San Bernardino

County History

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

OTHER POINTS IN THE COUNTY.

COLTON,

founded in 1874, is an incorporated city, the third in the county in point of population. It is at an elevation of. some 900 feet, lying fifty-eight miles from Los Angeles, on the through line of the Southern Pacific Railway, by which line it was founded, being named after one of the deceased directors of this company. The climate is warm and dry, no frost nor fog being known here. It is three miles from the county seat, with which it is connected by a motor line and by the Santa Fe line, which crosses the Southern Pacific at Colton. The town's location at the intersection of these two transcontinental roads, gives it an importance at once apparent. Some sixty trains pass Colton daily. Thus the town is the commercial entrepot or distributing point, through the ramifications of these lines, for goods and wares over a very large extent of territory, as well as being the depot of output for all the products of that same territory. Lying in the very heart of the citrus region, Colton ranks first in the State as a shipping point for oranges, and for total shipments it stands third on the list. During 1889 there were forwarded from Colton by the Southern Pacific alone, 22,060,606 pounds of freight, and 38,788,805 pounds were received during the same period. For the first five months of 1889 the number of pounds forwarded was 13,777,887; received, 17,073,125. For the corresponding five months of 1890, the number of pounds forwarded were 22,250,701; received, 19,389,953. There were 551 car-loads of oranges shipped from Colton during 1889; up to May 20, 1890, there were forwarded 750 car-loads, and probably fifty more will go out before the end of the season. The foregoing figures relate exclusively to the business of the Southern Pacific.

        It has been impossible to secure a statement of the traffic by the Santa Fe, and it can only be guessed at, taking into consideration the numerous branches hereabouts of this system.

        The Colton City Water Company derives its domestic supply from artesian wells two miles north of the city, piping in seventy-five inches under 150 feet pressure. The irrigation supply, also artesian water, is conveyed by three separate companies, through pipes and cement ditches.

        The greatest and most important enterprise of Colton is undoubtedly the marble and lime industry on Slover mountain, fully described elsewhere. Next to this probably comes the Colton Packing Company, with their fine plant, covering two acres of land, their side track to the cannery from the S. P. Railway, and their extensive operations. This cannery employs during the season, some 300 men, women and children, its payroll amounting to $1,500 or $2,000 weekly. The work usually begins about the middle of June, and continues for about four months on green fruit, and two months longer on raisins. The fruit canned consists of berries, grapes, apricots, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, and prunes. The cannery receives not only a vast quantity of home-grown fruit, but it also draws largely upon the territory from Redlands to Pomona, and even from a greater distance. During the last season this company handled 1,000 tons of green fruit, packed 1,000,000 cans, prepared forty tons of dried fruit, and put up 40,000 boxes of raisins.

        The Colton Rolling Mills had in 1889 an output of one ton daily of rolled barley.

        The soil of Colton is wonderfully fertile, producing cereals and root-crops, as well as a great variety of fruits, both citrus and deciduous. The oranges of Colton Terrace are considered especially fine; it is from this growth that Leland Stanford chooses the supply for his own table.

        Colton has a planing mill, employing about eighty hands; a bank with a paid-up capital of $100,000; two weekly newspapers, the Chronicle and the News; and two hotels, with several restaurants and eating-houses, besides the usual complement of stores, shops, etc. There are six practicing physicians and two lawyers.

        The principal school-house, containing eight rooms, was built some two years since, costing $18,500 cash. There is also another school building, and the force consists of a principal or superintendent and six assistant teachers.

        There are Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and Baptist church congregations, the two first named owning church buildings.

        Among the various fraternal societies represented are: the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Ancient Order of Foresters, United Workmen, Grand Army of the Republic, Young Men's Christian Association, Young Women's Christian Temperance Union, Women's Christian Temperance Union, Independent Order of Good Templars and Loyal Legion.

        The city officials are: five trustees, clerk, treasurer, marshal, engineer, attorney, recorder, health officer, street superintendent, two constables, and two justices of the peace.

        Colton's burying-ground is near the eastern base of Slover mountain.

SOUTH RIVERSIDE.

        Twenty-five miles southwest of San Bernardino, on the Santa Ana branch of the Santa Fé system, is a town something over two years old, close to which will run the railway from Elsinore to Pomona. This young town, known as the Queen colony, has a population of about 400, with two daily mails, post, telegraph and express offices, a bank with $100,000 capital, good school and church facilities etc. It is the center of a large and fertile agricultural district, rapidly settling up. The building improvements here in 1888 amounted to over $125,000. Within five miles is a large deposit of lignite coal.

        East Riverside and West Riverside are practically suburbs of the large colony.

THE COLONY OF ETIWANDA

was founded in 1881 by W. B. Chaffey and George Chaffey, Jr., brothers from the province of Ontario, Canada. They purchased from Captain Garcia a tract comprising 3,000 acres, patting the land on the market the following year. The water right gave exclusive control of the water of East and Day cañons to the north of the tract, and about seventeen miles of pipe were laid.

        The Santa Fé system has a station on the tract, at some four miles distance from the town proper.

        There is here a hotel, a school-house which cost $3,500, and a store of general merchandise. The tract comprised some 3,000 acres, of which about 1,500 acres are now under cultivation. These lands were sold at $150 to $200 per acre, and planted to vines: they have yielded quite that much per acre as revenue since the fourth year. The soil is a chocolate-colored loam, suited to the cultivation of the orange, the lemon, and the raisin grape, the last named being the chief product.    This settlement in fact is noted for the excellence of its raisins. In 1889 it shipped some seventy-five car-loads of raisins, which sold for five and three-fourths cents per pound, and there is always a keen competition for the Etiwanda crop among the packers. This section also ships to Eastern markets some fine lemons and oranges. A large acreage will be planted to divers fruits during the coming season. Water is conducted hither from the cañons by several miles of flume, being distributed, after reaching the settlement, to the highest corner of each ten acres of land by means of cement pipes. Water is furnished to the settlers on a basis of an inch steady flow to nine acres of land, or thirty-seven and a half inches for twenty-four hours once a month to each ten acres.

