Peaches, apricots, and prunes are also
being extensively planted, and the acreage devoted to these fruits will soon
equal that devoted to grapes, if it does not exceed it.
COUNTRY TRIBUTARY TO PORTERVILLE
From the above given facts it will be
seen that Porterville already has substantial backing right at her
doors, which will maintain the present business of the town. But there
is a very productive country, not here mentioned that will contribute to
her future advancement. The town lies at the base if the Sierra Nevada
mountains, and in them are to be found many valleys that are now being
devoted to orange, apple and other fruit trees. Some of these valley
lands have changed hands within the last year at prices ranging from
$100 to $150 per acre. Oranges are grown in these mountains as high up
as within three miles of the pine belt, and the grapes planted on the
aside hills yield abundantly.
About the only timber belt in this
county that is not in the hands of monopolists or devoted to National
Park purposes, lies only a few miles east of Porterville, and some day
in the near future lumber will come out of these mountains by rail for
the supply of a large extent of country.
Then there are the rich bottom lands of
Tule river, a stream that courses through the borders of the town, much
of which is now covered with a growth of oak and cottonwood trees, with
dense underbrush. These lands must soon be cleared, that they may be
made to yield a profit to their owners. Then will follow the planting of
vineyards, orchards, and nutbearing trees. This property once cleared
will soon pass into the hands of those desiring small holdings, and will
be capable of sustaining, and will sustain, a dense population.
The outlook for the future growth of
Porterville is very assuring, and the prophecy of one of her most
enterprising citizens - that "Porterville will yet be the second city of
San Joaquin valley" - may not fall far short of a truthful prediction.
Porterville improves so rapidly that
were we to itemize buildings and fix figures of population, there would
be radical changes before the facts could be gotten before readers. In
less than twelve months thirty-eight new stores have been added. During
the time $90,000 was expended in erecting frame buildings and $110,000
in brick structures. There are four hotels, the Pioneer, Palace,
Arlington and Central. The town has a well equipped fire company. There
are the usual number of fraternal societies, all in a prosperous
condition; one Methodist and one Presbyterian church, and also a
Cumberland Presbyterian church, and an organization of Native Sons, and
also one of Ancient Order United Workmen. The legal profession, as also
the medical, who reside here are mentioned in the list of each elsewhere
in this work.
Very few towns can boast of such a
school building as has just been completed by Porterville at a cost of
$10,000. It is situated at the north end of Main Street, which it
immediately faces. It is a two-story brick, 42 x 63 x32 feet, of modern
colonial architecture and rectangular shape, having a tower for belfry
for observatory purposes twenty-two feet high. There is a hall 12 x 40
feet the entire length of the building. On each side of this hall are
class rooms, each 24 x 30 x14 feet. The second story is reached by
stairs five feet in width. The rails and balustrade of this stairway are
of neatly carved redwood.
Porterville is well supplied with
water. The water works are situated near the flour mill. The water is
taken out of the main irrigating ditch by a pump of 500,000 gallons
capacity in twenty-four hours, and is first filtered through white sea
sand, after which it enters a large air chamber, from which again part
of it goes to the main pipe, which furnishes the domestic supply. This
main pipe is six inches in diameter, with three-inch branches. Another
part of this water is pumped up into an elevated tank of 30,000 gallons
capacity, which stands elevated sixty-seven feet above the main street
in town. The charges for water are said to be the lowest in the State.
The water is clear, pure and healthy.
Porterville is surrounded by as fine
lands as are to be found in the State, and has one of the best
systems of irrigation. The water system is now owned by the Pioneer
Water Company, a reorganization of the old Tule River Pioneer Water
Ditch Company. It was organized in 1887, and owns the vested rights in
the old ditch which was begun in 1860 and finished in 1867. The ditch
is twelve feet on the bottom, two feet deep, and the water runs three
feet per second. By measurement the actual flow is seventy-two cubic
feet per second, equal to 3,600 miners' inches. The company is organized
with as many shares as there are inches of water. Of these 3,600 shares
the Pioneer Land Company control 2,424 shares; the remainder are owned
by settlers in the district. There is water enough to irrigate 15,000
acres, or fifteen times as much land as is now under cultivation. The
main ditch heads eight miles from Porterville, and is there taken out of
the Tule River. The main canals aggregate twenty-two miles in length.
There are two main branches. The first of these is the Patterson and
Redfield ditch, which carries 600 inches and irrigates the orange lands
along the hills. The other branch is the Raisin Company's ditch, which
carries 1,500 inches. It irrigates the Pioneer Raisin Company's
vineyard, as well as the north half of the lands belonging to the
Pioneer Land Company. The main ditch irrigates all the rest of the land
now under cultivation. It runs 1,500 inches of water. Besides these
mains there is a perfect network of small branch ditches all through the
land. Adjoining the town the main canal drops thirty feet, with a
possible increase to forty-four feet. The power thus developed at the
mill is equal to 177-horse power, and can be increased to 270-horse
power. This power now runs a flour mill, established in 1867, which
produces flour of the finest quality, and in quantity sufficient to
supply the whole community. The same machinery which in day-time pumps
and filters the water for the town, is during the night-time employed in
running the plant which furnishes Porterville with electric lights. This
plant consists of a Western dynamo, worked by a thirty-horse power
engine. A Leffell horizontal mining wheel is used, which produces
twenty-five lights, each of which has 2,000-candle power. The charges
are $9 per month for each light. Five lights on the main street are
furnished free.
