USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > The builders of a great city : San Francisco's representative men, the city, its history and commerce : pregnant facts regarding the growth of the leading branches of trade, industries and products of the state and coast > Part 24
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sphere. After years of adventure in Arizona and elsewhere and not suc- ceeding as well as he wished, gave up mining and returned to San Fran- cisco. Here he commenced to make good use of his inventive faculty and in 1865 began to manufacture saw- mill machinery, introducing a num- ber of improvements which his early training and later experience showed him to be needed. He was at first located in the Pacific Saw Company's Building, where he remained three or four years or until 1870. From time to time he removed his headquarters to the Kittredge Building and to the Vulcan Iron Works, until at last we find him located at 213 to 219 First street. During all these years he has been incessantly experimenting and giving to the world various inventions of practical value. His mining ex- perience gave him the idea of a roller quartz mill and of improved ore crushers and concentrators as well as many other much needed improve- ments in the older descriptions of mining machinery. It is inventions like his that has made San Francisco the center of the manufacture of min- ing machinery for the whole of the United States. Besides being a prac- tical inventor he is also a manufac- turer of his special machinery. He is now experimenting on what may turn out to be a most important in- vention. He belongs to the Manu- facturers' Association, was one of the earliest members of the Mechanics' Institute, and is a member of Keystone Lodge, Knights of Honor. Essentially a family man, he spends his leisure in the society of his wife and daughter at his charming home on Webster and Durant streets, Oakland, where he
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owns a fine property. Jovial, good tempered, kind, always brimming over with New England wit, he is a pleasant companion and earns the good will and regard of all with whom he comes in contact. Tall, broad-shouldered and athletic, he is a
. good representative of the sturdy Maine backwoodsmen who have given so many men of eminence to all walks of life. His inventive genius is typical of what the manufacturer should in these days, and particularly in California, ever possess.
GEORGE HYDE.
GEORGE HYDE.
HEN the discovery of gold in California was heralded abroad throughout the world, people flocked hither from all nations, and rushed to the mines. George Hyde was here in San Francisco before the gold fever broke out; was living here when the wonderful discovery was an- nounced, and yet, strange to relate, he did not even visit the diggings. Naturally we are led to ask, What manner of man is this, who failed to follow in the track of the multitude, or participate in its enthusiasm and excitement ? The story of his life, while it is void of adventurous excite- ment, is yet interesting, both in its early and intimate connection with the history of California and as an ex- ample of an even-tempered, self-reli- ant man.
Mr. Hyde was a Pennsylvanian, hav- ing been born in the city of Philadel- phia, on the 22d of August, 1819. He wasof Scotch-English extraction on his father's side. His grandfather married a nieceof Commodore John Barry, the famous "Fighting John Barry," of Revolutionary days. His mother was a Miss Butcher of New Jersey, who was a member of an English family who settled in New England in early Colonial times. Mr. Hyde began his education in Philadelphia, but his father dying while he was still young, and his mother remarrying, he was sent, with his brother, to college at Mount St. Mary's, Emmettsburg.
Financial reverses, sustained by his guardian, made it necessary that he should decide upon some business or profession by which to make his own way in life. He decided upon the le- gal profession, and began the study of law, passing, after the usual
course, so creditable an examin- ation that, but for the rule making the practice of the law for two years first necessary, he would have been at once admitted in the United States District Court. He received the com- pliments of the Board of Examiners, as well as of his preceptor, William L. Hirst, a famous Philadelphia law- yer of forty years' standing, on his legal acquirements. Immediately after his examination he began the practice of his profession in his native city, continuing in it until 1845. When prospects of war with Mexico became imminent, he was tendered a position as clerk to Commodore Stockton, on the frigate "Congress," which he ac- cepted, and at once repaired to Nor- falk, Virginia, where he joined his ship, which set sail on the 29th of Oc- tober, 1845, and on the 14th day of July, 1846, cast anchor in Monterey Bay, after a (voyage pleasant as a whole, and during which they touched at the Sandwich Islands. The frigate's arrival at Monterey was just a week after the hoisting of the flag declar- ing California American territory.
