San Bernardino

County History

An Illustrated History of Southern California - The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago - 1890

THE OFFICIALS

of the county of San Bernardino are: State Senator, W. W. Bowers, of San Diego; Assemblyman, E. W. Holmes, of Riverside; Judges of the Superior Court, C. W. C. Rowell and John L. Campbell; Sheriff, E. C. Seymour; County Clerk, George L. Hison; Recorder, A. S. Davidson; Auditor, W. L. G. Soule; Treasurer, W. H. Beattie; Tax Collector, R. H. Stetson; District Attorney, Henry Connor; School Superintendent, H. C. Brooke; Surveyor, W. C. Chamblin; Coroner, C. C. Wainwright; Public Administrator, James E. Mack; Court Commissioner, J. C. Christy; Supervisors, J. A. Johnson, Thomas Holmes, G. W. Garcelon, George Cooley, W. H. Glass; Board of Education, J. E. Roberts, Lyman Evans, H. C. Brooke, E. P. Clarke.

THE INDIAN TRIBES

that inhabited San Bernardino County were not a few, and several of them have representatives at the present day. There are the Yumas, who dwell along the Colorado river, from its entrance into Arizona to its outlet, occupying only the river bottoms; the Yumas are so far removed from the settled districts as to belong practically to Arizona. The Serrano and Cahuilla Indians have intermarried for so long a time that now the separate tribes can hardly be distinguished. They occupy divers fruitful valleys in the vicinity of San Bernardino. The Chimehueras and Pah-utes inhabit the sterile desert country north of the San Bernardino valley, rarely visiting the settlements. Already very few in number, they are rapidly becoming extinct. In the early days of San Bernardino these two tribes were very troublesome to the settlers, miners, and particularly to the stockmen, owing to their predilection for stock stealing. Hence resulted contests in which no little blood was shed on both sides. During the civil war these tribes became thoroughly imbued with the spirit of outlawry, and, reinforced by renegade whites, their menaces caused serious fears of a regular attack upon the town of San Bernardino.

        The Mission Indians, accustomed to wholesome restraints and guidance under the rule of the padres, found themselves homeless, helpless, and without resources or direction, on the carrying into effect of the laws of secularization. No other influence or provision was substituted for those which they then lost, and they were left in the situation of grown-up and untrained children, so that they have for the most part lapsed into the lives of vagrants and outcasts.

        The agency for the Mission Indians in this county was established in 1878, with Colonel S. S. Lawson as agent. In 1879–'80 there was great distress among them because of a failure of crops and scarcity of work. The agent represented to the Government the imminent approach of famine among them, and provision was accordingly made for feeding them until after the crisis.

        Of the six or eight schools established under the agency one is in this county, at the Potrero near Banning. The teacher reports encouraging progress by the pupils.

        The first census of the Indians in this county seems to have been taken about 1880, under the superintendence of Indian Agent Lawson, who ascertained as nearly as possible the number in each tribe. Of the Serranos, living chiefly at the Potrero, on the Colorado desert, he found only 212, all told; of the Cahuillas, living mostly in the valleys, he found 204. This is a very small proportion of the tribes, as they mostly live in San Diego County. About the only possession of value in the hands of the Indians of San Bernardino at present is a limited number of horses. Yet there has been a marked improvement in their condition since the establishment of the agency. The Indians of the various tribes in these counties have mostly embraced Christianity, and they attend religious services at the mission chapel when they have an opportunity.

        The Mission Indians' Consolidated Agency, a Federal institution, comprising some twelve Government employés, has its headquarters at Colton.

        The only Indian reservation in the county is the one at Banning, which contains about 200 Indians, being known as the Morongo reservation. The Government school here contains about twenty-two pupils, which is about the usual number belonging to these schools. The whole number of Mission Indians in the county at present is about 300.

        The training in the Indian schools of this agency reach about that grade corresponding to the intermediate grade of the public schools. The division comprehended in San Diego, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties contains eight day schools for Indians, averaging a daily attendance of eight pupils.

        The remnant of the Cahuillas are mainly engaged in stock-raising, the other tribes in agriculture, independently on their own lands, or as farm laborers. These Indians are almost self-sustaining. Once yearly the agency issues farming implements, distributed among the various reservations, seventeen in number, the issue not exceeding a value of $6,000, and about $600 are expended annually in relieving the sick and indigent.

        At Banning there is a training-school for Indians, built by Miss Drexel, at a cost of $40,000. It is a three-story brick building, very complete in its appointments, built in the form of a hollow square with central courtyard. It is expected that the functions of this school will be exercised by the month of September under the auspices of the Catholic Union Bureau at Washington, an incorporated organization. This institution comprises sixty acres of land, set to various kinds of trees, and it is a beautiful and valuable property.

THE SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY

is the largest in the State in which the citrus and other sub-tropical fruits can be successfully raised to a perfect maturity. It is about sixty miles long east and west, with an average width north and south of fifteen miles. Within its boundaries are situated San Bernardino, Old San Bernardino, Colton, Riverside, Lugonia, Redlands, Highlands, Crafton, Ontario, Arlington, San Gorgonio, Rialto, Mentone, Cucamonga, Etiwanda and other flourishing towns and settlements. This beautiful valley embraces not less than 1,500 to 1,800 square miles of land, nearly all of which is arable, needing but the hand of industry to call into fruitful bearing its richness. These lands are of all grades, from the low, damp lands along the streams to the high mesa lands in the foothills. The low lands as well as the damp higher lands which are found in many places, produce all kinds of crops without irrigation. However, each product is found to be more particularly adapted to growth in certain localities, owing to the kind of soil and other peculiarities. In order to understand the advantages of this valley, it is necessary to know something of its formation and peculiar topographical features. On the north is the San Bernardino range of mountains, 5,000 to 7,000 feet high; on the east a low range of clay hills, whose summit is the divide of 'the San Gorgonio pass; on the south a low range of clay and granite hills and on the west a high mesa, forming the west bank of Lytle creek.