Porterville has two enterprising
weekly papers. The Farm View, published by E. M. Dewey, is now
in its third volume, having the largest circulation of all papers of its
size in the county. Its name indicates it to be an advocate of the
farmers' movement, an industrial union well known throughout the United
States. The publisher was raised a farmer in the State of Massachusetts,
but has been connected with newspaper publishing in different parts of
California for thirty years. He came to Tulare County in 1871, and
published the Visalia Delta for ten years, being the first
publisher in the San Joaquin valley to advocate the no-fence law - a law
which compelled stockmen to herd their stock, and thus protect the crops
of the farmer, who had no fences. The agitation of this measure was
crowned by success in the Legislature of 1872-'73. The farmers came in
rapidly and settled in Tulare, Kern and San Joaquin counties.
Mr. Dewey evidently belongs to a
family of printers, his brother being the publisher of the Rural
Press in San Francisco, the leading agricultural journal of the
State, and two sons, F. V. and E. P. Dewey, publishing the Hanford
Journal and Sanger Herald respectively.
The Enterprise was
established April 21, 1888. On February 16, 1889, the first issue
appeared, under the supervision of the present publisher, Mr. J.
O'Clancy, who has worked the journal up to such an extent that it now
lays claim to being one of the leading papers in the county, both in
circulation and influence.
Mr. O'Clancy is a native of Cork,
Ireland. He spent the most of his youth traveling, came to the United
States in 1886, and traveled through Canada to the Pacific Coast. He
first entered into the newspaper business on the San Jose Mercury
at San Jose as a reporter. After five months' experience he took
charge of the Fresno Daily Democrat. That journal going under
after the last presidential campaign, he came to Porterville, purchased
the Enterprise, and runs a pretty radical kind of paper,
although Democratic in politics.
The Pioneer Bank, incorporated April
19, 1889, began business May 9, 1889, with a subscribed capital of
$70,000. P. N. Lillienthal, of San Francisco, cashier of the Anglo-Califoria
Bank of San Francisco, President; E. Newman, Manager; and E. W. Beebe,
Cashier. Deposits, $60,000.
Porterville Lodge, No. 199, A. O. U.
W. - Present membership, forty-five. O. E. Gibbons, P. M. W.; J. T.
Manter, M. W.; S. J. W. Tyler, Foreman; A. Leslie, Overseer; A. Treager,
Recorder; L. J. Redfield, Financier; W. A. Hall, Receiver; A. Ross,
Guide; J. P. Murry, Inside Watchman; C. H. Gibbons, Outside Watchman. It
was instituted in June, 1888, with seventeen charter members.
The Porterville Reading-room was
established November 4, 1890, by the ladies, twenty-one in number, each
agreeing to attend to the duties of the room on successive days. First
officers - Mrs. M. C. K. Shuey, President; Mrs. John Tyler,
Vice-President; Mrs. W. W. Brow, Secretary; Mrs. Emil Newman, Treasurer.
Present officers: Mrs. J. P. Murry, President; Mrs. J. Trefry,
Vice-President; Mrs. W. W. Brow, Secretary; Mrs. Emil Newman, Treasurer.
They hold two socials every four weeks, one free and one with admission
fee for running expenses.
Porterville Lodge, No. 303, F. & A.
M., was instituted in November, 1890, with twelve charter members, and
A. G. Schulz, W. M.; J. H. Hughes, S. W.; H. F. Brey, J. W.; E. W.
Beebe, Secretary; J. B. Hockett, Treasurer. Present membership,
twenty-six; and officers: A. G. Schulz, W. M.; H. F. Brey, S. W.; J. H.
Williams, J. W.; A. S. V. Schmittan, Secretary; J. B. Hockett,
Treasurer.
Porterville Lodge No. 359. I. O. O.
F., was instituted May 9, 1890, with eleven charter members, and E. W.
Beebe, N. G.; H. E. Ford, V. G.; Hobert Webster, Secretary; Q. S. Shey,
Treasurer. Present membership, forty-seven; A. S. Gilliam, N.G.; R. A.
Brown, V. G.; Lee Robinson, Secretary; and J. H. James, Treasurer.
Porterville Lodge, No. 93, K. of P.,
was instituted April 11, 1884, with the following charter members: Guy
Gilmer, S. M. Gilliam, J. E. Kinkade, C. N. Young, O. C. Higgins, J. B.
Hockett, William Traeger, J. I. Twitchell, Spencer Fay, Fred Montawin,
G. A. Richardson, W. M. Howeth, G. E. Brown, and P. F. Chapman. The
present officers are: H. L. Mauter, P. C.; I. N. Jersey, C. C.; O. A.
Routh, V. C.; B. S. Wilson, P.; H. L. Mauter, M. of Ex.; Wilks Mentz, M.
of F.; R. A. Brown, K. of R. & S.; Eli Blodgett, M. of A.; Andrew Ross,
I. G.; and E. E. Sullivan, O. G. Total members in good standing,
forty-nine. Lodge meets every Friday night.
Porterville Horticultural Society was
organized in February, 1891, with ten members, and R. H. McDonald,
President; Mr. McAllister, Vice-President; Fred Kessing, Secretary; Emil
Newman, Treasurer. Present membership, fifty.
