Ingersoll's Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities (Being Book Number Two of Ingersoll's Century Series of California Local History Annals), 1908, 1908a, 1905
Frederick Hastings Rindge [1857-1905] was born in Cambridge, Mass., December 21st, 1857. He was a descendent of the Puritan stock which has furnished so large a portion of the best blood and ablest brains of our country. Among his ancestors were Daniel Rindge, who commanded the Ipswich troops in the campaign which destroyed King Philip, of the Naragansett; Samuel Baker, one of the minute men who marched to the relief of Lexington in 1775, and Daniel Harrington, a resident of Lexington who served through the Revolutionary war with distinction, retiring with the rank of captain. His father, Samuel Baker Rindge was a merchant of very large estate, which he used most wisely. His mother, Clarissa Harrington, was a woman of fine character.
[Unnumbered, between pps. 128 & 129, Photo Frederick Hastings Rindge, 1908b]
Frederick Rindge was the only surviving child of his parents and was left in a weakened state by an attack of scarlet fever in his childhood. His education was conducted with especial care and while a youth he traveled extensively, visiting California in 1870 and during 1871-2 visiting many places of interest in Europe. He completed his preparation for college under Dr. James Laurence Laughlin and entered Harvard in 1875. Owing to illness, he was forced to leave college in his last year; but several years later he was given his degree. Soon after leaving college he succeeded to his father's estate, and at once entered upon an active business career which proved him to possess unusual qualities of good judgment and executive ability; although his character and tastes were strongly inclined to a studious life.
He visited California again in 1880, in search of health, and returned to New England with renewed strength. For a number of years he devoted himself to the managament of his large commercial interests in Massachusetts. As a testimonial of his love for his birthplace, he erected and presented to the city of Cambridge a city hall and, later, built for the city a beautiful public library building. He established there, and for ten years maintained, the Rindge Manual Training School for boys-the first manual training school in the state.
On May 27, 1887, he was married to Miss Rhoda May Knight, of Trenton, Michigan, daughter of James and Rhoda Lathrop Knight. They were the parents of three children, Samuel Knight, Frederick Hastings and Rhoda Agatha.
In 1887, he came to California to make his permanent home. He soon settled upon Southern California as his place of residence. In January, 1891, he purchased property on Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica and at once built a handsome residence. This home was occupied by the family, in conjunction with the ranch house on the Topanga Malibu until they moved to Los Angeles in 1903.
In 1891, Mr. Rindge purchased the property commonly known as the Malibu ranch, a Spanish land grant originally made to José B. Tapia in 1804, and later belonging to Don Mateo Keller. The original property extended along the coast northwesterly from Las Flores canyon for twenty miles. To this Mr. Rindge added other tracts until he owned a strip of land extending along the sea coast for twenty-four miles. Beautiful 'passages' or valleys; fertile mesas, stretches of magnificent beach, lofty peaks and ridges, gave a wonderful variety of scenery and climate to this rancho. Mysterious caves, almost inaccessible canyons, groves of ancient oak and sycamore lent romance and charm. It is not strange that Mr. Rindge, with his poetical tendency of thought and spiritual [p. 130] trend of mind, found here his ideal home and loved this historical rancho-not as property-but as a divine inheritance. He built here a home that was perfect in its adaptation to the environment and he spent here some of his happiest hours. His book, Happy Days in Southern California (1898) is largely a tribute to his life upon the Malibu, although it deals with other aspects of California life also.
But while he sought rest and inspiration in the seclusion of his ranch home, Mr. Rindge never shut himself out from active participation in business and public affairs. During the years of his residence in this state, from 1888 to 1905, probably no other man was ever connected with so many and such large and varied interests. His investments were made not only with a view to the increase of his own wealth, but, very largely, for the purpose of developing the resources of this country and thus giving opportunity to men of lesser means. For this reason he was a moving factor in a large number of companies organized to develop water and reclaim land, and in various other enterprises. Among the most important of these was the Conservative Life Insurance Company, of which he was president. Mr. Rindge, believing that a man should make his gifts while living, was a man of large yet unostentatious benevolences. He gave liberally to the Methodist church of which he was long a consistent member, being of a deeply religious nature. He aided many institutions, both in California and in New England, and lent a helping hand to many individuals. He was discriminating in his charities-as a man of great wealth must be-if he is to be a power for good rather than for evil.
