^^;o ::^^'\.' ■'
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC I
%mmii^p^
3 1833 01102 7882
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Ventura Loses Many \
Ancient Buildings
VBNTURA, May Jo.- Three old laud-'
marks are disappearing this week Leforei
the Diareh of progress. Almost weelily*
VeiitiM-a is IosIuk some old time struc-
ture ou Main street.
Tlie orit-laal ramarlllo home. bulH of
adobe about tlie year 1807. siibscqiieutly
l)eiaiue a part of Chiijatown, aud uow
being wrecked. On tbe property will be
erected a grocery store. The second
adobe being wrecked wa.<i built more
than fifty years ago. A modern service
room will be constructed on the proi.-
erly by the Hartnian Hrothers. The
third structure wrecked is the property
■y! C. G. Bartlctt and was recently occu-
|ii('d as a shoe shop. ) ^ "^(i
^^p
A MEMORIAL AND
OF THE COUNTIES OF ^ /
^k Vn ^!MI ^^ ^BF ^SK ^HB^^fwft. TOt ^mI ^^^%
Coqtainiqg a Historij of this lrr[portant Section of the Pacific Coast frotT[ thie Earliest
Period of its Occupancy to tlqe Preseqt Time, together with GliiT[pses of its
Prospective Future; with Profuse Illustrations of its Beautiful Sceqeru,
Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Enqiqent Men, and
Biographical Mentioq of n]aqLj of its Pioneers and
also of Promiqer|t Citizens of to-day,
By Mrs, Yda Addis Storke,
people that take no pride in the noble a3hievement3 of remote an;=3tor3 will never aohisve anything worthy
to be remembered with pride by remote deaoenianta."— J/rtc««/ay.
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1891.
: §arlow-SiBclatr PriBling ^o.,^
(Qhicago. $>
3x
1152322
^
1
^
^
SANTA BARBARA REGION.
In General—
First Visit of Whites 9
First Exploration and Founding of tlie Mis-
sions 10
An Invasion 17
Miscellaneous . 18
War with Mexico 24
Dress and Manners 30
Dana on Santa Barbara 29
Pioneers and their Descendants 31
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
In General —
Boundary 38
Exports 39
Items of Interest, 18o0-'90 39
Description 52
Land Grants 54
Tlie Channel Islands 56
Climate 58
City of Santa Barbara 63
Haley Survey 63
Miscellaneous Items 66
Public Library 67
Natural History Society 68
Fraternal Orstanizations 69
Churches 70
Banks 71
Court-House 72
Jail 73
County Hospital 73
Railroads 73
Water Supply 74
Electric Light 74
Minor Items .' . . . 74
The Mission 75
Schools 76
Medical Profession 79
Bench and Bar 79
Crimes 86
The Press 89
Eastern Portion op the County 90
Montecito 91
Hot Springs 93
Summerland 93
Oarpenteria 94
La Patera ,,.,,. 96
Goleta 96
The HoUister Place 98
The Western Portion op the County 99
Lompoc 100
Ranchos 108
Los Alamos Valley 105
Santa Ynes Valley 108
Ballards 110
Ranchos 110
Santa Maria Valley 113
Ranchos 114
The Lost Woman 116
Resources 131
Hogs 131
Bee Farming 131
Fishery 133
Minerals 123
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
In General —
Origin and Description 136
Organization 139
Annals, 1851-'90 130
Land Grants 134
Topography 137
Soil 138
Climate 140
The Coast Region 143
Coast Towns 143
Cambria 144
Morro 145
Town of San Luis Obispo 146
Arroyo Grande 150
Other Points —
Newsom's Hot Sulphur Springs 153
Pizmo Beach 154
Ltis Berros 154
Nipomo 154
Eastern Portion of the County 154
San Miiruel 155
Paso Robles Hot Springs 156
Templeton 157
Rancho Santa Margarita 158
The Southern Border 160
Salinas Valley 160
The Painted Rock 161
Monte Diablo Mountains 161
Creeks 161
163
Resources—
1G3
Horticulture and Viticulture
164
166
170
171
. 173
Rancho Sespe
Fillm..re
223
Dairying
Exports
An Earthly Paradise, P
Rancho Camulos . .
ru City
224
"22.1
Rancho San Francisco
Western Portion op Ventura
Ranoho Canada San Miguelito
Rancho Canada Larga o'Verdo
Ojai Rancho
--25
226
226
2^6
Miscellaneous—
County Officers
... 177
177
1''8
PostotBces
Schools
179
Railroads
179
Santa Ana Vallev
^28
The Breakwater Question
Fraternal Organizations
179
. ... 180
..:.. 181
Rancho Santa Ana
S.\N Buenaventura. . . .
039
ThePrfss
VENTURA. COUNTY.
County Hospital
233
Court-House
238
Government and Business
Division from Santa Barbara
184
186
Jail
Churches
284
Gbnbkal Description—
Water Supply
Timber Supply
San Nicolas Island
Geology
Climate
195
. ... 196
197
198
The Press
240
Resources-
Agriculture
Horticulture
The Year's E.xporls
Stock-Raising
Bee-Keeping
Mining
Mineral Oils
241
245
249
Churches of Ventura
Public Schools
Eastern Portion op Ventura—
Santa Clara Valley
Rancho La Colonia
Hueneme
Guadalasca Rancho
Las Posas Rancho
Simi Rancho
201
201
'.'.'.'.'. 203
203
206
206
207
208
208
208
249
252
252
OKR
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Residence of the first Governor of California.
Frontispiece
SpringviUe
Calleguas Rancho
Mission San Miguel.
View of Santa Barbara. . .
...... 62
Newbury Park
Timberville
Central Portion op Ventura
Rancho San Miguel
Rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy
209
.... 210
210
211
San Buenaventura Mission.
Residence of A. S. Pietra. . .
Drying Prunes in the Uppe
Orange Orchard in the Ojai
Myron Angel
P.J.Barber
J. B. Shaw
W. W. Hollister
■bjai'Valley..'
Valley
2S9
261
345
345
441
010
Saticoy
New Jerusalem
216
.. ..218
633
649
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Abernethy Bros 366
Allen, B. G 302
Alvord, J. B 344
Anderson, A. L 522
Anderson, S. D 338
Angel, Myron 441
Anthony, C. J 603
Anthony, G. T 603
Arata Bros 356
Argabiite, J. L 663
Armstrong, W. M 508
Arnold, C. R 332
Arnold, RF ,454
Arnold, H. H 832
Arnold, Leroy 578
Arnold. M. H 545
Atmoie, Malhew 329
Atwood, E. A 353
Austin. W. H 607
Avila, J. V 628
Axtell, J. D 560
Bailard, John 282
Baker, F. W 369
Baker, H. W 536
Ball, ElljriUge 410
Ball, John 60U
Ballard, E. B 264
Ballou, S. D 648
Barber, P. J 553
Bard, C. L 487
Bard, T. R 471
Barker, J. A 677
Barker, J. L 307
Barkla, J. S 412
Barker, Wm 387
Barnard, A. D 498
Barrows, F. P ...585
Barrows, Thomas 519
noNTENTS.
Barry, E.S 298
Bartlett, C. G 378
Battles, R. E 393
Bean, E. P 669
Beattie, James 383
Beckett, J. F 408
Beckwitb, F. J 313
Bet-bee, W. L 3o8
Benn, VVm 528
Bennett, E. M 643
Bennett, Fayette 461
Bennett, J. R 505
Bennett, W. C 354
Bennison, H. G 576
Benton, A. F 483
Bish, Harrison 462
Either, Tyler 623
Blackburn, D. D 580
Blancbard, Natban W 459
Blochman, L. E 409
Blood, J. A 477
Blumberg, A. W 292
Boeseke, A. J 521
Boll, Michael 518
Bonestel, C. D 449
Booth, A. R 347
Borchard, Jolin 560
Borland, W. E 626
Boronda, E 482
Boyd, A. M 356
Bradley, Charles 609
Bradley, John 323
Bradley. Paul 419
Branch, F. Z 421
Branch, J. F (i05
Brewster, J. C 455
Bridge, J. H. & H. E 269
Broughton, U.J 491
Broughton, W. W 371
Browne, A. W 384
Buell, A. W 332
Bunce, I. H 353
Burdick, H. J 606
Burgess, F. P 606
Byers, P. L 342
Call, S. B 654
Call, S.J 645
Camarillo, A 584
Canet, A 404
Canon, W. S 515
Carle, O. C 557
Carnes, H. 8 481
Carr, Robert 425
Carter, C. E 431
Cass, James 316
Casteel, Jesse 610
Castro, J. C 6.58
Cavanaugh, T 669
Cawelti, John .594
Chaflfee. W. S 484
Charlebois, P 647
Cheal, James. ... 523
Chediston House 523
Chiesa, F 496
Clark, C. H 474
Clark, H. F 467
Clark, I. M 438
Clark. Thomas 296
Cleveland, E. M 548
Cody, N. T .547
Coffin, G. W 512
Cohn, Simon 589
Col), Jose 5jO
Collins, J. S 492
Conaway, J. A 316
Connelly, A 57.3
Cook, F. E 00 i
C..ok,R.D 514
Cook, W. C 300
Cotton, A. R 656
Cox, A. W 407
Crabb, Alonzo 593
Crane Bros • 282
Crane, G. G 304
Crane, H.G 562
Crane, J. L 542
Cravens, T. A 294
Crawford, J. M 237
Cummings, J. E 566
Cunnane, VV. B 272
Currier, C. J 289
Dalidet, Jr., P. H 666
Dally, H.J .533
Dana, D. A 419
Dana, H. C 424
Dana. W. G 56iJ
Davidson, B 403
Davis, Charles 570
Davis, F. C 639
Day, J. A 622
Decker, C. H 323
De la Guerra, Emanuel 654
De la Guerra, E. B 654
De la Rosa, ios& 568
Dennis, A. C ,522
De Home Bros 392
Dimmick, L. N ,533
Dimock, Joseph .-417
Dimock, H. C 446
Donlon Bros 580
Donlon, Jchn 5^8
Dormer, & Challenor 603
Douslas, Cyrus 409
Draper, J. B 614
Dubbers, Henry 371
Dunham, F. H 318
Duval, C. S 284
Duval, E A 541
Dyer, A H 4i0
Dyer, Wallace 417
Ealy, R. J 318
Earn, F. A 352
Earls, J. F 436
Eastin. L. F 646
Edd3', W. M 594
Elliott, Nathan 363
Emerson & Co 342
Estrada, Joaquin 672
Estrada, Nicolazo. 437
Evans, James 509
Evans, W. A 397
Exline, Levi 376
Faeb, Ambrose 378
Fagan, Michael 335
Fandrey, Joseph 486
Farrelly, P. F 357
Faulkner, C. P 582
Faulkner, G.W 559
Fernald, Charles 674
Fernandez, E 678
Field, F. F 619
Fisher, I. K 534
Fisk, Rufus 575
Fluegler, Emil 666
Flynn. M ichael 410
Ford, H. C 485
Forrester, L. L 436
Forrester, P. A 6.")8
Foxen, W . D 667
FrankI, Leopold 277
Franklin, B. H 280
Freire, M. P 478
Frink, C. H 301
Frost, F.D 642
Gagliardo, O. B 354
Gally.B. W 586
Garcia, Mrs. Julian 608
Garcia, Philemon 514
Gardner, C. O ooi
Garrett, Russell 661
Garrison, A. M 336
Gates, L. D 5:^1
Gerry, Waite ,5.=)2
Gilger, C. T ,587
Gisler, S. L ji04
Glass, J. H 3,5,5
Goodyear, J. D 544
Gordon, A. L 594
Gosnell, T. B '411
Gragg, G.T 071
Graham, J. W 001
Graham, Z 568
Grant, K P !'.'.. 549
Graves, Ernest 672
Graves, J. M 405
Graves, Murphy .540
Graves, William 655
Gregg. V. A '^sos
Gregory, D. S 607
Green, J.E 546
Greenlee, D.M 600
Green well, W. E ,595
Greer, Mrs. E. A 603
Gries, J. K 465
Grimes, Brice 319
Gruenliagen Bros 270
Guiberson, S. A 315
Gutiei rez, A. G 526
Gutierrez, B 510
Haines, Abner 633
Hall, C. L..'. 537
Hall, E. B 590
Hall, E.P 507
Hall. E.S 445
Hardisnn, Harvey 434
Hardison, L. A 321
Haidisou, W. L 620
Harkey, J. S 511
Harloe, Marcus 394
Harris. Joseph 510
Harris, R. R 383
Harrold, E. W 307
Harrold, Michael 583
nONTENTS.
Hart, Reuben
614
Lamy, Louis
Murphy, P. W
Muscio, Abram
Myers, J. R
635
331
308
.'.'....561
447
524
627
411
385
648
Larzelere, C. W
Law, S. L& Co
Lazcano, Alonzo
Lazcano, Bernardo
Lazcano, Mariano
Le Blanc, J. B
Lee & Rice
Lee, R, E
Leedham, E
407
591
390
391
.'.''.'.'.'644
333
655
613
Hathaway, F. C
Hawley,O.F
Haydock, R. B
Hayne,W. A
Nance, T. C
Nelson, Andrew ..
Newby.J. F
433
372
368
Hendricks, J. W
Henning, J.S
Hepburn & Terry
Herbst, J. H
Nichols, A. J
Nichols, G. B
Nichols, M.S
Nicholson, E. H
Nicoles, E. R
600
529
379
433
Herrera, Dolores
Higgins,P. C ..
386
281
Levy, Leon
Lewis, Henry
Lewis, W.S
Lewty, David
Liddle, James
488
343
'..!!!!6i6
643
422
Norcross. D. C
Norton, Thomas
Nott, Samuel
Nuttall, R. W
O'Hara, William
Old, Henry W
436
Higuera, T. B
HiUard, Fred
Hill, Jesse
479
538
435
506
297
506
Hill, J. G
Lillingston & Perry . .
Lima, J. P
Linbarger, L
Lindner, J. D
Lloyd L M
293
.'!.'.'.'! 432
375
9.a(\
Hill, R. W
Hill, Samuel
I-Iobart, Joseph
Hobson, P. J
448
349
290
637
346
641
499
326
336
649
632
. ...340
Oliver, L. G
Ortega, J. C
Orton, R
542
Hodges, T.E
Hogg, S. T
Hoit E. M
Hollister, John H
623
Long, G. H
Long, John
Loose, August
Low, C.P
Lucas, W. T
Lugo, Bernardino
Maddo.x, B, F
Maggi, G.R
Mallagh, W
Mallagh, a P
Mancilla, V
Maris, W.S
Marks, Joshua
Martin, Andrew
Manderscheid, G
Maulhardt, Jacob
Maulsby, O. W
McCabe, G. W
McClure, J. F
McCoy,J.E
McDonnell, John
McFerson,J. C
McGee, W.J
McGlashan, J
McGrath. D
McGuire, L N
405
613
660
267
501
476
385
540
667
665
611
496
567
277
616
559
.'.'.'.'!. 503
v. .!.468
669
375
384
418
565
,517
Palin,J.B
Patter, L. L
576
520
Hollister, Joseph H
Petersen, H
'^63
Holt Herman
Pezzoni, Antonio
Phillips, C. H
Pico, B
Pico, Z. A
Pierce, B. B
415
Horstman, A. F
Hosmer, Thomas
265
276
537
536
Hudiburgli, LN
345
640
314
303
413
350
364
Hudson, A. J
Pippin, W. T
391
Irwin, John
Jack, RE
Poland, Henson
Polley, H
Pomeroy, F
Porter, Arza
373
. ...579
610
399
James, D W
Prell, J. G
Price, J. M
Proctor, G. W
Pyster, John
Quarnstrom, John
Quintana, J
Quintana, Pedro. . . .
430
4'.'6
Jamison, W.C
Jatta, J. N
Jeflfreys W M
364
403
657
283
286
Jenkins'& McGuire
Jesse, J. V
Jewelt, Henry
Johnson, C. H .
Johnson, G. W. F
517
615
438
563
638
:;:.:;S
461
619
424
577
566
626
328
506
500
4t*8
624
414
274
550
277
530
470
....263
658
658
Ransom, John
Ready, P. P
521
Johnson, H. H
MoGuire, Wm
McHenry, Patrick
McKee, James
McKeeby, L.C
McKevett, C. H
McMillan, Peter
McNulta, Thomas
McPhail, A. F
Mears, John
Mehlman, H
Merritt, C.W
Meyer, J. F
295
467
.... 453
400
535
;;".'!;.535
593
.... 338
506
617
593
Ready, W. E...
562
Johnston, W. F
Jones, E. M
Jones, W.S
Kaiser, Joseph
Kaltmeyer, G. E
Kamp, H. L
Redrup, C. G
Reed, A. S
Reed, John
Reed, N. H
Reilly, W. H
.... 416
530
. ...370
540
Uemick,A.C
Rice, J. C
551
324
Kays, J. C.
Rice,J. H
Rice, T. A
....404
Keller, J
Kellogg, F.E
Kellogg, P. E
Kelsey, J. B
Kennedy, J L
Kilson, G. E
Kimball, C.N
Richardson, Frederick....
Richardson, G. M
Richards, G.W
Richards, J. T
Richards, W. D. F
Riley, C. C
Riley, W. S
....306
305
. . . .423
549
548
....313
Miller, D.S
Moody, J. P
Moore, E.E
Moore, F. A
Moore, S. T
-More, T. R
Moreno, F.P
496
... .662
. ...310
592
.... 513
546
...618
Kirkpatrick, R. R
Krill, F. A
Kiihlman.J. H
Roach, W.H
Robbins. G. W
Roberts, George
...431
663
. . . .454
CONTENTS,
Robinson, Richard 583
Robinson, S 644
Robinson, Thomas 420
Robison,T. J 509
Rochin, J. M 364
Rogers, A. C 564
Rogers, J. W 286
Root, Orville 616
Ross, W. L 418
Rotsler, G. P 311
Rucker, G. F 425
Rucker.Z.T 426
Ruffner, Joseph 395
Ruiz, Gabriel 269
Rundell, Eli 490
Ryan, W. H 474
Rynerson, A. C 585
Salzman, H. W 415
Sanborn, E.P 341
Sauer, G. F 668
Saulsbury, Thomas 437
Saunders, C. L 430
Saunders, W. A 390
Saunders, Z. W 604
Scarlett, John 588
Schiefferly, J. J 664
Scott, John 645
Seaton, J. H 512
Sedgwick, Charles 490
Sessions, O. V 466
Sewell, G. G 543
Sexton, Joseph 591
Shackelford, Otto 354
Shackelford, R. M 374
Sharon, Thomas 573
Sharp, J.M 520
Shaw, J. B 633
Sheldon, C. H 539
Shepherd, W. E 427
Sheppard, S. A 504
Sheppard, T. A 587
Sherman, C 613
Shick, J. W 432
Short, J.M 324
Short, W. N 410
Show, W. C 491
Simmler, J. J 516
Simpson, John 387
Simpson, V. A 458
Sittenfeld, A 294
Skellenger, L 310
Smith, D. A 457
Smith, Frank 321
Smith, G. C 617
Smith, H. B 265
Smith, N. B 397
Smith, N. D 339
Smith, R. D 266
Smith, Solon 531
Snow, H. K. Jr 352
Snyder, J. D 518
Soule, C. E 444
Sparks, I.J 393
Spanne, John 385
Spence, John 428
Sperry,H.A 673
Sprout, W. P 598
Squier, O. P 299
St. Clair, C. L 655
Steele, E. W 525
Steele, Sebern 377
Stevens, R. K 278
Steward, Marvin 498
Stiles, H.M 468
Stock, Frederick. . 327
Stoddard, Henry 599
Stone, George 627
Stone, W. R 439
Storke, C. A 537
Stowell, E.A 646
Stowell, George 412
Streeter, W. A 494
Summers, Henry 406
Surdam, R. G 632
Sutton, R. S 293
Sweet, J. W 610
Swift Brothers 272
Taggart, Edwin 541
Tailant, E. C 592
Taylor, G. O 618
Taylor, James 659
Taylor, W. H 845
Tebbetts, G. P 492
Thompson, C. A 301
Thompson, John 656
Thornburgh, M 440
Tognazzini, A 273
Townsend, J. B 604
Toy, Daniel 401
Truitt, D. T 388
Tucker, B.F 381
Tutt, E. R 388
Twitchell, F. C 574
Utter, M. S 56?
Vance, J. R 471
Van Gorden, Geo 658
Van Gorden, Ira 571
Veneble, McD. R 524
Von Schroeder, Baron 479
Walbridge, O. C 452
Walden, G. R 464
Walker, Alfred 618
Walker, James 462
Ward, A 611
Ward, F. P 440
Warden, L. M 625
Wason, Milton 528
Webb, H.P 630
Webster, Gaius 261
Webster, L. T 287
Weill, Isidore 382
Welch, G.C 337
Wells, M.T 628
Wells, 8. T 572
Wells, Timothy 348
Whitaker, W. S 278
White, F. M 630
Whitney, B.P 601
Whitney, S. E 626
Wigmore, J. & A. A 508
Wiley, B. T 396
Wilkinson, J. M 396
Willett, Jacklin 401
Williams, B. T 451
Williams, E. B 309
Williams, H.L 273
Williams, Julia F 298
Williams, J.F 503
Williams, T. J 423
Williamson, A 879
Willoughby, J. R 502
Wilson, A. C.J 327
Wilson, I. L 670
Wilson, J. C 344
Woodberry, W 662
Woolever, A 631
Wolff, M.L 460
Young, C. J. .
Young, J. V. N.
Zeller, W. M
.429
.613
A HISTORICA.L SKETCH OF THE COA.ST COUNTIES OP SA.NTA BARBARA, VENTURA,
AND SAN LUIS OBISPO, FROM THEIR DISCOVERY TO THE PERIOD OF
AMERICAN OCCUPATION.
THE FIRST VISIT OF WHITES
known to have been made to the waters
washing the shores of the three present
counties composing our group, was that of
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and his sturdy men,
in his two vessels, the San Salvador and La
Victoria. Having enjoyed the shelter of the
"land-locked and very good harbor" at San
Miguel (San Diego), touched at Santa Cata-
lina and San Pedro, and sailed past Santa
Monica, they discovered, on Tuesday, Octo-
ber 10, 1542, a great valley, opposite which
they anchored, seeing on shore some villages
of peaceable Indians, with whom they traded
and whom they called " los pueblos de las
canoas," because these people had a great
many canoes. These towns were in 35° 20',
being near the present San Buenaventura,
the valley that is now called Santa Clara.
Here the Spaniards remained four days,
taking formal possession, and communicating
as best they could with the natives, who
came off in fine large canoes, each carrying
a dozen or so of n^en, who averred that other
whites, like unto these visitors, were in the
interior, and who told of maize growing in
their own valley. Fishermen were these In-
dians, dressed in skins, and living largely on.
raw fish and agaves. Leaving this anchor-
age on Friday, October 13, the Spaniards
passed, at some seven leagues distance, two
large islands about four leagues long each,
and about four leagues from the mainland.
There were many cabins and trees along the
coast, and continually the ships were boarded
by natives fi*om their canoes, who pointed
out to the navigators and named the villages,
whose, names were certainly strange enough
to the ears that then heard them — Xiicu,
Bis, Sofono, Alloc, Xabaiigua, Xotococ, Po-
toltuc, Nacbuc, Misinagua, Misesopano, El-
qnis, Coloc, Quelqueme, Mugu, Xagua, An-
acbuc, Partocac, Susuquey, Quanmu, Gua,
Asimn, Aguin, Oasalic,Tucumu, and Incpupu
On the 15th they passed an island fif-
teen leagues long, very populous, with six
villages, which they named San Lucas (now
Santa Cruz). Two days later they were in
latitude 34° 28', abreast of the present Gav-
iota Pass, where the natives ate no maize,
went clothed in skins, and wore their very
long hair tied up with cords placed within
PRE-AMERWAN BISTORT OF'
tlie hair, from which dangled many small
daggers of wood, bone and flint. Still north-
ward, passing many points and capes, now
and then the mouth of a river emptying into
the sea, and everywhere evidences of a numer-
ous population. Past San Simeon Bay and
Laa Piedras Blancas (between which now
stands San Luis Obispo), and on up the coast
to a little northward of 40°, whence they re-
turned southward, until, on November 23,
they were once more at their old harbor on
San Miguel Island. And here they remained
for nearly two months, and re-named the
island Juan Podriguez, for their stanch cap-
tain, who lound a grave there; for on Janu-
ary 3, 1543, Cabrilio died from the results of
a broken arm, aggravated by the exposure of
the voyage. At his instance, urged while
dying, the expedition once more sailed north-
ward, under Bartolome Ferrelo, and reached
about 44°, then returned, reaching their
home port, Navidad, on April 14.
And it was sixty years before the whites
again
isited these shores.
Then, in 1603, came Sebastian Vizcaino,
commanding an exploring fleet of three Span-
isli vessels. It would seem that he knew
naught of the discoveries of Cabrilio; for to
all the points of interest he gave new names,
mostly from the saint claiming the day of
their discovery. And it must be said that
many of the names applied by Vizcaino are
those in use to-day. After exploring, re-
cuperating, and re-naming San Diego, and
also San Clemente and Santa Catalina Isl-
ands, they came to t'a regular row of isl-
ands from four to six leagues distant from
each other." Vizcaino was the first to note
the parallelism of this chain of islands with
the coast of the mainland, and lie it was who
gave to the intervening broad passage the
name El Canal de Santa Barbara. Being
anxious to reach northern latitudes whilst
the favorable winds should last, Vizcaino did
not anchor here. He had, however, a visit
from an Indian who appeared to be the king
of tbe coast, who came off in a boat with four
paddles, and urged tlie visitors to lard.
Noting the absence of women in the vessels,
he offered ten for each man! But on to the
northward went Vizcaino, as far as Cape
Mendocino, and the rest of his voyage has
no local connection with the scene of the
present writing.
FIRST EXPLORATION, AND FOUNDING OF THK
MISSIONS.
It will be remenibered that the Mission of
San Diego was not yet formally founded,
when the concmandant, Gaspar de Portola,
zealous for the extension of the territories to
be dominated by the missions, set forth
northward, to reach Monterey Bay by a coast
route. His party comprised sixty- four per-
sons, who left San Diego July 14, 1769.*
Just one month later they "crossed from a
point near the month of the Santa Clara to
the shore farther north, where they found
the largest Indian village yet seen in Cali-
fornia. The houses were of spherical form,
thatched with straw, and the natives used
boats twenty-four feet long, made of pin^
boards tied together with cords and covered
with asphaltum, capable of carrying each ten
fishermen. A few old blades of knives and
swords were seen. Some, inhabitants of the
Channel Islands came across to gaze at the
strangers. Previonsly the inhabitants had
bartered seeds, grass baskets and shells for
the coveted glass beads, but now fish and
carved bits of wood were added to the limited
list of commercial products. Thus more food
waa oflered than could be eaten. This fine
pueblo, the first of a long line of similar
ones along the channel coast, was called
THE SANTA BARBARA REGION.
Asuncion, and \Yas identical in site with the
modern San Buenaventura."
Proceeding on northward toward Monterey
Bay in 17(J9, the route of Fortola and his
command, from the middle of August through
the first week of September, followed tlie
coast of the Santa Barbara channel westward,
through a dense population of the natives,
gathered into many large villages or ranche-
rias. These Indians showed unfailing hospi-
tality. All along this way the Spaniards re-
mained in sight of the Channel Islands. On
August 18 they came to a settlement which
they called Laguna de la Concepcion, wliich
was near the present Santa Barbara, it being
supposed that this city indeed occupies the
exact site of that aboriginal village. The
Spaniards stayed not here, but marched on
northward, and here, as in San Buenaventura,
the project of settlement was left in abeyance
for some years.
Before returning to San Diego this expe-
dition pushed northward to San Francisco
Bay. Of their passage through the district
at present under consideration, traces still
survive, in the way of names applied by
them then, as La Gaviota, Los Osos and El
Buchon.
Although of the present group the most
northern county was then the territory most
remote from San Diego, the first base of
operations, it was nevertheless to receive the
attention of the Spaniards eai-lier than either
Ventura or Santa Barbara.
The mission and presidio of San Carlos
Borromeo de Monterey having been founded
in June, 1770, the colonists there found
themselves, in May, 1772, almost destitute
of provisions, owing to the delay in arrival
of the supply vessels. Late in this month
Captain Lages took thirteen men to the Can-
ada de los Osos (Gulcli of the Bears), where
they staid for three months hunting bears.
whose meat supplied the presidio and the
mission until the arrival of the ships.
When this succor at last came, the presi-
dent, going southward, resolved that on tlie
way he would establish one of the new mis-
sions at this famous caiiada, where there was
abundance of game and good laud. Accord-
ingly, on September 1, 1772, Padre Junipero
raised the cross and said mass, thus founding
the Mission of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa,
which he left in charge of Padre Cavalier,
with five soldiers and some Indians. The
natives, no doubt gratefully bearing in mind
Pages' exploits among their ursine neigli-
bors, were well disposed toward the new-
comers, whom tliey assisted by their labors,
and by contributions of seeds to the com-
missary. Perhaps the father, too, derived
some solace and encouragement from their
readiness to accept the rite of baptism for
their children.
In Palou's report on the missions, for-
warded to Mexico at the close of 1773, San
Luis Obispo is stated to liave but twelve
converts. " It is," so says the report, '• hard
to attract the people here to the mission. Tiie
population is very numerous, and of friendly
disposition toward the missionaries; but as
the Indians, having plenty of deer, rabbits, fish
and seeds, are better supplied with food than
are the Spaniards, they cannot be controlled
by self-interest. Moreover, as there is no
rancheria close by. they do not stay in tile
vicinity of the mission. The buildings here
are somewhat less extensive than at some of
the other establishments, but there is plenty
of fertile land, well wooded and well watered,
and there has been a small crop of beans and
corn even this first year." By 1780 San
Luis had some 2,000 bushels surplus of
maize.
K was not until April, 1782, after the
founding of the missions of San Carlos, San
PRE-AMEJilGAN UlSTORT OF
Antonio, San Gabriel, San Francisco and San
Juan Capistrano, and the beginning of pue-
blos and presidios, that further measures were
taken toward the settlement of these districts.
Then, indeed, there came up thitlier the
largest expedition as yet seen in California,
comprising, besides the officers, seventy sol-
diers and their families. Coming from San
Gabriel, they reached March 29, the first
rancheria on the Santa Barbara channel, that
village which had been called Asuncion in
1769 by Portula's party, and which had been
selected long since as a suitable site tor a
mission. Here, near the beach, and in close
vicinity to the native huts of straw and tule,
shaped in conical fashion, the cross was duly
raised beneath its arbor-like shelter, and, on
the 31st, the mission was formally founded
and dedicated to the " seraphic doctor," Gio-
vanni di Fidanza. Padre Junipero Serra
himself it was who preached the dedicatory
sermon. There were present many natives,
who expressed much pleasure in the estab-
lishment of the mission, to the building of
whoso edifices they cheerfully lent their
labors.
The facilities here were good for irrigation,
also for procuring good building material.
By April 12 of that year, there had been
completed an enclosure of 40 x 50 varas (a
vara is 33J inches) of palisades four varas
high, having two ravelins, a gate and a small
warehouse.
Padre Cambon remained until May in
charge of the new mission; then Padre Fran-
cisco Dumetz and Padre Vicente de Santa
Maria arrived there as regular ministers.
Notwithstanding the cordiality of the natives,
only two adults received the rite of baptism
during 1782.
The first marriage ceremony performed
at the mission church was that of MariaCon-
cepcion Martiel, of Alamos, Sonora, Mexico,
and Alejandro Sotomayor of Fuerte, Mexico,
Padre Dumetz officiating, on August 8, 1782.
The first baptism was that of Jose Cresencio
Valdez, son of Eugenio Valdez Espanol, on
April 27, 1782.
About the middle of April, leaving a ser-
geant and fourteen men as a guard at the
newly founded mission, the governor and the
president with the rest of the party journeyed
on up the coast to establish the presidio of
Santa Barbara.
The site chosen was probably that which
Portolii's expedition of 1769 liad called La-
guna de la Concepcion. Here work was be-
gun at once, and on April 21, Padre Serra
formally established the fort, with the saying
of mass and the chanting of an alabado (a
hymn of praise; a Te Deum). The fort was
constructed on an eminence, near some
springs and a lagoon. The palisades were of
oak from the neighboring timber, and the
first enclosure was sixty varas square. This
stockade was replaced later by a solid wall,
around an area eighty yards square. The na-
tives were friendly, and their labors here were
repaid with food and clothing. The chieftain
of the native town here had authority over
no less than thirteen rancherias, and his sup-
port was of great valne to the settlers. So
favorably did matters progi'ess here, that
soon irrigation works were constructed, and
farming was begun on a small scale.
The founding of a mission here was long
postpotied, owing to the enmity of the secu-
lar authorities toward the friars; but at last,
1786, more than two years after the death of
the devoted Padre Junipero, the president
with two friars of recent arrival went to the
presidio and made preparations for the formal
founding of the mission, the tenth to be es-
tablished in Alta California. Thus, on De-
cember 4, 1786, the cross was raised and
blessed, and the mission dedicated to Saint
THE SANTA BARBARA REGION.
Barbara, Virgin and Martyr, the patroness of
artillerymen in the Spanish army. The cere-
monies were not completed at this time, as
Fages, the governor, was absent, and he liad
ordered operations to be suspended until his
arrival. If he had meant to impede the pro-
ceedings of the clergy here, he appeared to
think better of it upon reflection, and, after
his arrival, the first mass was said by Padre
Paterna, a sermon was preached by Lasuen,
and thus was completed the founding of la
Mision de Santa Barbara, Virjen y Martir.
The first baptism was on December 31, and
the rite was administered at the presidio, as
the rains prevented the erection of buildings
at the mission itself for the time. However,
a church 18 x 90 feet was completed in 1789,
and by the end of 1790 there were numerous
mission buildings, well built of adobes, and
roofed with tiles. By this time, the number
of baptisms here had reached 520, and tiie 102
deaths left 438 neophytes at that date. At
this time, Santa Barbara mission owned 296
head of large, and 503 head of small, stock,
and the agricultural products amounted to
about 1,500 bushels.
Yet the mission had poor resources, and
owing to this lack of means to support the
Indians, only voluntary converts were admit-
ted at first
The formal founding of the third of the
channel missions took place on December 8,
1787, this day being selected as being that
dedicated to " Our Lady of the Immaculate
Conception." Tliis because it had been deter-
mined to consecrate this new. mission to that
service, and it was accordingly called " de la
Purisima Concepcion." The mere act of
founding accomplished, this mission was left
alone until March, 1788, when a detachment
returned thither to prepare buildings. By
August, 1788, there had been enrolled seven-
ty-nine neophytes. The site of this mission
was changed somewhat later, as will be
shown.
There were in the Purisima district over
fifty rancherias, or Indian villages.
At this time, the white population of Santa
Barbara presidial district was about 220, or
360, including Los Angeles. The natives
were employed as hired laborers, and they did
their work well. The neophytes of this en-
tire district, including San Gabriel and San
Fernando, numbered at this period nearly
4,000.
The presidio had eight guns, all but one of
brass, from one to six pounds of caliber.
Half of these were distributed amono- the
missions, but they were not in use, as there
was no hostility among the Indians, and the
foreign disturber as yet appeared not.
At San Buenaventura, Padres Dumetz and
Santa Maria had continued as ministers
throughout this decade; and so zealous were
they that the lukewarmness of the Indians
was overcome, so that the neophytes increased
from twenty-two to 388 within this period,
besides 115 who died as converts. The large
stock had now increased from 103 to 961,
the small stock from forty-four to 1,503; and
the crops for 1790 were over 3,000 bushels.
The natives hereabouts continued friendly;
but, in view of the great number of them, it
was deemed prudent to maintain here a larger
guard than at the other missions. However,
this •' large guard " would seem to have been
absurdly inadequate to hold in check the
hordes of Indians, had they chosen to be hos-
tile, for the force numbered now fifteen, and
now only ten men.
On November 10, 1798, Vancouver an-
chored at Santa Barbara, where he was court-
eously received by the commandant, Goycoe
chea,and hospitably entertained by the padres,
who saw the importance of a favorable im-
pression to be made upon visiting foreigners.
PRE-AMERICAN UI STORY OP
The Englishman pronounced the appearance
of the place " far more civilized than any
other of the Spanish establishments, * * *
the buildings regular and well constructed,
the walls clean and white, and the roofs of
the houses covered with a bright red tile."
" The presidio," he wrote, " excels all the
others in neatness, cleanliness, and other
smaller though essential comforts; it is placed
on an elevated part of the plain, and is raised
some feet from the ground by a basement
story which adds much to its pleasantness."
When Vancouver sailed on the 18th for San
Buenaventura, he carried a passenger — Padre
Santa Maria, who took that opportunity of
making a visit to the neighboring mission,
at the same time that he combated, by the
force of his own experience, the prejiidice
and fears of the Indians, .as against foreign-
ers. The padres were very hospitable and
courteous toward this traveler.
Padre Antonio Paterna, the founder, and
a pioneer of 1771, died in 1793, at Santa
Barbara mission.
On January 10, 1794, took place the first
public execution, when Yguacio liochin paid
the penalty for murder. Death was inflicted
upon him by sliooting, tliere being no hang-
man in the province.
The English merchant ship Phoenix
touched here in August, 1795. Communi-
cation with the outside world had now begun
to increase with each succeeding year.
In Febi-uary, 1798, died Captain Jose Or-
tega, former commandant of Santa Barbara.
During thisdecade the number of neophytes
increased from 438 to 864. Horses and cat-
tle had multiplied from 296 to 2,492, and
sheep from 503 to 5,615. The crops in 1800
were 3,000 bushels, although the crop three
years earlier was 5,400 busliels. During this
period many improvements in building had
been made at the mission. In 1791 were
added three tool houses and a guard-house;
in 1792, two large stone corrals. In 1793—
'94 was erected a new church, built of adobes
and plastered, with tiled roof; its ground
space was 28x135 feet, and it had a brick
portico, and a sacristy 15 x 28 feet. In 1794
were built a granary and a spinning room,
set on stone foundations; also an enclosure
48 X 135 feet, for a cemetery ; also a sheepfold.
In 1797 a corridor with brick pillars and tile
roof was added, on the side of the quad-
rangle nearest to the presidio, and another
alongside the spinning room; four new rooms
were completed for the friars; and beams of
pine were placed wherever alder and poplar
had been used for that purpose. In 1797
were completed several rooms for granaries,
store-rooms, and ofhces. In 1799 were built
for the neophytes nineteen adobe houses,
each 12 x 19 feet, plastered, whitewashed, and
tile-roofed; also an adobe wall nine feet high
was carried 1,200 yards around the garden
and vineyard, and a warehouse was built. In
1800 were built thirty-one more adobe
houses in a row, the three remaining sides of
the square were completed, and measures were
taken for the construction, from brick and
mortar and stone, of a reservoir for drinking
water. In 1800 sixty neophytes were en-
gaged in weaving and its attendant processes.
Others were taught carpentry, and otiiers
tanning.
The same priests remained in charge of
San Buenaventura until 1797, when Padre
Dumetz was succeeded by Padre Jose Fran-
cisco de Paula Senan. The only notable
event of this decade would seem to have been
a fracas between the Christian Indians and
the unconverted, in which the former, while
they had several men wounded, were victo-
rious, killing two chiefs of the pagans, and
taking six or seven captives. The authorities
punished impartially the leaders on both
THE SANTA BARBAMA REGION.
sides, one of the neophytes being put to labor
in irons.
By this time, although there had been 412
burials among the converts, tbe number of
neophytes had increased to 715; and, although
the population here was less than at any
other of the older missions, San Buenaven-
tura in 1800 had more cattle and raised more
grain than any other place in California.
There were 10,013 head of cattle and horses,
and 4,622 sheep; and the crop of 1800 was
9,400 bushels, the smallest crop being 1,500
bushels in 1797, while the average yield was
4,800 bushels. Wheat was little grown until
1798, when this became the chief crop, reach-
ing over 8,000 bushels per year.
The buildings here were superior in con-
struction, having been rebuilt after the old
ones had been swept away by fire. The
church alone, of the mission quadrangle, was
not complete. It was begun about 1793, and
completed during the decade, being built of
stone. Vancouver, who landed here Novem-
ber 20, 1793, pronounced this mission of
" a very superior style to any of the new
establishments yet seen." •' The garden of
Buena Ventura far exceeded," he wrote,
" anything 1 had before met with in these
regions, both in respect of the quality, quan-
tity, and variety of its excellent productions,
not only indigenous to the country, but ap-
pertaining to the temperate as well as the
torrid zone; not one species having yet been
planted or sown that had not flourished.
These have princijjally consisted of apples,
pears, plums [sic], figs, oranges, grapes,
peaches and pomegranates, together with the
plantain, banana, cocoa-nut, sugar-cane, in-
digo, and a great variety of the necessary and
useful kitchen herbs, plants and roots. All
these were flourishing in the greatest health
and perfection, though separated from the
seaside only by two or three fields of corn,
that were cultivated within a few yards of
the surf."
San Luis Obispo reached its maximum of
population, 946, in 1794, but it had, in 1800,
the considerable number of 726. from 605 in
1790. At this date, the cattle and horses
had increased to 6,500 head, and sheep to
6,150. There were raised this year 2,700
bushels of grain, the average number being
3,200, while in 1798 the harvest was 4,100
bushels. This mission raised no barley.
During this decade had been completed an
adobe church, with portico and tile roof, a
house for the ministers, a guard-house, work-
room, and barrack, and a mill run by water-
power. The huts of the natives there were
j well built.
This mission was fortunate in receiving a
miller, blacksmith, and carpenter, sent hither
to impart instruction.
In 1794 there was at San Luis a certain
excitement, resulting from the eftbrts of sev-
eral gentile chiefs to incite a revolt among
the Indians hereabouts. Those at Purisima
were approached by agents of the malcon-
tents, but the neophytes scorned the presents
offered for the purpose and were so loyal to
the Spaniards that five of the unruly In-
dians were delivered over for punishment.
For a long time there had been entertained
by the authorities of the church a project to
found a series of new missions to lie between
the old ones, and as nearly as might be equi-
distant from each two of them, all of these
to be situated somewhat farther inland than
those of the original chain. Practically, the
sites had been chosen by the friars; but for
form's sake, the priests made, in 1794-'95,
an exploration, in conjunction with the mili-
tary. After this, and some preliminary cor-
respondence, the five new missions were
organized.
On June 11, 1797, was founded San Jose;
PBB-AMERICAN HISTORY OF
on June 24 San Juan Bautista, and on July
25, San Miguel, being the third of the new-
missions, and the only one with which we
have to deal in the present chapters on this
section.
San Miguel was founded by Padre Lasuen
and Friar Buenaventura Sitjar, on a site
which the natives called Vahia or Yatica, and
the Spaniards Las Posas. It was between
San Luis Obispo and San Antonio, Padres
Sitjar and Horra, generally called Padre
Concepcion, were appointed ministers. The
founding was attended by a great number of
Indians, iifteen of whose children were pre-
sented for baptism on that day; and this good
disposition seemed to continue, for by the end
of 1800 there had been baptized 385. The
other missions had contrilnited a few head of
stock, which by the end of the decade had in-
creased to 372 large and 1,582 small animals.
The total product of crops for these three
years was 3,700 bushels. The church was
built of wood, with a mud roof, and it con-
tinued in use for some years.
In 1801 the safety of the whites of Santa
Barbara was jeopardized, from a singular
cause. An epidemic of lung disease had been
causing great mortality among the Indians,
when a neophyte claimed to liave seen in a
dream or trance, Chupu, the deity of the
channel natives, who announced that all the
baptized Indians would fall victims to the evil
unless they would renounce Christianity and
perform certain rites to Chupu. The natives
of most of the channel rancherias hastened to
comply, while the padres remained in igno-
rance of the movement; and it is not quite
clear what withheld the fanatics from pro-
ceeding to attack the Spaniards.
On September 17, 1804, was founded tlie
nineteenth of the Alta California Missions,
dedicated to Santa Ynes (Saint Agues), Vir-
gin and Martyr. As far back as 1795
the Spaniards had made explorations for a
mission site here. The spot chosen was
called by the Indians Alajulapu (rincon, a
corner or nook). Mission work here was
begun with the baptism of twenty-seven
children, and the enrolling of many catechu-
mens, among them three captains or chiefs.
By the end of the year Santa Ynes had 225
neophytes, but at least half of them came
from other missions. The church here was a
very poor one in this decade. The crops here
averaged 2,700 bushels yearly, and by 1810
the live stock numbered 8,200 cattle, 420
horses, 61 mules, 11 asses, and 2,300 sheep.
At this time was agitated the question of
founding a mission on one of the Channel
Islands, but an epidemic of measles carried
oif over 200 of the natives, and the president
had to admit, moreover, that the facilities of
lands and the water supply were unfavorable
to the project.
At Santa Barbara, daring each year from
1801 to 1805, from thirty to lifty adobe dwell-
ings for the neophytes were biiilt, and their
numbers reached 234, they being enclosed
on three sides by an adobe wall, constructed
in 1802. Other erections of this period were
three large warehouses, a major-domo's house,
a tannery, and several other buildings, one
of whicli was 120 feet long. Meanwhile, at
the Indian rancheria of Mescaltitlan, by the
Spaniards called San Miguel, six miles from
Santa Barbara, there had been built an adobe
chapel, 66x27 feet, a stone prison building, a
reservoir of masonry, a fountain, arranged
with washing places for the laundresses, a
pottery, and more than a score of adobe-built
dwelling houses.
Inl805-'6, the presidial company at Santa
Barbara was increased from iifty-nine to sixty
men by the process of recruiting, and there
were tliirty-tive invalided soldiers, mostly
living at the presidio. Tiie total white
THE SANTA BAMBAMA REGION.
population, including Santa Barbara, San
Buenaventura, Purisima, Santa Ynes, San
Fernando, San Gabriel, Los Angeles and the
ranchos (all these points were under the
military jurisdiction of Santa Barbara pre-
sidio) was 825, having gained 150 during the
decade. "Without Los Angeles and the ran-
clios, there had been an increase to 460 from
390.
The greatest number of neophytes at San
Luis Obispo, 854, was reached in 1803, but
by the end of the decade it had declined to
713. Altliough the smallest of the old mis-
sions, excejjting San Carlos, this was far
above the average in the production of live-
stock. Its agricultural results were less satis-
factory. The friars there were somewhat
noted for their' discouraging treatment of
foreign vessels.
At San Miguel, this period was character-
ized by the death of Padre Pujol, and the
violent illness of two other priests, all sup-
supposed to have been poisoned by the
neophytes. There was also some trouble over
the defiant attitude of Cuchapa, one of the
Indian captains, who was, however, subdued
by judicious treatment.
A great loss was sustained at San Miguel
in 1806, in a lire which destroyed that por-
tion of the mission buildings used for manu-
facturing purposes, with the implements and
a large quantity of raw material, including
(vool, hides, cloths, and 6,000 bushels of
wheat.
In population San Miguel grew from
362 to 973, the greatest gain of the decade,
except at San Luis Key and San Fernando.
Its death rate was only forty-nine per cent, of
the baptisms. This had more sheep than any
other mission save San Juan Capistrano.
The chapel at Santa Barbara presidio liad
its walls badly injured by an earthquake in
March, 1806, and just two months later, the
edifice was almost totally destroyed by' a great
storm.
At intervals through this decade, no little
local excitement was wrought up over three
criminal cases of a repulsive nature, and by a
case of alleged blasphemy.
The channel was visited during this period
by the Hazard, the Lelia Byrd, the O'Cain,
and the Albatross. There were in this
presidial jurisdiction, which included San
Gabriel, 6,500 neophytes (round numbers),
the gain over the previous decade being 2,500.
By 1810 the numerical decline of the
neophyte population had begun; although
there was an actual increase from 864 to
1,355, this was a considerable drop from
1,792, the figure which had been reached in
1803. Santa Barbara by this time led all the
other missions in the Avhole number of bap-
tisms for the decade, and in the highest num-
ber for one year. The large stock of this
mission had increased from 2,492 to 5,670;
there were 1,390 horses and mules in 1810.
The small stock increased from 5,615 to
8,190. The average crop for the decade was
of 6,216 bushels per year; at one time there
were produced 10,150 liushels.
AN INVASION.
On October 6, 1818, the American brig
Clarion brought to Santa Barbara the news
that there were being fitted out at the Sand-
wich Islands two privateers, carrying collect-
ively fifty-four guns and 250 men whose
purpose was to make a cruise on this coast.
Commandant Guerra at once despatched
messengers at all speed to Governor Sola at
Monterey, and to the friars of the southern
missions. Sola at once issued orders that aU
church vessels, ornaments, and other articles
of intrinsic value, should be packed up and
sent to points of safety inland; the women
and children made ready to retire thither also;
PRE-AMERICAN HISTORY OF
provisions and ammunition prepared for at-
tack; live-stock driven inland; soldiers and
settlers summoned for defense at their re-
spective presidios, as well as the native
archers; sentinels and couriers stationed at
convenient points; and, in fact, every prepa-
ration made for resistance, at the same time
that all precautions must be taken to prevent
the expected vessels from effecting a landing
upon any pretense. The missionaries, too,
were officially notified of tlie expected attack,
and earnestly recommended to co-operate with
the commandants.
Taken all these prudent measures nearly
two months elapsed without sign of hostile
approach, and Sola ordered the civilians dis-
missed to the attention of their own affairs.
Guerra and some others considered this
relaxation premature, in which the events
sustained them; for on November 20, the
dreaded vessels were descried appruaching
Monterey. The account of the ravages there
committed by their crews is not strictly
germane to the subject of these pages. Suf-
fice it to say that, after destroying all they
could in that quarter, and losing three of
their men — one an American — as prisoners,
the two ships came southward, the news be-
ing brought by a returning corporal and six
men whom the prudent Guerra had sent up
tore-enforce Monterey. The marauders landed
at the Rancho Refugio of the Ortegas on De-
cember 2, the family having abandoned the
place on their approach. Here they killed
cattle, and plundered and fired the buildings,
while they were watched by Spaniards as-
sembled at Santa Ynes, who captured, from
an ambush three of the " pirates." Sailing
hence the two ships anchored at Santa Bar-
bara on December 6, and Bouchard, the com-
mander, sent ashore with a flag of truce a
letter to the commandant, promising to leave
the coast without further hostilities after an
exchange of prisoners. Guerra replied, avow-
ing his positive yearning to fight, but con-
senting to consider the other's proposition,
" from feelings of humanity," and to forward
the letter to the governor. Further urgency
from Bouchard impelled Guerra to consent
to an immediate exchange, but, on coming to
the point, he found that but one prisoner was
offered for three. To Guerra's indignation
on this score, Bouchard averred that he had
but one captive, and this one, when delivered
over for Bouchard's three useful men, proved
to be a drunken vagabond named Molina,
who had stumbled into the arms of the in-
vaders while they were at Monterey, and who
was a nuisance to the community! Besides
his chagrin at this victimizing of the wily
Bouchard, poor, plucky, sincere Guerra had
to bear the blunt of Sola's reproaches for con-
senting to terms with the cheating rascals.
Perhaps the worst of the matter, however,
after all, touched Molina, for. he was sen-
tenced to six years in the chain gang, after
100 blows on his bare back. Bouchard, after
some lingering, finally disappeared on De-
cember 12 from Santa Barbara, and the
troops at this point were then hurried south-
ward, to assist in the defense of San Diego
and the other southernmost missions, and
Guerra himself followed.
This invasion was the principal event of
the decade. In April, 1820, there were ru-
mors of the arrival of four insurgent vessels
from Chili, and orders for protectionary
measures were again issued, but these fears
proved unfounded.
MISCELLANEOUS.
During this decade, the total white popula-
tion of all this district had increased from
460 to 740. This included forty-five men of
the company brought to Alta California by
Portilla. The presidio contained sixty-six
THE SANTA BABBABA REOION.
men, besides its officers, and twenty-seven to
thirty-one invalids. With the Los Angeles
contingent, there was a total of 1,355. The
neophytes had diminished 100, being now
6,400. The padres had granted the land of
the San Julian Rancho as a loan, and it was
stocked with some 650 tithe cattle, for a
source of meat supply for the soldiers. This
proved very successful.
In 1812 occurred the severe series of
earthquakes that so seriously damaged many
of the missions. At Santa Barbara the shocks
began about December 21 and lasted several
months, during which time the people, who
had abandoned their dwellings, lived in the
open. Several buildings were ruined and
others damaged, both at the presidio and the
mission; springs of asphaltum were opened;
the mountains cracked, and the general signs
thoroughly justified the alarm of the people.
The other events were not numerous; a few
Indian expeditions were made, and a certain
element of excitement was introdiiced by the
foreign vessels and the other hunters, now ar-
riving with more frequency. Times were very
dull throughout the province, and here as
elsewhere.
In 1818 a chapel was built at the presidio,
of wood, with a tiled roof, and it was even
proposed to remove the whole presidio to
another site, in consequence of the damage
from the earthquake. A primary school for
girls, taught by a woman, was opened here
in 1817, and a lady at the mission adminis-
tered medicines to the sick at the presidio,
whose cemetery was not used for interments
after 1818. About this time, too, there was
a controversy regarding a piece of land be-
tween the mission and the presidio.
At the mission extensive repairs were
made on the old church to remedy the earth-
quake's damage, and also a new church was
begun in 1815, for which Captain Wilcox in
the Traveler went to bring the timber from
Santa Cruz Island. On September 10, 1820,
this edifice was consecrated, the ministers
having the assistance of three visiting priests,
with Governor Sola acting as sponsor in the
presence of the commandant, soldiers, and
citizens. This ceremony was celebrated by a
banquet and general festivities. The church
was described as "of hewn stone and mortar,
with walls very strongly built with good but-
tresses, a tower of two stories holding six
bells, a plaster ceiling frescoed, marbled col-
umns, and altar tables in Roman style, one
of them having a pulpit. In the front an
image of Santa Barbara in a niche, supported
by six columns, and at the extremity of the
triangle the three virtues, all four of the fig-
ures being of cut stone, painted over in oil.
The floor of bitumen, polished; sundry dec-
orations in the church and the sacristy. All
being attractive, strong and neat."
With the downfall of the Spanish rule in
Mexico, California became a province of the
Mexican empire, to which the oath of alle-
giance was taken on April 13, 1822, at Santa
Barbara, four days after the news was form-
ally announced in junta (council) at Monterey.
Shortly thereafter, Francisco Ortega was
chosen elector de partido from Santa Bar-
bara and five missions, to elect a deputy to
the court at Mexico. The election sent Sola
to that office.
On September 13 of this year, the Ameri-
can schooner Eagle was seized at Santa Bar-
bara. For several years she had been on this
coast engaged in smuggling. While at this
port her crew attempted to seize the San
Francisco de Paula, formerly the Cossack,
there lying at anchor, on the plea of an ir-
regularity of sale. In towing this prize out
of the harbor, the Eagle ran herself aground,
and was captured with the aid of the garrison
men and cannon. Por some time the vessel
PRE-AMEUICAN HISTORY OF
could not be floated, but she later sailed as
the Santa Apolonio, having been bought, it
seems, by the Santa Barbara padres, when
both vessels and their cargo were sold at auc-
tion after confiscation. They brought about
$3,000, which, pending instructions from
Mexico, was directed to be nsed for the good
of the province. It would seem, however,
that in those days existed the same affinity
as at present between dollars and lingers, as
seven years after, investigations were still
making to ascertain what had been done with
this money.
Duhant-Gilly, who wrote of the place in
1827, said: "The presidio of Santa Barbara
is, like that of Monterey, a closed square,
surrounded with houses of a single story.
Kear the northwest corner rises an edifice a
little more prominent than any other, and
ornamented with a balcony. It is the resi-
dence of the commandante. At the opposite
corner, protecting the way to the shore, it
was evidently the intention of the Californian
engineers to build a bastion; but to believe
that they had succeeded would be great good
nature."
By this time the port was often visited by
foreign vessels, trading for hides and tallow.
Some grain and vegetables were raised by
the inhabitants. Most of the commerce was
carried on by foreigners, with whose methods
the Californians were unable to compete. The
only manufactures were coarse woolen cloth
and hats produced at the mission. Native
wine and brandy might have been produced
with profit but for the free importation of
foreign liquors.
In 1826, Father Luis Martinez built on the
beach and launched, at Avila Landing, now
in San Luis Obispo County, a two-masted
vessel of about seventy-five tons' burthen, in
which he nsed to ship to Monterey grain and
other products, which he sold so profitably
that in a few years he had become wealthy,
and he tlien went to Lima on Captain Wil-
son's vessel, carrying his golden doubloons
quilted into a queer leathern tunic, which he
wore, for the greater safety of his fortune
and his person. But this golden coat of mail
was so heavy and uncomfortable that he had
to confide its contents to Captain Wilson,
who cared for it safely throughout the voyage.
About 1828 there was built at Santa
Barbara a schooner of thirty-three tons, built
for Carlos Carrillo and Wm. G-. Dana for the
coasting trade and otter hunting
Santa Barbara participated to a consider-
able extent in the dissensions of local mag-
nates, as Alvarado and Carrillo, from 1836
to 1838; and from this cause proceeded the
battle of San Buenaventura, on March 27,
1838, in which the church walls were some-
what injured. Santa Barbara favored Al-
varado.
During the decade 1830-'40, the white
population of this district grew from 630 to
900, while the Indian population fell fi-om
4,400 to 1,550. These figures were exclusive
of San Fernando, although that point was
legally within this jurisdiction. The presid-
ial organization was still kept up here, Jose
de la Guerray Noriega being its captain, and
after 1837 its regular commandant. The
force was something like eighty.
From 1821 to 1829, the presidial force of
Santa Barbara stood at about sixty-six men
and twenty-six invalids; in 1830 there were
about eighty souls, all told. Tiie white pop-
ulation at the presidio had gained little in
the decade, being now about 500; the whole
presidial district, including the missions,
with Los Angeles and its ranchos, had, 1,790,
a gain of 435 during the decade. Mean-
while, the neophyte population had declined;
having lost 2,000, there were now 4,400
Indians. Durina; this decade. Southern Call-
THE SAJSTA BARBARA REGION.
fornia, includincr the two districts, San Diego
and Santa Barbara, had increased from 1,800
white population to 2,310, while the neophyte
population, from 11,600 fell ofE to 9,600.
There were at this time resident in the
district at least ten foreigners, — i. e., whites
not Mexican or Spanish.
The Barbarenos were qnite conservative,
and shunned the various " plans " of opposi-
tion. They took no part in the revolt against
Victoria in 1831, and their partisanship of
Alvarado, as against Carlos Carrillo, one of
the most popular of their own men, once
secured through the influence of de la Guerra
and Duran, they were always loyal in their
adherence to his cause.
There is considerable vagueness of defini-
tion between the municipal and the military
jurisdiction at this period, as the records were
not preserved.
It is notable that, of some twenty ranchos
granted to private owners in this decade,
none of the titles were lost in subsequent
litigation. The neophytes of this mission
decreased from 711 in 1830 to 556 in 1834,
the year of secularization, and by 1840 they
were only 250. Stock continued to gain
during the earlier lialf of this period, and
nntil the last the crops were good. The mission
buildings here were in better repair than at
the other establishments. Writing in 1846,
Sir James Douglass placed Santa Barbara as
a larger town than Monterey, and estimated
the annual output of hides and tallow at $25,-
000.
At San Buenaventura there was a per-
ceptible check in the falling ofi' of neophyte
population. In 1884 there were 626 in this
section. Live-stock continued to increase,
and crops continued good. Even after
secularization there was a loss of only about
fifty per cent, in herds and flocks, while there
was an increase still in horses, then as now a
special product of Ventura. By this time
there were some 500 Indians left in the dis-
trict.
At Santa Ynes there were frequent changes
of ministers. Down to 1834 the decrease in
neophytes was about fifteen per cent, there-
after about twelve per cent, imtil 1840, when
there were 180 Indians in the community.
This mission held its own in live-stock down
to secularization, and then showed a decided
gain. The church property was valued at
$11,000, other property at about $45,000,
and the debt was reduced two-thirds, so that
this was the most prosperous of the Southern
missions. It was not secularized until 1836.
At Purisima the neophyte population
diminished little until 1834, when there were
407 Indians; but by 1840 they had run down
to 120. In possessions there was a decrease
throughout the decade. The value of the
Purisima estate about 1835 was approximately
$60,000. Secularization was done here early
in 1835.
At San Luis Obispo there was little loss
of neophytes down to 1834, when there were
264, which after secularization in 1835 ran
down to 170 by the end of the decade.
Agricultural matters were not flourishing,
and the live-stock diminished about one-half
in the last lustrum. The possessions were
valued at $70,000 in 1836, and at $60,000
three years later, alter which the decline was
rapid.
At San Miguel the neophyte list feU ofi"
from 684 to 599, in 1834, and to about 350
by 1840. Crops ran down but little until
after secularization in 1836, and there was an
actual gain in cattle. The inventory at the
transfer showed a valuation, exclusive of
church property, of $82,000, which by 1839
had dwindled to $75,000. None of the lands
here passed to private ownership during this
decade, and the establishment had several
PRE AMERICAN BISTORT OF
ranches, with the corres;^ionding buildings*
and two large vineyards. At these ranches,
as well as at the mission, dwelt the Indians.
Owing to their contiguity and intimacy with
the Tulares, they were sometimes refractory;
yet the real decline here liardly began beiore
1840.
Santa Barbara shared in the notoriety of
the Graham affair in 1840, in that ten for-
eigners resident here were arrested under
Governor Alvarado's order, on the pretext of
intended revolt against the authorities.
January 11, 1842, was marked by the ar-
rival of Bishop Garcia Diego, who came to
take up his residence at this, the best pre-
served of the missions. He was received
with enthusiastic demonstrations.
A report on the southern missions, dated
February, 1844, states that " Santa Barbara
has left 287 neophytes, whom she supports
with the greatest difficulty; that Purisima
remains with some 200. unprovided with lands
to sow, or other property provision than a
moderate- sized vineyard; that Santa Yiies has
264 neophytes, and the wherewithal to support
them; while San Buenaventura is in very fair
condition, with sufficient resources ;" these
two last named being the only ones of the
eleven secularized missions not utterly ruined.
Bishop Garcia Diego cherished a Utopian
project of establishing at Santa Ynes an ec-
clesiastical seminary, and he applied for and
on March 16, 1844, obtained a grant of six
leagues of land, subsequently augmented. On
May 4, he formally founded the college of
Maria Santisima de Guadalupe de Santa Ynes.
In May Governor Micheltorena declared
the roadstead of Santa Barbara open to the
coasting trade. It is probable that the dif-
ference was one of formality merely.
In the strifes and struggles between local
personages, Micheltorena and Alvarado, the
Picos, the Carrillos, and all the rest of their
associates, Santa Barbara figured inevitably
to some extent, by virtue of her importance
as a town, and the strong individuality and
influence of some of her citizens. But here
as elsewhere the characteristic conservatism
of the Barbareflos was conspicuous; moreover,
these matters, besides being far too cumbrous
to be treated in detail in a work of restricted
magnitude as the present, were of little real
importance in the development or building
up of the section.
By 1845, Santa Barbara had about 1,000
white population, and about the same number
of ex-neophyte Indians. At the presidio
were enrolled between thirty and forty men,
with ten to fifteen on actual duty. Captain
Jose Antonio de la Guerra y Noriega, that
conspicuous character of early days, retired
from the commandancy in 1842. Municipal
affairs were managed by judges of the peace
or by alcaldes, and the records are meager
and unimportant. Visits from trading ves-
sels now were frequent, and the hospitable
and amusement-loving character of the Bar-
bareflos made this a favorite stopping-place.
Travelers were sure to comment upon the fea-
tures of social sviperiority here over other coast
points. Sir George Simpson wrote in 1842:
" Santa Barbara is somewhat larger than Mon-
terey, containing about 900 inhabitants, while
the one is just as much a maze without a plan
as the other. Here, however, anything of the
nature of resemblance ends, Santa Barbara in
most respects being to Monterey what the
parlor is to the kitchen. Among all the set-
tlements as distinguished from the rascally
pueblos, Santa Barbara possesses the double
advantage of being both the oldest and the
most aristocratic. The houses are not only well
finished at first, but are throughout kept in
good order; and the whitewashed adobes, and
the painted balconies and verandas form a
pleasing contrast with the overshadowing
THE SANTA BARBABA REGION.
roofs blackened by means of bitumen, tlie
proclnce of a neighboring spring."
At the mission there were 260 Indians at
the end of this half decade, the community
being broken up in 1845. At Santa Ynes
the estate was restored to the management
of the padres in 1843. The ex-neophyte
population in 1845 was 270. From 12,000
in 1841, the live-stock decreased to 2,000 in
1845; and the whole value of property de-
clined to $20,000 from $49,000, or even
more. This estate was rented in 1848 to
Jose M. Covarrubias and Joaquin Carrillb for
$580 per year.
At Purisima the remnants of the property
were turned over to the padres in 1843, hav-
ing been in charge of the manager of Santa
Ynes during the preceding year. From this
time on, there was no resident priest. In
1844 most of the 200 remaining Indians died
of small-pox, so that there were not over fifty
left in 1845, when the Purisima Mission,
barring the church property, was sold for
$1,110, the purchaser being Temple, though
the title was made out to J. K. Malo. During
the same year, Santa Barbara was rented to
N. A. Den and Daniel Hill for $1,200, San
Buenaventura to Arnaz and Botello for $1,630,
and Santa Ynes to Covarrubias and Carrillo
for $580. There is no further record con-
cerning this mission, which appears thence-
forward to have been entirely abandoned.
The end of San Luis Obispo as a mission-
ary establishment came witli an order of the
Governor in Jiily, 1844, for the complete
emancipation of the Indians and seculariza-
tion of the mission. Accordingly a regular
pueblo was formed, the town lands compris-
ing all the vacant mission lands near, and
distribution being made to the ex-neophyte-.
However, no claim for pueblo lands was ever
entered by the town. In December the ex-
mission buildings, having the curate's house
and some reserved for public uses, were sold
for $510''to Scott, Wilson and McKinley.
After 1842, San Luis had spiritual charge
of San Miguel. The administrador found
himself unable to control the Indians, and
Governor Alvarado instructed him to aban-
don the effort. By 1845 all the property had
disappeared, save the buildings, and these,
valued at $5,800, were ordered sold at auc-
tion.
On July 16, 1844, San Luis Obispo was
formally secularized and converted into a
pueblo; its buildings were devoted to public
uses, barring the missionary house, to con-
tinue as a parsonage; the ditches remained
free for the use of all ; and to the pueblo were
given two adjacent orchards and a league of
land at La Laguna. At the same time, San
Miguel received the vineyard called La Vina
Mayor (the Greater Vineyard). The United
States Courts confirmed this grant in later
years.
The lessees of Santa Barbara Mission prob-
ably kept possession during 1846, 1848, and,
although Den's title was confirmed by the
Land Commission, it appears to have been
practically annulled by later litigation.
On Jime 8, 1846, San Buenaventura M'as
sold to Jose Arnaz for $12,000. The title of
Arnaz as purchaser was not recognized dur-
ing the transition period of 1846-'48, and in
1848 he was supplanted even as lessee, Isaac
Callaghan obtaining a lease from Colonel
Stevenson. Tliere was a long litigation over
Arnaz's title, which was finally con tinned.
On June 10, Santa Barbara was sold to
Eichard S. Den for $7,500.
On June 15, 1846, Santa Ynes was sold
for $7,000 to Joaquin Carrillo and Jose Ma-
ria Covarrubias, who kept possession until
after 1848, — this under their le.ise, however;
their title by purchase was afterwards de-;
clared invalid.
PMB-AMBUICAN HISTOHr OF
In 1845 San Luis Obispo Mission was sold
to Scott, Wilson and McKinley for $510.
They were not disturbed in their possession,
and their title subsequently was declared valid.
San Miguel was subject, spiritually and
temporally, to tiie powers that were, in San
Luis. It is known that this mission was sola,
July 4, 1846, to Fetronilos Rios and William
Keed. The latter had lived here since 1745
or earlier, and in September, 1847, the Gov-
ernment gave orders that he be left in pos-
session, the title to be left for later settlement.
In December, 1848, Reed's home was visited
by a party of iive American tramps, formerly
soldiers, whom he entertained for some days
with a hospitality characteristic of the man.
He was, however, unwise enough to let them
know that he had in his possession a consid
erable sum of gold, he having recently re
turned from the mines where he had sold a
flock of sheep. The dastards set out appar-
ently to continue their journey, but, going
only to Santa Margarita, they returned at
night to the ex-mission, and basely murdered
all its inhabitants, heaping the corpses all in
one room, and plundering the place of the
gold and its other valuables. The victims
were William Reed, his wife Maria Antonio
Vallejo with her unborn child, Josefa Olivera,
a midwife who had gone thither to attend
Mrs. Reed, Jose Ramon Vallejo, brother to
Mrs. Reed, a daughter of the Reeds aged fif-
teen, a son of two or tin-ee years, a
nephew of four, a negro cook, an Indian
servant over sixty years old, and his five-
year-old nephew. When the news of this
awful crime reached Santa Barbara a force of
men set out in pursuit of the murderers,
whom they overtook on the present site of
Summerland (see "Bench and Bar.") One
of the members, after being fatally wounded,
shot and killed Ramon Rodriguez, who had
rushed single-handed toward the marauders;
one jumped into the sea, swam out beyond
the kelp, and was drowned; and the other
three, named Joseph Lynch, Peter Quin and
Peter Raymond or Renner, were captured
and taken to Santa Barbara, where they were
executed on December 28.
THE WAR WITH MEXICO CHANGE OF RULE.
A very small part indeed, comparatively
speaking, was that taken by Santa Barbara in
the important occurrences of 1846-'47, which
resulted in the conquest of California by the
Americans.
On May 13, 1846, was issued a call for a
consejo general de los pueblos unidos (gen-
gueral council of the united towns) to meet
at Santa Barbara on June 15, to discuss the
actual and the impending situation, and to
deliberate on the future. This council was
to consist of the governor and eighteen dele-
gates from the respective towns, together
with certain representatives from the eccle-
siastical and the military element. It was
freely rumored that the object of this con-
vention would be to invoke English interfer-
ence between Mexico and the United States;
but on June 3 the Assembly suspended the
action of the hando or call.
Equally futile was the proclamation, sum-
moning to a patriotic resistance the Mexican
Californians, which Pio Pico issued from
Santa Barbara on June 23, on learning of the
takingof Sonoma. The Barbarenos would seem
to have been practical, progressive and cautious.
On August 4 or 5, Stockton, on his way
down the coast, touched here and i-aised the
American flag, leaving also a garrison of ten
men under a midshipman, thus formally put-
ting Santa Barbara under the rule of the
United States. These men were taken away
on the Congress on September 7, being re-
placed somewhat later from Fremont's bat-
talion.
THE SANTA BARBARA REGION.
When Gillespie's tactless and overbeai'ing
rule in Los Angeles brought about there an
uprising, which resulted in his abandoning
the field and inarching ta San Pedro, tlie
Calitbriiians, having disposed of the Los An-
geles garrison, set about dispossessing those
of San Diego and Santa Barbara. Accord-
ingly, about the first of October, a small
force under Manuel Garfias demanded the
surrender or parole of Lieutenant Talbot and
his nine men. These were yonthful but ex-
perienced mountaineers, and to avoid pai-ole,
they toolv to the open; for a week they kept
in sight of the town, which they hoped
migiit bd retaken by a man-of-war. Then,
being hard pressed by the Californians, who
fired the brush to drive them out, they
crossed the mountains and reached Monterey.
After the flight of this garrison, the Ameri-
cans living at Santa Barbara were arrested,
and some were sent to Los Angeles as pris-
oners, but most were paroled. In December,
1846, and January, 1847, John C. Fremont
with his battalion rested here for a week, on
the way to Los Angeles and Cahuenga.
On April 8, 1847, companies A, B and F,
of Stevenson's regiment, under Lieutenant-
Colonel Burton, arrived at Santa Barbara,
where Com]iany F remained during its term
of service. The other two left on July 4 for
La Paz. Captaiu Lippitt remained in charge
of this post.
Toward the close of 1847, there were
apprehensions of attack upon the Americans
at Santa Barbara under Captain Lippitt, and
the Governor, Colonel Richard B. Mason,
went thitiier, where he was satisfied that the
strain of feeling, if any, was caused by the
improper conduct of some of the Americans
composing tiie garrison.
In April, 1848, during the organization
of forces to fight Indians, it transpired that a
plot was on foot to direct these bodies toward
wresting from the Americans the towns of
Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.
At this time, while popular excitement and
official fears were both wrought up, the affair
of " tlie lost cannon " happened, materially
increasing the feeling of insecurity. This
was a brass gun — some say a six-pounder,
some .-ay of twice that caliber — which had
belonged to the Elizabeth. It was left on
the beach, while awaiting trans-siiipment to
Monterey, to be placed on the fortifications
there. It disappeared on the night of April
5, and all efforts to find it were unsuccessful.
Some said it had been carried on a cart
toward Los Angeles; others averred it had
been put aboard a vessel; the authorities
inclined to connect its disappearance with
flying rumors of revolt, and to believe that it
had been sequestrated by the Barbarenos,
with a view towards turning it against its
former owners. Local officials and promi-
nent citizens were very indignant at this dis-
trust, but the gun was not forthcoming.
Therefoi'e Governor Mason imposed a mili-
tary fine of $500 upon the town, to be paid
pro rata by all its inhabitants; the whole
sum to be repaid to the town on discovery
of the guilty individuals, or proof that they
were not residents of Santa Barbara. A list
of property-holders was made out, and each
was assessed his portion of the $500. This
caused great excitement and indignation, and
not least among the American residents; the
alcaldes offered their resignations, which
were, however, not accepted; a company of
dragoons was sent for fi-om Los Angeles to
enforce the payment of the fine. Still, while
some paid, others would not do so, and so
much of their property as was necessary to
satisfy their assessments was seized and sold
at public auction. It afterward transpired
that five men had dragged away the gun with
the aid of a yoke of oxen, and buried it in
PRE-AMERIGAN BISTORT OF
the sand, at a spot that they could not re-
locate. Their idea may liave been one of
pecuniary profit, or they may have designed
to use the piece in a possible uprising against
American rule. Be that as it may, no less
than three streets of Santa Barbara still bear
tlie names of men in commemoration of this
event: — Mason, Quinientos [Five HiindredJ,
and Canon Perdido [Lost CanonJ streets.
Not only in the nomenclatures of streets
did the Barbarenos indicate the impres-
sion left by this affair: the first seal of the
city had emblazoned in its center the picture
of a cannon encircled by tlie words " Vale
quinientos pesos " — it is worth $500. This
seal was used from 1851 to 1860, when a new
one was devised, leaving out this emblem.
The military governor of California in
1850 returned to the prefect of this district
the $500, with instructions to employ it in
the construction of a jail. The city author-
ities endeavored to obtain the money from its
depository, and place it in the city treasury;
but the prefect stated that, as he held the
money in trust for a specific purpose, and was
ready to pay it over when, but not before, the
city was ready to build the jail. The city
attorney was instructed to begin a suit against
the prefect to recover the money, and he
accordingly did so. As the District Judge
was a family connection of the defendant in
the action, the case could not be tried here,
and so was transferred to San Francisco.
The papers relating to the matter were un-
accountably lost, the trustee of the fund died,
and as no new siiit was instituted against his
estate the fund was never recovered for the
city.
In the year 1858, a heavy rain caused the
pent-up waters of the Estero to cut through
the sand-bank separating it from the ocean, and
the mystery of the lost cannon's whereabouts
was solved as it was now discovered protrud-
ing from one of the banks of this new chan-
nel. Some of the native Californians com-
pleted its disinterment, and hauled it in
ti'iumph up State street to de la Guerra. It
was uninjured, clean, and bright. It was
sold for $80 to a Jew, who sent it to San
Francisco and sold it at a lai-ge profit for old
brass. Thus Santa Barbara displayed no
little inconsistency, in failing to retain and
preserve here a relic of such memoi-able im-
portance in local history.
DRESS AUD MANNERS.
For fifteen or twenty years before Ameri-
can occupation, the general conditions were
much the same, save in a political sense, as
they were for fifteen or twenty years after
that period; as the reader and the traveler of
the present day find tliose conditions full of
picturesqueness and romance, it is desirable
to give herein some account of the manners,
customs, and usages of those times.
At this period, Santa Barbara was, next to
Monterey, the most important town in the
territory. Here, as a general thing, paused
en route for Monterey the governors sent up
hither from Mexico, to rest and to learn
something of the duties of their office. These
and other visiting magnates usually were
guests of the de la Guerras, the Carrillos,
or the Ortegas, these being the principal
families.
Here was the center of trade for a hundred
miles around, and hither tended all roads and
all riders.
The houses were generally built in the
shape of a parallelogram, sometimes of adobe
walls only, sometimes a framework of tim-
bers, filled in with adobe. The simplest
form was a habitation of one room, with bare
walls and clay floors. Houses of the better
class had a species of piazza on one or more
sides. Thatch roof were sometimes used,
THE SANTA BARBARA RKOION.
although tiling was the preferred material; not
seldom the rafters were crossed by rods or
tules, covered with a layer of mud or of as-
phaltum. Generallj' the door, window-frames
and rafters constituted the only wood about
the structure. The walls often were white-
washed. The best of the houses were built
after the Spanish fashion around i^^^atio or
court, containing plants and sometimes a
fountain. The floors were sometimes boarded,
but more frequently were of earth. Some of
the wealthier inhabitants had glass to their
windows, but a grating was the more general
rule. The kitchen was apart, in a separate
shed or hut. The houses had no fire-places.
In the poorer houses, the only furniture
would be a handniill or a metall for grinding
corn, and a few pieces of pottery or ironware
for cooking purposes, tlie beds being com-
posed of rawhides spread on the ground, and
perhaps a hammock. Sometimes there was
a table, and stools or benches. Joints of a
whale's vertebrse were often used for chairs.
Some had beds of poplar, lined with leather,
and fitted with pillows, sheets, and blankets.
Where there was linen, the slips were fre-
quently used over silk, and enriched with
drawn-work. After 1824, some of the richer
families had rather handsome furniture — •
mirrors, bureaus, and tables inlaid with shell,
etc., brought from Peru or China.
Up to 1834 the chief features of men's
costumes were: Short and wide breeches,
fastened at the knee above deerskin, boots,
made like gaiters or leggings, and held up by
gaily-embroidered garters or by bunches of
riljbons; a wide and loose waist-coat, usually
blue, open at the lower part to show the
silken sash, generally crimson, or indeed, the
two or three sashes with which the men often
swathed themselves ; over this a blue jacket,
trimmed with big metal buttons. A silk
handkerchief was knotted about the throat.
another on the head; and the hat was wide-
brimmed, low-crowned, and fastened by a
string or loop passing under the chin. The
hair was in a queue.
Women of the middle class wore che-nisea
with short sleeves, richly embroidered and
trimmed with lace, a muslin petticoat flounced
and belted with scarlet, shoes of velvet or
satin, a cotton rebozo or headscarf, pearl neck-
lace and earrings, and the liair hanging down
the back in one or two braids. Others, of
the higher class, dressed in the English style,
wearing, instead of the rebozos, rich and costly
shawls of silk, satin, or Chinese crape. The
skirts were so narrow as to impede freedom
of step in walking.
When the Rijar-Padres colony arrived, they
brought new fashions. The bretiches were
replaced by calzoneras, a kind of trousers,
whose outside seams were left unjoined, to be
closed by means of buttons and button-holes.
The hair was cut short in the back, but left
quite long in the front.
The women now exchanged their narrow
skirts for more ample draperies, and coiled
their braids on the crown of the head,
around a comb. All women of means and
position wore hose, as it was deemed immod-
est to let more than the face and hands re-
main uncovered. The poorer women, and old
women in general, wore no gown over the
petticoat, and on the waist a chemise with
sleeves falling below the elbow. The neck
and breast were covered by a black kerchief,
of silk or cotton, doubled cornerwise, the
corner being fastened at the back, the two
points passing over the shoulders, and cross-
ing, being fastened at the waist by pins. The
more humble women retained and wore con-
tinually the rebozo. Shoes had points turned
up at both toe and heel.
The dress of the Barbarenos is described as
having consisted of " a broad-brimmed hat.
PRE-AMERIGAN BISTORT OF
usually black, with a gilt or figured band
around the crown, and lined with silk; a short
jacket of silk or figured calico, the European
skirted body-coat never l>eing worn; a shirt
usually open at the neck ; a waistcoat,
when worn, always of rii-h quality ; the
trousers wide, straight, and long, usually of
velvet, velveteen, or broadcloth; occasionally
knee-breeches are worn with white stockings;
shoes of deerskin are used; they are of a dark
brown color, and being made by the Indians,
are commonly much ornamented; braces are
never worn, the indispensable sash twisted
9,round the waist serving all their purposes;
the sash is usually red, and varies in quality
according to the means of the wearer; if to
this is added the never-fai ling cloak, the dress
pf the Californian is complete. The latter
article of dress, however, is a never-failing
criterion of the rank or wealth of its owner.
The caballero. or gentleman aristocrat, wears
a cloak of black or dark blue broadcloth, with
as much velvet and trimming on it as it is
possible to put there; from this, the cloaks
gradually descend through all grades until
the primitive blanket of the Indian is reached.
The middle class wear a species of cloak very
much resembling a table-cloth, with a large
hole in the center for the head to go through;
this is often as coarse as a blanket, but it is
generally beautifully w^oven with various col-
ors, and has a showy appearance at a distance
There is no working class amongst the Span-
iards, the Indians doing all the hard work;
thus a rich man looks and dresses like a
grandee, whilst even a miserably poor indi-
vidual has the appearance of a broken-down
gentleman; it is not, therefore, by any means
uncommon to see a man with a line figure
and courteous manner, dressed in broadcloth
or velvet, and mounted on a noble horse,
completely covered with trappings, who
perhaps has not a real in his pocket.
and may even be suffering from absolute
hunger."
Thei-e was one feature peculiar to the women
of Santa Barbara, all of whom wore a camorra
— a black silk kerchief, folded into a band
about two inches wide, tied around the fore-
head and into a knot under the nape of the
neck.
Wealthy women wore diamond rings, pearl
or golden necklaces, and ear-hoops or rings,
and other jewelry.
At this time, almost the only means of
communication between ranches or settle-
ments was by horse; and no race in the world,
perhaps the Bedouins not excepted, were
better riders than the Californians. Horses
were constantly kept standing saddled at the
doors of stores and dwellings, and walking
was a means of progression in great disfavor,
even for the shortest distances. Tailing the
buU, lasso-throwing, and many other feats of
strength and skill were practiced by the
young Californians. They were great lovers
of sport and amusements, and races, dances,
etc., were improvised upon the slightest in-
ducement. The guitar was almost the only
musical instrument, although a few harps
were introduced during the last few years be-
fore American occupation.
The arrivals of the trading ships were
events among these people. The vessels had
a cabin fitted up as a shop or salesroom, and
thither flocked the housewives, to buy domes-
tic utensils, trinkets, and fabrics, often of the
very finest, to be paid for by the head of the
house in liides and tallow. As payment on
a cash basis hardly even entered into the
transaction, the rancheros keeping a running
account with the traders, these latter practi-
cally had the simple-hearted provincials at
their mercy, all the more that the price of
wares was rarely asked before or at the time
of purchase.
TUB SANTA BARBARA REGION.
Terbaps tlie most graphic description of
the country and its people is tliat given by
Ricbard Henry Dana, in bis '-Two Years
Before tbe Mast," wbicb is an account of bis
voyage to, and sojourn on, tbe coast of Cali-
fornia, in a trading vessel, 1836-'88. Ac-
cordingly some extracts are given.
DANA ON SANTA BAKBAEA.
The biv, as it was cotamonly called, the canal [chaa
Del] of Santa Barbara, is very large, being lormed by
the main land on one side [between Point Concepcion
on the north and Point San Buenaventura on the
south], which here bends like a crescent, and by three
large islands opposite to it and at a distance of some
twenty miles.
These points are just sufficient to give it the name
of a bay, while at the same time it is so large and so
much e.Kposed to the southeast and northwest winds
that it is little better than an open roadstead; aed the
whole swell of the Pacific Ocean rolls in here before a
southeaster, and breaks with so heavy a surf in the
shallow waters that it is highly dangerous to lie in
near to the shore during the southeaster season, that
is, between the months of November and April,
Two points run out as the horns of the cresent, one
of which, that to the westward, is low and sandy, and
that to which vessels are obliged to give a wide berth
when running out for a southeaster; the other is high,
bold, and well-wooded.
In the middle of this crescent, directly opposite the
anchoring ground, lies the Mission and town of Santa
Barbara, on a low plain, but little above the level of
the sea, covered with grass, though entirely without
trees, and surrounded on three sides by an amphi-
theater of mountains, which start off to a distance of
fifteen to twenty miles. The Mission stands a little
back of the town, and is a large building, or rather
colleclion of buildings, in the center of which is a high
tower with a belfry of five bells. The town lies a little
nearer to the beach — about half a mile from it^and is
composed of one-story nouses, built of sun-baked clay
or adobe, some of them whitewashed, with red tiles on
the roofs. I should judge that there were about a
hundred of them; and in the midst of them stands the
presidio, or fort, built of the same material and appar-
ently but little stronger. The town is fi.iely situated,
with a bay in front and amphitheater of hills behind.
The only thing that diminishes its beauty is that the
hills have no large trees upon them, they having been
all burnt by a great tire which swept them oflf about a
dozen years ago, and they have not grown again. The
fire was described to me by an inhabitant as having
been a very terrible and magnificent sight. The air of
the valley was so heated that the people were obliged
to leave town and take up their quarters for several
days upon the beach. * * * We lay at a distance
of three miles from the beach, and the town was nearly
a mile farther, so that we saw little or nothing of it. *
* * We were pulled ashore in the boat, and took our
way for the town. There everything wore the appear-
ance of a holiday. The people were dressed in their
best, the men riding about among the houses, and the
women sitting on carpets before the doors. Under the
piazza of a pulperia two Imen were seated, decked out
with knots of ribbons and b )uquets, and playing the
violin and the Spanish guitar. These are the only in-
struments, with the exception of the drums and
trumpets at Monterey, that I ever heard in California,
and I suspect they play upon no others, for at a great
fandanf/o, at which I was afterward present, and where
they mustered all the music they could find, there
were three violins and two guitars and no other in-
struments.
Inquiring for an American who, we had been told,
had married in the place, and kept a shop, we were
directed to a long, low building, at the end of which
was a door with a sign over it, in Spanish. Entering
the shop we found no one in it, and the whole had an
empty, deserted air. In a few minutes the man made
his appearance and apologized for having nothing to
entertain us with, saying that he had had a fandango
at his house the night before, and the people had eaten
and drank up everything. " O, yes!" said I, " Easter
holidays!" "No," said he, with a singular expre=sion
on his face, "I had a little daughter die the other day,and
that's the custom of the country." At this I felt some-
what awkwardly, not knowing what to say, and wheth-
er to offer consolation or not, and was beginning to
retire, when he opened a side door, and told us to walk
in. Here I was no less astonished for I found a large
room, filled with young girls, from three or four years
old up to fifteen or sixteen, dressed all in white, with
wreaths of flowers on their heads, and bouquets in their
hands. Following our conductor among these girls,
who were playing about in high spirits, we came to a
table at the end of the room, covered with a white
cloth, on which lay a coffin about three feet long, with
the body of his child. The coffin was covered with
white cloth and lined with white satin, and was strewn
with flowers.
Through an open door we saw in another room a
few elderly people in common dress, while the benches
and tables, thrown up in a corner, and the stained
walls, gave evidences of the last night's "high go."
Feeling like Garrick, between tragedy and comedy,
an uncertainty of purpose, I asked the man when the
PRE-AMERIC^iN HISTORY OF
funeral would take place ; and, being told that it would
move toward the Mission in about an hour, took my
leave. To pass away the time, we took horses and
rode to the beach. * * * From the beach we re-
turned to the town, and finding tliat the funeral pro
cession had moved, rode on and overtook it, about half
way up to the Mission. Here was as peculiar a sight
as we had seen before in the house, the one looking as
much like a funeral procession as the other did like a
house or mourning. The little coffin was borne by
eight girls who were continually relieved by others
running forward from the procession and taking their
places. Behind it came a straggling company of girls,
dressed, as before, in white and flowers, and including,
I should judge by their numbers, all the girls between
five and fifteen in the place. They played along the
way, frequently slopping and running altogether to
talk to someone, or to pick up a flower, and then run-
ning on again to overtake the coffin. There were a
few elderly women in common colors, and a herd of
young men and boys, some on foot and others mount-
ed, folhiwing them, or rode or walked by their side,
frequently interrupting them by jokes and questions.
But the most singular thing of all was that two men
walked, one on each side of the coffin, carrying
muskets in their hands, which they continually loaded
and fired into the air. Whether this was to keep off
the evil spirits or no I do not know. It was the only
interpretation that 1 could put upon it. As we drew
near the Mission, we saw the great gate thrown open,
and the padre standing on the steps with a crucifix in
his hand. The Mission is a large and deserted-look-
ing place, the out-buildings going to ruin, and every-
thing giving one the impression of decayed grandeur.
A large stone fountain threw out pure water from
four mouths into a basin befure Ihe church door; and
we were on the point of riding up to let our horses
drink when it occurred to us that it might be conse-
crated, and we forbore, Just at this moment the bells
set up their harsh, discordant clangor, and the pro-
cession moved into the court. I wished to follow and
see the ceremony, but the horse of one of my compan
ions had become frightened and was tearing off toward
the town, * * * and I was obliged to leave the
ceremony and ride after him.
A very apposite phase is illustrated by the
following description:
Great preparations were now being made on shore
for the marriage of our agent, who was to marry Doiia
Anita de la Guerra y Noriega y Carrillo, youngest
daughter of Don Antonio Noriega, Ihe grandee of the
place, atid the head of the first family in California.
Our steward was ashore three days making pastry
and cake, and some of the best of our stores were sent
off with him. On the day appointed for the wedding
we took the Captain ashore in a gig, and had orders
to come for him at night, with leave to go up to the
house and see the fandango.
At 10 o'clock the bride went up with her sister to
the confessional, dressed in black. Nearly an hour
intervened when the great doors of the Mission church
opened, the bells rang out a loud discordant peal, and
the bride, dressed in complete white, came out of the
church with the bridegroom, followed by a long pro-
cession. Just as she stepped from the church door, a
small white cloud issued from the hows of our ship,
which was full in sight, the loud report echoed among
the hills and over the bay, and instantly the ship was
dressed in flags and pennants from stem to stern.
Twenty-three guns followed in regular succession,
with intervals of fifteen seconds between, when the
cloud blew off and our ship lay dressed in colors all
day. At sundown another salute of the same number
of guns was fired, and all the flags run down.
The bride's father's house was the principal one in
the place, with a large court in front upon which a
tent was built, capable of containing several hundred
people. Going in, we lound nearly all the people of
the town— men, women and children — collected and
crowded together, leaving barely room for the danc-
ers; for on these occasions no invitations are given,
but everyone is expected to come, though there is
always a private entertainment within the house for
particular friends. The old women sat down in rows,
clapping their hands to the music, and applauding the
young ones.
The music was lively, and among the tunes we rec-
ognized several of our popular airs, which we, no
doubt, have taken from the Spanish. In the dancing
I was much disappointed. The women stood upright
with their hands down by their sides, their eyes fixed
upon the ground before them, and slid about without
any perceptible means of motion; for their feet were
invisible, the hem of their dresses forming a circle
about them, reaching to the ground. They looked as
grave as if going through some religious ceremony,
their faces as little excited as their limbs, and, on the
whole, instead of the spirited, fascinating Spanish
dances which I had expected, I found the California
fandango, on the part of the women at least, a lifeless
affair. The men did better. They danced with grace
and spirit, moving in circles around their nearly sta-
tionary partners, and showing their figures to advan-
tage. A great deal was said about our friend Don
Juan Bandini, and when he did appear, which was
toward the close of the evening, he certainly gave us
the most graceful dancing that I had ever seen. He
was dressed in while pantaloons, neatly made, a short
jacket of dark silk, gaily figured, white stockings and
THE SANTA B ABB ABA BEG ION.
thin morocco slippers upon his very small feet. His
slight and graceful figure was well adapted to danc-
ing, and he moved about with the grace and dainti-
ness of a young fawn. He was loudly applauded, and
danced frequently toward the close of the evening.
After the supper the waltzing began, which was con-
fined to a very few of the "gente de razon," and was
considered a high accomplishment and a mark of
aristocracy. Here, too, Don .Juan figured greatly,
waltzing with the sister of the bride;(Doiia Angustias,
a handsome woman and a general favorite) in a vari-
ety of beautiful figures, which lasted as much as half
an hour, no one else taking the floor. They were re-
peatedly and loudly applauded, the old men and
women jumping off iheir seats in admiration, and the
young people waving their hats and handkerchiefs.
The great amusement of the evening — owing to its
being the carnival — was the breaking of eggs filled
with cologne or other essences upon the heads of the
company. The women bring a great number of these
secretly about them, and the amusement is to break
one secretly upon the head of a gentleman when his
back is turned. He is bound in gallantry to find out
the lady and return the compliment, though it must
not be done if. the person sees you. A tal), stately
Don, with inimehse gray whiskers, and a look of
great importance, was standing before me, when I
felt a hand upon my shoulder, and, turning round,
saw Dona Angustias (whom we all knew, as she had
been up to Monterey and down again in the Alert),
with her finger upon her lip, motioning me gently
aside. I stepped back a little, when she went up be-
hind the Don and with one hand knocked off his huge
sombrero and at the same instant with the other broke
the egg upon his head, and, springing behind me, was
out of sight in a moment. The Don turaed slowly
around, the cologne running down his face and over
his clothes and a loud laugh breaking out from every
quarter. A great many such tricks were played, and
many a war of sharp manojuvering was carried on
between couples of the younger people, and at every
successful exploit a geuecal laugh was raised.
Another of their games I was for some time at a lo-s
about. A pretty young girl was dancing, named
— after what would appear to us an almost sacrilegious
custom of the country — Espiritu Santo, when a young
man went behind her and placed his hat directly upon
ber head, letting it fall down over her eyes, and sprang
back among the crowd. She danced for some time
with the hat on, when she threw it o(f, which called
forth a general shout, and the young man was obliged
to go out upon the floor and pick it up. I soon began
to suspect the meaning of the thing, and was after-
ward told that it was a compliment, and an offer to
bfcome the lady's gallant for the rest of the evening,
and to wait upon her home * * *
These fandangos generally lasted three days. The
next day two of us were sent up town and took care
to come back by way of Seiior Noriega's and take a
look into the booth. The musicians were ajain there
upon tUeir platform, scraping and twanging away,
and a few people, apparently of the lower classes,
were dancing. The dancing is kept up at intervals
throughout the day, but the crowd, the spirit, and the
elite, come at night. The next night, which was the
last, we went ashore in the same manner, until we got
almost tired of the monotonous twang of the instru-
ments, the drawling sounds which the women kept up
as an accompaniment, and the slapping of the hands
in time with the music in place of castanets.
We heard some talk about "caballos" and
"carrera," and seeing the people streaming off in one
direction, we followed, and came upon a level piece
of ground just outside of the town, which was used
as a race-course. Here the crowd soon became thick
again, the ground was marked off, the judges stationed,
and the horses led up to one end. Two fine-looking
old gentlemen — Don Carlos and Don Domingo, so-
called — held the stakes, and all was now ready. We
waited some time, during which we could just see the
horses, twisting aound and turning, until at length
there was a shout along the lines and on they came,
heads stretched out and eyes starling, working all
over, both man' and beast. The steeds came by us like
acoupl" of chain-sbot, neck and neck, and now we
could see nothing but their backs and their hind hoofs
flying through the air. As fast as the horses passed,
the crowd broke up behind them and ran to the goak
When we got there we found the horses returning on
a slow walk, having run lar beyond the mark, an . heard
that the long bony one had come in head and shoulders
before the other. The riders were light-built men, had
handkerchiefs tied around their heads, and were bare-
armed and bare-legged. The horses were noble-looking
beasts, not so sleek and combed as our Boston stable
horses, but with fine limbs and spirited eyes,
THE PIONEERS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS.
At each of the California missions a com-
pany of soldiers was stationed. In Santa
Barbara the soldiers occupied a square called
the presidio. This was about 250 yards
square, surrounded by a high adobe wall, in-
side of which were a church and buildings,
constructed of adobe, roofed with tiles, and
used for shelter by the soldiers. This church
was standing until 1853, when a portion of
the roof fell; the adobe walls, being thus
PRE-AMERICAN HISTORY OF
to rain, soon crumbled away. A part
of one of the buttresses still stands near Santa
Barbara Street, west of Canon Perdido Street.
A portion of the Californian population of
Santa Barbara are descendants of tbe soldiers
of this garrison, who married natives; others
are descendants fi-om immigrants from old
Spain and other parts of Europe, from Mex-
ico, South America, and the United States.
It is generally conceded that the leading
Spanish family in Santa Barbara has been that
of de la Guerra, often wrongly called Noriega,
from a misapprehension of the Spanish cus-
tom by which the children of a family add
their mother's patronymic with the prefix
'"y" ("and") after their father's; this, how-
ever, is a matter of compliment to the
mother, and the father's remains the lawful
family name. Thus the founder of this
family, from its mother bein^a Noriega, was
called" de la Guerra y Noriega, while his
children, whose mother was a Carrillo, wrote
their name de la Guerra y Carrillo.
Don Jose de la Guerra y Noriega was
born in 1776, at Novales, province of San-
tander, Spain, of an honorable amily, whose
coat of arms carries their record back to
the time of the Moors. The house where
he was born still stands, an imposing edifice
of Novales, over a centnry old, with the
family arms cut in stone over the two great
gateways; it covers a block of land in the
principal town of the province.
Young de la Guerra was sent out to a kins-
man, a wealthy merchant in Mexico, but he
Boon sought and obtained a cadetship in the
royal army, and in 1800 was appointed ensign
in a company stationed at Monterey, Cali-
fornia, where he joined it in 1801. In 1804 he
married Dona Maria Antonio, daughter of
Don Eaymundo Carrillo, then commandante
of the presidio of Santa Barbara; and in 1806
he was sent hither as the company's lieu-
tenant. In 1810 he was appointed Ilabilitado
General fi-om both Californias to the Yice-
Koyal Government in Mexico, and, proceed-
ing toward the capital with his family, he
was captured at San Bias by the Mexican
patriots, then in revolt against the govern-
ment of Spain, he escaping with his life,
while the other men captured with him were
assassinated. The revolution had deprived
him of his oflice; therefore he started back to
California; and, performing on the way mili-
tary service which gave him a better footing
with the government, he was appointed in
1811 to the command of troops stationed at
San Diego, where for several years he dwelt
with his family. In 1817 he was appointed
captain and commandante of the troops and
Santa Barbara, and here was bis home there-
after, with a brief interregnum, when he went
to Mexico again as Habilitado General. He
was continued in office as captain and com-
mandante until 1828, when he was sent as
deputy to the Mexican Congress; but, on
reaching the capital, he found his seat con-
tested, and his opponent triumphed. Don
Jose now renounced politics and engaged in
farming and stock-raising on a large scale,
favored by the secularization of the missions.
Within a few years he was owner of eight of
the principal ranches of the district, including
Las Posas, Simi, Conejo, San Julian, and
others. The ability, integrity, and kindness
of this man made him a power among his
neighbors, his advice and influeuce being
almost without limit. He was always an
arbiter in misunderstandings among his own
people, as well as between these and the for-
eigners who soon came into the country.
His wife, Maria Antonia Carrillo, was re-
garded as one of the most charitable and
benevolent women of the age.
This worthy pair had seven sons and four
daughters, and a brief resume of their mar-
THE SANTA BARBARA REGION.
riages and descendants will show the impor-
tant part that this family has continued to
plaj in local history, as well as the fertility
of the race.
The eldest son, Jose Antonio de la Giierra
y Carrillo, married Concepcion Ortega.
Their children were : Jose Antonio, Jose
Earaou (graduated at Georgetown, District
of Columbia), Guillermo and Alejandro,
sons; Dolores, Catarina, Lola, Cristina, and
Juana, daughters.
Second son, Juan, was considered the ablest
in the family, but died early; was educated in
England, being graduated from three colleges.
Third son, Francisco, married Ascencion
Sepiilveda, and by her had a son, Francisco,
and a daughter, Maria Antonia. His second
wife was Concepcion Sepiilveda, sister of the
former wife; by her he had Juan, Osboldo,
Jose Hercules, Pablo, and Hanibal, sons; and
Anita (Mrs. F. W. Thompson), Herlinda,
Rosa, and Diana, daughters.
Fourth son, Pablo, married Josefa Moreno,
and had Francisca (Mrs. T. B. Dibblee),
Delfina (one of twins), Herminia,|and Pau-
lina, all daughters.
Fifth son, Miguel, married Trinidad Or-
tega; their children were: Gaspar, fJlpiano,
and Leon, sous, and Maria (Mrs. Taylor),
Josefa, Olympia, Joaquina, and Paulina,
daughters.
Sixth son, Joaquin, was for a time sheriff
of Santa Barbara County. He never married.
Of the daughters of Jos^ de la Guerra y
Noriega, Teresa, the eldest, married William
E. P. Hartnell, of England, and by him had
twenty-two children, as follows: Guillermo,
Juan, Alvano ,Nataniel, George, Franco, Ben-
jamin, Teresa, Matilde, Anita, Magdalena,
Auielia, and others whose names cannot be had.
The second daughter, Maria de las Augus-
tias, was married to Manuel Jimeno of Mex-
ico, who was subsequently secretary to several
of the governors of California, and intimately
connected with land matters after seculariza-
tion of the missions. Maria had Manuela,
Maria Antonia, Augustias, Carolina, daugh-
ters; and Jose Antonio, Porfirio. Santiago,
Enrique, Belisario, Juan and Alfredo, chil-
dren by this marriage; and by her second
marriage to Dr. Ord, of the United States
navy, one daughter, Eebecca Ord.
The third daughter. Ana Maria Antonia,
married to Alfred Robinson, of Boston,
Massachusetts, had James, Alfredo, Miguel,
and another James, sons; Elena, Maria, An-
tonia, and Paulina, daughters.
This lady was the bride referred to in
Dana's account of Santa Barbara. Alfred
Robinson came from Boston in 1829, on the
ship Brooklyn, owned by Bryant, Sturgis,
and others. He was for many years engaged
in mercantile business, and was the first ao-eut
of the Pacific Steamboat Company in 1849.
The first son, James, for whom the youngest
was named, died at West Point when seven-
teen years old.
The fourth and youngest daughter of Don
Jose de la Guerra y Noriega, named Antonia
Maria, married first Cesario Lataillade of .
Spain, by whom she had Cesario, Jr., and
Maria Antonia; contracting a second mar-
riage with Caspar Orefia of Spain, she had
Anita, Serena, Rosa, Acacia, and Teresa,
daughters; and Leopoldo, Dario, Orestes,
and Arturo, sons. This lady, Mrs. Orena,
was considered the greatest beauty of the de
la Guerra family, or even of the coast.
One of the sons of Don Jose was Don Pablo
de la Guerra, a member of the first constitu-
tional convention of California, who, in his
life-time, was severally Senator, District
Judge of. the Fourth Judicial District, and
Lieutenant Governor of the State. He was
a courteous, intelligent, upright n\an. He
died February 5, 1874.
PRE-AMEBICAN BISTORT OF
His predecessor as District Judge was Don
Joaquin Carrillo. Judge Carrillo was the
first County Judge of this county, and was
elected to the district bench in 1852, and
served in this capacity eleven years. He
neither spoke nor understood the English
language; all proceedings in his court were
conducted in Spanish. His mind was broad
and easily grasped and mastered the most
subtle and complicated cases. He based his
decisions upon the principles of equity, rather
than law. Don Joaquin Carrillo was a warm
friend of the Americans. He died February
19, 1868, beloved and lamented.
Another of the prominent families, whose
members are now counted by the hundred,
was founded by Don Kaymundo Carrillo,
one of the first commanders of the posts of
San Diego and Santa Barbara. He married
Tomasa Lugo, daughter of one of the oldest
soldiers stationed at Santa Barbara. They
had four sons and one daughter, Maria An-
tonia, already mentioned as the wife of Jose
de la Gnerra y Noriega, and mother of the
de la Guerra y Carrillo family.
The first son of Kaymundo Carrillo, Carlos
Antonio, married Maria, sister of Governor
Castro, and by her had sons : Jose, who
married Catarina Ortega; Pedro, who married
Josefa Bandini; Jose Jesus, wedded to Tomasa
Gutierrez; and daughters, Maria Josefa, who
married William G. Dana; Encarnacion, wife
of Thomas Bobbins; Francisca, wedded to
Alpheus Thompson; Manuela, married to
John C. Jones; Maria Antonia, spouse of
Lewis C. Burton; and two other daughters,
who died young — in all ten children.
Anastacio, Carriilo's second son, married
Concepcion Garcia. Their children were:
Raymnndo, who married Dolores Ortega;
Francisco, dead; Luis, married to Kefugio
Ortega; Guillermo, whose wife was Manuela
Ortega; and daughters, Micaela, dead; Man-
uela, married to Joaquin Carrillo; and Sole-
dad, dead.
Domingo Carrillo, the third son, married
Concepcion Pico. They had sons: Joaquin,
married to his cousin, Manuela Carrillo;
Jose Antonio, who married Felicitas Gu-
tierrez; Francisco, whose wife was Dorotea
Lugo; Alejandro, dead; Felipe, dead; and
daughters, Maria, wife of J. M. Covarrubias;
Angela, married to Ygnacio del Valle; and
Maria Antonia, dead.
Jose Antonio Carrillo, the fourth son,
married Estefana Pico. His daughter was
Luis (or Lewis) Burton's second wife, mother
of Ben Burton.
The Ortega family was of the sangi'e asul,
or blue blood of Castile, Spain. Some of
this family emigrated to Guadalaxara, Mex-
ico, and the founder of the California branch
was for a time commandante of a cavalry
company at Loreto, in La Baja, or Lower
California, where were born to him, Captain
Jose Maria Ortega, and his wife, Antonia
Carrillo, seven children: Ygnacio, Jose Ma-
ria, Jose Yicente, Francisco and Juan; and
Maria Luisa and Maria Antonia, daughters.
Ygnacio Ortega married Francisca Lopez,
and had sons: Martin, married to Ynocencia
Moraga; Jose Vicente, who married Maria
Estefana Olivera; and Antonio Maria Jose
Dolores, Jose de Jesus and Joaquin, who
did not marry; also daughters. Pilar, spouse
of the doughty Santiago Arguello; Soledad,
wife of Luis Arguello; Maria de Jesus, mar-
ried to Jose Ramirez; Concepcion, who mar-
ried Jose Antonio de la Guerra; and Cata-
rina, wife of Jose Carrillo.
Jose Yicente, second son of Captain Or-
tega, was the founder of the Refugio Rancho,
which is still possessed by the family.
Juan Ortega, tlie fourth son, married Ra-
faela Arrellanez. Their children were: Enii-
dio, married to Concepcion Dominguez; and
THE SANTA BAMBARA REGION.
daughters, Maria, wife of Guadalupe Her-
nandez; Buenaventura, wife of Joaquin Cota;
Maria Antonia, wife of Pedro Dejeme; and
Maria de Jesus, who married Fernando Tico.
Jose Vicente, son of Ygnacio, and grand-
son of Captain Ortega, married Maria Este-
fana Oil vera, daughter of Ygnacio Olivera,
of Los Angeles. The Oliveras were of old
Castilian stock, with chivalric ideas of court-
esy and honor. Diego Olivera, who died a
few years since, wore the old-time garb, with
silk stockings, shoes with jeweled , buckles,
and the sword to bear which he had hered-
itary right. It bore engraved the time-
honored Spanish motto — "iV^c me saques sin
razon, no me emvaines sin, honor (" Draw
me not in unjust cause, sheath me not with
honor dimmed"). This Diego Olivera was
brother to Maria Estefana, who gave her hus-
band children as follows: Two sons named
Luis, who both died joung; Manuel, who
died somewhat later; Pedro, and one daugh-
ter, Rafaela Luisa, -ndfe of Daniel Hill.
Daniel Hill and his wife, Rafaela Luisa,
had children as follows: Rosa, wife of Nich-
olas A. Den; Josefa, wife of Alexander S.
Taylor; Susana, wife of T. Wallace More;
Maria Antonia, wife of H. O'Neill; Lucre-
cia, died young; Adelaida, Helena, daugh-
ters; and Vicente, Jose Maria, Juan, Tomas,
Ramon, Enrique and Daniel, sons.
The Cotas were another important family,
allied by intermarriage witli various names
which appear on the page of history. At
least two women of this family are deservincp
of mention here, they being also grand-
daughters of that Corporal Antonio Maria
Lugo who came up from Los Angeles to
assist in repulsing the "pirate" Bouchard, in
1818. Maria Los Angeles Cota de la Torre,
daughter of Don Pablo Cota, ensign of the
Santa Barbara company, and of Doiia Rosa
Lugo, was born at Santa Barbara in 1790.
At thirteen years of age she was married to
Don Jose Joaquin de la Torre, cadet and
commissary at Monterey, and afterwards sec-
retary to Governor Sola. She died at Mon-
terey in 1877, aged eighty-seven years, after
seventy-four years of married life. She left
three sons, three daughters, forty-three grand-
children, thirty-four great-grandchildren, and
several great-great-grandchildren.
Maria Ysabel Cota de Pico was born at
Santa Barbara, May, 1783. At nineteen
years old she married Jose Dolores Pico, one
of three brothers who came to California
with the first Mexican colony as officers in
the military service of the Spanish Vice-
royalty in Mexico. Her husband died in
1827, after fifty years of military service.
Of this marriage were born thirteen children,
who, with their cousins, the Castros, children
of their father's brothers, and allies by mar-
riage, were all powerful in the affairs of gov-
ernment in California at the time of the
American invasion. This lady was over
eighty-six years old when she died. Her
descendants numbered over 300, including
one of the sixth geueration; nearly all live
in this State, and they bear the names of the
most prominent native families,' as well as of
many leading American citizens intermarried
with them. 1152322
Raymundo Olivas, born in Los Angeles in
1801, came northward in 1821. He was the
original grantee of the San Miguelito or Cas-
itas Rancho, granted in 1840. Pie and his
wife had twenty-one children. In 1883 he
had under his roof in Ventura County, he
then being nearly eighty and his wife sixty
years old, forty-three descendants, of whom
eighteen were their sons and daughters.
Moreover, a daughter living at Santa Cruz
had already done somewhat toward sustain-
ing the family record, in presenting the
country with ten children.
PBE-AMERICAN HISTORY OF
There were other eminent families, bears
ing the names of Del Valle, Arnaz, Camar-
illo, etc., although the Del Valles, a notable
family, now belong properly to Ventura
County.
Among the pioneers not of Spanish or
Mexican blood were the following:
Joseph Chapman, of Massachusetts, cap-
tured from Bouchard's privateer in 1818;
settled for a time in Los Angeles County
with the Lugos; married Gruadalupe Ortega,
of Santa Barbara; he built and lived in the
adobe house still standing in the rear of the
Episcopal church; died in 1848, leaving
many descendants.
Captain James W. Burke, a native of Ire-
land, arrived here from Lima in 1820, and
settled permanently in 1828.
William E. P. Hartnell, an Englishman,
came here in 1822. He was a notable linguist;
was Government translator at Monterey, and
translated the statutes into Spanish. He
married Teresa de la Guerra, daughter of
Don Jose, and they had twenty-two children,
of whom a number are still living in this
county and San Luis. He died in 1854.
Captain Thomas Robbins, a native of Nan-
tucket, came here in 1827. He owned the
Rancho Las Positas y Calera, adjoining Santa
Barbara. Died in 1857.
Captain William G. Dana came from Bos-
ton in 1827. He lived mostly at his rancho,
Nipomo, in San Luis County, where he died
in 1857, and where are still living a number
of the twenty-two children borne him by his
wife, Maria Josefa Carrillo.
Alfred Robinson came hitlier from Boston
in 1829, on the ship Brooklyn. He married
Ana Maria Antonia de la Guerra; was the
first agent of the Pacific Steamship Com-
pany in 1849, and was for many years a
leading merchant. He is a gentleman of
intelligence and reiinement, and generally |
esteemed. He still lives in San Francisco.
He is the author of a work, "Life in Cali-
fornia," published in 1846, and now quite
rare.
Robert Elwell, of Boston, arrived in 1825.
He was favorably known by all the old citi-
zens. He had a pithy way of expression.
One of his sayings was the following: "In
politics, I am a Whig; in religion, a Uni-
tarian. I am also a Freemason, and if these
won't take a man to Heaven, I don't know
what will." He died in 1853.
