USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present > Part 26
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Few, if any, of the inhabitants to the manor born, or those of permanent residence and repu- table character engaged in these doubtful practices and disreputable methods of booming. The men who blew the bubble to greatest inflation were new importations fellows of the baser sort who knew little or nothing about the resources or characteristics of the country and cared less. They were here to make money. When the bubble burst they disappeared-those who got away with their gains, chuckling over ill-gotten wealth; those who lost, abusing the country and vilifying the people they had duped. Retribu- tive justice overtook a few of the more unprin- cipled boomers and they have since done some service to the country in striped uniforms.
The collapse of our real estate boom was not the sudden bursting of a financial bubble, like the South Sea bubble or John Law's Mississippi bubble, nor did it end in a financial crash like
the monetary panics of 1837 and 1857, or like Black Friday in Wall street. Its collapse was more like the steady contraction of a balloon from the pressure of the heavier atmosphere on the outside. It gradually shriveled up. The considerations named in the recorded transfers of the first three montlis of 1888 exceeded $20,000- 000. After that they decreased rapidly.
In a less bountiful country and with a less hopeful and self-reliant people, the collapse of such a bcom would have resulted in complete financial ruin and untold suffering.
When the boom had become a thing of the past, those who had kept aloof from wild specu- lation pursued the even tenor of their ways, build- ing up the real cities and improving the country. Those who had invested recklessly in paper cities plowed up the sites of prospective palace hotels and massive business blocks and sowed them in grain or planted them with fruit trees; or they sought some other means of earning a living, sadder, and, it is to be hoped, wiser men. There was for a time a stringency in the money market, but even this proved a blessing in disguise. It compelled to more economic methods of living and impelled the people to greater efforts to develop the resources of the country. On the whole, with all its faults and failures, with all its reckless waste and wild extravagance, our great real estate boom of 1887 was productive of more good than of evil to Los Angeles and to all Southern California as well.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
CHAPTER XXIX.
COMMERCIAL CORPORATIONS.
HE first commercial corporation formed in Los Angeles for the promotion of the busi- ness interests of the city and county was the Chamber of Commerce that was organ- ized in 1873. The first preliminary meeting of that organization was held August 1, 1873, in the District Court Room of the old courthouse, which stood where the Bullard Block now stands.
Ex-Governor John G. Downey acted as chair- man and J. M. Griffith as secretary. There was a large attendance of the leading merchants and business men of the city. It was decided at that meeting to call the proposed organization a Board of Trade, but at a subsequent meeting the name was changed to a Chamber of Commerce. At a meeting held in the same place, August 9, the secretary reported one hundred names on the roll of membership. The admission fee was fixed at $5. A Constitution and By-Laws were adopted and a board of eleven directors elected. The persons chosen as directors were: R. M. Wid- ney, J. G. Downey, S. B. Caswell, S. Lazard, J. S. Griffin, P. Beandry, M. J. Newmark, J. M. Griffith, H. W. Hellman, I. W. Lord and C. C. Lipps. On the 11th of August, articles of incor- poration were filed. The objects of the organiza- tion as set forth in the articles of incorporation are: "To form and establish a Chamber of Com- merce in and for the City and County of Los Angeles, and to transact any and all business usually transacted and conducted by Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade." It was incor- porated for fifty years, and its charter is still in force.
The first president was Solomon Lazard and the first secretary I. W. Lord. Judge R. M. Widney's office in Temple Block was selected as the place of meeting for the directors. The members went actively at work and the Chamber accomplished a great deal of good for the city and surrounding country. One of the first measures that engaged the attention of the board was an effort to secure an appropriation of $150.000 for the survey and improvement of San Pedro Har- bor, and it was largely through the efforts of the Chamber that the first appropriation for that pur- pose was finally secured.
Literature descriptive of Southern California was circulated abroad and considerable attention was given to the extending of the trade of the city among the mining camps of Arizona. The Cham- ber continued actively at work on various schemes for promoting the advancement of our commerce through the years of 1873 and 1874. In 1875 came the disastrons bank failures, which were followed by the dry years of 1876-77. These calamities demoralized business and discouraged enterprise. The members of the Chamber lost their interest and the organization died a linger- ing death. It was buried in the grave of the "has beens" at least a dozen years before the present Chamber of Commerce was born, but the good that it did was not all "interred with its bones."
BOARD OF TRADE.
