Ingersoll's Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities (Being Book Number Two of Ingersoll's Century Series of California Local History Annals), 1908, 1908a, 1904
[p. 182] Chapter III. From Town to City. 1880-1890.
After his retirement from the council he [Juan J./John Carrillo] served two years as superintendent of streets, from 1904 to 1906.
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[p. 226] Chapter V. Expansion. 1900-1908.
[p. 226] 1904
The rapid growth of the town [Santa Monica] had made the old water system entirely inadequate to the demands upon it, particularly in the case of fire, and for a year or two there had been more or less talk of municipal ownership of the plant. The dissatisfaction with the conditions was so general that February 5th a mass meeting was called to discuss the situation and the possibilities of the city acquiring a water system of its own. At this meeting a communication from Mr. Rindge, president of the Artesian Water Company, then supplying the city water, was read, in which he stated that his company would guarantee the city an adequate supply and would at once enlarge their facilities for supplying water. After considerable discussion it was decided to suspend further action by the citizens until it was seen whether the water company fulfilled its promises. During the next two years the Artesian Company laid a 16-inch main down Nevada street and distributed a large amount of new pipe, replacing the old system and extending it to new districts. Nevertheless, it was still felt that the water supply was not equal to the demands of the rapidly growing city and the board of trade appointed a committee, who after a thorough examination into the matter, reported favorably upon the proposition to bond the city for a [p. 227] sum sufficient to secure its own water system. The city engineer prepared a careful estimate of the cost and reported that he thought a complete plant could be provided for $240,250. At the request of the requisite number of voters, the council ordered an election to vote upon the proposition of bonding the city for $250,000. But many citizens felt that this was moving too rapidly, as the city was already heavily bonded and was now considering the adoption of a new charter, consequently the date of this election, January 16th, 1906 was recalled and the matter was permitted to drop for the time being. The feeling is still strong that Santa Monica must soon have a more adequate supply of water, owned by the municipality; but the building of school houses and the disposition of sewage must first be completed.
After the incorporation of the town of Ocean Park, including the settled territory south of the Santa Monica city limits, there was still much talk of town division. Many of the people residing in the section which had first been known as "Ocean Park," felt that they had built up that portion of the "sand hills' into a prosperous business and residential district with very little aid from the "old town" of Santa Monica. The rapid growth of the last two or three years had brought in a new element who knew little of the past history of the town and did not realize that the question of town division had already been thoroughly canvassed and, it was hoped, settled by the decisive vote of November 13th, 1901. Ocean Park had already secured a portion of Santa Monica school district and it was now proposed to divide the city at Front street. It was the common belief that this section, if cut off from Santa Monica, would join the new Ocean Park municipality, although there were those who talked of a third corporation which should go it alone. Some of the older residents of the territory, who had already paid taxes for street improvements, schools, city hall, and sewers in Santa Monica, did not care to repeat the payments for the same purposes in the new town. The new corporation of Ocean Park was already voting bonds with a free hand; there were dissensions among business interests-the causes were various but the result was-death to the division proposition. The petition was circulated but was never presented and the election did not take place. The Outlook of January 21st, 1905, pays its tribute to the division question thus:
"Poor little thing dead. The last sad rites performed over fatherless and motherless babe. There is crepe on the door of a suite of upstairs rooms on Pier avenue. The fight to divide Santa Monica is ended. The 'executive ommittee' for the division of Santa Monica has passed in its checks. The last meeting of this august body was held on Wednesday, when it was decided that the idea of dividing this city was a forlorn hope and the committee adjourned 'sine die.' While the meeting was secret, it is learned that hte executive committee positively decided to abandon the project."
And from this date a more solid faith in "greater Santa Monica" has [p. 228] grown up in both sections of the town and it is only a matter of a few years before the memory of "north" and "south" feuds will have faded and Santa Monica will present an undivided front to the world.
This year was marked by the breaking up of large tracts and the opening to settlement of many fine pieces of land hitherto unoccupied. In April it was announced that the Jones and Baker lands, including the San Vicente rancho, Boca y Santa Monica and Santa Monica rancho, over 30,000 acres in all, had been transferred to a consolidated company formed of the Artesian Water Company, the Santa Monica and Sawtelle Water Companies, Frederick H. Rindge, Gen. M.H. Sherman, E.P. Clark, G. I. Cochran, R.C. Gillis and others. The purpose of the new water company was to supply water to the Ballona country, between Western avenue in Los Angeles and the sea coast, and to supply domestic water to Santa Monica and the entire coast southward to Playa del Rey. It was stated that the lands coming into possession of the new company would be subdivided and put upon the market at once and soon afterward a sale of 1000 acres of the San Vicente rancho was made to R.C. Gillis. This tract extended from Fourteenth street to Sawtelle between Oregon avenue and the Southern Pacific right of way, and was at once cut up into lots of from two to forty acres and offered for sale. The Santa Monica Land and Water Company also subdivided 450 acres between the Soldiers' Home lands and Twenty-sixth street.
