USA > California > Alameda County > Past and present of Alameda County, California, Volume I > Part 45
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345
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
In 1885 an investigation of the accounts of the town officers was made by an expert, C. F. Lutgen, who made a report covering about one hundred and fifty pages and entering into details. It covered the period from June 21, 1878, to March 2, 1885. The expert found that the tax levies were as follows :
TOTAL
TOTAL TAX
TAX
OMITTING
TOTAL
OMITTING
YEAR
TOTAL VALUE
CENTS
YEAR
VALUE
CENTS
1881-82
$2,609,599
$10,438
1878-79
$2,263,114
$11,315
1882-83
1,801,659
9,008
1879-80
2,377,124
11,885
1883-84
2,162,889
10,814
1880-81
2,788,103
II,153
1884-85
2,454,514
12,272
The street assessments were kept up in a very unsatisfactory manner. Both treasurer and clerk had been careless. There were missing 177 vouchers; some of the records were missing. In the books there were many changes and erasures. The marshal was short, but the error was in the footings. No. dishonesty was charged, merely lack of knowledge as how to keep the books properly and carelessness.
In the old suit of H. P. Irving vs. Mary Ann Cunningham for much of the land in North Berkeley the former won in 1885. The tract in question was known as the J. D. Peralta homestead tract. In February a joint stock company was organized with a capital of $50,000, to provide that town with electric light; the directors were A. M. Stoddard, H. A. Palmer, F. W. Beardslee, O. G. Dorrin and F. K. Shattuck. The Odd Fellows hall was dedicated February 2Ist, with appropriate ceremony. The building cost about nine thousand dollars and was near the railroad station. The leading address was delivered by James G. Maguire. The Wheeler Carmery Glass Works began operations now. The Gaudalupe Mill and Mine Company there started also. Both brought many families to that growing town.
Early in 1886 Berkeley grew so rapidly that a demand for a local bank arose and was met for a time by the Building and Loan Association. The Home- stead Loan Association was incorporated late in February; the directors were C. R. Lord, J. K. Stewart, Philip Monroe, W. E. Sell, Otto Nichaws, M. M. Rhorer, G. A. Embury, I. A. Boynton and C. M. Hant, all of Berkeley. The capi- tal stock was $1,000,000. This concern did a general loaning business and for a while served many of the functions of a bank.
The rapid growth of Berkeley was the surprise of nearly everybody, but should not have been. Hundreds of fine residences and business blocks were erected from 1882 to 1888. Already houses began to dot the plateau from the university grounds to Shell Mound. East Berkeley celebrated the occasion of the first illumination of the city with electric lights March 17, 1888. The scene of the celebration was at the station of the broad gauge railroad. There was a large crowd who set off bombs, rockets, Roman candles and guns. In a speech at Odd Fellows hall, R. G. McClellan said that the introduction of electric lights marked an epoch in the history of the .town, and that where now hundreds of happy and beautiful homes stood, the vaquero only a few years before herded his cattle and that children then living would see a solid city from San Pablo to
346
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
Haywards and from the bay to the foothills. A poem was read by Dan O'Connell, one verse of which was as follows:
Here rode the undaunted vaquero, And deemed it a wilderness, far From the scene of his Saturday's revel, The wine-cup and dance and guitar ; Nor dreamed that the oaks where he rested 'Neath whose branches once blazed his camp-fire Should mingle in his generation With mansion and schoolhouse and spire.
In 1889 Berkeley continued its steady and rapid growth. Real estate sales in January were larger than ever before-were larger than during the first four months of 1888. The district immediately around the intersection of Alcatraz avenue and Adeline street became the center of business of all the outer districts between Oakland and Berkeley and was known as Lorin which had its beginning in 1888. Klinkner's hall was there. The little village of Lorin was located about a mile beyond the northern terminus of the San Pablo avenue cable road. It grew rapidly in 1888, lots selling quite readily at $350 each. It had schools, a fire brigade, a Good Templars lodge, and numerous shops, stores, etc. In April, Lorin voted $10,000 in bonds for school purposes; there was little opposition.
