USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego > History of San Diego, 1542-1908 : an account of the rise and progress of the pioneer settlement on the Pacific coast of the United States, Volume II > Part 10
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The use of petroleum gas proved unsatisfactory, however, and after an experience of two years, the company made the neces- sary alterations in its plant and began to use coal, instead. The first use of coal was on April 19, 1883. From this time on, the gas works have grown with the city, enlarging their plant and extending their pipes as business required.
The subject of electric lighting came up in March, 1885, when the city trustees appointed a committee of three to prepare a contract for electric lighting. The Horton House was the first building in the city to be lighted by electricity. The first lights were furnished by the Jenney Electric Lighting Company, of Indianapolis, which entered into a five-year contract for lighting
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
the city by the mast system. Their machinery was set in motion on March 16, 1886, and that evening the city was illuminated by electric light for the first time. In May the trustees discussed a proposition for the city to purchase the plant, but decided adversely. After the system had been in operation about six months, it was purchased by E. S. Babcock, Jr., and L. M. Vance, for $30,000. Mr. Vance had been the manager for the Eastern concern, and remained in charge. In March, 1887, the San Diego Gas, Fuel & Electric Light Company was organized, and bought the franchises of the San Diego Gas Company and of the San Diego & Coronado Gas & Electric Light Company. The new company had a capital stock of $500,000, and it undertook to furnish gas and electric light for San Diego and Coronado.
In April, 1905, the San Diego Consolidated Gas and Electric Company became the owner of the works and franchises of the old gas and electric companies of San Diego and has since sup- plied the city with all its gas and electric light and power. Dur- ing 1906, this company rebuilt the entire gas and electric plants, at an expense of about $750,000. New machinery and apparatus were being installed, including steam turbines for generating electricity, a new 500,000 foot gas holder, and additional 800,000 foot gas generating set. The company owns and operates about 50 miles of poles and 80 miles of gas mains. It serves some 2,000 consumers of electric light and 4,000 consumers of gas. There are 224 arc lamps furnished to the city of San Diego and 12 to National City, for street lighting. Both the gas and elec- tricity used in National City are supplied from the plant in San Diego.
The first public exhibition of the telephone in San Diego was made by Lieutenant Reade, U. S. Weather Officer, on December 5, 1877. It was not until March 23, 1881, that the newspapers state: "It is currently reported that ere many weeks we will have a telephone exchange in San Diego." The San Diego Tel- ephone Company was organized and began work in May, 1882. The officers were: President and treasurer, J. W. Thompson ; secretary. Douglas Gunn; directors, A. Wentscher, J. A. Fair- child. and Simon Levi. The first use of the lines was on June 11, and there were 13 subscribers to the first exchange.
In 1887, the number of subscribers was 284. The San Diego Telephone Company was not incorporated, but was operated as a mutual affair, as the telephone business was thought to be in an experimental stage. The lines were extended to several out- side points, however; to Julian in September, 1885, to Ocean- side in May, 1886, and in 1887 to Escondido, Poway, Campo, Tia Juana, Oneonta, Coronado. La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Ocean
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TELEPHONE DEVELOPMENTS
Beach, and soon after to El Cajon, Lakeside, Alpine, Cuyamaca, Sweetwater Dam, Chula Vista, Otay, and Del Mar. In Decem- ber, 1890, the Sunset Telphone and Telegraph Company pur- chased the plant and took control. Mr. Thompson continued as manager until March 8, 1895, when he was succeeded by R. L. Lewis, who still continues in the position. At the time Mr. Lewis took charge, there were 360 telephones in use in San Diego, and the number of employes was 9. In November, 1897, the company completed the construction of a long distance line from Santa Ana, which connected San Diego with over 700 cities and towns in California. The number of telephones now in use in the city is nearly 3,200, and the long distance system has been greatly extended and improved.
The Home Telephone Company secured its city franchise in November, 1903, and a county franchise on June 5, 1905. Ser- vice was commenced in February, 1905. It was organized and built largely by local subscriptions. The automatic system is used. The number of city subscribers is about 2,500 and long distance wires have been extended to 19 interior exchanges in San Diego County. The first manager was Roscoe Howard, who served until July 1, 1905. The company has a substantial build- ing of its own.
In the matter of street improvements, the people of San Diego seem to have taken little interest until the time of the great boom. Indeed, the conditions of soil and climate are such that nowhere are the streets so easily kept in good condition, and nowhere are apathy and indifference so prone to prevail.
