Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 65

mum OF ALCATIUZ SCOUTS SCIICCLS TEEKS LETTERS TO THE FORUSJ F.E AT AUNT ELSIE PAGES EDITORIALS 7 VOL CLXIV OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, SUNDAY, JUNE 17, 1956 CM NO. 169 BOTH Repulican and Democratic leaders have been busy the past week. The Republicans have been viewing With tUnajnd the Democrats have been pointing with prid. Actually, the GOP leaders have been attempting to offset the twin evils of apathy and overconfidence and the Democrats havt been trying to find ways to consolidate their primary election gains. Unless Republicans "get off the dime" and campaign harder than they did in the primary they are liable to a shellacking In the general election, their responsible leaders say.

And the Dem into his place and while one stood over him with a dagger the other collected his "pile of gold dust The next morning Cailloux reported the theft, and the Mexicans with "a third man t. horse thief) were caught, tried and hanged. The Chili Bar miners flocked Into town to watch the spectacle. This is said to have been the hanging that gave the name "Hangtown" to the camp, though there are at least two other stones. Another incident that gathered the miners from far and wide was the murder of a "schoolgirl by, her teacher, B.

Crane, at Ringgold. He had asked her to marry him, Badger's Park was the great playground for Oaklanders and attracted many visitors from San Francisco. I remember the fine dance pavilion' and the long line of swings; the big pond for log-riding contests, and the hot air balloon ascensions. The hero of us kids was Professor Van Tassel, who was dragged aloft under the big canvas balloon filled with smoke from a wood fire, the smoke and hot air being steered into the big bag through a large pipe. From two -points at the mouth of the big bag hung the ropes to a trapeye to which the brave 'Professor' clung as the balloon sailed distance up the Bay on the east side was the' great state university at Berkeley, amply supported by state funds In the midst of these wa the College of the, Pacific, whose Methodist Churth assistance was often Jittle more than well wishes, and whose student-body iield had been usurped and most of the nourishment extracted by too close neighbors.

When at last the decision was made to secure a new location for the college "Lodi, Stockton, "Modesto and Turlock in the central, valley, Oakland on San Franqwo Bay, and a site at the edge of San Jose were all under consideration. At last the selection was made; Stockton was from 1901 through 1904; Qush Ruhlin, Fitz-simmons, Jim Corbett, and Jack Munroe. They were all fought in San Francisco. Years later I was privileged to talk with the great Jeffries, my boyhood hero. But that was after his ill-fated comeback effort against the fantastic Jack Johnson.

The Sunday evenings in Camanche were taken up by the Julian Literary and Debating Society which met in the Julian School, two miles out of Camanche. We learned about the Johnstown and Galveston floods and -the. Chicago fire by such debates as 'Resolved: Water is more destructive than fire, and about spiritual and heavenly forces by i i Highland Park "Higher- and higher went the balloon." says Rosborough, "while the performer, at- ked in-gay-eolored-tights, sometimes hung by his legs and sometimes swinging from the crossbar by handclasp until, finally, as the hot smoke cooled, the big bag began to make its descent to earth again. Just where it would land became a matter of great uncertainty to the dar'ng trapeze artist. We lived in Highland Park on 19th Ave.

The John Middleton home was on the north side of 27th St. just beyond 23rd Ave. Their place covered several acres and the house set well back from the street. Therejwas lots of room for a good landing, but the old balloon put Professor Van Tassel down right smack on the roof of the Middleton home, covering the house and him in canvas. Governor Blaisdell, one time gwernor of 'Nevada, Jived across the street on 27th t.

just beyond the Middietons. In those days Highland Park was a residential subdivision on the elevated land that overlooked Oakland from east of 13th Ave. and north of East. 21st St, It was laid outjby E. C.

Sessions, president of the Oakland Bank of Savings. On the west side of 14th Ave. Sessions selected a beautiful site on which to build his own home, but it was sold to be-come "the site of the old Baptist College. Ralph H. Cross, Oakland attorney and author, was then entering law practice and became president of the Highland Park Im- rDrOVenjPnt toIai, me property inw a coiiege we property mat is now Highland Hospital.

