[p. 143, Santa Monica Beach, 1878, 1908b]
During the summer of 1874 Santa Monica Cañon continued to be the chief summer resort of the Angeleños. Two hotels, the Morongo House and the Seaside Hotel, kept by Wolf and Steadman, were filled with guests. Many improvements were made in the camping arrangements and the season was a gay one. A new resort, known as "Will Tell's" also flourished this summer on the Ballona lagoon, almost where the Del Rey hotel now stands. This was especially attractive to sportsmen, as the lagoon was famous for its duck and game birds, and a number of prominent Los Angeles men kept boats on the lagoon.
At the same time a road, so narrow that the wheels touched the sides of the bank, had been worn down through the arroyo, about at the foot of the present [p. 144] Colorado street in Santa Monica, and a small landing was built on the shore. Here Major Hancock shipped large quantities of brea, which was hauled by ox teams from his Brea rancho, on small coast vessels to San Francisco. This was the first "commerce" of Santa Monica bay.
In December, 1874, the Los Angeles papers chronicle the first visit of United States Senator John P. Jones of Nevada. Glowing tributes were paid the distinguished guest and much curiosity and enthusiasm over the possible results of his advent into Southern California were indulged in. He was known to be fabuously rich and to have railroad ambitions.
Southern Califronia was a hotbed of rairoad schemes. Already the iron hand of the Central Pacific monopoly was being felt, although the little road to San Pedro was then the only railroad in this end of the state. A transcontinental line south of the Central Pacific was considered absoutely certain, at this time; but who would build it and where it woud reach the coast were matters of the wildest speculation. San Diego was making frantic efforts to secure railway connection of some sort and was looking hopefully forward to the magnificent promises held out by Tom Scott, the brilliant promoter of the Atlantic and Pacific railway scheme, of the early seventies.
The Southern Pacific was building its branch from Los Angeles eastward and had decided to leave San Bernardino, the oldest and most important town east of Los Angeles, off the line. Naturally she was bitter against the Southern Pacific and was casting about for any relief in the way of transportation facilities. Los Angeles was eagerly watching for any movement in her direction which gave promise of a competing line, although the Southern Pacific was not yet fairly built and there was no railroad connection with San Francisco, or with the east. Consequently, when in January, 1875, it was announced that Senator Jones had purchased a two-thirds interest in the San Vicente rancho, paying therefore about $150,000, and that a new railroad was assured, there was rejoicing long and loud throughout Southern California.
The Los Angeles and Independence railroad was organized in January, 1875, with F.P.F. Temple, a banker of Los Angeles; John P. Jones, Robert S. Baker, T.N. Park, James A. Pritchard, J.S. Slauson of Los Angeles, and Col. J.U. Crawford, as directors.
Right of way between Los Angeles and Santa Monica was secured at once and without difficulty, it may be added, and Col. Crawford, the engineer and general manager of the road, at once began active operations. It was announced that the road would be pushed through to Independence, where were located the Panamint mines, owned by Senator Jones, and then supposed to rival the Gold Hill district in richness. There were rumors also that the line would be carried across Nevads to Salt Lake and the papers frequently referred to it as the beginning and ocean terminus of a transcontinental line.
As soon as the railroad work was fairly started the construction of a wharf was begun. [p. 145] This was located near the old "Shoo Fly" landing and near the present foot of Colorado street, where a stub of the old wharf still remains. The first pile wa driven April 22nd, 1875, and the first boat landed at the wharf in June. The wharf was 1700 feet in length and reached a depth of thirty feet at low tide. It was substantially built, with depot, and warehouses at its terminus and cost abot $45,000 .
In the meantime, Mesrs. Jones and Baker had laid out a townsite which extended from the bluff back to Twenty-sixth street and from Montana avenue on the north to the arroyo, or Railroad street, as it was then called, on the south. The original plat of Santa Monica was planned on a generous scale. The blocks were 320 by 600 feet; lots 150 by 50, with twenty foot alleys. A plaza, the present Seventh-street park, blocks for hotels, one on the ocean front, the present location of Mirimar, and one on Eighth street, facing the plaza; for public buildings, the block between Fifthteenth and Sixteenth, Nevada and California; also blocks for a university and a young ladies' seminary, were reserved on the map. The ocean front was kept intact and Ocean avenue was made 200 feet in width, the other streets and avenues 80 and 100 feet in width. A water system had already been planned and work begun on a large reservoir to be filled from San Vicente springs. The slope of the land gave ample water pressure and provided excellent natural drainage. Much of the present desirability of Santa Monica as a residence town is due to the liberal allotment and unequaled natural advantages of this original townsite.
The establishment of this new "commercial center of the southwest" and the ambitious plans of its projectors, together with much wild conjecturing by the Los Angeles papers, had attracted wide attention. On the day announced for the first sale of lots, July 15, 1875, several hundred people gathered about the stand on the bluff. Many of these were from Los Angeles and Southern California points, although the only way to reach the spot was by a long and dusty drive. The steamer, Senator, which is remembered by all old settlers, came in from San Francisco that day with a number of parties who had come down especially to attend this sale. This was the first landing of the Senator at Santa Monica. It was also the last boat to land at the "old wharf."
