Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 59

I t. i i IS ha nDnTKDKLDAILS Vi VOL. CL OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, SUNDAY, MAY 22, 1949 NO. 142 r. tist Church of Oakland for a number of years dance its worldly things.

The first church oo some 15 miles; then found it again. Passed that 1 1 wood by door of firebox and open door andl put them in and keep on doing that until withins, a mile of the next stop, letting the firebox burn down some, so as not to' have too much firef whtteWitching'or standing around. Again scmes4' engines would not steam if the wood was just thrown in loose any way, and some had to have the wood corded or piled up tightly to- gether and not loosely, so you see there was an art in handling the wood of each different kind. It took a strong back and arms and a weak bead, they tell me. Now when we pulled up to a woodpile to wood up, one brakeman threw up wood to me into the gangway "until I had the i EVERAL cats apparently Were let out of the bag during Assembly maneuvers on the Dickey pollution bills the past week at least, the Knave's Sacramento operatives report hearing considerable chor tling in capitol corridors over some of the stated rnents made on the floor.

One Assemblyman urging hasty action in sending the bflls to the Senate without debate oted that "a cross-sec- l7 WOrked with uson these Tr? tJtPartMarly a seCTet cause the bills had been declared acceptable to indus- try, but it-did revive recollections that when $100,000 appropriation was made available for an interim water pollution study it -was inti-. mated that industry might put up a like amount It served, further, to point up the fact that all a. and Mrs. Watts was one of thfc directors of the West Oakland Home, an orphanage at '9th and Campbell Streets and now oh Upper Lincoln Avenue. i jBOige Washington DOITl shortly after first subdividing 60 acres of Mr; Watts passed aWy January 16 1878, and the work of running the ranch and sg fell to his son, William Augustus Wfltt who out frQ ton 185L The son, William did some logging in Mendocino and Marin Counties, sending the tan bark and hides to Oakland for his' father's tannery.

He ran a freight line from Virginia City to Sacramento in the davs of the Comstock mine nt. tw had three children, a bov. William firebox filled and dampers off, then enough in ypnd us. June 7 Decided to travel faster. As order to crib up the pit to hold the load.

The our wagons had been an encumbrance so far, other brakeman filled up the pit in the mean- accordingly we stopped to sell them to a passing time and I would have to pile the sides and emigrant company. Then we made more pack-back high enough to keep the wood from falling saddles out of an old abandoned wagon we oft This was done twice between Rocklin and fbund, packed'our team mules with these, and Summit I will say also that I kept the engines Raveled 25 miles farther. I bought a half mule, hot all the time, within five pounds of popping June 9 Sunday. Saw a great many Sioux point and never let the safety valves blow to Indians today. We came in sight of Lonely waste steam.

If someone had known and told tower at 11 o'clock bottom lands are very governmental jurisdictions are opposed to the gold TUL the ranch home at 34th Chest. Protestant Episcopal Church to be es-bills and to lead to the possible inference that nut he did teaming and ran stock in and near tablished on the Pacific Coast, and second industry was interested because governmental Oakland. He also ran his own schooner from Protestant church founded west 6ihe Rockies, agencies were beginning to step on toes in 0akland to San Francisco taking garden Trinity is the historic scene for imany notable the matter pf preventing water contamination. produce from the ranch to marked On February events. The first confirmation service accord-When another Assemblyman declared that Mr.

1874 he married Martha Augusta McComb, ing to Episcopal rites was held there in 1854, Dickey had told him that he was "pressed for an Oakland school teacher. They took up house- with the late Rt. Rev. William In graham Kip time," another round of speculation was started, keeping in a cottage built for; them by his par- administering the service to group of 18 cupied by Trinity was at the southwest corner of Jackson and Powell Streets; now on the fringe of Chinatown. The second building stood on Pine Street between Kearnjr and Montgom- ery, now in the heart of the financial district, while the third edifice stood at! the corner of Post and Powell, diagonally opposite the pres- ent St Francis Hotel.

The present church, erected in 1892, was designed by the late Arthur Page Brown, who also designed the Ferry Build- ing. It was one of the few churches to with- stand the earthquake and fire of 1906 and was the headquarters for much of the relief work done then. Rotable EveiltS neoDle. including one native of China The at 11 a.m., when the Rev. Donald Brookman, D.D., a former rector, now of New York, will preach.