Daniel A. Hill, of Billerica, Massachusetts,
came from the Sandwich Islands to Monterey
in 1823, and settled in Santa Barbara the
following year. He was the original grantee
of La Goleta Rancho, where he died in 1865.
He left a large family, who, with their
descendants, still reside in Santa Barbara
County.
James Back, of Boston, Massachusetts,
arrived from the Sandwich Islands in 1829.
His descandants still have a home here.
Captain Alpheus B. Thompson, of Bruns-
wick, Maine, arrived hero from Honolulu in
1834. As merchant and ship-master he did
business here many years. Three of liis
children, C. A. Thompson, A. B. Thompson
and Mr?. E. Van Valkenburg are now residents
of this vicinity. A. B. Thompson was for
twelve years the County Clerk of Santa Bar-
bara County. Captain Thompson died at
Los Angeles in the year 1870.
Augustin Jansen, of Belgium, arrived here
from Mexico in August, 1834. He has been
County Assessor of this county, and a mem-
ber of the common council of Santa Barbara
city.
Julian Foxen arrived in 1828 from En-
gland. He was a man of notable character.
He died on his rancho, the Tinaquaic, in
February, 1874, leaving many descendants.
Lewis F. Burton, of Henry County, Ten-
THE SANTA BARBARA REGION.
nessee, came here in 1881, and engaged in
otter-hunting, and later he conducted a
mercantile business in Santa Barbara for
more than thirty years. He was nearly
killed by robbers, in the early days, near the
site of the present Port Harford, but was
nursed back to health by the ladies of the
Carrillo family, one of whom he married later
on. He died in 1880.
Captain John Wilson, of Scotland, who
came hither via Peru in 1830, was long a
merchant here. He died in 1860 at San Luis
Obispo.
Francis Ziba Branch, of New York, came
here from New Mexico in 1833. He engaged
in mercantile pursuits; died in 1874 at San
Luis Obispo.
Isaac J. Sparks, of Maine, came overland
in 1832. He was a merchant, and the first
postmaster appointed; he built the first brick
house in Santa Barbara, erected in 1854,
which now forms a part of the old Park
Hotel.
James Scott, of Scotland, came here in
1830 with Captain Wilson, and was his
partner in business. He died in 1851.
George Nidever, of Arkansas, came over-
land in 1834, reaching Santa Barbara in 1835
He was a mighty hunter. He it was who
rescued "the lost woman" from San Nicolas.
Captain John F. Smith, native of France,
came in 1883 via the Sandwich Islands, built
the first wooden dwelling in Santa Barbara,
still standing near the gas-house. He died
in 1866.
Nicholas A. Den, of Waterford, Ireland,
arrived in 1839. He was the grantee of the
Rancho Dos Pueblos. He married a daughter
of Daniel A. Hill. He died in 1862, leaving
ten children.
John C. Jones, of Boston, came hither in
1835 from Honolulu, where he had been
United States Consul. He married Manuela
Carrillo, whose wedding portion was one-half
of Santa Rosa Island, which he, with A. B.
Thompson, a brother-in-law, stocked with
horses, sheep and cattle. He removed with
his family to Boston, and died about 1850.
Albert Packard, a New Englander, arrived
via Mazatlan about 1845, and lived here for
many years, being well-known as a prominent
lawyer and a wealthy orchardist. He still
lives.
Henry J. Dally, of New York, reached
Monterey in 1843, and removed to San Luis
Obispo in 1848, and to Santa Barbara in
1853. He was an otter-hunter.
Wm. A. Streeter, a New Yorker, came
here via Peru in 1843. A wheelwright by
trade, he ofiiciated as a dentist and a physician,
and was and is skillful at almost every kind
of practical mechanics. He still lives, en-
gaged in various and versatile sorts of handi-
craft.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTT.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
IN GENERAL.
BOUNDARY.
After the signing of the treaty of peace
between the United States and Mexico, Feb-
ruary 2, 1848, the establishment of the new
government was pushed forward as speedily
as practicable. One month after the adoption
of the Constitution, the first Legislature met
at San Jose, which was made the capital.
The act subdividing the State into coun-
ties, and appointing the county-seats therein,
approved February 18, 1850, contained pass-
ages as follows:
" Section 1. The following shall be the
boundaries and seats of justice of the several
counties of the State of California until other-
wise determined by law.
" Section 2 created San Diego County.
" Section 3 created Los Angeles County.
" Section 4. County of Santa Baeuaea.
Begiiming on the sea coast, at the mouth of
the creek called Santa Maria, and running
up the middle of said creek to its source;
thence due northeast to the summit of the
Coast Range, the farm of Santa Maria fall-
ing within Santa Barbara County; thence
Ibllowing the summit of the Coast Range to
the northwest corner of Los Angeles County;
then along the northwest boundary of said
county to the ocean and three English miles
therein; and thence in a northwesterly direc-
tion, parallel with the coast, to a point dne
west of the mouth of Santa Maria Creek;
thence due east to the mouth of said creek,
which was the place of beginning, including
the islands of Santa Barbara, San Nicolas,
San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and
all others in the same vicinity. The seat of
justice shall be at Santa Barbara.
" Section 5. County of San Luis Obispo.
Beginning three English miles west of the
coast, at a point due west of the source of the
Nacimiento River, and running due east to
the source of said river; thence down the
middle of said river to its confluence with
Monterey River; thence up or down, as the
case may be, the middle of Monterey River
to the parallel of thirty-six degrees north
latitude; thence due east following said par-
allel to the summit of the Coast Range;
thence following the summit of said range in
a southeasterly direction to the northeast
corner of Santa Barbara County; thence fol-
lowing the northern boundary of Santa Bar-
bara County to the ocean, and three English
miles therein; and tlience in a northwesterly
direction parallel with the coast, to the place
of beginning. The seat of justice shall be at
San Luis Obispo."
A subsequent act, defining the boundaries
between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo
Counties was passed May 13, 1854. The
northern line of Santa Barbara County was
declared to be from where the eastern line
SANTA BAMBARA GOUNTT.
intersected the southern line of Township
10 north, San Bernardino base; thence west,
on 'said township line to the Santa Maria
River, thence down said river and down the
creek which divides that part of Guadalupe
Rancho known as La Larga from that known
as Oso Flaco, to a point in the Pacific ocean
opposite the mouth of said creek.
The act passed March 2, 1850, providing
for the holding of the first county election,
and that passed March 23, 1850, providing
for general elections, applied to these as to
the rest of the newly designated counties.
THE EXPOKTS
from Santa Barbara from March to Septem-
ber, 1847, amounted to $27,780.
In the summer of 1848 the United States
steamship Edith went ashore on the coast be-
tween Point Sal and Point Arguello. There
were assertions that she was purposely
wrecked, as some of the crew were eager to
leave service and go to the newly discovered
gold mines. The wreck was sold to Captain
William G. Dana, owner of the great Nipomo
rancho, who entertained at his house the
officers and the crew until arrangement could
be made for tbeir transportation to Monterey,
then the State capital and headquarters on
this coast for the army and navy.
ITEMS OF INTEREST, 1850-'90.
The first supply of public money for Santa
Barbara County was obtained for licenses for
selling liquor and merchandise. Tiie treas-
urer's account began August 23, 1850. An
accounting was made January 4, 1851, when
he was charged with State taxes, $5,507.18;
county taxes, $2,753.59; total, $8,260.77.
The total of credits was $5,667.53, leaving
for salaries, etc., $2,593.24.
Apropos to the subject of licenses, there
would seem to have been some thirst-insi>ir-
ing property in the climate of Santa Barbara
at this period, for, of the fifty licenses issued
from August, 1850, to February, 1851,
thirty-two were for the sale of liquors. It
should be said, however, that the sales were
mostly to foreign customers, for the native
Californians of that day were not excessive
drinkers, but it is surprising to see how many
of the aristocratic old families took out
licenses to sell liquor.
It is said that the three lustrums from
1850 to 1865 were a period of great peace
and order in , Santa Barbara. No place in
California, nor even in all the United States,
it is declared, with an equal population, was
more free from crime than was this city at
that period. The county jail served as the
place of incarceration of all the town prison-
ers, as well as those of the county; yet, as
we are told, more than half the time during
those fifteen years the jail door stood wide
open, the edifice being without an occupant.
Many of the new-comers had intermarried
with the natives, and these relations served
to bind the diverse elements together in har-
mony. There were occasional strifes over
the possession of land outside of the city,
such as always occur in a new country, but
these were not frequent in the earlier times,
for land was not considered worth enough to
warrant dispute.
It was, however, inevitable' that owing to
a not unnatural friction, should be occasional
passages which caused strained relations be-
tween the Californians and the Americans.
For instance, two men coming up the coast
to buy cattle were murdered near the San
Gabriel Iliver by one Zavaleta and another
native, who came to Santa Barbara to spend
the money taken from their victims. The
murderers were recognized by description,
and were arrested l)y the sheriff, Valentine
Hearne, aided by a number i)f citizens. Some
AXTA BARB AHA COUNTY.
of the native families, inchiding that of Cap-
tain de la Guerra, protested against the treat-
ment of the men, as based on insufiicient
evidence, and inspired by race prejudice.
Hence considerable ill-feeling was engen-
dered. An escort of twenty-live men was
made up to accompany the accused back to
Los Angeles, and a semi-ofKcial demand, ac-
companied by a menace, was made for a sup-
ply of horses to be furnished for the purpose,
by the citizens of Santa Barbara. The men
were tried, and confessed the murder in de-
tail, pointing out the burial place of their
victims, 80 that they were Jmng by the people
of Los Angeles. Notwithstandiftg this justi-
fication. Dr. Den and the de la Guerras were
so much displeased with Hearne for having
arrested the men, that they withdrew from
his bond, and so forced him to resign his
office of sheriff. It is said that W. W. Twist,
his successor, was not even an American
citizen.
Again, trouble arose from the dissatisfac-
tion of American newcomers with the system
of large holdings of land by the natives, and
from such a cause arose one of the celebrated
cases of the county. John Vidal, a member
of Games' Company in Stevenson's Regi-
ment, had rented for a time a tract of land
on the Arroyo Burro, a small creek emptying
into the sea near Santa Barbara, and when
his lea^e expired, he claimed the land under
the pre-emption laws as Government land.
Suit being brought in the respective courts,
the land was adjudged the property of Dr.
Den, of whom Vidal had rented, and the
sheriff (Twist) was ordered by the court to
evict Vidal and put Den in possession.
Vidal was known to have many friends
among the gamblers, and the attempt to disturb
him was considered very dangerous. When
the sheriff called out a posse to execute the
writ of ejectment, the people began to take
sides, and Vidal's friends gathered upon the
disputed territory, some say merely in
friendly union, others declare to fortify and
hold the place at all hazards. The sheriff
enlisted some 200 men, engaged a surgeon,
and secured a small cannon to be used, if
necessary, in demolishing the fortifications.
At this juncture, Vidal and a few of his
companions rode up to the assembled force,
whether with hostile intent or in the hope
that the issue might be determined by
amiable parley. Two of his companions
lassoed the cannon, and made as if to drag it
away, upon which pretext Twist tired upon
them, and at once the light became general.
One of Vidal's companions rushed at Twist,
and attempted to plunge into him a long
knife, which was deflected by a rib, so that
the wound was not dangerous. Vidal was
shot, and fell from his horse, but, although
terribly wounded, he lingered under Dr.
Brinkerhoff's care for fourteen days, unable
to speak, even regarding a ring he wore,
which he evidently wished to leave to some
one. Twist soon recovered. These were the
only serious casualties which occurred,
although a running fight lasted for some
minutes. By advice of their leading men,
the Californian citizens remained within
doors that day, and Pablo de la Guerra pro-
ceeded to the spot with a flag of truce, and
persuaded the Vidal adherents to submit to
the legal authorities. The next morning, a
ship-of war anchored here, having been des-
patched from Monterey to enforce order if
necessary.
The land in dispute was afterward pro-
nounced public ground, although Vidal had
practically acknowledged Den's ownership by
possession, by his payment of rental for it.
Vidal appears to have been largely a scape-
goat in the matter, as he was a man of some
worth. He was justice of the peace when
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
killed, and had been associate justice with
Joaquin Carrillo.
The feverish excitement, the disorganized
condition? of society, and generallawlessness,
naturally led to a vast deal of gambling,
drinking and other vices, as well as systems
of outlawry, — practically highway robbers.
One gang, which flourished in the early
'SOs, had its headquarters at the Los Alamos
and Purisima Ilanchos. It was headed by
Salomon Pico, a connection of" Don Pio and
General Andres Pico; and this prestige of
blood no doubt greatly facilitated the gang's
operations, by procuring shelter, protection,
aid, and warnings of danger, from the jiow-
erful ranclieros. The ostensible occupation
of this set was driving and trading in stock,
and the consequent irregularities of move-
ment greatly facilitated the siippression of
strangers who came thither, well supplied
with money, to purchase cattle. Many were
the disappearances noted of such individuals,
and after years brought to light many skele-
tons, on which were signs of violence telling
of robbery and murder.
Jack Powers was another bandit, and one
of the most remarkable and most successful
of the epoch. He had been a member of
Captain Lippett's Company F, Stevenson's
Kegiment, and is said to have enjoyed at one
time a good reputation and standing. After
being mustered out, he took up the career of
a gambler, in which he was very successful,
and when Salomon Pico's band was dispersed.
Powers brought its remnants together under
his own leadership, and for a time they ter-
rorized the section for a period of about touv
years. He was deemed the best rider in the
State, — no slight compliment, as the Califor-
nian boys were very like unto centaurs.
Powers once at San Jose rode for a wager 150
miles in fourteen hours, changing steeds at will.
This skill as a rider, and his command of
good horses, made him appear fairly ubiqui-
tous, as was reputed to be Joaquin Murieta.
Powers had a gray mule, which, it was said,
would carry him 100 miles in twelve hours.
He was once in Santa Barbara within ten
hours after he had committed a rubbery near
San Luis Obispo. Many anecdotes are told
of Powers' exploits.
Another of the fraternity of ''holy terrors"
was Patrick Dunn, who had the name of be-
longing to Powers' gang. Dunn, while in-
toxicated, shot a stranger, a passenger from a
steamer; the murder, done in the square be-
fore the de la Guerra House, was witnessed by
several ladies of that family. But such was
the terror of incurring the enmity of the gang,
that only the court's solemn assurance of
protection could induce them to testify.
Whilst the trial was in progress, the judge,
the district attorney and the sheriff, each
received a warning that they would be killed
if they prosecuted the case, and no doul)t
murder would have been done in open court,
had not six deputies been sworn in, with in-
structions to shoot instantly Powers and Dunn,
at any attempt to interfere with the proceed-
ings. Dunn pleaded justifiable homicide in
self-defence, and after a trial of twenty-one
days, the jury disagreed. A similar result
followed a second trial, held at Los Angeles.
Dunn was again tried for an attempt at
murder, he having loaded a double barreled
shot-gun to kill one Martin, who had ofEended
him. Both barrels snapped without effect,
but Dunn was sentenced to State's prison for
a term of years. It became known that
Powers had determined to rescue Dunn on
his passage from the jail to the boat, and
twenty-five men were sworn in as deputies,
with instructions as before, to shoot both
Dunn and Powers upon any attempt at a
rescue. Powers, so Russell Heath, the sher-
iff, assured him, would be the first to fall.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
The deputies followed the van containing the
prisoner from the jail to the shore, where he
was transferred to the lighter without inter-
ruption, although Powers and his friends,
about thirty in number, had assembled at the
beach on horseback. Powers left California
about 1850, and went to Mexico, where he
was shot. Dunn died in Arizona in 1866.
Up to 1856, the mail facilities for Santa
Barbara were very sketchy; Lewis T. Burton
was the first postmaster. When the Panama
steamers began to touch here, they carried
letters between this point and San Francisco,
but the mail-bag was treated with so little
consideration that it was oftpn wetted in
transit between the steamer and the landing,
and on one occasion several gallons of water
were turned out of the bag, along with the
letters and papers. The dispatching of the
mail was treated as a matter of little moment,
and the letters received for distribution were
kept in a candle-box, where each could help
himself to his own — or his neighbor's — mis-
sives. In March, 1856, William Carey Jones,
in a letter addressed to the Postmaster-Gen.
eral, set forth the disadvantage and detriment
suffered from this lack of postal service, cited
the superior means of intercommunication
enjoyed under the Spanish rule eighty years
previous, and advocated the establishment of
a regular weekly mail, to be carried by cour-
iers, between Monterey and San Diego.
Within a year or two, the overland stage,
carrying mail and passengers, was established
by the United States Government, at a cost
of about $500,000 per annum. It was de-
signed to open a line of settlements from
Texas to California, in the interest of the
Southern States. Few passengers took this
route, and as the schedule time was but little
less than by steamer, the large Eastern niail
continued to be transferred by the main lines
of passenger travel. The stage route lay
through the coast counties, and afforded their
people the long-needed facilities. The war
1 of the Rebellion scattered the stock, and put
an end to this line.
At a little after 8 a. m., on January 9, 1857,
was felt the premonitory shock of one of the
severest earthquakes ever felt in California.
The morning was clear, snnny and cool, witli
no forecast of the temblor whose shocks
continued at intervals until the next day,
their force extending from Point Concepcion
to Los Angeles. The most violent alarm was
felt by the people at Santa Barbara; but, for-
tunately, there was no loss of life, and but
little damage to property beyond cracking-
the walls of some of the houses. The reser-
voir at the mission rocked so violently that
the water slopped over at each of its sides so
plentifully as to set quite a stream running;
and near the hot springs great boulders were
detached from the cliffs and rolled into the
valley. At San Buenaventura, the mission
church was badly injured, the roof partly
falling in, and the belfry suffering consider-
able injury. The tower of the Point Concep-
cion light-house also was much damaged.
The Gazette died this year, the plant being
sold to parties who removed it to San Fran-
cisco. It is believed that no file of this paper
was preserved.
The whole tax rate for this year was $1.62i
on the $100. In September there was in
the county treasury $8,724.77|, the largest
sum yet known, and the supervisors took the
subject in hand, fixing the treasurer's bonds
at $20,000. The system of accounts in this
department was very obscure and imperfect,
and it is said that the amounts on the stubs
of the warrants gave the only clue to the con-
dition of the funds. There seems to have
been a pretty continual agitation on this sub-
ject during this period, and inspections were
ordered made of the books of the auditor
SANTA BABBARA COUNTY.
also. The same trouble ran into the succeed-
ing year.
The whole number of votes cast at the
county election in 1858 was 319. The total
of tax rates for this year was $1.52 J on
each $100. A road tax of $2.00 was levied
on every man between twenty and forty
years old. It was now orJered that one-
sixth part of all taxes raised be set apart
as a hospital fund.
On June 17, 1859, Santa Barbara was
visited by a hot, sirocco-like wind from the
northwest, which began about 12 m., and
blew furiously until about 3:30 p. m., killing
birds, rabbits, lambs, etc., blasting fruit,
scorching the leaves on the wind ward side of
trees, and sending the mercury up to 136° F..
In 1860 Santa Barbara shared in the split
in the Democratic party on the slavery ques-
tion, and the electoral ticket was divided.
It was this year that San Buenaventura be-
came ambitious of planning the town plat
after regular, and laying out a street in front
of the mission, between it and the oi'chard.
After some controversy, this was carried
into effect, and the line main street of the
town, which serves as its base line, dates
from this beginning.
In 1861 there was a general resolve to
discharge the heavy debt incurred by pre
vious mismanagement and extravagance, and
a law looking to that purpose was enacted
by the Legislature, by the expressed wish
of the people. The tax rate for this year
was $1.90 on the $100. An appropi-iation
was made by the Legislature of $15,000
for the construction of a county road, bids
were made, and the contract was awarded
to T. Wallace More; but he, after some little
time, declared his inability to complete the
undertaking, and suit was brought against
him for the performance of the contract.
The question was ultimately compromised,
The elections passed ofi' very quietly this
year, perhaps because of the absence of a
newspaper to incite violence of political
feeling.
Santa Barbara shared in the excessive
rains that fell all over California in the
winter of 1861-'62, and many changes were
wrought in the way of changing the beds
of rivers, filling up estuaries, etc. Until
this season, the estuary of the Goleta was
a sort of harbor, accessible to small crafts,
which might have been made into a safe
harbor of refuge from storms, but this sea-
son's freshets filled it with sand and gravel
from the mountains, beyond the hope of
clearing. In other places, the swollen streams
swept out channels through the iolsas, or
miry lagoons, in which they had terminated.
The appearance of the country was also
much changed by slides in the mountains.
At San Buenaventura there was a slide along
almost the whole face of the hill where ran
the aqueduct, and the canal was so nearly de-
stroyed as to require rebuilding. Many
cattle perished this winter, but they were
hardly missed, as stock was even over-abun-
dant.
The taxes for 1863 footed up to $2.52
on ths $100. The election of this year
showed a notable increase in tbe population,
as indexed by the nun^ber of voters. The
salaries of the county judges, the sheriff,
and the county clerk were fixed this year,
respectively, as follows:— $1,000, $1,000,
and $500 per annum, It was about this
season that the enormous increase of the
herds had brought down beef to a price that
hardly repaid the killing. The loss in the hard
winter of 1861-'62 was speedily recouped,
and the droves had now attained propor-
tions that demanded diminution. Farticu
larly in the southern counties was this result
made necessary, for here the distance from
SANTA BAliBASA COUNTY.
the markets, the long drives thereto over
closely-grazed country, the inevitable shrink-
age contingent upon the journey, and the in-
ferior quality of the beef after the drive, all
tended to depret^s greatly the value of this
product. This led to the institution of a
matanza, or species of wholesale slaughter,
which reached, it is asserted, far toward 100.-
000 head. The slaughter-works were situated
on the seashore between Santa Barbara and
Carpenteria, that the refuse might be swept
away by the tide. The carcasses were put
into steam baths, and subjected to such heat
that the flesh fell from the bones and became
a mass of jelly and fat. This was put into a
mighty press, and every particle of the tallow
extracted; the jelly went to the manufacture
of glue, the horns were sent East to be made
into combs and other such matters. The cake
or pressed meat was fed to hogs, so that every
portion of the beef was utilized. Yet, not-
withstanding this economy and the low price
paid — §5 per head — the enterprise was un-
profitable to its projectors.
In 1864 began the development of mis-
fortunes arising from various causes. The
excess of cattle and low prices of beef; the
number of mortgages incurred as lands were
changing owners; the purchase of goods, often
superfluities, on the credit system, to be paid
for with heavy interest — all these factors en-
tered into the conditions. Mortgages on
ranches were given as security for compara-
tively small debts, and they were seldom re-
deemed. As land was held at about 25 cents
per acre, an indebtedness of a few thousand
dollars not infrequently laid a mortgage
on a rancho of eleven leagues, or 44,000
acres. In this manner the Santa Clara del
Norte, the Las Posas, the Simi, and other
fine ranchos were alienated from their orig-
inal owners. The sum of $20,000 or less
would have saved to the mortgageor the ran-
chos Simi Las Posas, Conejo; San Julian and
Espada, aggregating 200,000 or more acres.
Nearly all the principal rancho-owners this
year asked and obtained considerable reduc-
tions on their assessments.
The whole number of votes cast in this
year's election was 429.
To add to the general drawbacks of this
year, the great drouth created terrible havoc,
compared to which that caused by the floods
had been trifling.
This drouth, though severe throughout
the State, was much more disastrous in the
southern counties than elsewhere. The conn,
try was overstocked with cattle, and the dried
grass was eaten ch.'se to the ground before
the time came for the usual rainfall. Then
a little rain fell, early in December, but bare-
ly enough to lay the dust in Santa Barbara.
December and January passed with no more
rain. The grazing grounds were absolutely
bare, and there was no grass nearer than the
snow-watered valleys over the Sierra, across
the rainless desert. The cattle were unfit for
a day's drive, far less 400 miles. There was
no remembrance of a season without rain, but
this season felt not those of either winter or
spring. The cattle died daily by hundreds,
and the whole country was strewn with their
heat-dried carcasses. The assessuient-roll of
1863 had showed over 200,000 cattle in Santa
Barbara alone, and this probably was not
more than two-thirds of the real number; yet
when the grass sprung up under the welcome
rains of the vvinter of 1864-'65, there were
less than 5,000 cattle left to graze upon it.
The great herds were gone, and the reign of
the cattle kings was over. Their possessions
were for the most part hopelessly mortgaged,
and within the next five years had passed from
their hands. It was sensationally reported
during the drouth that the people of the
southern counties were reduced to subsisting
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
upon the flesh of cattle that had died of star-
vation, and that famine was imminent. The
people of San Francisco promptly raised
:$3,000 and forwarded food and delicacies by
steamer. This generosity was greatly appre-
ciated, although it was not needed, as there
was no destitution which could not be relieved
in the district.
As regarded county politics, Santa Barbara
was democratic; but owing to the influence
exerted by a few of the leading families, 343
of the votes cast were in favor of the Repub-
lican presidential electors. A representative
of one of these families, Antonio Maria dela
Guerra, raised a company of native cavalry,
about 100 strong, which, although they did
not reach the field of most active fighting,
did excellent service on escort and scout duty
on the frontier, their expert horsemanship
eminently fitting them for work in the rough
country where they served.
In this year the oil interests attracted much
interest and immigration, of which account
will be given elsewhere, under the respective
captions.
The assessment roll of 1865 showed many
changes, old names disappearing, and being
replaced by new. The total assessments on
real estate were $520,591; on personal prop-
erty, $227,594; total, $748,185, this being
nearly $300,000 more tiian in 1860.
In 1866, the supervisors deliberated upon
the practicability of building a new jail, as
recommended by a report of the grand jury,
which condemned that in use; the decision
was that the state of the exchequer did not
admit of the requisite expenditure. It is a
noticeable feature that the record of this de-
liberation was spread upon the minutes in the
Spanish language. The tax rate established
this year was $2.43 on the $100.
Up to this time, the irregularities prac-
ticed at elections were the source of much
dissatisfaction and inconvenience, admitting
as they did, of great fraud in voting. In one
instance, a whole tribe of Indians was voted;
in another, a Panama steamer list was copied
entire, and a precinct known to contain but
twenty voters was made to give returns of
160. The new law, which went into opera-
tion this year, provided for the inscription
upon the great register of the name of every
voter, together with particulars of his birth,
or naturalization,age, residence, and business,
such as to identify him fully; and it was
further provided that each should be restricted
to voting in his own precinct. Most of the
smaller precincts were abolished, this meas-
ure also tending to obviate many sources of
fraud and error.
The supervisors here at this time were
seldom in touch with the other county officials,
now one and now another of whom fell under the
supervisorial displeasure. This year it was
the district attorney who fell under the ban
of their displeasure, and his office was by
them declared vacant, after some previous
differences of opinion had been followed by the
demand that he file new bonds for an addi-
tional $10,000 for the collection of the delin-
quent taxes, and his refusal to comply. The
contest was somewhat long as well as acri-
monious, ending in the district attorney's
continuance in office. Yet the board of su-
pervisors, which, by the way, contained a
majority of native Californians, would ap-
pear, reviewing the events, to have had right
and reason on their side.
The total tax rate for 1867 was $3.08 on
the $100; the proportion of school tax, 35
cents, shows that provision was being made
for the public schools. The whole county
vote at this year's election was 624, being a
considerable increase on the last vote. At
this time Thomas R. Bard was elected to
the board of supervisors, a circumstance
SANTA BABBAMA COUNTY.
notable in that it marks the entrance into
public official position of men trained to
business habits, who would give personal at-
tention to official matters instead of referring
them to a commission.
It may be said that tlte ensuing year of
1868 marked a new era in the history of
Santa Barbara, a revolution in all its condi-
tions. The drouth of 1863-'64, and its con-
sequent iinancial disasters, caused the breaking
up of many of the great ranchos, whose land
was now put on the market, at prices some-
times as low as 25 cents per acre; this at-
tracted a large immigration, whose members
instituted many industries hitherto unknown
here. It was found that much of the land was
highly appropriate to the cultivation of wheat,
under proper care and attention; and this
staple, which had been produced in but small
quantities, for tlie manufacture of a little
flour of inferior grade for home consumption,
was now raised in great quantities, sufficient
for heavy exportation. Here arose the need
for a new development; to ship it, there was
need to lighter the wheat to the vessels, at
risk of great loss in the surf. Hence, wharves
were projected and constructed to facilitate
commerce in this product.
Up to this time, all ships touching at Santa
Barbara anchored a mile or two from the shore,
whence their freight was transferred by surf-
boats. Thus the goods, as well as the mails,
were liable to injury or loss. The passengers,
too, were carried ashore from the boats on
the backs of sailors. This method of land-
ing was considerably modified wlien, in the
summer of 1868, the Santa Barbara wharf
was constructed by a company of citizens.
This structure extended beyond the surf only
under the ordinary conditions of winds and
tides, and only lighters could approach it
with safety, no vessel of more than 100 tons
making fast to it. The stairs were unrailed,
and the surf sometimes broke upon them,
and this cause and seasickness often occa-
sioned considerable difficulty and even danger
to the passengers lauding, one lady falling
into the water, whence she was rescued with
much exertion. As the towns along the
southern coast were already competing for
immigration, a Los Angeles newspaper took
occasion to remark of this that passengei-s
for Santa Barbara were dumped into the sea,
to swim ashore or drown! The Santa Bar-
bara Post, just established in this year, took
the statement au serieux, and denied it with
much acrimony!
With the utteiances of the newspaper,
politics, whose fire for some time had lain
dormant, kindled anew, and a Bepublican
meeting, held in September of this year, was
called the largest assemblage which had as
yet met in Santa Barbara.
The total vote of this year wa^ 729, having
almost doubled since the breaking up of the
cattle ranchos.
The gi-and jury of June, 1868, reported
§2,490 in the city treasury, and a total county
debt of $37,006.24; this body had gone some-
what deeply into official matters, and they
reported finding systematic fraud practiced
in the city government; that the records
were kept in Spanish; that but one of the
five trustees spoke English; tliat within the
past two years 7,000 acres of the public
lands had been granted away for less than
$6,000; that these lands had not been granted
for settlement or improvement, but for spec-
ulation; and that some of the members ot
the council were implicated. The recorder's
books showed conveyance to one man of 900
acres for $888, when lands of a similar class
were selling for $6 per acre. At least one-
third of the members of this honest and
energetic jury were native Californians.
The road fund now amoiinted to a respect-
SANTA BARB AHA COUNTY.
able sum, and its disbTirsement was generally
judicious and proper. Koad districts were
formed, and competent road- masters ap-
pointed. Private road enterprises also were
undertaken. Among these were the Santa
Ynes turnpike road, organized August6, 1868,
and the Tulare Turnpike Road Company^
organized December 15, 18G8.
A number of Protestant churches were or-
ganized this year, as will be set forth under
the respective headings.
The Ranchos Zaca and Corral de Cuati,
containing 17,760 acres, were sold for $26,-
TOO, and 900 acres of thj Santa Paula tract
were sold for $13,000.
Eighty new buildings were erected this
year; $70,000 worth of lumber was used,
and 600,000 brick. The estimated increase
of property in the county was $1,000,000.
The acres assessed were 1,154,106|; real es-
tate and improvements, $695,565.48; per-
sonal property, $478,229.72; total value.
$1,137,795.10.
In 1869 the assessed value of real estate
was $755,864; personal property, $626,267;
total, $1,482,131. Of livestock, there were
5,057 horses, mules and asses; 11,094 cattle;
and a great quantity of small stock. The es-
timated population was 8,600, of which 700
was subject to road tax. In September of
this year, William H. Seward visited Santa
Barbara and addressed the people. This year
was stigmatized by an unseemly newspaper
war between local editors, calculated to con-
vey but a poor impression of the refinement
and discretion of the citizens. The whole
vote of this year numbered 1,172. The rates
of assessment, provided by law to be based
on a cash value, this year gave rise to a vast
deal of complaint, land being assessed so low
that the great rancheros paid but nominal
taxe^, while the levies on land improvements
and stock, being the largest itenis on the roll.
carried rates that bore heavily on their own-
ers, thus virtually laying a penalty on the in-
dustry which created these improvements.
Land was sold in hundreds of instances for
five, ten, or twenty times its assessed value,
and in at least one case, a tract which had
paid taxes on a valuation of $275 per acre
sold for $100 per acre. Such was the re-
sistance offered to this abuse, and such the
stir created through the press, that in 1870
assessments on large tracts were nearly double
what they had been.
During these years, from 1868 on, there
was an almost continual agitation over the
question of securing a railroad for Santa
Barbara; and editorials, railroad meetings,
and applications for charters were rife. As
a concession to symmetry, the facts and de-
tails necessary to a proper exposition of this
subject will be given in another chapter.
In 1870, the census report gave as 7,987
the population of Santa Barbara, which then
included Ventura.
On September 25, 1871, was held a special
election for State Senator from the Second
District, to fill the vacancy caused when
Paoheco resigned, he having been elected
Lieutenant Governor,
The total tax rate for 1871 was $2.08^;
road poll tax, $2.
The First National Uoid Bank was organ-
ized in March, 1872; prior to this, Mortimer
Cook, the president of this new bank, had
been conducting a private banking house, the
pioneer estbalishraent in the county, of that
character.
The election of November, 18T2, was the
last held previous to the division of the
county, Ventura being set off, -January 1,
1873. The town of Santa Barbara now reg-
istered more votes than had existed in the
whole county twenty years earlier. At that
time there had Ijeen but one school district.
SANTA BARBABA GOUNTT.
with some sixty piipils, as against some
twenty at this period; while against the one
little store kept by Lewis T. Burton in tliose
earlier days, there were now many flonrishing
commercial houses.
The law creating Ventnra Conntj went
into effect January 1, 1873; thus from this
date on the history of the two connties re-
quires separate treatment. Some little con-
fusion in tlie board of supervisors arose from
this division, but the matter was adjusted.
From the same cause arose the need to redis-
trict Santa Barbara County, and three town-
ships were accordingly determined.
The elections this year were the occasion
of a good deal of enthnsiam, " smashing the
machine" being the active principle to a large
The tax rate was $1.47; the assessment roll
bore: real estate and improvements, $3,637,-
364; personal property, $1,415,200; money,
$33,000. This total of $5,085,564, the board
of equalization augmented by a sum which
raised the iigures to $5,223,094. The in-
crease in valuations from the preceding year
was $626,014.
In the days of the discovery of gold, and
the consequent mining fever, not only had
the newcomers passed by the southern portion
of the State to the rich mining districts be-
yond, but also many dwellers here were drawn
there, to settle and remain in the larger cen-
ters of wealth and population to the north-
ward; and this section was left comparatively
deserted. Thus Santa Barbara had lain
slumbering peacefully in her balmy golden
sunshine, remote, unheralded, difficult of ac-
cess, until a whisper began to float beyond,
of the delights and virtues of her climate.
Then came now and again a weary seeker
after health, that greatest of boons and bless-
ings, and each one spread the fame of the
land to others. And with some of these way-
fai-ers in 1872 came that prince and pioneer
of boomers, "California" Nordhoff, whose
rapturous articles on the charms of this coun-
try awoke to interest myriads of readers all
over the United States, and even Europe.
Then, with the great influx of newcomers,
the prices of property were run up to fabu-
lous prices, and the climate and other attri-
butes of the country, were " puffed " beyond
all truth and reason, ad nauseam. Once the
tide of immigration set in, the hotel accom-
modations were entirely inadequate for the
visitor.-? who came pouring in by scores from
every steamer, and, although the citizens en-
deavored to prevent extortion, overcharges
and abuses were very common. From this
cause arose various rival schemes for hotel
buildings. " The Seaside Hotel Company,"
formed in 1874, proposed to purchase the
Burton Mound property, comprising about
eighteen acres, and there erect a hotel which
should eclipse all others on the coast. Dur-
ing the agitation of this project the citizens
in the rival, upper portion of the town, also
started a hotel project, which they pushed
with so much vigor that the Arlington is the
present visible result, while the " Seaside
Hotel " is still on paper only.
Nearly all the wharves were erected within
a few years after the first great immigra-
tion. The Santa Barbara wharf was the
first built. The franchise for the San
Buenaventura wharf was granted to J.
Wolf son, January 1, 1871; the Hneneme
wharf to Thomas R. Bard, C. L. Bard and R.
G. Surdam, August 4, 1871; the Gaviota to
W.W. Hollister, Albert Dibblee and Thomas
B. Dibblee, November 6, 1871; and Point
Sal to G. W. Foster, August 4, 1872.
The summer of 1874 witnessed a novel
kind of political canvass. The Legislature
had passed a law authorizing each municipal-
ity to determine for itself whether saloons
SANTA BARBAnA COUNTY.
49
should be licensed in the towns. By an ap-
parently concerted movement, the ladies of
the State undertook to secure the prohiliition
of license, and they organized entertainments,
dinners, etc., and carried on a spirited canvass,
inducing thousands of drinking men, even,
to vote against license. The ladies of Santa
Barbara displayed quite as mnch energy as
tliose of other sections, and giant meetings
were held in the county-seat and elsewhere.
The city election resulted in a majority of
119 in favor of no license. At Montecito the
meeting was characterized by great feeling
on both sides; the liquor dealers sent thither
a great quantity of liquors, which were given
away freely and openly, notwithstanding the
law prohibiting the sale or other disposal of
liquors on election day. The " no license "
party carried the day by a majority of one.
At the Patera, 97 out of 128 voters were in
favor of no license. The business of liquor
selling went on much as before; various
persons were tried for illegally selling liq-
\iors, but they were dismissed. At last a
case from another county was appealed to
a higher court, and the law was declared
unconstitutional, on the ground that the
Legislature had no right to delegate its
powers to another body or municipality.
"When the news of the decision reached Santa
Barbara the saloon-keepers held a joiliti cation
with bonfires, speeches, and other demon-
strations.
Santa Barbara was full of enterprising and
brilliant plans at this period. The movement
to form a new county from the third town-
ship, the wise and wholesome effort to secure
the construction of a sewer system, and at-
tempts to build a woolen factory, and foster
various manufacturing institutions, were
among the chief plans.
The year 1874 witnessed the building of
the Arlington Hotel, at a cost of about $80,-
000; the three-story Odd-Fellows' Hall, cost
$20,000; City Hall, cost $8,000; Presbyterian
Church, cost $15,000; new St. Vincent's
School on the rnins of the old building, cost
$15,000; Tebbetts' three-story building, cost
$13,000; John Edwards' dwelling, cost $8,-
000; Charles Pierce's two-story store, $8,000;
Russel Heath's stores, $8,000; and T. Henry
Stevens' two-story brick dwelling, which cost
$4,000.
The assessment roll for this year showed
values of $6,010,309, with sixteen taxpayers
on $16,000 and upwards.
In the winter of 1874-'75 there were severe
storms, one of which flooded a part of the
city — 2.75 inches of water fell within seven
liours — while Stearns' wharf was somewhat
injured.
In August, 1875, Santa Barbara had six
wholesale and retail grocery stores; nine
retail; four dry goods stores, one clothier;
three wholesale and retail boot and shoe
stores; two manufacturing boot and shoe
stores; ten fruit, candy and vegetable stores;
three of hardware; thirteen saloons; one ten-
pin alley; five billiard rooms; two banks; two
auction and commission merchants; five real
estate and house agencies; two warehouses;
seven hotels; three restaurants, various
private boarding and lodging houses; four
barbershops; three bathing houses; sixteen
laundries; two paint shops; four furniture
stores; eight meat-markets: four drug stores;
four tobacco and cigar stores; five livery
stables; four wholesale sugar stores; one ice
cream and oyster saloon; three saddle and
harness shops; four jewelry shops; three
grocery and liquor stores; three book stores;
two crockery and glass stores; six millinery
and dressmaking establishments; three tailor
shops; two sewing-machine agencies; two
clothing, boot and hat stores; two brick
yards; three lumber yards; three sash and
SAIfTA BARBARA O0UNT7.
door factories; three planing mills; one flour-
ing mill; one candy factory; one cigar factory;
three carriage and wagon shops; four black-
smith shops; two architects and builders; one
marble- worker; three daily and four weekly
newspapers.
The Santa Barbara County Bank was opened
in November of this year.
In 1875, all Santa Barbara mourned over
the death of Father Jose Maria Gonzales, the
superior of the Franciscans on this coast,
whose missionary career had lasted two gen-
erations. He was a saintly man, beloved by
all denominations.
In 1876, the county jail was built. The
Centennial celebration drew forth much
enthusiasm. The political campaign of this
year was a very closely contested one.
In 1876 the city of Santa Barbara alone
cast a total of 789 votes, whereas in 1850
the whole vote of the county, which then
included Ventura, had been only about 300.
During this year, a remarkable enthusiasm
over Spiritualistic doctrines existed among
many citizens.
During 1876 the western portion of the
county began to agitate the project of form-
ing a new county, to be called Santa Maria,
the scheme coming to naught, however.
The season of 1876-'77 was termed a dry
season, although the drouth was far less
disastrous than that of 1863-'64. Grain
liardly sprouted, and most of the fields thus
sown remained brown all winter. Many
sheep died, and more were driven away and
never brought back; it is estimated that the
flocks diminished one-half at this time.
Because of the dry season, for want of rail-
ways, or by reason of the general hard times,
real estate here depreciated vastly^-some
good judges say as much as $2,000,000, and
lands of every description were placed on the
market at one-half the figures of two years
earlier. The improvements of 1877 were
estimated at $192,000.
On January 1, 1877, a violent storm of
wind and rain prevailed for about an hour,
during which a house was blown down, and
a portion of the debris fell upon and killed a
son of W. F. M. Goss, an estimable youth of
eighteen or twenty years.
The total tax rate for 1877 was $1.85 on
the $100. The assessment roll for this year
held $4,187,175.
On January 19, 1878, occurred a very
severe storm, which destroyed nearly all the
light shipping in the harbor, driving some
of it through the wharf. This storm injured
nearly all the wharves on the coast. The old
wharf at Santa Barbara was demolished, and
some 155 feet of Steai-ns' wharf destroyed.
The debris from these wharves destroyed all
but about 100 feet of Smith's wharf at Car-
penteria. The Bennett Bath Houses, built
some six years before, were carried away,
causing a loss of some $1,300. Much damage
was done in the district by freshets, cloud-
bursts, etc. The steamers could not land
during the storm, and for some time there-
after, whilst the wharves were under repairs,
passengers and freight were landed by re-
course to the old system of lighters.
About this period there was some little
agitation over the tax keeping of the county
records, and investigations were ordered, and
made, showing great disorder and confusion
in the keeping of the accounts.
The total tax rate for 1878 was $1.65 on
the $100.
This year was marked by J. C. Benton's
ofl^er to exterminate the squirrel pest by
means of a wholesale an inexpensive poison-
ing; in this Mr. Benton succeeded far beyond
the general expectation, and the board of
supervisors carried on the work.
At this time, communication north and
SAKTA BARBARA COUNTY.
south from Santa Barbara was had only by
way of the Rincon and along the shore,
wliere the water, at high tide dashing against
the cliffs, often cut off connection. It had
been found difficult to secure the opening of
other roads in the county. The Sycamore
Caiion road had been located for some time,
but some parties whose lands were crossed
by it, positively refused to have the road
opened.
In September, 1878, a public demonstra-
tion was held in honor of the opening of the
Casitas Pass road, which, while it was in
Ventura County, and built by the sale of
Ventura bonds, was greatly to the benefit of
Santa Barbara County. Indeed, complaint
was made later that Santa Barbara profited
more than Ventura.
In 1879, there were inscribed in the great
register of this county 2,384 voters.
In the ta.\ list of 1880 appeared 128 names
of citizens paying taxes on $5,000 or up-
wards. It was remarkable that among these
there were hardly a dozen of the old families
who, twenty-live years before, had practically
owned the county.
The summaries for this year showed valua-
tions as follows: value of city and town lots,
$489,350; improvements on same, $515,580;
real estate other than city and town lots,
$2,785,554; improvements on same, $339,-
920; money, $38,634; personal property,
$1,306,834; total, $5,507,727; deductions on
account of mortgages, $769,668. The total
tax rate for this year was $2 on the $100.
About 50,000 acres were cultivated, yielding
214,937 bushels of barley; 198,293^ bushels
of wheat; 60,000 bushels of corn; 20,000 of
potatoes; 80,931 of beans; 714,700 pounds of
wool; 125,000 pounds of butter; 256,000 of
honey; l^esides a multitude of other products.
The population, by the census of this year,
was 9,522.
There were three parties in the field at this
year's election. Republicans, Democrats, and
Workingmen; the last never gained much
foothold in Santa Barbara. The road fund
this year amounted to $10,000. Official
mileage was now established.
In March, 1881, was held an art loan ex-
hibition to raise money for public purposes,
and many rare and valuable treasures were
presented for exhibition. This enterprise
was not only pleasing, but pro^table, netting
$500. A floral and citrus fruit fair was also
held this spring. About this time was
opened a cannery, to furnish a market for
fruits which otherwise would decay and
The bean crop of Santa Barbara County,
which in 1880 had been 85,273 bushels, in
1881 amounted to 87,000 bushels, and the
following year to 146,700 bushels.
The tax rate for 1883 was $1.69 J on the
$100 for State and county; the city tax
eighty-five cents. The board of equalization
this year raised Santa Barbara's assessment
roll twenty per cent., the increase aggregat-
ing $1,134,300.
In 1884 the county had outstanding bonds
amounting to $46,500; cash in the treasury,
$34,318.75; county property-, about $85,000.
The county clerk's estimate gave the county
this year at least 2,600 voters, this, by the
usual process of rating, giving a county pop-
ulation of about 13,000 people. By 1886
it was estimated at 16,529, a gain in six
years of 7,007, or seventy-three per cent.
It must be remembered, too, that this in-
crease was prior to the presence of the rail-
road, which subsequently brought a vast
immigration with the opening up of the ex-
tensive tracts of farming country. Of the pop-
iilation perhaps one-fifth is of Spanish de-
scent, the rest Americans, largely from the
middle western States.
SANTA BARBARA GOUNTT.
The school census of June, 1885, reported
3,777 children of school age, and 1,294
under live years old; total, 5,071. There
were forty-four school districts.
The State and county taxes collected in
Santa Barbara in 1885 were $140,967.96— a
decrease of some $800 from the preceding
year. The total valuation of Santa Barbara,
after the addition of the fifteen per cent.,
was $9,635,803.
Santa Barbara carried off the first premium
for county exliibits at the State fair at Sacra-
mento, in 1885.
DESCRIPTION.
In describing the topography of Califor-
nia, the following comparisons have been
frequently and very appositely instituted to
give an idea of the general characteristics:
The coast of the State is some 750 miles
long, in the latitude corresponding to that on
the Atlantic coast of a strip extending from
northern New Jersey to the seaboard of
Georgia. This distance may be divided into
three fairly equal parts, the first point from
the northward down marking the situation
of San Francisco, and the next toward the
south falling at the spot where the coast
makes a sharp eastward turn and thence has
a general direction almost due east and west
for a distance of aboiit seventy miles. This
knee-like bend contains the county of Santa
Barbara, the aforesaid east and west line
forming the county's southern coast line and
boundary. This trend it is, too, in a great
measure, that insures to Santa Barbara her
delightful peculiarities of climate. This
county has the shape of an irregular parallel-
ogram, extending from this corner or knee
of land bending in the Pacific to where the
coast line resumes its general southeasterly
direction below Ventura. The county is
about seventy miles long by forty-five wide,
and it comprises about 2,000,000 acres, of
which about one-third is arable land. Most
of its fertile valleys contain prosperous
towns, and are rapidly settling up. This de-
velopment has been greatly assisted by the
branch line of the Southern Pacific Railway,
which, connecting with the main line at New-
hall, continues up the coast and affords facil-
ities for travel and shipments.
The arable land of Santa Barbara is for
the most part composed of either alluvial
soil or adobe. The alluvial, which is found
mostly in the lower levels, is very deep and
fertile. When underlaid with clay, it pos-
sesses great powers of resisting or enduring
drouth, the clay acting as a hard pan to re-
tain the moisture instead of allowing perco-
lation, as is the case with a gravel substratum.
This soil produces in rich abundance all the
year around all manner of garden vegetables
and deciduous and citrus fruits. Patches
of this soil are found on the mesa and hill-
side lands which are especially adapted to the
growth of the olive and grape.
The adobe soil is generally black, and of
considerable fertility, albeit hard to work, on
account of its clay-like consistency. To pro-
duce the best results this soil needs intelli-
gent cultivation and irrigation. It is best
adapted to wheat, barley or flax.
This county contains no arid, sandy or
desert tracts. The valleys are threaded with
streams from the canons; reveral of these
water-courses, such as the Santa Maria, the
Santa Ynes, and the San Antonio, being of
sufficient importance to take the name of
rivers.
The timber supply of this section is some-
what deficient. The live oak grows rather
abundantly, furnishing pleasant parks on the
high lands, and in the thicker growth in the
low lands and canons valuable supplies of
wood for fuel. The mountain sides are
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
clothed with a dense growth of chapparal
(low brush) consisting of buckeye, sumacli
and a nnmber of bushes peculiar to this
country. Redwood also is found, and some
say mezqiiite, although the present writer
believes that this mimosa is not found on the
hither side of the Colorado River.
The summits of the San Rafael Range, in
the eastern part of the county, and- the
northern part of Ventura, is clothed in
patches, sometimes covering 100 or 200
acres, with a fairly thick growth of fir, pine
and cedar, the latter species, which grows
lower down than the pine, being a scrub
cedar, particularly valuable for posts and ties.
The Santa Maria and Santa Ynes are the
principal rivers, the former being the longer
and carrying the greater volume of water.
It rises in the Sierra Madre del Sur, and the
San Rafael mountains, draining by its branch
the Cnyama, the southern slope of the for-
mer, and by the Sisqnoc the northern slope
of the latter, and it flows into the Pacific
about seven miles north of Point Sal. The
Tepusque, Los Encitos, C<inoncito, Agua
Sacado, and Potrero are small tributaries.
The railroad bridge across the Santa Ma-
ria River is 1,982 feet in length.
The Santa Ynes rises in the Santa Ynes
mountains, in Ventura County, and flows
westerly, draining the south slope of the San
Rafael and the north slope of the Santa Ynes
range, and reaching the ocean five miles
south of Purisima. Its feeders ai'e the Sal
Si Puedes, Zaca, Alisal, Alamo Pintado,
Santa Cruz, Caballada, Los Laureles, Indio,
Mono, Agua Caliente, and a few others.
The southern slope of the coast mountains
waters the valley below through the Rincon,
Carpenteria, Santa Monica, Paderon, Toro,
Ficay, Hot Springs, Cold Stream, Mission
Creek, Maria Ygnacia, San Jose, San Pedro,
Carneros, Tecolote, Armitas, Tecolotito, Dos
Pueblos, Las Varas, El Capitan, Refngio,
Hondo, Costa, Molinos, Las Cruces, Agua
Caliente, Santa Anita, San Augastin, Rodeo,
Canada Honda and the San Antonio and
Cosinalia creeks. Of these mountain streams
the Rincon, Carpenteria, Mission, El Capi-
tan and Dos Pueblos are the most important,
flowing into the sea in ordinary yeare, while
most of the others shortly after leaving the
foot-hills partially or wholly disappear during
the dry season. There are in the county
several small lakes and lagoons, the Guada-
lupe and the Zaca being the largest.
Over the Santa Ynez mountains run sev-
eral horseback trails and two good wagon
roads, through the Santa Ynes and Gaviota
passes. The greatest elevation of the San
Marcos Pass is 2,240 feet. It is reached by
following up the San Jose, descending the
mountains on the north side, along the Los
Laureles by what is known as the Fremont
trail. The Gaviota Pass lies along the Las
Cruces, crossing the mountain on the old
Spanish grant of that name at an altitude
of 1,500 feet. One horseback trail starts
from the foot of Montecito Valley, follows
up the Ficay to its head, and then bears a
little northeast to the Najalayegna Canon.
Another crosses the monntain by Cold
Stream Caiion, near the head of this valley.
A good trail also ascends the Pedregosa, the
east branch uf Mission Creek, to near its
source, where it divides into two forks.
Much of Santa Barbara County is hilly or
mountainous; the Santa Ynes, a low range of
mountains, follows the trend of the coast
across the southern part of the county, and
the Sierra de San Rafael, a higher range,
strikes throngh the center of the connty, and
extends almost to its northern limits. These
mountains, with the foothills and spurs, im-
part to the whole country a rugged and
diversified aspect.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
Separated by these ranges are tlie four
large valleys of tlie county, from wliicli
branch out a number of smaller and tribu-
tary valleys. These four main valleys, be-
ginning at the south, are: Santa Barbara,
Santa Ynes, Los Alamos and Santa Maria.
Between the Santa Ynes and the sea lies
the unparalleled valley of Santa Barbara
proper, forty-five miles in length, with an
average width of perhaps three miles, and an
area of 86,400 acres. Although this is the
smallest in acreage of the four chief valleys
into which the county is divided by the con-
figuration of its surface, yet it is the most
important, by reason of its natural character-
istics, which have attracted the largest popu-
lation.
For its rare advantages of climate and its
wonderful fertility, it has become famous all
over the world. This valley extends from
the Eincon to Point Concepcion, and it com-
prises the Carpenteria Valley, from the Ein-
con to a small spur of the Santa Ynes, called
Ortega Hill, a distance of nine miles; the
Montecito, from Ortega Hill to the city
limits; the city of Santa Barbara, spreading
beyond its two miles square; and eight
miles beyond, on the Patera, the village of
Goleta. Still following the same broad
avenue, are found the great ranchos of Dos
Pueblos, Nuestra Senora del Refugio, and
those owned by Hollister and Cooper; then
comes the Gaviota Pass, and a few miles past
it. Point Concepcion, where the Santa Ynes
range runs boldly into the Pacific, forming
the terminal wall of this valley.
Beyond the Santa Ynes range, and between
it and the San Rafael, opens the lonely Santa
Ynes Valley. Tlie Santa Ynes River here
runs almost due west from its mountain
sonrce, watering a vast extent of farming
lands and passing through the broad Lompoc
Valley before it empties into the sea, be-
tween Point Concepcion and Point Purisi-
ma. This valley contains the towns of Santa
Ynes and Lompoc.
LAND GRANTS.
After secularization, land in abundance
could be had for the asking, and large tracts
were given to the heads of families. The
policy of the Mexican govern nent had been
to limit each holding to eleven leagues,
which would contain something above 48,000
acres. The wide territories required for
stock-raising caused this to be considered a
small tract, and many families acquired
several times that much, whether by ex-
change, purchase, or government favor. For
instance, the Noriegas at one time owned no
less than 200,000 acres. The following list
from HoflFman's report on land cases shows
the ownership of many of the old grants,
some dating back to 1790, though mostly
made subsequent to secularization. In the
case of lands lying in other counties, they
are included here because they were assigned
to members of families living in Santa Bar-
bara.
Eancho Mpomo, granted to "William Dana
(meuiber of Carrillo family), April 6, 1837.
Acreage, 32,728.62.
The Lompoc, granted to Jose Antonio
Carrillo, April 15, 1837. Acreage, 35,-
335.78.
San Julian, granted to George Rock,
April 7, 1837. Acreage, 48,221.68. The
claim was purchased and the title perfected
by Jose de la Guerra y Noriega.
Guadalasca, granted to Ysabel Yorba, May
6, 1846. Acreage, 30,593.85.
Simi, or San Jose de Gracia, to Patricio
Xavier and Miguel Pico, in 1795, by Gov-
ernor Diego de Borica; claim revived by
Alvarado to de la Guerra, April 25, 1842.
Acreage, 92,841.35.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
to Carlos Antonio Carrillo, !Novem-
ber, 1833; six leagues. In the trial this
number was pronounced fraudulent, and dos
(two) was substituted.
San Buenaventura to Fernando Pico, March
24, 1845; 29.90 acres.
Guadalupe to Diego Olivera and Teodoro
Arellanez, March 21, 1840. Acreage, 30,-
408.03.
Cuyamato Jose Maria Eojo, April 24, 1843.
Confirmed to Maria Antonio de la Guerra
and Cesario Lataillade; 22,198.74 acres.
Huerfano (San Luis Obispo), granted to
Mariano Bonilla; confirmed to Francis Branch
(member of the Carrillo family).
Tequepis to Joaquin Yilla; confirmed to
Antonio Maria Villa; 8,919 acres.
Sisquoc to Maria Antonio Caballero, June
3, 1833; confirmed to James B. Huie; 35,-
485.90 acres.
Santa Rosa Island to Jose Antonio and
Carlos Carrillo, October 4, 1843. Acreage,
about 60,000. This island was given to
Jones and Thompson, who married into the
Carrillo family.
Canada Larga de Yerde to Joaquin Alva-
rado, aboiit 2,220 acres.
Punta de la Laguna to Luis Arellanes and
E. M. Ortega, December 24, 1844. Acre-
age, 26,648.42.
Conejo to Jos^ de la Guerra y Noriega,
by Governor Sola, October 12, 1822. Acre-
age, 48,674.56.
Arroyo Grande or San Ramon (in San
Luis Obispo) to Zeferino Corlon, April 25,
1841; confirmed to Francisco Branch, who
married one of the Carrillos.
Ojai to Fernando Pict), April 6, 1837.
Acreage, 17,792.70.
Rancho (name unknown) to Teodoro Arel-
lanes, January 22, 1846. Small.
Mision de San Diego to Santiago Ar-
guello, June 8, 1846. Small extent.
Island of Santa Cruz to Andres Castillero,
May 22, 1839. About 60,000 acres.
Mision Yieja de la Purisima to Joaquin
and Jose Antonio Carrillo, November 20,
1845 ; 4,440 acres.
Corral de Cuati to Agustin Davila; con-
firmed to Maria Antonia de la Guerra Latail-
lade; 13,300.24 acres.
Tequepis to Tomas Olivera, April 7, 1837;
confirmed to Antonia Maria de Cota; 8,-
900.75 acres.
La Laguna to Miguel Avila, November 8,
1845; confirmed to Octaviano Gutierrez;
18,212.48 acres.
Tinaquiac to Yictor Linares, May 6, 1837
confirmed to Wm. D. Foxen; 8,874.60 acres
La Calera or Las Positas to Narciso Fab-
regal, May 16, 1843; confirmed to Thomas
M. Robbins and Manuela Carrillo de Jones;
3,281.70 acres.
Todos Santos to Salvador Oslo, November
3, 1844. This tract contained 22,200 acres;
another tract on the Cosumnes, granted at
the same time, to the same party, contained
26,640 acres. These tracts were confirmed
to William E. P. Hartnell.
Canada de San Miguelito to Ramon Rodri-
guez, Marc 1 1, 1846. Acreage, 8,880.
Alisal to William E. P. Hartnell, January
26, 1843; Acreage, 2,971.26.
La Zaca to Maria Antonia de la Guerra
Lataillade, 1838. Acreage, 4,480.
Lomas de la Purificacion to Agustin Jans-
sens, December 27, 1844; contained 13,320
acres.
Las Posas to Jose Carrillo, May 15, 1834;
confirmed to Jose de la Guerra y Noriega;
26,623.26 acres.
San Marcos to Nicolas A. Den, June 8,
1846. Acres, 35,573.
One square league to Marcelina, Au-
gust 16, 1843; confirmed to Maria de la
Guerra Lataillade.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
San Francisco (partly in Santa Barbara
County) to Antonio del Valle, January 22,
1839; confirtned to Jacob Feliz.
Las Huertas confirmed to Maria Antonia
de la Guerra Lataillade; granted Jnly 26,
1844; 13,000 varas square.
Los Alamos to Jose Antonio Carrillo,
March 9, 1839. Acres, 48,803.38.
Santa Clara del Norte to Juan Sanchez,
May 6, 1837; 13,988.91 acres.
Calleguas to Jose Pedro Ruiz, May 10,
1847; 9,998.29 acres.
San Miguel to Raimundo Olivas, July 6,
1841; 4,693.91 acres.
La Liebre to Jose Maria Flores, April 21,
1841; eleven square leagues.
three square leagues to Jose
Ramon Malo, April 12, 1845.
Santa Rosa to Francisco Cota, three and a
half leagues, granted Jnly 30, 1839; and a
subsequent addition November 19, 1845.
Purisima to Ramon Malo, December 6,
1845; 14.927.62 acres.
Ex-Mision San Buenaventura to Jose Ar-
naz, June 8, 1846; confirmed to Poll.
Camulos to Pedro C. Carrillo, October 2,
1843; 17,760 acres.
Nojogui to Raimundo Carrillo, April 27,
1843; 13,522.04 acres.
Santa Ana to Crisogono Ayala and others,
April 14, 1837; 21,522.04 acres.
to Juse Chapman, 4,440 acres.
1838; confirmed to Guadalupe Ortega de
Chapman.
Dos Pueblos to Nicolas A. Den, April 18,
1842; 15,535.33 acres.
Canada del Corral to Jose Dolores Ortega,
November 5, 1841; 8,875.76 acres.
La Goleta to Daniel Hill, June 10, 1846;
4,440 acres.
Temescal to Francisco Lopez, March 17,
1843; 13,320 acres.
Nuestra Seilora del Relugio to Antonio
Maria Ortega, August 1, 1834; 26,529 acres.
Jesus Maria to Lucas Olivera, April 8,
1837; 42,184.93 acres; two-thirds confirmed
to Lewis Burton.
San Carlos de Jonata to Joaquin Carrillo,
September 24, 1845; 26,631.31 acres.
Mision Santa Ynes to Jose Maria Covar-
rubias and others, June 15, 1846. This
claim was rejected by tbe commissioners.
Pueblo de Santa Barbara to the Common
Council; granted in 1782; claim filed Feb-
ruary 1, 1853; rejected by commissioners
August 1, 1854; confirmed by District Court
March 1, 1861.
Island of Catalina to Thomas Robbins,
July 4, 1846.
Santa Paula y Saticoy to Manuel Jimeno
Casarin, April 1, 1843; 17,733.33 acres.
Casinali to Antonio Olivera, September
12, 1840; 8,841.21 acres.
College Rancho or Canada del Pino; 35,-
499.37 acres.
Santa Barbara Mission to Richard S. Den,
June 10, 1846.
Mission lands allotted after secularization:
San Buenaventura, 36.27 acres; Santa Bar-
bara, 37.83 acres; Santa Ynes, 17.35 acres.
By the methods already cited, some of the
influential families obtained territory enough
for a small kingdom. Thus the Carrillo
family had twelve grants, the Castros twenty,
the de la Guerras twelve, Fosters eight, Li-
mantour eight. Murphy thirteen, Ortega
nine, Pacbeco eight, Rodriguez seven, San-
chez twelve, and Vallejo fourteen.
THE CHANNEL ISLANDS.
"An enterprising party named Cabrillo
headed tbe first special excursion party to
Santa Barbara and its islands, that was only
345 years previous to our present boom, but
there is a record to the fact that the old sea-
rover and his crew of buccaneers were as well
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY,
with the country as are tlie tourist
parties of to-day. Sailing under direction of
no special hotel syndicate or real estate
monopoly, Cabrillo and his companions made
free to choose their own winter quarters in
the fairest spot on all the coast, an island
opposite to where our city now stands."
Such is the humorous beginning of a paper
on the Channel Islands, written in 1887 by a
Barbarefio, referring to the two-months so-
journ of the pioneer explorer, Juan Rodriguez
Cabrillo, and his men, on San Miguel, in the
winter of 1542-'4:3. We have already read
how Cabrillo there died, and was buried; also
how Sebastian Vizcaino sailed up hither,
sixty years later, and named the channel, and
renamed the other points of interest. A.nd
from that time down to the present, these is-
lands have been conspicuous features in the
landscape, objectively and subjectively.
Until their examination by the Coast Sur-
vey, nothing accurate was known of the num-
bers, position, extent, or peculiarities of the
islands ofl' the coast, from San Diego to Point
Concepcion, but the chart published by this
body shows clearly the beautiful parallelism,
to which Vizcaino first called attention, be-
tween these islands and the adjacent main-
land. The four islands Anacapa, Santa Cruz,
Santa Rosa and San Miguel, with the rocks
extending from the last named, have their
longer axis parallel to the trend of the shore-
line, which is the general direction of the
Sierra Santa Ynes, immediately behind it.
Cortez Shoal, Santa Catalina, San Clemente,
and John Biggs' Rock, have their longer
axes Tiorthwest by west and parallel to each
other, while Santa Barbara Island is the pro-
longation of the longer axis of San Clemente.
Navigators, in making the Santa Barbara
channel from the northwest, readily note the
neighborhood of these islands through thick,
foggy weather, by the peculiar odor of the
bitumen which issues from the bottom or the
shore some eight miles west, and floats upon
the water, working against the winds far be-
yond Point Concepcion. Vancouver was tha
tirst to call attention to the presence of this
bitumen. Sir Edward Belcher, in October,
1839, also remarked the phenomenon.
The current among these islands runs
southward as far as San Nicolas. On the
Cortez Shoal it frequently runs against the
northwest wind at the rate of nearly two
miles per hour; while again it has been found
to run nearly as strong in an opposite direc-
tion.
Santa Cruz, lying almost in front of the
city of Santa Barbara, at twenty-five miles
distance, contains 52,760.33 acres, and its
mountains rise to 1.700 feet in height. It is
owned by a French company, who devote it
to sheep-raising. There is no settlement on
this island, beyond the rancho-houses. Santa
Rosa contains 52,696.49 acres, and rises to a
height of 1,172 feet. It belongs to A. P.
More, and is used for sheep-raising. San
Miguel, the most western of the group, is
seven and a half miles long, two and a half
wide, and contains 15,000 acres. It belongs
to the United States Government, and is held
in reserve, being unsxirveyed. Waters and
Schilling occupy it by possessory right, for
sheep-raising.
Santa Cruz is irregularly shaped, having a
rough surface, with a few tracts of level lands.
The owners have a fine wharf, with a harbor
safe in all but northeast winds. The climate
is much the same as on the main land, though
the ocean winds are stronger. Citrus and
deciduous fruits will do well here. This was
formerly the resort of great numbers of seal,
but continued slaughter has almost extin-
guished them. Santa Cruz was used by the
Mexican Government only as a penal colony
— a sort of Botany Bay, whose few tenants
58
SANTA BARBARA COUNTT.
were yet a constant menace to their main-
land neighbors.
Santa Cruz was afterwai-d given by Mex-
ico to Castiilero, in reward for his discovery
of quicksilver at New Almaden. He sold it
to the sheep companies. Occasional niatan-
zas, or systematic slaughters of stock, are
held here.
More than half of Santa Rosa is adapted to
tillage. It is nearly quadrilateral in shape.
In 1834 it became the joint property of Car-
los and Jose Antonio Carrillo, and was given
as a dowry to the two daughters of Carlos,
who, on the same day married J. C. Jones
and A. B. Thompson.
The grooms raised sheepon the island, with
great success. After some family litigation,
Santa Rosa became the property of A. P. and
P. H. More, and is now owned by the former.
The natural grasses are of very line quality,
and the humid atmosphere keeps them green
throughout the year, so that the sheep busi-
ness is here conducted under particular
advantages.
One of the most notal)le events in the
history of these islands was the wreck here,
in the early days of the Pacific Mail Steam-
ship Company, of their steamer Winfield
Scott. It is said that her wreck was visible
beneath the water for twenty years there-
after.
These islands, with their cave dwellings,
their kitchen-middens, their battle-gi-ounds,
and their obscure history, are full of interest
to the ethnologist, the archasologist, and the
antiquarian. Cabrillo described the inhabi-
tants of the Channel Islands as fairly white,
with florid complexions.
Accounts vary as to the extinction of these
people. Some authors opine that they were
extirpated by the inhabitants of Russian-
America, who used to come to these islands
to hunt the sea-otter, and who are known to
have slain, even during the present century,
all the male inhabitants of San Nicolas, whose
effects and women they appropriatetl. Again
it is suggested that a famine reduced the
natives to the necessity of preying upon each
other, to their extermination; or else that
they were fallen upon by the cannibalistic
inhabitants of the islands of the western
Pacific. Some appearance of probability is
given to this theory by the state of the
human bones found on the island, many of
which have been cracked, as if for the pur-
pose of extracting the marrow. On the other
hand, the idea of a famine is counteracted by
the existence on the rocks of shell-fish enough
to sustain a population of thousands. There
are, however, many indications of a terrible
drouth experienced hero at some time, and
the inhabitants may have perished for lack of
fresh water.
CLIMATE.
Of Santa Barbara, as of other portions of
Southern California, it must be said that the
terms " rainy season " and " diy season " are
in some measure a misnomer, as conveying
too extreme an impression. Dr. J. P. Wid-
ney's suggestion of " rain season " is more
apt, as signifying the period during which
rain does fall, as distinguirhed from the
time of the year when it does not fall. It
is practically true that from April to No-
vember no rain falls, yet even during these
months there have been known occasional
showers. From November to April the
rainfall occurs, iu Santa Barbara averaging
seventeen inches per season. The rains are
not continuous, but distributed, coming in
heavy storms, with days or often weeks of
Intervening delightful weather. "While there
is no regularity alxmt the rains, no two sea-
sons being alike, there is usually a heavy
rain about the first of December, followed by
another heavy storm about the beginning of
SANTA BARBARA COUNTI.
January, then others scattered through Janii-
•ary, February and March, with the final or
" clearing up " storm about the first of April.
February and March are the real spring
mouths of Santa Barbara. Then the results
of the rains are fully apparent, the flowers of
the plains and canons are in season, the foot-
hills are brilliantly grass-clad, the streams
are full, and nature appears in her l)righte8t,
gayest aspect.
The rainfall for 1867-'68 was 25.19 inches;
for 186S-'69, 15.77 inches; for 1869-70,
10.27 inches; for 1870-'71, 8.91; for 1871-
'72, 14.94; for 1872-'73, 10.45; for 1873-
'74, 14.44; for 1874-'75, 18.71 inches.
In 1872 there were only thirteen days
when the mercury rose above 83°. The
highest temperature was 86°, and the lowest
40°. In 1875 the mercury rose above 83°
only seven times; the highest was 88°, and
the lowest 38°, this last being the register
for seven o'clock a. m. on January 24.
Observations made from June to Decem-
ber show the mean temperature of the sea
water to be 64°, the thermometer being sunk
four feet below the surface of the water, where
it is twenty feet deep, at the point one-third
of a mile from land, and at 11 a. m. Obser-
vations made at the same time show the
mean temperature of air in the shade to have
been 71°.
In 1885 there were thirty-one days in
which the mercury rose above 80°. These
were distributed through seven montiis, of
which two were December and February.
There were only thirteen days when it did
not fall at night below 60°, and these were
scattered through three months, including
December. There was but one night in the
year when the mercury fell below 40°. In
1885 there were thirty-one days in which
rain fell, but only nine of them could be
called rainy days, since, in the remaining
twenty-two it rained only in the night, or in
brief showers during the day.
In 1886 there were twenty-three days, dis-
tributed through seven months, in which the
mercury rose above 80°, and thirteen nights
when it did not fall below 60°. The great-
est height of the mercury during this year
was 85°, and the lowest point reached was
35°. The mean temperature for January
was 55°; for July, 66.3°; for October, 58.3°.
The mean temperature for the three winter
months was 56.81°; for the three summer
months, 65.51°; for the three autumn
months, 59.46°. Thus it will be seen that
the difference between the mean of January
and that of July was 11.30°, and between the
mean winter and mean summer tempera-
ture 8.7°.
In 1886 the mean temperature of the
warmest day in the year was 73.5°, this fall-
ing in January; of the warmest day in Au-
gust, 72°; the mean of the coldest day, being
in February, was 45°; the highest tempera-
ture reached was 85°, in January, February,
and August; the lowest was 35°, in January.
The annual average temperature was 59.6°.
The total rainfall was 13.86 inches.
In 1887 the mean temperature of the
whole year was 59.7° ; while that of the three
summer months was 64.4°, a difference of
less than 5°. The means of the three warm-
est days were 79°, 71°, and 74°, in June,
July and October, respectively. There were
during this year twenty-six days in which
the mercury registered more than 80°, and
of these only six were in the summer. On
the warmest night of the year the tempera-
ture fell to 65°, and there were but fourteen
nights in the whole year when it did not fall
to or below 60°, and of these, four were in
the summer. The mean temperature of the
coldest day was 47.5°, in November. The
three hottest days being in May, June, and
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
October, readied respectively, 86°, 95°, and
91.8°. The three lowest fell in January,
February, aud December, reaching 37°, 37°,
and 38°.
There was a total rainfall of 17. 0^ inches,
being .72 above the average for the last
twenty years. Rain fell on twerity-fo-ur days.
Of 289 days observed this year, 214 were
recorded as clear, forty as fair, and thirty-
iive as cloudy.
Such statistics as these refer more particu-
larly to that portion of the country sonth of
the mountains; that is to say, Santa Barbara
Valley. In the northern valleys there is
jnore wind, and the mercury falls lower and
rises higher. During seven months, l>egin-
ning with March of the year 1888, the low-
est mean in the Santa Maria Valley was 57°,
in April; the highest, 63.5°, in July — a dif-
ference of only 6.5°. In the Santa Yncs
Valley the mercnry has fallen to 18° and has
risen to 100°. Even these valleys, however,
are generally equable, and tiie more marked
changes they do undergo prove an attraction
to many persons liking variety.
There is a table of comparisons often sub-
mitted, as illustrative, to those knowing the
Eastern resorts, of Santa Barbara climate.
This says; — January at Santa Barbara is
equivalent to May at Nantucket; February
to May at Atlantic City; March to May at
Norfolk; April to May at Portland; May to
May at New Haven; June to May at New
York; July to May at Philadelphia; August
to May at Washington; September to May
at Brooklyn ; October to May at New London;
NovcTnber and December to May at Portland.
These climatic conditions naturally and in-
evitably make Santa Barbara one of the most
healthful sections in the world. The expe-
rience of the years has fully attested this,
and the fame of this climate has gone
throughout the world. Even from the earliest
period of Spanish settlement here, these
phases have been noted.
During the mission period, the deaths in
proportion to baptisms were less at Santa
Barbara and Purisima than at any other of
the missions, thus attesting the healthfulness
of this region.
In the spring of 1798 the ship Concepcion
brought hither several cases of small-pox, and
the passengers were pretnaturely released
from quarantine, against the orders of tlie
Governor, who, it may l>e said en passant^
was raging in consequence. He threatened
to hang the commandant should the disease
spread; hut, happily for that functionary as
for the community at large, the excellently-
healthful climate protected the people from
this scourge, and infection did not spread.
The census returns for 1870 show that in
Santa Barbara County, which then included
what is now Ventura, the total of deaths from
consumption that year was five out of 7,984
population, or one in every 1,567. The
deaths from all causes were but sixty-three, of
which but one-twelfth were from consump-
tion. The deaths from this disease in Mas-
sachusetts are one in every 283, in New York,
one in eveiy 379; in Florida, one in 1,433.
The ratio of deaths in Massachusetts is
17.7 in each 1,000; in New York it is 15.8
in the 1,000; in Florida 12.1 in 1,000; in
Santa Barbara 8 in 1,000.
The following extracts relative to the
healthfnlness of Santa Barbara are taken
from a paper written by the late Dr. S. B.
Brinkerhof}', who practiced medicine here
from 1852 to 1880:
Sanla Barbara is protected from northern blasts by
the Coast Kaiige of mountains, which average from
3,000 to 4,000 feet in height. Tlie heat of summer is
tempered by gentle breezes from the sea, the average
summer temperature being less than 70°. The average
winter temperature is 55°. The changes in the seasons
are scarcely perceptible in temperature. Frosts are of
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY,
care occuirence, aad disagreeable fogs seldom prevail.
riiera are but comparatively few days in the entire
year wtiea one caauot be out of doors daring the day
without discomfort. The nights are always cool and
sleep-invitiag. * * * The softness and general
uniformity of the climate, its freedom from dampness
and sudden changes, the opportunities for diversion
and recreation, render Santa Barbara pre-eminently a
desirable place of resort for persons suffering from
bronchial and pulmonary affections. Although many
persons suffering from these complaints have come
here too late to receive any permanent relief from the
restorative effects of climate, yet the greater portion
<3f cases which have come under my observation have
been permanently relieved, and many, in a surpris-
ingly short space of time, have been restored to
health- The climite of Siata Birbara possesses ele-
ments of general healthfulness in an eminent de.
gree, and perhaps, also, some latent peculiarities in
its favor too subtle for ordinary observation. I may
instance the following facts in this connection: Dur-
ing the eighteen years of my active practice here I
have never known a single case of scarlet fever or
■diphtheria. I have known of only three cases of
<lysentery, neither of which proved fatal, and of only
three cases of meiubranous croup. The epidemics
and diseases incident to childhood, which in other
parts of the country sweep away thousands of chil-
dren annually, are here comparatively unknown-
Cases of fever and ague I have never known to orig-
inate here, and persons coming here afflicted with it
rai^ely have more than two or three attacks, even with-
out the use of anti-periodics. I have known instances
of smallpox at three different times; in each of the
first two instances occurring several years apart, the
disease was confined to a single case, and was con-
tracted elsewhere. Neither of these cases proved
fatal. In the year 18S4, when this disease prevailed
so extensively and proved so fatal throughout the
State, there were two cases of the disease, contracted
elsewhere and developed here, which proved fatal.
Three other persons residing here contracted the dis-
ease at this time, all of whom recovered. Although
no unusual precaution was taken to prevent the spread
of the disease, it was confined to the cases mentioned.
Yet hundreds of the native population, either from
ignorance or prejudice, had never been and would not
suffer themselves to he vaccinated. In tlie years
18O9-'70, when this disease in its most virulent form
prevailed so generally throughout the State, not a
single case occurred at Santa Barbara, although in
daily communication with other parts of the State by
stage and steamer.
Some ten miles from Santa Barbara, in a westerly
direction, about one and a half miles from the shore
is an immense spring of petroleum, the product of
which continually rises to the surface of the water,
and floats upon it over an area of many miles. * *
Having read statements that, during the past few
years, the authorities of Damascus and other plague-
ridden cities of the East have resorted to the practice
of introducing crude petroleum into the gutters of
the streets to disinfect tlie air, and as a preventive of
disease, which practice has been attended with the
most favorable results, I tlirow out the suggestion,
but without advancing any theory of my own,
whether the prevailing westerly sea breezes, passing
over this wide expanse of petroleum-laden sea, may
not take up from it and bear along with them to the
places whither they go, some subtle power which acts
as a disinfecting agent, and which may account for
the infiequency of some of the diseases referred to,
and possibly for the superior healthfulness of the
climate of Santa Barbara.
Dr. M. H. Biggs, for many years resident
in Santa Barbara, in his report to the State
Medical Society on the " Vital Statis-
tics and Medical Topography of Santa Bar-
bara," corroborated the testimony of Dr,
Brinkeriioff, saying: "There are no mala-
rious fevers. Persons who come here afflicted
with fever and ague rarely have more than
two or three attacks. They soon become
well, often without the use of anti-periodics.
The climate seems sufficient to cure the mal-
ady. During a residence of over eighteen
years I have seen only one case of membran-
ous croup, and heard of two others. There
is no disease endemic in Santa Barbara
nothing but what can usually be referred
either directly or indirectly to some indiscre-
tion in eatitig or drinking or unreasonable
exposure."
Dr. Thomas M. Logan, ex-president of
the American Medical Association, and sec-
retary of the State Board of Health, made a
statement in favor of Santa Barbara as a
suitable ]>lace for a State sanitarium. In his
first official report, published in 1871, is ex-
pressed this opinion:
" The secretary informed the board that he
had been occupied of late in visiting several
SANTA BARB AM A GOONTY.
localities in the southern part of the State,
noted for salubrity, as San Rafael, Santa
Cruz, Montery, San Luis Obispo, Santa Bar-
bara and other places. * * * While
most of the localities named are possessed of
climatic elements adapted to different stages
and characters of pulmonary diseases, that of
Santa Barbara appeared to present that happy
combination of the tonic and the sedative
climate which would seem to render it suit-
able to a greater variety of phthisical affec-
tions, and at the same time better adapted to
the different stages of cachexia than any
other place visited."
Elsewhere Dr. Logan wrote as follows: —
" In vain, heretofore, since my appointment
to the responsible position of Health Officer
of the State, have I sought for such a com-
bination of sanitary qualities as are now
presented. * * * As to the climate of
Santa Barbara it will be seen that, although
lying in about the same latitude as Charles-
ton, South Carolina, yet it is totally different,
and that the isothermal line would be deflected
toward St. Augustine, Florida."
In short, the testimony alike of physicians,
tourists and invalids attests the delightful
and healthful qualities of the climate here.
Even the present winter, afHicted with a
cough of several years' standing, pronounced
by physicians sure to result fatally, has found
it almost quite disappear in a residence of
two months here, with 2:)ractically no medic-
aments, and even without the exercise of
precautions against cold, etc.
THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA.
From Point Concepcion the Santa Ynes
mountains follow eastward the line of the
coast, at a little distance from the shore.
The mountains rise rocky and rugged, 3,000
to 7,000 feet high, and the strip of land be-
tween these and the sea, two to five miles
wide, slopes gently toward the south, is
thoroughly protected on the north, and is
composed of very rich soil, which has re-
ceived the wash of the hills for ages. Seven
or eight miles to the westward runs a range
of hills, which behind the town reach their
greatest height, of 500 to 600 feet. Their
level tops form the mesa — table or plateau
land. From the surf- bound beach, the land
rises gradually toward the northwest until it
is 350 feet above the sea at two miles inland.
Thus the town lies on a southeastern slope
shut in and protected on the north and north-
west by a range as high as the Green Moun-
tains, and on the south and southwest by the
mesa. Thus the trade winds cannot reach
this place; the close vicinity of the sea pre-
vents the heats of summer from reaching the
degree attained at inland points in this lati-
tude and the neighboring mountains absorb
dampness and give tone to the atmosphere.
The topography of Santa Barbara is not a
little baffling to the stranger, who, accus-
tomed to regarding the Pacific Ocean as the
western boundary of this continent, distrusts
his own senses when he sees the sun rising
out of that body of water. While the general
trend of the coast from Ventura to Santa
Barbara is straight westward, just at this city
it curves outward, and for a short distance
runs southwestward, the city being laid out
on this southwest curve, with its streets at
right angles to that part of the beach west of
the wharf. State street runs almost directly
northwest from the ocean, while the cross-
streets extend almost due northeast and south-
west. This arrangement of the streets was
determined by the Spanish settlers who pre-
ceded American surveying, and the "bias"
arrangement, confusing as it at first is, has
some manifest advantages over the arrange-
ment of most cities, planned with the points
SANl'A BAMBARA COUNTY.
63
of the compass. As the city lies on a slope,
the streets should properly take the direction
that most facilitates drainage. Then, a house
whose corners, rather than its sides, are
toward the cardinal points of the compass,
receives the sunlight in each room sometime
■during the day, as would not happen in
houses set "square on."
The few buildings here previous to 1850
were placed without regard to regularity or
to tiie location of their neighbors, and there
were no streets. The iirst grant of which
the archives, such as they are, contaio a
record, was made February 14, 1885. Pre-
vious to this, the commandante gave verbal
permits to occupy small lots, the right continu-
ing as long as the occupancy; and tliese rights
were generally respected as valid prior to
1851. Most of the lots of land iu the central
portion of the city were granted during the
period from 1846 to 1850, while the old
ayuntamiento system of town government
was continued, with the offices of prefect,
alcalde, regidores, and siadico. In 1851
the town council passed a resolution that no
title to a town lot eliould be deemed valid
unless it should be recorded in a book kept
for that purpose. This book contains the
record of 196 lots, varying in size from a few
varas to 150 varas square. (A vara is thirty-
three and one-half inches.) Tiie descriptions
of the land were for the most part given with
60 much vagueness and unoertainty as to give
rise to many lawsuits.
Four leagues of land were confirmed to the
mayor and common council of the city of
Santa Barbara, by the United States District
Court, and, the appeal having been dismissed,
the decree of the Federal Court became final.
The final survey was approved April 8, 1870.
A patent for these four leagues was issued by
the United States on May 31, 1872.
It is difficult to speak with any degree of ,
certaint}' as to special proceedings prior to
1850, since the archives of that period are
missing.
THE HALEY SURVEY.
The city of Santa Barbara was laid out into
streets and blocks in 1851, when the town
council directed Captain Salisbury Haley to
make a survey and a niap of the town. The
intention was to have each block 150 yards
square, and each street sixty feet wide, except
State and Carrillo streets, which were to be
eighty feet wide. At that time the value of
land was not great, and the surveyor gave
good measure, and that not always exact.
The streets were straight, and cut each other
at right angles, but the blocks were not all
alike. In the year 1871 most of the old
Haley stakes, set to make the survey, had
disappeared, and the council instructed the
town surveyor, James L. Barker, to retrace
the Haley survey, and this retr.icing was
adopted by ordinance, and this confirmed or
ratified by the Legislature. There was, how-
ever, some contention for the exact measuring
of the blocks, which had the eifect of changing
the location of most of the streets. Near
State and Carrillo streets, this difference is
but a foot or two, but near the outskirts of
the city, it amounts to as much as ten or
twelve feet iu one direction, and is about
forty feet in the other.
Subsequent to the Barker survey, W. H,
Norway was authorized to make another
survey, beginning at the initial point, and
making the blocks all similar, of the size
before stated. The resulting discrepancies
are the cause of litigations still pending and
unadjusted. There are numbered on the
map 369 whole blocks, ten more fractionally
numbered, and still more fractional blocks
not numbered. The blocks being 450 feet
square, ten of them are reckoned as making
a mile. The nomenclature of the streets is
SAIfTA B^iEBAliA COUNTY.
highly suggestive of the city's picturesque
early history, iDany of whose events are thus
commemorated.
As elsewhere seen, no less than three of
the streets take their names from the episode
of " The Lost Cannon." The first street at
the northeast of the city is called San Buena-
ventura, from the then village of that name,
thirty miles away, which was the nearest to
this town when the street was christened;
Pitos street was thus named because there
grew the reeds from which were made pitoa
(flutes or whistles); Punta Gorda, Irom its
running into a cape-like bluff; Yiidio Muerto,
from some Indian found dead thereabouts;
Cacique, from the title of the tribal chiefs of
the Indians; Yanonali, from the name of a
famous old Indian chief who lived there;
Montecito, from its leading to the beautiful
valley bearing that name. Carpenteria street,
too, was named from its running the route to
the present settlement of Carpenteria, twelve
miles east of this city; and this spot in its
turn took the name (Carpenter Shop) from
the presence near its creek of a shop of that
sort. Gutierrez street was so called after
Don Octaviano Gutierrez, a noted member of
the town council. Haley street was named
after Salisbury Haley, who made the famous
" Haley Survey" in 1850; and Cota, Ortega,
and de la Guerra streets after the respective
families of these names. Carrillo took its
name from Don Joaquin Carrillo, the District
Judge, whose house fronted upon it; Figueroa
was named after Jose Figueroa, Governor of
California during the Mexican rule; his bones
lie in the vault of the Mission church here.
Micheltoreua for Manuel Micheltorena, Gov-
ernor in 1842; Arellaga from Jose Joaquin
Arellaga, Governor in 1792-'94; Victoria for
Manuel Victoria, Governor of this depart-
ment in 1831; Sola from Vicente Sola, Gov-
ernor from 1815 to 1823. Anapanau was
named for an Indian chieftain who held sway
from Santa Ynes to San Fernando; Valerio
for a renowned Indian robber who dwelt in a
cave in the Santa Ynes mountains; Yslay
comes from the fruit of a tree used as food by
the Indians. Pedregoso means stony, and.
the street is thus called because cut through
by the creek named Arroyo Pedregoso (Stony
Gulch). Mission street takes its name from
its proximity to the mission of Santa Barbara.
Of the streets which run southeast and
northwest, Salinas was so called because it
runs into a salt bink or pond; Canada, from
its running into a ravine; Soledad (a soli-
tude), because that part of the town was un-
inhabited and solitary when the name was
applied to it. Voluntario (volunteer^, because
it runs into the hill wherecju was enc<imped
Fremont's volunteer battalion; Alisos (syca-
mores), from the trees of that variety there
growing; Milpas (sowed tields), from the
sowing patches of the Indians in that locality;
Nopal, from the prickly-pear cactus there
growing in abundance; Quarentena, because
at its foot some vessels were put into quaran-
tine; Salsipnedes ("Get out if you can"),
from the gulches and ravines crossed by it,
which rendered travel on this street a serious
business. To Canal street was given the
name from its being the first on that side
extended to the chaimel; Laguna, because it
traverses a system of lagoons; Jardines, or
Garden, street is so named for that it cuts
through the gardens of Captain de la Guerra
and others. Santa Barbara street has a name
of obvious origin. Anacapa street points
toward the island of that name. State, the
principal street, takes its name from the com-
monwealth of California. Chapala was so
named in honor of a town and a lake near
Guadalaxara, Mexico, from which came some of
the early emigrants to Santa Barbara. De
la Vina, or Vineyard street, was laid out
SANTA BARBARA GOUNTT.
through a vineyard planted in 1802 by Gov-
ernor Goycoschea. Baiios (Baths) street was
so called from its leading to that part of the
beach most used for bathing. Castillo or
Castle street led to ihe hill on which stood an
old Spanish fort, mounted with cannon. Kan-
cheria comes from a cluster of Indian tents
that formed a native village at that point.
San Pascual street commemorates the field of
a battle fought between the American forces
and the Californians in 1846. San Andres
(Saint Andrew) is claimed to honor Andres
Pico, who figured conspicuously iu that bat-
tle. Chino street is said also to derive its
name from the Chino Rancho, in that same
district. Gillespie street was named from Lieu-
tenant — afterwards Captain — Gillespie, who
figured in the American occupation; and
Robbins street took its name from Captain
Robbins, who owned the Rancho Los Positas,
to which this street extends.
The situation of Santa Barbara is particu-
larly favorable for effective sewage, the slope
of State street being at no point less than
nineteen feet in the mile. This street is
sewered throughout, starting with eight-inch
pipe and terminating with twelve-inch. This
line, which is two miles long, is terra-cotta
to the wharf, whence it is iron pipe, extend-
ing 1,000 feet into the sea. Chapala street
is sewered from Gutierrez to Yslay, a dis-
tance of fifteen blocks; and de la Vina has
three blocks of sewer, and Pedregosa also is
sewered ti-om Santa Barbara to State street.
All this is after the Waring system.
From State street run two storm conduits,
extending in two directions, to the creek and
to the Estero; their cost was $20,000.
The city has a Fire Department, partly
paid and partly volunteer, comprising one
steam and one hand engine, two hose-carts
with 2,000 feet of hose, and one hook and
ladder company. Tlie quarters are in the
City Hall building. The number of mem-
bers is about thirty. The fire alarms are
given according to wards.
The watering of streets is provided for
with four water-carts, and also a patent street-
sweeping machine operates on State street.
Santa Barbara contains, besides the institu-
tions and practitioners elsewhere mentioned,
six large hotels, three surveyors, about twenty
private boarding-houses, three restaurants,
eight dry-goods houses, twenty grocery and
general merchandise stores, three feed stores,
two imrseries, one florist, one tea and coffee
store, two feed, lumber and planing mills,
three fruit stores, three confectionery stores,
five bakeries, two fish dealers, seven meat
markets, three wholesale liquorhouses, twenty-
one saloons, iowv hardware stoi'es, five drug
stores, one foundry, four furniture and up-
holstery shops, three second-hand stores, four
tailor shops, two men's clothing stores, four
shoe stores, three stationers, two curiosity
and shell stores, two Chinese fancy goods
stores, eight or ten Chinese general merchan-
dise shops, one crockery store, four milliners,
five jewelry stores, seventeen feed and livery
stables, four house decorators, six painters,
eight carpenters, nine blacksmith and carri-
age sliops, eight barbers, four photograpliers,
seventeen insurance and real-estate offices,
one skating rink, one theater building, one
gas company, one ice company (stock im-
ported from Truckee), four saddle, harness
and leather goods shops, one luggage trans-
fer company, four tobacconists, and numer-
ous gurneys, hacks, omnibxises, etc.
The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Asso-
ciation, mainly composed of ladies, have con-
tracted for a cottage hospital building, to cost
when completed $12,000 to $15,000. The
contract was made in November, 1889, and
the work as thus far completed comprises a
two-story building with attic, ninety-one feet
ANTA BABBABA C0UNT7.
front, in which twenty-live or thirty patients
could be accommodated, besides the offices,
etc. The outlay thus far, for grading, bridge
(across irrigating ditch), building, etc., has
been $7,735.29. The funds have been raised
partly by donations, partly by a local Trades'
Carnival.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
From the United States census returns for
the year ending June 1, 1870, are taken the
following statistics:
Population of the town, 2,970; number of
births, 131; deaths of children under one year
of age, 9; ratio of births to deaths, 14^ to 1.
Total number of deaths, including, adults, for
the same period, 23; percentage of deaths
for the whole population, 1 in 136, or ^^j,- of
1 per cent. Population of the county, 7,987;
number of births for above period, 285; total
number of deaths of children under 1 year
of age, 15; ratio of births to deaths, 15| to 1,
or nearly 16 to 1. Total number of deaths
in the county, 64, two being accidental; per-
centage of deaths in total population, 1 in 125,
or ^\ of 1 per cent.
In 1871, the letters of Charles Nordoff, in
Harpers' Monthly Magazine and other East-
ern periodicals, directed the attention of
Eastern pleasure and health seekers to Santa
Barbara and its vicinity. Then followed
from 1871 to 1875 a great influx of immi-
gration to this county. Blocks in the city
of Santa Barbara, which in 1870 found a
slow sale at $100, rapidly appreciated in
value, until they readily brought $5,000 and
$6,000. The city was transformed from a
Mexican village of 1,500 population to a
charming town, with all the characteristics of
New England villages except as to climate.
Lands in the county which theretofore had
been used exclusively for grazing, now be-
came farming and fruit lands. From this
period dates the beginning of the olive and
the walnut culture; almond trees were exten-
sively planted; corn and barley were produced
in large quantities. The cultivation of the
bean was begun in Carpenteria and La Pa-
tira. The failure of the Bank of California,
in 1875, brought all this advancement to an
end, and the county slumbered until the boom
of 1887.
In June, 1886, the Southern Pacific Eail-
way Company formed an auxiliary corpora-
tion entitled the Southern Pacific Branch
Kailroad Company, and began the construc-
tion of a railroad from Soledad in Monterey
County, then the terminus of the Northern
Division of said company, to Saugus, a station
near Newhall, on the Southern Pacific main
line. For several years a steady advance in
the values of real property had been going on
in Los Angeles and adjoining counties. The
construction of this branch line extended this
impulse in prices to the counties of Ventura,
Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. A
general advance sometimes trebling and
quadrupling the original price was had along
the line of the Newport road. A jjeriod of
building activity sprang up; the population
of these counties was rapidly increased. New
hotels and business houses were constructed
in all the principal places — the Rose and the
Anacapa at Ventura, the Arlington at Santa
Barbara and the Ramon in San Luis Obispo.
Ventura town laid many miles of concrete
sidewalk, and generally graded and improved
its streets. State street in Santa Barbara was
paved with bituminous rock for a distance of
two miles, at acost of $180,000. In August,
1887, the railroad ceased construction, and
immediately, presto, change! a sudden cessa-
tion of activity took place. Property, which
liad rapidly changed hands, now became slow
of sale, and a considerable drop in prices oc-
curred. Building operations largely ceased
and furtlier improvements were not attempted.
SAHrTA BARBARA COUNTY.
Recently, under promises of a speedy resump-
tion of work upon tlie railroad, financial
affairs have assumed a better aspect, and a
more healthful feeling has been given to
business.
During the boom of 1887 there were re
corded twenty-eight sales ranging from $10,-
000 to $250,000, which alone aggregated
$1,679,000. There were, further, about
$500,000 worth of property covered by bonds;
and at the lowest estimate $3,000,000 in sales
of smaller figures than those just given; thus
during seven months of that year over $5,-
000,000 changed hands.
During the same period of seven months,
at least $500,000 were expended in improve-
ments, buildings, etc.
The Santa Barbara postofiice is of the sec-
ond class; its staff comprises a postmaster
(salary $2,300) and three assistants. The
total receipts of the postal account average
$8,000 per annum. The registry business
comprises about 3,000 pieces yearly. Tlie
money order business, domestic and interna-
tional, and postal notes, paid, for 1890, are
estimated at $35,000; postal money orders
and postal notes issued approximate $25,000
per annum. There are in this ofKce 675
boxes, of which perhaps eighty per cent, are
rented at 75 cents per quarter.
Santa Barbara has had free postal delivery
since July 15, 1890, there being three car-
riers, at $600 per year.
The city officials of Santa Barbara, Sep-
tember, 1890, are as follows: Mayor, P. J.
Barber; Councilmen, Jos. B. Wentling,
Frank P. Moore, M. F. Burke, C. E. Sher-
man, H. B. Brastow; Police Judge, "W. H.
Wheaton; Assessor, A. Davis; Treasurer,
Ulpiano Yndart; City Attorney, Thomas Mc-
Nulta; Tax Collector, W. S. Maris; Clerk,
F. N. Gutierrez; Surveyor, Engineer and
Street Superintendent, John K. Harrington;
Janitor and Fire Engineer, J. T. Stewart;
Marshal, D. W". Martin; Night Watchmen,
G. J. Fulliugton, Thomas Knightly; School
Trustees, C. A. Storke, George F. Trenwith,
and J. T. Johnston.
The old graveyard adjoining the Santa
Barbara Mission must have received 6,000 to
10,000 dead into its narrow limits.
Soon after the coming of the Americans, a
site for a new cemetery was chosen on the
hillside, immediately north of the town. The
town plat, when surveyed, was found to in-
clude portions of this ground ; and as the city
was built up about it, much complaint was
made of the interment of bodies there, and
further use was prohibited by a city ordi-
nance. This was, however, disregarded by
the then president of the Mission, and so the
grand jury took up the q>iestion, in Septem-
ber, 1873, and burials here were then discon-
tinued. Thomas Hope donated a tract of
acres in a district lying about five miles
from Santa Barbara, toward the Patera, and
this is the present Roman Catholic burying
ground.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The first movement toward the et-tablish-
ment of a public library originated with the
order of Odd Fellows, which organization had
procured a collection of books, and main-
tained for a time a library under their own
auspices. Circumstances arose which caused
the discontinuance of this library, and the
books were removed from circulation and
stored away for a considerable time.
Under the regulations of "An Act to Es-
tablish Free Public Libraries and Reading
Rooms, approved by the Legislature of Cali
fornia, April 26, 1880, the city council, in
session of February 16, 1882. adopted a res
olution to establish such an institution, and
five trustees were accordingly voted for at the
next election of city officers, T. B. Dibblee,
3ANTA BjISBAEA COUNTY.
James M. Short, O. N. Diinmick, W. E.
Noble, and S. B. P. Knox being elected.
After a number of preliminary meetings
g. permanent organization was effected, Dr.
S. B. P. Knox being elected permanent presi-
dent, and James M. Short permanent secre-
tary.
The custodians of the former Odd Fellows'
Library donated all the books, etc., which had
belonged to that institution, and which were
formally accepted by the trustees of the
Santa Barbara Free Public Library.
The books so delivered comprised 2,921
volumes; to these, during the first year, were
added by purchase 300, and by donation 252
volumes.
A set of very liberal rules and i-egulations
were adopted, and Mrs. Mary Page was
elected librarian.
The library at present contains 5,740 well-
selected volumes, and it issues 3,974 cards,
each representing a drawer of books. Fiction
represents tlie greatest demand from readers,
and next come travels, history, and miscel-
laneous works. The rooms are comfortably
fitted, and every care is taken to provide for
their profitable use by readers and students.
Mrs. M. C. Rust, the present librarian, has
been the incumbent for the past few years,
and Mrs. F. C. Lord her assistant. Both
ladies are attentive, courteous and capable in
tlie discharge of their duties.
THE SANTA BARBARA NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
In December, 1876, this society was or-
ganized with a list of twenty-one members
and the following officers: President, Rev.
Stephen Bowers; Vice Presidents, Mrs. Ell-
wood Cooper, H. C. Ford, L. JS". Dimraick;
Treasurer, Dr. Mason; Corresponding Secre-
tary, Mrs. H. G. Otis; Recording Secretary,
Miss Abbie L Hails; Curator, Prof. Al-
phonse Bel.
The objects of the society, as set forth in
its constitution, are, "The increase and diffu-
sion of knowledge of the natural sciences,
by the establishment of a museum, the read-
ing and publication of original papers," etc.
For the first two years of its existence, the
society met in the Santa Barbara College
building. Its property at this time consisted
of a few specimens, contained in one case,
and a few books and pamphlets. Removing
hence, the society occupied until 1883 a place
in the public library, owned by the I. O. O.
F. During this period, little progress was
made. In 1883 a new impetus was given by
the ti-ansfer of about 1,200 volumes of Gov-
ernment publications, which had been in
charge of the Santa Barbara College. Funds
were now donated by the citizens for the pur-
chase of necessary furniture and book-cases.
In 1884 the society removed from rented
rooms to two fine rooms adjoining the Free
Public Library, liberally offered by the pro-
prietors of the Clock Building. During this
year, from the proceeds of an entertainment
given by the citizens, there was purchased a
collection of archaeological specimens, valued
at $300.
For many years, large numbers of fine
ethnological and archteological specimens, im-
possible to replace, had been unearthed and
carried from this section by Government ex-
peditions, agents of foreign museums, col.
lectors for institutions in other States, acd
innumerable individuals collecting for specu-
lation. The Natural History Society has
done energetic and most desirable service in
checking this movement, and in collecting
and preserving for the use of this section
relics thereunto appertaining. The museum
and library have been steadily increasing, by
donations and by jnirchase. This society's
library is a depository — and the only one
south of San Francisco — of all the publica-
SANTA RAMBAMA COUNTY.
tions issued by the United States Govern-
ment, exceedingly useful as works of reference.
These rooms are accessible to all during the
piiblic library hours, but books may be taken
out only by members of the society.
The museum contains: In entomology,
299 species; ornithology, 85 mounted birds,
6 nests, 132 eggs; mammals, 5 species,
mounted; conchoiogy, about 900 species ma-
rine and fresh- water shells; Crustacea, 12
marine specimens, numerous corals; reptiles,
33 species, in alcohol; botanical, marine algfe,
330 species; flowering plants, about 2,000
mounted specimens, 80 miscellaneous vari-
eties; geological, 69 fossils, corals, crinoids,
fish, shells, and insects; minerals, over 500
specimens; Indian relics, over 700 varieties,
very interesting; bound volumes, 2,053; pam-
phlets and parts of volumes, 8,534; a large
painting, by Henry C. Ford of "the Grizzly
Giant," Sequoia gigantea; a stone chair used
by the Incas of South America, found near
Guayaquil; numeroxis photographs and curios.
The present oflicers of the society are:
President, H. C. Ford; Vice Presidents, L.
G. Yates, James W. Calkins, Mrs. A. A.
Boyce; Treasurer, Mrs. Mary A. Ashley;
Corresponding and Recording Secretary, L.
G. Yates; Curator and Librarian, Mrs. C. F.
Lord; Publication Committee, H. C. Ford,
"L. G. Yates.
The society lias a membership of over
forty-five, of whom, however, not very many
are active members. It is proper to note
that Henry Ciiapman Ford, president of the
society, is a painter of some distinction, and
that to his devotion and enthusiasm are due
his charming etchings and studies in oil of
the old missions, being the only jnctures in
existence of the entire chain of those his-
toric structures, now mostly fallen to ruin.
Dr. Lorenzo Gordiii Yates, corresponding
and recording secretary, has been iionored by
election as a Fellow of the Linnean Society
of London, a distinction enjoyed by only six
citizens of the United States. Dr. Yates
assisted by John Gilbert Baker, F. R. S., of
the Royal Herbarium at Kew, is about to
publish a list of " All Known Ferns," which
will be a valuable contribution to fern knowl-
edge.
The librarian and curator, Mrs. C. F. Lord
is most energetic, assiduous, and efficient in
her duties, and courteous in her treatment of
persons visiting the rooms.
FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS.
The fraternal organizations of Santa Bar-
bara are as follows:
Santa Barbara Lodge, N"o. 192, F. & A.
M.: E. G. Dodge, W. M.; W. B. Squier^
Secretary.
Magnolia Lodge, No. 242, F. & A. M.: B.
F. Thomas, W. M.; R. D. Smith, Secretary.
Corinthian Chapter, JSTo. 51, Royal Arch
Masons: J. W. Hiller, High Priest; A. B.
Williams, Secretary.
St. Omar Commandery, No. 30, Knights
Templar; Sir P\ M. Casal, E. C; Sir J. II.
Austin, Recorder.
Santa Barbara Lodge, No. 156, 1. O. O. F. :
D. O. Kelly, N. G.; T. R. Da we. Secretary^
Channel City Lodge, No. 232, 1. O. O. F.:
C. S. Sawyer, N. G.; W. H. Stafford, R. S.'
Santa Barbara Encampment, No. 52, I. O.
O. F., organized December, 1875: J. M. Hol-
loway, C. P.; Fred Forbush, Scribe.
Santa Barbara Lodge, K. of P., No. 25
organized in 1876: S. W. Ireland, C. C; A.
Davis, K. of R. and S.
Castle Rock Lodge, K of P., No. 151, or-
ganized in 1886: L. Brooks, C. C; J. L.
Hurlbut, K. of R. and S.
A. O. U. W., Lodge No. 172, organized in
1881: J. T. Johnson, W. M.; W. IL Myers,
Recorder.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
Santa Barbara Parlor, No. 116, Native
Sons of the Golden "West: W. H. Maris,
President; C. J. Murplij, Secretary.
Branch No. 39, Young Men's Institute:
L. F. Ruiz, President; Rudolph Wakurka,
Secretary.
Young Men's Christian Association and
Free Reading Room, organized April, 1888.
Starr King Post, No. 52, Department of
California, G. A. R. : H. M. Van Winkle, Post
Commander; F. A. Rowan, Adjutant; A.
Davis, Quartermaster.
Starr King Woman's Relief Corps: Flor-
ence Salada, Mrs. E. J. Thompson, Secretary.
Marguerite Chapter, No. 78, O. E. S.:
Mrs. N. M. Axtell, W. M.; Eli Rundell,
Secretary.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union:
Mrs. H. D. Vail, President; Mrs. M. F.
Clapp, Secretary.
CHURCHES.
With the advent of Americans, other than
Catholic churches were speedily organized in
the county. As early as 1854, Rev. Adam
Bland, Presiding Elder of the Los Angeles
Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
held services here, and thus this denomina-
tion may he called really the pioneer of Prot-
estantism in this county, although not the
first to organize.
The circumstances were adverse to organ-
ization up to 1868, when the Rev. R. R.
Dunlap was appointed to the charge of the
community embracing Santa Barbara, La Pa-
tera, Montecito, Carpenteria and San Buena-
ventura, although there was no organized
society in any of these places. In 1868, Rev.
P. Y. Cool was appointed to the service, and
succeeded in organizing a church with eight-
een members, and building a parsonage and
chapel. The first worship was conducted in
the court-house, then called the Egerea House.
. The native population were much opposed to
having Protestant service in the town, but
oifered no violence, although resorting to an-
noying disturbances, such as causing the
squealing of hogs and the howling of dogs to
interrupt the service. The public school-
house also was at one time used for holding
service.
On July 17, 1869, the contract was let for
a new brick church which cost $5,824.75,
which was dedicated December 5, 1869. At
the end of Mr. Cool's three-year pastorate,
there were sixty-one members and parishion-
ers. When the present incnmbent, E. W.
Caswell, was appointed, September, 1888, the
charge numbered 210 members and parish-
ioners, with an average attendance of 128
Sunday-school scholars.
21ie Parochi-il Churc/i (Catholic) of Santa
Barbara was built in 1853 by the Franciscans.
In 1855 Bishop J. Amat arrived and took
possession. In 1865 the church was burned,
and rebuilding was begun in 1866. The first
pastor was V. R. B. Rajo, who remained in
charge only ten months, being succeeded by
Rev. F. Torrentian, who was in 1887, in his
turn, succeeded by V. R. F. James Vila, the
present incumbent, who has the entire charge,
wholly independent of the mission, the friars
having nothing to do with the administration
of the parish. Father Vila is assisted by
Father M. G. G. B. F. Cesari.
Trinity Church.— In March, 1867, Rev. T.
G. Williams having been sent to Santa Bar-
bara by the bishop, a meeting of Episcopa-
lians was held, a board of trustees elected,
and a church incorporated under the name
of " Trinity." Services were held regularly
in the old brick school house until Christ-
mas-day, 1869, when, a brick church having
been built, the first Protestant place of wor-
ship in the county was opened. The interior
of the church at that time was unfinished.
This church was used continuously up to
SANTA BARBARA GOUNTT.
1887. late in 1886, in anticipation of the
speedy arrival of the railroad, and the conse-
quent probable great increase of the congre-
gation, movements were taken to secure
larger quarters. Wm. R. Broome donated a
valuable lot, and a handsome building was
thereupon erected. Although the edifice was
not yet complete, on Easter Sunday, 1888,
Rev. Dr. John Bakewell held the first service
therein, to a congregation of over 500 persons;
and on July 29, Rt. Rev. Bishop Kip, as-
sisted by the Dean of the diccepe, formally
opened the new church, under the old name
of " Trinity." Tliis church has now (October,
1890) been without a pastor since August.
St. MarFs Episcopal Church was organ-
ized in the spring of 1876, with Rev. Robert
Scott as pastor. A suitable edifice was built,
but it was sold to the Baptist congregation
when St. Mark's re-united with Trinity
Church, from which it was an oflTshoot.
The Congregational Church had services
here as early as 1866, when Rev. J. A. John-
son preached his first sermon in the court-
house. At the close of the service, a resolu-
tion was adopted, asking him to remain in
the town and organize a church society, which
he did. In 1867 a permanent society was or-
ganized. Mr. Johnson's ministry closed in
1869. In 1870 a new brick church was ded-
icated, built at a cost of $9,000 on a lot do-
nated for the purpose. The present pastor,
Rev. C. T. AVeitzel. was installed in 1887.
Tlie Presbyterian Chiirch was organized
in June, 1869, under Rev. Thomas Frazer,
with an enrollment of nineteen members,
many being ex-members of the congregation
organized by Mr. Johnson. Rev. H. H.
Dubbins was the first pastor, and the next.
Dr. Phelps, who ii. creased the congregation
to nearly 100. In 1874 was built a church
costing $15,000. The present pastor is A.
H. Carrier.
TheSaptist Church was organized in 1874.
The first pastor was H. I. Parker. In 1875
this congregation purchased tlie old Presby-
terian chapel, and in 1882 St. Mark's (an ofE-
shoot from Trinity), which is still their place
of worship. Rev. Alex. Grant is the present
pastor.
The Unitarian Church was organized about
1880. The present place of worship is a
chapel on State street, near which is building
a handsome new stone chapel for this denom-
ination at a cost of $28,000. Rev. Philip S.
Thacher is pastor.
The Christian Church was organized here
in 1888. Rev. T. D. ti-arvin is pastor. Serv-
ice is held in the old Trinity chapel.
The Holiness Church was organized in
1884. The pastor is J. A. Foster.
The Faith Mission was established in
1884. Mrs. E. J. Scudder is pastor.
In 1889 a very handsome church was built,
a ta cost of $16,000. In 1887, the East
Santa Barbara Methodist Church was organ-
ized, a lot was purchased, and a new church
erected, at a cost of $2,100.
The Methodist Church, South, was organ-
ized in 1889, and a church building is being
erected.
BANKS.
The First National Bank is the pioneer
financial institution of this county. It was
organized in 1873; its president being Mort-
imer Cook, and the other oflicers the present
ones. In 1876 was completed the present
bank block at the corner of State street and
Canon Perdido, an imposing three-story
brick structure.
This bank at present controls a system of
safe deposit vaults also.
The oflicers are: J. W. Calkins, president;
Hugh D. Vail, vice-president; A. L. Lin-
coln, ashier; H. P. Lincoln, assistant
cashier.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTT.
The Santa Barbara Cor.nty National Bank
was organized in July, ISTo, as a State insti-
tntion, being then known as the Santa Bar-
bara County Bajik, with a paid up capital of
$50,000. In Febrnary, 1880, it was reorgan-
ized under the National Banking Laws, tak-
ing its present title. About the end of 1886
its capital was increased to $100,000. Its
statement for August, 1887, sliowed an
increase in business of nearly $200,000 over
that shown in December, 1886. The ofMcials
of the bank are as follows: William M. Eddy,
president; John Edwards, vice-president;
Eugene S. Sheffield, cashier; Charles A. Ed-
wards, assistant cashier. These officei's are
the same in charge since the beginning, save
the assistant casliier, lately added.
The Santa Barbara Savings Bank was in-
corporated September, 1886, opening its doors
for business in December, 1886, with a capi-
tal of $50,000. In October, 1887, it was
merged in the Commercial Bank, incorporated
August, 1887, which commenced business
October 1, 1887. Its officers at organization
were: John H. Redington, president; E. B.
