USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California. Volume I > Part 22
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WASHINGTON STREET BETWEEN EIGHTH AND NINTH
The widely known Winsor Hotel, Ninth and Broadway, west side. It was managed by Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard, and was advertised as the "most select and best family and business men's hotel in Oakland,
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with rooms unsurpassed for neatness and comfort." The prevalent adjunct on the ground floor was operated by Theo. Gier, who did a wholesale liquor business as well as retailing his goods over the counter. His wine vaults were at the northeast corner of Eighth and Broadway. The Winsor occupied almost half the frontage of the block, the remain- ing portion being taken up by a two-story frame building, and a squatty three-story structure on the corner of Eighth. Across the street from the Winsor was the A. J. Snyder Building, the lower corner store of the three-story building being occupied by the H. & B. Bercovich cigar store. This firm had their cigar factory in the Bercovich Block at the northeast corner of Fourth and Webster streets. The Grand Central Market was built on the central portion of the block. The third build- ing, at the corner of Eighth, was three stories high. F. Cass, owner of the Piedmont Bakery, had his establishment at the corner. There was a hall above the Central Market which was used as the meeting place of the Elks, Native Sons and other lodges and organizations.
FROM NINTH TO TENTH
The ground floor space of the four-story business house at Ninth and Washington, west side, was occupied by the large grocery store of Olson Brothers. The Girard House, with its four stories, adjoined. A. C. Newman was proprietor of the hotel in the middle nineties. The lower floor was occupied by the pretentious dry goods store of James A. Joyce. The remaining portion of that side of the block was taken up by two smaller buildings, each two stories high. Among the five business firms located there were the shoe store of Mesmer & Smith; the Wonder Millinery shop; and another grocery store on the corner of Tenth. Except for the three-story Arlington Hotel on the corner of Ninth (with an entrance at 474 Ninth Street), the east side of the block was devoted to five store rooms but one story high. The firms located there included the shoe store of S. Lillienthal, the office of the White Star Laundry, and the Joseph Lancaster tailor shop at the cor- ner of Tenth. The Grand Rule Bazaar was in the corner location of the Arlington Hotel building at Ninth. The Arlington Hotel mentioned above was in the Nicholls Block, and was operated by E. T. Taylor.
WASHINGTON STREET, TENTH TO ELEVENTH
Half of the frontage on the west side of Washington Street, be- between Tenth and Eleventh, was covered by the five-story Hotel Crel-
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LAMEDA COUNTY
lin, owned by Thomas Crellin. d leased by M. N. Hartman. It was one of the leading sky-scraper of its day for Oakland. The corner location of the hotel at Tenth es the home of the Fearn Pharmacy, Charles H. Wood, the optician, so having quarters in the drug store. The Crellin boasted of a grour floor lobby, one of the few in town; while the Palace Cloak Compai. B. Mossbacher, owner, occupied the remaining space of the lower floor. The Schultz Building was next in order toward Eleventh Street. The Washington Hotel occupied the two upper stories. There was ¿ other three-story building on the cor- ner of Eleventh, but not nearly high as the Schultz block. Salinger's department store, retail and w lesale, occupied the entire lower level of these two buildings. A two-s ry building and two three-story struc- tures were located on the east sie of the street. Among the firms there were the Palace Bakery, ownedby Wagner and Desloh; and the pre- tentious liquor establishment W. M. Watson & Company, wine manufacturers. The Charles B Shear Hardware and Plumbing Com- pany were on the corner of Ten and Washington.
BETWEEN ELEVEN'I AND TWELFTH STREETS
Coming up the street to th block between Eleventh and Twelfth we again find locations more esirable for offices. The three-story Blake Block extended over the major portion of the frontage commenc- ing at Twelfth Street and runnig toward Eleventh. It was still used as an office location for several ontists, doctors and other firms. The Eleventh Street corner was al the site for another building of the same number of floors. Across te street on the east side was the branch of the Grand Central Market. he Land and Loan Company Building was on the corner of Twelfth. . weather-vane surmounted the church- like or school-like tower on the orner. The Salvation Army home was in this structure.
