USA > California > Alameda County > Past and present of Alameda County, California, Volume I > Part 59
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Warm Springs first attracted outside attention as a place of resort for invalids and the fashionable residents of San Francisco and elsewhere. They were opened in 1858 by Alexander Beatty with a grand ball. Previous to this event the springs were utilized by Clemente Colambet who moved a house all the way from San Jose to this spot. Large numbers of Indians lived near. In this vicinity, on the hillsides, were held the annual rodeos where crowds gathered to see the Mexicans lasso the wild cattle. The property really passed from Colambet to A. A. Cohen who is said to have paid $100,000 for the 600 acres which included the springs. Mason City was a small place near here in early times. Malvern, Mallard, Merienda, Mowry station, Warm Springs station and Harrisburg are little villages of the present day.
William Hayward early in 1852 came from the Polomares to the present site of Hayward and pitched his tent about forty rods northwest of the resi- dence of Don Castro. He bought cattle of James B. Larue who owned a milk ranch near Mission Dolores, San Francisco, opened a store in his tent and com- menced farming. He was the actual pioneer of the town. In the fall of the same year he built a house, opened a tavern and from time to time made addi- tions to the building as travel on the stage line increased; stage horses were changed here. In a short time Joseph Worrell built a residence and several
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Sonorians did likewise and in 1853 a Mr. Finch built a blacksmith shop. The first schoolhouse was erected in 1855. Hayward's hall was built a little later and there several religious denominations held forth until 1861 when the Congrega- tional church was erected. In 1856 Colonel Hayward was appointed postmaster by President Buchanan and held the position continuously until about 1890. Chisholm's and Roberts' landings were established in 1852 and sloops began to ply along the sloughs as far as Mayhew's and Morey's landings. While Colonel Hayward still lived in his tent William Blacow, John Threlfahl, Ed. Nichaus. L. P. Gates, Wiliam Tyson, Charles Bieyfogle and the Morrisons, Haleys, Mars- tons, Briers, and Kelseys were located near on Alameda creek. In 1851 barley sold for 121/2 cents per pound. Squirrels and grasshoppers were great pests. By 1870 the town had three or four stores, many shops, several factories, schools, churches, lodges, clubs, societies, lawyers, doctors and was the center of a great grain and fruit raising section. It had a fine trotting park or track; a big grain warehouse; Odd Fellows hall; a large flour mill; the Hayward Hotel; and two dry goods stores. In 1876 the town was incorporated and named Hayward for William Hayward, the first settler after the Castros. The first trustees were J. D. Austin, Joseph Pimentel, John Manzer, L. Linekin and J. A. Cunningham. A town jail was built in 1877. At this time the town began suit to settle the title to the plaza and commenced to grade and light the streets. The private fire department was more fully organized and drilled and was taken over by the town. Joel Russell was town attorney. Water pipes were laid by Joseph Pimentel in 1878. William Hayward was elected justice of the peace. In 1879 a board of health was created and consisted of Doctors Smith, Hinckley, Thorn- dike, Hermann and Paine. Smalley and Baxter were fire commissioners. A fire engine was purchased. Hayward had a newspaper, the Plaindealer, which failed and was suspended late in 1874-went to its creditors in San Francisco. The city had a large flouring mill at this date. Mr. Hayward kept the leading hotel. The public school was poorly attended and was closed late in November, 1874, for lack of pupils. Squirrel poisoning was carried on so extensively that many birds were also killed. The coal mine employed C. R. Worland as superin- tendent and resumed work; a new strata of coal was struck. The big Edmund- son warehouse at Hayward which was ready for removal to San Leandro in April, 1875, was burned to the ground. The Hayward Journal was the local paper at this date. The quarterly meeting of the M. E. church was well attended. Steps to build a parsonage were