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 62
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July 1. 1901, free rural delivery was established with two routes through territory tributary to Highland. Since that date the number of patrons has more than doubled and the carriers now handle from fifteen to eighteen thousand pieces per month. July 1, 1902, the office was advanced to third class. May 1, 1896, a branch office was established at Fredalba, and May I. 1897, a branch was established at Pine Lake. Highland is the distributing office for both of these.
The following statement furnished by Postmaster A. A. True indicates the growth of business in this office :
Postal Sales 1899-1900 $1,112.39 1903-1904 2.418.80
The record shows an increase of over 12 per cent during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1904-a larger gain than is shown by either Redlands or San Bernardino.
Telephone Service.
In 1897, the Sunset Telephone and Telegraph Co. instituted a telephone system in Highland, but without an exchange. The business grew so rapidly
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that it soon became necessary to put in an exchange and since its inauguartion the switchboard has been enlarged and the cable system rebuilt three times. The town is now connected with the long distance system and there are more than 180 subscribers. The local manager is Mr. A. A. True and two operators are employed.
First Bank of Highland.
On April 19, 1904. the "First Bank of Highland" opened its doors for business. It is chartered as a state bank with a capital stock of $30,000. The first board of directors are: K. C. Wells, L. C. Waite, W. C. Patterson, Charles C. Browning, A. G. Stearns, L. A. Desmond, W. B. Brookings, Wakefield Phinney and Herbert W. Johnstone. The officers are: Herbert W. Johnstone, president ; Charles C. Browning, vice-pres- ident ; Wakefield Phinney, cashier Schools.
L. A. DESMOND
In 1883 W. T. Noyes circulated a petition for the establishment of a new school district. Some contention arose over the name of the district, as some of the set tlers desired it called Harlem ; but Messrs. Noyes and Randail argued for the name Highland and won.
The first school was held in a squatter's cabin north of Harlem Springs and was taught by a Miss Smith. A school house of one room was built the next year.
Later a two-room school house was built on the present site.
In Nov., 1892, the residents voted bonds of $10,000 for a new school build- ing and the following year the present handsome and commodious building was erected. It is surrounded by an acre of ground which has been highly improved. The Highland school prepares children for the High School and is ranked among the best of the county schools. The last census showed a school population of 213.
Library Club.
Dec. 21, 1897, a meeting of the citizens of Highland was called with the view of organizing a Literary Club. At a subsequent meeting the organiza-
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tion was completed by the election of C. W. Paine, president ; Mrs. E. Shafer, vice-president ; Mrs. C. C. Browning, treasurer; Mrs. Edna Wilmot Cole, secretary. The central idea being the formation of a public library, the or- ganization was called the "Highland Library Club." An annual fee of $2 was collected from each member, the money to be expended in the purchase of books. The first installment of 25 volumes was received May, 1898. For the time the books were kept at the home of a member who acted as librar- ian.
In Dec. 1899, the executive committee reported the desirability of giv- ing a course of entertainments-lectures, musical recitals, etc .- to be given under the auspices of the club. The first entertainment was given in Jan., 1900, and since that time a course of from five to seven high-class events has been given each year.
Nov. 14, 1901, a committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions for the purpose of purchasing a lot and erecting a library building. Jan. 23, 1902, the Highland Library Club incorporated with the following as board of directors: L. A. Desmond, Mrs. W. F. Grow, Mrs. Anna L. Tollett, Mrs. A. G. Stearns, R. A. Boyd. Mr. Desmond was elected president ; Mrs. Grow, vice-president ; Mrs. Tollett, secretary.
The erection of the library building was begun in August, 1902, and it was completed and opened to the public Jan. 6, 1903. The cost was $2,100, the entire sum being raised by voluntary subscriptions. There are at pres- ent 824 bound volumes catlogued, besides magazines and newspapers. The club now numbers eighty members and holds monthly meetings with musical and literary programs.
The Pleasant Hour Club was organized as an auxiliary to the Library. Club by the ladies of the latter in Feb., 1898. The interest and membership has grown from the start and it has become an important factor for the im- provement and culture of its members. It is a federated club and now has 34 active and 9 associate members. The president is Miss Mary Parker ; recording secretary, Mrs. A. G. Clemmond ; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Cole.
Churches.
There are two flourishing churches in Highland-the Congregational and the Methodist.
