. J. Rose, Messrs. Wm. Friend, L. N. McClure, J. L. Grisham and E. B. Powell. A meeting was held in a room over Mr. E. B. Powell's store September 16, 1894, at which the Rev. E. G. Wheeler of the chapel car Emanuel preached, and at the close of the service a business meeting was held and a permanent organization effected, to be known as the First Baptist church of Ontario. The original members were 39 in number. A Sunday school was organized in October, 1894. In 1899 the church was incorporated and in 1901 erected its present building, a mod- ern frame structure, having a seating capacity of several hundred: The cost was about $2,500.
The present membership is about 125. The Sunday school has an en- rollment of 80. The usual societies are connected with the church and the church is in a prosperous condition.
First Presbyterian Church. The first Presbyterian church services were held in Ontario in 1887, with the Rev. C. D. Merrill as pastor. The church was organized in 1888 with about 24 members, of whom only Mr. Geo. S. Barrett remains. A church building was erected this same year on the cor- ner of Ninth street and Euclid avenue. It was blown down in the fall of 1890 and in 1891 a new church, a modern building costing about $5,000, was erected. Since that date a. manse costing about $2,000 has been added to the
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church property . The present membership is about 100 and the regular church societies are all well sustained.
Westminster Presbyterian Church. This church was organized in April, 1895, by some members of the North Ontario church who found it incon- venient to go so far to their place of worship. They first erected a small building on the corner of C street and Euclid avenue. Their attendance increased so rapidly that it was found necessary to build a large addition which made the building one of the finest churches in the settlement. The entire cost of the structure is about $7,000. The church has a membership of about 100 and its adjuncts are well organized and doing efficient service.
FRATERNAL SOCIETIES.
As in churches, Ontario abounds in fraternal organizations, of which we shall give a brief notice.
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 345. Instituted July 14, 1888, with six members, of whom Mr. Alfred Piddington is the only one now living in Ontario. This lodge is both charitable and beneficiary. It has been a successful institution in Ontario and has paid largely out of its treasury for the sick and for other benevolent purposes. Many persons com- ing here sick have been the recipients of its bounty ; 160 persons have passed its portals by initiation. The lodge owns its own hall on Euclid avenue, between A and B streets, where its weekly meetings are held.
I. O. O. F., Euclid Lodge No. 68, of North Ontario. Instituted Novem- ber 28, 1898. This lodge meets once a week in a hall over the Commercial bank. Its features are identical with those of the above mentioned lodge, and it is in a flourishing condition.
Knights of Pythias. Ontario Lodge, No. 222, instituted April 1, 1901, by Grand Chancellor W. T. Jeter, is a comparatively new institution here, but is very popular, and some of our best citizens belong to the order. Life in- surance is one of its features. The lodge meets weekly in the I. O. O. F. hall.
Fraternal Aid Association. Organized in 1892. This is a beneficiary institution which has grown rapidly and has been one of the strongest in the colony. It meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month in the Foresters' hall.
Ontario Lodge 301, F. & A. M. Organized in 1890 with A. G. Kendall as first Worshipful Master. The order has grown steadily and now has about 60 members. It has always been a strong and active organization. It holds its weekly meetings in I. O. O. F. hall.
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Order of the Eastern Star. Euclid Chapter No. 179 was organized May 3, 1900, under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of California and Nevada, Geo. L. Darling, Grand Worthy Patron, officiating. It meets on the second and fourth Fridays of each month in I. O. O. F. hall.
The W. C. T. U. In 1887, a meeting was called to organize a W. C. T. U. in Ontario. About thirty ladies gave their names as members. Mrs. Lord of Pasadena presented the work, a society was organized, and Mrs. C. D. Merrill was chosen as the first president and Mrs. F. E. Oakley, secretary. This organization was later allowed to lapse.
October 7, 1890, Mrs. Button, president of the county W. C. T. U., called a meeting and reorganized the Union, with Mrs. Magill, president; Mrs. Waddingham, secretary, and Mrs. Oakley, treasurer. Since that date the Union, although never large, has been a force for righteousness in the com- munity. There are at present thirty-two active and six honorary members. During the past year the Union has collected and distributed over $100, car- ried on fourteen lines of work, held monthly business and monthly parlor meetings, secured lectures, etc.
CHAPTER XX. CHINO.
