DAVE'S TRAINS AND TREES

~ 5 Mile Railroad ~

~ Occidental News ~

Last Update: October 27, 2024

1876 December 28, Press Democrat, Volume III, Number 126 Occidental Items.

We learn from Mr. M. C. Meeker that the new station on the North Pacific Coast Railroad which has heretofore been called Howard's, will hereafter be called Occidental. The Post-office there has that name and the railroad officials have consented to the change of the name of the station. Occidental will be one of the principal stations along that line. It is the present terminus of the road and will be so until spring. It is about eight miles from the sea shore and about the same distance from Russian river. The following buildings have already been erected: A two-story hotel, 36x40 feet, kept by A. J. Blaney; a shoe shop, 12x28 feet, occupied by Mr. Martin, recently from Canada; a blacksmith and wagon shop, 30x40 feet; a Chinese store, which is the headquarters for the Chinese along the road, and a well finished Methodist church, 28x40 feet. The church is paid for and out of debt. Mr. W. H. Howard is building a saloon, to be called the Occidental. The railroad company have depot buildings, including water tank and sand house, and are now building an engine house and turn-table. There is a flourishing Sunday school in the village having about 45 scholars, and it proposed to make an effort soon to have a public school established there.


1877 May 15, Press Democrat, Volume IV, Number 87 Occidental Items.(added 10/27/24)

We are indebted to Mr. M. C. Meeker for the following items: The road from Meeker's Mill to Valley Ford has never been in better condition than it is at present. The Sunday excursion trains now run to Occidental, and nice picnic grounds have been prepared and a dancing floor erected for the benefit of excursionists. The freight train will make its headquarters at Occidental. A petition largely signed has been presented to the Board of Supervisors to establish a voting precinct there. A grand Sunday School picnic will be given by the schools of Bloomfield, Valley Ford, Freestone and Occidental, at Madrona Mill, on Saturday, June 9th.


1877 October 6, Press Democrat, Volume IV, Number 210 Local Briefs (added 10/27/24)

J.H.. Chenaweth, of Occidental, sends us a twin grape which measures about four inches around.


1878 April 3, Press Democrat, Volume V, Number 50 Board of Supervisors Monday's proceedings (added 10/27/24)

The petition of the residents in Occidental School District was then considered, and on motion of Supervisor Charles. It was ordered that the boundaries of said district be fixed In accordance with the petition on file as follows: Commencing as before on the northeast corner of the Cook ranch, and running as before until it intersects the line to the wagon road (so as to include Cook's ranch) up Dutch Bill creek; thence up said road until it intersects the county road leading to Sebastopol; thence following said road to the land of Hiram Brown; thence south on said line to the Meeker road; thence in an easterly direction on said road until it again Intersects the county road as near as may be to place of beginning, saving and excepting land owned by Meeker Bros, and Mrs. Rachael Stone, section 27, all the aforesaid land to be included In the Narrow Gauge District.


1878 May 24, Press Democrat, Volume V, Number 93 Real Estate Transactions (added 10/27/24)

M.C. Meeker and wife to Joseph Wary, Lot No. 07 in the town of Occidental, Sonoma county: $350.


1878 September 11, Press Democrat, Volume VI, Number 35 Real Estate Transactions (added 10/27/24)

M C Meeker and wife to Wm Doty, half of lot 106, Occidental, $75.


1879 May 6, Press Democrat, Volume VII, Number 68 At Occidental (added 10/27/24)

The anti-new Constitution meeting at Occidental, or Howard's Station, Monday evening, was a complete success in every respect. The audience assembled in Odd Fellows Hall and was graced by the presence of a number of ladies who seemed to be as deeply interested as the gentlemen who were present.
At about 8 o'clock P.M., the meeting was called to order by Mr. Q. C. Taylor. Mr. A. P. Meeker was called to the Chair, and Mr. Howard chosen as Vice-President.
After a beautiful rendering of the Star Spangled Banner by a number of ladies and gentlemen, who made the surrounding hills echo to their delightful singing, the President of the meeting arose and thanking those present for the honor conferred, proceeded to explain why he, originally for the new Constitution, had changed and was now determined to oppose it; and taking up the article on taxation, analyzed it and thus gave his reason for the new faith that was in him to the satisfaction of those assembled.
Mr. S.T. Coulter "farmer Coulter" was then introduced and run a series of furrows broad and deep through the different sections of the new instrument, showing conclusively that the soil beneath the surface was unfit for the purposes for which it was Intended—handling his plow with admirable dexterity and showing conclusively that the crop it was calculated to produce was more likely to be tares and stinkweed rather than good wheat and lilies.
Mr. D.Sheward was next introduced, and for about an hour and a-half handled the different articles and sections of the great "What is it" in a manner that exposed its many defects, inconsistencies and direct contradictions not only with; its own provisions, but its antagonism to the "Constitution of the United States, the supreme law of the land" and in conclusion fervently urged all who desired to preserve to themselves the right of suffrage, and the institutions of the country a heritage for those to come after them, to vote against the proposed new Constitution,the great "What is it" of California, which has attached to it a lengthy address in a vain effort to explain its character. He said it reminded him of the man who painted a sign for an inn-keeper; and, who, that people might not mistake the design, painted beneath the figure, "This is a horse."
The ladies then sang "America" in a manner truly meritorious. The meeting then adjourned with three cheers for the Old Constitution. Occidental will give a good account of herself at the polls to-morrow, the 7th Inst.



Contact


Note: Newspaper articles found on this website are courtesy of: California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.