Ingersoll's Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities (Being Book Number Two of Ingersoll's Century Series of California Local History Annals), 1908, 1908a, 1906
[p. 237] Chapter V. Expansion. 1900-1908, 1906
During 1906 the garbage incinerator was completed for Santa Monica and various mains were constructed in preparation for the erection of a septic tank. But a suitable location for the septic tank and outfall system could not be found. The entire community was canvassed; innumerable suggestions were made by the citizens, the council and by outsiders; but no solution of the matter that promised to satisfy all was reached until September, 1907 . . .
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[p. 240. Brentwood Park]
[p. 240] 1906
During this year a determined effect was made to improve the streets of Santa Monica by the latest methods of oiling and surfacing. In pursuance of this object about 12,000 barrels of oil were used and many streets which had hitherto been dusty in summer and muddy in winter became practically as hard and clean as paved streets. The Santa Monica system of oil-paved streets became widely known and was rated as having an important bearing on the problem of road construction. This method was used in improving San Vicente road, the new boulevard from the Soldiers' Home to Ocean avenue. This street was 130 feet wide, with the trolley lines in the center, was curbed and lined with trees and when completed made one of the finest drives in the country. It was proposed to extend Sunset boulevard and improve it to connect with this new road. There was also much talk during the year of a finely improved boulevard from Washington street, Los Angeles to Ocean Park to join the Del Rey speedway. A scheme for a boulevard to extend southward along the coast to Redondo and thence to San Pedro was also proposed and discussed, but has not yet materialized. Much talk of the Gould line which was supposed to be coming down the coast via the Malibu road which was in course of construction, and which would give Santa Monica a new "transcontinental" line, was indulged in. There was also much talk of Huntington purchasing everything in sight and building a new trolley line to Los Angeles-all of which served to fill the papers.
[p. 210 Santa Monica City Council 1906, 1908b]
One of the most beautiful suburbs of Santa Monica, located just to the north and within view of the ocean, is Brentwood Park. This is a tract of several hundred acres which have been highly improved. Streets have been graded and oiled, curbs, and gravel walks laid and many hundreds of trees and shrubs [p. 241] planted out. Water is piped to every lot and electric lights have been installed. A number of handsome homes have been built here.
In January the Odd Fellows dedicated their handsome new building on Third street and January 31st the Merchants' National Bank moved into its own quarters in the Dudley block, a structure that would do credit to any city. The Kensington apartments, an attractive apartment house containing all the latest devices for comfort, was built on the ocean front south of the Arcadia, at a cost of $15,000. [See 1911 Postcard] Several new blocks were put up on Pier Avenue. The building permits from January to June reached the sum of $194,277, aside from the three new school buildings, which were to cost $75,000 and the $50,000 pavilion at Pier avenue. Two new fire engine houses were also constructed and the garbage incinerator completed. One of the most notable improvements of the year was the Santa Monica hospital building, which was begun, after long planning, and was completed in the spring of 1907. This is a handsome two-story brick structure, standing on a commanding eminence on South Fourth street. It is completely equipped in the most modern style and is fast taking rank as one of the leading hospitals of the south coast. The handsome two-story brick building which took the place of the old Sixth-street school house was completed and occupied in the spring of 1907, as was also the Roosevelt school building on the Palisades.
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[p. 267] Chapter VII Public Institutions
Schools
. . . [p. 267] and in 1906 it was decided to replace the old Sixth street school, which had been added to until little of the original building could be found, with a modern building.
In consequence the people were again called upon to bond themselves for school purposes and the sum of $15,000 to complete the three buildings already under way, was voted December 9th, 1905, and of $60,000 for the Sixth street school and a four-room building in the new Palisade tract. The Sixth street school was first occupied in the spring of 1907 and is the equal of any school building in the country.
[p. 268, Sixth Street School, 1908b]
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[p. 269] In 1906 the California Military Academy was established in Santa Monica, in response to the desire of parents who wished to place their sons in a genuine military academy. Its sessions were held in tents located in the park until December 9th, when the school was transferred to the Arcadia Hotel building and the hotel ceased to exist after serving the public for twenty years. The school had a boarding and day department and prepares its pupils for college. Certainly no more delightful and healthful location for such a school could be found.
