USA > California > Los Angeles County > Ingersoll's century history, Santa Monica Bay cities prefaced with a brief history of the state of California, a condensed history of Los Angeles County, 1542-1908 > Part 16
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Ygnacio Reyes built a ranch house in Rustic Canyon and the family have continuously occupied the land since 1824, part of the grant still being owned by the descendants of the original grantees. This is an unusual case for generally the great land grants of the state have passed entirely out of the hands of the Californians, and the families of the original claimants have profited nothing by the marvelous increase in values.
Ygnacio Reyes also owned a home in Los Angeles, on Main street, near Fourth, and is frequently mentioned in the annals of the town. He died there during an epidemic of smallpox in 1863. Three sons still survive him, Guadalupe of Sawtelle; Ysidro and Antonio of Los Angeles.
Francisco Marquez built his ranch house on the edge of the bluff, about at the end of Seventh street. Here it was a landmark for many years, having been destroyed within the past few years. Members of the family still live in Santa Monica Canyon and retain a part of the original lands.
LA BALLONA.
La Ballona rancho, or as it was named in the original document "La Ballena " (the whale). was formally granted to a company composed of Augustin and Ygnacio Machado, Felipe and Tomas Talamantes, all citizens of Los Angeles, by Governor Alvarado in 1839. There is evidence to show that prior to this grant, a tract of land nearer to Los Angeles had been occupied by the same citizens as a stock range but had been taken from them, either because it was too near the city, or was needed for the stock of San Gabriel.
At any rate they received a princely domain in the fertile fields and rich pastures of "La Ballena," and at once stocked it and built residences upon it. The haciendas of the Machados on this ranch were among the best examples of the California home. They are still standing-that of Augustin Machado, a large and most substantial adobe, the walls and roof of which is still intact, is unoccupied at present and is used as a store house. It seems a pity that this, one of the best specimens of the early California homes should not be preserved. The home of Ygnacio Machado, a little distance away, is now occupied by one of his sons, Antonio, and the part which remains is in good repair and is a fine sample of the simplicity and solidity of the genuine adobe house of the better class. This house once contained fourteen rooms built about a court, but a portion of these have now been removed.
The Machado brothers were prominent among early residents of Los Angeles. They owned a tract of two acres of land in the vicinity of Second and Main streets, where each of them had homes. Augustin Machado served " el pueblo de Los Angeles " as alcalde, and was frequently concerned in public
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affairs. He married Ramona, a daughter of Don Francisco Sepulveda, of the San Vicente, and their home both in Los Angeles and at La Ballona, was a center of social gaity. Of this marriage there are still living Bernardino. Andréas and José de Luz, all of whom reside on Ballona lands. One son, Dolores, died in 1906, leaving a family which resides in Ocean Park; two daughters, Mrs. Juan Barnard and Ascencion, have recently died. Don Augustin died in Los Angeles in 1865.
Bancroft tells this story of Don Augustin: "The merchant, Don José Antonio Aguirre, owner of the Ship Joven Guipuzcoana, once had a new supercargo, who was a stranger to and ignorant of affairs in California. While the ship lay at San Pedro, Aguirre being absent, Augustin Machado, a well-to-do ranchero, and a man of sterling character, but who could neither read nor write, went on board to make purchases, his carretas being at the landing. After selecting his goods, as he was about to place them in a launch to be carried on shore, the sunpercargo asked him for payment, or some guaranty or note of hand. Machado stared at him in great astonishment ; at first he could not comprehend what the man meant. Such a demand had never been made from him before, nor, in fact, from any other ranchero. After a while the idea struck him that he was distrusted. Plucking one hair from his beard, he seriously handed it to the supercargo, saying. 'Here, deliver this to Señor Aguirre and tell it is a hair from the beard of Augustin Machado. It will cover your responsibility-it is sufficient guaranty.' The young man, much abashed, took the hair and placed it carefully in his books and Machado carried away the goods. Aguirre was chagrined on hearing the story, for Machado's word was as good as the best bond. José M. Estudillo relates this incident and also the following: In 1850 Aguirre sent Estudillo to Los Angeles to collect old bills, many of which were outlawed ; but the greater part of which were finally paid. He visited Machado's rancho at La Ballona, to collect a balance of abort $4000 and happened to arrive when the house was full of company. He was cordially received as a guest and when apprised of the object of his visit, Machado said that he had been for some time thinking that he was indebted to Aguirre, and promised to meet Estudillo in Los Angeles in two days. At the time appointed Machado was there and delivered the whole sum at the door of Manuel Requena's house, refusing to take a receipt, saying that Aguirre was not in the habit of collecting the same bill twice."
