History of Alameda County, California. Volume I, Part 45

Author: Merritt, Frank Clinton, 1889-
Publication date:
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 708

USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California. Volume I > Part 45

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

JULY'S BUILDING PERMITS BREAK RECORD

The Oakland building record was shattered when permits totaling over four million dollars were issued during July. Permits for hun-

522

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

July 21. At a luncheon at the Hotel Oakland sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Oakland Forum, Joseph R. Knowland, former congressman, presided. Secretary Hoover spoke to the 700 guests.

On July 24 the Oakland City Council passed an ordinance providing for an appropriation of $9,000 as the first payment on the Elizabeth Sanborn property in East Oakland for park purposes. The city agreed to purchase the tract for $36,000, over the protests of Mayor Davie. He contended the price was too high. On August 3 the council ordered the widening of Harrison Street from Twelfth to Twentieth streets, by removing four feet from the sidewalks on each side of the thorough- fare. This move was deemed necessary in anticipation of heavy traffic when the S. P. tracks would be removed from Franklin to Webster Street.

The Oakland School Board opened bids August 11 for the erection of the new school on Seventy-eighth Avenue. On the same day a permit was granted for the construction of the new Providence Hospital, at a cost of $700,000, on the new location at Webster and Orchard streets. The new structure was to replace the old one at Twenty-fifth and Broadway. Ground was also broken that day for the new $160,000 Hobart Building at Hobart and Webster streets. First services in the new $150,000 St. Leo's Church, Piedmont and Ridgeway avenues, was held August 23. This magnificent new house of worship is built in the Lomnadrian Romanesque style of the twelfth century.

Fred Kahn, pioneer East Bay business man, passed away August 19. He had retired from active business the previous April, following the sale of the large department store, which his father had founded in Oakland in 1873, to the Schlessinger interests. He was born in New York in 1860.

East Bay residents were engaged during a part of the month in raising funds to assist the stricken City of Santa Barbara in recovering from the earthquake damage of July. Joseph R. Knowland was chair- man of the drive in Oakland, Piedmont and Emeryville, with a quota of $65,000. The Berkeley allotment was $15,000. The Oakland headquar- ters sent a check for $10,000 before the close of the month.

The third annual fiesta, under the guiding hands of the Dons of Peralta, was held August 27, 28, and 29, with Harry G. Williams as the president for the season's celebration. The celebration included a floral pageant, a picturesque industrial parade, speed boat races on Lake Merritt, an athletic carnival, a free Spanish barbecue, a night of

1819

523

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

pageantry, street dancing, rodeo events, a grand ball in the civic audi- torium, and many other attractions to enliven the three days.

TAX RATE FIXED

The basic tax rate fixed by the supervisors of the county for the year at their September meeting for this purpose was $1.55, which was an increase of but three cents over the preceding year. It was divided between the following funds: Salary, $0.13; common schools, $0.41; high schools, $0.27; exposition, $0.002; advertising, $0.01; forestry and fire protection, $0.002; Highland Hospital bonds, $0.01; estuary tube bonds, $0.08; general fund, $0.596; and memorial buildings, $0.04. The Oakland rate for the fiscal year was $2.88; Emeryville, $2.20; Hayward, $3.07; Albany, $2.69; Pleasanton, $2.66; Livermore, $2.93; and Piedmont, $3.20.

cos

During the month the Church of the Good Shepherd, Hearst Ave- nue and Ninth Street, West Berkeley, observed its forty-seventh anni- versary. The church was founded August 14, 1878, by the late Bishop Kip, Rev. A. A. McAllister being the pastor. Rev. William Higgs was the pastor who presided at the 1925 anniversary services.