Trestle Glen "On the east side, of 1 3th dowfrthe street from the Baptist College, was a narrow strip of land against a slope that was and she had refused. He was tried, convicted and hanged. At the gallows Crane sang an original song for the crowd: "Come friends and relations, I bid you adieu. Tht grave is now open to welcome me through. No val- leys of shadows I see on the road, but angels are waiting to take me to God." And there were several other verses.

Just as the trap was sprung he shouted, "Here I come, Su san!" All of these stories were in my mind as I rode dow'rt to Chili Bar: John W. Winkley. Knoles of Pacific Chanceller Tully C. Knoles of the College of khe Pacific at Stockton celebrated his 80th birthday anniversary in January of this year, an event which undoubtedly helped to inspire Reginald D. Stuart and his wife, "Grace D.

Stuart, to write Dr. Knoles' biography. Their work only recently came off the presses of Lawton Kennedy in San Francisco, handsomely bound under the title, "Tully Knoles of Even more alluring is the book's sub-titley "Horseman, Teacher- Minister, College President, Traveler, and Pubiic Speaker." For Tully Knoles has been all of these. And the authors Stuart un 'old each vocation in fascinating order to tell their story of this man who is now recognized as one pf California's leading educators. The work also testifies to the many hours of interviewing the Stuarts had wtth-Drrntrta-esperialry cause they were tape-recorded; thus en- abling the authors to prepare page after page of direct quotations.

It is a book filled with interesting -anecdotes such as the an- nouncement that Dr. Knoles' boyhood am- bitvwT was to become a bootblack. But, probably more interesting to readers of the Knave is the story Dr. Knoles told the Stuarts about his appointment to the presidency of the College of the Pacific when its campus was at San Jose, and the moving of the college to Stockton. "It was early in the spring of 1919 that Tully Knoles received a telegram from (Methodist) Bishop Adna W.

Leonard requesting him to report on the ocratic Party bigwigs have been crowing that they are about to equalize the state's congressional representation, take control of the State Senate and possibly the Assembly. Astute observers admit that overconfidence could lick the GOP, but they tell the Knave they believe the Democrats may be sensing a trend which does not in fact exist. They point out that the Democrats have been making much of the fact that they came out on the long end in dual nominations at the primary. But they also note that the Democrats, even with an extremely active club movement, fell short of the GOP percentage of voter response and on strict party-line voting. Democrats Jump Traces Take Alameda County as an example.

Despite, the Democratic clubs' emphasis on voting for the party label rather than on the qualifications of the candidates, rank and file Democrats jumped the traces all over the ballot. In the U.S. Senate race, for instance, more than 37,000 Democratic voters ignored their party's candidates and -cast their ballots for U.S. Sen. Thomas H.

Kuchel. Less than 6,000 Republicans crossed over party lines. Senator Kuchel drew almost 27 per cent of the Democratic vote and better than 88 per cent fifjthe, ballots of his e-wn party. And as far as response is concerned, Republicans outvoted Democrats in in the county. On the basis of the unofficial returns, it appeared that Republicans outvoted Democrats by 2 per cent in the Seventh Congressional District, 4 per cent in tht Eighth District, 10 per cent in the 18th Assembly District, 7 per cent in the 17th and 2 per cent in the 15th and 14th Districts." Admittedly," the Democrats hold a sizable registration advantage, but those figures would seem to indicate that they haven't been whipped to a fever pitch of enthusiasm by their candidates or their clubs.

Speaking of enthusiasm, did you notice that more than 7,350 Alameda County Democrats who went to the polls June 5 were completelyunenthusiasic about Adlai Stevenson or Senator Kefauver? They didn't Mother to ballot in their. Presidential primary. Chili Bar The Knave: Last Week, on returning from our cottage at Lake Tahoe, I left the high- way at Placerville and took the old road down to Chili Bar on the south fork of the American River, Readers of the Knave will remember that in years gone by Warren Russell wrote many stories of thijjregion in these columns, especially of the Georgetown Ridge beyond. Russell was an old-timer of that area. Along with a multitude of other readers I enjoyed his stories, and got acquainted with him.

