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Nov
02
2009
| In the Beginning... |
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| Written by Glendoran Magazine | |
| Monday, 02 November 2009 | |
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Gleaned from 1937 Golden Get Together Booklet Soft Shadows - Majestic mountains, unscarred by road or trail - A slender strip of grazing green, With borders of cactus and sage, Studded with oaks, sturdy and serene, Neath which rested in turn The nimble jacks, the sly coyotes And quiet Nature's feathered friends.  EARLY SOCIAL LIFE:S ocial life within our boundaries; had always been abundant. In the earlier days the homes were the center of interest and it was in them that friends, both young and old, would gather for their various activities. Distances were greater by miles than today, but that did not deter them when pleasure-bound. The horses were tireless and patient, and the wagons and buggies sound and safe. One of these, a fine new spring wagon, was purchased by John Bender, enjoyed by him a few times when an ardent swain desiring to impress the lady of his heart, begged the loan of it. The loan was gladly granted and bore fruit of many loans, for the spring wagon never returned to its owner, but was evidently loaned from one to another until its days were through. The parlors of those old homes were spacious and hearts were generous, and when summer came the mountains and the canyons and the groves gave welcome for picnics. Wagon loads of tents and supplies found their way to the beaches and to the mountain streams, often two days being needed for the trips and several families would join the caravan.  THE FIRST PIANO: The tinkle of the valley's only piano in the Charles West home brought music lovers there.With distances so great, travel so difficult, the transcontinental railroad miles away and the mails intermittent, it might be wondered how news of the goodness of the lands, the kindliness of the neighbors and an uncharted future traveled so far and so fast, but from friend to friend, from uncle to nephew, from brother to brother, word went forth and so just twelve years after the arrival of our two pioneer families of 1874, we find with them the families of Henry D. Engelhardt, James J. and J. Charles West, Philip Shorey, Thomas Kamphener, Cal Johnson, Dr. John Needham, John W. Cook, Wash Frazier, Sam Miller, M. H. and L. M. La Fetra, Harrison Fuller, F. R. Sykes. and John P. Engelhardt, sturdy godparents for the Glendora of 1887.  FIRST WATER RATIONING: This water development cost the Glendora Water Company some $52,000, and during the spring and early summer of 1888 gave an abundant supply, but records show that by September, 1888, the supply had diminished to about ten miner's inches, which interpreted into gallons means about ninety gallons per minute. Water became the vital issue of Glendora and continued for many years and well into the new century before the problem was settled. Wells were dug wherever it was thought water might be found - on the hillsides, in the canyons and in the beds of the winter washes. Many were the failures and disappointments. Domestic water had to be supplied to a growing city and the homes, supplied with barrels and tubs, were forced to await the semi-weekly delivery of water from the San Gabriel River by means of horse and mule-drawn tanks. Even the graceful shade trees awaited their turn from the water tank.Not only was water a problem to the people of the town, but to the homesteaders and to those who were trying to establish orchards and crops. The Bender, La Fetra, Engelhardt and Harrar Canyons were developed to their full capacity and their owners very graciously gave their surpluses to the needy neighbors. Many groups were formed to develop water.  EARLIEST ORGANIZATION - THE AMPHION CLUBThen as the city grew, the church meetings and socials added much to the happiness of its people. Literary people formed groups for pleasure and study. Within the scattered homes of 1886 located throughout this upper valley were found many who were gifted with talents of voice, music and drama. Simply as a means of enjoying and sharing these talents they would gather in different homes, and from this has come the Amphion Club, the oldest club organization of the district. It met regularly through all the years and many an artist of world renown appeared before its members. FIRST TUNNELS BUILT FOR WATER: Water rights were established in the Big Dalton Canyon and two tunnels were put in. The first tunnel was about one thousand and ninety-four feet in length and was about a mile up the canyon. It was driven through bedrock and into a side valley of the canyon. The second tunnel was some three thousand feet farther up the canyon, about three hundred feet in length, and was designed to drain the water from the gravel bed. Water from these was taken in six-inch cement pipes to a series of four or five reservoirs and then distributed to the city. |
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