An informal reception will follow the service. The Knave thanks Bertha Ashton Gardiner, whose grandfather was one of the sign- ers of the petition to remove Trinity from its first location, for the facts above. Incidentally, Mrs. Gardiner, a Trinity member, had no knowledge her grandfather was an attendant" mere ine old days unui sne saw some of the church documents. From Gildersleeve A former San Leandran, Harold Peary (The Great Gildersleeve), read on this page some notes of his old home town and is moved to elaborate on some: "Ask Budd Eber, who wrote of my maternal grandfather, Joseph Focna, if he remembers Joe Focha's father-in-law, William Dabner (my great-grandfather).

He was one of the earliest settlers in San Leandro and owner of a large section of land identified on the old maps as 'Dabner Addition' and now where Dabner Street in San Leandro is located. Joseph Focha alsd started the original Holy Cassius, and two daughters, May Frances and solemn and colorful funeral of King Kalakaua Martha Gabrielle. William A. Watts farmed of Hawaii was held from Trinity Church in most of his life, first on his father's home place 1890, and in 1901 the General Convention of in Oakland, then in Livermbre Valley, Alviso, the Episcopal Church, a national gathering, Napa County and at Lafayette, but always was held in the present church edifice. Many keeping his family at the Oakland home.

In notable weddings have been performed there, his late life, he had a fuel and feed business and Trinity was the scene of a special service at his home on Linden Street and also at 38th held during the United Nations Conference and San Pablo Avenue. He died March 16, when T. Z. Koo of China was the speaker. 1924, at Rodeo, where he lived with his daugh- Centennial celebrations opened with a festal ter.

Two of the grandchildren of William Watts service of holy communion on Sunday, May 15, are continuing their long residence in Oak- at 11 a.m., with the Rt. Rev. Sumner Walters, land. They are William Cassius Watts and May S.T.D., a former rector of Christ Church, Ala-Frances Watts, to whom I Owe the privilege meda, as well as of Trinity, as the preacher, of bringing this story to you. A sidelight of this A gala dinner was held in the Colonial Room story is that a short time ago there appeared of the St.

Francis Hotel on Tuesday, May 17, in the Knave a story that William Watts, whom at 7 p.m., with greetings from Mayor Elmer the writer called Joseph Watts, named four Robinson and other dignitaries scheduled. Con-streets in Watts Tract after four beautiful eluding services will be held Sunday, May 22, -1 1 ft 1: if delightful spot called "Ash Hollow of which 111 travelers who have crossed the plains speak in terms of praise, a paradise for weary people. Jo such a magnificent grove of ash and Jcedar with pure crystal water is beneficial to man andibeast. We stopped, rested our horses and mules, and enjoyed this beautiful place; Ihcamped across the river where the curious founds and-bluffs attracted our attention. A spring of water rippled through our camp, teautiful flowers were under our feet; saw antelope, deer, and many hares.

It was restful and quiet The soil was barren and sandy be- fertile here. This region was full of natural curiosities' which filled us with wonder and admiration. Lonely Tower, Chimney Rock, and Scotts Bluffs were the most remarkable. This tower stood on a level plain about two miles from the Platte. It could be seen for miles.

By atzigzag course it could be ascended to the top, 1300 feet, shouhLguess. It made one think of the Pyramids. Chimney Rock stood on the brink of the river. From a 'distance it looked Ifre a chimney on a high rock. If ort Laramie VJune 10 We passed Sentinel Rock and Scotts Biuffs.

Sentinel Rock is 600 feet above the bed of a river, we were told a tall, pointed formation of sandstone and yellow clay. It appeared as if the surrounding country had washed away, leaving it standing as a grim sentinel, silent and lonely. I enjoyed looking at the bluffs of clay, all shapes, streaked with sunlight or shadow jthey were weird and beautiful. The land around us was of a whitish soil. Day's travel 30 miles.

We camped at a spring with lovely grass, but it was eaten short by -stock of passing emigrants. Lovely groves of pine and cedar surrounded us. June 11 Crossed Horse dreek. Went 20 miles. June 12 Went 25 miles up river and crossed in sight of Fort Laramie.

We camped three miles from the fort and remained here in order to have some shoeing done for mules and horses. Up- to this time 19,000 people, 6000 wagons had passed Fort Laramie. It was predicted that 60,000 would pass oeiore autumn.1; The roads and trails for miles were lined with emigration dust in clouds. June 13-4-We passed on up Laramie Fork of the Platte. It was a country of wonderful timber, pine, cedar, cotton wood, willow, and others.

