USA > California > Santa Clara County > Pen pictures from the garden of the world, or Santa Clara county, California > Part 38
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of a dam, to a height of thirty feet. In 1866 W. H. Rogers & Co. purchased the property, raised the the head to sixty feet, and substituted the turbine wheel for the old overshot. In 1870 the head was raised to two hundred feet. This gave abundance of power to all the machinery. At this time the com- pany was made a joint-stock concern, W. H. Rogers, J. Y. McMillan, W. H. Rector, W. S. McMurtry, and C. C. Hayward being the incorporators. It was known as the Los Gatos Manufacturing Company. A four-set woolen mill, two stories high, was erected and operated successfully until 1872, when it burned down and was not rebuilt. The flouring mill con- tinued operations, changing its system, in 1883, from stones to improved rollers, and turning out a product that became noted throughout the coast for its uniform excellence. In 1886 the Central Milling Company of San Jose was formed. The Los Gatos Mills went into the combination and were closed. Up to 1859 there were no houses in Los Gatos except the mill and a few cabins occupied by the workmen. In 1862 Mr. Samuels built a house, which has since been occupied by W. S. McMurtry as a residence. McMurtry & McMillan started a store and lumber yard in 1863. This store afterwards came into the hands of the Los Gatos Manufacturing Company.
The country around the town was settled more rapidly than the town itself. The history of these early settlers will be found in our biographical sketches. These settlers found the wildcats numerous in the ad- jacent hills, and very destructive to their property. This gave the name "Los Gatos" to the town. The first hotel was kept by H. D. McCobb, who was also the first postmaster, having been appointed in 1864.
The establishment of the woolen mills attracted a few people to the place. In the meantime the lumber, wood, and timber industry commenced to grow in the mountains, and Los Gatos became a stopping-place for the teamsters. The building of the Santa Cruz Turnpike road placed it on the route of travel be- tween Santa Cruz and San Jose. A few people be- came attracted by the beauty of location and salu- brity of climate, and made it their home. A church was built in 1871. There was a good school building long prior to this.
Although Los Gatos kept along in the march of progress, its real prosperity dates from 1877. Early in this year the South Pacific Coast Railroad was completed to that point, and the town and surround- ing country immediately came into notice.
Travelers saw the orange and lemon trees in tlie
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grounds of Mr. Rogers and Mr. MeMurtry, with their heavy fruitage and the luxuriant growth of the fig and vine and other semi-tropical fruits, and realized that they were in the true "warm belt." They told their friends, and from them the report spread, and the people of Los Gatos awoke to find their town lots worth nearly as much per front foot as they had for- merly been per acre. At this time the settlement had been almost exclusively on the cast side of the creek. But the location of the railroad depot on the west side, and the great demand for property anywhere in the vicinity, caused the town to cross the stream and extend in that direction. About this time, also, there came into bearing a few of the orchards that had been planted by enterprising people, and it became known that the Los Gatos "red-lands," which had been a comparative failure for grain, were perfectly adapted to horticulture. They had been selling at from $15 to $25 per acre, and the success of these early orchards sent the price up to $40 and $60 per acre. Non-pro- gressive settlers who had no faith in the horticultural resources of this section, subdivided their land and sold it at these figures, congratulating themselves on having made a big thing out of the enthusiastic immi- grant. Those who remained around the place, how- ever, saw that same land go up to $200 and $300 per acre, and their gratification was changed to chagrin. They solaced themselves and each other with the declaration that people who bought at such prices were "crazy fools;" but as the orchards and vineyards came into bearing and yielded crops which annually amounted to more than the purchase price of the land, they confessed their mistake. Some of the old citizens saw the signs of the times and amassed fortunes. They were classed as "lucky ones." The only luck was in being able to see the great wealth that lay in the soil of that vicinity.
In 1877 there was, in the hills back of Los Gatos, large tracts of land still belonging to the government. It was then considered valueless But the horticult- ural prospector cleared it from the brush and planted trees and vines and reaped as rich a harvest as his neighbor in the valley. It required more labor, but the result has been equally gratifying.
It is impossible to give the order in which the differ- ent families located in this place. When the tide of immigration started it came with a rush, and still con- tinues. In 1887 the town had grown to such an extent that it required an independent government. In July an election was held to ascertain the will of the people as to the proposition to incorporate under
the State laws. The question was answered in the affirmative by a majority of one hundred and twenty- six votes.