        The natural drainage outlet of the valley is at the gap of the Santa Ana river's egress, in the most southern portion; thus this valley is formed into a large catchment basin for the water-shed of a very large area of country, the main drainage channel being the Santa Ana river. The soil of this wonderful valley is mainly a rich, deep loam, largely intermixed with decomposed granite. Some of it is dark, same of a reddish color, growing more and more sandy as it approaches the mountains, while the mesa lands and foothills are of a more gravelly nature. Thus it would seem that the soil is a fill or wash from the surrounding mountains, in which in many places is found a heavy black loam, growing potatoes and apples of excellence unsurpassed anywhere in the world.

        The San Bernardino mountains are a barrier between fertility and sterility; on one side 1,800 square miles of the finest land on earth, on the other 23,000 square miles of desert.

        San Bernardino valley produces in great perfection, oranges, lemons, apples, pears, olives, apricots, cherries, prunes, figs, dates, quinces and grapes; vegetables, corn, wheat, oats, barley, etc., grow to perfection in this high valley with its gentle slope to the southward sun. Alfalfa yields six crops per year. Flowers bloom every day in the year.

CLIMATE.

San Bernardino valley, by reason of its distance from the seaboard (some seventy miles), and its position with respect to the Sierra Nevada and its contiguity to the great deserts on the east and north, has a climate differing in many regards from that of the coast towns, and even of places as far inland as Los Angeles. The most marked feature of difference is the greater dryness of the atmosphere, which renders this climate more beneficial, than the more humid coast towns, to sufferers with pulmonary amid bronchial affections.

        The local peculiarities of situation cause the spring season here to open about a month later than in Los Angeles. Thus the trees and vines escape with less injury from the blights of occasional late frosts. The spring and fall months are the most enjoyable, the temperature being steady, the heats, even of midsummer, greatly modified by the sea breeze that every day, from eleven to two o'clock, and at sunset, blows up the valley. This breeze greatly modifies the effects of the heat, while not affecting the record of the mercury. July, August and a part of September are the hot months, during which, from 10 A. M. to 2 P. the mercury ranges from 90° to 105°, and sometimes even rises to 110°. The heat, however, is dry and not oppressive, burning the skin rather than relaxing the nervous system, as appears in the cases of parties whose business is in the desert regions, where they are exposed to a constant heat of from 110° to 125°. Sunstroke is never known in this valley. The nights are always cool, admitting almost unfailingly of a blanket for bed-covering.

        Winter, or the "rain season " here, begins in November, with occasional heavy storms of two or three days' duration, and extends over the months of December and January. During February, March and April the rainfall is much less, being of shorter duration. Excepting on the rainy days, which are few, the weather is warm enough to permit of active pursuits, clad in ordinary apparel. Frosts are of rare occurrence, and, save the late ones, they are not destructive if there be taken ordinary precautions for the protection of the more delicate semi­tropical fruit trees. Along the base of the hills are sections which enjoy entire immunity from frosts, so that the most sensitive plants may be raised there at all times without protection.

        Here, as elsewhere in Southern California, barring the mountain districts, it rains considerably less in winter than it does in the Eastern States in summer.         Witness the following record of rainfall in San Bernardino from July 1, 1887, to June 30, 1888:

        This is about one-half the rainfall of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and two-fifths that of Philadelphia. From a more complete weather record, kept at Riverside, is taken the following tabulation, comprehending the highest and lowest temperature, the number of days in which rain fell, the rainfall in inches, the number of cloudy days, and number of clear days for each month of the year 1886:

        The following is a table of the rainfall of each season in San Bernardino for the past twenty years, including the present season to date; and it will be interesting to note that more rain has fallen thus far this season than at any time during the twenty, except during the season of 1883-'84, when the total rainfall was 37.51 inches as against 24.23 this season. The different seasons have been kept by Sydney P. Waite, V. O.

Rainfall (total for seasons), at San Bernardino, California, 1870 to 1890, inclusive.

* Twelve inches of snow, January 12th.

        Waterspouts and cloudbursts sometimes do much damage hereabouts. The floods of 1862 destroyed the lumber mills and timber in the Mill creek and Santa Ana cañons; in April, 1867, a cloudburst over the Cajon pass poured torrents for about half an hour, and the raging waters rushed down the narrow cañon, carrying

timber and all else before them. In 1867 the rains were exceptionally heavy and continual, and the earth was saturated more deeply than had been known since the settlement of the valley, in 1852. A number of houses, heretofore considered on a solid basis, settled on their foundations, and fell in or were damaged.

        The "northers " are hot, parching winds from the desert, which, although not violent, are depressive and destructive to vegetable and animal life, evaporating the moisture, and leaving everything parched and scorched. These also are of infrequent occurrence.

        Snows fall on the Sierra Nevada throughout the winter, but in the valley only at rare intervals.