Farther on we camped on Laramie Plain, a plateau covered with prickly pear. This made it very difficult traveling, necessitating long detours and crooked trails to avoid the long spines, for animals dislike these thorns more than anything we had so far encountered. They would snort and refuse to pass a big cactus bluffs beyond these plains were high and stony. June 14 Went 30 miles across ridges and bluffs leaving river. We passed queer formations of stone, seams in them, as if cemented together.

A -i Tv -From beyond these hills some 20 miles, what, was called Mammoth Warm Springs gushed out from a muddy place at the base of a hill in sufficient quantity to be put to use as power for machinery. The temperature of this spring was 98 degrees. It started in a marshy quagmire, but was clear as crystal, emitting a great deal of steam. Camped on Little Cottonwood Knoll all. dense forest wild sage in valley, wonderfttt trees on slopes.

ft Winnemucca to Fame. When the list of Pulitzer Prizes was announced, there as creator of the best cartoon of thifejyear, appeared a man who was born in Winnemucca and who "learned to draw by drawing) Lute Pease is now, at 80 years, cartoonist for 'the Newark, NJM Evening News the oldest 6, 1948. It shows a judge pointing a finger at John Jj. Lewis, head of the Mine Workers Union, who is standing like a small boy before a broken window labeled "US. Economy." The jagged holf is labeled "Coal Strike." Pease began his career as in Santa Barbara County in 1881.

Next! hejtried his luck for five years at prospecting in Alaska. "I never found enough gold to constitute what would be called he said. He was correspondent for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer from 1837 to 1801, andserved; as a commissioner in a remote the crew that brought the No. 12 Genoa, into Oakland it would have saved time and trouble providing they and the management would have listened to advice. The firemen of today do not know what a job of firing is and I am glad of it as it surely is no picnic I also used to put from 10 to 12 or more tons of coal into the coal burners while I was there and we did it with a No.

3 scoop shovel through a baffle door, The baffle door was one-half of main fire door open all the time while running, with a baffle plate inside door just above the opening, throwing the cold air over firewall and brick arch. There aren't very many of the old-timers who fired these engines then who are alive and if any should see this I wish to hear from them." McKellips lives at 4734 Edgewood Avenue, Oakland 2. Memories of San Leandro The Knave: Mrs. Pelton and I are moving toward our next anniversary, the 52nd. All of these years and many more have been spent here in San Leandro, oddly enough within 3 or 4 blocks of our old homeplace on which we lived for over 40 years and is today the "Pelton Center." Age and leisure naturally give us a retrospective view of things long past.

To have lived here in the days before streetcars, auto- mobiles, bicycles, electric lights, even in the days when kerosene lamps were our only street lights, seem as strange to us now as they would to any of the citizens of today. I will refer to these lamps later. Seldom do we give thought to the fact that sounds as well as sights have changed with the passing of the years. Instead of a mixture of undistinguishable noises intensified by droning planes, thundering motors, screeching brakes, sirens, sound trucks and radios we heard the clatter of hoofs and wagon wheels on uhpaved roads with an occasional runaway team, whistle from harvesting engines in grain fields nearby and bells bells that had some chance to be heard school bells, church bells, the curfew and now and then the wUd clanging of the town's fire belh At the lamPs- 0ne single smU lamP a glass housing ffrded thc luxury of lamPs- Hayward and T1 i i iT Pi a. I k3tix xjuiciizu avcuucs ju.

inn oireei ana Washington Avenues, our two main arteries) and a block or two on either side. As a child I took these lamps for granted and marveled that the town could provide such brilliant lightingbut the old lamp lighter's horse was quite another thing. Just how he knew what to do without a guiding rein or directing word was beyond me, yet a precision" watch could hardly nave Deen jnore accurate man xnis oic bringing the cart within inches of each iust the risht snot to enable the lio -at, Remove the chimney, 5ght the lamp and as the glass door snapped shut get uuic uuserveis, me ivnave is ioiq, ieu xnannai might be an indication of fear that some industrial support might dwindle away if the bills were kicked around a bit in floor debate or if some industries took a longer look at measures which the Administration has declared to be hot in the public interest. Others voiced belief that had the Alameda Assemblyman left the three major pollution bills on the file until the entire series of measures cleared committee so they could all be. debated at once the program would never have cleared the Assembly.