On August 6 the final order was passed incorporat- ing the town and declaring the following as its first officers: Trustees-J. W. Lyndon, P. Perkins, Geo. Seanor, D. D. Holland, H. Sund; Treasurer, Geo. S. McMurtry; Clerk and Assessor, A. E. Wilder; Marshal and Tax and License Collector, J. L. Gelatt. The fol- lowing were declared to be the boundaries of the new municipality: Commeneing at the corner of sections 21, 22, 27, and 28, in township 8 south, range I west, Mount Diablo base and meridian; thence northerly along the line between sections 21 and 22, and the same pro- longed to the south line of lands of Levi Hill, or the same prolonged thence northwesterly along said Hill's line to center of Los Gatos Creek; thence down the center of creek to its intersection with the continuation easterly of the south line of the Dawes tract, being also the continuation easterly of the north line of lands of Magnus Tait; thence northwesterly along said last_ named line, and the continuation thereof to northeast corner of lands of H. C. Houghton; thence southwest- erly along the east line of Houghton's land to its inter- section with the Los Gatos and Saratoga road; thence southwesterly in a straight course through lands of Massal Buchanan and McCullagh, to the extreme westerly point of what is known as Fairview Addition, and continuing in the same course to its intersection with the line dividing lands of McCullagh and P. Her- old; thence southeasterly along the last-named line to its intersection with the 78 section line running north and south between lands of J. W. Lyndon and Livermore, thence southerly along last-named line to the south boundary line of section 20, township 8 south, range I west; thence along the south line of said section 20 and 21 easterly to the place of beginning.
The census showed that there were fifteen hundred inhabitants within the limits of the new town.
The Los Gatos Hotel is the lineal descendant of the first hotel established in Los Gatos. It had its begin- ning in a cottage owned by H. D. McCobb, which stood a short distance above where the railroad depot now is. McCobb sold it to J. W. Lyndon in 1868; Lyndon sold it to Morgan Covell, who conducted it several years. Jacob Rich then acquired it, and in 1872 it was re-purchased by Mr. Lyndon, who en- larged it and greatly improved it. In 1878 it was moved to its present position, and practically rebuilt.
The Wilcox House was built by Harvey Wilcox in 1885. It was erected to accommodate the great tide of
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immigrants and tourists that has been pouring into Los Gatos seeking health and homes.
The Los Gatos Gas Company was organized in 1885, in which year the present works were built. The company commenced supplying gas to consumers in June of that year.
The Los Gatos School-house was erected in 1886, at a cost of $8,000. The building is fifty-three by sev- enty-six feet and supported by a substantial brick foundation. The height to the top of the flag-staff is ninety-three feet above the ground. The building con- tains four class-rooms, thirty-two by thirty-four feet, and one room is 16x18 feet. The ceilings are fifteen feet high and each room is provided with blackboards which extend entirely around the ro m. All the win- dows are supplied with inside blinds in upper and lower sections. In the matter of ingress and egress the building is well constructed. The corridors are twelve feet wide and the stairways five feet, with hand-rails of white cedar capped with black walnut. The newels are of fine black walnut finished in oil. There are two sinks with faucets on the first floor and one on the second. The building and grounds are well drained by underground redwood boxes. The rooms are ventilated by large transoms opening into the cor- ridors, from which a ventilating shaft four feet square opens through the roof. The rooms are furnished with single Star Bent wood seats and teachers' cabinet stands. The house is so constructed that another four class-room building can be added whenever it be- comes necessary, and so constructed as to appear as well as if the whole had been erected at once.
The Bank of Los Gatos commenced operations in 1883 as a private enterprise, under the auspices of Kirkland & Conklin. In November of the same year it was incorporated under the State laws, with the following stockholders: John Stanfield, Samuel Templeton, S. F. Leib, H. E. Huggins, Robert Walker, A. E. Wilder, H. H.Kooser, A. Berryman, D. D. Holland, Gco B. Holland, James A. Hamilton, Chas. Milliken, J. S. Fowler, W. C. Shore, George Seanor, Mack Davis, J. W. Lyndon. The present officers are Samuel C. Templeton, President; John Stanfield, Vice- President; Eben C. Farley, Cashier. The capital stock is $50,000, all taken.
The Los Gatos Ice Works were organized in 1885, by an incorporated company of which A. King is pres- ident, and W. D. Tisdale principal owner, superin- tendent, and manager. It has eight tanks, each of which has a capacity of ten tons. Its product is sold in San Francisco, San Jose, Los Gatos and Santa Cruz.
