USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California. Volume I > Part 52
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The corner-stone of the new Lowell Junior High school, at Four- teenth and Myrtle streets, was laid October 7. The cost of the building was placed at $272,000.
The first certified demand under the consolidated assessment and collection of taxes adopted under the new amendment to the city charter of Oakland was turned over by County Auditor E. F. Garrison to the county tax collector, E. T. Planer, October 8. It called for a total of $16,886,050.05. Oakland's share was set at $4,566,554.12. The de- mand showed a total of $3,452,320.80 for county taxes ; $8,042,890.75 for school funds ; and the balance of $5,398,838.50 for trust funds, such as the Oakland municipal taxes, the East Bay Municipal Utility Dis- trict, the Centerville fire district, the Alvarado fire district, the Newark fire district, the Decoto fire district, and the Alameda County water district.
The twelfth segment of the Oakland estuary tube was lowered into place and cemented on the 29th. County and city officials were present
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
at this step in the progress of this undertaking. The first segment had been placed in position October 8, 1926. Ground had been broken for the tube May 19, 1925, under a contract of $3,382,958.40 to the A. J. Crocker Company of San Francisco, which company sublet the work to the California Bridge and Tunnel Company. The contract allowed 900 working days in which to complete the tube.
WATER BONDS CARRY
The election to determine the outcome of the proposed $26,000,000 bond issue with which to give the East Bay Municipal Utility District a distributing system was held November 1. The bonds received a large majority in each of the eight cities involved, the vote being as follows :
City
For Bonds Against Bonds
Oakland
26,897
2,693
Berkeley
8,090
1,020
Alameda
3,881
925
Albany
673
35
Emeryville
306
11
Piedmont
1,083
129
San Leandro
1,675
100
El Cerrito
211
19
Four propositions on the ballot in Alameda, however, were rejected by the voters of that city. The widening of Park Street was lost by a vote of 2,696, to 2,400. The one providing for a retaining wall and a larger beach at Washington Park received 1,897 affirmative votes to 3,037 against. An appropriation for a new bungalow-type fire house was defeated; as was also the proposed re-zoning of property adjacent to the new hotel, changing it from residential to business property.
On November 5th the Pacific Coast Engineering Company launched the $250,000 all-steel fire boat Alki, built under contract for the city of Seattle. This incident is cited to show that Oakland is still recognized in ship-building circles. Seattle was one of the great ship-building centers of the nation during the recent war; but the large plants there were dismantled and closed after the war, and when the city council of the northern city desired a modern fire-fighting boat, the Oakland concern was given the contract in competition with many firms. The same company also built one of the most modern dipper dredges ever designed, which is in operation in the harbor of Honolulu.
HAYWARD, 1870
B STREET, LOOKING NORTH, HAYWARD, 1927
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
Prince William of Sweden officiated at the laying of the corner- stone of the new temple of the Fremont Lodge, No. 405, Order of Vasa, in Berkeley on November 8.
On the 10th the new San Leandro Junior High school was ded- icated. The Speakers included Mayor Herbert L. Landis; David E. Martin, county superintendent of schools, and J. J. Allen. J. R. Sutton was principal.
John M. Lewis, police chief of Hayward, resigned November 10; and Louis Silva, a veteran of the World war, was appointed to fill the vacancy.
Mayor Frank Otis of Alameda celebrated his seventhy-fifth birth- day November 18, and at the same time the conclusion of his tenth year in public office.
Over 65,000 people attended the seventh annual Pacific Slope Dairy Show held in the Oakland Municipal Auditorium commencing Novem- ber 19. Visitors from fourteen states, Hawaii and Canada were here, and the attendance record was broken by over 15,000. Robert E. Jones was secretary-manager of the show.
The box in the corner-stone of the old Oakland High school at Clay and Twelfth streets was removed on December 2nd and placed in the corner-stone of the new high school under construction at Park Boulevard and Hopkins Street. C. E. Keyes, principal of the old school since 1908, was one of the principal persons officiating. The corner- stone of the old building was laid September 15, 1893.
The new East Oakland branch of the Bank of Italy, Ninety-fourth Avenue and East Fourteenth Street, opened for business December 10, 1927. The old Elmhurst quarters at 9252 East Fourteenth were closed. The new structure cost $70,000. The Oakland school board approved plans for the new $100,000 gymnasium annex for the new Oakland High school at Park Boulevard and Hopkins Street Decem- ber 28.