Forty yearsago I lived jn piacerviHe and frequently traveled over the surrounding country, holding funerals -1 and and some times just sight-ZITseeingTIChili orTihTold road between Placerville and Kelsey, was one of the in-teresting spots. Gold was plentiful in the riyer gravels and a flourishing camp ex isted there for a number of years. It is about four miles from Placerville over a steep, planted in gum trees. There, for a good 'a many years a big camp meeting A large tent would be set up surrounded by or th thls bek iuS many small tent, scattered through the bynijj center. Hi.

ffro.iieite.jA4 uwL Pnni ram. fmmf.r nH nr ate Herman F. Sack, agreed and they both Saturday-at4he bishop's f.fke-inBanejentJ)ackJntQ theministry They 'Resolved: Religion is a greater spiritual force than Irving Hill, son of Aunty Hill of Buhach fame, and a University of California graduate, was the star de-hater. He would rehearse his arguments in the four-mile walk from his home to tht school, and then stride up and down the school isles like a Daniel Webster during his talks. Granddaddy Lucas, beloved old man from Tennessee, is another well-remembered Camanche resident He was noted for his fabulous tales.

Many dinners were delayed because of his spinning of tall yarns. Like the time he told us about tht big fish he caught down at the river. The monster almost pulled him into the water but he got his hands around a tree and was wedged to the bark for hours William Judson Lund "Billy" Lund is dead. To a great many Oaklanders the name of William Judson Lund may be unfamiliar, but to-old-timt merchants along Piedmont Avenue his name was synonymous to the neghborhood. Fof -Billy Lund was -'the avenue's" pioneer mer chant.

It was in 1897 that Lund opened a small butcher shop on the corner of Mathet and Piedmont Avenue. Grand and Lake shore Avenues were mere dirt "pathways at the time. So it was that Billy Lund gradu-ally developed a meat business that served most of the residents whose homes Wert scattered over the Piedmont hills. Soon 4pesfJbcam know as tht Pied- mom Mantel, ami ny isaa ne movea nis snop down the street to about 4094 Piedmont Ave. Then disaster struck.

In 1904 a fire practically wiped out his business. But Billy Lund wasn't easily He looked, up and down the avenue and decided that It might be wise to rebuild his business bekw amf their businesses into what has been so familiarly known as the Piedmont Market, and the Piedmont Grocery Co. When San Franciscans flocked to Oakland after the 1906 earthquake and fire Billy Lund was one of those who added; them to his long list of friends by aiding' those without funds; "I can still see Billy Lund and his old original grocery wagon; two-wheeled cart drawn by a horse;" says' Herbert H. Sack, the present grocery pro prietor. "The driver would put the packages of meat under the seat of the cart and start on his route to the Havens, tht Bells, etc." Billy Lund retired in 1927.

loved bass fishing and so he sold his market to his former employees. Neighboring mer chants remember him as kind, si hard worker and a friend to all. There's a saying among them, "It's typical of Billy Lund." An epitaph worthy as a monument. State of Insurrection Today's editor of the Placer Herald at Au--urn--points-out4hatust-400-years ago wt were experiencing the "hottest weather of -the season with temperatures ranging from degrees." The temperature the Heraid's editor of 1856 was equally high. "The official position of J.

Neely Johnson and his eccentric course as Governor of this State under" the existing state of affairs he wrote, "deserves some comment from us. By entering into a contract with a group ot citizens concerning the care of certain oners in the San Francisco jail he has given the Vigilance Committee a quasi legal existence. He remained in San Francisco until 2,600 men, armedto the teeth, marched to the jail and took from thence to the commit tee rooms, twp prisoners whom they subsequently all these acts, J. Neely Johnson is cognizant of most of them be was an eye witness. Officially, however is quite blind, and the county remains in: Ig norance "of the "appalling truth," that San Francisco is in a state of insurrection.