The Los Gatos and Saratoga Wine Company was organized in June, 1885, by the vine-growers in the vicinity of Los Gatos and toward Saratoga. The capital stock is $20.000, and is all in the hands of vine- growers. The product in 1885 was eight thousand gallons; in 1886 it was eighty thousand gallons, and in 1887 the company made one hundred and ten thou- sand gallons of wine, and thirty-five hundred gallons of brandy. Its officers are: Henry Wadsworth, President ; Wm. Warren, Vice-President; Geo W. Lynch, Secre- trary; A. Malpas, Business Manager; H. A. Merriam, Superintendent of Winery.
Santa Cruz Mountain Improvement Company .- In- corporated July, 1886, for the purpose of furnishing facilities for improving and building up the mountain district back of Los Gatos. Its officers are: J. S. Fowler, President; H. C. Morrill, Vice-President; V. Averill, Treasurer; C. E. Aiken, Secretary. The Summit Opera House was built by this company.
The First Presbyterian Church in Los Gatos was organized by Rev. J. M. Newell, of Santa Clara, July 3, 1881, with twenty-three members and with G. W. McGrew as elder, to whose efforts previous to that date its existence is duc. Rev. R. C. Moodie has been its minister from the first. Trustees were elected July IO, as follows: S. S. Butler, John Henderson, W. D. Hudson, E. W. Mills, and Samuel Templeton. The Sunday-school was organized July 17, with E. W. Mills as superintendent. Services were held every Sunday forenoon, for twelve weeks, in Lyndon Hall. By that time a lot had been purchased from J. Y. McMillan, with a dwelling-house, which was converted into a chapel and used as a place of worship, morn- ing and evening, for three years. In 1882 Mr. Moodie built a cottage on the church lot, and in 1885 pur- chased a portion of the lot, with a frontage of fifty fect, including the chapel, which he joined with his cottage, making his present residence, which is in- tended for a parsonage, cost about $1,600. The church edifice was erected in 1884-85, at a cost of about $3,300, or $5,000 inclusive of furniture, organ, chairs, chandeliers, carpet, bell, fence, and sheds. It was first occupied for a union thanksgiving service, in 1884. It was completed by the following April, and dedicated, without debt, May 3, 1885. One hun- dred and forty-two persons have been connected with the church as members. Its present membership is ninety-three, of whom twelve are absent. The Sun- day-school numbers one hundred and twenty, with M. Howell as superintendent. The elders are M. Howell, E. B. Conklin, R, W. B. Mclellan, and
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L. S. Wood. The trustees are S. S. Butler, E. B. Conklin, M. Howell, J. C. Mansur, C. H. Woodhams. Auxiliary organizations are a Ladies' Aid Society, a Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society, a young people's society, and a mission band, called "The Busy Workers." The pastor's salary is raised by subscription. The church received aid from the Board of Home Missions the first four years, but has since been self-supporting. Current cxpenses and benevolent contributions are raised by church col- lections. Improvements are from time to time pro- vided for by the Ladies' Aid Society. The congre- gational expenses last year were $1,415. The benev- olent contributions were $353.
R. C. Moodie was born in Craftsbury, Vermont, June 19, 1852. His father, Robert Moodie, was born in Scotland, April 23, 1788; removed to Craftsbury, Vermont, in 1831, where he died at the age of ninety, in 1878. His mother, Phebe Augusta (Blanchard), was born in Greensboro, Vermont, in 1810, and lived nearly all her life in Craftsbury. She was married to Robert Moodie in 1832, as his second wife, and was the mother of eight children (Robert Moodie having one daughter by a former wife), of whom R. C. Moodie is next to the youngest, and only two others are living. She died in 1877. Young Moodie worked on his father's farm until he was nineteen, with an occasional term at the Craftsbury Academy and at a district school, when he taught in a district school one winter; went in the spring of the same year to an academy at Meriden, New Hampshire; then two years were spent in Williston Seminary, Easthampton, Massachusetts; then the summer vaca- tion was spent at Amenia, New York, in studies that would have occupied the senior year at Williston Seminary; and he entered Yale College at New Haven, Connecticut, in the autumn of 1874, and graduated in 1878; then spent three years in a Pres- byterian Theological Seminary at Auburn, New York, graduating in May, 1881. He was married the eight- eenth of tlic same month, came to California in June, and settled in Los Gatos in July.
Carrie Augusta Root (wife of R. C. Moodie) was born in Craftsbury, Vermont. They have two chil- dren, Walter Chafey and Willis Beecher, ages six and four respectively.