FROM TWEL H TO THIRTEENTH
The Masonic Temple stoodon the west corner of Twelfth and Washington. The three lower L siness locations were used by the Cali- fornia Bank (on the corner ), he crockery and art store of George W. Howell, and a drug store. I. Edward Collins was president of the bank, and Frank H. Brooks, casier. North of the temple were a couple of vacant lots, and then a small ffice of E. Gill, the florist, with a hot-
TENTE AND WASHINGTON STREET
THE TAPE ANY BAKERY HUGH RAV- MITON PROPRIETOR
HOME T TENI
THE KVERTS BLOCK
Wawer Mitts
THE ALARE BLOCK --- --- -
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house in the rear. Gill cultivated over one hundred acres in raising seeds, plants and flowers. The Kahn Brothers Building, the lower floor of which was used by them for their dry goods store, covered about half the block on the east side of the street, next Twelfth. On the Thir- teenth Street intersection was the three-story Abrahamson Building, and the Abrahamson Brothers Dry Goods Store, owned by Julius and Hugo Abrahamson. In the two-story building between the last two mentioned structures were the firms of Gold & Silversmith and C. Westover & Company.
WASHINGTON STREET, THIRTEENTH TO FOURTEENTH
Three buildings, all three stories in heighth, faced Washington Street from the west side. The Risdon & Company saloon was located on the corner at Thirteenth. At 1153 was the hair store of Mrs. L. C. Marvin, with an employment bureau at the same address. At 1155 was the grocery store of Henry L. Conklin. The Schreiber Furniture Company, established in 1850, occupied the next building, from 1157 to 1159. Five small store rooms were on the ground floor of the Hotel Wilson, at the intersection of Fourteenth and Washington. The firms doing business there were the candy store of F. H. Brunning ; a Jap- anese-Chinese Bazaar, a piano store owned by E. Bishop; a tailor shop conducted by Byron Rutley; and, on the corner, the grocery store of H. D. Cushing. The east side of this block was occupied by two story business houses, except for the Westphal Building at 1162 to 1166, which was one story higher than those adjoining. The corner location at Thirteenth Street, No. 1150, was that of the W. T. Hyde Drug store. Fraternal Hall stood next to the Westphal Building, and its lower floor was given over to the Grand Rule Bazaar, owned in 1896 by M. L. Schlueter and successor to the Jones Bazaar. The Fourteenth Street corner store was the home of the Ridgway Crockery Company. C. L. Maxwell & Son had their hardware store in the Westphal Building.
THE CENTRAL BANK BUILDING
Of course the old Central Bank Building at the northeast corner of Broadway and Fourteenth was the city's pride in the early nineties. It was the sky-scraper of the day; as the more modern sixteen-story Central Bank Building on the same site today towers above much of the
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
business district. Save for the more ancient Crellin Hotel at Tenth and Washington no building down town approached the bank building for height, for it contained five floors. It was the up-to-date office building of that time, although not being in what was then considered the most valuable business section of the down-town district. It exem- plified the best in architectural skill and building construction as then understood, thus more than off-setting other advantages of some of the other office buildings, such as the Central Block, the Broadway Block, the Blake & Moffit Block, the Delger Block, and the Blake Block. There was an entrance to the main floor at the center of the structure on Broadway and another near the end of the building on Fourteenth, steps leading up to the floor on which the Central Bank, on the corner, was located. Thomas Crellin was then president of the bank; W. G. Palmantree, vice president; and C. R. Yates, cashier. In the basement on the corner, but with plenty of light from the street windows because the ceiling was several feet above the pavement, was the large Central Saving Parlor owned by John Tisch. In the farther corner room on Broadway was the Winton Cyclery, owned by Wm. J. Drew, who handled the Winton, Eldgredge and Belvidere bicycles, and who taught the novice how to properly mount and ride that means of travel. There were numerous bicycle shops in those days, almost as many as there are automobile firms today, and many of them advertised that they taught riding. Of course if one living in the East Bay region in those days did not find it convenient or satisfactory to accept the instruction of any of the vendors, he might go down to No. 24 San Pablo Avenue, and take a thorough course of instruction at the Wilbur Cycling Aca- demy, which advertised "improved methods of training," and which either sold or rented chainless bicycles. There was a second bicycle shop in the Central Bank Building-the one owned by B. C. Lund, and known as the Central Cyclery. It was the fartherest corner of the building on Fourteenth Street. Lund handled the Thistle and Tribune bicycles. The bank, the two bicycle shops, and the barber shop in the basement comprised the business institutions of the lower floor.
The Merchants Exchange had their office on the second floor. At that time W. V. Witcher was president of the organization; George W. Arper was vice president; H. D. Cushing, treasurer ; and Webb N. Pearce, secretary. G. H. Cunningham, as general agent for the Equitable Life Assurance Company, had his office on that floor, in room 203. Dr. Hayward G. Thomas, an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist, had a suite of rooms on the second floor, rooms 204, 205 and
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206. Dr. Carra B. Schofield, Dr. F. E. Mccullough, Dr. Edward M. Sill, and Dr. C. Renz were among the physicians with offices in the building. The dentists included Dr. E. L. Dow and Dr. D. A. Proctor. The Oakland Saturday Night, of which Mollie E. Conners was editor, was located in rooms 311 and 312. The Viavi Company, M. B. Sander- son manager, had rooms 313 and 314. J. F. McSwain, the lawyer, was in rooms 407 and 408. The fifth floor housed the Ralston Health Food Company, the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, D. F. Oliver, the architect, and the California Bridge and Construction Company. Alfred W. Burrell was president of the last named company; W. L. Prather, Jr., secretary.
