USA > California > Los Angeles County > Ingersoll's century history, Santa Monica Bay cities prefaced with a brief history of the state of California, a condensed history of Los Angeles County, 1542-1908 > Part 25
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sum sufficient to secure its own water system. The city engineer prepared a careful estimate of the cost and reported that he thought a complete plant could be provided for $240,250. At the request of the requisite number of voters, the council ordered an election to vote upon the proposition of bonding the city for $250,000. But many citizens felt that this was moving too rapidly. as the city was already heavily bonded and was now considering the adoption of a new charter, consequently the date of this election, January 16th, 1906, was recalled and the matter permitted to drop for the time being. The feeling is still strong that Santa Monica must soon have a more adequate supply of water, owned by the municipality ; but the building of school houses and the disposition of sewage must first be completed.
After the incorporation of the town of Ocean Park, including the settled territory south of the Santa Monica city limits, there was still much talk of town division. Many of the people residing in the section which had first been known as "Ocean Park ", felt that they had built up that portion of the " sand hills " into a prosperous business and residence district with very little aid from the " old town " of Santa Monica. The rapid growth of the last two or three years had brought in a new element who knew little of the past history of the town and did not realize that the question of town division had already been thoroughly canvassed and, it was hoped, settled by the decisive vote of Novem- ber 13th, 1901. Ocean Park had already secured a portion of the Santa Monica school district and it was now proposed to divide the city at Front street. It was the common belief that this section, if cut off from Santa Monica, would join the new Ocean Park municipality, although there were those who talked of a third corporation which should go it alone. Some of the older residents of the territory, who had already paid taxes for street improvements, schools. city hall, and sewers in Santa Monica, did not care to repeat the payments for the same purposes in the new town. The new corporation of Ocean Park was already voting bonds with a free hand; there were dissensions among business interests-the causes were various but the result was-death to the division proposition. The petition was circulated but was never presented and the election did not take place. The Outlook of January 21st, 1905, pays its tribute to the division question thus :
" Poor little thing dead. The last sad rites performed over fatherless and motherless babe. There is crepe on the door of a suite of upstairs rooms on Pier avenue. The fight to divide Santa Monica is ended. The ‘executive com- mittee ' for the division of Santa Monica has passed in its checks. The last meeting of this august body was held on Wednesday, when it was decided that the idea of dividing this city was a forlorn hope and the committee adjourned · sine die.' While the meeting was secret, it is learned that the executive com- mittee positively decided to abandon the project."
And from this date a more solid faith in " greater Santa Monica " has
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grown up in both sections of the town and it is only a matter of a few years before the memory of "north " and " south " feuds will have faded and Santa Monica will present an undivided front to the world.
This year was marked by the breaking up of large tracts and the opening to settlement of many fine pieces of land hitherto unoccupied. In April it was announced that the Jones and Baker lands, including the San Vicente rancho, Boca y Santa Monica and Santa Monica rancho, over 30,000 acres in all. had been transferred to a consolidated company formed of the Artesian Water Com- pany, the Santa Monica and Sawtelle Water Companies, Frederick H. Rindge, Gen. M. H. Sherman, E. P. Clark, G. I. Cochran, R. C. Gillis and others. The purpose of the new water company was to supply water to the Ballona country, between Western avenue in Los Angeles and the sea coast, and to supply domestic water to Santa Monica and the entire coast southward to Playa del Rey. It was stated that the lands coming into possession of the new company would be subdivided and put upon the market at once and soon afterward a sale of 1000 acres of the San Vicente rancho was made to R. C. Gillis. This tract extended from Fourteenth street to Sawtelle between Oregon avenue and the Southern Pacific right of way, and was at once cut up into lots of from two to forty acres and offered for sale. The Santa Monica Land and Water Company also sub- divided 450 acres between the Soldiers' Home lands and Twenty-sixth street.