Matters areTbeing pushed to such, an extreme that if persisted in will force this fair coui try into the horrors of a civil THE KNAVE to be the new home' of Pacific, provided tentative pledges became realities. Transplanted -There-still-mnained an-important-dee sion for the" trustees: Where should the college be located in Stockton? The J. C. Smith family owned considerable real estate near and to the northwest of the city proper. At Dr.

Adam C. Bane's solicitation, the Smiths now offered the college a choice of three sites. In addition to these three locations, there was a fourth site on what is now called Country Club Boulevard Dr. Knoles: "This latter tract con-tained AO acres with the rear end on Smith's Canal. Many of us were very much in favor of that site because of its isolation and its nearness to the canal, which offered wonderful facilities for swimming and other aquatic sports, and also for boating.

Quite a bit was said in those days about the possibility of developing a crew at Pacific. However, the trustees rejected that site because they wanted to be located on a main highway. I think most of the present Board of Trustees for obvious reasons jvould be very glad to be anywhere else than on a main thoroughfare. The first site offered by Mr. Smith and his company was for 30 acres, now known as the Manor, just across from the present campus of the college.

The sec- ve. and embraced the park near the Lucky stores on West Alpine, and the adjoining property. It contained 40 acres. The final one was the-ULacr which the college Is now located. This was soon increased to 50 acres and later, at the instigation and with, the assistance of Amos Alonzo Stagg, a plot of 20.4 acres more was added, conditioned with the stipulation that it should be known as "Knoles-Field." With the selection of a site, Dr.

John L. Burcham moved to Stockton and handled the detail work of preparing the ground for the new buildings After the original buildings were constructed and the college was again in normal operation, both Burcham and were a wonderful team for Pacific. Dr. Knoles' recollection of his first view of Pacific's new campus gave an idea of the great task which faced the college: 'My first sight of that was not very encouraging, because it was in the off season. It had been used as a vegetable garden.

(Incidently, Santino Bava, who had been farming the land for many years, became the head gardener at the.college, and served until 1954.) It looked like all vegetable gardens "out of season not very attractive There is, of course, much more to the Stuarts' story of Dr. Knoles' life, such as his working his way" through college as a bronco buster, and his early-day friendships with leaders such Ray Lyman Wilbur, George Reinhardt and David Prescott Barrows. Badger's Park was April that Capt 7Thomas William Badger threw open the gates to his Grand Central Park in that part of Oakland then known as Brooklyn. 'He had purchase44hecre it wasn't long after R. B.

Woodward had dedicatedhis Woodward Gardens in San Francisco in 1866 that Captain Badger began to dream of emulating the San Francisco amusement center. Badger's 10 acres sprawled south of East 10th St. to the estuary between what is now Seventh and Ninth Avenues. Although the land was dotted with numerous trees, many more young trees were set out by the captain. A thousand seats and picnic tables were installed and a huge pavilion erected to seat another 3.000 persons.

Alex J. Rosborough reminds us of all this today in recalling that the Old Eighth Street Bridge of that day was built on piles sunk below the waters of the slough from Oakland Creek (the estuary), where the tide formerly brought iwaterJtoiwhatifrnow Lake the Oakland Auditorium, Exposition Build-; ing and softball grounds now stand was nothing but mud flats," he reports. "Before the Eighth Street Bridge was erected, sail- 7ig schooners could dock onthe easWide "of the slough to unload jute at White Brothers mill for the manufacture of grain sacks. a ih m.tin Highland p.rk:.t that time was looked upon as being on the outskirts of Oakland. Nevertheless the people who resided there were progressive.

They had an Improvement Club, an Archery Club, Tennis Club and marrySocial parties at each others homes. Arid the boys had a Highland Park Brass Band of .45 pieces, and a Bicycle Club. Those were the days of the big wheel bikes and the Highland Park "riders participated in many of the 25 and 50- mile races of that time. Often, on moonlight -nights, the young folks, accompanied by chaperones, would walk down to Lake Mer-7 ritt where they'd hire row boats and row across the' lake to Adams Point for a picnic. After Badger's Park folded another park called Trestle Glen' sprang up.

