Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 56

aile jyv 4 lace 4 lvv -rJJ -tSwV piwiiiil ims '-'V V-i Cenlraf Pacific railroad yards in Oakland as they Jits'" -1 1 appeared in 1888. People Called Old Archives Searched In Tracing First Steps In Transition and Growth of Vast Eastbay Ranchos to the Status 7.. A Atti Still Standing on Its Original Site Is the First Frame Dwelling Erected Within the Limits of thePresent City a Link Between the Jtlaciendqs ofthe Dons and the Center of Culture and Industry Established Since the, Advent of the Gringos Aojcs Criase (it right), who erected first frame dwelling house in Oakland a few years after his arrival by way of Cape Horn from New 'England. General Grant by Ringing of, a v. 4 t8M81imjai 'f i i 11 Iff 'tjT jm -r i I t.i.

BirJ't-tye view of Oakland in 1887, showing the basiri that his since leen transformed into i AiTCi Cotfefe, ai ft looked In 1888. Echoes of the Battles That Were FougKt 7 for Possession of Property i Settlement (Continued From Page I .) today huge city blocki rear their million-dollar headi, and the forty-niner turned northward to the gold that beckoned beyond They came back, lome of the forty-nineri, rolling in gold nuggets, to rich maniioni on Knob Hill, to banquet tablet flow ing with California winei, and loaded with game and mot of that game wai shot by the first settlers in Oakland over grassy lands that today house the city's business activities. ATOSES CHASE was Oakland's first authentic American A settler. When the Patten, brothers crossed the bay in their loop in 1 850 they found Chase encamped in his tent afwhat it now East Eighth street and Fourth avenue, Intent on gathering material for Oakland's Jirst frame house a house still standing -today on the original site. The Peralta family, successors of the original Don.

Luis whose Spanish grant covered all of Oakland and most of the Eastbay, held the oak-dad flatt from their 'father, and when the next three settlers, Carpentier, Adamt and Moon, tquatted at the foet of what (t now Broadway, the 'Peraltat politely bade them begone. But Carpentfcrv, a vshrewd temporized with the Pcraltas. He doubted whether their Spanish grant wai capable of being upheld, but he wat taking no chancet. He and his associates obtained a lease from the Peraltat, thus securing a foothold in both camps. Later, when other settlers came and squatted among the oakt, Carpentier and his associates, adopting the Peralta policy without the politeness, ordered them away.

The squatters refused to leave and hand-to-hand battles were frequent. Fences were torn down and the erection of buildings forcibly opposed. The tquatters formed themselves into a "Protective Association," bought the "squatters' gun" from a ship's captain who had brought it with him around the Horn, armed them-elves with six-shooters, and offered a formidable front to the lease-holders. Carpentier and hit associatet were the first Oakland realtors but they didn't call themselves that in thote days. They staked off lots and streets for a town and offered Albert W.

Burrell two lots if he would build ajiotel. tf A'VjWW VB I Vh" fc jjg 3 lflklfer' PASSA.0E Of hv 5S "''i 1T7SV'1B: 58:. -V reached his old home to find the girl dying, and he law' her buried in the dress that she had made for her marriage ceremony. ji' With heavy heart, Chase' essayed again for the third-time the perilous passage round the Horn, rejoining his ion and hit tister-in-law, Mrs. Allen, the latter of whom, at her death, was buried in the grounds of the old house, although the body was later disinterred, and buried in a cemetery.

l' IFE in the pleasant little cottage was not the same after this tragedy. Chase built his hunting lodge on the island, and withdrew there to end hit days in hunting and fishing. The little cottage in later years formed the nucleus around which twoadditioss were made to the original home, so that it isjuf'the humbler kitchen to the present larger structure. But the presence of old Moses Chase seems to pervade the A glimpse of Broadway, air in the old place. There it the original chimney he built, its bricks all worri down at one side, where he tharpened his knivet, and relics which were his property lying-all aboutj Some years ago die Oakland Rotary club marfed the site of the city's first frame home with a wooden sign, but vandalt uprooted it and carried it away.

The Clinton Improvement club plans to erect another marker-" during birthday celebration week, and perhaps when the club's markeragain pointt out the old home, a few of the thousandt who pass it by in djeir autos may be induced to pause and to give thought to Moset Chaie, "Fath8r of Oakland," who first established a homesite in the midst of what it now a vatt and populous city. Carpentier won his revenge in 1854, when the squatters so far forgot their animosity as. to elect him first mayor the city, after Oakland had been raised in that year from town to city status. He had by this time secured control' of Oakland't I sa, r'JT 7' 1L a 1 Pioneer Day, Fire Alarm' gleefully indulged in the innocent spopt of "making a special target of every Chinaman who 'showed his the anti-Chinese feeling, being at that time very strong. Sailors on the revenue cutter Bear killed a 20-foot shark in Oakland harbor in 1 888 and in 1 879 General Grant landed in Oakland.