The trustees in 1889 finally resolved "that in view of the fact that no authority appears to exist for granting licenses within one mile of the university, this board will hereafter refuse to grant such licenses within such limits." Every member of the board voted for this measure. At a public meeting in the Lorin schoolhouse late in November, a motion to apply for annexation to Berkeley was defeated by the vote of fourteen to ten. Steps to form a village improvement club were taken on this occasion. Among those taking part in this meeting were H. D. Irwin. Mr. McMurray, A. B. Taynton, Thomas Stevenson, Mr. McClellan, W. F. Bick- ford, Mr. Barrows, J. L. Tisdale, Harry Geinough, Mr. Rice and others. Early in December the citizens voted against the annexation to that town of the terri- tory between the south line of Berkeley and Russell street; 123 votes were cast against annexation and ninety-eight in favor of annexation. The vote in the territory wishing to be annexed was eighteen votes for and six against.
At a large meeting in Lorin late in January, 1890, it was resolved that it was the wish of the people to be annexed to Berkeley ; twenty-seven names were signed to the petition asking for such annexation. In February, 1890, Lorin, Newbury, Butchertown and Posen voted on the question of annexation to Berkeley. On February 8, 1890, Berkeley voted on the question of annexing the following territory to that town; The north boundary to be the town of Berkeley; then to begin at a point in said boundary, 1,260 feet east of College avenue ; thence south to a point 300 feet north of Claremont avenue; thence in a line running south- westerly and parallel to Claremont avenue to a point 960 feet south of Alcatraz avenue ; thence westerly parallel with Alcatraz avenue to the western boundary of Alameda county ; thence along that boundary to the south line of Berkeley. South Berkeley was annexed to Berkeley in 1890 and at that time was included
347
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
in the Peralta school district; 246 school children resided in the annexed district. The school funds were divided when the annexation took place.
In February, 1890, a piece of rich gold bearing quartz was found on the ranch of B. D. Boswell at Berkeley. In 1883 Captain Holmes found similar pieces on his land in North Berkeley. At the municipal election in May the non-partisan ticket was elected throughout. There was an independent taxpayers ticket which received a majority in East Oakland. The highest number of votes cast was 831 of which 490 were in East Berkeley.
In February, 1891, the citizens voted on the question of a new charter as follows : For, 191 ; against, 288; total, 479. In May Berkeley and Lorin voted to have the latter annexed to the former. But a portion of the Lorin school district was left out and in November, 1892, the citizens there asked to be admitted for school purposes only. This request was granted by the county board in Jan- uary, 1893.
The year 1891 was one of great prosperity for Berkeley-the population increasing nearly 20 per cent. It was estimated that an average of one house a day was built throughout the year. As many as fifty were under construction at one time. The university chemical laboratory was built at a cost of $400,000. South Berkeley was annexed. The electric road connecting Oakland and Berke- ley was put in operation and immediately afterward the first street car line in Berkeley was constructed-the Claremont, University and Ferris street railroad connecting East and West Berkeley. Streets were vastly improved and at light expense owing to the excellent slope toward the bay; much cement was used for the walks. During 1891 over three hundred thousand dollars was expended on streets, sidewalks and sewers. Good water was scarce, but the facilities were improved and expanded-new reservoirs were built. The lighting system was greatly improved. Before 1891 one ferry was all that was needed between Berkeley and San Francisco, but in 1891 two were required and were put in operation. The number of stores quadrupled in number. The Berkeley Savings Bank and the Berkeley Bank were established with a capital of $50,000 and $75,000 respectively-all with home means. The enrollment in the high school increased over twenty-five per cent this year over the previous year. In the lower grades the increase was almost equally large. This rapid growth, together with the annexation of the districts to the south caught the town without the necessary school room. But the people promptly voted $50,000 in bonds to build whatever additional houses were necessary. The enrollment of students at the university increased to over nine hundred and fifty and there were over three hundred spe- cial students in the extension courses. Church growth kept pace with growth in all other regards.
On July 9, 1892, the Giant Powder Works at Highland Station, just beyond West Berkeley, were blown in pieces, there being five distinct explosions as the magazines were reached and fired. All over Oakland the terrific explosions broke window glass and dislodged articles of all kinds. It was by far the greatest explosion ever experienced by Oakland. The works were originally built by Mr. Judson prior to the formation of the Judson Powder Company. Three young men were torn to pieces.