While living in Santa Monica, Mr. Rindge closely associated himself with the life of the community. In 1895 he offered to erect and donate a church building to the Methodist society, provided the church would support a pastor and pay all incidental expenses. In consequence, a neat and commodious church, still in use, was built at a cost of $15.000 and dedicated before the end of the year. He took an active personal interest in the campaign which was made by the advocates of temperance and by the better class of business men to rid the town of saloons, speaking at the meetings and offering to indemnify the city treasury for the loss of revenue derived from the saloon licenses. Accordingly, after the "anti-saloon" party carried the election, he presented his check for $2,500 to Mr. Robert F. Jones, then mayor of Santa Monica. He served for several years upon the school board of the town, was president of the Good Government League, and was a member of various local organizations.
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 ove 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.
As a relaxation from his many cares, Mr. Rindge gave much attention to scientific research and the study of the early history of America and of California. He was a member of the New England Historical and Geneaological Society and of the Archaeological Institute of America. His collection of coins and of aboriginal arts was of such value that he was induced to place them in the loan exhibit of the Peabody Museum, at Harvard College, and also in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He gathered a large amount of material bearing on Pacific Coast archaeology and his collection of memorials of California history was unequalled among private collections.
In acknowledgement of the honor conferred upon him through his forebears, he became a member of the Society of Colonial Wars and also of the Sons of the Revolution. He was president of the Harvard Club of Los Angeles, from the time of its formation until his death.
The death of Mr. Rindge, which occurred August 29th, 1905, was in one sense, untimely. He was a comparatively young man and was in the midst of an active and useful life. Yet his existence had been a long struggle with weakness and his spirit was full-grown. Death may come at any time to such a man and we cannot say that it is premature. To his family, to his friends-all over the United States, to the public generally, his departure meant a great loss and a great grief. But to himself it was only a passing on to a higher life.
It was well said of his career: "As a business man, as a church leader, as a Y.M.C.A. president, as a consistent worker for the development of the city and the state, Mr. Rindge made himself so useful that no other man can take his place. He was a rich man; but he employed his wealth for the greatest good of the greatest number-not in selfish pleasure nor for personal aggrandizement. He was a man of strong religious convictions; but the grace of humility and a broad understanding prevented his religion from degenerating into religiosity. A staunch, steadfast, unassuming man, with all of his millions, those who differed from him in opinion could admire his fidelity to his ideals; and those not blessed with money could be glad that such a fortune was entrusted to worthy hands."
Knowing intimately the affairs and purposes of her husband, Mrs. Rindge, as executrix of the estate, is carrying forward with a steady hand the large enterprises which her husband had undertaken.
". . .
[p. 163] Chapter II Laying the Foundations. 1870-1880.
. . . He [E.J. Vawter] organized the First National Bank of Ocean Park, in 1905, of which he was president until 1907. . .
". . .
[p. 229] Chapter V. Expansion. 1900-1908.
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.
[p. 229] 1905
This is the banner year in the existence of the Santa Monica bay cities. It was a year of wonderful growth and unprecedented development in every direction. The "old" town of Santa Monica passed forever from the ranks of "country" towns and became a city in fact as well as form during this year. The southern part of the town, commonly known as "Ocean Park," which was already an important business center as well as a popular summer resort, with the completion of the bath house and the Decatur Hotel, the building of the Masonic block and many other business blocks on Pier avenue, Marine street and the ocean front began to put on a metropolitan aspect; while the creation of Venice-the "Dream City" of Abbot Kinney's fancy, made the new town of Ocean Park the center of attraction for the entire state.
Another remarkable feature was the continued opening up of subdivisions which found rapid sale as suburban homes. Much of the San Vicente and Ballona ranches which had been barley fields, or, later, bean patches, was now platted, graded and improved to be sold as lots or in small tracts. Westgate and Westgate Acres, Irwin Heights, Towner Terracce, the Artesian tract, Serra Vista, Palisades, Brentwood Park and Green Acres, to the north and east of Santa Monica; Ocean Park Heights, East Ocean Park, Venice Park tract, Vineland, Clarkdale and many other subdivisions between Ocean Park and Los Angeles were put on the market. Most of these subdivisions were on or near the line of the trolley cars. In the case of Westgate, the promotors, in conjunction with the Los Angeles and Pacific, built a branch line from Sawtelle through the tract and along the edge of Santa Monica cañon and Ocean avenue to connect with the Montana-avenue branch, thus giving the public the most picturesque trolley ride to be found in Los Angeles county. The line was completed and opened for use August 9th, 1906. This company also constructed San Vicente boulevard from the Soliders' Home to the city limits of Santa Monica, a distance of several miles, one of the finest stretches of roadway in the country.
