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SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES

PRIESTLEY HALL-Among men to whom the Riverside community would gladly do honor none was more worthy by reason of his constructive energy than the late Priestley Hall. A large area on which beautiful homes and homesteads now stand was developed from land owned by Mr. Hall and his family. Possessed of rare intellectual gifts, he had the foresight of a pioneer and the practical energy to realize visions and make his aims and purposes come true.

Mr. Hall was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 15, 1859. A year after his birth his parents removed to New York City, where he lived and acquired his early education. He was fourteen when the family came to California in 1873. This date is almost at the beginning of the real history of Riverside. Priestley Hall continued his education in the local schools here until 1877, and after that became associated with his father's horticultural enterprises.

In 1880 Mr. Hall bought a hundred and sixty acres of unimproved land from Mrs. Annie Denton Cridge. This land lay east of his father's place. Later he added another eighty acres, and with forty acres left him by his father he possessed two hundred and eighty acres, all within the city limits. The first important development of this land for residential purposes was done in 1886, when he subdivided twenty acres and sold it. In the spring of 1887 he subdivided and sold forty acres more. The success in handling these two subdivisions encouraged him to plan the improvement and development of the entire tract, and part of his father's homestead as well. This he platted as Hall's Addition to Riverside. Mr. Hall graded avenues and streets, laid out parks, set out thousands of ornamental trees, and during his lifetime sold every lot and parcel except twenty acres comprised in his homestead. As a result of this, one of the largest real estate development transactions in Riverside County, he realized a substantial fortune.

As a young man he acted as assistant engineer of the Gage canal system under C. C. Miller, and was really a technical expert in irrigation and hydraulic engineering. In the development of his land he incorporated Hall's Addition Water Company, became its president, and laid pipe lines from the reservoir two and a half miles to his addition, passing all the principal avenues and providing a sufficient supply for both irrigation and domestic purposes. After expending sixty thousand dollars on this system he sold to the Artesia Water Company at the actual cost of installation,

In June, 1887, was incorporated Hall's Addition Railroad Company, with Mr. Hall as president and general manager. This company built and equipped a mile and a half of street railway from Tenth and Main to the center of the Hall tract. The cars were operated by mule power. This car line he consolidated with the Riverside Arlington Railway, and became a director in the latter. He also organized and was sole proprietor of Hall's Addition Nursery Company, which supplied hort cultural and ornamental stocks

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the Second Church of Christ, Scientist, and his life was a complete exemplification of the doctrines of his faith. He was also affiliated with Evergreen Lodge No. 259, F. and A. M., Riverside Chapter No. 67, R. A. M., and Riverside Commandery No. 28, K. T. He was highly esteemed as a Mason, and the resolutions passed by these bodies at the time of his death presented a straightforward record of the beauty of his character and his devotion to friendship and fraternal brotherhood. No resident of Riverside was more imbued with civic pride, and none was more frequently a leader in public movements that would tend to develop or improve the city.

July 29, 1890, Mr. Hall married Miss Agnes Overton, who was born at Avoca, Wisconsin. Mr. Hall gave Mrs. Hall as a wedding gift beautiful Rockledge, which has been her home ever since. For many years she has been a consistent member of the Church of Christ, Scientist.

Many of the oldest friends and business associates of Priestley Hall were his brothers in Riverside Commandery No. 28 of the Knights Templars, and the formal In Memorium drafted by this Commandery and entered into its records as a tribute of respect contains some discriminating references to him as a man and citizen that may be appropriately used in the conclusion of this brief article:

"Of a deeply religious nature with none of the asperities of sect. Kindly, generous, with a large sense of charity toward the failings of others, it seemed impossible for him to view his fellow men from any narrow standpoint. Few men worked more assiduously in business, yet his success was marked by a greater standard than money.

"His was of a retiring nature, never ostentatiously or offensively advancing any of the views he held so decidedly on all important measures concerning the community, maintaining them in his gentle way, often with greater effect than loud and apparent persistence would have done. Public life, other than a strict attention to the duties of a private citizen, had no attraction for him. His home to him was the ideal spot on earth and his love of birds and flowers was one of his marked characteristics.

"All of our Commandery who knew him, all his neighbors and business associates, in speaking of him will always have in mind his uncommon amiability and genial smile and word, and after character is considered, what higher word of praise can be uttered."

WILLIAM C. MOORE has been a merchant and business man of Riverside nearly thirty years. His life career has been one of somewhat strenuous experience, leading him all the way from a ranch in the Dakotas through range riding and mining in Nevada until he reached the more peaceful scenes of Southern California, where he has successfully solved the problems of a business career.

Mr. Moore is one of the founders and executive officers of that widely known mercantile service known as the Alpha Beta Stores, one of the most systematic and successful organizations of the kind in Southern California.

Mr. Moore was born at Battle Creek, Michigan, June 27, 1868. The family is of Irish descent and was established at old Lowell, Massachusetts, several generations ago. His father, J. H. Moore, was a native of Massachusetts but spent his early life in Michigan and when the Civil war came on enlisted at Battle Creek and became a lieutenant in the Seventh Michigan Infantry. He was in many engagements and battles, was once wounded in the knee, but after several months home on furlough recovered in time to rejoin his command.