Ingersoll's Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities (Being Book Number Two of Ingersoll's Century Series of California Local History Annals), 1908, 1908a, 1903
In 1903 the ranch house on the Malibu, with all its furnishings, including a part of Mr. Rindge's fine library, was destroyed by fire. About this time the family moved to Los Angeles where Mr. Rindge had erected a handsome house on Harvard Boulevard, in a section of the city he had helped to develop. On locating to Los Angeles, he identified himself with the Westlake M.E. church, [p. 131] to which he contributed liberally. He was also deeply interested in the Young Men's Christian Association, being an active member and aiding largely in lifting the debt which for many years hung over the Los Angeles association. He was one of the originators of the Ocean Park Y.M.C.A. Company, which started the town of Ocean Park.
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[p. 163] Chapter II Laying the Foundations. 1870-1880.
" . . . in 1903 he [W.S. Vawter] was again elected city trustee and served until 1906.
[p. 212] Chapter V. Expansion. 1900-1908.
. . . and in 1903 the wholesale license was raised to $3,000, this amount having been offered by Alexander Gunn.
In the spring of 1903 the temperance people were so aroused by the changes made, which practically restored saloons to the town, that they made a strong campaign before the annual election to secure candidates for trustees who would support the law and take steps to carry out the provisions of the original ordin- [p. 213] ance-which had been adopted to carry out the wish of the voters. Dr. Chapman again took a vigorous, and as many thought, a not very wise, part in the campaign, working for the election of men who had pledged themselves to vote against issuing new licenses and removals of restrictions. After the city elections, another special election to again submit the question of prohibition, by adopting what was known as the Long Beach ordinance, was called for. A brief campaign was made by Dr. Chapman and the question was submitted on June 10th, resulting in a vote of 831; 287 for, 544 against. This result, so different from the previous one when this question was voted upon, was brought about by many causes; chiefly the dissension of the temperance forces and the bitterness and in the eyes of many, the unfairness of the methods adopted by the prohibition workers. As a consequence of this result, the Board of Trustees passed an ordinance, granting restaurant licenses, with no restriction as to the meals; buffet licenses, which were practically saloon licenses; and the wholesale license.
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[p. 224] 1903
The year 1903 was marked by an unprecedented growth. With the new city government and the occupation of the beautiful new city building, came an expansion in every direction that approached dangerously near to the fated [p. 225] word "boom." The new city hall, a substantial structure whose simple lines and graceful curves are dignified and beautiful, was complete in its fitness and space for the needs of the city affairs and were regarded by all-those who had opposed the bond, the plans and the location, as well as those who had worked hard to settle all difficulties and secure the building-with pride. On the evening of its dedication, March 19th, 1903, the people of Santa Monica and many visitors from Los Angeles inspected the building with approval and listened to the exercises with pleasure. A program was rendered and Mr. W.I. Hull gave a resume of the history of the building, in which he humorously recalled the various agitations which had led up to this happy finale. He closed by hoping that "those who take possession of it next month will keep it clean-clean inside and out. Let every record made here be as white as the paper on which it is written. Let those who are elected to office fulfill their duty as a public trust and not as a private snap. Municipal government is the weak spot in our American system. Selfish and corporate interests seek to control elections that they may enrich themselves at the expense of the people. If we are careful that such conditions do not occur in Santa Monica, we shall the more quickly realize the grand destiny that awaits us-the Queen Seaside City of Southern California." Beside the municipal offices, the public library was provided with pleasant quarters, which were greatly appreciated by the public. The city hall was built by H.X. Goetz, the contractor, and with its site, cost about $38,000.
[p. 225, H.X. Goetz, 1908b]
The city government under the new form required an election of new city officials throughout. The railroad and saloon questions had already become important factors in this municipal election. The many affairs of importance which the new board of trustees would be required to handle made their selection more than ever of the deepest importance to the town. Yet it must be feared that a large number of the voters were swayed by self-interest and personal feeling, rather than by the "greatest good to the greatest number." The ticket chosen was as follows: Trustees, T.H. Dudley, H.X. Goetz, A.F. Johnson, J.C. Steele and W.S. Vawter; school board, W.E. Devore, J.H. Hassinger, [p. 226] Dr. J.S. Hunt, J.H. Jackson and S.F. Carpenter, clerk, J.C. Hemingway, re-elected; assessor, C.S. Dales; treasurer, Frank W. Vogel; recorder, A.M. Guidinger; marshal, M.K. Barretto, who had served in the same office since 1898; for city attorney, there was a sharp contest between F.H. Taft, the incumbent and Benjamin S. Hunter, who it was claimed was a non-resident of the city. Mr. Taft was elected, but the position was contested in the courts by Mr. Hunter, without avail.