        In 1882 there was very heavy snowfall, but this storm gave rise to much gayety in the way of sleighing and snowballing, and was regarded as a pleasant occurrence, rather than a drawback.

        The greatest drawback of this section, its most destructive and disagreeable feature, is the north winds, that sweep down through the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. Devoid of moisture, they absorb all that is in the soil, and, when they occur after a rain, they entirely destroy its effects. Fortunately, these winds do not occur with great frequency.

RAILROADS.

        San Bernardino County enjoys the distinction of possessing the main lines of two transcontinental railroads—the Southern Pacific, and the Atlantic & Pacific, more popularly known as the Santa Fé. The Southern Pacific was the pioneer road, completing its bed through these parts in 1876. This road crosses the extreme southwest corner of the county, running east and west. It affords shipping facilities to numerous prosperous towns and settlements, the centers of wide areas of rich fruit and agricultural lands. It has some forty-eight miles of track operating within the confines of the county, which, together with 206 miles of roadbed leased to the Atlantic & Pacific, has an assessed value in round numbers of $3,000,000. During the busiest part of the year, the Southern Pacific receives sufficient freight, the product of the county, at Colton, to place that town third on the coast in importance as to east-bound shipments.

        The line which the Southern Pacific in 1879 leased to the Atlantic & Pacific intersects the county almost centrally, extending east and west. It traverses a portion of the country not attractive to the eye, but immensely rich in mineral deposits, which have already added vastly to the wealth of the country, although their development is scarcely begun as yet. The Atlantic & Pacific has rolling stock and improvements whose assessed value is nearly $73,000. This road has a connecting line of the Southern California railway system making junction at Barstow.

        The first direct rail communication between San Bernardino and the Eastern States was effected in 1887.

        In 1883 the Southern California Railway was built between San Bernardino and San Diego, and in 1885 it was extended to Barstow. At first this line suffered severely, indeed, was rendered almost inactive, by heavy wash-outs, but eventually it rallied from the disastrous results of these misfortunes.

        Five different routes of the Santa Fé system now run daily trains into San Bernardino.

        The overland route, which runs north and east via Barstow and The Needles to join the main line of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fé at Albuquerque, brings enormous numbers of immigrants and excursionists hither yearly. The excursions are an especial feature of this line, offering every inducement of comfort and convenience to the visitor.

        The California Central is a branch road, running between San Bernardino and Los Angeles. This line was built in 1887. It traverses with its leased lines some sixty miles of the county's choicest territory, running westward along the foothills of the San Bernardino and Sierra Madre ranges, to Los Angeles and Ballona harbor. It is placed at such an elevation that it overlooks all the way southward the broad charming valley of this beautiful section. Along this route have sprung up the little towns of Rialto, North Cucamonga, and North Ontario, besides a number of other small towns which are situated in Los Angeles County. A spur of this line, known as the Valley road, extends to Redlands and Mentone. The assessed value of this road, with rolling stock and improvements, is $357,000.

        The California Southern finds a northerly course from the San Diego County line through this county to its junction with the Atlantic & Pacific at Barstow. It lacks one-fourth of a mile of having 100 miles of main track. In round numbers, a valuation of $522,000 is placed upon its rights and property. This road, with the California Central, is operated by the California Southern Railway Company.

        The machine shops, etc., of the Sante Fé line at San Bernardino were erected at a cost of $50,000, with stock and machinery, and the company pays out to its employés here the sum of $40,000, all of which goes into circulation in this section.

        It is expected that this county will have shortly another transcontinental railroad, as the Union Pacific is pushing the Utah Southern in this direction with great activity. Its objective point is believed to be Barstow, whence it will run its trains over the Santa Fé lines to all points in Southern California; and then, it is believed, it will unite with the Atlantic & Pacific road, and build up the coast from Mohave to San Francisco. This road will open up a country rich in lumber, coal, and valuable mines.

        The Southern California motor road was built from San Bernardino to Colton, a distance of three and one-half miles, in November, 1886, and in the last year the company extended it eight and a half miles to Riverside, making twelve miles now in operation. This company has now four and one-half miles of street-car road in San Bernardino, the plant costing a total of $152,000, and they contemplate putting about $35,000 in additional extensions. This line runs twelve trains each way daily.

        The San Bernardino, Arrowhead & Waterman Narrow-Gauge Company completed its road to Harlem Hot Springs, a distance of four miles, in June last, and also a mile of street railway in the city, to be operated in connection with the narrow-gauge road. They contemplate extending the road throughout the valley and up Waterman cañon to the summit, to tap the timber belt, and ultimately to continue the extension to the Bear valley resort. At present they have on hand material for two miles more of road, and their total investment thus far is about $75,000, all subscribed by residents of San Bernardino. At present travel by this line is suspended.

        The San Bernardino & Redlands motor railroad was projected by Oscar Newburg, who, in connection with W. J. Curtis and W. D. Crandall, organized the San Bernardino & Redlands Railroad Company, and obtained the franchise from the board of supervisors in the summer of 1887. The capital stock of the company was fixed at $200,000, divided into 200 shares of $1,000 each. Work was commenced on the line in December of that year, and the first passenger train was run over the road June 5. 1888. The line extends from the crossing of Third and E streets, in San Bernardino, to the center of the business portion of Redlands, and is a little more than ten miles in length.