Chuckles Over Delay There were chuckles, also, over the contention of one proponent that if the bills were delayed there might be no pollution legislation this session. The amusement stemmed from the fact that the Administration view is that no pollution legislation at all would be better than the Dickey bills. Several other aspects of situation were developed during floor discussions, but the argumentation was fruitless, the Knave hears, because Dickey had the votes so well lired up that at one point he didn't think it necessary to bother to answer criticisms leveled at the bills. Incidentally, the Knave, several operatives, and various and assorted others are just now recovering from; an advanced state of shock caused, apparently, by gremlins in the printing process. Somewhere along the way last week, three or four lines of type got lost in the shuffle and the result was to give the impression that authors of good legislation we're inclined to be rough on witnesses.

There followed an observation of the fact that Mr. Dickey had been exceedingly rough on a witness opposing his pollution bills. That implication was the exact opposite' of what the Knave originally wrote. The missing lines would have made it clear that in a significant number of instances courteous treatment is accorded Witnesses on meritorious legislation while the rough treatment pops up most times in cases where legislation may be defective: It as au very emDarrassing. t- jreiung necora oxraigni As is the case when old-timers spin yams, memories play peculiar tricks.

This page, through one early resident and another, has given you a number of tales of the old Watts Tract. They have been true in color and rich in names but in a number of instances have strayed from the accurate. Today we are thanking Albert E. Norman, who has dug into the land records at the courthouse, the city directories and newspaper files. From his research we get this: "William Watts is known in Oakland for his having a tract of land named fo? him.

Which he called 'Watts tract. This holding. contained 158 acres of land running from Chest- vuraw- nut Street to the Bay, from 28th to 38th Streets, Mr. Watts, bom in Chelsea, in 1808, mar- ried Maria Frances Rollins in They had two children, a son, William Augustus Watts, born in Roxbury, in 1833, and a daughter, Elizabeth, who died at the age of 2. August of 1850 brings them to California, via the iMHorn," leaving their son in Boston.

Off to the mines in Columbia, Tuolumne County, they found living too high and returned to San Francisco. On May 4, 1858, William Watts took; title to 158 acres from Francisco Sanjurjo, who had just acquired the property from Castro, a daughter of Domingo Peralta. Mr. Watts paid $5000for this parceL Shortly after this acquisition, Mr. Watts built a large ranch home at what is now the corner of 34th and Chestnut Streets.

After fanning the property until ft map of the. "Watts Tract was filed of record: land had much waterfront and on thisj portion of his holdings Mr. Watts a tanker and currier from Boston, opened a tannery and shoe factory this was later destroyed jby fire. William Watts was a deacon in the First Bap- May 14, 1870, and lots were oiiered py ulney Co. (a copy of the brochure offering this property is in the hands of Mr, Norman); The Ghost Festival in San Leandro.

His picture still wns edge the old covered bridge was a sound-hangs in the old Alvarado St. Hall. My aunt, board for the deep hollow rhythm of hoofs Mrs. Mary Vargus of San Leandro, now in her and wheels passing through and over the creek, 70's. was the first aueen.

Budd Eber. bv the deeP and wide below. Now back to the kerosene mot juuu j-iul, uy uie introduced me to that famous American way, delicacy, the wiener. I noticed Budd referred on a Post sumciently tilled to burn until day-to me as Harold Pereira. The full name was nSht and then go out.

Few of our streets af- daughters. The facts are that Mr. Watts had a friend, George Washington Dam, a real estate man at 9th and Broadway land president of the Peralta Homestead Association, who did have four very beautiful daughters; their names being Eleanor, after which Eleanor Street is named; Louise, after which Louise Street is named; Hannah, for Hannah Street, and lastly, Henrietta, after which Ettie Street is named. Mr. Dam built for himself in 1866 a home on Webster Street, opposite the College of the Holy Names, and married off.

his four daughters, Eleanor becoming Elean6r B. Farrington, Louise becoming Louise Dam Coleman, Hannah becoming Hannah D. Yates, and Henrietta becoming Henrietta D. Chamberlain." Old Indian Gun "During a recent visit hi Modesto," says John W. Winkley, "my F.