With the organization of the new board of trustees on April 20th, the history of Santa Monica as a city of the fifth class began. T.H. Dudley was chosen president of the board; the salaries to be paid city officials were, after some discussion, fixed: City clerk, $1020.00 per annum; attorney, $600.00; assessor, $520.00; marshal, $1200.00; treasurer, $400.00; recorder, $300.00; chief of fire department, $120.00 per annum.
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p. 243] Annual Assessment of City of Santa Monica, 1887-1907, 1908a
1903 $2,887,574.00
[p. 257] Chapter VI South Santa Monica and Ocean Park
1903.
The new year showed no diminishment in building or in general improvement in the 'sand district." Work was begun early in the year on the pavilion at the foot of Pier avenue, which was to be the most complex pleasure resort on the beach. When it was opened to the public in the spring, it at once attracted the Sunday crowds. The question of granting a restaurant liquor license for the pavilion greatly harassed many of the older residents of Ocean Park, who had prided themselves upon the high moral tone of their community. The matter was discussed warmly and was made an issue in the spring election which was hotly contested, the liquor question and the Traction franchises being the mooted points. The result of the election was not satisfactory to the "no-license" element who forced a special election, at which they lost heavily in votes. And the liquor license was granted for the pavilion-the first ever granted in Ocean Park district.
The Traction matter was quite as important in its bearing on Ocean Park affairs. The company had been interested in a project to build a line to Santa Monica Bay by Abbot Kinney, who was its representative in its negotiations here. A right of way had been secured; after a long fight which developed much opposition, the necessary franchises were granted by the city of Santa Monica and work was actively begun on a competing electric line which held out hopes of a twenty-five cent fare. The new road was well under way when the sale by Messrs. Fraser and Jones, of the Ocean Park right of way-the old Santa Fe right of way-to Sherman and Clark of the Los Angeles-Pacific, [p. 260] and the later sale to the Harriman interests, put an end to this prospect of competition; as the new road thus lost its terminals.
Several new tracts were opened up for settlement during the year. The Ocean Villa Tract, east of the electric road and opposite the Country Club was sold in half acre lots which were quickly subdivided and a new resident district grew up. In September, Ocean Park Villa Tract No. 2, 60 acres extending from Ballona avenue to Eighth street was put on the market and made a record as a quick seller. These ventures were so successful that E.J. Vawter offered 60 lots for sale on the hill in the vicinity of Hill and Fourth streets, all of which were soon disposed of. Pier avenue continued to hold its own as the principal business street. A three-story brick block was erected by Maier and Zobelin, and a new block designed especially to accomodate the postoffice was built. July 23rd the postoffice was moved from Second street to its new home and several of the business houses on Second street followed it to the new location. Lots on the ocean front, near Pier avenue, sold this summer for $2,300 to $2,600. Marine avenue was opened up, paved and sidewalked this year and Hart and Fraser avenues were "parked." The placing of the sidewalks in the middle of a street, with gardens bordering it on either side was an innovation which has proved very attractive in the beach districts, and has now been adopted in many places, although Ocean Park claims it as original wih her.
The beautiful home built for J.M. Davies, a ten-room house, complete in every detail of artistic finish, and an equally handsome home for Thomas Fitzgerald, now owned by Nat Goodwin, marked a new era in beach residences. The selection of Ocean Park as a permanent home by such men as Frank Wiggins, W.T. Gibbon, and many other prominent businessmen of Los Angeles, made the place a suburban as well as resort town.
The rapid growth of South Santa Monica and of the territory south of the city limits naturally gave rise to much discussion as to the future government of this prosperous young city. The attempt to divide the city of Santa Monica had proved so impracticable that it was now proposed to incorporate a new town to the south, with the hope that when the new town was fairly organized, the Ocean Park district of Santa Monica might experience a change of sentiment and cast its fortunes with the new corporation. The matter was fully discussed in all of its bearings and in the fall the necessary steps were taken and the election called for February, 1904. On that date, the new town began its existance and the name "Ocean Park" became the property of a district which had been in existence less than eighteen months, leaving the postoffice of "Ocean Park" within the bounds of Santa Monica, and creating endless confusion as to the location and meaning of the name "Ocean Park."
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[p. 267] Chapter VII Public Institutions
Schools
In 1902 $12,000 bonds were voted for a new building on the south side and the next year [1903] an eight-room building, costing when complete about $16,000 was ready for occupancy.
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[p. 269] School Trustees of Santa Monica
1902-03: S.F. Carpenter, F.K. Rindge, D.G. Holt (Clerk).
[p. 270] Santa Monica City Board of Education
1903-04: The change was made from a board of trustees to a city
[p. 270] Board of education, the first board under the re-organization being: S.F. Carpenter, J.H. Hassinger, W.E. Devore, Dr. J.S. Hunt, J.H. Jackson.
