Railroads And Horse-Car Lines
Riverside is located on the main line of the Santa Fe between San Diego and the East, by which road all points on their system in Southern California, as well as those in the Eastern states, are readily accessible. The city is also connected with the county seat and other principal towns of the county, by a standard-gauge steam motor line which starts from the heart of the city. It makes close connection with the Southern Pacific at Colton, whence the traveler can reach Los Angeles, San Francisco, or all points at the East. This motor line runs almost hourly trains and brings the residents of the county to the east and north of the city within a few minutes of town. The Riverside & Arlington street-car line is standard-gauge, and as it extends seven or eight miles down the valley it affords a cheap and easy mode of reaching any part of the beautiful Magnolia or Brockton avenues, and the delightful orange orchards along them. A trip over this road in reality affords a view of the garden spot of California. Since its establishment about two years since, this line has been a paying one. Hall’s addition railway connects Park avenue, about two miles distant, with the center of the city, and it is aiding materially in the development of one of the most promising suburbs. The Riverside railway is something over three miles long. It cost over $25,000, having been built to connect the East Side and Santa Fe depot with the principal hotels and the business section. It will be extended ultimately to accommodate a large and growing settlement toward the Box Spring hills.
Young Men’s Christian Association Building
Riverside has reason to be proud of the building her generous citizens have erected for the use of the Young Men’s Christian Association. The lot was donated by F. A. Miller. The front of the building is principally of pressed brick and Colton marble. The height from the sidewalk to the top of the tower is sixty feet. The building contains an assembly-room seating 325, with aisles and rostrum, reading-rooms, library, gymnasium, lavatories, etc., besides rooms designed for renting for stores, offices, or lodgings. The property is worth over $20,000. The officers for the present year are: president, J. H. Goodhue; vice-presidents, G. F. Herrick and Dr. J. M. McLean; recording secretary, R. J. Pierson; general secretary, Moore Hesketh; treasurer, C. H. Scott.
Riverside Banking Company
at the head of the banking firms in Riverside, is the oldest bank in the city, and can boast the largest capital $200,000 of all banks in San Bernardino County. Its officers are: A. Keith, President; Dr. J. A. Brenneman, Vice President; O. T. Dyer, Manager; E. C. Dyer, Cashier, and J. H. Goodhue, Assistant Cashier. Directors-W. H. Dyer, A. Keith, Orrin Backus, O. T. Dyer, J. A. Brenneman, E. C. Dyer, C. J. Gill.
The gentlemen named above constitute a part of the wealthiest and most esteemed and reputable portion of the citizens of the county.
Mr. O. T. Dyer founded the establishment in 1880, under the firm name of Dyer Brothers, with a capital of $30,000. His brother, W. H. Dyer, and sisters, Misses A. J. and E. C. Dyer the latter of whom is still cashier-were partners with him in the venture.
In 1885, the increasing demands of the prosperous and growing town of Riverside rendered an enlargement of facilities advisable, and the Riverside Banking Company was incorporated, with a capital of $200,000, as above mentioned.
The institution as a whole has done much for Riverside. It has facilitated the bulk of the prominent enterprises for the welfare of the community, and rendered practicable many of the projects and improvements by furnishing the funds for the undertaking, this being its most important branch. Although it carries on a regular banking business in all its departments of foreign and domestic exchange, collections, discounts, etc., the majority of its business is derived from loaning money for depositors, Eastern and foreign capitalists, and of its own funds. Its correspondents are the National Bank, New York; Merchants’ National Bank, Chicago; Pacific Bank, San Francisco; First National Bank, Los Angeles, and Consolidated National, of San Diego.
Source: An Illustrated History of Southern California: embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of lower California.