A dry and barren plain rolled away from the bluff and there was no shade from the blazing July sun. One board shack-the beginning of the Hotel Santa Monica, and a few tents were the only "improvements" aside from the partially-built wharf, visible. The Honorable Tom Fitch, the "silver-tongued" orator, made the great speech of the day-a speech in which he let his rich imagination run riot, as may be gathered from the following extract:
"On Wednesday afternoon at one o'clock we will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder, the Pacific ocean, draped with a western sky of scarlet and gold; we will sell a bay filled with white-winged ships; we will sell a southern horizon, rimmed with a choice collection of purple mountains, carved in castles [p. 146] and turrets and domes; we will sell a frostless, bracing, warm, yet unlanguid air, braided in and in with sunshine and odored with the breath of flowers. The purchaser of this job lot of climate and scenery will be presented with a deed to a piece of land 50 by 100 feet, known as 'lot A, in block 251.' The title to the land will be guaranteed by the present owner. The title to the ocean and the sunset, the hills and the clouds, the breath of the life-giving ozone and the song of the birds, is guaranteed by the beneficient God who bestowed them in all their beauty and affluence upon block 251, and attached them thereto by almighty warrant as an incorruptible hereditament to run with the land forever."
Of this same effort, L.T. Fisher said in the Outlook, of July 13th, 1887: "Under his eloquence many were led to believe that Santa Monica woud at once leap to the front as a full-fledged seaport and commercial center. In fact, so strong was the impression that not a few prominent men of Los Angeles, who had large possessions there, were actually afraid that the precedence of the "city of the Angels" would slip away from her and be transferred to the seacoast. And, if we may be allowed the suggestion, it would have been a good thing for the country if it had. Here would have sprung up the great commercial city of Southern California. It had all the advantages of climate, drainage and all of the best elements that should exist where a large population is concentrated."
Hon. Joseph Lynch, Major Ben Truman and Col. J.J. Ayers, the historic trio of Los Angeles editors, were present and also made glowing speeches as to the future of Santa Monica and Southern California.
The first lot sold, lot M in block 173, the northeast corner of Utah and Ocean avenue, went to E.R. Zamoyski for $500. Other lots on Ocean avenue brought from $400 to $500, and the prices ran down to $75.00 for lots back from the shore. Among the first purchasers were Major Hancock, Judge O'Melveny, W.J. Broderick, I.W. Hellman, George Boehme, W.D. Vawter and sons, H.T. Giroux and others. The sale continued on the grond for three days and on Saturday an auction was held in Los Angeles. Probably about $100,000 worth of lots wer disposed of during the week.
The first building in Santa Monica was a rough board shack put up in April by J.C. Morgan, next to the Santa Monica Hotel and used as a boarding place for workmen. The first business house completed was that of H.T. Giroux on Second street, still occupied by him. The first general store was opened by W.D. Vawter, who purchased three lots on the last day of the auction on Fourth street between Utah and Oregon, paying $125.00 apiece for them. Two weeks from that day his store was ready for occupancy. Later this building was removed to Third street, where it is still used. The first brick building in the town was built by William Rapp, on Second street, between Utah and Oregon. It is still in use. A postoffice was established at once and [p. 147] W.H. Williams served as the first postmaster, the office, being located in a building on Second street where the Union livery stable now stands.
The growth of the new town was most promising. A Los Angeles paper of September 14th thus summarizes the advances made:
"Two months since the site of Santa Monica was a plain under the dominion of a sheepherder. Today nearly one hundred substantial houses line its broad streets. Two hotels are overflowing with guests. Its lumber yards are doing the business of a metropolis and dealers in coal, wood, drygoods and groceries are rushing about in energetic ardor to keep up their stock of goods which are bought out as rapidly as exposed for sale. The price of town lots continues. The fare from San Francisco is $12.00 by boat, while it is $20.00 by continuous. The fare from San Francisco is $12 by boat, while ti is $20 by rail, including a stage ride of 110 miles (the S.P. was not yet completed)."
Allowing for newspaper exaggeration, we may conclude that the first two months of the new town's existence were certainly lively ones. While buildings and businesses sprang up so magically, the new town also provided for the mental and moral needs of its citizens. On October 13th, 1875 appeared the first number of theSanta Moica Outlook, a neat and well-filled four-page weekly, with L.T. Fisher, as editor. He began at once that consistent and persistent support of the interests of the town which can only be supplied by a first class local newspaper.
He records in his first number the business houses and advance already made and the prospects for the future. Some extracts from early numbers of the Outlook will give a clear idea of the new town. "On the 15th of July, 1875, the first lot was sold at Santa Monica. At the date of this writing, October 11th, 1875; six hundred and fifteen lots have been erected. The water of San Vicente springs has been collected in two large reservoirs, forming pretty lakes in the proposed park, and the flow of half a million gallons per day is in process of being distributed in iron mains all over the townsite." -Outlook, October 13th, 1875
"Santa Monica continues to advance. We now have a wharf where the largest Panama steamers have landed; a railroad completed to Los Angeles; a telegraph station, a newspaper, postoffice, two hotels, one handsome clubhouse, several lodging houses, eight restaurants, a number of saloons, four groceries, three drygoods stores, two hardware stores, three fruit stores, one wool commission house, one news depot and book store, one variety store, one bakery, one jeweler and watchmaker, one boot and shoe maker, one tin shop, two livery stables, one dressmaker, two tin shops, several contractors and builders, three real estate agencies, one insurance agency, one coal yard, one brick yard, two lumber yards, two private schools and in a short time we shall have two churches and a public school." -Outlook, November 24th, 1875