[p. 154, Charles E. Towner, 1908b]
A number of other tracts and additions were put on the market this year also, among them the Irwin Heights tract east of the city, which was improved by Irwin and Towner; the Artesian tract continued to attract buyers and the Oregon avenue tract between Thirteenth and Sixteenth streets was opened, streets paved and many lots sold and houses built during the year. Six new houses, costing about $15,000 were put up in Washington Place. This portion of the town, east of Tenth street and north of Oregon, became, indeed, a new city within a very short period. The land east and north of the city limits had also become desirable residence property and many homes had been established on "villa" lots, or small ranches. The talk of annexation of this district grew and was brought to a head finally by the attempt on the part of Ocean Park to secure a division of the town of Santa Monica at Front street, and by the necessity of supplying school accommodations for the many new residents.
It was estimated that during the year from April, 1904, to April, 1905, two hundred building permits were issued for the city of Santa Monica, the expenditure reaching $300,000. During the same period, four miles of streets were graded and several miles oiled; 260,000 square feet of cement walk were laid, 40,000 lineal feet of concrete curbing were put in, 30,000 square feet of cross-walks, 12,000 feet of sewer pipe laid, 22,000 feet of gutter and 40,000 square feet of paving put down. This was done by the city and it is probable that the work done by private contract in the various new subdivisions almost equalled this record.
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[p. 270] Chapter VII. Public Institutions: Schools
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[p. 270] 1904: Santa Monica City Board of Education
S.F. Carpenter, J.H. Hassinger, W.E, Devore, Dr. J.S. Hunt, J.H. Jackson.
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[p. 275] Public Library
The site on the corner of Oregon avenue and Fifth street was purchased. Janurary 1st, 1904, work on the new library was begun. July 23rd of the same year saw the building completed and on the evening of August 11th the library was opened with a reception to the public.
[p. 271, Public Library, 1908b]
The architecture of the building is Romanesque, with a handsome facade and entrance. Within an octagonal delivery room is the central feature, all the rooms being built around it and opening from it, in such a way that supervision can be had over the whole from the central desk. A juvenile room with suitable chairs and tables and a ladies' rest room add to the conveniences for patrons.
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[p. 285] Board of Trade-Chamber of Commerce-Improvement Club-Board of Trade-Chamber of Commerce-Santa Monica Municipal League
The next organization to "improve" the city of Santa Monica was the Municipal League. This was formed May 18th, 1904, with Robert F. Jones as presiding officer; Dr. Rathbone, vice-president; D.G. Holt, secretary; A. Mooser, treasurer. It proposed among other things, to prepare a pamphlet setting forth the advantages of Santa Monica, for distribution; also to prepare an exhibit for the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, but the only real accomplishment seems to have been a Fourth of July celebration and the securing of a band to play during the summer season.
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[p. 293] Chapter VIII Churches and Societies:Catholic Church; Women's Club of Santa Monica
In 1904, under the auspices of Bishop Conaty, now head of this diocese, the Catholic Teacher's Institute was held in this city, and since that date these institutes have been an annual feature of the life of the Sisters who are engaged in teaching. As guests of the Academy of the Holy Name they spend two [p. 295] weeks each summer in listening to the instructions and lectures of distinguished teachers.
[p. 243] Annual Assessment of City of Santa Monica, 1887-1907, 1908a
1904 $3,472,124.00
[p. 294, Rev. Patrick Hawe, 1908b]
[p. 295] But perhaps the most glorious of all gala days in the annals of Saint Monica's was the celebration of May 8th, 1904. This was a triple festival, for it marked the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Church of Saint Monica's, the eighteenth year of Father Hawe's service to this parish and the dedication of the church of St. Clement of Ocean Park. This church had been started by Father Hawe ten years before as a mission [1894- ]. The corner-stone for the handsome building was laid on August 24th, 1903, and the church was finally dedicated August 20th, 1905. The Reverend Michael Hennessy is the rector of this church.
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[p. 300] Chapter VIII. Churches and Societies:Women's Club of Santa Monica; Santa Monica Lodge No. 906, B.P.O.E.
