USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > Los Angeles from the mountains to the sea : with selected biography of actors and witnesses to the period of growth and achievement, Volume I > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
92
LOS ANGELES
agement of Freeman and Spence, and at last a petition in bankruptcy was filed in the United States District Court in San Francisco.
Only a small dividend was ever made to the creditors. It was the most disastrons financial failure that had ever oc- curred here, and the only Los Angeles bank failure of record. The same thing occurred in innumerable places throughont the United States at the same time and during years imme- diately succeeding.
CHAPTER VII
KALEIDOSCOPE OF THE YEARS
Looking backward and across the years at the growth of Los Angeles from the time it was a sleepy pueblo, until now when it stands as a world metropolis, beginning with the first real awakening in 1849, and coming down to the present day, it is as though one looked through a magical kaleidoscope.
The mere bare chronicle of the events of the past sixty- five years is in itself sufficiently thrilling without any attempt whatever at embellishment.
We have been at pains to make a running record of those events, not only for the information and satisfaction of the readers of this book, but also in order that the chronicle may be set forth and preserved for this and future generations.
And the chronicle runneth thus :
In 1849 the first steamer touched at San Pedro, the Gold Hunter, from San Francisco to Mazatlan. And in the same year Temple and Alexander put on the first four-wheeled vehicle transporting passengers between the harbor and Los Angeles.
Captain Banning arrived in Los Angeles in 1851. He established a rival landing at San Pedro, resulting in lively competition between the stages. No time was lost transfer- ring passengers, or on the road. In faet the trips were verita- ble races, resulting in lively betting and much advertising for the winners. The trip was made in 212 hours, four to six bronchos, harness primitive, fifteen passengers, driver of team half seas over, fare $5. Teams changed at half-way house.
At this time native Mexicans and Indians were referred to as "Californians."
The only real hotel in Los Angeles in 1853 was the Bella Union, a one-story building of adobe. In 1858 it was en-
93
94
LOS ANGELES
larged to two stories, on Main Street above Commercial, where all the stages stopped and all city functions took place.
In 1850 ordinances licensed gambling places, but forbade card playing on the street-no limit to saloons and gam- bling places, no regulations for their management. The most notorious resort was Nigger Alley (Calle de los Negros), a thoroughfare not over forty feet wide from Aliso Street to the Plaza-one solid block of saloons and gambling houses. Men and women both dealing and playing, human life was cheap and killings frequent, time lost from games resented;
"REAL" HOTEL OF TODAY ON LONG BEACH
dispatches were quick and soon forgotten; few disputes left to court arbitration. Twenty or thirty murders a month. Sonoratown, across the Plaza, was given over to dancing and carousing.
Main Street was then the principal street.
The aristocratic gambling house of the time was the Montgomery; conducted by W. C. or "Billy" Getman, some- time sheriff of Los Angeles County, drinks 25 cents, games for all classes, and a billiard hall where moneyed matches occurred. Tables and games also to accommodate small bettors.
In 1852-54, for the purpose of raising funds, the city-owned lands at reasonable distances were offered at $1 per acre.
95
FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
John G. Nichols (ex-mayor) was said to be the father of the first white child born in Los Angeles of strictly American parents-John Gregg Nichols, born April 24, 1851. Nichols was again mayor in 1856-57-58.
About this time "Hancock's Survey" of the city was made.
In 1854 Common Council permitted owners with abodes stranded to claim right of way to the nearest existing thor- oughfare.
There were no graded streets or sidewalks. Discarded articles were simply thrown in the streets. Dead horses on the streets were not uncommon. There were no street lights, except from lights in front of individual stores and saloons. Night walkers used candles and lanterns.
The city and county both had official headquarters in a one-story adobe building on the northwest corner of Franklin Alley and Spring Street.
In 1853 Mayor Antonio Franco Coronel lived at Alameda and Seventh streets. Maj. Henry Hancock, lawyer and sur- veyor, came from New Hampshire to Los Angeles in 1852, and by 1853 had made the second survey of the city, defining the boundaries of the thirty-five-acre city lots. He was himself always land poor, but retained the La Brea Rancho, which he always thought would produce oil and is now owned by his son, Allan Hancock.
In 1853 George Hansen arrived. He was a surveyor and worked with Hancock. He was also a fine student and lin- guist, and the ownership of Elysian Park is due to his fore- sight.
