Ingersoll's Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities (Being Book Number Two of Ingersoll's Century Series of California Local History Annals), 1908, 1908a, 1879
[p. 155] Early in 1879 the [Southern Pacific] S.P. ordered the removal of the wharf. The citizens of Santa Monica protested and offered to purchase the structure as it stood, but the offer was declined and the work proceeded. In 1888, the editor of the Outlook had sufficiently recovered to be able to describe the sad scene:
"A big bumper was planted upon the shore end to keep the trains from running upon it, even by accident. Next came the order to tear down the structure. The work of destruction began one fine morning and the sea was as calm as if it had been a human being holding its breath in very wonder at such an exhibition of unjustifiable vandalism. It was a bright morning but it was a blue day for the people who live here. We heard the first blow of the destructive implement and remarked that it was the death knell of Santa [p. 156] Monica. And yet, in the midst of this industrial tragedy, there was an element of comedy. The workmen had their minds so thoroughly impressed with the dangerous conditions of the wharf that they tiptoed over the structure as if they expected every minute that it would crumble beneath them. They finally reached the outer end, tore up the flooring, stripped off the stringers, removed the braces and then attempted to topple over the piles with long poles. These stumps of redwood yielded no more than if they had been growing trees. Next the stringers were replaced and a temporary flooring laid upon which a donkey engine was placed. A noose was made of a huge chain and dropped over the piles at the bottom. Even this power failed. As a finality, men were sent in boats at low tide with axes and the piles were chopped off at low water mark. The beach was strewn for a considerable distance with the timber that washed ashore. Upon examintation many of these piles were found to be only a little worm eaten, which shows that the wharf at a comparatively little cost, could have been kept intact." -Outlook, February, 20th, 1888 (1878).
As soon as it was definitely known that the S.P. would abandon the shipping business in Santa Monica Bay, new projects were talked of. It had already been proposed that the people of Los Angles build a wharf and a narrow gauge road and thus obtain a competing line. In October, 1878, a company of San Francisco capitalists proposed to construct a harbor at Santa Monica, build a narrow gauge road and put on a line of steamers which should carry freight at $3.50 per ton and passengers at $8.00 between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The right of way was already secured and work was to be begun at once. In November agreements between John Hayes, of San Francisco and citizens of Los Angeles and San Bernardino, were published. These set forth that Hayes was to build a narrow gauge road from Santa Monica to Los Angeles and ultimately to San Bernardino, and to carry passengers between Los Angeles and Santa Monica for 25 cents and freight for $1.00. Another agreement made by John Wright of San Francisco was to the effect that he would put on a line of substantial steamships, provided the citizens of Los Angeles would do all their shippping on them.
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[p. 164] Chapter II Laying the Foundations. 1870-1880.
[p. 164 ] Charles Knowlton Vawter [1855-1879 ], son of Williamson D. and Charlotte Knowlton Vawter, was born in Vernon, September 7th, 1855. He was delicate from birth, having a spinal difficulty which resulted in the complete loss of sight. He died September 29th, 1879.
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[p. 269] Chapter VII. Public Institutions: Schools
[p. 269] School Trustees of Santa Monica
1878-79: Loren Heath, J.W. Scott, George Boehme (clerk).
1879-80: Loren Heath, George Boehme, W.S. Vawter (clerk).
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[p. 270] Supervising Principals of Santa Monica Schools:
1878-79: Chas. H. Hall.
1879-80: Miss Blanche L. Downs.
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