Ingersoll's Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities (Being Book Number Two of Ingersoll's Century Series of California Local History Annals), 1908, 1908a, 1876, Preface
Chapter I. Santa Monica Bay Region, p. 121, 1908a
La Ballona, p. 137, 1908a
Machado Families, p. 137, 1908a
" . . . Of Ygnacio Machado, JJ. Warner wrote in 1876: "Don Ygnacio survives the others (of his company)-those faithful friends of his earlier days, at the age of eighty-two, he grasps the hand as warmly as ever, rides on horseback, as usual; patriarch to whom the community bears respect, almost filial." The Machado brothers were widely known and deeply respected as honorable and just men, generous and ever kind. The present head of this branch of the family, Antonio Machado, son of Ygnacio, is a worthy successor of his father. Simple, unassuming, courtly, of good judgement and kindly heart, he looks back to the old days and the care-free life of the past with wistful eyes.
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[p. 149] Chapter II Laying the Foundations. 1870-1880.
" . . . [p. 149] The first marriage ceremony took place January 20th, 1876, when Alfred Hayes wedded Miss Mattie Moutain, Rev. J.D. Crum officiating . . . The first church organized was the Methodist and they dedicated their first chapel on January 2nd, 1876. . . . and the first public school was opened in the Presbyterian chapel on the corner of Third and Arizona, March 6th, 1876, with Mr. H.P. McCusick as teacher.
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The year 1876 opened with the brightest prospects for the new town [Santa Monica]. Its beautiful situation, the ample space given to the streets and alleys, the uniform method of tree planting, which had been adopted, the park and school building which were already planned for, added to the favorable outlook for a steadily increasing volume of business, drew many people to adopt Santa Monica as a home.
In February a meeting was called to consider the question of incorporating the new town; but after a very lively discussion the proposition received but one aye. In April the Outlook, which was an energetic agent and exponent of Santa Monica progress, published its first "special edition" reviewing the achievements of the first six months of existence. It states that 1000 lots in the town and thirty-five acre villa lots had already been sold; 200 acres of the San Vicente ranch, lying along the L.A. & I. road in the vicinity of San Vicente springs had been divided into villa farms, to be sold at $100 per acre. The population of the town is given as between 800 and 900, with 116 school children. A school district had been organized with J.W. Scott, L.T. Fisher and John Freeman as trustees and March 11th, 1876, a special election was held and $5000 tax voted for school purposes.The schoolhouse, located on Sixth street, was ready for use in September, 1876.
In April [1876] Michael Duffy's bath house was completed, the first one in Santa Monica, and a pavilion was built on the beach by Jones and Baker. The Santa Monica Hotel was enlarged and several business houses built. There were many visitors and campers both at North Beach and at the cañon. One of the greatest attractions was a series of ring tournaments between mounted knights, one side of Americans, led by B.F. Reid, the other composed of native Californians was under the command of J.J. Carrillo.
In March [1876], J.W. Scott made the first "ad ition" to the town of Santa Monica, a tract of forty-three acres lying east of town between Fifth and Eighth streets, and known as "Prospect Hill." Mr. Scott laid this off into lots, planted a thousand "blue gum" trees, and put a bridge across Sixth street to connect it with the town. An auction was held March 31st and fifty lots were sold at prices ranging from $77 to $200.
This year a road was opened between Santa Monica and San Fernando valley, through the efforts of Isaac Lankershim, who wished to ship the grain from his 100,000-acre ranch by way of Santa Monica and thus save the cost of the road in a single year. But the Southern Pacific at once dropped its rate [p. 151] and thus the Santa Monica road was never used by Lankershim, although it wa a paying investment for him to build it. The California Coast Steamship Co., whose object was to carry on a freight and passenger traffic between San Francisco and Santa Monica, was organized this year, with a capital stock of $400.000. "Lucky" Baldwin is credited with $75.000 stock and Col. Baker with $25,000, but the plans of the company never materialized.