In 1883 the Farmers and Merchants Bank moved to the southeast corner of Commercial and Main, ground formerly owned by Jose Mascarel, and bought from him by I. W. Hell- man in the '70s.
Newman says: "In a store near the corner of Commer- cial and Main street, A. F. Hinchman, as administrator of the Temple Estate, sold 18 lots, each 120 by 330 feet, on Fort Street (Broadway), on the East and West sides, some running through the Spring, some to Hill, for $1,050, 12 lots for $50 each and 6 corners for $75 each."
The hunting grounds for doves and quail in those days
96
LOS ANGELES
was Main to Olive and Sixth to Pico. The community was so village like that the location of stores was not known by street numbers but by saying "opposite Bella Union," "near Mr. Temple's," "next express office," etc.
Stores frequently closed for few hours at midday while people took siestas or played billiards.
Carriages were scarce-travel was chiefly by saddle horse, or by native carretas (platform 5 by 8 feet or there- abouts), mounted on two wheels, wheels solid and sawed out of logs, much jolting, squeaking and general discomfort, used for general freight carrying also, and generally pulled by oxen.
San Bernardino County, which had been in 1853 cut off from Los Angeles County and colonized by Mormons from Salt Lake City, was at this time one of the chief sources of supply for poultry, dairy supplies, etc. Transportation to Los Angeles across the desert took three days. In summer this was disastrous to supplies, but prices were more than rea- sonable-eggs 15 cents a dozen, 50 cents a pair for chickens. San Bernardino was also the source of the lumber supply.
In 1851 the first newspaper was established in Los An- geles. It was a weekly, La Estrella de Los Angeles-The Los Angeles Star, printed half in Spanish and half in English. It had no telegraphic news, of course, containing only local items and occasional news from outside brought by mail. The uncertainty of the latter resulted in letters from San Fran- cisco sometimes taking as long as six weeks to reach Los Angeles.
Gold was mined in the vicinity of Los Angeles this year, but not important in amount, the chief sources of the supply coming from the San Gabriel and San Francisquito canyons.
Protestants first established a chapel in Los Angeles in 1852. There were two cemeteries, one on Fort Hill and an- other on Buena Vista Street.
In 1853 there was a movement to provide public schools, though some sort of semi-private schooling had previously been provided, partly subsidized by city moneys. In 1854 the city still owned no school building of its own. Stephen C. Foster, then mayor of the city, was appointed also school
97
FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
superintendent, and the first actual eity school, a two-story brick building and known as School No. 1, was built on the northwest corner of Spring and Second streets, location later used for a city hall. It was where the Bryson Block now stands. This building cost $6,000 and was opened on March 19, 1855. There were two teachers, one for boys and one for girls.
Wells, Fargo & Company seem to have established them- selves here in the early '50s.
LOS ANGELES IN 1854 LOOKING EASTWARD
In 1854 the city depended almost entirely on "Zanjas"- open ditches-for its water supply, both irrigating and do- mestic. Some seven or eight main laterals connected to "Zanja Madre" or mother ditch, which in turn was fed from the river above the city for irrigating purposes. The "Zan- jero"-water superintendent-issued permits, and the user paid a fee based on the time used without regard to quantity. For domestic purposes those who were near ditches helped themselves, others were supplied by a carrier at the rate of 50 cents a week for one bueket a day, more in proportion. This peddled water was mainly drawn from the river which was freely used by cattle, pigs, sheep, etc., and also as a bath- Vol. 1-7
98
LOS ANGELES
ing place for both adults and children. It was also used by passengers and vehicles fording the river in the absence of bridges. There was supposed to be an ordinance against washing clothes in the river, but it was generally ignored by the native women.
In 1853 it was proposed that a pipe distributing system be installed, but it was not favorably considered.
In 1854 the first Masonic lodge received its charter. At this time smallpox was very prevalent, with epidemics about every two years.
When fires occurred a bucket brigade from the nearest zanja to the conflagration was the general method of pro- cedure. Alarm consisted of a fusillade of pistol shots. On account of primitive methods, fire insurance was almost unob- tainable. The first fire insurance known to have been written in Los Angeles was about the year 1858, at a rate of about 4 per cent for premium.
