Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 33

Author: Foote, Horace S., ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 844

USA > California > Santa Clara County > Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California > Part 33

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In 1887 a gentleman from France visited San Jose, and represented himself as having been a superin- tendent of one of the large prune-curing establish- ments of Bordeaux. He desired to establish a similar business here, and offered to guaranty that the Cali- fornia-dried prunes, treated by the French process, would recover seventy-five per cent of the weight lost in drying. While the secret of his process was not divulged, it must necessarily be inferred that the weight thus restored would be in the nature of moisture, and while it would add to the specific gravity of the fruit, would not increase the quantity of nutritious elements. This indicates that while the weight of California-cured prunes is made up en- tirely of the fruit elements, that by the French process is, to a considerable extent, of water.

We have seen that the planting of strawberries in this county was first undertaken as an industry in the

Willows District, but was abandoned when planting began in the artesian belt. The first strawberry plants brought to this county came with Commodore Stock- ton's nursery tree-, in 1852. They were grown for fruit to a limited extent on the Stockton ranch, but were not planted for market purposes until Downs and Orne set out their three-acre tract in the Willows. The present strawberry section lies north of San Jose and Santa Clara, towards Milpitas and Alviso. The first person to go into this business in this district was Mr. Cary Peebels, who planted a few acres, in 1868, on the place now owned by Mr. Agnew, at Agnew's Station. His success induced other plant- ings, and in a very short time the whole belt of country where flowing artesian water was available was engaged in this industry. In many instances too great an acreage was devoted to strawberries. Charles Wade, on the Alviso road, had one hundred and forty acres planted in 1874, but was compelled to curtail his operations for the reason that labor could not be obtained to care for the crop. Others found themselves in the same predicament. The only dabor thus far found available for this industry has been that of Chinese, who work on a kind of co-operative system. The owner of the land fur- nishes the ground, plants, and water, and sells the crop. The Chinamen plant, cultivate, and harvest. One-half the proceeds go to the owner of the land and one-half to the Chinamen.

The Chinese are a shrewd people, and, controlled as they are by the Six Companies, are able to make such combinations as to their labor as they may de- sire. This is probably the reason why the acreage of strawberries is kept at about the same amount from year to year. A person who desires to go into this business must consult the Chinamen. If they think the increase in production will be greater than the market can stand, he will get no labor. If the Chinamen decide that the new acreage will not over- stock the market, he will get all the labor he wants. The work of growing and harvesting strawberries in the lowlands is peculiarly distasteful to white people. Many unsuccessful efforts have been made to sub- stitute laborers of other nationalities for the Chinamen but no success has followed these attempts. It may be that this problem will work itself out to a suc- cessful solution, as have so many other vexed ques- tions connected with our horticulture. For many years Santa Clara County was the only source of supply, for this fruit, for the San Francisco market. Other sections have since engaged in the business,

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but this county still furnishes about ninety per cent of all the strawberries grown in the State.

The first horticultural society of Santa Clara County, as we have related, came into existence in 1854, and lost its identity in 1859, when the Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Society was incorporated under the laws of the State. It held no separate fairs after 1856. In 1882 a new society was formed, which is still in existence. In 1884 this society held its first fair in the California Theater Building on Second Street. The success of this exhibition created an en- thusiasm which lcd to the building of the Horticultu- ral Hall on San Fernando Street, in 1886, where three annual exhibitions are now held. A citrus fair takes place in January or February, a flower festival in May, and an exhibition of horticultural and viticultural products late in the summer. This history would be incomplete if it failed to record the fact that the suc- cess of these exhibitions and the building of the Horti- cultural Hall has been due almost exclusively to the ladies connected with the fruit-growing interests of Santa Clara County. When the subject of holding the first fair was presented, the horticultural society doubted its ability to carry it through to a successful conclusion and the matter was referred to the San Jose Grange. The ladies belonging to this organiza- tion took up the burden, canvassed the county for articles for exhibition, arranged the display, and car- ried the enterprise forward to a phenomenal success. They did the same thing the succeeding year, and the male members of the two organizations, having been shown how to do the work, have since added their assistance. The efforts of the ladies having pointed out the field to be occupied and the methods by which it could be taken into possession, the men marched on to the ground and went into camp.

VITICULTURE.

