USA > California > Orange County > History of Orange County, California : with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its earliest growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 6
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The churches of Anaheim represent fourteen denominations, as follows : Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopal, Christian Science, Lutheran, Bap- tist, Evangelical, Mennonite, German Methodist, Mexican Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist, German Lutheran, and German Baptist.
Following are the city officers as they stood after the election and appoint- ment in 1920: Board of trustees, William Stark, president; Frank N. Gibbs, Fred A. Backs, Jr., Charles H. Mann, Howard E. Gates ; clerk, Edward B. Mer- ritt ; marshal and tax collector, N. F. Steadman ; treasurer, Charles A. Boege ; recorder, J. S. Howard ; manager and street superintendent, O. E. Steward ; elec- trician, V. W. Hannum ; attorney, Homer G. Ames ; rate collector, W. A. Wallace.
The soil about Anaheim is a sandy loam, easily worked, retains the heat and moisture. This, with its proximity to the ocean and distance from the snow- capped mountains, places that section in the frostless belt of the county. Then, lying in front of the mouth of the Santa Ana Canyon, the territory about Ana- heim gets the greatest benefit from the underflow of the river. A people with such natural resources and with the sturdy manhood to voluntarily close their saloons, as they did January 1, 1919, cannot help but prosper.
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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
Anaheim Municipal Light and Water Works
By V. W. Hannum
The first step, in the building of the present Municipal Light and Water System, was taken in April, 1879, when the pioneers of the Mother Colony started the municipal water plant, then located on West Cypress Street.
Making a success of this venture, and wishing to keep abreast of modern im- provements, they started the electric light plant on August 23, 1894, with a con- nected load of thirteen arc lamps, used for street lighting, and 145 incandescent and nine arc lamps from which a revenue was derived. By 1907, there were 324 light and 372 water consumers, which made it necessary to construct an entirely new plant at 518 South Los Angeles Street. The equipment at that time consisted of two 125 horsepower boilers, two steam-driven electric generators of eighty kilo- watt capacity, two twelve-inch wells with a pumping capacity of 600 gallons per minute. In 1912 another 125-horsepower boiler and a steam-driven electric gen- erator of 150 kilowatt capacity was added. In 1913, the increasing water demand made it necessary to drill a new sixteen-inch well, in which a pump of a capacity of 800 gallons per minute was installed, this installation being duplicated in 1915.
By 1916 the electric load had reached such proportions that the generating equipment was inadequate, so rather than add more generating equipment, an agreement was made with the Southern California Edison Company whereby the city purchases all of its electric energy wholesale, but maintains its own dis- tributing system.
In 1918 it became necessary to again increase the water supply. This was done by replacing one of the small capacity pumps with one of a capacity of 1,200 gallons per minute. In 1920 a new sixteen-inch well was drilled and a 1,200- gallon pump installed. The city now has three wells, each 335 feet deep, with a pumping capacity of over 3,000 gallons per minute. A reinforced-concrete reservoir, with a capacity of 173,000 gallons, at an elevation to give forty pounds pressure on the mains, insures an adequate supply of good pure water at all times. A two-stage centrifugal pump, driven by a 125-horsepower motor, is used to increase the pressure in case of fire ; this pump will deliver 1,500 gallons of water per minute at a pressure of 125 pounds.
Until May, 1914, the rate for lighting purposes had been ten cents per kilo- watt-hour ; at that time the plant had become self-sustaining, so the lighting rate was reduced to seven cents per kilowatt-hour. This cut, while greatly reducing the revenue for the city, was a great saving to the consumers.
While the past few years have seen prices rise by leaps and bounds on all materials used in the light and water departments, as well as increases of wages, and two increases on the wholesale price of electric energy, the city by conservative methods has been able to keep its water rate at ten cents per hundred cubic feet, and the electric lighting rate at seven cents per kilowatt-hour, thereby furnishing light and water at pre-war prices to its many patrons, and still maintaining a source of revenue, of which the year ending May 1, 1920, is a good example.
At that time there were more than 3,000 services for light and water, with a revenue of nearly $70,000, leaving better than $20,000 for the general fund after all operating expenses had been paid. Besides being a source of revenue to the city, the Municipal Light and Water Works furnish steady employment to many of the citizens of Anaheim.
