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 25
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PACHECO AND MARTINEZ.
At Pacheco and Martinez the full violence of the earthquake was felt. At the former place, Hook's warehouse was badly damaged, and the front wall of Carother's concrete house fell to the ground. There were numerous fissures in the earth, and much consternation prevailed among the people yesterday. Both ends of the Court- house, at Martinez, have fallen, but further than this there was no destruction of property.
DAMAGE IN THE OAKLAND VALLEY-THE DEAF AND DUMB ASYLUM.
The destruction of property in the valley back of Oakland was not extensive. At Jacob's Wharf, near Ocean View, a large quan- tity of lumber was precipitated into the bay, although the wharf was not damaged. From most houses the chimneys have been broken away. The buildings of the Female College of the Pacific and of the Oakland Academy were slightly damaged by the cracking of plaster.
The Deaf and Dumb Asylum being probably the largest stone structure in the State, it was naturally supposed that it would be badly damaged, if not entirely ruined. The real damage is compara- tively trifling. We visited the building in the afternoon, and care- fully examined the walls. Eleven chimneys, projecting above the roof, were broken. These chimneys were constructed of cut stone, well cemented together, and were in size 22 feet by 42 feet. That such solid structures were broken, shows the force of the earthquake, and that the motion was quick and sudden, not gradual. Two of the gables had fallen, and in several places the rear walls of the building were cracked. The gable which fell was on the southwest corner of the building. The greater part of the space was occupied by a large bay-window, and this having been carried away, the gap appeared exceedingly large. The amount of mason work, however, is slight, and wood-work having been carried away, the destruction
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appeared greater than it actually was. The mason work of another gable was cracked and will probably be removed. The side and interior walls appeared to be without a flaw, but in the few walls where there were numerous openings for doors and windows, cracks could be observed upon careful examination. Only a small portion of the flooring is laid, and when the building is completed it will be much stronger than at present.
INCIDENTS.
Numbers of chimneys, which have not fallen, are cracked and twisted, and unless house-owners are careful much loss might be occa- sioned by fire. The Mayor has issued an order calling attention to this fact, and it is to be hoped that every chimney in the city will be thoroughly examined.
The large chimney of the furnace at the Contra Costa Laundry was twisted out of place several inches, but no damage was done to the machinery or the brick walls of the building.
Mr. Thompson, a carpenter, was at work on the top of the spire of the Baptist Church, on Fourteenth Street, at the time of the earth- quake. The top of the spire is one hundred and fifty feet from the ground, and swayed to and fro in a fearful manner. Mr. Thompson maintained his position until the earthquake subsided.
At the Point two men were engaged in digging a well, one of them being in the shaft and the other at the windlass. At the first shock the windlass man deserted his post and left the man in the well to take care of himself. We did not ascertain the name of the wind- lass man, whose presence of mind and heroism (?) should be widely published.
The drawbridge on the line of the S. F. and O. R. R. was thrown out of place about eight inches, and as the locomotive and nearly all the cars were at San Antonio, no train left Oakland at 8 o'clock.
Those accustomed to leave on that train went upon the Louise, from the foot of Broadway Wharf. James Bachelder, the engineer, whose presence of mind has often been illustrated, hastened to the Point, got up steam on the old locomotive, and, gathering all the box and platform cars to be found, made the 10 o'clock trip and all the others at the proper hours. The accident to the draw has been remedied, and trains will run to-day at the regular hours.
There were a number of workmen busy at the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, one or two being at the top of the tower, which is 146 feet high. None of them were in any way injured.
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It was noticed throughout the city that chimneys and walls fell toward the South, not a single exception being noticed.
The only damage to persons, occurring in Oakland, was sustained by Mrs. Cord, who, rushing from her residence on Twelfth Street, was just in time to intercept a falling brick from the cornice of Boardman's building, and received quite a severe cut on the head. The heavy cornice of the building came to the ground with a terrible erash.
The tall chimney of the workshop of the Alameda Railroad vibrated more than a foot from a perpendicular line, but was not thrown down.
On the locomotive the sensation was the same as if it were run- ning off the track, and at the first shock the engineer feared such an accident had happened.