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[p. 275] Public Library
On the completion of the new city hall, it was removed March 21st, 1903, to the room now occupied by the council, which gave more commodious quarters.
But it had alread been suggested that Santa Monica might possibly be able to secure a Carnegie library, as so many other towns in Southern California had done. Early in 1903 Mrs. J.H. Clark wrote to Mr. Carnegie, setting forth the needs of Santa Monica and making a plea for consideration for this city. After some correspondence she received the following letter:
Andrew Carnegie
2 East 91st St.
New York
13th April, 1903
Mrs. J.H. Clark,
Santa Monica, Cal.
Madam-Responding to your communication on behalf of Santa Monica. If the city agree by resolution of Councils to maintain a Free Public Library at cost of not less than Twelve Hundred and Fifty Dollars a year, and provide a suitable site for the building, Mr. Carnegie will be pleased to furnish Twelve Thousand Five Hundred Dollars to erect a Free Public Library Building for Santa Monica.
Respectfully yours, Jas. Bertram, P. Secretary
The city was already raising more than the required amount annually for the support of the library. It only remained to secure the site. A subscription was started and in a few weeks the sum of $3,982.50 had been raised.
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[p. 285] Board of Trade-Chamber of Commerce-Improvement Club-Board of Trade-Chamber of Commerce
July 9th, 1903, the ever hopeful scribe of the Outlook writes: "It would seem that the business men of Santa Monica have at last awakened to the necessity of doing something in the way of raising the standard of the amusements, improvements, etc., of this town, and that they mean to stay awake." A large and "enthusiastic" meeting of the business men was held to discuss the situation and it was agreed by all that something must be done at once, or Santa Monica would lose her prestige as a summer resort entirely. As many of those present had been members of the old Chamber of Commerce, it was decided to revive that organization. The officers of this renewed Chamber of Commerce were: Robert F. Jones, president; W.I. Hull, first vice-president; R. Fogel, second vice-president; Frank W. Vogel, treasurer. A committee to secure amusements and music for the summer season was appointed and secured funds for band concerts during the season. It was also arranged for dances and various attractions on the beach, but this seems to have been the extent of their efforts and nothing more is heard of the organization.
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[p. 287] [Santa Monica] City Officials.
1903.-First election under charter. Council, T.H. Dudley, H.X. Goetz, A.F. Johnston, J.C. Steele, W.S. Vawter; clerk, J.C. Hemingway; treasurer, Frank W. Vogel; assessor, C.S. Dales; recorder, A.M. Guidinger; marshal, M.K. Barretto; school board, W.E. Devore, J.H. Hassinger, Dr. J.S. Hunt, J.S. H. Jackson, S.F. Carpenter.
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[p. 293] Chapter VIII Churches and Societies: Catholic Church; Baptist Church
On May 5th, 1903, the academy [The Academy of Holy Names] was honored by a visit from Rev. Archbishop Diomede Falconi, representative in this country of the Pope, Leo XIII. The occasion was made a festival day and the distinguished guest was paid every honor, not only by the clergy and laity of the Catholic church, but by the city officials and citizens generally. July 10th, 1903, was a day long remembered in the annals of Santa Monica. It was given up to the entertainment of the Knights of Columbia, who had that year held their annual session in Los Angeles. The streets and buildings were brilliantly decorated and the population turned out to welcome the guests who, in turn, gazed with admiration upon the charms of fair Santa Monica. The day was still further marked by the inauguration of a council of the Knights of Columbus in this city, a council which has flourished and is now a powerful ally of the church.
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[p. 295] January 15th, 1903, Reverand James A. O'Callaghan came to Santa Monica to relieve the head of the parish and assist him in his labors. Father O'Callaghan is a man of fine education and of superior qualities and has been of the greatest value to the parish.
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[p. 298] Chapter VIII Baptist Church
[p. 298] February 15th, 1903, when Rev. L.A. Gould was called as pastor and took up his residence here. September 7th, 1903, the church was admitted into full membership with the Baptist Convention and recognition services were held, many guests being present and the charge being delivered by Rev. Robert Burdette. Rev. Gould remained as pastor until he was succeeded by Rev. M.M. Mason.
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[p. 317] Chapter X. The City of Ocean Park
The history of the town of Ocean Park with Venice of America, both now less than three years old, is a modern business romance-a romance of fair dreams and marvelous fulfillments; of great ambitions and of saddening failures; of wonderful growth in wealth and population and of bitter contests of strong men with strong men. Many of the events in this brief history partake of the comedy nature; there are elements of tragedy in the story, too-of fortunes made and lost, of high hopes disappointed. There are signs of promise also, a city built upon sand-and yet planted upon a solid foundation of prosperity and steady growth.