A tribute was unveiled in honor of Andrew Latham Smith just before the California-Pennsylvania football game on December 31, in the way of a bench. Inscribed on the monument to the famous coach who had been in charge of football activities at the university from 1916 to 1925, were the following words attributed to the late beloved leader: "We do not want men who will lie down bravely to die, but men who will fight valiantly to live. Winning is not everything, and it is far better to play the game squarely and lose than to win at the sacrifice of an ideal."
601
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
The Builders Exchange of Alameda County, at its headquarters at Hobart and Webster streets, elected its directors for 1928 at a meet- ing held on December 28, 1927. The following are the new officers and directors: James H. Pedgrift, president; William Makin, first vice president; Sam D. North, second vice president; Herbert Beckwith, treasurer; A. B. Greenberg, secretary to the board. Following are directors: William Makin, James H. Pedgrift, J. H. Fitzmaurice, Herbert Beckwith, W. J. Wrigley, W. W. Dennis, J. A. Turgeon, Sam D. North, William Moehlmann, A. B. Greenberg, A. M. Poulsen, W. Tilden.
AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF THE YEAR
Agricultural surveys made by Fred Seulberger, county horticultural inspector, and M. J. Leonard, district inspector under Mr. Seulberger, placed the value of agricultural crops in Alameda County for 1927 at approximately twenty million dollars. These figures placed Alameda County among the first ten counties in the entire nation in value of farm production. Among the large crops which placed Alameda Coun- ty in the enviable position of tenth county in the nation in this respect was an average yield of five tons per acre grown upon 32,555 acres planted to apricots, netting $1,025,325. A pear crop from 1,248 acres at fifteen tons per acre, selling for an average of $35 per ton, produced over $650,000. The prune output amounted to over $330,000. Cherries grown on 876 acres brought $630,000; while 3,735 acres of vineyards produced a crop of grapes valued at nearly $340,000. An acreage of only 150 acres planted to strawberries were sold for $180,000; and 200 acres of currants produced $64,000. The early rhubarb crop sold for $324,000; and 3,500 acres of tomatoes accounted for sales aggregat- ing $525,000. Sugar beets, grown on a decreased acreage for the year, had a value of $150,000 for the 800 acres. Two thousand acres of green peas brought producers of the county over $430,000. One hun- dred acres of garlic produced a crop valued at $32,000, while the onion crop amounted to a sum less than that realized from garlic. Potatoes, both sweet and Irish, pumpkins, squashes, melons, and other truck garden products helped swell the total. Apricot pits and stones, and their by-products such as charcoal and flavoring extracts, had a value of $500,000.
CHAPTER XIX
THE FLIGHT OF THE AGE
AIRPORT HAS BROUGHT FAME TO OAKLAND-DOLE ANNOUNCES PRIZES- MAJOR IRVING ENTERS RACE-MARTIN JENSEN AND HIS TROUBLES- THREE ENTRIES CRASH BEFORE RACE-FLYERS SELECT THE OAKLAND FIELD-THE BIG DAY ARRIVES-TWO CRASH ON TAKE OFF-MISS DORAN TRIES AGAIN-GOEBEL ARRIVES FIRST-LONG SEARCH FOR MISSING FLYERS-SOMETHING ABOUT THE FLYERS-THE MAITLAND AND SMITH FLIGHTS.
AIRPORT HAS BROUGHT FAME TO OAKLAND
Oakland's policy of establishing a municipal air port on Bay Farm Island has brought fame to the city, and has advertised Alameda County in recent months even more than its wonderful harbor, its enticing climate and its marvelous products produced on its farms. The airport has already justified its purchase and improvement. It has been the scene of stirring events - events that have held millions of people throughout the world in suspense and excitement. The Oakland airport has added at least three big events in the romance of the air, and has justly earned a foremost place among the large aviation fields of the nation and of the world. These three flying events, taking place dur- ing the summer of 1927, were those of Lieutenants Maitland and Hegenberger, the first army flyers to hop from the mainland to Hawaii; the flight of Ernie Smith and Emory Bronte in the "City of Oakland"; and the famous Dole flight in August. The last event may well be called the flight of the ages. No race has ever equalled it. No flying test has ever created an interest comparable to that which held nations in its grasp for days during August of last year.
