USA > California > Alameda County > Past and present of Alameda County, California, Volume I > Part 51
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Other buildings on same lot
500
City wharf and water front 75,000
Fire department apparatus, etc. 54,620
Telegraph and fire alarm 16,000
Total value of city property $779,220
389
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
In addition, there were several public squares. If private property and placed upon the market they would probably bring half a million dollars.
On January 5, 1880, a resolution indorsing the new charter was passed. The portions which related to street work were radically changed. It abolished the office of city marshal and substituted a tax collector and a superintendent of streets, and required the funds for a year to be divided into four equal parts. On February 2, 1880, an ordinance repealing the following ordinances was passed by the trustees. They were: "An Ordinance for the disposal of the Water Front belonging to the Town of Oakland," passed finally, May 18, 1852; "An Ordinance to approve the Wharf at the foot of Main Street, and to extend the time for constructing the other Wharves," passed December 30, 1852; "An Ordinance concerning Wharves and the Water Front," passed August 27, 1853.
The subject of a boulevard and walk around Lake Merritt and a water park began to be discussed seriously about 1880. Petitions and memorials were cir- culated and signed and an occasional burst of enthusiasm at public meetings showed that the subject was striving for expression and action. At first many thought the movement was a scheme of the real estate dealers to advertise that locality in their own private interests. About 1884 the subject assumed form, shape and momentum. The first plan provided for a strip 200 feet wide around the lake for the boulevard and walk, shallow beaches to be filled, islands to be built for refreshment stands, license to boats for city revenue, and the construc- tion of a bulkhead to cost an estimated $56,000. The cost of dredging was esti- mated at $30,750 ; roadway, $45,325; total cost, $186,000.
On January 1, 1882, the debt of Oakland was $669,126. During 1882 the growth of Oakland was substantial and large. The buildings erected cost as follows :
BLDGS.
Central district
71
$263,275
First ward
92
195,150
East Oakland
29
68,350
192
$526,775
The central district included all lying between Lake Merritt and Adeline street, being all except the first and seventh wards.
The Judson Iron Company began operating in 1882 in Northern Oakland. The Victor mower was their first important product; they had twenty-eight buildings. The Pacific Iron Company began operating in 1883 at the foot of Market street. The California Iron Works adjoined those of the Judson Com- pany; their ore was obtained from the Clipper Gap Mines of California. The California Hosiery Company began operations in 1881. The California Jute Mills began with white labor, but was later compelled to employ expert Mon- golian help-about half of the help were Chinese. The Oakland Iron Works was an old concern and doing well. The Oakland Brass Works began opera-
390
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
tions in 1882. The Northwestern Manufacturing and Car Company of Still- water, Minnesota, had a large branch here at Washington and Second streets. They made threshers, feeders, chaners, etc. The Oakland Planing Mills were one of four concerns of that kind here. The big flouring mills here were started in 1875 by Jacob Samm and others. The Oak Grove Tannery was started in 1862. Crist's tannery in East Oakland was started in 1871. There were here several potteries, wagon and carriage factories, furniture factories, and shops for the manufacture of blank-books, candy, hats, shoes, shirts, mattresses, brooms, soap, iron fence railing, marble, jewelry, etc.
At a mass meeting of the citizens of Oakland early in 1882 a committee was appointed to ascertain what was necessary to be done to secure the location here of desirable manufacturing establishments. The committee issued an ad- dress to manufacturers reciting the advantages of this city as a site for their operations, among which were the following: (1) It was the terminus of three trans-continental railroads; (2) other railroads centered here; (3) it was situ- ated not only on the main land, but on the bay which communicated by vessel with all Pacific ports; (4) eight miles of bay frontage were available for manu- facturing purposes; (5) within thirty minutes ride 300,000 consumers resided ; (6) a splendid climate, the mean temperature of January being 49° and that of July 65°; (7) mortality low, cost of living low, rents low, wages good: (8) educational, religious and social advantages unsurpassed; (9) building material cheap, coal reasonable, water excellent, good markets. V. D. Moody was chair- man of this committee and W. J. Clawson, secretary.
On January 2, 1883, there was a heavy fall of snow in nearly all portions of Alameda county. At Oakland everybody snow-balled each other on the streets and made a special target of every Chinaman who dared to show his head. The Oakland library trustees, in May, 1878, transferred to the city the following property : The library building and appurtenances on city hall block ; all the books and periodicals, all fixtures, a $2,000 credit secured by note and mortgages. It was provided that the old association should thereafter appoint half of the trustees and the city the other half, but the latter disregarded this provision and assumed sole charge. This caused the old association to assert its rights, which it did by assuming ownership of the entire property. Later John P. Irish, E. P. Flint and J. B. McChesney were appointed a committee on behalf of the association to demand possession of all the property. Building in Oak- land in the summer of 1883 was not up to expectations; thirty-nine new build- ings had recently gone up at a total cost of $156,300.