ONTARIO,

founded by the Chaffey brothers, is the most western town in San Bernardino County, and the lands extend to within four miles of the county line. It is thirty-eight miles east of Los Angeles, and twenty-four miles west of San Bernardino and Colton. Cucamonga is the nearest place on the east, Pomona on the west, and Chino on the south. At the town the elevation is 980 feet, with a gradual rise to 2,000 feet at the base of the mountains, six miles away. The slope is gradual from the Cucamonga mountains, 6,000 feet high, and the month of San Antonio canon, running back to "Old Baldy," 10,000 feet high, toward the Santa Ana river, which runs about eight miles south of the colony. The tract is level and free from brush. The soil is a deep, rich loam. There are about 12,000 acres in the tract, which is seven miles long from north to south, and from one to three miles from east to west. Through the colony runs Euclid avenue, seven miles long and 200 feet wide, a double drive with a tram-car line in the middle, the divisions separated by lines of gum and pepper, cypress, Grevillea and palm trees. About the depot of the Southern Pacific Railway clusters the main town, consisting of some 250 acres in town lots, surrounded by villa lots of from one to two and one-half acres. At the Santa Fé station is North Ontario, containing some 200 acres in town lots. The rest of the land is laid out in ten-acre lots, with streets running east and west, and avenues north and south, so that each lot has a street frontage.

        Water is taken from the San Antonio creek, draining one of the largest mountain districts in Southern California. Ontario has half the surplus flow, owning exclusively a tunnel 2,000 feet long that taps the subterranean flow. The water is conveyed in iron pressure pipes to the town, and in cement pipes to the acreage property. Stock in the San Antonio Water Company is sold with the land, a share to an acre, ten shares being issued on an inch of water. Unimproved land here ranges from $200 to $300 an acre; improved, from $300 to $1,000, according to location and variety of planting. Bearing orange groves command the highest price.

        The Southern Pacific and the Santa Fé trunk lines cross the colony from east to west, about two miles apart. The Chino narrow-gauge is completed from the Southern Pacific to Chino, five miles away, and this line is to be extended to the coast. Along the entire length of Euclid avenue and over San Antonio the Ontario Land Company has built a standard-gauge steel railway, the motive power to be electricity, pending the application of which power mule traction is used, the return trip from the head of the slope being by gravity, the animals being conveyed on the cars by a very ingenious arrangement.

        The soil is a sandy, gravelly loam, very similar to portions of Pasadena, San Gabriel, Duarte, Pomona and Cucamonga, all of which places are situated at the foot of the same range of mountains, and in the same zone of first-class fruit land that extends along that mountain chain for sixty miles, from Pasadena on the west, to the lands northeast of San Bernardino on the east.

        The water-right in San Antonio canon, owned by the Chaffey brothers, the founders of Ontario, is sufficient to irrigate 5,000 or 6,000 acres of land. The requirements of the section and the best systems have been studied by the management.

        Ontario's exhibit at the State Citrus Fair in March, 1890, took the third premium for best exhibit of citrus fruit from any locality. At the County Citrus Fair at Riverside this year, Ontario's lemons took first prize.

        During 1886 Ontario had sixty-nine new buildings, whose cost aggregated $79,875; in 1887, 110 buildings, costing $204,875; in 1888, 100 buildings, at a cost of $267,100. Thus the whole increase for these three years was 279 buildings, costing $551,850.

        The increase in population may be estimated from the following list of the number of census children during five succeeding years: There were forty-four children in 1884; forty-nine in 1885; 126 in 1886; 195 in 1887, and 345 in 1888.

        The growth in assessed valuation of property has been as follows: $250,000 for 1885; $359,180 for 1886; $1,043,660 for 1887, and $1,388,685 for 1888.

        In 1886–'87 Ontario set 210 acres to oranges, and eighty to deciduous fruits and grapes,—in all 290 acres. In 1887–'88 this colony set 220 acres to oranges, and twenty-five acres to mixed fruits; total, 245. In 1889 there were set 450 acres, practically all oranges; in 1890, 500 acres; the acreage set in "these piping times of peace" being nearly double that of either of the "boom" years. The total of acreage now under cultivation at Ontario is 2,183 acres, of which 1,350 are in citrus fruits, the rest in grapes, assorted fruits, pampas grass, etc.

        Ontario does not claim special pre-eminence as a raisin district, the soil being deemed better adapted to citrus fruits, so that no new vineyards have been set for two years, while many of those now existing are being replaced by oranges. The raisin crop last year was much damaged by early rains, but it nevertheless reached the figure of 10,970 boxes, or ten car­loads, and sold for about $8,000. There were made some 4,000 gallons of wine, which, with the green grapes sold, brings the total product of Ontario's vineyards to upwards of $10,000.

        The output of oranges for the season of 1889–'90 was forty car-loads, and that of lemons was twelve car-loads. The total money proceeds therefrom was $38,500.

        A fruit evaporator is in process of erection at North Ontario, at a cost of $3,000.

        There are five grocery stores, three dry-goods stores, two drug stores, one shoe store, a furniture store, three hardware stores, six real-estate offices, two barber shops, three restaurants, six hotels, two meat markets, a harness shop, two livery stables, a jewelry store, the best planing mill in the county, a surveyor, an architect, and a good quota of physicians.

        With a population of less than 2,000, Ontario has five church organizations, with an aggregate membership of nearly 300, and four church buildings, with a seating capacity of over 1,500.

        The Methodists, whose pastor is Rev. J. B. Green, have just completed an addition to their church.

        The pastor of the Congregationalist Church is Rev. A. E. Tracy.

        The pulpit of the Episcopalian Church is supplied by Rev. W. B. Burrows, of Pomona.

        Rev. D. V. Bowen, of Los Angeles, officiates at the services of the New Church.

        Rev. John McGill is the pastor of the Presbyterian Church.

        There are here two weekly newspapers, the Record and the Observer.

        The Record is the leading journal. It is a bright, newsy and reliable paper, well known for its editorial ability and typographical excellence. Its first issue was given to the public December 16, 1885, by the Clarke Brothers, and since that date it has ranked among the leading country journals of the county. It is independent and fearless in its policy touching the leading questions of the day, and has made a specialty of inducing Eastern immigration from the Eastern States, by the publication of judicious matter upon the resources and development of the country. It is not only well patronized and supported locally, but has a large circulation on the Pacific coast and in the Eastern States.

        E. P. Clarke is the senior member of the firm of Clarke Brothers, publishers of the Ontario Record, and is also the editor of the paper. He is a native of the State of Maine and reared and educated in that State, closing his educational career in Kent's Hill (Maine) Seminary and the Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, graduating at the latter institution with high honors in 1885. He then was engaged for some months on the United States geological survey in Maine and New Hampshire. In October, 1885, he came to California and located at Ontario, and in December of the same year established the journal he has since so successfully edited and conducted. Mr. Clarke is one of the progressive men of Ontario, to whom much of its prosperity is due, and has ever taken an active part in all enterprises tending to advance the  interests of his chosen city. He is a member of the San Bernardino County Board of Education, and secretary of the Board of Regents of the Chaffey College, and during 1888–'89 filled the chair of Latin and English literature in that institution. He is a member of the Republican County Central Committee and has been secretary of the same. Mr. Clarke is a contributor to the Overland Monthly and Pacific Monthly, and lectures occasionally with acceptance.