Mr. Hyde left the "Congress" on the 29th of July, and traveled overland to San Francisco, then Yerba Buena, ar- riving here on the 10th of August, 1846, and, notwithstanding the fact that there were at that time not more than forty houses, or thereabouts, and those not of the most architectural de- scription, with but few settlers, prin- cipally Mormons, under Sam Brannan, then recently arrived, July 31, 1846, occupying the site of our present great city, he considered that, with Ameri- can rule, the prospects for increase were good, and settled down to the practice of his profession, thus open-
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ing the pioneer American law office of California, which was then under the rule of a military governor, and the old Mexican laws were followed as nearly as possible. Washington A. Bartlett, who was at that time a lieu- tenant on the "Portsmouth," was the first Alcalde, and entered upon the duties of his office in 1846. Mr. Hyde practiced in his court, and those of the surrounding country.
On the 1st of June, 1847, General Kearney appointed Mr. Hyde Alcalde, and he held the position up to April 1, 1848. At the time of his appoint- ment he was absent from the city, and only heard of it on his return. Mr. Leavenworth's appointment to the office as second Alcalde followed in December, 1847. On the declara- tion of peace with Mexico, Gen- eral Riley authorized an election for Alcalde, etc. A convention was called, and steps were taken to further the admission of the Territory as a State of the Union. In 1849 John W. Geary succeeded to the office, and Mr. Hyde practiced in his court up to 1851. The gold excite- ment had failed to disturb the equa- nimity of his life, or the promises of speedily acquired wealth, to lure him from the field of his professional la- bors, and this is the more to be won- dered at, when we consider that had he not possessed something of the ad- venturous in his composition he would not have accepted the position which he did on board the frigate "Congress." In that, as in other things, Mr. Hyde had shown himself to be a man not easily swayed by any outside excite- ment.
It will readily be understood that his positions as the first lawyer of the city and Alcalde afforded him unusual opportunities for becoming acquainted with the validity of titles to city lots, and that he was considered the most reliable authority in matters of that
description. His extensive knowl- edge in this respect caused him to be constantly called upon as a witness, his testimony invariably carrying the greatest weight. So much was his time taken up in this manner that it caused him to retire from practice. Naturally a man placed in his position could not fail to make many enemies, and at that early day to even put his life in danger. In this connection it is a satisfaction to chronicle the fact that Mr. Hyde's testimony was never impeached, nor was he ever accused of acting otherwise than honorably and disinterestedly.
Of carly life in California no man now living possessed a more vivid rec- ollection or a wider knowledge. In the scenes of strife and adventure which characterized those times, he was a looker-on, rather than a partici- pant ; but he was a keen observer, and his acquaintance with incident, both in and out of the courts, would, if put in book form, make a most readable and interesting volume.
In 1852 he made a visit to the East For many years now past he had re- tired from the active practice of his profession, partly on account of deli- cate health, and for the same cause he had not interested himself in enter- prises which might otherwise have claimed his attention, the Fireman's Fund Insurance Company being the one exception. Onits inauguration he was a contributor, but afterwards re- tired. He was a member of the Society of Pioncers, belonging to no other society.
In his home life Mr. Hyde was more than usually happy, and it served to suffice him for all else, notwithstand- ing the active pursuits of his early life. He has now living five daughters and one son, two sons and one daugh- ter having died in childhood.
He died Saturday, August 16th, full of years and honors.
J. P. JACKSON.
COL. J. P JACKSON.
OLONEL J. P. JACKSON is a man with very many sides to his character. There is noth- ing conventional or monotonous in his make-up. His diversity of talent has enabled him to fill divers roles in the career of a busy life, and all them with successful results and of credit to himself and the causes he espoused.
As lawyer, orator, soldier, railroad builder, journalist, man of affairs aud public official, he has imprinted the marks of distinctive ability upon every project in which he has es- sayed.
He first saw the light of day in the city of Cleveland, O., and his early life was fettered by those
" Twin jailors of the daring heart- Untitled birth and iron fortune."