Before the American occupation, vines were planted here and there through the valley from cuttings pro- cured from the Mission, but these plantings could hardly be called vineyards. The first planting of any magnitude was made by Charles Lefranc, at the New Almaden Vineyard, in 1852. Mr. Lefranc was born at Passy, a suburb of Paris, and came to California in 1850. In 1857 he married Miss Adcle Thee, whose father, Etienne Thec, owned a half interest in the tract of land where the New Almaden Vineyard is now located. Mr. Lefranc purchased the other half in 1851, and afterwards came into ownership of the whole tract. *

Mr. Thee had planted a few Mission vines on the

place before Mr. Lefranc took charge. The latter gentleman increased the area, planting such of the finer varieties as he could obtain, his idea being to grow grapes for table use. At that time imported wine was a drug in the market, owing to the fact that several vessels having wine cargoes had come into San Francisco and had been abandoned by their crews, who sought the mines. This wine was several years in excess of the demand, and much of it was sold as low as fifteen cents per gallon. With these cargoes on the market there seemed to be no profit in growing grapes for vintage.

Mr. Lefranc's early importations were in 1854, and were made through the house of Henry Shroeder, whose agent in France acted for Mr. Lefranc in pro- curing cuttings. The first of these arrived and were planted in the year above mentioned, and each suc- ceeding season added to the varieties. Among these were the Sauvignons, Semillon, Challosse, Menu Pinot, Chauche Gris, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Pinots, Miller Burgundy, Chasselas Fontainbleau, Chasselas Rose, Madelaine, Muscat Frontignan, Muscat Rose, Black Muscats, Chasselas Muscat, La Folle Blanc, Napoleon, Grenache, Carignan, and others. Healso procured some varieties from General Vallejo, who had also made importations from Europe. The Verdal was introduced into this county by Mrs. Le- franc in 1859, who brought the cuttings, on horseback, from the Cañada Raymunde ranch, they having been presented to her by a Spanish nobleman, who had brought them from the old country.

In 1858 Mr. Frank Stock planted a vineyard at the corner of Eighth and William Streets, in San Jose. He imported valuable German varieties, among which were the Johannisberg Reissling, Franklin Reissling, Tramin, Golden Chasselas, and Zinfandel. When this vineyard was discontinued, in 1869, Mr. Stock pre- sented his vines to Mr. Lefranc, who removed them to the New Almaden. In the course of time the glut of French wine at San Francisco disappeared, and there came a demand for more. Then Mr. Lefranc turned his attention to wine-making, his first considerable vintage being in 1862. He continued his plantings until he had one hundred and thirty-one acres in vineyard, the youngest vine now being seven years old. His wine crop in 1887 was eighty-five thousand gallons; in 1888 it is one hundred thousand gallons.

We have spoken of the early importations of Louis Pellier, who got several fine varieties in 1854 at the time he introduced the French prune. Antonio Del- mas was also an early importer of vines, his vineyard

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being near where Delmas Avenue now is. Pedro Sansevain also had some good varieties at an early day. Victor Speckens had a vineyard containing some choice vines, which were in bearing in 1868. This vineyard went into the hands of John Auzerais, who enlarged it and planted many new varieties. This place is a short distance east of Berryessa, on the Penetencia Creek.

The principal plantings of noble varieties, after these above noted, were made from 1868 to 1871. The Stocktons planted the Gravelly Ridge Vineyard, southwest from San Jose, now the property of Gaines & Crandall. D. M. Harwood planted the Lone Hill Vineyard, near Lefranc's, now the property of C. Freyschlag. Frank Richmond planted in the same neighborhood, now known as the Arnerich place. In 1871 Norman Porter planted the vineyard in the Cupertino District now owned by Captain Merithew.

The Cupertino District has become famous for its vines, and a brief account of its development will not be uninteresting. In 1849 Elisha Stevens, who was captain of the Murphy party in 1844, settled on the ranch now known as "Blackberry Farm," and gave his name to Stevens Creek. He planted about four acres of Mission grapes in the creek bottom. He also planted blackberries, and from this came the name of the place. Soon after this a Spaniard named Novato, who had settled in the foot-hills near Perma- nente Creek, planted a few cuttings from Captain Stevens' vineyard. With the exception of random patches here and there, this was all the planting done in this district until 1870. Much of the land was thin and covered with chemissal, and had no reputation either for fertility or endurance. Many grain farmers became poor in endeavoring to make a living there, and it was considered a pure waste of money to in- vest it in grape cuttings and in the labor required to plant and care for them. In 1870 Mr. S. R. Williams came into the district and took a contract from Wm. Hall to clear and plant one hundred acres to vines, and care for them for three years for half. He did this and received his deed for fifty acres. Part of this tract was on the original claim located by Captain Stevens. The next vineyard planted was that of Norman Porter, as related above. About this time the report reached this district that the people of Sonoma and Napa Counties were digging up their vines as unprofitable, and this put an end to further plantings in Cupertino for some time, except so far as Williams was concerned. He extended his vine- yard and retained his faith in the industry. Porter became sick of his investment and sold out just as his vines came into bearing, and, it is said, the first