ATHENS ATHLETIC CLUB DEDICATED

The beautiful new twelve-story home of the Athens Athletic Club, costing over two million dollars, was dedicated September 24, marking the completion of one of the largest down-town structures of the year and the realization of the dreams of this organization for one of the finest clubhouses in the nation. The officers at that date were Joseph R. Knowland, president ; H. C. Capwell, vice president ; Arthur W. Moore, treasurer; Lynne Stanley, secretary ; and George D. Morrison, man- ager. The directors included Charles J. Heeseman, A. W. Moore, Car- sten E. Schmidt, Sherwood Swan, Eugene E. Trefethen, H. C. Capwell, J. F. Hassler, Lester W. Hink, Joseph R. Knowland, Max Horowinski, Lynne Stanley, L. C. Fraser, Don Kessler, Joseph Rosborough, and Stuart S. Hawley. The club at that time had 3,000 active members. Its completion called to mind the chief events in the history of the club since its organization in 1919. The first meeting was called for April 19 of that year. By May 11 of that year it had 312 members, and on

522

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

July 21. At a luncheon at the Hotel Oakland sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Oakland Forum, Joseph R. Knowland, former congressman, presided. Secretary Hoover spoke to the 700 guests.

The Oakland School Board opened bids August 11 for the erection of the new school on Seventy-eighth Avenue. On the same day a permit was granted for the construction of the new Providence Hospital. at a cost of $700,000, on the new location at Webster and Orchard streets. The new structure was to replace the old one at Twenty-fifth and Broadway. Ground was also broken that day for the new $160,000 Hobart Building at Hobart and Webster streets. First services in the new $150,000 St. Leo's Church, Piedmont and Ridgeway avenues, was held August 23. This magnificent new house of worship is built in the Lomnadrian Romanesque style of the twelfth century.

Fred Kahn, pioneer East Bay business man, passed away August 19. He had retired from active business the previous April, following the sale of the large department store, which his father had founded in Oakland in 1870, to the Schlessinger interests. He was born in New York in 1860.

1879

523

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

pageantry, street dancing, rodeo events, a grand ball in the civic audi- torium, and many other attractions to enliven the three days.

TAX RATE FIXED

ATHENS ATHLETIC CLUB DEDICATED

The beautiful new twelve-story home of the Athens Athletic Club, costing over two million dollars, was dedicated September 24, marking the completion of one of the largest down-town structures of the year and the realization of the dreams of this organization for one of the finest clubhouses in the nation. The officers at that date were Joseph R. Knowland, president; H. C. Capwell, vice president; Arthur W. Moore, treasurer ; Lynne Stanley, secretary; and George D. Morrison, man- ager. The directors included Charles J. Heeseman, A. W. Moore, Car- sten E. Schmidt, Sherwood Swan, Eugene E. Trefethen, H. C. Capwell, J. F. Hassler, Lester W. Hink, Joseph R. Knowland, Max Horowinski, Lynne Stanley, L. C. Fraser, Don Kessler, Joseph Rosborough, and Stuart S. Hawley. The club at that time had 3,000 active members. Its completion called to mind the chief events in the history of the club since its organization in 1919. The first meeting was called for April 19 of that year. By May 11 of that year it had 312 members, and on

524

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

April 27, 1921, it was incorporated. On April 23, 1923, it purchased the valuable site for the new home. A week later Joseph R. Knowland was elected as its president ; and a week or so later Sherwood Swan was appointed chairman of the finance committee to perfect financial plans for the building operations. William Knowles was selected as the architect, and Swan was named head of a committee to inspect athletic clubs throughout the nation. In May, 1924, George D. Morrison was named manager of the club. Actual work started on the building July 2, 1924. The clubhouse is a popular center, and the organization looms as a large factor in the civic life of the East Bay.

The impressive dedicatory exercises of the new $125,000 First Con- gregational Church of Berkeley, located at Durant Avenue and Dana Street, were held September 24, Rev. O. W. S. McCall delivering the address.