The foundation of his education was laid in the public schools of Cleveland, including the High School of that city, and so apt a scholar did he prove himself, that at the age of 12 he passed the necessary examination before three Trustees, entitling him to teach school. Dur- ing the famine in Ireland he, with his school-mates, published a dimin- utive newspaper called The School Boy, of which he was the editor, and thus raised money to aid in loading a schooner with supplies for the relief of the starving Irish. This was his earliest essay at journalism, which in later life he amplified, for a short period, with the Ohio State Journal, and more lately in the pub- lication and editorship of the Post, Exchange and Wasp in this city.
Betaking himself from school to a farm, he experienced all the hard- ships of pioneer farming incident to the settlement of the Great Nortli-
west. Although of slight frame he was always characterized by great nervous energy, and at the age of 13 he cut down forest trees in midwin- ter, chopped them into cord-wood and teamed it seven miles to market. In Summer he followed the mower (then a scythe-wielder), and "raked and bound," subsequently feeding the threshing-machine, thus doing the work of a full hand.
At about the age of 16 he removed to Cincinnati, O., where he pursued his studies in the higher branches of mathematics, and the French and Latin languages. He graduated at the Central High School when barely 19. Just at this time the great Hun- garian leader, Louis Kossuth, was arousing the sympathy of this coun- try by his impassioned appeals in favor of his oppressed countrymen; and the young men of Cincinnati, yielding to the general impulse, col- lected a considerable purse of money to aid the eloquent exile in his patri- otic purpose. They selected young Jackson to represent them aud to present the money. An immense crowd gathered to witness the cere- mony, and the young orator was cheered from the beginning to the end of his original address. The leading critics of the day wrote con- cerning his effort that "of all the speeches delivered to the fiery Kos- suth, this one was the most sensible and about the best delivered."
Perhaps this incident was the turning-point that decided his future career. Among his auditors at the presentation to Kossuth was Hon. Bellamy Storer, one of the leading scholars and lawyers of Ohio. He was so favorably impressed with the young speaker, that he at once in-
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sisted upon taking him into his office and having him study law. There were at that date no law schools, at least not in the West, and the pro- fession was acquired-if more slowly, certainly more solidly-by the pre- ceptor making regular examinations of the student in the lessons given him from Blackstone, Kent, Chitty and Greenleaf.
Here it was that Colonel Jack- son met Benjamin Harrison, the present President of the United States, who was also a protege of Judge Storer. For two years these young men sat together in the same office, studied and were examined in the same lessons, and passed across the threshold into man's career at the same time.
Upon their admission to the Bar, Benjamin Harrison betook himself to Indiana, there to inherit the prestige of his grand sire's fame-knowing that the blood of the Presidency was in his veins-while Jackson "hung out his shingle " for the practice of law in Cincinnati.
From the commencement his suc- cess was assured. His preceptors at once made him an offer of a salary to attend to their business. This he declined so far as to claim one-half of his time for his own business, while he gave them such assistance as he could in court trials during the remaining hours. Without following him in detail during his professional career at the bar, it may be summed up in the fact that during his fifteen years of practice he tried more cases before courts and juries, collect- ed more money for clients and re- ceived a greater amount in fees, than any lawyer of his age in Ohio. And this, too, at a bar that numbered among its practitioners, whom he regularly met in daily forensic riv- alry, the historic names of R. B. Hayes, Henry Stanberry, George E. Pugh, George H. Pendleton, Al- phonso Taft, Milton Sayler, Stanley Matthews, Edward F. Noyes and
George Hoadley-the latter of whom was for many years his partner.
One portion of his practice that was peculiar to himself was that before courts - martial and military commissions, in the proceedings of which he was well versed. Among noted cases of this class which he prosecuted successfully was that of the "Chicago conspirators," who were tried for their attempt to re- lease the Confederate prisoners con- fined at Camp Douglass during the war.