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[p. 270] 1906 Santa Monica City Board of education,
W.E, Devore, A.B. Clapp, E.V. Dales, D.G. Holt, and W.S. Vawter
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[p. 279] Santa Monica Fire Department
In 1906 steps were taken to provide the [Santa Monica] fire department with suitable quarters, the old fire house having become entirely unsuited to its needs. At a bond election held in 1906, bonds were voted for building two fire houses, one on city property rear of the city hall, one on Surf and Lake streets. These handsome buildings, fitted with all modern conveniences, were turned over to the city in the spring of 1907.
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[p. 285, 1906, 1900s] Board of Trade-Chamber of Commerce-Improvement Club-Board of Trade-Chamber of Commerce-Santa Monica Municipal League-Santa Monica Board of Trade
At the seond annual meeting, August 10th, 1906, W.I. [p. 286] Hull was again elected president, and J. Addison Smith, secretary; C.D. Middlekauff was treasurer, and R. Fogel, vice-president.
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[p. 287] [Santa Monica] City Officials.
1906. Mayor, T.H. Dudley. Members of city council-First ward, G.D. Snyder; Second ward, W.A. Armstrong; Third ward, Abe S. Reel; Fourth ward, Alf Morris; Fifth ward, H.L. Coffman; Sixth ward, J. Euclid Miles; Seventh ward, Roscoe H. Dow. President of Council, Alf Morris; city clerk, J.C. Hemingway; treasurer and tax collector, Ralph Bane; assessor, C.S. Dales; attorney, S.W. Odell; engineer, Thomas H. James; street superintendent, H.L. Johnson; building superintendent, H.L. Mitchell; police judge, J.J. Carrillo; chief of police, M.K. Barretto; chief of fire department, C.J. Marvin; health officer, Dr. W. H. Parker; superintendent of schools, Horace M. Rebok. Board of education, W.E. Devore, president; A.B. Clapp, E.V. Dales, D.G. Holt, W.S. Vawter; board of library trustees, G.A. Lonsberry, president; Lewis E. Bradt, A.M. Jamison, C.M. Lindsey, John Morton.
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[p. 295] Chapter VIII Churches and Societies:Catholic Church; Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene; Women's Club of Santa Monica
" . . . Chapter VIII. Catholic Church
In 1906 Father Hawe visited the home of his birth and also visited the venerable Father Adam, of beloved memory throughout California. During his stay in Europe, Father Hawe also visited Rome and received the blessing of the Pope. He is again welcomed to his own field where he guides the many affairs co-incident with so large and important a parish.
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[p. 299] Chapter VIII Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene
This church, whose articles of faith are identical with those of the Weselyan Methodist society, was organized in 1906 as a result of neighborhood meetings held in the home of J.E. Pearsall, corner of Michigan avenue and Twentieth street. The new church was incorporated the same year with Rev. Thom. Fisher, pastor of the church, Chas. Allsman and J.E. Pearsall, as trustees. Messrs. Towner and Irwin donated a lot on the corner of Michigan avenue and Nineteeth street and a neat building, costing about $2,000, was erected.
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[p. 300] Chapter VIII. Women's Club of Santa Monica
. . . [p. 300] The first meetings of this year [1906] were held in Columbia Hall, Mrs. M.R. King generously paying the rent. Lectures and musical programs were given and the club increased in interest and membership. During this year a civic committee was appointed of which Mrs. J.P. Jones was the first chairman, succeedeed by Mrs. Arthur Noble. This committee did most effective service, having secured the preservation of trees and the improvement of Nevada avenue, presented a petition to the school board, pointing out the necessity of a new school building to replace the Sixth street school house, which was a patchwork made up of additions to the original structure erected in 1876. The town had just voted the sum of $56,000 for building three new school houses, and it was thought impossible to carry another bond election for school purposes at this time. But the ladies circulated a petition and received such encouragement that the election was held and the money for the beautiful Jefferson building voted. [p. 301] The Women's Club has also aided in preventing the issuance of new liquor licenses.
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[p. 301] The third annual meeting of the club was held December 11, 1906, in the Royal Arcanum Hall, the use of which was donated by Mr. Robert F. Jones. At this meeting the former officers were re-elected and a new constitution and by-laws adopted. During the year of 1906-7 the club entertained the Women's Parliament of Southern California, of which their Honorary President, Mrs. Stephens, was the founder. Many interesting programs and social affairs were offered the members and their friends.
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[p. 322] Chapter X. The City of Ocean Park
. . . [p. 322, 1906] Still another election was called October 17th, 1906, to vote $20,000 for the completion of the sewer system. At the same time bonds were voted-$10,000 for engine house and fire-fighting apparatus; $5,000 for city hall and jail and $5,000 for sites for these buildings, and $10,000 for a garbage incinerator, all of which were carried.
