Yolo County CA Archives History - Books .....A Period Of Marked Activity 1913
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Book Title: History Of Yolo County

CHAPTER XXVI 
A PERIOD OF MARKED ACTIVITY

    Other contemporaneous business activities were the organization of the
Yolo-Solano Irrigation Company, the former for the purpose of diverting water
from the Sacramento river and Central canal in March, 1902; the establishment of
two free rural mail delivery routes in the county adjacent to Woodland; the
capture at the state fair of the first premium offered for the best display of
products by any county in the state in September, 1903; the laying of the
cornerstone of the new Carnegie library at the corner of First and Court streets
on June 7, 1904; dedication of the new Native Sons' hall on Main street, a very
handsome building erected by A. D. Porter; laying of the cornerstone of the new
Odd Fellows' building at the corner of Third and Main streets, which occurred
April 28, 1905; purchase of a city park, the property lying between Oak and
Cross streets and Cleveland and Walnut, at a cost of $2,265. This last deal was
consummated in May, 1905, at a time when property in Woodland was comparatively
cheap. That block of ground is today worth many times the price paid for it. The
Ladies' Improvement Club of Woodland was largely responsible for the acquisition
of this valuable property. The club furnished some of the money used for the
purchase and its members started and maintained the agitation which eventually
led to action upon the part of the city officials. The park has been improved by
the planting of grass and trees and the installation of swings and other
apparatus suitable for a place of that kind. It is today one of the principal
places of amusement in the city.

    An old land-mark of the city was wiped out when the old building at the
corner of Main and Sixth streets was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1905.
The building belonged to the Greiner estate and was the second school house
built in Woodland and was also occupied for a time as a meeting place for the
Masons.

    The death of W. B. Gibson, one of the pioneer settlers of Yolo county, in
February, 1905, was generally mourned and his funeral was one of the largest
ever held in the city.

    After much controversy and a great effort upon the part of some of the most
prominent people of the city and surrounding country Yolo county was successful
in its efforts to locate within its boundaries the state farm situated near
Davisville, the site for which was selected by a committee representing the
legislature April 6, 1906. A more comprehensive account of this institution may
be found in that department of this work devoted to the schools of Yolo county.

    In December of this year free mail delivery was established in Woodland. In
order to get this recognition from the postoffice department at Washington the
houses of Woodland were numbered systematically, by city ordinance, and the
trustees caused about seventeen miles of concrete sidewalks to be built at the
expense of the property owners. Mayor R. H. Beamer took an active part in this
work of improvement and although at the time he was censured by many for what
they termed unjust burdens cast upon them, his name is today connected with this
movement and one hears only words of praise for his forethought and energy. It
is said that Woodland has more miles of cement sidewalks than any other city of
like population in the state.

    The very handsome new home of the Bank of Yolo at the corner of Main and
College streets was completed in July, 1907. This is said to be one of the
finest buildings of its kind in the northern part of the state. It is equipped
with all the modern conveniences and appliances for comfort and is handsomely
finished in imported- Italian marble.

    And now we enter upon the closing chapter of the history of Woodland.
Although it covers only a short period of time as measured in months and years,
so much has been crowded into those few months that it would take too much time
and space to attempt any sort of a detailed account. In the last few years of
its existence Woodland has witnessed and enjoyed a prosperity which exceeded the
most sanguine expectations of those who had the most faith in its future.

   Regarding the cause of this unusual activity people differ, but the author is
inclined to the belief that several things contributed to the cause. Benefiting
by the advertising of the enterprising people of Southern California, Woodland
began in 1910 to attract eastern homeseekers. 'Tis true, the Woodland chamber of
commerce and other individuals did something in the way of advertising to
attract these newcomers, but their efforts were puny as compared to the energy
thrown into this work by our southern neighbors, whose efforts brought thousands
of people from the east to find homes in California. Gradually these people
learned that Los Angeles and the surrounding country was not all of this great
state. They began to hear of the fertile San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys and
simultaneously they began to investigate.

   At first it was an occasional visitor who dropped in on us to explore. What
they found evidently suited them for the tide of immigration into Yolo county
has increased steadily ever since, until now the town is filled with new people.
A politician who has held office for the past six years and who has lived in
Woodland for the past twenty-five years, remarked recently after he had been
introduced to several persons in as many minutes: "Well, I thought I knew every
man, woman and child in this city, but I see very clearly that if I want to run
for office any more it is up to yours truly to go out and get acquainted."

    Contemporaneously with this movement of immigration came first rumors of an
electric railroad for Woodland and afterward the more definite news of the
application by the Vallejo Northern for a franchise to enter the city. These
were followed by even more substantial evidences of the advent of the electric
railroad and this no doubt added impetus to the business activities already in
evidence. About this time also the prohibition movement had gained material
headway. The ranks of the local prohibitionists having been recruited by the
arrival of many eastern people who believed as they did, that party presented a
formidable front and a real fighting strength, as was proved in 1911, when at an
election held for the purpose of deciding whether the saloons should remain in
Woodland or be closed, the "drys" won by a substantial majority and Woodland
entered the ranks of the prohibition cities in California.