A number of other tracts and additions were put on the market this year also, among them the Irwin Heights tract east of the city, which was improved by Irwin and Towner; the Artesian tract continued to attract buyers and the Oregon avenue tract between Thirteenth and Sixteenth streets was opened, streets paved and many lots sold and houses built during the year. Six new houses, costing about $15,000, were put up in Washington Place. This portion of the town, east of Tenth street and north of Oregon, became, indeed, a new city within a very short period. The land east and north of the city limits had also become desirable residence property and many homes had been established on " villa " lots, or small ranches. The talk of annexation of this district grew and was brought to a head finally by the attempt on the part of Ocean Park to secure a division of the town of Santa Monica at Front street, and by the neces- sity of supplying school accommodations for the many new residents.
It was estimated that during the year from April, 1904, to April, 1905, two hundred building permits were issued for the city of Santa Monica, the expendi- ture reaching $300,000. During the same period, four miles of streets were graded and several miles oiled ; 260,000 square feet of cement walk were laid, 40,000 lineal feet of concrete curbing were put in, 30,000 square feet of cross- walks, 12,000 feet of sewer pipe laid, 22,000 feet of gutter and 40,000 square feet of paving put down. This was done by the city and it is probable that the work done by private contract in the various new subdivisions almost equaled this record.
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1905.
This is the banner year in the existence of the Santa Monica bay cities. It was a year of wonderful growth and unprecedented development in every direction. The "old" town of Santa Monica passed forever from the ranks of "country " towns and became a city in fact as well as in form during this year. The southern part of the town, commonly known as "Ocean Park ", which was already an important business center as well as a popular summer resort, with the completion of the bath house and the Decatur Hotel, the building of the Masonic block and many other business blocks on Pier avenue, Marine street and the ocean front began to put on a metropolitan aspect ; while the creation of Venice-the " Dream City " of Abbot Kinney's fancy, made the new town of Ocean Park the center of attraction for the entire state.
Another remarkable feature was the continued opening up of subdivisions which found rapid sale as suburban homes. Much of the San Vicente and Ballona ranches which had been barley fields, or, later, bean patches, was now platted, graded and improved to be sold as lots or in small tracts. Westgate and Westgate Acres, Irwin Heights, Towner Terrace, the Artesian tract, Serra Vista, Palisades, Brentwood Park and Green Acres, to the north and east of Santa Monica; Ocean Park Heights, East Ocean Park, Venice Park tract, Vine- land, Clarkdale and many other subdivisions between Ocean Park and Los Angeles were put on the market. Most of these subdivisions were on or near the line of the trolley cars. In the case of Westgate, the promotors, in con- junction with the Los Angeles and Pacific, built a branch line from Sawtelle through the tract and along the edge of Santa Monica canon and Ocean avenue to connect with the Montana-avenue branch, thus giving the public the most picturesque trolley ride to be found in Los Angeles county. This line was com- pleted and opened for use August 9th, 1906. This company also constructed San Vicente boulevard from the Soldiers' Home to the city limits of Santa Monica, a distance of several miles, one of the finest stretches of roadway in the country.
All of these tracts along the base of the Santa Monica sierras command magnificent views of ocean, mountains and valleys. They are improved with graded and oiled streets, cement walks, parks, trees, shrubbery and offer every modern conveniences-water, electricity, car service, as well as the unequaled location, the air, the space, the quiet and seclusion of country life. Building restrictions were placed upon all these tracts so that only desirable homes might be built and the rapidity with which magnificent country places, as well as artistic bungalow and cottage homes have sprung up proves that there was a demand for just such a residence section. The amount of money spent in im- proving these lands and putting them on the market would probably reach a half-million dollars and the expenditure in buildings and improvements by purchasers would perhaps reach the same figure.
R. R. TANNER.
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In the spring of 1905 it was announced that Frederick H. Rindge would build a wagon road through the Malibu ranch and there was a general feeling of satisfaction that at last communication north along the coast would be opened up. But it soon developed that this wagon road was not for the public, and rumors that it was to be a railroad or a trolley line were rife before the death of Mr. Rindge in August. In October the Outlook rejoices greatly in the fact that the "Hueneme, Malibu & Port Los Angeles " electric line will be a great acquisition to Santa Monica. Mr. H. W. Lemcke of Santa Monica was ap- pointed general manager, and for some months the papers were kept busy as- serting and denying facts about this new road which was-and remains-an enigma to the public. The new passenger depot of the Los Angeles-Pacific located in Linda Vista park was a substantial improvement which was greatly appreciated. Many improvements in the electric line service were made during the year, not the least of which was the completion of the Playa del Rey-Redondo line and the establishment of a five-cent fare between Santa Monica and Playa del Rey.