UaU, vice-president; W. B. Metcalf, cashier.
The present officers are: George S. Edwards,
president; E. B. Hall, vice-president; W. B.
Metcalf, cashier. This bank expects to occupy,
by January 1, 1891, its own new edifice, now
building on State street.
THE COUET-HOUSE
was built in 1872. For years past, constant
complaints had come in from successive
grand juries of the total inefficiency of the
court-house and jail, from which prisoners
could escape almost at will. The murderer
of Abadie had thus escaped, after some
$1,700 had been spent for guarding him.
After many delays on the score of deticiency
of funds, tiie board of supervisors requested
the legislature to pass a bill authorizing the
issue of bonds, not to exceed $50,000, bear-
ing interest at seven per cent, per annum,
23ayable in thirty years from date. The bill
was passed, and plans called for, that of P. J.
Barber being selected from among tlie many
offered. From the many bids received, that
of Edward R. Fogarty, for $16,825 for car-
penter work, was accepted, and two bids of
Stevens and Joyner, for $16,595 and $1,922,
for regular and for supplementary mason -
work, respectively. The corner-stone was
laid on October 5, 1872. The architecture
is pure Corinthian in order. The edifice has
a cupola, and a surmounted dome, with lan-
tern finish. The general plan has the form
of a Greek cross. The material is brick and
iron, upon a stone foundation. Originally,
and for many years, the jail was situated in
the basement of the main building. Be-
sides the court-rooms and judges' chambers,
the court-liouse contains the offices of all
tlie county officials except the recorder.
The building cost some $60,000. Within
the last few years there has been placed in it
a tine steel lined vault for the safe-keeping
of the county's treasure and court records,
THE COUNTY JAIL
was built in 1876, at a cost of about $9,000.
It is 28 X 36 feet, and contains an office, sitting-
room, dining-room, kitchen, pantry, closet,
and hall. In the second story are three large
cells for female prisoners, the main entrance
to which is through a wrought-iron skeleton
door. The prison part of the jail is 28 x 31
feet over the ground, and one story high.
The floor is of stone, save in the ])risons,
where it is of three-eighth inch steam-boiler
iron, overlaid with wood. Entering through
the iron door, one reaches the hall, which is
six feet wide, and rnns the full length of the
building. This hall is made of iron bars,
three fourths of an inch square, set on end,
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
three inches apart, between the floor and the
ceiling, with iron doors at the left and right,
opening into the cells, eight In nninber. Tiie
doors are opened by levers from the main
hall. The cells are seven feet long, six wide,
and eight high. During tlie day, tlie pris-
oners have the freedom of the hall, being
locked up at niglit. The ceiling, floor, parti-
tions, and doors of the cell, are all made of
the boiler iron aforesaid.
THE SANTA BAEBAEA COUNTY HOSPITAL, POOE
FAEM, AND ALMS-HOUSE,
(for these establishments are combined in
one), is situated just outside the city limits
on the east. The grounds cover an area of
about ten acres, sufficing for the raising of
fi-uits and vegetables in a garden and orchard
attached to the premises. The board of
supervisors each year appoints a county phy-
sician and a hospital superintendent, and
nurses are employed as needed. There are
at present one female and about twenty male
inmates. The percentage of females seeking
assistance here is small, owing to the same
reason which accounts for the fact that the
character of the inmates is rapidly changing;
formerly they were mostly acute cases, but
now they are mainly clironic. This is because
very many of those received here are either
tramps, or sick persons who reach Santa Bar-
bara with means of support for a few days
only, after which they become objects of
charity. Dr. S. B. P. Knox, who is the pres-
ent incumbent, has been county physician
for some eight years in all, at one time filling
the ottice for six years in succession.
Besides the inmates of the poor farm, the
county has some forty pensioners, mustly of
Spanish-American blood, who live at their
own dwellings, or with relatives, and receive
a montldy allowance of $4, $6, or $8.
EAILROADS.
From time to time movements have been
made in Santa Barbara to secure the running
of railways, of various lines, through this
section. Meetings had been held, resolutions
adopted, and njemorials drawn up, but all to
very little, in fact to no, purpose.
Only when it was clear that self-interest
was thoroughly warranted, when further de-
lay would positively divert an important and
desirable revenue into other channels, when
the rich products of this section guaranteed
freight shipments to warrant extortions, the
railroad at last condescended.
On the afternoon of Friday, August 19,
1887, the first regular psssenger train pulled
into Santa Barbara, with a large number of
visitors from Los Angeles, Ventura, and
other neighboring cities. At the same time
arrived a special excursion train from San
Francisco, with a load of railway officials and
other parties interested in Santa Barbara.
Altogether, it is estimated that about 5,000
people visited the city during this railway
jubilee celebration. Tlie hotel accommoda-
tions proving inadequate, the houses of the
citizens were thrown open in generous hospi-
tality to the visiting strangers, who were met
the station, with bands and
conveyances,
and driven about the city. In the evening
was given at the Arlington a grand banquet,
at which sat down fifty of tlie guests, with
fifty of the leading citizens. Also there
were read many letters and telegrams of re-
grets from prominent State officials and
railway magnates. Speeches and toasts were
offered, and congratulations on this event for
Santa Barbara. The next day, Saturday,
August 20, there was a grand parade at 10
A. M., in which participated tlie public or-
ganizations of Santa Barbara and other
points in the county, as well as many features
of individual representation. The procession
SANTA DAh'BAMA COUNTY.
was headed by the Presidio Band, of San
Francisco, and the local bands followed at
intervals. One of the most interesting feat-
ures was the illustration of tlie successive
stages of progress in land transportation —
the pack-mule, the stage coach of 1860, and
the Pullman car of 1887. Many of the de-
signs displayed upon floats in the procession
were developed in the flowers for which this
section is justly famous. At noon, the pro-
cession moved to Burton Mound, where the
Santa Barbara ladies served a complimentary
luncheon to the citizens and the visitors,
after which this large and enthusiastic thmng
listened, before adjourning, to other speeches.
At difl"erent periods efforts have been
made to secure from Congress appropriations
for a breakwater at Santa Barbara, but all
such movements liave been tentative or ini-
tiatory only, and leading to no practical
result.
THE WATER SUPPLY
of Santa Barbara is purveyed by the Mission
Water Company, incorporated in 1872,
which in the following year made through
its pipes and mains a regular service. For
this purpose the living springs of Mission
Canon have been tapped, and the waters of
Mission Creek utilized. There are two res-
ervoirs, whose total capacity is some 4,000,-
000, that of the storage reservoir being
3,000,000 and of tlie distributing reservoir
750,000 gallons. The distributing reservoir
is about 200 feet above the highest, and 325
feet above the lowest, portion of the city,
thus giving sufficient pressure to throw a
stream over the highest building in the city.
There are in use several miles of distributing
pipes, four to six inclies in diameter.
FLKCTEIC LIGHT.
Since November 1, 1887, Santa Barbara
has been municipally lighted by the electric
system. There are two towers 150 feet high,
each having four 2,000-candlc power lamps,
and twenty-eight masts sixty and eighty feet
high, each with one 2,000-candle-power
lamp. State street is thus lighted through-
out its entire length, and the rest of the
lamps are distributed about the city. This
system costs the city about $500 monthly.
Besides the city lights, there are in use over
sixty arc -lights of l,200candle-power, and
a large number of incandescent lights of va-
rious powers, used for the lighting of mer-
cantile houses, iiotels, and other private
establishments.
MINOE ITEMS.
The telephone office at this city was
opened July 10, 1886, with a list of thirty-
five subscribers, now increased to 149, all
within the city limits.
There are in Santa Barbara County post-
offices as follows: Santa Barbara, Santa Maria,
Lompoc, Los Alamos, Guadaloupe, Summer-
land, Stuart, Sisquoc, Serena, Santa Maria,
Santa Ynez, Nojoqui, Montecito, Los Olivos,
Goleta. Carey, Carpenteria and Ballard's. Of
these, the first five are money order offices,
that at Santa Barbara having international
exchange.
The Santa Barbara county officials at pres-
ent date, September, 1890, are as follows:
District Court Commissioner, Charles Fer-
nald; State Senator, E. H. Heacock; Assem-
blyman, C. A. Storke; Superior Judge, R.
M. Dillard; County Court Commissioner,
S. W. Bouton; Clerk, F. L. Kellogg; Offi-
cial Court Reporter, C. F. Reynolds; Re-
corder, C. A. Stuart; Sheriff, R J. Brough-
ton;' Under Sherifl", R. D. Smith; Au-
ditor, J. T. Johnson; Tax-Collector, M.
F. Burke; Treasurer, E. S. Sheffield; Sur-
veyor, A. S. Cooper; District Attorney, W.
B. Cope; Assessor, Frank Smith; Deputy
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
Assessors, J. L. Barker, Santa Barbara; C.J.
Young, Lornpoc; B. M. Smith, Carpenteria;
George Smith, Los Alatnos; Scliool Super-
intendent, G. E. Thurmond; Public Admin-
istrator, W. B. Hosmer; Coroner, A. M-
Ruiz; Supervisors — Thomas Hosmer, H. G.
Crane, A. M. Boyd, D. T. Trnitt, A. W. Cox-
THE MISSION.
As the Mission (now a college of Fran-
ciscans) is one uf the most notable features
of the place, from its historic associations,
and for its present picturesqueness, a brief
recapitulation of its history here will liardly
be superfluous. On the feast of Santa Bar-
bara, Virgin and Martyr (December 4), 1786,
on the site occupied by the present edifice.
Very Reverend Father Ferrnin Francisco de
Lasuen, President of the Missions, and suc-
cessor to Padre Junipero Serra, raised the
cross and founded the Mission, being assisted
by Padres Antonio Paterna and Cristobal
Oramas. On December 15, Padre Lasuen
celebrated mass and preached in a hut or
booth, built for the occasion from boughs or
branches of trees. At this service was present
the Governor, Pedro Fages, accompanied by
a few soldiers. In the year 1787 were built
a house for the priests, 36 x 15, and a church
or chapel, 30 x 15, having adobe walls three
feet thick, and temporary roofs made of
heavy rafters, across which were tied long
poles or canes, over which was spread a layer
of mud or clay, the whole then thatched with
straw. In tiie following year, the Fathers,
with the 200 Indians tiien living at the Mis-
sion, began the manufacture of tiles, with
wliich they then roofed the buildings.
By tlie year 1789 the first church was
razed, as too small, and a new one, 85x15,
was erected, as also many new houses for
dwellings for the Indians of tlie Mission, by
this time numbering nearly 500.
In 1793 was begun, and in 1794 was fin-
ished, the third church of this Mission, a
large adobe structure, 127|x25J, containing
six chapels and a large sacristy. It had a
brick portico, walls well plastered with mor-
tar, and tile roof. In this year died Rev.
Father Antonio Paterna, the first minister of
this Mission.
As the Indians here now numbered 782,
and were increasing rapidly, it became neces-
sary to form a village and give a separate
liouse to each family; and so, in 1798, there
were erected nineteen houses for as many In-
dian families; and during the years follow-
ing an average of thirty-five new houses per
year, so that by 1807 the Indian village con-
tained 252 houses and as many families. In
1806 was built a reservoir of mason-work,
116 feet square by seven feet deep, to collect
water for the gardens, orchard, etc., and this
tank is still in existence, used for water
storage by the water company. In 1808 was
built in the space before the Mission an orna-
mental stone fountain and lavatory, still ex-
isting and regarded as a "show" feature.
During the latter part of December, 1812,
the severe earthquake shocks which then oc-
curred so damaged all the Mission buildings,
and particularly the church, that it was
deemed expedient to take this down and
build another. From this period, then, dates
the fourth and present Mission chiirch, which
was begun in 1815, and finished and conse-
crated in September, 1820. Its dimensions
are 170 feet long, forty feet wide, and thirty
feet from floor to ceiling. The walls, nearly
six feet thick, are of large cubes of cut sand-
stone, plastered over, and they are strength-
ened by heavy and massive stone buttresses
along the sides and at the angles, thus making
it the strongest of the Mission edifices.
Hitherto Upper and Lower California had
been under the spiritual jurisdiction of the
SANTA BARBARA COD NTT.
Bishop of Sonora, Mexico. But in 1835 the
Mexican Congress which revoked the decree
of 1833 and gave back to the Missions the
property of which they had then been de-
spoiled, decreed also that the California
provinces should have a special or local
bishop, whose interest wonld be devoted ex-
clusively to the welfare and advancement of
this section. Such a prelate was not assigned,
however, until 1840, when Pope Gregory
XVI. elected Right Rev. Francisco Garcia
Diego y Moreno, a Franciscan father, who
was solemnly consecrated to the bishopric
October 4, 1840. On January 11, 1842, he
arrived at Santa Barbara, and amidst great
rejoicings took possession of the diocese,
selecting the Mission as his residence, and
thus making Santa Barbara the Episcopal
city. The bishop died at the Mission, April
80, 1846, and Very Rev. Jose M. Gonzalez
Rubio, O. S. F., became administrator of the
diocese, surrendering his charge in 1850 to
the Right Rev. J. S. Alemany, who had that
year been consecrated Bishop of Monterey,
and who in.l885 became Archbishop of San
Francisco.
The Mission nnder its present aspect is
still very picturesque, although at close range
something of its charm is lost through the
results of " restoration," which has destroyed
the creamy, time -mellowed tints of the sur-
faces, and imparted a certain obtrusive and
common-place setness to its appearance.
Nevertheless, in its architectural fitness, in
its dimensions, and in its situation, lying as
it does on a commanding site, where it is
sure to catch promptly the attention of the
traveler, whether by land or by sea, the Mis-
sion bears strong witness to the taste and
judicial discrimination of the Padres. The
building has a very oriental aspect, what
with its long arcade and two twin towers.
Within, the organ loft is at one end, and the
high altar at the other. In the vault beneath
reposes the mortal part of the first Bishop of
the two Californias, Francisco Garcia Diego,
above whose tomb hangs his antique hat.
This vault was recently reopened to receive
the body of the venerable Father Sanchez,
who had ministered here since.
At tlie left of the church is a wing 130
feet long, with the pillars and arches of its
corridor well preserved. On one side is the
old olive orchard, and scattered near are the
remains of many now ruined buildings of
industrial use in the days of the Indian con-
verts.
This probably went to decay less than any
of the other missions, and it was, further-
more, put in repair for the celebration of the
centennial of its founding. On this occasion,
December 4, 1886, visitors from all parts of
the State came hither.
Masses and services are held regularly at
the mission, which is in charge of Rev.
Joseph O'Keefe, who is accompanied by
some three or four fathers, and about a
dozen lay brothers.
Visitors to the mission are courteously re-
ceived. Ladies are prohibited from entering
a certain one of the gardens.
THE SCHOOLS.
It would appear that the first beginnings
of public instruction of Santa Barbara were
such rudiments as were imparted by one Jose
Manuel Toca, a grumete, or ship-boy, from
one of the transports. This required a re-
muneration of $125, of which each soldier
paid $1. By the governor's orders, the first
feature of tliese presidio schools was the
teaching of Christian doctrine, then reading
and writing. Toca taught from the close of
1795 to 1797, when he was called on board
ship, being replaced in school by another
ship-boy.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
A primary school for girls was opened by
a woman in 1817, but it would seem to have
closed rather speedily.
During the last years of the decade 1810-
'20, a school was maintained, with Diego
Fernandez as teacher, on a monthly salary of
$15; but in 1828 not one pupil was in attend-
ance, and the alcalde was directed to enforce
compulsory ediication.
Up to 185(5, the English language was not
taught in the common schools, owing to the
opposition offered thereto by the Spanish
element of the population. But in that year,
the county superintendent, George D. Fisher,
aud the school commissioners, Hill, de la
Palma y Mesa and Huse, held an examination
of teachers, at which applied Pablo Caracela,
Mr. Baillis, Victor Mondrau and Owen Con-
nolly, the two latter of whom were there
authorized to teach school for one year, at a
monthly salary of $75. Through the failure
of the county superintendent to report, it is
said for lack of mail facilities, one appropria-
tion of the State school fund was lost; and
an attempt was made in the Legislature to so
remedy the matter that Santa Barbara might
receive her quota. In objection it was urged
that Santa Barbara had no school-house, and
that the English language was not taught
there at all. Accordingly, the teaching of
English was this season begun, and after
some difficulty the quota due Santa Barbara
was paid over. In 1854 there bad been
levied a school tax of five cents on each $100,
and this fund provided for increased facilities
and accommodations. In a letter to the
school board from Owen Connolly, teacher
of the first and then only school tauglit in
English, he asks for an increase of salary,
based on the floiirishing condition of the
school. It numbers, he says, seventy -eight
pupils between the ages of four and fifteen
years, half of whom Were young ladies (age
not stated!) one-third were Americans, tlie
rest of Spanish or Mexican blood. The
studies were orthography, penmanship, read-
ing, arithmetic, geography, grammar and
analysis, of both English and Spanish.
In 1879 there were thirty school districts
and 2,976 children of school age.
For the year ending June 30, 1884, the
children of school age were 3,445 ; school dis-
tricts, forty.
With the increased jiroportion of Anglo-
Saxon population, they here as elsewhere
arranged for the maintenance of that great
necessity, good public schools, and the system
has steadily advanced in the county to its
present proportions.
The School Department of Santa Barbara
County is now composed as follows, as pre-
scribed by the new State- constitution of
1879-'80: The County Board of Education
consists of the county school superintendent,
ex officio its secretary, and four others, two of
whom must be teachers holding the higliest
grade of certificate. This board prescribes
the course of study, the list of text-books,
and list of books for school libraries; and it
holds semi-annual examinations, in June and
DecembeT, of teachers for the county schools.
Every autumn is held a county institute,
which every teacher is required to attend,
unless excused by the superintendent for
sufficient reasons.
There are three grades of schools, namely,
primai-y, grammar grade and grammar
school course, that receive State appropria-
tions; and a high school, located in the city
of Santa Barbara, and supported by county
tax. The city in the autumn of 1887 con-
tained five public-school buildings, accom-
modating twelve primary, five grammar and
one high school. There was then an enroll-
ment of 1,031 pupils, taught by twenty
teachers.
SANTA BAMBABA COUNTY.
The school census of Santa Barbara for the
year closing June 30, 1886, shows as follows:
Total nnmber school census children, 3,844,
divided as follows: white boys, 1,987; white
girls, 1,888; negro boys, four; negro girls,
six; Indian boys, four; Indian girl, one.
Under live years old there were 1,495 white
and three negi'o children. The county then
contained four Chinese children under seven-
teen years of age, four deaf and dumb and
seven blind children.
The births during the year were 129 boys
and 115 girls; total 244.
The number of children who attended
public school during the year were 2,650
white, seven negro and two Indian.
There were 136 attending private schools.
In November, 1887, there were in the
county forty-six school districts, supplied by
about seventy teachers. The number of
children enrolled, between five and seventeen
years of age, was 3,948, as against 2,696 in
1886. The total of appropriations during
that year for school purposes was $46,990.20,
and the amount paid for teachers' salaries was
$37,947.95.
There are at present in Santa Barbara
County fifty- three school districts, with
eighty-six incumbent teachers, of whom sixty-
one are women and twenty-five men. The
ladies receive an average salary of $61, the
gentlemen of $75. There are 4,429 children
of school age in the countj, of whom are en-
rolled 3,648, comprising 1,800 girls and
1,848 boys. The average daily attendance is
2,254.
For the school year closing June 30, 1890,
the State apportionment for this county was
$42,840, and the county apportionment, $27,-
791.45. From this total of $70,631.45 the
amount paid for teachers' salaries was $50,-
247.50; for school buildings, $15,895.06; for
school libraries, $994.96; for apparatus, $1,-
045.45; for rent, repairs and contingent ex-
penses, $12,440.16. Total of expenditures,
$80,123.13. The school bonded indebtedness
in the county is $81,450.
The county owns school-houses and furni-
ture to the value of $143,300; the school
libraries contain an aggregate of 8,936 vol-
umes, valued at $10,080, and the apparatus
supplied to the schools is worth $5,730, thus
placing the valuation of school property at
$159,110.
The County Board of Education at present
is composed of School Superintendent G. E.
Thurmond, T. N. Snow, Miss Josephine
Rockwood, Mrs. Ida M. Blochman and Hol-
ton Webb.
There are in the city of Santa Barbara
1,680 census children, of whom 1,228 are en-
rolled in the schools, the average attendance
being 840. The number of teachers is
twenty-four. There are five school buildings
of plain but substantial style, the valuation
of buildings and furniture being $50,000.
The corps of teachers numbers a city super-
intendent and twenty three assistants.
St. Vincent's College was established 1858,
by the Sisters of Charity, noble, unselfish
and energetic women, who have conducted it
very successfully up to the present. Early
in its career St. Vincent's possessed an ex-
cellent four-story brick building, which was
destBoyed by fire March 15, 1874, the loss
being about $20,000. This calamity, as it
veritably was to Santa Barbara, was soon re-
paired by the erection of the present build-
ing on the site of the burned structure. The
institute is now a tine three-story brick edi-
fi".ce of composite architecture, where the Sis-
ters teach all common brandies of instruc-
tion. Only girls are received here.
The Santa Barbara College was instituted
in 1869, by a joint-stock company of the citi-
zens, and an edifice (at present the San Mar-
SAIfTA BABBABA COUNTY.
COS Hotel) was built at a cost of about $85,-
000. It had an efficient corps of teachers,
qualified to lit pupils for a business life or
for the university. It had an average of
perhaps eighty pupils. It suspended opera-
tion about 1878.
There are now in Santa Barbara three pri-
vate schools besides St. Vincent's, viz.: the
Collegiate School, Miss Thayer's School for
Girls, and the School for Girls kept by Pro-
fessor Alfred Colin and Madame Colin.
THE MEDICAL PKOFESSION.
In the early days the care of the sick was
of lay origin; that is, by domestic remedies,
mainly herbal, and in not a few instances
borrowed from the superstitious rites of the
aborigines. Surgical operations, too, were
performed mostly after a rough and amateur-
ish fashion. As late as June, 1846, Fran-
cisco de la Guerra wrote to the Governor
that for the want of good medical men in
the country he had been under the necessity
of employing the surgeon of a British man-
of-war.
William A. Streeter, as stated elsewhere,
practiced here as a physician, albeit not
regularly qualified, from 1845 forward.
Dr. Nicholas A. Den had arrived here as
early as 1836, but it would appear from Don
Francisco's expressed want that Dr. Den did
not at once begin to practice, nor is the date
of his embarking in this profession obtain-
able by the present writer.
Dr. Samuel Bevier Bririkerhotf, who ar-
rived here in 1852, soon became a general
favorite practitioner, and when he died he
probably knew as many family histories and
family secrets of the section as a father con-
fessor, besides having opened or closed the
gates of life to a vast number of the com-
munity. Up to the time of his death he
was a successful practitioner.
Among the earlier physicians who came to
Santa Barbara were: Drs. Alexander Perry;
Wallace, who came in 1850; Shaw, who
practiced with Dr. Burr is, who came hither
from Mexico; English, Freeman, Ord (a di-
rect dscendant of George IV. of England
and Mrs. Fitzherbert), Biggs and Bates (in
partnership about 1873), Winchester (came
about 1873), S. B. P. Knox, Logando (came
about 1875), etc.
There are at present about twelve regular
practicing physicians in the city of Santa
Barbara, and five practitioners of the homeo-
pathic school. In the outside towns there
are ten practicing physicians, as follows: At
Carpenteria, three; at Santa Maria, two; at
Santa Ynes, one; at Los Alamos, one; at
Lompoc, two; at Los Olivos, one; all these
being of the allopathic school, save one
homeopath at Carpenteria. Most of the'physi-
cians in the city belong to the State Medical
Association, but there is no county associa-
tion, although various efforts have been made
to establish one.
BENCH AND BAR,
The following account of the bench and
bar of Santa Barbara County and the
Second Judicial District in the early days
was kindly prepared for the present work
by Judge Charles Fernald :
"The bench and bar in newly organized
communities must always be an interesting
subject to all readers, professional and lay as
well. The well-being of the community in
general depends largely upon the character
of the bench and the bar, at all times, under
our system of government. The rights of
person and property find their surest guar-
anty in the character of both. Accordingly
we have striven to ascertain, as best we may
at this late date, just how the courts were
organized, and the character of the judges.
SAJ^TA BjLRBASA COUNTY.
magistrates, attorneys and counsellors prac-
ticing liere from the adoption of the consti-
tution and the organization of the courts
from 1850 to the election and inauguration
of Abraham Lincoln in 1861.
"The judicial system of the State under
the judicial act of 1850 and 1851 was radi-
cally difTerent from that adopted by the new
constitution of California in 1879 under the
influence of the "sand lot," as it has been
called. The former was much more simple
in structure, and we can but think a careful
comparison of the two will show the old
system very much more effective in its scope
and practical operation. We have not space
here to analyze and compare the two systems,
and it is not our purpose to do so.
" The act of April 11, 1851, provided for
the organization of a Supreme Court, con-
sisting of a chief justice and two associate
justices, to be elected by the people. The
State was divided into eleven judicial dis-
tricts, and provision was made for the term
of six years for the election of a district
judge for each district, embracing one or
more counties according to population. The
first district embraced the counties of San
Diego and Los Angeles, and the second the
counties of Santa Barbara and San Luis
Obispo, Santa Barbara County at that time
including in its territory the present county
of Yentura, cut off" from Santa Barbara in
1872, by an act of the Legislature. The act
of 1851 also provided for the organization of
a superior court of the city of San Fran-
cisco, and for a county court for each of
the counties of the State, with original and
appellate jurisdiction, and for the election of
appointment of county judges to preside
over said courts. Also for a court of ses-
sions for each of the counties, over which
should preside the county judge and two
associate justices, to be appointed by the
judge, or to be chosen by the justices of the
peace of the county when elected.
"The term of district judges was for six
years and of county judges four years. The
district court, the county court and the
court of sessions exercised substantially the
same jurisdiction as the superior courts now
do under our present judicial system. The
county judge also acted as surrogate or
probate judge, and the court of sessions
was charged with all of the duties of the
present boards of supervisors for each
county.
"As we have had occasion to say elsewhere
in speaking of the character of the immigra-
tion to this State in 1849-50, we now repeat
here what is undeniably true, that there came
to the State in those early days the excellence
and culture of the older States east of the
Mississippi River. It would be difficult to
point to a more able body of men, taken
altogether than those assembled at Monterey
in 1850 to frame a constitution for the State
of California. Such men as William M.
Gwin, Winfield S. Sherwood, Henry W. Hal-
leck, L. W. Hastings, Jacob R. Snyder,
Charles T. JBotts, Henry A. Tefft, Thomas
O. Larkin, Rodman M. Price, J. McHol-
lingsworth, Myron Norton, Edward Gilbert,
Benjamin S. Lippincott, Thomas M. Ver-
meule, Louis Dent, Abel Stearns and the late
Pablo de la Guerra. There were other able,
experienced men — merchants, lawyers and
farmers. The average age of these men was
about thirty-three years; many of them were
less than twenty-seven years of age.
"And it has been a matter of frequent
assertion that the first Legislature of the
State of California contained more able men
than any succeeding one.
"The first judge of the district court of
ihe second judicial district, embracing, as we
have stated, the counties of Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
and San Lnis Obispo, was Henry A. Tefft, a
native of Washington Connty, New York.
At the date of his appointment he was twen-
ty-six years of age and resided at Nipomo,
San Luis Obispo County. He served but
one year as district judge, having perished
at the steamboat landing at San Luis Obispo
in the winter of 1851-'52, in endeavoring to
laud from the steamer in an open boat during
a heavy storm.
" Henry Storrow Carnes, still living in
Santa Barbara, was appointed by the gov-
ernor of the State to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of Judge Tetft. Carnes held
the office until the general election in Novem-
ber, 1852, at which election the late Joaquin
Carrillo was elected by the people for the
balance of the term. Carrillo continued to
hold the ofhce until the year 1863-'64, when the
late Don Pablo de la Guerra was elected for
the term of six years. De la Guerra held
the office until his death in 1873. "Walter
Murray of San Luis Obispo County, was ap-
pointed by the governor to Mnish the unex-
pired term. Judge Murray died in June,
1875, and Eugene Fawcett was then ap-
pointed by the governor until the next suc-
ceeding general election. Judge Fawcett
was afterward elected to the office and held
the same until the adoption of the new con-
stitution in 1879.
"The first county judge of Santa Barbara
County was Joaquin Carrillo. He held the
office from the date of the organization of the
court in 1851 until his election as District
judge in November, 1852, at which time he
resigned the office of county judge, and the
Hon. Charles Fernald was then appointed by
Governor Bigler as his successor."
" Judge Charles Fernald arrived in Califor-
nia in 1849, and in Santa Barbara in 1852. A
native of Maine, Judge Fernald had acquired
much of his legal training at Dorchester,
Massachusetts, where his favorite recreation
had been to attend the court of Chief Justice
Lemuel Shaw. In attendance upon noted
cases, he had had the great privilege of listen-
ing to such lights of the bar as Webster,
Choate, Benjamin R. Curtis, £. R. Hoar,
W. R. P. Washburne, etc., etc. Judge Fer-
nald was elected without opposition, by the
people, at every judicial election thereafter
until 1861, and held the office until the be-
ginning of 1862, at which time he resigned
to enter upon the active practice of his pro-
fession. At the time of his appointment
to the position of county judge, Judge'
Fernald was scarcely twenty-two years of age,
but he possessed the rare advantage of a
thorough and proper training for the dis-
charge of the duties of the office, which few
young men then competing here possessed.
"At the resignation of Judge Fernald, Gov-
ernor Downey appointed as his successor the
late J. M. Covarrubias, who held the office
until the ensuing general election, when the
late Hon. F. J. Maguire was elected; and he
continued to hold the office by election up to
the time of the adoption of the new constitu-
tion.
" From every point of view, the character,
integrity and ability, the Bench was an able
one, and the records of the Supreme Court
show that the decisions of the judges of these
courts were rarely, if ever, reversed. And
when it is considered that during that period
some of the most important principles of law
of real property, the construction of the new
constitution, the statutes relative thereto,
and the rules of the civil law and of the civil
law as adopted in Spain and Mexico, were
often involved and at issue, it will be ad-
mitted that this is high praise.
" At the date of the organization of the
above named courts there were here and at
the bar from the beginning men of descent
SANTA BABBARA COUNTY.
and training ; among them was Edward
Sherman Hoar, a sen of the Hon. Samuel
Hoar of Concord, Massachusetts ; he was
a graduate of Harvard and one of tue
brightest intellects of all that gifted family.
He was the confessed leader of the bar
of Southern California. Next must be
mentioned Augustus F. Hinclunan of New
Jersey, also a graduate of Harvard and a class-
mate of Mr. Hoar, a man of varied learning,
culture and acquirements. Judge Fernald
having been thus early appointed to the
Bench, practiced at that time only in the
Federal courts, up to the time of his resigna-
tion in 1862. Next came James Lancaster
Brent, a native of Maryland and brother of
the attorney-general of that State, an ac-
complished orator and advocate, as well as
a learned lawyer. Brent resided at Los An-
geles and was associated with Jonathan R.
Scott, a giant physically and mentally, who
came from St. Louis, Missouri. Although
resident at Los Angeles, they often appeared
before the courts of Santa Barbara and San
Luis Obispo counties. Benjamin Hayes, a
resident of Los Angeles, and afterward judge
of the first judicial district for many years,
often appeared in the courts of this county
prior to his election as judge. Myron Nor-
ton, one of the leaders of the bar of Los
Angeles, was often called here in important
cases.
" Then came L. C. Granger, who recently
died in Chico, Butte County, a man of rec-
ognized ability and learning. William J.
Graves, who came from St. Louis, Missouri,
to San Luis Obispo, became well known
throughout the State as a man of marked
ability at the bar, and deeply learned in the
law; he was a worthy competitor of the able
men before mentioned. Well worthy of
mention comes Russell Heath, now living at
the Carpenteria, who came to this State and
settled in this county about the beginning of
1851, Mr. Heath was a native of Little
Falls, Herkimer County, New York, being a
lienal descendant of General Heath, of Rev-
olutionary fame. He made the journey to
California overland on horseback through
Northern Mexico. From the time of his
arrival here, early in 1851, at about twenty-
three years of age, he took a prominent
position at the bar. He was appointed by
Judge Fernald, tlien presiding judge of the
oourt of sessions, to the important position of
district attorney in January, 1853. He dis-
charged the duties of the office judiciously
and with great intelligence. In 1856 a strong
man was needed for sheriflF of this county,
and Judge Fernald selected Mr. Heath for
that position, whicli he held until 1854, and
his administration was strong and gave great
satisfaction to the people. Since that time
Mr. Heath has creditably represented this
county in the State Legislature two terms.
" Early in 1852, Eugene Lies appeared here
as one amongst the most versatile at this bar.
He was born in the city of New Orleans, of
French parentage. Early in life he was taken
to Paris, where he was educated and trained
to the har. Returning to this country, his
parents settled in New York, and young Li^s
was admitted to the bar in that State, whence
he came directly to Santa Barbara County,
and here commenced his professional career,
achieving pronounced success. In 1859-60,
he was elected to the Legislature of this State,
and at the close of the session of that year lie
took up his abode in the city of San Fran-
cisco, attaining immediate recognition as
among the ablest of the bar of that city. He
was an accomplished linguist, an able lawyer,
and a successful advocate. With him was
associated in practice here and at San Fran-
cisco Albert Packard, of Rhode Island. Mr.
Packard had early come to this State and set-
SANTA BAMBARA COUNTY.
tied in Los Angeles. He was recognized as
a man of nnusnally strong intellect. Then
last, but not least, must be mentioned Charles
E. Huse, from Newburyport, Massachusetts.
He was a graduate of Harvard, where he took
a course of study for the ministry, afterwards
adopting the profession of law, becoming a
painstaking, laborious and zealoTis practitioner.
There were many others who occasionally
appeared in our courts, such as Parker H.
French, the late D. S. Gregory, and until his
death recently Superior Judge of San Luis
Obispo Coiintj; Hon. Francis J. Maguire, af-
terwards County Judge; E. O. Crosby, who
had been a member of the Constitutional Con-
vention, and Walter Murray, of San Luis Obis-
po, a laborious, reliable and successful prac-
titioner up to the time of his appointment to
the bench, as before stated.
" All of these men were lawyers of marked
ability and learning, and compared favorably
with the members of the bar in any part of
the State. And, while later on in the '70s
men like Fawcett and other able young men
came to the bar here, we feel warranted in
expressing the opinion that the men we have
named were altogether exceptional in point of
ability and learning. They had to deal with
new questions and principles in settling the
law in many of its branches, and well their
work was done, as the reports of their cases
in the Supreme Court will abundantly show."
The machinery of government of Santa
Barbara County went into working in August,
1850: Joaquin Carrillo was county and pro-
bate Judge. The first case brought before
him regarded the estate of James Scott, de-
ceased, who had been a partner in trade of
Captain Wilson. The will was approved, and
N. A. Den and Pablo de la Guerra were ap-
pointed appraisers.
When Henry A. Tefft took his seat as
judge of the Second Judicial District August
5, 1850, John M. Huddars acting as Clerk,
Eugene Lies, of New York, was admitted to
practice, and he was sworn in as interpreter
and translator. Jose Antonio de la Guerra y
CarriUo having been judge of the Court of
the First Instance, the records of that court
were demanded from, and refused by, the
Alcalde Joaquin de la Guerra, perhaps to
show contempt for this new court which su-
perseded the old authorities.
The court ordered made a county seal, de-
scribed as follows:
" Around the margin the words. County
Court of Santa Barbara County., with the
following device in the center: A female fig-
ure holding in her right hand a balance, and
in her left a rod of justice; above the figure
a rising sun, and below, the letters CAL.
The first district attorney was Edward S.
Hoar. He returned in 1857 to his old home
at Concord, Massachusetts, it is said that
the clerk of this court was a mighty hunter
and fisherman, and that he was wont to carry
about in his coat-pocket the memorandum
book which contained the only court records
kept for some months. Judge Fernald pro-
nounces this story apocryphal, however.
The first sheriff was Jose Antonio Rodri-
guez; he was killed early in 1850, on the
present site of the gas wells at Summerland.
He was leading a party of some fifty men in
pursuit of those who murdered the Reed
family at San Miguel, in San Luis Obispo
County, and, disapproving of the reluctance
of his followers to close with the murderers,
Rodriguez dashed forward and tore from the
saddle one burly fellow, who thereupon raised
himself upon his knees and killed the sheriff
with a shot-gun. One of the miscreants
plunged into the sea and swam out beyond
the kelp, where he was drowned; the others
were captured, tried, and shot at Santa
Barbara.
SANTA BARBARA VOUNTT.
The next slieriif was named Heavy. He
was waylaid and shot on the Santa Ynes
mountains.
J. W. Burroughs was the first county clerk,
auditor, coroner, and justice of the peace.
His deputy was A. F. Hinchman, now of San
Francisco. Nicholas A. Den was made fore-
man of the first grand jury, but the names of
the other jurymen were not recorded. A
better record was kept of the next session,
held April 7, 1851; the following persons
were empaneled: Antonio Arellanes, John
Kays, Rafael Gonzalez, Octaviano Gutierrez,
Manuel Cota, Raimundo Olivera, Estevan
Ortega, George Nidever, Augustus F. Hinch-
man, Jose Lorenzano, Juan Rodriguez,
Ygnacio Ortega, Antonio Maria Ortega,
Guillermo Carriilo, Edward S. Hoar, A. F.
Hinchman, Jose Carriilo, Lewis T. Burton,
Augustin Janssens, Joaquin Carriilo, Vi-
cente Hill. Eight individuals were fined
$25 each for not answering to their names on
this panel. The grand jury found indict-
ments for murder against Guadalupe Sanchez
and Francisco Figueroa, and offered a com-
plaint against the jail as unfit for use. In
the case of the People vs. Francisco Romero
et al., the witnesses were discharged, and the
sureties relieved, as the defendants had es-
caped from custody, because of the jail's in-
security.
The roll of attorneys of Santa Barbara
County shows the following names:
J. L. Barker, A. T. Bates, I. R. Baxley,
S. W. Bouton, J. J. Boyce, R. B. Canfield,
J. G. Deadrick, Charles Fernald, William
Gallaher, G. H. Gould, E. B. Hall, F. Leslie
Kellogg, Thomas McNulta, Walter H. Nixon,
A. A. Oglesljy, Joseph J. Perkins, S. S.
Price, A. E. Putnam, J. T. Richards, C. A.
Storke, W. C. Stratton, J. W. Taggart, B. F.
Thomas, C. A. Thompson, J. B. Wentling,
H. G. Crane, W. N. Haverly, C. F. Carrier,
J. F. Conroy, W. P. Butcher, W. C. Gam-
mill, Grant Jackson, W. S. Day, E. R. Mc-
Grath, Eugene W. Squier, Walter B. Cope
and Paul R. Wright, all of Santa Barbara;
B. F. Bayley and W. W. Broughton, of Lom-
poc; S. E. Crow and Caleb Sherman, of Santa
Maria.
Many of these are not now engaged in
active practice.
Among those now actively engaged in the
practice in the center of the county, promi-
nently stands Hon. Charles Fernald, whose
biography is given at length elsewhere.
J. J. Boyce is a native of Utica, New
York, where he was born April 28, 1852.
He entered the law office of Seymour &
Weaver, upon arriving at majority, and pur-
sued for a time the study of law. He came
to Santa Barbara in 1876, and resumed his
law studies under the instruction of Judge
Fernald. He was admitted to the practice of
law by the Supreme Court, in 1878, and has
since been actively engaged in tiie practice of
his profession at Santa Barbara.
R. B. Canfield graduated from Columbia,
in 1862, and studied law in the law school
attached to his alma mater. He came to the
Pacific Coast in 1865, and. spent three years
in the mines in Nevada. In 1868, returning
to New York and resuming his legal studies,
he was admitted to the New York State bar,
in 1869. In 1876 he came to Santa Barbara,
where he has since resided. Mr. Canfield
was married in 1873 to Mrs. Davidson. Mr.
Canfield is a keen lawyer, with a judicial
brain. He is quiet and unobtrusive in his
habits, and does not seek notoriety. By ap-
pointment he has for a year or more presided
over the Superior Court of this county, and
has won golden opinions from his constituency.
Ephraim B. Hall is a native of Virginia,
born in 1823. He has occupied in his native
State many offices of great trust and respoas-
SANTA BARBARA CUUNTY.
ibility. At one titiie he was Attorney Gen-
eral of the State, and at another judge of the
nisi prius courts of the county in which he
resided. He was also a loyal member of the
convention that passed the ordinance of se-
cession, by which Virginia attempted t o
sever its relations with the sister States. He
is now declining the active business of the
county.
Thomas McNulta was born in New York
in 1845. He possesses to a large degree the
confidence of the community. He was ad-
mitted to the Illinois bar about 1871, and
for several years parcticed law with his
brother, Hon. John McNulta, at Blooming-
ton, Illinois. Coming to Santa Barbara in
1874 he soon became a prominent member
of the local bar. He has, at various times,
held the office of city attorney and district
attorney, and has had charge of many im-
portant cases. He is an eloquent speaker,
somewhat inclined to be impetuous.
B. F. Thomas was born in Missouri, Feb-
ruary 22, 1846. Fie studied law with ex-
Congressman TuUy, of San Jose, and was
admitted to the bar January 13, 1874. His
first labor in a legal \vay was at Guadalupe
in this county. In 1875, Mr. Thomas be-
came district attorney and filled the ofiice
with credit. He is a slow thinker, but of
great industry and perseverance, by the aid
of which he has become a prominent mem-
ber of the local bar, and has secured a
lucrative practice.
Jarrett T. Richards was born in Cham-
bersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1842. After
spending three years in Europe in classical
study, he returned to his native land, and
entered Columbia College Law School, where
he graduated in 1866, receiving a special
prize of $150 for a thesis on municipal law.
After graduation he went to Erie, Pennsyl-
vania, where ho alternated the practice of
law with editorial work. In 1868 he came
to Santa Barbara, and formed a law partner-
ship with Hon. Charles Feruald. He has
been mayor of Santa Barbara and city at-
torney. In 1879 he was nominated for As-
sociate Justice of the Supreme Court, but with
his ticket was defeated. Mr. Richards is a
strong and classical writer. His mind is em-
inently judicial, and he is probably better
fitted to act as a judge than as a pleader.
His advice is much solicited.
W. C, Stratton was born in New York
December 14, 1826. He was a resident of
New Jersey from 1849 to 1856, coming to
California in the latter year. In 1858 he
was elected to the Legislature by the Dem-
ocrats of Placer County, and then became
Speaker of the House. From 1860 to 1870,
he was librarian of the State Library. In
January, 1873, he came to Santa Barbara,
and was for several years attorney for the
city. Mr. Stratton has a lucrative practice,
which he has obtained by thorough study of
his cases. He is a good jury pleader, and
coming into court with his cases thoroughly
understood and properly prepared, he gen-
erally is siiccessful.
W. S. Day was born in Smith County,
Tennessee, on the 14tli day of March, 1848;
was educated in the common schools of Illi-
nois. Began the study of law in 1872, at
Jonesboro, Illinois, under Judge Monroe C.
Crawford, and was admitted to practice before
the Supreme Cwurt of Illinois in June, 1874.
He then practiced law in the city of Jones-
boro from 1874 to 1888, holding during that
time the positions of State's Attorney and
member of the Legislature. He removed to
Santa Barbara in June, 1888, and at once
formed a partnership with Paul R. Wriglit,
an old and respected attorney of the city of
Santa Barbara, under the name of Wright &
Day. Mr. Day is a clear, metholical thinker,
tiJJfTA BARBARA CJUNTT.
and has in liis short resilience at Santa Bar-
bara added to his previous excellent repu-
tation.
S. S. Price was born in Morristown, New
Jersey, on the 27th day of January, 1840;
was educated at Lombard College, at Gales-
burg, Illinois, and was studying law at Jersey-
ville, Illinois, at the outbreak of the war.
He enlisted in^Company F, Fourteenth Illi-
nois Infantry in 1861, and followed the
fortunes of that regiment until the battle of
Shiloh, ir. which he was badly wounded,
necessitating his discharged. Having par-
tially recovered from his wounds, he renewed
his legal studies at the Law School of
Michigan University, where he graduated in
the spring of 1865. Opening a law office in
Salem, Missouri, he practiced for three years
and more in Dent County, and then moved
to Falls City, Nebraska. From 1869 until
1883 he was actively engaged in legal pur-
suits at Falls City, and moved to Santa Bar-
bara in 1883. His old wounds having dis-
abled him from active practice, his work in
Santa Barbara has been that of an adviser
and counsellor rather than advocate. In
1886 he was elected District Attoi'ney.
Walter B. Cope is a son of Hon. W. W.
Cope, of the Supreme Court Commission.
Walter B. Cope came to Santa Barbara a
few years since, and at the last election but
one he was chosen for District Attorney.
The election of November, 1890, has placed
him upon the bench of the Superior Court of
this county.
Since the dispersion of the bands of out-
laws gathered during the disorder of the
transition period Santa Barbara has been,
all things considered, reasonably free from
crime. There have been notable cases, but
these were of individual, rather than public,
bearing. The most conspicuous crimes com-
mitted hereabouts were the following: In
January, 1864, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Corliss
were murdered, and their bodies consumed in
their dwelling; the criminals were not dis-
covered. Later in that year, Samuel Barth-
man was robbed and murdered, and his body
concealed in the woods between Lompoc and
La Purisima. His murderers were discovered
and brought to justice. In June, 1868, one
Bonilla, a young man of twenty years, shot
to death Mr. Domingo Abadie, a respected
and prominent citizen, in a qiiarrel Bonilla
was sentenced to thirty-five years' imprison-
ment. In January, 1874, William Shedd, a
cruel and intemperate hiisband, stabbed his
wife to death, and then blew his own brains
out. Perhaps the most flagrant case was the
murder of John C. Norton, a rancher on
Hincon Point; Norton's wife h:id an intrigue
with one Jack Cotton, a farm-hand of her
husband, and the two killed Norton and
buried him in the sand-hills. Then, giving
out that he had died in Los Angeles, they
disposed of his property and left the country
together. The crime was discovered, and the
guilty pair captured in Nevada, and returned
to Santa Barbara for trial, being sentenced
to imprisonment for life.
There have been a few murders of minor
notoriety, the perpetrators in some cases re-
maining undiscovered. There was, too, early
in the '80's, a good deal of excitement over
the stage robberies committed in the western
portion of the county by Dick Fellows. He
was a man of education, who from confine-
ment wrote very good articles for publica-
tion. His characteristics and the desperate
efforts he made for liberty aroused much
sympathy for him, notwithstanding which
he was sent to prison.
The crime, the case par excellence of
Santa Barbara, was
SANTA BAMBARA COUNTY.
87
THE GEAY-GLANCEY MUEDEE.
This was one of those criminal cases which
become causes ceUhres tliroughont the State.
Theodore M. Glancey, a native of Illinois,
came to California in 1873, and was for a
time editor and general manager of the Los
Angeles Herald. Resigning this position,
he bad removed to Placer County, and here
and in Sutter County be was engaged in the
journalistic profession. After a few years
he was tendered the editorship of tbe Press
at Santa Barbara, and, accepting, he removed
liere, conducting the P^'ess with the same
devotion to truth and duty that had marked
his career hitherto. He was a veteran of
the civil war, a man of nerve, and true to
bis convictions. He was, further, a man of
liberal education, with legal training, and
just views of mattei-s in general. He was
polite and urbane in manner, notwithstanding
the positive character of bis mentality.
Clarence Gray came to this county in 1870,
and was immediately recognized as its natural
leader by the lawless element composed of
the roughs, tbe gamblers and disorderly
parties in general. While there were not
more than 200 of these characters, they were
formidable, holding in many instances the
balance of power. Gray had a bad record, so
far as it was known. It was asserted that
his real name was Patrick McGinnis, and it
was understood that be tjad been closely con-
nected with tbe Molly Maguire assassins
in Peimsylvania, which State he had been
obliged to leave. He was reckless, unscrupu-
lous, audacious, brilliant, enterprising, witty
and obtrusive, being ready always to thrust
himself into notice. Ostensibly a lawyer, his
knowledge of tbe law consisted mainly of an
understanding of its defects and weaknesses,
whereby he became the natural defender of
violators of the law. Like all men of that
class, he relied iipon personal prowess for
security in bis personal rights, and be bad
committed personal assaults on many occa-
sions. It is said that be had been arrested
more than twenty times for breaking the
peace. While nominally a Catholic, he beat
a Catholic priest to insensibility for a reproof
justly administered, and was fined therefor.
When a fire occurred in the Press office, he
was. so strongly suspected of having caused
it that he left the State for a year or two,
but returned and resumed his former career.
On one occasion the Republican party nom-
inated him for District Attorney, and, in con-
sequence of bis bad repute, a public meeting
was beld to consider the means of defeating
bis election, which, it was deemed, would
endanger the safety of tbe community.
Nevertheless, so strong was tbe lawless party
that be came within seven votes of election.
When the new constitution was adopted in
1880, the country was in doubt whether the
officials elected the previous year should com-
plete tbe usual terms, or whetber a new set
would be elected. Pending tbe decision tlie
Republicans beld a convention and nominated
candidates for tbe supposed vacancies, among
thein Clarence Gray for District Attorney.
When the Supreme Court decided that no
election was necessary that season, the Press,
of which Mr. Glancey was editor, comment-
ing upon the reasons for satisfaction tlierefor.
said : " Not the least of these in this county
is tbe fact that tbe Republicans here will be
relieved of tbe necessity of defeating the can-
didate for District Attorney. The nomina-
tion was disgraceful in every respect, and
while it is extremely disagreeable for earnest
Republicans to take sucb a course in a presi-
dential year, there is no difference of opinion
among tbose who have the good of the party
at heart. They are convinced that all such
candidates should be beaten, and Republican
conventions taught, if they do not realize it
SAXTA BARBARA COONTr.
already, that tlie decent people of Santa Bar-
bara County will not submit to baving the
officer for the administration of justice
chosen from among the hoodlums and law-
breakers." While this language was moder-
ate, compared to what had been printed many
times before, Gray's friends urged that it was
a gratuitous insult, as no election was to take
place, and Gray set about finding the party
responsible for the article. Meeting John P.
Stearns in Judge Hatch's office, he inquired
if Stearns was responsible, and was met with
a prompt " I am, sir!" Nevertheless, some-
thing, possibly the number present, in-
duced him to defer shooting until a more
convenient season. Later, he met Stearns at
home, but again postponed his proposed pun-
ishment. On the evening following the issue
of the article, Gray met Glancey, and in-
quired if he was responsible for the article
in question. Glancey replied in the affirma-
tive, whereupon Gray drew a revolver and
attempted to shoot, when Glancey cauglit his
wrists, saying, " Yoia shall not draw a revolver
on me; I am unarmed." A bystander sepa-
rated them, but Gray again leveled his i-evolver
and tired at Glancey whilst retreating through
the door of the Occidental Hotel; the ball
took fatal effect, striking Glancey in the
wrist, and thence passing into the abdomen,
and out near tlie hip. Glancey's vitality en-
abled him to walk to a hotel in the same
block, where he fell. Gray meanwhile fol-
lowed him, endeavoring to obtain another shot.
Glancey was attended by three physicians,
but was past help, and died the next day.
While the law-let's element justitied Gray's
deed, the better portion of the community
emphatically denounced it. The press of the
State, too, condemned the dastardly act un-
eqiii\ucally, as did the pulpit unitedly.
Yet hardly were the funeral ceremonies
over before Gray's friends were planning an
active defense, $4,000 were raised to employ
counsel, and all the technicalities of the law
were invoked to delay or thwart justice.
Although he had uttered numerous threats
that Stearns or Glancey must die before night,
Gray pleaded self-defense and sought to prove
by witnesses that Glancey made the first
attack. The jury failed to agree, and the case
was transferred to San Mateo County, where
Gray was found guilty and sentenced to
twenty years' imprisonment. Eminent legal
talent was employed in this trial. One most
censurable feature of the case was that Gray
was permitted many privileges seldom granted
to persons on trial for high crimes, in that he
was allowed, during his term of incarceration,
to visit processions, shows, etc., and to visit
and dine at the houses of his friends. His
partisans made application for a new trial,
whicli was granted on such singular grounds
as to become historical. This feature is ex-
plained in the appended statement of Justice
Thornton:
" The trial commenced on the first of
June, 1881, and terminated on the morn-
ing of the 12th of the same month, about 9
o'clock, when the jury rendered the verdict,
and were discharged. As soon as the jury
was complete, they were, by the order of the
court, placed in charge of the sheriff, and
instructed as to their duties. They remained
in charge of the sheriff, not being allowed to
separate until they were discharged on the
morning of the 12th. After the jury was
complete, and before the cause was submitted
to them, on the afternoon of the 11th of
June, about 5 o'clock, a period of about eight
days, four five-gallon kegs of beer were
brought into tlie room at the Tremont House,
where the jury was kept by the sheriff, of
which about seventeen and a lialf gallons (of
the beer) were drank by them; that during
the same period a two-gallon demijohn of
THE SANTA BARBARA REGION.
wine was brought in and drank by them; that
during the same period some of the jurors
drank claret wine, amounting to three bottles,
at their meals; while some of them drank
whiskey at their meals; that all this drinking
was done before the case was submitted to
them on the afternoon of the 11th of June;
that on the 11th of June, during the noon
recess, two of the jurors procured each a flask
of whiskey; that one of the jurors (Price, the
foreman) drank nothing; that all the drink-
ing by the jurors was without the permission
of the court, or the consent of the defendant,
or of the counsel engaged in the cause, and,
in fact, without the knowledge of either of
them ; that all the beer, wine, and whiskey
drank were procured by such of the jurors as
desired it of their own notion and at their
own expense; that the verdict was agi-eed on
about 8:30 o'clock on the morning of the
12th. Further, the evidence affords strong
reason to suspect that one of the jurors drank
so much while deliberating on the verdict as
to unlit him for the proper discharge of his
duty. * * * Yfyy the reason above
indicated, the judgment and order are re-
versed, and the cause remanded for a new
trial."
This conchision was concurred in by Jus-
tices Myrick, McKinstry, Eoss and Sharp-
stein. The third trial of Gray occurred in
the same county, in December, 1882, and it
resulted in his acquittal.
Tiie summer of 1890 has been stigmatized
by two very flagrant murders — that of
" Billy " Kays by Eduardo Espinosa, in a
street brawl, and the unprovoked slaying of
Mary Dezirello, an innocent and worthy girl,
brutally shot by a worthless fellow named
Kamon Lopez, in revenge for her refusal to
accept his addresses. The wanton and das-
tardly character of this crime so aroused the
citizens that Lopez was taken to Los Angeles
to avert a lynching. These two murderers
are now on trial.
THE PRESS.
The first newspaper in this county was
the Santa Barbara Gazette issued weekly
by Wni. B. Keep and R. B. Hubbard, prac-
tical printers. Its first publication was on
May 24, 1855. During the first six months
one page was printed in Spanish fur the ben-
efit of citizens of Spanish descent. Old resi-
dents declare that it was edited as ably as
any provincial paper in the State, and that it
did great credit to the intelligence and the
enterprise of its publishers. Its circulation
was limited, as was the population, and it
maintained only while it had the publication
of legal notices. A law was passed by the
Legislature which substituted for advertising
the posting of public notices, in writing, in
three public places, thus rendering unneces-
sary publication of such notices. Therefore
the proprietors of the Gazette sold out to
Torres & Fossas, who printed in Spanish one
side of the sheet. Democratic in politics, and
in English the other, of Whig proclivities,
thus aiming to suit all tastes and all parties.
After one year the publishers removed with
their plant to San Francisco; but they con-
tinued to issue the Santa Barbara Gazette,
as well as the San Luis Obispo Gazette
and the Monterey Gazette, all alike, except
in the headings. These papers were sent for
distribution by every mail, which arrived by
steamer, and only twice a month. The mail
was carried from Santa Barbara to San Luis
Obispo on horseback, as no stage roads then
existed, and vehicles could not go up the
coast. Thus the news was usually somewhat
stale before reaching the subscribers. The
Gazette continued, printed in San Francisco
and brought here for distribution for about
a year, when it ceased publication.
The next newspaper was the Santa Barbara
SjLNTA B^iBBAIlA COUNTY.
Post, first issued in May, 1868, printed and
published by E. B. Boust. After about a
year, one-half of this paper was sold to Joseph
A. Johnson, who became one of its editors.
He afterwards purchased the other half, and
changed the name tu the Santa Barbara Press,
July 1, 1869. It is said that the efi'uits of
Mr. Johnson did more to build up this
county and diaw population to it than the
labors of all the other men combined; and
that he added millions to the value of property
in this county. The Daily Press was first
issued July 1, 1871. The Press passed into
the hands of H. G. Otis, and soon declined
sadly. After many vicissitudes this paper
has finally been established on a satisfactory
basis, and it is now issued as both daily and
weekly, by the Press Publishing Company,
"Walter H. Nixon managing editor. This is
the third oldest newspaper in Southern Cali-
fornia. It is not a party organ, but is Re-
publican in politics.
The Santa Barbara Times was established
in the interest of settlers, its first number
being issued January 30, 1870. After various
changes, it was absorbed by the Press in 1874.
The Santa Barbara Index, established by
Wood & Sefton, was first issued August 31,
1872. It was subsequently sold to William
F. Russell.
The Santa Barbara News, established by
Al. Pettigrove and Miss Nettie La Grange,
was issued as a daily. May 3, 1875. Mr.
Pettygrove siibsequontly became the sole
owner, and continued the publication until
it was merged in the Press, May 15, 1876.
A small sheet styled the Santa Barbara
Trihu7ie was issued weekly for over two years,
by a lad of twelve years, named Walcott. Its
publication was suspended at last, owing to
the ill-health of its youthful conductor, whose
enterprise and ability attracted considerable
attention.
In January, 1878, Fred. A. Moore started
the Democrat, a weekly, which discontinued
issue after some six months, when Mr. Moore
started the Independent, as a weekly, with
Warren Chase as editor. In 1879 Mr. Moore
bought out and consolidated with his paper
the daily and weekly Advertiser. He sold
the Independent to G. P. Tebbitts, who still
continues its publication. The Independent
was first issued as a daily in 1884. In poli-
tics it is nominally independent, albeit with
Democratic proclivities.
The ^Yeekly Herald was established in
April, 1885, by Messrs, Felix Lane and S. W.
Candy. In 1886, Mr. Lane became the sole
proprietor of this paper, which he conducts
at present. The Herald is the only avowed
organ of the Democratic party in this county.
Outside of Santa Barbara, there are issued
in the county the following journals, all
weeklies: The Reconstruotor, at Summer-
land; Argus, Santa Ynes; Progress, Los
Alamos; Times, and also Graphic, Santa
Maria; Record, and also People's Journal,
Loinpoc.
THE EASTERN PORTION OF SANTA
BARBARA.
The Ortega hill is a lateral spur from the
mountains, perhaps 600 feet high, projecting
into the sea so boldly as to make difficult the
building of a road around it. The beach below
the hill is passable at low water, but at high
tide the surf dashes against the rocks, cutting
off the passage. This was a point of dre id
to the earlier boards of supervisors, for they
were continually called upon to repair the road,
this then being the only avenue of commu-
nication with what is now Ventura County.
The road was built along the edge of the
bluff, and every rain would so damage it by
landslides, etc., as to necessitate costly re-
pairs. Many thousands of dollars were ex-
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
peaded before the completion of the fine
grade around and over the hill. This was
also a serious stumbling-block to the railway
companies.
MONTEOITO.
To the eastward of Santa Barbara lies a
tract of .land extending easterly to tlie Ven-
tura County line, a distance of some fifteen
miles, with a breadth of seven or eight
miles, from the channel on the south of the
summit of the Santa Barbara Range on the
north. The face of this section is diversified
by hills, plains and valleys, and it compre-
hendri some of the most valuable agricultural
lands in California.
Beginning some four miles east of Santa
Barbara is the district of Montecito, one of
the most favored sections imaginable. All
that productive soil, benignant climate, pure
water and the most striking scenery to be
produced by the juxtaposition of sea, and
vale, and mountain — all that such elements
can contribute to the charm of a section has
been bestowed upon Montecito.
This valley of the "Little Wood " is not
large; its length, parallel with the coast, is
about seven miles; and its width, between
shore and mountain, three-quarters of a mile
to two miles wide. Northward are the Santa
Ynes mountains, of panoramic beauty; east-
ward the hills between this and the Carpen-
teria Valley, and westward the hills running
down to the shore between the Montecito
and Santa Barbara. Southward, beyond, the
sweep of water, the Channel Islands lie,
with glimpses of the open sea glinting be-
tween them.
This, as has often been said, is a valley of
homes, nestling among the groups of live-
oaks that give its name to the district.
The first American settler in this valley
was Newton M. Coats, who arrived in 1858.
A full fiood of tillers of the soil and tnen of
leisure have followed after. Messrs. Dins-
more, Hayne, S Bond and Robert W. Smith,
who bscame residents here in 1867-'68, are
among the oldest and most prominent
settlers. This has come to be one of the
show spots of Southern California. The bulk
of the improvements have been made by
men of leisure and means, wlio have brought
their families hither to form attractive homes
amidst the rare charms afforded here by the
attractions of balmy climate, fertile soil and
picturesque and romantic scenery and sur-
roundings. In the eastern part of this sec-
tion is the San Ysidro Rancho, belonging to
Johnston & Goodrich, from which an annual
yield of about 300,000 oranges and 100,000
lemons finds a ready market. Down the
valley, towards the ocean, is the old Coats
Rancho, fertile and heavily timbered, now
the property of Messrs. Sperry and Crocker,
who are making upon it extensive improve-
ments, planting orchards, etc. The " Hunter
Place" contains one of the finest general
orchards iu the section. At '■ Inglenook," a
pretty red cottage shows through the
branches of a fine olive grove, in profitable
bearing. Along the Hot Springs avenue is
a succession of tasteful dwellings with care-
fully-tended grounds. Among these are: —
the Gould mansion, with its hedged grounds,
its leafy oaks and rippling streams; the Hall
cottage, with clustering vines and its smooth
lawns, commanding a broad outlook down
the coast; the Magee homestead, where
stands Montecito's famous grape-vine; the
high, many-gabled Anderson villa, and above
it a residence of true Southern aspect, as
well it may be, since here lives Colonel
Hayne, of the celebrated Southern family of
that name; across from Colonel Hayne's is
the fine collection of palms and other hand-
some plants of the Sawyer — formerly the
Bond — place, where thrive in great luxuri-
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
ance many rare shrubs and trees. West of
the avenue, on a broad ridge which divides
the valley into two parts, often distinguished
as " Upper " and " Lower " Montecito, stands
prominently in an orange grove the comfort-
able home at "Eiven Eock," the Stafford
place. On a knoll toward the sea is the
dwelling of N. K. Wade, commanding a
superb view on all sides. In the '• Upper "
Montecito, west of Mr. Stafford's place, are
the dwellings of Messrs. Stoddard and
Stevens, and above them, toward the moun-
tains, the picturesque home of Mr. Eaton,
full of artistic treasures collected at home
and abroad.
The situation and climate of this valley
in many respects resemble those of tlie cele-
brated Riviera of Italy, except that the
mistral, the chilly afternoon wind, does not
blow here. Frost is a very rare visitor in
tliis valley, and tender exotics thrive well
here. There are many fine collections of choice
plants in this valley, embracing vines, shrubs
and trees of the Eastern States, as well as
rarer specimens from the old world. South
America, and the Pacilic Islands. The
banana here ripens fully, the oranges raised
here are particularly juicy and delicate of
flavor, while figs, nectarines, lemons and
apricots are exceptionally fine. Strawberry
plants bear abundantly throughout the year,
and have been known to bear fruit in thirty
days from planting. The odors of fragrant
flowers develop exceptionally, and the manu-
facture of perfumery is a potential future in-
dustry. Twenty or more varieties of palm
are grown here, including the " Toddy
Palm," the Coquito, various dracoenas, the
«' Umbrella Palm," "Thatch Palm," "Eoyal
Palm," wild date and otliers. Pomegranates,
yuccas, guavas, alligator pears, chirimoyas,
etc., all grow here as if in their native hab-
itat. This valley has, even in the dry sea-
son of summer, a notably fresh and green
appearance, diie to the large number of non-
deciduous trees and shrubs. Although irri-
gation is seldom used liere, except for citrus
fruits, yet the water supply is ample. A
local company brings down water in pipes
from the Hot Springs stream, and the sub-
terranean flow is large, wholesome and easily
obtained by sinking wells.
The famous " Big Grape-vine" of Monte-
cito grew on the domain of Dofia Maria
Marcelina Feliz de Dominguez, who died in
1865 at the advanced age of 107 years.
Dona Maria Marcelina disclaimed all knowl-
edge of those romantic but apocryphal
stories which assign as the origin of tliis
monster plant a shoot given by a lover to his
sweetheart for a riding switch, and planted
by the girl. The great vine was nearly four
feet six inches in circumference, and six feet
to the lowest branches. It spread over an
area of about an acre, and bore several tons
of grapes yearly — it is said sometimes as
much as six tons. It was about sixty years
old. From the deprivation of its accustomed
share of water it died, and in 1876 it was
taken up and conveyed to the Centennial Ex-
hibition at Philadelphia, where it was left
on show as one of the products of California.
On the same estate as the former " big vine,"
is another, somewhat inferior in size, but
still of very large growth, which attracts
many visitors. It is said to have been a
cutting of the former vine.
Lying as it does contiguous to the sea,
Montecito possesses the attractions lent by
bathing, boating and fishing; on the other
hand, the close vicinity of the mountains
give delightful excursions along winding
canon roads and up picturesque trails. The
San Ysidro, the Cold Spring and the Hot
Springs, all are canons of many attractions.
This section has a station, Montecito, on
SANTA BARBARA G0UNT7.
the railway, four miles south of Santa Bar-
bara.
THE HOT SPRINGS.
The Montecito Hot Springs are about six
miles from Santa Barbara, beyond Montecito,
up quite a steep ascent of the mountains, at
about 1,450 feet above the sea.
It is said that while California still ap-
pertained to Mexico, and this, as a province,
to the crown of Spain, a commission sent out
by the government to examine and report
upon all the mineral waters then known to
exist in Mexico and the Californias, reported
most favorably upon the properties of the
Montecito springs for the curing of cutane-
ous diseases. As to their later discovery, the
story goes that in 1855, Mr. Wilbur Curtis
was wandering in search of some spot which
should restore his health, broken in the rough
life of the mines, when he chanced upon a
party of Indians encamped at the moiith of
this canon. Telling them of his condition,
they took him to these springs, and one
veteran of over 100 years old told how he
had bathed here and drunk since childhood
from the waters, to whose virtues he ascribed
his longevity. Mr. Curtis drank, bathed, and
was healed; and with the genuine American
practicality, lie took up a claim, foreseeing
that this property would be of great value in
the future. From a blanket camp, through
the progressive stages of a tent, a hut, a
cottage, the evolution has progressed to the
present conditions, provisions and building
materials being carried for years over a rough
trail, which has now been widened into a
good stage road. Gushing from crevices in
the solid rock, on the premises are some
thirty mineral springs. Some of- these are
sulphurous, others saline and chalybeate,Tang-
ing in temperature from 99° to 120° Fahren-
heit. Seven of the principal springs are used
for drinking and bathing purposes.
These waters are of great value in the
treatment of rheumatism, gout, joint affec-
tions, Bright's disease, liver trouble and blad-
der irritation; being antacid, considerable
benefit may be derived from the waters in
dyspepsia, and acid conditions of the blood
and urine. Perhaps the greatest benefit
accrues from bathing in the sulphurous and
saline waters, especially in syphilitic and
scrofulous contaminations, grandular enlarge-
ments, and chronic skin diseases. The waters
much resemble the famous Hot Springs of
Arkansas. Of late, the arsenical spring has
been developed, with excellent results.
There is now at this resort a good hotel,
well managed, with the modern comforts and
conveniences, and particular attention is paid
to the opening up of trails, etc., to the end
of affording diversion and exercise for the
guests and patients.
Dr. Brinkerhoff wrote, regarding these
springs: " I do not regard the use of these
waters by any means as a panacea for • aU
the iUs which flesh is heir to,' but for the
cure of certain diseases they are unmistakably
efficacious. I have known some cases which
seemed to defy all powers of medication,
cured in a surprisingly short space of time
by the waters of these springs, advisedly used
as a beverage and for bathing purposes. The
indiscriminate use of them may be dis-
advantageous, and even positively injurious,
and before resorting to them patients sliould
always consult some experienced physician as
to their proper use."
Some two miles beyond El Montecito is
SUMMEKLAND.
Summerland is situated six miles from
Santa Barbara, on a portion of the old Ortega
Kancho. It lies between the sea and the
Santa Ynes mountains. Some 1,050 acres of
this rancho became the property of H. L.
SAIfTA BAUBjUIA COUNTY.
Williams, who, after the subsidence of the
boom of 1886-'88, laid out 160 acres in town
lots, and, by means of judicious advertising,
collected here a colony of citizens of Spirit-
ualistic belief, who have organized quite a
thriving community. Most of the 160 acres
has been sold, mainly to mechanics, carpen-
ters, etc., who have found ample employment
in the little hamlet, as building has been
lively. Some sixty houses have been built,
and the population is now about 300; at the
recent election some forty-one votes were cast.
There are now three stores of general mer-
chandise, shoes and groceries, one blacksmith,
one restaurant and bakery, one public school
with some thirty pupils, a public librarj', a
postoffice with two daily mails, express office
and railway ticket office. The water supply
here is lifted by a hydraulic ram to a reser-
voir on a hill, giving some 200 feet pressure ;
the water being piped free to every house in
the colony.
A very strong impulse has been given to
the interest felt in Summerland through the
discovery here in June, 1890, of natural gas,
in wells tapped near the beach and just above
the railway. There are now some nine wells
burning, the gas fi-om which is used in Sum
merland for domestic purposes, illuminating,
fuel, etc.; and the Summerland Gas Company,
recently organized, expects to bring the gas
into Santa Barbara within two months.
Summerland has also fine industrial re-
sources in the shape of the presence on the
tract of large beds of superfine brick clay,
sewer-pipe clay, limestone, gypsum, and sand-
stone.
These elements, taken in conjunction with
the possibilities for manufacturing attbrded
by the natural gas product, offer for Summer-
laud a bright commercial future.
Farther down the coast from Summerland
lies the fruitful district of
CAEPENTERIA.
The central and more thickly settled por-
tion of Carpenteria Valley is twelve miles
east of Santa Barbara. This valley was a part
of the pueblo lands of Santa Barbara, appor-
tioned out by the prefect to the people, who
used these lands as temporales, or fields for
the cultivation of summer crops. No titles
to the soil were given until after the coming
of the Americans.
From the point dividing the Montecito and
Carpenteria, the beach curves gently to the
bold, rocky point at Rincon, giving to the
whole valley a southern exposure, it being
practically enclosed, moreover, from point to
point, by a deep semicircle of mountains, up
which open picturesque canons. Sea and
mountains bound a sheltered corner contain-
ing about ten square miles of deep and fertile
soil, mostly alluvial.
There are also mesa or upland and adobe
soils, though in small quantities. The adobe
soil is found in inconsiderable tracts, being in
patches all through the bottom lands. It is
difficult to work, but, when properly treated,
very strong and productive..
Thus this valley does not border a stream,
but fronts the ocean, extending for eight or
nine miles along the beach, giving an area of
8,000 to 10,000 acres. These peculiarities
of situation give the climate here character-
istics quite different from other sections.
The annual rainfall is about the same as at
Santa Barbara. The usual winter tempera-
ture is about 600, and the summer tempera-
ture about 650. The climate is agreeable and
healthful. There is some fog in summer,
but it originates from the sea, and is of that
character called " high fog." It is not insa-
lubrious, and it is considered beneficial to
vegetation.
The name of the valley, Carpenteria (Span-
ish for carpenter-shop), is derived from the
■AN-TA BARBARA COUNTY.
existence, in early days, on the bank of one
of the streams here, of a workshop of that
nature.
In the early history of this valley it was
deemed an unsuitable locality for horticult-
ural pursuits, as the existing streams could
not be uiade available for irrigating purposes.
Experience showed that the soil, deep and
loamy, by proper cultivation could be made
to retain so much moisture as to render arti-
ficial irrigation unnecessary.
More recently it has been discovered that
the water supply is enriched by the existence
of artesian water. A weak flow was obtained
at seventy feet deep, and an abundant flow at
ninety feet. A number of these wells have
been sunk, and the new town of Carpenteria
is in this manner supplied with pure and
cheap water. To the colony grounds on the
foot-hill slope between Carpenteria and Fen-
Ion, a supply of mountain water will be piped.
Carpenteria is divided for the most part
into small farms; and so wonderfully rich is
the soil that a few acres will support a fam-
ily. The low foot-hills at the ba;e of the
mountains are sometimes cultivated to their
very summits. All the best of the canons,
being mostly Government land, have been
taken up. The chief product of these canon
faVms is honey, the bees thriving on the wild
flower-food of these sections. On mesas and
rolling lands are produced great crops of hay,
and wheat and barley produce heavily.
The Lima bean is one of the staple and most
profitable products. This crop alone has
averaged for some years past 800 tons an-
nually, this being worth $60 per ton, de-
livered at the wharf, has brought in a revenue
of $-48,000 per annum.
Almonds and walnuts are extensively raised
also, the walnut grove of Mr. Jli'ssell Heath,
comprising nearly 180 acres, being the largest
in California, and producing as high as 3,000
bushels in a season. The same gentleman is
a large grower of red peppers, which yield as
high as $1,000 in a year. Among the other
crops are common and castor beans, corn,
potatoes, squashes, flax and barley.
As in most parts of Santa Barbara County,
there is produced here a great variety of
fruits, as apples, apricots, blackberries, figs,
nectarines, olives, pears, peaches, peanuts,
plums, strawberries and walnuts.
The products of this section are shipped
partly by rail, and partly over the Carpente-
ria wharf, the property of the Smith Brothers,
built in 18—, since which time it has expe-
rienced many mishaps, having been rebuilt
after at lea&t one severe storm. The wharf
proper is 800 feet long, reaching water deep
enough for any vessels navigating on this
coast. Large and commodious warehouses,
with a railway connection to the sea end, ren-
der shipping over it safe and easy. Until the
advent of the railway, great quantities of
lumber were imported, mostly for building
and fencing.
A postofiice was established at Carpenteria
in 1868, or about ten years after the original
settlement here by Americans. The First
Baptist Church was dedicated June 1, 1873.
The town of Carpenteria is well laid out, the
lots for residence purposes being of 50 feet
frontage by 140 deep, and business lots
30x140 deep. The railway traverses the
settlement. The town itself is somewhat
scattered, the buildings being rather widely
interspersed amimg the fruitful orchards.
Contiguous to the railway station there is a
tract of twenty acres, subdivided into town
lots, and one block from the line is an elegant
hotel, combining the Eastlake and Queen
Anne styles, which cost $10,000. There are
ill the valley congregations of the Baptist,
Methodist and Presbyterian churches, and a
branch of the Holiness Band, lodges of Knights
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
of Pjtliias. and Good Templars. There is a
capacious hall for public meetings or general
absemblages, and tliere are three school-
houses, two general merchandise stores, two
saloons, a butclier shop, two blacksmith shops,
etc., besides two rail way stations. Several new
small towns have been projected in this valley.
LA PATERA.
This term is the general designation of the
district lying to the west of Santa Barbara,
and comprising all that portion of the valley
between the city and the Rancho Canada del
Corral. Westward from Santa Barbara, the
first grant is the Calera, or Las Positas, of
3,281 acres, made to Narciso Fabregat in
1843, and confirmed to Thomas M. Bobbins
and Manuela de Tines. "Westward of this
lies the Rancho Goleta, of 4,440 acres, and
beyond that the great Dos Pueblos grant of
15,535 acres, while still farther westward is
the Rancho Canada del Corral.
Since the influx of Americans these grants
have been broken into smaller tracts, farmed
in a progressive manner, and there is not in
California a more productive region than the
Patera. This name, by the way, means '■ the
place of ducks," and was applied from the
number of that species found upon \heesteros
or lagoons of this section. The greater por-
tion of this region is mesa, that is to say,
bench or table-land, of the greatest produc-
tiveness. These mesas begin at the western
extremity of La Patera in a series of low plains
or plateaus, some fifty or sixty feet above sea
level, and rise to a height of 600 to 800 feet
as they approach Santa Barbara. To the west-
ward, a line of low hills starts from the Santa
Ynez mountains, and trends toward the coast,
west and southwest, completing the inclosure
of the valley.
GOLETA.
Goleta (a schooner) was the name given to
a rancho of 4,440 acres, granted to Daniel
Hill in 1846, by Governor Pio Pico. The
soil of large portions of this and other
ranchos is of the richest adobe, carrying an
uncommon amount of subsoil moisture,
probably from the existence of a subsoil
pervious to water whicli allows the npward
passage of the moisture from lower depths,
whence it is constantly drawn by capillary
attraction. This peculiarity insures this sec-
tion against the failure of crops in dry
years.
The little town or village of Goleta was
laid off in 1875. As recently as 1877 it
contained only a church, a school-house, post-
office, store, "lumber-yard and blacksmith
shop. At the last general election 116 votes
were cast at Goleta, which is the polling
place for the precinct, whose whole popula-
tion probably is about 750. There are now
two churches, Methodist and Baptist, and a
number of sliops, business places and dwell-
ings. The school now requires two teachers,
has a fine reputation, and about eighty pu-
pils in daily attendance. The community is
strongly temperance in principles, and for
many years tolerated no saloon. There is
one now running, but nearly a mile distant
from the village. Goleta is seven and three-
fourths miles west of the Santa Barbara
])ostoffice. The town site consists of 250
acres, situated in the southwestern part of
the old grant. The shipping is chiefly done
over the Goleta wharf, about one mile south
of the village, a commodious structure, fully
equal to the requirements. This valley orig-
inally contained dense forests of live-oak, of
which a good many still dot the region, as
also do sycamores. There still remain large
supplies of wood in the little canons and
alongthe foot-hills. The varied Goleta soil
l)resents a con-esponding degree of eclectic-
ism in its products. The main valley soil,
with its peculiarity of moisture already
SAJfTA BAJtBABA COUNTY.
noted, its remarkable depth and richness,
produces, without irrigation, a surprising
variety of farm and orchard products. Ap-
ples, peaches, pears, prunes, lemons, figs,
loquats and English walnuts rarely fail to
yield abundant crops.
Almost every variety of garden vegetables
grows luxuriantly. This district is especially
famous for its enormous squashes, which are
continually awarded the premiums at the
county fairs. One prize squash weighed
over 270 pounds. Another was so large
that, when it was bisected, the eighteen-year-
old daughter of the farmer who grew the
mammcth was placed in the cavity, and the
halves were closed about her! This incident
having given rise to a fable to the effect that
eighteen-year-old maidens are sometimes
found in Goleta squashes, it is said that a
lively demand grew up among bachelor
farmers for seeds of this remarkable and de-
sirable variety of "garden truck!" The best
lands hereabouts will produce ten or fifteen
tons of squashes to the acre, twenty or thirty
tons of beets, or one ton of beans. Until
quite of late, farmers considered beans the
most profitable of the crops, but now they
find that other products yield better returns.
A few have tried pampas grass culture with
very satisfactory results, one crop amounting
to 250,000 plumes, selling at $40 per 1,000,
which realizes as high as $1,600 per acre.
Dairying, too, appears to pay better than or-
dinary farming. But the most promising
industry seems to be the culture of the En-
glish walnut, of which the natural home
seems to be this valley. One six-year-old
orchard brought its owner $30 per acre,
while from orchards of fifteen to seventeen
years old as much as $200 per acre is real-
ized.
At one time several years' experiments
proved that tobacco could readily be pro-
duced in the Goleta region, one farm yield-
ing 60,000 pounds per annum, or 5,000
pounds to the acre. The San Jose vineyard
is one of Goleta's notable places, containing
2,400 vines planted by the Mission Fathers
nearly a century ago, and at least an equal
number planted by Mr. James McCaflFrey,
the present owner, of late years. This vine-
yard has produced an average product of
8,000 gallons of excellent wine yearly. The
Santa Barbara nursery, owned by Mr. Joseph
Sexton, is perhaps the chief show-place of
Goleta, from the character of its stock,
which includes forty acres of useful and
ornamental trees, hundreds of rose-bushes,
some 200 species of pinks and carnations,
and many beautiful floricultural specialties.
The San Antonio Dairy Farm also is a con-
spicuous feature of Goleta, and a source of
good revenue.
Goleta is on the former site of an Indian
village, the residence of the aboriginal
princess Ciacut. The antiquarian has found
here grounds for delightful revels, and about
ten tons of Indian relics found in this local-
ity have been shipped to the Smithsonian at
Washington.
In the cliiT rocks adjoining the wharf is
found asphaltum in vast quantities, and of
the pnrest quality. The deposit is in fissures
and pockets. During the past twenty years
probably 30,000 tons of asphaltum from this
place have been shipped, going mainly to
San Francisco, and bringing from $12 to $20
per ton.
The Dos Ptieblos Rancho was granted to
Nicholas A. Den, but he dying the property
passed to his widow, who was a daughter of
Daniel Hill, and to her family. Through
recent subdivisions this rancho is now in the
ownership of the Den heirs, tlie estate of
John Edwards, G. 0. Welch, S. Kutherford,
L. G. Dreyfus, the Tecolote Land and Water
SAJVTA BARBAMA COUNTY.
Company, the Hollister estate, Elwood
Cooper, C. A. Storke, J. W. Swett, Mrs. S.
Tyler, W. W. Stow, and W. N. Koberts, the
last two under title through Daniel Hill, of
the Goleta, to whom N. A. Den sold during
his lifetime. About two-thirds of the original
rancho is arable land. Mr. G. C. Welch sold
to Mr. J. H. Williams some 700 acres of the
old Den place, including the home rancho-
house, where he has founded the seaside
town of Naples.
Six miles beyond Goleta is the famous
Rancho Elwood, owned by Elwood Cooper.
Ground was broken here in 1870, and by
1878 Mr. Cooper had planted 200 vines, 400
assorted fruit trees, including apple, peach,
plum, cherry, etc., 200 fig, 3,500 olive, 4,000
English walnut, 12,500 almond, and 25,000
eucalyptus. This tree, it may be said, was
introduced into Southern California by Mr.
Cooper, whose rancho is bordered by splendid
rows thereof, comprising about fifty varieties,
whose growth is almost marvelous. It is
estimated that they aggregate 1,000,000
trees. Mr. Cooper's acreage was formerly
2,000, now reduced to about 1,700. This
place is a veritable botanical garden, contain-
ing over 1,000 species of trees and plants
from all over the world, from the various
climates of the temperate and the tropical
zones. For, althougli slight frosts fall here
in winter, they are not sufficient to injure
the most delicate plants. While this soil is
excellently adapted for citrus-fruit growing,
only enough for family use is raised of these
varieties. An interest which has been pro-
moted lately is tlie raising of Japanese per-
simmons, a fruit which grows finely here,
and which, as it contains more sugar than
most fruits, is when properly cured a very
palatable and wholesome article. The prin-
cipal market for this product is Chicago, as
also for nuts. Of the 12,500 almond trees
already mentioned, only about one-half now
remain, covering 200 or 300 acres; and while
the yield per tree is not great, the aggregate
is a good many tons of almonds per year,
and as these nuts bring a high price, even a
small crop pays better than grain-growing.
Of walnut trees, which must be planted
on the best soil, there are about 3,000, which
are very prolific. Of walnuts and almonds
together, some twelve or fourteen car-loads
are raised annually. Of olive trees there are
about 8,000 in various stages of bearing,
which will yield, when all come into bearing
fully, 50,000 bottles of oil. The yield from
the crop now on the trees is estimated at
25,000 bottles. This is a crop which pro-
duces in alternate years, requiring rest for
the trees between crops. Mr. Cooper's oil is
considered among the best made in this State
or in Europe, and it is sold all over the United
States. To the perfecting of this branch Mr.
Cooper has given most careful study of
foreign methods, and the results of much
exercise of inventive genius on his own part,
many of his appliances being of his own de-
vising. Mr. Cooper's profits are greater be-
cause the location of his orchards and his
careful methods of cultivation do away with
the need for irrigation. The soil here is a
sandy loam, adobe, clayey, and deep canon
soil or alluvial detritus. It may be said
further that here is perhaps the largest and
most varied collection of flowers and orna-
mental shrubs and plants to be found any-
where on the Pacific coast, outside of public
parks or ornamental grounds. As indicating
the fecundity of yield, it may be said that
from one Sicily lemon tree here no less than
5, OOOlemons were picked in one season.
THE FAMOUS HOLLISTEE PLACE
includes about 3,200 acres of the old Dos
Pueblos grant, lying about twelve miles west
SAIfTA BAMBARA COUNTY.
of Santa Barbara, about five-sixths of it being
rich, arable land, adapted for most agricult-
ural pursuits. The tract extends one and one-
half miles along the highway, and has a depth
of over three miles back to the mountains.
Through it run three streams of living water,
ample for irrigation. The soil is mostly
made up of detritus from the mountain range,
and it is of exceeding fertility. This prop-
erty is approached by a broad highway from
Santa Barbara. Colonel William Wells Hol-
lifeter bought this property in 1869-'70 from
the executors of the Den estate, and forth-
with instituted notable improvements, upon
which was expended a great sum of money,
altiiough probably very much less than the
rumored sum of $400,000. The business
center of the property was located at " t1\e
Lower House," where the laborers were lodged
and boarded, and the dairy was situated.
Two miles distant from this, through an ave-
nue lined with lemon trees, was situated
" Glen Annie," the family residence, so
named in honor of Mrs. Hollister, being sit-
uated at the head of a beautiful little canon,
traversed by the Tecolotito (Little Owl) Creek.
The native timber on this estate is princi-
pally live-oak, with smaller quantities of syc-
amore and willows, and the beautiful Cali-
fornia laurel. The forage is burr-clover,
red and white clover, and alfileria. The
planted trees are eucalyptus, pepper, many
varieties of acacia, palms, walnuts, etc. Fruit
culture on this estate was carried to an ad-
vanced degree. Irrigation was practiced only
with the citrus fruit trees, the water being
piped some eight miles through the adjacent
mountain streams. Under Colonel Hollis-
ter's wise administration, this estate was
maintained in model condition, but since his
death, his heirs have permitted it to run
down, owing to continued litigation, which
menaced its possession; and in effect, after
fourteen years or more of litigation, a re-
cent decision has adjudged the ownership
of this property to the Den heirs, owing
to an informality in the probate sale.
THE WESTERN PORTION OF SANTA
BARBARA.
For convenience and for geographical and
social reasons, this district will be regarded
as comprising the following ranchos, wholly
or in part: Lompoc and Mission Yieja de
la Purisima, Punta de la Concepcion, the
west half of Nuestra Senora del Eefugio,
San Julian, Canada de Salsipuedes, Santa
Rosa, Santa Rita, Mission de la Pur-
isima, and the southern half of Jesus Maria.
It has a coast of thirty-seven miles, extend-
ing from La Gaviota Pass or Landing west-
ward to Point Concepcion, and thence south-
ward to Point Purisima. At Point Concep-
cion, the Santa Barbara Mountains, which
protect the Santa Barbara Valley against the
cold winds from the north, terminate ab-
ruptly in the Pacific; and the west coast
valleys to the northward of this point are
exposed to the full force of the trade winds,
which, particularly at night, supply much
moisture for the crops of summer. The
climate here is accordingly cool and bracino-,
stimulating the system to labor, and promot-
ing healthful sleep. The interior valleys
are less subject to winds and fog, and they
are warmer in the day, and cooler at night.
Utitil within the last twelve or fourteen
years, the only use made of all this section
was for the raising of live-stock, and the
only population consisted of the few herd-
ers and vaqueros necessary to look after
the stock. The number of acres of arable
land in this district is estimated at 35,000,
in a total of 223,487.45. The chief pro-
ducts are wheat, barley, beans, corn, pota-
SANTA BARBARA COUNTT.
toes, mustard, flax, honey, butter, cheese,
wool, hogs, cattle, horses, and sheep. In
1881, this district supported 817 horses,
3,253 cattle, and 95,703 sheep. The anniial
production of wool is about 650,000 pounds.
The soil is rich and productive, but re-
quires early seeding and deep and thorough
cultivation. Fruit culture is successful in
the valleys which are sheltered from the
strong and continual trade-winds of the
Pacific.
LOMPOC.
The Loinpoc Colony Lands embrace all
the territory of the Loinpoc and Mission
Vieja de la Purisima ranches; the title is
by United States patent. These lands bor-
der for seven miles on the Pacific Ocean,
and extend back from the coast about twelve
miles. The original Lompoc rancho, con-
taining 38,335.78 acres of land, was granted
by the Mexican Government to Jose Anto-
nio Carrillo, April 15, 1837, and the Mission
Vieja to Joaquin and Jose Antonio Carrillo,
November 26, 1845, this containing 4,440
acres. Carrillo sold the Lompoc to the
More Brothers, they to Hollisters, Dibblees
anl Cooper, who sold to a joint stock com-
pany 46,499.04 acres, of which about 24,000
acres are plain land Thj main valley con-
tains 16,000 acres. The Santa Ynez River
runs westerly through these ranches, and
for some twelve miles forms their northern
boundary.
The name Lompoc is from the Indian for
lagoon or little lake, probably at first two
words — Lum Poc. This was modified by the
Spanish to Lompoco, whence the present
name. The history of Lompoc colony
proper begins only as far back as 1874,
when a company of California farmers and
business men organized a joint-stock com-
pany, under the auspices of the California
Immiii;rant Union of San Francisco, and
bought from HoUister & Dibblee the Lom-
poc and Mission Vieja ranches, giving
$500,000, payable in ten annual installments.
The capital stock was divided into 100 shares
of $5,000 each. In the deed was placed a
clause of an iron-clad nature, providing
against the manufacture or sale, upon the
lands to be acquired in the colony, of any
intoxicating beverages. The lands were now
surveyed, and divided into tracts of five, ten,
twenty, forty and eighty acres. For a town-
site was reserved a tract one mile square,
nine miles from the coast, and near the cen-
ter of the valley. The water supply was
sufficient for a population of 25,000.
On November 9 were held the sales of lots,
amounting to more than $700,000 for city
and farm tracts, leaving unsold about 35,000
acres, for which the company were offered
$370,000 by the former owners. Building
and farm operations were immediately begun,
and within two months eighty families were
occupying their new homes. A new county
road was now built, connecting Lompoc with
La Graciosa. Lompoc put forward a claim
to be made the county-seat of a proposed new
county, to be formed from a portion each of
San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.
By 1875 the town was fiourishing. It
supported a newspaper — -the Record, started
April 10 — a physician, a justice of the peace,
and a notary public. There was a Sunday
school of 100 members. Communication
with the outside world was had by means uf
a tri-weekly stage. About this time it tran-
spired that one Green, a druggist, was retail-
ing liquor contrary to the terms of the land
sales, and some 200 of the most reputable
men and women assembled, and, first search-
ing but vainly, for liquor in the other business
houses, they proceeded to Green's drug store,
and prepared to destroy his stock of liquors.
Green resisted, and threatened violence, but
SAJUTA BARBARA COUNTY.
submitted when it was intimated that the
besieging party might proceed to a lynching
settlement. The matrons then broke up the
barrels, casks, etc., spilling the liquor, and
then withdrew to their homes. This affair
caixsed a great sensation, of more than local
discussion.
The first marriage in Lompoc was that of
Jesse I. Hobson and Miss Ljndia Spencer,
July 25, 1875.
During this year Father McNally agitated
the question of building a Roman Catholic
Church at Lompoc; and so successful were
his efforts that Protestants and Catholics
alike gave liberally, especially the old ran-
ches. Thus the church was soon built; it
was christened -'La Pnrisima," and in its
tower was placed one of the bells from the
old neighboring mission of La Purisima.
The first school in Lompoc was opened on
May 3 by Kev. J. W. Webb, who was Grand
Secretary of the order of Good Templars in
Southern Califoruia. The census of this year
found 225 children in Lompoc school dis-
trict. On October 16 the town voted an ap-
propriation of $3,000 to the school-house
fund. On the first anniversary of its found-
ing, the colony contained 200 families, and
good church and school facilities, although
the school-house, whose fund was raised by
the sale of bonds, was not built until 1876.
In June, 1876, Lompoc was visited by the
severest storm ever known in that section.
The Lompoc Record stated that the waves
ran twenty feet above the wharf. At Point
Sal a $20,000 vessel was driven ashore and
totally wrecked. The Lompoc wharf at Point
Purisima, thirteen miles up the coast from
Lompoc, was completed this year. (In the
summer of 1884 this wharf was extended
sixty feet, the rest of it -was repaired, and a
new warehouse, 50 x 100 feet, was built.)
Not one name of a pro|)erty owner in this
district was in the delinquent tax list this
year.
The events of 1878 were: the building of
a $600 bridge across the Santa Yncz at Lom-
poc, completed February 4; and a revival of
the question of county division. Although
nothing came of it, there was much discus-
sion over this subject, as the section found it
very detrimental to do business with so dis-
tant a center as Santa Barbara. By this time
certain unfavorable conditions had produced
a state of depression in the affairs of this
section. To assist in tiding over the juncture,
tiie original owners volunteered to remit cer-
tain portions of the moneys still due them
from the purchasers; Colonel flollister, hold-
ing five-twelfths, and Albert Dibblee and
Thomas Dibblee each holding two-twelfths
of the company's indebtedness, remitted all
of the accrued interest for three years and
two and one-half months, from the time of
purchase, October 15, 1874, to date, January
1, 1878; also Mrs. Sherman, P. Stow, and
Mr. and Mrs. Jack, each holding one-half of
the indebtedness, remitted one year's interest,
the whole rebate amounting to $130,000,
lifting a heavy burden from the colonists.
In 1880 Lompoc contained 200 inhabitants.
There were Methodist, Roman Catholic,
Christian, Cumberland Presbyterian, and
South Methodist church organizations, the
three first named owning church structures.
There was a good school-house, a public hall
30x60 feet, a public bbrary, three hotels,
a Good Templars' library, a fifty-horse-power
steam flouring-mill, and about thirty business
establishments. There were societies of Odd
Fellows, Good Templars, Knights of Pythias,
and Patrons of Husbandry, also a literary and
musical society and a uniformed brass band;
two justices of the peace, two constables, two
doctors, one lawyer and one notary public, a
daily mail, and express and telegraph offices.
SANTA BMIBARA , COUNTY.
The population of tlie colony lands was
now 1,400. The territory was divided into
six school districts, each having an ample
school building. Moreover, a pnblic park of
five acres had been set apart for the general
use.
Regarding the entire acreage this year
planted as 100, the percentage of the various
principal crops was as follows: wheat, .36-,
barley, .36; mustard, .10; beans, .7; corn, .6;
hay, 4.; flax, .-J; potatoes, .|.
In 1881 the liquor question once more
came to the surface, producing the usual
effect of strong waters — uneasiness and dis-
order. In April there was an exjplosion in
the Lorapoc Hotel, caused by the loading with
gun-powder of wood to be consumed in the
store. Tliis had once before happened while
the hotel was under the management of a man
who sold liquors, but who, after the explosion,
closed out his business and left the town.
Against the traflic the local paper inveighed
most bitterly, like all the citizens, and public
meetings were held, numerously attended
and full of enthusiasm. At last, toward mid-
night on May 20, a large bomb was thrown
into George Walker's saloon, it being known
that no one was in the building at the time.
So large was the bomb, and so violent the
concussion, that Mr. Walker discontinud the
business in Lompoc; the sides were thrown
out, the second floor and the roof crushed in,
and in fact the building was quite demolished.
Lompoc was very proud of two celebrations
held this year. The first, on May 9, was the
eighteenth anniversary of the Knights of
Tythias of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara
auk Lompoc, on which occasion there were
processions, literary exerci.'^es, picnics, a bar-
becue and a grand ball. The Fourth of July
was also celebrated in an attractive manner.
Lompoc now has a daily mail, a bank,
express and telegraph oflfices, six organized
churches with fine congregations, and the
usual number of business houses warranted
liy a population of 2,000. The schools of
this colony are considered among the best in
the State. They emi»loy twelve teachers.
The town school is especially well conducted,
and will soon be raised to a high-school grade.
The town is laid out in rectangular blocks
800 x 500 feet, the streets being eighty and
100 feet wide. The blocks are bisected by
an alley twenty feet wide, and the lots are
25x125 and 25x140 feet. The business
houses are substantial, and the dwelling
houses are mostly of the latest design. Plans
have been submitted and bids advertised for
a new public hall, 50 x 130 feet, which will
cost some $6,000, and will be the tinest hall
in the county. An election has been called
to vote bonds for a $10,000 school-house.
The present year will witness building in the
town and valley to the amount of $150,000.
The town is incorporated, and it owns its
own water supply.
There is a project, too, of putting in an
electric light plant.
Lompoc now contains five general mer-
chandise establishments, aggregating about
$50,000; two hardware, of SIO.O'OO and $20,-
000; one shoe store, $1,000; one furniture,
$5,000; two drug stores, $4,000 each; one
jeweler, $7,000; two lumber-yards and plan-
ing mills of $25,000 and $20,000; two hotels;
two tailor shops; two fruit stores; two saloons;
two large livery stables; two harness-shops;
two barber shops; four large blacksmith
shops; two butcher-shops; two physicians;
one dentist; two lawyers; and four real-es-
tate dealers.
The grazing lands are excellent, and there
is a large business done in live-stock. At
present this valley has no railroad facilities.
To the shipment of the section's products,
there have been built three wharves — one at
SANTA BjiRBABA COUNTY.
Loinpoc Landing, Point Piirisima, thirteen
miles away, and at Point Arguello, fourteen
miles distant, and one at Gaviota twenty-
four miles distant. Passenger travel is by
stage via Gaviota or Los Alamos.
The census for 1885 showed Lompoc to
have 195 boys, and 232 girls, or 427 chil-
dren, of school age.
The wheat crop of Lompoc and Santa
Maria Valley for 1885 was aboiit 100,000
centals. The average yield was the best in
tiie county — about five sacks per acre.
Santa Maria Valley yielded about three sacks
per acre.
In 1886 Lompoc reported a grand aggre-
gate of domestic exports from that region to
the value of $337,000. This was produced
by 400 families, thus giving each $815, be-
sides the products consumed at home. Of
the crops raised, English mustard yielded
1,250 tons, of $75,000 gross value; beans
40,000 sacks, wortii $50,000; wheat, $40,000;
barler, $78,000; cheese and butter, $25,000;
eggs and poultry, $15,000; beef cattle, $20,-
000; hogs, $15,000; horses sold, $12,000;
100 tons honey, $7,000.
An iinusually industrious and intelligent
class of people has been attracted to Lompoc
by the fame of the colony's high moral char-
acter. This causes this district to be re-
garded with particular favor for family
settlement.
Adjacent to this colony are many large
ranches which will be subdivided and placed
on the market in homestead tracts at an early
future date.
Lands of the greatest fertility in this valley
can be bought for $125 per acre. Grazing
lands sell for $10 to $40 per acre.
The land of Lompoc Valley is a rich alhi-
vial soil, and it is very productive. Artesian
wells supply water for irrigation where
necessary. Thus the country tributary to
the town is adapted to agricultural and graz-
ing purposes. Here 3,700 pounds of beans
have been raised upon a single acre, and bar-
ley has been known to yield 100 bushels to
the acre, eighty bushels being not uncom-
mon. The English yellow mustard is an im-
portant product. It is sowed in May, and
harvested in July, yielding 1,800 to 2,200
pounds to the acre, worth 2^ to 3^ cents per
pound. The wild mustard grows so large
and in such profusion that men have earned
$2.50 per day cutting it for market. Wheat,
corn, rye, potatoes, liax, and fruits are also
grown, and the output is simply enormous.
Bee-keeping also yields a considerable revenue
to augment the sum total.
The apples from Lompoc were awarded at
the New Orleans Exposition the first silver
medal over all the other sections of the Pa-
cific States and Territories.
The Santa Rita Rancho, granted to Ramon
Malo by Governor Pio Pico, April 12, 1845,
contained "three square leagues, a little more
or less," the patent issued June 25, 1875,
calling for 13,816.05 acres. The Santa Rita
Valley, which opens northeasterly from the
Santa Ynez, is in part a sobrante (remainder)
from the Rancho de la Purisima. In early
years it was used exclusively for grazing,
and at that time supported a small settlement,
which was the scene of many a bloody en-
counter. It is owned at present mainly by
Jesse Hill, and is used mainly for grazing,
although it is farmed somewhat, and has
several smaller owners.
East of Santa Rita lies the Rancho Santa
Rosa, a magnificent estate, well watered by the
Santa Ynez River, am.ply supplied with live-
oak for fuel, and with a deep, rich soil, which,
even to the hill-tops, affords the richest pas-
turage. In 1881, there were grazing here
104
SANTA BARBARA COUNTF.
17,000 sheep, seventy-eiylit cattle, and twenty
horses, with feed for several tliouiaudo more.
Upward of 5,000 acres of valley and foot-
hill lands are arable. From twenty acres of
wheat have been harvested 1,100 bushels of
grain, even witli great loss in harvesting.
About 100 acres are farmed to hay. The
wool clip in 1880 amounted to 120,000 lbs.,
sold at 22^ cents per pound, from twelve to
thirty-five men being employed in this in-
terest, at different seasons of the year. This
rancho is now owned by J. W. Cooper.
The Rancho Caiion de Sal si Puedes is so
named from a canon winding through it, so
tortuous as to deserve the Spanish name,
" Get-out-if-you-can." Prior to 1874 it passed
into the possession of Hollister & Dibblee,
who used it for sheep grazing. It is accred-
ited by the United States patent with 6,656.-
21 acres. It is now the exclusive property
of the Hollister estate.
Tiie Rancho San Julian, of 48,221.68 acre-
age, was granted to George Rock, April 7,
1887, and the claim was purchased and its
title perfected by Jose de la Guerra y Nor-
iega. It is singularly diversified and attract-
ive in its topography, being made upof rolling
hills and dipping valleys, watered by running
brooks and numerous living springs of pure
water. Its largest and loveliest valley is the
Canada Sau Julian, a branch of the old Pu-
risima Mission, where the padres used to
make wine. The soil is deep, rich, strong,
and productive to the tops of the hills, the
giass being thick, deep and dense. The lead-
ing trees are the live-oak, willow, sycamore,
inanzanita, and madrono. In 1881, there
were estimated to be 70 horses, 575 cattle,
and 64,703 sheep, upon the San Julian and
the Sal si Puedes ranchos. The natural in-
crease of flocks in this favored seccion is little
short of marvelous. The San Julian Rancho
now belongs to T. B. & A. Dibblee.
About three miles east of Point Concepcion
begins the coast line of the Rancho Punta
de la Concepcion, comprising the ranchos La
Espada and El Cojo, and including an area
of 24,992.04 acres, belonging to P. W.
Murphy. The coast line extends north-
westerly about twenty miles, the interior
boundary of the rancho lying nearly parallel
to, and about three and a half miles distant
from its coast line. In the northern part,
this rancho partakes of the general character
of the Lompoc lands, being chiefly mesa and
low valley hill lands; in the southern portion,
near Point Concepcion, it is composed of very
ragged and picturesque outlines. The body
of the land adjacent to the point is, in a fair
year, good pasture, being a part of the
Rancho el Cojo, famous for its rich grazing
and fine beef. Some cereals are raised in the
northern part of the rancho, but cattle-raising
is the principal business. This rancho is
characterized by that bold promontory, some
220 feet high, situated where the coast trends
suddenly from east and west below to a line
almost at right angles north and south.
This point, whose position is given by the
Coast Survey as latitude 34° north, longitude
120° west, has been termed the "Cape Horn"
and the '• Cape Hatteras " of the Pacific, on
account of the heavy northwesters here met
on emerging from the channel, the climatic
and meteorological conditions also changing
with remarkably sudden and sharp definition,
so that vessels coming from the eastward
with all sails set, are at once reduced to short
canvas on approaching the cape. This point
was discovered by Cabrillo in 1542, and
called C ])e Galera, which name was after-
ward changed to the present. The view from
the headland is extended and magnificent.
It bears a lighthouse, whose lantern, 250 feet
above the water, can plainly be seen in clear
weather from the Santa Barbara hills, forty
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
miles away. The light shown is a white
revolving half-minute flash, of the tirst order
of the Fresnel system. This light was built
on land supposed to belong to the Govern-
ment, but which proved to be a part of the
grant purchased by the Murphys. After
much delay as to repairs, etc., because of the
insecurity of title, the United States in 1881
purchased from the owners for $10 000 a -title
to the lighthouse buildings, etc., and thirty
acres of laud adjoining. At Point Arguello,
about twelve miles north of Point Concep-
cion, the Sudden Wharf was built in 1881.
About three miles from Point Arguello, on
the Espada Rancho, there are hot sulphur
springs.
The Rancho Nuestra Senora del Refugio,
containing 26,529 acres, was granted to
Antonio Maria Ortega, August 1, 1834. It
has a coast-line of about twenty miles, and
from the coast an average depth of three
miles. The rancho is divided into two nearly
equal parts by the Gaviota Pass, about sixty
feet wide, the only natural gateway into the
Santa Barbara mountains between the San
Buenaventura River and Point Concepcion.
This pass is an important outlet for a wide
scope of country behind the mountains, in-
cluding most of the western portion of the
country. Its landing at Gaviota is good and
safe, having the substantial wharf, 1,000 feet
long (built by Hollister & Dibblee in 1875)
to accommodate a large shipping business.
And, in effect, a large business is done here,
principally in live-stock, wool, general mer-
chandise, sacked grain, miscellaneous farm
and ranch produce, and lumber. This wharf
is about thirty-eight miles from Santa Bar-
bai-a, and twenty-eight miles from the
Lompoc wharf A peculiarity of this locality
is a strong off-shore wind, which somewhat
interferes with the landing of sailing vessels,
while, in consequence of the strong blast
always coming down the pass, no vessel is
ever thrown against the shore. The scenery
hereabouts is very picturesque.
The topography of the Rancho de Nuestra
SeHora del Refugio is very similar to that of
the San Julian. It is mainly utilized as a
sheep rancho.
LOS ALAMOS VALLEY.
The
next valley is Los Alamos. It is
by an arroyo of the same name, which
rises in the San Rafael Mountains, and, some-
times sinking out of sight, empties into the
sea between Point Piirisima and Point Sal.
This is a long valley, being in its broadest
part scarcely more than two miles wide. It
contains but one town, Los Alamos.
Lying between the Santa Ynes and the
Santa Maria Valley, stretches this valley,
some twenty-five miles long by two miles
wide. It is drained by an arroyo of the same
name, which flows almost due west, some-
times with sinks below the surface. This
district comprises the ranches of La Laguna,
Los Alamos, Todos Santos, north half of
Jesus Maria, Casmali, the hill lands of Point
Sal, and adjoining Government lands. Tiie
total area of these ranches, as shown by
the United States patents, is 149,305.60
acres. Until a comparatively recent date,
cattle and sheep raising were the principal
industries, but now immense quantities of
wheat, barley, beans, hay, hogs, bricks and
lime, as well as horses, cattle and wool, are
shipped annually. The grazing interests on
May 1, 1881, were represented about as fol-
lows: horses, 495; cattle, 1,400; sheep, 50,-
000. There are in this district about 40,000
acres adapted to tillage. The soil is mixed,
the greater portion being iieavy loam, partic-
ularly in the valley proper. There is also
adobe and sandy loam, with bits inclining to
a shaly character. The rainfall is somewhat
SANTA BARBARA OOUNTT.
less than at Santa Barbara, varying from
seven to tifteen inches. The temperature is
very equable, averaging 65° the year around.
The hottest weather comes here in September,
when the record occasionally reaches 95° to
115°, though these extremes are very rare,
and of brief duration. The sea-breeze tempers
the climate notably. Save for trees in their
first year, there is no necessity for irrigation,
but an inexhaustible supply of surface water
is obtained by digging ten to twenty feet.
These wells afford the domestic supply. The
perfection of the crops here is attributed to
the great depth of soil, the nearness of water
to the surface, and the protection from dry-
ing winds afforded by the hills. The hill-
sides afford good feed in all seasons. Wheat,
barley, corn, beans, flax and hemp are the
staple products of the soil; flax and hemp
grow so luxuriantly as to promise an impor-
tant revenue, not only from the fiber but
also the seed. The yield of wheat in 1880
was 115,000 centals, and the acreage is con-
stantly increasing, the yield being twenty to
forty bushels to the acre; barley averages
twenty- five to sixty bushels to the acre; hay
reaches three and a half tons to the acre in
an ordinary year. Butter and cheese also
are produced.
The prosperity of this section is evinced
by the excellent condition of all improve-
ments, public and private. Roads kept in
good order, fences, dwellings, barns, and out-
buildings all of the best kind, are an index
to the status of the community.
Within this district are three sea-shipping
points, distant as follows from the town of
Los Alamos: Point Sal, twenty-five miles;
Chute Landing, twenty-two miles; Lompoc
Wharf at Point Purisima, twenty-five miles.
La Laguna Rancho lies at the head of this
valley. It was granted to Miguel Avila, No-
vember 3, 1845, and confirmed to Octaviano
Gutierrez, the United States patent calling
for 48,703.91 acres. This rancho has suffered
many decimations. It is traversed by the
county road.
The Rancho Los Alamos was granted to
Jose Antonio Carrillo, March 9, 1839, con-
sisting of 48.803.38 acres. The United
States patent was issued September 12, 1872.
It embraced about one-third of the entire
valley. A heavy lawsuit has made this
rancho conspicuous. On the original tract
were pastured on March 1, 1881, 300 horses,
500 cattle, and 25,000 sheep.
Todo^ Santos Rancho originally contained
22,200. It was granted to Salvador Oslo,
November 3, 1844, and confirmed to William
E. P. Hartwell; the patent calls for 10,722.17
acres. The live-stock here on March 1, 1881,
was 50 horses, 200 cattle, and 3,000 sheep.
The Rancho Jesus Maria was granted to
Lucas Olivera, April 8, 1837, containing
42,184.93 acres, and the southern two-thirds
portion was confirmed to Lewis T. Burton.
Some 10,000 acres of this land is adapted to
cereals. Its stock on March 1, 1881, consisted
of 40 horses, 500 cattle, and 10,000 sheep.
The Casmali Rancho was granted to An-
tonio Olivera, September 12, 1840, it con-
taining 8,841.21 acres. It has a two-mile
coast line, and extends some six miles into
the interior. It produces some cereals, but
stock-raising is the main interest. On March
1, 1881, there were here 25 horses, 150 cat-
tle, and 6,000 sheep. The black sand of the
shore is mined for gold, in a small way. In
1875 was made an unsuccessful attempt to
colonize this rancho.
Point Sal is at the' extremity of a promi-
nent cape that projects into the Pacific from
the Government lands lying between the
Casmali and the Gaudalupe. It is about
twenty-four miles from Los Alamos, and
twenty-one miles from Lompoc. For some
SANTA BASBABA COUNTY.
years freight was discharged here by lighter
through the surf. Then, after the rejection
of several petitions, a wharf was built in
1874; it was carried away by a storm in
1876; was rebuilt the next spring, and
washed away again the following winter;
then, being rebuilt, it still remains.
The coast here is bold and rugged, rising
twenty to 100 feet above the water. At the
point is a laguna, some three miles long, cov-
ering about 3,000 acres, which is a great re-
sort for water-fowl, many of which are shot
for their feathers.
Owing to dissatisfaction with the admin-
istration of the Point Sal wharf, a stock com-
pany was formed, and a chute landing
constructed near by, where there was a shel-
tered and safe anchorage. The first grain
was received for shipment in 1880, and
13,000 tons of grain were handled here the
first two years. In this time, it is said, the
chute landing saved to the farmers its full
first cost, in freight and wharfage. After
some years this wharf was bought out by a
steamship company, for the purpose of
forcing the traffic over another landing,
already established by the company.
Adjacent to the mouth of Los Alamos Ar-
royo is Lompoc Wharf, built in 1876.
The name Los Alamos means " The Cot-
tonwoods," which trees were conspicuous by
their absence, upon this rancho. In 1867
John S. Bell bought from Josd Antonio de
la Guerra y Carrillo that portion of the
rancho whereon the town now is situated,
which, for some ten years thereafter, he de-
voted to the raising of sheep and cattle. In
1873 the stage route which hitherto had
passed through the Tiniquiac rancho was so
changed as to run through Los Alamos, and
then buildings wore erected for a barn and
eating-house for passengers._
In 1876 John Purkiss buillat Los Alamos
the pioneer mill of Santa Barbara County,
and during the same year, C. D. " Patterson "
tested the farming capabilities of the region
with such success that the future of the val-
ley was assured from the agricultural stand-
point. A store and a hotel were built, and
in 1887 Mr. Bell, together with Dr. J. B.