        A. F. Clarke, of the firm of Clarke Brothers, proprietors of the Ontario Record, is a printer by trade, and to him is due much of the credit which has been gained by that journal for its typographical beauty and neatness. He is a native of Maine, in which State he received his education and learned his trade. He came to California in 1883 and located at Pasadena, where he was connected with the Pasadena Union. In December, 1885, he located at Ontario and assisted in establishing the Record. He is fully identified with Ontario and its progress and is a strong believer in its future prosperity.

        Ontario is well supplied with fraternal societies, to whose list three have been added within the past year. The pioneer lodge, the A. O. U. W., owns a handsome brick block, with a fine public hall. The Odd Fellows and the Masons are fitting up a handsome leased hall for a lodge room. The Masons have taken the preliminary steps for organization, and will start with a very strong lodge. The following is a list of the societies: Ontario Lodge, A. O. U. W., organized March 12, 1885; Ontario Post, G. A. R., organized May 29, 1886; Ontario Lodge, I. O. O. F., organized July 14, 1888; W. R C., organized November 23, 1889; Ontario Court of Foresters, organized January 16, 1890.

        Ontario has a public library association with over 100 members. There is a well-selected library of about 500 volumes, and additions are made continually. The collection is very creditable to a town of this size. Mr. A. Piddington is the very efficient librarian.

        At the founding of Ontario, its founders set apart half of the town and villa lots as an endowment for a college of agriculture, which was made a department of the University of Southern California. In March, 1883, the corner-stone of the college building was formally laid, its site then being amidst sage-bush and cactus wastes. In 1885 was completed a brick building costing about $20,000, and for a year a school was conducted in a small way. The endowment being insufficient, no school was maintained in 1886, but in 1887 it was reopened. The present endowment of the school consists of $40,000 cash on interest, and $60,000 in deferred payments on land, bearing interest at eight per cent. The total value of the original gift of the Chaffey brothers will reach about $175,000.

        There are some sixty-five pupils in attendance at present, under the supervision of a corps of seven instructors. No attempt has been made as yet to carry out the original plan of agricultural work, which necessitates costly equipments, the present work being limited to the college preparatory and seminary departments.

        On March 3, 1883, Ontario's first school was opened in a loft over a carpenter shop, with an enrollment of fourteen pupils. There are now nearly 300 pupils in the public schools, and there are four school buildings, built and furnished at a cost of some $15,000, requiring the supervision of eight teachers. The buildings are among the finest in the county, and their surrounding grounds add to their attractions and value. The corps of teachers are able and of good record, and the school facilities are considered to compare favorably with those provided in Eastern cities of 5,000 to 10,000 population.

LUGONIA,

so called from the Lugos, the old Mexican family who formerly owned this territory, is that portion of San Bernardino County lying between old San Bernardino and Crafton, having the Santa Ana river for its northern boundary, and for its southern the foothills north of San Timoteo canon. The soil here is greatly diversified, ranging from the lightest sandy loam to the heaviest adobe. This is one of the finest fruit sections, being almost frostless, and watered from a stream that never fails. The tract is delightfully situated, commanding a view of the San Bernardino mountains, that extend for forty miles, and rise over 4,000 feet high on the north; on the east the peaks of San Bernardino and Grayback; and on the west an almost level plane; stretching nearly seventy miles to Los Angeles and the ocean.

        This small settlement on the north side of the Mill creek zanja offered lands with water right for from $25 to $50 per acre, up to 1881, Lugonia being but a school district at that time.

        About 1881–'82 Judson & Brown secured 1,500 acres of land on the sloping hillside south of Lugonia and the Mill creek zanja, surveyed and platted same into five, ten and twenty-acre lots, with wide avenues and streets traversing the whole plat.

        This enterprise was regarded as an experiment, from the fact that the red soil of this slope had never been tested as to its adaptability to horticultural pursuits.

With plenty of water and good cultivation the doubt as to the value of the land was soon removed and the success of the colony enterprise was assured. Thus encouraged the projectors enlarged their possessions by additional purchases, until they had between 3,000 and 4,000 acres in their colony, which, on account of the peculiar color of the soil, they named

REDLANDS.

        In 1886 commissioners sent out to Southern California by an association formed in Chicago, for the purpose of finding the best place in this State for a colony, after looking the State all over, purchased 440 acres of land lying between Redlands and Crafton.

        This land was divided up into lots averaging about eleven acres each, and forty deeds made and executed, this being the number of purchasers and members of the association. This given the name of the Chicago tract was colony.

        In 1887 a syndicate of Riverside business men and capitalists bought 500 acres west of Redlands and extending to San Timoteo cañon, through which the Southern Pacific Railroad passes, and in which the Brookside station is located, laid it out so as to extend the main avenues of Redlands through the same and gave it the name of Terracina, now called West Redlands.

        Southeast of Redlands lies the fertile valley of Yucaipa, with thousands of acres of grain and grazing land, with herds of cattle, large dairies, flocks of sheep, and orchards producing immense quantities of the finest apples and cherries.

        Northeast lies Mentone, the terminus of the Valley railroad, embracing 3,000 acres.

        Westward is the tract known as Williams, from the owner's name, embracing 1,500 acres, and with a railroad station named Gladysta.

        It has seemed well to make brief mention of Crafton, Lugonia, Terracina, Yucaipa, Old San Bernardino, Mentone and Williams, because they surround Redlands on every side, are immediately adjacent and are tributary to it. Three of these settlements were flourishing and prosperous with deciduous and citrus orchards and vineyards bearing years before there was a brick laid of the forty business blocks of Redlands. Not one of these settlements has a place of business of its own; all depend on Redlands for their mail and supplies. It is this rich and populous outlying country that has forced the growth of Redlands, and insures the continued advance of the city in trade and importance. There is no other town among those that have recently sprung up in Southern California, that has so large and valuable a territory depending upon it and contributing to it.

        Redlands is the fourth city incorporated within the county of San Bernardino, its incorporation dating from November 26, 1888. The population at present (May, 1890,) is about 2,500. Owing to the very rapid increase of population, there are many adult residents and heads of families, who have not been here long enough to become voters.

