USA > California > Alameda County > The centennial year book of Alameda County, California : containing a summary of the discovery and settlement of California, a description of the Contra Costa under Spanish, Mexican, and American rule, biographical sketches of prominent pioneers and public men > Part 21
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The California Teacher speaking of the arrival here of General O. H. La Grange, paid the distinguished gentleman the following compli- ment: "Gen. O. H. La Grange, recently from the State of Wiscon- sin, has assumed the principalship of the Grammar School at San Leandro. Gen. La Grange was engaged in teaching in Wisconsin at
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
the breaking out of the rebellion, when he gave up the spelling book, entered the army, and fought his way up to the title of Brigadier- General. We give him a most cordial welcome to this State, and congratulate the people of San Leandro on their good fortune in se- curing a man who will make their school one of the best in the State."
On the 13th of November an Odd Fellows' Lodge was instituted at Haywards, which was named and numbered Sycamore Lodge No. 129.
The total valuation of assessed property in Alameda County for the current year was $5,620,976.50. The county paid $63,528.74 of internal revenue tax, and 551 individuals were fortunate enough to possess sufficient incomes to be taxed, while 12 persons returned in- comes of over $10,000, the richest of whom was N. Van Bergen, who returned $30,628 per annum. The number of carriages that paid taxes was 443 ; pianos, 133 ; gold watches, 392; ounces of sil- ver-plate, 2,661 ; billiard tables, 42 ; yachts, 2.
Mr. L. Legrange, a prominent citizen of the county, residing near Centreville, died suddenly of heart disease, on the 8th of December. He was a valuable citizen and much regretted.
The number of children of school age-between the ages of 7 and 15-in the county, on the 30th of June, 1866, was officially reported at 2,742, of which 701 were in Oakland City.
The Contra Costa debt, which was allowed to haunt the county since its formation, seemed to be in a fair way of final liquidation. On December 13th the balance due, with interest, was $2,339.63. Of the special tax to meet it at the same time there was in the treasury $2,715.27.
The first gas lamp-post erected in Alameda County was put up at the corner of Broadway and Seventh Street, Oakland, in the month of December, whereat there was much congratulation.
The Board of Supervisors, in compliance with the requirements of the law, made a semi-annual statement on the 3d of December, of the revenue and finances of the county, and the existing indebtedness at that date. The receipts from all sources were as follows : From State Fund, $56,711.26 ; from County General Fund, $19,- 752.11 ; from Common School Fund, $15,469.67 ; from Road and Bridge Fund, $23,176.70; from Indigent Sick Fund, $4,379.02; from Oakland Bar Fund, $3,882.52 ; from Contra Costa Fund, $2,- 453.01. Total, $125,824.29. Cash on hand June 4th, 1866, $13,- 137.22. Grand total of receipts, $138,961.51.
223
UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES.
The legislation of the year 1866, for Alameda County, was as follows:
An Act to establish an Agricultural, Mining and Mechanics Art College.
An Act to establish a Police Court in the City of Oakland, and define its jurisdiction ; duties and fees of Court and its officers. To have a judge, clerk, seal ; to have jurisdiction in petit larceny, assault and battery, breaches of the peace, violation of city ordinances, city taxes, sums of money less than $300, bonds, recovery of city pro- perty, license, etc.
An Act creating a Board of Education. To consist of eight members, to be elected, and have a president, superintendent, clerk ; disposal of school moneys, and to be governed by school law. To take effect 1st May, 1866.
An Act in relation to the City Courts of Oakland. Mayor no longer to exercise power of justice. The Police Judge shall have power to hear cases for examination, and may commit and hold offenders to bail.
An Act granting to R. J. Vandewater, his associates, their suc- cessors or assigns the right to construct, maintain and operate a railroad in certain streets of the City of Oakland. On Second, Fourth, Eighth, Twelfth and Market Streets, including Twenty-eighth to the San Pablo Road, to the city limits.
An Act to grant the Oakland Railroad Company the right of way for a railroad track in the City of Oakland and Alameda County, and to run horse-cars thereon. The Oakland Railroad Company, a corporation incorporated in 1861, to have right of way to run horse- cars from end of Broadway to Temescal Creek, and thence to the grounds of the College of California, for thirty years.
An Act to allow mileage to Grand and Trial Jurors in Alameda County. Allowing 20c. per mile.
An Act creating five additional Notaries Public.
An Act concerning hogs running at large. Penalty for neglecting to pay for sale of hogs by constables.
An Act preventing stallions running at large.
An Act establishing terms of District Court.
