- fJll'.'im'T LIBRARY, 1110 ALA, 1EnA - BEUIO::r, CALIF. 94002 :L -

-

Vol. 11 CARLMONT HI STORY By Russel A. Estep - 1992-1993

- INDEX

1. Early People in Belmont. ? The Reid School In Belmont. 3:About Some Belmont Subdivisions. 4. Early Club Fundraisers. 5. An early Belmonter Visits Hawaii in 1881. 6. Prohibition Comes to Belmont. 7. When Moffett Field Was Built in 1931. 8. Mrs. Alpheus Bull Purchased the Ralston Estate. 9. Some Large Fires in Belmont. 10. Ham Radio Operators helped Belmont. 11. Medical Help In Early Belmont. 12. Bnsiness Licenses in Early Belmont. 13�Constructing Early Homes in Belmont. 14. f ourth of July Parade in Belmont. 15. Belmont was the First County Seat. 16. Goint to Half Moon Bay In Early Days. 17. Ivan F. Phipps came Here and Made Exchanges of Property. 18. Hauling Hay With Rattlesnakes In It .. 19. Belmont Was Called WAterview At First. 20. At torney Mezes Fee For Clearinq Titles. 21, Morgan Oyster Company. ') , L,. - • Kinq Kalakua Stays At The Ralston House. 23. Man-' Birds in Belmont. 24. Vi�iting the Hawaii CApitol. 25. When a Large Chicken House Burned. 26. Dr. Lee Gambitz Lived In Belmont. 27. Brewers Island Became Foster City. 28. A Large House on Lake Street Became California Sanitarium. 29. c rystal Springs Lake West of Belmont. 30. Activities at 125 Dale Avenue in San Carlos. 31. Ralston Helped Sharon Become a Director of his Bank. 32. There is Shallow Hardpan Under Belmont. 33. Wagons Were Greased With Bear Grease in Belmont. 34. Coming West in 1854. 35. A baloon Lands in Belmont. 36. When Lions Roared in Bffilmont. 37. Train Whistles Disturb Belmonters. 38. A Parade in Belmont. INDEX CONTINUED

39· Arguello lived where San Carlos is now. 40. Annette Alexander helped many Belmont people. 41. Belmont's incorporation was set aside for a few years. 42. A new barn 60x60 blew down in Belmont. 43. A visit to Salton City. 44. A Belmont couple visits Hawaii in 1860. 45. Several small Airports. 46. First School in Belmont. 47. Small Belmont Businesses in Early Days. 48. From Belmont to San Jose in Earlu Days. 49. The Angelo Hotel. SO. Belmont's Picnic Grounds. 51. Belmont Was Once a Governor's Residence. 5: .. Dirt Roads to the Twentieth Century. 53. Advantages of Living in Belmont. -1-

:,.,,,:.-·"'�, ,, ___; ,------...... c=rlmont history by Russ Estep

WhenBelmont was first set­ fences. tled its first inhabitants bui.it Old reports state that the Ar­ fences - not to keep their ani­ guello family had 10,000 cattle mals in, but to keep their neigh­ and 2,000 hogs. Mission Dolores bors' animals out. Cattle were also was reported to have had everywhere. several thousand head of cattle The first fences built were rail and hundreds of hogs. All of fences. One type was called them ran loose over the coun - worm fencing. tryside. A few of the pioneers started Doris Vannier's mother businesses making rails. They passed away many years ago cut doi;l;n trees near Woodside, when she was in her 80s. She and then split the logs into rails. had been here in the late 1800s One type was laid so that it zig­ and told me that as a child she zagged. This was called a had to watch for wildcattle. She "worm fence." always kept a tree or fence in Another type was when rails sight to climb if chased. were set between two points. With so many cattle and hogs This type was a straight fence raised back then, you would and didn't take up as much have thought the beef and pork , ground. It also looked better. would provide an immense in­ The rails were al\vays the same come. But they did not. length - 10 feet. Wedges were There was a small local mar­ used to split the logs. An ax sim­ ket for both, yet no way to keep ply was not enough. Some rail the meat if shipped east on sail­ spli:ters became experts in the ing ships. Anin1als hides only \Vor:-:. They made a meager liv­ brought a few dollars each, ac­ ing. :ut they subsisted on their cording to old records. smill vegetable gardens. How­ Henry Dana's book, "T,vo e\"er, they needed some money Years Before the Mast," tells to pt.:rchase salt, baking pow­ about sailing around Cape Horn der-, sugar, flour, their boots or to returnto the East Coast with shoes occasionally and new hides. They were used for many j2a.-.s or a blue denim s:::....-: ::-,o•.v t::i"'.6s requiring leather, bi..:t and then. mainly forshoe leather. Some wrote to their families When in Boston, I was inter­ in the East that they were in ested in its many shoe factories. '·business" and expected to send They still operate there. One for theirfamilies very soon. far.tor,; w�s so olrl. it w�s on Because cattle and hogs ran loose over the countryside, they "Milk Street," where, presum­ had to be kept out of vegetable ably, an early dairy had been lo­ gardens. Some hogs were very cated. Milk Street was down­ persistent and rooted under the town in the business district. 'l -(:.,,-

carlmont history by Ru11 l!st•p

A College of San Mateo stu­ fornia Sanitarium. Here is a dent recently approached me, quote about it from an old Red­ asking when the Reid School wood City Tribune: was established in Belmont. He "The California Sanitarium was preparing a paperabout it. I was first the home of C.R. Spli­ suggestedhe go to the Redwood valo, owner ofa macaroni facto­ City Library and look up old ry in S:m Francisco. In 1910, af­ Redwood City Tribunes. He ter Mr. Splivalo's death, his came back with an article place was purchased by Dr. Har­ which states: ry C. Warren and Max Roth­ "Across the road from the child, who established the Cali­ Mezes home, Mr. William R. fornia Sanitarium. Dr. Warren, Reid established in the early a specialist in pulmonary dis­ 1890s an institution that was eases, was the owner and direc­ known for many years as the tor of the institution. As an ad­ Reid School. It was built with junct to it, through a gift of money given by Moses Hopkins Charles S. Howard, a free prev­ of Redwood City a!"d operated entorium for children with tu­ under the auspices of the Con­ berculosis tendencies was es­ gregational Church as a semi­ tablished. The public school military boarding school. Boys system provided instruction for J were sent to this school from all the young patients." parts of the country and, when When the St. Joseph Military graduated, were admitted to the Academy was in operation. the nation's leading universities. boys at the school wore semi­ After the death of Mr. Reid, the military uniforms. One uniform school was operated for some is on display at the Belmont Mu­ time by his son, and was finally seum in Twin Pines Park. It is sold about 1919 to the Catholic fitted onto a dummy which Archbishop of Sa:n Fraricisco makes it quite realistic. and became St. Joseph Military There are also some excellent Academy. photos of the school and proper­ Some of the old Reid buildings ty surrounding it in the muse­ are still in use at the corner of um. The school's football field Ralston A venue and Alameda was located where we pres1>ntly de las Pulgas. find the shopping center. In earlier years, there was Belmont continually changes. considerable activity at that lo­ People who were born here, cation. Now strangers some­ such as Doris Vannier and Bert times ask, "Where is the down­ Johnson, must wonder what town in Belmont? Is it changes Belmont will have in downtown, or way out here?" the future. Belmont will contin­ In an old Redwood City Tri­ ue to grow and there might bune, one item states, "By 1919 come a time when San Francis­ the town had began to move co will become one of our sub- west of the tracks. At that time a urbs. site was purchased fora school (Editor's note: Russell Es­ on WaltermireStreet." tep, a long-time Belmont and But there was activity in the San Carlos resident, is the of­ Carlmont area also. A sanitari­ ficial historian for the city of um that was established Belmont. His column is pub­ brought many people to lished each week in the F:n­ Carltnnnt. It w:1s rnllPd tlw r::lll quirPr-lltllft•fir,.) -J-

carlmont history by Russ l!step

Past investors and specula­ homes across from Carlmont torshave helped make Belmont High School.He was killedin an what it is today. accident north of Bakersfield In 1947 the upper portion of when someMexican farm work­ the large hillwest of El Camino ersdrove intohis carin a dense Real came on the market Louis fog when they were11'aveling on S. Mortondecided to purchaseit the highway inthe wrong lane. and he put a $5,000deposit to be­ Another developer built the gin his purchase.When the Bel· Homeview subdivision. Those mont County Water District houseswere of two plani;. Every couldn'tfurnish water economi­ other house had an upstairs.All cally to the hilltop, Morton had perimeterfoundations. changed his mind yet forfeited The Sterling Downs' houses his $5,000. all had concrete floors, three Someone else put a deposit of bedrooms and two-cargarages. the property and San Carlos The Bay View Heights subdi­ agreed to furnish water. Con­ vision, west of El Camino Real struction on the hilltop com­ toward the south end of Bel­ menced.and the new homeown­ mont, was built between 1924 ers paid water bills to San and 19'27.All of thosehouses had Carlos.It seemsthat a pumping tile roofs and 1,200feet of floor stationto bring water from Bel­ space. mont wasn't feasableat that ear­ Thesubdivision near Ralston ly time. Middle School was built up by When I toldMorton that I was Conway and CUlligan of San sorryhe lostso much money, he Mateo. Carpenters working laughed and said. "I'll make it there killed rattlesnakes occa­ up on my next deal" sionally. There are some other Sometimes developers. must Belmont subdivisions, but at take chances. Monroe, Miller present land is becoming very and Lyon developed the Bel­ scarce. Even single lots are al­ mont CountryClub properties. most gone. Those that are left Their project looked good at are prettyp. stee first.but our countrywent into Buyers have a choice or up; a slump� The Union Paving slope or down slope. Builders' Company,which hadpaved our usuallyf1nd the down slopelots streets,took over. It hadn't been less expensive to build on be­ paid and was still disposing of cause they don't have to exca­ Belmontlots as lateas the 19508. vateand have the dirthauled. Much of Belmont was built by There are buyers who prefer smallbuilders, one lot at a time. bothtypes of lots. There was Ernest Baker, Ed One man who came into my Cunningham and another Cun­ office asked, "Would I need a ningham, many individual ladder to see Belmonta up slope homeownersand someothers. lot, or would I have to be abun- AndyOddste::id develnnP

here are civic minded peo­ through town at midnight, and ple everywhere who hPlp always whistled and woke him T their towns and commu­ up, which he· didn't like. His nities. In Belmont, the service idea was to hold a raffie. clubs hold events several times When the date oftbe event ar­ each year and raise money to rived, both Jess, his twin broth­ help the community. The Ki­ er and 15-20 othermen stood be­ wanis, Rotary and Lions Clubs side the railroad tracks. The have been very active in such townsfolk, including me, stood projects. nearby afterpaying $1 to watch. The Lions Club recently held (I had been transfered to King a spaghetti sale in Twin Pines City by the Shell Oil Company Park. The club used the money in the early 1930s. it raised to purchase a special Soon the train passed by and radar for the Police Depart­ everyone cheered the men for ment. Costing more than $850 urinating on the train. The the radar has a large ..display train crevv: probably didn't real­ board with figures a foot high_. izewhat happened, and paid no These are easily seen by drivers attention. so they can slow down if neces­ Jess won the prize, and a ser­ sary. The speed limit is also dis- vice club benefited. Everyone t played and it is usually35 miles went home in hysterics as the per hour. men zipped up their pants, glad Kiwanis and Rotary have also that theycould help the commu­ purchased things for our city. nity. He had shown that he There are always things needed could do what he claimed he incities which haven't been in­ could do - over the train.He be­ cluded in therr city budgets. came a local hero. The service clubs are com­ There have been many stunts posed of men and women who and ideas for service clubs to want to do do their part. All raise money to help their com­ business men and women are munities. Right now, the Lions _. welcome to join and would be and Rotary Clubs are planning l . lble to m-eet with city leaders. future events. Both hope you There have been many differ­ will come to their booths in ent kinds of fund-raisers. One Twin Pines Park. They raise ; that was tried during the Great funds by selling rafile tickets · Depression down in King City with many prizes. in Monterey County has always amused me. In an area near the Russell Estep, a long-time Belmont · town, the elderly Cornwell twin and San Carlosresident, is the official brothers had a cattle ranch. historian for the city of Belmont. His They were rough men, drank a column is published each week in the lot and sometimes were loud Enquirer-Bufletln. and noisy when they came into town. Jess, in particular, was a real country character. ... The Cornwells had heard about a fund-raiser and wanted to help. Jess had an amazing idea - it concerned the long freight trai.n that passed ...--��------� V . .;.,... '/' carlmont history by Russ Estep

arlyinhabitants had some came very seasick as the little expressions which used to boat pitched and rolled. The E amuse me. When one old­ captain seemed to sail eastward. timer met another and men­ but then turned the boat west­ tioned it later, he would com­ ward. ment that he met old so-and-so The man in my office said he and they "gassed a while" - had heard the story over and meaning they had talked and over when he was a child. He probably gossiped about him or wanted me to listen to all of it I her. had been busy, but at his sug­ Nowadays, descendants of gestion, I tried to relax and lis­ these old-timers come into my ten. I found his story interest­ office,sit down and want to dis­ ing. cuss almost everything imagin­ The man said he had been told able. that the tripagainst the wind up Last week, one man told me the bay to San Francisco took about an ancestor who had vis­ six hours. The ship hauled up ited Belmont beforegoing to Ho­ . beside a square-rigger on the nolulu in 1881. Things, includ­ San Francisco waterfront. ing travel, were different then. There were several sailing The man said he had been told ships tied up nearby. Some of about ·his ancestor's voyage to the boats were like the square­ Honolulu. rigger while others wererigged After being entertained for similar to the yacht the ances­ several days in Belmont, the tor had arrived in. man said his ancestor had some­ The waterfront was a busy one hitch up a bay horse to a place, with many men scurry­ light wagon, and was then taken ing everywhere. The captain of to the Belmont waterfront over the small ship arranged for the a rough, unpaved road. The ancestor to board the largeship, man said there was a small pier and.•had two men carry up his at the edge of th� bay and a sail­ two trunks.His voyage to Hono­ ing ship was tied there. lulu required three weeks, and The man had been told that the man's ancestorwas seasick the ship was a smallone, not un­ most of the time. like a yacht, which would trans­ When the large ship arrived port his ancestor and his two at the Honolulu dock, everyone trunksto San Francisco. hurriedashore. A surry, pulled The short gangplank was re­ by two bay horses, then trans­ moved, the lines released and portedthe ancestorwith his two the sails hauled up. The ship trunks to a small hotel near moved out into the bay waters Waikiki Beach. with a strong wind coming to­ ward them down the bay. How, The ancestor had arrived the man wondered, could the safely and spent the following ship reach San Francisco three weeks laying in the sand against such a strongwind? recovering from his seasick­ The mansaid his ancestor be- ness.. __ ;-

; , .. .- � ccording to an old San of El Camino Real. It became� Mateo Gazette dated July TheVan's Restaurant, and girls A29, 1881, a man named Mr. :were reported to be upstairs A.N. Ranger opened the Bel­ waiting to entertain customers .. mont Saloon, and was ready to It is still a restaurant but the serve his friends.The news item girls are long gone. reports that the building had There may have been other just been completed. places selling liquor many The building, which is cur­ years ago. Prohibition came af­ rently the little blue building on ter World War I, but there were Old County Road, is norU1 of the several . places bootlegging pinkbuilding. It became known throughout Belmont, as the "Grand Saloon." As far as I can find,there were We might think it was too no stills. The closest was inSan small forvery many customers. Carlos,according to old reporrs. Yet there weren't so many peo­ Ship crews arriving in San ple here back then. Franciscousually brought good Since water had not yet been liquor fromelsewhere. The men piped to Belmont,Ranger proba­ made a handsome profit, al­ bly had to carry water fromthe though custonisagents watched little creek that flowed nearby. ships unload their cargo. But early people didn't usually It was amusingto see boxes of mix drinks because they drank liquot unloadedwith cargo, and their whiskey straight Mixed swung onto thedocks while cus- drinks came much later. So tom agents stood nearby.Usual­ Ranger's chore of carrying ly, the liquor was sold to a steve­ drinking water really wasn't dore boss; who later resold it to difficult. bootleggers. When Belmonters went hunt­ Soon the owner of the Bel­ ing during the hunting season. mont Hotel began advertising it wasn't uncommonfor them to that he 'had excellent drink­ stumble onto hidden stills. I abies. Then the owners of the once foundone in 1919 andwent pink building also started ad­ back the next day to take a bet­ vertising liquors. Belmont had ter look, but found the place seemingly passed a primarylev­ abandoned and everything el.. gone. Either the bootlegger had Entertainment girls were seen me or i:ny tracks, and de- available upstairs in the Bel­ . cided to take no chances. Boot­ mont Hotel. It wasn't until leggers were usually punished much later, however, and after severely when they were the Panama PacificInternation­ caughtTheyreceived fines and al Exposition in San Francisco, imprisonment. that the Japanese building was Belmont has always been an floateddown the bay and moved exciting place - more so years to the hillside toward the north ago, thannow. But our citizens end of Belmont, on the west side do enjoy themselves. -r-r-; � -- t�.------..... ·- �./;. ' carlmont cl��--'<\ i .../ � history ..I'( ,�,,.:, ' . ? .... by Russ Estep :N ..,.._

Whendriving along the ployed waited by a steel drum new Bayshore Highway where they had a wann firego­ W in 1931, people drove ing. past large fields of row crops. The foremen would hire and The land was level and well­ fire carpenters several times suited to its use. But the Navy each day. If anyone slowed decided the area of Sunnyvale down slightly, he was told to go would be better suited for a to the officefor his check. I was large dirigible base. one of three carpenters who Two new dirigibles, named worked the entire project for 18 Akron and Macon, would be months. The Great Depression based there. The Akronarrived was on and work was scarce. first and it was moored to a ro­ We discovered it would rain tatable pole, so it could revolve inside the big hangar now and as wind changed. The Navy had then. When certain conditions a large hangar constructed to existed, a cloud would drift in­ protect this dirigible. side and soon rain would fall. When I went to view it inside The large new air base needed a the hangar, I was accompanied name and only a few days after by my 3-year-old daughter, Bar­ completion of the hangar, the bara. She stood by me looking Akron crashed. Everyone upward and suddenly said, "I aboard was killed, including know what that printing on the Admiral Moffett. The Navy ap­ side says. It says 'Goodyear propriately named the air base Tires."' Moffett Fieldin honor of the ad­ Navy officersnearby laughed. miral. She was beginning to read al­ Although the government phabet letters. Of course, the used blimps during World War ship's name, "Akron," was II, it gave up on dirigibles be­ what was painted on the big cause they were too easily ship's side. destroyed.The deaths of 73 sail­ The Navy soongave contracts ors and an admiral had proven to have officers quarters, sail­ that. ors quarters, a headquarters Now the government has giv­ building, gate house and several en up Moffett Field as surplus other buildings, including the property. Maybe the area will mess hall, constructed. At the revert back to row crops when time I was a carpenter and ap­ it's abandoned in about two plied for a job. I then foundmy­ years. But since San Jose has self helping to build the build­ grown larger thanSan Francis­ ings. co, MoffettField would make It snowed one inch in January excellent airport for thatarea. 1931. That morning, the fore­ an mantold me it would be too slip­ Russell Estep, a long-timeBelmont pery and dangerous to work, so and San Carlos resident,Is the offlclal he said to just "wait a while." hlstorlen for the city of Belmont. His I took the opportunityto enter column Is published each week in the the large hangar, climb to the Enqu/rer-Bulletln. roof and walk the length of it to .. enjoy the good view.The hangar was 211 feet high and I could see over most of the prune orchards that were everywhere. When I climbed down, the foremancriticized me forwhat I had done. saying it was very dangerous. But I'm still glad I made the climb. During construction.the men had to work very hard and fast.