        Redlands lies at the eastern end of the great valley of the Upper Santa Ana, sometimes called the East San Bernardino valley. It stretches from the banks of the Santa Ana river, the largest stream in Southern California, on the north, to the hills on the south. The boundaries of the city incorporation include seventeen square miles of the richest and best soil in the State for orange growing. Perfect drainage is secured by the natural slope of the land and the character of the soil. It is nine miles directly east of San Bernardino, the county seat; thirteen miles northeast from Riverside; sixty miles directly east of Los Angeles, and one hundred miles north of San Diego, air-line distances.

        The Southern Pacific overland railroad enters the valley on the south through the San Gorgonio pass. Brookside station on this road is two miles southwest of the business center of Redlands. The Southern California, a branch of the Santa Fe, enters the valley from the north through the Cajon pass, and makes San Bernardino its central point. Redlands has direct railroad communication with Los Angeles over the San Bernardino Valley Railroad (the Santa Fé system) three times a day; with Riverside the same; with San Bernardino and Colton six times each day. The mail is received and sent from the Redlands postoffice three times daily.

        In addition the San Bernardino and Redlands narrow-gauge (called the Motor Road) makes ten trips between Redlands and San Bernardino each day, connecting with the Rapid Transit road which runs to Colton and Riverside. Redlands has already built and in operation three miles of street railroad, connecting the stations of both wide and narrow-gauge railroads with different residence portions of the city.

        The Southern Pacific company has surveyed a line for a road between Los Angeles and Redlands and announced its intention to build in the near future. Local capital, interested in the great cedar and pine forests on the mountain ranges east and north of the city, is also surveying routes for railroads to these vast lumber districts. The vast importance of the lumber area of Bear valley and adjacent territory, as well as the growing importance of that most beautiful mountain summer resort, will compel the building of a narrow-gauge railroad at no very far distant day. The route is practicable and the grade not at all difficult, while the passenger travel in summer will be very heavy.

        On the area occupied by the business portion of this city thirty months ago, there was not a single building. To-day there are forty substantial brick business buildings, none less than two stories high, all occupied by the various branches of trade and manufacturing. Among the business establishments are three large general and grocery houses, dry goods store, a national bank, a State bank, three agricultural implement and hardware houses, three drug stores, two furniture stores, two meat markets, two bakeries, three large commercial hotels, three restaurants, two tin and plumbing establishments, two lumber yards, three blacksmith and repairing shops, three vegetable and fruit stores, two harness shops, a livery stable, carriage repository, clothing store, jewelry store, sash and door factory, planing mill, boot and shoe store, photograph gallery, two paint shops, two barber shops, a book store, two wood and coal yards, an art store, a ladies' bazaar, three boarding houses, two manufactories of cement pipe, a roller feed mill, three fruit-packing houses, numerous real-estate and insurance offices, lawyers, doctors, and a first-class job printing and newspaper office, the Citrograph.

        The several school districts in Redlands and adjoining, made the following gains in valuation during the year 1888;

        Assessed valuation of the three school districts in 1889 was about $2,500,000.

        Within the city limits are three fine schools, in the Redlands, Lugonia and Crafton districts, with a daily average attendance of upwards of 300. The three school-houses cost over $26,000. In addition, the Bellevue Academy, under the management of Prof. H. A. Brown, teaches the higher branches of learning preparatory to college.

        The Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Baptists and Presbyterians have commodious church buildings; the Methodists are about to build, and all five hold regular services every Sunday.

        A strong Young Men's Christian Association occupies its own hall, with public lectures and a free reading room.

        The Masons, Odd Fellows, Good Templars and Knights of Pythias all have organizations and hold regular meetings.

        Fruit culture is the leading industry of this compact cluster of colonies. The fruits produced are chiefly oranges and the raisin grape; also berries of various kinds, peaches, apricots, nectarines, olives, limes and lemons.

        The deciduous-fruit orchards were mostly planted before it was known that the soil and climate were so perfectly adapted to the citrus fruits, and nearly all the late plantings are of the latter class. The orchards of all kinds are quite young, and but a small per cent of the citrus orchards are in bearing, For example the Brockton company give the following detailed statement:

" Whole number of acres in orchard      268

Acres in apricots                                  162

Acres in peaches                                   96

Acres in raisin grapes                              6

Acres in pears                                        4

Pounds fresh apricots gathered    102,989

Pounds peaches gathered            386,438

Pounds nectarines gathered           10,749

Boxes raisins made                         3,917

" The apricot orchard bore its first crop the past season and the bulk of the crop was gathered from twelve acres of the oldest trees."

        The whole number of acres planted in arid about Redlands to fruits of all kinds is about 6,000, about 3,000 of this total acreage is in oranges.

        Of the 3,000 acres in deciduous fruits, about 2,000 acres are in bearing; but many of the orchards bore the first crop the past season.

        At the beginning of the fruit season of the summer of 1888 there were two drying establishments inaugurated. The results of their season's work are stated in their own language as follows:

        Messrs. Cook & Langley say:

        " We have purchased green fruit as follows: 315,655 pounds of apricots; 203,183 pounds of peaches; 30,869 pounds of nectarines.

        " Figuring on the basis of 20,000 pounds to the car-load, would make total shipment of about twenty-two and a half cars of dried fruit from Redlands and immediate vicinity.

        " Of raisins we purchased 443,386 pounds at Redlands and immediate vicinity; 120,818 at outside points.

        " We have shipped of our own pack 27,559 boxes of raisins and 34,697 pounds loose raisins in sacks, making a total of thirty car-loads of raisins shipped from one Redlands packing­house this season."

        The statement of A. M. Aplin's drying establishment is as follows: "1,040,000 pounds of peaches and apricots purchased and dried; eighty-two tons dried fruit shipped to Chicago."

        Producers have heretofore, in the absence of public drying establishments, been in the habit of drying and disposing of their own crops. Then large quantities were this season sold to the cannery at Colton and the drying establishment at San Bernardino. It is estimated that the quantity thus disposed of at least equals that shown in the above statements; thus making the total product of dried peaches, apricots and nectarines 2,980,000 pounds, or 149 car-loads of 20,000 pounds each.

        The orange crop of 1889 was about 100 car­loads.

        Millions of trees are being grown in the nurseries this season where thousands have been grown heretofore. Many ranch owners in the valley started seed beds last year and are about to put in more, so that young trees will soon be comparatively cheap.