taken. The stewards were E. N. Warren, J. L. Hollis, John Manzer, W. J. Bolce, J. Audette, A. M. Bullock and Walker Baker. In the spring of 1877 William Hayward appeared in the dis- trict court and prayed for an injunction to restrain John Manzer, Thomas A. Cunningham, Joseph Pimentel, L. Linekin and J. D. Austin, trustees of the town of Hayward, from trespassing upon a certain block of land in that town. The town trustees believed the block to be public property and directed the mar- shal to tear down the fence which he did though forbidden by Mr. Hayward. The latter claimed $500 for the damages done. The court granted the injunc- tion. Mr. Hayward claimed to have a title to the property from the former owners of San Lorenzo rancho. In July, 1877, the school children of Hayward numbered about two hundred and seventy-five. A. C. Bloomer was principal and Miss Maud Russell, Miss Stevenson, Miss McCord and Miss Regan were
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assistants. It was claimed that Hayward at this time had more buiness houses for its size than any town in the state. Business interests had demanded the incorporation of the town. There were Linekin & Brother, Mack & Audette, stores; Rivers and Brown, blacksmith shops; Goodell, harness and saddles; Strobel and Nendeck and May, meat markets; Zambrisky, Hanson and Muller, boot and shoe stores ; Booker & Hermann and Palmetag, breweries; Mrs. White and Miss Hinckley, millinery ; Smalley and Hayward, livery stables; two barber- shops; Oakes' Hayward's and Planter's hotels; one or two restaurants; about eight saloons ; postoffice, Mr. Cooper, postmaster ; L. H. Brown, agent for Wells Fargo & Co.'s express ; Carpenter and Pann, bakeries; Collins and Cooper, drug stores ; Cooper, Reynolds and Kimball, physicians ; the Hayward Journal edited by Frank Dallam; five general stores by George Brown, A. Collins, Culp & Son, H. H. River and N. Nisson; Sons of Temperance, Good Templars, Cham- pion of the Red Cross, Odd Fellows; William Whidden, justice. Many prairie schooners came from near Dublin laden with grain. Hayward had a rose bush 100 feet in circumference. The Weekly Journal was founded in 1877 by Charles Coolidge. Later Frank M. Dallam took possession, but in 1882 George A. Oakes purchased the property. Sycamore Lodge, I. O. O. F. was organized in 1866; Hayward Lodge, A. O. U. W. in 1878 and Hercules Council, O. C. F. in 1883. In 1883 the population of Hayward was about one thousand two hundred. Its busy streets and handsome stores spoke well for the people and the town. It had three churches-Congregational, Methodist and Catholic. Its school was in a most flourishing condition, and the building was an ornament to the place. The hotel accommodation was first-class, and its two newspapers-only one of which was printed in the town-had a considerable circulation in the surround- ing district. For the fiscal year 1883-84 the revenue of Hayward was $3.654.40, and the expenses $2,586. Agapius Honcharenko, a Russian, raised mushrooms on the hills near Hayward in 1883. He obtained the sperm bricks from New York. The Bank of Hayward was established in 1883, the first directors being D. S. Smalley, Chris. Hermann, Henry Strobel, A. C. Henry and P. R. Borien. The capital was $50,000. A. C. Henry held 275 shares and twenty-six others held the remainder. The Strowbridge sale of real estate near Hayward, took place in August, 1884. The tract was called the Garden of Eden. The home- stead of 100 acres was sold to Allen Lee for $25,000. There were sold also twenty-eight other tracts from ten to twenty acres each. The entire sale aggre- gating $93,000, the average being $186.50 an acre. Among the buyers were Lee, Bradley, Gannon, Vail Roberts, Murdock Marks, Joseph Hughes, Armstrong, Hemingway Batistee, Smiley and Koch. In 1883 the Hayward town improve- ments amounted to $24,000 and in 1884 to $29,150. The surrounding territory was growing very rapidly. The gas works at Hayward were commenced in 1884 and finished the following year. The Bank of Hayward in 1884 showed total resources of $43,304. Its capital was $18,700 and its deposits $23,363. In 1886 the growth of Hayward was rapid and pronounced. Castro Valley was gaining very fast in population. In 1872 there were but fourteen houses in the valley. but in 1886 they numbered hundreds and nearly all the population were engaged in growing fruit. All the old ranches were divided and sub-divided to accom- modate the new arrivals. The hills which but a few years before were used exclusively for pasture, were now being cultivated. The old Strowbridge and