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BREA CANYON
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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER V THE CITY OF BREA
By Mable McGee
Brea is situated at the mouth of the canyon of the same name adjoining the eastern part of Fullerton on the north. The canyon has long afforded an easy passage for a wagon road from the interior valley to the coastal plains and was named Brea Canyon from the brea, or mineral tar, which oozed out of the ground in the canyon. The city is the youngest and one of the smallest in the galaxy of Orange County cities. It was incorporated February 23, 1917, and has an area of one and three-quarter square miles. The assessed valuation of the city in 1920 was $718,880, with a tax rate of $1.00. The population given by the 1920 census is 1,037.
While there are some orchards and farms in the southern part of the city, the principal support of the place is derived from the oil industry. The city is in the heart of a rich oil district, surrounded by about twenty-three leases. In fact, looking up and down the mesa in front of the hills, hundreds of oil derricks may be seen in either direction. This oil industry is not only the main support of the city of Brea, but it is a valuable asset of the whole county, as manifested by the increase in the assessment roll each year as the territory expands and new wells are brought in.
The city has one and a half miles of cement sidewalks and three miles of paved streets. There are four churches, Congregational, Christian, Nazarene and Seventh Day Adventist. (The schools may be found in the chapter on Orange County's Schools.) The following organizations have branches in Brea: Oil Field, Gas Well Refineries International Workers of America (this is a labor organization of oil men and used to be called "The Oil Field Workers' Union") ; Women's Union Label League ( the latter is an auxiliary of the men's organiza- tion just mentioned ) : Knights of Pythias ; Woodmen ; Maccabees; Royal Neigli- bors : and Brea Study Club.
The Brea Boiler Works and Union Tool Company are home industries that employ a great many men.
The city officers at the present time are as follows: Board of trustees, Jay C. Sexton, president : Isaac Craig, P. C. Huddleston, R. H. Mitchell, Frank J. Schweitzer ; clerk, Mrs. L. A. Sayles ; treasurer, Leon A. Sayles ; attorney, Albert Launer ; engineer, Robt. W. Phelps ; marshal, street superintendent and pound master, D. O. Stegman.
That Brea went over the top in subscribing to the five liberty loans may be seen in the lists published elsewhere in the history.
The Union Oil Company has a beautiful building and picturesque grounds in Brea, showing what can be done with capital and good taste, where the climate is equable, the soil fertile and the water abundant.
CHAPTER VI THE CITY OF FULLERTON
Supplemented by H. L. Wilber
Twenty-three miles southeast from Los Angeles lies the thriving little city of Fullerton with its population of 4,415 souls. Until 1887 this section of the county was largely given over to pasturage for sheep and cattle. Its richness had not been discovered except by a few, but now it is considered by the residents of the vicinity as the "garden spot of Orange County." The city was laid out in 1887 by Amerige Brothers and the Pacific Land and Improvement Company. The first building was erected the same year, in which year also occurred the advent of the railroad. The peculiar location of the town has much to induce home
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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
making, for it is surrounded by a very productive country and its climatic condi- tions are ideal, far enough away from the snow-capped mountains and near enough to the sea, to have a very equable temperature.
Soon after the advent of the railroad the little hamlet grew rapidly. At an early date the planting of oranges and walnuts was begun and the results were so gratifying that the locality soon attracted general attention as a fruit section. Planting of various kinds of deciduous fruits followed and soon it was discovered that soil and climatic conditions were the best to be found in Southern California. Besides the fruit industry there sprung up a lucrative business in vegetable grow- ing. With a ready market in Los Angeles a man with a limited amount of money could get good returns from his farming venture from the very start.
It was at the close of the "boom," in 1888, that this part of California was the center of attraction and towns sprung up in the desert and, by the develop- ment of water for irrigation, garden spots were made to blossom out of drear waste. The Amerige Brothers were among the men who came to Southern California during this period and, seeing the possibilities of the section that is now Fullerton and Placentia districts, purchased 500 acres of bare, unimproved land, from the Miles' estate. They had inside information that the Santa Fe Railroad would be built in this direction on its way to San Diego and entered into negotiations with the Pacific Land and Improvement Company to have a change made in the surveys in order to strike the proposed town site. To insure the building of the road and location of a depot the brothers gave railroad rights to the company. The first stake was driven on July 6, 1887, in a field of wild mus- tard. Soon the land was cleared, streets laid out and graded, business blocks and several dwellings erected. On account of some obstruction in securing right of way, the railroad was unable to build to the town until the following year and thus it was greatly handicapped for lack of transportation facilities. Amerige Brothers sold an interest in their holdings to Wilshire Brothers, and soon after- ward all interests were merged into the Fullerton Land and Trust Company, to facilitate development.