'"r11()'•n lt'l -, ,·. ,,.,,,,,.,, , ,,l ,, I -d-

., / ,,-,... , ,. , ,- �.... ',,. ,,.... ---t, �-...... ,.. �------, carlmont history by Russ Estep

early everyone in Bel­ five months later on Nov. l'i', mont has seen the- large 1895. N Ralston mansion which A later copy of the Redwood belongs to College of Notre City Democrat, dated Dec. 22, Dame. But it didn't always be­ 1898, tells us that the Bull estate long to CND. The Sisters of No­ was finally disposed of by the tre Dame de Namur, a Belgian heirs after a court battle to es­ order, purchased the large tablish title to Dr. Alden M. building in 1921 and moved here Gardner. from San Jose. Settling of the estate took Ralston mansion had an earli­ some time, yet brought Lady er history, however. Sen. Shar­ Hesketh from England as well on acquired the house in 1875 as several of the Bull children when William C. Ralston died. who helped to clear the title to But Sharon died in 1885 and on­ the estate. ly lived in the large house for10 One of Mrs. Bull's sons was years. written up in the Historyof San Another owner purchased the Francisco by Bailey M1llard in property after the Sharon estate 1924, volume 11, page 36. It was settled. He had a large es­ states, "Alpheus Bull Jr. was a tate and settlement required 10 prominent mechanical engi­ years. neer,one of the foremost in his The Redwood City Tribune of profession. His father was a June 13, 1895 ·tells us that Mrs. forty-niner. His parents were Alpheus Bull of Alameda Coun­ natives of New York state. His ty had purchased the former fathercame overland to Califor­ Sharon property in Belmont. nia and, after getting estab­ She established a seminary for lished, sent for his mother. His girls and called her new house fatherwas a minister of the Uni­ "RadcliffHall," probably think­ versalist Church, but in subse­ ing the name would induce good quent years achieved success in thoughts of her newly p·ur­ financialaffairs and at the time chased building and lhelp her to of his death was president of a get high-class students. large insurance company." Bull had two sons, Charles Ralston mansion has 50 and Alpheus Jr., and three rooms. The only other Peninsu­ daughters, Edith, Katie and Ma­ la house with as manv rooms is rie. the Carolands in H1llsborough, An old newspaper, the Red­ which has 99 rooms. wood City Democrat of July 11, Recently, a man in Belmont 1895, states that Mrs. Bull be­ won the state lottery of $17 mil­ came established in "Radcliff lion and he gave half of his win­ Hall," and another copy of the nings to his wife. Earlier people same newspaper states that she might have had a larger house died suddenly of a heart attack constructed. -�'-

---""'?"'�, ...------carlmont history by Russ Estep

herehave beensome large land. fires in Belmont in the Mr. Mezes, the attorney who T past. One was mentioned cleared the land titles for Mrs. in an old RedwoodCity Tribune Arguello, owned a large house dated Sept. 9, 1927. on a hilltop in Belmont. Old The article reads, "Burned newspaper items state that it carcasses of several thousand too burned.The lot remained in chickens are allthat remains of his daughter's name until the the Albert Moch chicken farm 1940S. in Belmont today, following a Then there was the large disastrous fl.re there yesterday. house on the southern end of Much of the holiday trafilc was the large hill which was across halted and the motorists joined the railroad tracks and between with the firemen of Redwood the tracks and the bay. A fireoc­ City, Belmont and San Carlos curred there after Belmont had fire departments in halting the acquired a fire engine and vol­ blaze. The frightened chickens unteer fire brigade in the mid- scurried fromone corner of the 19308. ranch to the other, and fluttered The volunteer firemen didn't back into the burning building have time for training, yet did from which they had been driv­ the best they knew how to get en. Moch, age 60, and a bache­ the largefire under control. The lor, lost his residence,the chick­ siren sounded, the men raced to en houses and their occupants, the new firehouse justwest ofEI and was himself saved from Camino Real, put on their hats burning when his clothing and coats, and drove to the fire. caughtfire." But they couldn't flnd a hy­ Therewere a numberof other drant. fires of dwellings in Belmont. Then someone spotted a half­ Another item about early fires buried tank and drooped in a in the Redwood City Democrat hose. They pumped and dated April 29, 1909,reads as fol­ pumped, finally getting the lows: "Robert Brown has been blaze under control. However, awarded a contract- to rebuild one of the men discovered that the dormitory at Reid's School. they had pumpedout the septic It was destroyedby fire several tank. months ago. The contract price The men gathered up their is over $30,000." hoses and went back the next day to rinse the interior of the The item goes on to say the burned house so the odor fire started in the home of W.T. wouldn't be so strong. They re­ Reid and spread to the junior ceived training later, and soon hall, which was left in ashes. developed into one of Califor­ Reid was 70 years old. nia's best firedepartments. After Mr. Ralston had died Now they work as South and Mr. Sharon had taken over, County Fire Authority and Mrs. Ralston moved into the we'revery proud of them. "gardener's cottage" at Carlmont. Pictures of the cot­ RussellEstep, a long-time Belmont tage show that it was a rather and San Carlos resident, is the official large dwelling. She only lived historian for the city of Belmont. His there for about two years. Then column is published each week in the it burned andshe moved to Oak- Enauirer-Bullet in. San Carlos- Belmont Enquirer Bulletin / October 28, 1992 / Page 13 ,..r;:;,·,�-:,.. ·r----t·· , ·,·,,:

l � •.., ··, ...... - � • carlmcnt· ) , _ ," . " ·. � history l,;./ /;-� by Russ Estep -�-t1!li �.�::,�

ornmunication between Nevada. The new KPOradio sta­ Belmont people has been tion went on the air in August C. possiblefo:r � long time. 1932. Before white men arrived, the. C ommunication in Belmont Indians here communicated by nowadays ls far removed from smoke signals. what it used to be. When a Bel- By 1875, however, the Indians mont man recently needed hos­ were mostly gone. Back then, a pitalization, one of the local am­ wonderful new device was in- bulances was reached by radio. stalled in the pink building The responding driver contact­ across the railroad tracks: the ed a doctor at Sequoia Hospital first telephone. Toll calls were and gave an injection to the pa­ considered to be expensive. Peo- tient even before loading him ple cameto lookat it, aftercare- into the ambulance.The driver fully tying their horse to the then transported the man hitching rail. quickly to where he could re- In 1946, Press Wireless moved ceive the propercare. its large and powerful radio sta- H ad something like this hap- . tion from Los Angeles to the pened a centu:rya go, the patient mud flats east of Belmont. The might not have survived. He company needed a high-speed would have had a much slower operator who could not only ride on a spring wagon to a hos­ copy fast code, but W!}O coU!d __ pital and there would not have . ; keep the station· on the a 1 .u-. been the modem ·way · tocommu- Press Wireless therefore sent nicate. one of its best men, Forrest · Another early ham operator Bartlett, to do the job. in Belmont had the call letters He lived on Cipriani Boule- W6LF. When conditions were vard formany years andis now poor, his phonetics :were W6 retired up in Paradise. . "Leaky Faucets." When he was Bartlett had a ham stat on i new and learning the code, an- and his ham call was W60WP. other operator asked if he was While Belmont su ered no p ff � - sending code with his "left parent serious damage dunng foot." e 7.1 Loma eta earthquake 0 _ � But some early people didn't m 1989, the city 1s ready. An?th· er quakemay come at any tune have radio and depended on and local ham operators have their voices. It's like when peo­ _ formedan emergency radio net- ple returned from a convention work to handle e g wherethey had won a bearcub . _ m ssa es. . They kept the cub chained These men work for nothing in their yard and it grew up to a xcept the satis cti n - � � o of help large size. One day, e . mg our commumty. They areon th bear the air every onday at 7:30 broke loose and a neighbor said � a woman yelled so loudly she p.m. fora few mmutes.They are might have been heard as far · appreciated an� Belmonters hope they continue to pe on away as SanJose. Someone shot the bear' but no onewas hurt. standby. Theyarealways ready. . . ,. _ . ·.·- · Many years ago, broadcast . Almost everything happe11s . station KPO had its transmit- in Belmont. tingstation in the mud flatseast of the Bayshore Freeway. The RussellEstep, a long-timeBelmont damp earth there provided a and San Carlosresident, is theofficial good groundfor the equipment, historian for the cityof Belmont. His and their broadcasts were column is published each week in the heard all over California and Eflquirer-Bul/etin. i: - � 1-

----#,� �:: ______..,_ carlmont (�:..... J.�f "'L 4' •, \ ., 7H/ history "�· by Russ Estep here are some newcomers vide relief as they were too shal­ in Belmont who wonder low, the victim sometimes suf­ T how Belmont grewso fast fered many minutes when when primitive medical help running. Reaching the creek was the only help available. The promised immediate relief and early people didn't have medi­ prompted a comment of "how cine men as the local Indians good the cold water felt." did, but citizens treated their ill­ When local people received a nesses themselves in the best scratch or injury to theirhands, way they could. they placed them in a wash ba­ If someone had a fever, the sin containing hot water. By cure was to place a pan of warm soaking anhour or so the infec­ water under his bed. By morn­ tion was usually prevented. ing the fever was usually gone. People then would wrap their When someone acquired injured hands in a clean cloth chills and a fever, quinine was while the injuryhealed. usually available at Mission Early doctors didn't have the San Jose or Mission Dolores. education and training that When someone stepped on a modern doctors have. For exam­ nail and it penetrated the foot, ple, most early dentists had the treatment was to soak the nothing to kill pain so some foot in hot water. This, some­ gave whiskey to their patientc;. how, prevented blood poison­ A few early Belmonters were re­ ing. The person would then be- ported to have liked going to the :, come well. dentist. Btit people generally When a personcaught a cold, tried to avoid the dentist be­ "assesfetti" in a small bag was cause there would be charges hung around the neck. If the aw­ they couldn't afford. ful odor didn't cause one's stom­ Sometimes, teeth were pulled ach to quickly empty, the per­ by tying a heavy thread around son survived. Such medicine the aching tooth and tying the could be obtained at one of the other end of the heavy thread to missions; however, reaching a a doorknob. Slamming the door mission requiredthe horseback pulledthe aching tooth. rider to make an all-daytrip - Most early settlers in Belmont there and back. Sometimes by didn't yet know about Vitamin then, the ill person would have C and its positive results. When recovered. someone caught a cold, one was Belmont's early people were asked to drink whiskey or take hardy. They weren'tsusceptible a hot footbath. Some sat for to many modern illnesses. But, hours with their feet soaking in now and then, someone suc­ a bucket or pan of hot water. cumbed. Perhaps the hot footbath If someone had a stomach­ helped, but others claimed they ache, one was given a bottle of were certain the draft of whis­ horse liniment to rub onto key did the trick. his/her exterior.If the liniment dripped down too far, a heating Russell Estep, a long-timeBelmont sensation might occur and the and San Carlosresident, is the official victim usually ran for-a creek. historian for the city of Belmont. His Because there were not many column is published each week in the spots in the local crPPk to pro- Fnr11ir<>r.n,1/lr,fir, ,,,,.,.,,...,, ---t,, ' ·· ..-, ------.. carlmont t1-� history by Russ Estep �"��/" � ·- ·_.__ to a city of over 28,000. Accord­ hen a new community ingly, the city has neededto em­ Wformally becomes a ploy many more people to oper­ small town, the new town ate it. Business licenses for a doesn't have many financialde­ small real estate officeare up to mands on its citizens. There al­ $160 now, even if they only have so aren't any city licensing fees. a single employee. Most still Belmont didn't need a police need to scratch to make a living. department fora while. But the Belmont's first fire depart­ first policeman the city hired ment was composed solely of was Irwin (Slim) Hansen in volunteers. When the horn 1930. His pay was small yet con­ sounded, they raced to the fre sidered adequate at the time. house across from where the Slim was Belmont's only po­ Safeway store is presently locat­ lice officerfor several years. Be­ ed. All reached forhelmets and forehe took over Belmont's pro­ jackets, and then joined the oth-· tection, a deputy sheriff was ers on Belmont's firstfire truck. provided by San Mateo County. At first they had no training, Because Belmont's operating but that came later. expenses were so little, only$10 As Belmont grew and more a year was needed for business people came into town, more licenses. Of course, this amount city departments were neees­ is up considerably now due to sary. Now we have many of the city's increased expenses. these and all seem necessary. The amount of the license fee The Parks and Recreation De­ depends on the number of em­ partment helps many people ployees and typeof business. and keeps Belmont looking neat When A.P. Johnson was oper­ like it should be. Our streets are ating a small real estate office clean to give our city an excel­ on Ralston Avenue just west of lent appearance to outsiders. the Emmett house, he paid very Many Belmonters are very little for a city license. At that civic minded. They work in time he didn't even need a real fund-raising groups to purchase estate license to operate. That things our city cannot afford. crune later. When he sold Bel­ The Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis, So­ mont property, the commis­ roptimists and other clubs hold sions were whatever he wanted pancake breakfasts, sell food or to charge. Later they were set drinks, and raise money from by the state Department of Real other sources such as large raf­ Estate which set them at 5 per­ fles. Then they turn what they cent in the beginning. The com­ collect over to city officials to missions are 6 percentnow, but purchase needed items. arenegotiable. Belmont's citizens enjoy liv­ Johnson didn't make much ing here, and they live longer. money but managedto buy gro­ Belmont takes careof those who ceries. Meb Johnson said A.P. need it in a retirement home had a small vegetable garden to called Bonnie Brae Terrace on supplement living costs. He Carlmont Drive. passed away many years ago, and Meb also died a few years ago. Meb's realestate officewas Russell Estep, a long-time Belmont on El Camino Real in San Car­ and San Carlosresident, is the official los. historian forthe cityof Belmont. His Over the years, Belmont has column is published each weekin the grown from a tiny community Enquirer-Bulletin. -