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Atherton estates were cut into small fruit farms largely through the efforts of Mr. Rhodehamel who induced the owners to lower the price to $85 per acre. In 1884 Castro valley polled 177 votes and in 1886 had over two hundred. San Leandro was also growing rapidly, but San Lorenzo and Mount Eden remained nearly stationary. In 1886 the supreme court in the case of Hayward vs. Man- zer, et. al., affirmed the decision of the superior court in favor of the plaintiff who brought an action as before stated to recover damages for trespass com- mitted by the defendants, the marshal and the board of trustees of the town of Hayward. He complained that they unlawfully intruded upon his land, tore down his fences, cut down and dug up his trees and threw open his land for use as a public highway of the town. The court decided that the property belonged to Mr. Hayward and had never been surrendered or deeded to the town or in any other way been turned over to them; on the contrary for about twenty years, had been in the undisputed possession of the plaintiff. The year 1889 was a prosperous one for Hayward; improvements aggregated $105,100 in value, which was $50,000 greater than in 1888. Improvements in San Lorenzo amounted to $15,300; Castro Valley $16,000; near Hayward $14,000; Mount Eden $10,500. Among the improvements in Hayward was the Luce block, cost- ing $12,000 the first brick structure in the town; the electric light plant spent $10,000 on improvements; the N. S. G. W. home which cost $15,000; a street car franchise to H. W. Meek, the line to run from the town to the depot ; the large lumber and coal yard of W. P. Jessen, besides his big planing mill. The question before the town was whether or not to discard their present charter and go under the county government bill. The Native Sons Hall Association of Hayward was organized early in 1889 with a capital of $15,000. The directors were C. S. Long, T. B. Russell, A. J. Powell, John Geary and Milo Knox of Hayward and A. McConagley, A. G. Roberts and W. E. Meek of San Lorenzo and H. Petermann, Jr., of Mount Eden.
Dublin in the early 'Sos had a tri-weekly mail from Hayward, but in 1890 succeeded in having it changed to a daily service. In May, 1890, Hayward voted a $1,000 tax to be used for schoolhouse repairs. The expenses of the town in 1889-90 were about $1,000 less than the year before. The total receipts in 1889-90 were $7,925. In all 344 licenses were issued. The Fourth of July, 1890, was celebrated at Hayward on a grand scale, Eden Parlor, No. 113, being the center of attraction. This organization was a branch of the Native Sons of the Golden West. Their new hall was ready for occupancy on July 4, 1890, and cost complete $23,000. The construction of this building reflected great credit upon the branch and upon the public and patriotic spirit of the citizens there generally. Hayward in 1891 grew rapidly and added many improvements, among which were electric lighting, a horse car line, a new bank, several large costly business buildings and the projected electric road to connect with Oak- land. The big agricultural works of Chisholm & Farrell were destroyed by fire early in May, 1892. Several buildings near were burned -; the loss was about seventy-five thousand dollars. The fire company under Chief Knudson did excellent work. In August, 1893, Hayward voted $30,000 for the construction of a sewer system; the vote stood 268 for and 58 against. When B. Haas was elected treasurer of Hayward his bond was fixed at $8,000. When he resigned the office in 1894 he had on hand $18,388.47. The office had far outgrown the