        The road and its equipments cost a little more than $100,000, and the roadbed is one of the finest in the country. The property is entirely free from debt. The train makes five round trips daily, and connects with the trains on the Southern California motor railroad for Colton and Riverside and the Southern Pacific transcontinental line at the former place via that road.  It leads through a rich section of the country and a growing community, including old San Bernardino, and while it is already a good paying property its future prospect gives sure promise of its becoming one of the most profitable investments to its stockholders of all pieces of property in Southern California. The board of directors is composed of Oscar Newburg, Lewis Jacobs, W. J. Curtis, Daniel Rathbun and George E. Otis. The officers are Oscar Newburg, President; W. J. Curtis, Vice President; T. J. Wilson, Secretary and Superintendent.

        OSCAR NEWBURG, president of the above railroad company, and president of the city council of San Bernardino, is a native of Prussia, where he was born forty years ago. He came to America and settled in San Bernardino in 1863, and has been actively connected with the business interests ever since. Starting as a clerk in a store he soon became proprietor in a grain and shipping business. Later he engaged in general merchandising, from which he has now retired. He was elected to the city council in 1887 for a term of four years, and was chosen president in May, 1889, in which capacity he is still serving.

        The Chino Valley Narrow-Gauge railway, owned by Richard Gird, Esq., of the Chino Rancho, was built between Ontario and Chino, a distance of five and a half miles, and put in operation in June, 1888. Since then it has been extended four and a half miles to Harrington, and it will be continued to tide-water at Newport. It is a forty-two-inch-gauge road, and it has cost, thus far, about $75,000. It makes three trips daily between Ontario and Chino.

        The San Bernardino & Colton electric railway, three miles long, was built by F. D. French, and put in operation in June last. The cost was $12,000.

        The Riverside & Arlington electric railway, nine miles long, was built in 1888, at a cost of about $45,000.

        The Euclid avenue electric railway at Ontario, eight and a half miles long, was completed and opened to travel in December, 1888. The cost was about $65,000.

        These three lines are all at present operated by horse-power, but arrangements are in progress for the use of electricity in their operation.

        Thus it will be seen that there are in the county thirty-two and a half miles of motor and narrow-gauge railroads, constructed during 1883—'89, at a cost of some $300,000; and twenty-seven miles of electric railways, built also at a cost of $122,000.

        Standard-gauge railroad building has been less active during the year immediately past than during the preceding one; but the indications point to renewed activity during the coming year. During the past season the Pomona & South Riverside road was graded, and the San Bernardino Valley road was opened traffic, being ten miles long, with five daily passenger trains each way.

        There are now 528 miles of standard-gauge railroad in operation in this county.

THE LUMBER INDUSTRY.

        The timber belt of the Sierra Nevada, in this county, extending from Swarthout cañon in Cajon pass on the west to Mount Grayback on the east, a stretch of some thirty miles, averages three miles in width. A few Mormons, in 1851, built the first road from San Bernardino valley to the summit of the Sierra Madre, this thoroughfare serving for the lumber traffic for some twenty years. In the earlier years, there were, probably, not over seventy-five families to supply with lumber. In 1859, a second road was built, in 1874 another, and in the '80s still another. All but one of these roads were toll-roads, on account of the costliness, but the charter lapses on two of them at about the present time, so that they become county roads. All the valuable timber has long since disappeared from the vicinity of the "old road," about the summit. D. T. Huston, David Seeley and his brother, and J. M. James were the pioneer lumbermen of San Bernardino, but they have all retired from the business years since. The Seeleys built the third mill, in the fall of 1853 David Seeley still owns some 1,600 acres of fine pine land. In the San Jacinto mountains, and Bear and Holcomb valleys, there are large pine forests. The entire pine territory of the county is estimated to contain at least 800,000 acres. When the demand is brisk, the clip amounts to 5,000,000 feet annually. The lumber trees average two to nine feet in diameter. Most of the mills are situated about the Devil cañon gap, distant twelve or fourteen miles from San Bernardino. There are now six saw mills operating in the range. Their capacity of yield during the working months is 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 feet. The winter snows are too heavy to admit of work at that season, so the mills shut down from October to May. Most of the lumber produced is consumed annually in the San Bernardino valley. It is estimated that some 3,500,000 feet of home lumber is thus consumed. A large portion is sent down in shucks or crates of sidings and headers for fruit and raisin boxes, and in cuts for raisin-drying trays, ready for shipment to the packing­houses, where they are set up. This home product is practically driving the Truckee material from this market. The importation of northern redwood and Oregon lumber has seriously injured the home industry, but it is rallying again, and offers large promise for the future. The home yield, at average prices, represents a yearly revenue of some $100,000. San Bernardino consumes less imported lumber than Riverside and Colton.

        The "Old Road" is not bad till within about a mile of the summit, whence ordinary brakes proved unavailing. Thus the teamsters used to attach to the rear of the wagons heavy pine trees, to prevent their too rapid descent. These trees accumulated at the foot of the mountains, at a spot to which their presence gave the name of " the drag yard." A toll house was built at this point.

        The Mill creek and Santa Ana cañons formerly supplied first-class pine timber, but the flood of 1862 destroyed the two mills in those districts, and swept away much of the timber.

MINES.