A Mr. Davis, who resides on a farm near San Leandro, informs the Bulletin that the workmen on his farm at the time the shock occurred, observed that the ground was disturbed and thrown about with a rapid and violent rotary motion, which continued several sec- onds. A creek running through the farm, and which was nearly dry, rose instantly to the depth of about three feet, and several deep gulches were formed in the plain. His house was literally twisted in pieces and prostrated to the ground, but the family escaped as if by a miracle. Mrs. Davis was caught in the ruins. She was badly but not dangerously wounded about the head and face, and is recovering from her injuries.
The following observations appeared in the San Leandro Gazette, of the date following the earthquake :
"There was no approach to panic, and the women and children behaved in a most heroic and sensible manner. Those who suffered least vied with each other in rendering assistance and aid to their less fortunate neighbors. The strong of nerve labored to quiet the apprehensions of the timid, and it was gratifying to witness the numerous acts of kindness and general manifestations of brotherly love among all our citizens. All the nobler qualities of human nature were exhibited, and selfishness was nowhere exposed. Mat- ters are beginning to assume their wonted appearance, and all are busy repairing as fast as possible the damages sustained.
" We make no apology for our somewhat demoralized appearance, for we are thankful, as we look upon the wreck around us, that we are able to issue even these few hastily-written words. Fortunately, the first and fourth pages of the Gazette were printed on Tuesday
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evening. The forms had been taken from the press and laid upon the stone, and the shock overturned it and destroyed them. The advertising pages for the inside of the paper were only slightly pied, and by using some of our job letter, and judiciously patching up the dead matter which was not "pied," we are enabled to put in an ap- pearance. As our two principal advertising pages are worthless, we will be obliged to issue a small sheet next week. New material will have to be procured, and everything reset, before we assume our usual appearance. Fondly hoping-devoutly praying-that our fair town, county and State may never again be visited by so devastating a phenomena, we present you, dear reader, with our earthquake edition."
Mr. Warring Wilkinson, Principal of the Deaf and Dumb and Blind Asylum, whose building was then in the course of completion, in a letter to the Bulletin, showed how a solidly constructed, although fresh stone edifice, could stand the severest of earthquakes :
" On Friday, October 23d, the Commissioners appointed for the location and erection of the new institution, visited the grounds to examine critically the condition of the building. As Principal of the institution I accompanied them. We spent three hours in and around the edifice. Every portion, from foundation stone to roof, was inspected thoroughly. There was no disposition to cover up any defects that may be found, or to solace themselves with the idea that no damage had been done. As guardians of a publie trust, and responsible for the future safety of wards whom the State has ever treated with tender care, the Commissioners desired simply the truth. As the result of that investigation, every member of the Board is more convinced than ever before of the strength and honest construction of the building, and fully believes that if it had been finished no injury beyond the loss of the stone chimneys would have been sustained. The testimony of the workmen goes to show that the earthquake was very severe at that point. Mr. Mecreey, the carpenter, who was on the roof, states that the chapel walls swayed back and forth not less than four feet, and he believes that had the walls been of brick, they would have been leveled with the ground. The mason, who was several rods to the rear, says that the whole structure seemed tossing like a ship on a wild sea, the waves coming cornerways in such rapid succession as to keep all parts of the build- ing in continual motion. And yet throughout the whole foundation there is not the slightest trace of a crack. Let us now go through
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the building in detail. The Commissioners made the circuit of the walls and entered."
The county records were all saved, and the County Clerk and other officials established themselves in the Methodist Episcopal Church, a small edifice, but the only place available, until a new county build- ing was erected.
The lamented Josselyn's funeral took place at 11 o'clock on the morning of the 23d of October, from the Presbyterian Church, and under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity. His remains were interred in Mountain View Cemetery, near Oakland, and over eighty carriages formed the funeral procession.
The first rain of the season commenced at dusk on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and continued, with but little abatement, till a late hour on Thursday night.
On the 9th of November the 'Board of Supervisors met and can- vassed the vote at the late election for presidential electors, supervis- ors, and other township officers.
The Supervisors, at their meeting of November 16th, agreed upon plans for a new Court house and jail and Recorder's office. They were prepared by Mr. Barnes, architect, and provided for a one-story wooden building in front, over the foundation of the old Court House. Iron cells were provided for the jail. The Recorder's office was brick, and fire-proof.
The Estudillo House re-opened, on the 19th of December, with a ball, after being closed for repairing damages received during the great earthquake.
