The San Francisco call., 1904-12-27
CONTRA COSTA
TOWN BUILDING
Cities That Have Sprung Up
Like Mushrooms, but With
a More Substantial Life
MANUFACTURINGPLANTS
Mammoth Industries That
Contribute to Growth of a
Rapidly Advancing Section
MANUFACTURINGPLANTS
Oakland once San Francisco Cali.

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1016 Broadway, Dec 26.
Town building has been going on In
Contra Costa County in remarkable
manner in the last few years. Where
there were formerly great stretches OF
unoccupied fields and water front there
are now thriving towns with manufac-
turing industries, and it is little wonder
that this county, once comparatively
obscure. has jumped to a rank in manu-
factured products that is second only
to San Francisco.
It was not many years ago that Mar
tinez, the county seat, and Antioch, the
great river shipping point. were the
only incorporated towns in the coun-
ty. Now there is string Of towns
from the Alameda County line to An
tioch, all possessing town governments.
with others clamoring for the right to
conduct their own municipal affairs.
Pinole, Hercules and Black Diamond
have all become incorporated towns
Richmond and Concord are fighting for
the same privilege. Pinole and Her
cules are powder centers, and they
have experienced a rapid growth, par
ticularly the former, which is now on
the main line of the Santa Fe system.
The wonderful growth of Richmond
from unoccupied water front lands to
city Of 5000 population in less than
five years is pretty well known
throughout the State. Richmond is
now pointed to as one of the nveliest
towns on the bay shore
But while this has been going on
along the western shore. Of the county
there has been another case of town
building that is just as remarkable.
A few years ago there was a wharf
projecting out into the waters OF the
San Joaquin River, with a tiny settle
ment at the shore end and little rail-
road that ran up to one Of the coal
mines on the side of Mount Diablo. 1t
/ was known as New York Landing and
when the coal road was running river
steamers used to stop at the wharf for
their fuel When the mine closed down
New York Landing became little more
than a fishing village. Suddenly the
| village woke up. Several large manu-
| featuring plants that wanted deep
water located there, the name was
changed from New York Landing to
Black Diamond and now It is an In
corporated town with a population that
is estimated between $500 and 1000.
Not satisfied with this, another town
| is being planned and will be launched
/ during 1906 1t is to be called Morton
and will be built between Black Dia-
mond and Antioch. The Bulls Head
1 Oil Company, the Mountain Copper
7 Company from Keswick. Shasta Coun-
| ty, the Bowers Rubber Company and
the W.. T. Garratt Foundry Company
will have plants at this point and a
town will be tforced to settle around
| them
New factories are going up continu-
| ally, and those already established are
increasing their capacity. A list Of the
new industries that have contributed to
/ bring Contra Costa County UP to its
present standing in the manufacturing
world includes: Antioch Brick Com
pany, Bowers Rubber Company, Bulls
Head Oil Works, California Redwood
i Manufacturing Association, California
California Wine Association, Copper
King Shelter Company, Cowell Lime
i and Cement Company. Holland Sand
Stone Brick Company, Hopper Lum-
Der Company, Jersey Island Pickle
| Company, Mountain Coast on Com
pany. Peyton Chemical Company. Pc
taluma Radiator Comany, Richmond
Foundry Company, Santa Fe Railway
Packing Company, Wilson-Lyons Quar-
nv Company, Wilson-Lyons Brick Com
pany, w. T. Garratt Company, brass
and iron foundry.