crop harvested by the grantee amounted to the money paid for the place! However this may be, it is cer- tain that the great growth and product of the vines dissipated the fears of the people, and a general era of planting began. Williams planted still more. He was followed by Portal, who set out the Burgundy Vineyard, and J. F. Thompson, who planted forty acres adjoining. They were followed by Hall, Gardner, Doyle, Wright, Montgomery, Bubb, Farr, Blabon, Hallenbeck, Combe, and others. These plantings were mostly made from 1880 to 1885. They were of the choicest varieties that could be had, and the result has indicated that the despised chemissal land is their true home.

While this district was being developed, other sec- tions were undergoing a similar transformation. The Union and Los Gatos Districts, Evergreen, Madrone, and the Collins Districts, the foot-hills above Sara- toga, and on the opposite side of the valley towards the Mission San Jose, were in many places converted into vineyards. Most of the vines on the San Fran- cisco road, and Boyter road, north and west of Santa Clara, have been planted since 1880, as were the vine- yards of Bingham & Edwards, Paul O. Burns, Hen- ning, and others, near Evergreen. In 1856 Lyman J. Burrill planted grapes in the Santa Cruz Mountains, near the summit. He was followed by D. C. Felley, H. C. Morrill, and others. From this district were sent the grapes that carried off the important premiums at the New Orleans Exposition of 1884. The Mountain District, as it is called, produces exceptionally fine table grapes, hundreds of tons of which are annually shipped to the Eastern market.

The business of wine-making has hardly kept up with the enormous strides of the grape-growers, but has lately added to its speed and will overtake its companion in the near future. Too many growers depended on the professional wine-makers for a mar- ket, and have found that the crops were too large for the presses, cellars, and cooperage. Several large wineries were built in 1887-88, and the business of wine storage, as an investment, is being favorably considered by local capitalists. There seems to be no doubt that the question, " What shall we do with our grapes ?" will be as satisfactorily answered as was the similar question in regard to the fruit crop.

To summarize the condition of the fruit and vine interests of Santa Clara County at this time, 1888, there are, in round numbers, twenty thousand acres planted to fruit trees, and fifteen thousand acres planted to vines. The value of this crop this year is estimated at $3,500,000, all of which is new money brought into the county.

SAN JOSE.

CHURCHES.

M ETHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- Is situated on the west side of Second Street, near its intersection with Santa Clara Street. The or- ganization was effected in the fall of 1849, with the following members: Wm. Campbell, Mark Will- iams and wife, Asa Finley and wife, John Jones and wife, Mrs. Nancy Young, and a French gentle- man and wife whose names are forgotten. Very soon after, a building on Third Street, opposite Moody's mills, was purchased by them and dedicated early in the year 1850. July, 1853, it was moved to the corner of Second and Santa Clara Streets, and enlarged.

In 1868 a frame building, capable of holding six hundred persons, was erected on the lot upon which the present edifice now stands. On the twenty-second of February, 1868, this church was burned to the ground by a supposed anti-Chinese incendiary. The loss was $18,000. Another building was erected on the same site, at a cost of $21,000, and was dedicated on the eighteenth¿of July, 1869, Bishop Kingsley preaching the sermon.

There have been seventeen pastors appointed to the charge since its organization, as follows: Revs. Charles McClay, William J. McClay (twice), Mr. Brier, Robert R. Dunlap, William Hulbert, John Daniels, Mr. Phillips, R. Y. Cool, Thomas Dunn (twice), P. G. Buchanan, Isaac Owens, D. A. Dryden, John R. Tanzy, E. S. Todd, C. C. Stratton, R. L. Horford, Frank F. Jewell, Robert Bentley, T. S. Dunn, Frank F. Jewell, D. D. In 1882, about $8,000 was expended in building a brick addition to base- ment of church for use of Sunday-school, social hall, etc., and in placing a new organ in the church. The church has been refurnished throughout, and $2,000 of the church debt paid off this year.