Parlor No. 73, N. S. G. W., was
organized in March, 1891, with these officers: W. P. Putnam, Past
President; R. L. Hockett, President; F. O. Putnam, First Vice-President;
E. B. Hockett, Second Vice-President; H. McCown, Third Vice-President;
George G. Murry, Recording and Financial Secretary; Kilbreath,
Treasurer; W. M. Gardner, Marshal; F. J. Howeth, J. A. Gardner, T. S.
Rickey, Trustees; J. A. Gardner, T. A. Howeth, Sentinels.
Hanford is the metropolis of the
Mussel Slough country, the region spoken of where the citizens had such
an unpleasant and tragically ending controversy in regard to lands. The
citizens of to-day boast of their country as the beautiful "Lucerne
Valley," and the term is well applied.
This beautiful city of Hanford,
incorporated as such August 8, 1891, is located fifteen miles due west
from Goshen, on the Huron branch of the Southern Pacific system, and is
in the heart of this great and important Mussel Slough country. The town
site was laid out in March, 1877, and it grew rapidly from the first.
Men of enterprise settled there; and while the town has had no special
boom, it has always enjoyed a fair degree of prosperity and a lucrative
trade. The population in 1890 was 942. The town is well supplied with
church edifices, social and fraternal societies, a good banking
establishment, and an excellent newspaper, a weekly, the Hanford
Sentinel. This is a wide-awake paper, and is the only journal
published in Mussel Slough, and is doing good work for that section of
the country. Hanford has a fine system of water works. From the platform
above the tanks at the pump works a splendid view is obtained of the
beautiful country surrounding.
Hanford has several times been
subjected to devastating fires, but each time came up out of its ashes
neater and more substantial than before. During the year 1883 Hanford
was the victim of five different fires, one of which wiped out most of
the business part of the town. The fiery ordeal was again experienced in
July, 1888, which was even more destructive than ever before. More than
half the business blocks in the town, some of them fine two-story
bricks, were wiped out of existence. Again Hanford sprang up finer and
more substantial than before, and yet the fiery elements were not
satiated. Again, June 19,1891, she suffered to the extent of $300,000 by
fire. Among the many excellent buildings burned was the new and
magnificent Hotel Artesia.
But Hanford's enterprising citizens are
not those who repine under calamities, and are again rapidly rebuilding,
determined to keep their little city in the fore-front of progress. The
resources of the country tributary to Hanford are second to none in the
great San Joaquin valley.
The churches represented in Hanford are
the Methodist, Presbyterian, Christian, Episcopal, and Catholic. The
fraternal societies, etc., are: Hanford Lodge, No. 189, A. O. U. W.;
Hanford Lodge, No. 296, I. O. G. T.; Hanford Lodge No. 279, F. & A. M.;
Mussel Slough Lodge, No. 66, K. of P.; Hanford Council, No. 87, O. C.
F.; Hanford Parlor, No. 37, N. S. G. W.; Hanford Lodge, No. 264, I. O.
O. F.; and McPherson Post, No. 51, G. A. R. There are also a Sons of
Veteran Camp, American Legion of Honor, Lady of the Lake (Rebekah
Degree) Lodge, I. O. O. F., and Ladies' Aid Society of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church.
Seventeen years ago that section of
the country now known as Lucerne valley, but more generally termed
Mussel Slough, was a country inhabited solely by herds of cattle and
bands of mustang horses, the owners of which lived along the banks of
King's river. There was a lively little trading post on King's river,
north of Hanford, known as Kingston; which derived the majority of its
trade from travelers, being located on a stage route leading from
Visalia to Gilroy. Lands lying away from the river possessed little
money value, as at the date given above they could have been covered
with land scrip costing forty-five cents per acre. There are a number of
residents now in this county who at that time were offered land scrip at
the price named, to place on these lands, who rejected the offer with
the remark that the country was uninhabitable except by coyotes and
long-eared rabbits.
But about this time there were a
number of hardy pioneers who were looking out for homes, and they spied
out this land. They came in bands of fives and tens, and soon little
cottages began to spring up all over the plains, and finally pretentious
neighborhoods were formed. These pioneers were quick to learn that
little could be accomplished in farming on these lands without the aid
of water; hence companies were formed to build ditches that would lead
the waters of King's river out to the plains. This was a giant
undertaking for these early settlers, for they possessed little of this
world's goods. But they were people of brawn and muscle, and to will was
to do. Some of the families of the settlers actually lived on parched
corn while the ditches were being constructed, while others were happy
over a diet of beans. Women and children camped on the river bottoms in
the spring, that they might raise "garden truck", and thus add something
to their depleted larders. But the ground-work was finally accomplished;
water began to flow through the ditches, and then was soon demonstrated
what a wonderfully fertile section existed here. The news soon spread
far and near that a country more fertile than the wondrous Nile valley
existed in Tulare County, and emmigration toward that section commenced.
The Southern Pacific Railroad Company,
originally organized to build through this section, were quick to see
that the lands granted them by Congress were becoming valuable, and,
that they might retain their hold on them, in 1876 built a line of road
from Goshen to where Lemoore now stands, and commenced the sale of lots
at the towns of Lemoore and Hanford.