Shaw, who had now acquired a portion of
the rancho, laid out the town of Los Alamos,
and built a steam fionring-mill. In 1882
Mr. Peter Conyer built a public assembly
hall. Dr. Shaw donated a lot, and a fine
school-house was built upon it. In October,
1882, the Pacific Coast Railway reached the
place, and built a fine depot and water tanks,
and established a telegraph line. On Janu-
ary 24, 1884, was issued the first number of
a newspaper, the Los Alamos Herald. By
this time the town had eight business houses,
shops and stores, and 100 dwelling houses,
all occupied.
There are now in Los Alamos two large
general merchandise houses, two good hotels,
one drug store, two livery stables, two black-
smith shops, one barber shop, several carpen-
ters, one paint shop, one hardware store, one
meat market, two laundries, one steam roller
llouring-mill, one brewery, one stationer's
shop, one lumber yard, one harness shop, one
millinery shop, several saloons, a money-or-
der postofiice, an express office, and one
practicing physician.
The public shool-house is a fine $5,000
building, containing two departments. The
Methodist congregation has a fine brick
church, which is used also by the Presbyte-
rians. Each of these denominations has a
resident clergyman.
Los Alamos has the usual number of
justices, constables, notaries, insurance
agents, etc. There is also a live weekly
newspaper, the Progress. The population is
about 500.
108
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
Los Alamos is on the line of the Pacific
Coast Railway, between San Luis Obispo and
Los Olivos.
There is here an abundant rainfall, insur-
ing good crops every year, the quantity of
water falling here exceeding that in most
other localities. No irrigation is required
for crops. This section abounds in living
springs, and good water can be obtained
almost anywhere at a depth of ten or fifteen
feet.
Not least among the advantages is the fact
that good live-oak wood can be obtained here
in any quantity for but little more than the
price of cutting. There is also plenty of
game in this vicinity.
On July 28, 1886, the schooner Columbia,
with a cargo of 100,000 feet of lumber and
3,000 posts for i\\& Lompoc Lumber Com-
pany, went ashore in a fog, at the mouth of
Los Alamos Creek, and was a total loss.
Most of the cargo, being strewn along the
beach, was saved.
SANTA YNES VALLEY.
The Santa Ynes is the largest of the five
valleys, including an area of 120,000 acres of
farming land and 280,000 of pasturage.
The Santa Ynes Valley is in the form of a
horseshoe. The San Rafael Mountains on
the north and the Santa Ynes range on the
south meet at the eastern extremity of the
valley, which they divide from the narrow
strip of land in the vicinity of Santa Barbara.
These mountains meeting form the toe of the
horseshoe, where rises the Santa Ynes River,
which runs westward through the whole val-
ley, emptying into the Pacific a few miles
north of Lompoc. The western end of this
valley is open to the Pacific, which largely
accounts for the delightful climate of this
section, the western trade winds being felt all
the length of the valley. This valley may be
divided into two parts, the upper or Santa
Ynes Valley proper, and the lower or Lom-
poc Valley. The former comprises the fol-
lowing large ranchos: San Carlos de Jonata
or Buell, Corral de Quati, De Zaca, Canada
de los Pinos or College Ranch, San Marcos,
Tequepis, Nojogui (often misspelled Nojo-
qui), Los Prietos y Najalayegua, Las Lomas
de la Purificacion, and part of Las Cruees;
in all about 223,185 acres, of which at least
50,000 acres are adapted to agriculture and
horticulture. There are also Government
lauds obtain-^d from Mision Santa Ynes, and
comprising the Alamo Pintado, some 6,000
acres in extent. Most of the soil is a rich,
gravelly loam, which is very easy to culti-
vate, and which, when kept loose by cultiva-
tion, retains suflicient moisture to keep fruit
trees of all kinds, and vines, to grow entirely
well without irrigation through the dryest
season. Some of the rich bottom lands of
this district will raise the finest of summer
crops, of corn, beans, etc., without irrigation.
The whole valley is magnificently watered
by the river and by tributary creeks from the
mountains on both sides. Good well water
is had almost everywhere at ten to 100 feet
below the surface, and there is no doubt that
on a great portion of the land artesian water
can be had at little depth. The entire valley
is l)eautifnlly wooded with scattered oaks and
sycamores. White, red, and green chestnut
oaks (Qnercus lobata, rubra, and demiflora)
are found, the white oak supplying the
farmers with fence posts at very small cost.
Along the creeks are found the alder, the bay
or sweet laurel, and the willow. A species
of pine is found in the San Rafael moun-
tains.
The valley is reached from Santa Barbara
by the San Marcos Pass over the mountains,
this route being forty-five miles; or else
through the Gaviota, a natural pass or defile
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
tbrougli the Santa Ynez mountains, it being
sixty miles by this way.
This valley hitherto lias been so difficult of
access, and the removal of crops to market
has been so expensive, tbat the farmers'
profits have been small, and land has been
heldvery low.
Until recently, this valley was used exclu-
sively for grain, great quantities, of a very
fine quality, being raised annually. There is
no rnst or blight found here, and wheat has
yielded thirty to fil'ty bushels to the acre.
Barley also yields exceedingly well.
Some years ago, Mr. A. Hayiie, Jr., of
Montecito, became satisfied that the Santa
Ynes, particularly the Alamo Pintado, other-
wise Ballard's Valley, was thoroughly adapted
to the culture of the olive. This idea was
based on the gravelly nature of the soil, and
the extreme dryness of the climate, the
absence of the fogs felt on the coast obviating
the ravages of the olive's worst foe, the black
scale. Accordingly, in 1884 he set out
5,000 young trees just below the old Mis-
sion. Two years later they bore fruit. Mr.
Hayne, with the Messrs. Gould, of New York,
has since planted another orchard of 5,000
trees; Mr. Ben. Hayne planted 2,500, and
now olive culture has become the leading
industry of the valley. Next in importance
comes vine-planting, the vineyard of Mr.
Louis Janin having demonstrated that the
raisin grape will do splendidly anywhere in
the valley and on the foot-hills.
Apricots, nectarines, apples, pears, peaches,
quinces, and the small fruits thrive well, and
are remarkable for the fineness of their flavor.
Prunes do excellently well in the valley, and
no doubt their curing will shortly be added
to the local industries.
The sugar beet promises to do well, and a
sugar factory is within the probabilities for
the near future.
There are four settlements in the valley;
the town of Santa Ynes, lying in the middle
of the College Rancho; Ballard's Station, and
Childs' Station, on the San Carlos Jonata
Bancho, and Los Olivos.
The road on the southern slope of the
Santa Ynez mountains was built by the late
J. A. Brown at a cost of $18,000, or $3,000
for each of the six miles of the road.
The Atlantic & Pacific Railway is survey-
ing the San Marcos Caiion, through which
this road passes, where it is designed to make
a tunnel two miles long.
Santa Ynez is the town founded in 1882,
distant from San Luis Obispo eighty miles, of
which seventy-five are traversed by the Pacific
Coast Railway running to Los Olivos, whence
the remaining five miles are by stage.
The town supports two hotels, two or three
stores, two livery stables, six or seven saloons,
and a blacksmith shop, and it has a number
of sightly cottages and other dwellings.
The Santa Ynez Land and Improvement
Company has a tine oifice here.
There is a baud consisting of fifteen mem-
bers, which discourses good music.
Santa Ynez has one of the finest school-
houses in the county. It is a two-story
wooden structure, just completed at a cost of
$6,000. It is eligibly situated on a com-
manding site.
Santa Ynez is the Spanish fior " Saint
Agnes."
The Rancho Las Cruces is of divided
ownership. It is a tract of about two leagues
(8,888 acres), lying north of the summit, and
on the main county road to Gaviota Landing.
Stock-raising is its chief industry. The so-
called town of Las Cruces is three and one-
half miles from Gaviota Wharf, north of the
pass, forty-two miles from Santa Barbara. It
consists only of a postoffice, a store, and half
a dozen surrounding dwellings. Less than a
SA]<ITA BARBARA OOUNTT.
mile distant are the Las Cruces Hot Sulphur
Springs, the principal one of which flows a
volume of about ten inches, at a temperature
of 90°. The Tulare Indians used to fight
hereabouts with the coast tribes, their war-
fare ranging down as late as American oc-
cupation. On one occasion they raided the
adobe rancho house of Las Cruces, shooting
the walls fiill of arrows, and carrying off the
horses of sixteen Californians, besieged within
the dwelling. They were pursued, the horses
retaken, and all but one of the Indians slain.
Within two miles of Ballard's, and five of
Santa Ynes, stands the young town of Los
Olivos, started in 1886-'87. It is supported
by the surrounding farming country with its
rich yield of wheat and barley, and the
numerous young fruit and olive orchards.
The population of this little town is about
150. There is one hotel (another was burned
recently), two general merchandise houses,
one drug store, two bars, two blacksmith
shops, one livery stable, one lumber yard, a
railroad station-house (of the Pacific Coast
Railway, south from San Luis Obispo), post-
office with daily mail, express otfice, one
church, one school-house with one teacher,
and accommodations for four departments.
About five miles from Los Olivos, and ad-
joining Santa Ynes, is the Indian reservation
called Zanja de Cota, where live nine Indian
families, dv thirty to forty souls, remnants of
the Santa Ynes Mission Indians, who live by
farm labor, fishing, etc.
This little town was laid out in 1881, by
George W. Lewis. It is in the Santa Ynes
Valley, three miles from the old mission of
Santa Ynes, and four from the Santa Ynes
College. A fine wheat-growing region sur-
rounds the town, having yielded an average
of twenty centals to the acre of as good
wheat as is found on the coast. A large
irrigating canal runs through the place, and
its many advantages promise a flourishing
future.
EANCHOS.
The Rancho San Carlos de Jonata, other-
wise known as " the Buell Ranch," is a tract
of land of almost square shape, comprising
26,634.31 acres, lying on the north bank of
the Santa Ynes. It is estimated to contain
10,000 acres of fine, rich, sandy loam soil,
well watered by the Shasta Ynes and numer-
ous creeks. This rancho is owned by H.
I. Willey and others. This is used for graz-
ing, although the lowlands are good grain
lands, suitable for corn, wheat, barley and
beans. The northwest portion, known as
Red Rock, contains large bodies of asphaltum
as yet undeveloped.
The Rancho Corral de Cuati was granted
to Augustine Davila, and confirmed to Maria
Antonio de la Guerra y Lataillade, 13,300.24
acres — United States patent 13,322.29 acres.
The main county road runs from north to
south through its eastern portion, the dis-
tance to Gaviota being twenty miles, and to
Los Alamos eight miles. The surface is
rolling hills, mostly tillable, but used chiefly
for grazing. This rancho, together with
LaZaca, carried in 1881 the following stock:
horses, 20; cattle, 1,114; sheep, 3,400.
The Rancho La Zaca was a grant of 4,480
acres, made to Maria Antonio de la Guerra y
Lataillade in 1838 — United States patent
4,458.10 acres. Its chief industry is stock-
raising. At the head of La Zaca Creek is
Zaca Lake, a beautiful sheet of water of
about 100 acres area, 2,000 to 3,000 feet
above the sea.
The College Rancho, otherwise Rancho
Cafiada de Los Finos, is owned by the
Roman Catholic Church, being under the
control of the bishops. It was a grant of
SANTA BABBARA COUNTY.
35,499 acres. The rancho is a nearly square
tract of land, on the north bank of tlie Santa
Ynes. Two living streams, the Santa Agata
and the Canada de Los Finos, flow through
it. The elevation above the sea is about 596
feet. Its shipping points are Gaviota Pass
and Los Alamos, each about sixteen miles
distant. Some 15,000 acres are rich, arable
lands, especially adapted for wheat-growing.
This land has produced about 1,600 pounds
of wheat to the acre. This rancho is the
site of the old Santa Ynes Mission, now
fallen into disuse. One mile from the mis-
sion is the College of Our Lady of Guada-
lupe, organized to educate missionaries for
the conversion of the Indians. On this
rancho is the town of Santa Ynes, already
described.
The Rancho San Marcos is a tract of nearly
circular form, comprising 35,573.10 acres,
granted to Nicholas A. Den, June 8, 1846.
By the San Msrcos toll-road the nearest
point to Santa Barl)ara is twelve miles dis-
tant. Its surface is very rugged, therefore
stock-raising is about the only industry prac-
ticable. Quail, pigeon, deer, bear, California
lion, trout and other game is very abundant
in its wild fastnesses. This rancho is owned
by the Pierce Brothers.
The San Marcos Sulphur Springs are
found seven miles northwest of Santa Bar-
bara. They have a temperature of 120° F.,
and are used locally for skin diseases, etc.
The Rancho Jequepis was granted to Joa-
quin Yilla and confirmed to Antonio- Maria
Villa. It is a tract of 8,919 acres, divided
into two nearly equal portions by the Santa
Ynes River. The surface of this rancho is
much broken, and is used almost entirely for
grazing.
The Rancho Los Frietos y Najalayegua
was originally granted to Francisco Domin-
guez by the Mexican government, with very
indefinite boundaries. Owing to the rugged
and mountainous character of the land em-
braced within its confines, the rancho was
considered of very little value and was not
presented to the land commissioners for con-
firmation. Finally falling under the control
of Thomas Scott, he secured the passage of
an act of Congress securing the title to said
grant in 1866. Then followed several years
of litigation, during which the grant owners
tried to secure a location of the grant on the
south side of the Santa Ynes mountains and
adjacent to the pueblo lands of the city of
Santa Barbara. Many settlers who had
located on these lands, attempting the secur-
ing of title to them as pre-emptors and
homesteaders, contended that the grant
should be located north of the Santa Ynes.
In the midst of this contest the development
of the quicksilver interests north of the
mountains gave promise of great results; and,
influenced by this consideration, the grant
owners consented to a location of the grant
to the northward of the mountains. This
was consequently done, and patents were
issued accordingly.
The Rancho Las Lomas de la Purificacion,
lying south of and across the river from the
College Rancho, was granted to Agustin
Janssens, December 27, 1844, and contains
13,320 acres under United States patent. It
is owned by the heirs of the T. W. Moore
estate. This is chiefly grazing land. By
San Marcos toll-road, which traverses the
rancho, it is twenty-two miles from Santa
Barbara.
The Rancho Nojogui (in general wrongly
■written Nojoqui) adjoins the Rancho de
Jonata, from which it is separated by the
Santa Ynes River. It was granted to Ray-
mundo Carrillo, April 27, 1843, containing
13,522.04 acres — United States patent,
13,284 acres. This rancho is finely situ-
SAI^TA BAMBARA COUNTY.
ated in and about a well-watered canon, and
along the county road leading through the
mountain to the Gaviota Pass and Las
Cruces. It is well watered by the Santa
Ynes and its tributaries. It is owned by the
Pierce Brothers, and the heirs of Dr. de la
Cuesta. It contains excellent farming and
grazing lands. The principal crops are
wheat, flax and barley. Najogui is about
eleven miles from Gaviota, twelve from Los
Alamos, and forty-six from Santa Barbara.
On the Canada Najogui, about five miles
northeast of Las Cruces, and about 1,009
feet above the sea, are the beautiful falls of
Eajogui, leaping down 700 feet, which have
been compared to the storied falls of Minne-
haha.
SANTA MARIA VALLEY.
The Santa Maria Valley occupies the
northern part of Santa Barbara County, ex-
tending from the Pacific ocean to the Sisquoc
range of hills, thirty-five miles eastward;
and from the San Luis Obispo county-line on
the north to the low range of hills separat-
ing this valley from that of Los Alamos.
From Guadalupe, the main valley extends
easterly twenty miles, and its continuation,
the Sisquoc Yalley, stretches still farther
southeastward, the extreme eastern end fork-
ing into the Sisquoc hills on one side and the
Foxen caiion lands on the other. The valley
here is bordered on the north by the Santa
Maria hills, and on the south by the clay
mesas. The county near the coast is skirted
by a range of low, fertile hills, mostly in-
cluded in the Casmalia, Laguna and Guada-
lupe land grants. All the drainage of the
Santa Maria and Sisquoc rivers falls into the
Santa Maria Valley. These streams drain
an enormous country — a region that has
twice the average rainfall of the same char-
acter of liilly land from Los Angeles to San
Diego. Large and swift streams as they are
in winter, they sink in summer. Besides
this water-supply, and the posdbilities of
artesian irrigation, the abundant crops of this
valley, particularly near the coast, are nurt-
ured by the heavy mists and fogs prevalent
during the summer months.
This valley was named from an Indian
called Santa Maria, and the title at first re-
lated to but a small part of it, but it was
later extended to the whole valley and
stream. The greatest dimensions of the
valley proper are about twenty-five miles
long by twelve wide at the upper, and nar-
rowing until it averages about four miles. It
includes the Guadalupe, Punta de la Laguna,
Tepusquet, Sisquoc, and Tinaquiac ranchos,
their total acreage, as per the United States
patents, being 123,590.77, at least 65,000
acres being tillable land. Ten years since,
these ranchos carried some 13,950 head of
sheep, 3,860 cattle and 879 horses, grazing
then being the chief interest.
The town of Santa Maria is about twelve
miles from the coast, twenty-nine from San
Luis Obispo, and eighty-four from Santa
Barbara. It was first settled in 1867, by
Mr. B. Wiley, who, after investigation of the
title, located a quarter-section each for him-
self and three other gentlemen, who were
followed during the next two years by some
half-dozen others. The first well was dug
by Mr. Wiley; it was twenty-four feet deep
and curbless, but it lasted for some four
years. The first house in the valley was
built by Mr. Prell. The first birth was that
of Thomas Miller, May 17, 1869. The first
funeral was that of Mr. liosenburg, who
accidentally shot himself in the summer
of 1869.
The first settlers put in large fields of
grain. There was much trouble and threat-
ened violence over the actions of the specu-
lators with school-land warrants, who lo-
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
cated over the claims of actual settlers that
had made valuable improvements.
Tha winters of 1869-'70 and 1870-'71
were very unprosperous, owing to drouths,
to damage done by occasional heavy storms,
and by grasshoppers. The year 1871
marked the beginning of fruit-raising here.
The settlement, notwithstanding all oppos-
ing elements, waxed so strong and populous
that the town of Central City (now Santa
Maria) was laid out in 1875. The first hotel
was built this year, and several shops, etc.,
opened.
In 1877 was organized a Union Sunday-
school, and in 1878 the Methodist Episcopal
church was builK The first public school was
opened in 1881, the church building being
used for a time. In September the town
issued bonds for a two-story school-house,
worth S1,000, and within one year there
were eighty pupils enrolled. In 1882 was
started the Santa Maria Times, independent
in politics and devoted to local matters.
The present population of the town is
about 1,000, while the surrounding country
is thickly settled. The voting precinct con-
tains some 1,500. The town is neatly laid out^'
in squares, the principal streets, 100 feet wide,
running east and west, crossed at right angles
by subordinate ones, eighty and sixty feet wide.
Some of these streets are planted with shade
trees, and the approaches to the town are all
beautiful drives. The streets are crowned
and graveled, some having concrete, and some
plank walks, and they are kept sprinkled.
The chief business thoroughfare is Main
street, 120 feet wide, in which are many sub-
stantial business buildings. The town covers
an area three-quarters of a mile square. The
water is partly supplied from wells, and in
part by two water companies, the water being
forced by steam-power pumps to large reser-
voirs, at about fifty feet altitude, whence it is
piped for distribution. There are in the town
three good assembly halls, a Presbyterian, a
Christian and a Methodist Church, a free
public library and a fine $12,000 brick school-
house, with four teachers in as many depart-
ments. Fraternal societies are represented
by organizations of Masons, Odd Fellows,
Good Templars, Knights of Pythias, Chosen
Friends, Native Sons, Grand Army and
Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
There is a fine band, " The Fairlawn," of
twelve pieces.
In September, 1883, Santa Maria suflFered
from a severe tire, consuming several business
houses, at a loss of $5,000, of which $2,000
was covered by insurance. Again, in June,
1884, another fire here destroyed $29,650
worth of property.
There are in Santa Maria two practicing
physicians, two attorneys, one dentist, two
drug stores, three general merchandise houses,
one grocery, one hardware store, one jeweler
one stationer, one saddle and harness shop,
one shoe store, two bakeries, three confection-
ery and fruit stores, five real-estate offices,
one butcher shop, four blacksmith shops, two
barbers, four painters, one fine patent-roller
flour-mill, with a daily capacity of about fifty
barrels, one lumber yard, two furniture stores,
one bank, one newspaper, — the Santa Maria
Times, — four millinery stores, two tinshops
one photograph gallery, one merchant tailor,
one toy and notion store, one steam barley-
crushing mill, three large hotels, four restau-
rants, one large lodging-house, five saloons
and three livery stables. There are two large
nurseries, that of T. A. Garey having some
300,000 trees, while another nursery has sold
40,000 to 50,000 trees this year. Still another
has 50,000 trees. Within half a mile of the
center of the settlement, there is a half-mile
race track, and a prettily planned park of ten
acres.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
This town is the distributing point for an
area reaching fifty miles to the eastward,
twenty toward the south, ten to the north,
and westward to the coast line; also for the
mines, seventy-five miles distant.
A through line of railway is greatly needed,
and the people are anxiously looking forward
to the completion of the Southern Pacific
Coast Line.
The main industries of this valley are:
dairying and stock-raising in the hills and
lands toward the coast and about the Gauda
lupe region; wheat, barley, oats and corn in
the central and upper parts of the valley and
the mesas; beans and potatoes from the line
of the railroad westward; eastward from the
railway fruit-raising is rapidly becoming an
important industry, apricots, prunes, and
Bartlett pears being the varieties mostly cul-
tivated. At the western end of the valley,
the potato, bean, and summer crops are
steadily encroaching on the dairy tracts. The
upper valley and surrounding hills will be
largely planted to fruit. Citrus fruits will
grow well in the more sheltered valleys and
canons. In 1880 the average yield of wheat
on valley lands was twenty centals (33 J
bushels) per acre; on mesa land, 17 centals or
28^ bushels; the average yield of barley was,
on valley land, 25 centals, or 41§ bushels;
mesa land, 20 centals, or 33^ bushels. The
whole wheat and barley crops amounted to
about 625,000 centals in this valley in 1880,
this being rather above the average yearly
yield.
As special illustrations of the products, it
may be mentioned that Mr. Isaac Miller has
twenty -five acres of apricots, five years old^
and fifteen acres of French prunes, four years
old, witl) 108 trees to the acre. In 1889 he
sold thirteen tons of dried apricots, at $200
per ton. This year the trees were loaded
almost to breaking, and the crop of prunes
brought $8,000, while the apricots, sold at 16
cents per pound, produced $7,000.
The prunes yield very largely, and, dried
with their pits in, bring 5 cents per pound.
The district of La Graciosa, otherwise
known as Fruit Vale, eight miles south of
Santa Maria, being composed of rolling hills
and small valleys, has mostly been converted
into orchards. Here are planted hundreds
upon hundreds of acres of peach, plum, nec-
tarine, walnut, and orange trees, — in short,
almost all known fruits. Here may be seen
walnut trees ten feet high, two years old.
The Guadalupe Rancho of 30,408.03 acres,
was granted by the Mexican government to
Diego Olivera and Teodoro Areilanes, March
21, 1840. The claim was confirmed in 1857,
and in 1870 a patent was issued for 43,680.85
acres. It has a coast line of ten miles, and
extends eight miles back from the coast.
Tiie first farming here was done in a small
way in 1867, by John B. Ward, who married
a daughter of Estudillo, then owner of the.
rancho. He built a road from Point Sal to
the rancho, nine miles distant, in considera-
tion of a tract of land at the former place,
voted him by Congress, for the construction
of a road from Point Sal to Fort Tejou. As
there was already a natural route between
Fort Tejon and Guadalupe, Ward claimed
the land and secured a patent for it, at the
time when the Point Sal landing was first
built. In 1872 was founded the town of
Guadalupe, situated in the extreme north-
western corner of this county, about seven
miles from the coast, ninety-five miles from
Santa Barbara, and twelve miles from Los
Alanaos. The climate here is cool, bracing
and healthy. This little town made consider-
able growth up to 1882, when tiie building
of the Pacific Coast Railway stimulated the
development of Santa Maria, at the expense
of Guadalupe, which thereafter lost ground
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
markedly. The present population is about
300.
The soil around Guadalupe is mostly a deep
black adobe, whicla yields large returns.
Wheat succeeds only on the extreme upper
end of the tract. Barley has produced 100
bushels to the acre, and beans yield a more
prolific crop even. Corn is an unreliable fac-
tor. Vegetables, including pumpkins and
potatoes, score a marked success, but melons
are a failure. The air here is too bleak for
fruit-raising, and orchards fail unless pro
tected by wind breaks, usually of cypress or
eucalyptus. Stock-raising is a great indus-
try, owing to the excellent watering and the
freedom from noxious weeds or plants, en-
joyed by the pasturage of this rancho. There-
fore it is regarded as one of the best dairy
ranges in California, and occupied largely by
Swiss dairyman, who milk a vast number of
cows, their products selling at an advance of
one or two cents a pound on the prices of
butter from the upper coast; several tons are
shipped thence weekly. Good water is found
here within two to sixteen feet of the surface,
and artesian wells 110 feet deep yield as much
as ten gallons per minute.
The Rancho Punta de la Laguna lies im-
diately eastward of the Guadalupe, further up
the Santa Maria Valley, being an irregular
strip of territory, ten miles by seven miles in
extent. It was granted to Luis Arellanes
and E. M. Ortega, December 24, 1844, when
it contained 26,648.42 acres, extending a lit-
tle way into San Luis Obispo County. - Like
the rest of the valley it was once a great
grazing region. The soil is mostly a sandy
loam, on which the cereals and all kinds of
vegetables grow to perfection. The best of
water is procured from wells twenty to sixty
feet deep.
The Rancho Tepusquet was carved out of
Government land surrounding it on all sides
but the southeast, where it joins the Sisquoc.
It contains 8,900 acres under United States
patent, lying in the upper part of the Santa
Maria Valley. It consists of low, rolling
hills, the approaches to the lofty Sierra de
San Rafael lying to the eastward. While the
cereals are cultivated to some extent, stock-
raising is the principal industry. The sur-
face is rugged, and there is a stream afibrding
ample water-power for manufacturing enter-
prises. Once the property of the Foxen
Brothers this rancho now belongs to the
Ontiveras family.
The Rancho Sisquoc lies at the very head
of the Santa Maria Valley, extending back
into the hills eight or ten miles. It com-
prises 35,485.90 acres of land, mostly rolling
country. The cereals are produced, but stock-
raising is the chief interest. This property
belongs to the Stone estate.
The Rancho Tinaquaic is nearly rectangu-
lar in shape, measuring three by five miles,
lying at the head of the Santa Maria Valley,
it contains appropriately two leagues of land.
It is traversed by the main county road. This
rancho, which is now the property of the
Foxen heirs, was originally granted to Victor
Linares, May 6, 1837, and confirmed to Will-
iam D. Foxen, the title calling for 8,874.60
acres. Its surface is hilly, but large tracts
are sown to grain yearly, although stock-
raising is by no means superseded.
The Rancho Cuyama, now belonging to
Haggin & Perkins, and to Gaspar Oreiia, was
granted to Jose Maria Rojo, April 24, 1843,
and confirmed to Maria Antonio de la Guer-
ra and Cesario Lataillade, whose heir is Mr.
Orena. Its acreage, as by the United States
pale!it, was 71,620.75 acres. In the spring
of 1881 it was estimated to support 3,000
cattle. The Cuyama River, the northern
boundary of the county, cuts this rancho into
two nearly equal portions. Thus, lying in
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
the extreme northern portion of the county,
aad separated from the rest thereof by the
hicrh Sierra de San Rafael, this isolation is
so complete that even the returns of the elec-
tions are received from this district more tar-
dily than from any other in the county. The
only industry here is stock-raising.
THE LOST WOMAN.
The purpose of a historical sketch like the
present would fall short without an account
of " the Lost Woman of San Nicolas," apper-
taining as it does to the history of both Santa
Barbara and Vetitura counties.
This story has often been told, too fre-
quently with embellishments and exaggera-
tions which only serve to diminish the force
of the simple facts, which certainly are suffi-
ciently romantic, dramatic, and even tragic.
The Alaskan Indians were in the habit of
making to the channel islands periodical
visits, to secure otter and other pelts, making
fierce war upon other hunters who should
seek to follow the same field. Supplied as
they were with fire-arms, they were savage
and powerful, dangerous even to the whites,
and far more so to the natives, armed only
with stone weapons.
Of the island of San Nicolas a party of
these Indians took possession, and slew every
male of the thick population upon it, keeping
possession of the women. When the otter-
hunting season was over, the Alaskans de-
parted, leaving these women to what fate
might befall tliem. About the middle of the
year 1835 the padres made arrangements for
the succor and removal of the surviving
women, by Isaac J. Sparks and Lewis T. Bur-
ton, American otter hunters, settled at Santa
Barbara, who had chartered the schooner
Peor es Nada ("Worse is Nothing") for the
purposes of their calling. With a crew com-
posed mainly of Kanakas, tliey sailed to San
Nicolas, and assembled the Indians upon the
beach, ready for embarking. One of the
women then signified by signs that her child
had been left behind, and she was allowed to
go to fetch it. She delayed some time, and
meanwhile a strong wind sprang up. The
water about the island is quite shoal, and be-
comes very rough in a storm, and there is no
sheltering harbor, so that the schooner dared
not tarry, but ran before the wind, leaving
the woman behind. The vessel arrived safely
at San Pedro, where the Indians were landed,
some being taken to Los Angeles and some
to the Mission of San Gabriel. The captain
of the vessel designed to return to the island
as soon as possible to fetch away the woman.
But, being ordered to San Francisco, she cap-
sized there, and, there being now no craft
large enough to attempt the passage of the
channel, no attempt was made to rescue the
woman, and after some years it was generally
believed that she must have perished.
In 1851 John Nidever, with a man named
Tom Jeffries and a crew of Indians, had oc-
casion to visit San Nicolas. Landing on the
lower end of the island they shortly found
on the bank near the beach the footprints of
a human being, probably made during tlie
preceding rainy season, as they were deeply
impressed in the ground, now very hard and
dry. The size of the tracks indicated they
were made by a woman. After walking some
distance, the men discovered on rising ground
about 200 yards back from the beach three
structures of human creation. Standing about
a mile apart, these enclosures were circular in
shape, six or seven feet in diameter, with
brush-built walls, five or six feet from the
ground, on stakes of driftwood stuck into the
earth, pieces of dried blubber, apparently
placed there a month or two before, and in
good condition. Other than the meat there
was no sign of recent occupation of the
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
117
enclosiires. A wind came on, which in
creased to a gale sliortly after the men had
regained their vessel, and as soon as practi-
cable, which was not for eight days, they
left the vicinity of the island.
In the winter of 1852, Nidever, accom-
panied by Charles Brown and a crew of
Indians, made a second visit to the island,
in quest of otter, of which he had seen
great numbers on his former visit. Land-
ing at the old place, they walked toward
the head of the island, where the woman,
if still alive, was likely to be found, as fish
and seal are more plentiful, and water better
and more abundant in that quarter. The
huts were seen as before, the old blubber
seeming to have been replaced by fresher.
About half a mile from the head of the island
and extending across it, was a flat, low and
sandy; and here, thought the men, the woman
must be living, as the ground to the north
and eastward was high and windswept.
Aftersearchingforsome time, without finding
a trace of the woman, the men decided that
she must have been devoured by wild dogs'
of which they had seen a number, resem-
bling the coyotes, but black and white in
color. When just about to return, Nidever
noticed in the crotch of a small tree a bas-
ket, covered over with sealskin, which, on
being examined, proved to ctmtain a care-
fully-folded dress made of the skins of shags,
cut in square pieces and sewn together; a
rope made of sinews, and divers small ar-
ticles such as needles made of bone, abelone,
fish-hooks, etc. Brown compassionately pro-
posed to replace the basket where they had
found it, but Nidever shrewdly preferred
to scatter the articles about the spot, as
their replacement on a future visit would
prove the woman'.s existence and presence
there. Accordingly this was done, and the
men returned to their schooner. For some
days they were busy hunting, and then a
gale forced them to make off without re-
newing the search.
In July, 1853, Nidever once more re-
turned to San Nicolas with Brown and four
Mission Indians, this time with the inten-
tion of making a thorough search for the
missing woman. After selecting a camp,
they followed the shore to the head of the
island, which Brown rounded; and some dis-
tance down the other side he found fresh
tracks of the woman, which he followed up
from the beach and over the bank, losing
them on the lidge where the ground was
covered with moss. The following day,
going to the sandy flat before mentioned,
they organized a regular search, for some
time without results. Brown followed the
track he had found the previous evening, un-
til he found a piece of driftwood, apparently
dropped by the woman ; and farther along the
ridge he discovered three huts, made of brush,
disposed over the ribs of a whale, set in the
earth. These tenements were, however, open
on all sides, and tall grass grew within them,
proving the long time that had elapsed since
their occupation. Ascending to one of the
highest parts of the ridge he gazed about on
all sides. Most of the searchers were in sight,
and far away he could see moving a small
black object which he at first took to be a
crow. On walking toward it, he discovered
that this was the Indian woman, whose head
and shoulders just appeared above the rim of
an enclosure like those already clescribed.
Close to her were two or three dogs
like those the men had seen already. They
growled at Brown's approach, whereupon
the woman uttered a sort of yell, and
they slunk out of sight. The woman was
sitting cross-legged on some grass within the
enclosure, whicii doubtless served her for a
bed. She wore a sort of gown, made of shag-
SAJfTA BARBARA COUNTY.
skins cut in squares and sewed together, with
the feathers pointing downward. The gar-
ment left her neck and shoulders bare, reach-
ing to her ankles. Her hair was thickly matted
uponher head, being yellowish-brown in color,
probably from exposure to the weather The
ends seemed to have rotted off. She was en-
gaged in stripping tlie bhil)ber from a piece
of sealskin held across her knee, using a knife
rudely fashioned from a piece of iron hoop.
A fire was smouldering within the enclosure,
and close by was a large heap of bones, which
would denote that for a long time this had
been her domicile.
The woman appeared much interested in
the movements of the men who were scour-
ing the flat below; every now and then she
would shade her eyes with her hand and
direct a loLg and steady gaze upon them.
And all the while, from the time Brown first
came within hearing distance, she kept up a
continual talking to herself.
As the men drew near, Brown motioned
to them to spread out in such shape as to
surronnd her and intercept her, should she
attempt to escape; then, just before the
others reached her little camp. Brown, whom
she had not yet seen, stepped around in front
and in sight of her. To his great surprise,
instead of exhibiting signs of fear or distrust,
she received him with an air of welcome,
bowing and smiling with mingled cordial
politeness and dignity. Her self-possession
and ease was considered by her discoverers
remarkable. As each man came up he was
greeted in the same manner, and she con-
tinued to talk unceasingly. But although
the Indians of the schooner's crew could
muster several native dialects, not a word of
her speech understood they.
"When the men were all seated upon the
ground around her, she took from a grass-
woven bag some of the bulbous roots called
by the Californians cacomites, and another
species of root, and having first roasted them
upon the fire, she offered them to the men,
who found them very palatable.
Wishing to convey her on board the
schooner, the men tried to inform her by
signs of their intentions; but while she
seemed pleased with their company, and
gave no reason to apprehend that she would
try to escape, she seemed to not comprehend
their intentions until they signified that she
must gather up all her food stores. Then,
indeed, she obeyed with the greatest alacrity,
and seemed anxious to preserve everything
capable of sustaining life, thus pathetically
demonstrating the sharp experiences she had
undoubtedly undergone during her eighteen
years of solitude. Carefully she collected
and placed in a large cora, or basket, such
as was generally used by the Indians of this
coast, the considerable quantity she possessed
of the dried blubber of the seal and sea ele-
phant. She even insisted upon carrying away
a seal's head so decayed that the brains were
oozing from it; and when all else was ready
she took a burning stick from the camp-fire.
The men distributed her effects for carriage,
and all set forth toward the vessel. She
trotted along at a good pace, and presently
led them to a spring of good water which
issued from beneath a shelving rock near the
beach. Here w^ere more pieces of dried
blubber, hung on stakes beyond reach of the
dogs and foxes; and here, too, further pathetic
evidence of the privations she had suffered,
in the shape of bones stored away in the
crevices of the rocks. It was clear that when
food M-as scarce, her resource was to come
hither and suck the scanty nutriment remain-
ing in these bones! All these matters were
respected and preserved by the men, who
thus gained the poor, deserted creature's con-
fidence. Near the landing was another spring
SANTA BABBARA COUNTY.
whicli the woman would seem to have used
for bathing, as she stopped to wasli her face
and hands in it
She readily obeyed the signaled instruction
to step into the boat, in whose bow she
kneeled, holding to the sides; and on reach-
ing the vessel she hovered in the vicinity of
the stove, another indication of the hardships
she had suffered on the island. From the
first she preferred to her own the food given
her by her rescuers.
Brown immediately contrived for her a
petticoat of bed-ticking, which, with a man's
shirt and necktie, composed a new wardrobe,
of which she was very proud, continually
calling to it the attention of her companions.
While Brown was engaged iipon her skirt^
she made signs that she wished to sew also;
and being given a needle and thread, she
could not iinderstand, imtil she was taught,
how the needle was threaded; but she iised
the needle deftly, mending with infinite
patience the many rents in an old cape, very
torn and tattered, which one of the men be-
stowed upon her, and which she repaired into
a garment quite serviceable in cold, rough
weather. In sewing, she thrust the needle
into the cloth with her right liand, pulling
it through, and drawing the thread tight
with her left hand.
The men on the next day moved ashore,
where they remained for about a month,
otter-hunting. They constructed lor the wo-
man, at a short distance from their camp, a
shelter similar to their own; and here, she
remained very well contented, evincing no
disposition to leave them, but assisting in
the work of the camp, bringing wood and
water at need, and wandering about the
island, talking and singing.
When the woman was found, she had in
construction several vessels for carrying water,
they being really unique. They were woven
of grass, in shape somewhat like a demijohn,
although wider in the mouth, and lined with
a thin coating of asphaltum, which she ap-
plied with some ingenuity. Putting into the
basket several pieces of the asphaltum, which
was foiind along the beach in gi-eat quanti-
ties, she threw upon them some heated peb-
bles, and when these had melted the asphalt-
um, she would distribute it evenly over the
inside by giving the basket a rotary motion,
throwing out the surplus and the pebbles.
These baskets were water-tight, and very en-
during. She worked upon them fitfully, a
few minutes at a time, patting one aside to
take up another.
One rather touching trait of her character
is illustrated by the following occurrence.
The men one day killed a large female otter
which was with young, and when they were
about to throw it into the sea, as they usually
did the bodies after skinning, the woman, in
her mute way, protested. She took out the
young otter, which was nearly to be born and
covered with fur, and when it had been
stuffed it looked quite natural. Of this little
creature the woman made a sort of doll, sus-
pending it from the roof of her shelter, where
for hoitrs she would swing it, all the while
talking to it in a kind of sing-song.
After about a month's successful hunt,
Nidever's party embarked for Santa Barbara.
Not long after they sailed there arose a
furious gale, which threatened to engulf the
little vesseh Then the woman made signs
that she could calm the wind, and, kneeling
down with her face toward the quarter whence
it blew, she commenced to make prayers or
incantations, which continued a long time,
and were renewed at intervals during the
storm When the wind abated and patches
of clear sky appeared, she pointed in triumph
to these tokens of good weather, as who
should say, "See what I accomplished!"
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
The shore was neared early one morning,
and it was evident that tlie woman had never
seen this nor any of the ordinary appearances
and sights of a settlement. It was hard to
tell whether pleasure or wonder predominated
in her when tliere passed on the sands a
Spanish cart, drawn by an ox team. Every
feature of it was delightful to her, and she
imitated with curious gestures the rotary
motion of the clumsy wheels, talking, laiigh-
ing and gesticulating, all at the same time.
When landing had been made, she was much
taken up with a horseman who came to the
beach, and her courage was shown by her
readiness to touch this great unknown, and
to her doubtless fearful, creature. After
touching both horse and man, she turned to
her captors, and proved that she grasped the
situation by straddling over her left thumb
the first two fingers of her right hand, while
she moved her hand to imitate the galloping
of a horse, shouting the while with delight.
The woman was taken to Nidever's house,
where his wife cared for her; and soon the
news spread that the lost woman of San
Nicolas Island was found. Her case had ex-
cited great interest among the warm-hearted
people of the region, who had discussed in
the safety of their homes for many a year the
possibilities of her still surviving on that
desert sea-girt isle, with wild beasts for her
only companions. And as the years went
by, it was generally believed that she must
surely be dead, devoured, in all likelihood,
by the wild dogs. The padres of the mission
had interested themselves for her, and had
off"ered a reward of $200 for information that
should lead to her recovery.
And now the lost was found, and was here
within the limits of civilization. Hundreds
flocked to Nidever's house to see her. Among
others came the Fathers, Sanchez, Jimeno
and Gonzalez, the latter of wiiora in particular
had earnestly insisted upon the probabilities of
her survival. But none could communicate
with her, save by the imperfect sign language,
although the padres knew all the dialects of
the coast. From Santa Ynes, from Los
Angeles, and from other places Indians were
brought to see her, but they too found not
one word in common with her. Every one
showed her the greatest kindness. Nearly
every one would give her a present of money,
of clothing, or of trinkets, all of which she
would at once give to her friends, or to the
children who visited her. The Panama
steamers were touching at Santa Barbara in
those days, and the passengers were always
eager to see this poor savage heroine. She
would often put on her best dress of feathers,
and for their gratitication perform move-
ments which might be called dancing. She
soon became very expert in conversing by
signs, and thus related the history of her
adventures, relating that when she went back
after the child, she wandered a long time
without finding it; that when she concluded
that the dogs had eaten the child, she lay
down and cried for so long a time that she
sickened, could not eat, and became too weak
to walk; then, recovering somewhat, she
began to walk about and to eat. Often she
had seen vessels upon the sea, but none ever
came near to take her away, so that in time
she became reconciled to her fate, and her
monotonous life of hunger, cold and the fear
of wild animals. She was supposed to have
been about fifty years old at the time of her
rescue. Her face was smooth, although the
skin on her body and limbs was badly
wrinkled. It was gathered from her signs
that at the time when she was left on the
island she had two children, one a nursing
babe, the other some years older.
The woman was much attached to the
family of Mr. Nidever, who in turn were
SANTA BARBAMA COUNrY.
fond of her. Mr. "N"idever repeatedly refused
large sums which were offered him as an
inducement to her public exhibition in San
Francisco. It was only a short time before
her death that her protectors succeeded in
making her understand their wish to learn
some words of her language, and the follow-
ing comprise about all the terms they
gathered from her: a hide, "tocah;" man,
"nache;" the sky, " toy gvvah;" the body,
" puoo-chay."
With regard to practical matters, she was
like a child, and childish was her want of
control over her appetite. Being excessively
fond of fruit, slie would eat it at all hazards,
and this self indulgence produced a dysentery
which terminated I'atally, in spite of careful
attendance and nursing. During her illness,
it was thought that she might be relieved by
a diet of seal's flesh, to which she had been
so long accustomed; and accordingly some
was procured and roasted for her. But she
laughed and shook her head over it, passing
her finger over her worn-out teeth, to indicate
that they were too old and spent for such
use. It was about four months after her
rescue that she died. She was buried by the
padres. Most of her trinkets, including the
finer of her feather dresses, were sent to Kome.
It may be wondered that the woman should
have been left so long for want of a boat to
fetch her from the island; but it must be
remembered that when the Boston ship
Monsoon visited Santa Barbara in 1839, the
captain of the port had no boat in which to
make his ofiicial visit. Chagrined by the
situation, he petitioned for a boat, which the
government accordingly provided for him.
RESOURCES.
The resources of Santa Barbara county
have been pretty thoroughly indicated in
connection with the respective sections, save
in the directions set forth hereafter, as fol-
lows :
noGs.
With reference to hog-raising in this
county, an estimate of the possibilities may
be formed from the following extract from a
paper by Mr. L. Babcock: "Hogs can be
raised here with little trouble after you are
prepared, as we do not have any or but few
storms during each year, and no fatal diseases
such as cholera. Neither have we any tri-
chinae in the bacons on this coast. On
May 19, 1881, I purchased 120 acres of land
in the Lompoc Valley, all fenced and im-
proved ready to go into the business of rais-
ing and preparing hogs for the market. I
also bought 600 head of hogs, big and little,
and the growing crop, at a cost of $13,066.
I raised grain on 100 acres of the ranch.
On the last of August, 1881, sold to Sherman
& Ealaiid, of Santa Barbara, 302 head of
hogs. They received them on the ranch and
paid me $1,962.50. In September, 1882, I
shipped to San Francisco 323 head of hogs
off the same ranch, and sold them for $3,-
801.26, and after deducting all expenses of
driving, shipping, commission, etc., I got a
net return of $3,282.63. And I have 100 or
more still on the ranch."
BEE-FAEMING.
In 1860 or '61, a party named Miner — he
who built the first frame house in Santa Bar-
bara — imported eight or ten swarms of bees,
which sold readily for $50 per swarm. In
December, 1873, Mr. Jefferson Archer
brought hither some forty-five stands of bees,
and went into apiculture exclusively. The
industry increased to such an extent that at
the close of the season of 1880 there were in
the county about 3,800 stands of bees, yield-
ing a product of over 128 tons or 256,000
pounds of extracted honey.
SA24TA BARBARA COUNTY.
While that portion of this county adapted
to profitable honey-raising is small, com-
pared with the territory devoted to this in-
dustry in some other counties, the quality ot
honey produced is unexcelled. The honey-
producing plants are abundant; the mountain
redwood, sumac, grease-wood, coffee berry
and the various sages, all in their respective
seasons, supply the raw material to the hum-
ming, busy workers. This is an enterprise
yielding large returns from limited capital;
it is by no means uncommon to derive a
profit of over 400 per cent, from single
swarms, and almost as high a figure has been
realized from an entire apiary. With a fair
season, a good swarm will yield 150 to 250
pounds of extracted honey in a season, besides
its increase of one or two swarms in a season,
the increase not seldom reaching to five and
even ten swarms in one season. One apiary
of 400 stands in the county produced during
the season of 1884 no less than 730,000
pounds of pure strained honey and 2,000
pounds of beeswax. Apiculture suffers oc-
casional drawbacks; an insufficient rainfall
lessens or cuts off altogether the honey yield,
and a general drouth affects bees as it does
cattle and other stock.
Santa Barbara Channel and its adjacent
waters are especially rich in good fishes. The
ocean temperature here is particularly mild
and equable, never falling below 60° nor rising
above 66° F., thus resembling the Mediter-
ranean, which produces many of the finest
market fish in the world.
This temperature, the calmness of the
waters, and the quantity of marine vegetation
nourished therein, make these parts the
natural home of the finest tribes.
In 1881 David S. Jordan and Charles H.
Gilbert were sent by the United States Gov-
ernment to the Pacific coast to investigate
the fish interests of this section. They found
Santa Barbara Channel one of the richest
points on the coast, and the results of their
investigation surprised even those best ac-
quainted with the wealth of these waters.
In their report the following fishes are men-
tioned as abundant in this locality:
Herring: c.hupea mirablis. Euns during
the winter. Is like the Atlantic herring in
size and general character. Is marketed,
dried and salted.
Sardine: Clupea sagax. Two species — the
larger " American " sardine, sometimes reach-
ing a length of nine inches, and a smaller
species, exactly the same as that of the
Mediterranean.
Barracuda: Sphyraena argentie. The fa-
vorite fish of this part of the coast. Runs
four or five months during the summer.
Averages under ten pounds' weight. When
dried, is an excellent substitute for codfish.
Albaeore : Orcynus alalonga. Average
weight, twelve to fifteen pounds. Very good
food fish.
Spanish mackerel: Sarda chilensis. Aver-
age weight eight to ten pounds. Used for
the most part dried and salted.
Pompano: Stromaticus simillimus. Aver-
ages one-half pound weight; length eight
inches. Scarce in winter.
Yellow-tail or white salmon: Seriola la-
landi. Weight forty to fifty pounds. Length
four to five feet.
Smelt: Atherinops affinis. About one'foot
in length.
Flying fish: Exocoetus californicus. Length
about fifteen inches; weight about one and
one-half pounds. Excellent food. Appear
toward the middle of summer.
Mullet : Mugil albula. Fifteen inches long.
Flesh coarse, but good food when taken in
clear water.
SANTA BAHBARA COUNTY.
133
Rock cod: Serranus maculofasciatus. Fif-
teen inches long; weighs two to three pounds.
Kelp salmon: Serranus clathratus. Eight-
een inches long; weight iive pounds.
White sea bas.s : Alroctosciuin nubile.
Length about four feet; weight under fifty
pounds.
White-lish: Dekaya princeps. Length two
feet; weight ten to fourteen pounds. When
salted is excellent.
Conger eel: Mursena tnordax. Length
about live feet; weight fifteen to twenty
pounds. Flesh very fat. Excellent food.
The local market for tish is not large, and
a very few fishermen supply the local needs
and such small exportations as have been
made. But the fish interest could be made a
source of important revenne by the develop-
ment of some practical plan for exportation,
for which purpose a number of the species
named above are eminently suitable. The
white-fish, the barracuda, and the herring are
particularly adapted for preparation and ship-
ment, and it must be noted, too, that the
herring is here brought into natural contact
with his regular post-mortem element, olive
oil. Thus a sardine cannery hereabouts
would seem to be an inevitable outgrowth of
these natural provisions.
MINERALS.
(From the State Mineralogical Report.)
Ou the San Marcos Rancho there is said to be a lode
that assays well in both gold and silver. Gold-bear-
ing rock has also been found on the Buel Rancho,
near Los Alamos. Placer claims have been worked
at Pine Mountain, also at the headwaters of Zaca
Creek, and at several places in the San Rafael Moun-
tains. A very few colors of gold are occasionally
found in the creeks running from the Santa Ynes
Range. Gold-washing has also been carried on upon
the seashore; the most successful operations were at
Point Sal, in the northwestern corner of ihe county.
Point Sal is situated upon the southern bank of the
Santa Maria River. Gold-washing has been intermit-
tently carried on here by the Point Sal Mining Com-
pany. The gold is found in streaks of black sand
from three to four feet below the surface of the beach.
They run from one inch to two feet in thickness,
usually being about one foot, and from thirty to forty
feet in length. The bank of the beach runs north and
south, the streaks of sand east and west toward the
ocean. Beneath the black sand is blue clay in some
places, and sandstone in others. The richest deposits
are found on the sandstone where it is worn into
ridges, being favorable to the concentration of the
gold. The sand is run into a hopper, where a stream
of water carries it over amalgamated plates. About
twenty-five tons of this sand yielded $137.
On the Jonila Rancho, near Los Alamos, rock con-
taining gold and silver has been found. This at last
induced William Buel to explore the formation of his
rancho by running a tunnel over 400 feet. This tun-
nel, which is situated a little over 1,000 feet above the
level of the sea, is run in a southwesterly direction
through a sedimentary formation, which dips to the
sea at an angle of about 45° * * * Here and
there throughout the tunnel are a few seams and
pockets of clayey matter, which are said to show a
few colors of gold. * * * The tunnel does not ap-
pear to be following any vein.
Copper is said to exist in paying quantities on the
southern bank of the Santa Cruz River, where it was
worked by the old padres; also at several places in
the San Rafael Mountains.
Quicksilver is said to exist at Los Prietos, nine
miles north of Santa Barbara, on the upper waters of
the Santa Ynes River, in considerable quantities. It
is claimed that e great deal of the ore will average
from two to three per cent. The Eagle Quicksilver
mine was also worked in 1867, by Captain Samuel
Stanton, on the Cuchama River, in the San Rafael
Mountains.
Float rock containing galena is said to be found at
the mouth of Dry Creek Canon, on the Buel Rancho,
near Los Alamos; also on the Spinnocia Rancho,
about twelve miles east of Santa Ynes, in the San
Rafael Mountains.
Manganese occurs in the San Rafael Mountains,
about seven miles north of the town of Santa Ynes.
Coal has been found at several places in Santa Bar-
bara County, notably in the Loma Palomd, head of
Santa Ynes Creek, Montecito Hot Springs and at the
Mission.
Limestone is widely distributed in the county, but
as yet has been burned only for local use. It is found
upon Moore's Rancho, a few miles west of Santa Bar-
bara. Immediately north of Mr. Moore's house, dis-
tant about two miles from the seashore, are the foot-
hills of the Santa Ynes Range, spurs of which run
down nearly to the water's edge; these are composed
124
SANTA BARBABA COUNTY.
of sandstone, varying from coarse to fine. At one
point they are traversed by a vein of calcite about
(our feet wide, running neaily east and west.
The gypsum deposits of Santa Barbara occur upon
the southern side of Point Sal, and can be reached by
road either from Guadalupe or Santa Maria. Point
Sal gypsum mines lie back in the mountains about
one and one-half miles from Point Sal Landing. They
occur as a vein having a head wall and foot-wall of
clay slate. There are six openings on this property
from which gypsum are taken. * * * The finest
quality of the material is said to be obtained in the
upper workings. The other openings are of less im-
portance, and no gypsum at present is taken from
them. The lower vein can be traced for about two
miles. This mineral can be mined and placed on
board the vessels at Point Sal for about |2 per ton.
There are several mineral springs in ihis county,
but few of them have as yet become places of resort.
At Montecito the water from the springs reaches 117°
Fahrenheit. On the Santa Ynes Mountains, near
Santa Barbara, there is another hot spring; also in
the Santa Marcos Canon, where the water is said to
reach a temperature of 130° Fahrenheit. In the canon
and ihe Cuyama Valley are also spring^.
There are, so far as known at the present time,
no oil wells producing anything in Santa Barbara
County, though several have been sunk there. But
there are great deposits of asphaltum and other
bituminous matters at several localities in the county.
" El Rincon " Creek, some three or four miles east of
Carpenteria, is, for siome litile distance near the coast,
the boundary line between Ventura and Sauta Bar-
bara counties. At Rincon Point, on the shore just
west of El Rincon Creek, the railway company has
recently done some heavy grading in the construction
of their road. Amongst other unalteied rocks here,
which dip toward the north, they have cut through a
heavy body of bituminous shales, which coniain a
sufficient quantity of bituminous matter, ^o that, when
once ignited they continue to burn for a long time
like the waste heaps from a coal mine.
The Rancho of Mr. P. Clark Higgius, mentioned
as the "Carpenteria bed," is only about one mile east
of the new Carpenteria railway station. The bluffs
here fronting the sea-beach are fifty to seventy-five
teet high. The lower portion of them consists of
tertiary rocks, out of which the petroleum oozes. *
* * Anywhere within one quarter of a mile or more
back from the edge of the bluffs it is no uncommon
occurrence for the plow to turn up bituminous
matter. * * *
The outcrop of asphaltum and otlier bitumiuous
matters in the bluffs e.xtends for a distance of three-
quarters of a mile along the shore and to witliin halt
a mile or less of the new railway station at Carpen-
teria. * * * This bitumen is very dirty, but might
possibly be used for street pavements.
On Ortega Hill, about six miles east of Santa Bar-
bara, and near half way between there and Carpen-
teria, Mr. H. L. Williams has drilled a well. The
locality is within 500 or 600 feet of the seashore, and
250 feet above high tide. Mr. Williams here went
down 455 feet. * * * The shale is very close, and
contains neither water nor oil. The sand above was
free from water. But the oil which it contains makes
it act like a quicksand, and it rose 100 feet in the
pipe. * * * In attempting to draw the casing, in
Older to substitute drive pipe (or it, the casing parted
in the upper sand and they could not get the lower
part of it out, and were therefore obliged to abandon
the hole. Then they swung the derrick around about
ten feet, and started another one.
Just northwest of Ortega Hill, in the Montecito
Valley, two little creeks join, and just below their
junction there is a small outcrop of asphaltum in the
bank. * * *
At the foot of the hills, cm the shore, a quarter of a
mile east of the well, the rocks are exposed at low
water, and it looks as if there were an anticlinal fold
here. There is also some seepage of oil from these
rocks, and Mr. Williams states that after a slight
earthquake shock one night, in 1883, a jet of oil "as
large as a man's arm " spurted out here for a little
while, but did not last long. Considerable gas also
escapes from these rocks. Their strike is about east
and west. Mr. Williams' wells are just about on the
line ot the anticlinal axis in these rocks, while the
old well at the foot of the hill is on the north
side of it.
A little over one mile east of here a low bluff makes
out a short distance into the sea, and there is also some
seepage of oil. There are also said to be extensive
seepages in "Oil Cafion " and one other caiiou in the
Sauia Ynes range of mountains, some three miles in
an airline northeast from Ortega Hill.
In 18K5 the "Santa Barbara Oil Company" sunk
two wells some 500 or 600 feet deep in " Oil Canon,"
at a point 1,400 or 1,500 feet above tide. There was
much gas here. But at last, either by accident or
malice, the tools were lost in one of the wells, and
the work was abandoned. * * *
Moore's Lauding is near the village of Goleta, about
seven miles west of the city of Santa Barbara. East-
erly from the landing, for a distance of a mile of so
along the shore, the bluffs are forty to seventy-five
feet high, of light gray sandstone, * * in which there
are enormous quantities of asphaltum, which occur
in all imaginable forms. There are occasional well-
defined veins of it, from the tliickness of a sheet of
SAJfrA BARBARA OOUNTT.
135
paper up to two or three feet thick, which extend for
short distances through the heavy-bedded sandstone,
and then run out completely. Again it occurs in
heavy masses twenty or thirty feet and more in diam-
eter. In some places very heavy beds of it run
nearly parallel with the stratification of the sandstone,
while on the other hand many of the small -ceim of it
cut straight through and across the bedding at all
angles. Most of it is largely mixed with sand and
pebbles; but there are large quantities of it which
look very pure. No liquid oil is visible here, nor any
soft pitch either, except what is washed up in small
flakes by the surf on the beach from beneath the
waters of the sea.
Something like a mile to the west of the landing
there is a place in a creek in the salt marsh where a
good deal of gas bubbles up ; and two or three miles
farther southwest is Salinas Point, which projects
some distance into the sea, and about half a mile out-
side of which is one of the large and famous petro-
leum springs beneath the ocean. The depth of the
water where this spring issues was asserted by one
man to be only about fifty feet, but by another to be
fifty fathoms. The latter is more probable. About
eighteen miles off shore here in the channel, and
some two miles north of the island of Santa Cruz
there is also said to be another very large oil spring
under the water.
Mr. H. C. Hobson, of San Luis Obispo, states that
there are very large quantities of asphaltum on the
Sisquoc Rancho, in the northern part of Santa Bar-
bara County, on one of the upper branches of the
Santa Maria River. Sisquoc Creek joins the Santa
Maria River at Fugler's Point, some fifty miles south
of San Luis Obispo.
S^iN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
IN GENERAL.
OEIGINAL AMD DESCRIPTIVE.
San Luis Obispo was one of the original
twenty-seven counties created by act of Leg-
islature, approved February 18, 1850. The
boundaries of this county, as described by
. section 5 of this act, were as follows: "Be-
ginning three English miles west of the
coast at a point due west of the source of the
Nacimiento River, and running due east to
the source of said river; thence down the
middle of said river to its confluence with
Monterey River; thence up or down, as the
case may be, the middle of Monterey River
to the parallel of thirty- six degrees north lat-
itude; thence due east following said parallel
to the summit of the Coast Range; thence
following the summit of said range in a
southeasterly direction to the northeast corner
of Santa Barbara County; thence following
the northern boundary of Santa Barbara
County to the ocean, and three English miles
therein; and thence in a northwesterly di-
rection, parallel with the coast, to the place
of beginning. The seat of justice shall be at
San Luis Obispo."
The area of the county, as originally de-
lined, contained about 3,250 square miles.
This territory was but sparsely populated;
the census for 1850 gave a total population
of 336. The only occupied sections were
the large ranches, where were found but the
dwellings of the proprietors and their em-
ployes. The only focus of population was
at the Mission of San Luis Obispo; this was
the central point of the district, before the
creation of the county; here was the seat of
justice for the surrounding region, and here
were held elections. But even here there
was no assemblage of houses beyond the
mission buildings and a few neighboring
adobe structures.
This county has about ninety miles of
coast, extending along the Pacific Ocean,
northerly and northwesterly, from opposite
the mouth of the Santa Maria River to where
the Sixth Standard South, Monte Diablo Base,
enters the ocean, or to a point about ten
miles northwest of the Piedras Blancas.
Soon after California became a possession
of the United States, this coast was surveyed
under the suprevisiou of Prof. A. L. Bache,
of the United States Coast Survey, the first
report on the survey being published in 1852.
The surveys have been continued under the
charge of Prof. George Davidson, whose vol-
ume, published in 1869, entitled " Coast Pi-
lot of California, Oregon, and Washington,'
SAN LUIS OBISPO O0UNT7.
is the authority for many of the present state-
ments.
The coast of this county has a natural di-
vision into two distinct sections, one of which
extends from Point Sal, in Santa Barbara
County on the south, to Point San Luis on
the north. This division is an indentation
called San Luis Obispo Bay; north of Point
Sal the mountains fall back, and the shore is
formed of sand-hills. The general trend is
north, until the coast commences sweeping
westward to form the bay of San Luis Obispo,
and the shores become high and abrupt.
From Point Sal to Point San Luis the dis-
tance is about seventeen miles in a north-
westerly direction, the beach running
somewhat east of north for about fifteen
miles, when it curves to the northwest, west,
south, and southeast, in a line of ten miles,
forming San Luis Obispo Bay.
A few miles north of Point Sal the Santa
Maria River, emptying into the oceaUj forms
the division line between this and Santa
Barbara County. A few miles north of this
is the Oso Fiaco, and midway of the beach
the Arroyo Grande empties, having received
near its mouth the Pizmo and Arroyo Verde
creeks. The San Luis Creek enters the
northern side of the bay.
The tirst or lower division of this coast is
called Pizmo Beach. Landing was formerly
effected here in fair weather by means of
small boats, and lines through the surf. As
increasing agricultural interests demanded
better facilities, the Pizmo wharf was here
constructed in 1881, extending through the
surf to deep water, opposite the Pizmo
Pancho.
On San Luis Obispo Bay the Coast Sur-
vey made the following report, published in
1852, and republished in 1867: "This bay
is an open roadstead, exposed to the south-
ward, and even during heavy northwest
weather a bad lateral swell rolls in, render-
ing it an uncomfortable anchorage. The
landing is frequently very bad, and often im-
practicable, but the best place is the month
of the creek, keeping the rocks at its month
on the starboard hand. Fresh water may be
obtained at a small stream opening on the
beach half a mile west of the creek. In the
coarse sandstone bluff between these two
places are found gigantic fossil remains.
" Off Point" San Luis, wiiich forms the
southwest part of the bay, are some rocks,
and in making the anchorage vessels should
give this point a berth of half a mile. * * *
The distance from this rock to the mouth of
the creek is a mile and a half. * * * Four
fathoms can be got about a fourth of a mile
from the beach. In winter, anchor far enough
out to clear Point San Luis if a southeaster
should come up. During southerly weather
landing is frequently effected at the watering
place when impracticable at the creek."
In the ante-wharf days, landing was ef-
fected here as elsewhere by means of boats
and lighters, and the disembarking was often,
when the swell was heavy, very dangerous,
as only those places were selected which were
accessible to teams or pack trains on the shore.
In 1860, a small wharf was built at a spot
called Cave Landing, and here passengers
and goods were landed. In 1869 a larger
structure, called the People's Wharf, was
built at the Avila Beach. Here vessels and
steamers could make fast to discharge and
receive cargo. This wharf was exposed to
the violence of the ocean during southwest
storms, preventing landing, and more than
once breaking away the structure.
It was observed that vessels remained more
securely farther to the westward, where the
waves broke less heavily; but here the beach
was very difficult of access, high, rocky bluffs
coming to the edge of the water. Here Mr.
LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
John Harford and others resolved to con-
Btruct a landing, and accordingly in 1872
work was begun, to quarry a way for a rail-
road, and build a wharf to deep water. By
1873 the enterprise was so far advanced that
shipping was received and goods transported
over the railway, then operated by animal
traction, to a point accessible to teams, a dis-
tance of some two miles. Such was the ori-
gin of Port Harlbrd, which now has a wharf
1,800 feet long, with warehouse and offices
upon it, and a large hotel at the land end.
Vessels of up to 3,000 tons' burthen touch at
this wharf regularly, and it is constantly
crowded with business. Passengers and
freight are conveyed to San Luis Obispo
and other towns by the Pacific Coast Railway,
whose trains run out upon the wharf twice
a day.
The second division of this county's coast
is an irregular shore line, extending north-
ward from Point San Luis to where the
Santa Lucia Range abuts upon the coast, at
the northern extreme of the county. Con-
cerning this section, the Coast Survey's report
says: —
" To the northwest of the bay of San Luis
Obispo rises to a great height the Monte de
Enchon, which is readily distinguished in
coming from the northward or the southward.
* * * From Point San Luis the
coast trends in a straight line west-northweet
for eight miles., and close along the shore of
this stretch are several large rocks. Thence
the coast trends abruptly to the north, to the
high, conical rock called El Morro, distant
eiwht miles — these two shores forming the
seaward base of Mount Euchon. From El
Morro the shore line gradually trends to the
westward, thus forming a deep indentation
or bay, designated as Estero Bay on the
Coast Survey chart. Behind El Morro are
several lagoons or streams, where a harbor
for light- draft vessels could be made at com-
paratively small expense, and the high land
etreats for souie distance, leaving the shore
low and sandy, while the north shore is rug-
ged and guarded by rocks. The northwest
point of the bay is called Punta de los Este-
ros, on the old Spanish charts, distant thir-
teen miles. A line joining these points
shows that the bay is about five miles deep.
" In this bay is the landing of Cayucos
where Captain James Cass, in 1873, built
a substantial wharf, witii tramway, ware-
houses, etc.
" From Point Los Esteros to the western
point of anchorage of San Simeon, the coast
runs nearly straight northwest by west for a
distance of fifteen miles. The shores are not
so bold as to the southward or northward,
and the mountains fall back, leaving a tine,
rolling country of no great elevation, and
well suited to agriculture. We have seen
wild oats growing here over six feet in
height — not one or two stalks, but in acres.
San Simeon Bat. — " This is a small, ex-
posed roadstead, but affords tolerably good
anchorage during northwest winds. * * *
The indenta'ion of the shore line forming
the bay trends between northwest and north
for half a mile, and then sweeps away to the
westward about a mile and a half, gradually
taking a southeast direction. The land be-
hind the bay is comparatively low and gently
rolling, the high hills retiring well inland.
The high hills behind this shore are
marked by redwood trees along their crest
line, and upon some of their flanks. * * *
It was in this bay that the steamship Pioneer,
in 18 — , put in leaking badly, was driven or
dragged upon the beach, and after being
abandoned by the underwriters was got off
and carried to San Francisco.
" In making this harbor from the north-
ward vessels must sight the Piedras Blancas
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
("White Rocks) foiir miles west, three-quar-
ters north of the southwest point of San
Simeon. They are two large, white, sharp-
topped rocks, and nothing else like them is
found on this part of the coast. When the
outer rock bears north-northwest about two
miles distant, it bears a very striking resem-
blance to a lion oouokant. The geographical
position of the outer and larger rock is, ap-
proximately, latitude 35° 39' north; longi-
tude, 121° 15' west. * * * From
Piedras Blancas the coast trends northwest
half west for a distance of fifty-seven miles,
in an almost perfectly straight line."
ORGANIZATION.
In the division of the State into Assem-
bly and Senatorial districts, San Luis Obispo
was allowed to elect one Assemblyman,
and San Luis Obispo and Santa Bar-
bara counties were united in a Sena-
torial district to elect one Senator. Don
Pablo de la Guerra of Santa Barbara was
sent out as Senator, although it was claimed
that more votes were cast for Captain Will-
iam G. Dana, of San Luis Obispo. Henry
A. Tefft was the first Assemblyuian from this
county. Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo
composed the Second Judicial district, in
which court was ordered to be held in the
more northern county-seat, beginning on the
first Monday of March, of July, and of Octo-
ber, in each year. At the election held April
14, 1850, J. Mariano Bonilla was elected
County Judge; Henry J. Dally, Sheriff;
Charles James Freeman, County Clerk; Joa-
quin Estrada, County Recorder; John Wil-
son, County Treasurer and Collector; Joseph
Warren and Jesus Luna, Justices of the
Peace. The statute creating the courts au-
thorized the Court of Sessions to order elec-
tions to fill vacancies, and also to fill vacancies
pro tern. Here as elsewhere the court con-
sisted of the County Judge and two Justices
of the Peace. The first session, held in July,
1850, appointed Francis Z. Branch, Assessor;
William Hutton, County Surveyor, and Will-
iam Stenner, Harbor Master; also Stephen
Purdie to fill the office of County Recorder,
resigned by Joaquin Estrada; and in August,
when Purdie in his turn resigned, his suc-
ceisor, S. A. Pollard, was appointed. There
were in this county several incumbents of
the ofiice of Jues de Camjyo (Judge of the
Fields or Country), a feature adapted from
the old Spanish regime. This ofiicer had
supervision over the ownership, branding,
driving, and killing of cattle, and other ques-
tions relating to this subject, and in those
counties containing the great stock ranges
his functions were very important.
The first mention of any other township
than that of San Luis Obispo is in the rec-
ords of the Court of Sessions which appointed
these judges of the fields and prescribed
their duties. Here reference is made to the
township of Nipomo, and to that of the Third
Precinct.
At the election held in 1853 there were
cast 137 votes in San Luis.
After a meeting of the board of supervi-
sors, August 3, 1859, which added three
more precincts to those already existing, the
county contained election precincts as fol-
lows: — San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Ar-
royo Grande, San Miguel, Costa, and Es-
trella.
For a number of years all the proceedings
of the Court of Sessions of San Louis Obispo
were conducted in Spanish, and all the ac-
counts, and such records as were kept, were
entered in that language, which alone was
spoken by the great majority of the people,
and by those who composed the oflicial corps
and the juries.
SAW LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
ANNALS OF THE COUNTY 1851-1890.
In the early days an act of I he Legisla-
ture provided for public advertising in this
county, requiring that all public notices
should be posted at the houses of three speci-
fied citizens of the county.
The total vote here at the first election
under American rule was twenty-nine. The
first after the constitution was adopted was
forty-five. At the election of 1851 for gov
ernor, San Luis Obispo gave eight votes for
the Democratic, and fifty-eight for the Whig^
candidate, this being the lowest vote polled
in any county in the State, whose whole vote
was 46,009. This county continued Whig
for some years.
During the 'GOs the inequitable assess-
ments on lands caused great dissatisfaction
in San Luis Obispo as elsewhere, and, a test
case having been carried through various
courts, it was declared that the action of the
Board of Equalization, in increasing the as-
sessments, was unjustitial)le in law. The
taxes were therefore paid according to the
original asesssment. The assessed valuations
this year were : real estate, $177,711.60;
personal property, $311,121.25; total, $488,-
832.85. The tax rate was $3.85; total tax,
$18,598.90. There was in the county
treasury a total of $4,881.50.
During the decade of 1850-'60 San Luis
Obispo County was indeed " a dark and bloody
ground," where the peaceable and law-abiding
citizen was far enough from finding security
and protection. In 1853a gang ofeightorten
men committed murders and robberies here-
abouts, and then left for Los Angeles, where
they were captured,' five paying the supreme
penalty for their crimes, and the rest escaping.
For the next five years, hardly a month
passed without the disappearance of some
traveler, or the finding of one or more bodies
of men slain for plunder.
The murder of George Fearless in 1856,
presumably by Jesus Luna, unpunished; the
murder of the two Frenchmen, Obiesa and
Graciano, on the Nacimiento, in December,
1857, by Jack Powers, Pio Linares, and the
Huero Eafael, who all escaped justice; the
cold-blooded murder at San Juan Capistrano
of the French rancheros, Baratie and Borel,
and the abduction oF Mnie. Baratie by eight
men who had enjoyed their hospitality, are
among the most flagrant cases of those days.
Of these criminals six paid the forfeit of their
lives, either by hanging at the hands of the
law or by shooting by their pursuers.
These crimes were of unspeakable detri-
ment to San Luis Obispo County. A deputy
United States surveyor was at the time en-
gaged in surveying the public lands, and
dividing them from those comprised in the
Spanish grants, many choice locations thus
being found available for settlement. Fur-
tiier, many of the old ranchos were changing
hands. The San Simeon rancho had been
sold to a Spanish gentleman named Pujol, a
part of the San Geronimo to oTie Senor Castro,
the Blackburns of Santa Cruz had gathered
about them on the Paso Robles quite a colony
of Americans, and the Frenchmen Borel and
Baratie were cultivating the San Juan Capis-
trano rancho when they m.et their untimely
end. Naturally enough, the evil fame of these
atrocities spread far and wide, and deterred
from immigration many worthy people whose
advent would have contributed greatly to the
development of the section.
Opposite the priests' house, in Monterey
street, the padres had erected a whipping-
post, whereon to punish refractory Indians.
After the coming of the Americans, they still
used it as a means of punishment, up to 1854
or 1855. It was made of stone, with a base
two and one-half feet square, and four feet
high, from which arose a cylindrical column.
SAJV LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
some eighteen inclies in diameter, and six
feet high, all well cemented and smooth.
On the top wasastone sun-dial, which marked
the time for the padres, who were very scan-
tily supplied with clocks and watches.
It is stated that one sheriff here whipped
a Mexican, for a heinous crime, so severely
that the creature died in consequence.
As late as 1862 there was in San Luis no
watchmaker, and all time-pieces to be repaired
had to be taken to San Francisco.
In 1864 the Steele Brothers made a cheese
eighteen inches thick, and over twenty feet
in circumference, with a weight of 3,580
pounds. They presented it to the Sanitary
Commission, who placed it on exhibition at
the Mechanics' Institute Fair in San Fran-
cisco, and then sold it for the benefit of sick
and wounded soldiers, it bringing over .$3,000.
In September, 1883, a tire at Corral de
Piedra destroyed 260 tuns cf hay, and build-
ings, harness, etc., to the amount of about
$5,000, uninsured.
In October, 1883, was organized a local
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals.
A tire at San Luis during this month
burned portions of several buildings, includ-
ing part of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, causing
losses to the amount of $8,000.
In December, 1883, the town had a popu
lation of over 3,500.
The unusually rainy season of 1883-'84
caused great damage here as elsewhere in
Southern California; landslides, destru-ction
of roads and bridges, and some loss of life en-
sued from the excess of waters, with delayed
mails and traffic incidental.
In January, 1884, the community was
much exercised over the murder of Francisco
Correa, shot in a lonely spot. It was gen-
erally supposed, and all the circumstantiaF
evidence tended to prove, that he was killed
by his step-son, Jose Correa; but, although
the young man was taken into custody several
times, it was found impossible to convict him.
In March, 1884, the sheriff, with a posse,
captured a gang of counterfeiters and their
mint, on San Bernardo Creek, they having
been on the books of the authorities for some
time.
In the closing days of March, 1884, a severe
hail-storm caused such deposits of frozen
drops that a regular siege of snow-balling
followed — a thing unprecedented in the ex-
perience of many native born here.
In the spring of 1884 work was begun on
the " Andrews " Hotel, the contract being for
$62,497. The site was valued at $20,000,
and other costs brought the value of the com-
pleted building up to $100,000. The An-
drews was in its day the largest California
hotel outside of San Francisco, excepting the
Del Monte. This large, fine, elegantly fur-
nished structure stood near the court-house.
It was the property of an incorporated com-
pany, being named for Mr. J. P. Andrews,
one of the syndicate, who was at that time
president of the San Luis Obispo Bank. It
contained 112 rooms. It was open to guests
in June, 1885.
In July, 1884, was organized the Gentle-
men's Social Club of San Luis Obispo, with
forty members. The oflicers were: C. II.
Phillips, president; Wra. L. Beebe, vice-presi-
dent; J. A. Goodrich, secretary; J. P. An-
drews, treasurer; J. M. Fillmore and K. E.
Jack, directors.
In August, 1884, died on board the steamer
Los Angeles, Judge W. J. Graves, of conges-
tion of the brain, superinduced by over ex-
ertion in reaching the steamer. Judge
Graves, the recognized head of the bar of San
Luis Obispo, was a pioneer, having arrived
in California in 1849, and in 1852 in San
Luis, where he had, with an interval of a few
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
years, resided ever since. He was an ex-
Assemblyman and ex-State]Senator. Appro-
priate resolutions of respect and regret were
adopted by the local bar.
On September 27, 1884, JefE Drake, who
kept a saloon about four miles from the town,
shot and mortally wounded in his bar-i-oom
one man, and wounded another so as to cause
loss of one arm.
The flouring-mill was converted into a
roller mill in September, 1884.
During 1884 about $8,000 worth (or from
30,000 to 40,000) of fruit trees were planted
in the Estrella region.
Early in November, 1884, the Mission Dis-
trict school-house was burned, a loss of
$6,000, with $3,000 insurance. This was the
second attempt by incendiaries within a few
weeks to destroy the building, in which
burned many valuable books, records, etc.
Of the Southern California counties of
San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles,
Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis
Obispo, this county in 1884 stood first in the
yield of wheat and oats, the average yield
there being twenty-four and sixty bushels
respectively to the acre; and in the yield of
barley second, with an average product of
thirty-six bx;shels to the acre.
In 1884 San Luis County contained twelve
road districts, six judicial townships, and five
supervisional districts.
In the spring of 1885 the fine new steamer
Santa Rosa was put on the service of the
Pacific Coast Steamship Company.
On the night of Tuesday, January 13, 1885,
a fire destroyed the costly and elegantly fur-
nished residence of Mr. Ed. Smith, in the Los
Tablas Valley, the net loss being about $15,000.
In the early part of July, 1885, two men
were killed and four wounded on the Estrella
plains, in a shooting affray growing out of
an old feud.
On August 16, 1885, Dr. J. P. Mooklar
shot and killed Robert C. Lo^vrie at San
Miguel, in a quarrel while under the influ-
ence of liquor. This was one of the causes
celebres of the county.
In November, 1885, occurred the phenom-
enal storm wlierein eleven inches of rain
fell, of which nine inches came within
twelve hours. Through the washing away
of roads and bridges, the railroad, breaking
of telegraph lines, and stoppage of travel,
trafiic and the mails, damages were done
amounting, in the city alone, to some $20,-
000. About 200 feet of Pizmo wharf
was washed away by the breakers.
In December, 1885, the population of San
Luis County was estimated at 17,500; of the
city, 3,000; and of tiie school district of San
Luis, 3,500. The rate of taxation for State and
county was $1.50. and for city purposes $0 50.
During 1885 260 passengers came from
Los Angeles to Port Harford by steamer.
San Luis County in 1885 stood twenty-
second in school rank among the fifty-two
counties of the State, and received from the
State School Fund $4,807.84.
In 1885 there were collected and paid to
the county treasurer of San Luis Obispo,
$147,536.50.
In 1885 an ice factory was constructed at
San Luis Obispo.
In 1885 the Methodist congregation made
various additions and improvements to their
church edifice, at a cost of about $1,000.
The Young Men's Home Association was
organized in 1885.
The postmaster's annual report for 1885
showed a total of 2,959 registered pieces
handled, the gross receipts of the oflice being
$2,746.61.
In January, 1886, the new mission school-
house was completed, to replace the structure
burned in October, 1883.
SAN WIS OBISPO COUNTY.
133
On March 19, 1886, died Charlotte L.,
wife of Myron Angel, the well-known jonr-
nalist and author of San Lnis Obispo. Her
funeral was most largely attended.
On March 31, 1886, Peter Hemnie, a resi-
dent of the county since 1851, and his
eighteen-year-old son, shot and killed, in
their garden at Arroyo Grande, Eugene
Walker and his wife. The cause was a sense
of injury over the deprivation of a small
piece of land which Hemnie had fenced in as
part of his pre-emption claims, but which
iiad been patented by Walker. The citizens
of the outraged community that night
formed a party, took the murderers from
custody and hanged them from the timbers
of the railroad bridge.
On Sunday, April 18, 1886, the Andrews
Hotel caught lire from a defectiv(> joint in a
terra cotta chimney, and in less than three
hours it was but a mass of embers. The
loss in the hotel alone was $75,000, and in
its furniture $20,000; no insurance. The
tlames were communicated to neighboring
buildings, with the result of losses as follows:
San Luis Obispo Bank building, value $85,-
000, insured for $10,000; brick building ad-
joining, belonging to the bank, $10,000, in-
sured for $5,000; postoffice, belonging to the
bank, $1,000; Payne & McLeod's livery
stable, $1,200. Other losses to individuals,
guests, employes, etc,, brought the aggre-
gate up to at least $1,600,00, with $19,000
insurance. The court-house, over 100 yards
distant, caught fire, and was saved only by
prompt and great exertions, as was also the
case with the flouring-mill of Steele &
Wheelan. The buoyant citizens, within
twenty-four hours of the burning, had raised
$31,050 toward the liuiiding of a $200,000
snccessor.
On July 5, 1886, another large lire, caused
by the celebration pyrotechnics, consumed
$10,550 worth of property, which breakages,
thefts, etc., increased to a grand total of
$15,150; insurance, $3,700.
In August, 1886, a Kindergarten was
opened in San Luis Obispo.
Tn 1886 there were collected and paid to
San Luis Obispo's county treasurer $150,-
125.28 of taxes.
A board of trade, organized in February,
1887, expired after about two years' dura-
tion.
In February, 1887, an insane man named
Dougherty, who had been at large some time,
being well known in the county, set out run-
ning amuck with the avowed intention to
kill his wife and other persons, and he was
shot down by armed citizens as a protective
measure.
In 1887 " the boom " struck San Luis
Obispo, and in the week from March 11 to
17 the prices of real estate advanced fifty
per cent., in many cases 100 per cent. Build-
ing received an impetus.
In the spring of 1888 the steamer Queen
of the Pacific sunk at Port Harford, owing
to the entrance of water through an open
deadlight in a side compartment of the hold.
She was raised within a few days, and re-
stored to service.
The year 1888 witnessed the construction
of a handsome hall of records, built in an
elegant, modern style nf architecture, at a
cost of $14,000.
It was also during this >'boom" period
that arrangements were made with the r.oted
engineer. Colonel George Waring, to make
plans for a system of sewage. To this pur-
pose he visited the town and made the plans,
at a cost of $800 to the municipality. The
city was surveyed, but no further movement
was taken in the matter. The fulfillment of
the plans would have required an expendi-
ture of $150,000, for which it was purposed
134
SAN LUIS OBISPO G0UNT7.
to vote bonds of the city. The question has
not yet been submitted to tlie people.
The report of the county school superin-
tendent, rendered in June, 1888, showed the
county to contain 4,149 census children;
total number enrolled in public schools,
3,249; average daily attendance, 1,797; aver-
age number belonging, 1,958. There were
eighty-six school districts, and 100 teachers,
who received an average salary of $73 for the
meu, and $62.50 for the women. There
were received from all sources for school
purposes $94,476.74.
Owing to the lowered rates on imported
ice, the iceworks was sold, and the plant re-
moved, December, 1889.
The scliool census report of June 80, 1889,
showed a total of 4,402 census children in
the county; a total enrollment of 3,510; an
average of 2,284 belonging; and an average
daily attendance of 2,097. There were now
105 teachers, supplying eighty-nine districts.
The average salary for men was $75, and for
women $62.50. The total receipts for school
purposes was $79,869.84.
The assessment roll for 1889 was made up
as follows: Keal estate, $9,068,636; im-
provements on same, $725,564; city lots,
$1,316,108; improvements on same, $677,-
566; improvements on land of others, $84,-
891; mining claims and improvements,
$1,825; money and credits, $97,215; telegraph
and phone lines, $9,922; personal property,
$2,358,429; total, $14,340,256.
This increase of about $600,000 over the
roll of the preceding year was not due to the
increase of values, but to the addition to the
roll of about 60,000 of pre-empted lands, etc.
The acreage of wheat this year was 96,385;
oats, 4,246 ;°barley, 48,360; corn, 765; hay,
25,780; acres table grapes, 432; wine grapes,
426; number vines, 514,835; number fruit
trees. 38,325.
The tax levy for 1889-'90 for State and
county purposes is $1.42 on the $100.
In January, 1890, natural gas was discov-
ered on the Tar Spring Kancho. As yet, it
has not been developed.
The total rainfall from October 8, 1889, to
May 11, 1890, was 38.71 inches, a very un-
usual quantity.
Tlie auditor's report, at the close of the
last fiscal year, June 30, 1890, showed the
county's money to stand as follows:
Gold $28,27400
Silver 3,59484
Currency 5,658.37
County Warrants paid during the month 108.75
Certificates of Deposit 25,000.00
Total 163,035.96
LAND GRANTS.
The land grants in San Luis- Obispo
County, according to geographical position,
ranging from north to south, are as follows:
Piedra Blanca, eleven leagues; grantee and
confirmee, Jose de Jesus Pico; surveyed and
finally confirmed by natural boundaries; pat-
ented October 9, 1876, for 48,805.59 acres.
Subsequent owners, Juan Castro, heirs of
Mariano Pacheco, Peter Gillis, George Hearst,
and others.
San Simeon. One league. Grantee, Jose
Ramon Estrada; confirmee, Jose Miguel
Gomez. Patented April 1, 1865. Contains
4,468.81 acres.
Santa Rosa. Three leagues. Grantee ai.'d
confirmee, Julian Estrada. Survey includes
13,183.62 acres. Patented March 18, 1865.
San Geronimo. Two leagues. Grantee
and confirmee, Rafael Villavicencio. Patented
July 10, 1876, and then surveyed; 8,893.35
acres.
Morro y Cayucos. Grantees, Martin Oli-
vera and Vicente Feliz. Confirmee, James
McKinley. Patented January 19, 1878, and
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
surveyed; 8,845.49 acres. Subdivided and
sold ill farms and dairy ranches.
San Bernardo. One league. Grantee
and confirmee, Vicente Canet. Surveyed
and patented April 1, 1865; 4,379.42 acres.
Sail Luisito. One league. Orantee and
coutirmee, Guadalupe Cantua. Patented
March 18, 1860, and surveyed; 4,389.13
acres.
Canada del Chorro. One league. Grantees,
James Scott and John Wilson. Confirmed to
John Wilson. Surveyed and patented March
29, 1861; 3,166.99 acres.
Huerta de Romualdo or El Chorro.
Grantee, Romualdo, an Indian; confirmee,
John Wilson. Confirmed by District Court
of the United States, February 9, 1857; one-
tenth of one square league, or 117.13 acres.
Patented April 13, 1871.
Canada de los Osos, y Pecho, e Yslay.
Gi'antees, Victor Linares, Francisco Badillo,
James Scott, and John Wilson. Finally con-
firmed, surveyed, and patented to John
Wilson, September 23, 1869; 32,430.70
acres.
Potrero de San Luis Obispo. Grantee
and confirmee, Maria Goncepcion Boronda.
Finally confirmed, surveyed and patented,
July 1, 1870; 3,506.33 acres.
SantaFe. Grantee, Victor Linares. Con-
firmed and surveyed. Patented August 19,
1866; 1,000 varas square; 156.76 acres.
La Laguna. One league Mission land.
Confirmed to Archbishop Joseph Sador Ale-
many and patented; 4,157.02 acres.
San Miyuelito. Three leagues. Grantee
and confirmee, Miguel Avila. Patented Au-
gust 8, 1867, and surveyed; 22,135.89 acres.
Corral de Piedra. Seven leagues. Grantte
and confirmee, Jose Maria Villavicencio.
Surveyed and patented October 29, 1867;
30,911.20 acres.
Pismo. Two leagues. Grantee and con-
firmee, Isaac J. Sparks. Surveyed and pat-
ented, November 16,1866; 8,838.89 acres.
Arroyo Grande or San Ramon. One
league. Grantee Zeferino Carlon; Confirmee,
Francis Z. Branch. Patented and surveyed
April 10, 1867; 4,437.58 acres.
Santa Manuela. Grantee and confirmee,
Francis Z. Branch.- Patented August 22,
1868, and surveyed; 16,954.83 acres.
Bolsa de Chemisal. Grantee, Francisco
Quijada; confirmee, Lewis T. Burton. Sur-
veyed and patented August 27, 1867; 14,-
335.22 acres.
Nijpomo. — Eleven leagues. Grantee and
confirmee, William G. Dana. Patented De-
cember 14, 1868, and surveyed. 37,887.91
acres.
Suey. Five leagues. Grantee and con-
firmee, Ramona Carrillo de Wilson. Pat-
ented August 10, 1865, and surveyed; 24,-
497 acres of this ranclio are in San Luis
Obispo County, and it also contains 23,737.77
acres in Santa Barbara County.
Uuasna. Five leagues. Grantee and con-
firmee, Isaac T. Sparks. Patented January
23, 1879, and surveyed; 22,152,99 acres.
Santa Maria., or Tepusquet. Two leagues,
partly in Santa Barbara County. Grantee,
Tomas Oil vera. Confirmed to Antonio Maria
de Cata and others. Patented February 23,
1871, and surveyed. 8,900.75 acres, of which
2,950 are in San Luis Obispo.
The land grants lying on the east side of
the Santa Lucia Range are as follows:
Santa Margarita. Four leagues. Grantee
and confirmee, Joaquin Estrada. Surveyed
and patented April 9, 1861; 17,734 acres.
Atascadero. One league. Grantee, Trifon
Garcia; confirmee, Henry Haight. Surveyed
and patented June 18, 1860; 4,348.23 acres.
Lies west of Salinas River, between the
ranchos Santa Margarita and Asuncion.
Asuncion. Ten leagues. Grantee and con-
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
finnee, Pedro Estrada. Patented March 22,
1866, and surveyed; 39,224.81 acres.
Paso de Rohles. Six leagues. Grantee,
Pedro Narvaez; confirmee, Petronilo Rios.
Patented July 12, 1866, and surveyed; 25,-
993.18 acres. North of the Asuncion, and
west of the Salinas River. This rancho has
the Paso de Robles Hot Springs in its north-
ern part.
Santa Ysahel. Four leagues, 17,774.12
acres. Grantee and confirmee, Francisco Arce.
Surveyed and patented May 21, 1866. Lies
east of Paso de Robles and the Salinas River.
Cholamie. Six leagues, lying partly in
San Luis Obispo, and partly in Monterey
County. Grantee, Mauricio Gonzalez; con-
firmee, Ellen E. White. Patented April 1,
1865, and surveyed; 26,627.10 acres.
IIuer-Huero. Three leagues; 15,684.95
acres, to which Flint, Bixby & Co. added
31,160 acres of Government land. Grantee,
Jose Mariano Bonilla; confirmee, Francis Z.
Branch. Patented August 9, 1866, and sur-
veyed. Lies between the Salinas and Estrella
rivers.
Mission San Luis Obispo; 52.72 acres,
comprising the present church buildings, and
land covered by the city of San Luis Obispo.
Property of the Roman Catholic Church,
confirmed to Archbishop Joseph Sadoi Ale-
many. Patented September 2, 1859.
Lot in Mission San Luis Obisj>o, contain-
ing one acre, confirmed to John Wilson.
1 Cuyaina. Grantee, Jose Maria Rojo;
confirmee, Maria Antonio de la Guerra and
Pesario Lataillade. Patented July 20, 1877,
for 22,193.21 acres.
^ Cuyama. Grantee, Jose Maria Rojo;
confirmed to the heirs of Cesario Lataillade.
Patented January 10, 1879.
Guadalupe. Grantees and confirmees,
Diego OH vera and Teodoro Orrel lanes. Pat-
ented June 30, 1866; 30,408.03 acres.
Pimta de la Laguna, containing 26,-
648.42 acres. Grantees and confirmees, Luis
Arrellanes and E. M. Ortega. Patented Oc-
tober 2, 1873.
The Cuyamas, two-thirds of the Guadalupe,
and the Punta de la Laguna^ excepting about
700 acres of the last mentioned, lie within
Santa Barbara County, but the United States
maps place them in San Luis Obispo County,
with which they are often reckoned.
Besides the large granted tracts, individual
purchases have been made of Government
land, whose extent in the aggregate exceeds
the grants made under the Mexican system.
Among these are the following:
Las Chimeneas., containing 20,000 acres,
situated near the head of the San Juan River,
in the soutliern part of the county.
La Panza, extending twenty-two miles
along the San Juan River valley; 31,000 acres.
L]l Saucito, in the western part of the
Carriso Plains; contains 2,560 acres.
La Cometa, lying northwest of La Panza,
containing 36,139 acres.
San Juan, comprising 39,780 acres, on
the San Juan River, north of La Panza.
California, comprising 18,155 acres, lying
west of the San Juan.
Estrella, containing 25,140 acres, on the
Estrella River, near the junction with the San
Juan.
Sacramento, of 15,900 acres.
Whim Rancho, in the southwestern part
of Carriso Plain; 30,000 acres.
McDonald Tract, comprising 57,386 acres,
lying in Carriso Plain and Carriso Valley.
Schults and Von Bergen Tract, 21,000
acres, in the Carriso Plain.
Marrow Tract, 33,000 acres, in the upper
portion of the San Juan Valley.
St. Remij, consisting of the Arroyo Grande
Rancho of 4,437.29 acres, and 1,500 acres
lying at the head of the Arroyo Grande.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
Among the great land-owners before the
beginning of American rule, were William
G. Dana, John "Wilson, John M. Price, Fran-
cis Z. Branch and Isaac J. Sparks, of the
foreign element, besides many native Cali-
fornians.
TOPOGEAPHT.
San Lnis Obispo, classed as one of the
southern coast counties of California, has
as its western boundary the Pacific Ocean,
and for its eastern the Monte Diablo Range,
which separates the county from the Tulare
Valley, this boundary fallowing the summit
of the mountains in a trend northwest and
southeast; the northern boundary is a direct
east and west line; the southern follows the
Santa Maria or Cuyama River. Thus the
general shape of the county is a parallelo-
gram, averaging sixty-five miles long by fifty
wide, with a total area of 3,250 square miles.
The county lies between the thirty-fifth and
thirty-sixth degrees of latitude, and the
longitiide runs from about 119° 20' to 121°
20' west from Greenwich. The territory is
rolling, and traversed by several ranges. The
chief physical feature is the Santa Lucia
Range, running almost parallel with the
coast, and dividing the county into unequal
parts, of distinctive characteristics. West of
the Santa Lucia lie* about one-fourth of the
county, the mountains toward the south
trending eastward, continuing to a junction
witii the Monte Diablo Range, and dividing
the Cuyama from the headwaters of the Sali
nas and San Juan rivers. From Estero Bay
the Mount Buchon Range extends about
twenty miles southeastward, 1,200 to 2,000
feet high; it is cut through by the San Luis
and Arroyo Verde creeks. Between these
ranges is a succession ot detached buttes, as
the Mission and Bishop's Peaks, having an
elevation of 1,500 and 1,800 feet. This
butte range on the southeast gradually runs
into low, scattered hills, while on the north-
east it terminates in Morro Rock, in Estero
Bay. Westward to the ocean from the Santa
Lucia flow very many small streams, such as
the Sau Corcopero, Santa Rosa, Toro, Old
Creek, San Luis, Arroyo Verde, Arroyo
Grande, and others, beside the numerous
branches. These streams are marked by
many canons, with valleys of considerable
exteut, which, as well as much of the hill
lands, are very fertile. The Salinas River
flows from south tu north through nearly tiie
whole extent of that portion of the county
east of the Santa Lucia. Its tributaries are:
from the west, the ISanta Margarita, Atasca-
dero, Paso Robles and San Marcos creeks;
from the east, the Estrella and its branches,
the Huer-Huero, San Juan, and others; the
San Juan in its turn receiving the Carriso,
La Panza, Montezuma, French, and other
small streams. These smaller streams gen-
erally are so nearly dry as to fail to reach
the main water courses. This region gener-
ally has very fertile soil; it is mostly hilly,
and in the southern portion mountainous,
and is well wooded in oaks and pines. The
extremes of heat and cold here are greater
than in the district west of the Santa Lucia.
East of the San Juan Creek is a high, tree-
less basin, called the Carriso Plain. It is
forty-five miles long by eight to ten wide.
It ranges from 1,000 feet elevation in the
center to 1,300 at the extremes. The drain-
age goes to the central depression, which
during the dry season is a great bed of salt,
one to two miles wide and five miles long.
This becomes a lake in "wet" years. The
stock-raisers for miles around liave long re-
sorted hither to salt their flocks and herds.
Very densely salt water is obtained by sink-
ing some four feet. For a few miles north
of this lake the soil contains some little
138
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
alkali, but most of tlie plain is of fine agri-
cultural possibilities.
This land was mostly bought up some
years aiio by capitalists of San Francisco,
with a view to speculation, J. M. and R. H.
McDonald, 1. Glasier, Schultz & Von Bergen
owning about 50,000 acres, 47,000 acres, and
21,800 acres respectively, while large tracts
were held also by Haggin & Carr and others.
The following description of the geographi-
cal divisions of the county is from a report of
tlie State mineralogist: " The Santa Lucia
Mountains, which are the westerly-lying
ridge of the coast range, strike northwest and
southeast across the entire length of this
county, the other branch of the coast range,
though more broken, occupying its easterly
portion. Between these mountain ranges,
and flanking them on the east and west, occur
many valleys and much low hill land, con-
stituting the principal agricultural districts
of the county. "Wild oats and the native
grasses grow abundantly all over this county,
making it one of the best grazing regions in
the State. As a consequence, large numbers
of cattle and sheep, the most of them im-
proved breeds, are pastured here.
" The cereal crops and fruits of most kinds
are also largely produced, both the soil and
the climate being highly favorable to their
growth.
"The county is watered by the upper tribu-
taries of the Salinas River, flowing north;
San Simi Creek, running southwest and
emptying into San Luis Bay; and by the
Cuyama River, flowing across its southern
border, and forming in part the dividing line
between this and Santa Barbara County.
The timber here consists chiefly of oak,
madrono and manzanita, with a little scrubby
pine on the mountains.
'•The trend of this range is north 46° west
Tlie general altitude is 2,500 to 3,000 feet,
but in the south there are peaks rising as
high as 7,000 feet. The strip of land be-
tween the western base of the foot-hills and
the sea is five to flfteen miles wide.
"The aspect of this range, as seen from the
west, is of precipitous and forbidding moun-
tains; in reality, the mountain-wall is broken
by many inlets, which follow little streams,
such as the Arroyo Grande, Lopez Creek,
Corral de Piedra, San Luis Chorro, Morro,
Van Ness, Santa' Rosa, Old Creek and others,
opening into delightfully fertile valleys.
Those valleys on the northeastern side of the
range are much higher than that of San Luis
Obispo, which is 190 feet above sea level,
while Santa Margarita Valley is nearly 800
feet higher, and the Cuesta is 1,350 feet
above the sea.
" These mountains viewed from the east
appear more accessible, being made up of
many detached buttes and lateral spurs,
interspersed with deep, romantic canons,
broad valleys and verdant pastures. This
region is well covered w'ith noble white oaks
of wide spread, together with a smaller
variety scattered among nut pines on the
ridges; laurel, balm of Gilead, Cottonwood
and sycamore in the canons, and live oak and
chemisal on the mountain sides.
" On this slope the Salinas River and its
branches take their rise, the principal tribu-
taries being the Santa Margarita, Atascadero,
Paso Robles and Nacimiento."
The county, owing to the direction and
character of the Santa Lucia Range of moun-
tains, is naturally divided into two sections,
the western and eastern — the coast and inte-
rior. Conforming to this division are the
two distinctions of soil, elsewhere noted,
which make the general character of the east-
ern and western portions of the county diver.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
gent. Lying open to the sea, that portion
between the Santa Lucia Range and the
Pacific enjoys the refreshing coolness of the
ocean, has a greater rainfall, and enjoys many
advantages peculiar to itself as compared with
the eastern portion of the county, while on
the other hand the latter enjoys a climate
and warmth that must give it some pre-
enninent advantages over its western counter-
part. Another more obvious and practical
distinction is that of the rancho and public
lands. San Luis Obispo County has a total
area of 2,290,000 acres. Of this 561,073
acres are included in the Spanish grants,
leaving 1,728,926 acres of public lands. The
grants lie along the coast or on the Salinas
River, with the greater number on the coast,
thus leaving the interior portion of the county
mostly public lands. The grants include
much of the rich bottom along the streams,
but by no means all of the good land of the
county. The thousands of acres of Govern-
ment land are among the most fertile of the
State. There are in all thirty-five grants in
the county, thirteen of the largest of which,
aggregating 200,000 acres, have been sub-
divided and sold off in smaller lots or are
now on tiie market. So rapid have been the
sales of these lands, that of the three or four
great ranches placed upon the market in the
year 1887, but a comparatively small portion
remained unsold. As the market calls for it-,
as the increase of taxes and of value render
it advantageous, the owners of others of the
very best and largest grants will be forced to
place them on the market, thus affording
opportunity for others to secure homes under
San Luis Obispo's genial skies. The Govern-
ment land, as already stated, embraces by far
the greater portion of tiie county. Of late,
settlers have been flocking in, and the land is
being rapidly settled up; still there are thou-
sands of acres of the finest kind of rolling
land, adapted to mixed farming, stock raising,
and more especially fruit-raising; the latter
kind of land being the most valuable when
lying along the hills or at the foot of the
mountains. All of the public land that is
open to settlement can be acquired under the
pre-emption laws of the United States at
$1.25 per acre, and San Luis Obispo County
can heartily say to the intending settler,
" Come, settle in our midst and enjoy the
luxuries, pleasures and beauties of our Cali-
fornia home." To the man of means who
does not care to undergo the hardships inci-
dent to taking up land fresh from the hand
of nature, and by his own stnrd}' labor sur-
round himself with all the comforts and
luxuries of a home, there are thousands of
opportunities to purchase improved farms at
almost any price to suit his fancy or funds.
If he desires to follow simple farming, as
already noted, there are numbeiless oppor-
tunities to secure the fertile ranch lands that
are on the market, at from $10 to $50 per
acre. For grazing purposes the hills offer
ample room for all, at a cost but little in
advance of Government prices. ALjng the
coast some of the finest dairying land in the
world may yet be had, at from $10 to $14
per acre. Elsewhere, along the bills or in
the valleys, can be obtained for fruit-raising,
the finest farms in the State, at prices which
of course are high, but considering the return
on the investment made far exceed the profits
of grain or stock r.using. Along the creeks
or on the alluvial bottoms, is to be found a
great deal of improved gardening lands, vary-
ing in price from $100 to $500, and the
famous bean lands of the county, which,
cleared and ready for cultivation, sell sq
readily for $300 per acre, but the returns
from which make it one of the best invest-
ments in the county. The lands now offered
for sale are in every particular as good as
SAN LUIS or.ISPO CCVNTY.
many of the famous orchards and vineyards of
Los Angeles, San Jose and other famous por-
tions of tlie State, where land sells at from
$300 to $1,000 per acre. But this county,
heretofore shut off from outside communica-
tion, except by a tedious stage journey of
200 miles or an equally disagreeable sea trip,
now offers opportunities at one-tenth of the
cost of these sections. Here, as there, may
be found every variation of rjuality and
adaptability.
CLIMATE.
The climate varies sligiitly with tlie local-
ity, as the sea breeze blows direct from the
ocean or deflected by the hills. The meteoro-
logical record that has given us the rainfall,
shows the mean temperature of the four
warmest months of summer to be 64 degrees,
and of the four coldest months of winter 51
degrees, taken at 7 a. m., 12 m. and 9 p. m.,
constituting a climate as equable and salubri-
ous as man can desire. The thermometer
seldom measures over 90 degrees, and frosts
are rarely seen, even in the low, damp valleys.
The prevailing wind is from the west, often
causing foggy or hazy mornings.
There are no extremes of wind, or heat, or
cold. The desiccating nortliers experienced
at intervals in almost every section of Cali-
fornia are never known in this coast region.
The heaviest winds are those that bring the
winter rain; and the highest wind known,
forty-foTir miles an hour, is regarded as a
gal,
of extreme and rare occurrence. The
heaviest summer wind rarely reaches twenty
miles an hour, usually ranging from one to
eight miles. These are from records kept
through a series of years.
The physical features of tliis county re-
semble the State in miniature, with its sea-
coast, the bordering mountains and valleys.
the Sierra (Santa Liicia) and the interior
large valleys and river and mountain ranges,
giving a variety of climatic conditions. The
coast climate is modified by the neighbor-
hood of the sea and the winds therefrom.
The usual temperature of the water of the
ocean is about 53 degrees, varying but one or
two degrees summer or winter. There is
little change during the year in the tempera-
ture of the coast sections, the summers of
wliich are cooler, and the winters warmer,
than in the region east of the Santa Lucia
range. While the summer winds are some-
times uiiplea=iantly strong, as they come from
across the wide expanse of the Paciiic waters,
they blow pure, fresh and healtliful, instead
of bearing malaria from decaying vegetation,
or germs of disease taken up from agglomera-
tions of human abodes. Snow sometimes falls
t)n the mountains, and on the high Carriso plain.
The meteorological record for 1874 and
1875 shows that there was a difference of
only 2.08 degrees in the mean annual tem-
perature during those two years. Taking the
record of the four coldest months, it shows a
difference of only 2.31 degrees in mean tem-
perature between the two winters; and a
similar comparison gives but .84 of a degree
in difference between the mean heat of tlie
two summers. The same records note the
greatest difference for the two years to be but
13.78 degrees. As between the extreme hot-
test and coldest months of this period, the
difference was 19.37 degrees.
COMPAEATIVE MEAN TEMPERATURE OF SIX COLD-
EST MONTHS.
Temperature of six coldest months at San
Luis Obispo, as compared with the most
noted places in the world, regarding climate:
San Luis Obispo California..
Santa Barbara California.
Citv of Mexico Mexico . . .
City of Lisbon Portugal.
City of San Remo Italy.
City of Mentone France.
City of Nice Italy....
56.15
56 55
56.03
54.70
53.89
53.2]
48 45
SAN LUIS OBISPO COONrY.
WEATHER REPORT.
The United States Signal Service estab-
lislied a station at San Luis Obispo, in July,
1885, and a fire occasioned its removal after
March, 1886. Tiie following table gives the
observations for the eight months of its ex-
istence. The remaining four months are
always uniformly fair and pleasant:
w » °
® o S
i ::0
M g 3 -
jOCI-'OOOOOO
O'-'Sr-OOOOOO
.CO 05 h^ O O O -
- 1-1 00 ^s o o o CO
^Qo-^oi-'oooe
The reports of tlie temperattire, wind, and
rain, published in the Daily Eepuhlic, whicii
kept the only complete record in tiie county,
showed the rainfall for the wet season of
1886-'87 to be as follows: October, .25;
November, 1.25; December, 1.06; January,
1.10; February, 9.62; March, .75; April,
1.69; May, .40; thus making for the season
a total of 16.12 inches, and the average
for the eighteen years past 20.79^ inches, as
against 21.07 at which, the preceding year,
stood the average for seventeen years pre-
vious. As compared with other agricultural
counties of the State, this was a very favor-
able showing. The reports for the same
year showed the following record of rainfall
from the respective localities: San Francisco,
18.97 inches; Templeton, 9.51; Paso Robles,
8.02; San Miguel, 7.05; San Ardo, 6.85;
Kings City, 6.45; Soledad, 5.88; Salinas,
8.27; Monterey, 7.95; Hollister, 6.09; Gil-
roj, 9.06; San Luis Obispo, 13.96; Creston,
12.74; San Jos^, 9.98; Menlo Park, 8.26;
Fresno, 4.95; San Diego, 5.60; Stockton,
5.61; Sacramento, 11.40; Woodland, 8.52;
Pajaro, 11.12.
COMPARATIVE ANNUAL RAINFALL.
Rainfall at San Luis Obispo as compared
with other points in California and the United
States:
PLACE.
STATE.
IN.
California,..
Dakota
Kansas
Nebraska...
Minnesota. .
Idaho
Utah
Moutana
Colorado . . .
Arizona ....
Idaho
Texas
Wyoming . .
Arizona
*San Luis Obispo
31 07
Sacramento
17.25
14.93
13.01
13.0a
11.37
10.63
10.18
9.44
7.75
7 66
Monterey ...
Salinas . . .
San Jos5
Chualar .. .
Soledad
Riverside
Dodge City
North Platte. ...
20.09
19 97 •
St. Vincent
Lewiston
Salt Lake City
17.14
16 91
Helena . .
15.13
14.51
13 30
Boise City
El Paso
13.11
10 85
Cheyenne,
Phffinix
7 .53
♦Average as taken at San Luis Obispo City I
last seventeen years.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
1869-70
1870-71
1871-72
1872-73
1873-74
1874-75
1875-76
1876-77
1877-78
1878-79
1879-80
1880-81
1881-82
1882-83
1883-84
1884-85
1885-86
my
>
; : : : ^: : :
<
■ ' ■ '.75
■ ■ 1.6.5
.69
■ 2.17
.04
C3
To
u^
1.42
1.50
1.40
.48
.25
2.95
' " ' .13
12.90
11
g-.k
r
2
5
i
3.90
2.58
3.03
13.35
2.00
.44
3 56
8.8.0
3.67
.7 b
2.90
13.93
6.00
7.96
?
."
1
s
.71
1.51
5.16
5.00
4.29
12.10
9.87
4.83
7.88
1.78
1.75
4.71
.85
1.50
10.57
2.25
5.78
r
D
1
■g: iiiis^s^iggl^lls
i
3.23
.50
5.30
1.74
2.74
1.60
2.36
1.40
6.75
4.88
12.41
.94
237
ii: ig
g
1
1
2.75
1.80
8.78
1.85
1.73
1.10
3.39
3;75
*^i 8
§SS
>
^
3
: . : M
• Sis
; ^2;
g
•<
§
^
: : K>:
: : o:
i
3
Ani
V
!z!
K|
11.83
12.97
27.02
12.79
20.52
19.69
30.12
8.15
30.60
11.66
35.82
23.69
17.03
17.01
42.40
17.59
29.30
1
THE THERMAL BELT.
This is a pleasant term for that ill defined
region which is supposed to border every
valley, and to extend at a certain elevation
.along the coast of Southern California. Al-
most every section of California has its
"thermal belt," each differing from the
other according to locality and the latitude,
for it is certain there are climatic changes
with the latitude, though slight. Thus the
foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada, and the
slightly elevated regions of Vacaville, and
Madison, and winters in the Coast Range are
in the thermal belt surrounding the Sacra-
mento Valley, and these are the favorite fruit
sections of the north. But in those localities
frosts are quite heavy in winter, which is fa-
vorable for deciduous fruits, but not quite
sufficiently severe to be damaging to citrus
fruits. In such comparison we might say
that all the coast region of San Luis Obispo
was in the thermal belt, but it is not so
estimated. The thermal belt is that region
where frosts are unknown, where the winds
do not sweep too severely, where the air is
unburdened by fogs, and the genial sun of
summer fructifies and enriches the fruits of
the earth. Along the coast, throughout this
County, frost is rarely seen, in many places
never; and still near ihe ocean grapes do not
ripen, nor do citrus fruits grow successfully.
There is here a distinctive thermal belt, such
as we have mentioned, lying between the
altitudes of 100] and 600 feet of elevation,
where not a damp and level valley. Al
the little ridges of this region lift themselves
above the frosts of night, aud everywhere all
delicate plaiits grow without danger. The
distinctive belt is that lying east and north
of San Luis Obispo city, skirting the base
of the hills and extending along the mountain
side. There, frosts are unknown, and toma-
toes and other delicate plants furnish their
flowers and fruits, regardless of the months
or the seasons. There are the oldest orange
trees of the country, growing from the seed
planted as an experiment, and coming into
bearing when eight years old, producing an
excellent fruit. With this proof of success,
others made the trial, and the most delicious
oranges known now grow in the belt. Wher-
ever it may be followed, north or south, to
the elevation of 600 feet, this band of genial
temperatTire will be foiind, the most certain
in its products of any portion of our favored
region.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
THE COAST KEGION.
The coast slope of the range is usually re-
garded as comprising one-third of the county,
but this is reckoning from the summit to the
ocean.
Between the foot of the range and the
ocean are a succession of valleys of various
areas, aggregating about 300,000 acres. This
is the oldest settled portion of the county,
was nearly all included in the old Mexican
grants — now mostly subdivided and sold in
farms — and until recently was regarded as
comprising all that was valuable.
