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 63
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In him we recognized the Missourian, at first glance,-six feet high- lanky-and a democrat. He and his nephew were 'batching.' When they got tired of ranching, they would hie themselves over the mountains to do a little mining. Between the mining and the ranching, they accumulated a mortgage on the claim which they did not know how to meet, and as a re- sult "Uncle Henry" was willing to sell.
I bought Reed out, and the first step toward the foundation of Hermosa, was made. In 1881, Judge Eaton and I, together with A. A. Por- ter, P. M. Green and Kildorf Al- mind, all of Pasadena, formed the Hermosa Land and Water · Co. It was Eaton who suggested the name 'Hermosa'-the beauti- ful.
To the 160 acres of the Reed place, were gradually added some 400 acres from the old Cucamonga Homestead Tract, and 165 acres of railroad land. But the water rights from Deer and Alder cañons were only applied to 480 acres by the first company. These 480 undivided interests in all the water were later on turned by the settlers into the Hermosa Water Co., and against each acre interest, ADOLPH PETSCH four shares of company stock at $100 were issued. This present company has also acquired 1200 acres of mountain land, completely covering all sources of the water in Deer cañon.
One of the early features of Hermosa, was a concrete wall fencing in 240 acres, to protect the first plantations against the innumerable rabbits that infested that country. I got the idea of this wall from Brigham Young, during a stay in Salt Lake. As a rabbit fence the wall proved to be a com- plete failure, but it proved to be a first-class advertisement for the enclosed land.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
The success of the Hermosa settlement led, in 1883, to the establishment of the Iowa Tract, which includes 500 acres more of the old Cucamonga Homestead tract. While I am proud to be called a pioneer of Hermosa. and the Iowa tract, I proclaim my innocence of the amalgamation of the two names into "Ioamosa."
The Hermosa Water Company was incorporated in Oct., 1887, with a capital stock of $192,000. This was an incorporation of the land owners, all the stock of the company being issued to the holders of the original rights. The colony has continued to prosper, and is now, one of the thrifty settle- ments of western San Bernardino county. A school house, postoffice and settlement have grown up."
RIALTO.
In 1887, the Semi-Tropic Land and Water Company was organized by Major George H. Bonebrake and F. C. Howes, at that time president and cashier of the Los Angeles National Bank. Ex-Governor Samuel L. Merrill,
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF RIALTO
was also one of the large stockholders. The company was formed with a capital stock of $3,000,000, and purchased of Henry Pierce and others, some 28.500 acres of land, and the water rights to some 800 inches of water from Lytle creek. In order to place the water upon the lands owned by them, the company constructed the Rialto canal, an open, cemented ditch, some six miles in length ; and began the construction of an elaborate distribution system These improvements cost a very large sum, and the company mortgaged its holdings to the San Francisco Savings Union, in order to secure the money. The townsites of Rialto, Bloomington, Sansevaine and Fontana, were laid out upon the Semi-Tropic tract, and the balance of the
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
land, was sub-divided mostly into twenty acre tracts. Lands were sold and were largely set out to deciduous and citrus fruits. The Semi-Tropic Land and Water Co., was unable to meet its obligations to the San Francisco Co., and proceedings were instituted in the Superior Court of San Bernardino county ; judgment was entered, and a foreclosure sale was made, under which, over 20,000 acres of land, and a large portion of the waters of Lytle creek passed into the hands of the San Francisco Savings Union. This was in 1896, and in the same year, the Savings Company disposed of the hold- ing, thus acquired to two corporations,-one, the Chicala Water Co., of Iowa, which acquired the water, and the other to the Anglo-American Canaigre Co., which acquired a large share of the landed interests. These two companies controlled the property from 1897 to 1901, when a new com- pany, the Fontana Development Co., acquired the interests of both corpora-
B. E. SIBLEY
MRS. B E. SIBLEY
tions, and such other rights as were still vested in the Savings Union of San Francisco. The Fontana Development Company is actively engaged in the administration of this property which includes upword of 20,000 acres of land, and a large portion of the waters of Lytle creek. Its officers are, R. HI. F. Variel, president ; Thomas F. Keefe, secretary and manager ; and its principal place of business is in the town of Rialto.