DOLE ANNOUNCES PRIZES
When James Dole, the Hawaiian pineapple king, offered $35,000 in prizes for a race from the mainland to Honolulu, his chief interest
602
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY .
was in the elimination of time in traveling between the two points. He undoubtedly did not realize that he was starting the greatest race of all time, a race in which physical endurance, mental alertness and mechanical perfection was to be pitted against similar qualities to a degree never before witnessed. Soon after he announced his prizes- $25,000 for the first successful plane, and $10,000 as second money- some thirty flyers throughout the nation announced their intention of entering the contest. But when the closing day for entering the flight arrived-August 2nd-the number had dwindled down to sixteen. No starting place was designated, but on account of the advantageously long take-off of the Oakland port, all flyers who qualified selected Oakland as a starting place. The heavy load necessary for the trip eliminated the consideration entirely of shorter fields.
The National Aeronautics Association was given complete charge of the flight, with power to make all rules and regulations and to inspect each plane and examine each pilot and navigator. The Depart- ment of Commerce appointed Maj. Clarence M. Young as chief air- plane inspector, with Capt. Walter F. Parkin and Maj. W. N. Breingan as aides. Lieut. Ben Wyatt of the Twelfth Naval District, one of the navy's most noted pilots, was appointed by the flight committee to test the planes and navigators. On August 2nd the starting committee recommended a postponement of two weeks, but this action produced a storm of protests from some of the flyers and their backers. The committee in Honolulu refused to grant the delay. Only four flyers had qualified up to this time-Jack Frost, Lieutenant Goddard, Griffin and Irving. The other pilots announced that they would hop off at noon Friday despite the action of the local committee, and even though all tests had not been completed. However, after a number of con- ferences, the four who had passed the tests agreed to wait until noon Tuesday in order to give all an opportunity for thorough examination and adjustments to the ships entered. It was further agreed that all tests should be completed by Monday noon, August 15th, in order to give all concerned a full day in which to rest before the hop off. A new starting order was then arranged with the Oklahoma first, El Encanto second, Pabco third, and the Golden Eagle fourth. The others were to take positions in the order in which they might qualify.
MAJOR IRVING ENTERS RACE
Among the early entrants was Maj. Livingston Irving, of Berkeley, who was backed by the Parafine Companies, Incorporated. He had
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
served with the Lafayette Escadrille during the World war, and had won a Distinguished Service Cross while in service in France. His airplane was built in San Francisco, and was assembled there on July 11th. Arthur C. Goebel, of Santa Monica, placed his entry with the committee on June 27th. His ship was named the "Woolaroc" -- sc called in honor of a ranch of the same name in Oklahoma, owned by Frank Phillips. Frank Phillips, of the Phillips Petroleum Company of that state, was one of the financial backers of Goddard, along with a group of friends living in Beverly Hills. Goddard's plane was built in Wichita, Kansas. He flew it to Bartlesville, thence to Clover Field, Santa Monica; and then to Oakland. Lieut. William V. Davis, of the navy, was chosen as navigator of the "Woolaroc" by Goddard. The "Miss Doran," a Buhl biplane, named for its fair passenger, Miss Mildred Doran, a school teacher of Flint, Michigan, was entered in the race on July 9th. John Auggy Pedlar, of the same city, was its pilot. Detroit's "Goodwill Messenger," another biplane, piloted by Frederick A. Giles, noted Australian flyer who gained additional no- toriety in November, 1927, by additional attempts to fly to Hawaii, entered the contest on July 18th. However, he withdrew from the race when complete tests could not be made.
The "City of Peoria," an Air King special biplane, was entered on July 18th, by Charles W. Parkhurst, owner of the National Airways System, at Lomax, Illinois. Parkhurst had been a stunt flyer around Hollywood and a circus performer. His navigator was Ralph C. Lowes, who had served as a lieutenant on a destroyer during the late war. The "El Encanto," an all-metal monoplane designed and constructed by Lieut. Norman A. Goddard, U. S. N. R., was entered July 27th. Goddard selected as his pilot Lieut. K. C. Hawkins of the San Diego naval air station. Goddard, who was thirty-two years old, had served with the Royal Flying Corps of England during the war, and had been engaged in commercial flying at San Diego since 1921. His navigator, Hawkins, started flying in 1923, and is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. The "El Encanto" flew from San Diego to the Oak- land airport in six hours and three minutes. The "Dallas Spirit," a Swallow monoplane, was listed as an entrant the day following that of the Goddard's machine. Its pilot was Capt. William P. Erwin, who also started out from Dallas, Texas, with the intention of win- ning the Easterwood prize of $25,000 for the first successful flight from that city to Hong Kong, China, in a total elapsed time of 300 hours. Captain Erwin planned on taking his wife along on the Oak-
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
land-Honolulu flight as pilot, but she was disqualified because she was not quite twenty-one years of age. Erwin was also the possessor of a Distinguished Service Cross and other decorations of valor, hav- ing been credited with bringing down eleven German planes during the war. Shortly before the start Alvin H. Eichwaldt, of Hayward, was chosen to navigate the "Dallas Spirit."