Of these fair valleys are the San Simeon,
Santa Kosa, the coast borders of Cayucos and
Morro, the larger mountain valleys of Las
Tablas, Nacimiento, Old Creek and of other
streams, the Chorro and Los Osos, Laguna
and San Luis, Corral de Piedra, Verdi, Ar-
royo Grande, Ranchita, Los Berros, Nipomo
and Oso Flaco, winding in and winding out
among the hills, of greater or less dimensions
and all lovely and fertile. The scenery is
varied and picturesque; a few level plains ex-
tending one or two miles in width, exist, bnt
the country is undulating and broken, with
precipitous peaks and rocky projections. This
unique formation adds attractiveness and
character to the scenery, and appears to gov-
ern the climate, so influencing the winds as
to modify the effects of the cool sea breeze
of summer, and to cause a greater precipita-
tion in winter, the rainfall being greater than
in other southern coast counties, or in the
agricultural counties of the interior, the aver-
age for the past nineteen years being 20.79^
inches.
COAST TOWNS.
The most northern of the coast towns is
San Simeon. The bay of San Simeon has, in
past years, attracted much attention as a prob-
able commercial port for the productions of
the neighboring country. Mr. George Hearst,
proprietor of the Piedras Blancas JRancho,
which surrounds the landing, in 1878 in-
vested a considerable sum in the improve-
ment of the port. This year also a new
wharf was built, to replace the old, which for
some time previous had been inadequate to the
needs of commerce. The new wharf began
on the northeastern side of the bay, termi-
nating at a distance of 1,000 feet, where at
low tide there is twenty feet of water — a
depth sufficient for the largest merchant
steamer. The wharf is excellently built, with
commodious warehouses for the reception of
goods. It cost $20,000. The building of
this structure gave a new impetus to busi-
ness at San Simeon. This name is applied
also to the township, which embraces the
northwestern part of the county, extending
to the Monterey County line. The township
embraces the whole of the Rancho Piedras
Blancas, consisting of eleven Spanish leagues
(48,000 acres), of which a very large propor-
tion is cultivable land. While the climate
is somewhat raw and damp, with fogs and
winds, it is excellent for dairying purposes,
the grass being always green, wherefore the
milk production is of the the highest. Thus
far, the chief products of this rancho are
butter and cheese, although the lands are ex-
cellently adapted for the cultivation of corn,
oats, barley, peas, and beans.
To tlie north of this rancho lies the old
property of Juan Castro, a large tract of
grazing lands, besides 900 acres of arable
land of very high order. On this land stands
the Piedras Blancas Light-house, which is
100 feet high, built of brick and iron, and
cost $100,000. It contains a Fresnel light
of great power, and is one of the marked
features of the coast.
On this coast there are a number of whal-
ing stations — at Monterey, San Simeon,
Point San Luis, and Point Concepcion. The
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
whaling business was begun here as early as
1864, and it has proved quite profitable. The
least catch during the season was three whale,
the greatest twenty-three. The whale bunts,
conducted in open boats off these rugged
coasts, is e.xciting but dangerous sport.
CAMBEIA.
The town of Cambria had its beginning
about 1866. Its site was claimed as a [)or-
tion of one of the large grazing ranchos, part
of whose territory later became known as Gov-
ernment land. The greater part of the tract
whereon Cambria is situated is composed of
undulating ground, rising into low, smooth
hills, or sinking into valleys fertile though
small, through which flow numerous stream-
lets. In 1867 the land now occupied by the town
was covered by a virgin forest of pines; and
the lumber from these woods has created an
industry which has done much to support
and build up the section. As long ago as
1869, two saw-mills worked here steadily,
and the houses of the vicinity have been
built from lumber of home production.
Early in the '60's, a copper mining excite-
ment broke out in this section, leading to
the establishment, a year or two later, of the
town of Cambria. In 1867, there was no
means of communication between the village
and the county- seat, save by private convey-
ance. In 1868 a weekly mail service, by
means of a spring-wagon, was instituted.
Travel was slight, and passengers few. Within
a year, a tri-weekly service, with a covered
stage, replaced this, and now the patronage
greatly increased, as the comforts of this line
exceeded those of travel by mustang.
Although born of the mining interests,
Cambria survived these, basing its growth
and prosperity upon agricultural industries.
School-houses were built, mills were erected,
stores were opened, and evidences of sub-
stantial prosperity multiplied. The first
building in Cambria proper was a store built
by George E. Long and S. A. Pollard.
The name of the new town was a subject of
dispute for some time. Some of the settlers
favored the name of Rosaville ; others inclined
to the Spanish term of Santa Rosa; and others
insisted upon San Simeon, notwithstanding
there was already a port of that name in the
county. At last a compromise was effected
upon the present name. A steady growth
now ensued in this section, and the port of
San Simeon became frequented by vessels
which conveyed to market the products of the
region. In 1871 was built near Cambria a
cheese factory, w'hicli consumed daily 9,000
pounds of milk, manufacturing therefrom
1,200 pounds of cheese. One feature of the
early history of Cambria was the co-operative
movements of the agriculturists for mutual
benefits, social and commercial. One of the
phases of this development was the establish-
ment in 1872, of the " Farmero' and Stock-
Raisers' Co-operative Store," for the purpose
of lessening the retail price of articles for-
merly purchased through middlemen. This
enterprise had a stock of $40,000, divided into
2,000 shares at $20 each. In April, 1881,
the weekly output of butter in the vicinity of
Cambria was 21,900 pounds.
The present population of Cambria is about
300. The town contains three general mer-
chandise stores, all carrying heavy stocks,
•' everything from a needle to an anchor,"
two drug stores, one variety store, one stove
and tin shop, one blacksmith shop, five sa-
loons, one shoe shop, two carpenter and
undertaker shops, one butcher shop, one saw-
mill, one hotel, and one boarding-house.
There is a public school with two departments, a
Presbyterian and a Catholic church, telegraph,
express and postoflice with daily mail. The
only brick building in the town is the Odd Fel-
SAN LUIS OBISPO CCUNTT.
lows' Hall, a handsome two-story structure.
The town is picturesquely situated amidst
pine-covered hills, and surrounded by a wide
expanse of very fertile country. The principal
industry continues to be dairying, and the
section is exceedingly prosperous.
Santa Rosa Valley is six miles long, by half
a mile to one mile wide, and through it iiows
the Santa Rosa Creek, a living stream of pure
water. This valley is quite thickly settled,
and few farming localities show greater signs
of prosperity. The rich alluvial soil appears
adapted to the growth of almost every kind
of grain, fruit or vegetable. At the head of
this valley stands Mammoth Rock, a rocky
promonotory 200 feet high, with perpendicu-
lar sides, separated from the hills on the north
by a narrow pass through which the Santa
Rosa Creek runs into the valley below. It
seems as if some tremendous force has riven
the rocky wall, to give passage to the little
stream skirting the mountain's rocky base.
Passing down the coast from San Simeon
Bay, aboiit six miles south, was formerly
found Leffingwell's AVharf, a good landing
place for small vessels, which supplied the
neigiiborliood with lumber and sent out a
portion of the native products. This wharf
was washed away in 1881-'82.
The next landing place is Cayucos, tiiirteen
miles south of Cambria, an entrepot of con-
siderable commercial importance, with certain
advantages as a harbor. In the early days,
when boats made of skins were used in plying
between the shore and visiting vessels, those
light canoes were called cayucos, whence the
name of the rancho and the town. Captain
James Cass, who came to this point in 1867,
and engaged in the business of lightering,
saw the necessity of a wharf, and accord-
ingly built one; this proving inadequate,
it was extended, making a structure 940
feet long, extending to twenty-one feet of
water, with a warehouse, store, steamship and
telegraph companies' offices. Cayiicos is
now quite a thriving trade center, being sur-
rounded b}' a rich dairy and farming country.
The population is 600 to 700, of whom many
are Swiss. The town was laid out in 1875,
with streets 100, and eighty feet wide. The
beautiful belt of land between the beach and
the hills, reaching to Morro, was surveyed
into lots of live to ten acres each, to be occu-
pied as homesteads, and made accessible by a
beautiful beach road. The region about here,
known as the Rancho Morro y Cayucos, is
very fertile and productive. Greatly in its
favor are its ease of access and its natural
advantages of climate and water. There are
hereabouts over 8,000 acres of the best dairies
on the coast.
The Rancho Morro y Cayucos was ac-
quired in clear title by Don Domingo Pijol,
by a decision of the Supreme Court of Cali-
fornia. It was subdivided into small farms
about 1877. Eight miles south of Cayucos is
MOEEO.
This is a small village on the southern part
of Estero Bay, where a lagoon extends some
five miles inland from the sea, having a nar-
row entrance, and forming an excellent har-
bor for light-draught vessels. At the entrance
of the lagoon is a wharf, receiving lumber
from the north and produce from the interior.
From the ocean in front of the village rises
the Morro Rock, belonging to the National
Government, a grand feature of natural scen-
ery. It is a great cone, rising precipi-
tously from the water to a height of 580 feet,
upon a base of about forty acres. It is com-
posed of trachyte, a valuable building mate-
rial, which may be quarried here in large
quantities, and loaded upon vessels with great
convenience. The ambitioti of Morro is to
have its promising harbor for light vessels
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
perfected, and to become a traveling center
by means of a road leading directly east to
tbe Salinas Yalley.
The Rancho San Miguelito, of 22,136 acres,
borders on San Luis Obispo Bay, and includes
the most feasible landing place. It was
granted by the Mexican Government to Don
Miguel Avila. In 1867, when Mr. John
Harford built "The People's "Wharf," the
town of Avila was laid out by the Avila
Brothers, and the prospect was fair for the
growth of a lively village. Busy times pre-
vailed here for a time, when two lines of
steamers were contesting for the trade, but
the construction of the railroad wharf in
1873, and the transfer to it in 1875 of the
railroad terminus deprived Avila of its busi-
ness and its hopes of commercial importance.
Port Harford is treated elsewhere, and the
town of San Luis Obispo also is described
THE TOWN OF SAN LUIS OBISPO.
When the county was organized, San Lnis
Obispo, the only town within its limits, con-
sisted of a few adobe houses irregularly gath-
ered about the Mission buildings. There was
one main road, running southwest and north-
east, crossing the San Luis Creek about half
a mile below the Mission, and following up
the right bank thereof. Except the cultivated
grounds surrounding the Mission, all was
open country. That main road became Mon-
terey street, and the trail north of the Mis-
sion became Chorro street. The first frame
building in the county was one built by Cap-
tain Dana in 1850, of material brought from
Chili. It fronted on Monterey street, and
stood near an ancient, large palm tree.
Siiortly after this. Captain John Wilson
erected another frame house, a little southwest
of the Mission, the material for it having
been brought around Cape Horn.
The rest of the buildings, in 1850, con-
sisted of a two-story adobe, quite a pretentious
building, at the corner of Monterey and
Chorro streets, used for a restaurant and
dance hall ; an adobe store built by Beebe &
Pollard; another adobe store where afterwards
was the Tribune office; and another where the
French Hotel stood.
In 1851, on the site afterwards occupied by
the Bank of San Luis Obispo, Captain Dana
erected a large building. Its walls were of
adobe, its roof of sheet iron; its timbers were
hauled by oxen from the Santa Rosa Creek,
and the flooring and doors were brought from
the Atlantic coast. So grand an edifice was
this then considered, that it was called " Casa
Grande." This was the first hotel in San
Luis Obispo, and it was the scene of festivi-
ties on all gala days, whether of church or
state, wliile on the grounds adjoining were
held the buU-flghts, bear-baiting, and other
characteristic sports of the times and place.
The Casa Grande was subsequently used as a
court-house, serving in that capacity up to
1870.
In August, 1850, William R. Hutton was
autliorized by the court of sessions to survey
and lay out the town of San Luis Obispo.
He was directed to make the main street
twenty yards wide, and all the other streets
fifteen yards wide, while the town should
extend to the limit of the lots.
The question of the existence of a pueblo
and the right to pueblo lands was a very im-
portant one in the eirly history of the town.
In 1853 the pueblo claim was presented to
the Land Commission, and in September,
1854, it was rejected; San Luis Obispo had
been a recognized pueblo, and as such was
entitled to the four leagiies of land assigned
to such entities. But the Land Commission
rejected the claim, because they alleged there
was not adduced sufficient proof in behalf of
SAJff LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
it. In consequence of this decision, ana the
failure to take possession, tlie lands reverted
to the public domain, and were siirveyed by
the United States government in 1867. The
town acquired a title to only 640 acres, in
conformity with the act of Congress of Aug-
ust, 1867. The remainder of the pueblo
lands were acquired by individuals under the
United States and State land laws.
In 1862, William C. Parker, civil engineer,
made a map of the town after Button's sur-
vey, which included the land northwest of the
creek, and the streets, nearly, as at present;
southeast of the creek, there was some culti-
vated land, and the territory was variously
marked as " Priests' Garden," " Marsh Land,"
" Corral," etc.
The streets were not named, and it was not
until some years later that any except the
main ones were opened.
In February, 1871, the town authorities
received from the United States Land Office a
certificate of purchase for the town site of the
town of San Luis Obispo, covering the fol-
lowing tracts of the United States land sur-
vey: being parts of sections 26, 27, 34 and
35 in township 30 south; range 12 east of
Mount Diablo, base and meridian containing
552.65 acres. This afforded a sense of gi-eat
relief to the people of the town, who had felt
much uneasiness on account of the uncer-
tainty of title, whereas the United States
patent would thenceforward give a basis of
title, either to those in possession, receiving
title from the town authorities, or to fnture
purchasers.
The town of San Luis Obispo was organ-
ized under the laws of California in May,
1859. Charles H. Johnson was president of
the board of trustees, and Thomas H. Bouton
was clerk. Ordinances were passed to pro-
vide for naming streets, keeping them in
repair and clean, licensing business, main-
taining order, etc. But little attention was
paid to the incorporation, which very nearly
expired; but when, in 1867, the public lands
were surveyed, the town authorities found it
necessary to display greater energy.
In 1874, under the provisions of an act of
the Legislature, passed the preceding session,
town bonds were issued to the amount of
$10,000, l)earing interest at eight per cent,
per annum, and payable in fifteen years.
These bonds were sold for ninety per cent, of
their par value, and the proceeds were applied
to the construction of bridges, street-gradincr,
and other improvements of valuable and per-
manent importance to the town.
By an act of the Legislature passed March
20, 1876, the city of San Luis Obispo was
incorporated, succeeding to all the rights,
interests, possessions and liabilities of the
former town. The limits of the city were
extended; and provision was made for the
election of city otlicers, legislative power
being vested in a common council, consisting
of five members, the mayor acting as presi-
dent of the body.
MODEEN INSTITUTIONS.
The city blocks are not regular in size or
shape, and the streets, as has been seen al-
ready, foll'jw in various instances the desul-
tory lines of old-time roads and trails. Mon-
terey street, so called from being a part of
the old road from Santa Barbara to Monterey,
winds past the old mission into the valley of
the creek, and onward northeastward by well
gi-aded roads over the summit of the Santa
Lucia mountains. Tiiis street, for the most
part sixty feet wide, has recently been widened
to seventy-five feet in some quarters. Var-
ious other streets are of uneven width, ranging
from fifty-five to sixty feet in different por-
tions of their length, as the widening was
left to the option of property owners. An
148
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
ordinance passed in 1888 ordering sidewalks
of cement, bituniinons rock in some streets,
and of gravel in others, has been largely but
not fnlly carried out.
The central addition is a very eligible por-
tion of the town, lying on a gentle rise at the
side of San Luis. It consists of some fifty
acres, divided into nineteen blocks, 450 x 170
feet, one of which is occupied by the hotel,
the rest being divided into building lots.
Edwin Goodall of San Francisco was the pro-
moter of this enterprise, and the projector of
the Kamona, but the property was purchased
in April, 1890, bj the West Coast Land
Company, who are not putting it upon the
market, but rather holding it back until there
shall ensue a season of greater growth and
prosperity. This is the only portion of San
Luis having a satisfactory sewer system.
The Eamona Hotel, owned by the California
Southern Hotel Company, was opened Sep-
tember, 1888; it cost, exclusiveof thegrounds
(that is, for tlie building and furniture), some
$150,000, and it is a well-equipped and well-
conducted hostelry.
There are in San Luis Obispo two school-
houses, containing twelve school-rooms, ad-
ministered by eleven teachers. There are
primary and grammar school courses. The
city schools have an attendance of about 500.
The Court school-house, in the northern
part of the town, is an eight room frame
building, erected at an expense of about
114,000.
The Mission school, in the southern part
of the town, is a four-roomed brick structure,
which cost $10,000, to which may be added
$3,000 for furnishings, etc.
The San Luis Obispo Thomson-Houston
Electric Light Company was incorporated
July 29, 1889, and the circuit was opened
in October of the same year.
The city system comprises seven 1,200-
candle-power masts of about fifty feet height;
the county pays for one similar mast, and the
Hotel Ramona for another. There are, more-
over, between forty and fifty arc-lights and
some 300 incandescent lights supplied to
stores, hotels, etc.
The city system costs the municipality
$70 per month.
The value of the plant is estimated at
$1,500. The arc-dynamo is of 1,000-volt
current, and the incandescent of 1,200 volts,
alternating currents.
The company has four employes in San
Luis.
San Luis Obispo has a street railway,
running between the railway station and the
flamona Hotel, with two and one-half miles
of track, and a plant worth $20,500, employ-
ing ten animals and four people. The com-
pany is not incorporated; it opened opera-
tions October 18, 1887.
The San Luis fire department was organ-
ized under new ordinances in 1889, and it is
now in good working order, comprising about
100 members, divided as follow^s: San Luis
Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1; Goodwill
Hose Company, No. 2; Vigilance Hose Com-
pany, No. 3; and San Luis Fire Engine Com-
pany, No. 4. The last named company owns
a steam engine of the Silsby rotary patent,
purchased in 1889 at a cost of $5,000.
The sewerage of the town is performed by
San Luis Creek, which runs through the cor-
poration and washes away the sewage, the
water being stored by means of dams for pur-
poses of flushing. There are sewage conduits
from that portion of the town about the
Ramona Hotel, and from a few other blocks,
leading to the creek.
In 1886 an arrangement which cost the
city $800, was made with George Waring,
the celebrated engineer, to furnish plans
for a sewage system, and he visited San
■AN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
Luis accordingly. The city was surveyed,
but no further measures were taken. The
execution of the phans wonld require an ex-
penditure of $150,000, for which it was pur-
posed to vote bonds of the city. The matter
has not yet been submitted to a vote of the
people.
The hospital system here was organized by
Dr. W. W. Hays, and by him so conducted
for some years in an admirable manner. The
present hospital was built in 1S78. The
site is some thirteen acres upon a foot-hill
bench about a mile southeast of the town, in
what is locally known as " the thermal belt," a
region free from frost, where the most delicate
semi-tropical plants can be grown successfully.
Water from the adjacent hills is brought
down to a reservoir, 20 x 20 x 6 feet, from
which the house and irrigation needs are sup-
plied. The main building is two stories
high and fifty feet square. The lower story
contains the reception room, physician's office
and dispensary, the steward's room, dining
room, kitchen, and commissary store-rooms.
Above these are rooms designed for use by
non-indigent patients.
There is in the rear a ward with eight beds
which can be augmented if needful, and in
an adjoining building is a one-story ward
47 X 25 X 16 feet, with the necessary closets
sitting room, etc.
There lias been constructed lately a new
ward of seven rooms, 75 x 26 x 16 feet, with
porch and ten-foot lean-to, which cost $2,900.
With this addition, the institution can
accommodate thirty-five to forty patients. The
present number is fourteen, all male. The
percentage of female patients is never large.
The establishment is well sewered, and
supplied with hot and cold water.
Driveways curve around the building in
such fashion as to render the approach a
pleasant feature. A system of drainage has
been constructed whereby all the surface
water running from the earth and the water
pipes is conveyed away to irrigate the trees
of the small orange grove.
The gardens are well kept, being cared for
by the stronger of the patients; the whole
place is exquisitely neat and orderly, and the
inmates show conscientious treatment. The
system of purchasing supplies, etc., by whole-
sale, is very economical; and, while the pati-
ents are furnished abundant, wholesome and
satisfactory food, their cost to the county is
said to be cheaper than at any similar estab-
lishment in the State, amounting to but
seventeen cents per patient per diem.
The hospital is under the management of
Dr. W. W. Hays, county physician, and Mr. J.
M. Lewis, steward, both most efficient officials.
San Luis Obispo has two large well
arranged and ornamented cemeteries, namely,
the Catholic and the Odd Fellows', the last
being the Protestant burial-place, under con-
trol of the Odd Fellows, but having plats
devoted to the Masons, the Jewish people,
and the Chinese. A cemetery formerly
existed near what is now the central part of
the city; but as the town grew, the two
present pantheons were laid out, and the
bodies from old ground removed thither,
about 1870. The Catholic cemetery occupies
about six acres, and the Protestant twelve.
Each contains many fine monuments, and tlie
inscriptions constitute quite a history of the
prominent pioni ers, of both the Spanish and
the American races.
The banks of San Luis Obispo are: The
First National Bank, founded in 1884, with
$75,000 capital, as a private enterprise of
Jack, Goldtree & Co. On March 1, 1888,
it was changed to the National system, with
a capital of $100,000, increased March, 1889,
to $150,000. Its statement for July, 1890,
showed a surplus of $35,000. Tlie officers
150
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
are J. P. Andrews, president; Wm. L. Beebe,
vice-president; R. E. Jack, cashier; R. "W.
MartinofF, assistant cashier. This house does
a general banking; business.
The Commercial Bank Avas opened May 14,
1888. Its paid up capital is $100,000. Its
statement December 31, 1889, is as follows:
Assets — cash on hand, $12,104.12; cash on
call in other banks, $17,457.42; loans and dis-
counts, $273,427.26; real estate, vault and
Hxtures, $8,852.21; total assets, $321,841.01;
surplus, October, 1890, $7,500.
Liabilities — Capital paid up, $100,000;
surplus and profits undivided, $4,877.76;
due banks and bankers, $5,330.21; due de-
positors, $210,888.04; interest on certificates,
$750. Total liabilities, $321,841.01.
The officers are: McD. R. Venable, presid-
ent; L. M. Kaiser, vice-president; H. Brun-
ner, cashier.
In connection with this house was instituted
in October, 1890, the California Mortgage
and Savings Bank, capital $250,000. McD.
Venable, president; L. M. Kaiser, cashier;
H. Brnnner, manager.
The Bank of San Luis Obispo has a capital
stock of $100,000, surplus, $246,392.49. Its
president is James L. Crittenden, its cashier,
W. E. Stewart.
ARROYO GRANDE.
The township of Arroyo Grande was estab-
lished in 1862 by the board of supervisors of
San Luis Obispo County. It consists of a
strip entirely across the southern end of the
county, comprehending an area of about 300
square miles, embracing all of that territory
situated between the Corral de Piedra Creek
on the north, Santa Barbara County on the
south, the Santa Lucia Range on the east,
and the Pacific Ocean on the west. This
includes tlie valleys of the Arroyo Grande,
Santa Maria, Cuyama, Huasna, Alamo, Dry
Creek, Verde, Villa, and other streams.
In this area are the old Spanish grants
of Corral de Piedra, Pizrno, Bolsa de Che-
misal, Santa Manuela, Arroyo Grande,
Huasna, Nipomo, Punte de la Laguna,
Guadalupe, Suey, and Cuyama (or parts of
the four last), aggregating 189,668 acres, be-
ing the chief area and nearly all the agricult-
ural land of the township. On the upper
waters of the Arroyo Grande and east of the
Huasna grant, and in various nooks and
corners, were considerable tracts of public
lands, most of which are now occupied by
prosperous farmers.
The first settlement here was when the
priests of San Luis Obispo Mission estab-
lished, about 1780, on that portion of the
Arroyo Grande bottom, afterward farmed by
W. S. Jones, a garden and plantation, where
were raised large quantities of corn, beans,
potatoes, etc., etc., to supply the mission.
The next settlement was the Rancho Bolsa
de Chemisal, containing 14,335 acres, granted
to Francisco Quijada, May 11, 1837. Quijada
and his heirs transferred the grant to Lewis
T. Burton, he to F. Z. Branch, and Branch
to Steele Brothers, who subdivided it in Sep-
tember, 1873.
The Nipomo Rancho was granted to Cap-
tain William G. Dana, about 1838. It con-
tained over 33,000 acres; it is now owned
and occupied by his heirs at law.
The Santa Manuela Rancho was granted to
Francis Z. Branch, April 6, 1837, and Au-
gust 22, 1842. It contained 16,954 acres,
and passed to the hands of Branch's heirs, and
others.
The Pizmo Rancho, containing 8,838 acres,
was granted to Jose Ortega, November 18,
1840. Ortega sold to Isaac J. Sparks, he to
John M. Price and David P. Mallagh, each
one-half. Mallagh sold his portion to F. Z.
Branch, and he to Steele Brothers and others.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
The Corral de Piedra JSancho was gi-anted
May 14, 1841, to Jose Maria Yillavicencia,
as containing 8,876 acres, which on May 28,
1846, was extended bj Governor Pio Pico to
include " all lands included in map," which
brought it up to about 34,000 acres. This
sweeping grant thus absorbed the Mission
farm on the Arroyo Grande, and the lime-
works, which were some four miles southeast
of the Mission church. This grant passed
into the hands of liamon J. Branch, W. S.
Jones, John Corbit, Steele Brothers, and
others.
The Arroyo Grande Ranclio, containing
4,438 acres, granted April 25, 1842, to Zefe-
rino Carlon, was by him transferred to F. Z.
Branch, afterwards passing into the hands of
Steele Brothers and Wittenberg Brothers,
who used it for dairying purposes.
The Huasna Kancho, containing 22,190
acres, was granted to Isaac J. Sparks, De-
cember 8, 1843, reverting upon his death to
his daughters, Mrs. Mark Harloe, Mrs. Amy
Porter, and Mrs. Harkness.
Of the Suey Rancho, of eleven leagues,
granted to Don Mariano Pacheco, father of
ex-Governor Pacheco, about one-third is in
this township, and the rest in Santa Barbara
County.
These vast tracts of land covered almost
every desirable homestead in the township.
The dry season of 1864, the trespass act,
the United States surveys, and the proceed-
ings of the State Board of Equalization, have
all proved instrumental in subdividing these
wide domains and opening them up to im-
migration, so that, instead of the original
eight patriarchal holdings, hundreds of
smaller fertile farms, carefully cultivated,
now smile and bloom for the maintenance of
a numerous, thrifty population.
The Arroyo Grande Valley was first
opened for settlement in 1867-'68, when a
blacksmitb shop and a school-house were
built on the north bank of the creek, on the
stage road between San Luis and Santa
Barbara.
The growth of the settlement was neces-
sarily slow, as the valley was then a tangled
mass of woods and brush, almost impenetra-
ble, save by the bear trails running thi-ough
it, — a sort of semi-wilderness called by the
Spanish term " monte."
But the fertility of the soil soon demon-
strated its merits, and what had been a dense
and useless thicket became a famous garden-
spot. The lands were rather high-priced for
that time, for, while they sold at $15 to $60
per acre, the cost of clearing averaged $100
per acre.
In 1876 Arroyo Grande had a school-house
two hotels, two well supplied stores, a post-
office, a livery and feed stable, a wheelwricrht
and blacksmith shop, butcher shop, laundry,
two saloons and many dwellings. Manufact-
ures were well represented in the district.
Ramon J. Branch managed for the Branch
heirs the Arroyo Grande flour-mills, with a
capacity of thirty barrels per diem; and the
water-power of this mill was used at times to
run a small circular saw for sawing shimrles
and small timbers; a steam grist-mill was in
operation, as also Newsom's tannery, the
Nipomo lime works, McDougall's asphaltum
works, and Marsh's smithy and carriage shop.
A decided impulse was given to the pros-
perity of this section l)y the building of the
Pacific Coast Railway and the People's Wharf
at Pizmo, in 1881, these media of transpor-
tation giving the producers of the valley-
competitive advantages in conveying their
wares to market.
In 1882 the Arroyo Grande Irrigatino-
Company was organized, and the two ditches
thereupon constructed are capable of irrigat-
ing 5,000 acres of land.
."^.ly LUI8 OBISPO COUNTY
The climate here is e:;? lleiit, but diversi-
fied. Tiie larger valleys are subject, to late
frosts in the spring, but in the fall they are
exempt to a remarkable degree. The smaller
valleys are almost free from frost, and from
extreme heat in summer.
The soil also has great variety, and there-
fore is quite eclectic in its products. Wheat,
barley, oats, corn, beans, jieas, peanuts,
tobacco, garden ^vegetables of all kinds, ap-
ples, peaches, plums, apricots, almonds, figs,
olives, grapes, etc., are grown to perfection.
In fruits, apricots are a never-failing staple,
yielding 200 to 250 pounds to tiie tree at
five years old; apples, 300 to 400 pounds to
the four-year-old tree; strawberries, 16,000
quarts per acre; peaches, plums, primes, cher-
ries, grapes, raspberries, blackberries, olives,
walnuts, oranges, lemons and limes, all do
well here. Garden vegetables do exceedingly
well; on one acre of monte land any one of
the following items may safely be counted
upon as a fair yield; 4,000 pounds beans;
25,000 pounds potatoes; 80 tons beets; 65
tons carrots; 45 to 50 tons cabbages; 500
hundred- weight onions; 50 tons squashes;
12 to 14 tons alfalfa. Squashes weighing
from 200 to 250 pounds, cabbages weighing
60 to 95, carrots of 75 poimds' weight, are
not uncommon productions.
On September 21, 1886, the people of this
section met and organized a Fair Association,
the first in the county. It held its first an-
nual fair in October, 1886, and the second on
October 6, 7. and 8, 1887. Among the ex-
hibits were: — a pear weighing 1 pound 14
ounces; a cabbage of 94 pounds, and several
others from 50 to 80 pounds weight; pota-
toes of 3 to 9 pounds each; carrots three
feet long; a squash of 217 pounds weight;
five others aggregating 822^ pounds; a
muskmelon weighing 20^ pounds; an onion
of 5 pounds 2^ ounces; corn 15 feet Iiigh,
ears 2 inches in diameter, 18 inches long,
solidly filled; five quinces weighing 6 pounds
15 ounces; 5 pears weighing 9 pounds 3
ounces; 5 fall pippins weighing 5 pounds 10
ounces, and many other remarkable products.
Arroyo Grande furnished all the exhibit
from this county at the Mechanics' Institute
Industrial Exhibition of 1887, receiving
s'lecial silver medal for display, diploma for
best potatoes, and silver medal for best ap-
ples; and also the first premium at the Six-
teenth District Agricultural Exhibition for
best general display of fruits and vegetables.
As a general rule, no irrigation is required
here, but occasionally the application of
water saves a crop or economizes time in
working the land. The water supply is de-
rived from the Santa Maria River, Alamo,
Huasna, Berros, Arroyo Grande, Pizmo, and
Carrol de Piedra creeks, and numberless
springs and brooks. Several of these streams
are well stocked with trout, and salmon are
caught often. There is never fear of a >' d
■•y
year" here, and one of the most favorable
features of tliis valley is its facility of
irrigation.
The village of Arroyo Grande is pleasantly
situated on the bank of the creek under a
range of hills. It is but three miles from
the famous Pizmo Beach, and almost every
house in town commands a view of tiie val-
ley and tiie ocean. The present population
is about 600 in the village, 1,000 in the dis-
trict, and 1,500 in the voting precinct.
There are three churches, Catholic, Method-
ist and Cumberland Presbyterian, each sup-
plied with a minister, and the Methodist
Episcopal Church South holds monthly ser-
vice in a hall.
The school is the second largest in the
county, having a fine large school-house with
three teachers.
There are lodges of Masons, I. O. O. F.,
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
G. A. K., W. R. C, and a Guod Samaritan
Temperance order.
There are general merchandise stores,
mechanics' shops and professional offices to
the usual number to be found in settlements
of this rank. A Woman's Reliet Corps was
organized here in October, 1886.
Arroyo Grande has a postoffice, telegraph
office, express office, trains and mails daily
(excepting Sunday), a newspaper, the Weekly
Herald, a practicing physician, a pavilion
and hall, a jeweler and photographer, a tnil-
linery store, a produce and commission mer-
chant, two hotels, several general merchandise
stores, and two butcher shops.
On September 2, 1890, the Catholic church
and parsonage here were burned, the loss be-
ing about §6,000. The tire at one time ap-
peared to threaten tlie town, and the engine
was called out from San Luis, but it was not
sent out, as the call was countermanded.
NEWSOM's hot sulphur SPEING8.
Newsom's Springs are situated in a pretty
little natural park, at the base of a large,
singularly formed hill of silici-calcareous
rock, through whose summit runs a strong
ledge of pure limestone, which it has been
demonstrated is very valuable for making
lime. The body of the hill is believed to be
valuable for making cement. The hot sul-
phur spring shows a temperature of 100 de-
grees, and analysis of the water shows silica,
sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, potassium
sulphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium car-
bonate, ferrous carbonate, alumina and sul-
phate of magnesia, the combination showing
the medicinal praperties. Considerable gas
arises from the water, and arrangements have
been made to utilize it for cooking and heat-
ing purposes.
The owner of these springs has surveyed a
plat of six acres near by, bordering the Ar-
royo Grande, which he designs to donate to
the State, with water privileges, on condition
of the establishment tliere of a technical
school.
They are reached by rail to Arroyo Grande,
thence by easy stage or drive from Nipomo.
The altitude is about 400 feet. The grounds
and springs are well kept. The ocean beacli
road affords a superb drive. There is always
bathing, fishing and clamming. Hotel and
cottages for guests.
The climate is almost perpetual sunshine.
On the place are three principal springs,
whose waters range in temperature fi-om 40°
F. to 100° F., flowing some 49,000 gallons
per hour. The waters are salino sulphureted,
and have considerable reputation in the treat-
ment of old, chronic rheumatism, and gout,
catarrhal affections of the bladder and bowels,
skin diseases, etc. For uterine troubles the
hot sulphur douche has been of great benefit.
There are warm and hot plunge and tub
bathing facilities. The following is the state-
ment of an analysis made by Dr. Winslow
Anderson, 1888:
Temperature, 100.5° F.
U. S. gallon contains —
Grains.
. 4.10
. 1.75
Sodium chloride
'• carbonate . .
sulphate 3.92
Potassium carbonate 15.00
sulphate 2 90
Magnesium carbonate 6-41
sulphaie 2.47
Calcium carbonate 8.25
sulphate 76
Ferrous carbonate 3.98
Alumina 33
Silica 2.03
Organic matter 27
Total solids 37.32
Cubic inclies.
Free carbonic anhydride 14.90
" sulphureted hydrogen 3.56
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNT r.
Four miles westward is the
PIZMO BEACH,
a stretch of twenty miles of sand along the
ocean shore, popular as a drive and resort for
hathing and pleasure. Near this is the sur-
veyed route of the Southern Pacific Railroad,
and along the beach have been laid out the
towns of Pizmo and Grover, expecting to
grow into prominence as coast watering
places upon the completion of the railroad.
is a village of recent growth, being in a
pretty and fertile valley of that name, on
the Pacific Coast Railway, three miles from
Arroyo Grande, and the same from Nipomo.
The land was formerly the property of Mr.
William G. Dana, and purchased of him by
Messrs. C. R. Callender and J. W. Smith,
who also purchased several tliousand acres of
the Nipomo rancho, laying out the town site
and subdividing the ranch into farming lots
of various areas, which are offered for sale.
These surveys have been made during the
present year, and a village with several hand-
some residences, a store of general merchan-
dise, a postofJice and hotel are there, and re-
cently an election was held which voted to
expend $1,500 for building a school-house.
A block of the village lands has been devoted
for the purpose of the school. All the neigh-
boring land is very fertile, and when occupied
will afford ample support for a pleasant and
thriving village.
NIPOMO
is a village of recent growth, on the line of
the Pacific Coast Railway, nine miles south
of Arroyo Grande. This is upon the Nipo-
mo grant, made by the: Mexican government
to William G. Dana in 1838, and recently
subdivided and in part sold by the grantee's
heirs. The grant was one of the first made
in this county, and as may be presumed the
first selection was an exceedingly choice tract.
Tlie village is but two years of age, and so
rapidly is it growing that an estimate of itp
population is hardly likely to approach accu-
racy, although it is estimated at 700. There
are two hotels, two large stores, a newspaper,
the Nipomo iVe-t^JS, aLd many handsome resi-
dences. The village is well supplied with
water liy a system of water- works, with reticu-
lation pipes through all the houses.
THE EASTERN PORTION OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO COUNTY.
East of the Santa Lucia Mountains is a
large area comprising about three-fifths of
the county, being included in the Salinas
Township, which by the census of 1880 had
a population of 1,209, and San Jose Town
ship, which had 872; thus this district had
2,081, or about one person to the square
mile, in a total county population of 9,142.
Between the Carriso Plain, already described,
and the Tulare Valley, extends the southern
end of the Monte Diablo Range, a line of
low sandstone mountains, generally treeless^
trending northwest and southeast, which con-
stitute the division line between this an'^
Kern County. Westward a low ridge sepa-
rates the plain from the San Juan Valley,
and one of its branches, Carriso Valley; and
on the northwest a like barrier lies between
the plain and the main Estrella River. The
streams are 200 or 300 feet below the general
level of Carriso Plain.
The San Juan is the southern branch of
the Estrella River, albeit the summer season
finds only occasional pools in its broad, sandy
channel. The rains convert this into a verit-
able river, fifty to 100 yards wide, running
through small valleys and hills softly rounded,
clothed in a luxuriant growth of altilaria.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
wild oats, bunch-grass and flowering shrubs.
This section is a paradise to the stockman,
being devoted almost entirely to pasturage.
Nevertheless, its resources would suflace for
varied industries. There is here much oak
timber, the soil is very fertile, there are min-
eral springs, ore-bearing rocks, and diverse
elements to support a large population.
. This valley may be considered as including
the following tracts: That section between
the San Jose Range and the Carriso Plain;
the ranches Las Chimeneas and Avenales in
the southern part; La Panza and the mining
district in the central part; and La Cumeta
or Comate, California, and San Juan Capis-
trano in the north.
Among the old settlers were: John Gil-
key, on the Comate, murdered in 1858; Bara-
tie and Borel, on the San Juan Capistrano,
murdered in 1858; Philip Biddle, Robert G.
Flint, .fames Mitchell, Joseph Zumwalt, D-
W. James and John D. Thompson, all of
whom located there twenty to thirty-five years
since.
In the northern portion of this section is
SAN MIGUEL.
The Mission of San Miguel Arcangel was
established July 25, 1797, being the sixteenth
in order of date in Alta California. Its site
was in the midst of wide reaches of grazing
land, on the west bank of the Salinas, just
below where this river receives the Estrelia.
The two streams here run through broad
valleys, where flourish willows, cuttonwoods,
sycamores, oaks and other trees.
This Mission is thirty-fonr miles north of
the city of San Luis Obispo, and some four
miles south of the county line between this
and Monterey.
San Miguel, like most of the twenty-one
mission establishments, is the site of a flour-
ishing settlement of later times. This place
was never quite abandoned, and even during
the unsettled times of the American occupa-
tion a few Mexican settlers kept their abode
in the decaying habitations of the mission
buildings. Its position on the main — if not
the only— road, between the northern and
the southern settlements, gave San Miguel a
certain importance as a station, where an
eating-house, etc., were established. The
population was of course small for njany
years. On the vote upon the new constitu-
tion, in 1879, San Miguel precinct cast
thirty-four votes. About 1876 a certain de-
gree of activity began here; the old mission
buildings were fltted up for a hotel, and vari-
oiis shops and other enterprises were opened.
In 1877 the population was reckoned at
thirty, and there were fifteen buildings, in-
cluding a school-house, postoffice, express
office, store, blacksmith shop, carriage shop,
and two saloons. This year was a "dry
season," and two-thirds of the sheep and
cattle from this grazing country either died
or were driven away to more favorable past-
ures, and a brief revival of prosperity the
following year was followed by drouths again
in 1879.
An excitement arose here in 1881, over
the expectation of the immediate building of
a portion of the Atlantic & Pacific Railway
through the district.
Since the actual advent of a railroad, San
Miguel, which is the most northerly town on
the line in this county, has taken an import-
ant rank hereabouts, standing as the second
point in the county, before it fell behind
Arroyo Grande. Tlie population is now be-
tween 400 and 500; there is a money-order
postofiice, a $10,000 school-house, a news-
paper — the Weekly Messenger — and a very
full complement of business houses, stores,
shops, professional men, etc.
The Bank of San Miguel, on October 26,
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUATT.
1889, reported its assets and its liabilities
each as $87,966.51.
The Episcopal church at San Miguel, com-
pleted in 1884, cost $1,200, and is a hand-
some Gothic structure, with a seating capacity
of 100. It is said to be the handsomest
church building in the county.
The Mission church still stands, — an im-
mense structure, 230 feet long, furty-four
wide, with a height to the eaves of forty-five
feet, and walls i^even feet thick of concrete.
There remains a portion of the wing, once
400 feet long, and until about a year since
there still existed the ruins of the former
dwelling-houses of the neophytes, which
covered an area of tixire than forty acres.
The quaint old church on its adjacent ruins
constitutes a very picturesque feature of the
village, a vivid contrast of the medieval
period with the present. The floor of the
church is of brick, or tile, as is a broad front
porch. The inner walls are plastered and
frescoed, to represent a gallery with pillars,
the colors now appearing as fresh as when
newly painted. The sacred ornaments of
this church have survived all the vicissitudes
and spoliations which the venerable pile has
suffered. Over the altar in the western end
stands the patron saint, Michael the Arch-
angel, life size and handsomely depicted,
gorgeously arrayed in gold and crimson, hold-
ing aloft his sword of light, beneath a broad
banner on which is emblazoned the all-seeing
eye from which radiate rays of light. To
the right of the altar stands the brightly-
painted statue of St. Joseph, holding the in-
fant Jesus in one arm and bearing on the
other the shepherd's stalf. Opposite stands
the statue of St. Francis de Assisi, the
founder of the order of Franciscan monks,
under whose charge were established the
missions of California. Beside the altar is a
painting of St. John the Evangelist, with
one foot resting upon a skull. There are
also other paintings of various sacred sub-
jects, generally in bright colors, and these,
with the bright altar ornaments, iorm a vivid
contrast with the neglect, decay and ruin
seen elsewhere about the old mission. The
many rmall pictures hung on the walls are
dimly seen in the faint light, and the thick-
ness of the walls keeps the atmosphere gen-
erally in a chilly, cellar-like condition; the
windows are few, small and high out of
reach. Services are held fortnightly in this
church.
THE PASO KOBLES HOT SPEINGS
take their name from the rancho on which
they ai-e found, El Paso de Robles (the Pass
of Oaks). They are about thirty miles north
of San Luis Obispo and sixteen miles from
the Pacific ocean, in the beautiful valley of
the Salinas Eiver, which the Santa Lucia
range protects from the cold sea winds and
fogs. For njiles around the springs stretch
level plains, now and then broken by low
hills, and shaded by graceful groups of white
and live oaks — a charmingly picturesque
setting for the springs whose curative waters
have become famous.
The missionaries and early Spanish pio-
neers, and the Indians before them, knew the
health-giving qualities of these waters and
benefited by them. P'-ior to American occu-
pation the principal spring had been rudely
walled in with logs, the better to fit it for
bathing purposes, this being done before the
founding of San Miguel Mission. It is de-
clared that even the wild beasts of the forest
came to profit by these waters, and stories are
told of an immense grizzly that was in the
habit of plunging into the pool nightly,
adding to the joys of his bath by swinging
himself up and down by the low-growing
branch of a great cottonwood that grew near
by, extending its limbs over the water.
SAN LUIS OBISPO GOUNTT.
The Paso de Robles Rancho, including the
springs, was purchased in 1857 by D. D.
Blackburn, James H. Blackburn and Lazare
Godchaux. The springs at that time were in
the condition in which the missionaries had
left them, with no sign of improvements by
the decaying logs of the old abutment placed
there many years before, while the thickly-
strewn bear-tracks added to the general air
of desolation. Fr.)ni such a condition as
this has grown the present settlement of 820
population, supplied with an excellent hotel
and annex cottages, witii postoffice, express
and telegraph offi^ies, billiard halls, etc., — in
short all the modern improvements for tiie
convenience of visitors.
The chemical analysis of the principal Hot
Spring, as made by Professors Price and
Hewston, of San Francisco, is as follows: —
Temperature, 110° Fahrenheit. One impe-
rial gallon, of 7,000 grains, contains —
GRAINS.
Sulphureted Hydrogen Gas 4.45
Free Carbonic Acid Gas 10.50
Sulphate of Lime 3.21
Sulphate of Potassa 88
Peroxide of Iron 36
Alumina 32
Silica 44
Sulphate of Soda (Glauber's Salts) 7.85
Bi-Carbonate of Magnesia 92
Bi-Carbonate of Soda 50.74
Iodides and Bromides Traces.
Organic Matter 1.64
The great and distinctive feature of Paso
de Robles is the Mud Bath, whose .analysis
is as follows: Temperature, 140° Fahrenheit.
One gallon, of 7,000 grains, contains —
GRAINS.
Sulphureted.Hydrogen Gas 3.28
Carbonic Acid Gas 47.84
Sulphate of Lime 17.90
Sulphate of Potossa Traces
Sulphate of Soda 4M]
Silica 1.11
Carbonate of Magnesia 3.10
GRAIN.S.
Carbonate of Soda 5.21
Chloride of Sodium 96.48
Organic Matter 3.47
168.80
There are several other springs, such as
the Sand Spring, the Soda, the Wliite Sul-
phur and the Iron or Chalybeate Spring.
Paso de Robles, the town, dates from
1886. The present population is rated
at 820.
The Paso de Robles Rancho has been sub-
divided, and its lots are now oflfered for sale
by the West Coast Land Company.
Lots eighteen and nineteen of the subdi-
vision were reserved and laid out for the
town of
TEMPLETON.
These lots embrace 160 acres, of which 100
are on a level plateau, twenty or twenty-five
feet against the Salinas River. This site is
covered with oak timber, and is one of the
most picturesque spots in the county. Pre-
vious to the completion of the railroad to this
point this region of country was but a vast
cattle range. In March, 1886, the West
Coast Land Company was formed with a cap-
ital of $500,000, and purchased the Santa
I'sabel and the Eureka ranches, and portions
of the Paso de Robles and the Huer-Huero
ranches, comprising a compact and contigu-
ous body of 63,000 acres of land, equal to
any in the State for cereals, fruits, vines,
grasses or almost any product of California.
This immense body of 500 square miles of
territory was at once surveyed and subdivided
into small tracts and the town laid off. It
was at first called Crocker, which name was
shortly changed to Templeton. Within
ninety days after its foundation Templeton
contained one extensive and two smaller but
quite respectable hotels, three general mer
chandise stores and two more in immediate
158
L-LZV LOIS OBISPO COUNTY.
prospect, a handsome and well-stocked drug
store, a very neat structure for the office of
the West Coast Land Company, a well-
supplied meat market, a shoeshop, two black-
smith shops, five saloons, a billiard saloon, a
large lumber yard, a sash and blind shop,
several building and painting establishments,
two barber- shops, a public liall, a postoffice
with daily mail service and probably twenty-
five to thirty dwelling houses. The intel-
lectnal and educational wants of the com-
munity are provided for by a weekly
newspaper with a good circulation and adver-
tising ])atroi)age, and the Templeton Insti-
tute, with a good pupilage in its primary
department, and prepared to receive students
in the higher and collegiate departments.
The railroad buildings consist of a handsome
depot and freight warehouse, a turn-table and
round-house and other appointments of a
first-class station, provided with telegraphic
and express facilities. The religious want is
attended to by an excellent Presbyterian
clergyman who, with his family, resides in
the town, and a Sunday-school with a good
attendance of scholars and teachers is held
every Sunday in the building of the primary
department of the Templeton Institute.
The establishment of a brickyard gives an
added impetus to building, as clay of a very
superior quality is abundant almost within
the town limits, and wood is very cheap.
THE EANCHO SANTA MARGARITA
has been noted for its fertility since the days
of its tillage by the Mission fathers. It con-
sists of a tract perhaps eight or nine miles
long by two wide, in the form of a valley —
the bottom lands along the Salinas River. It
was granted to Joaquin Estrada, and to him
afterwards confirmed and patented. During
the Mexican regime it was given up to graz-
ing. The surroundings were very wild, and
bears were frequent visitors to the rancho
The San Jose Valley, once called the
Rancho San Jose, lies about twenty miles
east from San Luis Obispo, and southeast of
the Santa Marjjarita Rancho. It was
sup-
posed that Don Ynocente Garcia had a grant
for the whole of the land in this valley, to the
extent of five or six leagues. Later on, he
decided to ti-eat the place as Government
land, and recorded possessory claims upon
the best of the tract, finding that he had only
applied for the grant, no action having been
taken upon his petition. The land here is
fertile, and the climate warmer than nearer
the coast. Corn beans, etc., are raised uii-
irrigated. The cultivated land is of greater
than a townsiiip area; the postoffice is Pozo
(a hole or well), from the form of the valley.
On the headwaters of the Atascadero is the
Eagle Rancho, purchased in 1876 by Mr. A.
F. Benton, a settler in this county since '69.
He raided here a great number of hogs, this
industry being favored by the existence of
marshy places and oak groves. The many
grizzly bears, however, were a great obs acle
to the entire success of this industry. The
existence of this "big game" gave the rancho
a great reputation amongst hunters. Among
others. Baron Von Schroder was attracted
thitiier, and, after a long sojourn amidst the
game-infested mountains, he purchased the
rancho, upon which he has since expended a
good deal of money, to make of it a country
resort for himself and his friends. The
rancho comprises some 500 acres, extending
through several small valleys, and command-
ing an extensive range of pasturage, over
adjoining public and railroad lands not de-
sirable foi' cultivation. Upon a small knoll
in the first valley is built a handsome dwell-
ing, surrounded by drives and avenues lead
ing to the neighboring falls and grottoes.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
The water supply, difficult to secure at this
altitude of 1,500 feet, was obtained throui^h
tunnels, tapping large springs from which an
abundant supply is had. Perhaps tiie largest
prune orchard in the world is that upon this
rancho, which contains something over 200
acres, growing in a tine rich slate loam. Ten
tons of dried fruit, grown on these young
trees three years after planting, took the first
premium at the Mechanics' Institute Fair for
1889, in San Francisco, as the best French
prunes raised in California. It is estimated
that the yield of this orchard for 1890 will
reach five tons to the acre, worth seven
cents per pound, or $700 per acre, four years
after planting. A short distance from this
place are the Falls of the Atascadero, where
the scenery is exceedingly wild and pictur-
esque. The canon is spanned by a massive
dyke of serpentine and trachyte, over which
leaps the stream to a fall of about forty feet,
in several cascades, of which the highest is
twenty feet. The stream in very low water
is about four feet wide, and tiiree or four
inches in depth. From below the falls the
rocky banks rise perpendicularly to over
100 feet, clad in beautiful ferns and shrub-
bery.
As the valley of the Salinas stretches
northward toward its junction with the Es-
trella, the mountains sink into rolling hills,
bearing gi'oves and clumps of oaks, while the
streams are fringed with willow, sycainore
and Cottonwood. On the left bank of the
Salinas are the ranches Asuncion, Atascadero,
Paso de Koble^', and ex- Mission of San
Miguel, and on the right bank are the Eu-
reka, Santa Ysabel and Huer-Huero; the set-
tlement of the Estrella is on the banks of that
stream, and the Cholame Rancho is in the
northeastern part of the county. On the
western slope, opposite Von Scliruder's, in
Van Ness Canon, Hon. Frank McCoppin, ex-
mayor of San Francisco, has a vineyard of
over 30,000 choice vines, four or live years
old, bearing heavily.
Farther S'.>uth, on the western slope, on the
headwaters of the Arroyo Grande, A. B. II as-
brouck has a vineyard of over 30,000 vines,
which produce an abundance of the most
luscious grapes from which most excellent
wine is made. There are many other small
vineyards and orchards throughout the range,
but the above are mentioned as examples. In
the many valleys and slopes of this grand
range these vineyards and orchards may be
multiplied indefinitely, and with a success
challenging the most favored or noted region
of the State, or of the world.
Hasbrouck's Hancho is located twenty-two
miles from San Luis, on the main southern
road to Steele's. The Santa Manuela grant
of 16,955 acres crosses and occupies a wide
extent of this valley. Between it and the
Arroyo grant was a strip of a mile or more
of Government land, now owned and occu-
pied by well-to-do settlers. The Arroyo
Grande grant, of about 4,500 acres of the
Ranchita, embraces different branches of
he streini for about four miles, about 1,500
acres being arable. This was leased by the
Steele Brothers to Mr. Hasbr'ouck, who oc-
cupied it for a number of years, brought a
large area under cultivation, and finally, in
1883, purchased the land at the stated price
of $27,000. In 1880, Mr. Hasbrouck had
bought of A. C. McCleod, the Musick heirs
and others, a large tract of excellent pasturage
similar to the Ranchita, where he has made
his home. Here is the postoffice named Mu-
sick. The diiry here is a mo lei institution,
the building appointments being admirably
adapted to their purpose. The dairy is
mainly devoted to cheese-making, and sev-
eral hundred cows are kept, each yielding an
estimated product of $55.00 per annum. The
SAN' LUIS OBISPO G0UNT7.
grounds of Mr. Hasbrouck's rancho are
splendidly kept, and are a noted sliow-place
in this district. Two miles south of Musick
rises Mt. Hasbrouck, a cone-like bald moun-
tain which is one of the highest peaks of the
Santa Lucia range.
THE SOUTHERN BOEDER.
The Santa Maria Kiver, which in its upper
part bears the name of Cuyania, forms
the southern boundary of the county, sepa-
rating it from Santa Barbara. The Cuyama
Yalley is an extensive region, stretching like
a division between two systems of geological
formations from the Mojave Desert on the
east to the Pacific Ocean on the west. The
greater portion of tlie region is unoccupied or
devoted to grazing, and its resources unknown
and undeveloped. It opens a feasible rail-
road route from the high interior to the coast,
and when such a road is constructed an un-
doubtedly valuable section will be opened.
A few streams run from the Santa Lucia to
the Cuyania, as the Alamo, Huasna, Suey and
others, and on these are valuable ranches, the
Huasna grant of five leagues and the Suey of
the same, being of these, and with the Santa
Margarita and the speculative purchases the
principal ones of the county not subdivided.
North and east of these grants the land was
all public, there being much yet remaining
unsurveyed and unoccupied, yet very suitable
for culture and grazing. Upon the Suey, the
property of Messrs. Newhall, of San Fran-
cisco, large quantities of wheat are produced,
and oranges, lemons and grapes are grown
successfully.
THE SALINAS VALLEY.
Opposite the head of the Alamo, in the
Santa Lucia range, is the source of the Salinas,
which runs northwesterly through San Luis
Obispo and Monterey counties to the Bay
of Monterey. This collects the waters of
the greater portion of 'the eastern section
of the county. A large number of streams
empty into the Salinas, making it a mighty
torrent in seasons of heavy rains.
The region of the Salinas, or that east of
the Santa Lucia range, comprises about
1,100,000 acres, of which fully two-thirds is
vacant, held for speculation or occupied for
nothing more than grazing purposes. It ap-
pears almost incredible that such a vast area
should, at this date, lie an unoccupied waste
if it is susceptible of profitable cultivation.
But such things have been in other parts of
California, and the condition s'lll exists in the
southeastern part of San Luis Obispo County.
Until within the last two or three years the
same condition obtained in the northeastern
part of the county, but this has been partly
changed by the incoming of a large number
of settlers on public lands, and the sub-
division and sale of the great ranchos of Huer-
Hnero, Eureka, Santa Ysabel and Paso
Kobles, influenced by the construction of the
Southern Pacific Railroad in that quarter.
The writer has traversed a greater portion
of this region, and noticed the uniform good
character of the soil, the abundant herbage,
the many large trees and density of chapparal,
or the broad plains ready for the plow, and
wondered at its lack of occupancy.
The chief reason, however, why it is not
thickly settled is, undoubtedly, because of its
distance from railroad communication. This
lack will probably be supplied in the near
future.
The principal valleys of this region are the
San Jose, Santa Margarita and Salinas along
the latter river; the Carriso, La Patiza and San
Juan along the last named stream, the Es-
trella on the Estrella River, the Iluer-Hixero,
Cholame, Pala Prieta and other smaller val-
JAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
leys in the north, and the great plains of the
Estrella and Elkhorn in the southeast.
Across the Santa Lucia to the eastward is
the Carriso Plain, already described, in whose
southeastern part is one of the most interest-
ing objects in California. This is the anti-
quarian monument known as
THE PAINTED EOCK.
Conical in shape, it rises abruptly from the
plain to a height of about 140 feet, on one of
whose sides is an opening twenty feet wide;
extending to 120 I'eet on the inner side,
where it expands to a length of 225 feet,
forming a grand natural room or hall, open
to the sky, — a veritable majestic temple of the
wilderness.
It is evident that this great chamber was
used by some pre-historic people for purposes
of worship or of council, as is evinced by the
strange paintings upon the inner face of the
walls. These paintings are done in pigments
ol three colors, red, white and black, still dis-
tinct after exposure to the weather through
untold ages. The strange characters and
figures there depicted with evident careful
design somewhat remotely resemble the
hieroglyphics of Egypt or the picture writings
of Yucatan and other portions of Mexico,
being homogeneous with the other aborig-
inal paintings found in various portions of
Southern California. In other parts of this
county, as in that of Santa Barbara, are found
other "painted rocks," of similar origin, but
none so grand or so interesting as this great
natural temple of the Carriso Plain.
This plain is separated from the Tulare
Yalley by the Monte Diablo range of moun-
tains, and from the San Juan Valley by a low
ridge. The small valleys and rounded hills
here are clothed in wild oats, alfilaria, and
bunch-grass. This valley has been much
settled up of late years. 1
THE MONTE DIABLO
range of mountains runs along the eastern
boundary of the county, separating it from
Kern County and the Tulare Valley. A
range of uplifted sandstone divides the San
Juan Valley from the Carriso Plain, and
between the San Juan and the Salinas is the
La Panza range, quite prominent mountains,
with gold placers in many of its gulches,
which are mined with fair remuneration.
The greater portion of the country is of rolling
hills, with scattering oaks, giving it a very
pleasant and park-like appearance. The
beauty and resources of this section cannot
be fully described in the limits of this article.
Throughout the region, wherever tried,
fruit in many varieties and of the finest quality
is grown. At the recent county fair held in
the city of San Luis Obispo, peaches, apples,
pears and grapes of superb appearance and
quality, were on exhibition from the vicinity
of Poza on the upper Salinas. This is an
elevated region, and the production is an
evidence that the very best of the most deli-
cate and valuable fruits can be grown through
every limit and extreme of the county.
CREEKS.
Southeastward from the old Mission of
San Miguel, the valley of the Estrella Creek
stretches toward the mountains dividing San
Luis from Kern County. This large tract
until very recently was unoccupied and useless,
save as grazing ground for a few cattle and
sheep. Up to the '70's it was regarded as a
portion of some Mexican grant; then the dis-
covery was made that this was Government
land, open to settlement, and, while bare in
appearance, of great fertility of soil, and well
adapted to agriculture. Thus a rapid immi-
gration set in, settlements were made, school-
houses built, and a vast change effected.
Good crops were had in 1876 and 1878, and
SAW LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
by 1880 at least forty families had settled
upon this wide and fertile tract. In 1887 the
total acreage in wheat and barley, from Santa
Margarita on the south to San Miguel on the
north, and from Paso de Robles to Sheid's,
was 8,625 acres, of which thirteen-sixteenths
was wheat. The land here is a rich, sandy
loam, sparsely covered with nutritious grasses,
and with live-oak and white-oak trees scat-
tered at intervals. Water is had at an aver-
age dejith of thirty feet.
Las Tablas Creek rises in tlie hills near the
Hot Springs and flows northwesterly into the
Nacimiento. The fertile tract along its val-
ley supports a quite considerable population,
chiefly engaged in grazing and fanning.
This region is somewhat elevated, its soil
mostly a black adobe, very fruitful, and its
grazing facilities excellent. Mining, too, has
helped the various settlements in this dis-
trict, as several important quicksilver mines
have been located and worked hereabouts.
Adelaide is the postofEce for this region, and
the postal facilities are well maintained. In
schools and churches, also, Las Tablas has
taken an advanced position.
Between the Salinas and the Estrella are
the ranches Santa Ysabel, Hner-Huero, and
Eureka, aggregating about 70,000 acres.
The Santa Ysabel consists of 20,200 acres,
adjoining the Rancho Paso de Robles at the
northeast. For ten miles the Southern Paci-
fic Railway runs along and within one-fourth
mile of its boundary. It is covered with white
and live-oak timber, although less thickly
than the Paso de Robles. There are, sub-
stantially, 16,000 acres of plow land, the
rest fruit and grazing land. The soil is rich
and deep, and will produce wheat of the
finest, barley, oats, corn, all fruits and vines,
and olives. Wine and raisin-making will.
no doiibt, be important industries of this sec-
tion. On this rancho are twenty miles of run-
ning water, besides numerous living springs-
Well water is had at ten to forty feet deep.
The Huer-Huero adjoins the Santa Ysabel
and the Eureka on the east. It comprises
8,000 acres of valley, 23,000 acres of level
and rolling farming lands, and 15,000 acres
of hill grazing lands. In two years, 34,000
acres were sold to settlers, mostly of wealth
and position, and the region is thickly settled.
Wheat, olives, fruit and vines have been
planted. About 12,000 acres of this rancho
are still unsold.
The Eureka Rancho adjoins Santa Ysabel
on the south, and Paso de Robles on the east,
comprising about 11,000 acres, of which
some 9,500 acres are plow land, and 1,500
grazing. This rancho has a rich, deep soil,
and is well watered, and wooded with white
and live oak.
These three ranchos last-named were pur-
chased two or three years since by the West
Coast Land Company, and have been sub-
divided and put upon the market by this
company, which already has founded the
promising town of Templeton, and settled up
a great deal of country hitherto unoccupied.
In the extreme northeastern part of the
county is the great Cholame Rancho, com-
prising 26,622 acres, long the property of
Messrs. R. E. Jack and Frederick Adams,
who have used it mainly as a sheep range.
It is similar in its features to the region just
described, and is a valuable property. It ex-
tends over the boundary line into Monterey
County.
As an evidence of progress, the develop-
ment of the Huer-Huero may be cited. This
tract of land, comprising about 48,000 acres,
was regarded as an exhausted sheep range, and
less than four years ago was sold at $3 an
acre. Mr. J. V. Webster, an experienced
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
horticulturist of Alameda County, purchased
a large area and soon commenced its cultiva-
tion. At the county fair, in the middle of
October, 1888, he exhibited from the land
grapes of the most choice varieties in large
bunches. Also fig and peach trees of six feet
growth in the last six months; samples of
amber sugar cane, yielding at the rate of
14"4,000 pounds per acre, and sorghum at the
rate of 175,000 pounds per acre. Ho also
exhibited hops of exceedingly thrifty and rich
growth, flax of good quality, melons, squashes
and a great variety of products grown without
irrigation, but with good cultivation.
This detpil could be carried on to a tedious
extent, and is only introduced to illustrate
what can be done on lands called a desert,
simply because it was the stupid custom to
follow the expression of some very stupid
man.
In this region is the little village of Cres-
ton with two stores, hotel, school, postoftice,
shops, saloons, and residences, with many
thrifty farms in the vicinity, all where four
years since existed only a wilderness.
RESOUHCES.
AGRICULTUEE.
San Luis Obispo County with over 2,000,-
000 acres of land, oflPers to the farmer un-
eqnaled inducements to pursue his calling
within its domains, as at least three-fourths
of that number of acres is adapted to general
farming, and is particularly suited for the
raising of grain ; as in other places there are
certain portions of the county especially
desirable for grain; in the northern portion,
and east of the Santa Lucia range, fully
200,000 to 300,000 acres of land will bring
to the cultivator thereof a rich return, the
soil being rich and deep, and though in parts
mountainous, is mainly composed of good
rolling and valley lands, embraced within the '
districts known as the San Jose Valley, the
Cholame, and the Ranchos Eureka and Santa
Ysabel, Paso Robles, Huer-Huero and Santa
Margarita and Salinas Townshps.
The country surrounding the city of San
Luis Obispo, north and south, in the Osos
Valley, is also a rich, grain-producing region,
comprising many thousand acres. Tiie aver-
age yield of wheat is forty-tive bushels to the
acre and of oats 150 bushels to the acre.
Around Arroyo Grande and Nipomo, is
found, probably, as rich land as lies in any
other portion of the county, and possibly the
best soil is in these portions. That at Arroyo
Grande is particularly fine for beans, a very
remunerative and easily handled product, and
an industry constantly increasing, the yield
being in 1886 nearly 105,000 bushels, and in
1887 in advance of any yield heretofore
had; the average yield of beans being forty
bushels to the acre.
The county possesses one advantage over
other southern counties which an eastern
man will appreciate ; we refer to the immense
water facilities, and moreover the fact that
irrigation is never needed; from north to
south on an average of every six or seven
miles, perennial streams flow to the ocean.
With the advent of the railroad easy and ac-
cessible shipping points are had; the towns
of San Miguel, Paso Robles and Templeton
on the Southern Pacific Railroad are the
centers for large agricultural districts, and
their shipping points for San Francisco.
San Luis Obis^jo receives from the sur-
rounding country, shipments by the Pacific
Coast Railway, which also brings the products
of Nipomo and Arroyo Grande and the south-
ern portion of the county to Port Harford,
where the Pacific Coast Steamship Company
receives for both north and south. A grow-
ing industry is the raising of alfalfa, which
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
requires a moist, rich soil. Alfalfa is being
raised all over the county; it requires to be
cat five times during the year, averaging two
tons to the acre at each cutting. All grasses
for feed and general use are raised in abund-
ance; timothy, clover, etc., are found in many
portions of the county and grow as luxuri-
antly as in any portion of the East.
Potatoes yield abundantly, averaging over
200 bushels to the acre, equal to the finest
grown in Utah, varying in price from 80
cents to $2 per 100 pounds, according to the
season. They are of large size, white, mealy
and delicious.
All kinds of garden vegetables, such as
beets, peas, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, tur-
nips, onions, etc., are successfully and pro-
fitably cultivated, the crop is enormous, the
quality good, and the market for all that is
not needed at home is sure and at paying
prices.
Nearly every farmer has liis garden well
stocked with all kinds of vegetables.
Cabbages are raised weighing ninety pounds
per head; and sweet corn, sorghum, lettuce,
melons, radishes, egg plant, etc., are notice-
ably thrifty and superior. The market is a
consideration not to be overlooked by intend-
ing settlers, since abundant crops would be
of little value if no market at remunerative
rates was to be had close at home, or within
easy reach by rail.
HOETICULTUEE AND VITICULTURE.
While San Luis Obispo County has a wide
reputation for its dairying interests, its large
cattle interests, and capabilities as a grain
county, it stands second to none in adapta-
bility for fruit-raising. A fruit-raiser is not
confined to any one particular kind of fruit,
but if that is his ambition, may raise nearly
every known species, peculiar to either north-
ern or southern California, the soil, climate
and topography of the county combining
advantages which few counties or other coun-
tries possess. The finest qualities of apples,
pears, peaches, plums, cherries, apricots,
prunes, olives, figs and oranges, and all kinds
of nuts, — in fact all fruits, as well as berries
of^all varieties, grow in abundance with but
ordinary care.
East of the Santa Lucia Range, a large
section of the country is specially suited to
fruit culture; notably around Creston, Tem-
pleton, Paso Robles and in fact all of the
Salinas basin and the San Jose Valley.
In the valley around the city of San Luis
Obispo, the fruit-raiser reaps a rich reward
for his labors, especially with nuts, oranges,
lemons, figs and olives, the latter being a
very remunerative fruit and growing luxuri-
antly. The southern portion of the county
is well adapted to all fruits; especially must
the valley of the Arroyo Grande be named,
and it would be hard to say that one portion
of the county is better than another for gen-
eral fruit-raising.
There is a large market for the fruit-
grower, both at home and abroad, and now
that the railroad traverses the county the
Eastern market opens its doors for the recep-
tion of our fi'uits.
With a full-grown, bearing orchard, the
profits are sure and large, fruit always being
in demand, and the finer the quality, the
greater the return.
Within three years after setting out the
orchard, the grower will commence to reap
his reward, increasing of course as the years
roll around. With olives, walnuts and oranges,
it .takes somewhat longer, it being about
seven years before the walnut is in full bear-
ing, about six for the orange, and from five
to seven years for the olive.
There is one never failing, ever increasing
market for the raiser of fruit; namely, the
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTT.
canning industries growing continually on
this coast, which are making the raising of
fruit a very profitable industry.
At no far distant day this county will
assuredly take a high rank as a grape and
wine producing section of the State; a large
area of the hill land of the county is peculiar-
ly adapted for the grape, favored with soil
and climate for every species of this luscious
fruit. Heretofore the mission grape has
been more largely cultivated than any other
and the success attained with that variety has
induced local viticulturists to try the other,
favorite species and with marked success;
Black Prince, Flaine Tokay, Muscat, Black
Hamburg, Black Morocco, Zinfandel, Kiesl-
ing and Frontignan flourishing wherever
planted. The raisin and wine industries are
rapidly increasing, and, the profits being large,
they are bound to increase still more, as there
is much room for settlers who wish to engage
in this pleasant and profitable business. The
principal home market for wines is of course
San Francisco, where there is a heavy demand
by the large houses which supply the East
with California wines, so rapidly growing in
favor.
To show what success San Luis Obispo
County vineyards have attained we quote the
following from an article on the subject pre-
pared by Mr. P. H. Dallidet, Jr., entitled
'•Specific Instances: "
" From the information acquired through
that and other sources in the last twenty years
in the county, I am of the opinion that the
wealth of San Luis Obispo County can and
will be greatly increased by the planting of
vineyards, because of the certainty and abund-
ance of their returns. I will endeavor to give
facts in a few cases of people living at con-
siderable distances from each other in the
county, and any one desiring the full parti-
culars can write to them for further informa-
tion, and I have no doubt that they will be
pleased to give it. Mr. W. N. Short, in the
neighborhood of Temblor Ranch on the
eastern border of the county, has a young
vineyard which surprised him by the num-
bers of bunches each vine yielded on the fourth
year, the bunches filling well and berries
growing to perfection. On the Temblor and
Cnyama ranches, fifty miles apart on the same
belt, there may be found trees and vines
growing without attention that do wonders
in the way of yield. Mr. Gillis, near Ade-
laide, told me three years ago, that his two-
year-old vines. Muscats, and wine grapes,
bore from ten to thirty pounds each, berries
very large and sweet, with a beautiful bloom
on them. His place is thirty miles from
San Luis Obispo in a northerly direction.
On W. S. Hinkle's farm some three miles
from this city are some ten vines in arbor
form, that were literally purple with grapes
of the Mission variety every year from the
year 1860 to 1882, yielding three to five tons
of grapes annually. Mr. Dolores Herrera,
near Pozo, planted some vines near his house
that have borne very well, but said Mr. Her-
rera, ' 1 had a few cuttings left over after
planting my vineyard; so I thought I would
experiment, and I theiefore set them out on a
dry-looking hill about half a mile away from
the house, and left the.n there to live or die
as they chose. After some months 1 saw they
grew nicely: so I pulled up some of them and
left the others till the next year. When my
grapes were ripening, I thought of the hill
vines and went to see if they were yet alive,
when imagine my surprise on finding from
three to five bunches on each little vine, each
bunch weighing from a half to three-quarters
of a pound of the finest white grapes I ever
tasted.' Pozo is thirty miles east of us and
forty miles from the ocean. Mr. E. W.
1 Howe, near Morro, has a very nice little vine-
166
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
yard which yields good crops of thirty pounds
and upwards to the vine.
" F. Gnillerain, just over the mountain to
the east of us, has a small vineyard set out
after the manner of his country, that is, the
vines from two to four feet apart, which bear
from five to fifteen pounds each, and of part
of Ms crop he makes a light wine which con-
noisseurs pronounce to be equal to the famous
petit vin du Jurat of France.
" Mr. Hasbrouck has some twenty acres or
more of vines at the Ranchita which are
growing very nicely. Mr. Henry Ditmas, of
Musick, has some boxes of raisins made by
him on his place that were equal in point of
size, color and taste to the best San Bernar-
dino raisins.
" Mr. P. H. Dallidet, Sr., has a vineyard
from four to twenty years of age, and he lias
taken from his oldest vines, which at seven
years of age had had good care, as high as
twenty pounds to the vine, and out of eight
acres of grapes made one season 6,300 gal-
lons of wine.
" Hon. Frank McCoppin, Dr. W. W. Hays,
E. W.and'Hon. George Steele, J. P.Andrews,
Goldtree Bros., W. H. Taylor and E. A. At-
wood, all hnve tine young vineyards and or-
chards. Besidi-'s these gentlemen who are
large. V interested, there are a great number
of persons who have from one acre and up-
wards in full bearing who all say that vines
are a success with only moderate attention.
Out of perhaps 150 persons who have vine-
yards, I know of but two that irrigate, and
that because they have an abundance of
water which would otherwise be entirely
wasted. As it is, they get a good growth of
wood, whether at the expense of quantity in
fruit is a question, but certainly, at the ex-
pense of quality. Of the persons named
above only Mr. Guillemin irrigates.
" Having observed closely the yield of
grapes for a number of years past, I can say
without fear of exaggeration that vines of full
bearing age will yield an average one year
with another of thirty pounds to the vine.'
MINERAL KESODROES.
The following account is partly extracted
from the report of the State Mineralogist:
Gold, silver, lead, copper, quicksilver,
chromite, gypsum, onyx, silica, salt, lime,
coal, and petroleum have been found in the
mountains of this county. Some of these
have been found in sufficient quantities to
pay for working, and it is quite likely that a
careful investigation of the remote mountain
regions would result in additions to the min-
eral resources. * * * It is a matter of
history that gold was shipped from San Luis
Obispo and neighboring counties prior to its
discovery by Marshall in 1848. The explor-
ers of the Pacific Railroad reported gold west
of Salinas in 1854, though its existence in
the San Jose Mountains had long been known.
Gold has been and is still washed from sands
in the bed of the San Marcos Creek, about
four miles northwest of Paso Robles, during
the wet months of the year, yielding, it is
said, as high as from $3 to $4 per man per
day. Placer claims have also been worked
thirty miles southeast of Templeton since
1870-'71, ground sluicing and panning when
water has been plentiful, having yielded from
$2 to $4 per day.
The placer mines of the La Panza District
are the best known, and are probably of the
most importance. They are situated at the
southeastern part of the San Jos^ range,
which rises as a formidable mountain joining
the Santa Lucia, and over $100,000 in gold
have been taken out. During 1878 there
was quite a rush to these parts, and prospect-
ing was carried on in nearly all the gulches
leading from the San Jose range to the San
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
Juan River. The chief interest was centered
in tlie de la Guerra Gulch, where the most
mining was done, — even as late as 1882; also
upon the Navajo Creek, which is a stream of
constantly flowing water. Some of these
placers have yielded as high as $4 per day.
The gold was coarse, pieces worth 50 cents
or 80 cents being of frequent occurrence.
Haystack Caiion also has running water, and
gold. Near the head of this canon are falls
of twenty feet, where the water descends into
a basin nearly twenty feet across, and ten or
twelve feet deep.
These streams reach the channel of the San
Juan during very wet weather. Of late years
tliese mines have not been actively worked,
chiefly on account of the scarcity of water.
In the southern portion of the county gold
has also been found in sands on the seasliore
in considerable quantity. They are reported
as yielding from §1.50 to $2 per day to the
miner, and, as the gold dust appears to be
renewed by the washing of the sea, the de-
posits are practically inexhaustible. San Luis
Obispo is credited with the production of
$6,200 in gold during the year 1889, as re-
ported by the director of the United States
mint.
San Luis Obispo, in common with all of
the California missions, holds to the custom-
ary legends of rich silver mines having been
formerly worked within its borders by the
Indians and old Spanish padres.
In 1862, during the ;(reat copper excite-
ment, several copper mines were opened in
the northwestern part of the county. Green
Elephant and North Mexican were among
the most promising. In 1863 copper was
obtained and smelted in the neighborhood of
these mines, and shipped to San Francisco.
Sulphurites, carbonates, and silicate ores are
widely distributed throughout the county,
the float rock being often very rich. Cuban-
ite, a sulphide of copper and iron, is said to
exist abundantly upon Santa Rosa Creek.
Quicksilver was discovered in 1872, by a
Mexican, in the mountains west of San
Simeon, although it was long known to exist
in the county by the Indians, who used it as a
paint, and were in the habit of visiting the
Santa Lucia range of mountains to procure
it for that purpose. Over 150 quicksilver
claims are recorded in the San Simeou dis-
trict. In 1871 discoveries of cinnabar were
made at Cambria; also about eight miles
north of the tirst discovery, near the north-
east corner of Piedras Blancas Rancho, which
led to the discovery of the Pine Mountain
lode, on the summit of the Santa Lncia. On
this lode eight claims were located, from
which a large quantity of ore, stated to aver-
age 2J per cent., has been extracted. The
Gibson and Phillips claims, the Santa Maria,
Buckeye, and Jeff" Davis, are all located on
the same lode. The San Jo^e mines were
located in 1872 upon the eastern slope of the
Santa Lucia range. The principal mine
that has been developed is the Oceanic. The
original claims, three in number, were located
in 1874, and are situated on the north side and
three-quarters of a milefrom Santa RosaCreek,
and five miles from Cambria. The ledge runs
east and west, dipping to the north at an angle
of about seventeen degrees; the vein is said to
vary from eight feet to thirty -two feet in width.
At times over 300 men were employed in
these works. Three furnaces were erected,
at a cost of $90,000. Good returns were
made on the capital while the price of quick-
silver was high, but when it fell to 40 cents
per pound it was found impossible to produce
it at a profit, and work was suspended.
Large deposits of chromite exist in various
parts of the county, but minitig has been
principally carried on in the Santa Lucia and
Buchon ranges. Racklitt"8 mine is situated
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
five miles northwest of the county-seat; is
leased to William Copeland & Co. Devel-
opments have been carried on here to a liiu
ited extent during the past year, and between
100 and 200 tons of the chromite were
shipped to San Francisco; price paid at San
Luis Obispo, $9.00. The San Jiian, Castro,
Primera, El Salto, and EI Devisadero, whicb
are situated northeast of San Luis Obispo,
are the property of Goldtree Brothers. These
mines have not been worked during the cur-
rent year, there being sufficient chromite al-
ready on the dump to satisfy the demand.
The price obtained is $8.50 per ton at San
Luis Obispo. The principal sliipments have
been to Germany. William Goldtree states
that it would not pay to work these mines
unless $12 per ton could be obtained for
the average product. The mines are patented.
G. Jasper is working a mine seven or eight
miles distant from San Luis Obispo, and he
ships about 150 tons per year to Baltimore.
The price obtained is $8 per ton. It is the
opinion of those conversant with chromic
mining in the county that a miner could
only make wages by working his own mines
at such a ti^ure.
Several deposits of electru-silicon occur in
the county, particularly in the vicinity of the
bay of San Luis Obispo and San Carpojoro.
The deposits at the latter place have so far
proved of the greatest value, great quantities
liaving been shipped for polishing purposes.
The name of Salinas (saline) was given to
the principal river of San Luis Obispo and
Monterey counties because of the saline
springs along its banks and tributaries. In
the mountains, about the rivers' headwaters,
are many salt springs of the strongest brine,
and large deposits of salt ruck. Black Lake
is a small sheet of water, half a mile in di-
ameter and of irregular contour, situated near
the summit of the San Jose mountains, and
is so intensely salt as to form a brine suitable
for the preservation of meat without further
concentration. The salt deposits of the Car-
riso Plain appear like a dry lake, being five
miles in length' and from half a mile to two
miles in breadth. The salt covers the bed to
a depth of from six inches to two feet, and
is sufficiently pure to be used for many pur-
poses. It is much used for stock, being
hauled away in wagons to the ranchos, twenty
or more miles distant. Water intensely salt
is found at a depth of two or three feet be-
neath the surface in the vicinity of this
deposit.
Limestone is found in many localities in
this county. In the vicinity of Nipomo
Rancho is a large body of soft, marly lime-
stoue, that produces a fair article of lime. A
good supply of limestone suitable for lime is
now being obtained in Lopez Caiion, about
eight miles east of the town of Arroyo
Grande, and lime burning lias been com-
menced there with a good pros-pect of suc-
cess. The immense bed of fossil clams and
oysters, near the Oceanic mine, and on the
Santa Margarita Rancho, and the huge Os-
trea titans occurring in several places, when
burnt, yielded a fair article of lime, which
has been used extensively in retorting at the
quicksilver mines in tliis county.
Gypsum is found at the headwaters of Ar-
royo Grande and on Navajo Creek.
Coal was discovered in tliis county as early
as 1863 on the beach at San Simeon, by
William Leffingwell, who used it for black-
smithing. The San Simeon Coal Mining
Company was subsequently started by C. B.
Rutherford, of Oakland. This is said to
have been the first mining company started
in the county. The outcrop of the vein was
two feet in width, and usually covered with
water at high tide. A shaft was sunk to a
depth of about 100 feet, at which point the
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
coal dwindles to a mere seam, and mining
was abandoned. Coal has also been found
in the mountains east of the town of San
Luis Obispo, but not in sufficient quantities
to pay lor working.
There are several varieties of building
stone in the county. The range of peaks
which extends from San Luis Peak to Moro
Rock are composed of trachytic porphyry,
which is used locally, and of late there has
been some talk of establishing a quarry
either at Moro Rock or some of the neigh-
boring peaks. A sandstone crops out also a
half mile southeast of Arroyo Grande, and
extends to Los Yaros Creek. At the latter
place a quarry has been opened by Hugill
Brothers. About iifty feet of rock are here
exposed, which is a light bufi'- colored sand-
stone, soft when quarried, and can be sawed
into cubes, but becomes hard upon exposure
to the atmosphere. This stone has been
much used for chimneys and foundations in
this vicinity. A quarry of similar rock is
said to have been opened by J. S. Rice iive
miles from Pisnio wharf.
There is a notable onyx mine five miles
from Musick, in the heart of the Santa Lucia
mountains, amidst rugged, precipitous spurs
and ridges, which make the scenery exceed-
ingly wild and grand. Here, ten years ago,
David Musick, while hunting for deer, dis-
covered the character of the rock, and claims
were made as for a gold or silver bearing
vein, as the locality was Government land.
A company was formed and prospecting was
done, but the locators, not seeing their way
clear to develop the mine, presently sold it
for $250 to J. and F. Kessler, marble-workers
of San Francisco, who have jealously guarded
and extended their claim, and, having per-
fected the title, are now ready to open the
property. A road is in course of construc-
tion from Musick along arroyos and over
ridges to the ledge, being built for the com-
paratively small sum of $1,300. The sum-
mit of this ridge is 1,900 feet above sea level,
the Santa Lucia range here reaching an ele-
vation of 2,000 to 3,500 feet, and forming
the watershed of the Arroyo Grande flowing
southwest, the Huasna flowing south, and the
Salinas north by west. The surrounding
country afl"ords good grazing and an abundance
of live oak and chapparal.
The onyx ledge runs athwart the ridge
bearing slightly west of north and east of
south. Faces of from twenty to forty-tive
feet in height have been opened on the ledge
on each side of the ridge, the northern one
showing a brilliant white mass of rock in
seams of two to sixteen inches in thickness,
standing nearly perpendicular. The southern
opening is about half a mile from the first, of
similar formation, but showing rock of vari-
ous colors, of yellow, green, blue, golden,
white and other shades, giving it the highest
value for ornamental work. This, Mr. Kess-
ler claims is the most beautiful and valualde
deposit of onyx known in the world. The
ledge is sixteen feet in thickness and the
opening exposes to view more than a thousand
tons of the rock. The outward appearance is
of a rusty, rugged stone, not attractive until
broken and the lines and waves of the blend-
ing colors seen. A \'q\\' tons have been drag-
ged down the mountain in sleds and taken to
San Francisco, where it was sawed into slabs
or cut into such shapes as required and pol-
ished. A piece eight inches square and half
inch thick, was sold to Gov. Stanford for $25.
In a rough state it sells readily for $100 a ton.
The proprietor showed a fragment of eight
feet in length, by sixteen to eighteen inches
in breadth and thickness, which he said would
be worth $300 in San Francisco. This would
be cut into thirty slabs half an inch thick,
and polished, and be worth $10 a square
,V LUIS OBISPO COUNT 7
foot at least, or bring a return ot $3,600.
Others become valuable according to tlieir
colors and the forms they are worked into.
The labor this will employ and the value re-
sulting is inconceivable. There is now a rage
for colored onyx in a vast variety of forms,
— of mantels, tables, counters, pillars, panels,
frames, ornaments, etc. But the customers
are among the rich of the East and Europe.
It cannot be utilized but to a slight extent
in California. The railroad forbids, and
the high rates of labor give, an advantage
elsewhere. The raw material will go by sail-
ing vessel to Atlantic and European ports for
$9 a ton. In New York it can be worked by
labor at $1.50 a day; in France and Italy at
50 cents a day, and in Belgium at 25 cents a
day, while in San Francisco such labor de-
mands from $3 to $4 a day. Thus it will be
worked abroad, and, what Californians want,
will pay the railroad $45 a ton and vast
protits to the employers of cheap labor. But
Sun Luis Obispo will have the honor of sup-
plying the beautiful material in its crude
state and profit on the glory.
Near the summit on the divide and on the
line of the onyx ledge is a spring of very sin-
gular water. It tastes like the water from
oysters, and a conmon glass full is a strong
purgative. Bruises, cuts, poison oak and
other sores are quickly cured by bathing
in it. For medicinal purposes this water
appears very valuable, and what it is, is a
mystery.
" At and in the immediate vicinity of Port
Harford there are extensive bodies of ser-
pentine.
BITUMINOUS EOCK.
" On the ' Rancho El Pismo,' about seven
miles southeast of San Luis Obispo, * * *
great quantities of all the rocks are saturated
with bitumen. There are, it is true, places
where the rock is free from bitumen and |
other places where the percentage which it
contains is small. But the greater portion of
it, where the quarry has been opened, is about
as lull of bitumen as it can hold, and the
quantity easily available here is practically
inexhaustible. A short sidetrack from the
Pacific Coast Railway runs directly to the
quarry. [Blasting is required, and the quar-
rying is oft m perilous, from the clinging for
a while of a portion of the very tough rock,
which will afterwards fall suddenly, in pieces
of many tons' weight, which drop without
warning. — Y. H. A.] Tiiey are now shipping
this rock both to Los Angeles and San Fran-
cisco for pavements, for which it seems to be
admirably adapted.
" At a point about three-quarters of a mile
from this quarry, there is another large do-
posit of bituminous sandstone very heavy-
bedded, on the ' Corral de Piedra' Rancho.
It is called > Oak Park.' But very little
work has been done yet at this locality, and
the exposures are not so good as could be de-
sired.
" Mr. J. J. SchifFerly also has a rancho of
1,344 acres, about one mile westerly from
Adams & NichoUs' quarry (these gentlemen
own the two first mentioned), where most of
the hills are full of bituminous rock. There
is probably enough of this material within a
few square miles in this vicinity to pave all
the cities in tl:e United States.
" Mr. A. B. Hasbrouck, who owns a rancho
called ' Ranchito,' in the Santa Lucia range
of mountains, about twenty-two miles south-
east of the city of San Luis Obispo, and on
the headwaters of the Arroyo Grande, states
that on his place there are large quantities of
asphaltum, with some petroleum springs and
much sulphur water."
The large deposits of asphaltum and the
presence of rock saturated with bitumen sug-
gested the presence of petroleum, and in May,
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
1886, Messrs. -Nicholls, Adams & Walker
undertook the boring for oil in the valley of
the San Luis Creek, about two miles from the
ocean. At a depth of 600 feet a body of hot
sulphur water, accompanied by ^as was struck.
The boring was continued to a depth of 900
feet, when an accident occurred that caused
the further prosecution of the work to cease.
At this depth the iiow of water is about
3,000 barrels a day, with a jet of gas burning
with a ilame three feet high from an aperture
two inches in diameter. The water has a tem-
perature of 100 degrees, and tlie "oil well"
has become the Hot Sulphur Well, and the
locality improved as a bathing and health
resort. A hotel and bathing- houses have been
erected, and, the site possessing many attrac-
tions, it bids fair to become one of the many
popular resorts of the coast.
The boring for oil led the same parties to
investigating the formation of the rocks in
the neighborhood, and over a large area it was
found that certain sandstones were saturated
with bitumen, forming a rock very valuable
for paving purposes.
Througli a region of twenty miles in length
by four in width, were found many high^
rocky projections almost rising into moun-
tains, largely composed of this bituminous
rock. These barren ridges, previously re-
garded as of little value, immediately became
objects of great demand. A paving material
of such value, in suc.li unlimited abundance
and of so easy access appears a discovery of
inestimable value to the world.
This material is used in paving in San
Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and other
cities, causing a demand at this early day of
its development of some 3,000 tons a month.
The consumption of this rock will largely
increase, creating a very important business
and become a great source of wealth to the
county.
The main bituminous rock mines are situ-
ted in a belt one mile wide and ten miles
long, extending fro n San Luis Creek to Ar-
royo Grande, and from five to fifteen miles
south and southeast from San Luis Obispo.
About 30,000 tons were mined and exported
last year. The quantity in the hills is in-
finite. The chemical analysis of this sub-
stance is as follows: linely divided sand, 65.-
917; bitumen, 16.255; iron and alumina, 8.-
405; calcium carbonate, 8.212; magnesium
carbonate, 1.003; undetermined, .208; total,
100. Some seven or eight companies are en-
gaged in mining this rock. The S. L. O.
Bituminous Rock Company, it is said, will
build a wharf about a half a mile south of
Cave Landing. The company is developing
the rich mine within 1,500 feet of the pro-
posed wharf.
We believe that California has advantages
second to no State in the Union for dairying
and cattle raising; the only drawback being
the high price of labor; but the soil, climate
and native grasses are all exceedingly favor-
able, making San Luis Obispo County one
of the best, if not the banner county for this
industry.
Although one of tiie youngest counties in
the business, and for many years compara-
tively inaccessible, it has long occupied the
second place for productiveness, and now
claims the first place.
The rainy and consequently grass season is
expected in November or December and lasts
till June — that is, the season for green and
growing native grasses produced spon-
taneously, wild oats and volunteer grain
often being five inches high during the first
of December. The climate is peculiarly
fitted for dairying, on account of the feed
grasses, and general vegetation being con-
SAN LUTS OBISPO COUNTY.
staiitly kept in good condition by the moist-
ure from the ocean, besides the regular rainy
seasons, and there being no necessity for
irrigation; the trade winds make the climate
warmer in winter, keeping off frosts and
freezing weather.
As a result of snch a climate and soil we
have a luxurious growth of the most nutri-
tious grasses known on this coast; all kinds
of small grain, corn, roots, alfalfa, Australian
rye and orchard and other foreign grasses are
grown successfully.
At the commencement of the rainy season
the native grasses, to-wit, wild oats, alfilaria,
various kinds of clover and bunch grass
spring up as if by magic. Later comes the
alfalfa, which continues green all the year ex-
cept during the very few frosty nights when
it is cut down; but the first crop in winter,
being rank and sour, is cut and used for hay.
The dairy cows are also fed green corn, and
later, roots, squashes and hay; the squashes
will keep nearly all winter if well matured,
and the carrots and beets may remain in the
ground till needed, and will keep growing,
and are often carried over until the next sea-
son. In that case they will come in for feed
when the native grasses begin to mature and
dry, and consequently need something to go
with them.
Thus it will be seen that there is no need
of resorting to silos in order to have the
proper milk-producing feed the year round.
The native grasses, when they mature dry and
remain upon the ground, make a very good
quality of hay in this climate, and the seeds
of the burr clover, particularly, are like grain,
on which the stock cattle and dry cows sub-
sist during the whole dry season. The num-
ber of squashes and roots that can be grown
to the acre is wonderful — from twenty to
forty tons of green corn, alfalfa and squash;
from fifty to 100 tons of roots; the writer
has weiged single mangel-wurtzels that aver-
aged over 100 pounds, and squashes 270
pounds. He also made a three-days test of
the milk from 150 cows while grazing on the
native grasses, to ascertain the value of the
milk for butter and cheese. The cream was
separated from the milk by a Lavel Separa-
tor, and 17.76 pounds of milk made a pound
of liutter, eight and three eighths pounds of
milk made one pound of cheese from the
press, good solid cheese; thus demonstrating
the native grasses to be the very best cheese
and butter producing food. In most locali-
ties it takes about ten pounds of milk to
make one pound of cheese, and twenty-five
pounds of milk to make a pound of butter on
the average. The above test was made from
all the milk of 150 cows lor three consecutive
days, furnishing a test of the most conclusive
character.
For thirty years there has not been a day
in which there lias not been made cheese or
butter in some of the dairies there. When
put to extra expense, by raising feed, prices
of produce are higher. By milking the
year round they keep their best help, dis-
tribute the calf-raising, keep their business or-
ganized and their stock in good condition.
Thus they can dairy profitably the year
round.
A Holstein cow that was fed bran and
shorts in addition to grass, and milked twice
a day, made by actual weight 17,270 pounds
of milk in one year. It was her first year in
the county, and she was carrying a calf dur-
ing eight months of the time. Several of
two-year-old Holstein heifers, under pre-
cisely the same treatment, made about 10,-
250 pounds of milk in one year. It can
safely be said from the above showing that
San Luis Obisbo is the banner dairy county,
and that her cows and grasses can not be ex-
celled in this or any other State.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
Perhaps, on the
EXPORTS.
whole, no better judgment
he resources of the county
upon a resume of the ex-
produced over and above
home consumption. To
after given a statement of
Port Harford for the last
NDINO NOVEMBER 30, 1886.
Tone.
3,368.8
13,847.5
9,024.8
Tons.
93.8
may be found of
than that founded
ports of material
Hogs
Sheep
Other live-stock
... 1,635.3
200.9
. . 134 8
those needed for
52.3
the exports from
four years.
FOR THE TEAR B
Total
FOR THE YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 30
...60,430.4
1888.
Tons.
Beans
Wheat
Wheat
. . 8 383 9
Barley
...16,724.8
Barley
Oata
Rye
Flaxseed....
. . . 35.8
Kye
. . . 83.0
306 9
Other grains
. . . 197.7
Other grains .
. . 203.9
Wool
Lumber
Wood
... 145.1
...21,770.3
Lumber
Wood
Coal
... 9,903.0
.. 1,193.0
. . . 465.3
1 524
Coal
Asphaltum
... 3,310.9
190 2
...19,063.0
. . . 635.0
912 6
Butter
. . . 978.7
Butter
Cheese
. . . 892.0
.. 181.7
Cheese
. . . 117.9
100 3
Cattle
Hogs
Sheep
Other live-stock
. . . 585.9
Cattle
Hogs
... 1,416.0
... 1,037.8
. . . 120.0
Sheep
649 8
. . . 204.6
Other live-stock
. . 78.9
Agricultural implements
. . . 196.6
...13,652.5
Merchandise
NDING NOVEMBER 30,
.. 9,189 9
...54,552.4
1887.
Tone.
Total
91 502 7
Total
FOR THE YEAR E
San Luis Obispo County
(1889) via Port Harford, by
Pacific Coast Steamship C
mention shipments by other
from other landings — the fo
Asphaltum and bituminous rock.
Butter
hipped
steamei
ompanj
conveys
lowing.
last year
s of the
■^heat
7 271 3
nces and
Barley
Oats
.. 9,423.6
237 5
Rye
..; 74.2
47 4
Pounds.
.27,773,200
Flax seed
Other grains
896 3
. 2,014,800
... 371.1
..17,677.4
Wool
Lumber
Wood
Barley
Beans
Ore
.26,762,800
Coal
. . 174.9
383 4
. 3,998,400
1,368,000
Hogs
Sundries
Total
. 709,800
Chrome ore
. 7,835,200
Butter
. . 853.1
.85,414,200
SAN LUIS OBIbPO COUNTY.
Six luindred and seven steamers arrived
and departed during tlie year, besides a large
number of sailing vessels.
The reports of shipments for 1890 are not
yet rendered, but the officials estimate that
the export of bituminons rock will be one-
third greater than last year. On the other
hand the excessive rains of last season
having caused a light grain crop, the aggre-
gate of exports probably will not exceed that
of last year.
BENCH AND BAR.
After the adoption of the constitution of
the State of California, the office of county
judge of San Luis Obispo was first held by
Don Jose Mariano Bonilla, a native of the
city of Mexico, who had been judge of the
first instance under the Mexican rule, and
sub-prefect and alcalde iinder the military
government, after annexation and prior to
the adoption of the constitution. It is re-
lated ot Senor Bonilla that his keen sense of
justice was once severely outraged in the
trial of a case between two Mexicans, in-
volving the ownership of a horse. Judge
Bonilla and W. J. Graves were the only
lawyers in the coiinty, and. Graves having
been retained by the plaintiff and Bonilla
occupying the bench, the defendant was left
without an attorney. This seemed to the
judge such a hardship that he summoned
the sheriif to preside over the court, while he
himself descended from the bench and de-
voted to the cause of the defendant all his
ability and energy. That he was thoroughly
impartial and unbigoted appears fi-om the
fact that, after due deliberation, he rendered
judgment for the plaintiff, against his own
arguments!
To Judge Bonilla succeeded (elected in
1850) John M. Price, who also had been
alcalde. He served less than one year, when
he was followed by William J. Graves, who
had been a member of the State Assembly
and of the State Senate.
O. M. Brown was next elected to this office,
taking his seat in March, 1853. He held
the position for two years, and was succeeded
by Komualdo Pacheco, a member of one of
tlie old Spanish-American families, promi-
nent in California both before and after an-
nexation. Mr. Pacheco held various import-
ant offices in the State, including that of
Governor.
In 1857 Jose Maria Muiioz was elected
county judge to succeed Pacheco. Judge
Munoz was a native Californian, well edu-
cated in Spanish, but unable to speak En-
glisli. His opposing candidate was ex-Judge
Jose M. Bonilla. Judge Munoz held the
office until 1861, wiien he was succeeded by
Dr. Joseph M. Havens, one of the pioneers
of California.
In 1863 Dr. Havens was succeeded by
Wiliam L. Beebee, one of the oldest and
most respected citizens of San Luis Obispo.
Again Mr. Beebee was elected in 1867, and
was confirmed in his seat after a protracted
and expensive litigation, the election having
been contested by Charles Lindley.
In 1871 the choice for county judge was
McDowell K. Venable, who since 1869 had
held a high position at the bar here. In
1875 he was the only candidate for county
judge, and received almost the entire vote of
tile county. He continued in this office until
it was abolished by the adoption of the new
constitution.
The constitution provided for the division
of the State into judicial districts, and that
at its first session the Legislature should
elect for each district one district judge, wiio
should hold office for two years from the 1st
of January succeeding his election, after
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
which the judges should he elected at the
general election, to hold office for six years.
This court was given original jurisdiction in
law and equity; in all civil cases where the
amount in dispute should not exceed $200,
exclusive of interest; in all criminal cases
not otherwise provided for, and in all issues
of fact joined in probate court.
Henry Amos Tefft was the first gentleman
elected by the Legislature judge of the dis-
trict comprising San Luis and Santa Barbara
counties. He held the office until February
6, 1852, when, returning from holding court
at Santa Barbara, he was drowned in San
Luis Obispo harbor while attempting to dis-
embark from the steamer Senator.
The sad death of Judge Tefft left vacant
the chair of this district court, and to it was
appointed, in February, 1852, Joaquin Car-
rillo, then county judge of Santa Barbara.
This gentleman was a grandson of Ray-
mundo Carrillo, the first commandante of
Santa Barbara presidio. Judge Carrillo was
not familiar with the English language, and
when cases were tried in that language it was
necessary to interpret to him the court pro-
ceedings. Yet the Carrillo family having
high rank and influence, he was elected with-
out opposition district judge at the ensuing
general election, and he continued to hold
the office until 1863. He was in character
at once imperious and convivial, as appears
in an incident related by Mr. D. F. Newsom,
who was appointed county clerk in 1853.
Judge Carrillo one day asked Mr. Newsom
to join him in a social glass, and Mr. New-
som declined, as he never took wine or liquor.
Thereupon the judge took umbrage, declaring
that a man who would not drink was not tit
to be clerk of his court, and that for the dis-
courtesy he would remove him from office;
accordingly the sheriff was called upon to
furnish a deputy to act as clerk. Now there
was here no one qualified for this position
save Mr. Newsom, whose knowledge was of
the greatest usefulness and importance in the
public functions, badly organized as gener-
ally were the offices. Therefore the sherifl
prt)mptly appointed Mr. Newsom deputy
sherifl", and detailed him to act as clerk,
which office he continued to till without op-
position or comment from Judge Carrillo.
After the census of 1860 the State was re-
apportioned into judicial districts, and San
Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles,
San Bernardino, and San Diego counties were
grouped into the first district. An amend-
ment to the constitution hereafter segregated
the judicial from the political election, ordering
them to be held at different times. At the
election in 1863 the candidates for judge of
the first district weie Pablo de la Guerra and
Joaquin Carrillo, of Santa Barbara, and Ben-
jamin Hayes of Los Angeles, the first men-
tioned being elected. Judge de la Guerra was
one of the most notable of the Spanish-Ameri-
can citizens of California. He was born in
Santa Barbara, his father at the time com-
manding the presidio of Santa Barbara.
Don Pablo de la Guerra filled a conspicuous
role in public affairs in California, both before
and after aimexati(m. He held at different
periods the offices of supervisor of customs,
judge of the first instance, member of the
constitutional convention, State Senator,
president of the Senate, and, by succession,
Lieutenant-governor. He was re-elected to
the office of district judge until 1869, and
remained the incumbent until failing health
compelled his resignation in December, 1873,
he dying some two months later.
On the resignation of Judge de la Guerra,
Governor Booth appointed to t!ie vacant
position Hon. Walter Murray, who in 1869
had been a candidate for the position, carry-
ing San Luis Obispo County, but being
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
defeated by the large vote cast in Santa Bar-
bara County in favor of Don Pablo de la
Guerra. He was a man of firm convictions,
immovable principles, and great independence
of character. Unfortunately, lie survived his
predecessor but two years, dying at San Luis
Obispo, October 5, 1875.
In tlie campaign of 1875 Walter Murray
was the promising candidate to succeed him-
self; but, he dying just before the election,
the next preferred was Eugene Fawcett, of
Santa Barbara, who continued in this ottice
until it was abolished by the new constitution.
He was then, in September, 1879, elected in
Santa Barbara County to the new office of
superior judge, created by the new constitu-
tion; and, taking his seat January 6, 1880,
he died within three days.
The new constitution, adopted in 1879,
entirely reconstructed the judiciary system in
California, abolishing the district courts, and
replacing them by superior courts, one to
each county. In San Luis Obispo, Louis
McMurtry was elected superior judge on a
union ticket, defeating the nominee of tlie
workingmen and new constitution parties.
Mr. McMurtry at this time had been district
attorney since 1877. He fulfilled the duties
of tliis new office with great credit, but was
shortly stricken with disease, and died Feb-
ruary 11, 1883.
Tlie vacancy left by the decease of Judge
McMurtry was filled by appointment, Gov-
ernor Stonenian attending the prayers of a
preponderance of constituents in selecting
Durrell S. Gregory, to whom had been paid
the compliment of admitting him to practice
by special act of the Legislature. Judge
Gregoi'y had a brilliant reputation in his pro-
fession, and had served two terms as State
senator. He had been district attorney in
Monterey County, and in 1860 he had been
sent as a delegate to the memorable Charleston
convention. Judge Gregory discharged the
duties of this office for some years, and until
his death, which befell on June 5, 1889.
Diiring the last few months of his incum-
bency San Luis County had had a second
judge in the person of Hon. V. A. Gregg,
who had been appointed February 8, 1889,
by virtue of a special act of the Legislature.
Judge Gregory's office ceased with the expira-
tion of his incumbency.
Though the election records of 1850 do not
mention tlie office of district attorney, O. M.
Brown, afterward county judge, was ap-
pointed by the court of sessions to fulfill the
duties of such office.
After him, in 1851, was appointed Parker
H. French, of unsavory record in connection
with AValker's filibustering expedition to Nic-
aragua, and other questionable proceedings.
Hubbard C. M. Ely was elected to this
office in 1853; and W. J. Graves was elected
in 1855; and he, being elected the following
year to the Assembly, was followed by James
White, appointed by the board of supervisors.
Walter Murray was elected in 1859, and
P. A. Forrester in 1861; James White fol-
lowed him in 1863; and Walter Murray once
more became district attorney in 1867. He
was succeeded by Newton Dennis Witt, who
filled the term. Then, in September, 1871,
was elected A. A. Oglesby, who was re-elected
in 1875. After Mr. Oglesby came Louis
McMurtry, afterward superior judge. He
was district attorney from 1877 to 1879,
when Ernest Graves, son of the pioneer, Hon.
W. T. Graves, was elected by the working-
men and new constitution parties. Graves
was. re-elected in 1882.
Mr. F. A. Dorn is the present district attor-
ney (October, 1890), the former incumbent,
Mr. Arthur R. Earll, having died in June,
1889.
In the early days there were few lawyers
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
177
in San Luis Obispo, yet since the organization
of the county the bar here has comprehended
eloquent and able lawyers. Among these
may be mentioned Frederick Adams, Judge
Robt. C. Bonldin (died December 16, 1879),
R M. Preston (died in Sonoma County,
1882), W. H. Spencer, J. M. Wilcoxen,
Jasper N. Turner, C. H. Clement, J. R. Pat-
ton, and R. B. Treat, who, with those already
mentioned, and others now practicing, present
a fine array of talent.
There is no regular bar association in San
Luis County, although there is a good mutual
understanding among the attorneys. There
are seventeen lawyers resident at the county-
seat, and various others in the interior towns.
The oldest and best known of these gentle
men are: — Judge McDowell R. Venable,
Cyrus Wren Goodchild, Ernest and 'William
Graves, William Spencer and J. M. Wilcoxen.
San Luis Obispo County contains thirty-
seven election precincts, ss follows: — Arroyo
Grande, No. 1, Arroyo Grande, No. 2,. Av-
enales. Beach, Cambria, Carriso, Cayucos,
Cholame, Chorro, Corral de Piedra, Creston,
Cuesta, Estrella, Huasna, Josephine, La
Panza, Las Tablas, Los Osos, Lynch, Morro,
Nipomo, Orcutt, Oso Flaco, Painted Rock,
Paso Robles, No. 1, Paso Robles, No. 2,
Piletas, San Jose, San Jiian, San Luis Obispo,
No. 1, San Luis Obispo, No. 2, San Luis
Obispo, No. 3, San Luis Obispo, No. 4, San
Miguel, San Simeon, Santa Margarita,
Templeton.
MISCELLANEOUS.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
Virgil A. Gregg Superior Judge
A. C McLeod Slieriff
Chas. W. Dana Clerk
F. A. Dorn District Attorney
B. F. Petitt Treasurer
C. A. Farnum Auditor
J. T. Walker •. Collector
J. Feidlar Recorder
J. M. Felts Assessor
W. M. Armstrong School Superintendent
G. B. Nichols Coroner
T. A. Greenleaf Public Administrator
Geo. Story Surveyor
SDPEBVISORS.
J. C. Baker 1st District
F. F. White 3d District
P. F. Ready 3d District
G. T. Gregg 4th District
J. V. Webster 5th District
BOAKD OP EDUCATION.
A. F. Parsons Arroyo Grande
D. M. Meredith San Luis Obispo
Miss C. B. Churchill Paso Robles
B. H. Franklin Cambria
Wm. Armstrong, ex ofl3cio San Luis Obispo
THE POSTOFFICES
in the county are twenty-nine, as follows: —
Adelaida, Arroyo Grande, Avenal, Cambria,
Cayucos, Cholame, Creston, Dove, Edna,
Estrella, Goodwin, La Panza, Linne, Los
Berros, Morro, Musick, Nipomo, Painted
Rock, Paso Robles, Port Harford, Pozo,
Root, San Luis Obispo, San Miguel, San
Simeon, Santa Margarita, Siinmler, Starkey
and Templeton.
Of these, seven are money-order offices,
and the San Luis Obispo issues also inter-
national money orders. This is a third-class
office. The postmaster is W. S. Cannon.
He has two assistants,-— young ladies. The
semi-annual statement of this office, from
October 1, 1889, to April 1, 1890, shows
that the total number of letters and parcels
handled during that period was 3,613; second-
class matter sent was 5,934 pounds; money
orders issued amounted to $12,547.03; money
orders and postal notes paid, to $12,319.86;
total receipts for fees, stamps, etc., $3,972.06;
net income from the office, $1,447.86.
From May 5 to May 12, 1890, this office
handled 417 pounds, eight ounces, or 6,477
pieces of mail, the income amounting to
$94.41.
8AJT LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
The office now contains 352 boxes and
twelve drawers, and the newly-leased quarters
could accommodate just twice that number
should increased population require it.
The first school in San Luis Obispo, under
the new regime, was opened in 1850, in a
room of the mission building, the Spanish
language being the medium of instruction.
The teacher was Don Guillermo Searles, born
in Chili, of English parents. This was a
gentleman of education, and his administra-
tion gave satisfaction. The population being
then very sparse, the one school district
covered the whole county. Searles' successor
was Michael Merchant, an Irishman, who
came thither via Mexico. He taught in
Spanish. It appears that during his admin-
istration the county fund failed, and the
pupils were required to pay $5 per month
tuition. Mr. Merchant was succeeded by
Mr. Parker, who, instead of teaching in
Spanish, and simply repeating the lessons,
required his pupils to translate from one
language to the other, they attaining to con-
siderable progress by the drill. In 1854 Mr.
D. F. Newsom was the teacher, and he gave
his instruction in English, and required his
pupils to translate the lessons into both
languages. At that time there were in the
county but forty children able to speak Eng-
lish. To Mr. Newsom is due the honor of
having organized the schools of San Luis
Obispo upon the basis followed until now.
At this time the assessor was ex-officio super-
intendent of schools, but little or no atten-
tion was paid to the department until Mr.
Newsotii's incumbency.
The progress of the schools was slow dur-
ing the first decade, and there was but one
district i;ntil 1861, when San Simeon district
was formed where several American faiuilies
had settled on a small area of Government
land along Santa Rosa Creek. The two dis-
tricts comprised the county, the dividing
line being entirely indefinite. There were now
735 children of school age, and 230 under
the limit, that is, a total of 965 children
under eighteen years old, in the county. Of
these, sixty-two attended the mission district
school, and thirteen the San Simeon school
in 1861. The records are much broken up
to 1866, since when they are complete.
In 1870 there were 1,275 children of
school age in San Luis Obispo County, of
whom 566 attended the public, and 109 at-
tended private, schools. In 1880 the total
number of school census children was 2,752,
of whom 1,805 were in the public, and
seventy-eight were in private, schools. In
twenty years the number of public schools
here increased from two to fifty-three, the
corps of two was enlarged to one of fifty-
nine teachers. In 1863 the appropriation
from the county for the school fund was
$613; the county tax rate for this purpose
in 1882-'83 was fixed at twenty and one-half
cents on each $100.
The school reports for June 30, 1890, show
there are 4,733 census cliildren in San Luis;
the total enrollment to 3,845; the average
number belonging, 2,515; average daily at-
tendance, 2,307. The number of districts
has increased to ninety-two, with 112 teach-
ers, of whom the men receive an average
salary of $75, and the women $63. The
total amount received from all sources,
for school purposes, for this year, was
$93,822.10.
The districts are all well supplied with
good school-houses, barring such as come
under the law of one year's probation. The
buildings are neat in style, and some care is
had with regard to the condition of the
eruunds. The best edifa'ccs are those of San
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
179
Luis, San Miguel (where the main building
cost $10,000), Paso de Robles, which town
has lately expended $8,000 upon two build-
ings, and Nipomo, where the school-house
cost $5,000.
LIGHT-HOUSE.
During the month of July, 1890, the light
was shown at the new light-honse on Point
San Luis Obispo. This is a light of the
fourth order, showing alternate red and
white flashes, with thirty seconds interval,
illuminating 240 degrees of the horizon; the
focal plane is 133 feet above mean low water,
and in clear weather the light can be seen at
a distance of seventeen and one-half miles,
from the deck of a vessel, fifteen feet above
the sea.
The approximate geographical position of
this light-house is as follows: Latitude
north 35°, 9', 32"; longitude west 120°,
45', 42".
This edifice was constructed from an ap-
propriation of $50,000, made during the
Cleveland administration. Its estimated
cost as per the Government architect should
be $38,000, but the contractor built it for
$17,000, at a severe loss to himself.