The town was given its name in honor of G. H. Fuller, then president of the Pacific Land and Improvement Company, which was an organization of the directors of the Santa Fe. He was a factor in the early beginning of the town. but soon was deposed from office. The name of the town was then changed to La Habra, in harmony with the name of the valley adjoining. The opposition to this change was so strong that the town was re-christened Fullerton, although the first railroad tickets were issued to La Habra. In the fall of 1888 the first train reached the place ; this did not increase the growth of the town as was expected, for by that time the great boom of Southern California was over. The hamlet has had only a conservative growth from the beginning.
The first good building to be erected in Fullerton was the St. George Hotel, costing $50,000. This was followed by the Wilshire block, costing about $8,000. It was in this building that the first postoffice was established and the first store opened. The Chadbourne block, costing $22,000, was the next one of importance, followed quickly by the Schumacher, Grimshaw and Schindler buildings. The first church was the Presbyterian, which was erected in 1889.
The streets were all named by the founders of the town. Fullerton remained a town until 1904, at which time, on January 22, it was incorporated as a city of the sixth class. In 1920 the assessed valuation of property was $19,558,695. The town has but small indebtedness and the limits of the city embrace eighteen square miles. It is one of the best shipping points in Orange County, and is admirably located for manufacturing industries. It is near the oil fields, which thus guar- antees a permanent and cheap fuel supply, and has an abundant supply of water.
The warehouse facilities of Fullerton are the best in the county and its pack- ing houses give employment to a large number of men and women. All the roads leading to the city are paved. There are two well-capitalized national banks, one savings bank and one state bank; the professions are represented by able men in
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ST. GEORGE HOTEL, FULLERTON. BUILT 1888. OWNED BY AMERIGE BROTHERS
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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
law and medicine. There are among its industries of importance the following besides those already mentioned : Seven orange and two vegetable packing houses, two grist mills, three lumber yards, three hotels and a number of good boarding houses. The city maintains a band and two newspapers, the Orange County Daily Tribune, established in 1889, and the Fullerton News, which was established in 1902. There are six churches-the Presbyterian, organized in February, 1888; the Methodist, December 2, 1888 ; Baptist, November 12, 1893 ; Christian, in April, 1905 ; also the Catholic and Christian Science.
The following account of the origin and development of the Fullerton Public Library was furnished by Miss Minnie Maxwell, the librarian :
The Fullerton Public Library had its origin in a little reading room that was established about 1903 by a little group of women led by Mrs. Anna T. Dean. A room over the First National Bank was secured and funds for rent, heat and light were raised by subscriptions solicited by Mrs. G. W. Sherwood and Miss Anna McDermont. Magazines, newspapers and books were freely donated by citizens, and the room soon became a popular place. Volunteer attendants cared for the room and lent books to patrons.
In 1905, realizing the advantages to the city of such an institution, the city trustees took up the matter of securing funds to build a public library, and applica- tion was made to Andrew Carnegie. In order to comply with the requirements, the city purchased a lot on the corner of Wilshire and Pomona avemmies, and also appointed a committee to secure subscriptions amounting to $1,000 for the pur- chase of books. The committee appointed consisted of Miss Anna McDermont. Mrs. G. W. Sherwood, Mrs. Otto des Granges and Mrs. Wm. Schulte. The money was subscribed and a gift of $10,000 was secured from the Carnegie Cor- poration. The board of library trustees, acting at the time of the construction of the library building, was made up of J. C. Braly, president ; W. W. Kerr, secre- tary ; D. R. Collings, Prof. A. L. Vincent and Meredith Conway.