NEW SCHOOL FOR BERKELEY

The Berkeley School Board opened bids for the new Hillside school- house the last of September. The lowest bid was for $116,435. This building replaced the one destroyed in the fire of September, 1923. The Alameda High School, costing three-quarters of a million, was opened to the public for inspection on October 3. The new 165-room school, one of the finest in the west, occupies an entire block on Central Ave- nue, between Oak and Walnut streets. On the same day the new Mills College Art Gallery building was also thrown open. The college already had a collection of pictures totaling approximately two hundred paint- ings. The third of the month also witnessed the dedication of the new Alameda Sanatorium at Clinton and Willow avenues. The new five- story building was opened by Dr. W. B. Stephens, president of the board of directors. Mayor Frank Otis, C. L. Traver, Rev. E. P. Coch- rane, G. Sherman McDowell and P. S. Teller spoke at the dedication. This institution had its inception May 20, 1896, when Miss Kate Cree- don and her sisters established a small hospital in the Encinal city. In 1900 it was moved to its present location, and five years later a small frame addition was added. A corporation was formed two years later by Dr. W. B. Stephens, A. P. Jordan, J. E. Hall, A. W. Porter, Miss Kate Creedon and F. P. McLennan. The new building cost $600,000.

Under Mrs. George C. Jensen, chairman of the board of managers, a campaign to raise $250,000 for a new home for the Baby Hospital opened October 7, 300 workers taking the field to raise funds.

Two hundred postmasters of the state gathered in Oakland October

525

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

10, meeting at the Hotel Oakland. Among the officers and speakers were John F. Conners, Oakland, fourth vice president; and H. M. Hammond, Alameda, secretary.

The Berkeley City Council purchased a lot at the corner of Woolsey and Grove streets the middle of the month, as a site for a library build- ing for South Berkeley which they had in mind. The price for the tract was $8,040. Ground was broken for the fourteen-story Latham Square Building on Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, on the 16th of the month. A week later the Oakland School Board let the contract for the new Daniel Webster School at Eighty-first Avenue and Olive Street for a sum slightly over ninety-five thousand dollars. This new educational addi- tion came under the new $10,000,000 bond issue.

Declared to be out of harmony with the university architectural scheme, the old clock tower on Bacon Hall was ordered torn down the latter part of October. Bacon Hall was the third building constructed on the campus in 1878, and the bells and clock in the tower had been presented to the institution June 25, 1889, by Mrs. William Ashburner, as a memorial to her husband.

At a meeting of the Oakland Community Chest on November 1, Ralph T. Fisher was again elected chairman of the drive in preparation for the 1926 campaign. On that day the first services were held in the beautiful and costly First Congregational Church of Oakland.

The county supervisors created 169 new voting precincts on No- vember 3. This large increase became necessary because of the rapid growth of the county's population. The old number of 558 was raised to 727. The number in Oakland went up from 337 to 438; in Berkeley. 109 to 162; Alameda, 45 to 58; Piedmont, 9 to 12; Albany. 5 to 7; San Leandro, 9 to 11; Hayward, 5 to 6; Eden township, 13 to 15; Liver- more, 3 to 4; and Murray township, 10 to 11. County Engineer George Posey and County Clerk Gross prepared the new precinct maps.

HARBOR BONDS CARRY

One of the most important events of the year was the approval of the $9,600,000 bond issue by the voters of Oakland to provide harbor improvements. An active campaign was carried on by many civic organizations and clubs over a period of weeks, and when the election was held on November 10 those who had votes were generally won over by the many arguments advanced. An executive committee had charge of the campaign, of which E. B. Field was general chairman. Threat-

526

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

ening weather on the 10th kept a majority of the 85,000 registered voters from the polls, only about 35,000 casting ballots. The majority in favor of the bonds was almost eight to one. One month later Com- missioner Leroy Goodrich announced the appointment of the port com- missioners upon authorization of the city council, which body confirmed the men appointed. Goodrich named Roscoe D. Jones as chairman and also submitted the names of H. C. Capwell, Stuart S. Hawley, R. A. Leet and B. H. Pendleton. All appointees had been active in civic and business affairs of the East Bay and county. Jones, an attorney, was president of the Alameda County Welfare Council and was a member of the executive committee of the Oakland Health Center. He had been a former member of the Civil Service Commission, and at that time was vice president of the Alameda County Tuberculosis Association. H. C. Capwell, the well-known merchant, Chamber of Commerce leader and banker, was also a director of the Oakland Title Insurance Com- pany and interested in many other business enterprises. Hawley was president of the Hawley Investment Company and the Pacific Nash Motors Company. He was also interested in the H. W. Meek Estate Company, the Oakland Title Insurance Company, and a bank in Hay- ward. Leet, former manager of the Bowman Drug Company stores, was a prominent community chest and Rotary worker. Pendleton, ex- president of the Oakland City Council, had served on the water com- mittee which eventually resulted in the formation of the East Bay Municipal Utility District, and for a number of years was a member of the State Board of Charities.