One of the most important real estate transactions of the year was the formation of a syndicate by F. E. Bundy which was made up largely of Ocean Park capitalists, including E. S. Tomblin, R. W. Armstrong. A. E. Robinson, H. L. Miller & Co., Robert F. Jones, A. W. McPherson, E. A. Wilson, Dana Burks, J. W. Tomblin, Smith Realty Co., I. E. Warfield & Co., and F. E. Bundy. This later took the name of the " United Land & Water Company " and marked a community of interests between the two factions of the Santa Monica bay region. This company purchased a tract of land south of the Oregon-avenue line between Twenty-sixth street and Sawtelle. They planned to make this a model village site and spent a large sum in improvements. The tract was put on the market as the "Serra Vista " and many sales were made. It became a part of the city when the new territory was taken in and is a valuable addition to the city's wealth. The Irwin Heights tract continued to settle up and many improvements were made in this vicinity. A large sum was expended by the Irwin Heights Company in developing water and an excellent system was pro- vided for this district.
Another important real estate move was the opening up of the original Palisades tract, lying between Ocean avenue and Seventh street, north of Mon- tana avenue. This was improved by a company composed of H. D. Lombard. R. A. Rowan. W. S. Vawter, T. H. Dudley, W. T. Gillis and H. W. Keller. They spent $100,000 in improvements, grading and oiling streets, sewering. cement sidewalks and in planting trees, etc. Linda Vista park was also im- proved in front of this addition. Later the balance of the land lying between this tract and the Santa Monica canon and extending north to Seventh street was improved at a very large expense, thus placing this, the most desirable beach property on Santa Monica bay, on the market. The large amount of money expended by private parties in public improvements in the Palisades,
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as well as the high order of buildings and improvements made by purchasers, added largely to the aggregate expenditures for the year. The Towner Terrace tract lying between Eighth and Fourteenth streets, Front and Colorado, was another addition within the new city limits which added to the population and wealth of the place.
The building of the White Star pier, now known as Bristol pier, was com- pleted in July and its attractions were added to those of the other points of interest on the beach. A good band was installed here and a number of " amuse- ments " provided, but there were now so many rival attractions that it was not a paying investment during its first season. A number of new business blocks were added to the business center during the year. The Odd Fel- lows hall, a substantial two-story brick; the Guidinger block, on Third, north of Oregon; the Bundy block, a three-story brick ; the Johnston block on Third, be- side two or three new business buildings on Oregon avenue were constructed.
The organization of the Santa Monica Investment Company BRENTWOOD. on February 27th was important step in the development which was marking the north side. This company was made up of leading business men and capitalists who proposed to buy, build, sell, lease and otherwise handle real estate. Its stock- holders included J. Euclid Miles, who was made manager of the enterprise : W. T. Gillis, W. E. Sawtelle, T. Horace Dudley. E. H. Sweetser, George Boehme, E. W. Dike, N. R. Folsom, F. Niemann, R. R. Tanner, W. H. Dosing, J. P. Jones. Dr. N. H. Hamilton, Dr. J. S. Hunt, Frederick H. Rindge, B. A. Nebeker. II. X. Goetz, Roy Jones, Robert F. Jones, R. M. Miller, Sherman & Clark, George H. Hutton. The company at once purchased a tract on Fourth street, north of California, which they improved and built a block of six cottages upon. During the year they built a dozen pretty, modern cottages north of California street, thus providing what had long been needed, modern homes at reasonable rates for newcomers. During the year much property changed hands at a good figure and many handsome residences were erected. The Carnegie library was well under way on Oregon and the property on the corner of Third and Oregon had been purchased and the handsome three-story brick block for the Merchants' National Bank had been planned. This new bank was organized in' May with T. H. Dudley president ; W. S. Vawter, vice-president ; George F. Doty, cashier ; Carl F. Schader, Louis Blenkenhorn, W. C. Durgin, R. R. Tanner
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and William Mead, directors. It opened for business in the newly completed Columbia block about August Ist.