carlmont history by Russ Estep

hen · we hear people Therewere many barnsbuilt in with foreign accents, the early days without even W our ears perk up. We square nails. They wereheld to­ woriilerwhere they arefrom. A gether with wooden pegs. Pegs newcomer in Belmont recently were usually made from oak loaned me a book about south­ wood, which is considerably ern New Zealand. It contained harder than pine or cedar. You many excellent pictures taken can still find some of these in the late 1800s by a photogra­ "pegged together" old barns in pher named Crawford. One pho­ the California foothills. to shows him as awhiskered old Dwellings and some other fellow, who used a large old­ buildings in early towns were fashionedbox camera. It probn­ set on lava rocks, as concrete bly used glass plates because wasn't always available. Be­ rollmm hadn't beeninvented. cause the rocks were large and One thing that impressed me flat, those buildings remain as was how similar the .early set­ level as when they were con­ tlers in New Zealand were to structed. our flrst California settlers. Early Belmont settlers were Board and batten homes, stores generally well-established and and other buildings looked like better educated than many in · some here. outlying areas, so it is doubtful Of course, their lumber might whether any buildings in Bel­ have been scarce. Their trees mont werebuilt on a foundation wereprobably something other of rocks. The large Ralston than redwoods. But the boards house most likely rests on a pe­ looked like pine or cedar. per­ rimeter concrete foundation. It haps in early New Zealand the was built before 1875. Ralston available trees were used for had the money. lumber.They also probably had Tours are available through a water poweredsawmills. phone arrangement with Col­ As early as 1850, there were legeof NotreDame. Everyonein nine sawmills operating in Belmont should visit it. Woodside. Becausecommunica­ The Ralston house has 50 tion was poor, Count Leonetto rooms.Ralston had a largebarn Cipriani hadn't heard about the constructednear his house, but Woodside sawmills. He had a it was built of wood. It burned house built in Italy before he and was replaced with a fire­ came to California. It was th�m proof barn built of rocks. He taken apart, shipped around called it his "carriage house." Cape Horn and reassembled In its loft, hay was storedand on here. the ground level, his carriages It becamethe south portionof were stored, and there was still the later large William C. Ral­ room for his several very fine ston house. If you look closely at horses. the Ralston house, you will see Occasionally now, the Notre the difference in it at its south­ Dame Players put on excellent erly right side. It was most like­ plays and all are worth seeing. ly put together with square Watch for an announcement of nails or bolts. Round nails their next event. You'll be glad hadn't beeninvented. that you attended. And you will Early Belmonters and early see the old barn. The plays are Californians did the best they put on where the haymow was could with what was· available. in the historic barn. carlmont history by RUH Estep

bly the owner of the film. elmo�t peopleare. patri��­ Another Belmont_ parade oc­ B ic andhave held parades curred some years ago when· and celebrations on Indepen­ children marched inEaster cos­ dence Day and ChristmasDay. tumes. They were cute andtheir One parade tookplace in 1956 parents waved to them and when CharlesCook was mayor. called their names as they He was a jolly man who wanted walked along Ralston Avenue. to help Belmont's citizens. RedwoodCity has held a Fourth · We purchaseda little red wag­ of July parade for many years, on anda red Santa suit. Charley in which our town has usually wore it and someonepulled him been represented. When I was along Ralston A venue. He Citizenof theYear several years tossed wrapped candy to chil­ ago, Belmont officials had i:ne dren lining the street. They ap­ riding in an old Model A car preciated this and seemed to with its top down. It was fun think Charleywas a greatmay­ waving to people I knew from or. After the parade, the Santa Belmont. suit disappearedand it wasnev.­ Old items in the Redwood er found. City paper tellof the developers. Another year, Belmonters of Belmont Country Club Prop­ drove early automobiles to a erties holding a smallparade in park in the redwoods near La 1924. Monroe, Miller and Lyon Honda. The road was unpaved drove Model T Fords up Ralston . and dusty. One driver wore a Avenue with their horns blar­ duster, so he arrived cleaner ing, and hoped they would get thanthe others. attention to signs they placed on Belmont was much smaller the cars. They wanted to sell then and people enjoyed their lots. neighbor's c9mpany. Nowa­ Belmont parades always try days, smallgroups get together to show something that will be occasionally andjoin in celebra-. helpful and educational for the ·tions as Lions, Rotarians, Ki_. citizens. Even when controver­ wanis, Soroptimistsor with oth­ sial elections are held, no one er service clubs to celebrate sponsors a paradethat might be · some holidays. ·Another quite so one-sided that the theme largeFourth of July parade was would hurttheir neighbors. . held in Belmont about 30 years Our goodneighbors get along ago when many organizations with one another.We like living participated with floats and here. There is no place likeBel- cars. A good photographer . moot anywhere, filmed the parade, but, unfortu­ " l .; '' ! � t / , ·� 1-. nately, he cut his filmoff · before thelast car arrived. I was president of SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) . and drove their car. SAR ex­ pressed disappointment that our car didn't appear in the movie of the parade. The Bel­ montHistorical Societyis possi- "Here in 1861 was built the ( carlmont Waltermire Hotel, the first county court, S.F. Fox, judge, history deceased. At the first election the peoplewere directed by law by Russ Estep to choose a county seat, and the ; .£3.· commissioners chose Belmont, : Jn Belmont are fortu0 leading to a shipping point at but the county judge, at the first wenate that some early the edge of the bay and there session of court, decided that · news stories have were several residences," the three precincts, Crystal . saved. One issue of the old San article states. Springs, Rock House, and Bel- · Mateb Gazette, dated Sept. 19, mont, were illegal, and those , All of th�se things were essen­ precincts were · thrown out, 1874, tells a little about our city tial for a new town to grow. from more than a centuryago. making Redwood City the coun- · The article starts by stating The item in the old newspaper ty seat." tells us that "the pleasure gar­ 1/11,,¥,' .� : I · · j that our city name, "Belmont," The location of the first coun- is derived from Belle Mont, dens of Mr. Janke, the most valuable in the state, are above ty seat was at the comer of Old meaning beautiful hill, and un- • County Road and Ralston Ave­ doubtedly having allusion to the town and at the footof tree­ covered hills, and on either side nue. The building burned and the prominent elevation - was replaced with the present about 60feet in height fora hlll of a rippling brook. Ascending a most magnificent road another building, known as "The Oppor­ that used to be betweenthe rail­ tunity Shop." road tracksand the bay. quarter mile you find yourself The hill was called "Newhall entering a beautiful valley, All of this was about Belmont where once resided ex-governor Hill" and "Redrock Hill." Ac­ in 1874, more thari a century cording to the article, "the hill John McDougal, Colonel Cipri­ ago. Many things are the same, was named in 1851 by Steinber­ ani, and Mr. Ralston, former but Belmont has grownto 26,500 ger and Beard, owners of con­ president of the Bank of Califor­ people now. 'l'winPines Park is siderable acreage here." nia. where the Janke Picnic Then the article goeson to dis­ Grounds were. Thelittle valley "This valley is named 'Cana­ ' cuss our early settlement. It da Diablo,'" rather ineptly, we mentioned in the old newspaper tells of a few buildings here at think. "At the head of the valley is where hundreds of Belmon­ the time such as one boarding is a large reservoir, owned by ters live. 'I1ieylike the location house, one brick and one wood­ Mr. Ralston, and nearly com­ and wouldn't live anywhere en warehouse, one shoe shop, pleted. Belmont, in a ratherpe­ else. one blacksmith shop, one rail­ culiar manner, was connected Delmont has much going for road depot and one express of­ with the early history of this it, although It didn't get to lwep fic�. "There was a good road county. the firsl countv seat. " I) �� - - --·· 0 ---.-ha-i:_!_::-,y"- -,------r,;:1-:,,J,�_l by Russ Estep

he first county surveyor fireplace with two bedrooms, for San Mateo County was and the land around it was flat. T a man named Mr. Garbi. There were many redwood He surveyedmuch of the Penin­ trees, and the air was clear and sula,using Mount D1ablo as his cool base and meridian. Most land descriptions are still listed as Brmµfleld once told of how M.D.B.&M. meaning Mt.D1ablo one of his sons climbed a red­ Base and Meridian. wood tree, which frightened Bromfleld. The redwoods are Garbi was fortunate enough not safe to climb because their to see Mt D1ablo from Belmont, limbs often break easily. The so his surveys were accurate. lad came down without inci­ The Mt. D1ablo base is used over dent, however. Northern California, but many of the surveyors cannot seethe I always admired Davenport mountain top. Occasiorw.Iy, Bromfleld for his ability to sur­ their surveys were found to be· vey. While he was a profession- slightly inaccurate. al, I had beena· novice. Another county surveyorwas Whel).one of my half-brothers Davenport Bromfield. He·: had homesteaded in . Shasta stopped into my office to visit County, he asked me to run the occasionally and we became lines on all four sides so he good friends. I also became ac• · could fence it. I ran theinstru­ quainted with his daughter, ment, while he choppedbrush. Grace, who married a man At the end of each of the 4 miles named Mr. Haver. He had two my lines came within 3 feet of sons who worked forthe firmof the geological survey corner Levy Brothers. The company markers. Then he fenced the had a large general merchan- land with four barbedwires. dise store1n HalfMoon Bay and,• He built the government's re­ later on, stores in San Mateo quired small two-bedroom and Redwood City. house and lived there four After Grace Haver moved to years. He later improved upon Southern California, I flew it, then sold it and moved to Es­ down there to get her signature condido, retired and died. when her portionof the Skyline When surveyors cannot see property was sold. the top of Mt. Diablo, they use In addition to his large Hills- charts obtained from the U.S. borough house, Bromfleld left · Geological Survey in Menlo considerable acreage, together . Park to get their starting figure. with a small house on Skyline/ The view from the top of Mt. Di­ In the early 1900s, Bromfield ablo at 4,000 feet is very good took his children there in his and you cansee five counties. buggy. Grace told me of some of If you haven't beenthere, you the trips and of how she had en- might want to take a day offto joyed them. make the drive. You would sure- The small house had a stone ly enjoy it. ------

___ ·carlmont · · ;\i., .. , -·. ;;:·i ···.��-�· -h·,s··,·ory·' . -. . by: Russ Estep �' .·, . )

riends oftend rop into vfi:'::she .remarried to a younger . it when'things are slow-in . �.;:: • F realestate. It remindsme . The following day, another somewhat - of the old country two fellows were sitting in my general . stores. People would office visiting and telling of the come in, sit on nail kegs and 7 old days. One told about an an­ then tell anyone who would lis- ' cestorwho had to walk partway · ten some things they hadn't toHalfMoonBay after riding on heard before. : the top of a stagecoach. This happenedrecently at niy The man said that the ances- omce.My ears began flapping - tor had asked the driver to stop while the men visited. One told so he could get off to relieve the other of how his..friend de· himself. There had been a fe­ veloped cancer during Bel· male passenger aboard and the mont's early days.· driver wouldn't stop• his horses But there was something spe• untilth e stage was near a tree. cial to th stor s e y. He said-hi �- ·-The:-· driver was trying to derly friendhad ma ied a ver rr y maintain his schedule. The an young woman-40years his u ­ j - cestordidn't returnfast enough nior. To gether to a ee to m gr ar- to satisfy the Impatient driver. ry him, he _had. con e h s ceal d i Hey el ied "g et up" to his team age .He claimed that he was and t ey began to roll. The an many years younger. The girl h cestor then came out from be- never knew. ·.. · e tree, holding his trou- . The cancervictim had contin�··. hind th sers while trying to catch up ued to decline in health. Finally,_ with the rolling stagecoach. his doctor had told him that he • was fortunate to be so young. If The man telling the story he had been older, the doctor laughed and laughed. He said, said, it might do no goodto oper- "Now stagesand trains all have ate. At his. age, he should sur, bathrooms." The man riding b the old stagecoach toward Half vive and· ..would · have- no pro > lem. ·-· - , MoonBay.lived in BelmontJust His young wife must have , too early. wondered why he seemed so se- Drivers of long distance buses rious when he entered the hos•:;.stillt ry to maintain schedules. pita!. It took him hal an hour f ,. In. the mid-l800s there were just to say "goodbye." Soon af. many interestinghappenings in ter the surgery, the man ex- -Belmont and on the Peninsula. pired. The doctor's diagn��is ;'. Travel was mostly by horseback had been accurate. :· or by horsedrawn vehicles. The second man at my office said, "Wasn't that something __ . Probably, in the next century, like the patient gettingbitte n by ' people willfind the way we live his own dog?" The young wife - amusing. Everything changes never knew, although she may constantly. Belmonters keep up have found out years later after with with modern trends. -1

--· t "'J,"'" ---i:<".f'""" ' :i------....., . carlmont \ ; histo".y by Russ -l!step -.k.�/ ·t eople from other places and then thought again about P sometimes come to the what to do to gain a profit. Peninsula; and what they Finally, he exchanged the do makes impressions and great pumping station and its large changes here, lot for 24 four-unit apartment Let's consider Ivan F, Phipps, houses in east San Jose. But He crune here and what he did problems began as renters impressed manyPeninsula peo­ moved in andout, some without

ple that they seemed not to see paying. He hired a San1 Jose the forest for the trees. He company to manage hisi build­ owned several hundredacres on ings and it straightened things the west side of Skyline Boule­ out. The apartments werr soon vard. filled with good tenant who manPhipps who hadwas stature. a middle-aged He was a paid their rent and kebt the premises clean. I Portland attorney and also a Then one morning tle ap­ speculator. peared at my office door\ want­ It was Phipps who startedthe ing to discuss a ranch re had Skylawn Cemetery. He obtained just acquired in Oregonl near his permit, arranged for l1. few Mount Hood. burials,quickly tothen another sold speculatorthe land I arranged forhim to in.� pect a nearly new 20-unit apa f nent andThe said srune he needed opportunity over $50,000. was house in SanJose. The owner of .. the apartment house fl w to there for local people, but no Portland, rented a car, drbve to one saw the chance forfast prof­ Mount Hood and inspect�d the it. ranch. He liked what he ound Phipps always seemed to have and the trade was made ..f his "thinking cap" on. He still The next I heard about ipps owned more than 300 acres on was that he had exch ged the west side of Skyline Boule­ some property he had for large vard south of the road that goes furniture store in Ori ville. to Half Moon Bay from Belmont. Maybe he still has it. If o, he But what could he do with it? would be a very old man. I Afterconsidering the various · Perhaps after these tnany options, he decided to exchange years he has gone to his reward, it forthe old metal pumping sta-· perhaps making trades with the tion beside El Camino Real at angels in heaven. At least he the north end of San Carlos, ad­ might be thinking about ex­ jacent to Belmont. That proper­ changingthe bed they gave him ty was visible to all Belmonters, for a feather bed like he had yet nobody thought about try­ when he had stayed in Belmont. ing to buy it. Russell Estep, a long-time Belmont Phipps had said one should al­ and San Carlos resident, ls the official ways try to grab onto something historian for the city of Belmont. His that is just sittingthere and, ap­ column is published each week in the parently, what no one else Enquirer-Bulletin. wants. He made the exchange carlmont history by Russ Estep

eople who came here dur- and been rained on, the loose 1ng World War II remem- hay usually became settled and P ber Belmont's bare hills, very difficult to dig out and and the large hay field where pitch onto the baler's platform. White Oaks School in San Car- Most hay baler crews were los is now. The bare hills and tired at night and hungry for much of San Carlos weren't their supper. They usually re­ even built upon until World ceived $3 for a 10-hour dav. WarII. When the war ended, soldiers Belmont's bare hills farther returnedhome and there was a out were mowed for hay, but greatdemand for housing. With then someone started a golf the great demand and insuffi- course west of Cipriani Boule­ cient housing, prices rose. vard. After that, the cutting of The Peninsula was dilierent hay ended. The course was re- before the big rush. Almost ev- f erred to as the "rattlesnake eryone raised hay back then. course"because golfers regular- People used horses and the hay ly killed rattlesnakes during w� 1n greatdemand. their game. Apold item in the Times Ga- Soon after Ralston School was ze , dated Feb. 28, 1891, tells built, far out on Ralston Ave­ nue, a schoolboy brought a live tha� , "Maguire and Turner had pas urageand carefor horses as rattler into a classroom. The a pecialty, at the Belmont frightenedteacher called a jani-. Sto Jc Farm, 650 acres. Horses · tor to dispatch it. No one was sta led and fed hay $8 to $10, bitten. an pasturedfor $4." Towardthe end of World War · e timingfor such pasturage II, realtors had to use caution isn' i mentioned, but the prices when showing Belmont's va­ we for a monthly rate, pre- cant lots to prospective buyers. su 13,bly. SP.lling real estate in Belmont rt Johnson, who has lived was hazardous. · -- : ' " · · ' , n ly all of his life in Belmont, Nearly all of Belmont's level has �old of haying in Belmont. lots have been built upon and He 'd hay was baled in hay the lots that are left are steep. pre es while he watched. Baled Rattlesnakes couldn't stop roll­ ha Jy,:as easier to handle thank h.g off,so sellingBelmont's real loo '- hay. estate has become safe. es usually weighed about When loose hay was being 108 ounds, and: healthy young hauled 1n Belmont, there were me i loadedand unloaded them some young men who had a qui , easily. The bales weretied rather unusual sense of humor. wi baling wire, which was They pitched bundles of loose abo 't size 14, and soft wire, hay up onto the hay wagon and wh 'h was easy to bend. live rattlesnakesslid out. These Pfpbably the hardestjob on a fellows would laugh when the hayl i baler crew was digging man aboard the wagon franti­ loo� hay out of a stack andplac- cally slid down to the ground. ing �ton the baler's platform. If · But he never thought it was fun­ the tackhad beenthere awhile, ny. fIii · I f'age 8 / San Carlos- Belmont Enquirer Bulletin/ January 6, 1993 , --� in the Daily Pacific News dated house." Ing ship because trains d i6. ments I can findin any newspa­ _Count LeonettoCipriani lived gelo I louse, Waterview, 25 miles lion Uiat his small hotel had Then the county scat was per about anything in Belmont here when our town was Water­ from San Francisco). The above been built in the middle of the moved to Redwood City, be­ states that the city's name was view and apparently he liked house is now openfor reception road. Horse-drawn vehicles cause more votes than people Watervlew at first, and changed that name. He came in 1854and of a few boarders during the passed by on both sicles. were put into the ballot boxes later, apparentlywhen William sold out to Ralston in 1864. winter months. Located mid­ His guests were awakened by from Waterview and Crystal C. Ralston arrived in 1864. He Travelers needed a place to way between San Francisco and his rooster crowing in the Springs west of this area_ preferred to reside in Belmont stay and the old advertisement San Jose, and possessing a mornings. However, just as he Citizens apparently learned splendid view of the harbor and adve1iised, he had "real coun- their lesson. Belmont has been Mt. Diablo. The situation offers try living." His hotel was well- only an honest, honorable place ever peculiar advantages, and for sa­ patronize�. hut Mr. Angelo !ijn Ce';'"�- .,,.,. lubrity of cliu1ts cannot be ex­ operated 1t for two years, then \ celled in any part of California. sold it. He moved to Victoria, I A private parlor, with sleep­ B.C. and old news items tell of I ing rooms attached, will be set him being jailed for embezzling I apart for ladies. The table will $10,000. Perhaps his prices were be supplied w.lthgame, poultry, too low for guests, and he didn't 1 fresh butter, eggs and milk and lcawi \Valet-view with stuffed every exertion will he used in pockets. giving satisfaction to those par WhPII he went lo Victoria, he I ties who may patronize the wonlll have l.Jeen al)Oanl a sail- N 0 I -21-