An Act amending Road Act.
An Act providing for maintenance of pounds.
An Act for Superintendent of Schools to furnish annual estimate of school moneys to Trustees.
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
1867 -- A Year of Activity and Enterprise-Departure of the Hon. John Wilson-Lawlessness and Crime-An Editor Called to Account-Railroad " Benefits"-The Alameda Park Hotel Con- verted Into a Private Insane Asylum-Death of Jesse Beard- Prisoners Break Jail - The New Agricultural Association Stirring-New Presbyterian Church at San Leandro Dedicated -Good Templars doing Good Work-Election of the Agricultural Association-A Report from the Brighton Cattle Market Associa- tion-Registration of Voters-A Teachers' Association Formed- Dr. Yates makes an Important Scientific Discovery-Dr. Wm. P. Gibbons on the San Antonio Redwoods-Proposes a Botanical Garden-Reading-room and Library at Haywards-Union County Convention-A Resolution Favoring Negro Suffrage Voted Down-A Slap at Gorham-Democratic County Conven- tion-Strong Union Resolutions, but Negro and Chinese Suffrage Condemned-The Union Ticket Defeated, and H. H. Haight, of Alameda, Elected Governor-Alameda County Selected as the Location of the Agricultural College-Man Killed in Murray- Tragic Affair at Mount Eden-Shooting Scrape at Centreville -A Daily Mail-Prof. Win. Lucky-A Chickory Company- Quail a Nuisance-1 Fuse Factory in Brooklyn-Democratic County Nominations-Sheriff Morse's Pursuit of Thieves and Desperados-Arrest of Joaquin at New Almaden-Literary Association at San Leandro-The Oakland Bank of Savings In- corporated-A Jail-breaker Recaptured-Thunder Storm-Fires -- Gorham in Alameda-Democratic Barbecue-Timothy Har- rington Found Deal-Union Ticket Defeated in the State, but Successful Here -- A Granite Quarry Discovered-Judge Hamilton Resigns-Stephen G. Nye his Successor-Amateur Theatricals- Corner-stone of Deaf, Dumb and Blind Asylum Laid-Daily Morning Herald-Murder of W. L. Joy, and Sheriff Morse's Pursuit of the Murderer Ponce, whom he Kills-Suicide of Henry Clark-Railroad Matters-Murder of Officer Richardson in Oakland - The Agricultural Fair-Tac of 1867-8 - Judge Crockett Appointed- A Family Poisoned - Patents for Ex- Mission Lands-Severe Storm.
The year 1867 was one of activity and enterprise. Daring it was reorganizail the County Agricultural Society; the Agricultural Col- lege and the Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute located; the Oakland
225
UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES.
Bank of Savings incorporated; a County Teachers' Association established; an Alameda man elected Governor of the State, and another appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court. It was also a year of activity for the Sheriff, who had his hands full in pursuing horse and cattle thieves and murderers, with whom he was occasion- ally under the necessity of exchanging shots.
Hon. John Wilson, one of our representatives in the Assembly, immediately after the close of his legislative labors, returned to his old home in Monroe County, Illinois, and did not return. Our other Assemblyman during this term was Hon. John W. Dwinelle, one of the ablest men in the State, and certainly the ablest man Alameda County ever sent to the lower branch of the State Legis- lature.
There was a good deal of individual lawlessness and violence this year, and the Grand Jury of the County Court, at the January term, took three days to get through with their business. They returned into Court with eleven indictments, embracing various shades of crime, from manslaughter to petit larceny.
The editor of the Gazette well-nigh got himself into trouble with some of the jury, to whom he was under the necessity of making an explanation to exculpate himself. It appears that a prisoner was tried for stealing a horse, and was acquitted. The editor, as the legal phrase goes, stated that he was acquitted of the crime by a jury of his peers. The jurymen were of the impression that he estimated them in this remark as no better than horse thieves !
An important decision was rendered by the Supreme Court in Jan- uary, touching the question of damages and benefits to property by railroads. It was the case of the San Francisco, Alameda and Stock- ton Railroad vs. Andrew Caldwell and others, landowners on the route of the road. Judge McKee had decided that it was wrong for commissioners to take the supposed benefits conferred by a railroad as whole or part compensation for lands taken from an owner for right of way. The Supreme Court reversed this decision, and maintained that the difference in the value of property before and after the improvement should be taken into account in awarding dam- ages and benefits. This view was sustained by Justices Curry, Shafter and Sanderson, while Justice Rhodes dissented on the ground that "benefits " could not be considered in ascertaining the "just. compensation " to which the landowner is entitled under the Con- stitution.