Two other companies are operating in the vicinity, in the management and distribution of the waters of Lytle creek,-the Lytle Creek Water and Improvement Co., the officers being William Buxton, president; and Ken- neth McRae secretary ; and the Lytle Creek Water Company has T. F. Keefe, president and manager.
The town of Rialto is located on the Santa Fe railway on lands which were included in the original holdings of the Semi-Tropic Land and Water
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
Co. In 1887, the Rev. T. C. Miller, of Kansas, who had visited this region, and had been very favorably impressed with the advantages offered in this locality, organized what is known as the "Kansas Colony," made up of people from Southern Kansas. The representatives of this colony reached California in 1887, and purchased 16,000 acres of land from the Semi-Tropic Co., with one-tenth of an inch of water for each acre of land. Those who settled on the lands were, Rev. T. C. Miller, Benjamin E. Sibley, wife and two sons; J. W. Tibbott, Wm. Tibbott, M. V. Sweesy, John M. Sweesy, Jerry La Rue, Joseph Cook and family, Frank Brown and family, H. V. Van Frank and family. The colony was unable to pay for the lands purchased, and soon lost their interest; but a number of the individual mem- bers retained their lands, and were among the early settlers of Rialto. During 1887-88 the townsite of Rialto, was laid out and a number of lots sold. A syn- dicate built a large hotel-one of the "boom" hotels of the time. which now stands in the center of a beautiful park, and is suited in size and in accommodations to a much larger town than Rialto. During the "boom" years it was successfully conducted by J. Wayne Amos, and it is now owned by Wm. Buxton. Several business blocks were put up, and a number of fine residences. Ex- Governor Merrill built a $15,000 residence, which was later des- troyed by fire. The Rialto schuo! W. P. MARTIN district was set off in 1892, and a neat, commodious school house was erected. A grammar school, with three departments, and an attendance of about one hundred pupils is now maintained.
Rialto is now one of the attractive "fruit colonies" of San Bernardino county. Beautiful shady drives lead among thrifty orange and lemon or- chards ; pretty homes are surrounded by shrubbery and flowers. Within the town several stores and shops supply the needs of the settlers; and there are two churches, and five packing houses, large and well equipped. Last year, 757 cars of fruit were shipped from Rialto, two hundred cars in excess of previous year's shipments. The settlement now has a population of about 1,000.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
First Methodist Church of Rialto was organized in 1887 by the Rev. T. C. Miller, one of the promoters of the colony, in a store room occupied in 1903 by Needham's Ice Cream Parlors. A Sunday School was organized by M. V. Sweesy, and regular church services, and prayer meetings were held, and attended by almost the entire population of the colony. The society soon purchased an organ, which was ably handled by Mrs. M. V. Sweesy, an ac- complished teacher of music. The society was incorporated in 1892, and built a church costing $2500, and the next year a parsonage at a cost of $1100. The church now has a membership of more than 100.
First Congregational Church. The first services of this church were held in the office of the Semi-Tropic Land and Water Co. After the Metho- dist church was built, services were held in their building in the afternoon, the pulpit being supplied by Rev. Mr. Jenkins, of San Bernardino.
In 1891 the church was organized with a membership of eighteen mem- bers and the next year built a neat little structure at a cost of about $2,000. The church has steadily gained in strength and membership and has a flour- ishing Sunday School and Christian Endeavor and the usual church auxiliar- ies.
Societies.
The Fraternal Brotherhood, Lodge No. 179, Rialto, was instituted June 27th, 1901, with a membership of 101, by Supreme President C. P. Dandy.
This lodge carries an insurance feature and also a social membership.
Rialto Hive No. 22, Ladies of the Maccabees, was formed April 24th, 1902. It now has a membership exceeding thirty. The work is largely the outgrowth of the San Bernardino Hive. It meets regularly twice a month and has been active and successful.
Rialto Irrigation District was formed Oct. 13th, 1890, under the Wright "Irrigation District" law. It included 7,200 acres of land located in the south- east corner of the Semi-Tropic Land and Water Co.'s property and was to be supplied with water from Lytle Creek. The district was bonded for $500,- 000, and $400,000 worth of these bonds were sold and are still outstanding. About 3.500 acres of the district are now under cultivation, mostly in citrus fruits and vineyards. The townsite of Bloomington, laid out along the South- ern Pacific road, is located in the district. Here a depot, a school house, a number of residences and a large olive oil mill are located. The Citizens' Water Co., organized in I900, now supply water, mainly from artesian wells. for the district. The officers are J. R. Mckinley, president; J. S. Wheeler, vice-president ; S. J. Bunting, secretary ; W. P. Martin, treasurer.