The Congregational church was organized in April, 1884, with Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Aplin, S. H. Barrett, Mrs. D. F. Barrett, Miss C. C. Barrett, Mrs. C. J. Hartzel, Mrs. T. T. Cook, Mrs. S. P. Fessenden, and G. W. Beattie as initial members. The first officers of the church were, deacons, S. H. Bar- rett ; clerk and treasurer, G. W. Beattie; directors, A. M. Aplin, B. Fowler and G. W. Beattie.
The church edifice now in use was built on a lot on Base Line east
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of Palm avenue, during the pastorate of Rev. J. D. Foster. It was moved about 1896 to a lot on the corner of Palm avenue and Main street. The church became self-supporting under the pastorate of Rev. A. W. Thomp- son. The present membership is 140. The Sunday School has an enroll- ment of 130 with an average attendance of 90. Mr. S. H. Barrett, the pres- ent superintendent, has filled the office for twenty-one years. The Young People's Society of C. E. has a membership of 75. The church sub- scribes $350 per year for benevolent purposes and raises $1,200 for current expenses. The Ladies' Auxiliary also raises some $120 per year.
Methodist Church.
The Methodist church was organized Dec. 20th, 1890, with Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Grow, W. H. Ham, H. E. Parker, Alta Clark, Mrs. S. E. Elkins, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Noyes, as charter members. S. L. Grow, W. T. Noyes and H. E. Parker were the first stewards.
Rev. J. C. Gowan, the first pastor, was paid $300 a year, raised by vol- untary contribution. During his pastorate of three years the church grew to a membership of 66. In 1891, a handsome church building, costing $4,000, was built on a lot located on Pacific ave., and donated by H. H. Jones. Several years later a comfortable parsonage was built on the same avenue. The present membership of the church is 95. The Sunday School has an enroll- ment of 150 with an average attendance of over 100. The present super- intendent, L. A. Desmond, has filled the office for the past thirteen years. The church has the usual auxiliary societies-all in flourishing condition- and raises annually about $1,500.
· Weekly Newspaper.
October 6th, 1892. J. M. Martin published the first number of "The High- land Citrus Belt," which he continued as a weekly eight-page paper devoted chiefly to local and county news. In March, 1902, the subscription list and good will of this paper were purchased by Messrs. Opie L. Warner and Ed- ward Wall, who changed the name to "Highland Messenger." They have since enlarged it from a four column quarto to a five column and have mater- ially increased its advertising patronage. They have also added a job of- fice to the plant.
Knights of Pythias.
This is a local organization of whose record its members feel justly proud. Its influence on the community has been wholesome socially and morally and its charitable work has been fruitful of much good. Its phe- nomenal growth, progressive spirit and advanced business methods have made it famed among its sister lodges all over this Grand Dominion.
Highland Lodge, 211, was promoted and organized in the fall of 1897 by A. A. True, assisted by L. S. Steele, then of Redlands. It was instituted
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Jan. 28th, 1898, by D. D. G. C., T. M. Blythe and the Redlands Lodge, with 27 charter members, all well known property holders and residents. The lodge now comprises 100 members in good standing. Its quarters consist of a commodious hall with ante-rooms together with reading room, writing room and billiard hall. These occupy the second story of a large building. The lodge is in good financial condition, having a large cash reserve and money loaned at interest.
EAST HIGHLANDS.
East Highlands comprises that portion of the Highland citrus belt ly- ing east of City Creek. In superficial contour the land is more undulating than that of Highland and the soil contains a larger per cent of clay. It is admirably adapted to the production of oranges of the highest grade and the fruit of the "East Bench" is recognized everywhere as having no su- perior.
In 1864, Louis Cram set out two seedling orange trees on his place. In 1873. he bought 100 trees from a nursery in Los Angeles, paying $4.00 apiece for some of them, and planted an orchard of one acre. These trees and the ones set out first are still in bearing on the Cram homestead. The trees were set out as an experiment and Mr. Cram had no thought of deriving a profit from them ; yet the fruit from the one acre sold one year for $1,800. As was common, the first orchards planted in this vicinity were of deciduous fruits- now supplanted by citrus orchards. It is estimated that there are now 1,065 acres in the district in oranges, much of which is not yet in bearing. The shipment last season reached 400 carloads.