In November, 1869, a proposition was made to license saloons and teamsters for the purpose of raising funds for the improve- ment of the streets. This proposition was voted down, however. The first official action for the establishment of street grades was in October, 1872, when the city engineer was instructed to make surveys for that purpose, from A Street south and Thirteenth Street west, to the Bay.
Fifth Street was the first street extended out upon the mesa, and long remained the only avenue to what is now one of the most attractive residence districts in the city. This work was done early in 1880.
The first important street grading work began in January, 1886. There was considerable agitation for this and other classes of improvements in 1886-7, culminating in a public meeting at the Louis Opera House in August, 1887, when Mr. Holabird, Judges Works, Puterbaugh and others spoke. It was thought the trustees were not showing proper zeal, and the needs of the city far outran their accomplishment.
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
The largest single undertaking in the way of street improve- ments was the construction of the sewer system. The movement for this work began in May, 1882, when a committee of the city council was appointed and made a report on the city's needs. Nothing was done at the time, but there was considerable discus- sion, and by the spring of 1886 the trustees were fairly forced by the growth of the city to take some action. General Thomas Sedgwick appeared before the board by invitation and gave his views. On June 25th, he explained his views further at a meet- ing held in Horton's Hall, and steps were thereupon taken to secure the services of Colonel George E. Waring, Jr., of New- port, Rhode Island. Colonel Waring made his report in Decem- ber, providing for a complete system of sewerage for the city, having a total length of 211,560 feet and constructed on the most approved lines. The proposition to issue bonds in the sum of $400,000 for the construction of the system was voted on in the spring of 1887, and carried by a large majority. These bonds were sold to the Pacific Bank, of San Francisco, in June, and work began the following month. At the close of that year over 38 miles of main pipes had been laid and in July, 1888, the system was practically completed. This was an immense undertaking for a city the size of San Diego, and had the burst- ing of the boom been foreseen, it is likely the citizens would scarcely have had the courage to undertake it. However, the "Waring System" still serves efficiently the needs of San Diego, a model of engineering skill and of public spirit.
The newspapers of San Diego began to agitate for street rail- ways in March, 1881, but it was not until 1886 that their desire was gratified. The first franchise granted was to Dr. John McCoy, of Pasadena, October 18, 1885. The ordinance provided that no road should be built on any street until it had been graded by the city. Complications arose out of this unfortunate provision, upon the observance of which McCoy insisted. He did not build any street railways.
The next franchises granted (two at one meeting) were to Messrs. Santee, Evans, Mathus, Babcock, Gruendike, and Story, and to Reed, Choate and others, in March, 1886. April 15, 1886, articles of incorporation of the San Diego Street Car Company were filed. In August, the trustees gave a franchise to George Neal and James McCoy for a railroad between Old and New San Diego.
The first car (a horse car) was run on Fifth Street, July 4, 1886. This line was two miles long. The second line was built on D Street, and had a length of 11/4 miles. The third was the H Street line, 31/2 miles; and the next was the First Street line, 3/4 of a mile in length. From this on, construction was rapid.
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STREET RAILWAYS
On January 1, 1888, there were 36 4-5 miles of street railroads running and in course of construction and about ten miles more being surveyed. The San Diego & Old Town Motor Railroad was opened November 21, 1887, and reached Pacific Beach April 1, 1888. Its officers were : President, J. R. Thomas ; sec- retary and manager, A. G. Gassen; directors, J. R. Thomas, A. G. Gassen, R. A. Thomas, E. W. Morse, T. Metcalf, D. B. Hale, and O. S. Hubbell. It was extended to La Jolla in 1889.
The articles of incorporation of the National City and Otay Railroad Company (motor) were filed in December, 1886. The capital stock was $100,000, later increased to $1,300,000, and the Land & Town Company was a very large stockholder. The road was opened for business on January 1, 1887. It has branch lines to Chula Vista and other points. It has recently been acquired by the Spreckels system, and is being converted into a trolley line.
The Coronado Belt Line was one of the earliest railroads begun. It was constructed by the Coronado Beach Company in connection with the development of the hotel property. The line extends from the Coronado Ferry wharf to the foot of Fifth Street, San Diego, following the shore of the Bay, and is 21.29 miles long.