In 1892, Berkeley annexed Lorin and its surrounding settlements and in all ways grew faster than ever before. It grew from a village to a town almost
348
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
in one year. The town bonded itself for $50,000 for increased school facilities and bought five new schoolhouse sites and erected three new six-room school- houses. The introduction of the electric street cars added more to the growth of the town than almost any other impulse. There were two electric lines-the loop line of the Oakland consolidated road and the Telegraph avenue line. The old steam dummy which formerly ran every half hour on the latter to and from Temescal had disappeared forever. This excellent street car system doubled values in a short time. The fine Y. M. C. A. building known as Stiles hall was erected in 1892. Shattuck avenue was macadamized and the fine Shattuck block on Center street was built. Over thirty-one thousand linear feet of streets were macadamized at a cost of $137,000; nearly ten thousand linear feet of sewers were built and about the same length of cement sidewalk was laid. There were erected 269 new buildings of all kinds valued at $525,800. In 1888 local train service was performed with two or three cars attached to the locomotive of the Southern Pacific Company. At the close of 1892 eight or nine cars and sometimes more were required to carry the passengers to and from San Francisco.
In December the Berkeley Herald suspended publication. It had recently been conducted by Mr. McCarthy who had turned it over to Cheney and McLean who were unequal to the task of keeping it alive. It was noted at this time that all of the old newspapers which had been issued at Berkeley had been compelled one after the other to suspend-Gazette, Register Standard, Beacon, Reveille and now the Herald.
In November the trustees of Berkeley awarded the contract for lighting the town to the Berkeley Electric Light Company at $350 per month. Over 1,500 votes were polled in Berkeley at the November election and the people now began to demand a free mail delivery. It was claimed that the population was about nine thousand.
On January 12, 1893, the canvassing committee of the Holmes Library Asso- ciation reported that $1,250 had been secured with the business portion of the town yet to canvass. In May Berkeley voted on the question of reincorporation -- for, 366; against, 517. There were registered in the town 2,005 votes.
In July the town voted to become a city of the fifth class, but in a suit brought by Isaac Wells to test the legality of the election the superior court first and the supreme court second decided against the town.
In June, 1894, Berkeley became a free mail delivery city-a boon she had fought for during two years. South Berkeley hall was dedicated this year with a musical and literary entertainment, on which occasion many highly educated and cultured people were present. The hall was on Ashby street near Shattuck. A tornado visited West Berkeley and Lorin in December, and in an instant threw 3,000 feet of lumber and piles in one place and 1,000 in another hundreds of feet into the bay. The path of destruction was about one hundred and fifty feet wide. This was a rare event and was particularly noted.
Late in 1894 Berkeley elected a board of freeholders to frame a new charter for the municipality. The town was cramped in all its movements for general improvement owing to the restrictions of the laws under which it labored. The trustees were unable without a new charter to raise the amount of money required for necessary improvements. They could not exceed 50 cents on the $100 valua- tion and hence the revenues were insufficient to meet the needs of the rapidly
349
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
growing town. Early in 1895 the trustees considered the advisability of expend- ing $446,500 on certain needed public improvements-a storm sewer two miles in extent along Strawberry creek and a water plant to be owned and operated by the town. The sewer was estimated to cost $158,000.
In August, 1895, Mr. Shattuck offered a tract of five acres as a site for the Wilmonding school. The people of Berkeley voted down a proposition to issue $60,000 bonds for school purposes. It was believed that the result was due to the fact that the question was united with a proposition to issue bonds for wharf improvements which the majority did not want. The attempt to pass the school bonds was made again in March, 1896.
The question of a sufficient supply of good water was all important to Berkeley in the summer of 1898. The town trustees appointed a commission to investigate the sources of supply. Enough was found in the hills and in the wells and a 300,000 gallon additional reservoir was planned. The North Berkeley Improvement Club endorsed the findings of the commission. To add to the trouble the trustees issued a notice prohibiting irrigation and lawn sprin- kling. Many declared that the Alameda Water Company was to blame for the existing deplorable state of the water supply-that it was a caprice of that com- pany to advance their own interests. In the fall of 1899 the trustees of Berkeley passed a resolution to remove the town hall from West Berkeley to a more cen- tral location. The immediate question was, whether to move the old hall or build a new one. The progressive movement had taken possession of the town and many citizens wanted new and better public buildings largely for advertis- ing purposes.
