THE FIRST AMERICAN CHURCH-THE EARLY CHURCHES-REVIVAL MEETINGS THE DAY OF THE RANCHOS—THE FIRST FRAME DWELLING HOUSE-THE TOWN IMPROVEMENTS-THE ALAMEDA IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION-FINANCIAL- .323 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS-SCHOOLS ARE ESTABLISHED REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS OF THE PERIOD THE ONE MILE LIMIT-BERKELEY GROWS RAPIDLY-MANY BEAUTIFUL HOMES ARE ERECTED-EXTENSIVE PUBLIC IM- PROVEMENTS ARE PLANNED AND EXECUTED THE CITY ENJOYS A WHOLE- SOME REAL ESTATE BOOM-THE CITY UNDER THE NEW CHARTER—BERKELEY, THE FIRST SETTLER-THOSE THAT FOLLOWED THE SQUATTERS AND THE TROU- BLE THAT ENSUED THE FIRST HOTEL-A DUEL IS FOUGHT-THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT-THE FIRST NEWSPAPER IS PUBLISHED "AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE CITY OF OAKLAND"-EARLY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS- THE POPULATION DOUBLES-FINANCIAL STATEMENT, 1871-72-THE FREE LIBRARY IS ORGANIZED-SITES ARE PURCHASED AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS ERECTED THE CITY BOUNDARIES ARE EXTENDED THE EARLY PRESS OF OAK- LAND-THE CITY ENJOYS A PERIOD OF RAPID GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT— VALUE OF CITY PROPERTY IN 1878-IMPORTANT INDUSTRIAL CONCERNS Of 1883-THE "GREATER OAKLAND" MOVEMENT THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY IS DEDICATED THE OAKLAND CLEARING HOUSE GOES INTO OPERATION-CLEAR- ING HOUSE SUMMARY AND BANK STATEMENTS-BUILDING PERMITS OF 1905-06-MANY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE THE NEW CHARTER GOES INTO EFFECT THE NEW CITY HALL-THE OAKLAND OF TODAY......355 LIVERMORE-PLEASANTON-SUNOL-DOUGHERTY-DUBLIN OTHER TOWNS OF THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY-THE TOWNS OF WASHINGTON TOWN- History of Alameda County CHAPTER I UNDER SPAIN AND MEXICO The discovery of the Bay of San Francisco was due to the determination of King Carlos III of Spain to occupy and colonize Alta California and was the joint work of both church and state. In this movement Jose de Galvez represented the state—a man of great energy and ability, the visitador-general of New Spain. He arrived at La Paz in July, 1768, and at once began an inspection of the peninsular missions and after supplying their wants and putting them in prosperous condition, he turned his attention to his principal duty-the colonization of Alta California, now known merely as California. The first movement was an expedition both by land and sea to San Diego and Monterey, and three ships were dispatched to carry to those points all the heavier articles, such as agricultural implements, church ornaments and the bulky provisions of all sorts for the soldiers and the priests after their arrival. The expedition by land drove cattle and horses to the two objective points. The expedition was divided into two detachments, one going in advance under the command of Captain Rivera y Moncada, who had been in the country many years, and the other under the command of Gov. Gaspar de Portolá, who had recently arrived from Spain. Captain Rivera first collected from the peninsular missions all the live stock and supplies that could be spared and conveyed them to Santa Maria, which then was the most northerly of the established missions. Large quantities of provisions were collected at La Paz, and Father Serra visited all the missions and secured much church furniture, sacred ornaments and vestments. The first vessel sent northward on this expedition was the San Carlos, which sailed from La Paz, January 9, 1769, under the command of Vicente Vila. On board in addition to the crew were twenty-five Catalonian soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Fages, a surgeon Pedro Prat, a Franciscan friar, a baker, two blacksmiths, a cook and two tortilla makers. Galvez in a small vessel accompanied the San Carlos as far as Cape San Lucas, where he landed and fitted out the San Antonio for the same expedition. On February 15th, this vessel under the command of Juan Perez sailed from San Jose del Cabo and on it went two Franciscan friars-Juan Viscaino and Francisco Gomez. For this movement Captain Rivera y Moncada collected cattle and supplies at Velicata on the northern frontier. It was from this point on the frontier that Captain Rivera y Moncada with a squad of soldiers, a number of neophytes, three muleteers and Father Crespi, began the movement to San Diego on March 24, 1769. The second land expedition began its march from Loreto on March 9, 1769, and was commanded by Gov. Gaspar de Portolá, who was joined at Santa Maria on May 5th by Father Serra, and in due time they reached the camp of the first expedition at Velicata, which had recently been vacated. Here Father Serra founded a mission and called it San Fernando and left Father Campa Cay in charge. One of the objects of the establishment of this mission was to provide a frontier post on the route between the peninsular missions and the proposed settlements and missions of Alta California. On May 15th, Portolá marched northward along the trail marked out by Rivera, The San Antonio was the first vessel to arrive at San Diego, where it cast anchor April 11, 1769, after an unsuccessful voyage of twenty-four days. After a voyage of one hundred days the San Carlos reached San Diego bay, all her crew sick with the scurvy, with scarcely a person well encugh to man a boat. All were taken ashore and kept under care in tents where fully half of the soldiers and nine of the sailors finally died. Previous to all this the Rivera detachment arrived, making the land journey from Velicata in fiftyone days. On July 1st, the second detachment of the land expedition arrived. All the four divisions of the expedition-the two vessels and the two land detachments were now