[p. 148, Rev. J.D. Crum, 1908b]
[p. 149] Among the merchants of the first year we find W.D. Vawter & Sons, Fourth street, dealer in drygoods, clothing, etc.; M.J. Bundy, dealer in paints, oils, glass; tin shop, Boehme & Kilgariff; M. Boufosky, groceries, liquors, etc.; H. Giroux & Bros., groceries, liquors, etc.; Wilson news depot, which handled everything form eastern periodicals to gents' furnishing goods, drugs and medicines; Tell's "Lookout," which combined "native wines and brandies, fresh fruit, vegetables and fish," with a "livery and feed stable." The hotels were the Santa Monica House, kept by J.C. Morgan and C.M. Monroe for a few months and then by J.W. Scott and the Ocean View House, corner of Oregon and Second, kept by Malcom & Harper.
The first child born in Santa Monica was Earnest Majors, who made his appearance on August 2nd and who grew to manhood in this city. The first marriage ceremony took place January 20th, 1876, when Alfred Hayes wedded Miss Mattie Mountain, Rev. J.D. Crum officiating. The first sermon was preached by the Rev. A.F. White in September. In October, the Rev. Mr. Crum began holding Methodist services in Brady's hall, over a store on the corner of Oregon and Fifth streets. The first church organized was the Methodist and they dedicated their first chapel on January 2nd, 1876. A private school, known as the Santa Monica Academy, was opened by D.G.C. Baker and wife, November 8th, 1875, and the first public school was opened in the Presbyterian chapel on the corner of Third and Arizona, March 6th, 1876, with Mr. H.P. McCusick as teacher.
October 17th, 1875, the first railroad left Santa Monica for Los Angeles, flat cars being used, as the passenger coaches had not arrived. ?Three trips were made that day and passengers from the steamer Senator were landed in Los Angeles, twelve hours in advance of those who went on to San Pedro. On November 3rd the Outlookexults over: "A Busy Scene. We watched a lively scene on Santa Monica wharf last Thursday that is decidedly encouraging. On one side the schooner John Hancockwas discharging a large cargo of lumber; on the opposite side the schooner Newton Booth had just arrived with railroad ties; further along the barkentine Ella was unloading coal. The Senator was discharging a large cargo of passengers and freights, including several race horses. A train of cars was waiting to transport the whole into the back country. And it must be remembered that only a few months ago the site of this growing town was a sheep pasture and the spot occupied by wharf and vessels a lonely waste of waters."
The same month the coast steamers began to make regular stops at the new town, and the Outlook states that at one time 28 mule teams were loaded with freight for San Bernardino. On Sunday, December 5th, the new road was so far completed that an excursion of 400 people, the first one entering Santa Monica, was brought in. Two trains a day were put on and the fare was $1.00; freight $1.00 per ton between Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The Southern [p.150] Pacific, when the Jones road and wharf were assured had dropped the freight rate between Los Angeles and San Pedro from $5.00 per ton to $2.50 and on the completion of the line it dropped to $1.00 for freight and 50 cents for passengers, thus forcing the new road to begin operating at losing rates. The people of Los Angeles in their gratitude for the loosening of the Southern Pacific monopoly, declared that they would stand by the Jones road and handle their trade over the Santa Monica wharf.
The year 1876 opened with the brightest prospects for the new town. Its beautiful situation, the ample space given to the streets and alleys, the uniform method of tree planting, which had been adopted, the park and school building which were already planned for, added to the favorable outlook for a steadily increasing volume of business, drew many people to adopt Santa Monica as a home.
In February a meeting was called to consider the question of incorporating the new town; but after a very lively discussion the proposition received but one aye. In April the Outlook, which was an energetic agent and exponent of Santa Monica progress, published its first "special edition" reviewing the achievements of the first six months of existence. It states that 1000 lots in the town and thirty-five acre villa lots had already been sold; 200 acres of the San Vicente ranch, lying along the L.A. & I. road in the vicinity of San Vicente springs had been divided into villa farms, to be sold at $100 per acre. The population of the town is given as between 800 and 900, with 116 school children. A school district had been organized with J.W. Scott, L.T. Fisher and John Freeman as trustees and March 11th, 1876, a special election was held and $5000 tax voted for school purposes.The schoolhouse, located on Sixth street, was ready for use in September, 1876.
In April Michael Duffy's bath house was completed, the first one in Santa Monica, and a pavilion was built on the beach by Jones and Baker. The Santa Monica Hotel was enlarged and several business houses built. There were many visitors and campers both at North Beach and at the cañon . One of the greatest attractions was a series of ring tournaments between mounted knights, one side of Americans, led by B.F. Reid, the other composed of native Californians was under the command of J.J. Carrillo.
In March, J.W. Scott made the first "addition" to the town of Santa Monica, a tract of forty-three acres lying east of town between Fifth and Eighth streets, and known as "Prospect Hill." Mr. Scott laid this off into lots, planted a thousand "blue gum" trees, and put a bridge across Sixth street to connect it with the town. An auction was held March 31st and fifty lots were sold at prices ranging from $77 to $200.
This year a road was opened between Santa Monica and San Fernando valley, through the efforts of Isaac Lankershim, who wished to ship the grain from his 100,000-acre ranch by way of Santa Monica and thus save the cost of the road in a single year. But the Southern Pacific at once dropped its rate [p. 151] and thus the Santa Monica road was never used by Lankershim, although it wa a paying investment for him to build it. The California Coast Steamship Co., whose object was to carry on a freight and passenger traffic between San Francisco and Santa Monica, was organized this year, with a capital stock of $400.000. "Lucky" Baldwin is credited with $75.000 stock and Col. Baker with $25,000, but the plans of the company never materialized.