The Pacific Land Company placed on sale a tract of 400 acres lying between Sawtelle and Twenty-sixth street and the W. T. Gillis Company reported sales during the year of over thirty pieces of property, ranging from a single lot to twenty-two acres and valued at $45,000. The establishment of a large brick and tile manufacturing plant added a solid factor to the resources of Santa Monica. A company was formed by R. F. Jones, W. T. Gillis, J. H. Spires, C. H. Sweet and R. M. Miller. They secured a tract of twenty-two acres of land and began putting up an extensive plant, known as the " Sunset Tile and Brick Company." This later passed into the hands of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, one of the most extensive manufacturers of clay products in the state. The clays of Santa Monica had long been known to be superior ; but it is now fully demonstrated that they are of the finest grade for the best class of pressed and vitrified brick and that they are also susceptible of being used for a fine grade of pottery, under proper handling.
The consolidation of the United Electric, Gas and Power Company with the Edison Company this year put the lighting and heating of Santa Monica upon a more metropolitan basis and marked the end of any local interest in the company. An important industry inaugurated this year was the organization of a stock company, known as the Plant and Floral Company, to carry on a nursery business and deal in plants and cut flowers. Ten acres of land were secured near Oregon and Twenty-first streets, which were later increased to twenty acres, so · successful was the enterprise, now known as the Golden State Plant Co.
Another new industry, which has brought much wealth into the community was the culture of the Lima bean. It had been supposed until this year that Ventura county was the banner bean county and need fear no rival. But in 1902 R. C. Gillis made some experiments with bean culture on lands near the Soldiers' Home, which resulted in a net income of $40.00 per acre. As a con- sequence, Mr. Gillis leased 1500 acres of land to be put into beans in 1903, and it was estimated that nearly 8000 acres of beans were planted on lands lying between Los Angeles and the Santa Monica bay region. The yield was not so large as was expected, on account of the season being unfavorable; yet the profits were large enough to justify a still larger acreage in 1904. The bean raising industry is now firmly established in this district and is one of the most important sources of revenue. The acreage of 1004 was estimated as 10,000 acres and the yield was valued at $400,000. As the cultivation and harvesting is all done by machinery, the percentage of profit is large and Los Angeles county is now closely ranking Ventura in the matter of bean culture.
Street improvements were the order of the day during this year, over $72,000 having been spent and contracts let for $40,000 more, according to the estimate of the Times, exclusive of the work done by private contract : 184 building per- mits were granted, covering an expenditure of $265,000. The Dudley building
W. T. GILLIS.
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was in process of erection. The Santa Monica Bank was improving its building at a cost of over $12,000. The Carnegie library building was completed and occupied in July. The Hollister-avenue pleasure pier was under way, to extend 900 feet from shore and to cost about $25,000.
In the Pier-avenue district, much street work had been done and many improvements were made. The Hammel building, a three-story brick, cost about $20,000 ; the Hanniman and Volk blocks each cost about $5000 ; the Powell building, the Wisconsin and Metropole, and the Maier & Zobelein buildings were all substantial structures. There was talk of a hundred thousand dollar hotel between Navy and Marine avenues, which would place part of the building in Ocean Park and part in Santa Monica. This proposition was merely talk, however, until 1905, when the Hotel Decatur was finally built, thus giving this section a hostelry suited to its demands. After several attempts to secure a franchise, the Home Telephone Company began work in July under a permit. and a franchise was granted later in the year.
The Municipal League had been revived and during the spring held a num- ber of meetings in which needed municipal improvements were discussed. Largely through the action of the league a bond issue was called for, to secure funds to build two fire engine houses, additional fire apparatus and a fire alarm system. The cost was estimated at $14,500. Included with this was a proposal for bonds to fill in around bridges No. 1 and 2 and build retaining walls at a cost of $14,250; to repair and extend the sewer system, and build septic tanks, $21,000; to improve Linda Vista, Seventh street and South Side parks, $20,250, and to construct water works and secure its own water plant, $150,000. After a short and not very enthusiastic campaign, the entire bond proposition was defeated on August 16th. It was. of course, solidly opposed by the district which it was proposed to include in Ocean Park, and this election gave a hint of the relative strength of the divisionists and the advocates of a " greater Santa Monica."