        Almost incredible profits have been made on orchards in full bearing and exceptionally well cared for. Some orchards in this valley in favorable seasons have given per acre net profits of over $1,000 per annum. The orchards at Old San Bernardino, nearly all seedlings, and not as well cultivated as they should be, have as a whole, for years past, averaged their owners net profits of over $250 per acre per annum. Some of the best seedling orchards have, during the same period, netted $1,000 per acre. The old seedling orange orchards at Crafton, planted by M. H. Crafts before Riverside had an orange tree in it, have averaged a net profit of $260 per acre for the past eight years. Some of the old seedling orchards have averaged better than this for years past. These old orchards have been quoted because they have shown these results through a series of years, and are safe guides for careful business calculations. Younger budded orchards have made as high an average as $500 per year, and promise to considerably increase this average as they become older and larger.

        Within the district surrounding the city of Redlands and naturally tributary to it as a business center, there is over 25,000 acres of good fruit land. Over 15,000 acres of this is good orange land. Reckoning in the Yucaipa, Potato, Bear and numerous other small valleys opening out into these and the East San Bernardino, there are 10,000 additional acres of fertile soil, a large portion of which is excellent for deciduous fruits, but too elevated for orange culture on account of temperature. In these high mountain valleys the finest small fruits, potatoes and apples are raised, yielding profits to the acre equal in many instances to the profits of orange culture.

        To make fruit culture in all the section under discussion successful, or even possible, irrigation is a necessity. The supply of water for full irrigation of 25,000 acres in the valley is abundant. The sources of supply are the high ranges of mountains walling in the valley on the north and east. These ranges obtain at points an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet above sea level, and their summits are in the regions of perpetual ice and snow. The Santa Ana river, Mill creek, Plunge creek and other smaller streams conduct the water from nature's deposits to the valley. Formerly, as in other portions of the State, the great supply of the winter rains ran through these channels to the sea and was lost forever. A great natural lake formerly existed high up on the San Bernardino range. Probably an earthquake or some other convulsion broke the rim of the lake, and the accumulated waters made their escape through the Santa Ana river. This broken rim has been repaired by ingenuity, energy and capital, and the greatest stored supply of water for irrigation in the world--BEAR VALLEY RESERVOIR—is the result.

THE ARROWHEAD HOT SPRINGS.

        The Arrowhead Hot Springs are on the mesa, a bench of the San Bernardino range, about ten miles from Colton, on the Southern Pacific Railway, and six miles northeast of San Bernardino, than which town they have some 1,000 feet more altitude, being over 2,000 feet above the sea level. The name is derived from a peculiar appearance on the mountain side above the springs and pointing to them—the representation of an Indian arrowhead, white on a dark background, so perfect in shape that many people believe it was designed there. The soil which forms this mark is composed mostly of disintegrated white quartz and light gray granite, on which grow weeds and a short, white grass, while the soil around it is of a different formation, sustaining a shrub of a dark color, which covers the rest of the face of the mountain. The arrowhead is 1,115 feet long and 396 feet wide. The native Indians have a legend reciting how, long, long ago, the peaceful Cahuilla tribe, who inhabited the San Bernardino valley when it was first settled by whites, then lived eastward, far over the mountains, near some warlike tribes, who presently drove them out of this their native country. As they wandered, the Great Spirit discharged an arrow before them, which dart, after the manner of the pillar of fire of the Israelites, moved on before them until it rested on this mountain side, pointing down into the valley, which they thus knew they were to occupy—as they did, until the invading white men came to wrest it from them.

        There are other legends connected with this symbol, but all perhaps less poetical than this one.

        Here are about twenty-five springs, whose temperature ranges from 140° to 193° Fahrenheit, the solid constituents being of great efficacy in the cure of rheumatism, blood-poisoning, skin diseases, etc.

        There is no village at this leading health resort of the county but a fine three-story hotel, containing 100 rooms, owned by a syndicate of capitalists. This hotel has the usual conveniences, and its own system of electric lights, the power for which is supplied by the fall of the mountain water. There is a resident physician here, and regularly established postoffice. Coaches run twice a day to and from San Bernardino.

ALESSANDRO

is a small town site or station, with a postoffice, on the line of the California Southern (Santa Fé), in Perris valley, near the San Diego County line. There are two daily mails. The inhabitants of the valley are mainly engaged in stock-raising. This is regarded as the destined center of the colony of Dunkards who are shortly to immigrate to Southern California.. Their managing agent, M. M. Eshelman, bought the hotel at Lordsburg, and purposes to settle them in San Jacinto valley. In this irrigation district is to be completed shortly a canal to water the valley, to convey 15,000 inches of water from the Bear valley reservoir.

BANNING

was laid out in 1884–'85, by a syndicate of Nevada capitalists who purchased about 3,000 acres of land here, and laid out about the railway station a small town plat, whose lots sold for from $50 to $275. The remainder of the land laid out in acre tracts sells at $125 to $200 per acre. The water supply here is perhaps the best between Colton and Yuma. A cement ditch eight miles long, leads up into Moore's cañon, having a capacity of from 1,500 to 2,500 inches. About 1,000 inches of water can be furnished in the dryest season. Ten miles of first-class iron piping, with flumes and ditches, distribute all over the colony this water supply, abundant and reliable. This "mountain colony" is one of the most picturesque settlements in the county, and its mountain scenery is beautiful. The elevation is 2,317 feet. From this point is the nearest approach to Mount San Bernardino, Mount San Jacinto and Grayback, the three highest peaks in Southern California. The mountains contain a vast amount of timber of superior quality.

        The capacity of the Banning soil is very wide. Lands in this section, not subject to irrigation, have raised grain crops without a single failure for the last ten years. Barley has been the main reliance, but wheat is successfully raised also. The experiment of citrus fruit growing has not been thoroughly tested, but deciduous fruits thrive marvelously well, cherries in particular, which are always highly and profitably marketable, are especially a favorite of the soil, and the peaches of Banning are declared to be unequaled. Berries are extremely luxuriant, and many tons are shipped hence yearly.

        The population of Banning is about 300. The town has post, express and telegraph offices; a notary public; a Government school for Indians; a hotel; a $3,500 school-house, with an average attendance of fifty pupils; one (Baptist) church edifice, with several other denominations represented; several stores of general merchandise, and one live weekly newspaper, the Banning Herald. Improvements in building, and the planting of vines and trees, are constantly in progress.  Banning is thirty miles east of Colton, and eighty-eight miles from Los Angeles, on the line of the Southern Pacific Railway.