On January 1, 1888, the names of the steam motor companies, and mileage of their tracks, were as follows:
Miles
National City & Otay Railway Co.
40
Coronado Railway 11%
Coronado Belt Railway. 2114
San Diego, Old Town & Pacific Beach. 12
City & University Heights Railway.
Pacific Coast Steamship Co.'s Railway.
1-3
Ocean Beach Railway. 314
Roseville & Old Town Railway. 1
La Jolla Park Railway
The following were the electric and horse railways :
Miles
San Diego Electric Street Railway. 41%
San Diego Street Railway System (horse) 9
National City & Otay Railway (7th St.) 34
National City Street Railway 21%
The single electric line in operation at that time was owned and operated by the Electric Rapid Transit Street Car Com- pany of San Diego, of which George D. Copeland was president. The first piece of road which it constructed was from the foot of D Street in a northerly direction along the Bay shore, for four miles, to Old Town. This line began operation in Novem- ber, 1887. The next electric road constructed was that from the
.
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
Pacific Coast Steamship Company's wharf to University Heights, four miles. The total cost of these lines, up to the same date, was as follows:
Horse car lines
$ 315,000
Motor car lines. 1,006,000
Electric car lines 100,000
$1,421,000
WALDO S. WATERMAN
Located, 1886; manager Stonewall mine, 1886-93. General manager San Diego, Cuyamaca & Eastern Railway from 1891 to date of his untimely death, February 24, 1903. Director and Vice President Chamber of Commerce, 1902-03. Prominent in politics. Son of Gov. Waterman
The new roads projected at that time were estimated to cost a half million more, but few, if any, of them were ever built.
The San Diego Cable Car Company was incorporated and began work in August, 1889. Its line extended from the foot of Sixth Street, to C, thence to Fourth, and up Fourth to Spruce. The enterprise was started by George D. Copeland, and incorporated by John C. Fisher, D. D. Dare, J. W. Collins, George B. Hensley, and H. F. Norcross. The power house was
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SPRECKELS BUYS ROADS
built in 1889, at a cost of $30,000, and was placed at the head of the canyon on Fourth and Spruce Streets, where some remains of the cement foundations may still be seen. The line was formally opened on June 7, 1890. It was at that time thought that this development meant a great deal for San Diego. Electric railways were then in their infancy and many people thought the cable system preferable. The failure of the Cali- fornia National Bank, its principal backer, with the long- continued depression which followed, caused the failure of the road. After being for some time in the hands of a receiver, its property and franchise were sold to an electric railway company, in January, 1892. Such, in brief, is the history of San Diego's first and only cable car line.
With the collapse of the boom, a reaction from the too-rapid building of street car lines was to be expected. A number of the weak companies failed and were absorbed by the stronger ones. All the motor roads went out of business or were con- verted into electric lines, except the National City & Otay and the San Diego, Old Town & Pacific Beach Railways. On Janu- ary 30, 1892, the entire property of the San Diego Street Car Company passed into the hands of A. B. Spreckels, for the sum of $115,000. This purchase included practically all the live trackage in the city, and, with the lines since acquired, comprises all the older lines in the city. Mr. Spreckels immediately incor- porated the San Diego Electric Railway Company, to operate his lines, with the following officers: A. B. Spreckels, president ; E. S. Babcock, vice-president; Joseph A. Flint, secretary, treasurer, and general manager; directors, A. B. Spreckels, John D. Spreckels, Charles T. Hinde, E. S. Babcock, and Joseph A. Flint.
The transformation of all the lines to electric power began in May, 1892, and was carried vigorously to completion. At the present time, the company operates 25 miles of track in the city and has 10 miles more under construction. Early in 1907, it will begin operating 10 miles of interurban track between San Diego and Chula Vista.
The motor line to La Jolla, of which the old San Diego, Old Town & Pacific Beach Railway formed a portion, now belongs to the Los Angeles & San Diego Beach Railway Company, of which E. S. Babcock is president and E. A. Hornbeck general manager. The road is now being converted into a trolley line. The company has also recently constructed and is operating an electric street railway to connect with its La Jolla line, running up C Street to Sixth, south on Sixth to its foot, and thence south- easterly to the Cuyamaca depot.