The early history of the Chino Rancho has been given previously. After the death of Col. Isaac Williams, the property was owned by his daughter, Francesca, who was the wife of Robert Carlisle. Carlisle was killed in Los Angeles, July 5. 1865, and the estate was for several years managed by Jos- eph Bridger, son-in-law of Col. Isaac Williams, and guardian of the Carlisle heirs. About 1874. it was mortgaged to Los Angeles parties, and ultimately passed into their hands. They placed Mr. H. G. Stewart on the property as manager.
In 1881, the Rancho del Santa Ana del Chino, and "Addition to Santa Ana del Chino," were sold to Richard Gird, who at once took possession, and began making improvements. He purchased additional lands until his entire holdings included 47,000 acres. For a number of years the rancho was chiefly devoted to stock raising, and at one time there were 800 finely bred horses, and six thousand cattle upon it. To improve the grade of his stock, Mr. Gird imported Durham and Holstein stock, and at one time had a herd of two hundred blooded milch cattle-one of the finest dairies in the state.
In 1887, 23,000 acres of this rancho was surveyed into ten acre tracts, and a town site one mile square was laid out. The entire tract was damp
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
land, with water near the surface, and artesian wells in the tract, and in Los Angeles county, near Pomona, gave an abundant supply of water for domestic purposes, and for irrigation.
Mr. Gird at once built a narrow guage road from Ontario ; put up a large brick store building, and secured a newspaper plant. The Chino Valley Champion, made its first appearance Nov. II, 1887, and was, of course, one of the strong factors in upbuilding the town. Col. Wasson, its first editor, was succeeded in 1891 by Edwin Rhodes, who has continued as editor to this day, and who has given the Champion, an individuality of its own.
During 1888, the Pomona and Elsinore Railroad was incorporated, with Samuel Merrill, Richard Gird, F. H. Heald, H. A. Palmer, G. L. Joy and R. B. Taylor, as directors. The line was surveyed through Chino and it was confidently expected that it would be built immediately and would ulti- mately become the main line of the Southern Pacific to San Diego.
The same year, the Chino Valley Manufacturing Company, with Robert B. Hunter, John K. Wolcott, Henry M. Ryan, H. L. Drew, Byron Waters and Richard Gird, directors, was formed. They proposed to erect extensive rolling mills, the iron to be supplied from the newly discovered beds at Dag- gett, and manufacture on a large scale. The prospects for the company seemed bright, but the collapse of the boom carried it under.
Feb. 2, 1889. "What Chino has done in a year. Chino is a little over a year old. It is centrally located, on a 23,000 acre tract of remarkably rich fruit and agricultural land, which was all devoted to stock raising up to a year ago. Though never miry or swampy, about 8,000 acres are naturally moist, and will abundantly produce all kinds of vegetables, grasses, grains, nuts, deciduous and small fruits, etc., and the balance needs irrigation in greater or less quantities, according to locality and production. It is adapted to oranges, lemons, figs and everything that will grow in good soil, and it, and the town of Chino, are now supplied with choice artesian water from over twenty wells, which will be increased as required. Chino has about sixty children of school age, with a daily average attendance of about forty, in a new and well equipped school house. The Baptists and Congregationalists hold regular church services, with a well attended Sunday school; a daily. mail and Wells-Fargo Express service : a weekly newspaper, hotel, stores, etc., with three daily trains, on the Chino Valley railroad, between Chino, and Ontario, and with a fair prospect of securing a branch line, if not the main line, of a new overland railway system. A first-class nursery has been established, and many thousand of fruit, nut and other trees planted, and more are being planted every day. These are a few of the points of prog- ress made in a quiet season, within a year, on a hitherto cattle range."- Champion.
About this time Mr. Gird, began experimenting with beet growing for sugar, and so successful were his efforts, that in 1890, the Oxnard Bros., de-
RICHARD GIRD
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
cided to build the Chino Beet Sugar Factory. The first brick for the main building was laid by Mrs. Gird, Jan. 17, 1891, and the work progressed rap- idly. Feb. 18th, a severe windstorm visited the country, and the brick walls of the factory were blown down, entailing a considerable loss. At 2 p. m., on August 21st, Mrs. Gird touched the button which set the machinery in mo- tion, and sugar making was begun.
The building of the factory gave new life to Chino and vicinity. The raising of beets, and the factory itself, gave employment to a large number of men, and distributed large sums of money among settlers.