The oldest commercial or business organiza- tion now existing in Los Angeles is the Board of Trade. It was organized March 9, 1883, in the office of the Los Angeles Produce Exchange, Arcadia Block, Los Angeles street. C. W. Gib- son acted as president of the meeting and J. Mills Davies as secretary. At that meeting six di- rectors were elected, viz .: C. W. Gibson, M. Dodsworth, I. N. Van Nuys, A. Haas, H. New- mark and John R. Mathews. The articles of incorporation were adopted March 14, 1883. The incorporators were C. W. Gibson, H. New- mark, M. Dodsworth, A. Haas, Walter S. Max- well, I. N. Van Nuys, John Mills Davies, Eu- gene Germain, J. J. Mellus and John R. Mathews. "The purposes for which it is formed" (as stated in its articles of incorporation) "are to develop trade and commerce, advance and pro- tect the interests of the merchants of the city and of the county of Los Angeles, to prevent fraudulent settlements by dishonest debtors, to investigate the affairs of insolvent debtors, to unite and assist the merchants of said city and county in the collection of debts other than in the ordinary course of business, and to prescribe rules and regulations of trade and commerce for the government of the members of this corpora- tion."
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
In the earlier years of its existence, being the ouly organized commercial body in the city, it frequently took the initiative in originating and pushing forward to completion enterprises bene- ficial to the community, but which were not directly in the line of work laid down as the objects for which it was formed. Among these may be named the securing of the location of the Soldiers' Home at Santa Monica; the securing of appropriations for the erection of the postoffice building at Los Angeles, and the removal of the army headquarters of the department of Arizona and New Mexico to this city. The organization of the Chamber of Commerce in 1889 relieved it of the burden of promoting work outside of the objects for which in was directly organized. Its presidents and their years of service are as follows:
C. W. Gibson. 1883-84.
George H. Bonebrake. 1885.
E. L. Stern 1886.
Eugene Germain. 1887-88.
S. B. Lewis. 1889.
Geo. E. Dixon. 1 890.
W. C. Patterson 1891-92.
R. H. Howell . 1893.
J. M. Johnston 1894.
A. Jacoby 1895-96.
P. M. Daniel. 1897 ---
The following named have filled the position of secretary :
J. Mills Davies 1883-85.
A. M. Laurence. 1885-87.
T. H. Ward. 1887-90.
Gregory Perkins, Jr. 1890 --.
Its first home was in the second story of the Baker Block; from there it moved to the two story brick building on the northwest corner of Broad- way and First street, which was known as the Board of Trade Building. The building was bought by a committee or association of members with the intention of locating the Board there permanently, but the scheme failed. The build- ing was pulled down in 1898 and the present four-story block located on its site. The Board at present has rooms in the Bullard Block.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
To Mr. W. E. Hughes belongs the credit of inaugurating the movement that resulted in the organization of our present efficient Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Hughes came to Los Angeles in 1887. He had noticed the lack of unanimity among the people here in pushing forward any projected en- terprise, and the want of an organization whose chief objects would be to promote the business interests of the city and county of Los Angeles
and aid in developing the resources of all South- ern California. Having had some experience in the organization and management of a chamber of commerce in his former place of residence, Wheeling, W. Va., it seemed to him that some such organization was needed in this city.
Happening to meet Mr. S. B. Lewis and Maj. E. W. Jones on the street he briefly broached the subject to them. After a short discussion of the scheme they parted, each agreeing to secure the attendance of at least five other business men at a proposed meeting to be held in the board of trade rooms, then in a two-story brick building standing on the northwest corner of First and Fort streets, opposite the Times Building. The time of the meeting was set for Thursday, Octo- ber 11, 1888, at 3:30 P. M. At that meeting twenty-five persons were present. The following extracts from the minutes of the different meet- ings give a condensed history of the organization of the chamber:
The meeting of October II was called to order by Mr. S. B. Lewis. Maj. E. W. Jones was chosen chairman and J. V. Wachtel, secretary. The object of the meeting was stated by Mr. W. E. Hughes. Short addresses were made by S. B. Lewis, Col. I. R. Dunkelberger, J. F. Humphreys, C. A. Warner, J. P. McCarthy, H. C. Witmer, Mayor Wm. H. Workman and T. A. Lewis. The assemblage decided to forti a permanent organization, and adjourned to meet in the same place Monday, October 15, at 3 P. M.