The south side of Fourteenth Street, between Broadway and Wash- ington, was much different in appearance from that of today. The Delger Block, of course, covered the corner at Broadway, now the home of the Kress store. At that time there was a shoe store at the corner, with an entrance at 1173 Broadway. Back of the shoe store, and with an entrance at about 463 Fourteenth Street, was a stationery store. The Park Block took up the middle portion of that side of the street. Taft & Pennoyer occupied 467 to 469, as well as their Broadway frontage at 1163 to 1167. The grocery store of Agard & Company, 475 to 479, took up the other half of the Park Block's ground floor. This was a two-story building with a tower on each end and a larger one over the big bay windows in the center. The C. L. Maxwell & Son hardware store had frontage on Fourteenth, at 481, as well as on Wash- ington Street. Joe Poheim, the tailor, was at No. 485; while the corner was occupied by the Ridgway Crockery Company, as mentioned in describing Washington Street firms. Dr. F. W. Morse and Dr. A. S. Larkey had offices on the second floor, over the crockery store.
CROSS STREETS BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND BROADWAY
There were no vacant lots in the middle nineties on any of the cross streets from Seventh to Fourteenth and between Washington and Broadway. Mention has already been made of many of the build- ings on corners and the firms doing business in those locations. It is unnecessary to repeat as to those places, but some of the business firms off the corner locations on these streets may be mentioned. Our readers may get an excellent idea of these streets from the illustrations which the author was fortunate enough to secure in his endeavor to secure and preserve a description of the city of that period.
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Albert Brown, the undertaker, had his place of business on Thir- teenth Street, at No. 466 to 468. Next to him, at 462 to 464, was the C. W. Kinsey Furniture and Carpet House, in the three-story business block. James Martin, who handled new and second hand gas, cooking and heating stoves, was located in the little, one-story structure on the other side of the undertaking parlors. Across the street at 467 was the E. R. Tutt Hardware store, in the three-story building in the rear of the Abrahamson building. The George Smith & Company drug store was located at 460 Twelfth Street. The two-story Bushnell building, erected in 1874, was located at 462 to 468 Twelfth. The two-story Land & Loan Company's Building, built in 1881, faced on Twelfth Street, at the corner of Washington. The Saddle Rock Restaurant was located at 463 in that building, and Frank W. Searing, wholesale and retail fruit and produce dealer, at 467. The W. M. Kent wine rooms were at 457, in the rear of the building at the corner of Broadway. The large branch of the Grand Central Market extended from 460 to the corner of Washington on Eleventh Street-almost three-fourths of the block. Among the fruit, produce, meat and fish dealers housed there were the Standard Meat and Produce Company, W. A. Rouse & Com- pany, Pheland & Fish, the American Fish Company, and the Oakland Fruit and Produce Company. Among the firms across the street were the Torrey, Whitman & Gardiner, grocers, at 461 to 463; the Pacific Restaurant at 469; and the Cave saloon, at 473, owned by Knabbe & Billesback.
Over on the north side of Tenth Street, at 478, was the office of Pattiani & Co., architects. Dr. J. R. Bradway had his office at 4781/2 Tenth, and Cotton Brothers & Co., bridge builders, contractors and engineers, were in the same building. H. E. Bullock, the broker, real estate dealer, fruit box inventor and manufacturer, was located at No. 472. The cleaning and dyeing works of J. Spaulding & Company was at No. 460. The E. P. Vandercook Company real estate office was on the south side of Ninth Street, at No. 458. Next door, at 460, was the office of A. H. Breed & Co., real estate dealers and auctioneers. The south side of Ninth, between Broadway and Washington, seemed to be a very desirable location for dealers in real estate. F. King, suc- cessor to Benedict & Company, was at No. 457; P. Kelly, who spec- ialized in exchanges of country property for city tracts, was at 459; W. I. Robinson, who also handled insurance, was also at 459; F. C. Watson's real estate office was next, at 463; James S. Naismith, an- other dealer, had the same address; Benham & Thomas, who were min-
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
ing brokers in addition to realty dealers, were at 465; Hugh Cameron was at 479; and Samuel & Knowles at 481. The Oakland Butter Com- pany occupied No. 471. There was a saloon at 473; and another one at 477, the latter being the "Anheuser," owned by Herbert and Sonder- leiter, who handled imported beer from Germany. The Ross House occupied the two upper floors of the Snyder Block, built in 1879; and the two upper floors of the other Snyder Block on the corner was taken up by the Grand Central Hotel, with an entrance at 475 Ninth. The entrance to the Ross House was at 4691/2.