BARSTOW

is situated at the junction of the California Southern and the A. &. P. Railway, eighty-two miles from San Bernardino and twelve miles from Daggett. It has an elevation of 1,900 feet. The population is about 300. The town is comparatively new. The climate is dry and clear with no fogs or dampness. There is a postoffice, telegraph, telephone and express offices, and daily stage for Calico, connecting with trains, as well as several stores carrying general merchandise, and a large railroad hotel. A silver mine and mill are to be found just north of this place.

BEAUMONT,

formerly San Gorgonio, is an attractive little town at the head of the San Gorgonio cañon. It is sometimes designated as " the summit," being located on the " divide," 2,500 feet above the sea level. It is on the Yuma division of the S. P. Railroad, twenty miles east of Colton, and twenty-five miles from San Bernardino. It has a postoffice, telegraph, telephone and express offices and stage connection with San Jacinto. It has a weekly newspaper, the Sentinel, a public school-house which cost $3,500, with an average attendance of 100; a Presbyterian church; three hotels, one of which cost $25,000, and several stores of general merchandise. The population is about 400.

CALICO,

the old and famous mining town, is about seven miles from Daggett on the south, with which point it has stage connections, as well as with Barstow. It has an elevation of 2,600 feet. The name is derived from the variegated colors of the mountains to the northward. The town lies on the south side of the mountain, and thus has no need of a system of sewerage. Good water is to be had from a water company supplying the town. There are here a postoffice, a telegraph and an express office, also a school house, a hotel, and several general stores. There are several quartz-mills in operation, and the yield is good and constant. The statistics of these mines are given elsewhere. In addition to the gold and silver mines, there are extensive borax mines which pay well, worked by capitalists of San Francisco.

        The Calico Print, devoted to the mining interests of the region, was started here in 1882, but it has suspended publication lately. The climate of Calico is dry and healthful. The population is about 800.

THE CHINO RANCH

is ideated wholly in San Bernardino County, thirty-five miles easterly from Los Angeles city, and about twenty-five miles southwesterly from the city of San Bernardino. It adjoins Ontario and Pomona and is about fifteen miles from Riverside. Depots on the Southern Pacific and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé railroads are near it, and the Pomona, Elsinore and Southern Pacific railroad companies have made surveys through its center. It is composed of two Mexican grants, respectively named "Santa Ana del Chino" and "Addition to Santa Ana del Chino," the former containing 22,234 and the latter 13,366 acres. The Chino was granted to Antonio M. Lugo, a Mexican of distinction and an alcalde, March 26, 1841, and was patented by the United States, February 16, 1869; the Addition was granted to Iaaac Williams (Señor Lugo's son-in-law, April 1, 1843, and patented by the United States, April 29, 1869. At that early day these shrewd men selected the Chino lands in preference to hundreds of other rich and vacant tracts, and after carefully inspecting all the other large grants in Southern California with a view to good investment and a permanent home. Mr. Richard Gird, the present owner, bought the " Chino" and the " Addition" in 1881, and has since increased his acreage by the purchase of adjoining land, until at this writing (1889) he is the owner of nearly 47,000 acres, truly a principality in extent. He resides upon the ranch and is improving its former good reputation for blooded horses and cattle—there being now 800 head of finely bred horses and 6,000 cattle on it. The ranch is producing some of the most valuable thoroughbred trotting and draft-horses to be found in Southern California. Among the cattle, which are Durham and Holstein stock, is a dairy of 200 milch cows. The product of this dairy, butter, ranks among the finest in this State.

        The ranch is rich in historical events. There the early emigrants to California by the southern route found accommodations to rest and recruit themselves and animals. Mr. Gird has a large book containing autographic accounts of the tedious and dangerous trip, circumstances of fights with the Indians, etc. This ranch was the scene of Indian attacks, and of fights between Americans and Mexicans when California was acquired. Many old Mexicans believe much gold treasure was buried upon it, and every year some of them ask permission to dig for it. Passing over many incidents of great interest, it is a widely known fact that during the drouth year of 1864 the Chino was the only ranch that carried all its cattle, and it sustained 5,000 head that memorable season, proving its superiority for water and pasturage. Twenty-three thousand acres have been surveyed into ten-acre tracts, with streets fronting all. All the land is valuable,—no gulches, no rocks, no brush,—in fact, all is ready for the plow. It has a uniform slope of from twenty to forty feet to the mile, just right for the best drainage without washing. The most experienced cultivators in the State have testified and practically proven that every ten acres of such land will amply support a family. Many thousands of acres are moist land, not needing irrigation, a fact of the greatest value, insuring the largest crops at the least cost; and the great depth of the soil renders fertilizing unnecessary for many years, if ever. Fully 10,000 acres are specially adapted to the growth of oranges, and 3,000 or more to raisin grapes. Ten thousand acres will grow any fruit or crop without any irrigation, and the vast size of the ranch enables buyers to choose tracts exactly suited to vegetables and alfalfa; to oranges, lemons and limes; to olives, grapes, pears, prunes, plums, peaches, apples and small fruits, and to walnuts and other nuts.

        The water supply is abundant and never‑failing; the Chino creek, a tributary of the Santa Ana river, passes through .the ranch. The average rise of the land to the mountains on the north is sixty feet to the mile. These mountains carry snow nine months in the year, and have an animal rainfall of from forty to sixty inches--say an average of forty-five. This mountain catchment, tributary to Chino valley, about 400 miles in extent, is enough to make a large and rapidly flowing river the whole year, and all of it, except what is absorbed by the intervening lands and taken up by evaporation, must find its way underground to Chino valley (for there is no other to receive it), giving the ranch an unfailing supply of pure, soft water, at from six to eighteen feet from the surface, and 100 to 400 for artesian wells. With an average rainfall in the valley of nearly twenty inches, and this vast catchment, both surface and artesian supply is assured beyond a doubt. For the fifty or more years this ranch has been inhabited, there has never been any lack of water, or of thrifty crops and pasturage. Artesian wells, with large flows, at from 100 to 400 feet, have been bored in different parts of the tract, and more are in progress.

THE TOWN OF CHINO

is eligibly and centrally located on the tract. The lots are large, with broad streets and alleys to all. Suitable blocks are reserved for spacious parks. Pure, soft water is abundantly obtained on all parts of the tract and town site, at from fifteen to thirty-five feet, and artesian water has been piped from lands northeast of Pomona, to a reservoir located north of the town site, and thence distributed through the town under pressure which is sufficient for all desired purposes.