carlmont history by Russ Estep

hen three college stu­ Later, in 1821, the family had dents came into my of­ moved to about a blocknorth of W fice asking who is bur­ San Carlos Avenue, where Ce­ ied in one of the firstgraves in dar street widens. This was the the old cemetery at Half Moon Arguello home foras long as we Bay, I had to tellthem I didn't canfind any of the family living know. in the area. The grave has a large stone The elder Arguello died about monument with a cross and it's 1821, and his widow and son dated 1820. Surely the person continued to operate what was buried there was someone of left of the rancho. much prominence- perhapsa When California became a priest or maybe a ship captain. state, there were many squat­ Ships had been coming to Half ters on the Arguello land. Sid­ Moon Bay for several years by ney M. Mezes, attorneyfor Mrs. 1820. Arguello, straightened out her Toward the south end of Half titles. Then he was given about i Moon Bay is the old historic 15 percentof the 34,200acres for Johnson house that was con­ his fee. structed in 1854. Johnson Mezes tookBelmont, San Car­ farmed the large field between los and part of Redwood City, his house and the ocean. Crops which was first named "Mezes­ were marketed in San Francis­ ville." Thename didn't stick as co, which was a small town in there was considerable lumber­ 1854 but growing fast due to the ing going on up on Kings Moun­ gold rush. tain, and the lumber was being Thefirst house on this side of transported down to t.he bay the hills was the Arguello where Redwood City was strug­ house, built in San Carlos in glingto survive. 1795. Don Jose Dario Arguello All of the lumber was red­ was given a land grant by the wood, which was taken up the Kingof Spainfor his goodwork bay to San Francisco by small at the Presidio in San Francis­ sailingships. The shallow draft co. His land grant consisted of vessels actuallysailed into Red­ 34,200acres and included partof wood City through the shallow San Mateo, all of Belmont, San ship channel. The creek had Carlos, Redwood City, Ather­ beennamed "Redwood Creek." ton, and Menlo Park, and went downas faras San Francisquito Mezes was unableto get most Creek at the north end of Palo squatters to move on, so he sold Alto. manyof them the landtb.ey had The Arguello home was locat­ settled on at a high rateof inter­ ed in San Carlos, and San Carlos est, according to old records. Avenue was Arguello's drive­ When they couldn't pay,he fore- way to El Camino Real. At first, . closed on them to gainlegal title the house was beside a spring · again of his property. The on the south side of San Carlos squatters then moved else­ Avenue, near Cordilleras Ave­ where,and our Peninsulabegan nue. to grow. -?2- ),ln CJrlos- i3elmont Enquirer Bulldin ),mu.1ry 20. 10�3 r'ag,c l 1

ccrjmont historv; by Russ Estep

he Great Register of San Oyster Company planted seed Mateo County of October oysters at the edge of the bay, T 1888 lists the ages of most sellingoysters to local residents settlers in Belmont. The oldest and commercially to San Fran­ listed at that time was John cisco markets. Some of Bel­ Bachelder, an attorney, who mont's young men worked for was 70. Others listed mostly the MorganOyster Company. were in their20s. By 1888, Belmont's famous Perhaps it took young sturdy men had died Ralston in 1875 men to endure the hardships of and Sharon in 1885. Mezes died the era. They probably were bet­ only a few years later. ter able to handle the living con­ Trains were running through ditions. They had to chop wood, Belmont by 1888 and local peo­ milk their cows, feed the calves ple found traveling to San Jose and horses, drive or ride horses and San Francisco easier. They wherever they needed to go, and could make the tripin either di­ keep their vehicles lubricated rection in about 90 minutes. - the wagons with rr.ica axle whereas the small ships they grease. had formerly taken up and Most of the young men raised down the bay had required sev­ vegetable gardens. The ground eral hours. had to be prepared and row Although inventors had been crops had to be hoed and irrigat­ working to develop horseless ed. When cornwas being raised, carriages, none were yet pro­ the young men had to harvest it duced to be sold. Mr. Haynes and then grind enough in a and Mr. Olds apparently were hand-powered grinder for mak­ among the first successful man­ ing cornbread. ufacturers. But in 1888 no horse­ These young men had no elec­ less carriages were being used tricity or telephones. but they in Belmont. survived. In talking with Bel­ Changes occur in most tovms. mont's elderly men, it turns out The Spanish-American War oc­ most enjoyed the many hard­ curred in 1898 and several ships as they thought they were young men were soon in the living in a "modernage." Their U.S. Army. All returned when parents had 'Jeenyoung men in the war ended. They were dis­ :sss. missed while they were away. Housewives -;vorked hard too. Belmont grew steadily follow­ �lost canned vegetables and ing the war. A new era had whatever they could lay their started. hands on to feed their families. Recently, when visiting with Grune was pientiful. and veni­ an elderly man, I was told that son might be found hanging on he believed everyone in Bel­ a rope down a well so the meat mont was very young. He said wouldn't spoil during warm they looked that way since he weather. had reached his 89th birthday. The killing of wild game wasn't so restrictedas it is now. Russell Estep. a long-time Belmont Local hotels served venison oc­ and San Carlos resident, is the official casionally fromtheir menus. historian for the city of Belmont. His Oysters also were available. A column is published each wee'{ in :t:e company called the ;c.lorgan Enquirer-Bulletin. ,. carlmont history by Russ Estep

hen entering a strange Then therewas a well-known town, most people ex­ street named "Daisy Lane." Wpect to find certain When College of Notre Dame street names. They especially moved to Belmont from Notre look for Market Street, First Dame Avenue in San Jose in Street and other common 1921, Daisy Lane was renamed names. for the college. San Jose has re­ When they see a street that tained its college name to a apparentlywas named fora per­ street one block north of Santa son, they usually wonder whom Clara A venue, behind the that personwas or what he/she DeAnza Hotel. had done to become prominent. While Belmont was growing In early Belmont, there were fast during the late 1920s, three several streets that had been men were recording subdivi­ named after people. sions about as fastas they could One of those was "Schmoll drawup the descriptive papers. Street," which was later re­ They named streetsafter them­ named Sixth A venue. The selves. This was how Monroe; Schmolls were pioneers here. Miller and Lyon streets came An old item in the San Mateo about Their names still remain. Standard, dated Sept. 8, 1921, One of Belmont's first resi­ tells of the death of Mrs. dents was Count Leonetto Cipri­ Schmoll. ani, who purchased land from The old news item reads, Mr. Mezes in 1854. His name "Mrs. Caroline Schmoll, pio­ still remains although he sold neer resident of the state, his land to WilliamC. Ralston in passed away Tuesday after­ 1864 when he returned to Italy noon. She was born in Pitts­ to participate in Garibaldi's burgh, Pa. in 1835. She moved war. The Ralston name is well­ with her parents to California remembered because of the in 1852 where her father, Adam many things he accomplished Sweigert, became prominent in while he was here. Our first citi­ city affairs,and then the family zens were all "great" men. Bel­ moved to San Mateo County in mont is fortunate to have had 1860. such a solid beginning from "They first moved to Cany­ these "great men" having cho­ ada, near Byrnesstore, and two sen this location for their years later moved to Belmont, homes. where Mrs. Schmoll continued There are others who have to make her home until the come here since. Philip Habib, death of her husband, John who was President Reagan's Schmoll, in 1903.Since that time foreign emissary, lived here. the deceased has been making Since his death two years ago, her home with her daughter in his wiferemains here and says this city. Mrs. Schmoll was 86 she "loves to live in Belmont." years of age. In addition to Mrs. Schaberg, one son, George Habib would easilyqualify as Schmoll, survives. Internment a greatman. He met with kings, in Cypress LawnCemete ry." presidents and many foreign We should all bepleased that rulers, and settled many prob­ our city has maintained some lems for ourcountry, names of some other people Several years before he such as Mrs. Kitty Hearstner, passed away, our City Council She was Belmont's cityclerk for presented him with an award manyyears andhandled her po­ signifying our appreciation of sition well. "Kitty Lane" was him for having done so much named for her.She passed away for our country and for living in several yearsago. Belmont. -?'-

carlmont history by Russ Estep I

[ __ , ___ :_ : u o yearsu 3.go when the any Belmont people Ao t4� c�isine, which, compared with u ns b w�s larger, M have visited the Iolani Belmont Lw Cl his own was that of the Parisian u u .the Palace in uHonol lu. \ E mbert M. Brown. JomeJl cafe �o the ship's galley; an� u when They have readu abo t Hawaii's cl b. He was � pr� d_ man all this came to pass poor s rn Hawan Kalak- I King Kalaka a being enter- boasted that �u '.'·�e a a, a king with the experience been � illegitL'Uateu daugh- tained here in Belmont by Wil-. had o� a p�st office clerk, made uup l u u Kmg Kalaka a. He ! liam C. Ralston. The king had ; ter of his mmd : that he too, wo u w er ph o nd to d us ld never seen s ch bea tifullyfur- sho ed us h ot a l : �ave a palace or lose his was proud tou ha e had her crown nished b ildings as he did the he v m the attempt. And a palace for his wife, b t fuat she �ad he when he saw the large Ralston I frnallyobtained. Not like at Bel­ . passed away a fewyears ear her. mansion. ! mont but an imposing strnr.- The San Francisco Chronicle, Brown later died in Santa � ture. dated Jan. 25, 1895, describes the · Cruz at age 99. He had started · He bought chairs like Ral­ king's visit. It was his first visit · the Belmont Chamber of Com- ston's, a punch bowl like Ral­ to the United States. Ralston ap- merce while livinghere. ston's and a Venus de Milo more preciated . the dusky king as The old articlecontinued, "To drapeless and enticing thanu much as the king appreciated theking the broad w_hite glisten- "Psyche" in Ralston's m sic Ralston. Socially, however, the ing walls and corridors, looking room. While his exchecker held two men were worlds apart. like porcelain touched with gold out he poured champagne into The old articleu goes on to and crimson, the blaze and glit- theglasses u of his guests with as state, "Kalaka a's visit was ter of primatic chandeliers;u the- genero s a hand as that of the made one Sunday night after yieldu ofu Turkish r gs under his prodigal frnancier. Ralston's r u i n of \ both he and his host had been to ca tio s feet; the invitat o generosity to the king cost the < church in ostentatio s state. pillowed silkenchairs; the glory Hawaii taxpayers all the ex ;, His Kanaka majesty had never of the banquet hall,the vision of penseu of the Iolaniu Palace and f I ! seen a palace before, his frugal the human form divine in the m ch of the o tlay for the fur- I subjectshaving given him noth- calm and unflushed present- nishing in its interior." ingbetter than a latticed bunga- ment of sculpture - to all this The · king was . replaced by low to live in, and a serviceu of was the splendid realization o(, Queen Lilikolaniand thepalace . Hawaii's capitol for plain glass and china pon thingshe had long hoped forbut' became li has a which to spread his fishand poi. never posse�sed or .:'een. Then, )many;ears. Now th� state Upon his return to Honolulu whenu noiseless servants newerAnodern capitol and Ha-. theking r esolved to have a pa).: .bro ght him champagne frappe, wailhas become our 50thstate::' I ace built on his island of Oahu. · which he could sip with never a .. Inspiration for the construe- The result was Iolani Palace." thoughtof the taxpayer and the Uon of Hawaii's firstcapitol oc- \ Kingu j delicacies of a _ curredin Belmont. Kalakauaraised several '. missionary and Belmont f da ghters, at least one Russell Estep, long-time • '· of whom resident, is the official was illegitimate: ,,.: and San Carlos a . historian for the city of Belmont. His ' columnis published each week in the Enquirer-Bulletin.

"

/ carlmont history by Russ Estep

he two men who were however, isn't given. talking in a booth next to On Sept. 6, 1927, an article in T me at the restaurant the old Redwood City Tribune where the Belmont train depot tells of a huge fire which used to be amused me. d�stroyed several thousand One told the other that he chickens. Albert Moch had been lived in Belmont, and the other raising chickens for the market commentedthat he lived in Ath­ in San Francisco when the di­ erton, and that he thought Bel­ sastrous fireoccurred. mont was "for the birds." Of The article goes on to state course, he didn't mean it literal­ "Much of the holiday traffic on ly, but as I glanced out the win­ El Crur,i.noReal was halted and dow across the railroad tracks the motorists joined with the to the pink building I became Belmont firemen to check the amused. blaze. The frightened chickens At that instant, a flock of scurried from one corner to the birds landed on top of the ridge other before fluttering back into of the pink building. There must the burning building from have been a slight wind from which they had been driven. the north because the birds set­ Moch, age 60, and a bachelor, tled down on the roof, allfacing lost his residence, the chicken north. They were about 10 inch­ houses and their occupants, and es apart and seemed to be equal­ was himself saved fromburning ly spaced. Probably, by facing when his clothingcaught fire. the wind their feathers Moch did not restock his wouldn't become nulled. chicken farm and, apparently, The men never noticed the he moved elsewhere to start birds and continued talking. over again. I didn't know what kinds of In earlier times, other busi­ birds had landed across from nesses were started in Belmont me, but I presumed they were and some survived, while oth­ sea gulls. ers moved just as Moch's did. Most people in Belmont 45 The man who said Belmont years ago may recall how the was "forthe birds" was making buzzards circled and circled conversation. He probably nev­ above Carlmont Drive. They er knew our city had so many probably thought that a deer or different kinds of birds. While other animal might have been his comment was a slur, it could dead there in the brush. As far easily have been taken as a com­ as I know, nobody investigated, pliment. although the buzzards contin­ Belmont is a fine city and we ued circling. appreciate everything God has Now that we are on "birds," placed here, including the birds. an old item in the Redwood City Tribune, dated Jan. 22, 1924, Russell Estep, a long-time Belmont tells that several Belmont men and San Carlos resident. is the official had been preparing their duck historian tor the city of Beimont. His pond for their annual duck column is published each week in thlJ shoot. The location of the pond, Enquirer-Bulletin. carlmont history by Russ Estep

