Banning High School - San Gorgonian Yearbook (Banning, CA)

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Lumbering In 1876 a new industry found its way in San Gorgonio Pass. Lumber companies were formed, operating in both San Jacinto and San Gorgonio Mountains. One of the most important of these com- panies was operated by Mr. Hall. He started lumbering on the north slope of San Jacinto, and constructed a road on the mountain to bring the logs down. This road is known as Hall’s Grade. At the foot of this grade he founded Hall’s City, which grew to be one of the largest towns within a radius of a hundred miles, but when the timber was all cut and Mr. Hall met with financial difficulties, .the city was abandoned. After Hall had built his mill, another company started operating at Snow Creek. There was no site for the mill near the timber that was going to be cut, so a skidway was built to draw the logs over, and the timber was then hauled down the mountain by means of oxen. Lumbering has never been a very profitable business in the mountains around Banning, athough at the present time the San Bernardino Lumber Company has a mill near Idyllwild. The lumber is taken to San Jacinto and from there it goes to San Bernardino. The lumber industry is only another one of the pioneer activities which found its way into the early development of Banning. Minin g The mining industry has played a very small part in the devel- opment of our city, as Banning served only as a supply center. Periodically the mining fever breaks out; but it lasts for only a short time and more money is spent than gained in trying to de- velop the desert mines. The desert was filled with prospectors for many years, but gold was discovered by accident. Mr. McHanney’s horse, happening to stumble, kicked up some rock which contained gold. Immediately he started the “Desert Queen” mine. Due to his enthusiasm, two others were formed, “Lost Horse” and “Virginia Dale,” the latter still being in operation. The methods of development were very simple, and even in the present day they have advanced slightly. Living conditions were confronted with many hardships, another factor which helped to hinder the possibilities for further develop- ment. Viewing conditions, one can readily see that mining has not proved very profitable, and that many improvements are necessary to make it pay. One of these which is being considered is the Ban- ning-Amboy road, an improvement which will greatly aid the mining activity in this region, and which will be a decided asset to Banning, {Page Twenty-nine]

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In this way the water slowly sinks into the ground and, instead of running out of the canyon in a few days, it flows underground only a distance of about two to five miles a year. In the Water Canyon there are three ceinegas or underground reservoirs, where the water rises and is again put in spreading ditches. In 1899 it became necessary to put in a well. This well was forty-eight feet deep, and produced a good stream of water o f about two hundred inches. The first well is known as Well No. 1 and is just above Camp Take-It-HKasy. The Consolidated Reservoir and Power Co. was formed in 1914. It diverted the water from the Middle and South Forks of the White- water River and brought it in an open ditch to Burnt Canyon, where it is dropped through a pipe line to Big Oaks and then down the canyon. The Banning Water Company purchased from the Consolidated Reservoir and Power Company all the water, except that which was being used for domestic or irrigation purposes on Banning Heights. This water is spread in the Banning Water Canyon as is the water from storms. The City Water system was installed about 1899, and has been added to as necessary. In January, 1925, a survey was made in re- gard to putting in a new and much better domestic water system. In February, 1913, the City Water Company was formed. This organization takes care of the domestic water, while the water for irrigation is handled by the Banning Water Company. In 1925, Banning’s pumps number five, and when it is necessary to draw water from them, they are operated by water power de- veloped higher up in the canyon. During the irrigation season, when extra demands are made on the resources of the canyon, the well at the end of the canyon is operated first, and then those higher up, so that in this way during the winter the voids in the lower end of the canyon are again filled by the water from the spreading ditches above. (Ch ©) 15}, “i, Cattle Raising Cattle raising began in the very early history of Banning and its vicinity, having a very short but active existence. Many of the ranchers, before the coming of the railroad, were engaged in cattle raising. The ranches extended all through the Pass and in the San Jacinto mountains. The ranchers were Rans Moore, Mr. Warren, and the Smith Brothers. Cattle raising during that period proved quite profitable, even though the market price was only three to five cents on fOOte but, with the influx of population caused by the coming of the railroad, the cattle raisers were pushed out. The new comers engaged in fruit raising, leaving no room for the cattleman. The few remain- ing cattle were sold to the Indians, who raised them only on a small scale. Cattle raising is only another one of the small business at- tempts which marked the early enterprises of Banning. [Page Twenty-eight]

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Fruit Raising The first fruit trees planted in the San Gorgonio Pass were at the old Edgar Ranch north of Beaumont. Here were found peaches, apricots, apples, figs and grapes, the grapes and figs being the Mis- sion variety. The apples were of several varieties, budded trees ap- parently, and the peaches and aprcots mostly seedling, though not all. These trees and vines were possibly planted about 1860. The second planting of fruit trees in the Pass was at the old Smith Ranch, now known as the Highland Home, located northeast of Beaumont. Here were planted the same fruits as on the Edgar Ranch, Next came planting of peaches, grapes and figs, on what is now the old Gilman Ranch northwest of Banning, followed some- what later by a peach orchard on what was formerly the Ransom Moore Ranch north of Banning, very near what is locally termed the “upper reservoir.” Nearly all these plantings were seedling trees and the fruit very inferior. The grapes were all the Mission variety, a fine wine grape, but not superior for table or for raisins. Later plantings along in the years 1876 to 1880 were of better types of fruits and some of the growers experimenting with the m in a small way were Dr. Wellwood Murray on the acreage now owned by the St. Boniface Indian School; J. M. Gilman on the home ranch; Gideon Scott on South San Gorgonio Avenue; C. F. Jost on a ranch formerly owned by him in a canyon north of the Indian village on the Morongo Reservation; R. F. Roth on a ranch at the mouth of Millard Canyon northeast of Banning. Mr. Roth had a vineyard of Muscat grapes, probably the first planted in the Pass country. While a few of these plantings were large enough to be termed “commercial orchards,” they were the beginnings of what is now an important industry in Banning and the other portions of the San Gorgonio Pass. In 1883, on what was known as the “San Jose Tract,’ in the south part of Banning, occurred the first commercial planting of fruit trees in Banning. Here were planted French prunes, peaches of various kinds, several kinds of plums and some apricots. The “tract” contained eighty. acres, most of which was planted the first year, 1883. Among those who purchased subdivisions of this acreage might be mentioned Mrs. Floretta Fraser, W. H. Ingelow, Paul M. Davis’ father and mother, Frank Johnson, James M. Forquer, 8S. Hargrave and H. O. Card. The planting of this acreage gave an impetus to fruit growing in Banning, and other orchards were soon being set out. To the north of town about a mile, and east of San Gorgonio Avenue, a large vineyard was planted in 1888. The next year addi- tional acreage was planted, making a total of about 100 acres. Vari- eties included Muscat, Seedless Sultana, White Berger, Zinfandel, and a few others. When the selling price of grapes and raisins dropped below cost of production, the vines were dug out and fruit trees were planted. [Page Thirty]