[p. 151, First Church in Santa Monica, First M.E. Church, 1908b]
A great deal of anxiety was manifested as to the completion of the L.A. & I. road which had come to a stop when it reached Los Angeles. It was still believed that it would be continued to Independence and possibly further. This belief was strengthened by the actual work of a grading force in the Cajon Pass. But no final decision as to route between Los Angeles and the pass was made. San Bernardino talked of raising a subsidy to secure the line and Santa Ana and Riverside had hopes. Los Angeles citizens held meetings to discuss the desirability of aiding the Independence road. Already it was seen that the influence and competition of the Southern Pacific was bearing heavily on the new road; but the papers and the people held out strongly against any suggestion that their independent line might be absorbed by the monopoly.
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[p. 158] In 1876, the Monetary Commission of the senate was appointed to inquire into the relative value of gold and silver, the causes thereof and kindred questions, which vitally affected the mining interests and particularly the interests of the state of Nevada-a silver-producing state. Senator Jones was chosen as chairman of this committee and entered upon the study of the questions arising, with keen interest. It is said of the report rendered by the Monetary Commission that, "Nothing so thoroughly exhaustive had ever been presented to Congress, and the view taken was favorable to the interests of Nevada and of the Comstock miners."
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[p. 245] Chapter VI South Santa Monica and Ocean Park
. . . In March, 1876, the Outlook announces that Captain Thom had sent down a carload of shrubbery to be planted on his place at South Santa Monica. March 22nd, 1876, this item appears in the Outlook: "Improvements are progressing rapidly over at South Santa Monica. Major Mitchell, Captain Thom and Judges Bicknell and Glassell are all building and planting trees. We understand that General Stoneman and Major Hancock will begin building within a few few days. A well has been sunk and a windmill and tank erected which is the common property of several lot owners. C.H. Edwards & Co., of Los Angeles, are planting the shrubbery and making an excellent job of it." This little settlement, which seems to have had rather a military flavor, remained for some years the most exclusive and fashionable beach resort in the vicinity of Los Angeles.
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[p. 245] Another early settlement in South Santa Monica was the Central tract, laid out by J.W. Scott in 1876. A number of giant eucalyptus still remain of the trees planted by him at this time.
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[p. 265] Chapter VII Public Institutions
Schools
. . . [p. 265] An election was called in February, 1876, to vote a tax for school purposes; but owing to some irregularity of form it was postponed until March 11th, when a special tax of $5,000 was voted for a school-house, and Loren Heath was appointed as assessor and collector of the same. The first assessment of the district shows a valuation of $1,035,580. Jones and Baker had already donated two lots on Sixth street as a site and during the summer a neat frame building, containing two school-rooms below and a large room above was erected and ready for use in the fall.
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The first school exhibition given in Santa Monica was presented by the pupils of this [Academy] school in the Presbyterian chapel, February 9th, 1876. The Outlookalso announces that the second term of Mrs. Frink's private school would commence on February 7th.
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[p. 265] March 4th, 1876, the first session of the public school opened in the Presbyterian church, located on the corner of Third and Arizona, the building still standing in the rear of the present church. Among the pupils of this school were a number who have since been well known residents of Santa [p.266] Monica-George, Henry and Eugene Boehme, Julia, May and George Suits, Mary Collins and Claude Sheckles. H.P. McCusick was the teacher and before the end of the second month he had an enrollment of 77 pupils. The next fall when school opened in the new schoolhouse, September 10th, Mr. McCusick was assisted by Miss Lucy Whiten and the two lower rooms were used, while the "big" room was useful as an assembly room and a meeting place for public occasions. Many happy memories are associated with this room in the minds of older residents of Santa Monica.
[p. 269] School Trustees of Santa Monica
1876-77: John Freeman, L.T. Fisher, J.W. Scott (clerk).
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[p. 270] Supervising Principals of Santa Monica Schools:
1876-77: H.P. McCusick.
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[p. 271] Public Library
The people who settled the town of Santa Monica were of the intelligent and progressive class. They at once took steps to provide themselves with schools and churches, and on March 1st, 1876, the Outlook announces: "A Library Association is about to be formed in Santa Monica. All those interested in this movement are requested to meet at the home of Mrs. Devere, on Sixth street, on Thursday evening, when the plans will be explained."