The whole number of votes cast in the county, in 1868, was 3,123, a gain in ten years of 1,617.
A special committee of the Board of Supervisors, appointed to purchase a suitable piece of ground on which to establish the County Infirmary, were instructed by the Board to purchase fifty acres of land belonging to a Mr. Puff, and situated above the county road, between San Leandro and Haywards. The soil was reported excel- lent, and watered by a running stream. The law of April 18, 1860, authorized the establishment of County Infirmaries, and is as follows:
SECTION 1. The Supervisors of each and every county in this State shall be and they are hereby authorized to erect and establish county infirmaries within their respective counties, whenever, in their opinion,
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such measure will be advantageous, and for that purpose it shall be lawful for the said Supervisors to purchase such lot or tract of land, of not more than one hundred and sixty acres, and erect thereon one or more suitable buildings for the accommodation of the institution ; provided, that if the Supervisors of any county shall think proper to purchase land and erect a county infirmary under the provisions of this Act, the expense of such purchase and erection shall be defrayed by a tax levied in the objects of county taxation, described in the Twelfth Section for that express purpose, which shall be collected and paid over at the same time, and in the same manner that other taxes are collected; provided also, that said tax shall not exceed one-fourthi of one per cent .; provided further, that when there is a sufficient sum of money in the Special Hospital Fund of any county therefor, or other provision is made by law for raising said sum, the tax author- ized by this section may or not be levied, at the option of the Board of Supervisors.
A great deal of interest was excited in Sheriff Morse's pursuit and capture of a murderer named Newell, in the latter end of this year. The facts of the case briefly told are these: On the 20th of Septem- ber, in Castro Valley, back of Haywards, two men named Lighton and Newell had a dispute over a dog fight, when Newell shot Lighton through the head with a pistol, causing a wound from the effects of which he died on the 26th of the same month. Newell immediately mounted a horse and escaped. As soon as possible after receiving information of the murder and the escape of the murderer, Sheriff Morse, accompanied by his trusty aid, Constable Morehouse, set out in pursuit of the fugitive. They traveled over 200 miles of territory, making a careful search for their man wherever they went. They ransacked the coal mines of Contra Costa and Alameda, and after a protracted absence returned without their man. Subsequently they heard of him in the southern country and again set out in pursuit. They tracked him over the sierras and through deserts, at times los- ing all traces of him and again finding only the faintest clue. At last they stumbled over the rotting carcass of his abandoned and dead horse, and finally found him with an assumed name, working as a laborer on the Los Angeles and Anaheim Railroad; and on the 7th of November arrived with him at San Leandro. He was tried soon after, and convicted, and the case appearing only a homicide, Newell was sentenced to six years imprisonment at San Quentin.
The legislation of the year 1868, for the benefit of Alameda County, was as follows :
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An Act for the relief of Sheriff Morse, for the expenses in the pursuit of the murderer Ponce.
An Act to prevent stallions running at large in Alameda County.
An Act to confer a wharf franchise at Ocean View on Messrs. Hayward and Jacobs.
An Act to regulate compensation of Township Assessors.
An Act authorizing the election of additional Supervisors.
An Act to enable the County Auditor to certify to the amount of school money in the Treasury.
An Act to enable County Supervisors to levy a tax for building Recorder's office and jail.
An Act to provide payment of the State's portion of salary of Auditor.
An Act concerning roads and highways.
An Act concerning San Francisco and Alameda Railroad, extend- ing time for building wharf.
An Act for the preservation of trout.
An Act establishing boundaries of pound districts.
An Act conferring a wharf franchise at the Encinal of San An- tonio to Aughenbaugh and others.
An Act relating to election of County Clerk and Recorder. Re- corder to be ex-officio Auditor.
An Act declaring San Leandro Creek between its mouth and "An- drew's Landing " navigable.
An Act to enable the City of Oakland to issue bonds to purchase lands and erect a City Hall.
An Act to authorize a tax for building, interest, and redemption purposes.
An Act to enable the City of Oakland to settle its land contro- versies.
An Act constituting the Mayor of Oakland a Commissioner for appraising land granted to Terminal Pacific Railroad-150 acres.
An Act legalizing the location of San Francisco and Alameda Railroad from Haywards to Washington Corners.