It scarcely seems credible, even to those who have seen the tranformation going on before their eyes, that the ground now occupied by beautiful homes and handsome building blocks was, less than six years ago, a barren waste, looked upon as practically useless for building or for any other purpose. The energy, the large conceptions and the large investment which have brought about the changes have rarely been equalled-even in this land of commercial wonders. A rise in values within five years from a few dollars an acre to $15,000 for a twenty-foot lot is not often recorded even in California.
Much of the earlier history of this section has already been given. A part of the present city of Ocean Park was included in the original Kinney and Ryan holdings. All of this land was originally a part of La Ballona grant and had been owned by the Machados, or their successors. The "Short Line Beach" tract had been opened up for settlement in 1902. In 1903 the Ocean Park Villa tracts were put on the market and an addition made to the Short Line Beach, giving it an ocean frontage of 4150 feet. The rapid settlement of this new territory soon created a district which must be provided with government, either by incorporation or annexation to Santa Monica. Early in the spring the talk of incorporating a new town began to take form and definite plans were made. Steps were taken during the summer to arrange for a primary school in the district, a lot being donated fro the purpose. The rapidity with which the Short Line Beach lots were sold and occupied by dwellings: the opening up of Marine street by Messrs. Vawter and Steele; the occupation of the hills east of the electric line, added to the desirability of the new corporation. It was generally agreed that the lines of the new town should extend from the Santa Monica city [p. 318] limits south to the south line of the Short Line Beach and along Lake street as the east boundary. [p. 318] At a public meeting held October 8th, the question of incorporation, or of joining Santa Monica, was thoroughly discussed. At this meeting the old firm of land owners offered to lend the new municipality money to conduct its business until its own funds became available. It was estimated that the cost of carrying on the new city for one year would be $4,100, that the assessment value of the district was $80,800 which, at a tax rate of 75 cents would yield an income of $6,100, giving a surplus of the end of the year of $2,000. It was also stated that insurance rates would be reduced one-third.
A vote of the sense of the meeting stood 52 for incorporation and 1 against. The objector, Mr. J.M. Roberts, then changed his vote and it was made unaminous. A committee of five, Mssrs. Henry Lavayea, W.T. Gibbon, A. Ed. Robinson, Dana Burks and A.R. Fraser, were appointed a committee to circulate petitions for signatures. The active spirits in this movement proposed to show to the world a model city. Dana Burks in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, September 9th, 1903, said: "We propose to make Ocean Park the best lighted city in the United States. When the lighting system is installed, steamers passing miles out at sea will have ocular proof of the exact location of Ocean Park. Pure food regulation will be enforced strictly. Every milkman will have to "show us" and obtain permit before he can deliver milk in Ocean Park. A chemist will be regularly employed and regularly paid to make continued inspection of food products offered for sale in the city. City officials will serve without pay, and character, ability and proved public-spiritedness will be the three requisites for election. Politics will be barred absolutely from the municipal conduct; and with the elimination of spoils, purity of government will be easier to launch and to maintain. Attempted dishonesty will mean dismissal and dismissal will entail social ostracism."
Mr. Plez James was appointed registration clerk and a systematic census of the proposed incorporated distrct was taken. It was found that there were 300 houses and 750 inhabitants. Sixty-seven voters were registered. The petitions received the requisite number of signatures and on November 9th were presented to the board of supervisors. In the meantime a petition had been presented to the board of trustees of Santa Monica from property owners residing between Marine and Rose avenues asking for annexations to the city, and also a petition favoring such annexation from citizens of Santa Monica. The city limits of Santa Monica, following the old lines of the Lucas tract, cut northeasterly through the block between Marine and Navy streets, thus leaving a portion of each lot in the city and a portion in the county. In accordance with these petitions, the city of Santa Monica called an election to vote on the question of annexation on December 14th. The battle over the disputed territory [p. 319] was a warm one. When the matter came up before the board of supervisors, petitions for annexation and for incorporation were presented and action was delayed until November 23rd. On November 12th a protest, signed by 27 residents of the disputed territory was presented to the board of trustees, requesting that the election for annexation be not held. The city attorney decided, however, that neither petition nor protest legally affected the matter so long as 20 per cent of the voters of the city called for the election, which was therefore held, and resulted in a vote of 19 against annexation in the district in question and 11 for, thus settling the question. Other petitions and protests against being included in the proposed incorporation, made by residents of the Short Line tract and by the L. A.-P. railway, were placed before the board of supervisors and another adjournment was necessary in order to give all parties a hearing. On December 28th the decision was finally reached and the petition for incorporation granted, the election being set for February 12th, 1904.