MARTIN JENSEN AND HIS DIFFICULTIES
The "Oklahoma," a Travelair monoplane with a span of fifty-one feet and a total wing area of 350 square feet and a gas capacity of 480 gallons, was the entry of the Phillips Petroleum Company. It was en- tered in the race July 29th, with Bennett H. Griffin of Oklahoma City as pilot, and Al. Henley of Bartlesville as navigator. Griffin, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, was a former army flyer, as was his navigator. Both were thirty-one years of age. The "Golden Eagle," a Lockheed cantilever monoplane, entered the list on August 1st, with John ("Jack") W. Frost as pilot and Gordon Scott as navigator. Hearst newspapers were the backers of the "Golden Eagle." Martin Jensen, of Honolulu, was the last entry of the race, giving his formal an- nouncement to the committee on August 2nd. His ship, the "Aloha," was a Breese monoplane. Jensen, winner of second place in the race, with the aid of a confident wife, overcame many difficulties in time to participate. Raising some money in Honolulu, Jensen came to Cali- fornia hoping to interest additional financial support here. He was turned down in his appeals time after time, and decided to abandon his plans. His wife at home, however, continued her efforts, and cabled the welcome news to Jensen that she had enlisted the necsesary support from their own townspeople. Rushing to San Francisco, Jensen negoti- ated for a Breese monoplane which had been started for Claire Vance, an air mail pilot who had to abandon his plans of entering the Dole race when financial backing failed him. The ship was rushed to com- pletion, equipped with only two forty-gallon gas tanks, one in each wing. It was planned to carry the extra supply of gasoline in five- gallon cans to be used as the flight proceeded. This plan had to be changed, and the necessary tanks installed to carry the 350 gallons necessary. Local newspapers stated that Jensen was looking for a pilot a few days before the race was scheduled to start, and Fred Jacobson, Jr., an Eagle Boy Scout of Alameda, and only 16 years of
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
age, applied for the position. Jensen praised the boy's pluck, but finally chose Paul Schlueter, master of the steamship "Nome City" of the Charles Nelson line.
THREE ENTRIES CRASH BEFORE RACE
Three planes entered in the race crashed in California before the day of the take-off, resulting in the death of three courageous flyers. The first to crash was at San Diego, when a low wing monoplane backed by Fred Durgh of Los Angeles dropped during a preliminary flight. Lieut. George Covell and R. S. Waggoner, both naval officers, were killed. The second crash was at Oakland, but the pilot, navigator and a passenger escaped serious injury. This ship was the "Pride of Los Angeles," an International Special triplane. In a test flight a day or so before the take-off this plane dropped into shallow water in the bay, and while the three men in it escaped with only a thorough wetting, the plane was eliminated from the contest. The pilot was Capt. James L. Griffin; navigator, Theodore Lundgren; and Lawrence Weill, a pas- senger. The third plane to meet serious disaster was the "Angel," also of Los Angeles. Capt. Arthur V. Rogers, its pilot, was killed during a test flight at Montebello, California. This ship was of unusual de- sign, being a cantilever monoplane with a split tail and carrying two tandem motors. It was the only plane entered that carried other than a Wright Whirlwind motor. The remaining entries, for various rea- sons, failed to arrive at the Oakland Airport in time for the race. Some were compelled to give up the flight because of lack of time in which to prepare; others failed to secure the necessary financial support.