The light is shown from a black lantern
surmounting a square frame tower attached
to the southwest corner of a frame dwelling
one and a half stories high, painted white,
with brown roof, green blinds and lead
colored trimmings. Some fifty yards east-
ward stands another similar dwelling; be-
tween the two, some fifty yards southward,
is the steam fog-signal house, painted like
the dwellings, and having two black smoke-
stacks. The fog signal was put in place
some weeks later than the light. Stephen
D. Ballon is light-keeper.
RAILWAYS.
The Pacific Coast Railway, at that time
known as the San Luis Obispo & Santa
Maria Yalley Railway, was opened from
Avila to Castro, some seven miles distant,
February 1, 1876. Thence it was extended
from Castro to San Luis Obispo, operations
being begun August 16, 1876. The next
section opened was from Avila to Port Har-
ford, December 1, 1876; and the next, from
San Luis to Arroyo Grande, the extension
being completed and operations begun Octo-
ber 16, 1881. Then followed the section
from Arroyo Grande to Santa Maria, June 1,
1882; thence Santa Maria to Los Alamos,
October 4, 1882; and from Los Alamos to
Los Olivos, the present terminus, November
17, 1887. The total length of the road is
now 76.1 miles in this county.
THE BEEAKWATEK QUESTION.
Since the days of the wreck of the iron
bark Harlech Castle, off Piedras Blaucas, in
August, 1869, the need of a breakwater at
Port Hai-ford has been apparent.
In January, 1850, the citizens of San Luis
Obispo held a meeting and passed resolutions
to petition Congress for an appropriation for
the construction of a breakwater at the har-
bor. In accordance with the spirit and in-
structions of these resolutions. Hon. H. Y.
Stanley, member of the Assembly from San
Luis Obispo in the legislative session of
1880 introduced the following resolution:
"■Resolved, By the Assembly, the Senate
concurring, that our senators and represent-
atives in Congress be and are hereby respect-
fully and earnestly requested to procure an
appropriation from the general Government,,
to be expended in the construction of a
breakwater for the harbor of San Luis Obis-
po, and to make said harbor a port of entry.
The Governor of this State is hereby re-
quested to transmit a certified copy of the
foregoing resolution to each of our senators
and representatives in Congress."
SAH LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
The resolutioa was adopted, but while
Congress voted many millions for improve-
ments of rivers and harbors, the breakwater
of San Luis Obispo was ignored. The port,
including Port Harford, Avila, Pismo Wharf
and all points in the bay, was made a port of
delivery, where ships may discharge foreign
cargo.
From this period forward the Luiseilos
have kept up a pretty persistent clamor for a
breakwater at Port Harford. Myron Angel
in particular kept the matter constantly be-
fore Congressman Markham, a member of the
River and Harbor committee, as well as the
representative from the Sixth District. Thus
it came about that in the session of 1885-'86,
Mr. Markham obtained an appropriation of
$25,000 for the aforesaid purpose. This be-
came ineffective because President Cleveland
" pocketed " the bill. However, the matter
had now been presented to Congress in such
a fashion as to facilitate its revival at a
future date.
In the following Congress, Representative
Vandever was petitioned to secure an appro-
priation, and further, the citizens of San
Luis raised a fund and sent to Washington
a special emissary. Rev. R. L. Breck, whose
efforts conduced largely toward the desired
end. In this manner was definitely obtained
an appropriation of $25,000. The contract
was now let and the breakwater begun, $23,-
000 being expended on the contract, and
$2,000 on superintendence.
During the Fifty-first Congress was made
another appropriation, this time of $40,000,
for continuing work on this breakwater,
whose completion will certainly secure to
San Luis Obispo one of the finest harbors on
the coast of California. It is designed to
connect this harbor with the Tulare Valley,
this being the tide- water point nearest to that
section.
FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS.
The pioneer secret society in San Luis was
San Luis Obispo Lodge, No. 148, F. & A. M.,
which was organized May 16, 1861, by char-
ter from the Grand Lodge of California. The
members were Dr. Joseph M. Havens (who
was county Judge, also Past Master in Ma-
sonry), Michael Henderson (who was a '49er,
and one of the oldest Masons in the State, his
initiation dating from Tuolumne County, in
1850j; Thompson D. Sackett, Abraham
Blockman, Walter Murray, James McElrath,
David F. Newsom, Joseph Riley, Joseph See,
and James White. During the year, Gov-
ernor Romualdo Pacheco and seven or eight
others joined this lodge. The famine years,
1863-"64, caused such changes in the popu-
lation that but few of the old members re-
mained here, and this lodge surrendered its
charter. Some of the members joined other
lodges, but San Luis Obispo County was
without a Masonic organization until early in
1869, when San Simeon Lodge, No. 196, was
founded under dispensation, and in October
under charter, at Cambria.
The need lor the Cambria Lodge to visit
the town of San Luis to bury a prominent
Mason led to the organization of King
David's Lodge, No. 209, June 21, 1870, un-
der dispensation, and November 1, under
charter. This lodge in 1875 constructed a
fine Masonic hall in San Luis Obispo.
San Luis Obispo Chapter, No. 62, R. A. M.,
was constituted on April 28, 1883.
In March, 1870, the Odd Fellows of San
Luis Obispo organized Chorro Lodge, No.
168, and the order has instituted a number
of imposing anniversary celebrations.
On September 28, 1870, Hesperian Lodge,
No. 181, I. O. O. F., was organized at Cam-
bria, with seven charter members.
The first Rebekah Degree Lodge was
Morse Rebekah Degree Lodge, No. 25, in-
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
stituted at Cambria, June 10, 1877. Imme-
diately following was Friendship Rebekah
Degree Lodge, No. 36, organized at San Lxiis
Obispo, July 12, 1877, with twenty-eiglit
charter members.
Park Lodge, No. 40, Knights of Pythias,
the first of the order in the county, was or-
ganized December 20, 1876, at San Luis
Obispo, with sev^en charter members, by dis-
trict officers from Santa Barbara.
On April 18, lbl78, was instituted Section
No. 147, Endowment Rank, K. of P.
Li -Tune, 1873, was founded at Cambria
the Cambria Grange, No. 25, of California
Patrons of Husbandry; in September, 1873,
the grange at Arroyo Grande, and in 1874,
five granges in this county reported to the
State Grange.
San Luis Obispo Lodge, No. 122, I. O. G.
T., was organized in February, 1878; Corral
de Piedra Lodge, L O. G. T., in February,
1883; Obispo Council, A. L. of IL, on May
9, 1881; San Luis Obispo Division Inde-
pendent Order of Missourians, on March 8,
1879; Society of Pioneers, on June 14, 1879;
the Temperance and Life Insurance Society;
on May 9, 1870; the San Luis Obispo Agri-
cultural Society, on March 25, 1875; the
Order of Chosen Friends, on March 30, 1883,
and tlie Irish Land League, May 13, 1883.
THE PKESS.
San Lui:^ Obispo had been an American
town for more than twenty years, and a
county-seat for nearly eighteen years before she
had a newspaper. This because the ways of
life there were not such as tended to create
excitement or foster greed for news. The
chief interest of the country was in cattle-
raising, and the section took life and variety
from the consequent movements of the herds
and drovers.
On January 4, 1868, was issued the first
number of the San Luis Obispo Pioneer, tiie
first newspaper published in this county. Its
publisher and proprietor was Rome G. Vick-
ers, and it was by its own showing " an in-
dependent weekly journal, devoted mainly to
the interests and advancement of San Luis
Obispo County." It was a four-page paper,
and it appears to have had good patronage for
a time although it proved a financial failure
at last.
The Pioneer inclined to the Democratic
doctrines, and the Republican element com-
bined to establish for themselves a party or-
gan. Thus was issued on August 7, 1869,
the first number of the San Luis Obispo
Tribune, also a four-page paper, one or two
of whose columns were printed in Spanish, as
the language spoken by a majority of the
people in the county. The paper was first
under the proprietorsliip of H. S. Rembaugh
& Co. In 1871 an interest in it was owned
by Mr. James J. Ayers, one of the founders
of the San Francisco Morning Call, now of
the Los Angeles Herald. He remained but
a few months with the Tribune.
The Pioneer lived but about two years, and
it was succeeded on February 12, 1870, by
the Democratic Standard, between which
and the Tribune was waged a warfare of
words more forcible than elegant.
On March 20, 1878, appeared the first
number of The South Coast, a four page pa-
per dedicated to the interests of the section.
It was established by Mr. Charles L. Wood, a
gentleman of considerable attainments. The
South Coast was issued until August, 1879,
when its plant was sold to the Southern Cali-
fornia Advocate.
Undeterred by the non-success of their
predecessors, Messrs. C. H. Phillips and
George W. Mank issued, on August 2, 1879,
the Southern California Advocate, a folio of
seven columns to the page. This paper nn-
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
derwent variouB changes of proprietorship,
continuing its issue until its tifty-second
number, when its subscription list was sold
to the Tribune, and the material turned over
to its creditors.
The Mirror was established by Messrs.
Doyle & Crenshaw in October, 1880, as an
organ of the Democratic party. It was a
large, well-managed folio sheet, issued weekly.
On January 15, 1883, was issued the first
number of the Repuhlic, which was the first
daily published in the county. The weekly
edition followed promptly. The foundera
were Messrs. E. F. O'Neil, A. Pennington
and G. W. Jenkins.
The county-seat now has two good joiir-
nals, the Tribune, daily and weekly, edited
by Benjamin Brooks, being Republican in
politics; and the Republic, an independent
sheet, with Democratic proclivities, owned
and edited by Messrs. Angel & Hughston.
Both papers are well conducted and contain
much information concerning the surround-
ing section.
Outside of the county-seat there are no
daily newspapers; and tbe following is a list
of the county weeklies: the Advance, of
Templeton; the Moon and the Leader, Paso
de Robles; the Courier and the Messenger,
San Miguel; the Herald, of Arroyo G-rande.
The Templeton Times, the Nipomo News,
and the Cambria Critic were issued for a
time, but they have now suspended publi-
cation.
VENTURA COUNTY.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Although quite a number of Americans,
being traders, sailors, or adventurers, had
settled in various parts of the territory now
known as Santa Ijarbara County, none of
them had located permanently at San Buena-
ventura up to the time of American military
occupation, since Santa Barbara, the more
important town, had superior attractions for
them. When Stevenson's regiment arrived
in Southern California, Isaac Callahan and
W. A. Streeter were put in charge of the
mission at San Buenaventura. A few years
later Russel Heath, in connection with Don
Jose Arnaz and one Morris, established the
first store within the present county limits.
In 1850 came C. C. Rynerson and wife from
the Mississippi Valley, camping at first at
the mouth of the river San Buenaventura;
they afterward moved northward. The first
American farmer was A. Colombo, and Mr.
Ware was the first blacksmith. Even as late
as 1857 there were in the whole district but
two houses of entertainment. One of these
was a tent on the Sespe Rancho, and the other
a little hostelry established in rooms in the
east wing of the ex-mission buildings. It is
worth while to note here a tribute to the cli-
mate of Ventura County, paid by John Carr
and wife, who kept this little inn or tavern.
They had lived together for twelve years in
childlessness, but within two years of their
arrival in San Buenaventura they had pre-
sented their country with no less than five
children, products, so they declared, of the
matchless climate!
The first lumber-yard was kept by Thomas
Dennis, but the date of his arrival is not
given. Very early in the '50's T. Wallace
More obtained a title to an immense tract
of the richest land in the region ; he claimed
over thirty miles along the Santa Clara and
in other districts, possessions about as enor-
mous, over which grazed 10,000 head of cat-
tle. These lands were valued at ten to fifty
cents the acre. During this period the whole
Colonia Rancho was sold for $5,000, and this
price the purchaser finally concluded was ex-
orbitant. About 1854 W. D. Ilobsou re-
moved to the Sespe, where he built a house
and there Lived in 1859. In 1858, the Amer-
icans resident in San Buenaventura were: A.
M. Cameron, Griffin Robbins, W. T. Nash,
W. Williams, James Beebe, Park, W.
D. Hobson, McLaughlin and one other,
name unknown. As late as 1860 there were
but nine American voters in the precinct.
Chaffee & Robbins, and afterward Chaffee &
Gilbert, kept the only store in the town for
many years. In 1860 the Fourth of July
VENTURA COUNTT.
was celebrated here with a regular procrram
of exercises, and iniicli enthusiasm was dis-
played. About this time the Ameiican pop-
ulation was agm anted by the arrival of John
Hill, Y. A. Simpson, Albert Martin, G. S.
Briggs, G. S. Gilbert, W. S. Chaffee, W. A.
Norway, H. P. Flint, the Barnetts and
Messrs. Burbank, Hankerson, Crane and
Harrington.
hi 1861 a postoffice was established at
San Buenaventura, and Y. A. Simpson be-
came postmaster. The mail matter received,
apparently, was not extensive, for it is related
that on its arrival the postmaster was in the
habit of depositing it in his hat, and then
walking around among the citizens to deliver
the letters. "This," says a previous histo-
rian, "may be regarded as the tirst introduc-
tion of the system of letter-carriers in Cali-
fornia." This year the lirst brick house in
town was built by W. D. Hobson, who moved
hither from the Sespe.
During the winter of 1861-'62, there was
an excessive amount of wet weather; rain
fell for sixty consecutive days; all the land
to a great depth was saturated and reeking;
live stock was reduced almost to starvation,
the animals dying in great numbers. Land-
slides were very frequent, half of the soil in
certain localities being moved to a greater or
less distance. Tlie soil would often be dis-
placed in patches of an acre or more. In the
town various houses were submerged, or car-
ried away bodily. The only life lost was that
of Mr. Hewitt, a resident of Santa Barbara,
who was drowned while on a prospecting
tour up the Tiru Creek. Travel was rendered
almost impossible for twenty days. In 1862
Messrs. Waterman, Yassault & Co., owning
the lands of the ex-mission, laid out a town
there. This enterprise had been projected as
early as 1848, when Don Jose Aruaz laid out
here a town site, and advertised the advan-
tages of the spot in Eastern journals, offering
lots to those who would make improvements
upon them. This offer had not elicited re-
sponse, and the subject had not been revived
until the project above mentioned. The sur-
vey made in this instance was rejected by the
board of trustees after the town was incor-
porated, and another was substituted. The
first attempt to incorporate was in 1863,
when a number of citizens met and drew up
a petition addressed to the Legislature, ask-
ing for incorporation. Ramon J. Hill, at
that time a member from Santa Barbara
County, opposed the proposition, and the sub-
ject was dropped for the time.
The following is given as an accurate list
of the foreign (i. e., not Spanish or Mexican)
citizens resident in San Buenaventura in
1862: Baptiste Ysoardy, who came in 1858;
Agustin Solari, in 1857; Yictor Ususaus-
tegui, in 1852; Ysidro Obiols, in 1853; An-
tonio Sciappapietra in 1862; John Thomp-
son, in 1862; Oscar Wells, George Y. Whit
man, Albert and Frank Martin, in 1859;
Myron Warner, in 1863; William Pratt,
1866; William Whitney, 1864; Thomas R.
Bard, in 1865; Henry Cohn, in 1866; Jo-
seph Wolfson, 1867; Clements, 1868;
Thomas Williams, 1866; A. T. Herring,
1863; Henry Spears, 1865; Walter S.
Chaffee, Yolney A. Simpson, John T. Stow,
Griffin Robbing William S. Riley, William
T. Wash, Jefferson Crane, John Hill, Henry
Clifton, Marshall Routh, George S. Gilbert,
James Beebe, William H. Leigh ton, Samuel
Barnett, Sr., Samuel Barnett, Jr., William
Barnett, W. D. Hobson, Alex. Cameron, Mel-
vin Beardsley, George Dodge, George S.
Briggs, Albert de Chateauneuf and Henry
Dubbers.
GOVEENMENT AND BUSINESS.
In 1864 the question of incorporation was
renewed and accomplished, but it was not
VENTURA GOUNrr.
185
until thirteen jears later that tlie patents to
the town site were received from the Goverii-
nient. This was the year of the disastrous
"dry season;" the rains of the preceding sea-
son had not wet the ground deeper than three
inches, and the feed was therefore a failure.
From this cause two-thirds of all tlie stocii in
Ventura famished.
The beginning of growth and development
in Ventura is agreed to date back to the sub-
division into small tracts of the large ranchos,
thus inducing immigration and settlement by
small farmers and fruit-raisers. In 1866,
the Briggs tract was cut up and put on the
market, and two years later began a general
influx of Americans, from which directly re-
sulted an epoch of prosperity which became
assured with the breaking up and selling to
actual settlers of the great ranchos of Santa
Paula y Saticoy and Colonia or Santa Clara.
The first cultivation of grain in Ventura
County was by Christian Borchard and his
son, J. A. Borchard, on the Colonia Rancho
in 1867. Thirty acres each of wheat and
barley were sown. The rust destroyed the
wlieat crop, but the barley yielded eighteen
centals or hundreds per acre.
Tlie first Protestant church (Congrega-
tional) was organized in San Buenaventura in
1867.
Again in 1867 was San Buenaventura
visited by devastating waters. On Christ-
mas Day of that year the Ventura River
overflowed, and the water rose to a depth of
three feet in Main Street. The lower part of
the town was submerged, and the safety of
the inhabitants was endangered. The land
from the Santa Clara House to the river was
flooded, and forty-seven women, gathered from
the imperiled houses, were assembled in one
small adobe shanty. Some of these had been
broiight from their flooded homes on horse-
back, and others had been carried on the
shoulders of men. This episode gave rise to
various feats of real gallantry, courao-e, and
daring. The immediate cause of the freshet
was supposed to be the melting of heavy
deposits of snows about the river's source,
through the agencj- of warm rains falling
upon them.
In 1868 came hither Dr. Cephas L. Bard,
the first American physician in San Buena-
ventura.
In September, 1870, San Buenaventura
and Santa Barbara were placed in telegraphic
conjmunication.
Anticipating the needs and opportunities
to result from the creation of the new county,
in immediate prospective, John H. Bradley
in April, 1871, started the Ventura Signal
at the proposed new county-seat. Mr. Brad-
ley was a good and practical business man,
and an editor of some experience; and so,
avoiding the political issues not properly
within the province of a country newspaper,
he devoted his attention to the production
and publication of matter relative to the rec-
ommendations and resources of the section;
such as would contribute to the advancement
and advertisement of the region and its
merits.
Contemporaneously with the formation of
the county, work was begun to provide canals
to supply water for domestic and irrigating
purposes. Tlie old Mission water- works,
which brought a supply from six miles up
the Ventura liiver, was overhauled and re-
paired, portions of the aqueduct liavino- been
destroyed by the excessive rains of 1861-'62.
Owing to the difliciilties attendino- the
disembarkation of freight and passengers by
means of lighters to transport them between
the vessels and the shore; it became evident
that a wharf was an absolute necessity to the
public. Accordingly, in January, 1871, a
franchise was procured, and work was begun
VENIUHA COUATr.
lipon the structure, by Joseph Wolfson. The
beginning of operations was signalized bj'
formal ceremonies. In August of this year
the right to construct a wharf at Hueneme
was granted to Thos. R. Bard, C. L. Bard and
R. G. Surdam.
By February, 1872, the Ventura wharf
was so far completed as to obviate further
necessity for lightening steamers now dis-
charging directly upon it. Rates of toll were
instituted, and an instrument of great public
utility was lirmly established.
In May, 1871, was formed the Santa Clara
Irrigating Company, designed to water the
fertile lauds of the Colonia Rancho from the
Santa Clara River. -The canal tlierefor was
twelve miles long, twelve feet wide, and two
feet deep, with branches of smaller dimensions.
In 1871 also surveys were made for "The
Farmers' Canal and Water Ditch," taking
water from the Santa Paula Creek, and con-
veying it some eight and a half miles down
the valley.
In December, 1871, Ysabel Yorba sold to
Dickenson & Funk the Gnadalasca Rancho,
comprising 22,000 acres, for $28,500.
In 1872 many property owners refused to
pay taxes, owing to the abeyance of financial
settlement between Ventura and Santa Bar-
bara counties.
In July, 1872, the first gold was taken to
Santa Barbara from the Sespe mines.
On September 16, 1872, the corner-stone
of the high school building at San Buena-
ventura was laid. This building was the
first public building erected in the county.
The total number of school children in the
county at that time was 800.
SEGKEGATION OE DIVISION FROM SANTA BAR-
BARA COUNTY.
The inception of the plan for setting off
Ventura from Santa Barbara County dates as
far back as 1868. In that year began a new
era of growtii, increase in population, and
prosperity in business. This was mainly
owing to the subdivision into small tracks of
several important ranchos in the district.
The sale of these tracts to small farmers and
fruit-growers brought immigration, the estab-
lishment of industries, production, and the
circulation of money. As the country be-
came populous, the citizens desired local,
independent government, and so began to
agitate the project of creating a new county.
This question was made an issue of the elec-
tion of 1869, and Mr. A. C Escandon was
elected to the Assembly tor the purpose of
furthering the plan, but the measure mis-
carried in the Legislature, thanks to the
opposition offered by the northern pait of
the county. The Venturans were not van-
quished by this defeat, but continued to carry
on a vigorous light for division. The Ven-
tura Signal, established largely with a view
to that end, was a powerful weapon in this
struggle, devoting itself to demonstrating tlie
advantages of such division. It is not un-
interesting to note some of the statistics
presented in this discussion. Santa Barbara
County then had a total area of 5,450 square
miles, or 3,491,000 acres, of which 1,570,419
acres were covered by Spanish grants, 1,920-,
581 acres being public lands, the most of
which were of an inferior character. The
proposed new county comprised 20,600 acres
of improved land and 2,000 acres of wooded
land, probably of individual ownership, and
390,000 acres of unimproved land, of private
holding. It was estimated that the real estate
was worth $3,018,200 ; personal property,
$911,000; the total valuation for the projected
new county being $3,929,200. There were
2,800 head of horses and mules, 6,000 horned
cattle, and 7,400 sheep, — worth in the aggre-
gate, $442,000; the wool clip was 350,00*6
VENTURA COUNT y.
pounds; there were produced 35,000 pounds
of butter and 20,000 pounds of cheese an-
nually, the revenue from farm products beinoj
$307,000. The new county would contain,
as per the Signal of February' 17, 1872, an
area of 2,000 square miles, and a population
of 3,500, with an assessment roll of $1,200,-
000, leaving Santa Barbara with 3,000 square
miles, 7,000 inhabitants, and an assessment
roll of $2,000,000.
By the openingof the session of the Legisla-
ture of 1871-'72, there had been engendered
so strong a public sentiment as to result in
organized action, and W. D. Hobson, a prom-
inent citizen, was chosen and sent to Sacra-
mento to work for the desired end. So
successful were the measures now taken that
the bill, when presented to the Assembly,
passed with but one dissentient vote; and in
the Senate it was approved also, March 22,
1872, and it was ordained to be in force on
and after January 1, 1873. The boundaries
prescribed for the new county were as follows:
Commencing on the coast of the Pacific
Ocean, at the mouth of the Rincon Creek,
thence following up the center of said creek
to its source; thence due north to the bound-
ary line of Santa Barbara County; thence in
an easterly direction along the boundary line
of Santa Barbara County to the northeast
corner of the same; thence southerly along
the line between the said Santa Barbara
County to the Pacific Ocean and three miles
therein; thence in a northwesterly direction
to a point due south of and three miles dis-
tant from the center of the mouth of Rin-
con Creek; thence north to the point of
beginning and including the islands Anacapa
and San Nicolas.
Contemporaneously with the passage of
the bill for county division, great activity
sprang up in Ventura. During the summer,
the immigration was so extensive that the
accommodations were insufficient to hold the
new arrivals. Municipal improvements were
instituted, new buildings were erected, in-
cluding a hotel and a $10,000 scliool-house,
water companies were established to supply
the needs for irrigation and domestic pur-
poses, and the county government was organ-
ized, with the usual complement of officers,
the county to contain three townships, three
supervisorial districts, and eight election pre-
cincts. The townships were: Ventura, Sat-
icoy, Hueneme; the supervisorial districts
coincided with the respective townships; the
election precincts were: San Buenaventura,
La Caiaada, Mountain View, Sespe, Saticoy,
Pleasant Valley, San Pedro, and Hueneme.
The Legislature appointed a board of com-
missioners, consisting of S. Bristol, Presi-
dent; Thomas R. Bard, Secretary; W. D. F.
Richards, A. G. Escandon, atid C. W. Thacker,
to put into action the government of Ventura
County. Meeting on January 15, 1873, this
board issued a proclamation calling for an
election to be held on the 25th day of Feb-
ruary following, to elect district attorney,
county clerk, school superintendent, sheriff,
assessor, county treasurer, county surveyor,
coroner, and supervisors.
The county was divided into three town
ships, Ventura, Saticoy, and Hueneme, the
islands of San Nicolas and Anacapa being
attached to and forming a part of Huenenje
Township. The voting places were estab-
lished for the various election precincts, num-
bering eight.
As Soon as the county government was
established, certain changes were made in the
road districts.
All the territory in the first supervisorial
district was made into the San Buenaventura
road district; the third supervisorial district
was designated as constituting the Saticoy
road district, and Mountain View and Sespe
VENTUBA COUNTT.
road districts were united into one under the
name of Sespe road district.
The iirst election was held on February 25,
1873. The Republicans had desired a fusion
of parties and nominations irrespective of
politics; but, the Democrats opposing this
proposition, the usual course was followed,
the result being a Democratic victory. The
total vote polled was 630. The officers elected
were as follows: District judge, Pablo de la
Guerra; county judge, Milton Wason; dis-
trict attorney, J. Marion Brooks; county
clerk, Frank Molleda (dying very shortly, S.
M. W. Easley was appointed); sheriff, Frank
Peterson; treasurer, E. A. Edwards; assessor,
J. Z. Barnett; superintendent of schools, F.
S. S. Buckinan; surveyor, C. J. DeMerritte;
coroner, Dr. Cephas L. Pard; county phy-
sician. Dr. S. P. Guiberson; supervisors,
James Daley, J. A. Conaway,C. W. Thacker;
justices of the peace, J. W. Guiberson, W. D.
Hobson, F. A. Sprague, J. G. Picker, John
Saviers, R. J. Colyear.
On April 13, 1873, a final settlement with
Santa Barbara was effected under the terms
of the act of Legislature of March 22, 1872.
The commissioners from Ventura were
Thomas P. Bard and Charles Lindley, and
from Santa Barbara, Ul piano Yndart and C.
E. Huse. Their report was as follows:
Assets to March 20, 1873 $10,093.87
Old court-house hdcI lot 3,000.00
Present unfinished court-house with proceeds
of bonds 50,000 00
Interest paid and unpaid on same 1,652 7(5
Cost of advertising 400.00
Delinquent taxes collected to date 3,810.78
Funds for interest on hand 2,098.92
Total assets
.$72,250.33
Bonds of 1856 and subsequent indebtedness. $19,796.42
Courthouse and jail bonds 50,000.00
Interest due on same 777.76
Total indebtedness.
Excess of assets
.$70,574.18
. 1,682.15
of which the proportion belonging to Ventura
County was fixed at $581.52.
OEGANIZATION AND ANNALS.
The supervisors in May, 1873, ordered the
issue of $20,000 in interest-bearing bonds,
to meet current expenses, and advertised for
bids for the same; they also authorized the
transcription of such portion of the records
of Santa Barbara as related to Ventura Coun-
ty, paying F. A. Thompson $4,000 for that
service. The county-seat was appointed by
the creating act to be at San Buenaventura,
and the question of county buildings at once
assumed importance, as the rental paid by the
county for the use of private buildings
amounted to $1,044 per annum, besides $3
per diem paid for guarding the prisoners, in
the abf^ence of a jail building. Hence the
supervisors appropriated $6,000 of the funds
resulting from the sale of the bonds, to the
erection of a court-house, on condition that
private parties should donate $4,000 and also
a suitable site for the purpose.
Bishop Amat, head of the Roman Catholic
diocese of Southern California, now renewed
his previous offer of three blocks of the old
mission garden, on condition of the erection
within two years of a $i0,000 building.
These terms were accepted, the $4,000 sub-
scribed by the citizens, and the court-house
was promptly built.
In the autumn of 1873 took place the regu-
lar State and county election, resulting in the
seating of the entire Republican ticket except
the school superintendent.
By the following enumeration of holdings
may be seen what radical changes by this
time had come about in land ownership since
1868, when the whole territory of the present
county had been owned by a handful of men
in great ranchos, largely uncultivated. In
1873 there were: ninety-five ranchos of 100
VENTORA COUNTY.
to 200 acres; nine ranches of 200 to 400 acres;
seven of 500 acres; two of 600 acres; six
of 800 acres; two of 900 acres; seven of 1,000
acres; one of 1,100 acres; three of 2,000
acres; one of 2,500 acres; one of 4,000 acres;
two of 4,500 acres; two of 6,500, and one
each of 8,000, 9,000, 10,500, 12,500, 13,500,
17,090, 23,000, 24,000, 42,000 and 131,083
acres. Total number of acres assessed, 338,-
761; value assessed $1,554,951.
A very sensational tragedy had place in
the record of this year. At the Colonia
Rancho, George Eargan, after disputing
George Martin's land boundaries, shot and
instantly killed Martin, and he was immedi-
ately captured and lynched by the neighbors
of the murdered man.
In April, 1873, extensive bodies of gyp-
sum were found on the Ojai Rancho.
On June 23, 1873, the Ventura Reading
Club was organized.
In 1873 Mr. Bradley, on account of ill-
health, retired from the Signal, Messrs. W.
E. Shepherd and John T. Sheridan siicceed-
ing him.
In January, 1874, was published the first
report of the county treasurer, which showed
tiiat the preceding year's receipts were $20,-
522, and tiie disbursements $5,018, leaving
a balance of $15,504.
In 1874 were made extensive additions and
improvements to the wharf constructed at
San Buenaventura in 1871.
On November 23, 1874, the Ventura Lib-
rary Association was incorporated.
During 1874 there was a notable advance
in population and in wealth throughout Ven-
tura County, and many new and important
institutions were organized. The Fourth of
July was here celebrated with a vim and an
originality perhaps not equaled elsewhere in
the State. In August, the question of local
option in regard to the traffic in liquor came
up in Ventura, but on putting it to a vote of
the people, the temperance faction was put
badly in the minority. On September 19, the
bank of Ventura was founded; on September
20, the trotting park was opened to racing.
At the election this year, some attention was
paid to the nativity of the voters, and the
population was found to be very cosmopolitan,
numbering members from almost every
country. The tax list showed thirty-five
citizens owning from $10,000 to $187,000
each worth of property. A notable feature
of this year's record was the remarkable
lowering of rates and fares. The jealous com-
petition between the South Pacific Coast
Steamship Company and the California Steam
Navigation Company, brought the fare from
Ventura down to $3 to San Francisco, and
$4 to San Diego, while merchandise was
transported for $1.50 per ton. The shipments
of produce from San Buenaventura for the
six months ending May 1, 1874, were:
wheat, 5,600 sacks; barley, 23,000 sacks;
corn, 6,000 sacks; beans, 2,100 sacks; wool,
1,000 sacks; hogs, 300; sheep, 700; petroleum,
1,876 barrels.
The winter of 1874-'75 was an exception-
ally wet one. In one week of January, 1875,
9y3-ja_ inches fell at San Buenaventura, while
the fall in the Ojai Valley was tremendous,
it being estimated that ten inches of water
fell within twenty-four hours, whereas, even^
in those sections where the fall sometimes
amounts to sixty inches in the season, a fall
of three inches in twenty-four hours is con-
sidered excessive. Peculiarly enough, too,
the excessive fall here was not general
throughout the State that ssBson. The phe-
nomenal quantity here was attributable to
cloudbursts. The rivers, San Buenaventura
and Clara, were for days at a time impass-
able.
The year 1875 witnessed the establishment
190
VENTURA COUNTY.
of various iustitiitions of the highest impor-
tance to tlie comfort and advancement of the
section. The " Monumentals," a lire com-
pany, was organized, comprising in its officers
and members many of the most respected
citizens of San Buenaventura. The Ventura
Gas Company was also instituted, the city
appreciating the need of efficient street illu-
mination; and an impulse was given to manu-
facturing industry, in the opening of a large
steam planing-rnill.
The Free Press was first issued November
30 of this year, running for a very few months
as a daily, and continuing as a w-eeiily.
The diversity in the California field of
• politics at this time bore its natural fruits
here as elsewhere. There were three State
tickets before the people, and Ventura en-
tered into the canvass with great energy and
enthusiasm; the Republicans, fearing injury
to their cause by the disaft'ection of the tem-
perance people, prepared a ticket to unite
these two factions. Nevertheless, the Demo-
crats elected most of their candidates. This
election took also the sense of Ventura for
the new Constitutional Convention, at this
time offered for suffrage.
It was on April 13 of this year that a final
settlement of finances was effected between
this and the motlier county of Santa Barbara,
under the terms of the act of March 22,
1872. The commissioners from Ventura,
Thomas E. Bard and Charles Lindley,
met with C. E. Huse and Ulpiano Yndart, of
Santa Barbara, and, making the estimates and
balancing accounts, they found Ventura en-
titled to $581.52.
Early in 1876 -came a disaster for Ventura,
in the loss of the Kalorama, which was an
iron schooner-rigged steamer of 491 tons'
burden, belonging to the Coast Steamship
Company; she had accommodations for sixty-
three cabin, fourteen steerage and thirty-nine
deck passengers. Built in England, and
purchased for the coast trade, she had been
since the beginning of 1873 plying between
San Francisco and San Diego, and way ports,
alternating witii the Constantino. On Fri-
day, February 25, 1876, she lay at Wolfson's
wharf, when, being chafed by the roll of the
surf, she was ordered to move out to the
floating buoy. On the way thither, the screw
fouled with the mooring line, and left the
vessel at the mercy of the wind, which drove
her ashore at once. No lives were lost, but
as she lay on the beach the heavy machinery
broke loose in her hull and beat her to pieces;
the loss was $77,500.
Ventura, always fond of civic displays, cele-
brated the Fourth of July in this the Centen-
nial year, with actual pomp. Besides the
program of parade, orations, music, .etc., a
dinner was prepared on the grounds for no
less than 3,000 individuals. At Sespe also,
there was a spirited celebration.
There had now been added two more pre-
cincts (Santa Paula and Conejo) to the origi-
nal eight in the county, and they polled at
the presidential election in this year an ag-
gregate of 1,097 votes. The Hayes elect-
ors received 608 votes, the Tilden electors
590; Pacheco, Republican nominee for Con-
gress received 694, and Wigginton, Demo-
cratic candidate, 532. There were now 1,400
names on the Great Register, and an estimated
population of 7,000, being just double that
in the county at the date of organization.
There were now twenty-seven citizens paying
taxes on $10,000; twelve paying on more
than $15,000; seventeen on $20,000 to $50,
000, and one each paying respectively $75,-
000, $100,000, $150,000, and $200,000.
The year 1877 was made fairly calamitous
by a drouth of excessive severity. Great
numbers of sheep and cattle perished from
the lack of feed caused by the dry weather,
VENTURA COUNTY.
and multitudes were saved only by transpor-
tation to distant pastures where feed was
plentiful. T. Wallace More, of Ventura, sent
10,000, and Metcalf & Co., 6,000 head of
sheep through the Soledad Pass to Elizabeth
Lake, in Los Angeles County, where good
grazing was found and great herds of cattle
were sent by various owners to Arizona.
On March 29, 1877, the brig Crimea, of
223 tons, loaded with lumber, while made
fast to the wharf, parted her lines and was
beached during a heavy westerly gale and
sea; loss $9,200. It was reported also that a
portion of the wharf was washed away.
On the evening of October 22, Charles
Bartlett and Walter Perkins walked down
the wharf to watch the heavy rollers, caused
by a southeaster. Finally, alarmed by the
tremendous height of three, the largest they
had ever seen, the gentlemen decided to beat
a hasty retreat, and they ran up the wharf at
full speed. When thej had covered some
two-thirds of the distance to shore, the first
of the rollers struck and breached the wharf,
and at the progress of the wave the piles
bent down before it like grass-stalks. The
two fleeing men barely saved themselves from
being overtaken by the waves, and the wharf
reeled and rolled beneath their feet as they
fairly flew along it.
On December 1, the brig Lucy Ann, of
199.61 tons, here parted her moorings in a
northwesterly gale and a heavy sea, and was
wrecked, with a loss of one life and $6,500.
These repeated disasters caused the people
of Ventura to yearn fur a Government appro-
priation for a breakwater, and they accord-
ingly entered a petition therefor. In conse-
quence of their representations. Lieutenant
Seaforth, of tlie United States Engineers,
examined the port or roadstead, and made an
exhaustive report, adversely, however, to the
construction of the breakwiiter.
Ventura County made substantial progress
this year; business was in a prosperous con-
dition, and manufacturing interests were be-
ginning to awaken. A substantial brewery
had been erected, with a capacity of 1,500
gallons per week. The Casitas Pass road was
inaugurated this year, under an $8,990 con-
tract, the expenses being met by the issue of
bonds for $8,000, which were sold for $8,580
to Sutro & Co., of San Fraucisoo, thus index-
ing the solvent condition of the county; the
assessed value of all taxable property here had
now risen to $3,270,161.
The election this year distributed the offi-
ces pretty evenly between Democrats and
Republicans. One office was yielded to the
Democrats with considerable bitterness of
spirit by the Ventura constituency, who, with
the Republicans of Santa Barbara and San
Luis Obispo, had nominated T. R. Bard, the
reputed wealthiest man in the county, as the
Republican candidate for the State Senate, as
against Murphy, a wealthy land -owner of San
Luis Obispo. Mr. Bard was nominated with-
out a dissenting voice, and received a hand-
some majority in his own section, but the
Democratic vote in the other two counties
elected his opponent.
The chief item recorded for 1878 is the
arrival from San Francisco, in January, of the
apparatus of a hook and ladder comjiany,
following the " Monumentals," long the only
fire company in Ventura.
The record of public events for 1879 is
mostly political. This was the year of the
Workingmen's agitation, so that three tickets,
partial or entire, were in the field. White
and Perkins, two of the three gubernatorial
candidates, addressed the people of Ven-
tura, as did also Denis Kearney, the agita-
tor-in chief of the Workingmen ; he, however,
was not received here with enthusiasm. The
result of the election was a pretty fair
103
VENTURA COUNTT.
distribution of the oiSces among the three
parties.
The progress of matters agricultural in this
section may he judged from the following
figures: With a total population of about
7,000, the assessed valuation of property was
about $3,394,000, with a cultivated area of
75,000 acres. The crops comprised: barley,
86,000 acres; corn, 19,000; wheat, 13,000;
beans. 1,800) flax. 1,250; alfalfa, 900; oats,
550; potatoes, 800; canary seed, 285; and
570 of vegetables, peanuts, tobacco, etc. In
orchards and vineyards there were 37,000 acres,
of which 1,500 acres were planted to English
walnu's, 300 to oranges, 210 to grapes, 75
to lemons, and about 1,100 to other fruits.
Early in 1880, the people of Ventura were
thi'own into violent excitement by an affair
whose mystery continued unraveled. Miss
Jennie McLean, an accom])lished young lady,
a favorite in the community, while alone and
engaged about household matters, was at-
tacked and struck down by a terrible blow on
the head, dealt by some unknown party, who
heat her into insensibility. Her jewelry was
not taken, and it was never known whether
her assailant was man or woman, nor whether
the object was plunder, jealousy or revenge,
although Miss McLean was not known to
have an enemy in the world. The deed had
the seeming of a frenzy of insanity, rather
than the act of an ordinary criminal, and it
is not impossible that it was such, and that a
connection might have been traced between
this and an occurrence some three weeks later.
On June 15, a young man named Mills,
nephew of Governor A. .A. Low, boarded the
stage at Ventura, and after traveling a few
miles it was noticed that he held a new
hatchet, with which he threatened to kill the
driver unless he kept out of the way of par-
tibS who, Mills fancied, were in pursuit of
himself, in order to take his life. The driver
was compelled to keep his horses lashed to a
run for miles, to avoid having his head split
open. The unsatisfactory passenger, on
reaching Newhall's Rancho, sprang to the
ground with his hatchet, and with deer-like
speed ran to the hills. Some days later he
was found, being reduced to a famishing con-
dition.
On the 26tli of December, the ill-fated
wharf met with another misfortune, the waves
carrying away 200 feet of its outer end, to-
gether with some freight piled thereon.
The traffic from this port had now attained
such proportions that the facilities for trans-
portation were entirely inadequate.
In round numbers, San Buenaventura ex-
ported in 1880, 4,000,000 pounds of corn,
800,000 of barley, 1,400,000 of wheat, 1,-
100,000 of beans, and 60,000 of potatoes.
From Hueneme were shipjied during this
period about 2,100,000 pounds of corn,
240,000 of barley, 2,200,000 of wheat, and
64,000 pounds of wool. From the three
counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara,
and Ventura, were shipped 1,800,000 pounds
of wool during this year.
The events of 1881 were neither exciting
nor of a nature to make a permanent impress
upon the community. There were two mur-
der cases, of a commonplace character, upon
the docket; there was some animation in local
musical circles, and there was a temperance
agitation, which led to the establishment of
four lodges of Good Templars, with an aggre-
gate membership of over 300. Also, eighty
feet of extension were added to the wharf,
Beyond these, and the Garfield funeral exer-
cises-, which were of a character truly im-
pressive, there were chronicled no points
of especial interest. Assessed valuations,
$3,347,787.
Ventura's bean crop for 1880-'81 amounted
to 35,000 bushels.
VENTURA COUNTY.
The season of 1882 appeared less prosper-
ous than many preceding years, to judge by
the assessment i-oll, whicli showed a diminu-
tion from that of tlie preceding year, being
at present $3,171,127. This loss was due
mainly to the decrease in sheep, of which
large numbers died in the winter and early
spring.
The State election, held November 7, 1882,
gave the Democratic candidates slight majori-
ties, ranging from six to forty-five votes.
There were cast here thirty-five votes for the
Prohibition candidate for Governor.
The assessment roll for this year showed a
depreciation, enumerating property worth
$3,171,127 only, while the previous year had
shown $8,347,787. This was mainly due to
the loss in sheep, of which large numbers
died in the early spring. This county pro-
duced 80,000 bushels of beans in tlie season
of 1881-'82.
The delinquent tax list of Ventura for
1883 was so short, being only one and a half
columns, that the Signal printed it gratis as a
matter of news, and the J'^ee Press officially
at a nominal price.
Ventura County was awarded the first
premium for county exhibits at the Mechanics'
Institute Fair of 1885 in San Fi-ancisco.
The next succeeding feature of general
interest, was the construction, in the fall of
1886, of the Coast Line branch of the Southern
Pacific Railroad, whose advent brougiit new
life and development to the section.
The following figures, taken from the
ofticiaj returns for 1887 of the county clerk,
county auditor, and county assessor, will serve
as a basis of comparison of the developments
of the past few years :
1885, Total value assessed property, $4,574,208
1886, " " " " 4,693,698
1886, " county indebtedness 22,000
Number acres assessed 449,937
Real estate, other than town property, $4,050,467
Real estate improvements thereon, 322,865
Real estate, city and town property 618,107
Improvements on same, 245,939
Total value real estate, 4,668,574
Total value real estate improvements, 568,304
Total value personal property, 1,178,694
Total assessed valuations $6,415,572
Total county indebtedness, bonds out-
standing, $-23,000.00
Cash in county treasury, November 5, 1887, 14,292.14
Amount thereof applicable to indebtedness, 6,684.79
Bonds paid January 1, 1888, 8,000.00
Total county indebtedness, July I, 1888,. . . 14,000.00
The rate of taxation for 1887 was $2 on
the $100.
For 1887 there were siiipped from the
ports of San Buenaventura and Hueneme
the following, all of which were produced in
Ventura County:
Beans,
Corn,
Wheat,
Barley,
Potatoes,
Flax Seed,
Eng. Walnu
Mustard,
Bird Seed,
Eggs,
Honey,
Oil,
Oil,
Wool,
Lemons,
Hogs,
Sheep,
Hides,
tanks .
bales
boxes
No.
114,989
58,486
93,558
424,185
7,'l50
1,171
1,004
1,638
1,040
9,630
31,170
2,007
11,978
7,445
916
The estimated population being 7,500, this
would allow to each of 1,500 families of five
persons in Ventura County an income of
$1,328.
For 1888-'89 the San Buenaventura Wharf
Company's statement sliowed export ship-
ments of 174,158 packages, and import ship-
ments of 113,227 packages of merchandise
and 5,715,140 feet of lumber.
VENTURA COUNTY.
Over the Hueneme wharf were exported
during this period 534,757 packages, of
which 436,539 were sacks of beans, 18,148
sacks of wheat, 30,302 sacks of corn, and
32,864 barrels of oil, thus showing the chief
staples for the year.
In addition to the above shipments out of
the county over the Southern Pacific were as
follows, in pounds: beans, 1,766,700; grain
1,110,900; potatoes, 147,500; cattle, 160,000;
sheep. 100,000; hogs, 2,360,000; flour and
mill stuft; 384,000; bees and honey, 214,300;
dried fruit, 218,400; green fruit, 1,090,000;
nuts, 40,800; wool, 402,300; hay, 1,871,000;
brick and tile, 357,200; stone, 3,176,340; oil,
41,268,000; asphaltum, 261,500; miscellane-
ous, 2,861,000.
Late in 1889 tiie statistics gathered from
the Southern Mill and Warehouse Company
showed shipments as follows : Barley,
2,676,123 pounds; Lima beans, 2,109,090;
common beans, 756,243; corn, 308,750; wal-
nuts, 10,000; honey, 74,463; apricots, 145,-
726; miscellaneous, 300,000. Total ship-
ments, actual weight, 6,380,395 pounds.
At the same time there was in the ware-
house: of barley 2,089,090 pounds; wheat,
453,010; honey, 54,853; common beans,
136,839; making a grand total of 9,114,187
pounds of farm products, from which, making
a low estimate, the farmers of this vicinity
must have derived an aggregate revenue of
$200,000.
The statement of the San Buenaventura
Wharf Company for the year ending May;
1890, shows transactions over that structure
as follows: 44,748 bags corn, 54,692 bags
beans, 25,370 of barley, 1,393 of potatoes,
2,737 of wheat, 1,199 of dried fruit, 2,323 of
walnuts, 86 of popcorn, 83 of almonds, 221
of peamits, 35 of mustard seed, 9 of garlic,
1,220 packages of merchandise, 234 of house-
hold goods, 3,167 cases honey, 90 cases lubri-
cator, 215 of coal oil, 262 of eggs, 1,207
empty beer kegs, 1,362 boxes oranges, 1,047
boxes lemons, 294 boxes raisins, 4 of butter,
393 green apricots, 607 of apples, 18 of per-
simmons, 15 of peaches, 38 of nectarines, 104
of pears, 74 of limes, 20 of prunes, 1,333
barrels asphaltum, 1,091 of distillate, 6,045
of crude oil, 322 barrels of empty bottles, 209
of tallow, 624 tons asphaltum, 89 tons of old
iron, 527 bales wool, 1,350 bales hides, 153
bales pelts, 27 bales seaweed, 31 coops live
fowls, 1 steam engine, 4 horses.
The imports were 93,563 packages mer-
chandise, and 261,059 feet of hxmber.
The value of the wharf warehouses and
fixtures is placed at $79,000 at this time.
Some idea of the relative charges on freight
may be formed from the statement that the
income of this wharf from all sources' was
$11,754.43 during the year.
The Hueneme Wharf Company for 1889-
'90 shows exports as follows: — 279,613 sacks
barley, 17,018 of wheat, 34,638 of corn, 396
cases honey, 13,462 sacks beans, 1,447 bales
wool, 295 sacks mxistard seed, 223 of wal-
nuts, 4,824 of potatoes, 519 cases eggs, 1,202
hogs, 2,117 sheep, 249 boxes butter, 46 coops
fowls, 489 bundles hides, 122 bundles pelts,
86 barrels tallow, 29 sacks apricots, 30 of
onions, 2 of beeswax, 3 of peas; miscellane-
ous packages, 963.
Yentnra County at present, October, 1890,
contains twenty-one election precincts, as fol-
lows: — San Buenaventura precincts, Nog. 1,
2 and 3; La Canada, Rincon, Santa Ana,
Oj^i, Cuyania, Piru, Camulos, Sespe, Santa
Paula, Nos. 1 and 2, Saticoy, Mound, Pleas-
ant Valley, San Pedro, Simi, Conejo, Spring-
ville and Hueneme.
The postoffices in Ventura County are Ven-
tura, Hueneme, Santa Paula, Saticoy, Nord-
hoff, Bardsdale, Camulos, Fillmore, Matilija,
Montalvo, Newbury Park, New Jerusalem,
VENTURA COUNTY.
195
Pirn City, Punta Gorda, SimI, Springville,
and Timbei-ville. Tbe first five are money
order offices, and Ventura has international
exchange.
There are four banks in Ventura County,
aggregating paid up capital amounting to
nearly $400,000.
The present officers of Ventura County are
are as follows: —
E. H. Heacock State Senator
G. W. Wear (with Kern County) Assemblyman
B. T. Williams Supreme Judge
W. H. Reilly Sheriff
L. F. Eastin County Clerk
W. H. Jewell Auditor and Recorder
Orestes Orr District Attorney
Paul Charlebois Treasurer
James Donlon Assessor
C. L. Bard County Physician
F. M. Patton Coroner
C. T. Meredith Supt. Public Schools
J- T. Stow County Surveyor
A. W. Browne,...^
B. W. Dudley.... |
F. A. Foster 1- County Supervisors.
C.N.Baker i
E. H. Owens J
OFFICERS OF THE U. S. CIECCIT AND DISTRICT COURTS.
SOCTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA.
Stephen J. Field Circuit Judge
Lorenzo Sawyer Circuit Judge
Erskine M. Ross District Judge
George Denie U. S. Attorney
David R. Kisley U. S. Marshal
William M. VanDyke Clerk of Circuit Court
E. H. Owen Clerk of District Court
Charles L Balcheller
( Standing Master and
S" Examiner in Chan.
COMMISSIONERS.
William M. VanDyke Los Angeles
E. H. Owen Los Angeles
Charles Fernald Santa Barbara
L. C. McKeeby Ventura
Charles G. Hubbard San Diego
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
Ventura County lies 300 miles southeast
of San Francisco, and twenty- five miles
northwest of Los Angeles. It is bounded
on the west by Santa Barbara County, on the
north and east by Kern and Los Angeles
counties, and on tha south by the Pacific
Ocean. It also includes the islands of San
Nicolas and Anacapa, lying respectively
about eighty and eighteen miles from the
mainland. These islands are resorts for
seals, sea lions, otter, and aquatic birds.
They are included in the total area of 1,296,-
000 acres, divisible into arable land, pasture
land and mountain land. There are about
200,000 acres of very rich country, of which
as yet little over 70,000 acres have been
brought under cultivation.
This county contains various fertile val-
leys, the most important being the Santa
Clara, Ojai. Si mi, Conejo, and Sespe, besides
some small mesa and mountain valleys. The
soil is mainly a rich, dark brown, sandy loam,
10 to 150 feet deep. The surface is nearly
level, or but enough diversified to add to the
beauty of the situation.
WATER SUPPLY.
Ventura County perhaps is the best watered
county in Southern California. The Santa
Clara River, wiiich rises in the Soledad
Mountains near the Mojave Desert, enters
the county at the southeast corner, traverses
its entire Igngth, furnisbes an abundant sup-
ply for a large portion of the Santa Clara
Valley, and is a never failing stream. It
flows in an easterly direction about sixty
miles through the southeastern portion of
the county, and empties into the ocean about
six miles southeast of San Buenaventura.
The Santa Clara River takes its rise sev-
enty miles inland, in the rugged canons of
the Soledad Pass Hence it flows west by
south, swelled by several large tributaries,
mostly coming from the northward. It
passes through the Santa Barbara range at
Santa Paula, some fifteen miles from the
VENTURA COUNTY.
coast, and ends at the seaside in an estero or
lagoon, which shows no commnnication with
the sea, save when tlie winter floods tear
away the intervening bar of sand. At Santa
Panla this river receives the waters of the
Santa Paula Creek, formerly called the Mupn;
east of this, the Sespe empties, and near the
boundary line, the Piru.
Tributary to the Santa Clara are the Santa
Paula, Pirn, Big and Little Sespe, which are
fine, clear, living streams, furnishing an un-
failing supply of water for all that portion of
the county comprised within the original
grants of Sespe, Santa Paula, Saticoy, and
San Francisco ranches. The Lockwood,
Alamo, Hot Springs, and Pine are feeders of
the Pirn and the Sespe.
The Ventura River rises in the Santa Ynez
Mountains, in the northern portion of the
county, and flows in a southerly direction,
and through the beautiful Ojai Valley to the
sea at San Buenaventura, which city it sup-
plies with pure water and excellent water-
power. Its tributaries are the Arroyo San
Antonio, Caiiada Leon, Santa Ana, Canada
Larga, and Los Coyotes, which water large
portions of the Ojai, Canada Larga, and
Santa Ana ranches.
These rivers are fed by numerous springs
and mountain streams which run, into them
from almost all the canons. The Ventura
River alone furnishes water enough to irri-
gate, were it necessary, every acre of land in
the valley through which it flows. This
river furnishes the water-power to run the
large flouring-mill at Ventura, which at need
could be kept running day and night through-
out the year.
In that section of country Ij'ing southeast of
the Santa Clara River in the neighborhood of
Hueneme, artesian water is obtained at from
50 to 100 feet, which is a constant flow of
good, pu
re water. Besides these there are a
great many small mountain streams in various
portions of the county that never go dry. It
is estimated that the water supply is suffi-
cient to bring it on every part of farm land
if it were necessary to do so, but from a
comparison of the per cent, of farmers, whose
experience is given elsewhere in this paper,
it will be seen that irrigation is not necessary
except in case of a dry season, and excepting
also for citrus fruits, which some think ought
to be irrigated.
It is H peculiarity of this section that no
irrigation is needed to raise the most abun-
dant crops, of whatever nature. This may
be due to the humidity derived from the sea.
At all events, the fact accounts for the rarity
of attempts to divert the abundant water
into ditches, as is done in most other i)arts
of Southern California.
Ventura County is well supplied with
forest timber of live-oak, cottonwood and
other deciduous and evergreen trees, much of
it being easily accessible to the various rail-
way stations in the county. But the greatest
and most valuable timber consists of the
great pineries in the remote and almost un-
known mountain regions in the northern
part of the county. These extensive pine
forests contain an immense quantity of val-
uable timber which some day will be reached
by roadways and brought to market. When
that day comes, as it surely will, a rich har-
vest awaits the lumberman's ax. It is now
a wild and inaccessible forest, inhabited only
by the mountain goat and the fleet-footed deer,
with a smart sprinkling of the more ferocious
lion and grizzly bear. It is here that nature,
in its wildest and most chaotic state, holds
undisputed sway, but with an increased pop-
ulation in this county will be made to yield
VENTLrRA COUNTY.
to the demands of civilization — the demand
for lumber and other building material.
The following details are extracted from a
paper by Dr. Stephen Lowers, in the State
Mineralogical Eeport.
"Thecountj inclmles the islands of San
Nicolas and Anacapa. The former is about
eighty miles south of Ventura, and the latter
eighteen miles. The area of the entire county
is 1,869 square miles, or 1,196,000 acres.
" The valley of the Santa Clara extends
along the seashore from San Buenaventura to
Point Magn, a distance of over twenty miles,
and extends in an easterly direction across
the county, narrowing to two or three miles
on the eastern border. A chain of mountains
extends from Newhall in Los Angeles County
westwardly to within about ten miles of the
ocean, separating the upper portion of the
Santa Clara from the Simi and Las Posas
valleys. The chain is narrow and comes to a
sharp ridge or comb at the top, averaging
about 2,000 feet in altitude.
"Thirteen miles north of San Buenaven-
tura is the Ojai Valley, about ten by iive
miles in extent. It is divided into two val-
leys, upper and lower. The latter is 800
feet above the sea level, and the former about
1,700 feet. These valleys are surrounded by
mountains, opening along the Ventura River
to the south. On the eastern portion of the
county is the Cornejo Plateau, which is several
miles in extent and elevated 900 feet above
the ocean. It is really a succession of hills
and valleys. The rock exposures here are
principally trappean and metamorphic. The
remaining portions of the county are mainly
mountainous, giving a diversity of soil and
climate.
" It is by far the best watered of all the
southern counties. The Santa Clara River
runs through the county in a westerly di-
rection, reaching the ocean a few miles west
of San Buenaventura. The Matilaja, San
Antonio, and Coyote creeks unite and form
he Ventura River, coming in fVj n tho north,
and supplying the town of San Buenaventura
with an abundance of water. The Santa Paula,
Sespe, and Piru flow into the Santa Clara
from the north and west, the Sespe having
its rise in Santa Barbara County. The Lock-
wood flows into the Piru at the western base
of the Almo raonntain. The Cuyamo rises
near Mount Almo, and runs westwardly to
the county line, some fifteen miles distant.
The Las Posas Creek waters the Las Posas
and Simi valleys on the eastern side of the
county. In addition to these rivers and
streams, are numerous small creeks and
springs scattered here and there throughout
the county."
SAN NICOLAS ISLAND.
BY DR. BOWEKS.
" San Nicolas Island belongs to Ventura
County. It is nearly eighty miles south of
Ventura, the southesatern end being in lati-
tude 33° 14' north, and longitude 119° 25'
west from Greenwicli.
" The area is about nine miles long and four
miles wide, containing 32.2 square miles, or
20,608 acres. Its longer axis is northwest by
west. What is known as Begg Rock is sit-
uated on the prolongation of the longer axis
of the island, bearing northwest, and is seven
miles distant. Soundings show that there is
a submarine ridge connecting this rock with
Sau Nicolas, and that it was probably once
above the surface. Breakers extend for sev-
eral miles to the westward, and also for nearly
two miles on the eastern shore line of the
island, indicating shallow water. Begg Rock
is bold and precipitous, rising to the height
of forty or more feet, and plainly visible
from San Nicolas.
"There is an abundance of water on the
CENTURA COUNTY.
island, but it is slightly brackish; it is entire-
ly destitute of timber, but evident!}' has not
always been so. At the present time there
is not even a bush growing on it except a
stunted kind of thorn, scarcely two feet high,
and a few species of the tree cactus.
" The surface is comparatively level, sufH-
ciently so to till with little trouble. The
cultivable land embraces about two- thirds of
the island's area, and much of it is apparently
rich and fertile. * * * Coral Harbor, lo-
cated about three miles from the extreme
western point, is reached by an opening in
the rocks, some twenty feet wide. The water
in this opening is sufficiently deep to admit
a schooner of twenty tons' burden.
"The only animals foirad on San Nicolas
are, a small fox, a kangaroo mouse, and a
diminutive sand lizard. The fox is little
Tiiore tlian half as large as the gray or silver
fox of the mainland. As far as I have been
able to learn, the species is confined to the
Channel Islands. Several species of land
birds are found. Amongst them may be
mentioned the bald eagle, ground owl, raven,
crow, and plover. "Water fowl are abundant,
and among them gulls, pelicans, cormorants,
sea-pigeons, and others. Beetles, crickets,
spiders, butterflies, house and other flies are
met with, but no poisonous or noxious ani-
mals or insects. * * * San Nicolas Island
must have once supported a large population.
In whatever direction one turns, he comes in
contact with human skeletons, broken mortars,
pestles, ollas, bone implements, etc., and shell
heaps. * * * I judge that the natives of
this island were physically and intellectually
superior to those inhabiting the other islands
and the mainland, where, in previous ex-
plorations, 1 have exhumed several thousands
of skeletons. Many of the skulls on San
Nicolas closely resemble those of the Cauca-
sian type."
GEOLOGY.
The following account of the geological
formations of Ventura is by a writer whose
name the present editor has been unable to
learn :
Yentnra County exhibits many interesting
geological features. On the eastern side is
a volcanic uplift extending westwardly under
the ocean forming the island of Anacapa,
Santa Cruz, Santa Eosa and San Miguel.
This uplift may be traced eastwardly through
Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego
counties, with an outcrop near Yuma, and
probably extending far into Mexico. In Ven-
tura County it is composed largely of rhyolite,
trachyte and vesicular basalt. The moun-
tains here have been lifted to a height of
nearly or quite 4,000 feet, their serrated sum-
mits presenting a rugged outline against
the sky.
Another trappean uplift occurs in the
northwestern corner of the county running
parallel with the first described, leaving a
space of over fifty miles between them. It
is most likely the two are synchronous, One
of the characteristic rocks of the latter is
amygdaloid tilled with zeolites of quartz,
chalcedony, agate, opal, calcite, natrolite, etc.,
and inspissated 1/itumen.
The mountains on the northern portion of
the county are composed principally of gran-
ite rocks, while the characteristic rocks on
the southern side, as we approach toward the
ocean, are largely sandstone.
There are no large areas of horizontal rock
strata in the county. Formerly tilted, folded
and plicated rocks of this section bear evi-
dence of sudden upheaval. But it is evident
that the lateral pressure that has raised the
mountains of Yentural County from 2,000 to
over 9,000 feet above the sea level has prob-
ably done its work so gradually as not to
"disturb the flight of an insect," apart from
'EUTURA COUNTY.
199
the volcanic disturbances above mentioned.
The nplift is still going on, but so gradually
and silently as to be imperceptible to the
casual observer. Along the seashore, and
indeed all over the county where the older
rocks are exposed they are found tilted,
shoved and heaved at every conceivable angle
of inclination, with alternating anticlinal
and synclintd fold^;.
The Santa Clara River enters the county
on the eastern side and traverses it in a west-
erly dii-ection to the sea. Three or four
streams flow into it fr9m the north which
will be described in due time. One of these,
the Sespe, heads not far from the Santa Bar-
bara line and runs in an eastwardly direction
for some distance, gradually bending south-
ward through the center of the county. This
stream seems to mark the division between
the Cretaceous and the Tertiary periods. At
least some of the fossils which the writer
found north of the stream he must refer to
the Cretaceous, while all south of it belong
to the Miocene and Pliocene epochs. It is
probable that all the northern portion of the
county was lifted from a Cretaceous sea, and
what now forms the northern boundary of
the Sespe was for ages the shore line against
whose rocky ribs the waves of the Pacific
Ocean expended their fury. The strata
south of this are at an entirely dift'erent an-
gle and to some extent different in composi-
tion, and seem to have been raised independ-
ently, leaving a fissure between the two
formations and along which the stream has
cut its gorge.
The Piru Creek, running in a parallel
direction, but several miles north of the
Sespe, has cut its way through mountains of
granite, slate and diorite. In some places
the walls are nearly or quite a half mile
high and perpendicular, the tortuous bed of
the stream appearing as a ribbon far below.
In the southern portion of the county are
vast beds of Pliocene fossils. They are
found in the foot-hills skirting the sea shore
from the extreme southern corner of the
county to the county-seat, and on the north
side of the Santa Clara to the Sespe, on the
south side of the Santa Paula mountains, in
the Las Posas and Simi valleys, and else-
where. Joining the town of Ventura the
remains of the fossil elephant, llama and
other animals are found. Near Santa Paula
the remains of an extinct horse [Equiis
occldentalis) have been found.
Miocene fossils are found in the Ojai Val-
ley, Conejo plateau, along the south side of
the Sespe from its source to its mouth, in
the mountains east of Santa Paula and other
places. Among tnese may be mentioned the
remains of whales, seals, sharks, etc. Indeed
the entire county, apart from the volcanic
uplifts referred to and the granitic forma-
tions on the northern portion, abounds in
most interesting remains, including hundreds
of species of invertebrate and vertebrate an-
imals, many of which are extinct, while
others are still found in the ocean. This
county is a paradise for the geologist and
paleontologist, much of which has never
been subjected to a thorough scientific inves-
tigation .
In this connection we may add that the
botanist, zoologist, ichthyologist and entom-
ologist will find an ample field for investiga-
tion and study in their respective depart-
ments in this county.
CLIMATE.
The climate of Ventura County is difficult
to overestimate. Near the coast the mercui-y
seldom falls below 43° or rises above 83°;
but in some places back from the ocean, in
the mountains and valleys, it is somewhat
warmer in summer and cooler in winter.
200
VENTUUA COUNTY.
Taking it altogether, the evenness of the
climate is unexcelled. Thermoraetrical ob-
Bervations, extending over a series of years,
indicate an average temperature of about
58°. By careful study of the various places
in Southern California the reader will per-
ceive that Ventura County is not excelled in
point of climate. Near the coast fi'ost is
seldom or never seen; but several miles back
from the ocean a little frost occurs in winter,
yet not sufficiently severe to injure orange
trees or the most tender vegetation, except
in rare instances. Large banana trees may
be seen growing a dozen or fifteen miles from
the coast. The same kind of clothing is
worn winter and summer. While nearly all
kinds of northern and semi-tropical fruits
flourish here, roses, fuchsias, geraniums and
many other flowers bloom constantly, and
strawberries may be procured nearly any day
in the year. The days are warm but not
sultry; hence sunstroke is unknown in this
county. The nights are cool and induce re-
freshing sleep. For invalids, and especially
for persons disposed to pulmonary troubles,
this county offers superior inducements. It
is seldom that lightning is seen or thunder
heard, and no tornadoes, cyclones or other
disturbances of the forces of nature exist
here. The islands south of Ventura County
deflect the warm ocean currents from the
equator, turning them to the very shore line
and giving a higher temperature than is
realized some hundreds of miles south, and
thus securing good bathing the entire yenr.
For Santa Paula the average temperature
for winter is about 45° and for summer is
about 85°. The highest given is 100° and
the lowest 80°. For Saticoy the average for
winter 55° and for summer 85° ; the lowest
given IS
40° and the highest 100°. Tiie vari
ations at Camulos are from 25° to 100° and
and at Nordhoff is 80° to 100°. The average
at Hueneme is, for winter, about 50° and for
summer 75°; the highest given is 85° and the
lowest 88° and for New Jerusalem it is
about the same.
THE TEMPERATURE.
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The following is a table showing the aver-
age rainfall at San Buenaventura, Cali-
furuia, for the past eigliteen years. And it
should be remembered that what is called the
"rainy season" generally includes the fol-
lowing months: October, November, Decem-
ber, January, February, March and April.
During the remainder of the year there is
usually no rain at all.
VENTURA COONTT.
SEASON
1870-1871 . . . .
1871 18T2
INCHES
9
5 12
SEASON
1879-18811....
1880-1881 ....
1881-1882 . . . .
1882-1888 . . . .
1883 1884
INCHES
23.06
13 81
1872-1873 . . . .
1878-1874
1874 18 5
17.2.5
15
15 25
35 74
187i3-18' 6 . .
21
4.62
20.22
11.79
1884 188)
9 46
188.1-1886 . . . .
20.92
1877-1878....
1878-1879 . . . .
18:56-1887 . . . .
1837-18^8 . . . .
12.9.5
20.24
THE CHURCHES OF VENTURA.
The county is well supplied with churches.
The Catholics have, besides the old Mission
at San Buenaventura, which was founded
more than a century ago, a good chui'ch
house at New Jerusalem. Each of these
churches have regular pastors.
The Baptists have organizations in Santa
Paula, Hueneme and Springville. At the
latter place there is a house of worship owned
by an independent Baptist organization.
The Methodists have houses of worship at
San Buenaventura, Hueneme, Santa Paula,
Sespe and Piru. They also have organiza-
tions at Cienega, Saticoy, Springville, Conejo,
Fillmore and other j^laces.
The Presbyterians have houses of worship
at Ventura, Nordhoif, Saticoy, Santa Paula
and Fillmore.
The Universalists have a parish at Santa
Paula and services at Ventura.
The Congregationalibts have a house of
worship in San Buenaventura and Nordhoff ;
an academy at Santa Paula.
The Episco2)alians have a church organiza-
tion and ediiice at Ventura.
The Sweden borgians have a church organ-
ization and edifice at Bardodale.
In addition to the above there are two or
three union or independent churches in the
county. All of the churches named above
are supplied with regular pastors.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The school system of Ventura County is
much like that of other counties of the State,
but quite unlike that of most of the other
and old States east of the Rocky Mountains.
The public schools of Ventura County are
of three kinds or grades: primary, grammar
and high school; the first being found in
the sparsely settled portions of the county;
the second in the more thickly settled, and
the third or high school only in San Buena-
ventura. In the primary school instruction
is given in reading, orthography, practical
and mental arithmetic, geography. United
States history, physiology, penmanship, ele-
ments of book-keeping, industrial drawino-,
vocal music, practical entomology and the
rudiments of technical English grammar.
Grammar schools are established in those
parts of the county, in the country towns,
where there are a number of children who de-
sire to pursue, in addition to the studies of
the primary grade, such branches as algebra,
natural philosophy, natural history, and when,
owing to the increased number of children
attending school, there are funds enough to
admit of paying a higher salary to the teacher
in return for a greater and more advanced
work. It is proper to remark here, however,
that in every one of the primary schools of
the county the teacher is competent to teach
algebra and such other grammar-grade stud-
ies, 80 that no pupil is debarred from pursu-
ing each study if desirable.
The high school in California or the
grammar school course — which is a course
in advance of the grammar school as given
above — is intended to prepare the pupils who
graduate from the public schools, havinw
finished the work of the grammar grade for
entrance into the State University. This adds
to the grammar school such branches as rhet-
oric, advanced English and American liter-
ature, chemistry and mineralogy. But this
course can be pursued only in such localities
as have a representation of pupils sufficient to
VENTURA COVNTT.
supply a number of teachers, since no one
person could do the work required in a school
with all grades from primary to and includ-
ing the grammar school course; and in gen-
eral the grade of a school depends upon tiie
number of children in it.
By a provision of the State law, all pupils
who finish the course of study laid out for
the grammar grade and pass a satisfactory
examination therein upon questions prepared
by tlie County Board of Education, are en-
titled to a diploma of graduation from tlie
grammar school. This admits them to the
lowest class in the State Normal School, or
to the high school or grammar course.
Completion of the studies in the course,
upon satisfactory examin'ation, admits the
graduate to the University of California at
Berkeley.
As another prominent feature of the schools
it may be observed that each district in Ven-
tura County draws from the public funds an-
nually from $30 to $50, to be expended only
for school apparatus or library books.
Accordingly we have in this county schools
which possess valuable, libraries, having in
the course of the past few years accumulated
a set of cyclopaedia'-, all rec^uisite books of
reference, besides complete sets of the poets
and standard novelists, and comprising many
works on history, biography and travel.
As an index of the growth and develop-
ment of the county, as represented by the
growth of the schools, there follows a com-
parative statement of the condition of the
public schools in each alternative year since
1884.
In 1884 Ventura had twenty-four school
districts, and school property worth $33,417,
as follows: buildings, $30,113; libraries,
$1,932; apparatus, $1,366. There were
1,667 census children, of whom 1,270 were
enrolled, with an average attendance of 743.
The total receipts for school purposes were
$34,429; total expenditures, $30,677.
In 1886 there were in Ventura County
1,889 census children; enrolled were 1,439;
the average attendance was 911. The value
of school buildings was $50,800; of school
libraries, $1,610; of apparatus, $1,500; total
value of school property, $53,910. The total
expenditures for schools were $23,399, and
the total of revenues for school purposes
$28,328.
In 1888 there were 2,284 census children
in Ventura County, which had gained ten
school districts in two years; 1,889 were en-
rolled in the public schools, and the average
daily attendance was 1,069. There were now
school buildings to the value of $64,900;
libraries, $1,825, and apparatus, $1,410; total,
$69,035.
There are now in Ventura County forty-
three school districts, employing fifty-seven
teachers. The number of census children is
2,703; number enrolled. 2,244; the average
attendance is 1,339. The amount received
from county school tax for 1889 was $11,-
366; from all sources for 1889-'90, $65,-
791.42. The total expenditures were $51,-
457.31. Of tiie teachers in the county,
twenty are graduaies of the State Normal
School, and three are from Eastern high
schools. The average monthly salary of men
teachers is $75; of women, $63. The total
value of school buildings in the county is
$102,050; of school libraries, $2,850; of
apparatus, $2,955; total, $105,855. During
the eight years that C. T. Meredith has been
coimty superintendent of schools, there have
been built new school-houses in thirty-two
districts. San Buenaventura has school-
houses worth perhaps $35,000; the Avenue
building another worth $6,000; those at
Santa Paula cost $10,000; at Hueneme,
$9,000; the Montalvo building cost $5,000, to
VENTURA COUNTY.
which must be added another $1,000 for
grounds, improvements, etc., and the Saticoy
school-house cost $1,500.
It is rather a renaarkable feature that there
is a small attendance of the Spanish element
in the scIidoIs of this county.
THE EASTERN PORTION OF VEN-
TURA.
THE SANTA CLARA VALLEY.
The lower Santa Clara Valley, bordering
on the ocean, comprises the ranchos San
Miguel, Santa Paula y Saticoy, Santa Clara
del Norte, La Colonia, and part of Guada-
lasca, besides Government lands. Through
the hills skirting the eastern flank of the
main expanse break two fine valleys, with
wooded hills and cultivated dales. The more
northerly of these contains the ranchos Las
Posas and Simi; the southern, being El
Conejo Valley, embraces the ranchos Calle-
jos. El Conejo, and the upper end of the Gua-
dalasca. Close down to the channel of the
Santa Clara on the north come the Santa
Barbara Mountains, jagged and distorted,
while to the south, above Santa Paula, they
are much lower and more rounded, although
still mostly untillable. The northern slopes
are set with groves of pine and live-oak; the
southern are covered with grass, flowers and
the honey-bearing sage. The principal trees
along the water courses are sycamore, wal-
nut, Cottonwood, and some inferior varieties
of pine.
RANCHO LA COLONIA.
The Kancho La Colonia, or Rio de Santa
Clara, as finally confirmed, comprises a tract
of about 4:8,883 acres, lying south of Kancho
Santa Clara del Norte, and north and west of
the Pacific Ocean, the Guadalasca Rancho,
and a small piece of Government land. This
tract was granted in 1837 to eight old
soldiers, by Governor Alvarado, the record of
possession bearing date September 28, 1840.
The commissioners rejected this claim in
1854, but the grant was declared valid, re-
versing the former decision, in 1857, thus
confirming the land to Valentine Cota.
although it was also claimed by the widow of
Joseph Chapman, of the Ortega Rancho
affair.
During the '60's many squatters settled
upon this tract, and its boundaries were
modi tied by vaiious surveys. It was first
cultivated in 1867' when Christian Borehard
and his son settled on the rancho, in an old
adobe honse formerly occupied by the Gon-
zales family, of the original grantees, and
planted crops of wheat and barley, the first
grain sown in Ventura County, thirty acres
of each being sown in the spring of 1868.
The barley yielded eighteen centals to the
acre; the wheat rusted and was left standing.
This rancho was so thickly covered with wild
mustard that two men, in two and one-half
months, gathered with an old-fashioned
header, twenty- five tons of mustard seed,
which sold for 2 cents per pound. This sec-
tion has been steadily settled, and tliat with
an iiidustrions and excellent class of citizens.
"Tom" Scott, the railroad king, who pur-
chased this rancho from the Spanish owners,
in 1869 sold it for $150,000 to Thomas R.
Bard, under whose auspices it has been im-
proved greatly. The Colonia includes most
of the Santa Clara Valley, ocean ward.
HUENEME.
Hueneme is situated upon a projection of
the Colonia Rancho, a point running into the
sea, some twelve miles south of San Buena-
ventura, and the same distance north of Point
Magu.
The town was started in June, 1870, by
W. E. Barnard, G. S. Gilbert and H. P.
204
VENTURA COUNTY.
Flint. It was declared that the town would
be overflowed at high tide, and cut off from
the surrounding country hy the neigliboring
swamps and morasses. Moreover, tiie pro-
prietors of the Colonia Rancho claimed tlie
land, and tried to dispossess the founders of
the new town.
The Hueneme Lighter Company began to
make shipments of lumber in June, 1870, in
connection with the steamer Kaloraina, and,
against all predictions to the contrary,
this enterprise proved eminently successful.
During the lirnt year 60,000 sacks of grain
were shipped by means of the lighters. Still
there were some losses, notal)ly that of some
costly machinery destined for the oil works,
and therefore, with a view to the possibilities
of future traffic, T. R. Bard and R. G. Snr-
dam obtained the right to construct a wharf
at this point, and the work wan begun and
finished within the month, that of August,
1871. The wharf was 900 feet long, reach-
ing to water eighteen feet deep. It was con-
nected by tramway with the shore, where was
built a warehouse, also corrals for stock. At
once this wharf was made the medium of a
very heavy business. The board of super-
visors fixed the maximum rates of wharfage,
which was moderate.
Already in July, 1871, much attention
had been attracted to the artesian wells
about Hueneme. One owned by T. R. Bard,
although but 147 feet deep, threw up such
an immense volume of water it flooded
several acres, and flumes had to be con-
structed to carry away the surplus water.
The first two houses in this town were
biiilt iu 1871, by Messrs. Thompson and
Jiidson. The town was laid out by T. R.
Bard. The Pioneer Hotel was built in 1871
by D. D. McCoy, who then removed hither
from San Buenaventura.
Shortly after the settlement at Hueneme,
T. R. Bard, who had purchased the Colonia
Rancho in 1869, denied that the site of the
town was public land, as claimed by its
founders, and to enforce his claim he set a
party to fence in the proposed wharf site.
Enraged by this measure, the settlers assumed
a threatening attitude with regard to the
fence-builders, and it is probable that blood-
shed was prevented only by the fact that
Mr. Bard's party possessed firearms, while
the settlers were without them. They finally
dispersed, and later both claimants gave
bonds for a title to the land when the owner-
ship should be established by issue of the
case then pending before the United States
authorities.
After this difficulty was adjusted, the new
town received numerous additions, and with-
in a year after its founding it had seventeen
families and forty-eight school census cliil-
dren. Several stores and a second hotel were
opened this year.
In September, 1872, Hueneme contained
one grocery, one fruit and confectionery
store, two of general merchandise, one res-
taurant, two lumber yards, one livery stable,
one carpenter shop, two blacksmith shops,
two barber shops, one hotel, and one private
school. Many vessels were loading or dis-
charging at the wharf. There were shipped
this year 86,900 centals of grain.
On May 5, 1873, was established the
Hueneme public school district; also road
districts for the vicinity, and many artesian
wells were sunk hereabouts during this sum-
mer. During this year 145,000 centals of
grain were shipped hence.
In 1874 Hueneme had become a lively
town, with several large stores, and most of
the trades represented.
The shipments of grain this year were
198,500 centals.
In 1877 was established a matanza, or
VERTURA COUNTY.
slanghter-yard, to kill and utilize cattle and
sheep which otherwise would probably perish
during the disastrous season already begun.
In 1878 were received 264,336 sacks of
grain, of which 140,217 sacks were shipped
during the year. Other shipments were:
4,070 hogs, 32 calves, 53 boxes eggs, 862
barrels petroleum, 1,228 bales hay, 1,231
bales wool, 37,735 pounds rock soap, 2,224
sacks mustard, 1,002 sacks beans, 6,680 sacks
corn, 50 sacks wheat, 8,893 sacks barley, 190
tons miscellaneous freight. There were re-
ceived about 1,000 tons of freight, besides
800,000 feet of lumber.
In April, 1879, was organized the Hueneme
Lodge of Good Templars, No. 236.
During the year ending March 31, 1880,
there were shipped from Hueneme 16,888
sacks of corn, 232,995 sacks barley, 2,012
sacks flaxseed, 352 sacks rye, 21,479 sacks
wheat, 3,156 sacks beans, 406 sacks mustard,
140 sacks oats, 149 boxes eggs, 418 sheep,
10,035 liogs, 64,000 pounds of wool.
In view of the growing business, the wharf
was now extended to a total length of about
1,500 feet.
The receipts of the business for that year
$20,100.92; expenditures, $10,461.96; earn-
ings, $9,638.96, or about 1 1-6 per month on
the cost.
In 1883 Hueneme contained a hotel,
several business houses, a telegraph office,
postoffice, wharf and steamship offices, good
school-house and some twenty-tive dwellings.
There were four large warehouses, with an
aggregate capacity of about 300,000 sacks, or
684,120 cubic feet.
In the earlier months of 1884, a water-
spout appeared on the ocean before Hueneme,
whence it passed to the land, tearing up
trees, and wrecking to total demolishment
the house of H. F. Coffman, the occupants
escaping injury as by a miracle.
For the year ending March, 1886, the ship-
ments over the Hueneme wharf were as fol-
lows: Sacks barley, 121,336; wheat, 53,628;
corn, 8,291; beans, 2,035; walnuts. 111;
mustard seed 153; cases honey, 481; bales
wool, 722J; bales hay, 172; hogs, 5,300;
sheep, 3, 147 ; lam bs, 599 ; boxes butter, 50 ; cas-
es eggs, 479; coops live fowls, 72; hides, 213;
bundles pelts, 70; barrels tallow, 23; sacks
castor beans, 13; miscellaneous packages, 641.
Over the Hueneme wharf were exported
during the year ending March, 1887, prod-
ucts as follows: Sacks barley, 394,024; sacks
wheat, 80,174; sacks corn, 23,426; sacks oats,
12; sacks beans, 1,286; sacks walnuts, 81;
sacks mustard seed, 1,004; clover seed, 201;
potatoes, 2,880; onions, 167; bales wool,
1,352; bales hay, 139; cases honey, 2,803;
cases eggs, 427; head hogs, 7,005; head
sheep, 7,443; lambs, 207; boxes butter, 40;
coops live fowls, 49: hides, 216: bundles
pelts, 60; barrels tallow, 44; miscellaneous
packages, 105.
During the year ending March 31, 1888,
there was shipped from the port of Hueneme,
of corn, 12,534 sacks; wheat, 16,073 sacks;
barley 508,118 sacks; mustard seed, 3,934
sacks; beans, 1,556 sacks; eggs, 387 cases;
pelts, 304 bundles; hides, 116 bundles; wool,
1,023 bales; hogs, 2,249 head; honey, 2,803
cases; potatoes, 2,597 sacks; sheep and lambs,
8,339 head; butter, 146 cases; tallow, 26
barrels; hay, 102 bales; fowls, 158 coops;
castor beans, 12 sacks: onions, 167 sacks; pe-
troleum, 1,785 barrels. During this year,
169 steamers, 23 schooners and 44 steam
schooners, making a total of 236 vessels,
touched at this port.
The town site is almost level, with only a
sandy beach between it and the sea. The
climate is mild and the air very pure and free
from malaria. This is the "euibarcadero" or
sea shipping point for a large back country.
206
VENTURA COUNTY.
The rich agricultural and grazing lands of the
Si ni 1, Co n ejo and Santa Clara ran chos, the Colo-
nia Rancho, and Pleasant Valley, lie behind it.
The Huenenie light-house is situated one
mile west of the wharf. It is a two-story
brick structure, combining the Swiss with the
Elizabethan style. It contains ten large
rooms, with closets, offices, etc., being de-
signed to accommodate two families. The re-
volving light is of the fourth order, red flash,
with tine French prisTns and concentratorp.
It is iifty feet above the sea level and is per-
ceptible from forty miles away. It consumes
about three gallons of oil per week. A record
is kept of aU details, time of lighting and of
extinguishing the lamp, etc. The light was
first shown December 15, 1874. The suc-
cessive keepers have been: Samuel Ensign,
J. A. McFarland and E. H. Pinney.
Hueneme has post, express and telegraph
offices and daily mail by stage from Ventura.
There are two hotels, one school — a $9,000
building — one church, one weekly newspaper,
the Herald, three stores of general merchan-
dise, one for furniture, one drug store, one
tobacconist, one blacksmith, one carpenter-
shop, one barber, one bakery, one agricultural
implement depot, one saddlery and harness-
shop, one grain, wool, and produce depot,
one insurance agent, one livery stable, one
lumber yard, one meat market, one painter,
one plumber, one stove and tinware house,
two notaries public, two attorneys at law, one
physician and one dentist. Here is situated
the mammoth tank, of 36,000 barrels capacity,
into which a line of four-inch pipes conveys
the oil from the wells in the mountains, and
whence it is piped into vessels built expressly
for transporting it to San Francisco, San Pe-
dro, etc.
THE GUADALASCA RANCHO.
This rancho lies in the extreme southern
part of Ventura, southeast of the Colonia.
It borders on Los Angeles County about two
miles, on the coast about eight miles, and
extends about ten miles into the interior.
The place is historical, being the siteof Xucu
or " The Town of the Canoes," described in
the voyage of Cabrillo, 300 years since, this
having been the most densely-populated por-
tion of the coast. In one of the valleys. La
JoUa, seems to have been a favorite ground
of the Indians, it being rich in kitchen-
middens, bones, etc., and having a trail, worn
deep, from the landing over the hill. The
Guadalasca was a grant of 30,593.85 acres,
made May 6, 1846, to Ysabel Yorba, whose
title was confirmed by the United States Land
Commissioners. Of this estate, 23,000 acres
were purchased some years since by William
Richard Broome, an English gentleman of
leisui'e, living in Santa Barbara. Several
thousands of these acres are on the fertile
Colonia plain, where flowing wells of artesian
water can be had at 100 to 150 feet deep.
" The Estero " is tlie termination of the
Guadalasca Creek, being a basin some four
miles long, in some parts 1,000 feet wide,
and deep enough to float large vessels. Near
Point Magu is a landing for vessels, safe in
any weather, and considered one of the best
harbors on the coast. The mountains here
abound in game, such as bear, deer, Califor-
nia lions, wild cats, coyotes, rabbits, hare, and
quail, while the sea is here swarming with
fine fisb and shell-lish, as in the days when
sea products here supported the dense abo-
riginal population.
THE LAS POSAS BANCHO.
This rancho occupies the lower end of the
Las Posas and Simi Valley, debouching upon
the great Santa Clara plain. Las Posas,
embracing 26,623 acres of land, was granted
to Jose Carrillo May 15, 1824, and confirmed
to Jose de la Guerra y Noriega, being held
VENTURA COVNTT.
by him and his heirs until 1876, when it was
sold to a company, who have kept it undivided
until the present day, raising wheat, barley,
corn and stock.
At the date of sale, the Las Posas and the
Simi, containing an aggregate of about 125,-
000 acres, were sold for $550,000, being
assessed at the same time at but $172,000.
The rancho is located about twelve miles
east of Hueneme, within sight of the ocean,
in the southern part of Ventura County.
The property is crossed by the proposed Los
Angeles and Hueneme Railroad, and will be,
when that road is completed, about fifty miles
by rail from the metropolis of Southern
California. Tlie great Simi ranch borders it
on tlie east, the Calieguas on the south, the
Santa Clara del Norte on the west, and a range
of mountains on the north.
Las Posas could take in every resident of
Ventura County, give each voter of the county
ten acres of land, and leave nearly 1,000 acres
on which to build the towns. Considering
the fact that this county is as thickly popu-
lated outside the villages as perhaps any in
the State, the foregoing statement gives the
reader some idea of the extent of this great
ranch.
Probably 12,000 acres of the Las Posas are
arable, 13,000 suitable for grazing, and the
mountain land availing only for bee-keeping.
It has no timber. The wide fields are mostly
unfenced. Most of the farming is carried on
by renters, who raise wheat, barley, corn, and
beans, grown without irrigation. All the
grains and semi-tropical fruits succeed here,
and there are several thousand acres per-
fectly adapted to the growth of the orange,
lemon, tig, almond, and apricot. Artesian
water is easily obtainable.
On a part of this Rancho, Peter Rice, the
owner of a farm of 280 acres, has an orchard,
bearing all kinds of fruit, including oranges
and lemons, walnuts, figs, grapes, apricots,
prunes and peaches.
The sale of the Scott estate lands on the
adjoining rancho. La Colonia, in Jvily and
August, 1888, aggregated over $525,000, in
five days.
THE SIMI BANCnO.
The Simi Rancho is a vast tract of 96,000
acres, completely walled in by continuous
ranges of hills and mountains, on all sides
save the west, where lies the narrow valley of
the Las Posas Rancho. To the north lies the
upper Santa Clara Valley, and to the south
the Couejo Valley, on the south and east be-
ing also the Santa Susana range, separating
the Simi from Los Angeles County. The
Simi was formerly called San Jose deGracia.
It was granted to Patricio Javier and Miguel
Pico, in 1795, by Governor Borica. In
April, 1842, when Alvarado revived, or
renewed, the claim to ISToriega, it contained
92,341.35 acres. It contained 114,000 acres
between sixty and seventy years since. Since
that time, to settle a dispute a^ to title ^^V of
the whole, comprising about 14,000 acres,
were conveyed to Eugene Sullivan. This
portion, comprehending the homestead of the
de la Guerra family, now known as the Tapo
Rancho, lies in the northeast corner of the
Simi Valley. To Mr. Chaffee were sold
other 2,000 acres of the Simi, leaving the rest
in the ownership of Andrew Gray. Of this
tract, only about 11,000 acres are suitable for
farming; 67,000 acres are grazing land; and
20,000 acres are available for bee-raising
only. The altitude of the valley is about 700
feet above sea-level.
Having passed into the hands of "Tom"
Scott, this rancho, on his death, remained in
use only for grain farming and sheep and
cattle raising, as the executors of the estate
could not dispose of it in small parcels, and
the heirs seemed not inclined to put it on
VENTURA GOUNTT.
the market. Of late it lias passed into the
hands of the Si mi Land and Water Company,
of Los Angeles, who have divided it into
stock ranges, containing from 1,000 to 10,000
acres each, at from $5 to $15 per acre, each
division being supplied with abundant water
from the living springs which are fonnd in
almost every part of the Si mi.
It is understood that there is abundant
water on Simi for the irrigation of all fruit
land which will need irrigation. No crop
ever raised there has ever been irrigated.
Some of the best fruit land on the rancho
has flowing water tributary to it which can
be piped at small expense. This water will
be supplied as the needs of settlers may
require. On the ordinary farming lands in
the valleys water is easily reached by boring
a short distance, and in many places artesian
wells can be found.
The climate of Simi is most desirable, and
it is destined to become an important health
resort for persons afflicted with weak lungs
or throat trouble. The elevation of the val-
leys average over 1,000 feet above the sea
level, and the air is pure and dry, at the same
time the temperature is even and pleasant.
The ocean breeze begins to blow gently in
the morning and continues through the day,
making their air pleasant in the warmest days
of summer. At the eastern end of the
rancho is a beautiful oak grove of about 2,000
acres, which affords a charming place for
camping and picnic parties, an attraction not
often found in this part of the State.
Land on the Simi can now be bought in
tracts to suit at $5 to $15 for stock ranges,
and from $20 to $75 for farms and colony
tracts. At present the nearest railroad point
is San Fernando, a station on the Southern
Pacific Railroad, twenty miles north of Los
Angeles.
The Simi Hotel is twelve miles west of this
point. Visitors can go to San Fernando by
rail from Ventura or Los Angeles, and thence
to Simi by four-horse stage.
KANOHO TAPO.
The Tapo Rancho, before mentioned as
having been set off from the Simi, belongs to
the estate of Francisco de la Guerra. It has
been established for more than sixty years.
Lying at the northeastern part of the Simi
Rancho, only some 1,500 of its 14,000 acres
are arable, the rest being grazing land. This
rancho, being protected by a mountain wall, is
peculiarly adapted to fruit-growing. Superior
wines and brandies have been made from a
vineyard here, planted nearly fifty years ago.
SPRINGVILLE.
This is a little village located near where
the ranchos Santa Clara del Norte, Las Posas
and La Cclonia come together at the west
end of what is known as Pleasant Valley.
Past this hamlet goes a great deal of local
travel. The village has a postoffice, one
church, one store, one smithy, and a small
number of dwellings. Adjoining Pleasant
Valley is the magnificent Calleguas Rancho
of 22,000 acres, and close to Springvillc is the
large stock rancho of Gries & Bell.
CALLEGUAS EANCHO.
This lies over the hills, south of the Las
Posas, and east of La Colonia (from which it
is separated by Government lands), north of
the Guadalasca, and west of El Conejo.
The extension of Pleasant Valley forms a
portion of it. This was granted to Jose
Pedco Ruiz in May, 1847, the area called for
bei
"g
acres, of which about half
fit for stock-raising only. The rest is arable,
producing excellent flax and cereals, corn
being considered the best crop. Much of
this rancho contains living springs, which
VENTURA COUNTY.
309
appear in many places, but which have not
been utilized, although irrigating a large sur-
face, which they render peculiarly suitable to
fruit-raising. A small vineyard here pro-
duces wine of excellent quality.
EANCHO EL CONEJO.
The Conejo (Rabbit) Rancho was granted
by Governor Sola to Jose de la Cxuerra y
Noriega, October 12, 1822. It contained
48,674.56 acres. It lies east of the Calleguas
and Guadalasca ranchos, and south of the
Siini, which also borders it on the east. Los
Angeles bounds it on the e: st and south.
It is cradled between the Guadalasca or
Conejo range south and westward, the Susana
hills extension on the north, and the Susana
and Santa Monica mountains on the east.
The altitude is about 700 feet. The soil is a
deep and rich black loam. The grazing lands
are unsurpassed, and the caiions and moun-
tains afford iine bee-pasturage. In 1872-'73
H. W. Mills purchased one-half of the Conejo
grant from the heirs of Captain Jose de la
Guerra. In 1882 were sold at $5 per acre
2,200 acres of the Newbury tract, and in the
same year 6,000 acres above Newbury Park
were sold to Russell Brothers for $15,000. Of
this rancho 1,800 acres are fertile and even-
surfaced. The water here is good. The dis-
tance of this section from llueneme is twenty-
five miles.
NEWBUEY PAEK.
In the southern end of Ventura County,
and in the lower part of the Conejo Rancho, is
located the town of Newbury Park — or rather
there is in this beautiful little valley a post-
office known by that name, at which a score
or more of prosperous families get their daily
mail. The postoffice is located in an old
building belonging to the Russell Brothers,
on the old stage route from Los Angeles to
Ventura, about fifty miles from the former and
thirty from the latter. The inhabitants of
this locality are farmers living for six or
eight miles up and down the old stage road,
and in the " Portrero," a narrow canon lead-
ing out of the larger valley, hemmed in by
rugged hills and covered by some of the finest
forest trees to be found iu Southern Cali-
fornia. The territory covered by the ranches
in this vicinity embraces about 30,000 acres,
mostly devoted to stock-raising. The country
is diversified, as is the greater part of Cali-
fornia. Along the roads, which are extra
good, are here and there pretty farm houses,
and large barns filled to overflowing with
farm products. On the hills are fat cattle
and fine horses. Good fences, good roads
and good buildings, all speak of thrift and
industry.
The valleys being well covered with large
oak trees, the drive through them is delio-ht-
ful. Upon the rancho of A. D. and H. M.
Russell, embracing 6,000 acres, are kept 500
head of cattle, 100 horses and 500 hogs.
W. H. Crolley has a rancho of 2,260 acres,
which in two years, under his care, has been
brought— from a property that did not make
enough to pay taxes— into the most thrifty
condition, showing what a little care and good
judgment can do in a short time on Cali-
fornia soil. He keeps about forty fine horses,
200 Durham cattle and fifty hogs, besides a
good quantity of poultry, all of which does
very well.
O. A. Wadleigh, from Canada, rents the
Edwards rancho of 6,400 acres, and is carry-
ing on the dairy business. He keeps 125
cows, 150 hogs and a large lot of poultry.
R. O. Hunt has a splendid little rancho of
about 1,000 acres, on which he raises all kinds
of crops and keeps all kinds of stock. He
raises a great deal of poultry — chickens, ducks
and turkeys. He says he never saw a place
VENTURA COUNTY.
where poultry did as well or could be raised
as easily, or where it would pay as well.
H. iladsell, from Chicago, and his brother,
N. D. Hadsell, from Ohio, have a nice little
farm of 200 acres, on which they raise wheat
and various other crops with success. They
are planting frnit trees of all kinds, which
are making most remarkable growth.
H. T. Stebbins, from Ohio, who has lived
on the Conejo for fourteen years, has a charm-
ing little place of eighty acres, divided into
tillage and pasture, where he keeps twenty
horses, twenty-five cattle and 120 hogs,
besides a liberal supply of fine poultry. Mr.
Stebbins says he has killed 350 deer on this
ranch since he has lived here. From his
porch he looks out upon the rugged moun-
tains of the Coast Range; the " Triunfo,"
where it is said the Mexicans fought a suc-
cessful battle with the Indians years ago, and
up the lovely Potrero Valley.
Three miles further up is the 8,000-acre
rancho of " the Banning boys," where 500 to
1,000 cattle are kept and fattened for market.
The only means of public transportation
into this valley are the mail-carts.
TIMBEEVILLE.
This is the name of an old settlement on
the Conejo Rancho, some eight or nine miles
from Newbury Park. It is situated in a
quiet valley of great fertility, abundantly
watered, and surrounded by liills whose slope
furnish fine grazing. There are here a post-
office, hotel, store, blacksmith shop, tannery,
Chinese laundry, a good school-house, and
one or two church organizations. Here lives
Mr. Borchard, the pioneer grower of wheat
in Ventura County. He now is engaged in
general farming, and also makes butter by
the ton. Game is very plentiful in this
section.
THE CENTRAL PORTION OF VEN-
TURA.
The Santa Clara Valley, above Santa Paula,
is narrow and tortuous, with but a meager
amount of arable land; below, it spreads out
nearly level, in the approximate shape of an
isosceles triangle, whose longest side extends
from San Buenaventura to Point Magu, the
southernmost point of the county, about
twenty-four miles; the apex of this figure is
Santa Paula, distant about thirteen miles in
a direct line from each of the other points.
The upper Santa Clara Valley contains the
Rancho Sespe, occupying its lower and central
portions, parts of the San Francisco and
Camulos ranchos, next to the eastern county
boundary line and Government lands.
The soil south of the Santa Clara, and
also the whole valley above Santa Paula, is a
dark loam of the strongest kind, adapted to
the cultivation of almost every vegetable,
grain, fruit and flower. Extending along
the channel of the Santa Clara, above Santa
Paula, is a tract of sand about one mile wide
and twelve miles long. The soil of the lower
main valley, south of the river, varies from
sandy to adobe. Grain generally succeeds in
this valley without irrigation; but the
climatic conditions are such that the land,
with proper irrigation, regularly produces
two crops eacli year.
Extensive asphaltum and sulphur deposits
are found in this valley, and oil indications
throughout it. In the upper part are numer-
ous irrigating ditches, while there is in the
Santa Clara River, four miles above Santa
Paula, abundant water to irrigate all the
land between the river and the ex- Mission
hills, Santa Paula and the sea. In the south-
western part artesian wells furnish an ample
supply of water. Good water for drinking
purposes is found only in favored localities,
VENTURA COUNTY.
although it is affirmed that the best of water
can be found in veils of more than 100 fee
deep. The Sauta Clara River and its tribu-
taries furnish abundant first-class water-
power.
The range of temperature in the lower
valley is small, reaching neither hot nor cold.
In the upper valley the range is greater; at
Santa Paula snow has been known to fall,
and the thermometer has registered 108°,
although such freaks are of great rarity.
This part of the county has, perhaps, more
than its share of windy days. Most of the
towns of the county lie within this district;
the county-seat is but two miles beyond its
northwestern point; Santa Paula guards the
entrance of the upper valley; Hueneme is
the landing-place, and various other towns are
found here.
THE EANCHO SAN MIGUEL
lies in the extreme western part of the Santa
Clara Valley. It was- a grant of 4,693.91
acres, made to Raymundo Olivas, July 6,
1841. Of this, 2,400 acres are now owned
by Dixie W. Thompson, who has 1,700 acres
under cultivation. The surface of the land,
for the most part, has a gentle slope back
from the sea, which it borders for about four
miles.
THE RANCHO SANTA PAULA Y SATICOT
was originally granted to Manuel Jimeno,
April 28, 1840, he taking possession that
year. In 1847 Jimeno petitioned the alcalde,
Pablo de la Guerra, for judicial possession,
and the neighboring land-owners were sum-
moned to witness his installation, and to at-
test the boundaries, which originally were
described as follows: — "From the Arroyo
Mupu (now Santa Paula Creek) on the east,
to the small mountain on the west, and from
the small mountain (supposed to be Sul-
phur Mountain) on the north to Las Positas
on the south." Jimeno was given possession
of about 30,000 acres. The name of the
rancho is partly derived from the Saticoy
tribe of Indians, who made their headquar-
ters at the springs of that name. (Saticoy is
said to be the Indian term for "Eureka!")
The tract is about twelve miles long, extend-
ing fi-om the San Miguel Rancho to the
Sespe Rancho, with an average width of two
miles between the Santa Clara River on the
southeast and the lofty ex-Mission hills on
the northwest. Its upper portion overlaps
the river channel, including a narrow strip
of the southern slope. Being one of the
choicest pieces of land in the county, it was
one of the earliest settled ranches, as it is
now the most thickly populated sections of
the county.
One of the most important events in the
history of this rancho was the enterprise of
Mr. George G. Briggs, of Marysville, Yuba
County, who conceived the idea that in the
Santa Clara Valley existed such combinations
of soil and climatic conditions as would con-
stitute an ideal fruit-growing district, whence
he could place his fruits on the San Fran-
cisco market some weeks in advance of aU
competitors. To this end he purchased of
the More Brotliers four leagues of land for
$40,000, and in March, 1862, he planted 100
acres to fruit trees of various kinds to the
number of several thousands, the site of this
great orchard being two miles up the river
from the Indian town of Saticoy. Carefully
nurtured for five years, the orchard suc-
ceeded in all other respects; but, failing to
mature early, the project was abandoned. In
1865 the grass was as high as a man's head,
over the valley, and of 25,000 trees, but a
few poor stragglers remained in a few years.
In 1867 Mr. Briggs subdivided the rancho
and sold it for small farms. In this year
there were upon this rancho the following
VENTURA COUNTT.
settlers: — J. L. Crane, who had come to the
site of Satieoy in 1861; Dr. Millhouse, in
the Wheeler Canon ; Colonel Wade Hamp-
ton, in the Canada Aliso; Messrs. Mont-
gomery, Horatio Stone, Charles Millard, Ed-
ward Wright, Wm. Garden, Andrew J. Nutt,
A. Gray, E. S. Woolley, Wm.*" McCormick
and George M. Ricliardson.
During the winter of 1871-'72, which
was a very severe one, much of the stock
perished, and the prosperity of the settle-
ment received a severe check. At this time
the present site of
SANTA PAULA
was a wilderness, the only signs of human
habitation being one or two old adobe liouses,
an ancient barn, and the traces of an irrigat-
ing ditch — relics of a mission once estab-
lished there. In 1872 Messrs. Blanchard and
Bradley laid out some town lots, and built a
flouring-mill on the Santa Paula Creek, one-
half mile above the town, whose site is on
the creek, about one mile above the Santa
Clara River, in the upper part of the
rancho. Some half-dozen lots were sold, but
a]small saloon was the only building erected
up to the summer of 1875. In June, of that
year, the valley was more extensively laid
out. In December there was a snow-storm
almost unprecedented in that section.
The drouth of 1877-78 gave a severe
check to the growth of this place. In the
fall of 1878 there was sufficient prosperity
to support a Baptist Church, having a church
building and a membership of thirteen,
October of that year -witnessing the second
anniversary of the congregation's existence.
^y 1879 there was a membership of 250.
In 1880-'81 many of the farmers turned
their attention to the raising of pork, whicli
staple was then dear, while the wheat and
barley crops brought very low rates. In
1880 no less than $40,000 were realized from
the sale of hogs raised in the vicinity of
Santa Paula, and twice that sum in 1881.
The hottest weather ever felt in the town
was during September of that year, when
the mercury rose to 100° in the shade for
several days in succession, once rising
to 108°.
Naturally the growth of Santa Paula was
slow, as long as the only means of travel was
by staging. But since the extension of the
line of the Southern Pacific to Santa Bar-
bara, the increase has been steady.
The following account of Santa Paula, her
resources and surroundings, was written by
Mr. C. J. McDivitt, editor of the Santa
Paula Chronicle:
Santa Paula is situated on tiie Southern
Pacific Railroad, between Santa Barbara on
the west and Los Angeles on the east, and
on what will be the main througli line of
that road up the coast from Los Angeles, and
the east from San Francisco. It is in the
Santa Clara Valley, sixteen miles east from
Ventura and the ocean, and nineteen miles
from Camilos, the last station eastward in
Ventura County, on the road to Los Angeles,
and distant from that city sixty-five miles.
It is located at the mouth of the Santa Paula
Canon, near where Santa Paula Creek forms
a junction with the Santa Clara River, and
near the center of the county.
There are four passenger trains daily, two
each way, giving the people of the valley
four daily mails and easy communication
either north or south. The town is located
jn the midst of a fine agricultural region.
The -land on every side is capable of the
highest production of all the cereals and al-
most all the fruits and nuts peculiar to this
coast; and all this, with the single exception
of oranges and lemons, without irrigation.
The town contains more than 1,000 iiihabi-
VENTUJiA COUNTY.
213
I
tauts, with a voting population of 400. (The
last census showed 1,200.)
Santa Paula is not incorporated, but her
public-spirited citizens have secured many
advantages to be imitated profitably by towns
which boast of incorporation. Private enter-
prise has placed on a large portion of the
main street cement sidewalks twelve feet
wide, and on many of the other streets good
walks, now of asphaltnin and now of board-
ing. " The Avenue " is a drive of at least a
mile long, smooth and well-kept, with its
trees on either side all its length forming an
arch-like perspective, and this is kept
sprinkled through its full length. The other
streets of the town also are well sprinkled.
Santa Paula is the headquarters of the
petroleum oil industry of Southern Califor-
nia. Here are located the Hardison & Stew-
art Oil Company, the Mission Transfer Com-
pany, the Sespe Oil Company, the Torrey
Canon Oil Company and several parties who
are operating in a private way and disposing
of their product to these companies. Here
the Mission Transfer Company has erected a
refinery with a capacity of 10,000 barrels of
crude oil per month, which they manufacture
into lubricating oils of fine quality for use
on all sorts of machinery, from the locomo-
tive to the spindle. The different brands
are known to the trade under the names
of engine oil, extra engine oil, car-box
oil, journal and gear oil, heavy machine
oil, light machine oil, valve oil, wool
oil, and black lubricating oil. They also
manufacture several grades of naphtha; sev-
eral grades of asphaltum; distillates for
enriching illuminating gas, and several other
products. The refinery works cover about
four acres of ground, and give employment
to a number of skilled workmen. Inside the
inclosure there is a tankage capacity of 40,
000 barrels, and a perfect network of pipes
running in every direction connecting the
tanks and works. The erection of the
refinery was begun in the fall of 1887, and
the first manufactured product was turned
out in March, 1888.
The Mission Transfer Company handles
the entire product of oil from all the com-
panies, and owns and uses more than 100
miles of pipe line in Ventura County, having
a pipe line connecting every well with the
storage tanks at Santa Paula. This company
also has a pipe line from Santa Paula to
Hueneme, and another to Ventura, on the
ocean, and so loads vessels at either port
direct from their own tanks. There is tank-
age capacity of 100,000 barrels, of forty-two
gallons each, all in this county, except one
large tank at San Francisco. In addition,
this company owns fifty four tank cars with
a capacity of 5,500 gallons each.
The companies are now (September, 1889)
pumping about fifty wells. The daily product
is near 700 barrels, with a gradual increase,
and excellent prospects for the future, as they
are all the time developing new territory,
have recently struck some good wells, and are
now at work on several that give promise of
being good ones. The oil interests give em-
ployment to 125 men, and pay out in wages
not far from $10,000 monthly.
The Mission Transfer Company owned the
steamer W. L. Hardison, built by them-
selves expressly to carry the product of the
wells up and down the coast to a market, but
it was recently burned at the wharf while
loading at Ventura. The company is now
considering plans to replace it with a vessel
of steel.
The Hardison & Stewart Oil Company has
also erected at Santa Paula large boiler works
and machine shops where all work connected
with the oil business is done. New boilersiare
built and repairs made to engines, boilers and
VENTURA aOUNTT
all kinds of machinery used in this or neigh-
boring counties. The plant is a valuable one,
the company having recently put in a tiew
ten-horse-power Charter gas-engine, which
uses no boiler, makes the gas to feed it while
running, and requires little or no attention.
Work is turned out here which is not obtain-
able elsewhere in Southern California.
One of the largest fruit-driers in the State
is located here. This was built in 1888 by
an organized company, composed of farmers
and fruit-growers, at a cost uf $14,000. The
same year the company handled more than
500 tons of apricots. When running at its
full capacity of twenty-five tons per day, the
drier requires 150 hands to operate it. Both
hot air and steam are used for drying. In
1889 over ninety per cent, of the fruit dried
was of the first quality, bringing the highest
price in the market.
The "Santa Paula Water Works" supplies
the town with good, pure mountain water,
taken from the Santa Paula Creek several
miles up the canon. The reservoir, with a
capacity of about 5,000,000,000 gallon.-, is
located 200 feet above Main street, giving a
pressure of ninety-five pounds to the square
inch. There is a magnificent system of mains
and pipes running all over the town, and a
water supply fully adequate to the needs of a
city of 50,000 inhabitants. This system is
owned by W. H. Bradley.
In the Sespe Canon, a few miles east uf
Santa Paula, are the quarries of the Sespe
Brown Stone Company. This stone is used
in some of the finest buildings in the State,
among others the elegant new building of
the San Francisco nhroniolp.. The quarries
are extensive, there being practically no limit
to the supply. It is of a rich brown color,
and in color and texture closely resembles
the noted brown stone of Nova Scotia. It
has been tried by all tests known to science.
and is pronounced the finest quality found.
When subjected to a white heat and dropped
into water, it turns to granite instead of
crumbling as other stones have done in large
fires.
While the material interests of the town
are being developed and business projects
rapidly pushed forward, the intellectual,
moral and religious advantages have not been
neglected. There are four church organiza-
tions and two buildings, Presbyterian and
and Methodist. The Presbyterian is the
finest in the county, having been erected in
1888 at a cost of $14,000. The pastor is
Mr. Logan. The Methodist Church, dating
from 1882, is worth some $5,000. Its pastor
is Mr. Ashley. The Baptist Congregation
worships in the Methodist Church and the
Universalists in Cleveland hall. Mr. Andrews
ministers to the Universalists. There is no
Baptist pastor at present. The Roman Cath-
olics are about to build a church; the ofiici-
ating priest lives at New Jerusalem. There
are four well attended Sunday-schools at Santa
Paula.
The town ha3 a graded school of four depart-
ments, each with a large attendance — about
200. The public school building is a fine
structure standing in the center of a large
enclosed square of ground. This school con-
tains a well- selected library. Here also is
located Santa Paula Academy, opened Sep-
tember 16, 1889, for the second term of
school. This is an elegant and commodious
building, costing, with the five acres of
ground upon which it stands, $17,000, all of
which was contributed by the people in and
around Santa Paula. While its articles of
incorporation provide that a majority of its
directors shall be of the Congregationalist
persuasion, this school is non-sectarian in
character.
The land around Santa Paula is well adapt-
VENTURA COUNTY.
ed to the growth of all kinds of deciduous
fruits, there being no less than 800 acres of
bearing walnuts, almonds, pears, peaches,
prunes, tigs, grapes and many varieties of
other fruits, together with all the small fruits
in abundance. These trees make wonderful
growth in the ricli soil and warm temperature
of this valley. There are in the grounds of
W. L. Hardison mulberry trees of live years'
growth, which measure thirty-two inches in
circumference, and thirty feet in height, with
a twenty-five-foot spread to the limbs, and
from which 300 pounds of choice fruit were
gathered in one year. Apricot trees on the
same place, of the same age, are twenty-nine
inches in circumference, twenty-five feet high,
and with a twenty-foot spread of limbs. The
apricots have been cut back each year, the
mulberries but once, and neither have had
any irrigation. Both varieties have been
bearing fruit for three years. Tiiese are by
no means exceptional cases. The orchard of
Mr. JS'athan W. Blanchard, one of the best
and most profitable in the State, is located
here. In 1889 he sold over $15,000 worth
of fruits. He has 100 acres of seedling
oranges and Lisbon and Eureka lemons, which
always yield the highest market prices. The
lemons are picked during every month of the
year. Mr. Blanchard has planted many more
oranges lately. Tiiis is one of the largest
orchards in the State, though it is not yet all
in bearing.
On Mr. F. J. Beckwith's place, he has 100
acres sown to Lima beans, which last season
yielded 2,275 pounds to the acre. Another
100 acre:^, planted to corn, yielded ninety
busiiels to the acre. These staples are not
the exclusive products; all these farms have
a comprehensive variety of growth, including
hay, grain, fruits and walnuts. Almost
within the city limits, , Mr. Warhan Easley
has a tract of forty acres, from which, last
season, he realized a net income of $3,000,
as follows: — 1,200 boxes pears, at fifty cents
per box, $600; twenty-five tons apricots, at
$20 per ton, $500; oranges, $100; walnuts,
$200; peaches, $100; prunes, $100; apples,
$200; pumpkins, $100; hay, thirty tons, at
$10 per ton, $300; potatoes, 500 sacks, at
$1.50 per sack, $750; garden truck, $150;
total, $3,100. From this was paid $100 for
harvesting, all the rest of the work beino-
done by the owner. Besides all this, there
were raised several tons of grapas, which were
made into wine.