The second large unit of the Encinal Terminal in Alameda was for- mally opened and dedicated November 11.

UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL TEAM FINALLY BEATEN

The University of California football team suffered defeat at the hands of Coach Bagshaw and the "huskies" of the University of Wash- ington in their annual game on the 14th. It was the Washington team that had defeated California in 1919, 7 to 0, and between that time and November 14, 1925, the California team, under Coach Andy Smith, had not met one reversal. This last game was terminated by the same score-7 to 0. The great backfield players of Washington-George Wilson, Louis Tesreau, and George Guttormsen as quarter-were more than the local team could hold scoreless.

On November 16, ground was broken for the new Senator Theatre

527

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

at Fortieth and Telegraph, Mayor Davie being one of the principal speakers. This theatre was built by the East Bay Theatres. Incorpo- rated, a subsidiary of the West Coast Theatres.

The new $75,000 First Presbyterian Church in San Leandro was dedicated on the 22nd of the month.

The new $59,000 grammar school at Decoto was opened during the fall. This was a splendid addition to the town founded by Ezra Decoto in 1867, when the railroad came through Washington township and that neighborhood headed for Oakland.

Another famous landmark of the county was ordered razed the latter part of November. This was the Native Sons Hall in Hayward. which stood at the corner of C and Main streets, and which was then the oldest Native Son hall in the state. It had been built in 1889. two years after the formation of the parlor, and was one of the finest and most imposing structures of its kind in California for its day. For years it had been a social center of the southern part of the county, with its dance hall, card rooms and lodge quarters. George A. Oakes, veteran publisher of Hayward, who had died recently, was the first president of the parlor.

The Oakland Chamber of Commerce elected new members and directors November 27. William H. Mayhew, secretary-manager of the Western Casket Company, was elected to succeed E. C. Lyons, the retiring president. J. R. Knowland was elected first vice president ; Arthur W. Moore, second vice president. New directors chosen were Nathan Alper, E. B. Field, Henry L. Hinman, R. S. Milligan, Lee H. Newbert, E. M. Tilden and Curtis Wright. The retiring directors were Charles A. Beardsley, Fred M. Hunter, E. C. Lyon, George C. Pardee, R. H. Glassley, Sherwood Swan and Ebenezer Wells.

The new $100,000 Salvation Army Industrial Home at Sixth and Webster streets was dedicated December 3. This structure was a sub- stantial gift of the kind and generous hearts of the East Bay, and stands as a memorial to the institution which won so many friends during the World war.

The Oakland City Council passed an ordinance on December 16, providing for the purchase of Mandana Park, an area of seven acres adjoining Mandana Boulevard, and making an initial appropriation for the first installment on a purchase price of $70,000 for the site. Mayor Davie and Commissioner Colbourn voted against the purchase and appropriation, on the grounds that the price was too high.

On December 18 East Fourteenth Street, between Fifteenth Avenue

528

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

and the San Leandro line, was officially opened to the public upon the completion of the recent paving improvements. On the same day the Oakland School Board approved plans for the new Garfield School at Twenty-third Avenue and East Seventeenth Street, at a cost of $235,000.

The dedication of the new quarters for the San Leandro American Legion Post No. 117 took place December 29. The new home, at the corner of Washington Avenue and Ward Street, which had been re- modeled, was the gift of Mrs. Henrietta Farrelley, the San Leandro philanthropist.

The Oakland City Council during the close of the month gave the S. P. permission to remove its tracks from Franklin Street to Webster and to continue its tracks down Webster Street to a point between First and Second streets. It also agreed to the discontinuance of the "dinkey service" to the Sixteenth Street station. This agreement meant the abandonment and razing of the old station at Franklin and Fourteenth streets, a landmark in the history of the town, and a move which had been sought for a long time by many business leaders.