An Act concerning the Oakland Railroad.
An Act authorizing bonds to pay judgments against the City of Oakland.
An Act to keep San Antonio Creek navigable.
An Act to change the name of the Congregational Church to the First Congregational Religious Society of Oakland.
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.
1869-The Small-pox Prevalent -- The Agricultural Society and Jockey Club Re-organized-Public Hall in San Leandro-Criminals Arraigned-Marriages-Admissions to County Hospital-Suit Against the Railroad-A Railroad Survey of Crow Canon- Dissatisfaction with the New Court-house-Death of a Valuable Horse-Tresspasser Shot-Warm Springs Sold to A. A. Cohen- Arrest of the Horse-thief Robinson-San Leandro Water Com- pany Incorporated-Destructive Fire in Brooklyn-The Alameda Democrat Discontinued-Pleasanton Post-office Revived-Cali- fornia Lions About-The Brighton Market Association Elect New Officers-School Exhibition at Dublin-Odd Fellows' Hall at Haywards Dedicated-Suicide of Judge Walker-The New Agricultural Society Dissolved-The Velocipede Mania-Natural Photography-San Lorenzo Water Company-Catholic Fair at San Leandro-Rev. J. M. Alexander Resigned-General La- Grange Appointed Superintendent of the Mint-The State Uni- versity Established-Mr. Hillebrand Records his Celebrated Deed -Death of Dr. Haile-Serious Stage Accident-Union Bank Established-Failure of the Wheat Crop-The National Anni- versary-Union Convention-New Catholic Church at the Mis- sion-Mutual Provident Association-Death of John S. Chipman -Cost of Land-Fruits and Vegetables-The Oakland " Tran- script" Gone Democratic-Flour Mill at Livermore-The Elec- tions and their Results-Railroad Consolidation-Fire in the Foothills-A Pacific Race Track-The Western Pacific Railroad Co. Purchase the Oakland Ferry-Racing at Haywards-Laying of the Last Rail of the Overland Railroad, at Oakland-First Passenger Train Through Oakland-Great Rejoicing at the Event.
The small-pox was prevalent in various parts of the county, and at New Year's there were as many as eleven cases reported in Hay- wards alone, with one death. The disease was brought from San Francisco, where it was raging with much virulence. Several pro- minent citizens of Alameda died of it.
The Alameda County Agricultural Society and Haywards Jockey Club were reorganized and consolidated at the beginning of the new year, under the name of the Haywards' Trotting Park Association. Wm. Hayward was chosen President ; Wmn. Roberts, Vice-President; M. W. Levy, Secretary ; and D. Smalley, Treasurer.
A new public hall was erected in San Leandro, by Mr. Geo. E.
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Smith, which was dedicated by a public ball, on the last day of the old year, under the management of the Madigan Brothers, of the Estudillo House.
At the County Court, held January 4th, in the new Court-house, the following prisoners were arraigned: Edward Minor, Joseph Newell, Alphonso Benouf, J. Sullivan, R. Ryan, Rafael Altamoreno. These men were all charged with serious crimes, one, at least, being for murder.
Returns in January showed that there were 196 marriage licenses issued by the County Clerk during the year 1868. 194 persons were admitted into the County Hospital during the same year. There were four patients in the Oakland pest-house, attended by a cook and nurse and a visiting physician. The monthly allowance required for sala- ries for the institution was $450.
Benjamin A. Harrison commenced suit in the Fourth District Court, San Francisco, against the San Francisco and Oakland Rail- road Company, to recover $25,000 damages for the death of his daughter, Cora Harrison, on the occasion of the disaster at Oakland Pier, July 4th, 1868. He also sued for $5,000 damages sustained by his wife, Lydia Harrison, at the same time. He joined with his wife in a third suit against the company for damages, and prayed for a judgment against it for $20,000.
The following obituary notice appeared in the Alta: .
" Died, at Wilmington, Delaware, on the 30th of January, Rebecca Donaldson Gibbons, relict of the late William Gibbons, M. D., in the 84th year of her age. She was the mother of Dr. Henry Gibbons, of San Francisco ; Dr. William P. Gibbons, of Alameda ; Dr. Edward Gibbons, of Oakland, and Rodmond Gibbons, of San Francisco. She reared to adult age 13 children, of whom 11 survive her; together with 35 grand-children, and 7 great grand-children. Her life was one of active benevolence, and her chief happiness consisted in mak- ing others happy. As a Christian, her faith and hope were unbounded. Having filled the measure of time of duty, she awaited calmly and cheerfully the summons to depart. For her the Valley of the Shad- ow of Death had no darkness, no gloom ; and she entered it with the confidence of the traveler who has already trodden the path and found it full of life and joy."