Metal money was in poor supply and much mixed. Much foreign coinage was used and freely exchanged irrespective of real relation of value. Mexican and United States dollars and French or Italian 5 franc pieces, and pieces of like size, were readily accepted everywhere as the equivalent of a dol- lar. The output of the gold placer mines was minted into slugs of various sizes and shapes by private circulation as coins for all purposes.
Money lending was immensely profitable. Rates were ex- orbitant, 10 per cent a week or more being not uncommon. We find in Newmark's "Sixty Years in Southern California" the following: "I recollect, for example, that the owner of several thousand acres of land borrowed $200 at an interest charge of 121% per cent for each week, from a resident of Los Angeles whose family is still prominent in California, and that when principal and interest amounted to $22,000, the lender foreclosed and thus ingloriously came into possession of a magnificent property."
From this it may be inferred that the sky was the limit as far as interest rates were concerned.
The great social functions were "Fandangos," many of which were attended by the inhabitants of the ranches round
99
FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
the city for long distances, the "carretas" bringing the guests who were often on the road all day to enable their occupants to indulge in the pleasure of the dance the same night. So popular did the "Fandango" become that the city fathers saw an opportunity to make money for the city out of it, and in 1861 passed an ordinance levying a tax of $10 for a one-night license to hold a public dance in the city limits.
In the early '50s Los Angeles was the scene of the meeting of a very important body, the Board of Land Commissioners, appointed from Washington to settle land claims and prepare for the granting of patents to the various ranches and hold- ings heretofore held under varied titles. Often titles to the same land were vested in different people by the Mexican au- thorities. The Land Commission completed its work in 1855.
Another gold excitement in 1855 caused by discoveries in Kern County brought crowds of gold-seekers through Los Angeles who came from San Francisco and the north by way of San Pedro on their way to Kern County. Extravagant re- ports, for which there was no real basis, kept the stream of adventurers flowing through Los Angeles for a couple of years, but no rich finds were ever developed.
Besides regular travel by boat in the '50s, a regular stage line was established along the coast from San Francisco to San Diego, by way of San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Santa Bar- bara and Los Angeles.
In 1854 an appropriation was made by Congress for sur- veying and locating a public road between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City, through San Bernardino, which led to the establishment in 1855 of a pony express and then a stage line known as the "Great Salt Lake Express" from Los Angeles to Salt Lake.
Among favorite sports at this time was horse racing, fab- ulous stakes often being wagered in lands, cattle, sheep, etc., as well as in money; there were also bull and bear fights and cock fighting.
Earthquakes seem to have been of fairly common occur- rence about this time, but on account of the large proportion of adobe houses-the most easily damaged-these disturbances
100
LOS ANGELES
were probably more generally noticed and commented on than 'quakes of the same intensity would be now.
Wine making was one of the important industries. Prim- itive methods were used, the universal method of crushing grapes being foot power of Indians stripped to the skin with the exception of loin cloths.
Cattle raising was precarious because of the absence of irrigation methods and facilities ; a hot spell with sandstorms often left thousands of dead cattle and sheep as a result.
In 1857 Los Angeles was made the point of departure for a
LOS ANGELES ABOUT 1857
filibustering expedition captained by Henry A. Crabb, a Stock- ton lawyer, the object being the invasion and conquest of the northern part of Sonora. The adventurers were led on by tales of fabulous riches. The expedition failed, and Crabb and party were captured and executed.
The following year banditry was common, carried on by Mexican outlaws. The formation of a vigilance committee and a committee of safety resulted in protecting the city and following the bandits to their strongholds. Many bandits were caught, given summary trial before assembled citizens, condemned, and hanged on a gallows on Fort Hill.
In 1857 the Sisters of Charity founded the first regular
101
FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
hospital, the "Los Angeles Infirmary," at Bath and Alameda streets.
In this year also the first effort to make Los Angeles a citrus fruit center was made. Earlier attempts in a small way resulted in about 100 bearing orange trees in Los Angeles at that time. That year Will Wolfskill planted several thou- sand citrus trees inside what is now the City of Los Angeles. They thrived and yielded large crops, and others followed suit.
In 1858 excitement was caused in Los Angeles by the ap- pearance through the streets of a herd of camels to be used for freighting between Los Angeles and Fort Tejon, part of a herd purchased for such uses in the desert stretches of the West. Even native camel drivers were imported from Egypt and Arabia to handle the beasts.