UPLAND.
The town of Upland was originally the Magnolia tract, laid out by the Bedford Brothers in the eighties, and the Stowell tract. A station of the Southern California railway was located here and a settlement grew up
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
about it. The Bedford Brothers erected a hotel, Magnolia Villa, about 1887. The community was known as North Ontario until 1902 when the county board of supervisors, in response to a petition of the citizens, changed the name to Upland. The petition was granted March 21, 1902, and soon after- ward the name of the railway station and of the post office was also change to Upland. The settlement is not yet incorporated but has all the advan- tages of a full fledged town, having well graded and oiled streets, many of them with cement or gravel sidewalks. Euclid avenue passes through the town thus giving the advantages of the street. railway. The San Antonio Power Company furnishes electric lights for streets and for private use.
HOTEL ALGONQUIN, UPLANDS
There are a number of fine brick blocks, many of which have been built within the past three or four years. A bank has, for many years, done busi- ness here. Six packing houses handle the citrus fruits raised in the vicin- ity and a Packing House Equipment Co. has lately put in a plant here and is building up a large business. The settlement includes a considerable area of citrus groves and now numbers about a thousand inhabitants.
A post office was first established here in the store of the first merchant of the neighborhood, C. C. Waite, located on the Stowell tract to the south of the station. Mr. Waite was succeeded as postmaster by Patrick Gargan, who bought out his store. January ist, 1892, George S. Hayden became post- master and is still the incumbent. The office has advanced to the presiden- tial rank, third class, and the business is steadily growing. Free rural de- livery was inaugurated in 1901 over a route of 2534 miles in length, serv- ing about 125 boxes.
Upland has four church organizations, three of them, the Methodist, Presbyterian and Episcopalian, having buildings of their own; the fourth,
WILLIAM T. LEEKE
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
the Mennonite, as yet occupying a rented building. The Uplands school build- ing is a neat frame structure and houses four departments with a corps of four teachers. The school is known for its efficient work.
In 1895, Ira Slotter established the first newspaper in North Ontario, the Valley Mirror, which after a couple of years' publication was sold to E. E. Swanton and in 1901 was purchased by W. C. Westland. The North On- tario Surprise was established in 1897 by N. F. Kletzing, and the following year was pur- chased by W. F. Lincoln, of Cucamonga, who changed the name of the paper to the Sentinel. This paper was published for a time by Boden- hamer and Herman, and was then sold, in 1891, to W. C. Westland, who combined the two, and founded the Upland News. Mr. West- land, who was a veteran newspaper man from Michigan, having been the editor and pub- lisher of the Grand Ledge Independent, for twenty-six years, died December Ist, 1902. Since that time the paper has been conducted by Mrs. Ella L. Westland and her son, W. E. Westland. It has been very successful, and in 1904 was enlarged to a seven column, eight W. C. WESTLAND page form.
Upland has a well established and flourishing lodge of the I. O. O. F., which owns a substantial brick block, the upper floor being a hall for the use of the organization and other fraternal societies. The Fraternal Brother- hood and the Modern Woodmen of America also have lodges and the Daughters of Rebecca is a flourishing branch organization.
Upland Library Association was formed in 1900 and now has a circula- ting library of 450 volumes and a large numbre of magazines and periodi- cals. It has commodious library and reading rooms which are open every day except Sunday. Books have been contributed and purchased by funds contributed by citizens. The present officers are, M. F. Palmer, president ; Mrs. Alice Leonard, secretary ; Miss H. L. Holyland, librarian.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE DESERT.
The greater part of the Mojave desert is included in San Bernardino county-10,600 square miles of its area being classed as desert. Once, this desert region was looked upon as accursed,-the rattle snake, the lizard and the coyote were named as the only creatures that could endure the raging heat, the parching drought and the fevered glare of the dread waste. It was known even then, that unknown treasures were hidden away in the desert, and men who were counted foolhardy, risked their lives-and often lost them -in an attempt to solve the mys- teries of the great "unknown"; but it was only the "mirage driven" prospector, or the dar- ing adventurer, who left the beaten trails in those days.