Methodist Episcopal Church, South .- On the twenty- fifth day of May, 1851, Rev. A. L. Wynne organized this society with the following-named members: Charles Campbell, Nancy Campbell, Margaret Campbell,

Elizabeth Ray, Alexander Hatler, Nancy Hatler, Marcus Williams, Anson Williams, and J. W. Powell. The first building was on the corner of Second and San Fernando Streets, and was constructed of brick, and was used as a place of worship until the fall of 1874, when it was removed to give place to the present wood structure now used by the church as a house of worship. Mr. Wynne was succeeded as the pastor of this church in 1854 by the Rev. Mr. Graham. In 1855 Rev. B. F. Johnson was the pastor. In 1856 and 1857 Rev. O. P. Fitzgerald, D. D., was the pastor. He was succeeded by the Rev. J. C. Simmons, who served for two years. Rev. Mr. Rubel was the successor of Mr. Simmons, and served in 1860. Rev. Morris Evans was pastor in 1861 and Joseph Emory in 1862. Rev. O. P. Fitzgerald, D. D., was returned to this station in the fall of 1862 and served during 1863 and 1864. Rev. George Sim was the pastor in 1865 to 1867. Rev. W. F. Compton was pastor in 1868 and 1869, and Rev. A. M. Bailey in 1870. In the fall of 1870 Rev. George Sim was again appointed and served for two years.

Rev. J. C. Simmons was again the pastor in 1873. Rev. Mr. Hopkins came to the charge in the fall of 1873, and remained until the fall of 1876. Mr. Hop- kins was succeeded by the Rev. E. K. Miller, who remained two years, and was succeeded by Rev. H. B. Avery, in 1878, and resigned October, 1880. He was succeeded by Rev. George Sim, who remained in charge till the fall of 1883, when he was succeeded by J. W. Atkinson, who resigned October, 1885. During Mr. Atkinson's term the remainder of the church debt, amounting to $1,100, was paid. Mr. Atkinson was succeeded by C. Y. Rankin, D. D. Since Mr. Rankin's incumbency, the church has been renovated, and new rooms opened up. The mem- bership has been increasing steadily. The church, during the past year, has purchased the following property: House and lot on Delmas Avenue, same being used as a permanent home for the presiding

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elder of San Francisco district; house and lot on South Seventh Street, residence of the pastor of the church. E. R. Bailey is superintendent of the Sun- day-school, and has over one hundred children under his charge.

First Baptist Church .- Organized May 19, 1850, by Rev. O. C. Wheeler, of San Francisco, who was the first Baptist minister on the Pacific Coast. It had only eight members at the beginning .. This small membership could not afford to engage a per- manent pastor, and arrangements were made by which monthly meetings were held, which were conducted by Mr. Wheeler. In November of that year a lot was purchased, and a building erected, at the corner of Third and Santa Clara Streets. Here Rev. L. O. Grenell, from the Baptist Home Missionary Society, took temporary charge, and in the following Feb- ruary was elected permanent pastor. The place of meeting was afterwards moved to the corner of Sec- ond and San Antonio Streets, where a brick building had been erected for that purpose. In 1877 a new and commodious structure was built, which was burned in 1882. The present tabernacle was then erected. The pastor now officiating is Rev. A. W. Runyon, who was called in 1887.

Trinity Church (Episcopal) .- Rev. S. S. Etheridge began the regular services of the Episcopal Church in San Jose, in November, 1860, occupying the old City Hall. The first organization of the parish of Trinity Church was made in February, 1861. Trinity Church was built in 1863. The Rev. S. S. Etheridge continued in charge of the parish until his death, in February, 1864. After his death the Rev. T. A. Hyland officiated for some months. The Rev. D. D. Chapin was then called to the rectorship, and re- mained in charge until January, 1866. During this time the mortgage upon the church lot was removed, and improvements were made upon the church and grounds. In April, 1866, the Rev. E. S. Peake was called and remained rector until December 1, 1870. On July 27, 1867, the whole debt of the church hav- ing been removed, or assumed by individuals in the vestry and congregation, the building was consecrated to the worship of God by Bishop Kip. In January, 1871, the Rev. Geo. Wm. Foote was called to the rectorship of the church. In 1876 the church was enlarged to nearly double its former capacity, and much improved. In 1872 the rectory was built. In 1880 four stained windows were presented to the church, and the Sunday-school was presented with a chime of five bells. Mr. Foote resigned the rec-