        In 1853 or 1854 one Leonardo Serrano, a native Californian, applied to the Board of Land Commissioners, then in session in California, claiming a Mexican grant of five leagues of land, including that tract known as the Rancho de Temescal. After a careful investigation, his claim was rejected, and the land, like other Government land, lay open to settlement until 1859. Then tin was discovered near Serrano's home, be having died in the meantime. On the announcement of this valuable discovery; Abel Stearns, of Los Angeles, purchased from Serrano's widow her interest in the property. Litigation was now necessary to secure a good title to the land. Stearns appealed from the decision of the Land Commissioners to the United States District Court, from which, after much delay, be obtained a decree entitling him to five leagues of land. Pending this decision, other miners had "located" the land according to the milling laws, and these parties now appealed to the Supreme Court at Washington. That august body, in 1857, reversed the finding of the lower court, thus making the mines and the giant claimed public lands.

        Next, Pioche & Co. bought the San Jacinto grant, and tried to "float " it over the tin mines. In short, the litigation over this property has never been quieted, and these mines, famed and important as they are, have brought in no revenue to the county. The only practical result from them took the form of a box made of the tin from them, which was presented to ex-Secretary William H. Seward, all the newspapers of the United States chronicling this as a remarkable item.

        In 1880 a company began to exploit these tin mines, placing a large force of workmen there; but these would-be developers also were driven out by the ceaseless litigation.

        In these mines, the only locality in the United States where tin has been found in paying quantities, ore is found containing 60 per cent of tin. Yet, owing to the framing of our laws they are lying idle, yielding up naught of a potential rich income from them. In a recent issue of the American Artisan appears the following: The Temescal Tin District, limited, has been registered in London, with a capital of £350,000 in 348,000 ordinary shares of and 200 founders' shares of £10 each, to acquire for any interest therein, and to explore, work and turn to account in tin, gold, silver, copper or other mines, mining and other rights, and other land and property in California and elsewhere, and in particular to acquire the mineral and the mining and the water rights of the San Jacinto estate, situate in San Bernardino County, Southern California, and for that purpose to carry into effect a contract purporting to be made between the San Jacinto Tin Company of California and the Temescal Tin District, limited.

        In the Holcomb valley, some thirty miles from San Bernardino, are found gold and silver in considerable quantities, and also valuable lead mines.

        In Lytle creek cañon, thirteen miles northwest of San Bernardino, gold in considerable quantities has been mined for some years past, and later workings, with improved facilities, give promise of good results. American miners are working twenty or thirty placers here at present.

        The Bear valley mines, four miles east of Holcomb valley, have gold-quartz free-milling ores in large quantities.

        At the Alvard mine, 100 miles northeast of San Bernardino, gold is found in a quarry of hard quartz agate.

        Calico mining district, forming the northern boundary of Silver valley, is the richest silver camp now in operation in the county. The approximate estimate of silver bullion shipped during the first two years of work here was $2,500,000. There are 170 stamps here all told, of which 125 run day and night. The processes here include much chloriding. The silver bullion extracted amounts to from $75,000 to $100,000 per month. Since 1881 over $14,000,000 have been taken from this camp; and the best mining experts pronounce it to be still in its infancy.

        To the north of Calico there are the following districts: Avawatts, Granite, Wells, Panamint, Ibex, Saratoga, Salt Springs, Goode Springs, Tecopa, Resting Springs and Potosi, all containing gold, silver, copper and lead. To the west are situated the Grapevine, Black's Ranch, North Camp, Oro Grande, Galena and Crema districts, which contain gold, silver, asbestos, iron, and large quantities of marble.

        To the south are the Dry Lake, Holcomb, Bear Valley, Black Hawk, Morongo, and Old Woman Springs districts. containing gold, silver, iron, copper and galena.

        After Calico comes Victor, with ten stamp-mills already running, and another in prospects

        The Ord Mining District is situated seventy-five miles northeast of San Bernardino, within ten miles of the established course of the thirty-fifth parallel railway. Ord mountain has an altitude of about 2,500 feet above the adjacent country, and 7,500 feet above the sea level. It covers an area of twenty-five square miles. This entire mountain is "laced" with gold-bearing veins from two feet to 200 feet in width.

        The Ord district contains, besides its gold, some very rich copper ledges.

        The Lava bed district, at the southeastern end of Silver valley, is very rich in chlorides, silver and lead predominating.

        About thirty miles east of the Ord district, is the Dry Lake district, with a promising gold-mining camp.

        Still eastward some forty miles farther is the Trojan district.

        In the Mojave district is a large number of mines under Los Angeles control—the Soledad, Sanchez, Champion, Noble, Empire, Chieftain, etc. In the same district Pasadena companies are working.

        The Oro Grande mines on the Mohave river, are about fifty miles from San Bernardino There are six principal mines, from which has been taken an immense quantity of ore.

        There are other districts south and west which have been purchased or bonded by capitalists; and north and east lie rich sections whose development will follow upon the building of the Utah Southern Railway. Each of these mining districts covers a space of about thirty miles square.

        The Amargosa and Death valley borax deposits, controlled by San Francisco capitalists, are claimed by able authorities to be the largest in the world. There is a large deposit of borate of lime seven miles from Daggett, east of Calico

        Sixty miles east and north of Silver valley are found two of the largest mountains of salt in the United States, on the line of the Atlantic & Pacific railway and one on the proposed line of the Utah Southern Railroad. There are also salt works at Salton, east of Indio, owned by the Southern Pacific Railway, which has run a branch road there.