TRAVER
is a thriving little town of about 600 inhabitants,
situated on the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad and about
four miles south of King's river, a large stream from which an abundance
of water is taken for irrigating purposes.
It has been comparatively a short
period of time since the site where the town of Trevor now stands was
considered almost a barren waste, inhabited only by the coyote,
jack-rabbit, horned toad, lizard and tarantula, with an occasional sheep
or cattle ranch, there still being many of the early settlers here who
have chased the deer, the elk, and the antelope over the same country
where now can be seen thrifty orchards and vineyards.
A view from the tower of the
schoolhouse reveals one of the most beautiful scenes the eye can behold,
- a vast area of land as level as the trackless ocean, dotted here and
there by beautiful dwellings, the homes of prosperous farmers,
orchardists, and vineyardists, surrounded by handsome groves of shade
and ornamental trees, in the midst of a thrifty orchard or vineyard,
with numerous large and smaller ditches which carry the life-giving
water to the thrifty trees and vines, and roads leading to Traver from
all directions.
Such a transformation in such a
comparatively short time could not have been accomplished but for the
superior quality of the soil, the abundance of water for irrigation, and
the energy of the people.
In 1882 an organization was perfected
which had for its object the development of those portions of Tulare and
Fresno counties known as the "76 country," the company adopting as its
name, "The 76 Land and Water Company," - the "76" being taken from the
country once owned by Thomas Fowler, whose branding-iron was "76", and
his ranch was also known by the stockmen as the "76 ranch." The members
of the organization were P. Y. Baker, who was the originator of the
project; C. F. J. Kitchener, Thomas Fowler, D. K. Zumwalt, all of Tulare
County; and H. P. Merritt, Francis Bullard, Charles Traver, and I. H.
Jacobs, who reside in various portions of the State. The excavating work
for an irrigating canal was begun in August of the same year.
In March, 1884, the present town site
of Traver was surveyed and named after Charles Traver. A sale of lots
was advertised to take place on the 8th of April, 1884, and the railroad
company ran excursion trains from San Francisco, Los Angeles and
intermediate points, and there were sold that day and the day following
lots to the amount of $65,000. At that time the only building in Traver
was one which Kitchener & Co. had moved from Cross Creek, a small
station about two and a half miles distant, being occupied by Manasse &
Brumenthal as a store. At about the same time the railroad company
commenced building a depot and side-track. Thus the work of improvement
went on, until by the 1st of May Traver boasted of two mercantile
stores, one drug store, one agricultural implement depot, two lumber
yards, three saloons, two hotels, two barber shops, two livery barns,
post office, telegraph office, and railroad depot, together with the
usual addition of a growing China-town. Thus the thriving little town of
Traver continued to grow until by its first anniversary it had doubled
in business and had erected a handsome $8,000 school-house and a church
building, having a population of nearly 500.
During the early history of Traver
wheat was the principal industry of the farmers, as this crop could be
raised without irrigation; but as the country became settled land became
too available for this crop to pay, and the attention of the majority
was turned to fruit-raising, which has within the past two years nearly
supplemented wheat-growing. Fruits of all kinds grow to perfection in
this vicinity, and the same lands which a few years ago brought to their
cultivators the small sum of from $7 to $15 per acre in wheat, are now
beginning to return to their owners from $50 to $250 per acre, and in
some cases even more.
During the past four years the town of
Traver has suffered greatly from the ravages of fire, the first
occurring on the 30th day of October, 1887, in which at least one-third
of the business portion of the town was swept away in smoke. Again, on
June 18, 1890, another fire occurred which wiped out about $36,000 worth
of property; and on the 29th of July of the same year still another,
which succeeded in cleaning up over $51,000 more. These set-backs to the
town, which came just at the time the change from wheat-raising to
fruit-culture was taking place, were a very severe blow which would have
proved fatal to many places, as the change of industry in the country
had cut off nearly all the income from the producing class for a period
of from two to three years, when they will begin to get returns from
their young orchards and vineyards.
On August 14, 1888, the citizens of
the "76 country" voted on the organization of an irrigation district,
which was carried by a large majority, and on September 25, 1888, the
board of directors, consisting of P. Y. Baker, T. L. Reed, J. D. Vannoy,
E. E. Giddings, and J. E. Toler, met in Traver, the metropolis of the
district, and organized, electing P. Y. Baker as president; and on July
1, 1890, purchased the great water system, which is the largest in the
State of California, of the "76 Land and Water Company," and now the
water system is owned by the people and an abundance of water is
supplied to all who need it at a nominal cost, and Traver is now
starting out, as it were, on a new era, one exclusive grocery store, one
drug store, one fruit store, a bakery, three saloons, one barber shop,
three blacksmith and wagon shops, one shoe shop, one flouring-mill,
three large warehouses, two livery barns, a handsome two-story brick
hotel, one of the largest and best in the county, a meat market, a large
brick society hall, three churches, a handsome $8,000 school-house, a
weekly newspaper, the Advocate, and a good prospect for a
packing-house in the near future; and is now taking a step forward that
will place it in the front ranks of prosperity, with a substantial
future before it.