The first white men to settle in this neighborhood were the Cram brothers, and Frederick Van Leuven, who were for some years the only settlers. In 1865 E. A. Ball, located on the place later owned by T. T. Cook. Goodcell Cram sold the place he had homesteaded to Andrew Wakefield, in 1866, who afterward sold it to Mr. Reeves. Among the early settlers who still remain in the vicinity, are A. M. Aplin, Joshua Hartzel, S. H. Barrett, the Cram brothers and Mrs. John Wicks.
Early in the seventies the first school was opened in a little house under the bluff, near the Cook place, with Miss Nettie Daley as teacher. After one or two changes of location, the East Highlands school was permanently located on a lot donated by Mr. Hartzel, where in 1902 a fine school house was erected at a cost of $10,000. The late census shows 96 pupils of school age in the district.
Soon after the building of the railroad through the district, a general merchandise store was opened near the East Highland station, and the business still continues with a growing patronage. A postoffice has been established, and several packing houses built, and a hamlet of cottage homes now cluster about the station.
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Walter S. Corwin, of Highland, was born near Niagara Falls, in the province of Ontario, Canada, May 5. 1846, the son of John and Catherine Corwin. His father was a native of New England and a descendant of an old Puritan family. He was a farmer by occupation.
Walter S. Corwin was educated at home and at Victoria college, Coburg, Ontario. In 1885 he came to California and bought land at Highland, where he now has twenty-five acres in lemons and oranges. He has a wife and five children, John W., Laura C., George R., Helen G. and Gordon W.
W. S. CORWIN
Mr. Corwin's success as an orange and lemon grower serves as a good illustration of what may be accomplished by a diligent and wise pursuance of the business along conservative lines. His first experience in tilling Cali- fornia soil was as a truck farmer, making a specialty of raising melons, the phenomenal size and flavor of which is still a pleasant memory with the pio- neers of the valley. He has been a consistent advocate of independent marketing of citrus fruits, and has, during many seasons, thus marketed with profit the output of his orchards.
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WEST HIGHLANDS.
West Highlands embraces several square miles of the mesa lands, that constitute the Highlands citrus belt. A southwestern slope, a decomposed granite soil, and a semi-tropic temperature, produce very favorable con- ditions for plant growth.
Although a small settlement of pioneers had been made along the base of the mountains prior to 1880, there was little substantial growth in the district until after the completion of the Bear Valley canal, in 1888. Thus supplied with water, the grading and planting of orchards began at once, and has continued ever since. The area now devoted to orange and lemon trees is estimated, or rather carefully computed, at 1079 acres, mostly bear- ing. The shipments for West Highlands groves for 1903-4 were 300 car- loads, or 108,600 boxes. There are two large packing houses, one at West Highlands, and one at Patton station.
The half dozen early settlers whose primitive homes nestled along the foothills of this neighborhood, in the seventies, were C. Reivell, James Ken- nedy, Jacob Huff and brother, Zanoni Zimmerman, G. I. Burton and A. Harrison. Of these Jacob Huff and Z. Zimmerman still reside in the neighborhood.
The advent of water for irrigation was an inspiration for general prog- ress, and other improvements kept pace with orchard planting. Large sums of money were expended in constructing ditches, and pipe lines, streets were laid out, and lined with ornamental trees; but it must be regretfully re- corded, that most of the trees forming these beautiful roadsides, have either been dug out, or allowed to die for lack of attention.
To accommodate the children of the growing settlement, a two-story building was erected, and a graded school established. This building also served for church and Sunday school purposes. After the advent of the rail- road, a postoffice, bearing the name of Del Rosa, was established at the West Highland station, and a store opened. Both still continue. The com- munity also has the advantage of free rural delivery.
BROOKINGS LUMBER & BOX COMPANY.
The Brookings Lumber & Box Co. was incorporated in 1898, having for its officers and principal stockholders, John E. Brookings, president ; Robt. S. Brookings, vice-president, and W. DuB. Brookings, secretary and treas- urer. The company purchased in 1899 the manufacturing plants and tim- ber lands of the Highland Lumber Co. The original holdings of the High- land Lumber Co. were grouped by Mr. M. A. Neilan, an old lumberman from
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Michigan. Mr. Neilan was also manager for the company, overseeing the erecting of the saw mill, building of toll road, box factory, etc. Mr. Neilan died in 1895, and his company which was composed entirely of parties resid- ing in Michigan decided to dispose of their holdings. Negotiations were be- gun with Mr. J. E. Brookings, who was engaged in the lumber business in Michigan, and in 1898 the deal was consumated.