All of these tracts along the base of the Santa Monica sierras command magnificient views of ocean, mountains and valleys. They are improved with graded and oiled streets, cement walks, parks, trees, shrubbery and offer every modern conveniences-water, electricity, car service, as well as the unequalled location, the air, the space, the quiet and seclusion of country life. Building restrictions were placed upon all these tracts so that only desirable homes might be built and the rapidity with which magnificent country places, as well as artistic bungalow and cottage homes have sprung up proves that there was a demand for just such a residence section. The amount of money spent in improving these lands and putting them on the market would probably reach a half-million dollars and the expenditure in buildings and improvements by purchasers would perhaps reach the same figure.
[p. 231] In the spring of 1905 it was announced that Frederick H. Rindge would build a wagon road through the Malibu ranch and there was a general feeling of satisfaction that at last communication north along the coast would be opened up. But it soon developed that his wagon road was not for the public, and rumors that it was to be a railroad or a trolley line were rife before the death of Mr. Rindge in August. In October, the Outlook rejoices greatly in the fact that the "Hueneme, Malibu & Port Los Angeles" electric line will be a great acquisition to Santa Monica. Mr. H.W. Lemcke of Santa Monica was appointed general manager, and for some months the papers were kept busy asserting and denying facts about this new road which was-and remains-an enigma to the public. The new passenger depot of the Los Angeles-Pacific located in Linda Vista park was a substantial improvement which was greatly appreciated. Many improvements in the electric line service were made during the year, not the least of which was the completion of the Playa del Rey-Redondo line and the establishment of a five-cent fare between Santa Monica and Playa del Rey.
One of the most important real estate transactions of the year was the formation of a syndicate by F.E. Bundy which was made up largely of Ocean Park capitalists, including E.S. Tomblin, R.W. Armstrong, A.E. Robinson, H.L. Miller & Co., Robert F. Jones, A.W. McPherson, E.A. Wilson, Dana Burks, J.W. Tomblin, Smith Realty Co., I.E. Warfield & Co., and F.E. Bundy. This later took the name of the "United Land & Water Company" and marked a community of interests between the two factions of the Santa Monica bay region. The company purchased a tract of land south of the Oregon-avenue line between Twenty-sixth street and Sawtelle. They planned to make this a model village site and spent a large sum in improvements. The tract was put on the market as the "Serra Vista" and many sales were made. It became a part of the city when the new territory was taken in and is a valuable addition to the city's wealth. The Irwin Heights tract continued to settle up and many improvements were made in this vicinity. A large sum was expended by the Irwin Heights Company in developing water and an excellent system was provided for this district.
Another important real estate move was the opening up of the original Palisades tract, lying between Ocean avenue and Seventh street, north of Montana avenue. This was improved by a company composed of H.D. Lombard, R.A. Rowan, W.S. Vawter, T.H. Dudley, W.T. Gillis and H.W. Keller. They spent $100,000 in improvements, grading and oiling streets, sewering, cement sidewalks and in planting trees, etc. Linda Vista park was also improved at a very large expense, thus placing this, the most desirable beach property on Santa Monica bay, on the market. The large amount of money expended by private parties in public improvements in the Palisades, [p. 232] as well as the high order of buildings and improvements made by purchasers, added largely to the aggregate expenditures for the year. The Towner Terrace tract lying between Eighth and Fourteenth streets, Front and Colorado, was another addition with the city limits which added to the popuation and wealth of the place.
[p. 232 Brentwood]
The building of the White Star pier, now known as Bristol pier, was completed in July and its attractions were added to those of the other points of interest on the beach. A good band was installed here and a number of "amusements" provided, but there were now so many rival attractions that it was not a paying investment during its first season. A number of new business blocks were added to the business center during the year. The Odd Fellow hall, a substantial two-story brick; the Guidinger block, on Third, north of Oregon; the Bundy block, a three-story brick; the Johnston block on Third, beside two or three new business buildings on Oregon avenue were constructed.
The organization of the Santa Monica Investment Company on February 27th was an important step in the development which was marking the north side. The company was made up of leading business men and capitalists who proposed to buy, build, sell, lease and otherwise handle real estate. Its stockholders included J. Euclid Miles, who was made manager of the enterprise; W.T. Gillis, W.E. Sawtelle, T. Horace Dudley, E.H. Sweetser, George Boehme, E.W. Dike, N.R. Folsom, F. Neimann, R.R. Tanner, W.H. Dosing, J.P. Jones, Dr. N.H. Hamilton, Dr. J.S. Hunt, Frederick H. Rindge, B.A. Nebeker, H.X. Goetz, Roy Jones, Robert F. Jones, R.M. Miller, Sherman & Clark, George H. Hutton. The company at once purchased a tract on Fourth street, north of California, which they improved and built a block of six cottages upon. During the year they built a dozen pretty, modern cottages north of California street thus providing what had long been needed, modern homes at reasonable rates for newcomers. During the year much property changed hands at a good figure and many handsome residences were erected. The Carnegie library was well under way on Oregon and the property on the corner of Third and Oregon had been purchased and the handsome three-story brick block for the Merchants' National Bank had been planned. This new bank was organized in May with T.H. Dudley, president; W.S. Vawter, vice-president; George F. Doby, cashier; Carl F. Schader, Louis Blenkenhorn, W.C. Durgin, R.R. Tanner, [p. 233] and William Mead, directors. It opened for business in the newly completed Columbia block about August 1st.
