Tuesday, February 28, 2012
School House gets a Phone
It was announced in the October 14, 1904 edition of the Riverside Enterprise that the Jurupa school house had recently had a phone installed, "a great convenience for both teachers and scholars."
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Small Pox on the Jensen Ranch
A case of small pox was reported at the home of Cornelius Jensen in Jurupa in September 1885. The victim was a grandchild of Mr. Jensen whose family had just returned from Mexico, where is was believed that the child had contracted the disease. Unfortunately, the child died. The house was properly guarded and cleansed, reported the local newspapers, and no one else caught the disease. It was the only case of small pox reported in San Bernardino County that season. (Jurupa was at that time still part of San Bernardino County as Riverside did not become a county until 1893.)
Monday, February 20, 2012
Big Hunt
A big rabbit hunt was held near the farm of A.J. Stalder in Union (now Mira Loma) on February 13, 1897. Apparently rabbits were becoming a problem for farmers in that area. One of the local papers said about 500 were killed. The paper went on to say, “One participant in the day’s sport reports that an attempt was made to drive the rabbits over into San Bernardino county, but when the animals reached the line they turned back and took their chances with the shotguns of the party. The only solution of this decision of the rabbits heard was one by Robert Stokes who said the animals would rather die in Riverside county than live in San Bernardino county.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Getting to Riverside circa 1900
This little tidbit was printed in the Press and Hortaculturalist October 16th, 1900:
The public highway across the river bottom toward Riverside is very displeasing to the eye of those who travel it, on account of the tall weeds and bushes on both sides. They form a very dusty tunnel through which one must pass to get to Riverside. Supervisors, what can you do for us?
The public highway across the river bottom toward Riverside is very displeasing to the eye of those who travel it, on account of the tall weeds and bushes on both sides. They form a very dusty tunnel through which one must pass to get to Riverside. Supervisors, what can you do for us?
Measles
We forget about infectious diseases nowadays what with our vaccinations and all. But back before vaccinations were available, diseases like measles could wreck havoc in a community.
On March 8th, 1887 it was reported in a local paper that a case of the measles "in the light form" had broken out at the Jurupa school, brought there from Los Angeles. Health Officer Sawyer was notified, made an inspection, and gave appropriate orders to prevent its spread. That meant that the school was closed. For some reason it took until March 19th for the paper to report that the Jurupa School was closed due to the "prevalence of the measles among the children."
Finally, after being closed for several weeks, Miss Alfaretta Wood, the teacher, was able to begin school again on April 4th. Nine students were there that day, a smaller number than usual.
On March 8th, 1887 it was reported in a local paper that a case of the measles "in the light form" had broken out at the Jurupa school, brought there from Los Angeles. Health Officer Sawyer was notified, made an inspection, and gave appropriate orders to prevent its spread. That meant that the school was closed. For some reason it took until March 19th for the paper to report that the Jurupa School was closed due to the "prevalence of the measles among the children."
Finally, after being closed for several weeks, Miss Alfaretta Wood, the teacher, was able to begin school again on April 4th. Nine students were there that day, a smaller number than usual.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
A 1900 Wedding
In honor of Valentine's Day two days ago and because I love reading the descriptions of weddings from days gone by, here is an article I found about a West Riverside couple's wedding that occurred May 1, 1900. The report was printed in the Riverside Daily Press.
Two popular young people of West Riverside were united in the Congregational Church at 1 o'clock this afternoon. The groom was Robert Jensen, the bride Miss Josie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs John Ellis.
The bride was attended by Miss Mary Jensen, sister of the groom. and Fred Bonham officiated as best man. The wedding party entered to the well known strains of the wedding march, rendered by Miss Bertha Wilber. The bride was becomingly gowned in her traveling dress, and carried a bouquet of white roses and orange blossoms. The maid of honor wore a gown of tan colored landsdowne and carried a bouquet of Gold of Ophir roses.
The Rev. E.F. Goff pronounced the words which made the two hearts one, after which the bride and groom left on their wedding tour to Los Angeles and coast points.
On the return of Mr. and Mrs Jensen on Friday night, they will be given a wedding supper at the home of the bride's parents, after which they will give a dancing party in their own home.
Two popular young people of West Riverside were united in the Congregational Church at 1 o'clock this afternoon. The groom was Robert Jensen, the bride Miss Josie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs John Ellis.
The bride was attended by Miss Mary Jensen, sister of the groom. and Fred Bonham officiated as best man. The wedding party entered to the well known strains of the wedding march, rendered by Miss Bertha Wilber. The bride was becomingly gowned in her traveling dress, and carried a bouquet of white roses and orange blossoms. The maid of honor wore a gown of tan colored landsdowne and carried a bouquet of Gold of Ophir roses.