The Pacific Railroad Company's engineers completed a survey through Crow Cañon to Castro Valley, and in addition surveyed a line through Indian Canon, down the San Leandro, thence to Oak-
18
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land. The route presented too many objectionable features to war- rant its adoption.
The appearance, style and discomfort of the new Court-house excited general complaint.
A very valuable horse, known as "Cassius M. Clay, Jr.," died at San Leandro on the 29th of January. He was owned by Capt. P. W. Dickey, who considered him the fastest untrained horse in the world, and valued him at $10,000. This was a serious loss to the stockraisers of the Pacific Coast, as well as to his owner. His colts were among the fastest in the State, and were selling at very high prices.
A man named John Alty shot a Spaniard who was trying to force an entrance one night into a stable where he slept. He told him several times to go away, which he declined to do, and he then shot him, the ball taking effect in one of the arms, and in a few days he died from the effects of the wound. Alty, after giving bail to appear, was dismissed by the Grand Jury of the County Court of any crimi- nal intent. The occurrence took place at Laddsville.
The property so well known as the Warm Springs, belonging to the Rancho Agua Caliente, was sold to A. A. Cohen, Esq. The sum paid was $100,000. These Springs a few years ago constituted the most popular summer resort in the State.
Sheriff Morse arrested, on the 5th of April, in Palmyras Canon, a notorious thief and desperado named S. F. Robinson, on the charge of stealing a set of harness from the barn of Thomas Livingston, San Lorenzo. Robinson had several other charges of a serious character standing against him.
There were filed in the office of the Secretary of State, on the 17th of April, articles of incorporation of the San Leandro Water Com- pany, the objects of which were to appropriate, hold and enjoy all the waters of the stream known as the San Leandro creek and tributaries thereof, in the County of Alameda, and supplying pure, fresh water to the inhabitants of San Leandro, Oakland and Alameda. Capital stock, $150,000, in shares of $100 each. Term of existence, fifty years. Principal place of business, San Francisco. Trustees, Austin D. Moore, Edwin B. Mastic and Noble Hamilton.
The most destructive fire that ever occurred in Brooklyn broke out on the evening of the 18th of April, when Plummer's building, containing Webster & Co.'s grocery store, the Post-office, Bamber's Express office, Bangle's drug-store, Heilner & Bro.'s dry-goods store,
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and O'Keefe's shoe shop, was destroyed. The upper part of this building was used for a public hall. An unoccupied blacksmith's shop and a hotel kept by Mrs. Wilson were also destroyed. The roof of Swett's Hall was burned off, and some other buildings on the opposite side of the street injured. The loss was estimated at $20,000, which was partly covered by insurance. The cause of the fire was unknown.
The Alameda Democrat, started and published in San Leandro, the previous year, was discontinued on the 28th of April, for want of support.
The Post-office, which had been established some time previously at Pleasanton and discontinued, was revived in April of this year.
Farmers in Livermore Valley complained of depredations by Cali- fornia lions on their stock. It was very unusual to hear of those animals doing harm so far north.
The Butchers, Drovers and Stock Raisers' Association elected the following officers, on the 29th of May, in addition to their old offi- cers, who were re-elected : William Mattox, President ; W. Fulton, Vice-President.
The usually quiet little town of Dublin presented a lively appear- ance on May morning, as groups of children were wending their way in conveyances and on foot to the school-house, where an event of more than usual interest was to transpire. The occasion was a pic-nic and school exhibition. At one o'clock there were 600 people present at the pic-nic ground, a very unusual number for that local- ity. The May-day festivities were observed with more than usual display. Miss Fitzgerald was honored as Queen of the May. At 7 o'clock in the evening, the company reassembled at Green's Hall, but half of those who desired admission could not procure it. J. W. Dougherty, Esq., occupied the chair. Singing and recitations fol- lowed. The day was one long remembered in the Amador Valley.
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