The Pacific Land Company placed on sale a tract of 400 acres lying between Sawtelle and Twenty-sixth street and the W.T. Gillis Company reported sales during the year of over thirty pieces of property, ranging from a single lot to twenty-two acres and valued at $45,000. The establishment of a large brick and tile manufacturing plant added a solid factor to the resources of Santa Monica. A company formed by R.F. Jones, W.T. Gillis, J.H. Spires, C.H. Sweet and R.M. Miller. They secured a tract of twenty-two acres of land and began putting up an extensive plant, known at the "Sunset Tile and Brick Company." This later passed into the hands of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, one of the most extensive manufacturers of clay products in the state. The clays of Santa Monica had long been known to be superior; but it is now fully demonstrated that they are of the finest grade for the best class of pressed and vitrified brick and that they are also susceptible of being used for a fine grade of pottery, under proper handling.
The consolidation of the United Electric, Gas and Power Company with the Edison Company this year put the lighting and heating of Santa Monica upon a more metropolitan basis and marked the end of any local interest in the company. An important industry inaugurated this year was the organization of a stock company, known as the Plant and Floral Company, to carry on a nursery business and deal in plants and cut flowers. Ten acres of land were secured near Oregon and Twenty-first streets, which were later increased to twenty acres, so successful was the enterprise, now known as the Goldern State Plant Co.
Another new industry, which has brought much wealth into the community was the culture of the Lima bean. It had been supposed until this year that Ventura county was the banner bean county and need fear no rival. But in 1902, R.C. Gillis made some experiments with bean culture on lands near the Soldiers' Home, which resulted in a net income of $40.00 per acre. As a consequence, Mr. Gillis leased 1500 acres of land to be put into beans in 1903, and it was estimated that nearly 8000 acres of beans were planted on lands lying between Los Angeles and the Santa Monica bay region. The yield was not so large as was expected, on account of the season being unfavorable; yet the profits were large enough to justify a still larger acreage in 1904. The bean raising industry is now firmly established in this district and is one of the most important sources of revenue. The acreage of 1904 was estimated as 10,000 acres and the yield was valued at $400,000. As the cultivation and harvesting is all done by machinery, the percentage of profit is large and Los Angeles county is now closely ranking Ventura in the matter of bean culture.
Street improvements were the order of the day during this year, over $72,000 having been spent and contracts let for $40,000 more, according to the estimate of the Times, exclusive of the work done by private contract: 184 building permits were granted, covering an expenditure of $265,000. The Dudley building [p. 235] was in the process of erection. The Santa Monica Bank was improving its building at a cost of over $12,000. The Carnegie library building was completed and occupied in July. The Hollister-avenue pleasure pier was under way, to extend 900 feet from shore and to cost about $25,000.
[p. 234 W.T. Gillis 1908b]
In the Pier-avenue district, much street work had been done and many improvements were made. The Hammel building, a three-story brick, cost about $20,000; the Hanniman and Volk blocks each cost about $5000; the Powell building, the Wisconsin and Metropole, and the Maier & Zobelein buildings were all substantial structures. There were talk of a hundred thousand dollar hotel between Navy and Marine avenues, which would place part of the building in Ocean Park and part in Santa Monica. This proposition was merely talk, however, until 1905, when the Hotel Decatur was finally built, thus giving this section a hostelry suited to its demands. After several attempts to secure a franchise, the Home Telephone Company began work in July under a permit, and a franchise was granted later in the year.
The Municipal League had been revived and during the spring held a number of meetings in which needed municipal improvements were discussed. Largely through the action of the league a bond issue was called for, to secure funds to build two fire engine houses, additional fire apparatus and a fire alarm system. The cost was estimated at $14,500. Included with this was a proposal for bonds to fill in around bridges No. 1 and 2 and build retaining walls at a cost of $14,250; to repair and extend the sewer system, and build septic tanks, $21,000; to improve Linda Vista, Seventh street and South Side parks, $20,250, and to construct water works and secure its own water plant, $150,000. After a short and not very enthusiastic campaign, the entire bond proposition was defeated on August 16th. It was, of course solidly opposed by the district which it was proposed to include in Ocean Park, and this election gave a hint of the relative strength of the divisionists and the advocates of a "greater Santa Monica."
