Springs, Gibbons Folly, Oakland Pioneers - Ye Olden Oakland Days No. 1 (?) - Oakland Tribune - 04 Jul 1920, Sun - Page 38

Fresh water springs, bridge to Goat Island, reunions Ye Olden Oakland Days TO BLOG Sun, Jul 4, 1920 – Page 38 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com

(Data supplied by the Oakland Pioneers.)

Had prohibition come during the early days Oakland would not have been so dry as it now is. Nor was there any need of drinking fountains being erected for those who were then dry by inclination and not legislation.

The pioneers recall that there were at least three fresh water springs in Oakland and as told by Charles G. Reed, one was at Adams Point in the little cover near the bandstand in Lakeside park, another at or near Williams street and Telegraph avenue and the third at Twenty-second and Adeline streets. The latter one was then at the head of Watt's creek and is believed to have been where the Indians obtained their water while they lived just south of the Sixteenth-street depot. That this was a former Indian camp is indicated by a shell mound that formerly would be seen there.

When the ground was filled in during the course of the development of Oakland the springs naturally were destroyed.

Reed also recalls the effort of Rodman Gibbons, an Oakland pioneer, who dreamed of a bridge connecting Oakland with Goat Island. He started in to bridge the expanse and drove a number of piles just north of the present site of the Oakland mole. His funds then gave out and the piles became known as "Gibbons Folly." At low tide it is said, some of them can still be seen.

The Oakland Pioneers are bringing about many reunions of friends of former days. R. J. Cavasso, secretary has just made an appointment to meet D. S. Richardson, 2541 Hilgard avenue, Berkeley who was a schoolmate of fifty-three years ago and whom he has not seen since, although both men have lived in the bay cities all of their lives. Cavasso has always made Oakland his home and Richardson has lived in Berkeley and San Francisco.

At the last meeting of the Pioneers Cavasso recognized one of the aged members as Harry

Barnes, a boyhood friend whom he had not met for fifty years.

The next meeting of the Pioneers will be on July in one of the police courts at the City Hall. The meetings are held on the Second Friday of each month.