The 10-foot telescope with the 8-inch lens that was Chabot observatory's first instrument, picked up Grant's steamer off the Golden and the fire alarm bell at the city hall was sounded for five minutes tq apprise citizens of hit mnnrlinor nrrivnl When, met by an imposing display of all the city's civicj pomp and pride, General Grant was tendered the freedom of the city in a speech replete with words of seven to ten syllables, his speech in reply, which was, "Mr. Mayor, I thank you," was to have been much too brief for so auspicious an event. Two years later President Harrison visited Oakland, and the determined that they would, get out of him a speech which should make up for General Grant's terse utterance, made still'more elaborate preparations for his reception. But everything wentwrong. The committee that met the President at West Berkeley rushedliim through ahead of time.

He shot past one. parade as it was forming, spent only two minutes at the University of California instead of the scheduled 20, and was out of the city again before the surprised citizens could fire the arrival salute to him. However, since everybody was ready, they staged the parade and fired the salute anyway, while local politicians poured their best oil on the troubled waters, declaring that "the President hadn't intended to be rude to Oakland't citizens." Labor riots' in 1894 brought out artillery and gatling guns, while strikers cut air-brakes on trains, and in the same year Coxey't army numbering into thecity from San Francisco, and then declined to leave it. The old gatling gun wat mounted in front of the city hall and Coxey't men were finally loaded into railways cars and headed for Reno, while citizens adopted fiery resolutions denouncing San Francisco for shipping into a sister -city "such an invasion of destitute and desperate men," There was another uprising of righteous citizens against a collection of shacks known as "The House of Blazes," which were located in the mud near whtre the auditorium now stands, and Were described as "a resort of the wont kinds of vice." The place wat swept away in a blaze ofapublic indignation. 'T'HIS recital closes with a brief peep at the July Fourth celebration held on Lake Merritt in 1 898.

There were fireworks at including "The Bombardment of Mono Cattle." Admiral Cervera's fleet had just been destroyed at Santiago, and more than 2000 soldiers from Camp Barrett, the Presidio and the Mare Island yards swept through the streets to the lake, singing "There'll Be Hot Time in the Olf Town Tonight" There was. The Red Crest ladies supplied lunch to every- 1 oj a metropolitan Area mi l.lhlil.1 mi V. iuli First rame fcouse Oakland, built by Aosej Oiase. is isi S3 A rir Oakland until the legislature ended them in 1 854 by itt "Act to Prevent Noisy and Barbarous Amusements on the Sabbath." And, meantime, while Oakland was growing into status and preparing itself for the city charter which came to it in 1854. Moses Chase, Oakland's first white settler, Hvas busy On his corner on Eighth street east, erecting Oakland's first frame house.

It is fitting that, during this coming week which celebrates Oakland's eightieth birthday, the feet of many citizens and visjt- ort should turn toward Oakland't first ht r-'f. nouee. City directories 4ist it as at 404 East Eighth street. It was known in the early days as 202 Jefferson ttreet. Daily thousands of autos speed down -the wide-boulevard that IS- nOW Last fcjellth itrM nnino tin th nnrlh.it) rnrfiM of Fourh aVenue, ajreen-shuttered home set amid lawns and gay flower beds ancient oaks.

1 he eastern extremity of this home is a low. one-story edifice, still, in excellent condition despite its evident antiquity and it is old. because this is Moses Chase's first home. There it a.sh.ning brass, plate on the old hearing the name "Albert B. Chase." And if the visitor care.

toing the bell, he may be greeted by thebearer. of that name. Albert B. Chase, grandson of Oak- landt first white 'settler, who was born in the old house, was siH ttandmg, an object of interest at 404 East Eighth street. which is the address of the builder' grandson.

Albe Chase. ft CQ'S At 4 1 j.iu 4h i'. rv rfs-wvsw i i AfS riviiMis uw rf uoiujxiuii oh cct jruni iiB comer Jti ar a "7 of ilk' -r A l.t ft. mvj 4- Albert B. Chase, grandson of Moses Chase and owner of the first frame dwelling built in Oakland at the beginning of the American settlement.