Ridgely Lodge, No. 294, I. O. O. F., was instituted at Los Gatos, April 4, 1882, by Past Grand C. J. Owen, D. D. G. M. Its charter members were: T. S. Cleland, B. J. Allen, L. A. Cole, James Eddy, Jay E. Fuller, J. J. Roberts. First officers: B. G. Allen,
N. G .; J. E. Fuller, V. G .; James Eddy, R. S .; T. S. Cleland, Treasurer. Present officers : E. A. Kennedy, N. G .; Geo. S. McMurtry, V. G .; L. E. Hamilton, R. S .; A. E. Wilder, Recording Secretary; W. Lee, Treasurer.
Los Gatos Lodge, No. 76, A. O. U. W .- Organized January II, 1879. First officers: J. T. Harris, P. M. W .; T. S. Cleland, M. W .; H. C. Black, F .; J. B. Waterman, O .; A. F. McFarland, Recorder; H. U. Ball, G .; Thos. W. Cox, I. W .; Wm. Parks, O. W.
Los Gatos Parlor, No. 124, N. S. G. W., was organ- ized March 23, 1888. Officers: Past President, G. D. Wilson; President, Geo. S. McMurtry; First Vice- President, Edward C. Yocco; Second Vice-President, N. G. Rogers; Third Vice-President; R. L. Hutch- inson; Recording Secretary, Fen Massol; Financial Secretary, J. H. Coult; Treasurer, James Stanfield ; Surgeon, R. P. Gober. There are three Trustees: Geo. R. Emerson, Fred. W. Perkins, W. S. Baker; Inside Sentinel, F. F. Watkins; Outside Sentinel, A. M. Howell. Charter members: W. J. Baker, James J. Stanfield, Robt. L. Hutchinson, Freeman L. Howes, William A. Riggs, Robt. F. Kennedy, Daniel McCarthy, Wm. P. Veuve, Wm. C. Swinford, Robt. D. Baker, Frank F. Watkins, Edward C. Yocco, Fred. W. Perkins, Alexander M. Howell, Geo. S. MeMurtry, Geo. R. Emerson, Noah G. Rogers, Gco. D. Wilson, J. H. Coult, Hugh R. Roberts, R. P. Gober, Fen Massol.
CLIMATE.
The following description of the climate of Los Gatos was written by one who has made the subject a special study: "The Santa Cruz Mountains shut off the harsh breezes from the ocean, and the creeping fog from the Bay of San Francisco very rarely finds its way into this vicinity. Calla lilies and the ten- derest geraniums flourish and bloom in open air the year around. Tomatoes and green peas, gathered from the vines, often form a part of Christmas din- ners, with strawberries, taken from the vines in open air, for dessert. The altitude above the ocean, be- tween four and five hundred feet, and freedom from fogs, have caused the place to be sought by many invalids who have regained their health. The bay wind generally prevails through the day and the mountain breeze at night. This thoroughly ventilates the foot-hills and adds to their healthfulness. We have no thunder and lightning, and no cyclones, hur- ricanes or tornadoes; no heavy frosts or snows, floods or droughts; no malarious diseases. From the first of May to the first of November we have no rain,
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no showers, while in what we call the winter months showers and rains fall sufficient to thoroughly moisten the ground. We have much elear weather in winter-about the same as April and May in the East. The soil is so deep and open that where it is thoroughly cultivated it remains moist to within a few inches of the surface all summer. Travelers who have spent years in search of the model climate say that our climate could not be surpassed on the globe, and they certainly are correct. The great variety of growing orchards add beauty to the general appear- anee of the foot-hills and the valley, which spread out below Los Gatos into a pieture without a parallel."
SARATOGA.
This village was founded by Martin MeCarthy in 1851. He laid it out in lots and blocks at that time, and called it MeCarthysville. The first settlers after MeCarthy were William Haun and his father-in-law, John Whisman. They built a flour-mill, which was destroyed by fire in 1864. While the mill was build- ing Washburn and Pipkin opened a store, and Henry Jarboe started a blacksmith shop. The first post- master was Levi Millard, who was appointed in 1855. In 1863 the town site was re-surveyed and additions made. The vacant land came into the hands of Charles Maclay, who re-christened it with the name of Saratoga. Its original founder is now dcad, but his widow still lives on the place, and that she has kept up with the progress of events will be seen by her biographical sketch elsewhere in this book. A paper mill and a pasteboard mill were established in 1868, the former by E. T. and W. T. King, and the · latter by Peter Somerville. Both were afterwards de- stroyed by fire.
