doc241 - Schoenherr Home Page in Sunny Chula Vista

The first term of the district court was held May 6, 1850. The judge and the clerk
were present, but no business was transacted, as it was found that the laws had not
been received nor the officers properly qualified. On the 2nd of the following September
the court was duly organized, grand and trial jurors summoned, and six cases tried. Two
other cases were continued.
The seal of the District Court was designed by Wm. H. Leighton, the other seals
by Chas. H. Poole.
The names of the first grand jurymen were: Charles Haraszthy, Ramon Osuna,
James Wall, Loreto Amador, Manuel Rocha, J. Emers, Bonifacio Lopez, Holden Alara,
Seth B. Blake, Louis Rose, Wm. H. Moon, Cave J. Couts, José de Js. Moreno, Cristobal
Lopez, and Antonio Aguirre. This body found no indictments, but made one presentment.
The practicing attorneys enrolled in this year were: James W. Robinson, Thomas
W. Sutherland, John B. Magruder, and Wm. C. Ferrell. At the session of the District
Court held in April, 1856, Messrs. D. B. Kurtz and E. W. Morse were examined and admitted
to practice.
San Diego was incorporated as a city by the legislature of 1850 and the first election
under the charter took place on June 16th of that year. Joshua H. Bean was chosen
the first mayor, while the councilmen were Charles Haraszthy, Atkins S. Wright, Chas. P.
Noell, Chas. R. Johnson, and William Leamy; treasurer, José Ant. Estudillo; assessor,
Juan Bandini; city attorney, Thos. W. Sutherland; marshal, Agostin Haraszthy. The
council met and organized on June 17th. On July 20th, Henry Clayton was chosen city
surveyor, and on August 12th, George F. Hooper was elected councilman in place of
Johnson, resigned. On August 24th, Noell resigned, and on Sept. 8th, Philip
Crosthwaite was chosen to fill the vacancy. Bandini refused to serve and Richard Rust
became assessor in July.
On June 29th, an ordinance was passed, against the protest of Noell, fixing the
amount to be appropriated for salaries of city officers at $6,800 per annum. There were
$10,610.54 in the treasury. The mayor vetoed this "salary grab," and a new salary ordinance
was passed, fixing the total sum to be appropriated at $2,400 per annum.
The mayor and council appear to have been at loggerheads in September, but
the cause of the trouble is not apparent at this day. On October 14th, the council appropriated
$500 for a complimentary ball to be given to the officers of the U. S. Coast Survey,
and on October 18th, they set aside $300 for a ball in honor of the admission of
California into the Union.
In 1852, the city charter was repealed and the government of the town vested in
a board of trustees. The Herald says of this:
Page 234
"From and after Monday next our hitherto busy, bustling city dwindles into a quiet
village. A little less than two years ago, with some $12,000 or $13,000 in the treasury,
and when land speculation was rife throughout the city, our precocity showed itself in a
wonderful manner.... Now, with an empty treasury and in debt deeply, we return to 'first
principles.' "
There were no more charter changes until the new town grew up at Horton's Addition.
Elections were held from time to time, but frequently the trustees held over. The
business of both town and county was small and several offices were often held by one
man. It is said that in 1852, Philip Crosthwaite, who was then county clerk and recorder,