at San Diego. Of the 219 persons who had set out only 126 remained, all the others having died or deserted. Upon taking a summary of the conditions it was found that neither of the vessels was equal to the voyage to Monterey, the next objective point; whereupon it was concluded to send the San Antonio back to San Blas for more sailors and supplies to man the San Carlos. She sailed on July 9th, reached her destination in twenty days, but during the voyage one-half of the crew died of scurvy. With both vessels unable to proceed the entire responsibility of carrying out the mandates of the king rested upon the land expedition. Resolutely Governor Portolá began to organize and prepare his forces for the overland march. He moved forward on July 14th with a total force of sixty-two persons, including himself, Fathers Crespi and Gomez, Captain Rivera y Moncada, Lieut. Pedro Fages, Engineer Miguel Constansó and soldiers, muleteers and Indian servants. Two days after his departure Fathers Junipero, Viscaino and Parron founded the mission of San Diego. The two detachments were united and marched northward in one body. They carried one hundred packs of provisions which were deemed necessary to ration the expedition for six months and until the vessels could become refitted and could return with additional supplies. At the head marched the commander and the other officers accompanied by six Catalonian soldiers and a small band of friendly Indians provided with spades, axes, mattocks and crowbars to open the way when necessary. Then came the pack train divided into four detachments. In the rear were the other troops and friendly Indians and the horse herd and mule herd reserves, all under the command of Rivera. Necessarily the march was slow, because the trail had to be cleared and the country studied in reference to supplies of good water and available pastures. Multitudes of Indians appeared and accompanied them along stages of the march. As they advanced it was noted that the lands became more fertile and the landscape more pleasing and alluring. The Indians were affable and tractable. The Sierra y Santa Lucia was crossed with great difficulty. They reached the Point of Pines on October 1st, and at first thought they had reached the Port of Monterey. An investigation revealed their mistake, whereupon they resumed their march northward. Many were now sick with the scurvy and to add to the gravity of the situation the rains began and an epidemic of diarrhea broke out and spread to all without exception. When the outlook seemed darkest all suddenly began to get well and in a short time were restored to health, no doubt by an improvement in the water and other health conditions. Bay of San Francisco was thus described by Constansó: "The last day of October the expedition by land came in sight of Port de los Reyes and the Farallones of the Port of San Francisco whose landmarks compared with those related by the log of the Pilot Cabrera Bueno were found exact. Thereupon it became of evident knowledge that the Port of Monterey had been left behind; there being few who stuck to the contrary opinion. Nevertheless the commandant resolved to send a detachment to reconnoiter the land as far as Port de los Reyes. The scouts, who were commissioned for this purpose, found themselves obstructed by immense estuaries which run extraordinarily far back into the land and were obliged to make great detours to get around the heads of these. * Having arrived at the end of the first estuary and reconnoitered the land that would have to be followed to arrive at the Point de los Reyes, interrupted with new estuaries, scant pasturage and firewood and having recognized, besides this, the uncertainty of the news and the misapprehension the scouts had labored under, the commandant with the advice of his officers, resolved upon a retreat to the Point of Pines in hopes of finding the Port of Monterey and encountering in it the packet San Jose or the San Antonio whose succor already was necessary, since of the provisions which had been taken in San Diego no more remained than some few sacks of flour of which a short ration was issued to each individual daily." It appears, then, that the Portolá expedition reached Point Corral de Tierra on October 30, (1769) and formed a camp at Half Moon bay. Father Crespi named the headland to the westward Point Guardian Angel, but the sailors called it Punta de Almeja or Mussel Point. A preliminary exploration of that vicinity revealed to the advance observers of the expedition, from a high ridge, Point Reyes and part of the Bay of San Francisco and the Farralones out seaward. A counter-march having been decided upon, it was concluded that before doing so an exploration of the surrounding country should be made. Accordingly Sergeant Ortega, in command of a squad of soldiers, was sent out to the hills to the northeastward with instructions to return at the expiration of three days. In the meantime, while awaiting his return the hunters of the expedition were permitted to roam throughout the region in quest of game. On November 2nd, several of them returned with the report that they had discovered a vast and beautiful bay extending far inland, and on the 3rd, upon the return of the Ortega party, this important discovery was fully confirmed and was heralded with the discharge of musketry, the shouts of the expedition, the waving of flags and other evidences of satisfaction and joy. The whole expedition prepared on the following day to advance and learn more of this discovery. Upon reaching the summit of the hills they saw before them the splendid bay which in their enthusiasm they compared with the Mediterranean sea. They endeavored to pass around the southern arm in order to reach Point Reyes and on the evening of November 6th struck camp on San Fran |