The question of repairing the outfall sewer was now forced upon Santa Monica. There had been much discussion of possible sewage disposition during the year. Ocean Park was still using the Santa Monica outfall, although the council had demanded that their sewer be cut off the first of August. In the meantime the new town was making desperate efforts to solve the problem. At one time it was proposed that a main trunk line be constructed along the beach to connect with the Los Angeles outfall. But this was blocked by the Playa del Rey interests and found impracticable, although Los Angeles was willing-for a consideration. The sewage farm method was also considered, but proved impracticable. So Ocean Park continued to depend upon Santa Monica for sewage disposal under the old agreement between the city and Kinney & Ryan, made December 28th, 1897, which permitted those land owners to connect with the Santa Monica outfall sewer. The singular reversal of conditions which has later made Santa Monica dependent upon Ocean Park for sewage [p. 236] outfall is one of the many anomalies arising from the peculiar relations of the mother town and its offshoot. But Santa Monica maintained that old agreement with Messrs. Kinney & Ryan and not with the town of Ocean Park, and in November, 1904, demanded a rental of $50.00 per month for the use of their outfall. As the rental was not forthcoming the city finally took steps to sue to collect the money. But the great storm of March, 1905, which almost destroyed the sewer wharf (at Pier avenue) and caused a break near shore in the sewer pipe, changed the aspect of matters. The Ocean Park bath house was newly completed and the discharge of sewage at Pier avenue proved dangerous to its success. The city trustees ordered the city engineer to temporarily repair the breaks; but the complete restoration of the outfall required a sum which could only be obtained by a bond election and the bond election for that purpose having been defeated the previous August, another election for such bonds could be called within the year. In February, Fraser and Jones had entered into a twenty-year contract with the city for the use of the Pier-avenue wharf as the foundation for a pleasure wharf, they had to keep the same in repair. But on the destruction of the wharf, Messrs. Fraser and Jones declined to keep the contract and there was apparent little prospect of the wharf being again rebuilt, unless the city was able to do it.
The newly incorporated town of Ocean Park had already voted bonds for a septic tank and sewer system and in order to save the situation at Pier avenue, the trustees of the town now offered Santa Monica the use of their new septic tank for six months, or until the older city could make some arrangements for caring for her sewage. After some discussion the Santa Monica trustees decided, June 27th, 1905, to accept this proposition. The new septic tank was not completed as soon as was expected and rather than have the sewage turned into the sea at Pier avenue, it was turned into the Ocean Park mains and discharged on their dump-thus creating a nuisance which caused complaint from the people of South Ocean Park and Playa del Rey.
In the meantime the matter of voting bonds for the repair and completion of the sewer system was again agitated in Santa Monica. The necessity of better fire protection was also urgent and October 31st, 1905, the city voted bonds to the amount of $100,000 to be expended-$37,500 for sewer system and septic tank; $6500 for repairing bridge No. 4 and for retaining walls for bridge No. 1; $17,500 for two fire engine houses, fire alarm system and apparatus; $10,000 for garbage incinerator. It was supposed that this would settle the sewer question and soon result in relief for Ocean Park. But, after a careful consideration of the situation, it was found to be impossible to provide a septic tank and outfall sewer for the sum provided. As the residents of Pier-avenue region were strongly opposed to the further use of the old outfall sewer, Santa Monica trustees continued to use the Ocean Park septic tank, now completed, and put in a pumping plant at Pier avenue to raise the sewage into the Ocean Park mains. But the new septic tank failed to deodorize the sewage, as was expected, and [p. 237] although a wharf and outfall extending into the sea was built at Center street, there was still complaint of oderiferous breezes and other things, which finally culminated in a bitter factional fight in the city of Ocean Park, leading to the attempt to disincorporate the municipality, and which placed the city of Santa Monica in a most unpleasant predicament, as she was ordered by the courts to cease using the Ocean Park mains, while she had still no provision for caring for her own sewage.
" . . .