This was almost jpn the line between Oakland and Brooklyn, and the car line ran over it via a high trestle. This was a branch of the Fourth Avenue car line- Trestle Glen was a pretty spot. I recall when I was a boy I hunted quail and rabbits Trestle Glen Road, which twists the bottom of that beautiful guTch7 takeslis name from the old park." JundfldndZomanche: Sunday, was always an eventful day in Camanche, according to Stockton's Walter Kientz who recalls the Sundays of 54 years ago. "The one particular Sunday I have in mind was July 27, 1902. Heavyweight champion James J.

Jeffries had KO'd the once great Boh Fitzsimmons in the eighth round of their San Francisco fight the previous Friday night. New it is Sunday morning and Bert. Zimmerman, catcher for the Camanche baseball team, is reading the account of the then famous fight round by round. A dozen men stood about him in rant attention Zimmerman comfortably seated and resting his feet on the horse- trough in of the general store. It was a scene that could probably be duplicated in every small town of that era.

Fitzsim mons and Jeffries were the greatest names in sport, at the time. And San Francisco was the boxing capitalToi theworld, fcr 20-round fights were then banned in New York. Jim Jeffries defended his title once each year- San Francisco," the Stuarts relate. Knoles was at that time head of the history department at the University of Southern California. Tully presented himself at 83 McAllister St.

at the appointed hour. The bishop did not immediately enlighten Knoles, but took him to an exclusive club where they met and thad lunch with Rolla V. Watt, president of the Board of Trustees of the College of the Pacific, and Dr. George W. White, former president of the University ofSouthern California After the formal- ities of introduction, Bishop Leonard bluntly told Knoles that the Board of Trustees desired him to be the new president of the college Tully was then a few months past his 43rd birthday.

Exactly 25 years before he was born, a Methodist Conference committee had met in San Jose (Jan. 6, 1851), and 'resolved that it was expedient for said church to found and establish a collet in Calif orniiT. As a result, the California Wesleyan College was organized that same year (1851), under Edward Bannister, its first principal. Accordingly, the institution as then 68 years old. In 1852 the name had jEncjianged.to the umversityqfhePa- cific," and in 1911 to the College of "the Vigorous Neighbors "So Tully, Knoles became the president of the College of the Pacific on April 2, 1919 the Stuart story continues.

"It did not take the new executive long to discover that the evidences of starvation were accurate symptoms of the institution's ailments. It was starved. In reality, it was root-bound and retarded by its neaiLand more vigorous neighbors. Foremost among these was. the hew Stanford University, then being forced and most adequately nurtured by the great Jortune of oneotheBig Four.

It was 14 miles to the north. NeareiandJQrtifiedJbyl the resources of the Catholic Church, was the University of Santa Clara. In the other direction two miles to the south was California's first state normal school, which already had -felt the growing pains of an educational Its sustenance came from the tax feed-bag. Finally, a indingoad7gdnd modern road is pavedTheminers who 1 trailed up to Placerville and had only a winding path. Someone told me that gold could still be panned from the river bars at Chili, but high water at present would discourage that.

The canyon is deep and narrow and picturesque; and a few people stfll live there. In the gold days of 1849-50 and '55 the lonely miners would trek up the grade to Placerville for entertainment, getting home again late in the night, if sober. Lotta Crabtree, Edwin Booth and other entertainers played, and sang at the Placerville Theater, and there were eating houses and congregating places for conversation. "7 Among the frequent incidents that brought the miners to town were -the trials. and hangings of criminals.

My old brick church at the junction of Cedar Ravine and Hang-! town Creek, a point once fabulously rich' in gold, still standsf Near the junction a Frenchman by the name of Cailloux had. dug out 50 ounces of gold and stored it in' his cabin. One night two Mexicans broke.