The Southern Pacific put in a track from Ontario, in 1891, and built a depot. About 1896 it purchased the narrow gauge road to Pomona, and in 1898 changed its main line so that through traffic passed through Chino. In 1892, Mr. Gird built the Opera House block, at a cost of $11,000, and other new buildings followed. Chino took an active part in the Court House and County Division fight, and was a strong supporter of the proposed San An- tonio county, with its eastern limit, including Etiwanda, and the western line extending to Azusa, and with "either Pomona, Ontario, or Chino, as the county seat."
In 1893, the ladies formed an "Improvement Association" with Mrs. Gird, president ; Mrs. N. Sleppy, vice-president ; Mrs. George Slasher, secretary : and Mrs. O. J. Newman, treasurer. They secured rooms in the Shepherd Block and opened reading rooms. By means of concerts and entertainments of a social nature, this room was maintained for a year or more, and was a great addition to the advantages of the town.
Although a considerable acreage had been sold off, a large area of the Rancho was still used as a stock range. The fine pasturage and the beet pulp from the factory, gave unusual facilities for the fattening of stock for the market. Much of this was brought from Arizona,-eighteen carloads being brought at one time in March, 1895. In this way, Messrs. Vail and Bates, cattlemen, became interested in the Rancho. A dairy was established, and an excellent grade of butter was made, the milk being purchased from a large number of stock owners.
In 1896, the Puente Oil Co., Wm. Lacey, president : H. E. Groves, sec- retary, established a Refinery in Chino, having made a contract to supply the Sugar Factory with fuel. The oil was piped from the company's wells at Puente. Tanks with a capacity of 15,000 barrels, stilis, coolers and a com- plete plant, was erected with a capacity of 250 barrels of crude oil per day, the refuse being used by the engines of the factory.
It would be impossible to follow all the changes in ownership, and the litigation concerning the Chino Rancho property, that has arisen in the past few years.
On Nov. 25th, 1894, the newspapers chronicled the largest land deal ever
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
made in San Bernardino county. This was the transfer of 41,000 acres of Chino Rancho, to Charles H. Phillips, of San Louis Obispo, for a considera- tion named as $1,600,000. This included the narrow guage road and the water rights.
In April, 1896, the ranch was again sold to English capitalists, who placed the land upon the market in small tracts, under the management of Easton and Eldridge, the well known real estate firm. Since that time, changes, transfers, mortgages and foreclosures have succeeded one another, and the end is not yet.
The town of Chino, and the surrounding country, continues to develop, and improvements are constantly being made. Unquestionably, Chino pos- · sesses exceptional advantages for the culture of varied crops and fruits, and for diversified farming, and its many thrifty farmers, and comfortable farm home, are a witness to its advantages. The settlement now has a popula- tion of about 1700.
CHINO SCHOOLS.
In August, 1888, the New Chino District was set off from Chino District which has since been re-named "Pioneer District." A neat school house was built in the new district by Mr. Gird and completely furnished and equipped to accommodate eighty pupils. School was opened here in September, 1888.
THE GIRD SCHOOL
In 1891, it was found necessary to enlarge this school house and employ two teachers, the district then having 169 census children. By 1894, the number of census children had increased to 373 and eight teachers were employed.
This year, Mr. and Mrs. Gird and the Sugar Company erected the Central school house, a brick building with four rooms, library, halls and all arrangements neces- sary for an up-to-date school.
The grounds about the building were set with flowers and shrubbery and made beautiful through the gener- osity of the donors. Mrs. Gird, who was clerk of the School Board, gave her personal attention to these improvements and did much by her interest to in- crease the usefulness of the school.
In 1895, Chino District voted bonds for two thousand dollars to build two additional school houses, one to be located in East Chino and the other in West Chino. In 1897, the Chino High School District was organized and
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$20,000 was voted for a High School building. An addition was made to the Central School which gave the district six grammar rooms and two High School rooms, all well arranged and furnished. In the fall of 1897, the school was opened under the name of the Richard Gird High School, and has done good work and is now duly ac- credited by the State University.
In 1903 the Chino District em- ployed eleven teachers and had an average attendance of 240 pu- pils.
May II, 1888, a Swedish Bap- tist church was organized at Chino, by the Rev. A. B. Orgren, John Shorland and E. Leuts, deacons, and A. W. Hagstrom, clerk. This church for several years held regular services in the school house, but now has a building of its own.