        Two mines at Black Hawk recently sold for $350,000. There is here an enormous body of ore, probably 200,000 tons in sight, of low grade but easy to work. A 10-stamp mill is building, with more in prospect if the result is satisfactory.

        At Gold valley a large English company is expending much money in tunneling, etc. Hydraulicking was begun this spring in the placers here.

        A 10-stamp mill is soon to be built at Oro Grande, which camp is considered to have assured a great future.

        At Twenty-nine Palms a 5-stamp mill is running, with fifteen stamps soon to be added.

        Near Daggett Station, which is the base of supplies for Calico, Death valley, and the surrounding country, are found immense deposits of specular iron, pronounced by experts the best in the United States. From Daggett to the Colorado river, north of the mountains, is that territory known as " the desert," rich in gold, silver, copper, lead and antimony. In fact it may be said that almost every known variety of mineral is found in this district. Limestone is superabundant. Near the Colorado river are deposits, many miles long, of iron. Garnets are found in some districts. Borax is found in great quantities. Asbestos, gypsum, and niter beds are here. Salt is found, also, at Armagosa. Marble, granite and limestone are in abundance, to be mentioned by districts hereafter. From Victor, forty miles from San Bernardino, on the California Southern, is shipped white marble, the finest for building purposes. Some 1,500 men are employed in the quarries at this point. Granite forms a great industry on the Mohave, where 150 men are constantly quarrying this stone for shipment to Los Angeles and San Francisco.

        Negotiations are pending for large quarries of working marble in Holcomb valley.

        At Mentone, in Mill creek cañon, eighteen miles from San Bernardino, is quarried a fine brown sandstone, extensively used in building the new hall of records at the county seat, and of which large orders are sent to San Francisco.

        Within fourteen miles of San Bernardino there are other large deposits of black, white and variegated marble, which have been examined by Eastern capitalists, who will probably purchase and work them.

        But by far the most important development of this industry in the county, is the quarry plant and works on Stover mountain, where the California Marble Company on March 1, 1887, established itself for the exploiting of this element, employing about forty-five workmen, and using the latest improved machinery to the value of many thousands of dollars. There are three quarries, yielding different kinds of marble, one of which is used principally for the production of lime, to burn which there are on the ground large kilns of the latest patent; these, however, are not running at the time of the present writing, owing to the light demand for lime (March, 1890). The waste rock is converted into crushed marble, and shipped in immense quantities to Los Angeles, San Francisco and the other cities, for street grading. The marble quarries at these works is graded according to its various beautiful colors, as follows: fine white, found in abundant quantities; light variegated, also abundant; dark variegated, plentiful, used for mantel-shelves, table-tops, columns, etc.; light grey or drab, very abundant; crystal white, very plentiful; sea green, in ample quantities, being used for shelves, table, slabs, tiling, etc.; brown, such as is used in jewelry settings, etc., the which is rated as rare, although of late there has been unearthed here a large deposit, in which are found blocks two feet square; light blue, which is also rare; and black, which is here found in abundance, although it is known to exist in only three other quarries in the world, they being in Mexico, in Russia and in Egypt. The California stone carries a trace of silver, and it is deemed superior in luster and in finish to those of Russia or Egypt. The uses of such stone are very numerous, and that from Colton is manufactured into all kinds of face work for building, wainscotting, tiling, mantels, hearthstones, panels, columns, cemetery work, top slabs for furniture, etc., fonts, altars, imposing stones, vases, etc., etc.

        The staircases, columns, paneling and wainscotting to the value of $30,000, of the new Academy of Sciences in San Francisco will be constructed of the marble from these quarries, where many of the pieces, already completed, are ready for shipment, being of exceptional beauty.

        The supply of this valuable stone is practically inexhaustible, Stone mountain being 400 feet high, and of 160 to 200 acres base area. The existence of this marble has been known since the period of American occupation but its working, safe for lime, is of very recent date.

        The durability of this marble is one of its strongest features. It is unfading in color, as it contains no iron, its coloration being due entirely to the presence of graphite.

        Professor Jackson makes it the least absorbent of stones he has tested. Its crushing strength is 17,095 pounds to the square inch, as compared to about 8,000 pounds strength in ordinary granite, while Quincy granite crushes under something over 11,000 pounds to the square inch.

        This deposit is denuded, and is worked from above by drifting, whereas most quarries are worked from below. This advantage is obvious. Some of the slabs cut here are of great size. One section of stone as cut measures 60 x 18 x 12 feet.

        The quarry is situated at the junction of two transcontinental railways, and its great importance has caused it to be completely encircled by the tracks of both, the Santa Fé and the Southern Pacific, which mutually concede the right of way.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

        San Bernardino County was segregated from Los Angeles County, of which it originally formed a part, by an act of the, Legislature, passed April 26, 1853; and the earliest history recorded of a concerted systematic effort to establish public schools in the territory comprised in San Bernardino County are of that year. T. I. Herring was the first County Superintendent of common schools, and from the report of the school commissioners signed by him, and bearing date of November 17, 1853, the following is extracted:

                    " REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS, SAN BERNARDINO, NOVEMBER 17, 1853.

" Theodore Turley, David Seeley, James H. Rollins, School Commissioners, report as follows: Whole number of children between four and eighteen years in districts No. 1 and 2, 263; number of boys, 142; number of girls, 121.

        "Amount raised by subscription and paid teachers, $1,438.