The Leimert Building stood on the lots from 456 to 466 Eighth Street. The Laymance Real Estate & Investment Company had their place of business at 466. William J. Dingee, the real estate broker, was at 460 to 462; and the Oakland Water Company, of which Mr. Dingee was president and A. W. Rose secretary, was at 458. Across the street, on the south side, at 457, was the livery stable of James King & Son. And next to it, at 455, was "The Office," which can readily be recog- nized as the name of another saloon. It was conducted by M. J. Halla- han and was quite convenient to the City Justice Court, which was up-stairs, the entrance being at 453. "The Office" had competition in this block, for "The Buffalo Exchange" was just down the way a couple hundred feet, at No. 477. Fred Peterson was proprietor of the estab- lishment which competed with "The Office." The entrance to the three- story Newland House at the corner of Washington and Seventh was at 482 Seventh Street. "The Oak" saloon was at the corner, No. 484. H. L. Simms, owner of the Oakland News Depot, was at 470 Seventh. The S. P. R. R. passenger depot was at 464. The two-story Sather Block took up the entire north side of Seventh Street, between the two main thoroughfares-Washington and Broadway. Edward Edwards was agent for the building and had charge of the renting of the offices on the first floor and the apartments upstairs. Among the business firms located in the building were Neal & Kolich, plumbers; Mrs. G. L. Men- denhall's hair dressing parlors; Gordan's Bazaar; the ticket office of the S. P. R. R. "broadgauge"; the cigar store of S. Gordan; the Elite Shaving Parlor, owned by William York; and the ice cream parlors of Ida Disard.
THE PLAYTER BLOCK
I wonder how many of my readers will recall the old Playter Block, on the east side of San Pablo Avenue and at its junction with Broad-
RUDE
URE
WASHINGTON STREET, WEST SIDE, FROM TWELFTH TO THIRTEENTH STREETS, OAKLAND, 1896 Masonic Temple at Twelfth
THE WINSOR
THE WINSOR
WED GIER C.O.
W-15
WASHINGTON STREET, WEST SIDE. FROM EIGHTH TO NINTH STREETS. OAKLAND, 1896 Three-story Winsor Hotel at corner of Ninth
WASHINGTON STREET. WEST SIDE, FROM TENTH TO ELEVENTH STREETS. OAKLAND, 1896
Hotel Crellin on left; Salinger's Department Store on right
17V1
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
way. Those who have come here in later years will have difficulty in attempting to replace in their mind the squatty two-story frame build- ing of that day for the stately bank building which now stands upon this ground. What a wonderful change a few years has made! And not many years before the Playter Block was erected that location was deemed out of the business district ! This triangular tract, once the site of a dozen or so small firms, is now graced by one of the finest bank and office edifices in the Bay region.
Those who remember the Playter Block will recall the porch run- ning its full length on San Pablo Avenue, supported by wooden posts on the edge of the sidewalk. Such porches were common adjuncts to business structures in pioneer days, but have long since been eliminated from consideration in the progress of building design. Some of these old relics may even today be found in those localities which sprang up in the last century and have escaped a metropolitan transformation. The porch did not extend along the full length of the building on Broad- way, although it did continue for about half way. The Central Pharm- acy, owned by Garrett and Taggart was in the corner room, and in the office directly overhead was the dental office of Dr. C. S. Lane. At No. 8 San Pablo Avenue was the Central News Stand, owned by Frank E. Orr. There were store rooms at Nos. 10 and 12, with a stairway to the second floor at No. 14. The grocery store at No. 16 was owned by W. P. Wheeler. No. 18 was occupied by the Wonder Millinery Store, and No. 20 by the bicycle store of the J. Winfield Perason, agent for the Lu-Mi-Num brand. By 1896 the Wilbur Cycling Academy had been replaced by the shoe store of C. G. Hallmeyer at No. 24. The last store in the north end on San Pablo Avenue, No. 26, was the Merrick Home Bakery and Restaurant. To the north of the Playter Block was a three-story frame building looking much like a large residence, but out even with the sidewalk and the lower floor of which was used for business purposes. The W. D. Wilson Meat Market occupied one of these lower rooms, at No. 34 San Pablo Avenue. Wilson also had a market at 904 Washington Street. The street numbers have been changed on San Pablo Avenue since the days when the Playter Block was built.