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bond with the passage of years. Charles Prowse was required to give bond for $15,000, but a body of citizens remonstrated that this was too small-should be $50,000. Late in March, 1898, the people of Hayward met at Luce hall and made arrangements to establish a free library. Rev. G. W. Lyon presided. Already there was a board of library trustees. There were present Librarians Peterson of Oakland, Harbourne of Alameda and other prominent library offi- cials. Nearly one thousand books were promised at this meeting for a nucleus. The new public library board was organized in August, 1901 ; they were R. Reid, George Toyne, F. F. Allen, Charles Allen and George Oakes; the latter was chosen president. Mrs. Prowse was selected librarian. In April the Hayward fire company was comprised of twenty-five men with Mr. Lane, chief engineer, at the head. The Hayward Athletic Club was active in 1898. Their field exercises were observed by large audiences. There were races of all sorts, jumping and other contests. The board of trade was organized late in July, 1899, with W. E. Krimer, chairman. In August about six hundred men, women, boys and girls were employed at the Hayward cannery. Many of the employes lived tem- porarily in tents during the canning season. Hunt Brothers Company and twen- ty-four insurance companies began suit against the San Lorenzo Water Com- pany in October, 1901, for over $124,000 aggregate losses sustained in a recent fire because the company failed to connect its main with a hydrant near the cannery works according to agreement. The proposition to build a sanitarium near Hayward took shape in September, 1901, and an organization was effected with the following officers: R. Reid, president; Paul Garin, secretary; Bank of Hayward, treasurer. The institution took the name of Hayward sanitarium. Subscriptions were solicited. It was not necessary for Hayward to bond itself to secure money for an electric light plant. In December the Hayward Electric Light Company sold its plant to the Suburban Electric Light Company for $7,200. This was satisfactory to the town trustees. In 1901 the people of Hay- ward considered the question of a municipal water plant. They had two offers: (1) The Strowbridge property in Castro Valley, and (2) the Obermuller ranch of about thirty-one acres at Mount Eden 41/2 miles from Hayward. The prices were reasonable and it was stated that the entire purchase price would be taken in bonds. In March, 1902, the American Can Company secured control of the big Hayward cannery of Hunt brothers. Late in 1903 Hayward commenced the construction of a fine schoolhouse, the cost of which was estimated at $38,000. The building was 98x125 feet, two stories high, and contained sixteen roomns. It was completed the following spring. Part of the old building had been stand- ing for forty years and the new house was badly needed. During 1904 and 1905 over five hundred inhabitants were added to the population of Hayward and 200 private residences were built. Among others were the Carnegie library and the fine public school building. Land near Hayward was worth from $250 to $1,200 per acre. During 1910 Hayward spent over $107,000 for buildings; $150,000 on the new parking system and secured a new electric railway. The poultry industry there had assumed gigantic proportions. A new grammar schoolhouse was planned, and a large sum was spent on the street paving. Rus- sell City, virtually a suburb of Hayward, was growing rapidly; it planned a modern auditorium for public meetings of all sorts. The new National Bank building was going up at Hayward. The laying of the cornerstone of the new
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$10,000 fire house in Hayward was witnessed by hundreds of people in Octo- ber, 1913. There were present the town officials, fire commissioners, and the Hayward Concert band. John E. Geary spoke first and introduced Mayor Heyer who said the next progressive step for the city would be the erection of a town hall and thanked the public for the support given in carrying the bonds. In recent years Hayward has grown rapidly and permanently. The high school building costing about eighty thousand dollars, is the pride of the city. It was built under the union law of the state. The city has electric lights; an electric railroad to Oakland; a scenic boulevard; an electric chicken hatchery; a new theater ; six or seven religious organizations ; several clubs and societies; a mayor -Charles W. Heyer-who has served about sixteen years; three or four banks; chamber of commerce; baseball club; three hotels; a business school; two or three newspapers; women's federated clubs organization; Epworth League; Ladies' Guild, etc.