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
The South Park and East Side Railway, an enterprise grow- ing out of the operations of the Bartlett estate under the pres- idency of E. Bartlett Webster, began active construction in March, 1906. Its first line ran from Twenty-fifth and D to Thir- tieth and Amherst Streets, a distance of a mile and a half, the power house being located at the terminal. During the early months of 1907 the line was extended to Twenty-fifth and F, down F to Fourth, and up Fourth to C, thus reaching the heart of the business district. This line, which has become a strong factor in local transportation and the development of the resi- dence district on the east side, is reaching out toward the bay in one direction, and toward the back country in the other. At this writing, the company has pending applications for fran- chises up Fourth Street to B, and down B Street to the bay; also, along La Mesa Boulevard to La Mesa Springs, while El Cajon Valley is looking to it hopefully for rapid transit in the early future.
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CHAPTER IV
WATER DEVELOPMENT
HE question of an adequate supply of water T for San Diego always has been one of the most vital problems in the life of the place. During the short life of "Davis's Folly," or "Graytown," and for some time after Horton came, the inhabitants depended upon water hauled from the San Diego River. The early settlers still remember paying Tas- ker & Hoke twenty-five cents a pail for this water. After that, they were for some time dependent upon a few wells. An effort to find an artesian supply began in 1871. A well was sunk by Calloway & Co. in which some water was found at a depth of 250 feet. They asked for city aid to enable them to continue boring, but the proposition to issue $10,000 city bonds to carry on the work was defeated at an election held in July, 1872 The well in the court house yard furnished a good supply, which was used to some extent for irrigation. In 1873 a well was com- pleted at the Horton House, which gave great satisfaction and was thought to demonstrate that "an inexhaustible supply of good water exists at but a comparatively trifling depth, which can be reached with little expense." The well which Captain Sherman sank in the western part of his new addition, was also an important factor.
The town soon outgrew the possibility of dependence upon wells, early in its first boom, and in 1872 San Diego's first water company was organized. This was the San Diego Water Com- pany, incorporated January 20, 1873. The principal stockhold- ers were: H. M. Covert and Jacob Gruendike; the incorporators were these two and D. W. Briant, D. O. McCarthy, Wm. K. Gardner, B. F. Nudd, and Return Roberts. The capital stock was $90,000, divided into 900 shares of $100 each. The term of the incorporation was fifty years from February 1, 1873. H. M. Covert was the first president.
The first works of this company were artesian wells and reser- voirs. They bored a well in Pound Canyon, near the southeast corner of the Park, and found water, but at a depth of 300 feet the drill entered a large cavern and work had to be abandoned. The water rose to within 60 feet of the surface and remained
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
stationary. They then sank a well 12 feet in diameter around the first pipe, to a depth of 170 feet, and from the bottom of this second boring put down a pipe to tap the subterranean stream. The large well was then bricked up and cemented. It had a capacity of 54,000 gallons per hour. Two small reservoirs were also constructed, one at 117 feet above tide water, with a capac- ity of 70,000 gallons, and the other more than 200 feet above the tide, with a capacity of 100,000 gallons. The water was pumped from the 12-foot well into these two reservoirs. Such were San Diego's first waterworks. In March, 1874, the Union said with pride :
About 18,000 feet of pipe will be put down for the present. Pipe now extends from the smaller reservoir down Eleventh and D, along D to Fifth, down Fifth to K, along K to Eleventh, and will also run through Ninth from D to K and from Fifth along J to Second. The supply from this well will be sufficient for 30,000 population and is seemingly inexhaustible.
But notwithstanding this confidence, in a few years the water supply in Pound Canyon was found to be inadequate, and it was determined to bring water from the river. In the summer of 1875 the company increased its capital stock to $250,000 for the purpose of making this improvement. A reservoir was built at the head of the Sandrock Grade, on University Heights. The water had to be lifted several hundred feet from the river to the reservoir, and this pumping was expensive. In order to avoid this expense and improve the service, the company drove a tunnel through the hills, beginning at a point 'in Mission Val- ley below the new County Hospital and coming out on Univer- sity Avenue near George P. Hall's place. The water was piped through this tunnel, which is still in a fair state of preservation. A new reservoir was built at the southwest corner of Fifth and Hawthorne Streets; and these works constituted the San Diego water system until the pumping plant and reservoir at Old Town were constructed. This old reservoir gave sufficient pressure for the time being, and it was not then believed the high mesa lands would ever be built upon.