Shown also are several articles that were used by Afoses Chase. nog made from wild duck eggs graced the center of the table," the historian records, while ''the young men enjoyed themselves in sports of various kinds, one of which was kicking ten-dollar hats atound the grounds: Unfortunately, the historian fails to record whose silk hats were used for the diversion, but he doet add that Burrell re- ceived $500 from his guests on that occasion, in payment for .1.1. we Mqre settlers came, Broadway showed a scattering of busi- nessVplaces and homes, and on May I. 1852, the California. tnen sitting aEemcm, signed the charter which 1 I 1 .1 maae waKiana an mcorporatec town.

who drew up "the chatter and ran for of fice on Oakland I first town council, was the only man not elected. The squatters appear to have instituted a "Down with Carpentier" movement, in remembrance of his earlier anti-squatter activities. Three duels -were fought, in Oakland about this period, one of which, ended fatally when a Colonel Woodlief Was shot through the heart. i Bull-fights bear-baitings were popular sports in early i a 4 tV I 11 tMr4m.Kw, -3k llzr 1 III 13 i4 T.I ru hfr WM. a It ft a mkn PCit5M.

7 tST' Oakland, fn 1854. water-front, a deal which was later to precipitate the city into Legation only recently settled; Political invective-still flourished in those days. Mayor Williams, 1857, flayed opponent with the following genu, "Fof years we have groaned under the nightmare of the most bold and unmasked imposition, embargoed at both ends by odious and monstrous monopolies, illegal, oppressive and iniquitous. Our city has been manacled by unfounded claimt, concocted by fjaud and consummated by swindling, and her interior foully disemboweled by rutfi-; less harpies preying on her vitals." That, Williams" supporters boasted, was "some punkint" of speech. Its final phrase appears to have left the opposition gasping for breath, since no reply is recorded by the bistorian," ad Mayor Williams wat re-elected.

In 1865 Broad way wat paved between Fourth and Tenth atreeU. The "basket brigade' that "trudged up 'its -sandy. If" fct? VIKlf II mm- m- --war i A 1 ii.y Lake Memtt, the bsluarv. Long It Passage ticket used by Moses Chase on the long Voyage from Boston to California aboard the sailing Vessel Capitol' in 1849. married in the room which he wat born, and fullv eXrxscts to CL.

expects to, live a 1 the rest of. his days under the old roof. 'J residentstoday. He hunted ducka on Lake Merritt when, as says himself, "barring our own house. I couldn't see two anywner? arouna.tjie LL He has seen Oakland grow from a meije handful of settlers to its present status as a great city.

He it young enough to anticipate seeing wonders of growth that may dwarf even the achievemehU ofdie past 80 years. 1 jyjODERN Oakland Owes a great debt to because, since boyhood, he has always believed that the wondertui treasures in the old home would some dav be worth -I -r .4 in gold to the historian. 'When his parents would have thrown out some old" furniture Or old documents. "vounir Chaif vnat-A 4nr iViAm onJ them away to his own particular den) the old. barn, "Oh, give it to Bertie." became the stock phrase around the Chase home in those early days, and a result, the Oakland museum today.is enriched by a number of historic items' from crtyi first frame house, while the old home itself is a vef-7 bIe treasure trove, in which thV historian might delve for'years and slill find new things with which to thrill his antiquarian soul, There's Grandfather Moses Chase't original sea-chest, for.

IX- Still 91, Wharf -and the Liau. This shows what the business section of Oakland looked like in the year 1870. i 'instance, containing his old telescope, his old six-shooter, a case of razors he bought 100 years ago and some" of them still being used by hit grandson ancient account bookt and works on astronomy. s- There's his old duck gun, i tremendous weapon almost five feet long, and weighing about 30 pounds, with which he once -made $3000 in a single month, shooting ducks for the tablet of the millionaires on Nob H21. There are even the two old plate-glass mirrors which he tied on either side of his boat, thus making the ducks act as their own decoys.

Ancient furniture that came arund the Horn a sampler on the walls, dated 1834 old nigs a picture of a transbay bridge projected in 1871 a complete museum in a home that would take years of work in the arranging and cataloguing alone. Outside, several aQ(it oafjand palms still stand st j- l. i guardians over the first frame house that Oakland boasted, a and a A Miesby George Chase, son of 'but road-widening projecu swept these away, much to who deemed it real tragedy when tl the sorrow bt Albert Chase, they were cut down. -Tragedy dogged the' steps of, the man wha built; that first home in Oakland, and who died alone in his little hunting cabin on what is now Bay Farm island, thinking of the girl whom he-buried back in Massachusetts, in the wedding gown the thould have worn at his bride. -w Moses Chase't first marriage was and his son George was destined to beegffie treasurer of Alameda county.

