One of the unique features of the Washington navel orange is that it ripens in December in Southern California, unlike most other fruit, which ripens in summer. Because of the need to pick and pack fruit right around Christmas, the Arlington Heights Fruit Company had a tradition of putting on a big Christmas dinner for the workers in their four packing camps. The camps were known by the names of Osborn, Windsor, Balmoral and Pachappa.
Usually the camps each had its own dinner, but in 1905, it was decided to bring all the men together for dinner at Osborn Camp.
On Saturday, Dec. 23, Osborn’s big camp boarding house was decorated with the flags of all the countries represented by the men working for the fruit company. These included American, English, Japanese, Swedish, and others. Each table was decorated with greenery and flowers.
At 5 p.m., everything was ready and it was time for dinner.
An orchestra played in the background as approximately 100 men enjoyed a multicourse meal. Riverside newspapers reported the full menu, which included oyster soup, shrimp salad, ham and turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, French peas, two kinds of pie, two kinds of ice cream, assorted cakes, cheese, coffee, nuts, and candy. There were 23 items on the menu.
After dinner, D.B. Macoun, a Canadian immigrant who has been foreman of the Osborn camp since 1902, made a short speech and then called up James Mills and his wife, Harriet. Mills was the superintendent of the Arlington Fruit Company and was also a Canadian immigrant. Macoun presented two paintings to Mills and his wife, on behalf of the men who worked for Arlington Heights Fruit Company, in appreciation for Mills’ work as head of the firm.
The paintings were by Mister S.S. Nicolini, who had an art studio in Riverside at that time. One was of a bouquet of chrysanthemums and the other of San Gorgonio Mountain, with Riverside in the foreground. According to the Riverside Daily Press, Nicolini considered the flower portrait to be one of his best.
Mills also made brief remarks after the presentation. He thanked the assembled workers for their hard work over the previous year, and declared the men gathered for that Christmas dinner were the finest men working for any company in the state. With those warm words, the long ago holiday meal was over, and the men dispersed to their packing camps in the Arlington Heights area of Riverside.
If you have an idea for a future Back in the Day column about a local historic person, place or event, contact Steve Lech and Kim Jarrell Johnson at backinthedaype@gmail.com.
