The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-19
FRUITVALE VILLAS.
Among the Finest Country Homes
in California.
The Rural Peace and Magnifcence of a Beau
tiful District Being Invaded by the
March Of improvements


where it begins and where it ends. The
visitor knows by instinct when he is in
FruitYale, but just where that instinct began
to take effect and just where it is liable to
cease effect he will be utterly unable to tell
1t must not be understood, however, that
Fruitvale is all absolutely indefinite guam
tity. Such is not the case. A few years
ago the railroad company deemed it wise to
push the southern terminus of its Oakland
ferry system one station further out 1t was
established on line with Fruitvale avenue
and. for the lack of better name, it was
called Fruitvale. If the company were re-
CURED to make an affidavit that the station
is in Fruitvale they could not do so without
the risk of perjury. Another evidence of
Fruitvale is the beautiful avenue, some two
miles in length, bearing that name. If more
authentic evidence is desired, those who
were present at the birth or baptism will
have to be interviewed.
Fruityale at the present time is really
nothing more than the continuation of Cast
Oakland; that is, for all practical purposes.
True, there is slight technical difference
Fruitvale is not part of the incorporated
city-but there Is not a particle of doubt
that 1t will be in very few years.
In its peculiarly underlined way Frutvale
AS LONG AS OAKLAND ITSELF.
Indeed, it is one of the oldest settle
ments on that side of the bay. Many years
ago it was selected by large number of
wealthy San FranciscanS and 0aklanders
as the choicest locality within easy reach of
the city for retired country homes, and the
good use they made of their opportunities
can be best estimated by a two or three
mile walk, first down the county road
otherwise acnntinuation of East Fourteenth
street, from Iwenty-tfth avenue to Fruit
vale avenue, aud the entire length of the
latter. The experience is well worth the
trouble at any season Of the year, rain or
shine.
The grand, magnificent country villa!
Who has not heard or read of it, and been
fascinated by the charming tales told of it?
And above all else, who has not felt the
spell of romance woven around the villas
OF the Golden State, with their magnificent
sem-tropic surroundings, spacious halls
and hospitable board? The realization of
this fancy can be enjoyed by riding around
Fruitvale. Some OF the glamour OF TO-
nance may have been diSsipated by the
nearness of these splendid villas to the fine
art OF big city, and even by their near
ness to each other, but the true idea is as
genuine now as it ever was.
Nearly all of these large villas are built in
the center OF three, four or i've acre tracts,
200 or 500 feet back from the avenue, and
everywhere surrounded by the air of free
dom that plenty of room always lends.
Their large front lawns may be OF Orna-
mental design or perfectly plain, but they
are always more or less generously filled
with
sEAn-TRoPIC sHRUBBERY
Without which a California villa would be
ike Hamlet in the desert, instead OF in tho
play, surrounded by all the lesser settings.
Stately cedars, frs or locusts shade the
broad avenue that leads to the villa, and
the lawns present a pleasing variety of
evergreen shrubs, such as the palm, mag
nolia, madrona, laurel. pepperwood, CEN
fury plant and others, all in wonderful
luXurlance. Perhaps on one side of the
small domain is a tennis court, on the other
an arbOr, summer-house and croquet
and under the boughs of hospitabe
madrona, hammocks are stretched aud
swing in indolent luxury. In the rear are
OuthOnse5 of all kinds, a commodious stable,
elegant turnouts, dollhouse, fine garden
anu sturdy orchard.
This Is simply passing sketch of what
the Pilgrim beholds as he joys along
through the enchanting scene. 1t is not
Overdrawn by any means and may be seen
at any time by visiting Fruitvale
But the scene is changing rapidly. The
Fruitvale Of tomorrow will not be the
Fruitvale OF yesterday by any means.
Many OF the magnificent old villas may re-
main intact for years to come, but the mad
rush of the wave Of improvement will dash
over them and around them as sure as time
goes on. Already the quiet of rural life has
fled. Thirty trains daily from San Fran
cisco and Oakland have driven the bucolic
scenes to a refuge in the hills. Where the
indigenous goat got tangled in
A BARBED-wIRE FENCE
A few years ago is now corner lot, and a
huge bill board bears the seductive legend
Cheap homes. Come early and get your
rr1- to
opened in many places and other kinds of
Improvements are marching around with
heavy head and more OF less confusion.
Immediately at the railroad station are
already many evidences of the incipient
town. Two or three real estate offices with
tremendous bill-bOards and flaring an
nouncements first greet the visitors eye.
An elegant horse-car stands waiting to take
him the entire length of Fruityale avenue
to what is known as the Hermitage, and
back again in time for the next train il de-
sired. 1t is not what some of the real state
boom schemes are contemptuonsly called,
measly little old ierk-water car; it is the
most elegantly equipped horse-car in Oak
land, Alameda or San Francisco. 1t is a
continuation of the old Highland Park and
Fruitvale system, part of which has been
in operation out Thirteenth avenue for
many years; butitis virtually new through
out. All Of the old track has been replaced
and double track substituted. The cars
are something entirely new to street rail-
road science; they are commonly called
structed that if the passengers desire they
can climb by an easy stairway to the root
and find
DELIGHTFUL SEATS
On the outside. The cars inside are ele-
gantly upholstered and ride in or on them
is equal to one in barouche.
few feet away from the station is an
other small building labeled in large "a
inch letters Branch Postoffice," dignity
and convenience not often bestowed upon
such young settlements. In the last few
years this station has developed into genu-
inc railroad junction that may in time as
sumo consequence hardly more than in
name at present. The Laundry Farm Rail-
road that goes to Mills Seminary starts
from this place, and the branch of the
broad-gauge ferry system that connects
Alameda with Oakland comes to this point.
AT present the Laundry Farm road is not
very extensive, but ii it ever grows into
what was originally conceived by its pro-
leetors twill in time become an important
local system, feeding good portion of Ala
media County and some parts of Contra
Costa.
The rush for ''cheap homes" has not been
as mad in the immediate vicinity of Fruit
vale Station as at other localities not
great way distant, the main reason being
that the price of lots is so outrageously
D4SB. w Heu Il property WnOiIy uulHlpTOVeQ
not even grade-stakes drawn-is rated at
$40, $50 and $50 front foot, the man in
search of cheap home looks upon the real
estate agents glaring announcement as
delusion and snare.
BESIDES BEING UNIMPRovED,
He says, this property is out in the coun-
try yet, and it may be years before it will
get the advantages that come from being
within the jurisdiction of a municipal gov
eminent No sewers within mile of here,
ana no way of getting them except by pri-
vate enterprise, which IS not to relied upon
for that sort OF improvement"
Property on the south side of Fruitvale
avenue has beer more or less cut up into
lots and put on to the market clear out to
the Hermitage, but the extent of building
has been limited thus far. The impetus
that cheaper lots always give to improve
ments is clearly demonstrated in the coz
dition of things within two or three blocks
from the Hermitage, and block south of
the main avenue. Here the price of prop
erty has been within the reach of buyers
with limited maaDs and the pnn eapuapoa Ia