DESERT DWELLERS
The construction of the rail- road from Mojave to Needles in the early eighties, opened up a new trail and a new era. The railroad necessitated settlements -Needles, Waterman, Daggett and other towns sprung up along its line. It was found that not only white men, but white won- en and children, could live in the climate, the year round, if neces- sary. Mines had been operated in the desert since the early six- ties; but the advent of the rail- road brought a large increase in the mining operations, and made possible workings that had hith- erto been impracticable.
As the desert has been more thoroughly examined and surveyed, it is found that water is much more plentiful than was formerly supposed. The State Mining Bureau has recently issued a map of the desert region of this county, made after careful exploration and surveys, which shows and locates,
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
more than one hundred springs, and several hundred square miles of dry lakes in which water can be obtained a few feet from the surface usually. Artesian water has also been found at various places on the desert.
And the desert is not all desert. The Mojave river, the one stream that forces its way through the sands, sinks and rises and in flood time, spreads itself over its "bottoms." The flats thus irrigated yield rich crops of natural grass and clover. In the early sixties, a number of stock ranches were located "on the Mojave" and a large amount of stock was grazed on the desert in the winter time, and fattened on the bottoms in the summer. Changes in the stream channel and the rainfall have lessened the grazing area in late years, but a number of grain and stock ranches are located in this vicinity now, and con- siderable stock and hay are sent out. Fruit, of the finest quality is also raised at some of these places. The marvelous productiveness of the desert soil, under irrigation, has been demonstrated here, as at Coachella and Imperial; when the government carries out its projects for irrigation on a large scale, from the waters of the Colorado, another large and valuable area will be added to the agricultural territory of this county.
The completion of the Salt Lake route will still further rob the desert of its terrors-and disadvantages. Another great highway will give access to new mineral deposits, and open up new fields to prospectors. New towns will follow the railway. The opening up of this large section of country will add materially to the resources of San Bernardino county.
It is now acknowledged that the pure dry air of the desert is nature's own remedy for many diseases, and more and more, the authorities recognize this great stretch of country as a natural sanitarium. The possibilities of the future in this direction, are as yet, scarcely realized.
· THE COLORADO RIVER AND ITS NAVIGATION.
For ninety miles the red waters of the 'Silent River' wash the border of San Bernardino county. The importance-the possibilities-of this river, and of the traffic, which for more than fifty years has been carried on upon it, are little realized by the people of the county.
"The great Colorado river is the largest stream, both in drainage, area and discharge, that lies wholly within the arid portion of the United States. It is formed by the junction of the Green and the Grand Rivers, rising in Wy- oming and Colorado, respectively, in regions of great precipitation, mainly in the form of snow. Only a very small percentage of water yielded by the basin of the Colorado, has yet been utilized for irrigation, and practically none, for other purposes. The obstacles are many. Through most of its course this river and its tributaries flow at the bottoms of profound cañons, from which it is impossible to divert them upon irrigable lands. The river emerges from its cañon a short distance above the 'Needles' and lias a series
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
of valleys which between this point and the Mexican border aggregate about 500,000 acres. In this region the waters are heavily laden with sediment which is a serious obstacle to their diversions. The grade of the river is so flat that a diversion taken out at the river's bed must have so slight a fall, and so low a velocity, that it would quickly fill with sediment from the river. For this same reason, a canal must be very long in order to command any consider- able area of land in the river valley.
Measurements in the flow near Yuma show that the river sometimes dis- charges a minimum of 3,000 cubic feet per second." Measurements made by J. B. Lippincott, of the U. S. Geological Survey, show that on July 19, 1903. the Colorado discharged 28,400 second feet, which is equivalent to 127,000,- 000 gallons per minute. For purposes of comparison, the Santa Ana river, on the same date, discharged 56 second feet and the San Gabriel river, 42 second feet.
"The river is navigated more or less from its mouth to the Needles by
BRIDGE AT VICTORVILLE
flat-bottom, stern-wheel boats which sometimes ascend even to the mouth of the Virgin river. Its navigation, however, is so difficult and precarious as to make it practically of little value. At low water the channel is so broad, shallow and changeable that boats are continually running aground, some- times being nearly a week in advancing ten or fifteen miles. In times of high water the swift current greatly impairs navigation."-A. P. Davis.