It was natural that when Santa Monica found herself surrounded by a thickly settled district which was demanding school facilities, she should begin to think of expansion. The demand for school buildings to accomodate the children of Irwin Heights settlement and of the district east of Seventeenth street, led to the proposition to annex these districts to the city before attempting to vote bonds for school purposes. April 14th, 1905, a mass meeting of citizens decided that at least two new school buildings must be provided, and that an election should be called to vote $60,000 bonds for that purpose. The board of trade immediately afterward proposed that the boundaries be extended from Eighth and Marine streets to Twenty-seventh and Montana avenue. A petition for annexation was presented by the people of the district and on August 29th, 1905, an election was held which resulted in an addition which nearly doubled the size of the corporation.
On September 12th the bond election was held and $60,000 was voted for schools. But after consideration, it was decided that it would be economy to construct the new buildings of brick and that at least three buildings were needed. December 9th, $15,000 additional was voted to complete the three buildings. But expansion in population and territory is not enough. It was felt by many citizens and by the board of trade that an expansion in the form of city government would give greater advantages to the municipality. It would require the division of the city into equitable wards, give the people a chance to govern themselves according to their own special needs, instead of under [p. 239] state laws and give the municipality powers which it would not have under the incorporation as a city of the fifth class. In order to secure such a charter, a city must have a population of 3500 and to determine the present population of Santa Monica, the trustees ordered a special census. May 15th this census was completed and a total of 7208 inhabitants reported. The charter must be prepared by a board of fifteen freeholders, each of whom must have resided in the city and voted here consecutively. They are to be elected by the people at a general or special election. A committee of the board of trade submitted the following list of freeholders as candidates for elelction: T.H. Dudley, C.A. Stilson, George D. Snyder, R.R. Tanner, George H. Hutton, H.X. Goetz, W.I. Hull, A.M. Jamison, W.S. Vawter, Robert E. Jones, D.G. Holt, B.A. Nebeker, E.J. Vawter, Roy Jones, A.N. Archer. This was known as a non-partisan ticket. A "citizens'" ticket was also put up, but seven of the nominees declined to serve and three of those left were in the non-partisan ticket, which was elected by a large majority at a special election held October 18th, 1905.
[p. 238 Ralph Bane, 1908b]
November 3rd the board organized for duty, C.A. Stilson was made president and committees on law, boundaries, offices, public utilities, taxation and election, education and libraries, were announced. After serveral weeks of strenuous work on the part of the board of freeholders, the proposed charter was submitted to the consideration of the people in January, 1906. There was some opposition to certain of its terms-it was held that it too greatly centralized power; but it was felt that generally its provisions were wise and that it was adopted by a vote of 376 for to 183 against. At the same time the uninhabited territory known as the "Palisades" was annexed to the city and the uniform shade-tree act was adopted.
Santa Monica, with her new charter, with an area of eleven square miles; with an assessment which increased from $3,830,677.00 in 1905 to $6,523,186.00 in 1906; with her rapidly growing population; with ample school facilities, the best streets in the country and as fine public buildings as are to be found in any city of the same size, was now fairly on its way to become the ideal city of homes.
The building of a new brick manufacturing plant by an eastern corporation, the Simmons Brick Co., added largely to the clay manufacturing possibilites. A large sum was expended in improved machinery and in buildings. To this company and to the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company plant were awarded the contracts for furnishing 18,000,000 brick required for the Los Angeles outfall sewer. Another company was also formed this year to utilize the Santa Monica clays in making pottery, but this industry is not yet established. It is only a question of proper handling, however, as it has been demonstrated that Santa Monica clays have no superior for fine work, in the hands of experienced workers.
Among the incidents of the year may be mentioned the visits of the Knights [p. 240] of Columbus, a national Catholic organization, the members of whom were royally entertained by Santa Monicans and carried away golden memories of this city by the sea. One of the worst fires on record in the city took place September 9th when Budy's livery stable on Third near Utah, was burned and six horses lost their lives, while a large quantity of hay was destroyed. On June 4th the city was startled by the news that their postoffice had been robbed of more than $3000 worth of cash, stamps and registered mail matter. This was one of a series of exceedingly bold postoffice robberies which occurred during this summer.
" . . .
[p. 261] Chapter VI South Santa Monica and Ocean Park
1905
In February, 1905, occurred one of the heaviest storms ever known on the Santa Monica bay coast. This washed out a large section of the Pier avenue wharf and later in the month another storm completed the wrecking of the pier.