His first wife died wGtoMai tut boy, and Moset, gloomy and resdess, hearkened to the call of gold and tailed round the Horn from Boston1 in the windjammer Capitol, Jan uary 15, 1849. Ventures in the goIdfieldJ did not prosper too well for the young widower and he found fef back on the coast; leasing from the Peralta family a beautrful tract of land just east of the, estuary branch we now-ea? Lake Merritt There he built Oakland't first frame house', out of old ship's timbers. roUgh-hewn lumber redwood. shakes. He pros-pered and wrote back east asUng a schoolgirl friend if she would marry him and come cncjif of little redwood home.

girl. Ellen-Clinton, and Chase made the long voyage back round the Horn IOr hJl iecon(J He Bighth street in ttretches got so much sand in their fish and fruits'and vegetables7 lhat Oakland first housewives demanded action and gof it. The "basket brigade" were Chinese who, before the days when Oakland had any stores to speak of, Crossed over each morning from San Francisco, "each carrying a brace of immente basket full of fruit, vegetables and fish, weighting ibout 1 00 pounds each and -aggregating each day about 30,000 pounds 1 t. in weight. From 1862 to 1866 the city's population doubled.

Gas and water utilities were A nubile librarv. fire rv. ite- cemetery, bankt, newspapers and street lights followed in ranirl nirrnunn The city had its "growing pains" in those early days and, nm store ftnd Pawnshop, fa dozen insurance win? machine agents, no book agents, 20 resti agents, three restaurants, nine real estate agents, eight livery stables and two with a Variety of other necessary businesses. A publus spelling match held in Wett Oakland jn 1875 "realized $125 at? the door," but neither the winner's name, nor the word with which he" counfounded all-comers, is re- corded. In that year, too, the Chinese quartereon San Pablo road, a few blocks north of the city hall, were made the object of a public campaign, and a gypsy camp in a nearby location, pre- aided over by a "madame," 6r queen, drew thousands of rent to its squalid tents madarne" told fortunes.

IN 1877 newspapers claimed a population of 30.000 for Oakland, and that year the citizens aroused themselves en mssse against lawless mobs said to be terrorizing San Francisco. Canndri were goaded. Rifles with bayoneU fixed were Stacked readjTto ttab or ahoot refractory vishort into an appreciation of Oakland't serious-minded views on lawlessness, but there Were no and citizen! who had ttrutted for a time in all the glory of home guard uniforms went back to the comparative obscurity of store or office or bant There was a record snowfall in the city in 1 883, and citizens mMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmwm t. sjlilrriiiiiiiPi Piipiiip r.iif i-h nm ifii A. i tlA'l 1 iiiaiiii vw(-ijcparaie emiuei in mote- timpie days, eigars and drugs a jsjal 15 groceries and eight fruit seven plumbina shoos.

Somewhere in Oakland, perftapt at First and Broadway, where Burrell built Oakland'! first hotel there thould be a tatue to this man, and it should be labeled "He gave ut etff Wide At that time Carpentier and hit friends were laying off streets'- parallel to Broadway. "They're all far too objected Burrell. "I'll not build my hotel unless you make thoM sfreets a whole lot wider." "It't not fair. You're asking ujw give too much land to the public," objected Carpentier" But Burrell had his way, and if Broadway, as shown in the 7 ff a most 8s hrnad na Inno fh un.Jn. -t II Imi keeii'Mimlv nrnvM A tiAvivi uat, Two year later another group citizens went one better than the shrewd Carpentier; and' bought out all the rights of the Peraltat in the Oakland site proper, which would appear 'to have left the group "tilting pretty" at to title.

However, Oakland -Wai then an incorporated town, and-'squatters, leaseholderi and purchasers 6t ngl.tt appear to have settled their difficulties amicably, and to have settled down to tneir newly-acquired digniu'et as townsmen with the right to -vote in elections, and to criticize public officials whenever they felt like ita right exercised frequently and at times with considerable vigor, old records show. A Y7HEN. Burrell't hotel was almost completed a party of young men came Across from San Francisco to hold a "hoUSCwarmm." intwDn tn have Vii.cn ji utr offals "Wine and brandy flowed lil water and big bowls of egg- and the hungry toldiert, throwing disciplifle t6 th winds, are said to have charged the loaded table, tarried them at the the bayonet, and' captured 300 gallont of But with ell these small excitements, Oakland't read growth proceeded apace. History records the accomplishments of later years, and notes how the young city of yesterday emerg 1 into the giant of today. And today, with jpoised pent history waits en Oi.lla-J's eightieth birthday, to write the record of t'-e Oakland cidzens, one ae shall be in every won'7 cf I rn;.