In September, 1904, a lecture class in history was organized by Miss Elizabeth McLaughlin, with Miss M.E. Abbott as lecturer. The first class was held at the home of Miss McLaughlin, after which the sessions were held in a cottage, on Nevada avenue until the class outgrew this and was removed to Columbia Hall. On December 8th, 1904, the members of this class formed an organization, with Mrs. D.G. Stephens as president and Miss McLaughlin as secretary and treasurer. This was in reality the organization of the Woman's Club, although the name "club" was not taken at this time.
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[p. 301] Chapter VIII. Santa Monica Lodge No. 906, B.P.O.E.
At the Elk's reunion, held on the top of Mt. Wilson, May 27th, 28th and 29th, 1904, the newly formed Santa Monica lodge-a 'Baby Lodge," as it was known-won a very handsome grandfather clock for the best average attendence reported.
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[p. 319] Chapter X. The City of Ocean Park
A change which meant much to the proposed new city took place in January, 1904. This was the dissolution of the Ocean Park Improvement Company by the division of their property. The company had been composed of Mssrs. Kinney, Fraser, Gage and Jones; Mr. Kinney owning a half interest, Mr. Fraser a two-fifths interest of the other half, with Mssrs. Jones and Gage holding the balance. By the terms of the division, Mr. Kinney received complete control of all unplatted lands of the company south of Navy street, including about 100 lots between Short Line Beach and Zephyr avenue; also 90 acres of land lying to the east and south of the clubhouse. This action, together with the sale of the righrt of way owned by the Improvement Company through South Santa Monica and of Mr. Kinney's railroad interests to the L. A.-P. Railway Co., considerably changed the aspect of affairs for the future city. It put an end to the hope for a competing line; but as a partial compensation the electric company began building the plank walk and stations, and otherwise improving Trolleyway, thus giving the district a new street.
As was expected but a single ticket was put in the field for the election. This named for trustees, A. Ed. Robinson, Dana Burks, Force Parker, G.M. Jones, W.T. Gibbon; treasurer, H. Blagge; clerk, T.G. Smith; marshal, W.H. Slack. Dana Burk was slated for mayor; 56 votes were cast, 52 for incorporation and 2 against, 2 voting for officers but not for incorporation.
Thus, at last came into existence the city of Ocean Park, which did not include the territory that had been known as "Ocean Park" since 1894, but was made up of lands settled within the past eighteen months. It was certainly a misfortune that the name which distinctly belonged to the old section in South Santa Monica should have been applied to the new city. The new town, however, continued to grow rapidly. The undoubted healthfulness of the sands, as. . .[p.321] a place of residence; the easy and rapid transit to Los Angeles brought many business men and women to the place; the rapid advance in prices brought many investors, both small and large; above all the development of Venice, which became a reality during the year, brought many newcomers. But there were factors which, naturally enough, brought about dissension and misunderstanding. The fact that so large a portion of the territory was owned by a single man; that Venice soon became a city within a city; that the business interests of the new town were either centered on Pier avenue in Santa Monica, or on Windward avenue in Venice; that the postoffice, "Ocean Park" was located in South Santa Monica, while the postoffice of the town of Ocean Park was eventually located in Venice and given the name of Venice-all of these, and other complications, led to confusion and conflicting interests.
At a meeting held on February 23, in the Country Club House, the use of which was donated by Mr. Kinney, the new board organized with Dana Burks as chairman and elected W.H. Angerson city attorney and W.T. Robinson, recorder. At this meeting the Ocean Park Improvement Company presented the new city with the ocean frontage from Navy street to Horizon avenue, a distance of 4,600 feet, a gift estimated to be worth $220,000. Messrs. Jones, Fraser and Gage also presented the new corporation with their interest in the fire system already established within the district. The new city was furnished quarters for its officers and public business free of rent, and was financed without interest, by Mr. Kinney. On April 11th, the city election was held and the same officers were re-elected, with the exception of the marshal, H.E. Lavayea taking the place of W.H. Slack.
One of the first topics which engaged the attention of the town trustees was the matter of sewage disposal. The part of the town already sewered was connected with the Santa Monica outfall, by the old contract with Kinney and Ryan. But it was understood that the city of Santa Monica would demand some other arrangement, and in fact, notice was received by the Ocean Park trustees that their sewer connections would be cut off August 1st. Many plans were discussed and investigated. A sewer farm was proposed, but after study of conditions was found impracticable; then it was suggested that the sewage of the entire beach might be carrried south to a connection with the Los Angeles outfall; eventually the septic plant was decided upon and January 30th, 1905, a special election was called to vote $20,000 bonds for a sewer system and $5,000 for fire apparatus. April 4th, another special election was held to vote $15,000 additional for (a)sewer system.