In 1858 business became brisker. Don Abel Stearns built the Arcadia Block, then one of the commercial marvels of the Sonthwest. It was elevated above the then grade of the street very considerably to avoid the overflow of the Los Angeles River.
About this time O. W. Childs entered into contract with the city to dig a zanja, not probably over one-third of a mile long, and to take his payment in land. The land in question took in most of the territory from Sixth to Twelfth streets, and Main to Figueroa. As it afterwards developed, Childs se- cured a principality in payment for a small ditch. But at the same time he considered this acreage of small value, and he distributed parts of it freely to relatives and charities. One block lying approximately on Sixth to Seventh and Broadway and Hill, he gave to the Roman Catholic Church, and later this was the site of Saint Vincent's College.
In 1857 a large tract acquired by Phineas Banning from Dominguez Brothers, north of San Pedro, started what was then known as "New San Pedro," and now Wilmington, and which took from the old San Pedro most of its shipping busi- ness. The new port was inaugurated on October 1, 1858. Banning also put into cultivation large acreage in that vicin- ity, putting down a large well with a steam pump for irri- gating.
102
LOS ANGELES
In 1859 the first effort seems to have been made to start a public library. A regular Library Association was organ- ized and opened headquarters and reading rooms in the Ar- cadia Block. It acquired book collections, accepted contribu- tions in books, periodicals, money, etc., but the library was not strictly public, the members being initiated on payment of a $5 fee. It eventually failed for lack of patronage.
The year 1859 was exceptionally dry, with heat waves as late as October, followed in winter by excessive rains. On December 4th the worst rain ever known in Southern Califor- nia occurred. Twelve inches were precipitated in one twenty- four hour period.
The year 1860 was notable for the institution of regular connections with the outside world by pony express, and some remarkable speed records for those days were made in deliv- ering news. For example, in March, 1861, President Lincoln's inaugural address was delivered in Los Angeles in less than eight days from Washington. The report of the firing on Fort Sumter, some months later, took twelve days to reach Los Angeles.
In 1860 the first effort to establish gas works and lay pipes for street and domestic lighting took place and the City Coun- cil entered into a contract for this purpose, but the effort fell through.
January 9, 1860, John G. Downey, the first governor of the state from Los Angeles, was inaugurated.
In 1860 Phineas Banning showed wonderful enterprise by purchasing in Leeds, England, and having shipped to San Francisco and then to San Pedro, a steam wagon said to have a capacity to pull a load of thirty or more tons over roads at five miles per hour. This was the big talk of the town at that time, and great hopes of better freight transportation were built up. The great wagon made some successful trips around San Francisco before being shipped down, but it was never able to negotiate the roads between San Pedro and Wilming- ton and Los Angeles, and the enterprise failed utterly.
In June, 1860, the Pacific and Atlantic Telegraph Com- pany first approached citizens of Los Angeles with an offer to connect the city by telegraph with San Francisco. The stock
-
Los ANGELES HARBOR IN 1858
104
LOS ANGELES
was readily subscribed and work was commenced to make connection and extend a line east to Fort Yuma, but connec- tion with San Francisco was not made until late in 1860, when the first messages were exchanged between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
As late as 1860 prisoners, especially Indians, were freely used on public works, waterworks, streets, etc., the public officials being authorized to nse prisoners as needed.
In 1861 the city was much affected by the shadows cast by the secession of the southern states. The Los Angeles Mounted Rifles, part of a state force of some 5,000 men, was organized in March. When news of the firing on Sumter reached the city many southerners at once joined the Confed- eracy, amongst them being the famous Albert Sydney John- ston, then a citizen of Los Angeles, and at that time in com- mand of the Department of the Pacific. He was succeeded by Gen. Edwin V. Sumner, and left for the Sonth with about 100 men, via Ymna. He was later killed in the battle of Shiloh.
In February, 1861, the building of a railroad was first voted here, and a franchise was actually granted by state leg- islation May 17th, that year. Eastern capitalists asked $100,- 000 subscription from Los Angeles County-$50,000 from the city-but owing to conditions brought on by the Civil war, nothing further was done at that time.