Throughout his whole career, whatever may have been his regular calling, Colonel Jackson has always been a public speaker on the various occasions when first-class oratory has been sought. He had been admitted to the bar in Cincinnati but two years when he was recalled to Cleve- land to pronounce the oration at the laying of the coruer-stone of the new High School in that city, which he did in a polished address, which the authorities published. Being a candidate for election on the Lincoln and Johnson ticket, he "stumped" the States of Kentucky, Southern Ohio and Indiana ; in the former State meeting in debato many of the ablest Democrats of that Common- wealth, among others Senator Gar- rett Davis, against whom he argued on one occasion for a period of three hours iu favor of the right of the Gov- ernment to use the services of the slaves in putting down the rebellion. Ho did the like service in the cam- paign of Grant and Colfax, often speaking from the same stand with General Grant's father, Schuyler Colfax and John Sherman. Upon the occasion of the consecration of soldiers' cemeteries-being the first observance of the 30th day of May as a national holiday under General Logan's bill passed by Congress to that effect-Colonel Jackson was the chosen orator for Northern Ken- tucky, and dedicated the Covington Cemetery, in the presence of over 10,000 ex-soldiers and citizens, many
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of whom were relatives of the dead warriors. In the large volume that was published by the Goverment containing the selected gems of ora- tory on this occasion, none exhibit more intense nationalism, graceful rhetoric, fervent sympathy or classic illustration than that pronounced by the subject of this sketch.
His speeches in California have confirmed his Eastern reputation as an eloquent orator, and his efforts in the Republican cause have been pub- lished as campaign documents. His addresses, however, have in no wise been confined to politics, but embrace every subject of public interest. Among other occasions when he has appeared as a public orator were the Fourth of July, 1872, at Vallejo ; Decoration Day, 1878, at San Fran- cisco ; the reception of President Hayes, in whose company were Gen- eral Sherman and Secretary of War Ramsey, and to whom he pronounced the welcoming address on behalf of the citizens of San Francisco ; the presentation of a diamond tiara to Clara Louise Kellogg as American Queen of Song, at the Baldwin Theater in the presence of all of San Francisco's assembled wealth, fashion and culturo ; the press ban- quent to John Russell Young, at which he presided, and where his speech was characterized by the press next day as "a model of post pran- dial felicity," and at the reception to General Grant by the authorities of San Jose, where the great soldier, instead of himself replying to the toast in his honor, called upon his "friend Colonel Jackson who has never yet refused to do me a kind- ness," as he said, to respond in his stead. And when the hitherto un- conquered Chieftain laid down both sword and pen at the call of irresisti- ble death, and the Republic through- out its limits put its best talent under tribute to express a nation's grief, Colonel Jackson was one of the chief mourners, and both by speech and pen paid to the memory of his once
commander and always friend, the most fervent obituaries that the occa- sion produced.
At many public gatherings and in times of great excitement, the much- vexed Chinese question and labor's agitations have received rational in- terpretation at his hands, as he "never loses his head," no matter what may be the surroundings.
In the year 1862 he served with the Army of the Cumberland, under Rosecrans and Buell, and from Pitts- burg Landing to Corinth on detach- ed service, under Grant and Halleck.
In 1867, he went to Europe to ne- gotiate the bonds of the California Pacific Railroad Company, and this service resulted in his moving to the Golden State, where he aided in building the road named, and re- mained its President until it was bought by the Central Pacific Com- pany. While at the head of his road he concluded negotiations with the late Colonel Peter Donahue by which the Donahue road was made a part of the California Pacific sys- tem, by the payment to the form- er of the sum of $750,000. Colonel Jackson thereupon became Presi- dent of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad Company, and held that position likewise until that road passed to the " Central." After that Colonel Donahue bought his road again, paying about $1,000,000 therefor.
In like manner Colonel Jackson made arrangements with the late William C. Ralston, acting on behalf of the California Steam Navigation Company, that all the property of that company-its boats, wharves, and franchises-should be sold to the California Pacific Railroad Com- pany, and that the former should thereupon disincorporate and pass forever out of existence. This was generally considered at tho time an impossible venture, as the Navigation Company had hitherto held undis- puted control of the water routes of travel in this State, and was regarded
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as an indispensable necessity to the public. Colonel Jackson, however, considered that his road had the shortest line of travel between Marysville, Sacramento and Calis- toga at one end, and San Francisco at the other, and he therefore pro- posed to facilitate commerce by his speedier route. Having a line of only 83 miles between Sacramento and this city as against 138 miles of the Western Pacific Railroad, it was plain that his road commanded the passenger travel. He therefore saw no reason why it should not also, with benefit to the public, secure the heavy freight. In this he was again successful.