The Berkeley trustees considered the temperance ordinance for several weeks and at first could see no way to raise money for town expenses except from the liquor licenses. Finally Mr. Barker and Mr. Naylor agreed to pay to the board for one year the sum of $1,800 in quarterly payments, the amount then received for liquor licenses. This offer, in the presence of a large audience, was received with a loud burst of applause. The liquor men asked that action be deferred one year in order to give them. time to dispose of their plants and in the meantime raise by taxation an amount equal to the saloon licenses. This request was also loudly applauded by the saloon followers. After striking out the mile limit clause, thus making the ordinance apply to the whole town, and after making the law effective on October 1, 1899, instead of July 1, 1899, it was passed.
On May 8, 1899, the citizens committee presented a prohibition ordinance to the trustees of Berkeley in the presence of a room crowded with spectators. This was a result of the recent election. Present were the temperance leaders of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the saloon men from Lorin, West Berkeley and other localities. The petition stated that the people of Berkeley had just shown their wish to have no more saloons in the town. The ordinance was drafted to restore the two-mile liquor law of 1873. This citizens committee consisted of H. L. Gear, G. W. Haight, C. K. Clark, N. W. Naylor, J. L. Barker and W. C. Haines. The whole matter was referred to the com- mittee of the whole.
In July the total value of all property in Berkeley was $7,200,025. The Berkeley public library contained 6,000 volumes and had several reading rooms
350
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
in different parts of the town. D. R. Moore was librarian. The water plans of Berkeley included the bonding of the town for the purpose of buying the San Pablo wells which were tested and pronounced satisfactory. It was at this time that the establishment of a municipal water system received great impulse. The San Pablo wells were owned by a syndicate of Berkeley busi- ness men who held 120 acres. The total cost to the town to secure this tract was estimated at $13,500.
In 1900 the town bonded itself for $100,000 for school purposes. The bonds were sold at a premium of over six per cent. The ground on Grove street near the town hall was bought for a high school; its total cost was about $70,000. The Hillside, the San Pablo and the Haste Street schools were newly provided for. The commercial department of the public schools was established in 1899 and quarters were secured in Golden Sheaf hall. Later departments of music and manual training were established. Berkeley planned to secure a paid fire department to take the place of the various volunteer companies. In July, 1901, the trustees enacted that licenses should not be granted to saloons situated within 300 feet of any school building. At first the distance of 500 feet was proposed, but it was defeated. In August the trustees considered three impor- tant subjects : (1) saloon license proposition; (2) application of the Bay Coun- ties Power Company for a 49-year franchise; (3) raising the license of the Pacific States Telephone Company to $100 per year. About this time three acres of buildings were burned at West Berkeley. A new building for the Hospital Association was planned at this time to cost $15,000. In 1901, the trustees declared forfeited the tracks and franchise of the California and Nevada Rail- way Company owing to the fact that it had not paid its taxes since 1894. The trains had not been in operation for a year. The line extended from Emeryville to Orinda park through Berkeley. The Santa Fe Company was negotiating for this line. In September specifications for a fire alarm system were adopted by the board of trustees of Berkeley. The citizens at the last town election had voted $10,000 for such an improvement. The tax rate at this time was $1.10.
From 1892 to 1902 the town spent $1,500,000' for street improvement, putting sixty miles of roadway in first class condition. Many miles of con- crete sidewalks were also constructed. Fine engineering work was done in the Daley Scenic tract. Over $100,000 was spent on the streets of West Berkeley. The greater portion of all this improvement was made from 1898 to 1902 under Superintendent Maloney and was imperatively demanded by the rapid growth of the town.
Early in 1902 Berkeley experienced another district revival in building and realty operations. The transfer of the Schandt block, the Vance property on Center street and the Mathews tract set the wheels of growth in motion. Even West Oakland sprang into new life. A new furniture factory there was com- menced, at this time The Realty Syndicate bought large tracts there-a sure sign of importance, because it meant an extension of the car lines of the Oak- land Transit Company. The Realty Syndicate secured large tracts in West Berkeley along the bay shore and along the line of the California and Nevada Railroad. Berkeley celebrated its first Arbor Day in 1902. A total of 500 trees were planted throughout the town. A John Muir sequoia was planted
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HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
as a memento on the south yard of the high school by John Muir and W. H. Marston, president of the board of trustees.