The town has become widely known from its loea- tion near the Pacific Congress Springs, which has be- come one of the most famous summer resorts on the coast. These springs were discovered in 1850. Among those who early discovered the wonderful properties of the waters of these springs were D. O. Mills and Alvinza Hayward, wealthy business men of San Fran- cisco. They formed a joint-stock company, consist- ing of themselves and O. F. Griffin, Louis McLane, E. O. Knight, and other prominent men, and pur- chased seven hundred and twenty aeres, ineluding the spring and its surroundings. The plan was for cach to ereet a cottage for himself and family, and to ereet a main building, to be used as a boarding-house for all. Only two cottages were built. The main build-
ing was erected and contained fourteen rooms. It was formally opened June 16, 1866. In 1872 the property was purchased by Lewis P. Sage and his son, Lewis A. Sage. There was no cleared land on the place at this time, nor was it easy of access. The purchasers procured the construction of a good road, and set about improving the place both as to build- ings and for agricultural purposes. This work has been done principally by Lewis A. Sage, who has had the sole management of the place. The hotel was reconstructed and enlarged, until it now has sixty- three rooms.
A reservoir containing twenty thousand gallons has been built, which is supplied with pure water from the Quito Creek. Forty-five aeres are planted to vines of the choicest wine varieties, of which the largest portion are six years old and bear profusely. Fifteen aeres are in French prunes, now three years old, and seventy-five acres are devoted to general agricultural purposes. Two hundred aeres are used for pasturage, while the remainder is devoted to preserving game and fish for the use of the guests at the hotel. These hills abound with game of all kinds, while the streams are abundantly supplied with mount- ain trout. This makes Congress Hall a popular resort for sportsmen as well as invalids, and business men seeking recreation. Mr. James E. Gordon, in his leeture on Saratoga and its surroundings, says :--
" The tourist or visitor to Saratoga nced take no thought as to his entertainment, as Congress Hall is one of the most comfortable and attractive hotels on the Pacific Coast. It consists of a spacious main building, with broad veranda, and a number of two-story cottages adjoining, grouped upon a plateau on the mountain side, and surrounded by shade-trees, a beautiful lawn, and rare tropical plants and flowers. Faeing, as it docs, the grand old mountains across the cañon, which are covered with forest trees, some of them of giant size, and the whole covering seven hundred and twenty aeres, the surroundings make one feel that there is plenty of room and comfort everywhere, and just the place to have a good time. After a sumptu- ous lunch a short walk brings you to a rustic bridge crossing a clear mountain stream, delightfully shaded, wild and romantic, along which you wend your way to the celebrated Congress Springs, surrounded by shady nooks, rustic seats, and miniature water-falls. Aside from its valuable medicinal properties, it is one of the most pleasant mineral waters in existence. There are bath-rooms convenient to the hotel, where hot and cold baths are served with wonderful effeet
HA
Photo Eng
Cottage opposite Hotel and approach via Arbor to Springs and Bath House.
Congress Hall.
View of Stables and Mountains Southwest of Hotel.
VIEWS FROM THE GROUNDS OF LEWIS A. SAGE (Congress Springs).
I. Venetian Arc
2. On the Bridge near Bath and Bowling Houses
VIEWS FROM THE GROUNDS OF LEWIS A. SAGE (Congress Springs).
?. At the Springs. 4. Picnic Grounds below the Bridge.
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upon the weak and afflicted." The water of the spring is celebrated the world over as a remedy in cases of dyspepsia, rheumatism, and impurities of the blood, as well as a refreshing beverage and invigorat- ing tonic. Its analysis is chloride of sodium, 119.159; sulphate of soda, 12.140; carbonate of soda, 123.351; carbonate of iron, 14.030; carbonate of lime, 17.295; silica, alumina, with trace of magnesia, 49.882.
As we have related in our chapter on horticulture, the Saratoga Distriet was the very first to discover and take advantage of resources in the direction of fruit and vine-growing. The success of the earlier orchards induced the planting of others, and the suc- eess of these has kept up the enthusiasm until nearly the whole country is a succession of orchards and vineyards yielding golden harvests to their owners.
The Saratoga Village Improvement Association was organized in 1887, its objects being to buy unimproved land, plant and cultivate trees and vines thereon, and sell in ten-acre lots on easy terms; to build houses, mills, factories, and supply same with water and gas; construet roads, bridges, and sidewalks; to manu- facture the products of our fields and forests, and generally to develop the resources of Saratoga.
A tract of five hundred acres has been secured, which will be divided into ten-aere lots as soon as fifty subscribers are obtained. The price of the lots, including planting and cultivating trees, will be $3,000, payable in seventy-two monthly installments.
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