Ygnacio Machado married Estefania Palomares, daughter of a well-known Spanish family of Los Angeles county. Three of their sons still survive, Antonio, living in the old house; Andrés, who lives at Hollywood, and Cristo- bal, now in Texas. Don Ygnacio is described as a man of stern, yet generous mold. It was his habit to rise very early and waken his household to join him
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in the morning song, with which it was the custom for all good Spanish families to begin the day. Of Ygnacio Machado, J. J. Warner wrote in 1876: "Don Ygnacio survives the others (of his company)-those faithful friends of his earlier days, at the age of eighty-two, he grasps the hand as warmly as ever, rides on horseback, as usual; patriarch to whom the community bears respect almost filial." The Machado brothers were widely known and deeply respected as honorable and just men, generous and ever kind. The present head of this branch of the family, Antonio Machado, son of Ygnacio, is a worthy successor of his father. Simple, unassuming, courtly, of good judg- ment and kindly heart, he looks back to the old days and the care-free life of the past with wistful eyes.
The Ballona grant of 13,919 acres was confirmed to the Machados Decem- ber 8th, 1873. It was at once divided among the members of the family and tracts of it were sold. It comprised nearly two thousand acres of first-class irrigable land, two thousand acres of damp lands which needed no irrigation, and the rest was pasture land. In early days it was chiefly occupied as a stock range, although some grain was raised and orchards of various fruits were planted about the haciendas. The district was occupied by a number of families in the fifties and sixties and was one of the first townships set aside, originally including San Vicente, Boca de Santa Monica, Malibu and a large territory. It was organized into a school district during the sixties and was a factor in the elections of early days. During the seventies Francisco Machado, a son of Augustin, was one of the county supervisors and political "boss " of the dis- trict. Although many prosperous American farmers are now residents of Bal- loma lands and the towns of Palms, Ocean Park and Venice are located on lands originally belonging to the rancho, the Machados still retain a part of the original grant and a considerable number of native Californians are found in the vicinity.
Antonio Machado married Manrela Valuenza and has a number of children, most of whom are still living at home. Andreas, a son of Augustin, lives on the old Augustin Machado place and has recently built a very comfortable home. José la Luz also lives in the neighborhood in a neat cottage.
In 1861 a military camp was located on La Ballona, near the creek about three-quarters of a mile from the present town of Palms. This was made the headquarters of the First California Volunteer Infantry, Gen. J. H. Carleton. commanding officer. The camp was established in September, being occupied by Company A, under Col. Latham, for whom the station was named Camp Latham. Several companies were encamped here and at one time there were probably 1500 men present. They were sent from here to Arizona to protect the mail service and the camp was not occupied after 1862. A couple of soldiers were buried here and in 1895 their neglected graves were remembered by the veterans of Santa Monica, who made a special trip to decorate them.
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W. D. VAWTER.
CHAPTER II.
LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS. 1870-1880.
T U T P TO 1870 the Santa Monica bay region had scarcely felt the stirring of the new spirit brought into the country by the American occupation. The original ranchos were still intact and occupied chiefly as grazing land, and very few Americans had obtained land holdings. Santa Monica Cañon was the one attraction of the entire coast at this time. Here a few American families each year camped under the sycamores. In 1871 Mr. B. L. Pecl erected a large tent " to accommodate 25 or 30 families " and over 300 visitors are reported for one Sunday in August, drawn by a dance that "lasted all night." With 1872, Santa Monica Canon suddenly became famous. The Express found it of enough importance to publish the following: "Santa Monica, the Long Branch of California, or Camp Hayward. Seventeen years ago Santa Monica was selected as a summer resort by Dr. Hayward and until the last five years he and his family were the only ones who availed themselves of its delights and benefits. Santa Monica proper is a farm house located on the ridge one and a half miles from where the camp is located. At this lone house the road descends into a deep ravine or cañon, at the foot of which, near the confluence with the ocean, is a thick growth of old sycamores. Here is the camp. Beyond stretches the Malaga ranch, the rendezvous of horsethieves. The beach between the camp and the point affords a magnificent drive as does the shore in a south- erly direction toward " Shoo Fly Landing ". a mile or better distant. It is at the latter place that the greater part of the asphaltum sent to San Francisco from La Brea rancho is shipped."