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[p. 322] The question of liquor licenses also has been a critical one in the brief annals of Ocean Park. On June 21st, 1904, a high license ordinance was passed and for some time the only license granted was for a wholesale house. Later licences were granted for various restaurants and bars.
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[p. 322] In August, 1904, the city of Ocean Park voted $10,000 for school purposes. A school district had already been formed, and the county superintendent appointed as a temporary board, Mrs. M. de Luna, Mrs. Frank A. Werner and A.R. French. The school census of the spring showed 207 children. The first school was opened in the fall in two tent-houses on the Country Club grounds. Considerable difficulty was found by the first regular school board in securing a suitable location for the school-house. Values were now so high in Ocean Park that any desirable site was beyond the means of the board. Land was finally obtained from Mr. Kinney and in September, a contract was let for a two-story, seven-room building. It is a handsome, modern structure completely equipped for grade work.
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[p. 322] One of the most important improvements of 1904 was the building of the Ocean Park Bath House. A stock company was formed by T.H. Dudley, G.M. Jones, J.F. Mullen, A. Ed. Robinson and Force Parker, with stock of[p. 323] $150,000. A site between Marine and Navy was first selected, but later the location was moved south to the block between Navy and Ozone, thus bringing the building entirely within Ocean Park. The structure was of concrete and was, when completed in 1905, the finest bath house on the Pacific coast.
In May, Messrs. Fraser and Jones purchased from the Recreation Gun Club a tract of land with 4,200 feet of ocean frontage and extending back of 1,200 feet from the shore. Through it ran an extension of the Playa del Rey lagoon. The price paid for the property was $135,000. This tide land, when purchased by the Gun Club, was considered utterly worthless and had continued to be considered a bad investment until the time of the sale.
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[p. 330] Chapter XI Venice of America and Its Founder
Venice of America
In January, 1904, the Ocean Park Improvement Company was dissolved and Mr. Kinney took over the unimproved and apparently worthless tract of land lying to the south of the Club House Tract and the Short Line Beach. When he began to talk of his plans for a city which should have canals for streets and [p. 331] which shold recall the most picuturesque and romantic city of Europe in its features, the public was distinctly skeptical. "Kinney's dream" was a phrase heard from all sides, while the plans were taking form and the scheme was still in the paper stage. Still, as the plans were outlined, rumors of the new rival to "Atlantic City" excited interest. although the doubters were in the ascendency. The first decided move was made when the Board of Supervisors were petitioned for the vacation and abandonment of that portion of the Ballona-Santa Monica road passing through the proposed city of Venice. On May 10th, 1904, Mr. Kinney presented to the board of city trustees of Ocean Park a plat of Venice View tract, lying to the east and north of the Club House and containing 67 lots.
Soon afterwad Mr. F.V. Dunham was sent east to visit resorts, study plans and obtain ideas which might be of value in making the new city beautiful and attractive. June 21st the first contract was let, that for the excavation of the grand canal which was to be 70 feet wide, 4 feet deep and half a mile long. Other canals were to extend from this canal and form a network. These canals were to be lined with concrete. The first spadeful of earth on the canal system was turned August 15th and there after an army of men and teams were employed in removing the tons of sand and earth necessary to make these waterways. The system was completed by the extension of a canal through from the Venice tract to the lagoon at Playa del Rey, the work being done by the property owners.
[p. 330, Creating Venice, 1908b]
June 27th the contract for the ship-hotel was let. This idea of a ship-hotel was regarded as chimerical, at first, by the public. But as the piers were set and the outlines became evident, interest was aroused and real estate men began to drop in to see what was going on. In July the contract for the electric lighting and power plant was let and soon afterward work began in preparation for building the pier. This was planned to be 1700 feet in length and thirty feet wide. The first timber was set September 5th and thereafter work was pushed as rapidly as men and material could be procured.
December 5th ground was broken for the first building on Windward avenue-St. Mark's Hotel. Already contracts for $300,000 worth of building had been let. By this time the newspapers and the public were fully alive to the fact that something was doing in Venice of America, and the interest increased as the greatness of the plans and the lavish expenditure of the projector became evident. It was reported that the sales in fourteen days during November amounted to $386,000 and lots were not rapidly changing hands.