Whit-more of that city, showed me grandfather's old Indian a four-gauge, double-barrel shotgun made in 1849 in San Francisco by Charles Curry, gunsmith. Mr. Whitmore's grandfather, Jeremiah Whitnlore, came from Maine to San Francisco by sailing ship in the summer of 1849. His travelingicompanion, John Carson, co-founder of the Dolbeer, Carson Lumber Company of Eureka, Calif. The two young men went immediately to Humboldt Bay where they began lumbering and felled the first redwood trees cut around that bay.

Later the news of gold strikes in the Trinity Mountains lured them away and they went to Weaver-ville to work in the mines. Jeremiah Whitmore' carried this heavy shotgun wih him and found it useful in many Indian battles in Humboldt and Trinity Counties. In a fight with Indians at Bridge Gulch, Hayfork Valley of Trinity County, this old gun loaded with buckshot killed two Indians at one shot In 1885 the gun was used to overcome some Mexican horse ear 1Q sia ad sto1 the mule pack-tram and aU with St rtE career of both thieves. On another encounter with Indians, Whitmore's dog warned him of the presence of enemies. The Indians wounded Whitmore with an arrow, by use of this heavy gun he kept them at ftay and made his escape.

WTien I had lifted thi heavy, long-barreled shotgun. I could believe all the stories told about it Chester Whitmore, who owns the gun, will exhibit it in the Centennial celebration to be held at Modesto this month." i Church Anniversary California's Centennial year has its echoes at historic Trinity Episcopal Church, corner of Bush and Gough Streets, Sari Francisco, which Its founders stated that they recognized "the obligation to evince as individuals and as a -people our gratitude to Almighty God for all His mercies by imparting our spiritual things to a country that is affording ca ia such abun- Harrold preira da Faria. I use only Harold Peary the reason is He Fired Wood-burner When the Railroad Historical Society brought the old wood-burner, Genoa No. 12, from the Western Pacific roundhouse at San Jose and gave it a hesitating run, it would have been proper enough if Daniel O. McKellips of Oak land had been in charge of the fueling.

-For a- -r e- McKeUlPs 15 a veteran at ob one the comparatively few left He thinks there would Jr in charge. Now I am an old-time locomotive engineer. "McKellips tells the Knave. "I started firing on the Sacramento Division from Rock- lin to Truckee, a 97-mile division and a 2Vi per cent grade to Summit, and 1 fired a wood-burner, both 10-wheelers and 'hogs' in wood for 18 months and can tell you just how it was done. The 4-6-0 engines carried! four cords of two-foot wood on the tender and we wooded up twice between Truckee and the Summit, once at Clipper Gap and again at 27 Woodshed beyond Emigrant Gap, and we put from 10 to 12 cords of wood into the firebox during the trip up.

One tank brought us home to Rocklin as we had only a grade of 14 miles from Truckee. to Summit, the rest being iqwn grade. Witfct set to bound off for the next post the instant winner ever selected in the Pulitzer prize car-he heard the thump as the driver resumed his toon class. Elated by the award, he said he'd seat. All this without a guiding rein or a word been sending copies of his cartoons to the Pul-from the old lamp lighter.

Progress ruined a itzer committee for consideration for almost 35 future career for me. Among my. most cherished years. The whining cartoon, entitled "Who, memories of the years that have slipped by so. Mel" was published in the Newark News, April quickly was my friendship and close associa- tion with Jesus Estudillo, whose whole life had been spent in the environs of San Leandro.

The beginning of my 70 years overlapped the ending of his 70 so that his recital of events much earlier than my time were most interesting. I shall recount some of these in a future narra- tive. A. E. Pelton.

overland journey is celebrating its luoth anniversary as a parish, nogs we Durnea more wood and ox course A Chimney ROCK Founded July 8, 1849, Trinity had an event- the size and weight of the train iad to be taken ful'career as a pioneer churclr of San Francisco, into consideration. Now to sho you how we Ezra Bourne's diary of an worked, I will give you a few facts: When we to California in 1850 last week took us across section ol Alaska from 1901-1902. Pease said he were ready to go, or nearly so, felled theiire- the Kaw and the Vermillion into the lands of wai the. fist political cartoonist on the Port-box with wood clear to the crown sheet and -the Sioux. The -old manuscript, which is given lancjj Oregonian from 1902 until 1905 when ht shut off the dampers to keep the fire down, its first printing here in this Centennial year, becitme editor-in-chief of the Pacific Monthly And on the run wt would deck five sticks of continues: June 3, 4, 5 Left river and went inPcrtland.

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