ome people in Belmont still interested but not nearly so wonder what was in the many as in 1916. The observato­ S valley west of town before ry is usually open to visitors it became flooded. It was farm­ Friday evenings. Several galax­ land before the Spring Valley ies and stars can be seen that Water Company completed are not visible without the tele­ their project of fillingthe valley scope. Since then, many new with our drinking water from and formerly in"'visible stars Yosemite in 1916. have been catalogued. An old item in the San Fran­ The road winds to the top of cisco Examiner, dated Nov. 7, Mt. Hamilton, but now it is 1912, tells a little about it. The paved, so a careful driver can item is in a death notice forDa­ make the trip from San Jose to vid A. Barre. the observatory inabout 45min­ "David A. Barre, one of San utes. The view from the moun­ Mateo County's oldest pioneer tain top at 4,000 feet is very residents, died in his home at good. One can see long distances Belmont on October 31st. He when the weather is clear. But it was bornin Buren County, New is wise to take alongbi noculars York, in 18.30of German-English to see details. parentage. In the early '50s he There were others who owned rushed to the gold fieldsof Cali­ farms in the Spring Valleywest fornia,· crossing the plains, en­ of Belmont. Some settled in Bel­ during many hardships andad­ mont after their farms were ventures and never tired of flooded. Instead of raising hay, relating his experiences of this they reverted to vegetable gar. miserable trip. dens. Everyonehad a garden in "After spending two success­ those days. These people used ful years in the mines, he settled horse-drawn cultivators, hay on the Peninsula and had beena mowers and rakes. highly respected citizen of Bel­ In Belmont, they had small mont for over 60 years. In 1862 yards where small vegetable he married KatherineBollinger gardensgrew produce. Sons and whose father, Christian Bollin­ daughters used hoes and other ger, one timeowned the proper­ garden tools. It was harder ty which is now the Spring Val- work, but necessary. ley Lakes. Some planted orchard trees I "Mourning his death are five and raised prunes and apples. \ children, Mrs. Jane O'Neill of School childrenwere employed Belmont, Mrs. Ida Schneider of each summer and were glad to San Mateo, Mrs. MaryEngland earnmoney to spen .d They usu- of Fruitvale, C.C. Barre of Bur­ ally received IO cents per 25- \ lingame and C.F. Barre of Bel­ pound box for picking up l mont." prunes and a dollar a day to pick Bollinger had sold his farmto apples. the water company and moved Many of these sons and to San Jose. A streetcarries his daughters developed into suc­ r name in San Jose. One of Bollin­ cessful business men and wom­ ger's sons established a stage en. All received their financial line from San Jose up to Mt. start in Belmont. Hamilton. Afterthe LickObser­ If the valley west of Belmont vatory was completed, the Bol­ hadn't beenflooded, the livesof linger stage coach was usually Belmont's young people might full. have beenvery different. They It seemed that everyone was learned how to become Ameri­ interested in looking through can capitalists because the val­ the large telescope. Visitors are ley was flooded. Dr. Pope also was a general practitioner and well-patron­ ized. carlmont Dr. Rebec specialized in psy­ chiatry and practiced at Twin history Pines Hospital. He caine here by Russ Estep from Napa, where he had been in charge of the psychiatry de­ partment at the state hospital. Id-timers in Belmont ticed nothing but dentistry. One He worked at one of the Belmont old-timer was Dr. Lee Gambitz, hospitals and just followed his 0 probably rememberearly specialty. medical advertisements. who came here from San Fran­ It was common to see doctors' cisco and practiced from his The:re wrm.:. ctlier medical signs saying, "Eye, Ear, Nose house. Gambitz was treasurer �actors whose names don't and Throat" specialist Later of the Belmont Lions Club for come to mind immediately. All our doctors specialized further many years and was very well­ are old-timers. and used signs like "Optome­ liked by the members. As for the earlyspecialists ad­ trist" and just plain "Doctor." Now dentistry has bro;,en up vertising "Eye, F.ar, Nose and At first, people were con­ into several different phases. Throat," they t,'>D broke down cerned that they may have lost Some specialize inmaking false into specializedgroups. I cannot theirspecialists. This happened teeth, whileothers treat various locate one who worked on nos­ in other professions and law­ problems of the mouth. Some es, but we do have several eye yers later advertised them­ only do rootcanals while others Jr,ctors. selves f!-8 "Specialist in divorc­ do fillings. One is Dr. Thomas Ewers, an es" or "Specialist in criminal When Gambitz practiced in optometrist. He is popular and law"and other typesof things. Belmont he did all of these one always finds him busy. The public preferred to go to things and did them well. Bel­ However, appointments may be professionals who knew what mont was smallerback then and made. He is a past president of they were talking about. Most there weren't as many patients. the Belmont Lions Club and is specialists prevailed and today Now the other dentists special­ well-liked. He also was presi­ we findprofessional peoplecon­ ize and all appearto be busy. dent 0f our Chamber of Com- centratingon just a single prob­ We always have had a group merce:;ever-.tl years ago. lem. We wouldn't patronize a di­ of medical doctors. Dr. Fair­ When I as}�ed one man what vorce lawyer for settling a burn, a general practitioner, he thought of dividing the pro­ lawsuit wherein a property was given a retirement party at fessions in Belmont, he replied, agreement,fence line or person­ the old Belmont Casino, and "Well, I'm forit. You see I'm a al injurywas on the docket. there was standing room oDJ?, twi.!1. I have always had to di­ Belmont has had several ex­ He was that popular.He passed vide up everything." Then he ceptional dentists, who prac- away manyye� ago. 1111ghelL

-•----·-·------... -----~------...... , ••,; ...... ~;_ .:~----71 carlmont history by Russ Estep _J arty-five years ago, when and condominiums alongside Belmont people drove to them. His houses and condos F the San Mateo Bridge, they were easily and quickly sold. crossed Brewer's Island. They People purchased the buildings noticed many cattle grazing on md Foster retainedtitle to most the rightside of the highway. of the land. Home nwners paid The cattle were mostly Hol- annual rent on hundreds of stein and a few were Jerseys. homes that were sold early after All weremilk cows, and they be- sales began. longed to Mr. Therkeldsen. He By handling property in this operated a dairy there and way, the buyers found thai.tbei.r owned a retail outlet on O'Neill monthly payments ·,vpre much Streetin Belmont. lower. Foster had seen this type · Mrs. Stella O'Donnell kept his of operation ini,Jlawaii, where books and could usually beseen the descendants of early royal at the office. Her husband, Vin- families retained title. cent O'Donnell, worked for me Brewer's Island received a as a part-time real estate sales- name change and is now identi­ man. He worked full-time at fled as Foster City. Foster sue­ United Airlines. O'Donnell cessfully developed his proper­ Park in Belmont was named af- ty, and then he passedaway. Hi':i ter him. son took charge, and later sold People thought the Therkeld- what was left of the large devel­ sen dairy would be there forev- . opment. er. But that didn't happen. He I have been told that :he con­ sold his property, consisting of cept of withholding land titles about 400acres, to Mr. Jack Fos- in Foster City no longer exlsts. · ter from Honolulu. People now receive titles to Foster came to one of our land. Chamber of Commerce lun- The population of Foster City cheons and showed us blue- is presently 28,146 and it's still printsof what he intended to do growing. We are glad to have all with Brewer's Island. He said he those people as our neighbors. liked it because the land was However, if Foster City hadn't about 7 feet above high tide, it been built it might have been was always dry land and it possible all those people would would be good for his proposed have settled in Belmont or �ru1 development. Mateo. In Honolulu, he had just com- No one seems to !�now how pleted a multi-storybuilding on the name "Brewer's Island" Waikiki Beach. that he hopedto came about. One man told me sell as "condominiums." At the there might have been bootleg­ time, his "Foster Towers" build- gers there during Prohibition. ing was the tallest on the beach. However, without brush or Incidentally, he was too early trees on the island that version with condominiums. Only one is doubtful. The name probably or two were sold. He had to turn came from an early family his new building into a hotel named "Brewer." and apartments. Later the units Now it's appropriately named were easily sold, when custom- for Jack Foster, who cameh�re ers became accustomed to the from Hawaii and developP.'l the condominiumconcept. city. Jack was a flnegentleman. Over here he had canals He deserved to have a city carry dredged and then built homes his name. ------" carimont history by Russ Estep

111 �e Splivalo was president of the lmont. Occupants Yosemite provide t.h must ake Street is a short street Flour Mill in San eir- own furnis· h'I ngs for. th _e 1. r ro that runs north off Francisco and considered to be oms or apart wealthy Uti11t ments Carlmont Drive at the before the 1906 e 1es are inclu L arth- mont ded in theu; start of the 2400 block. Its name quake destro):ed mucb of his hly .rent payments. probably came from the Jake holdings in San Francisco·. There are elevator He · occ s but When west of it. That's where Water died in 1913. upants become ' to ta m or unable Dug Lake is located. This his large home was ke care of th sold . em se1 ves, the e e et, and the e must move y Ther is more to Lak Stre n w owners established Into a hospital e rest hom or though. th California Sanita.,ium e. And all a e . Doc- sor, ry PP ar to be Its west end is found farther tors treated pat.ients there who to 1 eave. out where there is a gate at the suffered from tuberculosis. The e ep, east side of Hallmark Drive. Be- big house is gone now. It was �� i E a Jong-time re­ an: r e Belman; ar.os r e •r yond the gate there is the un- placed with apartments. sid nt .,.. , o . historian for ff:,c, a/ paved portion of Lake Street. When Al Sifers the city ofB�Ie ·,; was hospital­ column ,_·� . mo� nt. H,s published ee Only Belmont maintenance ized there, I called on c: each w k in the him. He ,.,nqwrer-Bul/etfn. men use that portion of Lake suggested that I take note of the house Street. 's silver doorknobs. He Lake Street continues east- ---- ward and passes Water Dog thought a wealthy person must, Lake. Actually, the lake is locat- at some time, have owned the ed in the gulch behind Wad- house. sworth Publishing Company. Apparently, he didn't know of When William C. Ralston had the house's history. He said he his lake constructed, he used liked b eing there aild thought 100 Chinese people with shovels the location was excellent for and wheelbarrows to move the hospital, being away from earth to construct the earth-till noise and in Belmont where the dam. Ralston needed the lake to air was clear 'and good to irrigate his field, which was breathe. north of Ralston A venue on the O thers probably agreed with Hat land west of his large house. Sifers, forth e Peninsula Jewish The water flowed down tne Community Center is around gulch and then entered a pipe to the corner, a block west on take water to the field. Carlmont Drive. A four-storyre- A large spring provides water tirement building called Bonnie for the lake. Water from the Brae was later constructed at spring flows eastward from the 2400 Carlmont D1 :v€. It has 161 gulch and onward to the bay. It residents at present, but has isn't used anymore for irriga- held about 181. tion. Portions of it are buried in Older people like the location a pipe. and the facility. It is under the As far as I can research, Ral- m anagement of Grace Gavis, st.on never used the spring or who is an active, efficient and lake water in his large house. 1 well-liked woman. Bonni2 Brae He had a good well out in front is the largest building in Bel­ that supplied his drinking wa· mont and is owned by the Lesley ter and for use in the kitchen. Foundation. People living there About half a block north of are mostly elderly, but all seem Carlmont Drive there used to be to like the place and its location. a very large house on the west They seem to agreE: with Si­ side of Lake Street. In the Times fers that the location au.d ac­ Gazette, dated June 2, 1888, an commodations are ideal. They item t ells about C.R. Splivalo are enjoying their senior years having a house constructed and are glad they live right here there. -29-

carlmont history by Russ Estep I djacent to Belmont's probably because of the water · . southern border, but in movement. , I A San Carlos, there used to The water enters two large ; be a largebuilding covered with pipes each 6 feet in diameter. It I corrugated iron. It housed the flows by gravitydown to a lake, 1 pumps for the . Spring Valley then onward to the Peninsula: Water Company. and into f:he �es o/est of Bel-\ There also was a· tall stand­ mont. -. : - . \ pipe across El Camino Real, up . The lake 'along thepipe route, ' on the hillside.The water from called Don Pedro_Lake, is sur-1 Yosemite came from a tap into rounded ·with ·summer and, one of.the two large pipes that weekend cabins. · When that ; brings water from Yosemite. small subdivision was opened i The water flowsdown across El about 12 years ago, the lots : Camino Real, thenup past Bel­ around the lake sold quickly. ; mont along Old County Road. The country there has many : The . pumping station was oaks and Di&,oer Pines and is used to force the water up the very pretty. . · . hillside to the large standpipe. The terminus of the Hetch ·\ From there it flowedby gravity ·Hetchy pipesis west of Belmont ! down againand northalong Old on the westside of Canada Road County Road to San Mateo and at the Pulga.s Water Temple.. Burlingame. The gravity, along ·The water flowis closely moni- I with thelarge pump within the 'tared and allowance. : is made for �I building, kept the flowof clear, · snow and winter J?infall. \ cold, water moving. ._ . .. Watchmen live in houses on : Belmont's water is said to be the west side of CrystalSprings pure enough to use for filling Lake west of Belmont. Swim- storagebatteries. . ,.Y i.· ;ning and fishing aren't al- l "' : Manyearly peoplein Belmont I worked in the pumping station. l�wed. It c��d �\1sed forthose The foreman lived in the large purposes, but the water would castle-typehouse on the hillside then need additives to keep it west of El Camino. He was mar­ safe for drinking. And every­ ried to Mr. Howard's daughter, one'smore. water,..,,�·;�1�· would -.-�· '.:� cost them. ; who was a beautiful girl Some called her Belmont's queen. There are many deer in the Then others had the idea that hills around the large lake. the man owningthe largehouse Sometimes they wander down [ should be _referred to as the into Belmont and San Carlos. t "King." .There is a wonderfUl Before whitemen came, theIn- view from . that spectacular dians who · were here had a f - ...... - , house, with its extended roof readysupply of venison. over anupper ro om. · :>. :,;,; · � .. : Communications were dorn{ Many Belmonters have visit­ b:ysmoke signals. No doubt lo­ ed Yosemite, but have they tak­ cal Indians never publicized en time to go to the Hetch Het­ what was so plentiful here in chyproject? Itis at the northern Belmont. portion ofYosemite and there is - . a goodpaved roadto get there. . Even now we don't see beg- ,· The large lakewhere water is gars on our streets. Our poor . stored freezes around its edges people think they are suffering each winter. The large lake when theyonly have one car in theirgarage. ;;:, , ; I rarely completely freezes ' ,... �--

� .. -

carlmont history by Russ Estep

any years ago...:.. probably Then after a good laugh, the in the late 1800s - men men sat down to eat - and drink1 fromM San Francisco came to the Perhaps the song helped dispel Peninsula and had a large ho�e any guilt some men possibly had. built at .125 Dale Ave. in San They all retired to the game room Carlos. The purpose of the house and usually played poker and was to provide a spot where �an drank until daylight. Francisco men could get away to Some large transactions were have fun on weekends. Many started at 125 Dale Ave. Buggyor used the facility. surry rides were provided to take About 20 years ago, the house. the men from the train station to was for sale by its owner. It was the house on Dale Avenue. In built for only a few thousand dol­ fact, one large San Francisco lars, but its resale price was above' club's members provided money $340,000 as I recall. for construction of the San Carlos The house has a number of train station, some old newspaper bedrooms, a large living room items indicate. and a tower above the roof with The Peninsula might not have an extensive view. No doubt the been what it is today, if the house men who used the house enjoyed at 125 Dale Ave. hadn't been \ themselves, but they seldom took �ilt I time io climb the steps up to the Nowadays, some businessmen tower. I'm totd that sometimes play golf and have time to discuss the men brought their secretaries· · opportunities with other men. or girlfriendsto the place. 1\vo of the prominent men Most of the men belonged to who came down from San one of the clubs in San Francisco. Francisco were especially good A descendant of one of the play­ friends. Old reports tell of these boys told me that before sitting men always "pairing off" from . for dinner everyone stood and the others upon arrival, and that sang what was then a very popu­ they always slept in the same lar song. Ashe told it,it went like bedroom. They probably dis­ this: "My wife went to the coun­ cussed business.· try. Hurray! Hurray! She thought As far as my research goes, I .it best I need a rest, so she went cannot determine whether men away. She took the children with who stayed at the house ever her. Hurray! Hurray! I love my brought their wives. Perhaps wife, but oh you kid, my wife's wives were kept at home, caring gone away. forthe children and the house. -31-

was gay. Belmont was Belmont then." carlmont An old copy of the San Francisco Examiner, dated Sept. history 22, 1889, describes Ralston as a by Russ Estep dreamer, who tried to live like a king. The article goes on to state, "William C. Ralston was a man of n an old copy of the San ride,' and half a dozen four-in­ Oriental imagination, ill-assorting Mateo Times and San Mateo hand char-a-vances would be with his Saxon descent, his birth teoI Gazette, dated Nov. 16, 1889, waiting under the porte-cheere, and the prosaic surroundings of a is a news item describing how ready for 50 friends, most eastern small town on the frontier in Ohio William C. Ralston had enter­ tourists (with letters of credit and his early life as a carpenter tained his guests. Entertain-ing from the banks) whom he had and clerk. such as this doesn't occur brought down from the city by Yes, Ralston had his visions, anymore. special train. all of which were great. He built "In society, as everywhere "Then he would take the rib­ the Palace Hotel, and the first else, there was no one like bons of the first team and lead the drydock at Hunter's Point, and he Ralston. He did just what he ·way at a railroad pace down to owned a large farm in the Central liked, and what no one else could Fair Oaks and Menlo Park and Valley, and a woolen mill in San have done. He built Belmont, that rouse up the Athertons, Lathams, Francisco. But all of that just is to say, added to a small cottage, Gordons, Donohoes and John wasn't enough. which he bought from an eccen­ Doyle, by a flying visit of 5 He had helped Mr. Sharon to tric Italian gentleman named Col. minutes to each. Then back in the become a director of the Bank of Cipriani, until the house became moonlight fora dance irf the mag­ California after he founded the the magnificent country residence nificent music room, Ralston bank. The bank directors met in whose fame reached all parts of himself supplying the dance 1875 and listened to an audit. the world, and which in Ralston's music by turning the crank of a Ralston had diverted $4.2 million days, with the princely hospitality mechanical pi,mo, if he hadn't tel­ to his own use. The directors told he extended to everybody, was a egraphed for Ellenborg and him that it must be replaced veritable place of deiight. Andres to come down on an immediately, which he was "No one entertained like him. engine: and after that a sumptu­ unable to do. To people of quiet ways and ous supper, enlivened by Vauvw, Sharon replaced all the money tender nerves perhaps there was Cliquet, Roederer, Chateau and Ralston had to sign all his too much and hurrah for Jackson Youem and Chateau la Rose. assets to Sharon. Ralston rode his ::.bout it all, for Ralston kept his when, ''.'l'ow then, just 5 minutes horse to the Marina in San guests on the jump. He would to catch the train,' and in 10 Francisco where the 16-foot high hard! y let you get your dinner minutes the whole party would be statue is there on the lawn. swallowed down before it would whizzing past San Mateo on their Ralston's body was pulled from be ·Now then, all come for a way back to the city. I tell you it the bay in August 1875. .- ~:

. ..;.: ~

iCarbnont History ·_ ·. 'By Russell Est�p · .·:. ,··· .. · .' clear of debris. When we had the earlier -� Belmont has endured some flooding, one member of the city 'severe storms during the past few I crew was clearing trash out of the ;nonths, but probably none so western end of the large pipe that . severe as the one described in the a!lows the creek water to flow · · old Times Gazette on Jan. 3, under the El caminci Real when '1885. The old news item states he slipped. He was swept nearly . that "The large bani of Robert to the east side of El Camino Real Mills, 60 by 50 feet, built by San where he finally · grabbed i Francisco carpenters recently, was something extending· from the ··- : blown down Saturday afternoon side of the pipe, but was unable to by the heavy gale which prevailed get out because of the strong through the day." - current. Finally, one of the other It would seeni to me that the men tied a rope around his own "quitting" whistle blew before the waist and allowed his body to men had all the bracing done. If it floatdown the pipe to try to help . ' had been properly braced, it the man. As he grabbed him, shouldn't have happened. other workmen pulled them both Belmont had other structures in upstream and out at Fifth Avenue. -1885 that apparently didn't fall Belmont has installed new when the strong winds blew. The storm drains since then, and the large Ralston House, which was street department is confident that built prior to William C. Ralston's we need worry no more. During death in 1875, was not mentioned some early Belmont floods there in the news article. The • was a little land_ sliding. Since gardener's cottage at Carlmont, then,· our Building Department which burned later, apparently · very carefully examines house withstood the gale winds, also. At · blueprints beforeissuing building the time, it was south of the permits. present shopping center, backed Belmont is a fortunate city up against the hill. because hardpan is shallow in Belmont has seen some hard many places. Solid rock is a firm storms during the last 20 years. base for building, and we arc One year, we had flooding fortunate that much of it is because the opening under the shallow here. railroad bridge became clogged. Many years ago, when a study Offices along the east side of El was made on earthquake danger, Camino found mud on their floors it was decided that Belmont was the morningfollowing that flood. · the safest place to live on the Now, our city crews keep the Peninsula. ;opening under the railroad tracks , -' ..,.,.. - - ---� ' ' ' ' ------" ' . ' '-::-·,:---, . m erat . . . :'�\ '· . · • · '·. ·· :;: , .• ?e built in Italy, then had shipped of the_ saw ills_ op mg m fa� in t�e muddy roads. While the d o Woodside e e r o s ···1 Ill', "knocke -down , fashi n" . . . Th first app a s t wide tues were �ece sary, the 1·· ,:t· e C '. . u to ee H .- d ·· : o s ed . , _ . . IS'. . ; . :.. � . ,. aro nd Cape Horn .San have b n the one by the cr ek, wag n so equipp pulle ar. r e t o e e t r d t d r s d : : :> mo,' ; '· ,,.:. , : .n . , · ; . or:y.-,·t ,, .. ·. · ·, F ancisco. Th n i was brought ab ut wh r he oa turns off o har e ,and tho e wagons coul n't e m t do e e e to W t e - ' . . (' :: ma� app ars· al os exactly like wn th bay_and r ass mbled in "go up Skyline. hat an ac iv carry as large a load as the B R ss Es � e o e e e e t ust e e Y u P. : .. , ,_ . . : . . ,�; : our: ,.m d rn., p ople: Th . B lmont. :. , : ,: area hat m hav be n. wagons with the ordinary-width de o d e m - tee e e e · W e e ·• e r · scdption fhim is excfting,an You ca� easily ! cognize th� ,· Thclu ber was hauled by s ltir s,which wer usedinth h n w read th Ma ch t e r e e m or e e · · ·· the article one you wou.ld enjoy. south porlion of h la g Ralston· t a s of h s s. Two hors s : summertime. Nat1 · 0na 1 G eograp h;1c rnagazme. . . . e e - e · ·· ' ,._ e e se e. , " . ,, ere r u . u . e · ure o t e· ( ... \Yh1l :· arly, B ln19nt p opl . hou as b mg. �1ff nt. It was :· �ould pull only about 1000, boa d . . D nng constr ction of the and study th pict f h t e me e d r e t e e e e m m t ee r e s e _ m e r e _ loo)ced ab(!ut h s� a� � o, one sta � Vfh n. fos r assef!_lblt;d., . fe t, so th t � s us have b n la g Ral ton _hou� m B�l o�t, s,ooo�y a -old man 'who · cam e eme e W m t ur o e e te e e Al , th ·adva11c nt;m thmgs w ·. L ater . ilha C; Rals on had a• . from fo t six h�rs �. T ams rs Ralston and lus wife rcmamed m out of a glaci r in th ps two e e o d e e d r d e e e e m� t hav is norm us'. ·In_ ians w r se_co� �to y a� cd. Prol?ably_ the : us�ally rode th _off _hors� and San Francisco. years ago,th ag of our B l n e e e e . . ee r e d t e te r e ee te e k e m e s ms qui insignificant Th ::, h r v ry arly, a11d 1t has b n C1pnam . p_o twn , was �ail d.· gui ed h am with a Je lm . � l onters arc fortunat in r e t re e e er r W o e t e e .... , _ _ _: ;:- · .· -. .:. p ov n �cy c_amp_cd ·whc w · tog t� with squa e n�1ls -:-:7 · agons w uld hav� need d . · · � e e P r r e e e e e havmg h v ry large Ralston · · · · · : hav .. 1\vm Pm s ·. a k. Many . much , as · many .. Califo nia,. axl gr as each ev mng to b e e e em e e o r e . Hous , wh r President Grant and [ it s they left ar iri our.B lm nt pionee s had to us . � he round ready for the following day Mica e e re e e . King Kalakaua wer ntertained. '._ ,Museum: · ' nails we inv, nted much,lat r. axle grease hadn't been invented e e t < e t o Th r is nothing like i anywhere, ; '' : P robably the first �hite settler · Or p rhaps' a part of he s uth .• yet so wagons were probably to r t e e , . and a u of he house with 50 t:.: in Belmont was �ount:Lconetto section could hav . be n: bolted · greased with bear grease. oo e e ... ·,··•.· e t e e r ms, now owned by the / Cipriani. H , was ;s�nf to San togeth r.. -� · - · . , . _ Som of h arly wagons · Colle e Notre me s s d m e . e e s ed e r s g of Da , i well \ Franci co from Italy in-1854. Ol . L u _b r for Ralston's Jarg . w re con truct with wid ti e , worth your time. To urs can be e s er em e e e m s e e e s e d t re o ,'. n w pap it s t ll of a hous hous u t hav . com from on o th y woul n' mi d wn so !lrranged by calling the college. ----- , J �· ------·· ·· :·::· 1 O • Enquirer-Bulletin • April 28, 1993 �. · · ,::;: :l!a:rillllOrif=;;:I: ;{'

•!"•

. . . ] �\ '. ;, Belmontilll[!•tlflthas· had a library· for;. NorthernCalifornia.' By then, my i ··· ... · ·. ·:-:many years.It used to be in IGtty·. father had access to booksof .all � ; ... -.. .. i!li".Hearstner's house:Then she .had · kinds an:i he: continued. to read 1 · · -i:fher house j�ked up, and the city and _stl!dY until �e had a genuine :i ·:� ···• ;:. LtUbrarywas put on the firstfloor . "home �tudy" _education.' All:, ·. ·• ti.wt:, Books· r:were ;'available- ,tong' 'starting "fromi.;alphabef _ letters l · ':- ��;.before thit.;At'first there' was a'' being scratched: in dusf'on the: · 0 • ·: y r:C:ollection of books in the ::'old ' long OregonTrail. " . ..: - ' · 1 ! ·. :::,.Belmont school.; People could ):·" Presently our Belmont library .:; : drop, in' :nd ba-row- a, book now "has more than50,000 books. The , •· ;,,iand then. Belmont'1 youth ·had' librarian, Teri Titus;' is a well- . 1 . . books .right at their""'elbows' 'read and educated lady. Teri is: almost since our town began. -:_always helpful' to. people who; ;il'.' Early · .. people · everywhere want _ certain books or want to-, :". ''·"·:.,;,,.�1)eamed to read and w�ted to 'study subjects of certain natures. t t · g on 1 ,·;:.;_keep tr�k of.what was gom . There is no charge when you: ,. ,. , l--: 1.:Some pioneers had, to struggle .. borrow a librarybook. If you get . grandparents . ?,. ,•·'".••.: · �When .• my · own one of the "free" cards, you may. 1,, came west with a covered wagon also obtain books from any other : :;: in 1854, my father was a small Hbrary within San Mateo County. ·i..;,}boy of 4 years. He had seen signs ' Our Belmont. city library is , ::;; now and then along the route of located on the. Alameda de las •. •· . b the Q-egon Trai and. wislied he Pulgas about a block south of i ; · .... could read them. He picked up a Carlmont Shopping Center. It is ·i · smalL.,,stick .. in.··· Iowa . a�d openeach week, and '.ferii_s there _' ,. · · · · · · · · ~·· grandmother scratched letters m to help you. · ·· · . .. , the dust. He said he remembered Presently she has a special . . . !{walking behind : the heavily program for children, and others '.J i � loaded wagon for days ,; and�for all ages. It may help your j ,· ��weeks holding bis mother's hand. children if you take them to· visit : . : 't IiWhen the wagon stopped another _the library,Then explain to them � · . ��letter would be scratched in the about the poor child who didn't) enti By . i � dust �or him to try to id. fy: have a pencil or any p�per, who t '\ the h� the wagon tram reached learned to read from his mother . - t rwyoming, he could identify_ scratching alphabet letters in the� · · i:letters up toJ. · dust on the Oregon Trail as his ; in ·, 1�: When the train arrived _ family drove oxen �est in 1854. � f/:Oregon, he could read the entire How fortunate '\our � young J ��alphabet - all without a book.· people are that they can have ' ;] ;,However, if he had had b<;>eks to_ access to so many books on so , ;/);,study from, he could have. . many subject in these modern; � [ .learned a great deal faster. Books:times. The Belmont library helps ; ·-i gt open up the world forreaders. :� our citizens keep up with, and ' ' -� :: The family lived for a while perhaps a little ahead of, the rest r<'\..,. ; f.east of Eugene, then moved to of the world. . ijitiRui�··••FSst;p.:•••i:••· •ri�i,�c#���I

Most young peOple in Belmonfa�d San Ca�l�s ha�en'lheai-d . , .. · I ·': of .the effect ·motorized vehicles:had on hors�s>The horses.-~ .~ ;:=,. -.:-•, .. t· reared, and some ran' away . \Vb.en they saw.· au_tomobiles . :·approacb.ing. They'seemed terrorized when they saw a vehicle . approaching that wa sn't beingpu lled by horses. Usually several · .months, or som�times years, we�e required before the_:animal� ·. · · · ·· ·. . learned that vehicles could run without them. l When possible,' wagon drivers wciuld drive their. te�s off . the road and wait until the automobile had passed. . . .· · Some · horseback riders were thrown as' their:inou. . nts . ' struggled to' escape 'roaring motoq��d vehicles, .•.·.

' . · When horses saw their first airplanes, all the. above was :. repeated. ·It tookawhi le before ·driving horses could understand · · that they were safe from something they hadn't seen before. Drivers of surreysand buggies usually harnessed their teams with bridles that had "blinders" on the bridles. However, when .teamsters were hauling large loads· q. lumber or merchandise, the bridles were open on both sides. Horses . could see ·well, and they often froze with fright when they saw horseless carriages .•·-r-· wit�out other horses pulling them: . · · · ; , · Before the forii Of the· century,the first flight over an d.into Belmont ·was by ·a large gas balloon. 1t had taken off form 1 Woodward's in Gilden Gate Park. .It carried two men, and it . ' landed in Belmont. The men claimed that they h_ad reached an altitude of about 8,500 feet, and that they had a smooth. ride 1 . down to Belmont.' ' >· < . . ·;>: .. · · : ; · : · �> : ·. '..' · · /The balloon flight received ·considerable publicity;' as this I •.was the first opportunity people on the Peninsula h'ad had to see such an interesting sight. I can find no mention of how horses h l n rh s t e rs s e -�:��:�:e ��t�1:c:�t�;� �? ��t�'.!.� �� �- -�� � �.W, �: > In 1�8, .·an aii:plane came down, and everyone who _could s s _ went to ee it.. My father hitched up a team to the urrey and ::'\ load�d our family in to H ·�nd droye w_ithin one quarter mile of .... the aircraft...... -. .- ,,. . _. : ._ . � He said he was afraid to drive closer, for the horses might panic arxl run a'way. He tied the horses to a smaHtree, and we walked a bit nearer to see the crude ·aircrafL Dad. said, "Don 't

go ·c1oser• That thirigmight explode~ .·. ~ .'.'·-· :<>..... :.:::�•·:·:::::��;':�:.·:�-.- ·; I n •· The early . aii:pla e was a fUSher-:type, with one_· engine in bade of the aviator. The · little noisY: engine turned a. single propeller. · .. . ·_ , . _ .... ,· _:; · _ . . · . .._ .. · . • 'Airplanes had been improved by 1908. This one· had a wheel ee n n rs for'st ri g, i stead of a straight · stick. Newspape called this plane "very modern." . . . . . · . . The pfane took off across a hayfield. From that tim� onward airplanes became .. more common, and horses became · accustomed to them and only shied a little, and didn't run away. Only a few years after that nearly everyone had an automobile, and buggies and surreys were no longer. used .:.._ n · exceptas ridi g animals. · · _;. . •7...,,

·, .. ~. .

·_! ..., , \ ! Changes, changes. Always so Back while the lions roared .. i many changes. in our cities, across the freeway in th¢ animal \ transportationand people.. " ·, 'park when that sound startled i i It seems only yesterday when -some Belmonters, I was living ·1 .. some Belmont people watched on Sixth· Avenue. Their' roar \ \ while the El Camino Real was . see.med to . almost shake the \ beingmoved west' of the railroad . _house. :That· im_imal park·was. mo ed tracks: This was _don e: dudng � to Vall7Jo,_an,d.���.w.� WWiml918. ,· ., ,., ·don thear thehons.· ·-- , .. · Fresno scrapers were used. ·· Another · great . change in They were pulled by teams of Belmont came when William I horses, and some of the early Roth purchased the field where I trucks were also used. Those · our Carlmont Shopping· Center early trucks frequently broke was constructedlater. When SL down, and it was not unusual to Joseph, Military Academy see one beingrepaired along the occupied that site; the students stretch of new highway. . . were often seen in school · I The new road was two lanes uniforms playing football and and surfaced with redrock from baseballon theJield. . .· .· · the large hill, which used to be Carlmont . High School between therailroad tracks and . property used to be a prune the bay. . , . . · orchard. Some Belmont youths · . An old photoin my files shows picked up prunes at 10 cents per several 1908 automobiles 25-poundbox during their school approaching Belmont from the vacations. Some uninfrmed north on County .Road. The strangers never knew ·that ripe automobiles were· primitive. prunes must be picked up from WWI ad_vanced vehicles greatly.· the dust after falling from the -Many years ago Belmont prunetrees. ", · · · - · : - . people had.· · become . s_o. During WWII, there ,was a ' · accustomed to steam .. tram small annycamp in Belmont It ' whistles .that some said they was·located north 6f ·Ralston j ; couldn't sleep with diesel Averiue and west of Bayshore · ' :·whistles"; blowing.Apetition was Highway. Some . soldiers _sent to the Southern Pacific attended classes in.the building • asking that· train whistles . be . that is now the Congregational . "either toned down or that old Church. · · . ·:steam whistlesbe used . . , · -. ; · The flat ground where Avon . Gradually, over several years, ' and Chevy streetsare used to be .the diesel whistles have been a golf course. The houses were · adjusted so they don't keep built over thatarea during WWII. people awake. Their sound is Of coursethere have beenother very differentfrom . the old steam major, changes. One must · train whistle,. but Belmonters wonder what Belmont will be sleep well again. . like a century ahead. Probably i And therewere the lions. .- still a goodplace in which to live. Carlmont - .� (;...