At this time there were in Berkeley about 85 miles of sewers, of which 25 miles were constructed that year. There were 90 miles of cement walks, 20 miles of wooden sidewalks and 58 miles of macadamized streets. In 1896 there were only 27 miles of improved streets. The membership of the library Novem- ber 30, 1902, was 3,327.
During the summer of 1902 the Town and Gown Club of Berkeley and other citizens made new efforts to set in motion plans that would beautify that city. The site itself was a beautiful one-with rolling slopes descending by gentle steps from the range to the bay. It was agreed that Nature had done her duty and that the citizens should now make the streets, drives and parks the most attractive on the coast.
The plan in 1902 to build a hospital in Berkeley was abandoned and the money subscribed was returned to the donors and the court was petitioned to sell the property acquired. Mrs. Phoebe Hearst had donated $1,000 to the project. Dr. F. H. Payne and Madame E. M. Paget had labored unremittingly to estab- lish the institution under the name Berkeley Hospital Association. The project failed because sufficient funds could not be raised to insure success. Very little help outside of the university could be secured. The people did not want the institution bad enough to pay for it.
In February, 1903, Andrew Carnegie offered to give to the City of Berkeley the sum of $40,000 for a public library upon the usual conditions of his gifts -that the city should sustain the institution thus established by suitable taxa- tion. On May 14th, President Roosevelt, on a tour of the country, visited Berkeley on commencement day and paid a short trip to Oakland. He received a cordial greeting from everybody, particularly the children. The trustees finally con- cluded to ask the citizens to vote $100,000 for a town hall and site, $45,000 for wharves, $20,000 for parks, $40,000 for fire equipment, $20,000 for manual training and $7,000 for street equipment. At this time the city had only a small bonded indebtedness and these improvements were imperatively demanded. The plan of progressive bond issue for public improvements was believed wiser than the recent bond proposition of Oakland which was too big and called for the doing of too many things all at once.
At a second meeting in 1904 the trustees concluded to call an election on the following bond propositions: Fire department, $40,000; manual training department for the public schools, $20,000; apparatus for street department, $7,000. In October the town hall was totally destroyed by fire; the most of the records were saved. In November the North Berkeley Improvement Club favored municipal ownership of the water system.
Notwithstanding the defeat of the bond proposition in Oakland the citizens of Berkeley prepared to test a similar program in that city late in November, 1904. Voters were asked to provide $35,000 for improvements covering new fire houses, their lots and equipments; $75,000 for a new steam roller and for experimentation with oil on the streets; $150,000 for school improvements and manual training facilities and instruction ; $10,000 for parks; $45,000 for a new wharf 1,500 feet long; and $200,000 for a storm sewer. Thus Berkeley began to figure on a scale even larger than anything that had appalled the tax- Vol. 1-23
352
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
payers of Oakland. However, it was finally concluded to postpone the bond election.
The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce was organized late in October, 1905, there being present at the town hall about seventy-five business men interested in the movement. It amounted to a reorganization of the board of trade which thereafter ceased to exist. It was fully organized in December by the election of officers, of whom F. W. Foss was president.
The problems before Berkeley in the spring of 1905 were (I) a police depart- ment to take the place of the marshal and eight deputies; (2) bonding for public improvement ; (3) adequate funds for the street, fire and school departments.
The election for public improvement bonds was triumphantly carried, by the following vote: Fire department project-for 1,440, against 133; town hall- for 1,331, against 243; police alarm system-for 1,419, against 154; West Berk- eley wharf-for 1,441, against 140. The total voted was $298,100.
Berkeley in 1907 put forth strong claims for the removal of the state capital to that city and offered to donate forty acres valued at $200,000 as a building site. The Chamber of Commerce was at the head of this movement. A body of Legislators visited the city to investigate. The bill passed the Legislature and was signed by the Governor. It provided for a submission to the people of the state whether the capital should be removed from Sacramento to Berkeley. The signing of the bill was celebrated with great enthusiasm by Berkeley early in March. The question of removal was submitted to the voters of the state at the November election, 1908. Alameda county gave a large majority in favor of the removal, as did San Francisco. The vote in this county was-for removal, 17,774; against removal, 5,983.
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