        RICHARD GIRD is the well-known owner of the Chino ranch, San Bernardino County. The few facts obtained in regard to his life and successful career form an interesting chapter in this Memorial History. Mr. Gird was born in Herkimer County, New York, in 1836. His father, John Gird, was a native of New Jersey, a farmer by occupation, and to that calling he reared his son, giving him the benefits of such an education as could be procured in the common schools. The subject of this sketch was of studious habits and disposition, and made the best of his advantages. He devoted considerable attention to the study of mechanics and other scientific studies. Of an ambitious disposition and desirous of a more extended field of operations, he sought the far West, and when less than seventeen years of age, in 1852, he came by steamer to California. Soon after his arrival he went to mining in El Dorado County. After some months in that calling he located on the Russian river in Sonoma County, and engaged in farming and stock-raising. In 1858 he embarked for South America, and upon his arrival there was for several months engaged in prospecting for mineral wealth, after which he engaged in railroad building, under the old California pioneer, Harry Meigs.

        A year spent in South America satisfied him, and after a short visit to his old home in the East, Mr. Gird returned to California. Upon his return he engaged in surveying until 1861. In that year he located in Arizona, and for several years was engaged in prospecting the mining regions in the vicinity of La Paz on the Colorado river, and also engaged as a surveyor. In 1864 Mr. Gird was authorized by the Territorial Legislature to make a map of Arizona. This work was successfully accomplished. The map was the first Territorial map ever issued. Its accuracy and reliability was acknowledged by all, and it became the basis upon which were founded the subsequent military and other maps that were issued in 1866. Mr. Gird returned to California and located in San Francisco. There he established himself in manufacturing mining machinery, engines, etc. He was thus employed until 1872, when he again located in Arizona, and was for years engaged in assaying, superintending the construction of mills, furnaces, and surveying. In 1878 Mr. Gird was prospecting in the now famous Tombstone district. Himself and the Schieffellin brothers were the original discoverers of that district, and through the exertions of those three men was laid the foundation of one of the richest mining districts in the world. From the very first Mr. Gird was the leading spirit in developing the mineral wealth of that section. He was one of the original incorporators and superintendent of the Tombstone Mill and Mining Company. He designed the first mill ever erected in the district, and turned out the first bullion. He was equally prominent in building up the city of Tombstone, and was the first Postmaster appointed, and the first Mayor elected in that city. In 1881 Mr. Gird sold out his interests in Tombstone, came to San Bernardino County, and purchased the Chino ranch, a description of which is included in this volume. Upon his taking possession of his ranch, Mr. Gird began the extensive operations of developing and building up the Chino valley, that has made the Chino ranch and Richard Gird household words in Southern California.

        Mr. Gird is a man of broad views, marked ability and sound business principles. His name is synonymous with honesty and straight­forward dealing with all who know him, and his friends are legion. Aside from his enterprises at Chino, he has been connected with other industries and interests in the county. He is one of the original incorporators of the Farmers' Exchange Bank, of San Bernardino, and is vice-president of the same. He is also a director in the San Bernardino National Bank. He is a strong supporter of churches and schools, and his purse is ever open to any call that advance the interests of either. In political matters he is a stanch Republican, taking a prominent part in the councils of his party. He has for years been a member of the County Central Committee, and was chairman of the same in 1884. In 1888 he was a member of the State Central Committee, and in the same year was elected alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention. In 1881 he was married to Miss Nelly McCarty.

THE CUCAMONGA VINEYARD

consists of about 160 acres of vines that for some years have been in full bearing. It contained in 1871 some 150,000 vines. A large acreage further was planted in 1882–'83, both by the old vineyard company, and by new settlers, many of whom are planting the raisin grape. The soil is quite free from alkali. The vineyard, with the buildings and apparatus appertaining thereto, is owned by Los Angeles capitalists. Within a few months, in 1883, applications were made to cover all the public lands in the vicinity—some 4,000 acres. The "center" of the settlement, named Cucamonga, is about two miles north of North Cucamonga, which is on the line of the Santa Fé Railway. Here, besides the old winery, are two stores, a postoffice with daily mail, a church, a school house costing $4,000, blacksmith shop, hotel, express office, etc. The legal name of the postoffice and the colony is simply " Cucamonga," in contradistinction from that of the settlement with which it is often confounded, North Cucamonga, founded in 1887, on the California Central Railway, seventeen miles west of San Bernardino. In December, 1887, a violent wind­storm came near destroying this newborn town, but it pluckily rallied from that injury. From the trains at this point are taken the mails for Cucamonga (old office), Etiwanda and Grapelands. Here are post, express and telegraph offices, a fine railway depot, a general store, and a fine block containing the offices of the Cucamonga Fruit Land Company and the Cucamonga Water Company (which pipes to the town from the base of the mountains a good and abundant supply of spring water, under 100 feet pressure) a hotel, livery stable, etc. The company owned some 12,000 acres of arable land, suitable for citrus and deciduous fruits, and grain, part of the tract having been sold.

NORTH ONTARIO

is a new settlement on the California Central Railway, twenty miles from San Bernardino, and forty miles from Los Angeles. Its elevation is 1,200 feet, and it lies five miles from the base of the mountains. This settlement was laid out in April, 1887, on a tract of 200 acres bordering the east side of Euclid avenue, which was sub­divided into town lots. A street railway extends hence along the famous Euclid avenue to Ontario, two miles to the southward. North Ontario has a postoffice, telegraph and express offices, church, school, hotel, freight and passenger depot, lumber yard, etc. It has abundant pure water, and its climate, free from fog and dampness, is said to be very beneficial to people with pulmonary troubles.

DAGGETT,

a town of considerable importance, is on the Atlantic & Pacific Railway, about twelve miles east of Barstow, and ninety-three miles from San Bernardino, at an elevation of 2,000 feet. It has a fine passenger and freight depot, and postoffice, telegraph, telephone, and express office (doing the express business of Calico), a large railroad eating-house, reduction works, two quartz mills aggregating twenty-five stamps, schools, churches, and several stores of general merchandise, being a supply depot for mining implements and equipments. Daggett has about 500 population, and it is growing in inhabitants and importance. The town is well supplied with excellent water, piped throughout.

ORO GRANDE,

the legal postoffice name of which is Halleck, is forty-five miles northeast of San Bernardino on the California Southern Railway. The town contains a postoffice with two daily mails, telegraph, telephone, and express offices, a weekly newspaper and several stores. The water is pure, good, and plentiful. The mining operations at Oro Grande are probably second in importance only to Colton. The character of the ore brought to light here seems to justify the eagerness with which capitalists, speculators, and miners are pouring in from all directions. There are extensive lime and marble quarries in the vicinity, but the all-absorbing interest at present is the recent rich " strikes" in gold and silver. In the surrounding country are many stock ranchos, producing the finest meat that reaches the city market.