In the summer of 1872 a hotel was opened at the cañon and the proprietor advertises, " Come and enjoy yourself. A week at the beach will add ten years to your life!" Mr. John Reynolds announces in July that he will " despatch coaches to Santa Monica every Wednesday and Saturday a.m." A small skiff was brought around from San Pedro this summer and added to the attractions of surf bathing, drives and picnics along the beach and up the many beautiful cañons and dancing in the "big tent." Among the diversions was the excite- ment of prospecting, as it was rumored that a rich ledge of quartz rock existed on the beach, at a point only exposed for a few moments at low tide. The belief was founded on the fact that some of the native Californians of the dis- trict exhibited rich rock which they claimed to have obtained from this ledge.
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In September, 1872, an event took place which marks a new era in the history of this vicinity. This was the sale of the San Vicente and Santa Monica y San Vicente ranchos by José del Carmen Sepulveda, and others, to Robert S. Baker. The first sale included 38,409 acres of land and the price was reported as $54,000.
COL. ROBERT S. BAKER, who thus became an important factor in the history of Santa Monica, was a descendant of an old and well-known family of Rhode Island. He came to California in 1849 and engaged in business in San Fran- cisco, being a member of the firm of Cooke and Baker, who dealt largely in mining supplies. Later he became associated with General Beale in the cattle and sheep business in the northern part of the state and in the Tejon country. With his purchase of the San Vicente, he located in Los Angeles and in 1874 married Mrs. Arcadia Bandini de Stearns, widow of Don Abel Stearns, one of the earliest American settlers of Southern California, and daughter of Juan Bandini, one of the wealthiest and most distinguished of the early Californians. In 1878, he built the Baker block in Los Angeles, at that time the finest business block in the city. He owned, through his wife, the Puente and Laguna ranchos and had other large business interests. He was quiet in his tastes and made no effort to enter into public life, but devoted his time to the management of his large interests. He was most genial in character and he and his beautiful wife were noted for their lavish entertainments of guests, and they at one time and another were hosts to many distinguished people.
Colonel Baker died March uth, 1894. His wife still survives him and is now a resident of Santa Monica, passing a beautiful old age in a modest cot- tage on Ocean avenue, although she is rated as one of the wealthiest women in California and certainly none of the living daughters of California have had a more romantic or interesting history than Señora Arcadia de Baker.
Colonel Baker at once proceeded to perfect his title to all the Sepulveda holdings by subsequent purchases, thus obtaining possession of a magnificent tract of land, with a mile and a half of ocean frontage and including the San Vicente and numerous other springs, as well as several small mountain streams. With characteristic enterprise he began efforts to utilize his domain for some- thing beside a sheep pasture. He interested his friend. General E. F. Beale, who was one of the earliest and most successful promoters known in California history-so successful that President Lincoln remarked of him when he was surveyor-general of the state in 1861, that " Beale had, indeed, become monarch of all he surveyed." The Express of December 22nd, 1873, announces, "Gen- eral Beale has arrived here with an eastern capitalist who contemplates the purchase of the San Vicente ranch with the view to the construction of a wharf at Shoo Fly Landing and building a narrow-gauge rond from there to the city." This eastern capitalist seems to have fallen down, however, for in 1874 it is stated " Col. Baker has connected with himself several wealthy Englishmen
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and a well-known and distinguished Californian (Beale). They contemplate constructing a road to Los Angeles, a branch of the Southern Transcontinental line. Wharves are to be built and Pacific Mail steamships will land here. The name of this embryo metropolis of the southern coast is to be Truxton." The San Francisco Post of September, 1874, contains a glowing description of the " Truxton scheme " which ends by saying: " Why the Los Angeles people ever adopted the Wilmington road to shoal water is one of those things no fellow can find out. At two-thirds the distance they can reach deep water at the place called Truxton, on a bay right north of Wilmington. Here, at a comparatively
SANTA MONICA BEACH. 1878.
light expense, for wharves, they can bring ship and cars together." The plans for Truxton included beside wharf and railway, a magnificent seaside hotel and a townsite ; but they never seem to have gotten beyond the paper stage.