B: : i· ..s : tor\r> "· · ::: . . -t·-J i::

I When Belmonters want to go bothdirections. It ran fro.;,San to Half Moon Bay, they get into Jose to San Francisco. Transfers their cars and scootthere in about were unacceptable by bothlines. 20 minutes. But it hasn't always It wasn't that they didn't trust been so easy. In 1874, according one another. Bookkeeping would to old records, the people would have been difficult, and neither ! have gone thereby horseback or · stage line cared to botherwith it · by driving their buggies. Once the horses pulling the :. One girl, especially, who lived Half Moon Bay stage ran away.\ where the Opportunity Shop is, They took the bits into their drove a buggy around the small mouths, and passengers had a town and to Redwood City and wild ride. Old reportson this tell San Mateo quite often. Her that the stage remained upright, family kept a horse, and she and no one was hurt. The stage made good use of it She could didn't roll over assome had done be seen nearly every evening previously. The driverhad a new currying and brushing her pet horse that day, and the team animal. The gentle horse was a spookedwhen a deercrossed the \ bay, and it had long forelocks. single-track road ahead of them. Some other people also kept a Later the driver changed the , horse, and they owned either a bridle bits that wereused on the surrey or buggy, or both. When unbroken stage horse. Broken a single personneeded to go any horsesseldom spook. place they rodehorseback. It was Driversof buggies and stages, improperthough for girls to ride as well as Teamsters, rodeon the as boys rode. Girls had to ride right side of the front seat. The , side saddle, with a leg curved brake was accessible there. around the saddle horn.The girls Belmont was a small restful saddles were constructed town, and people didn't move differently than saddles we see quite as fast as in the big cities. now. You can see them in This attitude must have canied museums. forward to only 15 years ago. At When a lady needed to travel that time, the City Council had across the hill to Half Moon Bay, complaints of the Southern she usually rode in a horse­ Pacific trains repairing through drawn stage coach. Horse-drawn Belmont. They traveled very coaches became available in fast.A motion was made by the 1874. Mr. Janke and FredPruner city fathers that the trainshad to joined forces and started running slow down to 35 miles per hour. · stages once a day in each _direction. Janke. was operating · The railroad - company the general merchandise store complied, but began blowing (pink building) and Fred Pruner train whistles at the city limits, owned Belmont's livery stable. and engineers held open the Old reports aboutthis say that whistles all the way as they Janke had the money and Pruner passed our city. had the horses. So they People couldn't sleep. Soon combined and were successful this order ,was reversed, and from the beginning. Also there Belmontersmanag ed to catch up was the north and south stage. with their lost sleep in a few A "through" stage passed days. Everyone was happy through Belmont each day in again; - ,/ Carlmont History By .. Russ. Estep OFFICIALHISTORIAN• •. FOR THECU:YOFBELMONT

People everywhere like parades. They like to stand on a sidewalk to watch them go by, and they like being in them. We had a large one aoout 20 years ago, and many people watched fromthe side of Ralston Avenue. Several floats were in the parade. Some participantsrode in cars and some walked. 1l1e Palo Alto Chapter of the S.A.R. oorrowed a Cadillac and loaded some of their members into it. They were the last vehicle in the parade, and when RupertTaylor flmed it, he discovered that he had missedfilming the last vehicle. Some of their members were annoyed, but Rupertwas forgiven. Aoout 20 years ago, our Chamber of Commerce sponsored a ' parade at Christmas time. Ed Vallerg a and George Tiegel had · decorated the large redwood tree which used to stand on the south side and one-half a blockwest of Ralston Avenue. That year our Chamber of Commerce had Mayor Charles H. Cook riding in a little red wagon being pulled along Ralston , Avenue by a strong man. Charley was heavy, so the pulling must have been rather difficult. But they made it out to the Alameda as Charley tossed wrapped candy to children along the street. Another year our Chamber of Commerce wanted Belmont to be represented in the larger parade in Redwood City. Max Millard, and his wife, Vera, rode in a buggy pulled by a bay horse down Broadway waving to thewatchers on the sidewalks. They had a slogan on the side of the buggy proclaiming that "Belmont was the first County Seat.'.' When they drove by the 1 Redwood City viewing stand, they noticed some thumbs down. ' Apparently some citizens in Redwood City didn't realize that Delmont had really beenthe county seat in 1856. I Since Ulen, Delmont has had several parades here. Some for !3elmont children have been held near Easter time, when small children appeared in Easter costumes. When real estate sales were up several years ago, one ambitious realtor had his salesmen drive cars along Ralston A venue with signs on the sides proclaiming "goodbuys" at their establishment. But this wasn't a real parade-just an advertising stunt to get attention. Something unusual happened in one of the large parades in Redwood City aoout 15 or 20 years ago. A very small ooy, whom people said came from Belmont, forgot to go to the bathroom before the parade started. He was wearing light­ colored trousers. What happened showed plainly. Some people laughed at his wet pants, while otherswere heard to say, "I'll bet that kid came fromBelmont." Carlmont History �Y Russ Estep • OFFICIALHISTORIAN .FOR 1JfEClfY OF BELMONT

We don't hear very much these days of the SpanisJ-tpeople who were here many years ago. In. 1795 the Spanish were· the only · pecple in this area. Of course Spain claimed California, and the English would liked to have had it, and the Russians occupied Fort Ross up the coast north of here. If you haven't visited Fort Ross, you should go there. The original church burned a few years ago, but a new one was constructed. Senor Arguello came here in 1795. An original photo of Arguello shows him to be a gentlemanly man. He was well educated and had been sent to San Francisco. He represented Spain and its affairs for several years. In fact, he did such a goodjob, the Spanish king awardedhim a land grant,which contained approximately 34,200 acres, including all the land from the creeknorth of Palo Alto to San Mateo, and fromthe Bay to the I top of the ridge at Skyline Boulevard. 1 At first, the Arguelles lived where we findthe intersectionof San Carlos and Cordilleras avenues. There used to be a good spring there. Then, in 1821, the headquarters moved to Cedar Street about \ a block north of what we call San Carlos Avenue. San Carlos f Avenue became their driveway to go down to El Camino Real, which is now the Old County Road. Thereis a wide place at Cedar Street where their house used to be. The Arguellos raisedlivestock, mostly cattleand horses, although old records tell of them owning several hundred hogs. They used horses for riding and pulling their wagons. The trip by surrey to either San Frani;:iscoor San Jose Mission requireda whole day. Mexican vaqueros herded the cattle, running loose over the big rancho. Mexican cowboys of the era used saddles vith large saddle horns,so the men could twisttheir braided ropes around them when they caught an animal. Early drawings of the Arguello Vaqueros show them with spurs, which had very large rowels, large hats with flat brims and tassels hanging down fromthe outer edgeof the brims. Mexican cowboys were said to have been very efficient. They could catch a calf for marking, as easily as American cowboys "J . could later. Calves were usually caught by.their back Teet, then the rider jumped off his horse and laid the calf onto its side, as the · horse leanedback and held the ropetight. .. Marking and branding was done to keep the Arguello livesiock separated from those of Mission Dolores, where several thousand cattle ranged over the same territory. California didn't have many residents in 1795, and there was scarcely any market for beef. However, there were ships arrMng occasibnally from the east coast, and their captains oftenpurchased I hides, which were taken to Boston where leather was needed for [_ making shoesand many other things such as harnesses.The prices california was occupied mostly by t11c Spanish. TI1cn c:1< quoted for hides was usually two dollars each. people came. Now the trend is re\wsin?2, am1 a ce:.r.::;: trnrn :· At this low amount, the sailing ships needL'd to purchase California will probably be cx:cu;--ic'd once J!c:,in n:c•<:, liy S;·:::: · thousands of hides to make a profit. Early sailing ships anchored at speaking people. Half Moon Bay, and cattle were dri\'en there to be butchered. 111ere Californians will have to k.u-:-: •':,' S11ni<: !.:::;•:.,;c>. l•c·c:w was no road yet from Belmont to the coast. will ~ widdy used. .. Carlmont History By Russ Estep OFFICIAL HISTORIAN FOR THE(;ITJ'OF BELMONT.

More on sanitariums Although Annette Alexander started her sanitarium here in Belmont in 1928, she soon found ::ompetition developing. There were others who believed Belmont would be a desirable locationfor personswith nervous problems. Theold Redwood City Tribune of August 13, 1925, has an article · about the beginning of another local sanitarium. The article states, "A certified copy of the articles of incorporation of Twin Pines, Inc. was filed in the officeof the county clerk at Redwood City on March 25, last. The original papers having been filed in the office of Secretary of State Frank C. Jordan on April 11. The purpose of the company is to manage and to operate health resorts, buy and sell property, etc. The capital stock is $75,000, divided into 750 shares of the par value of $100 each. The original subscribers and directors are Walter F. Schaller, Henry G. Mehrtens and Herbert J. Gottbrath. all of San Francisco." While the owners of the Twin Pines Sanitarium may have given gifts to Belmont and to our various organizations, I cannot fnd items expressing this in any old newspapers. Perhaps they wanted new aboutthis kept quiet. On the otherhand Annette Alexander gave many gifts. When our Sea Scouts neededa new boat, it was Annette Alexander who gave it to them as a gift. Another time the Scouts needed uniforms, and Annette g:rve money to purchase them. Once when the local scouts wanted to attend a scout. meeting in Southern CaliforPJ:i, she g:,.,:e them train tickets. She was always doing things for other Belmont people. Older citizens of Belmont miss her. The l0<;al service clubs often present things to help our citizens. Recently the Lions Club presented money for several scholarships to high school graduates. School officials and teachers had recommended the scholarship winners. Students strived for these gifts, and it is probable that better grades for some were a result of the scholarshipofferings . TheBelmont Rotary and Kiwanis clubs have been very helpful to our young Belmont people. Some will always remember the help · they received while attending schools in our city. TheSan Carlos service clubs also donate considerable funds to assist �e high school student. The students who have been given these scholarships will remember our service clubs for as long as they live. Once, when I was seated next to Mrs. Alexander at a Chamberof Commerce meetingshe commented, "I do give gifts to students. And would you know, the value of those gifts has always come back to me in one way or another. Belmont people appreciate whatever help is given them. In Belmont it pays to help you neighbors, Belmont people are all good people." ...... � ...... , ;;..,...: •'-1,f,' ' 'h••••·••···········- · ····-· ·.· · . . . . . -G.arlmont

1i ,fJ�i4�ffJI . ______...... ;.....;...... ;.;.;=· """ •__ . .-__,.�_{; _:/;·_/._._;=�;�.;.;..;ti=;}/�:::i/2L i�il::;..: .;.L---�------.. ;· . The announcement of Sept. An attack upon a city's based on leaving out any and all 16, 1927, that Belmont's incorp­ legality can only be _made acreage necessary. oration had been set aside through the peri,nission of the surprised me. I had liked Bel­ attorney general, but Bourdette About twoyears iater the suit mont's hills and the little valley had obtained the consent of was set aside, and Belmont was again a city in California. Most and had often driven my second California's Attorney General. cousin, Margaret · Ellsworth, U.S. Webb. local people were relieved and over to the new town. The incorporation of Belmont pleased. _ Chief of Police Toe populationwas about 900 was originally ok'd by only a Caldwell was paid his long-due then. Houses were scattered. My small number of votes.' Yet it salary . 1925 Model-T Ford car could bad carried. Bourdette's acreage handle all the hills. Margaret was approximately 230 acres. Bourdette's land was later and I were young then. She later California law tells us very . taken into Belmont, and it is married Arne Herson, manager ciearly that signers of a petition now the location of Carlmont of Belmont's water district. for disincorporation of a city High School, a school which Superior Judge John Hudner, must date their signatures. This received ari award after its of Hollister, had made the wasn't done. And Bourdette had construction for being one of decision to disincorporate Bel­ mont. An old newspaper in my '' files states that an election was ! held and that the area's citizens, How Beln1ont's all but one, wanted Belmont incorporated. incorr,oration was However, John Bourdette ob­ set asitle... and later jected, and sued to stop the \ incorporation. He owned land \ where Carlmont High School restored \ I was constructed later. He - claimed that he had not been contacted about the incor- not asked 'for his land to be the "best designed·high - schools' poration of Belmont and had included within the city. He in Califontia." not given his permission. His claimed his 30 acres wereranch We are proud to have _it here. land was farm land and -was thathad neverbeen subdivided. · planted mostly as a prune _ . City officials who were put orchard. . . . out of . office, were Harry Superior Court Judge John L. Warren, Columbus Messner, Hudner, of Hollister was the Lewis Vannier and · Tom judge who decided not to allow Pennington. Toe city clerk had the incorporation to continue. been D.W. Callen, and city The decision caused some .treasurerwas SJ.. Cook. · problems, for Belmont couldn't . Judge Hudner was .·,yery pay bills or collect taxes. The ·- reluctant to set aside the suit, chief of police was owed some . but be did leave the way open . back salary. for an amenqedincorporation �, a.J :}zl_= -� 17]; >:1 ·�, 1 <{'\':"\,l -1 ,:J ·;) -· �j:.·J ,::r::f � ,;iii -t-.-.,1' i.iJ '.;/f.,..·�

in th:.: .11\:rnc>ons nc::rrly s:vcry ,.i;,y since uur wwn was firq

iike t11e c:;::an .iir. anJ snn:e stay•.:d L!i) think this tns he!peJ keep �\">t Ji! :he lun·J-.... ,� ::1 the 1:�s1. barn cou!J he used. a1:,j aho U,e rn�:J.i :ur.c:�. >�ir :l �!S-..'.d :\: ·---.: :-)ig naiis had been tr.e 0lJ squJ.r-2 n1��1l. .L--:,J ·.:-.�y c:1lh:J '.� -:ir::cr. :carlmont History'. type. Round nails wit.h hc:.1Js Q{i_t;n. �:'- �S�\vi�:t.:s (OU!Jn L }?-l[ weren't availabk in early word to tJ:eir husb:.u1ds who \ By Russ Estep \ California. Square nails were might be plowing. bcc:iusc of !1 I just tapered bits of iron. and the nonhwest wind c:i.rrying the Bc!:nont s citizens healthy, were used in e::irly construction. sound of :.l",e:r ·, cices. TI,ey u:::ed P:.:rhaps this was well 111c strong \vinds ::�r� hc�ped a trii'1f�:: �:L:.:� \;I :rcn ;·\)r a reccgnizd ye:irs ago when the drive s3.iling ships from San sign:i! J..."":� �<)J:--:li..:�1 1 .:;Lr�;11t m:iny �J..."li,ariums th:.n used to Francisco. Our w:.'.'!c.s usu:.1lly piec� \:r' �:-.�:i ·-. i�i:in �-.:: ;:::ir:�l::. be here \I.ereestablished. come from the nonhwest. This scund 1,1.,·nuIJ pt;:1c�:1rc There have been times Saiiing ships and sail boJtS the strong ·xind cuite :i. c.i,ur:ce. however. when our Belmont often made the trip do\vn the and men could unrjrch 'heir winds did damage. An old news Bay from San Francisco i11 less teams and hurry home to eat a item in the Times Gazette of than an hour. January 3, 1885. describes some large me::..l. But their return up the Bay of this. Communications have im­ against the prevailing winds Robert Mills had a barn proved considerably, and if a required from three to four housewife needed to reach her constructed by carpenters from hours or sometimes longer. husband now. she would simply San Francisco. Apparently, the When tacking against the strong talk to him on her small foreman wasn't accustomed to winds. they had to travel a portable telephone. our strong gusts of wind which greater distance. happen now and then. Belmont has had some very Shonly after completion of The strong winds :n Belmont hard stonns during the past the laq;e 60-by-60 foot barn. usually occur in ll,e 1.tte,ncon. cenn1ry. b�Jt .1s fJI J.S I c:::.;: 1�1.m. here the winds came. 1l1e Mornings are usually c:ilm. no other :,uildings h:ive blown foreman then le::uned that he One old-timer told me the down. hadn't h:idenough braces placed Belmont winds used to help Lc'Cal carpenter foremen by his crew. The barn blew local housewives with their understand our climate :ind its down. weekly washing. They hung occasil1n:ll gusts of wind in the A Ioc:il foreman was hired to clothing and their laundry to get wintertime. \Vhat they build reconstruct the barn. He the sun in the forenoons. and remains standing.

---- Bdmont is a growing, healthy place to work. T1ley all left, ar.d L".c Colorado River overflowed. city .md I'm sure it will continue the place was deserted. Left to President "Teddy" Roosevelt or­ to be this way. But somG other die thereon the hot desen. dered every freight car avaiLible (owns have been staned, and L'1 the United States to be taken Of course,nothng like this will then for one reason or another, there to bring fill dirt to stop the they die on thevine. ever happen in Belmont. Our brc:lkin tJ1c river bank. Recently, when I f1ew dovm to city's businesses do change visit Salton Cit y in Imperial hands now aEd then, and new \\";,en the 11ood stoprc l. t:,c County, I w:is shocked to S.:!e ones arc stancd. Our city fathers \.\ 2.��r rem0.incd, forn1il!g work together, :i..:1d the Chamber SJ.ltonSea. of Commerce continues to help new businesses. Historians say that miU10;-i:; of i:carlmont History Salton City had a Chamber of years ago the ocean extended Commerce, but apparently they · there. but movement of the land - By Russ Estep weren't able to hold things to­ J.a.r:erblocked that input Ii II gether. Hundreds of Belmont and San Salton City had wonderfulpo- Carlos residents purchased va­ tential, with good fishing, a very cant lots on Salton Sea many dry,healthy climate and beautiful years ago. Maybe someday it that a healthy and vigorous town cool areasin the mountains to the will"come alive" again. had died. west. It was excellent for sum- Perhapssome future developer Thetwo large motels, two ser­ mer picnics, bu it did not have will somedayrecognize the profit vice stations, three restaurants, enough publicity to bring in a possibilities and bring in people thebeautiful yacht club, a Bank population to supportthe city. who will see the great healL'l f: of America and three stores all Boatingattracted some people, benefits forliving where the air were closed, and the buildings andmany boat races were held is dryand where water sportsare i weretrashed . there. Thewater was salty, but readily available. Wmdows werebroken and had not enough to support swimmers 1 ·ct ... As we drove along, my pas-1 l fallen out, and buildings were a')S . attI La.le.e, Utah , 1s. s:u to d o.. ng t:o po senger and 1 notice. d soffic th mg. f, goi � �me houses were Toe salt gets i nto the water as black far ahead of us. We v� their windows also bro- . S alton Cityfrom salt bedsunder couldn't make it °-ut as L'le in- ken. :' · . _ -- _ . . . . t he huge lake, or sea as it is · ·· tenseheat was causing our view I wanted to makea telephone called. I call, but learned there were no to be distorted. As we came l telephonesthat worked. 'The Salton Sea is larger than closer,we could see several buz- I asked a fisherman what had Lake Tahoeand is about33 miles zards eating a rabbit or rodent 1 happened. He told me thatwhen long and 12 miles wide. · besidethe Main Street l thebusinesses left. no one had a It was formed in 1908 when 'TheSalton Sea areais dead. f . -- ..--· .. ,_ . .