At this meeting, after some discussion on the method of forming a permanent organization and its objects, Col. H. G. Otis offered the following:
"WHEREAS, We, business men and citizens of the city and county of Los Angeles, are in favor of inducing immigration, stimulating legitimate home industries and establishing feasible home manufactories for the further upbuilding of the city and county and for the development of the material resources of Southern California upon a sound basis: therefore,
"Resolved, That we hereby associate ourselves into a temporary organization with the above ob- jects, to be known as the. and that a permanent organization be effected at the earliest practicable time."
The preamble and resolution were adopted.
J. F. Humphreys moved that the organization be known as the Los Angeles Chamber of Com- merce. The motion was seconded and carried. The initiation fee was fixed at $5.00. The fol- lowing named persons handed in their names for membership:
W. E. Hughes, E. W. Jones, S. B. Lewis, W. H. Workman, Thomas A. Lewis, I. R. Dunkel- berger, Jolın T. Humphreys, John I. Redick,
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
J. H. Book, Chas. E. Day, H. Jevne, Clarence A. Warner, Frank A. Gibson, Burdette Chan- dler, M. L. Wicks, H. C. Witmer, Jas. P. Mc- Carthy, W. F. Fitzgerald, W. H. Seamans, Hervey Lindley, H. G. Otis, L. N. Breed, H. A. Rust, Wm. Rommel, J. C. Oliver, L. H. Whit- son, C. E. Daily, L. L. Dennick, A. W. Palmer, Wm. H. Avery, J. S. VanDoren, H. Z. Osborne, L. A. Oil Burning and Supply Co., W. W. Montague & Co., Harrison & Dickson, R. H. Hewitt, Milton Thomas, T. W. Blackburn, Hor- ace Hiller, John C. Flourney, H. H. Spencer, S. J. Mathes, G. W. Tubbs, A. H. Denker, D. Gilbert Dexter, T. C. Naramore, F. C. Gar- butt, W. A. Bonynge, John J. Jones, H. P. Sweet, M. R. Vernon, T. M. Michaels, Chias. C. Davis, Louis R. Webb, E. C. Neidt and M. D. Johnson. At the meeting of the 19th, before the adoption of the constitution and by-laws, the fol- lowing additional names were handed in: B. L. Hays, L. A. McConnell, J. W. Green, G. W. Simonton. H. H. Bixby, E. W. B. Johnson, Strong & Blanchard, G. R. Shatto, Dr. M. Hagan, John Goldsworthy, Houry & Bros., H. V. Van Dusen, R. C. Charlton, R. W. Dromgold, C. S. McDuffee, John Lang, T. W. T. Richards, W. B. Herriott, W. H. Toler, M. R. Higgins and J. T. Barton.
At the meeting of the 19th of October a com- mittee of five (appointed at a previous meeting) , consisting of H. G. Otis, W. E. Hughes, S. B. Lewis, I. R. Dunkelberger and W. F. Fitz- gerald, submitted a plan of organization and pre- sented a draft of a constitution and by-laws. These were adopted. The objects of the organi- zation, as stated in the constitution, are: "To foster and encourage commerce; to stimulate home manufactures; to induce immigration, and the subdivision, settlement and cultivation of our lands; to assist in the development of the natural resources of this region, and generally to promote the business interests of Los Angeles city and county and the country tributary thereto."
At the meeting of the 24th the organization was completed by the election of officers and the appointment of fifteen standing committees. The following were the first officers: E. W. Jones, president; W. H. Workman, Ist vice-president; H. G. Otis, 2nd vice-president; S. B. Lewis, 3rd vice-president; John I. Redick, treasurer, and Thomas A. Lewis, secretary.
The first home of the Chamber of Commerce was in a small two-story building on West First street. From there, in 1890, it moved to the armory, in the Mott Building on South Main street. Here the permanent exhibit feature was inaugurated and has been maintained ever since. The following brief summaries of the "work of
the Chamber" and its "exhibitions" are taken from its last annual (March, 1899):
"The Chamber has issued thirty pamphlets, descriptive of this country and its resources, with a total circulation of over seven hundred thou- sand." "Matter has been prepared for hundreds of eastern magazines and newspaper articles."
"Statistics of crop returns have been secured in large numbers from farmers, and published."
"Information was prepared for the United States census." "Hundreds of thousands of sample copies of the daily papers of Los Angeles city and their annuals have been distributed."
"Twenty thousand letters of inquiry are answered yearly." "Circulars of advice and information are printed and circulated among farmers, dealing with the raising of winter vegetables, beets for sugar, hog-raising, olive- growing, fruit-picking," etc.