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226
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
The Beaty House, in San Leandro, which had been for some time vacant, was purchased by Mrs. Weber, who re-opened it after fitting it up anew.
Early in February information was received at San Leandro that Narcisso Bojorques, the cattle-stealer, shot some time previously by Sheriff Morse, but who, nevertheless, made his escape, had been shot at Copperopolis for stealing cattle, and died soon after at Stockton, where he was removed to.
The Alameda Park Hotel was purchased by Dr. Tucker this month, for the purpose of converting the same into a private lunatic asylum.
Jesse Beard, one of the pioneers of the county and father of E. L. Beard at the Mission, died at Alvarado on the 6th day of March, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. He was a much respected old gentleman.
On the 7th of March two prisoners, named Wm. Hagan and José Valenzuela, broke jail in San Leandro and made good their escape.
At their February meeting the Supervisors fixed the rate of taxa- tion for 1867 at $2.20 on each $100.
The Commissioners appointed to award damages in the case of the Western Pacific Railroad Co. vs. M. W. Dixon et al., made their re- port at San Leandro on the 11th of March.
On the 20th of April I. A. Amerman, Esq., County Clerk, ad- dressed 800 circulars to the farmers of the county, with a blank to be filled out by them, showing the agricultural resources and the pro- ductiveness of the county for the year, but it does not appear that he received a ready response, for nothing further appears to have come of it.
The new Presbyterian Church at San Leandro was dedicated on the 28th of April, when Rev. Dr. H. M. Scudder, of San Francisco, preached a sermon, and the choir of the Howard Street Presbyterian Church in San Francisco furnished the music.
In April the Good Templars' temperance organization of San Le- andro made a move to get up a reading-room and library in that town, which was to some extent a success.
On the 27th of April the County Agricultural Society held a meet- ing at Haywards, at which the following officers were elected : President, William Meek ; Vice-President, J. A. Mayhew ; Record- ing Secretary, C. T. Ward ; Corresponding Secretary, I. A. Amer- man ; Auditing Committee, Wm. Whidden, E. M. Smith ; Committee on Premiums, F. K. Shattuck, R. S. Farrely, Chas. H. Haile, J. B.
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UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES.
Marlin, S. I. Marston, Geo. Martin. The subscription for member- ship was set at $3 per annum.
At the teachers' examination in San Leandro, on the 27th of April, there were a dozen candidates for diplomas.
It became rumored about this time that the W. P. R. R. Co. had sold out their road and franchise to Leland Stanford and the Central Pacific Railroad Company, which proved subsequently to have been well-founded.
The Brighton Cattle Market Association published an annual re- port in May, which is deemed of sufficient interest to reproduce here. It is as follows :
ANNUAL BRIGHTON MARKET REPORT.
The Butchers, Drovers, and Stock Raisers' Association held its first meeting January 31st, 1866, and preliminary steps were taken towards forming the " Brighton Market," or, as some term it, "Bull's Head." In April arrangements were perfected and yards erected for the accommodation of live stock. The first regular meeting was held Wednesday, April 11th, 1866; Mr. T. A. Cunningham being the first drover who arrived with cattle for sale, and Mr. W. H. Souther the first purchaser. From this date the market has steadily increased in business ; and the following list will show the amount of transactions during the year ending May 7th, 1867. This does not include sales effected on the premises for stock deliverable in the in- terior :
Steers, -
- 2,506 head at $101,810.00, or $40.62 ea.
Mixed Cattle, - - 1,021
“ 32,281.00,
31.62 ea.
Yearlings,
72
1,779.00,
24.71 ea.
Milch Cows,
158
66
8,135.00,
51.48 ea.
Calves,
457
4,292.75,
9.39 ea.
Bulls, Scrubs,
10
172.00,
17.20 ea.
Sheep, -
3,021
11,153.00,
3.69 ea.
Wethers,
1,437
66
4,877.00,
3.40 ea.
Lambs,
2,759
6,171.37,
2.23 ea.
Pigs, -
373
4,562.25,
12.50 ea.
Mules, -
6
575.00,
95.79 ea.
Horses, Mares, -
113
6,587.00,
58.29 ea.
Colts, Yearlings,
5
200.00,
40.00 ea.