I / l0arlmont:.···

. ' :gi�tg�: ,,.· -- -�Y R1.1ssF},tep/ f}FFlCIAfHJSTORIAN >... • JtoR THE Cm.'OF BELMONT . :::iib/: : ::: ·=··· >:::/\\): : ;?. . ,: : ' " q • .' . � People often book three-week. , ing at thedock., and they boarded. voyages to Hawaii before steamers,, A n employee of the shipping com-· were commonly used. T hey had to . pany brought their large trunk to travel by sailing ships. Some be- , their stateroom. The ship wasonly came sea sick. Not many en oyed 1 j two hours late in starting, and soon · their long voyages. · ' ' • ' .. : ,after that they were out the Golden, ' Those who started from San Jose '• Gate. Both went up on deck and first had to get to San Francisco. they watched as the sailsfilled and Trains· weren't used until 1863. they were thrilled to think they One couple made the trip in 1860. werereally on their way to Hawaii. · What a time they had :--:-- so diITer: Both were nervous and soon their ent from now, · ',, . . ' ,. ' · < stomachs reacted, and bothwere sea An old news hem tells that they sick.. When they arrived at Hon­ had sold theirlarge prune orchard to olulu, there was nothing to greet an eastern buyer at an unexpected their ship--:- no Aloha Tower - profit. So they wantedto celebrate. nothing. The ship they were to travelon was They were ta.kento a small hotel scheduled to sail from San Fran: . near Waikiki Beach, where they en­ cisco on a Tuesday at high tide. joyed their two-week stay. They They hadn't anticipated any prob- were away for three weeks going !ems. Yet one developed even be- · over, three weeks returning, and fore they boarded the sailing ship. two weeks in Hawaii. They were Enroute to San Francisco on the glad to get home from the tiresome stage, one horse threw a shoe. trip. Then it began to limp, and the Recently, one of their grandsons driver decided to stop at Belmont's commented to me: "Travel used to blacksmith shop. · require lots of time. Last Thursday, Upon arrival, the driver left the I had to fly to Honolulu ';_ over harness on the horse and unhitched and back the same day - to get it. Then the Belmont blacksmith. some papers officiallysigned before rasped the horses foot until it was a notary public so they could be smooth, and he poured a little dip recordedhere. It was necessary be­ sheep onto the center portion where_, cause the signature couldn't be it had been somewhat bruised. · r. faxed. It had to be the original. The driver explained to the Grandpa thought he was living in blacksmith that he was in a hurry modemtimes, but.I Hice the modem because his passenger had to reach times · we have ·��w--b., .... euer th . San F ranc1sco as f ast as poss1'b' �e to , w at he had.• ;. /,.' i:' '?· an · h . . s· ca a w 'df . \ - ��e ����:;m�� �!·a·�:d·,�- �, sed : horseshoe that would fit, and he • nailed it on; Within a half hour,. 1. the horse was hitched again and the San Jose couple - along with their large,mi.nti: ir,we,:e -�Jrn\.e?iTT;1�ft\'. way.. ,, · , , � .. . 1 .As they Jcft Belmont,.(thcncalled, "Waterview") the man commented to his wife that "he wondered whether that stopping place would ever amount to anything." Their large "tall ship" was -wait- Airplanes were much smaller then, and jetshadn't beeninvented. I flew out of the Mills Field sev­ ":l@�]liGrlf eral times, and the terminal was northof thepresent larger terminal. · . . : ' · ...... When WWII started, the San · · · �· Francisco Airport needed to be :· ·. If ····· .1··s· .. . · ··· · ··..1· ···0· . ···· · · · •···( J· { ' . · · largerand the 'present terminal was · � \(•···· >:+•/' K'.Y'.;r:i•i !f i! , .••:r constructed. , When it was. dedicated, Mayor · Robinson g ave a speech and told the large crowdthat the new termi­ nal was the "tenninalof the future," and wouldn't need .tobe a dded onto. :�===.-=,..=,..�·.,...,.=.,= •.. . ·i::::::=:::::::f.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::#=:::::::::=:::��-=• . �,,=,;=::=·:=}�=· _::._,,====.=.=, =. , fo r at least40 years.-: 1 .:: ,: ,, · . ,r ,� .., · ,.'.Treasure Island had nned ��-pla _;;. Additions began.; the following · tS·-' w hen;''theiPanama · P a cific : to be San Fr cisco s ir ort � ' 'A � . •. " year,and work hasnot stopped yet �;I�t�rnational'iExp�sition/ �as ng ; W ith our large,Jets now. requm What they built was impressive, l o pened in San Francisco and Lm- ' · . long runways, that locauon w,ould but Vera Millard, who was sitting f: coln Beachy"looped the loop" ver o , hav.e beenadequate. · , in the front row beside me at the \ the "Bay· near' the Marina, '.many : commented, i"I'il bet_lh�y ': people· from Belmont were there. ' Some other ideas of the, time : dedication The year was 1915 and theopening , were to build flatroofs on some of will find this all too small w1th10 1 of the Panama Canal was being San Francisco's tall puddlings for two years." ', celebrated. Lincoln Beachy's flight planes to land on. , How very We were sitting a mere l O feet ',iwas�'t the firstairplane I had,seen. inadequatethat would have been!· ·: . from Mayor Robinson. Vera was . · · J. Ogden Mills lived where we Belmont' Chamber of Commerce :;-' ·My . · first was in 1912. ,;, · ·' · s ;, · . No one watching Beachy could , now find Millbrae.\ His home was secretary, and I was president. f:have possiblypredicted the futureof a very large house on the hilltop. Belmont's people often are more Down below his house was a hay, i,;'airplanes. World War I advanced. ·· "far sighted" than folks from other field . which he. own�d. · . . e a1 so. ' :,�.--flighta greatdeal when some o__ f lhe.:. . . . '. . , ·H . ·. places. war was fought in lhe air by very ·. owned tidelands. - ·-. - - - +.'· • • ,.' · Verawas proven to be right r brave Americans. After much dickering, San· Fran­ · Following World War I. adven- cisco officialsarranged �o lease his '.. turous men took up flying, and ' land down near theBay lfor theSan ; .. many "air strips" began appearing. · Francisco Airport,whicq would be. '' One was in Belmont, where the . named Mills Field, ·· · '' '. Mae Nesbit School was built later. ·I ,, .. , :·, ·,This little, unpaved gravel strip · extended east and west. Operators , of the little airport offered a free ,; : flight for anyone writing the best · v manuscript on "why everyone ' ' should learnto fly." '·. · ' ; ·,; There wasalso a small airport in : San Carlos east of the railroad r track,and flyinglessons were given i� there for a while.� . . ,. , ; r/ ·Downin Redwood City there was,, 1< a small airport near the Bayshore , !(Highway. Flying l���s were :i!so.;,., .. offeredthere. ... . , . . , . . , · [�,.�_. After a few years,· all of these _: ' 11 small airportsdisappeared and sub- � . \ ,it divisions of small houses· were. · } \ built -.except in Belmont, where ·1 f. the Mae_ .Nesbit sc�ool took over lhe site. ' · F, _, �- , \ . . >· Before the San Franc1sCQ.;a1tp0rt ,, t,;was constructed there were.people:!,! ;�:w h0«�l91JghL .th� oairprt,sbould I be.'.·. · in another locauon. These people •'.couldn'tsee farahead and seemed to . ':·: believe flying wouldn't advan�e as n iJ has done. ,., } . .' · ; :ust 4, 1993 Enquirer-Bull 2 AHist.· . ·. · : ory O f Go'O d. sCflOO.IE 1 1r Wildlife, birds and fish do all professional men, such as doctors mont's little school had elect� they can to train and educate their or lawyers turnedto politics. lights. young. Animals are seen training Belmont had one advant.:1ge over The first little one-room sc:·. their off-spring. became too tiny near the Lum of People also make every effort to CARLMONTHISTORY century, and it was taken down. help their children to receivean ed­ ----- IJy Russe!! Estep larger, two-story school was cc ucation. When our country was structed. The new school w:.1s very new, the early settlers estab- the east side of Old County R0 1.ished log schools before lumber about one-half block south of R was available. ston A venue. Many young women went to our By that time, San Carlos nee:.: American wild country to teach. their own school, and they bui; Some dodged arrows shot at them small one-room building to by Indians. But most stayed with commodatetheir children. their school children, sometimes Seeing a need for schools accompanying them to their homes Catholics also cst.:1blishcd n sc!":. to protect them when school let in Belmont. �bny si;nc::! up l, '. out. many western towns. Saw mills cut tend, but this ·,,;as much ':.uc:·. One of the first schools here in redwood lumber in Woodside as was called the Immaculate He�1;: Belmont was a little one-room early as 1850. Actually, there were Mary. They also had the St. Jos: building betweenOld County Road said to have been nine mills :--Vlilitary Academy. and the railroad tracks. Children operating then. Presently Belmont has m;: from both Belmont and San Carlos Belmont didn't need to cut logs modern schools with good repu attended. for the first school. They never had lions, including :'.',;esbit, �kDou� Later, as more people settled in a log school house here. It was and Fox schools. this location, another little school built of rough lumber and stood Belmont chiidren are fortunate was built across Old County Road, between Old County Road and the have such good schools to atter'. south .of Ralston_ Later that school railroad tracks south of Ralston When they continue on to col le, was rebuilt into a two-story build­ Avenue. most discover they keep abre:1st, ing with more classrooms to ac­ On short winter days, the teacher perhaps a little ahead of studc: commodate Belmont's increasing lit candles so they could sc.:: to reo.d. from other places. They feel fo;: popul::i.tion. It was nearly 40 years before Bel- nate to be from Belmont. Most students of that time couldn't afford high school. They spent their lives with only a grade schooleducation. The few who received a higher education advanced into powerful positions. They "ran the country." Many others became successful businessmen. Theyfound competi­ tion scarce and had things about the way they wante

·------

:. � Govemor's·Town' { Belmont Once a • ' I ° Many people in Belmont do not turcs. here in early days. realize that a former governor of CARLMONTHISTORY : It is much smaller than other 1l1e large Newhall house across this state lived here. Old newspa­ by Russell Eslep 'early Delman\ houses. Mr. Emmett the railroad tracks was a total loss persmention GovernorMcDougall, :was a partner with Mr. Waltermire because of no piped water at that 1 ·, who lived where we now findTwin jin· owning the ' "pink' building" time. . , t. · Pines Park. /acrossthe tracks. ·;,1c.,, ' · · Another early home .was the One of our schools was named I The house presenl.ly is occupied Hanson house. It used to stand near forl11is man. . '.byretail oul.lets. . ·.' · the norm end of Fifth Avenue, and Although he attained some : i .Another very large. house had · at one time ��4�!? �. .s�nitarium prominence - and was likely �n the residence of Mr. Mezes, :. temporarily.,; '.·,;:,r.:i\'.,,:/\'. ,i ,, known throughout California - µie auorney who. waJghtened out,.,/ , There use.a) aj;�b,!)"' �el(.�nt.Lot.hc r -4 old newspaper items seem to the titles forMrs. Arguello after her , large, old houses,in Belmont. They 1 husbandpassed away. . . · . · have either burn� O(; been lofn downgradehis ethics. I . ,.. . . Y ct, Belmontcrs should be glad , near today's retirement home called ! Mr. Mezes legal fees forhis work down. · <: ,, , that he showed sensible judgement Bonnie Brae Terrace. · allowed him to own much of Bel- Presenl.ly.it seems Dclmonlcrs in choosing our dty for his home, His home was painted white, and moot, part of San Mateo, all of San prefer small or. m,iddlc�size homes. when he had µie entire state to it was locateon the west side of the Carlos, and a portion of Redwood They. require less car,;,,and the oc­ choose from. / street. When he died, the large City. Since Mrs. Mezes had inher- ''cupants don't rail.le around in them. Twin Pines, Park is one of our building was taken over by some ited 34,200acres when her husband Of course· the·:william· Ralston state's cleanest and nicest small doctorsand re-named the "California passed away, Mezes portion was house still stands and is owned by places to hav6 picnics. Sanitarium," specialized in caring �omparatively rathersmall. the College of Notr� .Dame. Y 011 for patients having tuberculosis When Mr: Janke owned it many ; Old records tell of the huge may arrange to visit the. house if 1 thousands of personspatronized his which later it was torn down and Mezes house burning. Since Bel- you make a phone call to the col- picnic grounds. apartments now occupy the site. monl had no piped water, in those lege first. It is very interesting to Ol11er well-known characters have On the south side of Ralston early· years, it would have been visit that house just to see how the also resided in Belmont There -was Avenue near El Camino Real is the nearly impossibleto douse a fireby early people in Belmont lived. a man called we "Macaroni King." old Emmett home, which is listed carrying water from a well. There Some were. extravag8!}l,beyond be- · His home was on Lake Street, out as one of Belmont's historic struc- ';'ere severdl very large houses lost lief. . .,.• ..: ·. , .• , : l l

. , -� ' , ......

. .

J 1 1------''FfOin]Jirl:ROaas'.:,to the,:21SiCentury ·. i Most townsbegan as 'Hetmont - nette Alexander, .Juel Christensen Real. A real estate man, who situatedon narrow,unpaved and of- · CARLMONTHISTORY and I were very active in Belmont's wanted to sell his office - which ten roughroads.·· , · :< . by Russell Estep Chamber of Commerce. We held would have been at the western

l . ' Of course horse-drawn wagons . several meetings and decided to try terminus of the overpass off ramp . didn't really need pavement. They : - to induce the City Council to help. - used considerable effort and 1 were· better,'off without it Horses r · ' They were very co-operative, and as money to defeatthe overpass when might slip now and then and some­ soon as they could, they assigned a it was first brought to a vote. times would fall. If a_ horse hap- · kf,} · Many years passed. Finally we· . if, .:·· contract for widening Ralston to

pened break a . leg;: the owner : _ to \ _ ·""' foudanes, or to curblines. . have decided an underpass must be usually shot it. Broken legs · on Merchants had been complaining built. Now it finally appears that .!-! horses could seldom berepaired - about_the dust fromthe unpaved ar­ Belmont will have one within the especially if. no veterinarian was eas, .and when work finally began next year. a . lab e:· . ,, .. . �� � . _ > �,.- ,,v.,,,., . ;:, . , .. :;, ' . · citizens quieteddown. Belmont has already landscaped As. people began using 'automo- 'c'The through-street, now called When the city was successful in the middle of El Camino Real, and biles, they wanted smooth rides ... Old County Road, was the first that getting the side areas along El next will be replacing concrete ; ' They demanded somethingbe done was paved. Next was Ralston Av- Camino Real paved, Belmont sidewalks with redbricks. about roughroads and streets. enue, but it was only paved with st�d to look "more modem." There have been other improve­ • Early cars didn't have shock ab- two lanes. � citizens were proud to reside ments over the years. Belmont is sorbers and usually were rough Of course, the El Camino Real thcr�. but in any city, there always looking very modern these days, enough to ride in Belmont settlers had already been moved west of the seerrl's to be more that should be and when local people tell others were among those insisting the railroad tracks in 1918. It was many done. they reside here, they really mean City Council take some kind of ac- years after that when the first Many people wanted an overpass il. tion. paving occurred. At that time, An- at Ralston Avenue and El Camino Belmont is a great city.

• P--:" ifl'I SWT-ij'?U""" 4F-,«,-��� ,..._... !'I�� _.,.._... __, ____ _,_ • ------.��-�,, rfil Belmont Good Students, SuccessfulPeople very satisfactory settlement from ations to nearby cities. pearsgood, but Doris' health is ap­ CARLMONTHISTORY the Arguello family. As long as they had a connection parently declining, for she is in the byRussell EJtep. The Arguellos, you will remem­ with Belmont they were successful. Hill Street Sanitarium. Both are ber, were the people who had re­ Educational opportunities have good peopleand a credit to our city. ceived the 42, 200-acre land grant always been available either right Doris attended college, became a from the King of Spain for work here or close by. The College of teacher, and taught school until she done for the Spanish government Notre Dame is an excellent school. retired. when our state was firstsettled. The College of San Mat� and A very successful manufacturing Sidney M. Mezes wasan attorney Canada are likewise considered company in Belmont is the Tiegel who came here fromPuerto Rico at good. Manufacturing Co. The founder, the request of Mrs. Arguello. He Of course it hasn't always been George Tiegel, has passed away, had beenborn in Belmont He had this way. When Belmont was very but the company is being operated graduatedfrom Brewer's academy in new, only a single, one-room grade by his two sons. I sold George his Early Belmont people and our San Mateo, graduatedfrom the state school was here. It was locate east first commercial lot on Old County present citizens believe in getting university,completed his studies at- of the railroad, then moved a bit · Road when he moved down her ' ar goodeducations. 1beyfind they are Harvard andin Gennany. f ther east from its first location, from Alaska, in January, 1951. qualified forbetter employment and In 1895 he waselected to the po-,, across Old County Road and south .. ,,._ "�...... can make more money. Our school sition of head professor of philoso­ of Ralston A venue. deorge told me he had lookedfor students study hard and usually get phy at TexasUniversity. Both Belmont and San ·carlos places to establish his factory, and good grades. It has always beenthis Therehave beenother prominent children attended. Later this little after lookingall over thePeninsula, way in Belmont people from Belmont Some be­ school was replaced with a two­ he decided Belmont would be the An old newspaper item dated came financially "above-board"very story school building in the same best place. He was right, for his Sept.2, 1902, tells about an early fast and moved to Atherton and location. company has been successful be­ settler here reaching the top of the Hillsborough. There are still at least two citi­ yond his expectations. ladder. He was Sidney, M. Mezes, Also there were several manufac­ zens alive who attended that school. George said, "Good· old Bel­ son of S.M. Mezes, the attorney turers who started their businesses They Doris Vannier and Bert John­ mont," when he was in my office who helpedMrs. Arguello get her in Belmont, then moved their oper- son. At this time, Bert's health ap- shonly beforehe died. L .l