History of Tulare and Kings counties, California

CHAPTER I. Introductory to History of Tulare County 5

Earliest White Comers to County Bore Name of Smith — Indian Records of Prior Inhabitants — The Year 1849 Brings Changes — First Real Settler Locates in 1850 — Other Settlers Follow — Rescue of the Wingfields — Election of Officers — Derivation of Name Visalia — Survey for Railroad in 1853.

CHAPTER II. Indian War op 1856 -ry. 20

Indians a Factor in Growth of Settlement — Interesting Accounts by Stephen Barton — Cattle Stealing the Source of Trouble — ^Tocsin of War Continues to Sound — War Is Waged Between Whites and Indians — Indian Troubles in Owens River District — Hospital Rock.

CHAPTER III. The Effect of the Civil War on Tulare County 28

Southerners Constitute Larger Part of Tulare's Population — Troops Sent to Visalia — Whiskey Plays a Part in the Difficulties — Union Meeting Held — Southern Sympathizers Meet — Killing of Vogle — Killing of Stroble — Rowley Affair — Destruction of Newspaper Plant.

CHAPTER IV. Visalia 34

Impress of the Vise Family on the Little Settlement — Settlers Who Followed — Early Newspapers — View of the Town in Early Days — First Fireworks — Gas Works and Electric Plant Established — City Hall Erected — Effect of the Wyllie Local Option Law — Visalia of Today.

CHAPTER V. Tulare County's Citrus Fruit 41

Eastern Slope of the County Almost Continuous Orange Grove — First Orange Tree Planted in 1860 — Growth of the Industry — County's Fruits Displayed at St. Louis Fair — Tulare County Ranks Fifth in Point of Citrus Production in State — County's Present Area.

CHAPTER VI. The General Rodeo 46

Cattle Raising in the Early Days — Act of Legislature of 1851 — White River Incident — Interest in Mining Superseded by Cattle Raising — "No- Pence" Law.

CHAPTER VII. Exeter and Other Towns 49

Railroad Reaches Exeter in 1888 — Pacific Improvement Company — Exeter's Steady Progress — Monson — Kaweah — North Tule — Pixley — Tipton — Alila — Poplar — Frazier — Woodville — Strathmore — Eshom Valley — Alpaugh — Tagus — Goshen — Paige — Angiola — Yettem — Piano — Three Rivers — Springville — Mineral King — Traver — Hockett Meadows — Redbanks — White River — Giant Forest — Orosi — Naranjo — Monson — Oriole Lodge — Venice — Klink — Waukena — Woodlake — California Hot Springs — Terra Bella — Ducor and Richgrove — Farmersville — Camp Nelson — Camp Badger — Auckland — Kaweah Station.

V i CONTENTS

CHAPTER VIII. PORTERVILLE AND OthER TowxS 75

Located on the old immigrant road — J. B. Hockett, a camper of '49 — Town named for Royal Porter Putnam — Cattle raising chief occupation Coming of railroad in 1888 — Porterville becomes a town of the sixth class in 1902 — Schools — Water system — Packing houses — Library — Churches — Banks — Newspapers — Fraternal Lodges — Dinuba — Tulare — Lemon Cove — Sultana — Lindsay.

CHAPTER IX. Anecdotes 88

Adventures with Indians — Poindexter nuptials — Fiddling from Donkey's back — The McCrory Episode — Morris-Shannon affray — Stapleford-Deputy affair — James M'Kinney's High Life — The Magana Butchery — Miscellaneous Items — Crossing Streams in the '50s — County Scrip and Gold Dust — An Indian Runner — Visalia's First Business Directory — Second Courthouse — Cemeteries — Visalia's Title — Politics — Arrival of the Telegraph — A Vigorous Protest — A Novel Engine — Flood Times — The Lost Mine — Some Statistics of 1870 — Mankins' Party Arrival — No Fence Law — As Seen by Fremont.