THE RINCON

is the name applied to a tract lying on either side of the Santa Ana river, from ten to twenty miles below Riverside. This is one of the best-watered and richest farming sections of Southern California. For miles in extent the valley lowland raises yearly immense crops of corn without irrigation, and the semi-moist lands that lie a little higher, extending at the north through the Chino Rancho nearly to Pomona, produce good crops of small grains, as wheat and barley, much of this land also yielding good corn and other crops. In one place a spring supplies some 250 inches of water, which is used to run the Chino valley grist-mill, being afterward turned to purposes of irrigation. This stream remains the same summer and winter, "the lay of the land" being such that the rains affect it very little, while the summer droughts do not diminish the water supply. The station and postoffice of Rincon is on the Santa Ana division of the California Central (Santa Fé) Railway, about twelve miles south of Riverside, and four miles from the Los Angeles County line. There are two daily mails here, a telegraph and express office, hotel, two general stores, etc.

RIALTO.

Rialto, a settlement and town about two years old, is four miles west of San Bernardino, on the California Central Railway. It is at an elevation of 1,200 feet, on a gradual slope from the mountains eight miles to the northward. Rialto has quite a number of business houses, a new hotel of forty-five rooms, telegraph, express and postoffice, school-houses and churches under construction, and a weekly newspaper, the Orange Grower. The plans have been approved for a branch school building of the University of Southern California, to be erected here. The water supply is excellent, being taken from the headwaters of Lytle creek, a mountain stream of perpetual flow. The Semi-Tropic Land and Water Company has here about 30,000 acres of land, suitable for almost every variety of fruit culture.

SOUTH CUCAMONGA

is so called in contradistinction from Cucamonga (the old office) and North Cucamonga, on the California Central Railway. The townsite is named South Cucamonga, but the legal name of the postoffice is Zucker. It is forty-two miles east of Los Angeles, sixteen miles west of Colton, and two miles south of North Cucamonga. There is here a postoffice, a telegraph and an express office, a hotel, a livery stable, etc., besides a large passenger and freight depot, where the Southern Pacific does considerable business derived from the surrounding very fertile agricultural section.

TEMESCAL

is a mining town and postoffice in the Temescal mountains. It is reached by a wagon road through the cañon. The nearest railway, telegraph and express offices are at South Riverside. Temescal is about thirty miles south of the county seat. Near by are the famous Temescal tin mines, also coal mines of good grade and abundant yield.

ULMER

is situated on the California Southern Railway, seventy miles from San Bernardino and fifteen miles from Barstow. It is a new settlement, and a recently established postoffice. The residents of the vicinity make stock- raising their principal industry.

VICTOR

is about forty miles northeast of the county seat, on the California Southern Railway. It is situated in a beautiful valley near the Mohave river, which affords a fine supply of good water. The scenery hereabouts is charming. About 300 is the population of the little town, which contains a postoffice with two daily mails, telegraph and express offices, a church., a school‑house, two general merchandise stores, blacksmith shop, etc. Victor is famous for its fine marble and granite quarries, which, if properly developed, would prove a source of wealth to the community.

THE NEEDLES,

so called from the peculiar shape of rocks in the neighborhood, is a town of some 150 population, on the banks of the Colorado river, at the end of the division of railway from the Mohave and Los Angeles. The town has a postoffice, telegraph and express office, a Roman Catholic church, a hotel, several stores of general merchandise, saloons, etc. The climate here is beneficial for consumptives, the air being dry, without fog or dew. The heats of summer are excessive. The Mohave Indians dwell hereabouts.

HESPERIA

is a small town in the Hesperia valley, on the main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fé Railway, about twenty-five miles north of the county seat, at an elevation of 2,500 feet. The San Bernardino mountains on the south and the Hesperia mountains on the north, enclose the valley, and the climate is delightful and unrivaled for pulmonary, bronchial, and nasal disorders.

HARLEM SPRINGS

are five miles northeast of San Bernardino, on the Base Line road. This resort, to which belongs a tract of twenty acres, is owned by a syndicate of San Bernardino capitalists, with whom certain parties are negotiating for its purchase, for the establishment of a great sanitarium. The elevation is 290 feet, with a gradual slope southward. Within eighteen inches of each other are found springs almost icy cold, and boiling hot. The postoffice name is Messina.

PROVIDENCE

is a mining camp and postoffice, with tri-weekly mail, about sixteen miles northwest of Fenner station, and 150 miles from San Bernardino, on the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. Since their discovery, eight years since, the mines here have yielded large amounts of paying silver ore. The "Bonanza King" mine has yielded an average of $60,000 per month since it was opened.

NANTAN

is a mining camp and postoffice, with weekly mail, sixty miles north of Fenner. There are fine mines here, producing large quantities of paying ore.

IVANPAH,

the oldest mining camp in the county, is about 200 miles northeast of San Bernardino, and seventy miles north of Fenner station, receiving a weekly mail. From this district proceeded some of the richest ore ever mined in the county. Two mills are operated in the district, and they have shipped large quantities of bullion.

GRAPELAND

is a recently established postoffice, at about the center of the old Perdew precinct, five miles east of Etiwanda, in the grape region, near the base of the mountains.

EL CASCO

is a postal station recently established on the Southern Pacific Railroad, in the San Gorgonio pass, some thirteen miles east of Colton. This is in the midst of a rich agricultural section famous for its dairy interests, known as the Yucaipa or San Timoteo district.

SAN TIMOTEO CANON

is a valley ten or fifteen miles long, in some places narrowing to half a mile in width, in others opening out into wide bays occupied by farms and ranchos. At the head of the cañon it widens till it terminates in the plain. From San Bernardino to the head of the cañon it is about twenty miles. This valley contains many beautiful trees and shrubs. Within its limits is an Indian rancheria whose lands are well fenced and cultivated.

SAN GORGONIO PASS

is not a narrow pass, but a great plain ten to fifteen miles wide—a wide, flat tract, bounded on either side by a lofty range, the great San Gorgonio mountain being on the south. On one side is a low range of sandhills, and beyond this, a sandy waste, desolate and destitute of vegetation, called the Whitewater valley.

DEATH VALLEY,

so named from the great number of travelers said to have perished within its limits, is estimated to be 300 feet below the sea level. Naturally it should be an inland sea or lake, as it receives the drainage from more than 100 miles square; but, owing to the peculiar structure of its basin, the water seeps away, leaving an alkali sink. The temperature here is excessively high and close.

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.