The association was formed and met once a week on Saturday evenings, when discussions were held and papers read. Books and periodicals were contributed for the use of the members. At a meeting of the association held April 19th, 1876, Dr. J.S. Elliott was chosen president; George Boehme, treasurer; and M.C, Olmstead, secretary and librarian. The initiation fees of the society were $1.00 and the membership $2.00 annually, the money to be devoted to the purchase of books. There were twenty-five members, and June 19th, 1876, the first installment of books for the Santa Monica Library was received, the list including a number of standard works. This was certainly a good start toward a library. How long this society existed, or what became of the books purchased for it, is not known.
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[p. 278] Santa Monica Fire Department
. . . One of the most serious fires with which they [the Crawford Hook and Ladder Company] had to contend occurred on July 19th, 1876, when the "Club House" was set on fire by an incendiary for the purpose of robbery, the thieves getting away with $850 from the bar during the excitement. This fire company was an important factor in the social life during the early days, as they had their annual balls and benefits of various sorts. The organization died out, however, and for some years the town was without a regular fire department of any sort. Everybody grabbed a bucket and ran when an alarm was given.
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[p. 281] Newspapers
. . .The Outlook boosted Santa Monica manfully during those early years of existence. The editor [L.T. Fisher] as convinced that the progress of Santa Monica, the completion of the Los Angeles and Independence road and the supremacy of Santa Monica as a commercial port, were the most important subjects to himself and his readers and he wrote editorials on these which were masterpieces in their way. April 5th, 1876, he published the first "special edition" of the Outlook, reviewing the advance made during the six month's existence of the paper.
When the shadow of coming disaster began to loom up, Mr. Fisher fought the "Southern Pacific monopoly" bravely, until the sale of the Independence road to the Southern Pacific company was finally confirmed. Then he yielded as bravely as he had fought and announced: "We should accept the situation as we find it and make the best of it. If we can't stem the current, the next best thing is to float as gracefully as possible with it."
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[p. 288] Chapter VIII Churches and Societies: Methodist Church; First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica; Episcopal Church-Saint Augustine-By-The-Sea;
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The society continued to use this room until January 13th, 1876, when the pastor gave notice that there would be no service on the next Sabbath, but that he hoped they would worship in a building of their own on the second Sunday. And this was done. The Santa Monica Land Company donated two lots for the use of the church on the corner of Sixth street and Arizona avenue; the people of the little town, still largely a tent city, donated money and labor. Rev. A.M. Hough and R.M. Widney of Los Antgeles subscribed liberally, and the pastor, being of a long line of Methodist elders who were able to work with hands as well as with brains and heart, himself labored with carpenter's tools. The church when completed, represented a value, including the lots of $1,361.66. This building, after being removed to the corner of Fourth and Arizona, enlarged several times, was finally removed to South Santa Monica to house the new M.E. church there.
This building was dedicated, free from debt, on February 3rd, 1876. Rev. Crum was pastor of the church most of the time until 1878-79. He came of a family of ministers, his grandfather having been one of the founders of the United Brethern church and having had nine grandsons who entered the Methodist ministry. He had spent fifteen years in the Southern Illinois conference before coming to this state, where his first charge was the Santa Monica church, which he so ably led under many discouragements. It is of record that for his first year of labor here he received $230, and his salary in the subsequent years was pitifully inadequate.
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[p. 291] Chapter VIII First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica
. . . The Presbyterian Board of Church Erection assisted in building the first church, work on which was commenced January 17, 1876, and which was dedicated March 12.
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[p. 295] Chapter VIII Episcopal Church-Saint Augustine-By-The-Sea
The first Episcopalian service held in this city was an Easter service in Roger's Hall, April 15, 1876. The hall was suitably decorated for the occasion and the Rev. J.B. Gray officiated. After this there was talk of forming an Episcopal society here and a number expressed themselves willing to contribute to a building fund for such a church . . .
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