Early in 1907 work was begun on the building, which was completed and ready for use by December, 1907. Miss Minnie Maxwell was elected as the first librarian, and began her work in September, 1907. By the time the new building was completed about 1,000 volumes were ready to place on the shelves. From the beginning the books added to the library have been classified and catalogued according to the most approved methods, making the contents of the library readily accessible to the users. The collection of books has grown steadily until now (1919) there are about 7,000 volumes, besides valuable files of magazines. newspapers, pamphlets, etc.
The library serves not only the people of the city of Fullerton, but gives free service to the people of the surrounding country and the neighboring towns as well. The present building is inadequate for the needs of the rapidly growing city, and a new addition or an entirely new building is necessary in the near future. The board of trustees of the library is as follows. Dr. F. J. Gobar. president ; H. W. Daniels, secretary ; Mrs. G. W. Sherwood, Anna McDermont, S. J. Lillie.
November 12, 1902, a hospital association was incorporated and this has been in operation ever since, maintaining a reputation for having a thorough equipment and efficient service.
The city has one union high school, organized in 1893, and in 1906-07 a new building was erected, costing about $50,000. This was totally destroyed by fire in 1910. A new site was purchased and more and better buildings were erected, as may be seen in the chapter on Orange County's Schools. On August 12, 1908, Fullerton organized a fire department. It has a paid service and is modernly equipped. Fullerton has an active Board of Trade, which has done more than any other agency to advertise the city and its surroundings, and to beautify them as well. It was organized in 1901 and now has 150 members. It has a Masonic Lodge, which was organized in October, 1900; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was instituted in March, 1901 ; the Independent Order of Foresters in
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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
September, 1897 ; Fraternal Brotherhood in August, 1899; Fraternal Aid in 1893; also Knights of Pythias, Modern Woodmen of America, Woodmen of the World, Eastern Star, P. E. O. and Rebekahs. It has also a Woman's Club, which is affili- ated with the state federation. This organization has wielded a strong influence in the social and civic work in the city. The Ebell Club is also a dominant factor in the city's life.
Following are the city officers as they stood after the election and appoint- ments in 1920: Board of trustees, W. F. Coulter, president; L. F. Drake, R. A. Marsden, R. R. Davis, Robert Strain ; clerk, F. C. Hezmalhalch; treasurer. Fred Fuller ; recorder, William French ; attorney, Albert Launer ; engineer, George Wells; street superintendent, A. G. Barnes; water and sewer superintendent, Geo. Witty ; marshal, Vernon Myers ; health officer, Dr. J. H. Lang ; park superin- tendent, J. G. Seupelt ; board of health, J. H. Lang, M. D., health officer ; E. T. Hall, M. D., G. C. Clark, M. D., G. W. Finch, Mrs. Carrie Ford; community nurse, May Pierce.
Fullerton nestles in the center of orange and walnut groves and is distant but ten miles from Santa Ana, the county seat. The city is made up of com- fortable homes and is surrounded with very fine land suitable for growing almost anything put into it. The people are generous and hospitable and anxious to pro- mote the general welfare in any way that will serve the interests of all.
During the year 1919, the city of Fullerton issued 188 building permits, whose total value was $528,609. I. H. Dysinger, building inspector, says the actual value of the improvements is greater than the amount indicated by the permits ; but that is the case generally in all the cities.
Recent building operations include the Fullerton Improvement Company's building at Spadra and Amerige, erected at a cost of $55,000, and a later one at Spadra and Wilshire costing $62,000. This latter building houses the temporary city hall and the Rialto theater, the latter being one of the classiest playhouses in the state. The Masons have bought ground at Spadra and Chapman for a $60,000 temple ; the Christian Scientists have built a $26,000 church, and the Ebell Club plans to erect a $40,000 club house.
CHAPTER VII
THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
Supplemented by Charles R. Nutt
In the spring of 1904, the name of a little village known as Pacific City was changed to Huntington Beach, and the townsite was acquired by the Hunting- ton Beach Company, a corporation with its principal offices at Los Angeles, from a syndicate of Long Beach and Santa Ana men who were owners of Pacific City. On July 4, 1904, the first electric car from Los Angeles reached Hunt- ington Beach.