Total, - - 11,938
$182,595.37
Issues of shares have been made by our association to members residing in all parts of the State, and, instead of, as last year, the majority of shares being held by the butchers, it is in the hands of
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228
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
the stock-raisers and drovers. Arrivals of live stock have never as yet reached the demand; this is to be regretted, as many have been desirous of supplying themselves entirely from this source; but, like all institutions, it must have time for growth. With the supplies to arrive this season, it is hoped the remedy will be attained. Every exertion is being made by the board of managers to induce stock- raisers and drovers to patronize our market, and each day additions are being made to our arrivals. Some annoyance has been felt at the drovers disposing of live stock before a regular market day; this has in a measure remedied itself, as outsiders in some instances have bought and resold on Wednesday, paying the drover out of the pro- ceeds of the sale-a sharp practice which cannot often be repeated. The largest arrival of cattle at any one time has been 1,123 head, and the largest sale to any one purchaser at any one regular sale day has been to the cash value of $20,000.00.
The Association, of its twenty-five acres of land, has ten acres fenced into yards, and proposes at an early date to build a hotel, also a stable and sheds, for the accommodation of its members and stock in winter. It has no outstanding debts at the present time. * * * * As considerable misunderstanding has arisen regarding our mode of selling cattle, through reports circulated in the interior, it will not be out of place to mention our constitution particularly sets forth that " All are free to come and go, to buy and to sell at pleasure." Unless a special request is made, no auction sales take place. The drover is the seller of his own stock, without interference from anyone, or any charges of commission. Satisfactory arrange- ments have been made with the Alameda Railroad Company for transportation of stock to San Francisco, the result of which has been the dealers in sheep are availing themselves largely of this mode of saving expenses and hard driving.
In conclusion, the result of the last year has been satisfactory. A great deal of the success attending the enterprise has been the result of the exertions of our President, William Fulton, and to him, in a measure, belongs the honor of the final establishment of the Brighton Market.
C. T. WARD, Secretary.
It appears there was difficulty in getting voters to register their names this year, which urged the County Clerk, Mr. Amerman, to issue an explanatory circular to the people. According to this cir- cular, the registered vote in the county, in May of 1867, was as
229
UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES.
follows : Oakland Township, 462 names ; Brooklyn, 288 ; Alameda, 78; Eden, 240; Washington, 221; Murray, 51; total, 1,340 ; of which 1,151 were natives and 189 naturalized.
At the last meeting of the Teachers' Association, held in San Francisco, it was resolved, by those present from this county, to form a Teachers' Association for Alameda County; and this was done in the latter part of May, when the necessary rules for its government were adopted.
In June of this year Dr. Yates, the scientific dentist of Centre- ville, discovered the tusk of an animal of the elephant species, near Mission San José. It was found about twenty feet under ground, where a channel had been cut by the last winter's rains. The tusk was 24 inches long, and 233 in circumference.
Another scientific gentleman of our county, Dr. William P. Gibbons, read an interesting paper before the Academy of Natural Sciences, in San Francisco, on the subject of a proposed park and botanic garden, in the Redwoods back of Brooklyn. He said this forest, which was found on the mountain, five miles east of Brook- lyn, was composed of immense trees. There was a stump 32 feet in diameter, and dozens measuring from 18 to 20 feet. It was about half a mile in width, and extended down the eastern slope of the mountain some two miles. The doctor had with great labor and taste completely restored on paper the main grounds of these fallen giants, and had also made accurate drawings of the trees yet spared by the woodman's axe. His views had for their background the Golden Gate and Bay, or Mount Diablo, as they were taken in dif- ferent positions. The Doctor's paper closed as follows : "On this little range, of less than half a mile square, there are probably not less than 1,000,000 sapling redwoods. That which civilized men have left is fast becoming the prey of reckless squatters. Every year diminishes the number of stumps, which these fellows work up into fire-wood. In doing this they destroy such an immense number of saplings that in a short period every vestige of this luxuriant nurs- ery of the primeval forests will be obliterated, if measures be not taken to prevent it. A trifling sum would secure title and pos- session. There is no spot about San Francisco that possesses such admirable adaptations for a botanical garden. Every variety of tree and plant, which grows in the State or which flourishes to the north of us, would here find a congenial soil and climate. Already over fifteen species of forest trees are thriving within the district ;
230
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
there are over twenty species of shrubs, and more than 300 flower- ing plants. With such a fine beginning, initiated by Nature herself, let the Academy make a move to secure this locality. It is not a question of local but of general interest. The cause of science and civilization demands that a conservative intervention should be made, that our noble forest may not be recklessly and permanently destroyed. That hill, with a little aid from the restorative of art, would be so regenerated in a few years as to become one of the most interesting localities in the United States."