    There are those in Woodland who believe that the closing of saloons
contributed more than anything else to the subsequent prosperity which came to
the city. The fact remains, no matter what the cause, that building activities
in Woodland exceeded anything in her history. It is estimated that about 200
homes have been built in Woodland within the past two years, all of them
tasteful and of a substantial character. The city has been compelled to sink
auxiliary wells to supply the water needs and there is grave danger that the
sewer system will have to be enlarged.

   With building activities in the residence districts of the city came also a
corresponding movement in the business districts. The handsome Eoth building on
Main street was completed and tenanted. The Physicians' building at the corner
of First and Main streets was remodeled and beautified. Extensive improvements
were made on the First National Bank building. The new St. Luke's Episcopal
church was completed in 1912 and a very handsome stone church for the Roman
Catholics is under construction. The Southern Pacific Railroad Company has given
to Woodland the long promised new depot, and the electric railroad company
finished its very handsome depot at the corner of Main and Second streets, this
building costing about $45,000. The new Woodland Sanitarium, a splendid and very
handsome building situated on the corner of Third and Cross streets, was
completed in December, 1911, and the local postoffice was made a savings
depository July 20, 1911. The Sacramento to Woodland Electric railway was
financed (the local banks taking considerable of the bond issue), but the
crowning feature of all these activities was the opening of the railroad between
this city and Sacramento on July 4, 1912.

    The people celebrated that event with the anniversary of the birth of
independence. A large assemblage of prominent business men of Sacramento came to
Woodland on the first electric train of eight cars, which brought also a great
crowd of other Sacramentans and the day was spent with patriotic ceremonies and
the other customary features of a Fourth of July celebration. All day the
Sacramento Woodland Railway ran trains to and from Woodland, each train carrying
hundreds of people. The receipts of the railroad company far exceeded their most
hopeful expectations and ever since the business of the new road has been most
satisfactory.

    On December 18, 1911, a vote was held in Woodland school district for the
purpose of bonding it for $90,000 to build a new high school building. The
people voted in favor of the bonding, the vote being 816 for and 157 against the
proposition. The new building is now under construction. According to the plans
and specifications it will be a credit to the community.

    Two attempts have been made to bond the county for the purpose of building a
new court house, but both failed. The first election held in the summer of 1911
was lost by a very small majority, but so much pressure was brought to bear upon
the board of supervisors that they agreed to submit the matter again. There
sprang up, however, an organized opposition to the proposition and instead of
carrying the bonds in the second election held in December, 1911, as was
expected, the vote was decisively against bonding, the majority against being 249.

    The reason for such a strong opposition appears to have been the amount
asked by the board of supervisors for the purpose. A great many people
entertained the idea that the sum was excessive and the buildings could be built
for less. All, it seems, are satisfied that the county needs a new court house,
but they have been unable to agree as to the details. Perhaps in the near future
the proposition will come up again, and the people of Woodland, especially, hope
that next time the proposition will be carried.

    Perhaps it is bad taste to close this work with the foregoing-story of
defeat, but the people have settled down to the routine of life, happy and
prosperous, and confident that a great future is in store for their beautiful
and thriving little city.

    This hope is not without foundation, for Woodland offers to the homeseeker
many advantages which are not found in all cities. It is essentially a city of
homes, fitted by nature as an unusually attractive place for the habitation of
mankind. While there are but few who ever expect to see Woodland become a great
city with factories, foundries and kindred industries, there are many who
confidently look forward to the time when as a city of residences it will have
few competitors in this glorious state of ours. As has been mentioned in the
first part of this article nature provided a site, where Woodland stands,
unusually favored for the purposes to which our forefathers put it. Splendid
drainage, beautiful environment, fertile soil, an unsurpassed climate, pure
water and such things donated by nature, added to which there are good streets,
many miles of concrete sidewalks, adequate systems of water and sewage, a good
fire alarm system, splendid schools, including kindergarten, primary, grammar
and high schools, churches of nearly every denomination, local branches of
nearly every fraternal order under the sun, a splendid free library, free mail
delivery, literary clubs, musical organizations, four thriving banks, business
houses of every kind, and since the advent of the electric road, quick and cheap
transportation to the larger centers of population and a ready and cheap means
of transportation of local products. Woodland has also a good theater and the
usual number of moving picture theaters, besides the Oak Club, where men of
business are wont to congregate to amuse themselves and talk over the incidents
of the day and hour. Do you wonder, good reader, that the local residents fondly
expect to see the population of this fair city more than doubled within the next
few years?


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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