        "Names of teachers employed: District No. 1—William Stout, eight months, $60 per month; William N. Cook (grade No. 2), six months, $60 per month; Q. S. Sharks, three months, $76 per month; Sarah Pratt, three months and ten days, $50 per month. District No. 2—Ellen S. Pratt, four months, $35 per month; Louis Pratt, assistant (primary school), one month, $27.50 per month; W. S. Mathes, one month, $27.50 per month. Number of pupils taught in first and second districts, 206; daily average attendance, 160; amount expended for schools, libraries and apparatus, $300; amount expended for building or renting and furnishing school­house, $291.50. Total amount of all expenditures on account of schools, $2,029.50. The whole of the above was raised by subscription.

"T. I. HERRING,

"County Superintendent of Common Schools."

        In the decade following the date of this record the number of children of school age multiplied more than fourfold, the number of census children in 1863, as shown by the record, being 1,072. The following official table, kindly furnished by County Superintendent Brooke, gives the list of county superintendents, number of census children, number of teachers, and the value of school property in San Bernardino County each year since 1867 to the present date:

        In 1872 the first brick school-house in the county was built on Fourth street, between C and D streets, in San Bernardino, and dedicated with imposing ceremonies. It is a two-story structure of — rooms, and is still in use for educational purposes. Previous to this the school-houses were either adobe or wooden buildings, with inferior lighting and ventilation and primitive in style of architecture. This was the initiative step in a new era which has provided this county with the finest class of school-houses of all counties in the State. Until the adoption of the new constitution of California in 1880, the public school system of the State was under the supervision of the State Board of Education, and was uniform in the different counties; but with the adoption of the new constitution the control of the school passed from the State Board to the local County Board, and, as shown by the comparative figures in this article, the common schools of San Bernardino County have made rapid strides of progress from that time. The following table shows the condition and progress each ten years for three decades:

        HENRY CAMPBELL BROOKE, Superintendent of Schools of San Bernardino County, and one of the most devoted and successful workers in the cause of public-school education on the Pacific coast, was born in Pennsylvania in 1834. His ancestors on both sides emigrated to America and settled in that State in the closing year of the seventeenth century. His maternal grandmother, Mrs. Phillips (Mary Lewis), was intimately acquainted with General George Washington, and often entertained the Father of his Country at the Phillips home near Valley Forge. The Brookes settled in the mineral regions of Pennsylvania, and were among the first to mine anthracite coal and to discover and demonstrate its value as fuel. His father's family for generations have been and still are heavily interested in coal-mining and iron-manufacturing in the vicinity of Reading. The family are either manufacturers, coal operators or farmers.

        The subject of this memoir was educated in the schools of Philadelphia. During the gold-mining excitement at Pike's Peak, in 1859, Mr. Brooke caught the fever and started from his Pennsylvania home for the new El Dorado; but before he reached his destination that bubble of questionable promise had been exploded and the reactionary wave had set in. So by the way of compromise he continued his journey across the plains to California, and he has never regretted the decision that brought him here. He began his school work in this State in the fall of 1860, as a teacher in Humboldt County, under the old Swett law, and from the most reliable information obtainable Professor Brooke received the first certificate issued in the State under that law. In 1867 he came to San Bernardino and for twenty-three years has been a most zealous and efficient worker in the schools of the county. In 1869 he was first elected county superintendent of schools and served two years, 1870—'71. After an interval of ten years spent in active teaching he was again elected county superintendent, in 1882, and has continued to fill the office by successive elections ever since. "Onward to perfection " has been his motto, and for the past eight years his time, mind and energies have been consecrated to the bringing of the public schools of this county up to his ideal standard. The following comparative official figures show the progress of the public schools of the county under Prof. Brooke's administration. In 1882 San Bernardino, of the fifty-two counties in California, ranked No. 25, in number of children of school age; No. 32 in total value of school property and No. 43 in value of school property in proportion to the number of census children. In 1888 the county ranked No. 9 in number of census children; No. 12 in value of all property; No. 5 in value of school property; No. 1 in value of school property in proportion to the value of all property in the county. This splendid ratio of increase in the value of school property is due in a large degree to the wise method inaugurated years ago by Superintendent Brooke, to raise money for the building of school-houses, namely, the issuing of school bonds in the respective school districts where houses were needed. Having drawn a form of bond submitted to and improved by the highest legal authorities, the question of voting bonds sufficient to cover the cost of the building to be erected is submitted to the voters of the district, and upon receiving the requisite two-thirds vote the bonds are executed and sold, usually by Mr. Brooke himself, thus saving broker's commission. Some fifty-six issues of these bonds have been made in the county, and there has never been one returned for any irregularity, and they have always readily sold at a premium, ranging from six to fourteen per centum, the premium obtained generally being sufficient to seat and furnish the school-houses after they are finished. By this judicious and business­like mode of procedure the value of school property in San Bernardino County has been increased from $45,198 in 1882 to $456,693 in 1889, a growth of over tenfold in seven years. During this period the number of census children have increased from 2,661 to 5,990; and the number of teachers from 44 to 118. By the end of the present year every one of the sixty-one school districts in the county will be provided with a comfortable, commodious house, some of them costing as much as $75,000, modern in style of architecture, and each supplied with the necessary apparatus for the most effective educational work. Professor Brooke's aim has been to furnish all the facilities needed, and to employ the most efficient teachers and then allow them to work in their own way, and through their own individual methods as far as is consistent with the highest interests of the schools, holding them responsible for results. Thus the teacher is not subjected to any inflexible process of machine cramming, but left free to use his or her own judgment in the use of means to attain the desired end in the school-room work. Successive years of experience have demonstrated the wisdom of treating the teacher as an independent thinking individuality rather than an automaton propelled and controlled by rules as inflexible as the laws of mechanics, with the county superintendent and the board of education as the motive power. The public schools of San Bernardino County compare favorably with those of any other county in California or the Union, and this proud achievement is due in a large measure to the intelligent and unremitting labors of County Superintendent Henry Campbell Brooke.