torship in October, 1884, and was succeeded by the Rev. J. B. Wakefield, D. D., who came from Rich- mond, Indiana, where he was rector of St. Paul's Church for twenty-nine years. Since Mr. Wakefield's appointment the church has been completed by the erection of a tower and spire, and a considerable sum is now on hand for the building of a chapel, guild rooms, etc., to be built upon an adjoining lot. The church is in a prosperous condition, and has over four hundred communicants.

Christian Church .- This church was first organized about 1870. The members met in a little hall over the Home Mutual Fire Insurance Company's office, on Santa Clara Street; Rev. Cary, minister. They afterwards met in Champion Hall for several years, Rev. W. D. Pollard officiating. In March, 1883, Rev. J. W. Ingram came to San Jose from Omaha, Ne- braska, and was appointed minister. The members then moved to the California Theater, where they held . their meetings until January, 1885, when they moved into their new church, which had been erected on Second Street, between San Antonio and San Fer- nando Streets. When Mr. Ingram first took charge, the membership was about fifty, and has gradually increased in numbers. At the present writing they have a membership of three hundred. On July 15, 1888, Mr. Ingram resigned, and was succeeded by George E. Walk.

The First United Presbyterian Church of San Jose .--- This church was organized November 6, 1874, twenty- eight members uniting at that time. Rev. A. Cal- houn, by appointment of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church of North America, commenced missionary work in San Jose in the fall of 1874, and remained in charge until the spring of 1879, when he was chosen pastor of the congregation, and regularly installed by the United Presbytery of San Francisco. The organization occupied a little hall over the San Jose Savings Bank, now the Home Mutual Insurance Company's building, for about four years. In the fall of 1878, the congregation erected a church on the corner of Fifth and Santa Clara Streets, the lot and church costing them over twelve thousand dollars. The location is good and the church a model of neatness and comfort.

The Society of Friends .- The first religious meeting of the Society of Friends, otherwise known as Quak- ers, was held in June, 1866, in the building at the corner of Ninth and St. John Streets. The lot was donated by Jesse and David Hobson. In 1873 these meetings were regularly organized under the author-

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ity and discipline of the lowa Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends. Jane M. F. Canney and Adon- ijah Gregory were the regularly appointed ministers. In 1886 the society purchased a lot on Stockton Avenue, near the Alameda, and erected a neat meet- ing-house, where services are now held.

German Methodist Episcopal Church .- This church was founded in the year 1861, by Rev. A. Kellner, but the first regular pastor was Rev. G. H. Bollinger. After the lapse of several years, the Rev. Hermann Brueck arrived, in 1868, and preached to the German residents in the old City Hall, when a small society was formed and a Sunday-school organized. Mr. Brueck's term of service lasted three years, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. C. H. Afflerbach. During the first year of this gentleman's administration the present valuable church property, on Third Street, between Santa Clara and San Fernando Streets, was acquired.

Mr. Afflerbach served four years, and was succeeded by the Rev. G. H. Bollinger, who served a term of three years, and was succeeded by Rev. F. Bonn, who served four years, and was succeeded by Rev. F. A. Worth, who had charge for four years. Mr. Worth was succeeded by Rev. C. H. Afflerbach, who is now the pastor. The church has a membership of about one hundred.

The First Congregational Church of San Jose .- Services were first held in connection with this church April 11, 1875. On May 3, an "ecclesiastical society" was formed, and on June 2, 1875, the church was organized, Rev. Theodore T. Munger acting pastor, who officiated until the appointment of Rev. M. Wil- let in 1879, who served for three years and was suc- ceeded by Rev. Martin Post. Mr. Post was succeeded by Rev. Chas. W. Hill, who is the present pastor. The church building was first erected on San Antonio be- tween Second and Third Streets. In 1887 the build- ing was moved to the corner of Second and San Antonio Streets, and a large addition was built to it, making in all a very handsome structure. The new building was dedicated December 27, 1887.

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Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California, Part 33

Author: Foote, Horace S., ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 844

Author: Foote, Horace S., ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 844