THE FIRST SALE OF TOWN LOTS
was at auction, and excursion trains were run from San
Francisco, bringing to the sale people from all the stations along the
railroad. Many comments were made on the possibilities of a town located
on a railroad that "commenced nowhere, and ended in a desert." The sale
was not the success expected by the railroad company, though a number of
lots were disposed of at figures then considered extremely beyond their
value. For several years it seemed as though the estimate placed on this
section of the country by these early visitors was about correct. The
town made slow progress, and disastrous fires visited the place on
several occasions, with a seeming desire to wipe it from the face of the
earth. But the fertile soil was in the country surrounding, and its
possessors had to have a mart of trade and barter for their products.
Water continued to be brought out on the plains for the irrigation of
lands, and the wheat product of that section became so great that six or
eight large ware-houses were unable to contain it, and the railroad was
unable to furnish cars to convey it to tide water.
The country was found to possess an
advantage over other sections of the State, too, in the cultivation of
cereals, which guaranteed a crop in seasons of drouth, and that was the
fact that the soil was irrigated by percolation, instead of flooding -
the latter method being considered injurious to growing crops. Besides
insuring a crop each season, it also insured profitable prices in
seasons of drouth. Water in ditches constructed on a section line was
known to percolate, or seep, over the entire 640 acres. Farmers took
advantage of this by raising two crops on the same piece of land in one
season - that is, when the wheat crop was harvested the land was again
plowed and planted to corn, beans, pumpkins, etc.
The soil and water system proved this
section particularly adapted to the growth of alfalfa, and ten and
twelve tons to the acre per annum was no uncommon product. Every farmer
had his alfalfa field. But the yield finally became so great that the
market was over-supplied, and prices for hay ruled so low that the crop
seemed as though it would soon become an unprofitable one. This was
averted by the farmers engaging in stock raising, and thus consuming at
home the surplus product. This again accounts for the fact that no lean,
lank, scrawny horses or cattle are found in Lucerne valley. Those
engaging in stock raising sought to procure the best breeds of animals
to be had, and no finer horses or cattle are to be seen than are found
on the alfalfa pastures of N. W. Motheral, George A. Dodge, D. C.
Hayward and many others living in the vicinity of Hanford. This section
will soon be to California, so far as horses are concerned, what
Lexington has been to Kentucky.
This section will not be known alone,
however, for its alfalfa fields and fine horses. Wheat raising is now a
thing of the past, and two of the large wheat warehouses have already
given way to the industry. Peter Scazighini of Grangeville, a Mr.
Maschmayer of Lemoore, Cash Blowers, and others, several years since
demonstrated the fact that this soil was peculiarly adapted to the
raisin grape, as well as to the cultivation of peaches, prunes, apricots
and other fruits. The people generally were slow to believe what profits
might be realized from these sources, and the statement that the
pioneers in the raisin industry had derived $300 an acre from their
grapevines was taken with many grains of allowance. But by degrees the
people began to realize the profits of the industry and to-day little
else is herd on the streets of Hanford than the number of acres this or
that land owner is devoting to vines. Those well informed in the matter
state that no less than 7,000 acres in the vicinity of Hanford has been
planted to vines this season, and the work of setting them out is still
in progress. Raisins grown here are much sought after while in the sweat
box, to be used as top layers by growers in other parts of the State.
They are exceedingly large and have a fine flavor. This fact will make
this country known the world over when the product shall be increased to
the extent that the raisins can be placed in all the markets, and that
date is not far hence. Such a reputation has already been gained that
people from the Atlantic coast are making investments in Lucerne soil,
and S. H. Bigland represents an English colonization company that has an
office in London.
Dr. A. P. Peck represents a Chicago
syndicate that has purchased 640 acres of land, known as the Diss ranch.
It is now known as the "Solano Fruit Farm," and a portion of it is being
planted to trees and vines this season. The owners are expected to
arrive here next season, erect houses on their property and put the
entire tract in cultivation.
J. C. Kimball, of Oakland, owns a fine
body of land North of Hanford, on which he has this year planted out
66,000 prune trees. The orchard will be extended next season.
The ballyhooly ranch of 160 acres,
Gordon ranch of 160 acres, and Harvie ranch of 30 acres, south of
Hanford, were planted in vines this season. Those properties are under
the supervision of S. H. Bigland, who represents a colonization
association with offices in London and San Francisco.
B. L. Barney, Fred Foster and G. J.
Lockie are new arrivals from the State of New York. They have purchased
land, which is spoken of as the New York colony, and have this season
planted out forty acres to vines, and will extend the vineyard next
season. Mr. Barney has a fine residence in course of construction in
Hanford now.
S. E. Biddle & Bros. are planting 320
acres to vines; E. E. Bush, 150 acres to trees and 350 to vines; J. J.
Harlow, 140 acres to vines; J. T. McJunking, 30 in trees and 35 in
vines; L. C. Lillis, 340 acres in vines; S. H. Bigland, 180 acres; D. C.
Hayward, 150 acres; Frank Sharples, 40 acres; Ben Mickle, 40 acres; Mr.
Wilson, 40 acres; J. O. Hickman, 80 acres; W.S. Porter of San Francisco,
100 acres; A. F. Frasier, 70 acres; S. A. Deardorff, 40 acres; Wm. Viney,
20 in trees, and 30 in vines; Mr. P. Troxler, 19 acres in vines; John
Benedict, 30 acres; Joseph Rogers, 40 acres; Manuel Silva, 75 acres; M.