The Indians in early days crossed the river by means of rafts made of bundles of rushes tied together with willow twigs. The earliest expeditions crossed in the same way. The first wagons taken across the river were those of the Mormon Battalion in 1847, which were floated across with much diffi-
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
culty. In 1849, Col. Cave Coutts established the first ferry at what is now Yuma, using a flat boat built on the shores of Lake Michigan, then put upon wheels and transported to Yuma.
George A. Johnson, of San Diego, was the first man to navigate the Colorado with a steamboat. He says in the Needle's Eye :
"In June, 1850, I with a party of fifteen was ferrying on the Colorado where Yuma now stands. On November 29th, the same year, General Heintzelman arrived and established Fort Yuma, it being an agreement in the treaty of peace with Mexico. There being no necessity for so many in the ferry party, I with others, left for San Francisco. Soon after arrival, I met Gen. Allen, chief quartermaster for the coast, and gave him my ideas as to the navigability of the river and stated that it would be cheaper to transport supplies by sea, gulf and the river than to San Diego and across the desert. He finally contracted with me to transport 200 tons of supplies to Yuma. using flat boats on the river and if I found the river navigable by steam, I should have the preference. I left San Francisco in October, 1851, with sup- pliese and two flat boats. Arrived in November and commenced about the middle of December; found it slow and tedious work, but after a long time got through. The length of time it took me to accomplish my contract and the necessity for more supplies and troops, and a change in quartermasters, caused the new man to make an agreement with Mr. Trumbull to send on board of a quartermaster's vessel a small lighter with a pile-driving engine to propel it. On arrival they found that she was not able to stem the cur- rent. In their first attempt to reach Yuma, after warping and hauling by hand, they got within ten or twelve miles of Yuma, when she was capsized and sunk. Some say the bank caved in on her. This was the end of the steam lighter."
It is related that when the Yuma Indians saw this first steamboat they were greatly terrified and ran for life crying that the devil was coming up the river blowing fire out of his nose and kicking the water with his feet be- hind. In history this little lighter has been dignified by the name of "Uncle Sam" and one writer states that it exploded. "In December, 1857, I left Fort Yuma with the steamer 'General Jessup' for the purpose of de- termining the navigability of the Colorado above Yuma, Captain Wm. A. Winder being in charge. He furnished me with an escort of fifteen men and a mountain howitzer. Lieut. White was in charge. My crew consisted of assist- ant pilot, mate and 15 deck-hands and six mountain men and trappers. Our up-trip was attended with no particular difficulties. Late in December, I arrived at a cañon in the Colorado which was not navigable. This was about 75 miles above Fort Mojave. Knowing that I had reached the height of practical navigation, I turned back. At this point is the mouth of a cañon which comes in from the west, known as 'El Dorado.' The next day I landed
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
on the east bank for wood. This point proved to be on the bank under the hill where Fort Mojave was afterwards located. While lying there an ex- pedition came in sight which proved to be that of Gen. E. F. Beale and es- cort on their march east. I send you his report to the secretary of war in which he mentions meeting me there and is evidence of my being first to determine the navigability of the river above Yuma."
From this time until 1876, Captain Johnson carried on the business of steamboating on the Colorado. In those days the business was largely the transportation of government supplies and troops. In 1859, Captain John- son took the troops and material up the river to establish Fort Mojave, using two boats, the Gen. Jessup and the Colorado. He carried back to Yuma a number of Indians taken as hostages from the Mojaves.
In 1876, Chas. Crocker, representing the Southern Pacific railway pur -- chased the business of Captain Johnson and the Colorado River Steamboat Co., was organized. In 1886, this company sold out to Polhemus and Mellon. Captain Polhemus had been a boat master on the river from 1856 and Cap- tain Mellon had plied the river since 1869. Since their combination they have carried on the only successful navigation business on the river. The business now is mainly the transportation of supplies and machinery for mining camps. At present these gentlemen have a new boat, the Cochan, 219 tons, which runs to the north of Needles. A small boat the "Aztec," 14 tons plies from the Needles also. This is owned by the Lamar brothers.
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