BENCH AND BAR.

        The members of the legal fraternity in San Bernardino having formally organized in a bar association on December 4, 1875, that organization was reconstructed October 31, 1887. This reorganization was little more than the adoption of a revised constitution. The first officers of the association were: Byron Waters, President; W. J. Curtis, Vice President; Henry Goodcell, Jr., Secretary. The present officers are: W. J. Curtis, President; F. W. Gregg, Vice President; Henry Goodcell, Jr., Secretary; J. P. Higlet, Treasurer. The first constitution provided for an admission fee of $5, but as amended, it provides that required funds be raised by assessments. The constitution calls for regular annual meetings, and for special meetings to be held at the call of the president. The present membership is thirty-six, although the attendance is sometimes greater than that figure.

        The present superior judges are: John L. Campbell and C. W. C. Rowell. Prior to their incumbency this office was variously filled; Hon. H. C. Rolfe, who grew up to the legal profession in San Bernardino, as an industrious and studious practitioner, held the office; so too, Henry M. Willis, who came, a young lawyer, from San Francisco in 1858, arrived at the position of County Judge and Superior Judge. Hewitt Clark was a bright professional, but drink caused his decadence and death. Samuel G. Campbell, a lawyer from Missouri, was in the early days District Attorney. He was an able man, but a dissipated one, and he died in a sad way. J. S. Sparks was par excellence the criminal lawyer at the bar of San Bernardino,—able, eloquent, and almost always successful. Judge Benjamin Hayes, well known in Southern California history, was the first District Judge, presiding over all the southern counties, including Santa Barbara. Judge A. D. Boren, born in Illinois, still a prominent citizen of San Bernardino, whither he came in 1854. was on the bench for fourteen years continuous. He was four times elected County Judge, and pre­sided during the most lawless period of San Bernardino's history.

        During this period, the functions of a county officer were often attended with considerable danger unless the official were allied with or subservient to the gang of roughs in possession. The era of good feeling and peace that had prevailed between the Mormons and their Los Angeles neighbors continued about until the exodus or return to Salt Lake in 1857–'58 of some three-fourths of the Mormon element. At this time there came to the county and the town a very undesirable class of citizens, and disorder and lawlessness became the rule, after these people organized to the extent of possessing themselves, partly by fraud and partly by force, of the offices of sheriff, county clerk, county recorder, etc. To illustrate these conditions, the following narratives will serve as types: One McFeely, who was, by the way, deputy clerk of San Bernardino, went one day to the house of an inoffensive old negro, being intoxicated, and there made such threatening demonstrations that the old black man filed a complaint against him. McFeely was arrested, and taken before Justice J. W. Wilson. Taking the complaint into his hands, apparently for inspection, he rolled it into compact form, and then, pistol in hand, in the presence of the court, he forced the old darkey to eat the document! Judge Boren had this matter brought before the next grand jury, and an indictment was found against McFeely. At the trial the deputy sheriff packed the jury-box largely with the friends of McFeely, to defend whom were retained all the lawyers in San Bernardino. Judge Russel, the District Attorney, did his whole duty, but he was one against many. In the midst of the trial, the county clerk, coming drunk into the court-room, heard the judge make a law---ruling unfavorable to McFeely, and, drawing his gun, he cried out to his deputy, " Buzz Tarleton, don't you dare to set down any such------  ruling as that ! ' The associate judges in great alarm sprang away from the side of the judge, lest a ball designed for him might go wide of the mark and strike them, and there was general con­fusion in the court-room.  The judge ordered court adjourned, and the clerk, finding comfortable quarters in a saloon, was not present at the afternoon session. The honest men on the jury were so impressed by this occurrence, and by the evident determination of the McFeely faction to release him at all hazards, that they actually agreed to a verdict of " not guilty," some of them telling Judge Boren later that he had perjured himself in his duty as a juror to prevent bloodshed and violence in court against the magistrate.

        The county court in those earlier days comprised the county judge and two associate judges—justices of the peace.

PHYSICIANS.

        The first regular medical practitioner in San Bernardino was Dr. Ira Burris, who came in 1852. Soon after arrived Ainsworth and Gentry, whose abilities are questioned by some of the older residents who remember them, and the story of whose feud is elsewhere herein related. Fortunately, the section has always been

exceptionally healthy. In 1870 the medical profession was represented by Drs. J. A. Rousseau, D. Evans, Winchester, Grindley, and Dickey, the latter of whom is still resident here.

        The San Bernardino County Medical Society was organized about 1886. It meets the first Tuesday in each quarter. Its president is Dr. W. R. Fox, of Colton; Secretary, Dr. F. M. Price. Its membership is twenty-five to twenty-eight.

        There are in the county sixty-four physicians of the allopathic school in active practice, and of the homeopathic, twenty to thirty.

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.