CHAPTER XVI

PIEDMONT

EARLY DAYS-THE PERALTA GRANT- THE COMING OF WALTER BLAIR- A PLEASURE RESORT-THE FIRST SCHOOL-THE FIRST RAILWAY - THE "SILK FARM"-A CITY OF HOMES

EARLY DAYS-THE PERALTA LAND GRANT

Piedmont, like its larger neighbor, Oakland, traces its origin to the Peraltas. What is now Piedmont was included in the domain of more than fourteen thousand three hundred and thirty-eight acres granted to Don Luis Peralta by the Spanish Government on June 3, 1820, under the régime of Col. Pablo Vicente de Sola, the last Spanish governor of Alta California. These lands remained intact until 1842, forming the rancho San Antonio, which then occupied the future site of Oakland and its satellite towns. In 1842 Don Luis divided the rancho among his four sons, as equally as possible, in tracts extending from the Bay to the hills. To José Domingo he gave the northwest quarter, and to Vicente he gave the next part adjoining, which included the Encinal del Temescal, then an oak grove. Piedmont now occupies a site that was partly within both these grants, although the major portion of José Domingo's patrimony became the present City of Berkeley, while on the larger share of that of Vicente was reared the present City of Oakland.

With the influx of American settlers, the squatter problem arose. The Peralta brothers themselves made subdivisions, with the result that when California was admitted into the Union on September 9, 1850, the title to these lands was in dispute. Much has been written concerning the land title difficulties following the acquisition of Cali- fornia by the United States under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of February 2, 1848. Great confusion arose because of the transient character of many of the landmarks used by the Spaniards and Mexicans. Streams, sand hills, even corrals, clumps of trees, and plants were used as landmarks in various sections of California.

529

34V1

530

HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

So great was the confusion that in 1849 and in 1850 Congress or- dered investigations, and reports were submitted on the subject of Cali- fornia titles. It was not until 1851, however, that Congress was able to agree upon a definite policy. In that year, on March 3rd, the famous Land Act was passed by which a Board of Land Commissioners was created to hear the claims of the Spanish grantees or their heirs. Had the United States Government adhered to the letter of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which guaranteed that property held in the ceded Mexican territory would be "inviolably respected," the Land Act would not have been necessary. The act, however, threw many titles into un- certainty, and endless litigation followed.

Domingo and Vicente Peralta were forced to have their titles quieted under this act, and accordingly, on January 21, 1852, filed their claims to ownership before the Board of Land Commissioners which had been set up at San Francisco. The commission acted favorably upon their claims on February 7, 1854, but this decision was not made binding until the United States Supreme Court handed down an opinion on February 19, 1858. On this date, the country's highest tribunal "recognized and confirmed the title and claim of Domingo and Vicente Peralta to the tract of land known as San Antonio." The United States patent was recorded in the office of Recorder Thomas A. Smith, of Ala- meda County, at the request of H. P. Irving, on March 14, 1877. Grad- ually the Peralta holdings, like those of other early Californians, passed out of the hands of their original owners and their descendants. The Peraltas often surrendered a parcel of land in lieu of the purchase price of a bill of goods or in payment of some other debt. In this manner many ranches sprang up on the old Peralta domains. The City of Pied- mont took its origin from one of these ranches, the Blair Ranch, estab- lished by Walter Blair, who came to California from New England in the early '50s.

THE COMING OF WALTER BLAIR

In 1852, attracted to California as were so many other New Eng- landers, Walter Blair arrived in San Francisco from Vermont. He crossed the Bay to Oakland in a row-boat, walked to the foot-hills, and camped at what is now the corner of Blair and Highlands avenues. In that same year Blair purchased from the United States Government, which held part of the old Peralta grant, some six hundred acres, pay- ing $1.25 an acre. Land was then the cheapest goods in the possession

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Alameda County, California. Volume I, Part 45

Author: Merritt, Frank Clinton, 1889- Publication date: Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 708

Author: Merritt, Frank Clinton, 1889-
Publication date:
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 708