M. Johnson, 50 acres; Harry Newport, 40 acres; Rainey Bros., 60 acres;
Richard Colony, 160 acres; S. W. Lane, 40 acres; Porter Mickle, 20
acres; C. J. Cressy, 40 acres; A. F. Jewett, 40 acres; W. H. Henderson,
40 acres; John Rice, 60 acres; J. H. Melone, 20 acres in trees; A. V.
Taylor, 150 acres in vines.
These are not all, but space will not
permit naming more.
The estimate of 7,000 acres for the
season's planting is none too high.
Two raisin and fruit packing houses
did business in Hanford last season, and had all they could attend to,
while the estimated acreage devoted to vines and trees was only 3,000
acres. Two years hence there will be 10,000 acres to be cared for. To
handle the crop from this immense acreage it will require a small army
of men; and at packing time hundreds of women and children will find
employment.
Hanford is growing rapidly; and why
should she not under the conditions as above set forth? She has a fine
two-story brick school building, costing $20,000. One block fronting on
the main street is built entirely of brick, and another block will be
constructed within a few weeks, as the last frame building on that block
has just been removed to make way for a brick structure.
Richard Mills has a fine two-story
brick building nearly completed on Douty Street. It is built with Dick's
usual taste, and is undoubtedly the handsomest structure in Hanford.
Simon, Manasse & Co. are just
completing a handsome store room at the corner of Main and Douty
streets, at a cost of $16,000. The main room will be occupied by the
owners, which give as commodious a storeroom as could be desired, while
there are three neat storerooms at the north end of the building, facing
on Douty street. There is a fine cellar under the entire structure.
The "Hotel Artesia" and "Grand
Central" are the leading hotels.
A flouring mill capable of turning
out seventy barrels per day, is one of the features of the city, and the
owner of this property, J. H. Johnson of this city, is putting in an
Edison electric-light system to light the streets and business houses.
The brothers, Rush and David Lacey of this city, are conducting the
business of the mill and electric lights.
Hanford's new bank is the Merchant's.
The principal place of business is Hanford; capital stock, $100,000,
divided into 1,000 shares of a par value of $100 each. Amount actually
subscribed, $65,000, by the following named gentlemen: Warren W. Parlin,
$10,000; Herman Nathan, $10,000; Caleb Railsback, $10,000; William J.
Newport, $10,000; John B. Newport, $10,000; Joseph H. Dopkins, $10,000;
B. Arthur Bateman, $5,000.
LEMOORE
is situated eight miles west of Hanford, in the same
fertile region, and contains, by the census of 1890, a population of 651.
The town was originally laid out about a half mile south of its present
location, on land belonging to Dr. Lovern Lee Moore, and it was from the
doctor's name that some of his friends gave the village the name of Lemoore.
When the railroad was built a new town site was laid out, and such buildings
as had been erected were put on wheels and moved to the new town. For
several years past Lemoore has had bad luck. For a time it bid fair to
outstrip Hanford, but fire after fire occurred until the people became
somewhat discouraged and for a time almost ceased to build. Furthermore, the
Laguna de Tache Rancho was too near the town to encourage or even permit the
growth it otherwise might have had. Several other large tracts were held
near by, so that people were not able to get lands on which to settle as
near town as they desired. There have been many favorable changes recently,
however, and Lemoore has taken new life and bids fair to compete largely
with her neighbor, Hanford. She has a fine flouring-mill, several large
general merchandise establishments, grain warehouses aggregating a capacity
of 8,000 tons, a fine schoolhouse, two neat churches, and a full
accompaniment of business houses of all kinds. Lemoore's fruit interests are
very important, and the farmers and stock-breeders living in the vicinity
are among the most successful in the county. It is a good town to live in,
having a quiet and sociable community, maintaining literary societies and
patronizing home entertainments of that character rather better than any
other town in the county. She has her social and fraternal societies, and
Justin Jacobs is the legal adviser of the town. The Leader is the
newsy newspaper, and is well to the front showing up its section of the
county.
There are three sawmills in the timber
belt east of the White River, who find a market for their products on the
plains about Poso Creek and the country surrounding Delano. D. W. Grover's
mill has a capacity of about 25,000 feet of lumber per day. The Poso Creek
Lumber Company also has a mill of a capacity of 25,000 feet per day. The
Arbor Vita mill, managed by W. D. Parsons, is now cutting lumber.
OROSI
is a neat, new town five miles east of Dinuba in a
spur of Tulare valley, near the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and
sheltered from the winds by Smith's mountain. The spur of the valley in
which the town is located opens toward the south, and the mountains both
protect it from the northwest winds and form a lovely and
picturesque view. The town is the center of this valley, which is about
nine miles in each direction. It is one of the richest and best
protected tracts of land in Tulare County. This spot is not only found
to be exceedingly well adapted to the production of both deciduous and
citrus fruit trees, but also the raisin grape.
In 1888 Messrs. Daniel R. Shafer, Neal
McCallahan, D. C. Bane, L. J. Miller, and R. Q. Wickham, purchased and
platted the town site and it was given the name Orosi (golden valley).
Nothing farther was done for a year, when D. R. Shafer built and started
a general merchandise store, and at the same time started a residence on
his present ranch. After six months he sold his store and engaged in the
planting of fruit trees and vines. The town now, in 1891, contains about
thirty houses. All the inhabitants are engaged in horticultural
pursuits, having had large fruit and vineyard experience in other
places. The soil is sandy loam, very rich, it being the delta of Sand
Creek, and on this garden spot within a radius of two miles from there,
1,000 acres of raisin grapes have been planted and are giving the
highest promise of the greatest possible success.