During the summer of 1874 Santa Monica Cañon continued to be the chief summer resort of the Angeleños. Two hotels, the Morongo House and the Seaside Hotel, kept by Wolf and Steadman, were filled with guests. Many improvements were made in the camping arrangements and the season was a gay one. A new resort, known as " Will Tell's" also flourished this summer on the Ballona lagoon, almost where the Del Rey hotel now stands. This was especially attractive to sportsmen, as the lagoon was famous for its duck and game birds, and a number of prominent Los Angeles men kept boats on the lagoons.
At this time a road, so narrow that the wheels touched the sides of the bank, had been worn down through the arroyo, about at the foot of the present
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Colorado street in Santa Monica, and a small landing was built on the shore. Here Major Hancock shipped large quantities of brea, which was hauled by ox teams from his Brea rancho, on small coast vessels to San Francisco. This was the first " commerce" of Santa Monica bay.
In December, 1874, the Los Angeles papers chronicle the first visit of United States Senator John P. Jones of Nevada. Glowing tributes were paid the distinguished guest and much curiosity and enthusiasm over the possible results of his advent into Southern California were indulged in. He was known to be fabulously rich and to have railroad ambitions.
Southern California was a hotbed of railroad schemes. Already the iron hand of the Central Pacific monopoly was being felt, although the little road to San Pedro was then the only railroad in this end of the state. A transcon- tinental line south of the Central Pacific was considered absolutely certain, at this time: but who would build it and where it would reach the coast were matters of the wildest speculation. San Diego was making frantic efforts to secure railway connection of some sort and was looking hopefully forward to the magnificent promises held out by Tom Scott, the brilliant promoter of the Atlantic and Pacific railway scheme, of the early seventies.
The Southern Pacific was building its branch from Los Angeles eastward and had decided to leave San Bernardino, the oldest and most important town east of Los Angeles, off the line. Naturally she was bitter against the Southern Pacific and was casting about for any relief in the way of transportation facili- ties. Los Angeles was eagerly watching for any movement in her direction which gave promise of a competing line, although the Southern Pacific was not yet fairly built and there was no railroad connection with San Francisco, or with the east. Consequently, when in January, 1875. it was announced that Senator Jones had purchased a two-thirds interest in the San Vicente rancho, paying therefore about $150,000, and that a new railroad was assured, there was rejoicing long and loud throughout Southern California.
The Los Angeles and Independence railroad was organized in January, 1875, with F. P. F. Temple, a banker of Los Angeles, John P. Jones, Robert S. Baker, T. N. Park, James A. Pritchard, J. S. Slauson of Los Angeles, and Col. J. U. Crawford, as directors.
Right of way between Los Angeles and Santa Monica was secured at once and without difficulty, it may be added, and Col. Crawford, the engineer and general manager of the road, at once began active operations. It was announced that the road would be pushed through to Independence, where were located the Panamint mines, owned by Senator Jones, and then supposed to rival the Gold Hill district in richness. There were rumors also that the line would be carried across Nevada to Salt Lake and the papers frequently referred to it as the beginning and ocean terminus of a transcontinental line.
As soon as the railroad work was fairly started the construction of a wharf
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was begun. This was located near the old "Shoo Fly " landing and near the present foot of Colorado street, where a stub of the old wharf still remains. The first pile was driven April 22nd, 1875, and the first boat landed at the wharf in June. This wharf was 1700 feet in length and reached a depth of thirty feet at low tide. It was substantially built, with depot, and warehouses at its terminus and cost about $45,000.
In the meantime, Messrs. Jones and Baker had laid out a townsite which extended from the bluff back to Twenty-sixth street and from Montana avenue on the north to the arroyo, or Railroad street, as it was then called, on the south. This original plat of Santa Monica was planned on a generous scale. The blocks were 320 by 600 feet ; lots 150 by 50, with twenty-foot alleys. A plaza, the present Seventh-street park, blocks for hotels, one on the ocean front, the persent location of Mirimar, and one on Eighth street, facing the plaza ; for public buildings, the block between Fifteenth and Sixteenth, Nevada and California ; also blocks for a university and a young ladies' seminary, were reserved on the map. The ocean front was kept intact and Ocean avenue was made 200 feet in width, the other streets and avenues 80 and 100 feet in width. A water system had already been planned and work begun on a large reservoir to be filled from the San Vicente springs. The slope of the land gave ample water pressure and provided excellent natural drainage. Much of the present desirability of Santa Monica as a residence town is due to the liberal allotment and unequaled natural advantages of this original townsite.