San Leandro was formerly the county seat. The first settler was Don Jose Joaquin Estudillo who located there about the year 1840, but did not secure his land grant from the Mexican Government until 1842. In 1850 his house was the only one on the present town site. In 1855 there were but three build- ings there-the Estudillo residence, burned down that year; the Estudillo hotel, erected in the spring of 1855, and a combined stage station and saloon estab- lished by Charles Ray about 1851. In 1855-56 Mr. Hirschfeldter started a store in a house built by James Taylor. Daniel McMillan built a residence in 1856, and the same year a schoolhouse was erected. The courthouse was originally Martin's restaurant building, but later the county buildings occupied a block near the convent, donated by the Estudillo family. The village was a stage station between Oakland and San Jose. Charles Mclaughlin owned the line and one of the drivers was Charles Parkhurst who when death came proved to be a woman. The village was first known as "Squatterville," because so many settlers squatted on the Estudillo ranch. John Boyle was an early black- smith. In 1854 the San Leandro House was built by A. E. Crane. After it became the county seat the village grew rapidly and by 1860 had three stores, eight or ten shops of various kinds, schools, churches, lodges, clubs and societies. The Bachelor's Club was organized in 1857 with John A. Lent as respectful great grampus. It debated many popular questions. Any member who married was expelled in disgrace and resolutions of grief over his sad fate were passed and spread upon the records. By 1870 there were at San Leandro the Baker & Hamilton Plow Works, Davidson & Company's plow works, a big public school building, a public hall owned by G. E. Smith, the courthouse and county offices, several lawyers, doctors and ministers, a few stores and many shops. Shortly before the removal of the county seat, the town of San Leandro was incorporated as a city of the sixth class-1872. It grew rapidly after this event; its streets and squares were put in good order, the school was improved; water was secured, the liquor traffic was regulated, economy in town government was practiced, and there was $3,000 in the treasury in July, 1875. Private improve- ments kept pace with public advancement. A small newspaper was issued there -the San Leandro Record. Three Chinamen became members of the Presby- terian church there in July, 1875. A weekly paper called the Plaindealer was started at San Leandro on March 28, 1874, by W. L. Eason and R. M. Saul.
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The authorities of San Leandro levied an excessive liquor license and were very severe on violators. The saloonkeepers refused to pay the license and upon trial demanded a jury and raised enough funds to defeat justice. Gold was found in the range of mountains back of San Leandro in 1874-75 by T. P. Gilmore, a metallurgist engaged in the reduction works at East Oakland. Two veins which were promising were found about four miles northeast of San Leandro. Rock there assayed $25 per ton in silver and copper; other samples showed $7 per ton in gold and silver. Early in November, 1876, the Sweepstakes Plow Company's works at San Leandro was burned down and thirty workmen were thrown out of employment. Building and other improvements were in rapid progress in San Leandro in July, 1877. S. K. Fleming was beginning a new drug store. R. Parker and O. H. Christy were constructing a large blacksmith shop. Mr. Kilpatrick was principal of the schools at this time. McMillan and Bradshaw sold groceries. Miss Holland and Miss McQuaid were succeeded in the schools by Miss Angel and Miss Tannehill. It was noted that there were seventeen places in town where liquor could be procured. In July, San Leandro was described as a vast orchard about three miles in diameter, traversed by county roads crossing in the center and running at right angles with a few pri- vate avenues lined with locust or sycamore trees, leading to beautiful residences, with two hotels, a store or two, a blacksmith shop, a church, a schoolhouse, and little else. William Meek's big place of about three thousand acres was the most notable feature. Of this tract 250 acres contained about forty-five thousand fruit trees. However, John Martin's orchard was far the older; it consisted of about one hundred acres of his farm of 500 acres. There were other fine prop- erties. J. G. Chestnut later was in charge of the school with Miss Vose and Miss Penwell as assistants. Chestnut was candidate for county superintendent. The town had a fire company, or hose company. Manuel Ladoo a mile below town raised 510 sacks of grain from ten acres. John Mathews harvested 8,000 sacks of grain this season. The Presbyterians established a society in 1866, although services of that denomination were held in 1864; their building was erected in 1869. The Roman Catholic church was commenced in 1864 and dedi- cated the same year. Eden Lodge, Masons, was organized in 1887; San Lean- dro Lodge, Odd Fellows, in 1875; the A. O. U. W. in 