The question of repairing the outfall sewer was now forced upon Santa Monica. There had been much discussion of possible sewage disposition during the year. Ocean Park was still using the Santa Monica outfall sewer, although the council had demanded that their sewer be cut off the first of August. In the meantime the new town was making desperate efforts to solve the problem. At one time it was proposed that a main trunk line be constructed along the beach to connect with the Los Angeles outfall. But this was blocked by the Playa del Rey interests and found impracticable, although Los Angeles was willing-for a consideration. The sewage farm method was also considered. but proved impracticable. So Ocean Park continued to depend upon Santa Monica for sewage disposal under the old agreement between the city and Kinney & Ryan, made December 28th, 1897, which permitted those land owners to con- nect with the Santa Monica outfall sewer. The singular reversal of conditions which has later made Santa Monica dependent upon Ocean Park for sewage
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outfall is one of the many anomalies arising from the peculiar relations of the mother town and its offshoot. But Santa Monica maintained that the old agree- ment was with Messrs. Kinney & Ryan and not with the town of Ocean Park, and in November, 1904, demanded a rental of $50.00 per month for the use of their outfall. As the rental was not forthcoming the city finally took steps to sue to collect the money. But the great storm of March, 1905, which almost destroyed the sewer wharf (at Pier avenue) and caused a break near shore in the sewer pipe, changed the aspect of matters. The Ocean Park bath house was newly completed and the discharge of sewage at Pier avenue proved dangerous to its success. The city trustees ordered the city engineer to temporarily repair the breaks; but the complete restoration of the outfall required a sum which could only be obtained by a bond election and the bond election for that purpose having been defeated the previous August, another election for such bonds could not be called within the year. In February, Fraser and Jones had entered into a twenty-year contract with the city for the use of the Pier-avenue wharf as the foundation for a pleasure wharf, they to keep the same in repair. But on the destruction of the wharf, Messrs. Fraser and Jones declined to keep the contract and there was no apparent prospect of the wharf being again rebuilt, unless the city was able to do it.
The newly incorporated town of Ocean Park had already voted bonds for a septic tank and sewer system and in order to save the situation at Pier avenue, the trustees of the town now offered Santa Monica the use of their new septic tank for six months, or until the older city could make some arrangements for caring for her sewage. After some discussion the Santa Monica trustees decided, June 27th. 1905, to accept this proposition. The new septic tank was not com- pleted as soon as was expected and rather than have the sewage turned into the sea at Pier avenue, it was turned into the Ocean Park mains and discharged on their dump-thus creating a nuisance which caused complaint from the people of South Ocean Park and Playa del Rey.
In the meantime the matter of voting bonds for the repair and completion of the sewer system was again agitated in Santa Monica. The necessity of better fire protection was also urgent and October 31st, 1905, the city voted bonds to the amount of $100,000 to be expended-$37,500 for sewer system and septic tank ; $6500 for repairing bridge No. 4 and for retaining walls for bridge No. 1 ; $17.500 for two fire engine houses, fire alarm system and apparatus: $10,000 for garbage incinerator. It was supposed that this would settle the sewer ques- tion and soon result in relief for Ocean Park. But, after a careful consideration of the situation, it was found to be impossible to provide a septic tank and outfall sewer for the sum provided. As the residents of the Pier-avenue region were strongly opposed to the further use of the old outfall sewer, Santa Monica trus- tees continued to use the Ocean Park septic tank, now completed, and put in a pumping plant at Pier avenue to raise the sewage into the Ocean Park mains. But the new septic tank failed to deodorize the sewage, as was expected, and
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although a wharf and outfall extending into the sea was built at Center street, there was still complaint of odoriferous breezes and other things, which finally culminated in a bitter factional fight in the city of Ocean Park, leading to the attempt to disincorporate the municipality, and which placed the city of Santa Monica in a most unpleasant predicament, as she was ordered by the courts to cease using the Ocean Park mains, while she had still no provision for caring for her own sewage.
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