August, 1861, Capt. Winfield Scott Hancock, who had much to do with keeping order in this part of California and who was one of the best known and most highly respected men in Southern California and a born fighter, left for the Union front accompanied by his wife, a southerner and natural sym- pathizer with the Confederacy. They sailed from San Pedro.
In 1861 the Government established barracks and a camp at Wilmington, called Drum Camp. Over $1,000,000 was spent on the establishment, and it was a great help to the community in the way of supplies extensively drawn from Los Angeles and distributed to military posts all along the coast and in Arizona and New Mexico.
In 1861 the "Zanjero" was an exalted post, the salary paid being $100 a month, while the mayor and city treasurer received only $75 and $50 respectively.
1
LOS ANGELES HARBOR IN 1860
106
LOS ANGELES
About this time San Pedro and Wilmington were used quite extensively as fitting out posts for whalers. In 1862 and 1863 the effect of the war on currency was sharply felt in Los Angeles. Greenbacks depreciated sharply in value, fluctuat- ing as good and bad news from the Union side percolated through, and at times falling as low as 35 cents value for the $1 greenback in gold.
In April, 1863, one of the worst disasters ever affecting Los Angeles occurred. A small steamer, the Ada Hancock, belonging to Phineas Banning, while transporting passengers between Wilmington and the steamer Senator lying in the harbor preparatory to leaving for San Francisco, with its owner and fifty other passengers on board, blew up and was totally demolished. More than half the passengers perished, but the owner and the rest miraculously escaped. The catas- trophe cast a pall over the city for many a day. Many of the dead were well-known citizens.
In 1863 there was a serious smallpox epidemic, especially fatal amongst Mexicans and Indians, from ten to a score of victims a day being not unusual. Panic conditions practically prevailed for a time.
In November, 1863, all citizens were formally registered with a view to picking out those who were able bodied and capable of military service.
The year 1864 was a hard one in Los Angeles. Uncertainty as to the outcome of the currency situation, and two dry win- ters immediately preceding, sent the price of provisions and supplies soaring. Fifteen dollars a barrel was paid for a poor grade of flour; 12 cents for red beans. These were enormous prices in those days.
News of the assassination of President Lincoln reached Los Angeles in 1865. It was received at first with considera- bly mixed feelings, Los Angeles having had all through the war a very strong element of southern sympathizers. But on April 17th the Common Council of the city passed a resolution of regret, and on the 19th, the day of the funeral, all business was suspended and appropriate ceremonies were held in front of the Arcadia Block. Shortly afterward Federal authorities, under orders from Washington, made several arrests of peo-
107
FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
ple accused of rejoicing over or upholding the deed of as- sassination.
In the spring of 1865, Rt. Rev. Wm. Ingraham Kip, ap- pointed some seven years previously bishop of California for the Episcopal Church, made his first visit to Los Angeles in that capacity, where there already was established the nu- cleus of that church here.
About May, 1865, one of the noted visitors to Los Angeles was Maj .- Gen. Irwin McDowell, formerly commander of the Army of the Potomac, but latterly in charge of the Depart- ment of the Pacific.
In 1865 the city inaugurated a policy of selling much of its public land in lots of about thirty-five acres at auction. Much land was sold at $5 to $10 an acre, and at that time an effort was made to sell the low lying area now known as Westlake Park. No bids were obtained, even at 25 cents an acre. This area lay unoccupied until when, in the late '80s, a number of landholders in the vicinity suggested making a lake and turning the area into a public recreation ground. This suggestion was adopted as the city policy during the regime of Mayor Workman.
In 1865 took place the beginning of a pipe distributing water system when the existing waterworks, zanjas, etc., were leased to private parties for operation, and they undertook to lay the first distributing pipes through the business section, pipes being pine logs bored and set end to end. These pipes were continually bursting, proving very unsatisfactory.
In 1865-66 the trade of Los Angeles began to expand con- siderably. Besides, there was opened a trade with Salt Lake and intervening points, extending as far as points in Idaho and Montana, some 1,400 miles, by teams.
1866. Those who had fought on both sides of the war began to return-former residents-also many making the trails to the West to begin life anew.
1866. Still opposition to railroads and especially to the much mooted proposition of the Los Angeles and San Pedro line, many of the rich and influential residents, especially of the ranchos, arguing that the railroads would do away with the horses and the market for barley, oats and feed.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.