The details of his railroad man- agement are only referred to here, as indicating the breadth of view that characterizes this gentleman's business ventures.
After the sale of the California Pacific Railroad to the Central, Colonel Jackson found himself with- out occupation on his hands. Look- ing over the State he saw that the country to the east and south of Stockton seemed to justify the build- ing of a railroad. A charter had been granted some years before under the name of the Stockton and Copperopolis Railroad, but beyond a little grading at one end, nothing had been done under it. The project had been aband- oned. Here seemed an opening, and, after securing all outside rights, Colonel Jackson commenced the building of the road, as his own in- dividual venture. He had no part- ners in this project. After building 30 miles of the entire 40 miles need- ed to roach Copperopolis, and call- ing tho station Milton (after Milton S. Latham), he started a branch from his main line at a point named Peters, to run south to Visalia. Crossing the Stanislaus River with a bridge costing $60,000, he struck on the border of a prolific wheat- bearing region-a level tract which had a number of broad-spreading
oak trees-and there established the town of Oakdale. Up to this point he had not asked or received any outside assistance by subsidy or otherwise. There was, however, a standing offer by the city of Stock- ton and County of San Joaquin to pay to any one building a rail- road across the Stanislaus River in the direction of Visalia, the sum of $500,000. Having done this work and in one year less time than was named in the offer Colonel Jackson made request for the promised sub- sidy. Just at this time the "anti- subsidy" cry became a political shibboleth, and the city and county authorities, deterred by political reasons, declined to pay over the donation which they had offered. Litigation therefore ensued, but be- fore it was ended the Central Pacific Railway owners saw that the Visalia road was bound to be a dangerous competitor to their railway system, and thereupon they opened negotia- tions which ended in their purchase of Jackson's road.
Having thus closed up this busi- ness venture, our railroad builder projected a road from Alviso to San Jose, and on a promise of a right- of-way along the public turnpike between those two points, collected the necessary ties, fish-plates, bolts, and iron rails for the entire track. When fully ready to commence work he was officially informed that the right to pass over the public road would not be given. Disgusted at this act of bad faith, he withdrew from the enterprise, and refused to purchase a right-of-way where all the benefits were in favor of those along the line of the projected road.
It was at this time that Senator Jones had projected a line of rail- road from Los Angeles to Santa Monica, and at the request of the Senator, Colonel Jackson went down and located the depot at Los Angeles and gave general supervision to the building of the road until its com- pletion ; as also to the erection of
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a wharf at its ocean terminus. This road has also since that time passed by purchase into the ownership of the Central Pacific Company.
Looking over the State and seeing that there was no longer a valley running north and south that need- ed a railroad, or would justify the building of one, Colonel Jackson retired from the business of rail- road-building and betook himself to more quiet pursuits.
He found the Napa Soda Springs, a beautiful rural home of rustic sim- plicity nestling on the mountain side about five miles from Napa City. Foreseeing the illimitable capa- bilities of the place, he bought the springs with 640 acres of land, for $100,000. There were then no improvements upon the property, and he at once set to work to erect valuable buildings thereon. As a result of his labors it is now the most substantially im- proved Spa in this State, and the most frequented watering place of Middle and Northern Cali- fornia. Its white stone buildings with battlements, towers and spires, can be seen throughout Napa Valley, and their glass domes and burnished roofs reflect for miles away the rising and setting sun.
While indulging his architectural taste lin the development of his ele- gant mountain home, Colonel Jack- son became, in 1875, the publisher and managing editor of the "San Fran- cisco Daily Evening Post." He had owned the paper some years before, having purchased it from its four original founders, each of whom had owned one-quarter thereof. It was, however, a diminutive sheet while thus published, and without stability, solidity or influence. Its erratic edi- torship held out no promise or hope of improvement. As soon, however, as Colonel Jackson came to the helm he brought his "alert, tense and intel- lectual personnel" to bear on the publication, and it rapidly became a recognized power in the journalistic
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