EXHIBITIONS.
"Besides maintaining a permanent exhibit of California products in its own quarters, which has been visited by half a million of people, it has had charge of and participated in four citrus fairs, visited by 100,000 people;" "the Orange Carnival in Chicago, visited by 100,000 people; three agricultural fairs, all successful and in- structive; regular shipments to 'California on wheels'-a traveling exhibit visited by a million of people; the Southern California exhibit in the World's Columbian Exposition; the Southern California display at the Midwinter Fair in San Francisco; the permanent exhibit maintained for two years in Chicago, and visited by half a million people; the display at the national con- vention of Farmers' Alliance, 1891; the display at the Dunkard conference, 1890; exhibits pre- pared for lecturers and travelers; exhibits sent to eastern fairs; exhibit permanently maintained in the board of trade at San Francisco; exhibit at Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposi- tion; exhibit at Hamburg; exhibit at Guatemala; Trans- Mississippi and International Exposition, Omaha.'
The following named gentlemen have filled the office of president of the chamber:
E. W. Jones 1888-91
C. M. Wells. 1891-93
D. Freeman 1893-95
W. C. Patterson.
1895-97
Charles Forman 1897-99
J. S. Slauson. 1899-1900
M. J. Newmark 1900 --
The following have filled the office of secre- tary:
J. V. Wachtel . 1888
Thos. A. Lewis 888-89
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL, RECORD.
M. R. Higgins 1889
H. W. Patton 1889-90
H. J. Hanchette 1890-91
C. D. Willard . 1891-97
Frank Wiggins. 1897 ---
In 1896 the exhibit of the Chamber was moved to a new building on the southeast corner of Fourth and Broadway. It occupies all of the sec- ond and third stories of the building. No other organization has done so much for the develop- ment of Southern California as the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.
THE MERCHANTS AND MANUFACTURERS' ASSO- CIATION.
The youngest of our commercial corporations is the Merchants and Manufacturers' Associa- tion. It has for its objects "the promotion of the common interests of its members by increas- ing the facilities for our mercantile and com- mercial enterprises; by finding a market for our local manufactured products; by co-operating with the National Association of Manufacturers; by such social features as may from time to time be introduced to promote better acquaintance among its members; and by taking such an intel- ligent interest in public affairs as will tend to ad- vance the business enterprises of Los Angeles and vicinity."
This organization was formed by the union of two associations-the Merchants' Association, which was formed in the early part of 1894, and the Manufacturers' Association, which was organized in August, 1895.
"In June, 1896, a committee of conference representing the two associations arrived at the conclusion that a union of their respective mem- bers into one organization would best promote the interests of all, and formal action ratifying the report of the conference led to their legal consolidation under the name of the Merchants and Manufacturers' Association."
In 1897-98 the association inaugurated an active movement for the purpose of sccuring from the citizens the patronizing of home products. It labors to encourage the establishment and successful prosecution of manufacturing industries in our city and to assist merchants and the mer- cantile community in general in devising and recommending such trade regulations as may seem desirable and expedient.
The presidents of the association have been: H. W. Frank. 1896-97
Fred L. Baker 1897-98
R. L. Craig 1898-99
The secretaries:
Wm. H. Knight 1896-97
F. J. Zeehandelaar 1897-
CHAPTER XXX.
CHURCHES OF LOS ANGELES.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES.
N 1811 the citizens obtained permission to erect a new church in the pueblo. The primitive chapel, built in 1784, had be- come too small to accommodate the increasing population of the town and vicinity. The first church or chapel, erected by the Roman Catholics, stood at the foot of the hill near what is now the southeast corner of Buena Vista street and Bellevue avenue. It was an adobe structure about 18x24 feet. The corner stone of the new church was laid and blessed August 15, 1814, by Father Gil, of the Mission San Gabriel. Just where it was placed is uncertain. It is probable that it was I
on the eastern side of the old plaza. In 1818 it was moved to higher ground-its present site. The great flood of 1815, when the waters of the river came up to the lower side of the old plaza, probably necessitated the change. When the foundation was laid a second time the citizens subscribed 500 cattle. In 1819 the friars of the missions contributed seven barrels of brandy to the building fund worth $575. This donation, with the previous contribution of cattle, was suf- ficient to raise the walls to the window arches by 1821 .* There it came to a full stop. The pueblo colonists were poor in purse and chary of exer-
*Bancroft's History of California, Vol. I.