In addition to purchasing the holdings of the Pacific City syndicate, the Hunt- ington Beach Company bought large acreage sites which they included in the limits of the new city, dividing it into lots 25x1171/2 feet, laid many miles of cement pavement, built a water and an electric lighting system, installed a tele- phone system and made many other municipal improvements which added greatly to the value of their holdings.
At that time there were only three houses on what is now Main Street, and about twenty homes in the town. The grammar school building was also com- pleted in the summer of 1904.
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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
In the spring of the above mentioned year a meeting was held in a Main Street building by a Union Sunday school, and in the following year a church of the Methodist denomination was organized and services were held in the present bank building, in the room now used as a city hall. In March, 1906, the newly organized church secured a church building, locating it at the corner of Seventh Street and Magnolia Avenue, where it still stands. In the spring of the same year the present Baptist Church was erected and an organiza- tion of the Christian Church was formed about the same time. In 1908 the last named denomination built the church which it now uses on Eighth Street.
In 1906 the Southern California Methodist Association, which had been holding its annual sessions at Long Beach, built in Huntington Beach the com- modious auditorium which it has ever since used for its annual camp meetings and sessions of the Epworth League.
Early in the year 1904 a bank was organized by business men residing chiefly at Long Beach and called the Huntington Beach Bank. A year later its name was changed, having been reorganized under the national banking laws and it was called, as it still is, the First National Bank of Huntington Beach. A savings bank was also formed in connection with it and called the Savings Bank of Hunt- ington Beach, and the present quarters of the two banks were built in 1905 and have been occupied continuously by them ever since. The stock of both institut- tions is now owned by local men. In the year 1905 two lumber companies were formed to do business in the city, one the Starr and the other the San Pedro Lumber Company; the latter afterwards buying the former and continuing in business to the present time.
Other business enterprises which came to Huntington Beach in the early years of its existence were the Anthracite Peat Fuel Company in 1905, the La Bolsa Tile factory, the Raine Tile Company, the Huntington Beach Cannery ( which put up a substantial canning plant and flourished until 1908) ; the Hunting- ton Beach Tent City Company (composed of local business men, which has enjoyed a fairly successful career ), and various mercantile establishments. The Tent City Company each summer puts up and rents a large number of tents to those attending the Methodist camp meetings, the Grand Army encampments and other conventions and meetings for which Huntington Beach is fast becoming popular.
Huntington Beach was incorporated in February, 190), as a city of the sixth class. Its area is about 2.77 square miles. Its assessed valuation in 1920 was $1,023,635, with a tax rate of $1.50, which includes special taxes for library, music, promotion and sinking fund. The bonded indebtedness is $104,750.00. The postoffice receipts in 1913 were $5,625.52, and in 1918 were $7,867.40, an increase of 39.8 per cent in five years. Village delivery was established in September, 1917. The present population is 1,687.
The following denominations have each a church in the city: Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Christian, Catholic, Church of Christ, and Christian Science. The Southern California Methodist Association maintains an auditorium here with a seating capacity of over 2,000, where the Methodists hold their annual camp meetings, and which is also used by other organizations, such as the Southern California Veterans' Association, Epworth League, Church of Latter Day Saints, etc., for their annual outings.
The elementary school district has a very modern and up-to-date school build- ing, erected in 1915 at a cost of approximately $75,000, employs thirteen teachers and has an enrollment of 300 pupils. The Union high school employs nine teachers and has an enrollment of 115 pupils. It has a well-equipped manual arts building and teaches domestic science in all its branches in addition to the regular training for college or business. Much attention is also paid to agriculture in the course of study.
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The public library, housed in a Carnegie building and supported by the city. has over 6,000 bound volumes on its shelves and many of the leading magazines and other publications on its tables. A weekly newspaper was established almost with the birth of the city, and has been published without intermission ever since. increasing in importance with the city's growth.
Huntington Beach has been selected as a suitable place for the location of a number of important industries, among which may be mentioned the following : Holly Sugar Factory with an annual output worth $2,225,000; Beach Broom Factory, output worth $40,000; Pacific Linoleum and Oilcloth Factory, output worth $250,000: Pearse Cannery, output worth $8,000; Huntington Beach Nur- series, output worth $4,000. The city has exported approximately 625 carloads of sugar and 325 carloads of beans, besides other products in less than carload lots.
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