From the famous orange grove of N. W.
Blanchard, which began to pay running ex-
penses only three years since, the shipments
from the 100 acres last season amounted to
twenty-eight car-loads, the sales footing up to
nearly $15,000. More profitable than his
oranges is Mr. Blanchard's fifteen-acre tract
set to lemons, from which he harvested last
season about 8,000 boxes, at an average price
of $4 per box.
Mr. G. G. Sewell, Mr. C. H. McKevett,
Mr. H. Crumrine, and Mr. J. K. D. Say are
all equally successful growers of oranges,
although not so extensively. This whole
section is, thus far, entirely free from scale,
or other insect pests. In the grounds of Mr.
Hardison are to be found Washington Navel
orange trees which have yielded two boxes of
fruit to the tree five years from planting, and
in the grounds of Mr. McKevett and Mr. G.
G. Sewell are trees which bore so. ne fruit the
second year from planting.
Mr. Crumrine has six acres of seedling
oranges from which he received $2,600 last
season. This, it shoiild be remembered, on
ground that was, as late as 1886, considered
poor for citrus fruits.
Prunes are becoming an important feature
of orchards here, and walnuts also are quite
extensively planted. There are two nurser-
VENTURA COUNTY.
ies in Santa Paula, one of which has a large
general stock.
In the growth, breeding, and improve-
ment of horses and the raising of line cattle,
this neighborhood shows commendable en-
terprise. Tlxere are a number of tine herds
of cattle and some choice short-horns in this
vicinity, the foot-hills being particularly
adapted for pasture lands. There is one
choice herd of Holstein cattle here hard to beat
anywhere. The gentleman imported twentj-
one head of cows four years ago, and has
sold $11,000 worth from their increase, be-
sides keeping good the original number.
The owners and breeders of fine stock in
and around Santa Paula have the laudable
ambition to make Ventui-a County and the
Santa Clara Valley still more famous for
good horses; and to this end Messrs. F. E.
Davis, J. K. Gries, W. L. Hardison, and C.
H. McKevett have organized into an associa-
tion, procured a track — the Santa Paula
Driving Park — and put up training stables,
at their own expense, with no other object in
view than the improvement of the horses of
the county. Thej own and keep at the track
some very fine stallions, among them Black
Pilot, half-brother of Stamboul, Richwood, a
Richmond stallion, Eli, and others.
In the way of business enterprises Santa
Paula has: — the First National Bank (suc-
cessor to the Bank of Santa Paula), with a
capital .tock of $75,000.
The president is C. H. McKevett; vice-
president, G. H. Bonebrake; cashier, J. K.
Haugh; the Petrolia Hotel, which cost $15,-
000, opened about January 1, 1889; six gen-
eral merchandise stores; one grocery; two
cigar and news-stands; two hardware stores,
of which one has a full line of oil supplies
not to be found elsewhere in the State; the
Ventura Lumber Company, which has seven
yards in the county, unloading at Ventura
the lumber received from the north, and car-
rying on a very heavy business; one planing-
mill, conducted by the same company; one
fruit-drier of twenty tons' daily capacity; two
drug stores; one weekly newspaper, the
Chronicle; two hotels; three restaurants; one
shoe store and one cobbler shop; one men's
furnishing shop; two milliners; two real
estate offices; two practicing physicians; one
dentist; one furniture store; two livery
stables; one bakery; two butcher shops;
three barbers; one harness shop, and two
blacksmiths.
In common with other portions of Ventura
County, Sauta Paula enjoys a very even tem-
perature from one season to another, with
more, bright, clear, sunshiny days than is
usual so near the coast. For the gi-eater part
of the year the breeze is landward, coming
up the valley without interruption, cooling
the air in summer and warming it in winter;
and with no extremes of heat or cold, the
town is a delightful place of residence, both
for the health-seeker and the man of business.
Saticoy is situated at the lower end of the
old Santa Paula y Saticoy Rancho, on the
Santa Clara River, about eight miles east of
San Buenaventura, nine miles north of Hue-
neme Wharf, and eight miles southwest of
Santa Paula. Here are the famous Saticoy
Springs, with their many bloody traditions
of the Indian tribes, by whom the springs
were discovered; the word Saticoy is said to
mean in the dialect of the Indians who set-
tled liere the same as the word " Eureka."
Until the last twenty years, the chieftainess
Pomposa, and a number of the tribe, ^\ere.
still living at these springs, and the early
settlers tell how, even after their advent, here
were wont to gather annually the remnants
of the various tribes of Southern California.
VENTORA COUNTY.
I
It is declared that at each of these gatherings
a human sacrifice was made, one of those as-
sembled being put to death by poisoning.
To this effect, there were made as many cakes
as there were guests at the feast, one of the
cakes containing the fa'al potion. None
knew which cake held the poison, so that the
sacrifice was entirely at hazard.
In November, 1861, J. L. Crane settled
upon the site of the village, and others came
in at about the same time. These early set-
tlers were men of sterling qualities, who
made the most of their surroundings. A
school was opened as early as 1868. In this
year came hither Mr. W. de F. Richard.-', an-
other of the pioneer settlers.
While quite a thick settlement was in ex-
istence, and a postoffice had been for some
years established, the building up of the town
proper dates mainly from the advent of the
railway. The town with its adjacent farms
covers about eight miles square of territory,
within which extent are some of the most
prolific farms and fruit orchards of Southern
California. Being well watered, and having
soil of exceptional strength and fertility, this
famous valley produces crops of extreme rich-
ness and value. Corn, beans, flax-seed, can-
ary seed, hops, castor beans, sugar beets,
hay, etc., are among the fruits of the soil,
and the product is not infrequently 2,000
to 3,000 pounds of beans, or 2,000 to 6,000
pounds of corn, per acre. From the farm of
M. E. Isham, who has 80 acres in fruit —
consisting of 500 walnut, 600 apple, 3,000
apricot, 100 lemon, 300 lime, 500 peach, and
100 pear trees — were produced last season,
10,000 cans of fruit, and about 3,000 glasses
of jelly, which respectively brought $2.25 and
$1.50 per dozen in Ventura, without casing.
This, besides a great deal of green fruit sold,
and about 100 barrels of cider vinegar. On
the 180-acre farm of James Evans, another
old settler, were raised in 1878 as much as
4,400 pounds of shelled corn to the acre, this
average being reached again in 1884.
In 1882 Mr. Evans raised 2,200 pounds of
flaxseed to the acre. His barley hay in 1889
gave three tons to the acre. These are by no
means exceptional holdings. As indexing
the products of this district, a few statistics
gathered from the shipping clerk at the
Southern Mill and Warehouse Company will
be interesting: barley, 2,676,123 pounds;
Lima beans, 2,109,090; small beans, 750,243;
corn, 308,750; walnuts, 10,000; honey, 74,-
463; apricots, 145,726; miscellaneous, 300,-
000. Total shipments, actual weight, 6,380,-
395 pounds.
In addition to above there were in Octo-
ber, 1889, in warehouse, of barley, 2,089,090
pounds; wheat, 453,010; honey, 54,853;
small beans, 136,839; making a grand total
of 9,114,187 pounds of farm products, which
at a low estimate must have distributed not
far from $200,000 among the farmers of this
prosperous communit}' during the past year.
Saticoy contains over fifty houses, a beau-
tiful new church building, a $15,000 school-
house, three Iiotels, one of which cost $10,-
000, two dry-goods stores, three grocery
stores, one drug store, a town hall, a ware-
house 50 X 300 feet, etc. Good water is ob-
tainable here in wells ten to seventy feet
deep.
Eastward, and across the river from the
lower portion of the Santa Faulay Saticoy, is
the Rancho Santa Clara del Norte, which
comprises 13,988,91 acres, granted to Juan
Sanchez, May 6, 1837, and to him confirmed.
This rancho lies six miles east of the county
seat, and borders three miles of the Santa
Clara River It is watered by the Santa
Clara ditch, and by good artesian wells.
Three-fourths of this land is tillable, the
grazing land supports 8,000 head of sheep.
VENTUItA COUNTY.
One vineyard on this raiicho, about twenty
years old, produces 10,000 gallons of excel-
lent wine annually, selling at 50 cents per
gallon. In one orchard of 500 trees, there
are representatives of every variety of fruit
grown in this county. Large quantities of
flax are grown here.
NEW JERUSALEM,
situated near the northern boundary of La
Colouia Ranclio, is some two miles from
Montalvo, and half way between Ventura and
Hueneme. Its chief attraction is the mag-
nificent surrounding country. The location
of the town is favorable, and it will doubtless
become a good town with transportation facil-
ities and the dividing-up of the Colonia and
Santa Clara del Norte ranchos, with the at-
tendant settling of more ])eople. In the
vicinity of this town are some very fine
farms, which yield prolifically. This town
has two large, well-filled general merchandise
stores, a church and various other business
institutions,
MONTALVO.
Montalvo is a station five miles east of
Ventura, on the Southern Pacific Ilailroad,
It is the nearest railroad station for New
Jerusalem and for Hueneme, being about two
miles from the former and seven from the
latter. At this place is one of the Southern
Mill and Warehouse Company's large ware-
houses. Montalvo, although not having the
appearance of much of a place, is, neverthe-
less, quite an important little one, being sit-
uated, as it is, on the railroad, at a point
where all the travel from the Simi, Las Po&as
and the southern portion of the county
crosses to Ventura. The town was laid out
about two years ago. "Water was piped to
all parts of the tract, being first pumped
from a well to a large reservoir on a hill
back of the town. Two store buildincrs have
been erected, something like a dozen houses,
and one of the finest school-hoiises in the
county, costing $6,000.
The development of Montalvo has been
somewhat retarded by the ownership by one
man, a Santa Barbara capitalist, of 2,300
acres of land, lying upon the road to Mont-
alvo and the ocean. This tract, if sub-
divided, would make beautiful home lots, and
so induce immigration. This is a great re-
gion for beans and fruit.
Mr. Barnett has a place of only thirty
acres, from which he reaps a large harvest of
fruits, mostly apricots. When the trees were
nine years old the twenty-five acres of apri-
cots produced fifty t(m8 of fruit. The owner
of this valuable property has recently erected
a fruit dryer with one of Thomas Pilking-
ton's turnaces.
The celebrated Alhambra Grove of sixty-
six acres is owned by Judge S. E. Thorpe
from Louisana. This is one of the first apri-
cot orchards in the county and produces as
rich fruit as any seen. In 1889 the crop
amounted to two tons of green fruit to the
acre; in 1888 it was four tons. This place
is equipped with all necessary appliances for
carrying on an extensive business. It is an
interesting sight to see the fruit as it is pre-
pared and cured in the improved evaporator.
A field of 250 acres of beans is worked by
W. S. Sewell, a native of Iowa. He says his
beans average 1,400 pounds to the acre and
his corn seventy-five bushels.
In this same neighborhood Charles G. Fin-
ney, Esq., a retired lawyer from New York,
has an interesting place of 150 acres covered
with fruit of all kinds. He has 500 bearing
pear trees. The fruit he sells dry in cans
and green; he has also thirty acres in walnuts
in proljtable bearing, also 1,000 White
Symrna figs, which, not proving what he ex-
pected, lie feeds to hogs, and finds them ex-
VENTURA COUNTY.
319
ceedingly profitable for this purpose. He
says that the same amount of ground in corn
will not make one-fit'th the pork these figs
will. Why not raise figs to feed bogs on?
He has 5,000 apricots, 120 prunes and other
fruits, which do well. When Mr. Finney
came here, fifteen years ago, there was but
little, if any, orchards between his placi and
Santa Paula. Briggs of Marysville had
been here before him and tried to raise fruit
and failed, and when Mr. Finney started in,
everybody said lie would fail, but he kept
steadily on and succeeded, as his place most
emphatically proves.
THE MORE MURDEE.
The murder of Thomas Wallace More M^as
a cause celebre, not only in Ventura County,
but also throughout the State, and it was
undoubtedly the most notable criminal case
in the annals of the county. The victim was
one of four brothers, who had made extensive
purchases of the old landed estates of the
Spanish- American families, acquiring in this
manner the Santa Rosa Island, the Patera, a
portion of the Hill estate, the Santa Paula y
Saticoy, the Lompoc and Purisima Vieja, and
tlie Sespe. They at one time owned a tract
thirty -two miles long on the Santa Clara
River. The murder in question was the re-
sult of land difficulties over the Sespe pos-
In November, 1829, Don Carlos Carrillo
received from the Mexican government a
grant of the Sespe tract, the extent of which
is not known, some arguments indicating that
it comprised only 8,880 acres, or two leagues,
while other accounts are to the effect that
there were six leagues granted, this last being
the territory upon which Carrillo was installed
by the local government. In 1884 T. Wal-
lace More purchased Carrillo's grant, sup-
posing that he was buying six leagues, as he
paid full value for that quantity, and he
prosecuted the title to the land, using the
name of Carrillo as one of the parties in in-
terest. The Land Commissioners, too, on
April 18, 1853, had confirmed the grant title
to " six leagues and no more."
The (Jnited States, as the adverse party,
appealed tiie case to the United States District
Court for the Southern District of California.
When the plat (diseilo) was brought into
court, it for the first time was remarked that
the numbers of the grant had been manipu-
lated, and it was therefore asserted that, by
the erasure of the figures, six had been sub-
stitued for two, thus fraudulently increasing
the grant. The impression of the old settlers
in the section was that the original grant had
been made for six leagues. The smaller
quantity, however, was that confirmed to
More by the court, a patent being issued
March 14, 1872. In 1875 More endeavored
to purchase the other four leagues, under sec-
tions 7 and 8, codes of 1866. The settlers
on the land alleged that the claim had been
settled in full; that they had for years been
settled upon the land, and had pre-emption
claims antedating this law; and they appealed
to the law of March 3, 1861, section 13,
which declares that all lands, the claims to
which have been finally rejected by the Com-
missioners in manner herein provided, or
which shall finally be declared invalid by the
District or Supreme Court, and of all lands,
the claims to which have not been presented
by said Commissioners within two years after
the date of this act, shall be deemed, held and
considered as part of the domain of the Uni-
ted States. Mr. More's attorney had made
application for permission to purchase, to the
Register of the Land Office; and, on that
ofiicer refusing the permission, the petition
was lodged with the Commissioners at Wash-
V EN TUB A cor NTT.
ton, where it was pending at tlie time of the
murder.
During several years preceding the murder,
More often had difficulties witli the settlei-s
who, to the number of sixty, had established
themselves upon the land he claimed. Among
them was one Joseph Bartlett, and him More
had dispossessed by the sheriff, while the mat-
ter was in dispute, his squatter's cabin being
torn down and then burned. The place was
afterward reoccupied, and the tenant then was
poisoned, accidentally or otherwise. Of this
afl'air an account was published in the San
Francisco Bulletin, couched in such terms
that More sued the Bulletin Company for
$100,000 damage for libel. The case was
tried in Santa Barbara, where the popular
animus was very strong against More at that
time, so that, although the jury found a verdict
for him, they gave him only nominal damages,
fixed at $150, thus practically sustaining
the Bulletin, although the evidence showed
charge of poisoning to be unfounded, and
the casualty owing to the universal free use
in the district of poison for coyotes, squirrels
and other vermin.
During the years which followed, More
was endeavoring to perfect his title to the
land, whilst the settlers, remaining in pos-
session, had tbrmed themselves into a league
for mutual defense and assistance. It is com-
monly asserted, although it has been disputed,
that the death of More had been decreed by
this league, as a protectionary measure. The
fact remains that he was commanded to aban-
don his proceedings to secure the land, in
letters of incendiary and menacing character.
During the unusually dry winter of 1876-
'77, More, while in company with his son-in
law, C. A. Storke, engaged in inspecting the
cutting of a ditch to convey water upon his
land, was attacked by F. A. Sprague, armed
first with a shot-gun and then with a pistol,
with which he twice attempted to shoot More,
being prevented by Storke and More, who
turned the shots into the air. For this as-
sault Sprague was arrested, biit was discharged
by the magistrate. The attack was not made
upon Sprague's land, the ditch in question
tapped the Sespe River below Sprague's land,
and the tract he held by More fourteen years
before Sprague settled upon and claimed it.
Such was the condition of affairs on the
night of March 23-24, 1877, when More slept
at one of his rancho houses, where there were,
besides himself, a iiired hand named Ferguson,
a Mexican named Olivas, and Jim Tot, a
Chinese cook. At about 12:30 the barn,
distant from the house 200 feet, was fired, and
More, Ferguson and Olivas, being aroused by
the Chinese cook, rushed forth, to endeavor
to save the contents of the barn, consisting of
twelve work horses, tlieir harness, about 2,000
sacks of wheat, some barley, and several tons of
hay. These men were joined by one Rami-
rez, an employe who had slept outside that
night, and all were engaged in trying to save
the property, when More, carrying out a load
of harness, was fired upon by two masked
men, guarding the gate of the corral, or barn-
yard, who shot him in the thigh near the
groin; at this, the employes of More scattered
toward shelter, and More also ran toward
cover, but fell, and was overtaken by three
masked men, who then riddled his body and
head with bullets, of which three entered his
head, and several his body. A niimber of
these shots, after he had fallen, and after he
had entreated his assailant not to kill him,
were fired at such short range that his features
were almost obliterated by powder and smoke.
After this dastardly deed, the murderers
turned at the cry of their leader, " Come on,
boys!" and deliberately left the scene.
This murder excited the greatest horror
throughout the State. While the symjmthies
VENTURA COUNTY.
of the people were with the settlers, the cow-
ardly and brutal nature of the murder inspired
great abhorrence.
The coroner's jury found that " deceased
came to his death on the morning of March
24, 187T, by gunshot wounds inflicted by
divers persons upon the bead and body of
said deceased, by parties unknown to the
jury; and that the jury further find and de-
clare the said crime to be a case of wilful
murder."
Shortly after the murder, a meeting of the
settlers upon the Sespe was held at the house
of F. A. Sprague, being convened on the
evening of March 28, to give expression to
public sentiment in regard to the lately com-
mitted crime of murder and arson. At this
meeting, N. H. flickerson being chairman
and F. A. Sprague secretary, resolutions
were passed condemning the action in ques-
tion, and tendering sympathy and offers of
assistance and co-operation in detecting and
bringing to justice the offenders.
Early in 1878, one Austin Erown, one of
the Sespe settlers, had some dispute with J.
T. Curlee, in consequence of which Brown
sought an interview with the administrator
of More's estate, and made a statement that
F. A. Sprague and J. S. Churchill had con-
spired to kill More, giving details as to par-
ties involved, time set, etc., this statement be-
ing given in confidence, as not to be divulged
to the public until Brown could remove from
the settlement to a safe place, as he feared
for his life, having been threatened by More's
murderers, in event of his disclosing the se-
cret. In consequence of this movement.
Brown sold his place, and removed to the
county-seat, where he was considered safe.
These and other newly-developed circum-
stances led to the arrest of F. A. Sprague, J.
S. Churchill, J. T. Curlee, Jesse M. Jones,
Ivory D. Lord, Charles McCart, H.Cook and
J. A. Swanson, ona warrant dated March 2S,
1878. These parties were brought before R.
C. Carlton, examining magistrate, April 1.
About this time, it was learned that new
evidence had been obtained. N. H. Hickerson,
being ill and in expectation of death, and be-
ing informed of Brown's statement and the
arrest of the assassins, came forward to make
a statement of a secret weighing upon his
soul, to the effect that he liad been the re-
cipient of Sprague's confession of his plan-
ning and execution of the murder of T.
Wallace More.
As yet the stories of Hickerson and Brown
had not been made public. The detectives
and prosecutors who had the matter in hand
brought about an interview with Jesse M.
Jones, one of the parties implicated. This
was a young tnan, only twenty-three years
old, and it was considered that he was a tool
rather than an active agent in the affair, and
that, under assurance of protection and ulti-
mate pardon, he might be induced to turn
State's evidence. Although Jones had no
knowledge of the revelations of Hickerson
and Brown, with whom he therefore could
not have been in collusion, he told a story of
the murder, substantially the same as that
related by Hickerson, save that Jones de-
clared that W. Hunt was present at the mur-
der, but not Jule Swanson.
On the preliminary examination, H. Cook
and J. A. Swanson were discharged, and dur-
ing the hearing, Charles McCart and W. H.
Hunt were arrested as accomplices in the
murder. In the following June, the grand
jury was organized, and it returned a true
bill against F. A. Sprague, John Curlee,
Jesse M. Jones, J. S. Churchill, Charles Mc-
Cart, W. H. Hunt, and I. D. Lord. The
lawyers for the prosecution were : J. G. How-
ard and Frank Ganahl, of Los Angeles, L.
C. Granger (acting district attorney), W. T.
VENTURA COUNTY.
Williams, B. F. Williams, and ]^. Blackstock
of Yentnra. The counsel for the defense
were: J. D. Fay, Creed Haymond, and W.
Allen, from abroad; and J. D. Hines, J. M.
Brooks and N. C. Bledsoe, local lawyers.
Engene Fawcett presided over the court.
The prisoners demanded separate trials, tlins
entailing heavy unnecessary expense upon
the county. Hickerson died prior to the
trial, but his afKdavit was introduced as evi-
dence. The testimony was complete, not a
link being wanting, and it appeared that
even the discrepancies of testimony as to the
different parties engaged, arose from the fact
that tlie disguises were donned before they
came together, so that only two or three knew
all the persons present. In the case of
Sprague, the jury rendered a verdict of nmr-
der in the first degree. Curlee was next
tried, and found guilty, with punishment
fixed at imprisonment for life. The jury in
Lord's case disagieed. These three trials
had exhausted the material for a jury. On
August 5, 1878, the death sentence upon
Sprague was pronounced by Judge Fawcett.
The court now adjourned for the term, as
the three trials had extended the July session
into near the middle of August. Jesse M.
Jones, the State's witness, had been dis-
charged fi-om the indictment for more than
a month, being maintained by the county as
an indigent witness in a criminal case. He
was under pressure of poverty, and denied
access to his wife, by her father, on account
of his betrayal of his confederates. At this
juncture, full of discomfort for the present,
and of dread of a forbidding future, he was
approached by emissaries of counsel for the
defense, conducted to the presence of those
attorneys, and there seduced and suborned
into retracting his former statements, and
made affidavit that his former testimony was
given under compulsion and fears for his
own safety. Upon this recantation the other
accused were dismissed, it being impossible
to convict them without Jones' testimony,
and even great efforts were made to have the
sentence against Sprague quashed. This not
being done, the death sentence was com-
muted to imprisonment for life. Jones,
having scoffed at and defied the power of the
law, was absolutely beyond its vengeance,
owing to the provisions of the penal code
making absolute and unconditional the dis-
charge of an accomplice, that he may become
a witness for the people; and the improved
and comfortable financial conditions with
which he was thereafter surrounded, proved
what inducements had secured his perjury.
Sprague spent ten years in the penitentiary,
was then pardoned out by Governor Stone-
man, and now lives in Ventura County.
Curlee, having been granted by the Supreme
Court a new trial, was dismissed like the
others, after Jones' defection, and now lives
in San Diego County, as does Hunt. Church-
ill, after acquittal, went to Oregon, where he
probably died, being consumptive. Jones
lives in San Bernardino County, and scattered
are the rest whose dastardly deed has left a
black blot upon the fair fame of Ventura
County. While the settlers believed that
they were on Government land, and resolved
to defend their rights thereto, inspired by
the God-given love of home, there is no
doubt that More also believed that he was
right, being firm in the conviction that he
had bought six leagues in his Sespe pur-
chase. As to the rights of possession, the
present writer does not assume to judge, but
only to condemn, as ever, the cowardice and
unfairness of the means employed against
one man by many. The commission gave
the disputed land to More's heirs, the Secre-
tary of the Interior, Carl Schurz, reversed
this decision; and although two succeeding
VENTURA COUNTY.
commissions have pronounced in favor of
the heirs the land is held bv the settlers.
The Sespe Rancho adjoins the Santa
Paula y Saticoy on the northeast, extending
eight miles up tlie Santa Clara, and embrac-
ing most of the arable land in the valley on
both sides of the river within those limits —
an extent of two leagues, or some 8,880.81
acres. This land encloses but does not in-
clude a tract of Government land. The title
to the rancho is hy United States patent.
The story of this rancho is remarkable,
involving, in the struggles made for its pos-
session, episodes of trespass, misdemeanor,
fraud, arson, attempted homicide and murder.
The rancho was used many years mainly
for pasturage for stock, although it possessed
such remarkable advantages of soil, water
and climate as to render it an uncommonly
desirable territory for the production of vege-
tables, cereals, grapes, citrus and most varie-
ties of deciduous fruits. The upper portion
of this rancho contains the noted oil wells.
The elevation of this tract is some 2,000 feet
above sea level.
Among the earliest settlers here were liv-
ing, in 1861, the More brothers, W. H. IS'or-
way and Captain William Morris. Their
nearest American neiglilioi-s, for at least a
part of the year, were at San Buenaventura.
The tirst crop of grain was sowed in the
winter of 1860-61, the More brothers putting
in about 200 acres of wheat. Jt was har-
vested by W. S. Chaffee and W. H. Norway,
Alexander Cameron being the contractor.
The grain was cut with a reaper and threshed
out by horses.
In 1876 this rancho, then owned by T.
Wallace More, was assessed at $9 per acre,
whereupon he entered suit to have a portion
of the taxes refunded. It was maintained
that the land could be sold for twice that
sum within twenty-four hours.
In March, 1877, took place the murder of
T. Wallace More, the owner of the rancho, a
full account of this crime being given else-
where.
This rancho is becoming settled rapidly,
many people being attracted thither by the
rare advantages of soil and climate. While
there are no large towns on this territory,
not a few villages and centers of population
are found here.
La Cienega (Spanish for a marsh) is the
name of a postoffice which was established in
1875, up the valley some fourteen miles from
Santa Paula, and twenty-one miles fi-otn New-
hall. Near La Cienega is the " Buckhorn
Ranch," Mr. B. F. Wari'ing's famous place,
whose owner settled here in 1869, upon 160
acres, to which, after ten years' litigation, he
obtained a United States patent. Lying on
the old stage road, and midway between Los
Angeles and Santa Barbara, this in time came
to be a regular eating-place and relay stage
station, widely and favorably known to the
pilgrim guild. It took its name from the
great antlers hung over the gate, trophies
from many a proud buck brought down by
the gun of the ranchero. This is a sheltered
spot, free from frosts, well- watered and
blessed with a rich soil. In the neighbor-
hood are many farms where grow plentifully
grain, vegetables and fruits.
FILLMORE.
This is a small town, started by the Sespe
Land and Water Company, just after the ad-
vent of the railway. It lies in a charming
situation, and in the midst of a fruitful
coiintry, full of profitable farms. About 200
people take their mail from this office. The
settlement nucleus has a Presbyterian church,
a school-house, two hotels, several stores, a
VENTURA COUNTY.
himber-yard, a blacksmitli-shop, etc. Near
this was started at about the same time
another little town called Sespe, but a church
is about the only claim to importance to be
seen here.
BAEDSDALE.
In January, 1887, R. G. Surdam, one of
the founders of Nordhoff, bought of Thos. R.
Bard, of Hueneme, 1,500 acres of the old
Sespe grant, and soon thereafter founded the
now thriving little town of Bardsdale. It is
in a beautiful valley, appropriately termed a
"dale," the ground lying between mountains,
and sloping gently from the range to the
river. Bardsdale is a little south of Fillmore,
on the Southern Pacitic Railway, fifty-six
miles from Los Angeles. It is the only town
in the Santa Clara Valley south of the Santa
Clara river. The land here is of a superior
qnality of soil, and its sheltered position in-
sures a delightful climate. There is an
abundant supply of water for domestic and
irrigation purposes, brought from the Santa
Clara River, through strong wooden flumes,
constructed at a cost of some $8,000. Thus
irrigation can be applied to hundreds of acres,
planted to barley, potatoes, etc., there being
at least ten miles of these flumes. As an ex
ponent of the productiveness of the soil, it
may be said that potatoes yield easily 75 to
150 sacks per acre, which rarely sell for less
than 75 cents to $1.25 per sack. On one
farm of about 100 acres, the owners, begin-
ning with a crop of sixty bushels of corn per
acre, have every year increased the yield
until it has reached an average yield of ninety
bushels per acre; in other words, there have
harvested from this field during the last
twelve years not far from 90,000 bushels of
corn, grown without irrigation or fertilizer.
AN KAETHLY PAEADISE.
Three or four years ago Mr. David C.
Cook, the Chicago publisher of Sunday-school
literature, came into Ventura County and
purciiased that portion of the Temescal or Old
Camulos Rancho which extenJs up the Piru
Canon. Since then he has added consider-
able to it, bringing it up to nearly 14,000
acres and calling it the Piru. This ranch is lo-
cated on the Piru Creek, including the mouth
of the stream and a small portion of the Santa
Clara Valley. As most of the ranch was
mountainous it was formerly thought to be
only suitable for grazing purposes, but Mr.
Cook has already demonstrated that it is valu-
able for something else. Ho has planted out
and has growing 400 acres of oranges, 300
acres of apricots, 180 acres of figs, 200 acres
English walnuts, 130 acres of olives, 80 acres
of grapes, 80 acres of chestnuts, 20 acres of
almonds, 10 acres of pomegranates and 10
acres of Japanese persimmons. He has in
his nursery 150,000 citrus trees ready for
planting tliis fall, and 3,500 fig trees.
He has laid out eight miles of avenues and
has ten acres devoted to ornamental shrubs
and trees. The latter embraces trees, shrubs
and plants from about every northern and
semi-tropical clime, and in great variety. All
this has been done so noiselessly that not
half the people of Ventura County are aware
of its having been accomplished. A fine
stream of water traverses the entire length of
the rancho, and is entirely utilized for irri-
gating purposes, which is useful in starting
citrus and other trees, and also is lielpful
when some kinds are fruiting. Mr. Cook's
experiments only indicate the possibilities of
this wonderful soil and climate.
As an illustration of what has already been
said of this county's productive soil, and
adaptability to fruit raising, one has only to
make a trip to the little town of Piru City,
which was laid out and dedicated in March,
1888. It is located on the Ventura division
of the Southern Pacific Railroad, thirty miles
VENTURA COUNTY.
southeast of San Buena Yentura at the junc-
tion of the Piru and Santa Clara rivers; con-
tains about twenty buildings including Meth-
odist Episcopal Church with a membership
of fifteen; one general inerchsandie store,
meat market, paint-shop and depot. They
also have telegraph, express and post offices,
and their population is now about 100.
EANCHO CAMULOS.
On the line of the railway, forty-seven
miles northwest of Los Angeles, and in the
extreme eastern portion of Ventura County
is that fertile 2,000-acre tract known as the
Caniulos. This was once a part of the great
San Francisco Rancho, belonging to-Los An-
geles County. This portion of the original
grant was established as placed in Ventura
when the boundary lines were settled between
this county and Santa Barbara. The San
Francisco Rancho was granted in 1841 to
Antonio del Valle, and upon his death passed
to liis son, Ygnacio del Valle, who held it in-
tact until 1866, when he sold all but 1,500
acres to a Philadelphia company. When he
acquired the property, in 1861, Ygnacio del
Valle removed his family to reside on the
Camulos, Eomewhat improved already. From
that time improvements here have been con-
stantly in progress, but the picturesque and
romantic features of the rancho have been
preserved. Don Ygnacio died in March,
1880, leaving a widow and five children.
The present owners have added 500 acres to
the original reservation, and the whole has
been improved until it is now one of the
most productive and profitable properties in
Ventura County. This rancho is divided
about equally into farming and grazing land.
The pastures raise horses, horned cattle,
sheep and hogs. All farming on the Camu-
los is carried on with irrigation, and the
whole Santa Clara River could be diverted
into the great ditches running across the
rancho. Here are grown excellent crops of
wheat, in quality very superior, also bounti-
ful crops of barley, rye, oats, corn, potatoes,
sweet potatoes, pumpkins, melons, and all
kinds of vegetables, harvested from the same
land year after year with no indication of ex-
hausting the soil.
The vineyard here is of 50,000 vines, which
for many years have yielded 10,000 to 20,000
gallons of wine pei- year. From an orange
grove of 2,000 trees, 1,200 boxes of fruit
were shipped last season. The returns are
handsome from 500 walnut trees, as also from
the oil and pickled olives from a fine grove
of 1,000 olive trees. Almost every kind of
fruit grown in the United States is raised
here.
This rancho was the scene of Mrs. Helen
Hunt Jackson's novel of " Ramona," and the
del Valle family have sufl'ered not a little
from the inconvenient notoriety thus given
their property, and the consequent invasion
of inquisitive and often intrusive and un-
mannerly visitors to the site. In the imme-
diate vicinity of this rancho there is a large
settlement of Spanish-Califoruian farmers,
who employ the most improved implements
and methods, and raise good crops of corn,
beans and barley. The next great estate is
the
EANCHO SAN FEANCISCO,
containing about 11,500 acres of grazing, and
3,000 acres of tillable land, which is divided
into nearly equal portions by the Santa Clara
River, and of which about 13,000 acres be-
long in Ventura, and the rest in Los Angeles
county. This rancho was granted January
22, 1839, to Antonio del Valle, and confirmed
to Jacoba Feliz and others, then containing
only some 10,000 acres. It now belongs
mostly to the estate of H. M. Newhall, the
well-known auctioneer of San Francisco.
VENTURA COUNTY.
Save at Newliall, in Los Angeles County,
few houses appear on this rancho, whose
rough mountains and coarse, wild sage-brush
and weeds appear like worthless waste land.
Yet these very brush-lands are admirable
bee pastures. Here, too, are oil interests not
yet developed.
THE WESTERN PORTION OF VEN-
TURA.
The country drained by the San Buena-
ventura River is mostly comprised within
the limits of the following ranchos: — The
Canada San Miguelito and a part of the ex-
Mission, both bordering on the ocean; the
Canada Larga or Canada Verde, and the
Ojai on the left bank, and the Santa Ana on
the right bank.
The vast domain of the ex-Mission Rancho
was granted as six leagues to Jose Ariiaz, by
Governor Pio Pico, June 8, 1846. Arnaz
sold it to M. A. R. Poli in 1850. The claim
was confirmed May 15, 1855, by the Land
Commissioner, and finally, on April 1, 1861,
by the United States District Court. In Au-
gust, 1874, a patent was issued to the
grantees for 48,822.91 acres. Poli sold the
property to the San Buenaventura Manufact-
uring and Mining Company. He afterward
died insolvent. This rancho derives its name
from the fact that a division was made of the
lands held in the name of the old Mission,
the church retaining the old orchard and
36^^ acres contiguous; all lands outside
these are called ex-Mission lands. At the
sale of lands for delinquent taxes, February
16, 1874, the ex-Mission lands were offered
for sale without a buyer, the taxes amounting
to $3,168, drawing interest at two per cent,
per month. This region is one of almost
continuous settlements, with easy outlets.
The soil is exceedingly rich to the very crests
of the hills, and the climate is unsurpassed.
The lands are agricultural and grazing. This
territory is luxuriantly covered with wild
oats, wild burr-clover, and alfilaria. A short
distance back from the sea are forests of oaks,
not readily seen save from close at hand.
The bee pasturage is rich and extensive. The
oil belt underlies a portion of this rancho.
THE EANCHO CANADA SAN MIGEUELITO.
This is next northwest of the ex-Mission
Rancho. It has about three miles of coast
line. This grant of 8,877.04 acres was con-
firmed to J. F. Rodriguez and others. This
rancho consists almost wholly of rich pasture
lands, raising great numbers of sheep. Very
little timber is found here. The ocean road
from San Buenaventura to Santa Barbara
passes along the beach here. On Govern-
ment land close by this rancho is a mine of
so-called rock soap, being an infusorial earth
resembling marl. It has been exported for
polisliing silverware, and for use by jewelers
for burnishing purposes.
THE RANCHO CANADA LAEGA 6 VERDE
was granted to J. Alvarado, wlio pushed the
claim to confirmation. It contains about
2,220 acres, of which all is grazing land but
about 1,000 acres, whicli are well cultivated,
and upon which are found fine orchards and
handsome homes.
THE O.IAI RANCHO.
This is a wedge-shaped tract, which was
granted to Fernando Tico, April 6, 1837, and
afterward confirmed to him; acreage 17.792.-
70.' In 1864 this rancho was bought by
the California Petroleum Company. It was
then a very wild place; a dozen or more
grizzly bears were killed in Ojai Valley in
one winter, and hundreds were thereabouts,
as well as California lions, wild cats, etc.
VENTUBA COUNTY.
I
Lion Canon was so named from the great
number of tliese panthers that it harbored.
Dr. Chauncej Isbell lived here as early as
1866, and in October, 1868, Eobert Ayers
removed thither his family, the first American
household in the valley, where a few Spanish-
Californian families were living. In 1870 but
two houses, one frame, one adobe, were in
the Upper Ojai. In 1872 this rancho pro-
duced about 16,200 bushels of wheat, aver-
aging thirty to forty bushels to the acre. A
grange was organized here in 1874, and, in
1875 there were two school districts, the
Ojai and the Nordhoff. The settlement of
this section has been most rapid; within four
years from the time when the inhabitants
were less than half a dozen it had nearly
100, forming an enterprising and intelligent
community. The fertility of this soil is
hardly surpassed in California; here the
wheat crop reaches its maximum as to quality
and quantity. No irrigation is used for the
small grain crops. Artesian water is obtained
at Nordhoff, but it rises little above the sur-
face. On the hills all the usual northern
farm crops thrive remarkably well, as also
many fruits, etc., considered semi-tropical in
character.
THE OJAI VALLEY.
Almost in a straight line due north from
San Buenaventura, from which town it is
fourteen miles distant, lies the valley of the
Ojai, shut in by high mountains, that deter-
mine the amphitheater-like shape whence it
takes its name (a nest).
The mountains on the north side take a
snowy covering in winter, in sharp contrast
with the slopes of sulphur mountain, covered
with live-oaks on the south side. Over-
looking the others rises Mount Topotopa,
between 5,000 and 6,000 feet high, also snow-
mantled in the winter.
The drive to the lower Ojai follows an easy
grade along a beautiful clear stream where
trout sport and twinkle. The Upper Ojai, to
the eastward of the main valley, is reached by
a steep grade up an oak-covered ridge leading
out of the lower valley. The soil here is rich
and fertile, and plentifully watered, and its
crops never fail.
Attention was first called to this valley by
Charles Nordhoff, who visited it in 1872, and
soon after, in his book on California, gave an
enthusiastic description of it.
The lower valley is five miles long, and
800 feet above sea-level ; the upper is smaller,
with an elevation of about 1,200 feet. This
basin is well-timbered, and its soil is very
productive, giving the large.-t yield in the
county of wheat per acre. It is also well
adapted for raising the finest varieties of
citrus fruits. Mr. Elwood Cooper, the famous
olive-grower, says that the Ojai is also the
best olive-growing district in California.
The scenery here is truly wonderful; the
softy and balmy air, the park-like groves of
oaks, their mistletoe, the vines and mosses,
the bird voices within their leafage, the
grandeur of the surrounding mountains, the
cloud eft'ects — all combine to give an inde-
scribable (tharm to the Ojai Valley.
But there is another advantage; the
delightful climate is of great benefit to suf-
ferers from affections of the throat and lungs,
and the famous (Jjai Hot Springs in the
Matilija Canon are possessed of strong cura-
tive properties.
The Ojai Hot Sulphur Springs are beauti-
fully situated in Waterfall Canon, about five
miles from Nordhoff and fifteen from Ven-
tura. The altitude at the springs is about
1,000 feet. The flow is about 50,000 gallons
per hour, and the temperature ranges from
60° F. to 74° and 104° F. Several of the
springs are carbonated and others are sul-
phureted. The Ojai waters contain: sodium.
VENTURA COUmTT.
sium and magnesium carbonates and sul-
phates, calcium and ferrous carbonates, sili-
cates, carbonic anhydride and sulphnreted
hydrogen. The waters have a reputation for
whitening and softening the skin, and im-
proving the complexion. These springs are
the resort of many people afflicted with stiff
joints, rheumatism, gout and skin diseases.
Almost in the center of this lovely valley,
and nearly 900 feet above the sea, is the
village of NordhofE, so named in recognition
of Charles NordhofPs offices in lieralding to
the outside world the tnerits of this quarter.
Mr. R. G. Surdam, if not the first, was
one of the prime movers in starting this
flourishing little town, he having bought
sixty acres, which he laid off in blocks and
lots in 1874. He gave a one-third interest
to A. M. Blumberg, on condition that he
build a hotel. That structure, which at first
was made of light scantling covered with
clotli, has developed and grown into quite a
sightly hostelry, the nucleus of a thrifty little
village. Nordhoff contains some 300 inhab-
itants, many of whom are recuperated in-
valids from nearly every State in the Union.
There are here two hotels, nestled iinder the
splendid oaks, two churches, two school-
houses, two general merchandise stores, two
blacksmiths, a builder, contractor and lumber-
dealer, and a butcher-shop. There is a weekly
newspaper and a postoffice with daily mail.
SANTA ANA VALLEY.
Westward from the Ojai are a number of
broad mesas and thickly-populated uplands,
which constitute the Santa Ana Valley, on
whose well-cultivated farms and orchards are
raised as line fruits as any Ventura County
produces. This is all a fine grain country,
where wheat reaches its maximum as to
height, quantity and quality. This valley is
a twin sister to the Ojai in its climate, soil
and resources, and also probably with quite
as much water and timber, but this valley
contains less arable land than the Ojai.
Here is a region of forests; timber of ma-
jestic size, and an undergrowth of wild oats,
wild grasses, wild gooseberries, rhododendron
and honeysuckle, while wild grapes clamber
over the trees along the creeks and the river.
A portion of this territory has as great an
altitude as the Ojai, but it is much lower
where it approaches the San Buenaventura
Valley. Above this section the Ventura
River descends rapidly, passing by cascades
over highlands, but it flows more tranquilly
when it reaches the table-like lands of the
Ojai and Santa Ana ranches. Here it gathers
volume from the water of the San Antonio
and Coyote creeks, the former flowing from
the east, the other from the west; and hence
forward to the sea it flows with gentle cur-
rent. All three of these are fine trout
streams.
THE EANCUO SANTA ANA.
This tract of 21,522.04 acres was, in April,
1837, granted to Crisogono Ayala and others,
and to them confirmed. Tliis lies but two
miles from the Santa Barbara line, and it is
the most northerly rancho in Ventura County.
The Coyote Creek crosses this forest-hooded
rancho, of which nearly 10,000 acres would
be good arable land, if cleared of its timber.
In May, 1875, this rancho was surveyed in
lots, which were to be sold on terms similar
to those of the Lompoc colony lands. The
capital stock of the company was fixed at
$60,000, in shares of $100 each. Among the
estimated resources were 6,000 acres of arable
land, other 6,000 tillable with side-hill plows,
and 75,000 cords of wood. The temperance
principle was to be a leading feature of this
settlement. The project was never carried
to fulfillment.
MISSION SAN BUENAVENTURA in 1875.
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lURDS-EYE VIEW OF THE CITY OF VENTURA.
VENTURA COUNTY.
THE TOWN OF SAN BUENA-
VENTUEA.
The capital, or county-seat, of Ventura is
situated a few miles east of Point Rincon,
near where the Ventura River empties into
the ocean. The " Small City," or '* Palm
City," as it loves to call itself, spreads over
an area extending to about twenty blocks
long by six wide. The sea washes the south-
ern boundary, the Ventura River skirts the
western, a high hill looms on the northern
side, whilst the fertile Santa Clara Valley
stretches out eastward.
The old town was grouped about the adobe
buildings and the semi-tropical gardens of
the mission, and it was long isolated for lack
of railway communication, being accessible
only by means of the steamers of the coast
line, at that time generally small and uncom-
fortable for purposes of travel.
This has, however, always been an import-
ant shipping point. In the mission days,
when the hides and tallow produced from the
broad lands ruled by the fathers were car-
ried hence by Indians and wading sailors, as
related by Robinson and Dana, and in later
days when a substantial wharf, large ware-
houses and frequent service of steamers
facilitated the export of products from the
rich tributary country.
Since the coming of the railway, in 1887,
San Buenaventura has veritably entered upon
a new epoch of existence, with a new lease
of life, and tlie outside world has begun to
learn somewhat of her resonrces.
The town is eighty miles distant fiora Los
Angeles, thirty from Santa Barbara and 300
by sea from San Francisco.
Lying u]ion a narrow plain between the
foot-hills and the sea, the town, like many
others of the older Spanisii settlements,
naturally enougli grew along one main busi-
ness street. When the Americans came
they spread out across that narrow plain, and
began also to climb the hills in search of
places whereon to build homes. Thus San
Buenaventura to-day has five long streets,
Front, Meta, Santa Clara, Main and Poli, in
the order named from the water front back
which run east and west, parallel to the
shore, and crossed at right angles by nine-
teen other streets, running north and south.
These all have either wooden or concrete
walks eight and ten feet in width. Probably
no other towj in the State of the same pop-
ulation has the same quantity of sidewalks.
In the last two years Ventura has built
11,310 feet of cement sidewalks, at a cost of
$25,188, and 39,104 feet of wooden side-
walks, costing $32,100, making in all nine
and one-half miles of walks, at a cost of
$57,288. Aside from this there are eight
and one-half miles of graded streets, pre-
pared at a cost of $38,145. The system of
sewerage is gcod, there being three miles of
sewer pipe that cost $20,000.
Here, as in Parir, France, there are city
ordinances forbidding the casting down of
paper, etc., upon the streets, or the throw-
ing into them of any sort of litter, and these
precautions, together with the services of
men employed to do weeding, etc., keep the
streets and sidewalks of this town in tine
condition. Provision is made, too, against
the bane of Southern California during the
dry season — dust. By an ordinance approved
in November, 1888, constantly three, and
occasionally four, sprinkling carts are kept at
work on the city streets, at a cost of about
$2,500 per year.
There is also a good system of sewerage,
based on the Waring plan, comprising
17,914 feet of pipe, of diameters ranging
from six to fourteen inches, constructed of
the' best vitritied ironstone piping, at a cost
VENTURA COUNTY.
of $25,000. The sewering is greatly facili-
tated by the natural slope of the town site.
Running for several miles northward along
the border of the Yentura River is a beauti-
ful valley, or narrow strip of land, called
" The Avenue." It is laid ofE into small
farms and villa lots, skirted by hills on either
hand, and liere live many of Ventura's peo-
ple, amidst a wealth of fruit and flowers.
The street which runs through this valley is
broad, level and very nearly straight, extend-
ing six or eight miles. It is set with shade
trees nearly the whole distance, and the
enterprise of the residents here provides for
its sprinkling from end to end. This is the
boulevard of Ventura, and its beautiful bor-
dering of tasteful houses, and its well-kept
orchards and gardens, make it indeed an at-
tractive drive.
On the avenue grows a monster grapevine,
about seventy-five years old, whose main
vine is over three feet in circumference. It
is trained over framework, and produces an-
nually several thousand cons of grapes.
San Buenaventura is a town of the sixth
class. Its population is 2,350, of which
about sixteen per cent, consist of the Span-
ish-American element.
The assessed valuation of city property for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, shows
as follows: town lots, $814,385; improve-
ments, $375,370; personal property, $391,-
529; money, $18,871; mortgages, $171,103.
San Buenaventura was incorporated as a
town March 10, 1866, and re- incorporated
March 29. 1876.
The municipal othcers are: A. board of
town trustees, consisting of J. S. Collins,
President; and Peter Bennett, C. D. Bones-
tel, E. M. Jones and J. R. Willpughby;
Marshal, Frank S. Cook; Clerk, J. F. New-
by; Attorney, Lloyd Selby; Treasurer, Chas.
McDonald; Engineer, G. C. Power.
There is a volunteer fire department,
equipped with two hose carts and hook-and-
ladder paraphernalia. There are about forty
members.
The town hall and library building, in one,
built in 1883, is owned by the city. It is a
one-story brick of fifty feet frontage on the
main street, with a depth of seventy feet
The construction is such as provides for the
ready and economic addition of another
story.
The town hall contains a fine cement and
brick fire-proof vault of the latest improved
order, whose capacity is sufficient to make it
the receptacle of the municipal records and
documents for at least twenty-five years to
come. This building is valued at about
$7,000.
The cemeteries, Protestant, Roman Cath-
olic and Jewish, are situated on a beautiful
location in the eastern addition. With the
exception of the Roman Catholic one, they
are owned and managed by the municipal
jurisdiction, the town clerk giving deeds for
lots, while the sexton reports to the town
trustees.
The Ventura postotfice is of the third
class. The postmaster is Nathan li. Shaw,
and he has one assistant. The postmaster
refuses to give any information regarding
the business of the office, such as is custom-
arily given to the public press once or twice
a year; therefore no comparison can be made
of the relative importance of this with other
county- seat postoffices. The Postoffice De-
partment at Washington, at the request of
citizens here, recently changed the name of
this ■ postoffice from San Buenaventura to
Ventura. Much mail and express matter
designed for this office found its way to San
Bernardino, and vice versa. Then the name
was too long to write and too difficult for
strangers to pronounce.
VEhTVRA GOV NTT.
For a number of years the town was
liglited by gas, there being twenty-tive street
lamps, paid for by the city; but since Sep-
tember 1, 1890, the municipality has adopted
the electric light system, of which there are
two circuits. The gas company still lights
many stores, offices, etc.
Ventura has no street railways, but a fran-
chise to build one has recently been granted.
In February, 1888, the telephone service
was introduced, under the management of an
experienced electrician. Beginning with
thirty connections, the patronage has steadily
increased to sixty, and connection will soon
be made with neighboring towns. The
service is in great favor here.
Ventura has in force various ordinances
highly favorable to public morals, among
others, one prohibiting boys under sixteen
years old from being in the streets after
8 p. M.
The high-license law has been in opera-
tion for one year. The license is $600 per
month, of which one-half goes to the town
and one-half to the county.
Located in San Buenaventura, as the
county-seat, are various county institutions,
hereinafter described, as the hospital, the
court-house, etc.
Within the city limits there is a halt-mile
race-track, of private ownership.
There are several excellent hotels, among
them the Rose, a handsome three-story brick,
cost $120,000; artistic in furnishing, and
excellently managed, it is safe to say this is
the best hotel in Southern California.
The following report was prepared by Mr.
J. ¥. Newby, who was for ten years librarian
of the Ventura Library Association:
"This association was incorporated Novem-
ber 23, 1874, with Milton "Wason, James
Daly, C. G. Finney, L. F. Eastin, G-. S. Gil-
bert, Jr., C. H. Bailey, J. J. Sheridan, T. B.
Steepleton and L. C. Granger as incorpo-
rators. The association arranged for a fair
and festival, the proceeds of which went
to purchase books and furniture. All mem-
bers were required to pay $5 per annum to-
ward supporting the library, and those who
did not pay the $5 for membership paid
twenty-five cents a month for the privilege
of drawing books. A room was secured and
some 600 volumes purchased, Mr. J. W.
Maxwell being the lirst librarian, succeeded
by Miss Cecelia Perkins. The library was
kept up until the spring of 1878, when it
became involved in debt and was closed.
" In August, 1878, the library trustees,
Messrs. James Daly, M. H. Gay, C. H.
Bailey, L. F. Eastin and J. J. Sheridan, made
a proposition to the board of town trustees
to transfer the assets of the association to
the town, provided the town would pay the
library indebtedness, and agree to levy a
library tax under a State law allowing incor-
porated towns to levy a library tax. The
town board accepted the proposition and
took charge of the library August 21, 1878,
with J. F. Newby as librarian, he continu-
ing to till the position until February 1,
1888.
" The library was a success from the time
the town took charge of it and levied an an-
nual tax to support it. New books were
added two or three times each year, until the
library now contains 4,000 carefully selected
volumes. A reading room is attached to tlie
library, in which one tinds the standard peri-
odicals of the day. There were over 10,000
books diawn from the library last year by
citizens. The town has lately added an addi-
tion to the library room, and the library now
has two large, well-lighted rooms.
"Miss FlorenceVandever, daughter of Gen-
eral Vandever, is the present librarian, and
under lier management the place is made
232
VENTURA COUNTY.
attractive, as shown bj tlie increased attend-
ance.
"The library is one of the best small libra-
ries in the State, and is the pride of tiie
citizens of Ventura. The snccess of the
library is mainly due to the intelligent and
constant sujDervision of Messrs. James Daly,
W. E. Shepherd and Judge S. A. Sheppard,
and especially to James Daly, who was one
of the original founders, and since then
almost continuously one of the trustees, he
having been untiring in his efforts to build
up the library and make it a success.
" The library is open every afternoon and
evening, and it is largely patronized, the
Venturans taking great pride in the institu-
tion."
A feature festhetic as well as practical of
the town is
FLOEICULTUEE.
A few years ago Mrs. T. B. Shepherd
of San Buenaventura, possessing a love for
flowers and rare plants, sought, through a
system of mutual exchange, to add to her
collection and at the same time furnish per-
sons in other parts of the country with such
feeds and bulbs as she grew at home. In her
zeal and anxiety to secure for herself some
varieties grown by Eastern florists, she oc-
casionally applied to them, proposing to
furnish from her stock such as they might
wish ti) propagate. These applications were
often entirely unnoticed. Peter Henderson,
however, the noted seedsman and florist,
wrote her encouragingly and advised lier to
raise seeds and bulbs for the Eastern market.
This was four years ago; but, having no
capital and only a limited experience, her
progress was necessarily slow. But with a
courage born of love for the business, slie
went to work upon about two acres of ground
adjoining lier residence. As fast as the in-
come from her sales would permit she would
order seeds and bulbs from prominent florists
in Europe and America. Her ground had to
be prepared and necessary buildings put up,
and ail from the income of the garden.
Thus has she worked along, experimenting
sometimes though rarely failing, until she
has demonstrated that this country, and right
here in Ventura, is one of the best places for
cultivating flowering plants for profit in the
world. Of all the European plants and bulbs
she has cultivated, those raised here are
superior to those raised in their own country.
Her business has increased until it requires
the constant attention of two men under her
supervision, and her sales to Eastern seeds-
men and florists alone will amount to $2,000
this year. This atnount does not include her
sales to individuals and those who purchased
for their own use, wiiich sales are very con-
siderable. She values her stock at $5,000,
and fully expects to realize tliat amount upon
her next year's sales. Eastern florists who
would not deign to answer her letters when,
as an amateur, she applied to them for
favors, now send her orders for seeds and
bulbs. She shipped, in one year, on orders
from the Eastern States, 10,000 calia lilies,
20,000 Free.^ia refracta alba and 1,750 Canna
Ehemani. She has already received orders
for thirty-three pounds of smilax seed, and
has sent to one order $45 worth of fuciisia
seed. Mrs. Shepherd states that her business
is increasing rapidly, and that, as Southern
California becomes better known for the ex-
cellence of its seeds aid bulbs, she cannot
supply the demand, notwithstanding the
fact that she is now improving and planting
out Ave acres in addition to the above floral
park.
It having become noised abroad that Mrs.
Shepherd was willing to impart to others the
results of her experience, she has been be-
sieged with letters, often from psople who
VENIUBA GOUNTT.
write from curiosity only. This is obviously
unfair to tlie lady; for, while she is always
ready to give information to persons in-
terested in pursuing this new field of labor
she has shown to be open to and practicable
for women, she has not the time nor the
strength to attend to the merely curious.
THE COUNTi' HOSPITAL.
This institution is situated in a central
portion of San Buenaventura, on the same
tract as the court-house and other county
edifices, where theconntyowns one half-block.
The building has recently been renovated;
its walls calcimined and cheerful pictures
hung upon them; the wood-work is clean
with fresh paint, and carpets are laid on most
of the passage-ways. In the lower hall is a
case containing a number of books and
periodicals.
The office contains a supply of medicines;
the wards are well lighted, well ventilated,
commodious, and comfortably fitted. There
are four wards upstairs and two down, — in all
about eighteen beds. At present thirteen
beds are occupied — eleven by men, and two
by old ladies of neat and tidy appearance,
disabled by rheumatism from work.
The kitchen is well kept, and it and the
pantry seem to be supplied with viands of a
better quality than is usual in such institu-
tions.
The outhouses are ample and orderly, the
grounds cheerful with flowers, and the kitch-
en-garden filled with vegetables.
This hospital seems less formal and more
homelike than most refuges of the sort.
It is under the management of Dr. Cephas
11. Bard, the county physician, and of Dr.
Joshua Marks, hospital superintendent. The
cost of the hospital was $10,000.
Until within the past few years the poor
were " farmed out;" then the atention of Mr.
W. H. Jewett, county auditor and recorder,
having been called to an act of the Legisla-
ture of 1882 to provide aid for the indigent
sick, he looked up the records, and claims
were made out for $1,800. This being
allowed, the matter was pressed, and Ventura
County was found to be entitled to $10,700
from this source, and the amount was duly
collected from the respective fund or appro-
priation.
THE COURT HOUSE,
built in 1872, originally consisted of the main
square building, to which was added, some
si.x years later, a wing containing an enlarge-
ment of several offices in two stories, and a
vault for the storage of records. In 1884
four rooms were added to the west end. It
now contains the quarters of the sherifi",
assessor, district attorney, clerk and auditor
and recorder, on the ground floor; and the
court-room and chambers, jury-room, and the
offices of the county surveyor and school
superintendent. The treasurer is quartered
elsewhere. The building is of brick, stuccoed,
with fittings rather comfortable, although
somewhat out of repair and antiquated. At
the time of the present writing, an addition
is in progress, to contain tlie papers of the
clerk's officeand and the supervisors. Thecost
was $20,000.
THE COUNTr JAIL,
erected in 1888, is a substantial brick build-
ing of two stories and a basement, its wood-
work being of Oregon pine, sugar pine,
redwood, and white fir, all the materials being
of the best quality. The cells, locks, etc., are
of the most modern and complete designs,
and the jail is a model of this sort of insti-
tution. It cost $20,000.
The valuation of Ventura's coutity property
as per the rates of the present year, 1890, is
a5 follows: court-house, $20,000; hospital,
$10,000; jail, $20,000; records, books, im-
VENTURA COUNTY.
provements, furnishings, etc., $35,000; total,
$85,000.
The pioneer bankino; establishment of this
county is the Bank of Ventura, which was
founded in September, 1874, with a capital
of $250,000. Its officers were: L. Snod-
grass. President; M. Caunon, Vice-Presi-
dent; H. M. Gay, Cashier and Secretary.
This bank now has a paid up capital of $100,-
000; surplus, $50,000. Its present officers
are: E. P. Foster, President; L. C. McKeeby,
Vice-President; J. A, Walker, Cashier; A.
Bernheim, Secretary.
Tiie bank of William Collins & Sons was
opened in September, 1887. Tiie following
is its comparative statement:
KESOURCES.
Sept. 1, 1889. Sept. 1, 1890.
Loana and discounts $173,727.11 $203,076.05
Bonds 35,.500.00 ;^0,000.00
Warrants 3,192.96 678..50
Cash ir),762.60 24,81.168
Due from Banks 9,929.96 78,341.28
Real Estate, furniture, fi.x-
tures 21,000.00 21,000.00
$257,212.63 $352,911.51
LIABILITIES.
Capital stock $ 1 00,000.00 $100,000 00
Surplus and profits 26,719.70 38,116 38
Deposits 130,140 07 212,708.06
Due other Banks 352.86 2,087.07
$257,212.63 $352,911.51
Reserve fund $38,116.38
In the city of San Buenaventura there are
679 census children, of whom 464 are en-
rolled in the public schools, the average at-
tendance being ninety-seven per cent, of the
enrollment. There are some 125 or 130
children of Spanish blood in attendance.
There are three departments — primary, gram-
mar and high schools. The corps comprises
Professor Black, principal of the city schools,
and nine other teachers. The school build-
ings are: the High School-house, which cost
$30,000; the Poli street building, w^orth $2,-
500, and tiie Meta street building, worth
$2,000. Tiie High School was established
in 1889, by the people voting a special tax
for the purpose, tlie vote being unanimous
but for two votes. This department has
three courses, scientific, literary and class-
ical, and it prepares pupils for the colleges
and for the State University. There are
thirty-three pupils in the High Scliool, of
wliom eight are seniors, who will be graduated
in 1891.
CHUECHKS.
It will readily be seen from the following
list of the different denominations and their
churches that Ventura County will rank
among the first as a churcli-going people;
and while the compiler has not been able to
get the whole number in the county, the fol-
lowing brief sketches of the principal
churches of San Buenaventura will be found
nearly correct:
Catholic. — There are 1,500 Roman Cath-
olic parishioners in the district of la Mision,
and 850 in Ventura, where Father Cipriano
Bubio is pastor, officiating in the old Mission
church. This sanctuary has been extensively
repaired, but with consistency preserving as
far as might be the ancient characteristics.
The earthcjuake of 1857 caused the roof to
fall in, lodging in the garret, where it was
held by the vigas (beams). Thereupon the
present roof of shingles was put in place.
Twenty years ago new altars and flooring were
supplied, and about the same time the pews
were placed. Within the last three years,
many modifications have been made, but with
discretion. The sanctuary, being of insufficient
space, was raised, and extended to the body
of the church; and a new chancel railing was
put in. The main altar was built in 1886-
VENTURA COUNTY.
'88, and two side-altars in 1889. Since 1885
there has been a resident priest at New
Jerusalem, eight miles from Ventura. Pre-
vious to that. Father John Pujot had offici-
ated there at intervals since 1875 or 1876.
Congregational Church. — The Congre^n-
tional Church was the first Protestant church
in the county, having been organized in
1867, at the time the land known as the
Briggs tract was thrown upon the market
and opened to settlement, the founding of
said church being the result of the settle-
ment of the above mentioned tract of land by
American citizens.
There being no Protestant church at that
time nearer than Santa Barbara, the services
of Rev. M. B. Starr were secured to act as
missionary for $1,000, donated by the So-
ciety of Missions.
The first members consisted of Revs. Bris-
tol and Harrison, Eliza A. Shaw, Francis L.
Saxby, Isabella L. Hobson, Hannah E. Mc-
Carty, Mary A. Herbert, Matilda P. Barn-
ard, George Beers, Sarah Beers, Edward B.
Williams, Elizabeth A. Williams, Amanda
Baker, Maria A. Wason, Nancy L. Banning,
Celia A. Simpson, Fanny Williams, W. E.
Barnard and G. S. Gilbert, the two latter
persons being deacons, and the latter of these
clerk.
A simple and inexpensive church, 28 x 40
feet, costing but a few hundred dollars, was
soon erected. The "Ventura Land Company
donated the lot on which the church was
built, and the Rev. Mr. Warren, of San Fran-
cisco, preached the first sermon in the new
edifice, the Rev. Mr. Harrison occupying the
pulpit from 'October, 1869, until March,
1870. Rev. W. E. Merritt officiated from
July 30th of that year until the following
October. Rev. S. Bristol preached at inter-
vals until 1875, when Rev. T. C. Jerome,of
Illinois, was engaged and remained until
June, 1876; Rev. R. B. Snell from August
1, 1876, to January 1, 1878; Rev. Charles
B. Shelden from January, 1878, to .
Rev. T. D. Murphy began his services here
October 26, 1884.
The church building now occupied was
finished, furnished and dedicated free from
debt, without missionary help. May 3, 1885.
It has a seating capacity for 350 persons.
An annex, 24 x 30 feet, has recently been
added.
Mtthodist Episcopul Church. — In 1867
Rev. R. R. Dunlapwas appointed to the pas-
torate of Santa Barbara, his char
ge em
bracing the whole county, which at that time
included the county of Ventura. In 1867
Rev. P. Y. Coole took charge of the western
district and Mr. DiinJap was sent to San
Buenaventura and Saticoy, and he organ-
ized the church in San Buenaventura. In
1870 Rev. George O. Ashe was sent to this
circuit and became popular at once. He
held services in the room which afterward
became the public reading room. Mr. Ashe's
family responsibilities crowded upon him.
He worked during all his spare time at the
printer's case, thus obtaining but a small pit-
tance, upon which the average Methodist
minister in all new countries is supposed to
keep the wolf from the door. In 1871 the
Rev. B. Holland was sent to the circuit, and,
like his predecessors, received a very small
allowance, but conversions followed his labor,
part of the converts joining the Methodist
Church and part joining other churches. In
1872 Rev. G. O. Ashe was returned to the
circuit for a second time and much good was
done during his year. Rev. Adam Bland
officiated in 1873, and was instrumental in
building the Methodist Church, at a cost of
$1,700, the lot upon which the same was built
costing $400, and when the church was com-
pleted the society found itself in debt $1,000.
VENTURA C iVNTY.
Mr. Bland seems to liave been tlietirst pastor
who received a fair salary, he receiving $200
from the Missionary Society and $500 from
the people.
In 1874 Rev. W. A. Knighten became
pastor, Ventura being set apart as a station
with a missionary appropriation of $500.
After arriving at the place, he and otiiers
concluded that the house rent was so liigh
that it would be better to build a parsonage;
consequently the lumber was bought, and the
house was completed in about six days, most
of the work being donated. During this
year the Sunday-school was organized and an
organ purchased for the church. A ladies'
"Aid Society "was organized and rendered
efficient financial aid, paying a large portion
of the church debt, and -furnishing the parson-
age. Mr. Knighten was returned for the
third time. This year was marked with
financial pi'osperity. During the three years
that Mr. Knighten was pastor, he had the
pleasure of seeing the membership increase
from seventeen to seventy-five.
Rev. F. S. Woodcock was appointed pas-
tor by the conference of 1877 and remained
one year. Owing to the severe financial de-
pression of that year, the church was consid-
erably crippled, but maintained its spiritual
power. In September, 1878, the South-
ern California Conference held its session in
San Buenaventura. The sittings were at-
tended by the people generally and greatly
enjoyed. At this session Rev. E. F. "Walker
was appointed pastor, but he became discour-
aged and remained only ten months. At the
next session of the conference the Rev. J. A.
Van-Anda was appointed, and the work of
the church proceeded. The Rev. J. PI. Peters
served the church during 1880-'81, and dur-
ing his pastorate the church enjoyed a good
degree of prosperity, and reduced its indebt-
edness. During 1882 Rev. A. N. Fields
was pastor and had a fair share of success,
and did good work. Rev. James A. White
was sent to the charge by the conference of
1883. Improvements on the church prop-
erty were immediately commenced. The
jiarsonage was removed from behind the
church to the corner of the lot and enlarged.
The church edifice was dedicated during the
year. Mr. White remained three years.
Rev. J. A. McMillan followed in the fall of
1886 and had a successful year. During this
year the church debt was entirely paid off.
He was returned for another year, but owing
to ill-health was compelled to abandon his
work at the end of three months, the pulpit
being supplied until the end of the confer-
ence year by various ministers.
In April, 1888, Rev. W. L. Douglass was
transferred from the New York East Con-
ference and placed in charge of the church.
Presbyterian Church. — Rev. T. E. Taylor,
a missionary to the Sandwich Islands in 1847,
and founder, in 1852, of the first church for
foreigners, having returned and settled in
Virginia CJity, Nevada, was petitioned by a
number of Ventura citizens to organize a
Presbyterian Church in this place. He an-
swered at once, and on Sunday, January 31,
1869, in the school-house just north of town,
he met the friends of the enterprise. At the
close of his sermon ten members were en-
rolled by certificate, who at once elected as
elders, M. J. Ashmore, E. B. Conklin and B.
Lehman. The fi)llowing gentlemen were
elected trustees: M. J. Ashmore, A. D.
Barnard, E. B. Conklin, George A. Gilbert
and S. W. Chaffee. Mr. Taylor was invited
to remain as their pastor. T. R. Bard gave
the ground on the northeast corner of Oak
and Meta streets, 80 x 200 feet, for the
church building, and by March 27, 1870, the
present house of worship was finished, paid
for and dedicated, all in fourteen months
VENTURA COUNTY.
237
from the orgauizatioa of the soiety. The
total cost was $2,511.60. Mr. Taylor found
it necessary to resign shortly after the comple-
tion of the church. He was followed for short
terras by Revs. William Campbell and H. H.
Dobjns, and November 1, 1873, Rev. Mr.
Taylor was recalled, continuing his pastorate
to the close of the year 1876. The parson-
age on Meta street had been built in the
meantime, entailing a heavy debt upon the
young and struggling church.
Tne year 1877 was wholly given to the
experiment of a '• union " with the Congre-
gationalists, the points of which were, that
for that term both organizations worship to-
gether in the Presbyterian church, under the
pastorate, first, of Rev. Mr. Snell, now of
the Snell Academy, Oakland; second, that
of Rev. Charles B. Sheldon, of the Anoka
Congregational Union, Minnesota; but the ec-
clesiastical, like the domestic step-fathership,
was not satisfactory to all the parties con-
cerned. The debt had increased, while death
and removals had weakened the already feeble
church. As a result, Sunday, January 6,
1878, the " union " was, on motion of Mr.
N. Blackstock, dissolved. No permanent
supply for the pulpit was secured till July
1, when Rev. S. T. Wells, of Oakland, amid
great discouragements, began his pastorate,
whicli continued for three years and resulted
in greatly strengthening the church and free-
ing the property from encumbrance.
Mr. Wells resignad the pastorate in July,
1881, but as "honorably retired" continues,
with his e.Kcellent wife, foremost in every
good work. Ris successor, Rev. F. D. Sew-
ard, of New York, carried forward the work
with rare energy and faithfulness from Octo-
ber, 1881, until September 1, 1887, when he
took the field of Synodical Missionary for
Southern California; and Rev. James M.
Crawford, the present pastor, was called to
the church from Grree iville, Ohio. Under
iti various lealeri the church has steadily
increased in membership, while the Sunday-
school and prayer-meetings have shared in
the prosperity of the congregation.
The church building, now eighteen years
old, and by no means attractive in its exte-
rior, is, inside, not surpassed in the county
for the cheerfulness and good ta^te of its fur-
nishings; and thoa.,'h quite a nple for all the
uses of ths church, is being so fully oecupied
as to make it evident that more churchly and
commodious quarter, is only a question of
the near future. Fro?n a dependent of the
Presbyterian Board of Home Missions and
church erection, it has become self-sustain-
ing, and at the sara3 time a generous con-
tributor through th=i nine great agencies of
that church to the world's evangelization. It
has steadily fostered the work at Saticoy, and
been largely instrumental in securing to that
community a beautiful church building, a
church orgiuizition and S ibbath-school.
Besides the officers already alluded to,
Messrs. T. R. Bard, D. S. Blackburn, George
W. Chrisman, J. L. Kenney, James R. Boal,
J. P. Cutter, Frank Dennis, E. A. Edwards,
A. J. Collins and Rev. S. T. Wells have
served as trustees. Messrs. E. A. Duvall, J.
P. Cutter, J. C. Brewster, N. Blackstock,
George P. Waldon, Hon. William Vandever,
A. D. Seward, L. W. Hare and Luther Skel-
enger have been elders.
Rev. James Monroe Crawford, pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church of Ventura, was
born in Trimble County, Kentucky, August
12, 1836. His father, John Crawford, of
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, was of
Scotch descent, and brought up in the Pres-
byteriati Church; his mother was Clarissa
Bell, a native of Culpeper Court-house,
Virginia, who, from childhood, was a devoted
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
VENTURA COUNTT.
At the time of their marriage they were
residents of Madison, Indiana, which city
continued to be the family home, with the
brief exception of two years spent in Ken-
tucky, until 1876. The subject of this sketcli
was the oldest son of tweh-e children; the
foundation of his education was laid in the
private ai;d public schools of that city. At
tlie age of sixteen he was apprenticed to
learn the pattern-maker's trade, that being
his father's business. During the three years'
term of service he had taken a preliminary
course in theology, aided only by the text
books and such comments on them as he was
able to read in the people about him. Ad-
mitted into the Southeast Indiana Confer-
ence as an itinerant niinisterof the Methodist
Episcopal Church, in October, 1856, he en-
tered fully upon the double work of student
and pastor.
On September 14, 1858, he was united in
marriage to Miss Clarissa L. Golay, the
daughter of Constant and Louisa Golay, of
Switzerland County, Indiana, both of whom
were descendents of prominent Swiss families.
August, 1862, during the gloomiest period
of the war, he enlisted a full company of
volunteers from his congregation in Dearborn
County, Indiana. On their "muster in" as
Company H, Eighty-third Indiana Volun-
teers, he was unanimously elected, and Gov-
ernor Morton commissioned him, Captain;
two months later he was appointed Chaplain;
and during the siege of Yicksburg was com-
pelled to resign on account of wretclied health.
After live months' rest he resumed his work.
While closing his term as pastor of Trinity
Methodist Episcopal Church, Indianapolis,
Indiana, having fallen a victim to insomnia,
he gave up active service, spending the next
six years in a fight for life and health. It was
at the close of that period, with returning
health, that he severed his ecclesiastical con-
nection with the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and united with the Presbytery of Indianap-
olis. Tlie cause of the change was no griev-
ance, neither a want of appreciation of
Methodism, nor disappointment as to liis
private ambitions; but rather a conviction
that had sprung up early in his ministry and
strengthened each year that both the teach-
ings and methods of the Presbyterian Church
would be more helpful to his Christian expe-
rience and add largely to his ability to make
full proof of his ministry.
Mr. Crawford was called immediately to
the pastorate of the Sixth Church, Indian-
apolis, Indiana, and thence to Greenville,
Ohio, and from the latter church to this,
September 1, 1887, of which he continues
pastor at this writing. Of their family of
eight children, three died in early childhood;
three are yet with them; two, Edward S. and
Louisa, are in the East, the former as foreman
of the pattern department of the Malleable
Iron Works, Indianapolis, Indiana, and the
latter, as wife of Kev. Berthold Seeholzer, a
minister of the North Ohio Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Episcopalian. — During the summer of
1887, an informal meeting of four or five
persons interested in the Episcopal Church
was held at the residence of Judge L. C. Mc-
Keeby, to consider the propriety of organ-
izing such a church in San Buenaventura.
As a final result of the preliminary confer-
ence, the Rev. A. G. L. Trew, Dean of the
Diocese, visited Ventura on the 7th of De
cember, 1887.
Services of the Episcopal Church were held
in the house of worship of the Congregation-
alists, who kindly placed their edifice at the
service of the Episcopalians for the purpose.
A mission was organized under the name
of St. Paul's, and the announcement made
that the bishop had appointed Rev. F. R.
VBNTUJRA COUNTY.
Sanfoi'd, of Connecticut, as missionary rector
thereto. January 15, 1888, the first regular
service was held in Odd Fellows Hall.
At this time there were but live communi-
cants of the church. On Easter Sunday of
1888 solemn confirmation service was ad-
ministered to a class of fifteen adults, and the
church thus strengthened began preparations
for a church building.
A most eligible lot on the corner of Oak
and Santa Clara streets was purchased, and
the present church edifice was erected, being
opened for services in December, 1889.
Tiie church property is valued at not less
than $8,000, the lot having cost $8,000.
Rev. W. A. M. Breck, the present incum-
bent, began his rectorship in May, 1890.
The membership comprises tiiirty com-
niunciants, besides the uncomfirmed.
Since his arrival, Mr. Breck has instituted
services at the mission stations, JSordhofF,
Santa Paula and Hueneme, there being fif-
teen communicants at the last mentioned
place, eight at Santa Paula, and six at Nord-
hoff.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
was organized in Ventura, July 29, 1888,
under the ministry of Rev. J. W. Allen,
presiding elder of the San Luis Obispo Dis-
trict, Los Angeles Conference, and Rev. D. C.
Browne, pastor of the Trinity Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, Los Angeles.
There were thirteen charter members, and
five more were added by the end of the con-
ference year October 2.
Rev. D. C. Browne succeeded Rev. J. W.
Allen as presiding elder of the district, and
was also appointed pastor of the church at
Ventura.
Dm
mg
year, from October,
1888, to October, 1889, twenty-five were ad-
ded to the membership, and the churcii, led
by Hon. L. M. Lloyd, secured tlie build-
ing of a house of worship, on the corner of
Main and Kalorama streets. The ciiurch
services this year were held in the Young
Men's Christian Association Hall.
On September 30, Bishop R. K. Hargrave.
with appropriate services, laid the corner
stone of the new church building. Rev. J.
M. Neems was appointed to the pastorate by
Bishop Hargrave,October 6,1889, and entered
at once upon his work. The services were
held in the Hare school building on Main
street, from October, 1889, to May, 1890.
May 4. 1890, the church held their first serv-
ice in their new building, in the Sunday-
school room, with much rejoicing. And on
July 27, following, they entered their beauti-
ful auditorium with grateful hearts to Him
who had so wondrously led them in this work.
During the year, from October 6, 1889, to
September 11, 1890, fifteen were added to the
membership, and the church building was
finished and furnished at a cost of $7,000.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in
Ventura, while not strong in either numbers
or wealth, yet has thus far met all claims
against it, and looks to the future with hope-
ful hearts, believing that He whose hand hath
led them thus far will lead tliem on.
Christian Church. — Charles Bradshaw be-
gan to preach in July, 1870, at Pleasant
Valley. There were a few members who
continued to meet occasionally until Decem-
ber 25, of the same year, when the church was
organized with fourteen member? at Pleasant
Valley. The following were the charter
members: Charles Bradshaw and wife, J. S.
Harkey and wife, Martha White, Fanny and
Laurence White, William Cagle, D. W. Gil-
bert, Mrs. Gilbert, S. Wallbridge, and Amy
and Ollie Wallbridge and Mrs. Bear. The
church continued to meet for three years,
when a land decision occurred adverse to the
settlers, at the end of wiiich time there were
about fifty members.
VENTURA COUNTY.
As most of them were deprived of their
homes, they began to scatter until there were
only a few left, but they continued to meet
until the summer of 1876, when all had left
but three.
In October, 1876, Elder G. R. Hand came
to Ventura and engaged to preach for one
year. The church then reorganized with
thirty members. Rev. Hand preached until
May, when he left and went East. The mem-
bers continued to meet and worship until the
spring of 1879, at the school-house. From
1875 to 1883 there were no meetings of the
church. About July, 1883, Rev. J. S. Har-
key, who has been elder of the church ever
since the first organization in the county,
called the membership together, and they cov-
enanted to meet and worship together, and
they have been doing so from that time until
the present. They are now raeeting.at Good
Templars' Hall on Main street. There has
been added since the organization up to the
present time by letter, confession and obedi-
ence, forty-eight members. There are, as near
as can be ascertained, between fifty and sixty
members in the county. Elder F. W. Pattee,
formerly from Pasadena, is now preaching
on the first Lord's day in each month. The
chixrch meets every alternate Sunday for
social worship in the above named hall,
and a Sunday-school meets every Sunday
in the same place, at two o'clock. It has
about fifty scholars and teachers enrolled,
with Miss Annie Linn as superintendent.
A lot has been donated to the church at
the western end of the town, and the congre-
gation hope soon to erect a suitable house of
worship upon it.
T. M. C. J..— The Young Men's Chris-
tian Association of San Buenaventura was
organized in September, 1887, with sixteen
charter members. It has now a member-
ship of sixty-four. The president is J. S.
Collins; vice-president, Dr. C. F. Miller;
treasurer, J. C. Brewster; and general secre-
tary, Moore Ilesketh. The rooms are in
Collins' Block, Main Street, and are comfort-
ably furnished, being open daily, Sunday ex-
cepted, from 8:30 a. m. to 10 p. m. The as-
sociation is liberally supported by the Chris-
tian and business people of the town. It
has already a building fund, and is now
endeavoring to secure a suitable lot on which
to erect a permanent home. During the nine
months of its existence it lias helped a num-
ber of young men to better and purer lives,
and is now exerting a silent influence for
good in the community.
As has been seen, the Signal was estab-
lished ill 1871, by John H. Bradley, who in
1873 retired from its management, on account
of ill-health, being succeeded by Messrs. W.
E. Shepherd and John J. Sheridan.
In November, 1875, was first issued the
Free Press. Its editor was O. P. Hardy,
and its politics nominally independent. The
two papers fell into a hot controversy, in
which was displayed much personal acrimony.
In November, 1883, the Dernocrat was
founded by the Democrat Publishing Com-
pany, and subsequently purchased by John
McGonigle, its editor from the beginning.
The Vidette was founded in May, 1888,
by F. E. Smitli, and an interest in it was sub-
sequently purchased by Dr. Stephen Bowers.
The newspapers at present in the city of
Ventura are: The Free Press, daily and
weekly (publishers, Leonard & Sykes); the
Democrat, weekly; the Republican, weekly.
In other towns of the county are published
the following: The Chronicle, Santa Paula;
the Herald, Hueneme; the Recurrent,'^QV^-
hoflf.
VENTURA COUNTY.
Of
FKATEENAL ORGANIZATIONS
Ventura has the usual number. The Masons
own a handsome hall.
THE BENCH AND BAR.
As the judiciary of Santa Barbara for
many yrars included that of Ventura, the
names of the earlier Bar members in the
older county comprehend those of the
younger. As to those of later date, a report
on this subject has been promised the editor
by B. T. Williams, Esq., Superior Judge of
Ventura County, but, as it has not yet been
received, the present writing must go to press
without treating of this subject.
RESOURCES.
Chief among the resources of Ventura
County is
AGRICULTURE.
Erom the time of its first settlement by
the Mission fathers, over 100 years ago, Ven-
tura County has been more or less given over
to agriculture; but her grand capabilities in
this line are only beginning to be under-
stood.
When he came to Ventura County the
man whose ideas of farming were formed
amid the summer rains and the corn-fields
of the Mississippi had to learn over again
how to farm, and, now that he has learned
the lesson, is growing rich on the laud which
at one time was deemed comparatively worth-
less.
A mistaken idea has pi-evailed to some ex-
tent among people in the East that farming
is only carried on in Suuthern California by
means of irrigation, and that without it crops
would be a failure. Irrigation is not used at
all in Ventura County, except for alfalfa, and
for all small grains and winter crops it is not
used in other countries. They are cultivated
just as they are in the Mississippi Valley or
the Atlantic States, and need only the regular
rains of the winter and spring, or wet season,
to mature them. Corn, a summer crop, is
irrigated in some counties, but never here, as
the natural moisture of the soil is sufficient
to mature the crop. In some sections, after
a winter-sown crop, raised without irrigation,
has been harvested, another crop is raised
when the rains are over by means of irrio-a-
tion, and thus the land does double duty. In
Ventura County, however, as our farmers do
not desire to get rich in a day, corn is planted
after the winter rains are over, and but one
crop a year is raised and that without irri-
gation.
In many places land will be seen which is
never free from a growing crop from year to
year, except during the few days when plow-
ing for the new planting. In counties where
irrigation is used, where water from the river
is used, the sediment held in suspension con-
stantly renews the fertility of the soil over
which it is spread.
Southern California throughout is a won-
derfully rich farming section, and Ven ura
County is richer than any. She raises enough
for her own consumption and exports more
than any other county in the south. Her
markets are at her very door. Lying between
Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, neither of
which raises enough for home consumption,
the question of disposing of her products is a
simple one. Many things, especially beans
and fruit, are shipped to the East, although
the bulk of exports goes by steamer to San
Erancisco. But the supply is never half
equal to the demand, which makes Ventura
a splendid field for the industrious farmer.
It is a better field than any other in Southern
California, if for no other reason than that it
is the only county where irrigation is not
needed and not used. The number of acres
VENTURA COUNT r.
under cultivation in this county is estimated
at 100,000 this year.
Anything that grows in Ventura county —
and anything will grow — yields a good profit
to the tiller. But of course there are some
things much more profitable than others.
Heretofore barley has chiefly occupied the
attention of the farmer, with satisfactory
results; but year by year the tendency is to
forsake barley and go over to
THE BEAN.
Before all others Ventura is pre-eminently
a bean county. This is conceded on all sides,
and one of the facts that has not been denied
in other counties. The cultivation of the
bean dates back to the earliest settlement of
the county; and bean culture has always
been successful. The season of 1864-'65 was
the dryest and most unpropitious ever known
here, and even then a large quantity of beans
were exported. About the year 1875, Mr.
Crane began cultivation of the Lima bean in
the valley, and it is now thought to be the
most valuable bean produced in the county.
The Lima bean is a very prolific product.
More than a ton is often raised on an acre of
ground, while twenty-tiiree hundred pounds of
the White Navy beans are frequently raii^ed on
one acre. Lima bears have often brought as
high as 5 and 6 cents a pound, returning to
the producer the handsome figure of $100 per
acre, but $50 is probably a fair average.
This year Limas will bring 2i cents a pound.
Estimating 1.800 pounds to the acre, at 2^
cents, the yield in money per acre will be
$44 and the profit about $32 or $33. Bean
raising costs about $7.50 per acre. This
estimate includes everything — cost of seed,
planting, cultivating, cutting and harvesting.
And it is a liberal estimate.
Beans are planted with a bean planter, a
simple machine. Two, three, and sometimes
four rows are planted at a time. Cultivation
after they are planted consists simply in keep-
ing the field clear of weeds. They are planted
in May, after the winter rains are surely
over, never irrigated, cultivated once or twice
after planting, and then nothing more is done
until they are ready to cut, which is generally
in August or September. At first beans were
pulled by hand, but by degrees improvements
on this slow method were invented, until now
the harvesting of the bean is a very inexpen-
sive, rapid and simple process; and herein lies
much of the profit. They are cut with a
bean cutter, also a very simple machine. It
is a V-shaped knife, the blades of which are
five or six feet long and are attached on
either'side of a wooden sled about eight feet
long, one foot wide and one deep. Three
horses are attached to the cutter^ which is
guided between the rows by one man. This
way beans can be cut at an expense of about
50 cents an acre, and one man and three
horses will cut fifteen acres a day. Lima beans
are planted in rows three feet apart and
drilled. Small white beans are planted thirty
inches apart and drilled. The latter are cut
earlier than the Limas. After the beans —
of any variety — are cut, they remain in piles
in the field for about four weeks to dry, when
they are taken to the machine and threshed
at an expense of about 15 cents per 100
pounds. Seven dollars and a half will easily
cover the cost of seed, planting, cultivating,
cutting and harvesting an acre of beans. The
demand for beans is always good. Limas
bring from 2^ to 3 cents a pound, the small
whites from 2 to 2^ cents. Farmers in Ven-
tura have often cleared $50 an acre on a crop
of Lima beans, and never less than $80. So
it will be seen that bean land is not shock-
ingly dear at even $200 an acre. Land that
will pay fifteen per cent, on money invested
is not exorbitantly high: it is reasonably
VBNTUIIA COUNTY.
cheap. But there is plenty of land suitable
for bean ciiltni-e that can be had for $150,
some at $100, $75, $60, $50— according to
location and facilities for shipping. The high-
est priced lands in the poorest season will pay
lif teeu per cent, on money invested. The Santa
Clara "Valley has heretofore been considered
the home of the bean. Before this season
farmers who were not fortunate enough to
own land in this favored section were afraid
to embark in anything but grain, but this
year some tillers of Las Posas soil were bold
enough to pioneer bean planting, and crops
resulting from their experiments demonstrate
the fact that beans can be successfully grown in
other sections besides the Santa Clara Valley.
Rice & Bell on the Las Posas have as fine a
crop of beans as can be found in the county
— a crop that will certainly average a ton to
tlie acre. Beans have also been raised this
year on the Ojai, the Coiiejo, and a few in
the Simi. Unquestionably the soil and
climate of the Santa Clara valley is more
suited to the cultivation of the bean than any
one of these latter valleys, which are mostly
given over to grain-growing. In tiie Santa
Clara Valley farmers often raise 2,000 to 3,000
sacks of beans a year. A sack of Lima beans
contains about sixty pounds, and about
seventy poiinds of small whites.
In the Las Posas Valley, good bean land —
land that will raise as good beans and as heavy
crops as grow anywhere in the county — can
be had at $60 an acre.
First-class bean land can be bought and
paid for with two years' crops. No bean land
can be bought in the Santa Clara Valley — the
alleged home of the bean — for less than $100
an acre, and most of it runs from $150 to
$200. The latter price would seem enor-
mously high to the Eastern farmer un-
acquainted with the profits of boan raising.
A California bean field often embraces
hundreds of acres, all in sight from a given
point. The vines run along the ground and
not on poles as in the Eastern States.
Next to fruit growing, bean raising is
undoubtedly the most profitable industry in
the farming line in Ventura county; and it
is more profitable than some kinds of fruit
growing.
OTHER PRODUCTS.
No spot in California can excel the Santa
Clara Valley in the production of corn. It
grows without irrigation and has reached as
high as 72 centals or 120 bushels to the acre.
It is planted in April or May after the rains
are over, and frequently nothing more is re-
quired till it is ready for gathering in autumn.
Should it lain after the ground is planted
the farmer frequently finds it advantao-eous
to plow it up and plant it a second time; other-
wise cultivation will be necessary to oveicome
the weeds. After the corn is gathered and
husked it may be thrown into open pens and
left uncovered for a year or more, if not
sooner shelled or fed to stock. Everything
in connection with corn-raising except the
gathering is performed by machinery. Until
lately corn was raised extensively here and
fed to hogs, but now, notwithstanding the
heavy yield per acre, the ground is generally
considered more profitable for some other
kinds of crops. Ventura is the only county
in Southern California where corn is raised
without irrigation.
Barley is the chief cereal crop of Ventura
County. Its yield is large in the Santa Clara
and other valleys. On the west side of the
river it has reached 52 centals, or 104 bushels,
to the acre. There is always a demand for
barley, and there is so much land, in the county
exactly suited for its production that it is
likely to continue one of its staple products.
It may be sown alter the autumn rains or
early in the spring. Cut green it is used for
VENTURA COUNTY.
hay, and is highly relished by stock. Year
in and year out the profits from barley-
raising will average from $15 to $20 per
acre. The Simi Valley yields larger crops
than any other portion of the county.
Wheat is an important crop in Southern
California, but is not as extensively grown in
Ventura County as barley. The Ojai Valley,
Simi and Conejo plateaus are better adapted
to wheat than the land immediately on the
coast, as they are less subject to fogs which
occur in some seasons of the year. Wheat-
raising in California is another and different
thing from what it is in the East. After it
ripens it may be left standing for weeks with
.impunity, the husk closing around the grain
and holding it intact. When the farmer is
ready he enters the field with headers and a
thresher and cuts, threshes and sacks the
grain the same day. The sacks are put in
large piles and left in the field uncovered for
weeks, or even for months, until he is ready
to haul them to market. The wheat of Cali-
fornia has a world-wide reputation. The
State ships on an average some 15,000,000
bushels annnally.
Alfalfa, or lucerne, which is being exten-
sively grown in Ventura County, is known
botanically as Medicago sativa. It has been
grown in Greece for about 3,000 years as a
forage plant and for hay. The Romans es-
teemed it very highly, and Columella wrote
that it yielded four to six crops a year. In
France it is known as lucerne and in Spain as
alfalfa. It came from Spain to South
America, and thence by way of Mexico to
California. It is grown extensively in South-
ern Europe. It is a most successful crop in
this county, but in most places needs irri-
gation. From six to eight cuttings are har-
vested in a year. It yields from two to three
tons to the cutting, and readily nets from
$60 to $75 to the acre. It is fed to cows.
horses, hogs and poultry, aU of which thrive
upon it.
While oats are not extensively raised here,
yet they grow to perfection and make excel-
lent feed. In some portions of the county
oats grow wild, covering foot-hills and sides
of mountains, and they are prized by stock-
men for all kinds of stock, including sheep.
In this connection should be mentioned
bur clover, which covers the mountains, foot-
hills and valleys in m inter with a carpet of
green. It bears a bur which contains small
seeds, which are highly relished by cattle,
horses, sheep, goats, hogs, and upon which
they thrive. About the first of June it dies
and drops the burs containing the seed, some-
times covering the ground to the depth of an
inch or more, and remains good until the
November rains. When the country was new
no provision was made to feed stock any sea-
son of the year. They were sustained during
the winter and spring months by the abund-
ance of grass which grows luxuriantly in the
valleys and on the mountains, and during the
summer and autumn lived on bur clover.
Vegetable raising has been largely rele-
gated to the Chinese, who pay as high as $25
an acre rent for land. Of late, however, white
men are turning their attention to this im-
portant industry in Southern California. Of
late, white men have begun to see that there
are possibilities for profit in the humble cab-
bage, cauliflower, tomato and potato, not ex-
ceeded even by the noble orange. Train-loads
of vegetables are now sent East from South-
ern California every winter, although not by
any means so many as should be sent. These
vegetables arrive East when everything is
frozen, and fetch very high prices. The in
dustry is growing rapidly, and offers excel
lent opportunities to men of moderate means,
as it is not necessary to wait several years for
a return. A thrifty man can support a family
VENTURA COUNTY.
in this manner from tile product of live acres,
or even less.
Potatoes yield two crops a year and bring
as much as $200 an acre. At present there is
not enough raised in the county, and, with
the demand East, ought to develop into a great
industry in the rich vallejs of Ventura
County. Sweet potatoes yield immense crops
and always command a good price.
Tomatoes ripen nearly all the year round,
the same vines bearing for years in the more
sheltered spots. Asparagus, onions, beans
of all kinds, peas, cabbage and cauliflower,
squashes, melons, pumpkins, and in short,
nearly or quite every vegetable known to the
northern or semi-tropic climes grow here to
perfection.
Fruit culture iu Ventura County is yet in
its infancy, but it is growing rapidly. There
are a few spots on earth so favored by nature,
and none where the horticulturist receives
larger protits for his labor. The possibilities
of horticulture in this county seem almost
without limit. Year by year the area de-
voted to it is being enlarged, and as the county
is settled up orchards and vineyards increase
and multiply. The profits are much greater
than from j^rain-growing, while the labor is
much lighter and pleasanter. It requires no
extraordinary stretch of the imagination to
see the county in a few years transformed
into one vast orchard and vineyard; to see
the large farms now in grain subdivided into
small tracts, with a happy home in each sur-
rounded by fruits and flowers The great
Simi, the Las Posas, all the great ranches
now supposed to be good for little but grain,
will one day be an unbroken line of orchards.
The growth of some of the most populous
and wealthy countries of the old world has
been based upon horticulture and viticulture.
The chief income of the Mediterranean
countries, occupying a similar latitude to
Southern California —Asia Minor, Greece,
the Ionian Islands, Italy, Southern France,
Spain and Portugal — is derived from their
export of oranges, lemons, figs, olives, olive
oil, dates, raisins, dried prunes, chestnuts,
preserved fruits, wines and brandies. The
United States imports annually $15,000,000
to $20,000,000 of fruits and nuts, all of which,
in quantity to supply the United States,
may be grown within the limits of Ventura
County, and, in addition thereto, all the wine
and brandy which is consumed in this
country, with a large surplus for export.
Horticulture, therefor, furnishes a pretty
solid basis for a large jwpulation in this
county, apart from its other numerous re-
sources.
Fruits are at home in Southern California,
and particularly in Ventura County. They
seem at once to take kindly to its soil and
climate, no matter whence they are brouglit.
In the early days — during the '50s— there
were only a few inferior varieties of grapes
and oranges grown in Southern California.
The Mission grape was about the only variety
grown in California at that time. There
were a few old orange trees in Los Angeles
County, around the missions, introduced by
the Catholic fathers a century ago. The suc-
cess of these led U) others being planted in
other sections, and so the orange industry has
increased until the present day. There are
seedling pear trees at the missioiit a hundred
years old. The first grafted fruit trees were
brought to California in 1851, 1852 and 1853.
Fruit trees at that time were a dollar apiece,
and the fruits were so.d at enormously hio-h
prices — from $1 to $2 per pound. As time
passed, more fruit trees were planted, nurs
eries established, and the price of fruit and
trees diminished, and before railroads reached
our coast the price of fruit was not remunera-
tive, orchardists lost their interest in fruit-
VENTURA COUNTY.
raising, and it was some years before fruit
was shipped East with profit.
The olive is said to be the most valuable
tree known to man. This is undoubtedly
true in Ventura County as elsewhere. It will
grow in almost any kind of soil, although it
is a mistake to imagine that it prefers soil
nearly destitute of life-giving qualities. The
olive will grow on the hill side, among rocks,
and flourish where other trees would die.
But that is no reason the olive prefers that
kind of soil. It will do better in rich soil,
which is natural. But the cheap lands of
Ventura County — the hillsides now covered
with chapparal — will undoubtedly be most
used in the cultivation of the olive, for these
lands would not be suitable for other trees.
Such laud can be procured at from $10 to
$30 an acre.
The profits from olive-growing are enor-
mous. Olive trees are planted twenty feet
apart, or 108 to the acre. The olive grows
from cuttings, which can be had at from five
to ten cents each. At present the cost of
setting out an olive orchard in Ventura
County, including cost of land, trees and
planting, would scarcely exceed $35 an acre.
This is a reasonable estimate and may be too
high. The olive bears at six or seven years
from the cutting.
At seven years an olive tree will bear
about 120 pounds to the tree. About twelve
pounds will make one large bottle of oil,
which will sell readily at from $1.50 to $2 a
bottle. Mr. Cooper originally sold his at $1
per bottle, but the demand was so great that
he was compelled to raise the price to $2.
Twelve pounds to the bottle would be ten
bottles to the tree, or in round numbers 1,000
to the acre. At $1.50 per bottle this would
be $1,500 income from an acre of seven-year-
old trees. Say that in curing the olive and
making the oil and keeping the trees clean.
two-thirds — an over estimate — of this sum is
expended, we have left as profit the enormous
sum of $500 an acre. These are astonish-
ing figures, but when one reflects on the
demand for and price of olive oil they will
not seem without the bounds of reason. As
the olive has off years in bearing, divide this
estimated profit of $500 by two, and you still
have a yearly profit per acre of $250 from an
olive orchard. Ten acres would be enough,
it has been often said, and such is the fact.
Truly the olive is the most valuable tree
known to man. The above estimates are
based on the average yield of the orchard of
the pioneer olive-grower of the State.
At present there are but two varieties of
the olive most largely grown, that is, the
Mission and Picholine. Both have advan-
tages. Tlie Mission will perhaps grow on a
drier and poorer soil than the Picholine. The
planting of the Mission is much advocated
by many, because the fruit is a large berry
and the tree a rapid grower.
The walnut prefers a moist rich soil, and is
at home in Ventura County. The older
variety of the trees are very slow in coming
into bearing, requiring about ten years or
more, and this fact has discouraged many an
orchardist from setting out this valuable fruit ;
but there is a variety of soft shell walnut that
requires but six years in which to bear, and
once bearing it keeps on increasing (as is the
case with all kinds of walnuts) its crop for
fifty years or more. Sometimes these soft-
shell walnut trees bear in five years — four
years from the nursery — and this year there
are some five-year-old trees in the county —
notably at the Rice & Bell place on the Las
Posas — that are loaded with nuts. This is an
exception, however, the tree not usually bear-
ing short of six years.
The walnut groves of Ventura County will
and do net their owners an average of $100
VENTURA COUNTY.
per acre year in and year out, and tliere are
some groves of old trees that net yearly twice
that sum. No crop is more easily gathered
than the walnut, and it is ready to be gath-
ered after all otiier crops are in. The best
thing about the walnut is that it is not
perishable, and the owner of a grove is never
forced to sell his crop at a loss or small profit
to keep it from spoiling on his hands. Then
another thing is that the area in which the
walnut will thrive is so small that there can
never be any danger of an overstocked market.
Walnut lands in Ventura County sell for
from $100 to $400 an acre, according to loca-
tion, and any of it, after an orchard has been
in bearing a couple or three years, will pay
ten per cent, interest on $1,000 an acre.
There is abundant acreaije in Ventura
County adapted to culture of the almond, but
as yet little has been done in this direction.
Mr. Joseph Hobart some fifteen years ago
put out 300 almond trees in the Upper Ojai
Valley, and he is almost the only grower of
this article. So satisfactory does he find the
enterprise that he is planting out a large
number of these trees, which he regards, each
for each, as more profitable than apricots,
prunes, or peaches. 8ome of the pleasant
features of this business are as follows: its
successful treatment requires neither great
haste nor a large crew of workers; the gather-
ing of the crop comes in cold weather, and
wet days can be utilized for hulling; the care
of the orchard is less than with other fruit
trees, and the cost of handling a crop of
almonds is only about twenty-five percent, of
what it costs to handle apricots, peaches, etc.
Probably all kinds of apples that can be
grown in any country are grown here. They
are of very superior quality and there is no
place in the United States where they keep
better than in this climate. The dried ap-
ples sent from this county have commanded
double the price of ordinary dried fruit.
Pears of superior quality are raised here and
are found profitable both for drying and can-
ning purposes.
The soil of this section seems to be ex-
actly suited to the apricot. Here it finds its
special adaptation, yielding immense quanti-
ties of fruit of large size and excellent flavor.
This is a very profitable industry and is be-
coming a source of immense revenue to the
county. As the ditstrict of country in which
they can grow to such perfection is limited, it
is not likely the business will be overdone, but
there will be an increasing demand for this
fine fruit year after year. So far the apricot
has had no natural enemy. Neither insect
nor disease of any kind has ever attacked it
in this region. As instances of the profit
derived from this fruit we niiiy cite the fol-
lowing: A farmer sold the fruit of a nine-
acre orchard of four-year-old trees for $1,000,
the purchaser gathering the fruit, from
which he also derived a handsome profit,
having obtained it for about one cent per
pound. The fruit in another orchard of five-
year-old trees sold for $200 per aero, the pur-
chaser in this instance also realizing a hand-
some profit by drying the fruit. In another
orchard three years old, the owner gathered
fifty pounds to a tree, which more than paid
for the trees and their cultivation up to that
time. A gentleman planted seventy-five
acres of apricot trees on land which cjst
$25 per acre; he raise! two crops of beans
between the trees, which more than paid the
cost of cultivation of his orchard, and the
third year sold it for $150 per afre. This is
not a solitary instanc3, for there are scores of
individuals in this county who are quadru-
pling the value of their land in a similar
manner.
One of the largest orange and lemon
orchards in the county is near Santa Paula
VENTURA COUNTY.
Tlie orange trees of tliis orcliard of nearly
100 acres are bearing and doing well. The
lemons have been more thoroughly tested
and are superior to most others grown in the
State. The soil is very deep, a rich, well
drained alluvial or sedimentary deposit, and
is pronounced by Prof. £. W. Hijgard su-
perior to any of his acquaintance for " easy
cultivation and power to raise moisture
jointly.'" The lemons grown thus near tlie
coast are not superior to those further inland.
A( the citrus fair held at Riverside in 1883,
a committee was appointed to make thorough
scientific tests for the purpose of comparison
of lemons grown in California with imported
lemons. The analysis embraced, first, ap-
pearance, including size and quality of rind;
second, bitterness; tliird, percentage of acidity.
The committee compared the California lemon
with those freshly imported from Messina,
Malaga and Palermo, and reported as follows:
" From a careful analysis of tlie f«jregoing it
will seem that the California budded lemon
properly grown and handled is the equal in
every respect of the imported lemon." The
committee further says: '« It is noticed in tlie
examination that the lemon of Santa Barbara,
Ventura, Los Angeles, Anaheim and San
Diego are nearly globular in form, and all
having a smooth, morocco-like texture of the
rind, while those of the same varieties found
in San Gabriel and Pasadena are n^w elon-
gated in form and not as smooth, and those
of Eiverside and vicinity are still more elon-
gated and rougher in rind. It is noticeable
that the smoothness and thinness of rind in-
dicates greater quantity of juice." This testi-
mony from a Riverside committee carries great
weight as to Ventura's ability to successfully
grow lemons, which branch of the citrus cul-
ture it is believed will be most profitable in
the future.
The oTowing of oranges and lemons lias
been successfully tested at the Camulos,
Sespe, Ojai, Matilija and other portions of
the county. There are also thousands of
acres on the Simi, Las Posas and other por-
tions of the county that will doubtless pro-
duce oranges, lemons and limes of good
quality. This industry is yet in its infancy
in Ventura County, while its possibilities are
beyond computation.
Farmers and fruit growers have not turned
their attention largely to grape culture, but
as far as tried they do remarkably well.
Raisin grapes are grown successfully and
produce the finest raisins in the land. This
is especially true at Sespe and Ojai valleys.
At the Camulos, in the northern part of the
county, a fine quality of wine has been suc-
cessfully manufactured for years. The county
contains thousands of acres of land not yet
brought under cultivation, where every va-
riety of grape known on the coast can be
successfully and profitably grown. For size
and flavor the grapes grown in this county
will compare favorably with the best. A
few miles from Ventura is one of the largest
grape-vines in the world.
Prunes do well and yield profitable crops.
The French prune grows to great perfection,
yielding largely, and promises to become one
of the paying industries of the future.
Peaches of all varieties do exceedingly well
in this county. They seldom or never fail;
and this may be said of nearly all kinds of
fruits grown here. Some years the yield is not
as great as others, but is never a total failure.
In addition to the fruits mentioned above,
the following also do very well in Ventura's soil:
Limes, guavas, loquats, currants, pears (which
bear enormously), cherries, plums, figs of all
kinds at all seasons, pomegranates, quinces,
nectarines, persimmons (Japan), strawberries
(ripe the year round), raspberries and black-
berries.
VENTURA COUNTY.
THIS TEAK S EXPORTS.
Tlie barley product of Ventura County for
this year is about 120,000 sacks, the arveage
yield being about 350,0C0 sacl\s; the low pro-
duct this year is due to last year's unusually
wet winter. Of wheat there were about
20,000 sacks, which is a fair average, com-
paratively little land being sown to wheat.
Of hay are raised about 2,500 tons annually.
This year hay is more abundant than usual in
this county. Of corn about 150,000 will be
this year's harvest, tlie average yield in-
creasing from year to year, as barley-raising
is abandoned for the culture of corn and beans.
Of beans— that great Ventura staple— 18,200
acres were this year sown to Lima beans,
yielding about 1,000 pounds to the acre, this
being somewhat below the average of 1,500
pounds to the acre. About 2,500 acres were
put to other varieties of beans, yielding about
1,500 pounds to the acre. The ap-icot and
walnut yield was very large also, about 300
car loads of green apricots having been
shipped to Newhall alone, for the purpose of
sun-drying.
The shipment from this county of fresh
apricots, delivered at the railway stations at
$20 per ton, amounted to about $100,000 last
season.
So abundant was tiie crop that one grower,
Mr. A. D. Barnard, of tiie Canada Larga
Raucho, invited through the newspapers all
parties who would, to take away from his
orchard all of this fruit that they would haul,
without money or price. Of walnuts twelve
to fifteen car-loads, or 240,000 pounds, will
have been shipped this year. There are about
200 acres of walnut trees bearing, and 350
acres not yet bearing, in this county.
Of oranges and lemons, the total value will
probably approach $40,000. Olives will not
reach a large figure, outside of the Camulos
Eancho. Peanuts enter into the exports, as
many as 500 sacks, or 25,000 pounds, having
gone out; potatoes amount to about 200 car-
loads; a variety of promiscuous products also
are exported, including hogs, of which a large
number are raised, sometimes as many as
10,000 a year. The yield for this year is not
determinable.
STOCK EAISING.
This industry has been carried on in Ven-
tura somewhat extensively for many years.
When under Mexican rule it consisted solely
of cattle and horses, but when the Americans
took possession they made sheep-raising a
specialty. Under their supervision the county
has supported as many as 250,000 head at
one time. At the present time there is some-
what over 75,000 head in the county. Ke-
cently imported draft and other horses have
been introduced, the assessment roll indicat-
ing several thousand American horses, some
3,000 of which are graded. Percheron,
Hambletonian, Belgian, Morgan and other
breeds have been imported. Among cattle
there have been imported Durham, Short-
horn, Jersey and Holstein breeds, making the
grade of cattle the very best. The county is
far in advance of many others in the best
breed of horses and cattle, farmers having
reached theconclusi'in that good stock can be
as easily raised as the poorer varieties and to
much greater profit. The raising of hogs is
also engaged in extensively and profitably.
Diseases among stock are unknown here,
excejjt scab in sheep, M'hich has not proved
destructive.
A gentleman of Santa Paula imported
twenty-one head of Holstein cows four years
ago and has already sold $11,000 worth from
their increase, while keeping up the original
number. This is a fair sample of what is
being done in this and other portions of the
county in improved stock of nearly every
kind.
VENIVIIA COUNTT.
The resources and capabilities of Venti;ra
County in tliis regard may be best judged by
the following resume of the fine stock ran-
ches in tliis county: Three miles from Hue-
neme on the road to Ventura, and about half
way between the former place and Moiitalvo,
the first station on the Southern Pacific Rail-
road east of Ventura, is the splendid stock
ranch of Mr. J. G. Hill, one of the representa
tive and wealthy men of Ventura County.
The property embraces 630 acres of the
La Colonia ranch, and is as desirably located
and composed as as good soil as any part of
the 45,000 acres of this magnificent property.
The whole ranch is very nearly a mile square,
and is fenced and cross-fenced into suitable
fields for tillage, grain or grazing.
The owner of this valuable place is doing
much toward the improvement of horses in
this section. Several years ago J. C. Simp-
son, of Oakland, brought to California from
Chicago the beautiful dapple-gray stallion,
A. W. Richmond, which he sold to a Mr.
Patrick, the latter to H. Johnson, he to Hill
& Greis, and finally Mr. Greis sold his in-
terest to Mr. Hill, the horse dying on the
latter's hands last November, at the age of
twenty-seven years. This horse was said to
be one of the finest, if not the best, carriage
or driving horses on the continent. He was
the sire of Joe Romaro, record 2:19^; Arrow,
record 2:13J; Columbine — the dam of Anteo
and Anterolo, the only mare in the world that
has produced two sons to beat 2:20; Rose-
wall, who has just made himself a record,
taking six straight races, against stock im-
ported to beat him; and a host of the finest
driving stock on this coast. Being owned by
Mr. Hill and Hill & Greis for some five or
six years, his colts have become numerous,
and are considered the best stock in the
county. Most of the colts strongly resemble
he sire, being showy and of a gentle dis-
position. Some of his progeny develop great
speed, but more of them become intelligent,
attractive family carriage horses, and are
owned and prized by many of the best families
in this part of the State.
Chief among the valuable horses Mr. Hill
has at the present time is Ulster Wilkes, a
two-year-old stallion by Guy Wilkes, record
2:15^, dam by Ulster Chief by Harabletonian
No. 10, second dam by May Queen, record
2:24. This is considered one of the finest-
bred colts in America. He is very hand-
some and will, without doubt, make an extra
fine horse. Fayette King, a dark brown stal-
lion, three years old, by The King, son of
George Wilkes, first dam by Beecher, second
dam by imported Consternation, full thorough-
Itred. This is a fine horse. Sterlingwood,
another chestnut stallion, three years old, by
Sterling, first dam by Nutwood, second dam
by John Nelson. This is also a valuable
animal.
Another beautiful black two-year-old stal-
lion, Steve White, by A. W. Richmond, first
dam by Ben Wade (thoroughbred), second
dam by Traveler, third dam by Son of John
Morgan, fourth dam by Tiger Whip, is one
of the prettiest colts in the county.
Aside from the above list Mr . Hill has
other fine stallions and some splendid mares
by Joe Daniels, Ben Wade, Wild Idler, Cor-
bitt and other horses of high record, in all
about 120, the majority of which are un-
usually fine animals. He has a three-quar-
ters of a mile tiack on the ranch, and keeps a
man who thoroughly understands the business
to train his stock. Aside from one or two
runninghorses,oue of which is Dottie Dimple,
record iS^, half mile, this breeder gives his
attention almost exclusively to carriage and
trotting horses, and has certainly done Ven-
tura County much good in introducing a class
that would do credit to the blue-grass region
VEKTORA COUNT?.
of Kentucky or any other section of America
or the world.
This rancho is supplied with every neces-
sary appliance, commodious buildings, well
watered and fenced, and is one of the best for
stock-raising on the Pacitic coast. Aside
from his stock of horses, Mr. Hill keeps some
400 hogs, and raises large quantities of corn,
hay and barley.
About a mile from the above rancho is
that o£ J. D. Patterson, of Geneva, New
York, covering 6,000 acres. This was also
a part of the La Colonia property, and is
probably the largest horse rancho on the
south side of the Santa Clara River. The
whole of this, however, is not devoted to
stock, 1,000 acres or more being planted to
barley, the product of which was 27,000
sacks last year. This farm keeps 500 head
of horses, mostly of the French draft species.
Of this number 150 are brood mares.
Mr. Patterson is the owner of the cele-
brated Montebello, a pure Bonlornais stallion
a beautiful mahogany bay, foaled at Jabeka,
Belgium, in 1875, and imported into this
country in August, 1876. His weight is
1,800 pounds. He has taken tirst premiums
wherever exhibited, as well he might, for a
liner horse of its kind would be hard to find.