SAN PABLO AVENUE
San Pablo Avenue, said to be the longest straight street in the world, as we know it today is the development and outgrowth of the
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old "San Pablo Road." It has taken its place among the famous streets of the nation, an honor that the pioneers of fifty years ago did not dream would eventually be its lot. Business establishments are now located along this thoroughfare at points which not many years ago were considered out in the country, which, indeed, they were. The Playter Block on the east side of the street's termination at Broadway has already been mentioned. From No. 38 to 52, on the east side, were eight or nine one-story business places, all with a porch over the side- walk and uniform in appearance. Girard's Tamale Parlors was located in one of these-the one at No. 46. The M. H. Ober, owned by Clara P. Nagle, was at No. 42, and among other things which could be bought there were equipose waists and equestrienne tights. Commencing at No. 54 and down to Sixteenth Street was a two-story building, also with its wooden porch over the sidewalk, and the upper story of which was occupied by the Alpine rooming house, conducted by Mrs. Nettie Wil- lard. F. E. Plate had his California Rug Manufactory at No. 58. The Free Public Reading Room was at 64 to 66. Alonzo Coons sold "bazaar goods," books and stationery at No. 70. Across the street on the west side, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth, was a three-story building (at Fifteenth), three small one-story buildings in the center of the block; and a two-story building at Sixteenth. "Our Corner," conducted by I. L. Foster, dispensed wines, liquors and cigars in the corner location at Fifteenth. Many of the choice corner locations in the business sec- tion of the city were saloon sites in those days. Steve Rice sold "Syra- cuse" bicycles at 107; and J. A. Rixon, custom tailor, had his place of business at the same address. J. Williams, manufacturer of woven wire spring mattresses and furniture dealer, had his store at No. 109. Jacob Mueller, manufacturer and dealer in harness, saddles, bridles, robes, etc., was at 111; and next door, at 115, was L. O. Fox, the tinner and plumber. There was a hardware store at 123, and at 131 was the Great American Importing Tea Company. W. F. Batchelder, the grocer, who commenced business in Oakland in 1877, was on the corner of Six- teenth.
The Golden Eagle Block, two stories in heighth save for an addi- tional story at the corner of Sixteenth, occupied most of the frontage on the west side, between Sixteenth and Seventeenth. Among the firms doing business in this building were the Oakland Bakery, owned by Mrs. M. M. Evans ; the American Tea Company, G. A. Holste, proprie- tor; Bernhard Meves, diamond setter, watchmaker and jeweler; and John Klein, owner of a hat store. The west side of the street, between
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Eighteenth and Nineteenth, was also completely built up. The Curtis Block was near the center of this block. Spencer's Home Bakery and the Bay State Market at the corner of Nineteenth was near the end of the business district on San Pablo Avenue, although there were scatter- ing firms out beyond that point.
CHAPTER IX
OAKLAND FROM 1905 TO 1915
TEN YEARS UNDER MAYOR MOTT-SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS - RECOVERY OF THE WATER-FRONT-HARBOR DEVELOPMENTS-BUILD- ING OPERATIONS OF TEN YEARS - NEW CITY CHARTER ADOPTED STREET AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS - PARKS AND BOULEVARDS - PLAYGROUNDS-GROWTH OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS-PUBLIC MUSEUM ESTABLISHED-CIVIL SERVICE REORGANIZATION-OTHER CITY DE- PARTMENTS
TEN YEARS UNDER MAYOR MOTT
It is seldom that any city as large as Oakland retains at the head of its government an elective mayor for a period as long as ten years. There are cases of longer duration, but the average is much less. Poli- tical fortunes generally spell an unhappy ending before ten years can roll around. Yet Oakland from July, 1905 to July, 1915, honored but one man as its mayor. The growth of the county and several cities within its borders may well be taken up and considered during this period in one chapter.
Frank K. Mott was born in San Francisco, January 21, 1866, the son of Peter D. and Fannie K. Mott, who came to the state from New York. He quit school when twelve years of age and became a mes- senger boy for the Western Union. Within a year he was made a clerk and collector for the company. At the end of four years with that com- pany he came to Oakland to enter the employ of George S. Brown, a hardware merchant, and eventually he became sole owner of the estab- lishment. In 1897 he was appointed to the Oakland city council by Mayor Pardee, who afterwards became governor of California. He served on the council for two years, the last half of which was as presi- dent of the council. In 1899 he was reelected on the republican ticket. In 1905 he was nominated by the republicans as a candidate for mayor,
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