The first English service was held in Chino by the Rev. H. P. Case, of Los Angeles, in Novem- ber, 1888. Arrangements were made for the Congregational min- ister from Pomona to preach twice a month.
A Methodist church was formed
VICTOR GUSTAFSON
in Chino in 1892 and has a building and regular services.
THE CHINO BEET SUGAR FACTORY.
About 1887, Mr. Henry T. Oxnard, came to California, to investigate the possibilities for the beet sugar industry in this state. The Alvarado factory, the pioneer beet sugar factory of the United States, had been in operation in the northern part of the state for twenty years, but it was be- lieved the climate of Southern California was too mild to bring out the sac- charine qualities of the beet sufficiently to make beet raising for sugar a profitable proposition. Mr. Richard Gird of the Chino Rancho, after study- ing the subject determined to give the matter a thorough test and began a series of experiments and tests, extending over several years. The results obtained by Mr. Gird were so favorable that Mr. Oxnard twice visited Chino, the last time bringing an expert from France, Mr. Augustin Desprez. After a careful investigation these gentlemen were satisfied, not
MRS. RICHARD GIRD
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only that the beets could be raised, but that they possessed an unusually high percentage of sugar, and that the conditions were favorable on the Chino Rancho, for the successful operation of a beet sugar factory. Mr. Gird made most liberal concessions and as a result, a contract was signed, December 18th, 1890, for the erection of the Chino Beet Sugar Factory. By the terms of this contract, Mr. Gird granted the Company 2500 acres of land, and agreed to supply water ; he also contracted to furnish 2250 acres of beets the first year, 4000 the second, and 5000 for three succeeding years; the Com- pany was to have the factory ready for the beet crop of 1891, and was to. operate for five succeeding years.
Work was begun upon the factory at once, and was pushed so well that August 20th, 1891, Mrs. Gird touched the button that set the machinery in motion. The plant was equipped with the latest and most complete ma- chinery, twenty-eight carloads of which had been brought from Germany, and was prepared to turn out as perfect a product as is possible to manu- facture. August 22nd, '91 at 4 p. m., was sacked the first granulated and re- fined sugar ever made in Southern California. Sept. 3rd, the factory was, for the first time, thrown open to the public and was visited by several hundred people under the auspices of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. The new industry was welcomed, not only by the people of San Bernardino county, but by the entire section of the state as well.
Regarding the working of the factory, Merrick in "the American Sugar Industry" says :
"The factory began operations in 1891, when less than 2000 acres of beets were grown, and the average yield was only seven tons per acre, or 13,000 tons, for which the farmers were paid $51,000. During the season of 1895, five thousand acres in this township were devoted to beets, while the product of 2,500 acres more were hauled by rail about 75 miles from the Orange county district. The factory that year converted 83,000 tons of beets into sugar, for which the farmers were paid nearly $362,000. Most of the beets are grown within, two miles of the factory, the longest wagon haul being eight miles, and the shortest half a mile. Over twenty million pounds of refined sugar was actually made and sold exclusive of all raw sugar, and a little molasses, etc., or an average of 240 pounds of refined sugar obtained and sold from each ton of beets, or 2147 pounds from each acre of beets. The land about the factory is peculiarly fitted for this in- dustry, as seed can be planted very early on the uplands, and then in suc- cession on the lower lands. Thus the factory can begin to work up the early crop of July, and in the absence of frost can run until the latest seed- ling is harvested in November. All pitting and storing of beets is thus saved-a most important consideration. The campaign of 1897 was almost ideal, the factory running 151 days on 97,197 net tons of beets, that contained an average of 151/2 per cent sugar, and yielded 24.303,000 pounds of standard
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granulated sugar. There were harvested for the mill 9,628 acres out of the 10,000 contracted for. $420,000 was paid to the farmers this year for their beets."
So successful was the Chino factory, that the Alamitos plant in Orange county, and the Oxnard factory in Ventura county, have followed.
The original cost of the Chino plant, was put at about $600,000 and vari- ous additions and changes have been made since, bringing the outlay up to a million dollars at least. The fuel used is crude oil, obtained from the Puente wells, fourteen miles away. In 1896, the Puente Oil Company es- tablished a refinery at Chino, and the sugar factory consumes the refuse after refinement. It burns from 75,000 to 100,000 barrels during a season, and also consumes large quantities of lime stone, and lime, which is mostly obtained from the Victor quarries. The water supply is obtained form artesian wells in the vicinity of the factory, a large number having been put down for the company.
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