The establishment of this new "commercial center of the southwest " and the ambitious plans of its projectors, together with much wild conjecturing by the Los Angeles papers, had attracted wide attention. On the day announced for the first sale of lots, July 15th, 1875, several hundred people gathered about the stand on the bluff. Many of these were from Los Angeles and Southern California points, although the only way to reach the spot was by a long and dusty drive. The steamer, Senator, which is remembered by all old settlers, came in from San Francisco that day with a number of parties who had come down especially to attend this sale. This was the first landing of the Senator at Santa Monica. It was also the last boat to land at the " old wharf."
A dry and barren plain rolled away from the bluff and there was no shade from the blazing July sun. One board shack-the beginning of the Hotel Santa Monica, and a few tents were the only "improvements " aside from the par- tially-built wharf, visible. The Honorable Tom Fitch, the " silver-tongued " orator, made the great speech of the day-a speech in which he let his rich imagination run riot, as may be gathered from the following extract :
" On Wednesday afternoon at one o'clock we will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder, the Pacific ocean, draped with a western sky of scarlet and gold ; we will sell a bay filled with white-winged ships; we will sell a southern horizon, rimmed with a choice collection of purple mountains, carved in castles
10
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and turrets and domes; we will sell a frostless, bracing, warm, yet unlanguid air, braided in and in with sunshine and odored with the breath of flowers. The purchaser of this job lot of climate and scenery will be presented with a deed to a piece of land 50 by 100 fect, known as ' lot A. in block 251.' The title to the land will be guaranteed by the present owner. The title to the ocean and the sunset, the hills and the clouds, the breath of the life-giving ozone and the song of the birds, is guaranteed by the beneficent God who bestowed them in all their beauty and affluence upon block 251, and attached them thereto by almighty warrant as an incorruptible hereditament to run with the land forever."
Of this same effort, L. T. Fisher said in the Outlook, of July 13th, 1887 : "Under his eloquence many were led to believe that Santa Monica would at once leap to the front as a full-fledged seaport and commercial center. In fact, so strong was this impression that not a few prominent men of Los Angeles, who held large possessions there, were actually afraid that the precedence of the 'city of the Angels' would slip away from her and be transferred to the seacoast. And, if we may be allowed the suggestion, it would have been a good thing for the country if it had. Here would have sprung up the great com- nrercial city of Southern California. It had all the advantages of climate, drain- age and all of the best elements that should exist where a large population is concentrated."
Hon. Joseph Lynch, Major Ben Truman and Col. J. J. Ayers, the historic trio of Los Angeles editors, were present and also made glowing speeches as to the future of Santa Monica and Southern California.
The first lot sold, lot M in block 173, the northeast corner of Utah and Ocean avenue, went to E. R. Zamoyski for $500. Other lots on Ocean avenue brought from $400 to $500, and the prices ran down to $75.00 for lots back from the shore. Among the first purchasers were Major Hancock, Judge O'Melveny, W. J. Broderick, I. W. Hellman, George Boehme, W. D. Vawter and sons, H. T. Giroux and others. The sale continued on the ground for three days and on Saturday an auction was held in Los Angeles. Probably about $100,000 worth of lots were disposed of during the week.
The first building in Santa Monica was a rough board shack put up in April by J. C. Morgan, next to the Santa Monica Hotel and used as a boarding place for workmen. The first business house completed was that of H. T. Giroux on Second street, still occupied by him. The first general store was opened by W. D. Vawter, who purchased three lots on the last day of the auction, on Fourth street between Utah and Oregon, paying $125.50 apiece for them. Two weeks from that day his store was ready for occupancy. Later this building was removed to Third street, where it is still used. The first brick building in the town was built by William Rapp, on Second street, between Utah and Oregon. It is still in use. A postoffice was established at once and
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