The saw mill is modern with a 12 inch band, and is located in the moun- tains at Fredalba, an elevation of 5600 feet, and a box factory in the valley at Highland; the timber holdings embraced about 5,000 acres of the best timber in the San Bernardino range, and since the original purchase, about 3,000 acres have been added, making the present holdings about 8,000 acres. The Brookings Company have constructed a narrow gauge rail road about five miles long which carries the logs from the woods to the mill. The saw mill con- verts the logs into lumber at the average rate of 60,000 feet per day. From the mill to the box factory is ten miles of mountain road, (the City Creek Toll Road, built at a cost of $52,000), which is owned and operated by the company. The hauling of the lum- ber down the mountain is one of the most picturesque departments of the business, about twenty teams of four mules each being engaged. One teamster recently brought down on a single wagon the remarkable load of 7,600 feet. The output of lumber of the J. E. BROOKINGS Brookings Lumber Box Co. aver- ages 10,000,000 feet per year, about 60 per cent of which is manufactured into boxes at the factory at Highland ; the boxes find an unusually convenient market at the very doors of the fac- tory. The lumber which is not manufactured into boxes is marketed in the nearby towns, the better grades of white pine, sugar pine and silver fir com- manding a high price for fine interior finish. The value of this institution to the community can be judged from the volume of business which is al- most entirely local, very little lumber being shipped out of the San Bernar- dino valley. About 150 men are employed in the mountains during the sum- mer months of the year, and in the valley and in the hauling department
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
about 60 men find steady employment ; the total pay roll will approximate $200,000 per annum. The company has retail yards at Redlands, San Ber- nardino, and Highland, and its product is delivered to all parts of the San Bernardino valley. The volume of sales approximate $400,000 per annum. The company experienced a fire in 1903 which destroyed about 5,000,000 feet of lumber at the mountain yard, but owing to an open winter the com- pany was enabled to continue its operations without any derangement of business.
Harlem Springs.
In the southern portion of Highlands. near Base Line, are situated Harlem Hot Springs, a popular resort for bathing and health seekers. On premises which comprise 22 acres are located an elegant natatorium, finely appointed bath houses, supplied with hot and cold mineral water, a large building containing refreshment rooms, and a large hall, and handsome pic- nic grounds, for use of pleasure seekers.
Kohl brothers, the owners, are showing much taste and enterprise in adding useful and ornamental attractions to the place.
CHAPTER XXII.
CUCAMONGA.
The history of Cucamonga Rancho in early days has been previously given. Upon the death of John Rains, his wife, Maria Williams Rains, asked that the Rancho be declared her separate property, and after some liti- gation her claim was granted. About 1870 she disposed of a portion of the western lands of the rancho, to the Cucamonga land company, which was composed mainly of San Francisco capitalists. This company acquired by their purchase the water rights to San Antonio creek, and a half interest in the waters of the cienega lands. The company sold their lands in tracts of from ten to eighty acres to a total amount of 520 acres, conveying with each piece an altogether indefinite amount of water. Some deeds stated that the purchaser was to have "water enough" and others, that he was to have water "sufficient for semi-tropical culture."
About the same time the Cucamonga Homestead Association was or- ganized, the Hellman brothers being the principal stockholders. This or- ganization had for its purpose the "subdivision, irrigation and sale of several thousand acres of the Cucamonga Rancho, lying next to the mountains, and in part adjacent to the cañon." This association constructed a large flume and ditch, a mile or more in length, out to the northern limit of the home- stead lands, but never provided any means for the distribution of water, to
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the ten and twenty acre tracts, into which the land was subdivided. In 1879, about twenty of these lots had been sold, and about fifty acres were irri- gated.
The Cucamonga Vineyard Company was formed by the owners of the Rancho, to irrigate the old vineyard property. A townsite was laid out about the old winery, and a settlement has grown up here. Later the works of this company were merged into those of the Cucamonga Fruit Land Com- pany, which was organized in 1887, and the same year, the Cucamonga Water Company was formed, and has since that date distributed water throughout the tract.