FLYERS SELECT THE OAKLAND FIELD
When the race was first announced it was generally believed that the flight would start at Mills Field, near San Francisco. Oakland officials made redoubled efforts to place the field in shape for the race, and when the final choice was made it was unanimous that the Bay Farm site was the best suited for the event. The runway at Mills Field is 5,700 feet long-longer than many big fields of the nation-and which is long enough for ordinary commercial purposes. But the Oak- land port afforded a runway 2,000 feet longer than that at Mills Field, and this important feature led to its selection. It was feared that the heavily loaded ships would have difficulty in hopping off on the shorter
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
field. At the time of the race the field was cleared and leveled to a width of 1,000 feet at the starting line, and gradually narrowed down to about three hundred feet at the other end. A restaurant was established in a large tent, but so far the improvements did not include a hangar. The large number of press correspondents which gathered on the field several days before August 16th found accommodations in tents and protable garages. A rough administration building was erected-a frame shack 15 by 20 feet in size. A small frame machine shop, 10 feet by 10, was also erected.
THE BIG DAY ARRIVES
The eyes of the nation were trained upon Oakland on Tuesday, August 16th. It was an important day in the history of Alameda County. The largest crowd ever assembled within its boundaries to witness any event gathered around the Bay Farm Airport. It seemed that everyone in the great Bay section who could take the time was there to witness the greatest sporting event of flying. Various estimates of the great mass of people were made, all the way from well over one hundred thousand people to a quarter of a million. Many not fortunate enough to witness the actual take-off were able to secure a glimpse of the ships from tops of buildings and other points of vantage. Nothing has ever created such excitement locally, not even the arrival of the famous Col. Charles Lindbergh a few weeks later. Perhaps, I should limit this statement regarding the take-off, to the excitement and suspense of the next few days-to the universal re- joicing upon the safe arrival of two of the planes, and to the stubborn hopes that the seven other brave souls who got away would be found before it was too late.
Nine planes were lined up for the start, but one of these was dis- qualified. This was the "Air King" from Lomax, Illinois, with Charles W. Parkhurst as pilot. It was not permitted to participate because of insufficient gasoline capacity. The "Hollydale," with Frank Clark as pilot, and entered from Los Angeles, was another ship barred just before the start for the same reason. Although the start was not scheduled to take place until noon, crowds began assembling at the grounds early; and by 12 o'clock parking space for automobiles was almost impossible to be found. There was not much activity around the ships during the forenoon, save for a last minute inspection of engines and instruments which had already been closely inspected and
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
guarded. The sixteen principals, including the only woman to dare the flight-Miss Mildred Doran-passed some of the forenoon minutes chatting with friends, writing autographs, posing for pictures, with expressions indicating nothing but confidence untouched by fears of disaster. Those last hours of waiting must have been a severe test for those sixteen, for even those on the sidelines became more and more excited as the big hour approached.
TWO CRASH ON TAKEOFF
Just before noon the police detailed to keep order at the field cleared the enclosed runway, and the officials took their places. Promptly at 12 o'clock starter Ed. Howard dropped the checkered flag. The "Oklahoma," with Bennett H. Griffin as pilot, and Al. Henley as navi- gator, moved down the runway. Half way down the field the "Okla- homa" left the ground amid the cheers of a great multitude, and the great Dole race was on. Before the dust had hardly settled, Lieut. Norman A. Goddard taxied slowly out from the semi-circle back of the starting line with his "El Encanto." The white flag far down the field was waved before the starting line was reached, and with the drop of the checkered signal the "El Encanto" proceeded down the field without stopping. We who were standing on the sidelines half way down the field could plainly see that Goddard was having trouble in leaving the ground with his heavy load. It was also noticed by the time he had run down the field for a thousand feet or so that he was getting dangerously near the rough ground on his left, and that unless he rose soon he would be in danger of wrecking the machine. After three or four bounces, he finally got the machine off the ground, but not before a last uneven bounce, which probably threw the ship into a "ground turn" when not over twenty-five or thirty feet in the air. The ship lit on its left wing before making a complete turn, badly damaging that wing and the landing gear. A number of spectators narrowly escaped being hit as the machine came to earth. Neither Goddard nor his navigator, Lieut. K. C. Hawkins, was hurt. This disaster caused a delay of nearly ten minutes before the next ship left the starting line. At 12:10 Maj. Livingston Irving, the only pilot to attempt the flight without a companion and navigator, was given the starting signal. With his heavy load of gasoline he, too, had difficulty in leaving the ground, although the ship did get up a few feet. Before the end of the 7,000 foot runway was reached, Major Irving stopped his
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY 609
machine and came to rest just before the end of the field was reached. This unsuccessful attempt placed Major Irving at the foot of the list, but it was not until 12:32 that the next signal was given for a start, as the Irving machine had to be towed off the runway before another flyer was allowed to start.
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