The Rev. E.F. Goff pronounced the words which made the two hearts one, after which the bride and groom left on their wedding tour to Los Angeles and coast points.
On the return of Mr. and Mrs Jensen on Friday night, they will be given a wedding supper at the home of the bride's parents, after which they will give a dancing party in their own home.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Vandalism, 1886
From the Riverside Daily Press of September 23, 1886:
"Miss Alfaretta Wood commenced her school in Jurupa district, West Riverside yesterday with a good attendance of pupils. During the vacation the school house has been broken open and a very fine microscope that was left in the library was broken to pieces, and the building was defaced considerably. The trustees have put the interior of the school house in good shape, and propose to raise $600 to improve the exterior, set out trees, etc., and supply new seats and desks of the latest approved pattern.
"Miss Alfaretta Wood commenced her school in Jurupa district, West Riverside yesterday with a good attendance of pupils. During the vacation the school house has been broken open and a very fine microscope that was left in the library was broken to pieces, and the building was defaced considerably. The trustees have put the interior of the school house in good shape, and propose to raise $600 to improve the exterior, set out trees, etc., and supply new seats and desks of the latest approved pattern.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Catch That Horse!
Reported in the Riverside Daily Press on December 12, 1913:
A team belonging to Mr. Turner, while standing in front of the Wineville Cash grocery, became frightened at a passing overland train and started to run. They overturned and nearly demolished a motorcycle standing in the road and circled out through a vineyard. D.E. Bulson* ran and pluckily jumped into the back of the wagon and stopped the horses before any further damage was done. The driver of the team had the task of gathering up the groceries, which were scattered from the wagon in the road and the vineyard.
*Mr. Bulson was the owner at that time of the Wineville Cash grocery store.
A team belonging to Mr. Turner, while standing in front of the Wineville Cash grocery, became frightened at a passing overland train and started to run. They overturned and nearly demolished a motorcycle standing in the road and circled out through a vineyard. D.E. Bulson* ran and pluckily jumped into the back of the wagon and stopped the horses before any further damage was done. The driver of the team had the task of gathering up the groceries, which were scattered from the wagon in the road and the vineyard.
*Mr. Bulson was the owner at that time of the Wineville Cash grocery store.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Driving Hazards - 1914
The land out in Wineville (today's Mira Loma) is very sandy which presented many hazards in the good old days. The sand could grab a car's wheels and stop it dead in its tracks. If one of our famous Santa Ana winds was blowing it would pick up the sand, scour the paint right off your car, and bring visibility to zero.
The road through Wineville, back in 1914, was one of the major roadways drivers would use to get from Los Angeles to Riverside. Back then the road was not paved. Instead a layer of straw was laid down over the sandy soil to give cars a better surface to drive on. The problem with using straw to surface a road was made evident in July 1913. The straw caught fire, trapping as many as a hundred cars on one side or the other of the fire.
Under other circumstances the cars could have just been driven around the fire. However, with Wineville's sandy soil, the drivers were reluctant to do so because it was likely the car would get stuck. A group of three men from Riverside were returning from Mt. Baldy when they were confronted by the fire. They needed to get back to Riverside sooner rather than later so they went ahead and drove their Ford off the road and around the fire. The Riverside Enterprise said that "by considerable shoveling and pulling they got around the fire."
Another intrepid soul took his life in his hands and drove through the fire. Likely the straw was smouldering or had low flames and wasn't a raging wildfire. Still, even with the straw there was a likelihood that a car could get stuck in the sand on the road, and stuck in the middle of the fire. The car could have burned or worse, its gas tank could have exploded. However, the driver in question made it through the road fire and lived to drive another day.
The road through Wineville, back in 1914, was one of the major roadways drivers would use to get from Los Angeles to Riverside. Back then the road was not paved. Instead a layer of straw was laid down over the sandy soil to give cars a better surface to drive on. The problem with using straw to surface a road was made evident in July 1913. The straw caught fire, trapping as many as a hundred cars on one side or the other of the fire.
Under other circumstances the cars could have just been driven around the fire. However, with Wineville's sandy soil, the drivers were reluctant to do so because it was likely the car would get stuck. A group of three men from Riverside were returning from Mt. Baldy when they were confronted by the fire. They needed to get back to Riverside sooner rather than later so they went ahead and drove their Ford off the road and around the fire. The Riverside Enterprise said that "by considerable shoveling and pulling they got around the fire."
Another intrepid soul took his life in his hands and drove through the fire. Likely the straw was smouldering or had low flames and wasn't a raging wildfire. Still, even with the straw there was a likelihood that a car could get stuck in the sand on the road, and stuck in the middle of the fire. The car could have burned or worse, its gas tank could have exploded. However, the driver in question made it through the road fire and lived to drive another day.
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