Another noble stallion of this ranch is
Black Lewis, a California-raised black fellow,
nearly as heavy as iiis sire. This horse is
live years old. Leopold, another son of Mon-
tebello, a beautiful dapper-bay stallion,
weighing 1,850 pounds, a pure blood, three
years old. Ctesar, another three-year-old,
and Philipi, another of the same age, Victor,
Bonita and Patera, the last three yearlings,
are all line stallions by same sire out of the
imported six-year-old mares Marie and Lady
Henrietta, and the pure blood, four-year-old,
California-raised mare Florence, and are all
splendid specimens of this species of horses.
The owner of this [iroperty began raising
this breed of horses in 1880, and has been
very successful. He sells tiiem all over this
coast and farther east.
To Mr. Patterson is due the credit of in-
troducing an excellent strain of draft horses.
This ranch, besides raising barley and
horses, also produces large quantities of hay
and corn; also keeps some 2,000 hogs. The
location, soil and equipments are all superb.
The fences are good and everything bears the
unmistakable evidence of thrift and pros-
perity.
On the same old La Colonia, about four
miles from these, is located another horse
ranch owned by J. K. Greis, of Nordhoff, and
Thomas Bell, of New Jerusalem, known as
the Greis & Bell Ranch. This is a smaller
one than the others, containing only about
425 acres, but on it are kept some very tine
horses, mostly of the Richmond breed. This
rancho keeps several fine stallions; and, like
the two above mentioned, keeps a large num-
ber of fine brood mares, and makes a busi-
ness of raising colts that develop into the
best carriage and family horses. They pay
special attention to the breeding of fine car-
riage stock and train them for this purpose,
not, of course, discouraging speed in trotting
or racing. Their place, which is located near
Springville, is a valuable one, and is kept in
" apple-pie order," being like the other two
a credit to the owners and to the county.
Such marked success has attended the de-
velopment of this industry here that it seems
hardly extravagant to predict tliat the day
will come when California shall lead the
world in fine horses. The desirable mjun-
tain ranges of Ventura County, with the
rich alfalfa fields of the valleys, are just the
thing to develop the fine form and strong
limb of this noble animal; and it would be no
unnatural thing for this little seaside county
VENTURA COUNTY.
to wave the banner of victory over the world,
having achieved the lienor of producing, if
not the fastest rnHning, the fastest trotting
and the finest driving stock on the continent.
BEE KEEPING.
There are about 18,000 hives of bees in
this county. In a good year the county pro-
duces about 3,000,000 pounds of honey, suf-
ficient to fill 150 cars. In many cases 400
pounds of honey to tbe hive have been pro-
duced. One apiary of 700 hives, and snr-
roundcd by bees amounting in all to 1,800
hives within the radius of two miles, aver-
3,0-ed 130 pounds each. Another apiary, con-
taining 445 hives in the spring, increased to
about 1,200 and yielded eighty tons of honey.
These are presented as fair examples of the
products of the honey bee in this section.
The bee-keepers of this county use honey
extractors, replacing the comb. They have
learned to handle it economically in a whole-
sale way, and receive their full share of the
profits. The Langstroth hive in its simplest
form is almost the only one in use. The
principal part of the honey is pnt up for
shipment in sixty-pound tins, two tins in a
case. Some is put up in twelve pound tins,
and considerable in one and two pound tins
for the English market. But the larger por-
tion is sold by commission merchants in San
Francisco, orders being received by them
from all parts of the world. Some send their
honey by the car-load to the interior States,
at a cost of about two and one-half cents a
pound; others send it by sailing vessels
around Cape Horn to the Eastern States, at a
cost of less than one cent a pound.
This industry can be greatly extended in
this county. The best locations are at the
mouths of canons where water is plentiful.
Some apiarists cultivate a little land while
taking care of their bees, and others indulge
in stock-raising.
MINING.
Mining in Ventura is as yet comparatively
undelvoped.
The mountains of this county are as yet
but partly explored, and the most scientific
explorers who have visited this section are
unacquainted with much they contain. They
will yet doubtless yield valuable returns to
the faithful investigator in precious' metals,
valuable minerals and not unlikely gems.
Piru Mining District. This district is
several miles in extent, and in scenery,
abundance of timber, excellency of water,
salubrity of climate in summer and health-
fulness, is hard to excel. Tiie mountains are
covered with pine and oak timber; and in the
Lockwood and Pirn creeks, which traverse
the entire district, and are never failing
streams fed by springs, abundance of water
can be procured for running stamp mills and
other mining purposes. Most of the ore is
easily accessible and can be worked with
comparatively small cost. Considerable
placer mining has been done in this district,
in which dry and wet washers have been
used. Men have made from $1.50 to $5 a
day, but the principal wealth lies in the
quartz ledges, which require stamp mills to
reduce the ore.
Some of the mineral-bearing peaks rise
8,000 feet, and one. Mount Pinos, over 9,000
feet above sea level. Gold was discovered
here long before the excitement of 1849.
The territory of this district on the northern
line of the county has the honor of furnish-
ing the first gold mines discovered and
worked in the State.
Professor Whitney says it was somewhere
in this vicinity that gold was first obtained
in California in considerable quantity, and
that was as early as 1841. M. Duflot de
VENTURA OOUNTY.
Mofras says that the locality was in the
mountains six leagues from San Fernando
and fifteen leagues from Los Angeles, where
gold was first discovered. Bancroft makes
meitioa of the fact of this locality having
been worked more or less during the first
half of the present century. It is evident
that the yield of gold and silver of this local-
ity has amounted to a large sum in the
aggregate.
The director of the mint, in one of his an-
nual reports to the Government, claims that
Frazer mountain alone had yielded |1,000,-
000 in gold.
To preserve the chronological symmetry
of the present work, is introduced an extract
from the report of the director of the mint
for the year 1882. Dr. Bowers gives this
at the end of his own paper on these mines,
to which recurrence will be made hereafter.
" The Piru District takes its name from
the Piru Creek, which runs through it in a
southerly direction, carrying, according to
season, fi-om 100 to 1,000 inches of water,
and has placer diggings along its banks that
have been profitably worked. It is about
fifty miles in length by twenty-five in width,
and is a strongly-marked mineral belt, carry-
ing mineral veins of almost every kind, such
as gold, silver, copper, lead, tin, iron, bis-
muth and antimony. It is abundantly sup-
plied with timber of all kinds and gi-ass. It
seems never to have attracted the attention of
that class of men who get up booms in min-
ing camps, Those who frequent it are poor
men, who go there to make a raise, working
the rich gold quartz they find, in arrastras.
The district is in Yentura County, and the
part around which the principal interest cen-
ters and the work is mainly done is distant
fifty-five miles from Bakersfield.
" The principal lode is called the Fraser
mine. Durinsr the time it was worked, a
period of eight years, until operations ceased,
October 31, 1879, because of litigation aris-
ing from disputed ownership, it is believed
to have yielded about $1,000,000 in gold.
The difficulty is now said to be on the eve of
settlement, and it will be worked by improved
methods and on a larger scale than hereto-
fore. The vein varies from two to sixteen
feet in width, and will average eight feet.
The ore contains a small percentage of silver,
which seems to increase with depth. At the
depth of 250 feet it amounts to $6 per ton,
while there was only a trace at the surface.
The ore contains iron and other sulphurets
that assay from $3.00 to $3.50 per ton.
They are all saved, but there is no means of
treating them at the mine. The yield in free
gold is from $15 to $25 per ton. There are
many other claims in the vicinity that are
successfully worked, yielding from $500 to
$3,500 yearly by the arrastra process. One
of these, the Castac, has yielded about $1,500.
" Some of the most valuable lodes cannot
be worked by the free-milling process, be-
cause they contain lead, and therefore lie
idle for the present. One of these, the
Mountain Chief, a large, well-defined vein,
gives an average of $31 in gold and $40 in
silver per ton. The ore is also charged with
rich sulphates. Probably one of the most
valuable lodes in the district, if it were in
some other place, is a vein of magnetic iron
fifty feet in width, containing fifty-two per
cent, of this useful metal.
" In this district are Frazer, Fitzgerald,
Alamo, Brown and other monntains, all
wiihin the boundary line of Ventura County.
In these are found true fissure quartz veins
with granite walls, yielding gold and silver
in paying quantities. Unfortunately for the
development of these ledges they have gen-
erally fallen into the hands of persons who
have had little or no capital to work them.
VEN'l URA COUA TT.
Tliov are holding their claims by doing the
necessary assessment work from year to year,
awaiting the advent of men who can com-
mand the means to purchase and develop
them.
" Gold has also heen found in the (jtuada-
lasca range on the eastern side of the county,
not far from the sea shore. The mountains
rise trom 3,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea
level a few miles back from the ocean, and
contain numerous quartz deposits in which
free gold is found. It has never been suc-
cessfully mined in this locality, but prospect-
ors have recently brought in some tine-looking
ore carrying a considerable quantity of free
gold. This section still lacks thorough
scientific investigation.
"The San Emidio Antimony Mine was
located by its present owners in 1872. It is
claimed that this ledge was known to the
Jesuit Fathers at an early day and was
worked under their direction. I learn that
there is a record to this effect in some of the
old missions, and tliat implements have been
found here and elsewhere in this portion of
the country, indicating their use in these
mines many years ago.
" Professor William R. Blake, who visited
this locality in 1853 as geologist and miner-
alogist of the expedition surveying a route
for the Pacific Ilailroad, refers to this deposit
of antimony and says that in one place he
found the remains of some old smelting
works. Mr. Blake revisited this locality
some years afterward, being much impressed
with the character of its mineral deposits.
In his reports he believed the antimony of
sufficient importance to pay for its transport-
ation to San Pedro on mules, a distance of
over 100 miles, to what was then the nearest
seaport. The ore is principally sulphuret of
antimony. The vein crops out on the sum-
mit of the San Emidio Range, and is from
thirty to 100 feet in width. The hanging
and foot walls are composed of granite. The
ore is carried on donkeys over a trail two and
one-half miles to smelting works in San
Emidio Canon, which is 2,500 feet below the
vein at the place where it is being mined.
Here is a pulverizer and three concentrators,
with other machinery, run by steam power.
"Messrs. Bouchey & Co., the owners of this
mine, are preparing to erect a tramway or
slide from the mine to the works, which will
be about one and one-half mile in length.
There is an abundance of pine timber grow-
ing near by that ujay be utilized for the
purpose, while in the cailon where the smelt-
ing works are located is a never-failing stream
of water. The ore averages from thirty to
thirty-five per cent, of antimony. It is also
stated that it contains from $4 to $16 per ton
in gold, and from $10 to $14 in silver. *
* * The mountain west of this ledge is
capped with metamorphic sandstones, wiiich
Mr. Bouchey has tested for lining the fur-
naces of his smelting works, and pronounces
it equal to the best imported fire-bricks."
A large bed of gypsum occurs in the Ojai
Yalley, crossing the hill below the grade
road that ascends to the upper valley. There
is an exposure in the cailon on the south side
of the road, some fifteen or twenty feet wide,
dipping slightly to the east. It disappears
under the mountain, but crops out nearly a
mile distant on the opposite side. It is situ-
ated so that it can be easily worked, requir-
ing the construction of a wagon road but
about 2,000 feet along the side of the caiion.
A large deposit of gypsum is reported to
have been found recently in tlie western por-
tion of the county. It is also found in small
quantities in other portions of the county.
A ledge of bituminous rock was discov-
ered a few months since in Diablo Canon,
about five miles from Yentura, and is worked
VENTURA COUNTY.
by Messrs. Cyrus Bellali & Son. It is on
the side of tlie canon, and has been prospected a
distance of forty feet and forty feet deep. The
deposit gradually increases in thickness, and
gives promise of being practically inexhaust-
ible. It has been tested by the Southern
Pacific Company and others, who pronounce
it of most excellent quality. The town au-
thorities of San Buenaventura have ordered
sidewalks to be constructed of this material
on one of its principal streets, which will
test its durability and value for paving pur-
poses. Small deposits of this mineral are
found in the upper Ojai Valley and other
places in the county.
The county abounds in hot and cold min-
eral springs. The most noted of these are
situated in the Matilaja Canon, fifteen or
eighteen miles from San Buenaventura.
They have been in use several years by per-
sons suffering from rheumatism, indigestion,
and cutaneous and other diseases. They are
found somewhat abundantly for two or three
miles along the canon, varying in tempera-
ture from cold to hot. Several medicinal
springs are found on the Piru and at other
portions of the county, but they have not
been brought to the notice of the public.
Already all the following named minerals
have been found in Ventura County, and
doubtless others will be discovered in other
.portions of the section that as yet have not
been critically examined:
Agate, analcite, actinolite, aragonite^ anti-
mony, amygdaloid, azurite, alabaster, aurifer-
ous quartz, argillaceous ironstone.
Bitumen, basalt, bromide of silver, bitu-
minous rock, breccia, banded agate, brown
coal, bituminous shale.
Copper, calcite, cinnabar, chalcedony, chert,
chrysolite, conglomerate, calcareous tufa,
carbonaceous shale, chrysocolla, compact
gypsum, coal, chimney rock.
Dolomite, dendrite, dogtooth spar, diorite,
diatomaceous earth.
Epsomite.
Feldspar, fortification agite.
Gold, garnets, granite, graphite, galenite,
gypsum, granular gypsum, fibrous gypsum,
graphic granite, gneiss, grit rock, granular
quartz, gray kip ore.
Hornblende, hornblendic gneiss, hyalite.
Iron, ironstone, iron pyrites, infusorial
earth, jasper, jelsonite.
Kaolinite, lava, limestone lignite.
Mercury, marble, moss-agate, manganese,
magnetic iron, marl, mica, mica schist, mot-
tled Jasper, massive calcite, micaceous gran-
ite, massive gypsum.
Natrolite, native sulphur, nickel (?),
naphtha.
Opal, obsidian, oxide of iron, orthoclase.
Porphyry, petroleum, pumice-stone, pud-
ding-stotie, pitch-stone, potters' clay, petrified
wood, pyrites, picrolite (?).
Quartz, quartzose granite.
Rose agate, ruby silver.
Silver, satin spar, salt, sulphur, shale,
silica, silt, stalactite, stalagmite, slate, syenite,
steatite, serpentine, selenite, semi-opal, shell
marble.
Tin (?), trachyte, talc, talcose slate, tufa,
trap, travertine, vesicular basalt, wood opal,
zeolite.
Potters' clay, pipe clay, brick clay and
several other kinds that may be utilized and
their manufactnre grow into important in-
dustries, are found in this county. Also
mineral soap is found in large quantity.
This soap is composed of nearly pure silica,
being the remains of infusoria, a microscop-
ical organism that existed in vast numbers
in past time. These deposits have detergent
qualities, and are a valuable substitute for
manufactured soap in many respects. It is
also valuable for the manufacture of dyna-
VENTUEA COUNTY.
mite, in wiiich it soaks up and retains the
liquid nitro-glycerine, and is valuable for
some other purposes.
Ventura County contains enough good
building stone to supply the State of Cali-
fornia for centuries to come. A ledge
of brown sandstone begins at the Sespe
and continues in a westerly direction (prob-
ably curving northwardly) for over twenty-
live miles to the ocean. It is several miles
wide and of unknown depth. It crops out
in various accessible places and varies in
texture and hardness. But in every instance,
so far as known, it is an excellent building
stone. In some places this vast ledge has
been lifted to a vertical position and in
others it is horizontal. It can be quarried in
any size required by builders.
This stone is being used extensively for
the tinest buildings in San Francisco and Los
Angeles, and this promises to be one of the
permanent and profitable industries of the
county, whose development will furnish em-
l)loyment for thousands of workmen, skilled
and unskilled.
Other building stone is found in various
portions of the county, as greenish and gray
sandstone. In some places these are found
in extensive ledges, but they are not equal in
texture and beauty to the red sandstone
above described. In the iiorthern portion of
the connty may be found millions of tons of
granite, syenite and mica slate. The former
contains large rose-colored crystals of ortho-
clase, giving it a most beautiful appearance,
which is heightened by polishing. The
mica, feldspar and quartz are distributed in
such a manner as to make the granite durable
and valuable for building and monumental
purposes. The syenite is exceedingly tough
and durable. In other portions of the county
vast quantities of compact slate rock may be
obtained, and also diorite. Compact basaltic
rocks in almost unlimited quantity may be
found at the southeastern and northwestern
portions of the county.
Altogether the building stone of Ventura
County is inexhaustible. In quality it is
probably unexcelled in the State. Hence-
forward the " Ventura brownstone" will go
into the finest buildings in every city in Cal-
ifornia.
The asphaltum or bituminous rock mines
form one of the coming great interests of
Ventura County. Up to this time a vast
quantity has been shipped to various cities
for street paving, etc., and large contracts
are being filled for contractors working in
Colorado and Utah. The output over the
Ventura wharf will average perhaps ten tons
daily. New deposits have been discovered
lately, and preparations are making to ship
in large quantities as far east as New York.
It is hoped that this county will soon be able
to supply the demand for this article, for-
merly supplied from the Trinidad Islands.
These beds of asphalt, along the San Anto-
nio Creek, were first examined before the
war, and before the oil discoveries in Penn-
sylvania, by Professor Silliman of the Smith-
sonian Institute. His report called attention
to this territory, and led to the organization
of the California & Philadelphia Petroleum
Company.
MINERAL OILS.
(From the State Mineralogical Report.)
Owing to the vast mineral oil deposits in this sec-
tion, Ventura is known as the "oil county " of Cali-
fornia. The oil belt lies in the mountains to the
north of the Santa Clara Kiver; it starts from near the
eastern boundary of the county, and runs in a south-
easterly direction to the San Bueuaventura River. It
is also found near the Conejo Rancho and in other
places in the county.
The wells are mostly situated from three to six
miles north of the edge of the Santa Clara Valley, in
and about a series of caiions which run southerly to
the Santa Clara River. The names of these caiions in
order, from east to west, are as follows: Piru, Hopper,
VENTURA COUNTY.
257
Sespe, Santa Paula, Adams, Saltmarsh (a branch of
Adams), Wheeler, West Wheeler (a branch of Wheel-
er), Sulphur and Coche (these two being branches of
the Canada Larga). There are also a few wells in the
Ojai Valley.
Westerly from Santa Paula Creek, between the
Ojai Valley on the north and the Santa Clara Valley
on the south, there extends an unbroken mountain
ridge, whose highest crest is about 2,000 feet above
the sea, as far west as the San Buenaventura River
This ridge is called " Sulphur Mountain," and all the
caflons above named to the west of Santa Paula Canon
lie on the southern flank of Sulphur Mountain.
Piru Canon. — From Camulos station it is about six
miles to the well of Messrs. Rhodes & Baker, head of
Brea Canon. * * *
The well is about 250 feet north of the anticlinal
axis, and is now (July 12, 18^7) 715 feet deep. * *
They have !^topped drilling this well for a while, be-
cause their water supply for the engine gave out.
There is a moderate quantity of gas in the water from
this well. The oil from the well is dark brown in color.
This is said to be the only well in or about Piru
Canon. And certain it is that in the Piru Caiion itself
the visible surface indications of bituminous matter
are veiy slight. From 200 to 300 feet south of the I
well there is an extensive deposit of asphaltum
mixed with surface sand, and numerous little springs
of black maltha scattered over perhaps an acre of
ground. Next west of Piru Caiion comes
Hopper Canon, — at whose mouth * * * a well
was drilled in 1877, by M. W. Beardsley, to a depth of
300 feet, * * * when the work was stopped for
lack of funds. * * * Even at that depth * * *
it would probably have yielded three or four barrels
per day of light green oil. From this well, in an air
line * * about one and one-half miles, « * *
are two wells about 200 feet apart. The lower one is
ninety feet deep, and was abandoned because the hole
became irretrievably crooked. There was here a
good deal of heavy black oil. The other well is a
new one just started, * * * yet they have a little
heavy black oil on the tools even now.
All the way from here down to the mouth of the
canon there is liquid oil floating on top of the water
in the creek. Some of it is green and some of it is
black. The aggregate quantity of oil which thus
oozes out and floats away on the water is, of course,
not large; nevertheless it is greater in this caiion than
in any other canon yet seen in Southern California.
About opposite Waring's house, in the hills on the
south side of the Santa Clara Valley, on the Simi
Rancho, and on the northern slopes of the San Fer-
nando range of mountains, there 's a large deposit of
asphaltum, together with extensive outflows of liquid
petroleum, where, some years ago, a man gathered for
a while about ten barrels of oil per day. Oil men be-
lieve that with the expenditure of a moderate amount
of labor a surface flow of forty barrels per day could
be obtained there. Mr. Hugh Waring states that this
is the most westerly point where asphaltum is found
in the San Fernando Range. He also says that east
of there, in the hills somewhere to the south of Cam-
ulos, he has seen cattle mired and dead in pools of
viscid and muddy maltha.
Sespe Canon.— Ses\-)e Creek, occupying the canon
next west of Hopper Canon, is the largest and longest
northern branch of the Santa Clara River in Ventura
County. It heads far back in the mountains to the
north of the Ojai Valley, and at first flows nearly east
for a number of miles, passing entirely around tbe
head branches of Santa Paula Caiion, and then curves
around so that its general direction for the last ten or
twelve miles of its course in the mountains is nearly
south. The mouth of the caiion is something like ten
miles east of the town of Santa Paula. "Tar Creek "
and the "Little Sespe" are two different branches of
the main Sespe Caiion, both of them coming in from
the east, the mouth of Tar Creek being several miles
above that of the Little Sespe. The latter is a short
canon not more than four or five miles in length, but
Tar Creek is a longer stream. * * * Near the
mouth of the main Sespe Canon one small oil spring
occurs in the bed of the caiion. In ihe Little Sespe
there is a nice little spring of water, and occasional
small oil springs and seepages. * * * in the
Little Sespe are the so-called " Los Angeles " wells, of
which there are two. One of these is about 1,500
feet deep, and is said to have yielded at first, for some
time, about 150 barrels per day. But about the year
1882, in the course of a "freeze out" game amongst
the owners, while still yielding some forty barrels per
day, it was maliciously plugged by somebody, and
thus ruined. The other one went down about 200
feet, when it became crooked.
The present wells of the " Sespe Oil Company " an,-
scattered about the upper branches of Tar Creek. *
* * Well No. 1 is on the right bank of the main
Tar Creek. It was begun January '.:6, 1887, and fin-
ished February 12, 1887; is 196 feet deep, and pumps
about forty barrels per day of a very dark-colored
greenish-brown oil. This well first started off at
about 100 barrels per day.
No. 2 is about 300 feet southeasterly from No. 1. It
was drilled in April, 1887, and is 200 feet deep. It
first started off at about 150 barrels per day, but after-
ward fell off, iud now flows about seventy-five barrels
per day of a dark green oil. It also produces consid
erable gas.
No. 4 is probably 1,200 feet northwesterly from No.
258
VENTURA COUNTY.
1, and is a new well, not yet drilled. Nos. 1, 3 and 4
are nearly in a straight line. No. 5 is on Oil Creek.
Here they have not begun drilling.
No. 3 is down about 500 feet, and they are still
drilling.
No. 6 is located some 500 feet easterly from No. 1.
Here the grading has been done, but the derrick is
not yet erected.
The foregoing statements refer to the condition of
the wells July 35, 1887. Some months later No. 2 was
reported pumping instead of flowing; beginning with
2.;5 barrels per day, it continued with about 140 per
day. No. 4, now about 400 feet deep, was pumping
twenty-five barrels per day. Nos. 3 and 4, having
gone down about 700 feet, proved dry holes.
The report of tlie State Mineralogist for
1888 contains the following:
In addition to the report relating to these deposits,
published by the Mining Bureau, last year, I have to
say that work has steadily progressed, and the output
of oil for the last fiscal year has increased from 02,500
barrels to 22(5,050 barrels.
The following is a statement of the work which has
been done in this district during the year ending
September 18:
Hopper Ca«o?i.— Considerable work has been done
here, but the returns have been meager. The forma-
tion is so broken up that it is not unlikely the oil
exudes at the surface as rapidly as it is elaborated be-
low. In order to thoroughly test this locality two
wells have been drilled during the past year, one 400,
and the other about 800, feet deep. In the deeper
well a small amount of oil was struck, and a large
flow of water. In the 400-foot well a flow of soda
water was obtained, which is said to be of excellent
quality, and may be profitably utilized.
Piru Cnnoft.— Like Hopper Caiion, this seems to be
outside of the paying oil belt. Two new wells have
been drilled here during the past year. One was
sunk to a depth of 1,000 feet, but no oil was obtained,
and it was abandoned. Another well was sunk one-
fourth of a mile away, but it was abandoned for the
same reason.
Sespe Canon,.— The efi'orts of the oil company have
been much more successful here. Eight new wells
liave been dug here during the year, which, in the
aggregate, yield a large quantity of oil.
No. 7 is located about thirty rods southwest of No.
5. The depth reached was 300 feet. When first com-
pleted the well produced twenty barrels a day, but
now yields ten barrels daily.
No. 8, located about eighty rods north of No. 4, was
drilled to a depth of 0-)0 feet, and yielded seventy-five
barrels a day; now reduced to forty-five barrels daily.
till drilling at a
water has been
No. 9, located about 600 feet from No. 4, is down to
a depth of 400 feet, and is producing about eight bar-
rels a day.
No. 10 is about 500 feet south of No. 7. It is 350
feel deep and pumps seveuty-flve barrels a day.
No. 11 is southwest of No. 8, and is down to a depth
of 400 feet. It produced thirty or forty barrels a day,
but quickly ran down to its present product of about
nine barrels.
No. 13 is north of No. 8, and is about 650 feet deep.
This well produces seventy-tive barrels daily.
No. 13 is one-half mile north of No. 13, on Irelan
Creek. It is 600 feet deep, and pumps ten barrels a
day.
No. 14 is west of N ). 13, and was drilled as a test
well, going down 1,400 feet. About 500 feet below
the surface a small deposit of oil was struck, hut the
well is practically dry.
No. 15 is south of No. 13, aad is
depth of 700 feet. Considerable
struck, and a small quantity of oil.
No. 16 is down about 100 feet, and still drilling.
These wells are located twenty-five miles from the
ocean, at an altitude of 2,800 feet.
Adams Canon. — Well No. 16, which was completed
in January, at a depth of 750 feet, is the largest flow-
ing well ever struck in C ilifornia. The oil, when
reached, shot up to ttie heiglit of nearly 100 feet, and
flowed at the rate of 800 or yjO barrels daily. Before
it could be controlled it sent a stream down the canon
for a distance of seven miles. After the lapse of nine
months it continues to flow at the rate of 500 b irrels
daily.
No. 17 is drilled to a depth of 1,410 feet, but is a
sma'l producer, barely paying for pumping.
No. 18 is located about 400 feet south of No. 9, and
is about 900 feet deep and still in process of drilling.
Tue Adams Canon wells are about the head of the
caiion, and most of them strung along a very narrow
belt about three-quarters of a mile long. These wells
are quite productive. No. 13, when one year old, had
produced 74,000 barrels, and is still producing 330
barrels daily. There is considerable asphaltum on
the surf.ice of the ground in Adai^s Caiion. The
largest patch covers probably one or two acres of
ground and contains numerous little spring.? of black
maltha. Adams Canon we'.l, No. 16, is probably also
the largest gas well on the Pacific Coast. At the
present time it is producing sufficient gas to run all
the works and machinery in the canon.
Saltmarsh Canon, — named after John Saltmarsh,
promises well.
Well No. 1 was completed in January, 1888. It is
3!i0 feet deep, and produces seventy-five barrels daily.
VENTURA COUNTY.
No. 2 was abandoned on account of "crooked hole"
and caving, at 350 feet deep.
No. 3 is finislied to a depth of 400 feet. It is pro-
ducing forty barrels per day.
Santa Paula Ganon, — formerly called " Mupu
Canon," contains the group called the " Scott " wells,
situated about five miles from the town of Santa
Paula. They are from three to ten years old. There
were eleven or twelve in all, some five or six only of
which are now producing an aggregate of about
eleven barrels per day. They range from 200 to 1,000
feet deep The oil is black.
Wheeler Ganon — contains three wells, drilled in
1887-88, which yield only about teu barrels per dsy
in the aggregate.
Aliso Ganon — promises to produce oil in paying
quantities.
During 1887-'88 the Hardison & Stewart Oil Com-
pany erected at Santa Paula refining works which are
claimed to be the most complete of the kind in the
country. The machinery and equipment in general
include the latest improvements for oil refining. This
company manufactures benzine, illuminating oil, gas
and domestic fuel, distillates, 'wool oil, neutral oil,
lubricating oils, and maltha. The crude oil yields
from fifteen to twenty per cent, of illuminating oil,
and from thenty to twenty-five percent, of maltha or as-
phaltum. The illuminating oil is of excellent quality,
and claimed to be superior to any that has been made
on the Pacific Coast. It burns with a clear and stendy
flame, and is free from snioke or disagreeable odor.
The asphaltum is used for pipe dipping, for the man-
ufacture of paints and varnishes, and for coating roofs,
bridges, etc. It is a beautiful glossy black, absolutely
impervious to water, and particularly adapted to coat-
ing iron. The lubricating oil is said to have a lower
cold test than any other ever discovered in the United
States. It does not harden until it reaches a much
lower degree of cold than any other oil known, hence
is adapted to locomotives and other machinery subject
to cold weather.
The oil regions of California have head-
quarters at S^ta Paula, where there are six
coiupauies, viz.: the Hardison & Steward Oil
Company, Sespe Oil Company, Torrey Canon
Oil Company, Mission Transfer Oil Company,
Ventura Oil Company, and O'Hara Brothers.
The most extensive petroleum oil operations
are on the Rancho e.x-Mission, situated along
the south side of Sulphur Mountain, hegin-
nine about four miles northwest of the town,
and extending westerly eight miles. These
works are owned and operated by the Hardi-
son & Stewart Company, incorporated with a
capital stock of $1,000,000. Lyman Stewart
is president and general manager; W. L.
Hardison, vice-president and treasurer; Alex.
Waldie, secretary. This company has been
most suceessfnl in its development, having a
large production trom their many wells and
tunnels. There is connected with the com-
pany's otMces at Santa Paula a complete tele-
phone system. The region is a network of
pipe lines conveying the oil to Santa Paula,
Ventura and Hueneme. The next most ex-
tensive oil developments in this region are
located at Sespe, and are owned and operated
by the Sespe Oil Company, with its office at
Santa Paula. The company has a capital
stock of 11250,000. Thomas R. JBard is
president; D. McFarland, vice-president; W.
L. Hardison, treasurer and general manager;
Alex. U aldie, secretary. The Torrey Caiion
(Jil Company is opearating three miles south
of Pirn Station. Its officers are: Thos. R.
Bard, president; W. S. Chaffe, vice-president;
I. H. Warring, secretarv ; W. L. Hardison,
superintendent. The production of the re-
gion is also very large, and is piped to Santa
Paula. The wells have telephone connection
with the main office. These four companies
keep a large force of men constantly engaged
in the drilling of new oil wells; and thus the
production is bein^ constantly angmented.
The Mission Transfer Company has a capital
stock of $500,000; T. R. Bard is president;
Lyman Stewart, vice-president; W. L. Hardi-
son, treasurer and general manager; L H.
"Warring, secretary. This company has about
100 miles of pipe lines and forty tanks, the
largest one holding 30,000 barrels. They
have tifty-two oil-tank cars, and have a re-
tinery, where they make all the various pro-
ducts usually manufactured from petroleum,
VENTURA COUNTY.
notably lubricating oil, gas oil and naph-
tha. Asphaltiim (maltha) is also refined in
large quantities, and is used extensively both
on this coast and in the East for coating pipe
and other iron goods, for roofing, and for
paving purposes. No industry in the Golden
State promises better results than its oil devel-
opments; and nothing is more beneficial to
Ventura County, and to Santa Paula in partic-
ular, tlian the business of these four oil com-
panies. With an abundance of cheap petro-
leum for fuel no section offers better advant-
ages for manufacturing purposes than Santa
Paula.
The prospects of this industry are now
brighter than ever before. The Sespe Oil
Company has now drilled thirty-one wells,
varying in depth from 450 to over 1,800 feet,
yielding at this time an average product of
7,000 barrels monthly. The last well, No.
29, promises to give 150 to 300 barrels
per diem. Developments have just begun
on the " Kentucky Oil Claim," where, in well
No. 2, was struck near the surface sand-rock
so full of oil that it could not be drilled over
200 feet; after exhausting this well by pump-
ing, work will be continued. The Sespe Oil
Company has a lease of about 7,000 acres of
the best oil lands on the Simi Rancho, and
are beginning to drill thereon, the territory
being deemed rich in oil. Tne production
of the Hardison & Stewart Company is in-
creasing very rapidly, being 8,000 to 9,000
barrels per month. Adams Caiion well. No.
13, opened August, 1887, has to date pro-
duced 125,000 barrels, which, at the average
price of fuel oil — $1.75 per ban-el — has been
a fortune in itself. They have in all drilled
thirty-four wells, the last of which, in Adams
Canon, averages over 125 barrels per day.
They have at present three sets of tools, each
employing four experienced drillers, pushing
developments more rapidly than ever before,
and the expectation is that 20,000 barrels per
month will be reached before the close of the
year. No part of the development has paid
better than the oil tunnels. Adams' Tunnel,
No. 3, where three men were killed in April,
1890, b}' a gas explosion, was at that time 950
feet long; work has just been resumed, and it
is expected to reach 1,000 to 2,000 feet further
into the mountain, which it will drain of oil.
In 1889 work was began in the Upper Ojai
Valley, and two wells are yielding average
production, with a third well now in process
of drilling.
I
I BlOGI^APHIGAL Sl^BiPGHES. |
fCHlAPPA PIETRA BROS., upright
and capable business men of San Buena-
ventura, came here as pioneers in 1857,
when there were scarcely any Americans in
the whole county. They are natives of
Italy. Sr. A. Schiappa Pietra was born
February 2, 1832, and in 1853 came to Cali-
fornia, and after spending six months in San
Francisco he came to San Luis Obispo and
opened a general merchandise store, which was
conducted successfully for fourteen months.
He then sold out and went to San Fransisco
in search of a locality for business, but, fail-
ing, he visited San Diego, San Bernardino
and other places in Southern California and
located in Santa Barbara, engaged in general
merchandise; and while there, in 1857, he
started a store in San Buenaventura, and in
1878 sold out his business there. In 1864
he bought the Santa Clara del Norte ranch
of 13,900 acres and stocked it with sheep;
30,000 or 40,000 are now kept upon it. Also
there are planted on the ranch trees of vari-
ous kinds, including olives and oranges, and
they are doing well. Formerly about 4,000
acres were devoted to barley, but this year it
is the intention to plant 5,000 acres to beans.
The younger brother, Sr. Leopold Schia]>pa
Pietra, was born February 3, 1842, and came
to California in 1866, since which time his
business was united with that of his brother.
He married Miss Amparo Arenas, a native
of California, and they have a son and a daugh-
ter, both of whom are deceased.
In 1877 the brothers built their present
tine residence, and have made it a place of
unusual beauty. The grounds are planted
and decorated with artistic skill, and are ex-
tremely well cared for. They are also the
owners of the St. Charles Hotel at Santa Bar-
bara and the Palace Hotel in San Buenaven-
tura. They are zealous members of the
Holy Cataolic Church, and are exemplary
citizens.
fAIUS WEBSTER, of San Miguel, was
born in Delaware Coutity, New York,
November 22, 1842, his father, John
Webster, being a respectable farmer and jus-
tice of the peace. Was educated mainly in
the |)ublic schools; qualified himself for
teaching, and taught school in the winter of
1861-'62.
In August, 1862, enlisted in Company A,
One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment,
New York Volunteer Infantry, and served
SAJfTA BjIHSAEA, SAy LUIS OBISPO
until July, 1865, being discharged by reason
of the close of the war.
Returning to his native county, he spent a
month or two visiting relatives and friends,
and packing his gripsack started for Oregon
alone. There was not a soul on the Pacific
coast that he had ever seen, but he was de-
termined to carve a way for himself among
strangers in a new and rising country.
Stopping in Douglas County, Oregon, he
worked for a time in a logging camp, after-
ward attending an academy at Roseburg,
reviewing the studies of former years and
pursuing such sciences as the curriculum of
the institution included.
In 1866 he entered as a law student the
otiice of Hon. S. F. Chadwick, who afterward
became Secreta'-y of State and Governor.
Ilavino- read the usual coarse, he was ex-
amined in the Supreme Court and admitted
to the bar September, 1867. In the spring
of 1868 he purchased the Roseburg Ensign,
which he carried on as editor and publisher
until the spring of 1870, and also attending to
such law business as presented. In the po-
litical campaign of that year he became the
candidate of the Republican jjarty for the
office of County Judge, but was defeated with
the whole ticket. It was during this period
that he became acquainted with Miss Anna
West, an estimable lady teacher, to whom he
was married in 1870. Near the close of that
year, having disposed of the newspaper, he
moved to the adjoining county of Coos, set-
tling at Marshfield, on Coos Bay, and en-
gaged in the practice of his profession. In
1872 he was nominated and elected State
Senator for the district including Douglas,
Coos and Curry counties. He occupied a
seat in the State Senate during the sessions
of 1872 and 1874, being the youngest mem-
ber of that body. From 1875 to 1877 he
was associated with D. L. Watson, Esq., in
the publishing of the Coos County Record,
a Republican paper, the editorial manage-
ment of which devolved upon Mr. Webster.
On the opening of the year 1878, with I.
Hacker, he established the newspaper known
as the Coast Mail, which he edited for two
years, at the same time attending to a con-
siderable law practice.
In 1880 he sold the paper, and for two
years devoted his entire attention to the law.
In the meantime pulmonary and bronchial
disease developed in his family, and in the
winter of 1882 he moved to Santa Cruz,
California, where in the following year he
resumed the practice of the law. The coast
air of that beautiful place proving unfavor-
able to his family he moved to Los Gatos,
where he purchased an interest in the Los
Gatos Neios, but devoted his time to the pro-
fession of the law.
In February, 1886, being impressed with
the central location and favorable surround-
ings of San Miguel, he established at that
place the Inland Messenger, afterward
changed to the San Miguel Messenger, vrh\ch
he carried on with his law business for two
years, when he sold tiie property to F. J.
Burns, its present proprietor.
Mr. Webster's family consists of his wife
and two sons, and two daughters, all nearly
grown. His time is now fully and pro^^'tably
occupied in his profession; he is also improv-
ing a fruit farm near town, where he has
about tiiirty acres planted in choice varieties.
He is Commander of John Buford Post, No.
136, G. A. R.; Overseer of San Miguel
Grange and Notary Public. Mr. Webster is
looked upon by his fellow citizens as one of
the most enterprising and public-spirited men
of San Miguel, and takes an active part in
promoting the interests of the place. He
stands high in his profession and enjoys a
good practice, and looks exceeding young for
AND VENTURA COUNTIES.
\
one who was for the three worst years of the
war engaged in the great and saving struggle
for National life, and appears as if he was
good for another half century of usefulness.
j^ON. H. PETERSEN is one of the
|B\ leading business men of Tempieton, San
"^^ Luis Obispo County. California. He is
a native of Hamburg, Germany, born July 5,
1840. His parents, Adolpli and Augusta
Peterson, were Germans who emigi-ated to
the United States, in 1855, bringing their
family of six children with them, the subject
of this sketch being the second child of the
family. Tiiey settled near Davenport, Iowa,
on a farm of 150 acres, which they bought.
They built a home on the property, and made
other improvements.
Mr. Petersen had received his education in
Germany and was fifteen years of age when
they came to America. When he began life
for liimself, he had twelve dollars. He en-
gaged in farming on shares, and continued
it until 1868, when lie moved west to Gnindy
County, and purchased 160 acres of prairie
land, at live dollars per acre. Here he built
a house and improved the property, and lived
for fifteen years. At this time the railroad
was built to Reinbeck, and Mr. Petersen
moved into town, and opened a hardware
and agricultural implement business. He
built one store and purchased another, and
did a prosperous business until 1886,- when
lie sold out. He was elected a member of the
Twenty-first General Assembly by the Demo-
cratic party, while there, and served the term
of office with credit to himself and his con-
stituents. In the spring of 1886 lie visited
California, and traveled the State over, look-
ing for a place to settle. In 1887 he came to
San Luis Obispo County, and invested in 200
acres of land near Tempieton and bought
two village lots. In October, 1888, he
brought his family to their new home. He
bought the hardware business of Mr. E.
Griffith, the principal business of the place.
It had been started in the spring of 1887.
Mr. Petersen has since continued the busi-
ness, and has made a success of it. He deals
in both hardware and agricultural imple-
ments, and his trade extends out for twenty-
six miles. His lands are rented and he is
getting a share of the crops. He has en-
gaged, to some extent, in the culture of fruit
on his lands, principally French prunes.
Mr. Petersen was married in Iowa, in
1863, to Miss M. Klein, a native of Saxony,
and of German parentage. They have had
ten children, seven of whom are living, viz:
Teresa, Ida, Antonette, Henryetta, Carl,
Rudolph, and Hubert, all born in Iowa. Ter-
esa and Antonetta are married, one in Kansas,
and the other in San Bernardino, California.
Mr. and Mrs. Petersen are Lutherans, and he is
an Odd Fellow. He is still a member of the
Democratic party; is a man having well
defined business and political ideas; has a
general information on all topics; gives his
business close personal attention; and is
withal a worthy citizen and desirable acquis-
ition to the new town in which he has cast
his lot.
fOHN QUAliNSTKOM is one of the
business men of San Luis Obispo County.
He was born in Sweden, of Swedish
parents, January 26, 1851; and came to the
United States March 28, 1884. Previous to
his ai-rival in America, he was a merchant
and contractor in his native country. His
first business enterprise in the United States
was in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he
264
SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
carried on cabinet-making, and also did a real-
estate business. In 1887 he came to Temple-
ton, California, bought out a store, conducted
it two years, and then joined the corporation
comprising tlie Bank of Templeton, and the
general merchandise firm of J. Quarnstrom
& Co., and also the general merchandise firm
at Paso Robles of the Nelson Quarnstrom
Company. He has also become interested in
lands and is engaging in fruit culture. He
has build a block in Templeton, and erected
one of the finest residences in the town, wliere
he resides with his family.
Mr. Quarnstrom was married to Miss S. C.
Erksen, a native of Sweden, and their union
has been blessed with two children, Annie C.
and Ernest L. Both he and his wife are
members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Quarn-
strom is a member of the I. O. O. F., and in
his political views he is independent. He
and his family are worthy people, a credit
and an important acquisition to the com-
munity in which they reside.
fB. BALLARD is one of the prominent
ranchers of Huer-Huero, two and a
•* half miles southwest of Cre-ton, San
Luis Obispo County, California. He is the
owner of a beautiful estate of 640 acres.
The house and farm buildings, which he
planned and erected, stand on an eminence
somewhat back from the highway, and present
a home-like and picturesque appearance.
The undulating hills, dotted over with ma-
jestic white oaks, form a fine back and fore
ground to the picture.
Mr. Ballard is a native of EnglancJ, born
September 23, 1860. He received a liberal
education in England, and in March, 1880,
came to Ameiica in search of health and for-
tune. He went first to Iowa, and from thei-e to
Minnesota, where he purchased 640 acres of
land which he still owns. In 1883 he came to
San Luis Obispo County, California. Cressey,
Adams & Ambrose purchased the property
and placed it in the hands of C. H. Phillips
for subdivision and sale. As soon as it was
subdivided Mr. Ballard was one of the first
buyers. He is now engaged in diversified
fanning, raising hay, grain, horses and mules.
Mr. Ballard had the asthma very bad, and
has found the climate on his ranch very salu-
tary and is now quite free from the disease.
In January, 1889, Mr. Ballard was united
in marriage with Miss G. Hayes, a native of
Maryland, and daughter of Dr. W. W. Hayes
who is the pioneer physician of San l^uis
Obispo.
Mr. Ballard's ancestors for five generations
have been in the English navy, and up to
his father, Captain J. B. Ballard, they have
all risen to the position of Admiral. His
younger brotiier, Casper, has now entered the
navy with the intention of keeping up the
family line in that department. His grand-
father, Admiral V. V. Ballard, had the honor
of being the captor of the Island of Guada-
loupe and Cape Town, South Africa. Mr.
Ballard's mother, Charlotte (Hale) Ballard,
was the daughter of a land-holder in Hamp-
shire, England.
Mr. and Mrs. Ballard are members of the
Episcopal Church. The}' are highly enter-
taining and courteous people.
C. JAMISON, a rancher of Santa
Ynez, was born in Redwood, Santa
' Clara County, December 25, 1860.
father, T. B. Jamison, is a native
of Maryland, and came across the plains to
California in 1854, and again in 1859, with his
family, settling in Santa Clara County. In
AUD VENTURA COUNTIES.
265
1865 lie was a pioneer to Salinas City, Monterey
County, and built the first house. In 1872
he moved to Guadalupe, being among the
first to enter that valley. W. C. Jamison
lived at home during the several changes of
the family, and in 1882 they again broke up;
at the opening of the Santa Ynez Yalley^
went there and established themselves. He
rents about 680 acres of land from the Santa
Ynez Improvement Company, which he culti-
vates to wheat and barley, principally grain.
This year (1890), the hay crop being short, he
is cutting everything for hay; will cut about
275 tons and 150 acres for grain. He uses
all heavy machinery, and presses hay in the
field.
Mr. Jamison was married at Santa Ynez,
December 18, 1889, to Miss Alice B. Mills,
a native of California.
tDOLPH F. HORSTMAN, one of the
prominent business men of Templeton,
is a stockholder and the cashier of the
Templeton Bank, and a member of two gen-
eral merchandise firms at Templeton and
Paso Robles, namely, Quarnstrom & Co. and
the Nelson Quarnstrom Company, both doing
an extensive mercantile business. He is also
interested in ranch property and horticulture.
Mr. Horstman is a native of Davenport,
Iowa, born in July, 1865. His parents,
"William and Amelia Horstman, were both
natives of Germany, and came to the Uiiited
States in 1861. settling in Iowa on a farm.
They were poor people and honest and indus-
trious, and worked by the day and month.
After a time they purchased eighty acres of
land, which increased in acres and value,
until in the course of years thuy had several
thousand acres of valuable land. His father
and family came to California in September,
1887, and is now retired from active busi-
ness, and resides in a pleasant home in Tem-
pleton, where he expects to spend the evening
of life, amusing himself in the cultivation of
fruit and the ornamentation of his grounds.
Mr. Adolph F. Horstman, our subject, was
educated at Vinton, Iowa, in the Tillford
Academy. He engaged in the grain business,
as book-keeper for his father for four years.
When he was nineteen years of age his father
started him in the merchandise business, in
Sutherland, O'Brien County, Iowa. He con-
tinued the business successfully until 1887,
when he sold out and came to Templeton,
where he established the bank, and engaged
in banking business, to which he now gives
his personal attention.
Mr. Horstman was married in 1887, to
Miss Hatty Sibert, of Reinbeck, Iowa,
daughter of Dr. J. G. Sibert, of that State.
Mr. Horstman is a member of the Masonic
fraternity, and also of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows. He has taken an active part
in politics, when he resided in Sutherland,
Iowa, and was elected Recorder of that town
by the Democratic party, of which he is a
member.
tB. SMITH, a prominent citizen and
Justice of the Peace of Creston, is a
'* native of Southern Ohio, born near
Sandusky, July 9, 1841. His father, William
Smith, was a native of Connecticut, and a
soldier in the war of 1812. He was in the
Ninth United States Infantry, and at the
battle of Sackett's Harbor. Mr. Smith has the
pocket-book his father carried in that war,
and many other interesting relics. His father
married Lucy Turner, a native of New York,
and daughter of Mr. Samuel Turner, who
was a soldier of the Revolution. Mr. Smith's
SANTA BjUWAIIA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
grandfather, Eri Smith, was also a soldier of
the devolution; so that, as far as patriotism
is concerned, he can claim as good ancestry
as the best. His parents had eleven children,
four of whom are now living. He was the
youngest except one. He lived in Ohio un-
til thirteen years of age, when, in 1854, the
family removed to Illinois. His youth was
spent working on the farm in summer and at-
tending the district school in winter, tinishing
his education at the Lombard Univert-ity,
Galesburg, Illinois. He then carried on farm-
ing and also tanght school in the winter for
eleven years. In Illinois he bought forty acies
of land, which he improved by building, etc.,
and which he sold before removing to South-
ern Nebraska. In that State he purchased a
farm of 320 acres, which he also imjiroved,
building a house on each quarter section, and
on this property he resided ten years. At
this time, 1885, a throat trouble caused him
to sell out, leave his Nebraska home, and
come to California with a hope of obtaining
relief from his disease; and he has been
greatly benefited. He owns 306 acres of
land, located 260 rods northeast of the village
of Creston. Mr. Smith has built on the
crest of the hill and will soon have a very
attractive home. He has planted a large va-
riety of fruit trees, comprising the following:
prunes, apricots, pears, peaches, plums, tigs,
apples, almonds, nectai-ines and also grape
vines. Wheat is his principal crop, and in
1889 he raised 1,665 bushels on 105 acres.
Mr. Smith was united in marriage, in 1863,
with Miss Emma Stone, a native of West
Virginia, and daughter of Mr. Anson Stone,
a native of Virginia, and a soldier of the war
of 1812. This union was blessed with nine
childi-eu, five of whom are living, all natives
of Illinois, viz.: Bertha D., Clark S., Fred
H., Paul L., and Lillie M. After eighteen
years of wedded life, Mrs. Smith died. Her
loss was greatly felt by her many friends and
her bereaved family. A beautiful character
was hers; a devoted wife, a loving and in-
dulgent mother, and a true Christian. She
had long been a consistent member of the
Methodist church. In 1882 Mr. Smith was
again married to Miss Lizy Nesmith, a na-
tive of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, daughter of
Mr. Thomas Ncfmith. She is a member of
the Metho'dist church. While in Illinois?
Mr. Smith was elected by the Republican
party, Justice of the Peace, for the years 1870
to 1874. He was also elected on the Board
of Supervisors in that State. While in Ne-
braska, he was selected by his party to fill
the office of Justice, in 1875. He cast his
first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and has since
adhered to the Republican party. In 1889
his fellow-citizens elected him Justice of the
Peace, which office he now holds. Mr. Smith
is a careful, painstaking, conscientious officer,
and as such is respected by all. He is a
member of the Grange, and is strictly a tem-
perance man.
tUFUS DANA SMITH was born at
Newark, Caledonia County, Vermont,
May 2, 1846. His parents were natives
of that State. His father in early life fol-
lowed the trade of joiner, but after forty years
of ai;e devoted himself to tilling the soil. In
the gold excitement of 1849 he visited Cali-
fornia, spending one year in the mines very
successfully, then returning to his home in
Vermont, in 1868, he moved to Minnesota
where he died at the age of eighty years. The
subject of this sketch, being filled with youth-
ful patriotism, enlisted at the age of fifteen
years, in Company K, of the Eighth Vermont
Infantry, Colonel Thomas in command. The
regiment was mustered in February 10, 1862,
AND VeNl'URA COnNTIES.
and was immediately ordered South, going to
Ship Island, whei-e they joined the troops
under General Butler and from there to New
Orleans, then to Algiers. He was taken
prisoner at Bayou des Allemands in Septem-
ber, 1862; a detacliment of 150 were sent
then to gnard a bridge, and they were sur-
rounded by about 1,500 men and all captured.
They were then sent to New Iberia on Bayou
Teche, where they passed ten weeks in a
prison camp and suffered terribly from short
allowances of food and water, and the little
food received was worm-eaten and the water
stale and muddy. Many died from the ef-
fects. From New Iberia they were taken to
the Vicksburg jail, and in November, 1862,
were paroled, and our subject joined his regi-
ment. In 1863 they were under General
Banks, marching through the same swampy,
malarious district, and in April, 1864, Mr.
Smith was discharged, owing to disability
caused by imprisonment and exposure. He
then returned home to recuperate, and
February 10, 1865, re-enlisted in Company
D, Ninth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps,
composed of veterans more or less disabled.
They were first stationed in Northern Ver-
mont to guard the banks and private property
from the depredations of Rebel sympathizers,
then living in Canada. Later they were sent
to Washington and served as guard about the
White House, and were mustered out at that
place, November 18, 1865.
The subject of this sketch tiieii returned to
Vermont and followed faruiing until 1867,
when he was married at Barton, Orleans
County, Vermont, January 9, to Miss Lucy
M. Lebourveau, and in May of the same year
they went to Spring Valley, Minnesota. He
then farmed for five years, and, on account of
failing health, went into a store and clerked
four years. He never recovered from the expo-
sure of the war, and for a milderclimate went
to Santa Barbara in 1876, and there had his
leg amputated. After recovering, in 1877, he
was elected Justice of the Peace, and re-
elected in 1879, but resigned in March, 1880.
He was then appointed Under Sheriff by C.
E. Sherman, and later by R. J. Broughton,
thus holding the office continuously to the
present date.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith have five children liv-
ing, and have lost one son. He is a member
of Magnolia Lodge, No 242, F. and A.M.,
and Starr King Post, No. 52, Department of
California, G. A. R.
fAPTAIN CHARLES P. LOW, of Santa
Barbara, was born in Salem, Massachu-
setts, in 1824, and when he was four
years of age his parents moved to Brooklyn,
where his father became a member of the firm
of Seth Low & Co., merchants of New York.
Of his parents' twelve children he has four
brothers and one sister still living, and they
are all in Brooklyn ; the brothers are all mer-
chants, doing business mainly with China.
His nephew, Seth Low, has been mayor of
Brooklyn, and is now president of Columbia
College. At the age of eighteen years the
subject of this sketch began a seafaring life,
having studied seamanship ever since he was
twelve years old. He began before the mast
on the Horatio and the crack East Indiaman,
commanded by Captain Howland. This ves-
sel made a ten-months trip to China. Then
Mr. Low went to London on the packet ship,
Toronto, Captain Griswold, of the London
Packet Company. Then he shipped for Rio
Janeiro, then on the Houqua, Captain N. B.
Palmer, the first clipper ship out of New
York to China. He was a seaman for eight
years, being third mate, second and first mate,
and finally Captain at the age of twenty-three
SANTA BAUnAliA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
years. While Captain, in 1848, he experi-
enced a most terrible typhoon in the Indian
Ocean, a regular cyclone which lasted twelve
hours and swept off the deck all the railing,
masts and boats. The Captain was washed
ovei'board, and, after being twice engulfed,
he caught a rope, and as soon as he got his
head above water he gave orders to cut away
the masts, and so saved the ship from found-
ering. As a testimonial of their approba-
tion, the Atlantic, Sun, Mercantile and Union
Insurance Companies of New York, pre-
sented Captain Low with a beautiful chro-
nometer, with this inscription: "Captain
Charles P. Low, late Captain ()f the ship
Houqna, as a testimonial of their approba-
tion of his good conduct in saving said ship
and cargo after having been thrown on her
beam ends iii tlie Indian Ocean, on the 5th of
January, 1848, in a violent typhoon and
nearly tilled with water; but by the extraor-
dinary exertions of the master and crew, was
righted and subsequently taken by them to
her port of destination, which was 3,500 mi'es
distant."
After having arrived at Hong Kong, the
Captain re-rigged her witiihis own crew, and
after three voyages up and down the coast he
returned to New York. There he took charge
of the Samuel Russell, January 16, 1850,
from New York to San Francisco, making the
passage in 108 days — ten days quicker than
any vessel before had made the trip. He
carried 1,000 tons of freight, on which lie re-
ceived $60 a ton, which was more than the
original cost of the ship. Then, by way of
China, he completed his trip around the
world, within the year. He next took
charge of the N". B. Palmer to San Fran-
cisco, to China and to New York, by way of
the Cape of Good Hope. In 1859 he took
command of the Jacob Bell and made a voy-
age to China. Next he took command of the
N. B. Palmer, being on board of that vessel
twenty-one years, with the exception of the
last trip to China referred to He has been
around the world seven times, making twenty-
six voyages to China, and being thirty-one
years at sea. In 1873 he left the sea and
came to Santa Barbara and purchased eighty
acres of land on the mesa. In 1875 he was
the originator of the Agricnltnral Associa-
tion, of which he has been president; and he
has also been presi^'ent of the Cemetery As-
sociation, and also the first president of the
Young Men's Christian Association.
He was married at Peabody, Massachn-
setts, in 1852, to Miss Sarah Maria Tucker,
a native of Salem, whose father was a mer-
chant. She has also made trips to China and
been around the world four times. They have
five sons and two daughters. Three sons are
in business in San Francisco. One is con-
nected with the American Oil Company, one
is agent for a firm in Japan, and one is in the
hardware Imsiness; one son is a physician
and one is at the State University.
§G. OLIVER, who owns and cultivates
a beautiful farm on the mesa, over-
" looking the sea, was born in Clermont
County, Ohio, in 1826. His father was a
farmer, and in 1841 moved to Des Moines
County, Iowa, and there continued farming.
The subject of this sketch worked at home
until twenty-one years of age; then, in 1850,
he bought the farm of 160 acres of his father,
and continued in general farming until 1854,
when he sold out and erected a steam saw
and grist mill at Kossuth, Iowa, which lie
operated for two years; then sold out and
returned to farm life, purchasing eighty acres
on Round Prairie. In the Pike's Peak ex-
citement he fitted out an expedition for the
AND VENTURA COUNTIES.
mines, driving five yoke of oxen and taking
four persons. After traveling 130 miles
west of the Missouri River, they were dis-
couraged by the tide of emigration returning,
80 abindonel the project anl spent tiie sum-
mer near Brownsville, Nebraska, in breaking
prairie, and in the fall he returned to his
home at Kossuth. In 1861 he sold his farm
and came to California, across the plains,
driving a team composed of four yoke of
oxen and one yoke of cows. He started April
10, 1861, with his family, and joined other
emigrants at the Missouri River. Tiiey were
five months and a half en r.)Ute. He sold his
team at Little Lake Valley and at Marysvillc
took steamer for San Francisco. He then
went to Humboldt Bay and engaged in fann-
ing near the town of Areata; but, owing to
frequent depredations by hostile Indiana, he
sold out in 1864 and went into the Napa Val-
ley, where he engaged in farming, and later,
in Solano County, until the fall of 1868, when
he came to Santa Barbara. He then pur-
chased 104 acres on the mesa, at $20 per
acre, and engage! in general farming, being
onu of the pioneer farmers on the mesa. He
continued farming about twelve years, then
went into the hog business, breeding the Es-
sex, Poland China and Berkshire breeds, fat-
tening about 100 hogs each year, which lie
manufactured into lard and bacon. For the
past two years he has sold his increase to the
butchers, as, with the increasing years, the
responsibility was greater than he cared to
assume. He now devotes more time to farm-
ing, and grows extensively the Chevalier bar-
ley, with soft beard, which is more suitable
for hay.
Mr. Oliver was married in Kossuth, Iowa,
in the spring of 1851, to Miss Catharine J.
Blair. This union has been blessed with
three children, two of whom survive: C. A.
Oliver, a doctor in Chico, California, and J.
B. Oliver, who is foreman of a stock ranch
in Sonora, Mexico.
fH. AND R. E. BRIDGE are two of the
prominent ranchers of San Luis Obipo
" County. They formerly had a large
ranch in Mexico, and farmed there one year.
Then they sold out and cama to San Luis
Obispo County, California, and purchased
two ranches, one of 2,200 and the otiier of
320 acres. The last named property is located
one mile south of Creston. They are engaged
in raising grain, horses and cattle, and have
also cjmmencel the cultivation of fruit.
They have fifty acres la olives, twenty-five
acres in figs, fifteen acres i i French prunes,
and ten acres devoted to a variety of fruit.
They are farming for profit and are making
a grand success of it. Both gentlemen are
valuable accessions to the county. They ex-
pect soon to build a fine residence on tlieir
rancli.
fABRIEL RUIZ is one of the native sons
of California, born in Santa Barbara
County in 1817. His father, Jose Ruiz,
was born in Mexico and came to California
many years ago. At one time he owned
some land where Ventura is now located,
having had a grant of 1,000 acres of land
from the Mexican Government for services
rendered the government in California. The
ancestors of the family were ofiicers in the
Mexican army. Mr. Ruiz lias a pleasant
home and a fine ranch of 151 acres, called
the Santa Anita Rancho, and he also owns
some lots in Santa Barbara; also in Ventura.
He has always lived the life of a farmer and
I stock-raiser. They came to this locality in
27J
SANTA BAUBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
1879. Here Mr. Ruiz raises Norman and
Richmond horses and some fine grade cattle.
The subject of this sketch was married in
1859 to Miss Rafaela Cota, daughter of Bal-
entin Cota, a native of Mexico. They have
fourteen children, all born in Southern Cali-
fornia, and thirteen of them, at the present
writing, make their home with their parents.
Their names are as follows: Arthur, Dora-
liza, Lazaro, Ulpiano, Thomas, Albertina,
Anzelmo, Petra, Josepha, Lucy, Balen tin, Ga-
briel and Acacia. They have all been sent
to the English schools and can speak both the
English and Spanish languaires. All are
members of the Catholic Church; Three of
the sons are engaged in business. Thomas
assists his father in the management of the
ranch and is agent for the Spanish people in
the vicinity of Santa Ana, acting as their in-
terpreter and obtaining employment for them.
He is also a tine musician, playing both vio-
lin and guitar. He and his brothers form a
band and furnish good music for social par-
ties. Arthur has a saloon and the best bill-
iard rooms in the county of Ventura. Ulpiano
is a freighter and teamster, having a large,
strong wagon, to which he drives four, and
sometimes six, fine horses. They are a family
of intelligent and refined people, and are well
worthy the success which is attending them.
fRlTENHAGEN BROS., the pioneer
merchants of Creston. Robert W., the
senior brother, was born in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin, in 1855, and Edward H. was born
in the same place in 1859. Their parents,
William F. and M. Gruenhagen, were natives
of Germany, and came to the United States
when they were respectively eight and ten
years of age. They settled first in Milwaukee,
and afterward in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where
they and lived raised their family. They
came to California, October 2, 1884, and now
reside at Creston, San Luis Obispo County.
The brothers opened a store, seventy-two feet
long, and have it stocked with merchandise
of all kinds, drugs, jewelry and farm imple-
ments; their business extends about fifty
miles. They own a ranch of 7-40 acres thirty
miles northeast of Creston, where they are
raising horses and cattle.
Robert W., in 1880, was married to Miss
Bertha Zick, a native of his own town. They
have three children, viz.: Ed. H., Elsie
and Robert W. Edward H. Gruenliagen
was married in 1889 to Miss Feda Ploetz, a
native of Wisconsin. He enjoyed the dis-
tinction of being postmaster of the town
during the administration of President Cleve-
land; in politics he is a Democrat. His
brother, Robert W., is a Republican.
'g ' S"C - g"
tR. KIRK PATRICK, of San Miguel,
is one of the prominent citizens of
® San Luis Obispo County, a man of
large experience in various directions, and a
veteran of both the Mexican and the great
civil wars. His grandfather, John Kirk-
patrick, was a Scotch-Irish man, who came to
America before the Revolution, and did the
colonists valuable service as a soldier; later
he was in the war of 1812. He settled in
Pennsylvania, and there his son, John L.
Kirkpatrick, the father of the subject of tliis
sketch, was born. He married Miss Nancy
Larimore, also a native of Pennsylvania, and
they have four sons and three daughters, of
whom R. R. was the fourth child. He was
born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania,
December 9, 1826, and as he grew he learned
the use of carpenter's tools from his father,
who was a boat-builder. Immediately after
AND VENTURA COUNTIES.
271
the declaration of war with Mexico he en-
listed at Louisville in the Fourth Kentucky
Infantry, and under the command of General
Wintield Scott his regiment held the city of
Mexico from January until July 4. Return-
ing then to Louisville, he was there dis-
charged. He was afterward at several places,
and in two or three businesses until in July,
1862, when he enlisted in Company A,
Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, of which com-
pany he was elected Second Lieutenant. In
October, 1862, the company was mustered in
and marched 100 miles to St. Joseph, and
thence to St. Louis, where for a time they
were on provost duty. From there they
were ordered to Columbus to intercept Gen-
eral Fori est; next they were sent to the
White River expedition, returning to Helena.
Soon afterward they were engaged in a fight
at Fort Pembertou, and again at Helena.
Mr. Kirkpatrick was then detailed with a
company of sharpshooters, and had several
engagements with guerrillas. When in Helena
with about 3,000 men, they were attacked by
General Piice with 25,000 men. This rebel
General tliought he had a " sure thing," and
had been boasting that he would "eat break-
fast in Helena or in hell." The attack was
made at daylight, and the Union forces killed
and took more prisoners than they had men;
Price was defeated and failed to get the
bounteous breakfast prepared for him by the
citizens of Helena; their houses were lilled
instead with wounded men. A shell in that
engagement tore Mr. Kirkpatrick's clothes,
but did not draw blood. The soldiers were
sent to Little Rock and participated in taking
that place.
The next campaign in which Mr. Kirk-
patrick was engaged was that of General
Banks at Shreveport. A piece of shell struck
him in the groin, and for a long time he was
paralyzed. His hip was also injured at the
same time, fi'om which wound he never fully
recovered. He has a pension of $12.50 per
month from the Government. As this wound
incapacitated him from marching, he was sent
on detached duty as a recruiting officer in
Iowa; and he was also engaged in conduct-
ing recruits and drafted men to the front.
He also served as Quartermaster, having
charge of Camp Distribution from Fort
Gaines. Nest he was sent to the Rio Grande,
and finally to New Oi-leans to be discharged.
In the summer of 1865 he was mustered out
at Davenport, Iowa.
Then he was engaged in express business
between Omaha and Council Bluffs, making
money; next lie was in a grocery at Council
Bluffs, and then in the ice business. In 1877
he came with I. E. Blake to San Francisco,
in order to establish the Continental Oil and
Transportation Company, and Mr. Kirk-
patrick took charge of the Oakland ofKce five
years. Then in 1882 he came to San Luis
Obispo County, and filed a claim to his
present ranch of 320 acres of choice land,
three miles due east of San Miguel. On a
sightly and picturesque spot on a hill, in the
midst of trees, vines and flowers, he has built
a i)leasant and commodious residence; and
he has a large variety of fruit trees growing
luxuriantly, and many of them loaded with
fruit. The prevailing sorts are peaches, pears,
apricots, prunes, figs, almonds and filberts.
The locality is 1,250 feet above the sea, and
he does not irrigate. He is also raising hay
and grain, besides horses, cattle and poultry.
He is a Freemason and an Odd Fellow, and
Chaplain of the G. A. R. Post at San Miguel.
For A time he held the office of Justice of the
Peace. Mr. Kirkpatrick is a well-informed
gentleman, of pleasant manner, and remark-
ably successful in his comparatively new vo-
cation of farming and fruit-raising on his
"Pleasant Dale" ranch.
SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
In 1849, in Allegheny City, he whs united
in matrimony with Miss Libby Lloyd, a
native of that city, five of their six children
are now living. The first four were born in
Allegheny City, viz.: Inez, Alice, Ida and
Albert; Ellen was born in Nebraska, and
Libby in Sionx City. Inez married J. W.
Perregoy, a wholesale tobacconist of Council
Bluffs; Alice lives with her father, and has
160 acres of land near hira; Ida is married
to Mr. Frank E. Shepard, and they reside at
Council Bluffs; Elliot is also married and
lives on the San Marcos in this county; and
Libby, with her husband, Charles E. Fowler,
occupy land near their father's. Alter fifteen
years of wedded life, Mrs. Kirkpatrick died,
and in 1874 Mr. Kirkpatrick married his
present wife, who was Mrs. Annie Walker,
the widow of Frank "Walker, and a native of
Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick are Pres-
byterians.
^.«|^>4f.4^...-
fWIFT BKOTHERS.— W. U. and
Charles Swift, who own adjoining
ranches in the eastern part of the
Montecito Valley, were both born at Lyons.
Wayne County, New York. Their father
had passed many years as a prominent hotel-
keeper in New York, Illinois, and later at
Virginia City, Nevada; and in June, 1868,
he came to Santa Barbara and purchased a
ranch of 333 acres in the Montecito Valley.
This part of the country was then sparsely
settled, and scarcely a fence was to be seen in
the valley. But by industry and perseverance
the ranch now stands out prominently as one
of the best in the valley for agricultural pur-
poses. Since the father's death in 1880, the
ranch has been divided, and the sons now
own about 100 acres. They carry on general
farming and devote a considerable acreage to
beans. They are jointly interested in the oil
wells which are now being developed near
their ranch, in the Santa Ynez Mountains, a
stock company carrying on the developments.
They also have mining interests at Fort Te-
jon, in the Santa Anita Mountains.
W. D. Swift, being unmarried, supplies a
home for his mother, who is now seventy-six
years of age. Charles Swift was married in
Montecito in 1875, to Miss Laura Pettit,and
they have two children.
— ■^■ ■g -s. ■;■>'» —
R. W. B. CUNNANE, the only resident
physician of the Santa Ynez Valley, was
born at Edinburgh, Johnson County,
Indiana, in 1854. His father was a farmer
and distiller. The subject of this sketch was
educated at the Sturgeon High School of
Boone County, Missouri, but was taken from
school in 1870 to accept a position with P.
Corrigan, who was then general roadmaster
of the Wabash Pailroad, with headquarters at
Moberly, Missouri, remaining two years and
learning telegraphy. He was then employed
by the Western Union Telegraph Company,
for five years, at stations throughout the
southwest. Having a desire for a medical
education, he employed every odd moment in
medical studies, and in 1877 he resigned his
position to enter the Medical University of
Louisiana, at New Orleans, taking the three
years' course and also the special course of
toxicology and chemistry, graduating with
honor in 1881. He then went to Queen
City, Cass County, Texas, where he practiced
for two years, and in 1883 he came direct to
Santa Ynez, to grow up with the new town,
which was then being established. He now
has an extensive practice throughout the val-
ley. In 1885 he built his present residence,
and in September of the same year was mar-
AND VENTURA COUNTIES.
ried, at Santa Tnez, to Miss Mabel Johnston,
a daughter of W. F. Johnston, an extensive
rancher of Santa Maria and also a descendant
of that celebrated family of Johnstons of
Virginia. Doctor and Mrs. Cunnane have
one child.
^ENEY L. WILLIAMS, the owner of
the Ortega ranch and the founder of
snmmerland, was born in Massillon,
Ohio, in 1841. His father, G. W. Williams,
was a financier and was connected with the
Union Bank of Massillon. In the spring of
1861, at the age of twenty, Henry L. enlisted
in Company A, of the Nineteenth Ohio Infan-
try, nnder command of Colonel Samuel Beatty
and Captain C. F. Manderson; the latter is
now United States Senator from Nebraska.
The regiment, which was stationed with the
Army of the Cumberland, joined General
Grant's forces on the second day of the battle
of Shiloh. They were in the three-days' fight
at Stone Kiver, where one-half of the regil
ment was lost, and were also in many smal-
skirmishes. Mr. Williams, however, did not
receive a scratch, although his clothing was
many times pierced with bullets. In April,
1863, he was appointed State pay agent for
Ohio, and on June 30, 1864, he received the
appointment of paymaster in the United
States army, and was stationed with the army
of the Cumberland, with headquarters at
Louisville, Kentucky. He was mustered out
of the service on November 15, 1865. He
then became engaged in the coal business in
Ohio, as manager and part owner of the
mines, and remained there until the spring
of 1776. In that year he was appointed by
the United States Treasury Department to
examine the books of the Collectors of Cus-
toms through Pennsylvania, New Jersey and
Delaware, with headquarters at Philadelphia.
In June, 1881, he was stationed at Tucson,
Arizona, to look after the frontier ofiices from
El Paso to San Diego and Santa Barbara;
but, finding the weather very warm at Tucson,
he resigned October 15, 1882, and came to
Santa Barbara, where his family were already
settled. In April, 1883, he purchased the
Ortega ranch, of 1,000 acres, located at the
east end of the Montecito Valley, and has
since made that his home. He has a small
walnut grove and fruit only suflicient for
family use.
Mr. Williams brought the location of Sum-
merfield before the public in November, 1888,
by laying out the town and piping water
to every lot, and advertising it extensively
through the country. The town is estab-
lished on the faith of Spiritualism. Already
1,450 lots have been sold to parties from all
over the United States, some of the purchasers
being in Australia. Many fine cottages have
been built, and a library of 500 volumes, with
a building costing $4,500, has already been
erected. A weekly newspaper named the
Reconstructor has also been started.
Mr. Williams has been twice married, the
last time at Summerlaud, to Mrs. Agnes S.
Morgan, in September, 1889.
tTOGNAZZINI, one of the most suc-
cessful business men and dairy men of
** Cayiicos, is the sou of Swiss parents,
and was born in the city of Ticino, Switzer-
land, in 1847. May 26, 1864, he came to
San Francisco after a journey from his native
land of seventy-five days. He was the only son
and youngest child of a family of five children.
He was raised on a farm and attended the
common schools, iind finished his education
in the high school. His father was a dairy
SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
man, and his son also learned the business.
He was seventeen years of age when he came
to California, and engaged in the stock and
dairy business, having learned that California
was a fine State for that business. He began
woi'k in Marin County, at $15 per month,
but afterward his wages were raised to $30 a
month ; he worked here about a year. In the
fall of 1866 he started in business on his own
account, having learned the Spanish language
of Mr. Marshall, for whom he had been work-
ing, and of whom he rented lOU cows and
land, most of which were milch cows, and paid
a rent of $20. That season butter was thirty
cents per pound, and he cleared $1,100, and
he thought himself rich. In 1868, in Marin
County, he bought 150 cows, and rented 1,400
acres of land, and conducted it for six years,
from which he made some money.
Mr. Tognazzini then came to San Luis
Obispo County, and bought 700 acres of land,
and has since added to it until he owns over
1,000 acres. He bought 150 head of stock
and pnt it upon the ranch, whicli his nephew
conducted, while he continued the business in
Marin County. He finally moved .here and
rented 2,000 acres at seventy-five cents an
acre for five years. When he rented this land
people thought it would prove a failure; but
it has since proved a success. In 1881 he
bought a ranch in Santa Barbara, consisting
of 3,200 acres, which is one of the best dairy
ranches in the county. He has 250 cows and
made 505 boxes of butter in the year 1889.
In 1884, with a partner, he purchased 7,000
acres in Santa Barbara County, which was
divided into dairies.
Mr. Tognazzini was one of the incorpora-
tors of the Commercial Bank of San Luis
Obispo and is one of the directors. He has
built a very pleasant home on his ranch, one
and a half miles northeast of Cayucos, which
is surrounded with trees and shrubs. He is
now the owner of 1,800 acres of land in Cayu-
ucos, on which he raises a few horses that have
frequently taken the premium at the fairs.
He also raises cattle and hogs.
Mr. Tognazzini was united in marriage, in
1867, at San Francisco, to Miss Madaline
Reghetti, a native of Switzerland. They
have had five children, four of whom are
living, viz.: Virgilio Valerio, now at college,
studying engineering; Americo and Celia.
Mr. and Mrs. Tognazzini are members of the
Catholic Church. Mr. Tognazzini is a mem-
ber of the Odd Fellows Lodge, and is also a
Mason. In his political relations he is a
Republican, and is an illustration of what an
honest man can become in the county of San
Luis Obispo.
fE. KILSON was born in Iowa, Jan-
uary 29, 1857. His parents, Lewis
* and Caroline Kilson, were natives of
Bergen, Norway. They emigrated to Am-
erica in September, 1838, and went to Cin-
cinnati, the journey at that time being a most
arduous one. They soon afterward settled in
Adams County, Illinois, on a farm they
bought and improved. Later, they sold it
and moved to Wisconsin, and, after a year
spent in that State, removed, in 1855, to
Butler County, Iowa. They entered 240
acres of land for a homestead, and this they
developed into a fine farm. They built a nice
home, and there resided until their deaths,
which occurred, the mother's on November
10, 1881, and the father's November 28,
1889.
The subject of this sketch was the fifth of
a family of seven children. He was reared
in Bristow, Butler County, Iowa, and received
his education in the public schools of that
town. He assisted his father on the farm
AND VENTURA COUNTIES.
until the age of twenty one years. At that
time he came to California to carve his own
destiny in the land that offers so many induce-
ments to the worthy citizen, arriving iu the
Golden State February 7, 1882. He had
already obtained some knowledge of tele-
graphy, and his first move was to tinish
learning that business, at Piuo, Placer
County. He was afterward [sent to Arizona
and at different times had charge of several
stations: was three months at Yuma, one
year at Dragoon Summit, die highest point
on the Southern Pacific Railroad, and was
two years at Nelson.
Mr. Kilson was married to Miss Laura F.
Williams, December 17, 1886. She is a na-
tive of California. From Nelson Mr. Kilson
moved to Saticoy on the 20th of November,
1887. Here he has the position of ticket
and station agent. He is an active and cap-
able business man, and at once became iden-
tified with the best interests of Saticoy; has
bought property and built a neat and pleas-
ant home, where he resides with his family.
Mr. and Mrs. Kilson have two children:
Lewis, born at N^elson, and Elmer, at Sat-
icoy.
In his political views, Mr. Kilson is a
Republican. He is a member of the K. of
P., Eden Lodge, No. 101, at Nelson, Butte
County, California.
fC. MoFERSON, one of Cambria's old-
time citizens, and one of its most reli-
'^ able and influential ranchers, is public-
spirited and alive to the interests of the
community. He is also a California pioneer,
having come to this State with the last train
that crossed the plains in 1849. There were
sixty people in the company, and it was con-
ducted by Turner, Allen & Co. Every pas-
senger paid $200 for passage and everything
was furnished. They rode in three seated
covered carriages, each drawn by four mules,
and six passengers to a carriage. They ar-
rived in Weaverville, one and a half miles
south of Placerville, October 15, 1849. There
is but one man living that Mr. McFerson
knows of that came in that company, who is
Lloyd Tevis, now a man of wealth in San
Francisco.
Mr. McFerson is a native of Ohio, born in
Brown County, August 5, 1824. His father,
Samuel McFerson, was a native of Ohio, born
in 1789, and died in 1833. The ancestors
of the family were from Scotland: his mother,
Martiia (Culter) McFerson, was a native of
Ohio, and of English ancestry. His parents
had seven children, of whom he is the
youngest of the three now living. He was
reared on a farm in Ohio, where he worked
in summer and attended the county schools
iu the winter. He moved to Washington
County, Indiana, and attended the Seminary
there for two years. He commenced the
study of medicine, and after a year's study
the great California gold excitement broke
out and he, like others, was taken with the
fever. He went into the gold diggings in
El Dorado County, and remained there until
1857, meeting with good success. For one
day's work he received $115, the most he
ever received; a single pan contained $25; he
frequently made $100 per day. He was
taken with lyphoid fever, and was sick at the
camp four months; in addition to his other
troubles he had scurvy. The first onion he
bought cost him $1, and potatoes were $1 a
pound. There, after his recovery, he con-
tinued mining. He afterward purchased a
hotel, which he operated for two yeais at In-
dian Diggings, El Dorado County.
August 6, 1855, Mr. McFerson whs mar
SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
ried to Mrs. Guegnor, a native of Virginia,
but resided in Ohio. They continued the
hotel business for two years, when they sold
out, in 1857, and removed to Mariposa
County. He engaged in cutting cord-wood
at $5 per cord for General John C. Fremont.
There he made $10 per day, and followed the
business for eighteen months. He then re-
moved to Tnlare County, and purchased
eighty acres of land and engaged in farming.
He built a house and fenced the property,
and remained there until 1865, when he sold
it and came to San Luis Obispo County, and
settled on his present ranch, then unsurveyed
Government land. Mrs. McFerson came in
a spring wagon, driven by her son, Joseph
Barrickman, and Mr. McFerson, with two
others, drove the stock. She arrived first,
and stopped at the house of George E. Long;
Mr. McFerson was ten days on the road.
Thoy first lived in a little 10 x 12 log cabin.
Mr. Long showed them the land, and they
took 370 acres, which he still retains, and is
conducting a stock-raising and dairy busi-
ness. He built a nice house in 1868, and
has planted an orchard for home use, with a
large variety of fruit. The train with which
Mrs. McFerson came to California was com-
manded by Senator Hearst, who was a warm
friend of the family, and with whom Mr. Mc-
Ferson had been on many trips, when they
had to sleep on the ground many nights to-
gether. Mr. and Mrs. McFerson have helped
to organize the Presbyterial Cliurch at Cam-
bria, in 1871, of which they have been faith-
ful members since. He held Sunday-scljool
in the little log school-honse before the
church was organized, and has been Sunday-
school superintendent ever since. He is a
trustee and elder of the Church. He is a
member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, of which
he has passed through all the chairs, and in
1889 was district deputy grand master of the
order. In his political views he has
been a Democrat.
fHOMAS HOSMER, a resident of Mon-
tecito, was born in Freedom, Maine, in
1833. His father was a mechanic and
a manufacturer of edged tools, and after
leaving Freedom moved to Springfield, Mass-
achusetts, where he carried on a large es-
tablishment. Thomas learned his trade of
machinist at Belfast, Maine, in the shop of
Messrs. White & Kimball, who did general
country machine work, but especially work
for shingle and saw mills. He remainea with
them four years, and in the spring of 1858
came to California, first settling at Sacra-
mento, where he followed his trade for five
years. In 1863 he became interested in a
silver mine at Sonora, Mexico, went there and
put up a quartz mill, and after a year of hard
labor and much expense he gave it up as an
unprofitable investment, and returned to San
Francisco to follow his trade, working about
three years for the Government at Mare
Island, and the rest of the time in San Fran-
cisco until the fall of 1871. In January,
1872, he came to the Monteeito Valley and
purchased nineteen acres of land where he
now resides. He began with the almond cul-
ture, but after two years of heavy bearing
the crop failed. He then grafted the trees
with plums and prunes, but, not meeting with
success, the trees were taken out and oranges
were put in their places, which are now doing
well. He has about 700 orange and lemon
Mr. Hosmer was elected Supervisor in 1884
and re-elected in 1888, proving an able and
eflicient officer. He was married in San
Francisco in 1863, to Miss Frances Dinsinore,
a native of Anson, Maine, who came to Cali-
AND VENTURA COUNTIES.
fornia with lier parents in 1861, njaking the
journey by steamer. Her fatiier came to
Montecito in 1868, bought what is now
known as San Ysidro ranch, and planted the
tirst orange grove in the valley, containing
1,500 trees. The ranch has since been sold
to J. Harleigh Johnston, who has brought
the fruit to a high state of perfection. Mr.
and Mrs. Hosmer have four children, three
daughters at home, and one son, who is a
member of the firm of Hunt, Hosmer &, Co.,
of Santa Barbara.
tEOPOLD FRANKL, the founder of San
Simeon, is a '49er, and a prominent
business man of San Luis Obispo County;
he was born in Vienna, Austria, April 7,
1818, the son of Adolph Frankl, a native of
Austria, and a merchant all through his life.
His grandfather, on the maternal side, was
Alios Leathern, a mail-carrier in Austria for
years, and lived to the great age of 110 years.
Mr. Frankl's mother, Catherine (Leathern)
Frankl, was a native of Austria. They had
six children, of whom three are living, the
eldest, the middle one and the second. The
eldest is now eighty-five years of age, the
youngest, the subject of this sketch, is seventy-
two years. He was educated in Austria, and
learned engineering, and worked in the mines
in California as a mining engineer. From
1856 to 1860 he was with General John C.
Fremont in his mining enterprises in .Mari-
posa. He built the railroad and 100-stamp
mill at the Benton Mines, named by Fre-
mont after Jessie Benton, his wife's name
before marriage. He afterward worked in
the mines, and had 250 men at work. When
Fremont went to Europe, in 1860, Mr. Frankl
rented the mill, and sent the gold to Kra-
haugen & Cruse, and to Davison, agent
of Rothschild's Bank, in San Francisco,
General Fremont went to England to
raise money, and the arrangements were
about consummated when the civil war
broke out, and the unsettled condition of the
country prevented the closing of the business.
In 1865 Mr. Frankl sold the mines to T. W.
Parks, by order of General Fremont. He
then was engaged in the mines at Mexico, for
Tillinghast, agent of a London mining com-
pany, for fifteen months. He became sick
and came to San Simeon, and for years was
wharfinger and agent for the Pacific Steam-
ship Company. In 1875 Mr. Frankl opened
a general merchandise store in San Simeon,
and has conducted it until the present time,
enjoying a great portion of the business for
miles around. He received tlie appointment
of Postmaster in 1874, and has held the po-
sition ever since. He sold seven leagues of
land to Senator Hearst for $85,000, and has
done most of the building in San Simeon.
He also owns very valuable property, and for
the past few years has been reducing his
real estate; he has made lately two sales of
$10,000 each. He has a large mercantile
business, conducted by his nephews in Lake
View, Oregon. He was raised to the Hebrew
religion, and in his political views is a Re-
publican.
tNDREW MARTIN, one of California's
early pioneers, was born in LaFayette
County, Missouri, in 1824; his father
was a pioneer to that State. In 1837 they
moved to Platte Purchase, and took up 160
acres of heavily timbered land. Andrew pre-
pared to leave home at the age of twenty-one
years, but owing to his fatiier's illness he re-
mained at home and looked after his interests.
June 15, 1856, he entered the Government
iANTA BARBARA, SA:f LUIS OBISPO
service at Fort Leavenworth, under Colonel
Price, as teamster during the Mexican war,
driving the ammunition wagon. At Taos, in
January, 1847, he volunteered under Lieu-
tenant Dyer, of the artillery, and fought all
day tlirough that engagement. A few tights
subdued the Mexicans, and he then returned
to Santa Fe, and later to Fort Leavenworth,
where he was mustered out in June 22, X847.
The following year he worked at home, ex-
cept four months, engaged in driving freight
teams to Santa Fe. In July, 1848, he was
married in Clay County, Missouri, to Miss
Mary L. Bradbury. After spending the win-
ter in Kansas, in May, 1850, they started
across the plains for California, driving an ox
team of tive yoke, and one horse for his wife
to ride. They joined a train commanded by
John Morris, and after many hardships with
the Indians, sickness among the company,
cholera and short supplies, they arrived in
California by the Carson route, having been
four months on the road. Mr. Martin first
mined in Amador County one winter, then in
1851 he went to Cold Springs, where his
camp was burned and all his effects were lost.
In October, 1852, they came to Santa Clara
County, and in 1853 went to Half Moon Bay,
San Mateo County, and there remained eight
years. They took up what was supposed to
be Government land, but which proved part
of a grant, and they were finally put off', thus
losing eight years of labor during the best
part of his life. In the spring of 1866 he
took up land at Pescadero, San Mateo County,
and remained there until 1873, raising hay
and teaming in the Redwoods, and also mak-
ing ))ickets and shingles. Mr. Martin then
passed one year in Oregon, and in 1874 came
to Carpenteria Valley, purchasing fifty-five
acres of valley land, which was covered with
live-oak timber, with the exception of five
acres. He then began clearing and planting.
and now has a beautiful ranch, under a high
state of cultivation. He has set out about
seventy walnut trees, and has about 2,000
trees in nursery. He also plants about forty
acres in beans.
Mr. and Mrs. Martin have five children,
four sons and one daughter. Their present
spacious residence was built in 1888, under
the assistance and direction of the sons, who
are all at home. Mr. Martin located a home-
stead on Mount Hor in 1887, consisting of
120 acres, eighty acres of which is tillable
land, and fifty acres are now under cultiva-
tion.
' t ' ^ " ^ ' >
1^ K. STEVENS, proprietor of the Palm
^M and Citrus Nursery, in the west end of
^^® Montecito, makes a specialty of palms
(of which he has forty different varieties), and
tropical fruit trees, many very delicate and
sensitive, but his locality is rarely visited by
frost. Banana fruit ripens on the plants;
orange, lemon, lime, and the olive also do
well. The ranch is well supplied by water,
and of the 260 acres the greater part is under
cultivation.
S. WHITAKER came to California
in 1853, and ranks among the
pioneei-s of the State. He was born
in Indiana, February 18, 1832, and is the
son of John M. Whitaker. His father, who
was born in 1802, and who is still living, was
a member of the Legislature of Iowa for
twenty years off and on, and had the honor
of selecting the State University lands. He
married Mrs. Jane Phillips, a native of Ohio,
and daughter of William Phillips. They
AND VENTURA COUNTIES.
liad six children, tive sons and one daughter,
all of whom are now living.
The subject of this sketch was reared and
educated in Van Bureii County, Iowa, and
lived on a farm until twenty-one years of
age, when he came to California. He first
engaged in mining at Dry Town, Calaveras
County, and prospected without any success
there; he then went to Grizzly Flats, El
Dorado County, where he worked two years
and saved $2,000. He was one of four men
who took out twenty-six ounces of gold, worth
$468, in one day. It was nothing unusual to
take out from six to twelve ounces per day.
Tills luck came to him the last winter spent
in the mines. The first winter he spent in
tlie mountains, six miles above Grizzly Flats,
he prospected without any success, and dur-
ing that time lie suffered a great deal, the
snow being three feet deep. He became
afflicted with the scurvy, and walked out
through the snow three feet deep to Grizzly
Flats, where he could get a vegetable diet.
In the summer of 1856 he and his partner
thought they had about exhausted their
claim, and, receiving a good offer for it, sold
out. Mr. Whitaker received $600 for his in-
terest. The parties who bought it afterward
took out large quantities of gold.
Mr. Whitaker returned to Iowa with his
money, arriving June 17, 1856; he engaged
in the mercantile business until 1863, in
which year he went b:ick to California. He
settled in Marin County, remained there dur-
ing tlie winter, went to Nevada, mined and
prospected six months, and October 7, 1863,
came to San Luis Obispo County. He pur-
chased a ranch, on which h« lived during the
winter, and in the spring helped organize the
firm of Grant, Lull & Co. Mr. Lull went to
San Francisco after goods, and while he M'as
away Mr. Whitaker moved the logs of a log
house down the San Simeon Creek and re-
built it near the Coast road for a store. It
was ready when the goods arrived, the stock
— not a large one — costing $1,800. Mr.
Whitaker relates many interesting incidents
which happened during his business experi-
ence at that place. Among the goods was a
crate of crockery, and at first they had little
hope of disposing of it, but there was no
crockery in the country and it proved to be
just the thing wanted. Mr. Whitaker kept
the cash account. One day they received
nothing until nearly night, when a Spaniard
came in and bought a drink oi whitky and
saved the day! One of the partners. Mr.
Lull, has kept that coin as a memento of the
day's business and their little pioneer store at
the mouth of the San Simeon Creek. One
night, while they were at supper, an Indian
broke into the store through the window.
When they found the store had been entered,
they first went to the money drawer, nothing
had been taken from it. A drunken Indian
fast asleep on the beach was enough to tell
the story of the robbery, and, as the tide was
coming in, had they not found him when
they did, lie would doubtless have been
drowned. After doing business for six
months in this locality, they removed to
Cambria. They built the first store at that
place and put in $8,000 worth of goods.
From that time Cambria began to build up.
The first hotel was built b^ Mr. Rice. Mr.
Proctor ^built his blacksmith shop; and the
work of settlement and development has gone
on. Mr. Whitaker's firm continued the busi-
ness until 1867. He then sold his interest,
removed to San Simeon and took charge of
the wharf for the Steamship Company and
acted as their agent. He bought the hotel
and ran it for some time, then prospected
and mined, and now has charge of the San
Simeon wharf and is agent for the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company. During the
3ANTA B^UiBAJlA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
quicksilver excitement of 1875-'76, he had
ail interest in the mine with Mr. George Yan
Gordon and others. They a made a contract
for a new process of saving the quicksilver;
but, after much expense, it proved a failure.
The machine did not separate as represented.
They lost money, but still retain the mine,
expecting ultimately to make it pay.
Mr. Whitaker and his son do a dairy busi-
ness on their ranch at the moutii of the San
Simeon Creek — the first land he took up.
They own 420 acres of land which joins the
San Simeon grant — three leagues of land that
could, at one time, have been purchased for
$5,000. It is now worth a vast sum of
money. The dry season of 1864 caused im-
mense loss to the cattle men, and nearly all
the early settlers were engaged in that busi-
ness. The people were greatly discouraged,
and it seemed to them that California was
worthless, but it has since proved a wonder-
fully productive country, and large sums of
money have been made in t!ie dairy and cat-
tle business.
Mr, Whitaker has three children, Ira R.,
Alice and Lotty. The first and second were
born in Winchester, Iowa, and the youngest
in San Luis Obispo County. Politically Mr.
Whitaker is a Democrat.
fH. FEANKLIN, one of Cambria's
most active business men, being a
* merchant. Postmaster and Justice of
the Peace, and President of the Board of
Education of the county. He is a son of
Colonel WilUiam H. Franklin, now of San
Jose, but a native of New Jersey. He served
under General Scott, and was also a veteran
of the great civil war, and for a time held the
position of Provost Marshal of the city of
Washington. He was advanced to the rank
of Colonel in his regiment, and was several
times wounded while in command of his men
on the battle-field. His grandfather was
Benjamin Franklin, a native of New Jersey,
and his great-grandfather was the world-
renowned Benjamin Franklin, the first Post-
master General of the United States. His
mother was Morgiana R. (Hnrber) Franklin.
Benjamin H. Franklin, our subject, was
born in Philadelphia, September 1, 1856, and
was the eldest in a family of nine children,
only four of whom survive. He was reared
and educated at San Jose, and is a graduate
of the business college, high school and
normal school. In 1876 he came direct from
school to Cambria, where he taught school
for two years. For a time he was engaged
in real-estate and money lending, and pur-
chased county warrants. He was appointed
Postmaster in 1882, but was removed by the
administration of President Cleveland and
re-installed when Harrison was elected Presi-
dent. He has been a m^ber of the Board
of Education of the county nearly ever since
coming to the county. For five years he
clerked for the firm of Grant & TuU, and at
the same time was telegraph operator and
Postmaster. In 1885 he opened a variety
store, which has consequently grown until he
now has a large general stock, the largest in
town. When the fire broke out he owned 100
feet on Main street, the theatre building, and
a building rented for a saloon and his store.
The rate of insurance had been raised to nine
and a half per cent., and wiiile trying to get
the price down the fire caught him without a
dollar of insurance. The fire originated in a
hotel, a block from him, and he succeeded in
saving $2,000 worth of goods, the rest was a
total loss, amounting to about $10,000. The
next morning after the fire he opened his
store in the parlor of a dwelling house, and
in five days had a building, 26x40 feet, into
AUD VENTURA CUUNTIE8.
281
which he moved and conducted the only
mercantile business in town. He has since
added to the building thirty feet, and is
carrying a very large line of goods. As a
justice of the peace he makes it a point to
have all the cases that come to him settled,
and this does the litigants a service, saving
both them and the county costs. He is a
member of the Odd Fellows lodge, and has
passed through all the chairs; he is now
secretary of the order. Mr. Franklin has a
ranch of 500 acres on the Santa Rosa Creek,
run for him on shares, seven miles from
Cambria; it is nicely improved and has on it
about 100 head of cattle; they milk about
seventy cows. He has a nice residence in
Cambria, and a business block in San Luis
Obispo, on which he has three stores, rented.
Mr. Franklin was married in 1876, to Miss
Mabel Runyon, a native of Colfax, on the
Sacramento River, near where Courtland now
stands. She is the daughter of Alexander
Runyon, a rancher horticulturist. They have
four children, three sons and a daughter, all
born in Cambria, viz.: Benjamin H., Ray-
mond, Alexander and a baby unnamed. Mr.
Frankliti is a man of business sagacity and
integrity. In addition to the other offices
which he has held is trustee of the school
board. He speaks English, Spanish and
German. He furnishes a little music for the
peojile in the Presbyterian church. It is
questionable whether the renowned Benjamin
Franklin had as much buoiness on his hands
as his great-grandson. The following story
is told of Benjamin Franklin the first, not
narrated in his history. It is said that when
his father took him to church, he was annoyed
to see his son gazing about and not appar-
ently paying much attention to the sermon.
He said to him when they came out, " Benj-
amin, you pained me by the poor attention
you seemed to be giving to the sermon; I
don't think you know what it was about."
'•Oh, yes, father," replied Benjamin; " I can
tell you the text, and a good deal that the
minister said." And he began and gave a
nice little outline of the sermon, and when
he stopped he said, " And now, father, I can
tell you how many rafters, posts and collar
braces there are in the church." And so it
can be said of the subject of this sketch, —
that there is not much going on where he is
that he does not take in.
fC. HIGGINS, a rancher of Carpenteria
Valley, was born in Galesburg, Illinois,
** in 1843. His father had large farm
interests in the locality of Galesburg and
much city property. His father and mother
are still living, each at the age of seventy live
years, and they are looking forward to their
golden wedding in April, 1891. P. C. Hig-
gins was married at Galesburg in 1864, to
Miss Mary Jenks, and they then moved to
Altona, Knox County, Illinois, to take charge
of one of his father's farms. In 1867 they
moved to Forest, Livingston County, where
Mr, Higglns bought 160 acres of land, and
carried on general farming for thirteen years,
dealing largely in hogs, which he fattened
for market. In 1880 they sold out and
moved to Prairie City, Iowa, where he
engaged in the hardware business, and re-
mained three years. Through an unsatis-
factory partner they made no progress, and
in 1883 Mr. Higgins sold out and came to
Carpenteria Valley, where he bought 108
acres of cleai-ed land, all under cultivation.
His main croji is Lima beans, the leading
industry of the valley, of which he plants
about ninety acres, with an average yield of
from 1,500 to 2,000 pounds per acre. Mr.
Higgins has a bituminous rock bed on his
3ANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
place, bordering on the sea, whicli, after care-
ful examination i« foi;nd to cover several
acres in area, at au average depth of sixteen
feet. They have taken out about 5,000 tons,
which was used in the paving of State street
in Santa Barbara. In boring for artesian
water he struck natural gas, at a depth of
500 feet, although not in paying quantities:
still by storing it was found to burn very
rapidly. He raises, lemons and other fruits,
but only for home use. Mr. and Mrs. Hig-
gins have six children, all living.
fKANE BROTHERS are the leading
merchants of Saticoy. The business
was established by E. Q. Crane in 1886,
lie conducting it until 1889, when his brother,
L. P. Crane, became a partner, taking a half
interest in the business. The store was lirst
located on the Telegraph road, and in 1887 it
was removed to a point one- half mile north-
west of where the depot now is. After the
depot was built, as they are buyers and ship-
pers of produce, and as the new hotel is at
the station, they saw it would be to their in-
terest to again move their store, and accord-
ingly located near the station. They are now
building a large store-room at the rear of the
main building, making the whole depth of the
building 110 feet. Over the store is a large
hall which is used for public meetings. Both
of these gentlemen are enterprising and are
active in all measures tending to build up the
town. Both are native sons of the Golden
West, having been born in Ventura County,
within a few miles of Saticoy, their father,
J. L. Crane, being one of the earliest pioneers
of this part of the country. (A sketch of his
life appears elsewhere in this work.)
E. C.Crane, the senior member of the firm,
dates his birth in 1863. He was reared on a
farm and educated at Carpenteria. In 1884
he was united in marriage with Miss Mary
E. Cross, a native of Wisconsin. They have
three children, Cora L., Ella and Clarence.
Mr. Crane's political views are Democratic.
He was Postmaster under the Cleveland ad-
ministration. Mr. Crane resides in a neat
cottage which he built not far from their
place of business.
L. P. Crane, the junior member of the firm,
received his education in the public schools
of the county. He is a successful farmer,
owning a fine ranch in the Santa Clara Val-
ley, one mile from their store, and is conduct-
ing this in addition to his other business.
He lias built a nice residence and barn and
resides on the ranch. He was married in
1888, to Miss Abby Briggs, a native of Yuba
County, California, and a daughter of John
G. Briggs. They have one son, Bertie, born
in Saticoy. L. P. Crane shares liis brother's
political views. ^
fOHN BAILARD.— One of the largest
ranches in the Carpenteria Valley is
that owned by the estate of Andrew
Bailai-d, which is under the direct manage-
ment of his widow and John Bailard, his
eldest son. Andrew Bailard was born in
Germany, and came to this country in his
boyhood, with his parents, who settled on a
farm in Missouri. In 1853 Andrew came to
California, across the plains, first settling in
San Mateo County, where he purchased a
ranch of 400 acres, and carried on general
farming, making grain, barley, hay and po-
tatoes the principal crops. In 1857 he was
married to Miss Martha C. Schultz, a native
of Missouri, who came across the plains in
the same train with Mr. Bailard. In 1868
Mr. Bailard sold his ranch and in August of
AND VENTURA COUNTIES.
tlie same year he moved liis family to the
Carpenteria Valley. He here purchased 400
acres of wild land from Dr. Beggs, who
• owned a large Spanish grant. He at once
began clearing and as soon as practicable
planted corn and beans. At that time the
small bean was cultivated, the Lima bean
being a later production. Mr. Bailard died
in JDecember, 1876, leaving his widow and
nine children. His eldest son, John Bailard,
was born in San Mateo County, in 1859; re-
ceived his education there and at the Santa
Barbara College. He has taken an active
part in the management of the ranch, which
has since been enlarged by 100 acres that
Mrs. Bailard inherited. The valley land has
mostly been cleared of the live oaks since
his father's death ; and of the 500 acres, 400
are nnder cultivation, the uplands during the
alternate years and valleys every year. The
machinery used is of the most improved
kind, throwing all labor possible upon the
team rather than the driver. Two hundred
acres of this ranch is planted to Lima beans,
which has become the principal crop of the
valley. Mr. Bailard has recently purchased
forty acres more, which is largely under
cultivation.
In June, 1887, Mr. Bailard was married in
Carpenteria, to Miss Kitty Cravens.
»-H|.^«^>-^
I^EORGE WILLIAM PROC^TOR was
vm ^'°''" ^" ^>^^^ Providence, Rhode Island,
V^ May 5, 1823. His father and grand-
father, William Proctor, Sr. and Jr., were
both natives of New Hampshire, and were
the descendants of English settlers in this
country. His mother, Betsey (Thompson)
Proctor, was born in Andover, New Hamp-
shire, and was a daughter of Peter Thomp-
son, a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. Proctor's
father was twice married, and he was the
youngest of a family of four children by the
first marriage. He was reared at Andover,
attended the district school, worked on the
farm and learned the blacksmith's trade. He
then went to Ashburnham and worked with
his brother, after which he took a contract to
make 100 tons of railroad spikes, at Nashua.
That completed he entered the railroad shops,
and worked for the company three years.
November 29, 1848, he went to work for the
Passumpsic Railroad Company at Wells Riv-
er, Vermont, having charge of a shop. May
20, 1850, he commenced work for the Eagle
Screw Company of Providence, Rhode Island.
Next he went to Maidstone, Vermont, and
helped to build a saw-mill, and from there
he went to Guildhall, Vermont, where he set
up a blacksmith shop, and continued the
business there until 1858.
In that year Mr. Proctor came to California.
He engaged in work on a quartz mill at West
Point, Calaveras County, and also became in-
terested in mining. They had rich rock, but,
owing to the dishonesty of some of the par-
ties, it did not pay. From there he went to
Pine Grove. No survey had been made at
that place. Mr. Proctor fenced in 100 acres
of land, and also built a shop. In 1859 he
planted an orchard of apples, pears, and
peaches. This property he sold, and removed
to a place twenty-two miles from Sacramento,
which he named Elliott. He located a quar-
ter section of land, and built a shop, and was
there about five years. During that time he
did a good business and also cultivated an
orchard, which proved a great success, this
being the first orchard planted on the red
land. He sold the property for $2,000, and
removed to Cambria, San Luis Obispo County.
Here ho got laud to the amount of 400 acres.
He was a pioneer builder of the town, and
in every way did all he could for the develop-
SANTA BAltDAUA, SAX LUIS OBISPO
ment and groAth of the place; built a large
shop, aided in building the Masons' Hall,
built a thiee-story hotel, and several other
lioiises. The hotel was destroyed by fire in
1889, and was a total loss.
In 1880 Mr. Proctor moved from Cambria
to near San Miguel. He took up Govern-
ment land, and, as at other places where he
had located, he built a shop. He for a time
rail the shop in San Miguel, with George
"Washington Proctor, besides his shop across
the river from San Miguel. This shop he
ran for five years, in company witii G. E
Proctor. Now, he owns 800 acres of land,
six miles east of San Miguel. Other mem-
bers of his family have 560 acres adjoining
his, making 1,360 acres in all. A fine spring
is located on his place. He is engaged in
raising wheat, cattle and hortes. In 1888
Mr. Proctor built the Occidental Hotel,
which was opened in February of that year.
It is being conducted by his son-in-law,
George S. Davis, who is an experienced hotel
man, and who keeps a good house.
Mr. Proctor married in 1844 Miss Elvira
Cooper, a native of New York, daughter of
Rev. David Cooper, a Universalist minister
of Saratoga, New York. They had two
children: Elvira E., born in Ashburnham,
Massachusetts, now the wife of George S.
Davis; and George E., born in Nashua, New
Hampshire, who resides on his ranch, two
miles east of San Miguel. After four years
of wedded life, Mrs. Proctor died. Several
years later Mr. Proctor married Miss Lncin-
da T. Norris, a native of Corinth, Vermont,
a daughter of Rev. John Norris, and they
have had seven children.
Mr. Proctor has been a leader; where he
has gone others have followed. He has both
thought and labored for the interest of the
society in which he has lived. Has aided in
organizing four granges in the county. In
politics he is in iavor of reform. He was
reared a Methodist, but his religious views
have been modified. He is a believer in one
God, and in the principle that " If we do right
in this world we will be all right in the next
if there is one, and we will be all right in
this world whether there is another or not."
This mode of expressing his doctrine was used
by a Unitarian minister on the occasion of
the luneral of his beloved uncle, Hon. John
Proctor, at Andover, New Hampshire. Mr.
Proctor has been an Odd Fellow, a Son of
Temperance, a Good Templar, and has helped
to start a number of lodges and reform
mc>vemen's.
^>HS^,^
fS. DUVAL, the builder and proprietor
of the Charles Hotel, Satieoy, was
* born in Maine, August 4, 1858. He
is a son E. A. Duval, mention of whom will
be found in another part of this book, where
the history of the family is given as far as
known. Mr Duval came with his father to
Satieoy in 1868, and was engaged in the
general merchandise business, under the name
of Crane & Duval, for two years. He sold
his interett and purchased lots of the Pacific
Improvement Company, with the under-
standing that he would build a hotel for
the accommodation of their trains. He ac-
cordingly erected the Charles Hotel, 56x100
feet, two stories high, having a balustrade on
three sides, and containing twenty-five rooms.
It was built at a cost of $12,000. and was
opened to the public June 2, 1889, being the
first hotel in this part of the valley. After
being succssfuUy conducted for eight months,
it was destroyed by fire. The cook upset a
pot of lard on the range, and, there being a
strong wind blowing, the whole house was
soon in flames.
Their best efforts to save
AND VENTURA COUNTIES.
the building was ineffectual, only a portion
of the foundation being left. The property
was insured for $8,000, which tiie company
paid in full; and Mr. Duval commenced the
erection of a new building on the 3d of IMarch,
1890, which was opened for business April
4. It contains eighteen rooms and is suit-
ably finished and furnished throughout. It
is the eating-house for the traveling public
between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles,
trains stopping for both dinner and supper.
This iionse is being conducted in a first-class
way, and Mr. Duval, by his genial and ac-
commodating manner, has secured a good
patronage.
Mr. Duval was married in 1879 to Miss
Mary E. Knox, a native of Iowa, and daugh-
ter of John Kno.\ of that State. This union
has been blessed with three children, Elmer
H., Lawrence and Melvin, all born at Sat-
icoy.
Mr. Duval belongs to tlie Regulators of
Santa Clara Valley. In politics he is Re-
publican.
C^O
PF. MADDOX, one of the business
men of Nordhoff, is a native of Keri-
* tucky, born in Pendleton County, Jan-
uary 12, 1844. He is a son of William
Maddox, -a native of Ohio, wlio for many
years resided in Kentucky, was married to
Miss Brandenburg!), and lived on a planta-
tion. Mrs. Maddox died of cholera in, 1857.
His father was afterward married to a second
wife, and was the father of eighteen children,
ten by his first wife and eight by the second,
all except two living to adult age.
When the subject of this sketch was ten
years of age the family moved to Illinois. In
December, 1861, he enlisted in Company E,
Fifty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, as
a private soldier, and participated in all the
engagements of the West from Fort Henry
to Fort Donelson, the battle of Shiloh, the
advance on Corinth and the battle of Corinth
in 1862. He was with General Sherman on
his memorable march from Atlanta to the
sea, and was at Washington during the grand
review, when the magnificent victorious army
made its triumphant march through the
great capital of the country their deeds of
valor had saved. Mr. Maddox received no
wound, but suffered much from diarrhoea,
from the effects of which he has never fully
recovered. Four of his brothers were also
in the Union army, one of whom lost his life
and another came near dying in prison.
At the close of the war Mr. Maddox was
mustered out, and went to Kansas, where he
took a Government claim which he improved
and on which he lived until 1874. In that
year he came to Ventura County, California.
Mr. Maddox was a carpenter, and worked at
his trade five years in Ventura, where he met
with a very slight accident which resulted in
the loss of the use of his right hand. He
received a wound from a scratch-awl, and
went to a physician to have something ajj-
plied to remove the soreness. The doctor
injected carbolic acid, full strength, and blood
poisoning did the rest, causing Mr. Maddox
to be a cripple for life. He then took up a
smpll piece of land in the Matilija Caiion on
Ventura River, and kept an apiary. He was
there elected road commissioner, and held the
office eight years. In 1886 he came to Nord-
hoff, purchased a lot, and erected a very
pleasant home. He also bought another lot
and built a livery stable, and dealt some in
real estate, being very successful in liis trans-
actions. His livery stable is now the only
one in the town. It is well equipped through-
out, Mr. Maddox keeping sixteen horses and
ten conveyances. He has one team composed
SANTA BAMBAEA, SAN LUIS OBISPO
of fine grays, liicLnioiul stock, that being
considered the best stock in the country.
In 1872 Mr. Maddox was married to Miss
Jennie R. Whaley, who was born in Canada,
and is a daughter of William Whaley, a
native of Ireland. Their union has been
blessed with two sons and two daughters —
Lela, Eugenia, Harry E. and Foster F. In
political matters Mr. Maddox is a Democrat.
His wife is a member of the Presbyterian
church.
fOHlN^ PYSTER.— On the county road,
about two miles east of Carpenteria, lies
the fine ranch of John Pyster, who was
born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1840. He
worked on the farm of his father until eight-
een years of age, when he came to America,
and went to Nortliern Wisconsin, where he
worked at fanning two years. He then went
to Jefferson County, New York, and worked
for one farmer three years. In 1863 he came
to California, and was occupied as circum-
stances offered during the first year. He
then went to Half Moon Bay and rented a
farm of 200 acres of Mr. Andrew Bailard,
doing general farming and remaining until
1869, when he came to the Carpenteria Val-
ley, working one year for Mr. Bailard, who
came down in 1868. In 1870 Mr. Pyster
purchased adjoining land to the amount of
191 acres, of Dr. Biggs, who owned the
Spanish grant. The land was all wild and
largely covered with brush and live-oak which
abounded all through the valley. He imme-
diately began clearing and cultivating and
putting in the standard crops of the valley —
beans and barley. Mr. Pyster inherited the
thrift and industry of his country, and now
possesses one of the finest large farms of the
valley. He is a breeder of a fine class of
farm and draft horses, and his stallion " Mon-
tebello, Jr.," a Belgium horse, is one of
great beauty, is four years old and weighs
1,750 pounds.
Mr. Pyster was married in Santa Barbara,
November 15, 1870, to Miss Christiena Lieb,
a native of Wiirtemburg, Germany. They
have five children, four sons and one daugh-
ter, all at home. Mr. Pyster is quite up
with the times in his agricultural work, and
is now (May, 1890) putting in thirty-five
acres of beans of choice varieties, for seed
purposes, to supply the seed-store of George
Haskell & Co., of Rockford, Illinois, they
finding the seed grown in California to be of
better quality than that grown in the East.
• I ' ^^'l ' l-
fW. ROGERS, a resident of the Carpen-
teria Valley, was boru in Peru, Clinton
* County, New York, in 1825. He was
the yoimgest fon of a family of seven chil-
dren, all of whom are now living excepting
the eldest son, who went south in early life
and was stricken with yellow fever. At the
age of two years, with his parents he moved
to Boston, Massachusetts. His father was
then connected with a manufacturing house,
and introduced the first cast-iron plow into
the State of Maine. As agent for a Boston
firm he was also interested in the lumber
business. In 1841 he moved his family to
Augusta, Maine, on account of his lumber
interests; was very successful, owned a ranch
of 1,000 acres, and also owned a line of coast
schooners which operated between Augusta,
Boston and New York; but owing to a terri-
ble freshet his lumber interests suffered to
such an extent as to wipe out all of his accu-
mulations.
J. W. Rogers was educated at the public
schools of Boston, after which he took charge
AND VENTURA COUNTI 
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