The Good Templars of Haywards, following the example of the order in San Leandro, determined to possess a reading room and library, and rented two suitable rooms for the purpose. The young ladies of the organization, with a view of aiding the enterprise, held a strawberry festival, on the evening of the 18th of June, when a handsome sum was realized.
The Union County Convention was held at San Leandro on the 8th of June. There was undoubtedly diversity of opinion and an inhar- monious feeling at this time in the ranks of the dominant party. The meeting was in the Court-room and the hour for opening the proceedings one o'clock. Judge A. M. Crane was appointed Chair- man, and A. M. Church and William Gagan, Secretaries. Some fifty delegates were in attendance from all the townships in the county. Delegates were appointed to the State Convention at Sacramento, as follows : Oakland, John W. Dwinelle and B. F. Ferris ; Washing- ton, A. M. Church and B. F. Marston ; Eden, Wm. Meek ; Brooklyn, S. Milbury ; Alameda and Murray (jointly), A. M. Crane.
Mr. Dwinelle offered two resolutions which were adopted. The first presented Hon. E. D. Wheeler as a candidate for the office of Attorney-General ; the second endorsed the official course of Hon. Wm. Higby as representative of the District in the United States Congress. Judge Crane (the Chairman) took the floor and offered a series of four resolutions. The first endorsed the reconstruction policy of Congress ; the second favored the amendment of the Con- stitution, as proposed by the Thirtieth Congress, and the disfranchise- ment of the leaders of the rebellion ; the third favored the amend- ment of our State Constitution, removing the discrimination then made against the better educated of the colored people in this State ; the fourth resolved, "that while this Convention refrains from instructing the delegates to the State and Congressional Conventions in favor of any particular persons, yet we do instruct them to vote
231
UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES.
for no candidate known to be a crafty and unprincipled politician, seeking his own good and the consummation of corrupt schemes for the enriching and aggrandisement of a class at the expense of the people ; for no one heretofore known as a corrupt lobbyist, seeking to impose upon the people an immense public debt for the sole benefit of already overgrown corporations or secret cliques and "rings " of public thieves ; for no one, in short, whose record in public and private life is not pure and clear from all such corrupt contam- inations."
The mover sustained his resolutions in a lengthy speech, after which Mr. Dwinelle moved that they be voted upon separately. The first and second resolutions were unanimously carried ; the third gave rise to a discussion in which most of the members of the Convention took part.
Mr. Dwinelle opposed the resolution at length, taking strong grounds against negro suffrage, and contending that the negroes were inferior to the Chinese, and finally moved that the resolution be laid upon the table.
Mr. Crane and Mr. Shinn replied, condemning Mr. Dwinelle's utterances, and said the speech of the gentleman from Oakland would have been a very proper one for a Democratic Convention.
S. G. Nye defended the resolution as far as it went, but thought suffrage should not be based on complexion, but on manhood.
On a division, it was found that twenty-five voted for Mr. Dwinelle's proposition, and twenty against, while four declined to vote. All the Oakland delegates but two voted in the majority.
The fourth resolution, which was evidently aimed at the candidacy of Mr. Gorham for Governor, was withdrawn, and peace and har- mony restored by Judge Hamilton moving that the word white be stricken out of our State Constitution wherever it occurred.
The Democratic County Convention was held on the 15th of June at the same place, when J. West Martin, C. H. Cushing, J. W. Dougherty, Wm. Moss, and John Threlfall were appointed delegates to the State Convention.
At the head of the Union State ticket, adopted at the State Con- vention, was the name of George C. Gorham, who it was afterwards charged had secured his nomination by smart tactics and "trading," while General Bidwell was the real choice of the Convention. At any rate, many Union men were displeased, and at the election, which came off in October, the ticket was beaten, and the Union paper in
232
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
this county regretted that the party did not have a better candidate.
At the Democratic State Convention, which took place shortly after, strong Union resolutions were adopted, the Mongolian influx condemned, and labor declared the foundation of all prosperity. Henry H. Haight, of Alameda, was placed at the head of their ticket as Democratic candidate for Governor, amid much enthusiasm, and the result was a majority of 8,527 for that gentleman over Gorham.
Another triumph for Alameda, this year, was the location of the Agricultural College at Berkeley. The meeting of the College Board was at Sacramento, on the 14th of June. There were present F. F. Lowe, President of the Board ; Felix Tracy, of Shasta; William Holden, of Mendocino ; C. T. Ryland, of San José ; George R. Gluyas, of San Francisco ; J. B. Meader, of Copperopolis ; Henry Philip, of Nevada ; Charles F. Reed, of Yolo.
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