[p. 262 E.J. Vawter, Jr., 1908b]
. . . [p. 263] As a consequence, the outfall sewer of Santa Monica was badly wrecked and the beginning of sewer troubles followed. Another storm in March carried away 700 feet of the wharf and destroyed a mile of the beach walk. According to the terms of the agreement made between the city and the company who built the pier on the piles intended for carrying the outfall, Messrs, Kinney and Ryan were to keep the pier in repair for twenty years. The interests of Messrs. Kinney and Ryan had now passed into the hands of the Ocean Park Improvement Company. A dispute as to who should stand the expense of the repair resulted in the sewer matter remaining unsettled. In the meantime a company was formed to build a new pier and it was proposed also to build another pier from the foot of Marine avenue. a permit for the Marine avenue pier was let to M.R. King. and later the idea of the horseshoe pier developed. A seaside theater was opened for the first time in the Pavilion at Pier avenue.
The First National Bank of Ocean Park was organized in April, with J.M. Elliott, W.D. Longyear, E.J. Vawter, Jr., J.W. Lincoln, A. Fraser, C.H. Mullen and E.J. Vawter, Sr., as directors. E.J. Vawter, Sr., was president. J.M. Elliott, vice-president; Thomas Meldrum, cashier. June 1st, the Commercial State Bank opened for business, with Lon A. Pratt, president; Warren Gillelen, vice-president; J.W. Lawrence, cashier.
Considerable feeling was aroused by an attempt to remove the postoffice from Pier avenue to Marine street and then make it the official office of the new town. A postoffice inspector was called in to straighten out postoffice matters; but after a conference with all parties interested, it was finally decided that the Ocean Park postoffice be left as it was and the new postoffice be named Venice. On the completion of the Masonic Temple, a handsome three-story brick building, located on Marine aveneue, the postoffice was again changed, despite a vigorous protest, to a handsomely fitted up room in this building. But this was still within the limits of Santa Monica.
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[p. 267] Chapter VII Public Institutions
Schools
. . . [p. 267] The city was now growing so rapidly, both by annexation and from within, that the school accommodations were felt to be entirely inadequate. In 1905, $60,000 bonds were voted and plans were made for three school houses, an eight-room building at Seventh and Michigan, now known as the Garfield building; a four-room school at Irwin avenue and Twenty-second-the Grant, and a four-room building on Twentieth between Oregon and Arizona. It was decided to construct all of these buildings of brick and to make them complete in equipment. But the growth of the school population was still beyond the capacity of the accommodations . . .
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[p. 270] 1905: 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. 285, 1905, 1900s] Board of Trade-Chamber of Commerce-Improvement Club-Board of Trade-Chamber of Commerce-Santa Monica Municipal League-Santa Monica Board of Trade
June 1st, 1905, the Santa Monica Municipal League changed its name to become the Santa Monica Board of Trade, with W.I. Hull, president; R. Fogel, vice-president; J. Addison Smith, secretary, and A. Mooser, treasurer. This organization has proved vital and has been an important factor in the rapid progress of the past two years. Among some of its achievements of the first year's real work were the issuing of 20,000 copies of a neat booklet advertising Santa Monica; the publishing of an advertisement of Santa Monica in the Pacific Monthly for six months; efficient aid in the securing of annexation of territory to the city, and in securing better lighting and other improvements for the municipality.
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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.
. . . [p. 300] During the spring [1905], Miss Abbott resigned her place as lecturer and other ladies were secured, the subjects not being confined to history.
December 11th, 1905, the first annual meeting of the organization was held at which time the by-laws were amended, a regular corps of officers elected and the name changed to Woman's Club. Miss Daniel G. Stephens, who is only second to Madam Severance, as a club mother in Southern California, was made honorary president; Mrs. A.M. Jamison was elected president; Mrs. J.S. Hunt and Mrs. E.H. Hutton, vice-presidents; Miss Elizabeth McLaughlin, secretary and Mrs. Jessica Clark, treasurer. In recognition of Miss McLaughlin's service to the club as secretary and organizer, she was made a life associate member, with all the privileges of active membership.
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[p. 301] Chapter VIII. Santa Monica Lodge No. 906, B.P.O.E.
[p. 301] On June 5th, 1905, this lodge went to San Pedro in a body to assist in the initiation of San Pedro Lodge, No. 966, and thus is ceased to be [p. 303] the "Baby Lodge." On September 8th, 9th and 10th, 1905, the Santa Monica lodge assisted in entertaining a reunion of the Elks of Southern California in Santa Monca canyon. One of the features of this occasion was a genuine old-fashioned barbeque.
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[p. 322] Chapter X. The City of Ocean Park
. . . [p. 322. 1905] 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 sewer system.
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. . . [p. 322, 1905] The destruction of the Santa Monica outfall by the storms of April and May, 1905, resulted in a change in the situation. The Ocean Park sewage was turned into its own system and the trustees invited Santa Monica to use their new septic tank, rather than have the sewage discharged into the ocean at Pier avenue, to the detriment of that locality.