In the fall of 1879 the papers note that the water mains had been extended down K Street as far as the flour mill and thence up Twelfth to the Bay View Hotel. Early in 1886 the long delayed work on the river system, near Old Town, was resumed. From numerous wells in the river bed, the water was pumped into the large reservoir on the hill. At this time the company also made many extensions and laid new pipes for almost the entire system. The pumps installed had a capacity of 6,600,000 gallons per twenty-four hours. There are four covered reser- voirs with a total capacity of 4,206,000 gallons. A standpipe
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THE FLUME ENTERPRISE
was placed on Spreckels Heights, 136 feet high and 36 inches in diameter. The top of this standpipe was 401 feet above tide, and it regulated the pressure all over the city. According to the engineer's statement, about 30,000,000 gallons were pumped during each month of the year 1888. The pipe lines, in Janu- ary, 1890, exceeded 60 miles and had cost $800,000. There were 185 fire hydrants connected, for which the company received $100 each per annum.
The next large undertaking in the way of water development was that of the San Diego Flume Company. This project orig- inated with Theodore S. Van Dyke and W. E. Robinson, who worked upon it for some time before they succeeded in inter- esting anyone else. Then General S. H. Marlette became inter- ested and these three associates secured the water rights needed for the development. In 1885, they planned to form a corpora- tion, to be called the San Diego Irrigating Company, but for some reason the plan failed. The promoters continued to work indefatigably, however, and finally succeeded in enlisting the interest of George D. Copeland, A. W. Hawley, and a few oth- ers, and soon were in a position to incorporate. The articles of incorporation were filed in May, 1886. Besides those mentioned, the following were incorporators: Milton Santee, R. H. Stretch, George W. Marston, General T. T. Crittenden, Robert Allison, J. M. Luco, and E. W. Morse.
Sufficient money was paid in to start the work. Copeland became President, Robinson Vice-President, and Stretch Engi- neer. Captain Stretch served about six months and did some of the preliminary work. He was succeeded by Lew B. Harris, who served about a year, and then J. H. Graham became the engineer and remained until the work was completed. The cap- ital stock was $1,000,000, divided into 10,000 shares of $100 each.
The difficulties encountered were many. There was an ineffi- cient contractor whose men the company was compelled to pay. It was asserted that the flume encroached upon an Indian reser- vation, and there was frequently a lack of funds. Their means becoming exhausted, some of the original incorporators were obliged to step out. Copeland became manager in place of Rob- inson, and Morse president in place of Copeland. Later, Bry- ant Howard became president and W. H. Ferry superintendent, and these two men saw the work completed.
This great pioneer undertaking was organized and carried out by far-seeing, courageous men, for the purpose of irrigating the rich lands of El Cajon Valley and also of bringing a supply of water to San Diego. Incidentally, but quite as important, they were aware that they were making a demonstration of the agri- cultural possibilities of San Diego's derided back country.
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO
There were a few citizens who understood the importance of the undertaking and watched the course of events with almost breathless interest. But the majority were too busy with real estate speculations to be much concerned-at least, this was true of the floating population of newcomers. Van Dyke writes pointedly : "The writer and his associates who were struggling to get the San Diego River water out of the mountains to give the city an abundant supply, and reclaim the beautiful table- lands about it, were mere fools 'monkeying' with an impracti- cable scheme, and of no consequence anyhow."
On February 22, 1889, the completion of the flume was cele- brated in San Diego, most impressively. There was a street parade over a mile long, and a display of the new water. A stream from a 13/4 inch nozzle was thrown 125 feet into the air, at the corner of Fifth and Beech Streets, and at the corner of Fifth and Ivy, another one 150 feet high, to the admiration of the citizens. There were 19 honorary presidents of the day on the grand stand. Bryant Howard, M. A. Luce, George Puter- baugh, Hon. John Brennan of Sioux City, Iowa, D. C. Reed, and Colonel W. G. Dickinson spoke, and letters and telegrams from absent notables were read.
It is really a pity to have to spoil the story of the celebration of such an achievement, with a joke, but-the truth is, the water in the pipes at the time was not the Flume Company's water, at all. The Flume Company had placed no valves in their pipes, and, consequently, when they turned the water on, it was air- bound and the water advanced very slowly. When the day for the celebration came, the water being still several miles away, the officers of the San Diego Water Company quietly turned their own water into the pipes, and had a good laugh in their sleeves while listening to the praises the people lavished on the fine qualities of the "new water." The Flume Company's water arrived three weeks later.
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