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Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009

Sarah Lim: Hatch letters show work

This year marks the 120th anniversary of Merced's incorporation; however its birth began in 1872 as a railroad town. The Snelling-based newspaper, San Joaquin Valley Argus, recorded the founding and the subsequent settlement of the town. While the Argus editor filed his reports of the new town with flowery words and vigorous enthusiasm, it was the letters of Roscoe G. Hatch that provide a first-hand account of the hard work in building a new town.

Three letters written in a period of two months in 1872 by Roscoe Hatch to his wife Lois Hatch are the newest additions to the collection of Merced County Historical Society Treasurer Grey Roberts. Hatch was a builder from Sacramento. He took part in the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad's Merced headquarters, the El Capitan Hotel.

By train, Hatch reached Merced with a couple of friends in March 1872. The day after his arrival, he went to work on the hotel. In a letter dated March 21, 1872, he writes "I do think that it is the largest house that I ever worked on it is 65 feet to the top of plate and it made my head swim when I first went up." The hotel construction crew was about 100 men whom Hatch considered first-rate.

Hatch's impression of Merced was equally positive. He writes, "This is a flourishing town if I am any judge three weeks ago there was but two or three cabins here now there are 60 or 70 buildings of all kinds." Building construction took off immediately after the lot sales on Feb. 8. Two weeks later on Feb. 24, the Argus reported that there were 15 or 20 buildings being constructed or near completion. With this kind of speed, it was about right that some 60 buildings were erected by the time of Hatch's arrival in mid March.

Hatch also accurately described how flat, wild, and desolate the valley was. He writes, "The ground is level as far as you can see in two directions but looking north east you see mountains a long way off and they seem to continue along around until you look south west where old mount Diablo looms up. ... There are no fences in this valley. ... Game is very abundant and the antelope frequently come within sight. There are farmers' houses in every direction but they are a long way apart say a mile or two." Hatch also commented on the absence of women living in the new town and the only ones he saw were travelers.

As Hatch enjoyed his stays in Merced, his lonesomeness was overcome by the excitement of building a new town and meeting new people. However, as weeks progressed, his enthusiasm was soon overshadowed by a harsh reality. More about Hatch's letters will appear in my next column.