1877; the I. O. G. T. in 1889 and the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle in 1883. The Reporter was started in 1878 and the Sentinel in 1880. The malleable iron works were erected at San Leandro in the fall of 1884; ten men were employed on the structure. The liquor license at this time gave the town an annual revenue of $1,500. In the '8os the Spinola hospital was a well patronized institution, but about 1885 seemed to go down and the building was finally sold for other purposes. In 1884 there was a large chautauqua class here. The old Tem- perance hall was greatly improved late in 1885, and the new hall seated 600 persons. It had a stage, wings, flies and dressing rooms. In November, 1885. the numerous Portuguese residents celebrated in fitting style the anniversary of the restoration of Portugal which had been subject to Spain from 1580 to 1640, but which then threw off the yoke and gained her precious independence. The original Portuguese union was organized in 1880. Its objects were to pro- tect the members and their families and to cultivate friendship and harmony. There were thirty founders and charter members. In September, 1886, the
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NEW GRAMMAR SCHOOL BUILDING, SAN LEANDRO
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY, SAN LEANDRO
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San Leandro Plow Company sold out to Daniel Best who at once assumed the management and began making important and needed improvements. A small newspaper called The Young Naturalist was issued by Edmund Walkins and Thomas Sturtevant. In the 'Sos all of the newspapers of the county began to conduct separate columns or departments in the interest of the scientific farm- ing and fruit growing. Special attention was paid to the destruction of insects and fungus pests. At San Leandro in 1888, the following building improve- ments were made: N. McConaghy's mansion, Meek's ranch, Martin's additions, Stenzil Brothers' additions, Canana's residence, Frank Covera's improvements and Lewelling's water improvements. Mr. Remington's traction engine was given a thorough and satisfactory test as a motive power for plowing. It was tested in the field just south of the Best Agricultural Works. It easily pulled two gangs of six plows each through soil that had been packed by tramping. Wood was the fuel used at this test. Mr. Remington was the inventor and the Best Works the manufacturer. At this time another tractor of forty horse- power capable of pulling three such gangs through packed soil was being manu- factured at these works, and was intended for A. S. Butler. The engine tested at this time was the one which had previously been tried in Mr. Butler's har- vest field the previous summer. Those were pioneer efforts to advance farming operations. Late in January, 1889, the traction engine works had 700 orders on hand and were operating days and many of the nights. Their engines were constructed to burn wood, but could use coal; they varied from four to fifty horse-power. On October 31, 1892, the publishers of the weekly newspapers of Alameda county held a preliminary meeting for the purpose of organizing an Alameda County Press Association. The organization was the outgrowth of dissatisfaction on the part of the weekly publishers over the refusal of the board of supervisors to give them the publication of the county election procla- mation at a figure they considered satisfactory. At this meeting the Livermore Herald, San Leandro Reporter, San Leandro Standard, North Oakland Press, Saturday Press, West Oakland Sun, East Oakland Observer and Berkeley Advo- cate were represented. Plans for a second meeting to complete the organization were laid. In October the annual convention of the Unios Portugueza do Estado de California assembled at San Leandro. There was a large attendance. Good music and eloquent speeches entertained the members. In 1896, in a test case, a small crop of tobacco was raised near San Leandro and was highly success- ful. Over three hundred pounds were harvested and marketed. Late in 1896 San Leandro was growing and prosperous. Among its establishments were the following: The harvesting machine factory; the gas and steam engine factory ; the hay press factory ; the planing mill; the wagon and harrow factory ; 8 gro- ceries ; 2 drug stores ; 2 watchmakers; 2 variety stores; 3 fruit and vegetable stores ; 2 milliners; 3 hotels; 3 butcher shops; 2 bakeries; 2 furniture stores; 2 harness shops; I cyclery ; I bank ; 3 lawyers ; 5 doctors ; 2 dentists ; 3 schools- first, union public in two big buildings with principal and 9 teachers, second, St. Mary's Convent, and third, St. Joseph's School for Boys; 4 churches-Presby- terian. Hebrew, Catholic and Methodist ; 2 Ladies' aid societies ; and organizations of the Christian Endeavor, Epworth League, King's Daughters, I chautauqua circle, several social clubs, lodges of Odd Fellows, Masons, Workmen, Foresters, Portuguese union, young men's institute, Eastern Star, Artisans ; 3 periodicals-
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