Orosi is thirty-five miles from the
city of Fresno, the county seat of Fresno County, and sixteen miles from
Visalia city. Mr. Addison J. Bump, an investor in Orosi, has planted a
grove of Washington Navel budded orange trees from Florida, and
notwithstanding they are only in the second year, one of the trees had
seven well formed oranges on it. He has also a fine grape vineyard on
this tract. Lands with abundance of water are cheap here - only from $80
to $125 per acre; and all who have seen this lovely spot, with its
snow-capped mountains in the background, are delighted with it, and the
evidence of its prosperity are abundant on every hand; and the present
settlers are both worthy and enterprising.
DINUBA.
This prosperous new town is located on a branch of the
Southern Pacific railroad, thirty miles southeast of Fresno and
forty-five miles from Porterville, in the heart of a rich grain and
fruit country; and the country for miles in every direction is covered
with waving fields of golden grain, dotted with pleasant homes and
orchards and vineyards of raisin grapes. The town site was surveyed in
1889, and the railroad built to the place. Two hundred and forty acres
of land was deeded to the railroad company by James Sibley, E. E.
Giddings, Adolph Levis, and another. This land the company platted and
gave it its name, Dinuba; and the first building was built by Homer Hall
and A. C. Austin, for an office. D. S. Cohn & Co. built the first store,
and are hence the pioneer merchants of the town.
The first church edifice was built by
the Methodists, in 1890, and the school board the same year built a
large and attractive school-house, at a cost of $20,000, a building that
would be an honor to any town.
The Baptists have a church
organization and contemplate building an edifice in the near future.
Mr. James Sibley, with a partner,
built the Dinuba Hotel, and the town contains, in 1891, three stores,
two blacksmith shops, railroad depot, and a large warehouse, a nice,
well kept post office, and several other business places usual in such
towns.
The town is under the Alta irrigation
system, and in that particular is well situated. Adjoining lands are
worth from $80 to $100 per acre.
The town contains about 150
inhabitants, earnest, thrifty, law-abiding people, mostly from the
Eastern States, who, seeing the advantages and bright prospects of the
place, have decided to make it their home. The culture of the soil, both
for grain and fruit, is of recent date, and everything bespeaks the
highest prosperity and developments.
Goshen, geographically speaking,
occupies a very important position. She is on the main line of the
Southern Pacific Railroad. The Visalia road branches off here toward the
east, and the Mussel Slough road to the west, giving the town the
appearance of a railroad center. From some unknown cause the town has
never grown much. The country surrounding near by is good. An artesian
well has been sunk there and a considerable flow of water obtained. The
town has a good general merchandise establishment, two hotels, a lumber
yard, grain warehouse, large and convenient depot, stock-yards, etc.
Recently there is an air of activity apparent, and Goshen will yet be an
important town.
GRANGEVILLE is generally conceded to
be one of the garden spots of the county. It is certainly the best
improved and wealthiest farming community in the county. It is located
in the heart of Mussel Slough, four miles northwest from Hanford. The
village of itself is of little importance, - two stores, blacksmith and
wagon shop, etc.
For many years this was nearly
entirely a wheat-growing community; not so now: they carry on
diversified farming, fruit-growing, etc. The land as a rule is held in
small tracts, and at high prices, none caring to sell. The village has a
handsome schoolhouse and an excellent school.
CAMP BADGER is not a village, though
there are a store and blacksmith shop there. It is situated high up in
the Sierras, about forty miles northeast of Traver. Stock-raising and
lumbering are the principal industries. Many families from the valley go
there camping in summer, and ere long it will become a favorite summer
resort.
FARMERSVILLE consists of a general
merchandise store, a commodious hotel, a blacksmith shop and a large
two-story schoolhouse. It is situated about seven miles southeast of
Visalia, surrounded by very fertile lands, on which are produced immense
crops of grain, fruits and vegetables. It is well timbered with oaks,
some of which are very large, specimens being nine feet in diameter.
TIPTON is located on the main line of
the Southern Pacific Railroad, ten miles south of Tulare city, and was a
few years since a prosperous town of perhaps 400 inhabitants, and at
that time had three good stores, - a drug store, two hotels, blacksmith
shops, two large grain warehouses, a fine depot, one church, two livery
stables, a good school building and an energetic population. Immense
grain shipments were made from here, as also large quantities of wool.
Tipton is not now what she was then. Other towns springing up in the
county, and destruction by fire, have caused her to decrease rather than
increase. The country surrounding is fine, and needs only water to
enable it to make Tipton a flourishing town, which no doubt will be in
the near future.
PIXLEY, situated on the main line of
railroad, five miles south of Tipton, is named for Frank Pixley, editor
of the Argonaut. Here are a monster artesian well, a fine
three-story hotel, a splendid brick-store building, a handsome two-story
schoolhouse, a large grain warehouse, livery stables, blacksmith shops,
etc. The place is surrounded by a wonderfully fertile country. Being in
the artesian belt, where an abundance of water can be had, Pixley is a
desirable place in which to live.