148
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
tion. They were more willing to wait than to labor. Indeed, they seem to have performed but little of the labor. The neophytes of San Gabriel and San Luis Rey did the most of the work and were paid a real (1212 cents) a day each, the missions getting the money. José Antonio Rameirez was the architect. When the colonists' means were exhausted the missions were appealed to for aid. The missions responded to the appeal. The contributions to the building fund were var- ious in kind and somewhat incongruous in char- acter. The Mission San Miguel contributed 500 cattle, San Luis Obispo 200, Santa Barbara one barrel of brandy, San Diego two barrels of white wine, Purisima six mules and 200 cattle, San Gabriel two barrels of brandy and San Fernando one. Bancroft says, "The citizens promptly con- verted the brandy into money, some of them drinking immense quantities in their zeal for the spiritual welfare of the town." Work was begun again on the church, and pushed to completion. A house for the curate was also built. It was an adobe structure and stood near the northwest corner of the church. The church was completed and formally dedicated December 8, 1822-eight years after the laying of the first corner stone.
Captain de La Guerra was chosen by the ayun- tamiento, padrino or god father. San Gabriel Mission loaned a bell for the occasion. The fiesta of Our Lady of the Angels had been postponed so that the dedication and the celebration could be held at the same time. Cannon boomed on the plaza and salvos of musketry intoned the services.
The present building and its surroundings bear but little resemblance to the Nueva Iglesia (new church) that Padre Payeras labored so earnestly to complete eighty years ago. It had no floor but the beaten earth and no seats. The wor- shippers sat or knelt on the bare ground or on cushions they brought with them: There was no distinction between the poor and the rich at first, but as time passed and the Indians degener- ated or the citizens became more aristocratic, a petition was presented to the ayuntamiento to provide a separate place of worship for the Indians. If the Indian's presence in church was undesirable on account of his filthy habits, still he was useful as a church builder. At the session of the ayuntamiento June 19, 1839, the President stated, "that he had been informed by José M. Navarro, who serves as sexton, that the baptistery of the church is almost in ruins on account of a leaking roof. It was ordered that Sunday next the alcaldes of the Indians shall meet and bring together the Indians without a boss, so that no one will be inconvenienced by the loss of labor of his Indians and place them to work thereon, using some posts and brea now at the guard
house, the regidor (or councilman) on weekly duty to have charge of the work." Extensive repairs were made on the church in 1841-42. In the sindico's account book for the latter year appears thisentry: "Guillermo ( William; Money owes the city funds out of the labor of the prisoners, loaned him for the church, $126." As the prisoners' labor was valued at a real (121/2 cents) a day it must have required considerable of repairing to amount to $126.
In 1861 the church building was remodeled, the "faithful of the parish" bearing the expense. The front wall, which had been damaged by the rains, was taken down and rebuilt of brick instead of adobe. The tiled roof was changed to a shingled one and the tower altered. The grounds were inclosed and planted with trees and flowers. The old adobe parish house built in 1822, with the additions made to it, later was torn down and the present brick structure erected. The church has a seating capacity of 500. It is the oldest parish church on the Pacific coast of the United States; and is the only building 110W in use that was built in the Spanish era of our city's history.
THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. VIBIANA.
The corner stone of the Cathedral of St. Vibiana was laid by the Right Rev. Bishop Amat, October 3, 1869. "There was," says the Star, "an immense concourse of citizens present, both ladies and gentlemen, all desirous to witness the inter- esting ceremonies. It was the largest assemblage drawn together here and must have amounted to nearly 3,000 persons." "The cathedral is to be cruciform, 116 feet wide, 266 feet long, the transcript or cross 168 feet. The estimated cost $100,000."
The first site chosen for the Cathedral and the place where the corner stone was laid October 3, 1869, was on the west side of Main street between Fifth and Sixth, extending through to Spring street. This location was well out of town then. In 1871 the site was changed to the present loca- tion of the cathedral, east side of Main just south of Second street. The edifice was opened for service Palm Sunday, April 9, 1876. but the formal dedication took place April 30, and was conducted by Bishop Alemany. The other Cath- olic churches of the city are the Church of St. Vincent a Paul, established in 1887, and located ou Grand avenue near Washington street; St. Joseph's Church (German) located on Santee street, south of Twelfth, established in 1888; Church of the Sacred Heart, East Los Angeles, corner of South Sichel and Baldwin streets, built in 1893, and St. Mary's, corner of Fourth and Chi- cago street, established in 1897.
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