[p. 322] The necessary mains and the septic tank, with an outfall at Center street was constructed, and later the outfall was carried out on piling into the ocean. 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.
[p.320 Brice Mansion, 1908b]
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. . . [p. 322] The opening of the various concessions at Venice and especially on "the Midway" in 1906, gave rise to much discussion and uncertainty as to the business licenses and this too has proved a difficult subject for the city to handle.
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. . . [p. 324] and its [Ocean Park] assessment roll, in January, 1906, was figured at $4,000,000.
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[p. 324] The year of 1906 was not marked by such precipitate and unprecedented advances; but it showed a solid growth and a strengthening of the lines all along the beach. One of the first matters given attention was the protection of the shore along the Short Line Beach. An election was called to vote bonds for bulkheads, but the bonds did not carry and eventually Mr. Kinney advanced money to build a temporary protection for the property menaced. About $10,000 was expended in building a bulkhead south of Venice, and then to protect this a system of jetties was put in. A sand pump was also used to fill in back of the bulkhead and still further protect the beach. About 3,000 feet of bulkhead was built altogether.
In January the Ocean Park postoffice was removed to the new Masonic builiding on Marine avenue, after a strong protest had been made by citizens of South Santa Monica. It was still in the municipality of Santa Monica, however, and the necessity of some other arrangement for Ocean Park led to the establishment of a postoffice on Windward avenue, with the name of Venice. Robert M. Granger was the first postmaster. During the year the agitation for free delivery was continued. The postoffice inspector at one time recommended that the Ocean Park office be made the main office with sub-stations at Venice and Santa Monica, and free delivery for the entire bay district. This plan met with strong opposition both in Santa Monica and Venice and was not carried out. In December it was announced that C.E. Lovelace, editor of the Ocean [p. 325] Park Journal, had been appointed as postmaster for Ocean Park in place of Meigs, the incumbent.
The sewage questions continued to disturb the peace of mind of both Santa Monica and Ocean Park citizens, while the failure of the septic tank to deodorize the sewage disturbed the nostrils-and the minds-of many Ocean Park citizens. Suits were begun by the Ocean Park trustees against the Santa Monica trustees to compel them to disconnect their mains; suit was begun by citizens of Ocean Park against their own trustees for permitting such a nuisance. The result was, of course, bad feeling and hard words.
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[p. 332, 1906] Chapter XI Venice of America and Its Founder
To further attract the public arrangements were made to open the [p. 333, Photo, Lake of Venice, 1908b] [p. 333] Midway Plaisance and in November the contract was let for eleven buildings to accomodate this feature. It was opened to the public in January, 1906 and attracted a good deal of attention; but was not a financial success. In May, 1906 Sarah Bernhardt, who would not submit to the demands of the American Theater Trust, played for three days in the Venice Auditorium and declared herself delighted wtih all the fervor of her ardent nature, with this playhouse over the waves.
Venice was provided with the best of fire protection, a system of salt water under high pressure which is always on. It is only necessary to open the fire-hydrants in order to obtain an unlimited amount of water which can be put anywhere desired. The tower is also well supplied with fresh water for domestic use. During 1906 the bath house on the lagoon and the dance Pavilion on the pier were built; both of them beautiful buildings, complete in every detail. Twelve concrete bridges were built across the canals and lagoons and many street improvements were made. The streets and alley ways of Venice were dedicated to the city by its owner; but this city wihin a city has its own fire protection and water system and-to a large extent-its own police protection and street cleaning service. Much thought has been given to the beautifying of the streets and gardens of Venice. Suitable trees and plants have been placed along the borders of the canals and ornamental parks are a part of the scheme in its full treatment. A harbor for commerce and for a military base is also part of the plan.
[p. 334] A special feature of Venice attractions is the social life of the community. The Country Club has always been a favorite resort for those who cared for sports. The tennis courts have been the scene of some brilliant social affairs. The afternoon teas of the ladies of the club are pleasant affairs.
The Five Hundred Club is an organization of ladies which meets Monday afternoons at the Cabrillo for a social card game. The Sunrise Club, of which Mrs. J.M. White is president, meets once in two weeks to work for charitable purposes, The members of this unique little club are doing a good work and hold most enjoyable meetings.
The society dances on Tuesday evenings at the pavilion have become a popular feature of Venice society and are attended by many outsiders. The children's dances, the swimming parties at the bath houses, the boating, are all features that add to the enjoyment of life.