ALILA is one of the new towns of the
county, located on the line of the Southern Pacific railroad, seven
miles north of the south line of the county. The territory surrounding
the town is some of the best in the State. To the east-ward the land is
a rich sandy loam, retains moisture remarkably well, and is pleasant to
cultivate. A portion of this region is covered by the artesian belt, and
several fine wells have been developed. The town has a fine school
building, churches, general stores, grain warehouses, societies, etc.
Alila is in what is known as Southern
Tulare, lying south of Tule River, which has an area of 20 x 36 miles,
and once irrigated will be one of the very valuable sections of the
county. The soil is in its favor, as it is of a moist character and
retains its moisture well. The problem of irrigation is being solved,
and soon this will be a charming locality.
BELLEVILLE. This village is situated
six miles east of Pixley, the latter being the shipping point for its
products. The land surrounding is irrigated by water taken from Deer
Creek through a canal twelve miles long. There are two schoolhouses on
this section about three miles apart; each cost $2,000.
WOODVILLE is nine miles northeast of
Tipton, the nearest shipping point. The village contains two churches, a
good hotel, two stores and two blacksmith shops. The town is located
only a short distance from the rich bottom lands of the Tule River;
principal products of this region, wheat and alfalfa hay.
POPLAR is located twelve miles due
east of Tipton, contains a store and blacksmith shop. Nearest shipping
points, Porterville or Plano. Supplied with water from Tule River
through a large ditch. The soil in this region is exceedingly fertile.
ARMONA is situated midway between
Hanford and Lemoore, at the junction of the Goshen division and the Los
Banos branch of the Southern Pacific railroad. It has a hotel,
blacksmith shop, general store, and two large warehouses. It is a large
shipping point for wheat and wool.
KAWEAH COLONY. The colonists began
settling in the canon as early as 1886. They soon learned that the land
they wished to develop was not accessible without a good roadway. They
accordingly formed themselves into a co-operative body and proceeded to
wrestle with the solid granite rock and boulders until a road some
twenty miles in length was hewn out of the implacable rock. This road,
which starts from an elevation of about 1,500 feet, and rises by an easy
grade to 7,000 feet, is one of the finest in the State, and stands a
monument to the pluck, energy and good faith of these hardy pioneers.
The Kaweah Co-operative Colony Company
was originated in 1886 for the purpose of demonstrating the advantages
of complete co-operation in social and industrial life. Its prime
mission is to insure its members against want, or fear of want, by
providing comfortable homes, ample sustenance, educational and
recreative facilities, and to promote and maintain harmonious and social
relations. It is neither an anarchist nor a free-love colony, and
persons of that turn of thought are not desired; nor will they be
received as members. The colony is a thoroughly democratic institution
in the true meaning of the term. All members are on an equal footing as
far as opportunities are concerned. All have an equal voice and vote in
the affairs of the colony. The property of the colony is owned by the
membership as a whole; the affairs are administered by a board of five
trustees elected by the membership at large. Each branch of industry is
under supervision of a superintendent appointed by the trustees, and
removable by the workers in his department. General meetings are held at
regular intervals, at which reports of officers are read and other
business transacted, each member having the right to voice and vote upon
all questions arising. "A membership in the colony entitles its owner to
an equal share with all others in all its profits and privileges. Any
person may become a member who is in sympathy with the movement and is
willing to faithfully do his or her share toward advancing the colony's
objects and welfare. The price of membership is $500, of which $100 must
be paid in cash; the remainder may be paid in work for the colony. In
case a member possesses property of value to the colony his entire
membership fee may be paid in work for the colony. In case a member
possesses property of value to the colony his entire membership fee may
be paid in such material, subject to the decision of the trustees."
The town of Kaweah is delightfully
situated on the north fork of the stream whose name it bears, near where
it joins the main river. The water supply for power and other purposes
being ample, and the natural resources, abundant, it is admirably
located for a manufacturing town. The place contains about 100
buildings, a public school and library, postoffice, store, harness shop,
blacksmith shop and a printing office, issuing a weekly newspaper, the
Kaweah Commonwealth. This is a neat four-page paper, and has a
circulation of 2,000 copies weekly.
The colonists have now in operation a
sawmill, connected with which is a planer, also a lath and shingle mill,
and a planing mill and box factory are being erected. Each member of the
colony contributes an equal amount to the capital stock of the concern.
The soil, the stock and the machinery are owned by the company as a
whole, and are operated in the internet of the members. The by-laws
provide that only those who perform some useful service to the company
are entitled to receive dividends, the number of hours worked by a
member being the basis upon which his dividends are made. By this method
it is assumed the producer gets the full product of his labor. The
citizens of this colony are mostly native-born Americans, and include
among them many highly cultured and intellectual people.
Their creed, if it can be so called, is
to do unto others as they would be done by. Being questioned as to the
politics of the colony, one of the officers said: "The colony has not
recognized any party in politics. Its members have voted for those whom
they have considered to be the most fit for office."
The following are the officials of the
colony: J. J. Martin, secretary; William Christie, Treasurer. Board of
Trustees: J. J. Martin, Burnette G. Haskell, William Christie, H. T.
Taylor and Richard Corbett. Department Superintendents: I. Barnard, W.
B. Hunter, James Bellah, Wm. Howard, Wm. Christie, J. J. Martin, B. G.
Haskell, George B. Savage, and Mrs. Candace E. Christie.