Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 114

A I NTEREST in photographs, books and manuscripts of pioneer Oakland events, scenes and faces continue to mount year after year, according to Dr. Peter T. Conmy, librarian of the Oakland Public Library. As evidence, Dr. Conmy points to the more than 300 photographs of the Joseph R.

Knowland collection that have been exhibited for the past 12 years in the second floor corridor of the main library at 125 14th Street, a made the presentation of 300 remarkable photographs to the library in 1952 when Oakland celebrated its Centennial anniversary. "Since then," Dr. Conmy reports, "scores of library visitors have made their way to the second floor gallery to view this extensive exhibit, and every now and then an addition is made by individuals inspired by the exhibit. These additions have increased substantially during the past few years." Recent donors, we have learned, include Mr. and Mrs.

Frank Shorley, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde R. Woolridge. and E.

E. Westergreen. Handsome maps, long out of print, have TlV Holmes and Albert E. Norman. There are also donors who have preferred to remain anonymous.

As additional selections are made from among the contributed material they are enlarged and framed to match the original collection before being hung. Among the recent additions is a photo of the J. Ross Browne "Pagoda House" built in 1879 on Pagoda Hill in Vernon Park of the Temescal district, now better known as the Claremont area. J. Ross Browne was then United States Minister to China and was a noted California writer.

He had served as the reporter at the first California Constitutional Convention. A NOTHER addition to the Knowland Collection is a picture of the Piedmont house occupied by Jack London at the 4 A 14 A biiv Wild," a celebrated novel of the Yukon. Still another shows Joaquin Miller, the "poet of the Sierra," seated with Mrs. Miller and his daughter, Juanita, in a 1912 Studebaker. It was taken in January 1913, only a month before the poet's death.

Also being talked about is a picture of the F. M. "Borax" Smith estate showing structures that comprised the Mary Smith Trust. In this group is the old Home Club which in later years became the German Pioneer House. At one time it was the "Girl's Home," maintained by Mary Smith, second wife of "Borax" Smith.

A close look at this photo will reveal portions of early Park Boule- A or vo Early photo of "Borax" Smith estate has Park Boulevard (lower left) and Home Club (upper right) vard, McKinley and Alma Avenues, Cleveland, Capel and Excelsior Avenues. This is the way that area turn thp PPT1- "At the S.P. junction with a logging road from Mt. Shasta to McCloud the snow was three feet deep. Ac cnrm no nqccpncrprc nnH tury, and many of the original homes still stand.

Before dropping the subject we would also like to point out pictures of the old Fabiola Hospital and garden that stood at Broadway and old Moss Avenue (now MacArthur Boulevard, and a camera portrayal of what was Sacred Heart College, later the College of the Holy Names that stood on the shoreline of Lake Merritt at the site of what now is the impressive Kaiser Center. History Repeats HILE residents along the Eel River continue to dig jut from flood damaged areas, the same as neighbors along other streams in storm ravaged Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, Thomas Miller of Walnut Creek is r-irvtilnr inunctions ftO i years ago or more. He referred to the winter of 1910-1911. "At Christmas time the weather turned balmy, so much so that we could have enjoyed a dinner outside. The balmy weather will perhaps be best remembered by all who attended the outdoor concert given by Luisa Tetrazzini at Lotta's Fountain in San Francisco on Christmas eve of 1910.

"Then came the January deluge. "My brother and I had been on a well boring job near lone. In some places between lone and Stockton the railroad tracks were six inches under water. We were trying to get to a Southern Pacific railroad surveying job in the Mt. Lassen country.

were removed, the train tried to start but the wheels were frozen to the rails. They had to blow steam on the stuck wheels to free them. "We tromped over snow three feet deep to reach the hotel. The snow was so heavy on the Fall River Mills road that they drove cattle over it to pack it down so the stage sleigh could bring the mail in. We were up at 2 a.m.

next day so the sleigh could take off before the snow became too deep. We had no breakfast. By the time we departed the snow was stacked six feet deep, but the trees were blazed so that we had no trouble following the cow path through the woods, a path that later became Highway 89. "The three of us took turns hrpalrinff a trarlr in thp snnw for the team. One horse was so done-in that he'd step off the trail and sink in up to his neck.

We had to tromp the snow down around him and prod him to life. The other horse had more stamina and could free himself." VENTUALLY the sleigh arrived at Bear Flat with Tom and his brother aboard along with the driver. This was a ranch house stopover, where the driver gave his team some feed and a breather. "Not until midnight did we reach Continued on Page 18 J. Ruii Blu wile's royuJo House bui'l licit; ili 1879.