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[p. 323]. . . In June, 1905, the Guaranty Realty Company purchased this tract [The Gun Club tract], paying for it somewhere in the neighborhood of $300,000, it was reported. The tract was platted and in a single day, Monday, June 19th, $308,000 worth of property was sold, making a record-breaking pace in this summer of wonder developments. As an example of the phenomenal rise in values caused by the creation of Venice, the Venice Gateway tract may be cited.
In 1893 John Metcalf purchased 55 acres of marsh, lying to the east of the tract on which Venice was located for $3,000. During the summer of 1905 this land was platted and put on the market as the Venice Gateway tract. In a few weeks 175 lots were sold for $200,000, while the value of the entire tract was estimated at half a million.
[p. 324] Among the improvements of the year, aside from the city of Venice, were the Horseshoe pier at Marine and Pier avenues, the new seaside theatre and the Masonic Temple on Marine avenue. In July it was estimated that the assessed valuation of property in the new town would reach one million. The Times says: "There are altogether, at this writing, 1,200 homes in Ocean Park and many others are being built. The original buildings are being constantly replaced by fine modern houses of the most approved type, and many of them are occupied the year round by business men of Los Angeles, as Ocean Park is one of the nearest beaches to the city, lying less than fifteen miles from town and reached in forty minutes by electric car."
By the annexation of various subdivisions during the year of 1905 Ocean Park nearly doubled its area.
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[p. 324] Up to this time $85,000 in bonds had been voted for school and sewers. A bond issue voted October 17th included funds for city hall, jail and fire house also. The Speedway had been paved with asphaltum for more than a mile, at a cost of about $30,000, and many other street improvements had been made. The lagoon had been completed from Venice to Playa del Rey, thus giving a waterway between the two resorts.
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[p. 331] Chapter XI Venice of America and Its Founder
With 1905 developments moved even more rapidly. Plans for an Auditorium on the pier, which was to be the finest building of the kind on the coast, began to take shape. It was announced that a Summer Assembly would be held here which should represent the best of modern thought and art. Speakers and artists and teachers, the best afforded by our country, were to be heard and the [p. 332] summer was to be one long intellectual feast. Work on the pier and buildings was rushed at even greater speed, for there was none too much time to complete the preparations. And then, during February and March, came the heaviest seas known on the Pacific coast for a generation. The Venice pier was wrecked, the pavilion and other buildings were badly damaged. At a low estimate the losses reached $50,000 and the public declared that the buildings over the water, as planned, would never be safe.
But Mr. Kinney was not daunted. He immediately secured permission from the government to erect a breakwater at his own expense to protect his property. This-the only private breakwater in the United States-was constructed as soon as it was possible to do the work. It was made of rock, 500 feet in length, circular in form and extending 60 feet from the shore at a cost of about $100,000. It forms a safe refuge for small craft and for swimming. The rebuilding of the pier and the wrecked buildings was carried on at top speed. The present Auditorium, a beautiful building, perfect in its adaptation for public uses, with all the fittings of a modern theatre and a seating capacity of 3600, was ready for use on the date announced for the opening of the Assembly, July 2nd. It had been constructed in 28 days. No better example of the conquest of apparently unsurmountable difficulities has been shown in our business world.
On June 30th, the water was turned into the canals and as the waterways and lagoon were filled for the first time, the magnificence of the design dawned upon the onlookers. On the evening of July 2nd the electric lights for illumination were turned on, 17,000 lamps being used. The effect was magical. During the day the great pipe organ in the Auditorium was dedicated by Clarence Eddy. On July 3rd, the day was given over to the workmen who had aided in creating Venice and July Fourth witnessed the greatest celebration of the day ever known in this part of the state. It was estimated that 40,000 people visited Venice during the day. There was music and speeches in the Assembly hall; music, swimming contests and fire works on the lagoon.
The Venice Assembly under the direction of B. Fay Mills, held regular sessions during July and August. It was attended by large numbers of people and furnished a fine program of speakers, such as Joaquin Miller, Dr. Josiah Strong, N.O. Nelson and many others, beside furnishing instruction in many branches. To accomodate the people who attended it, the tent city was built along the canals and proved one of the most popular features of Venice life. It was Mr. Kinney's hope to make this a center of education and culture and in pursuance of that purpose, for the winter season of 1905-6 Ellery's Band was engaged to furnish daily music; a large part of the foreign exhibits at the Portland fair were brought to Venice and every effort was made to furnish high class entertainments. Sports of every kind were also provided for yacht races, tennis tournaments, swimming; bath houses and boat houses were built.