The numerous organizations, the conflicting water rights, and indefi- nite terms upon which water was sold to land purchasers, have of course led to trouble. In the past years, it has not been uncommon for a Cucamonga rancher to conduct his irrigation with shot gun in hand, and it is stated, that several times a display of firearms has settled disputed water rights, when legal documents and rhetoric failed to have any effect.
The 'red hills' and the mesas of this tract have always yielded grapes,- both wine and rasin-of especially fine quality. A considerable area is still in grapes, there being several large new vineyards, as well as the older ones. A large acreage has also been set out to citrus fruits. The soil seems to be particularly well adapted to oranges. The Cucamonga Citrus Fruit Grow- ers Association was formed a number of years ago, and belongs to the On- tario-Cucamonga Exchange. It is made up of the fruit growers of the sec- tion. For the season of 1903-4 it shipped from North Cucamonga about 150 cars of fruit.
North Cucamonga is a little town, which has grown up about the railway station of the Santa Fe, while another settlement has clustered about the depot of the Southern Pacific. The postoffice, school house and town are located in the town of Cucamonga, between the two railway sta- tions. Two teachers are employed, and the average attendance the past year was seventy-two pupils.
ETIWANDA.
In January, 1882, the Chaffey Brothers completed the purchase of 7,600 acres of land on the Cucamonga plains, from twelve to sixteen miles east of San Bernardino. They purchased the Garcia property. with its water rights, and also secured the water rights to Day and Young cañons. In May, they organized the Etiwanda Water Company, with a capital stock of $500,000. They subdivided their tract, and agreed to construct a reser- voir at the head of the colony lands, and construct flumes, and ditches for delivery to each ten acre tract .Messrs. Chaffey pushed the work vigorously and at once began advertising extensively their 'Promised Land.' one of the
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first fruit colony settlements in the county. Electric lights, a telephone system, hotel and school house, were promised, and by July, the energetic promoters were able to announce that 810 acres of their tract had been sold. The hotel was opened to the public early in 1883, with M. M. Brink, as pro- prietor, and the school house was completed about the same time. A gram- mar school is now maintained with two teachers, and an attendance of about 100 pupils.
In June, 1882, the Chaffeys organized the California Land Improve- ment Company, to which they deeded their lands, and which company con- structed the flumes and distribution system.
In 1893, the Etiwanda Water Company was re-organized with a capital stock of $500,000, with J. C. Dunlap, J. H. Scott, C. N. Ross, Thomas Hen- dry, C. T. Chaffey, R. A. Cunningham, James Weston, George Chaffey and George Chaffey Jr. as stockholders.
The colony has made a steady growth, and the district now has a popu- lation of about 1,000. At first, the land was largely set to grapes, and large quantities of raisins were made; in 1891, 75,000 boxes of raisins were put out. About 3,000 acres in the district are now in vineyard, and a winery is in operation. A good many orange and lemon orchards have been planted and Etiwanda has a Citrus Association, and a packing house, and a number of business establishments.
A Congregational church was organized in Etiwanda in 1893 with thir- teen members, by the Revs. E. R. Brainerd, who became the first pastor, and J. T. Ford. It has held its services in the school house, but is now plan- ning a church building.
HERMOSA-NOW IOAMOSA.
Of the early history of the Hermosa settlement, Adolph Petsch, of Los Angeles, writes thus :
"During 1880, I spent, in company with Judge Benjamin S. Eaton, (the pioneer of Pasadena,) several months in traveling over the southern coun- ties. On one of these trips, I bought an interest in the Day cañon water and made also filings under desert land act, on some government land. This was my first investment in San Bernardino county. Soon afterward I sold it out to the Chaffey brothers, and it is now a part of Etiwanda.
My next purchase was the 160 acre pre-emption claim of Henry Reed, in section 35, Range 7 W., Township, I N. S. B. M., together with all water rights from Deer and Alder cañons. It was on a November day, in 1880, when Judge Eaton and myself, were jogging along the old Cajon road, leading in a bee line from the Cucamonga red hills, to Martin's station, when we noticed a little to the north of the road, a patch of trees in the chaparral. I thought that they must be orange, but the Judge was certain that they
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were lemon. We bet cigars, and to see who was right, we drove nearer. They were peach trees, in rich foliage in November. This astonished us, and we drove up to the shaky shanty, built of San Bernardino lumber, adobe, elder- stumps, etc., that stood among the trees, and soon made the acquaintance of the pioneer of section 35-Henry Reed.
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