Oakland from the start, notwithstanding its rapid and irregular growth, possessed a wide, commodious and convenient system of streets. Broadway was from 100 to II0 feet wide, Telegraph avenue was from 90 to 100 feet wide. The majority of lesser streets were about eighty feet wide. Railroad avenue was 100 feet wide. Many numbered streets were from 60 to 80 feet wide. Yerba Buena was 130 feet wide; Park 100 feet, Plymouth 90, Isabella 80. In East Oakland the streets varied from 60 to 80 feet. The average length of streets was about two miles. At this time the extreme length of the city from east to west was 4.9 miles and its extreme breadth was 2.55 miles. The total indebted-
391
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
ness of the city in 1883 was about $540,000. It had been larger and was being slowly reduced. Owing to this debt many improvements that were needed were postponed. Street improvement continued, but parks were compelled to wait.
Cotton mills were built here in 1883 by Ainsworth, Miller, Dean, Moody, Snyder, Sessions, Rutherford, Dinkelspiel and others. In the summer San Pablo avenue was watered from Berkeley to Oakland. The new California Steel and Iron Works at Shell Mound park were completed and operated in 1883. An artesian well was bored by O. Lindsley in West Oakland. Four artesian wells were bored by the Central Pacific Company near Fifth and Kirkham streets and an abundant supply of good water was secured.
In the 'Sos the best paying real estate investments were five and ten acre suburban tracts between the city proper and the hills. Property of this kind improved with house, barn, etc., sold readily for from 25 to 50 per cent over cost. The Pacific Nail Works on the water front at the foot of Market street employed over 250 persons in 1883. It was up to date and was one of the boasts of the city at that time. Visitors were escorted through by Mr. Perry the superintendent. They exhibited at the Mechanics' Fair in San Francisco a nail cutting machine that was made in Oakland. It attracted great attention. As the jute mills in East Oakland did not prove wholly successful when white labor alone was employed, the company was compelled to hire Chinamen to fill the places vacated voluntarily by young white men who did not relish the long hours and small pay. However, many who at first abandoned the work returned. In December, 1883, the total force employed was 400, nearly double that of the previous August. Young girls worked there and earned from $5 to $9.50 per week. Mr. Robinson, the manager, sent East for expert operators who were used to instruct local boys and girls in the art of weaving.
In August, the Oakland library had a membership of 6,995; fiction was called for far more than for any other branch of reading. There were serious charges against James Hill, chief of the fire department of Oakland. It was declared that while he was chief no fire started that did not burn up everything within reach except the lot. Attempts to involve Councilman Dean in the disgrace or malfeasance were unsuccessful. The followers of Mr. Hill took the matter into politics. A large consultation meeting was held on August 29th. The action of the council in appointing men for office, who favored Hill, was censured by several speakers. During this controversy the management of city affairs was fully examined and criticised.
In 1883 a telescope ten feet long with an eight-inch lens, a refracting instru- ment, was obtained for Chabot observatory, Lafayette square, from Alvin, Clark & Co., of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The observatory was first opened to the public November 24, 1883. Primarily it was to facilitate the study of astron- omy in the Oakland high school. Upon the arrival here of the eight-inch tele- scope for the Chabot observatory, this city was well supplied with astronomical instruments. C. Burckhalter had a 41/4-inch refractor ; Doctor Wythe owned an 81/2-inch reflector ; Mr. Burckhalter a little later secured a 101/2-inch reflector.
In 1882 the large industries here employed 973 persons and produced goods valued at $2,798,000. Among the important industrial concerns of Oakland in September, 1883, were the following:
392
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
Hands Employed
Value of Annual Product 1,000,000
Judson Manufacturing Company
275
Pacific Iron & Nail Works
200
800,000
California Iron & Steel Works
50
California Hosiery Company
350
275,000
California Jute Mill Company
225
300,000
Oakland Iron Works.
30
85,000
Straw Burning Engine Company
IO
35,000
Oakland Boiler Works
5
17,000
Oakland Brass Works
35
45,000
N. W. Mfg. & Cor. Co.
50
150,000
Pacific Coast Planing Mill.
30
75,000
Pioneer Planing Mill Company
30
60,000
Oakland Planing Mills.
50
125,000
East Oakland Planing Mills
22
50,000
Samm & Parsons Flouring Mills.
33
415,000
Oakland Flouring Mills
16
215,000
Eagle Box Factory .
50
85,000
Oakland Shoe Factory
50
75,000
McCool & Armstrong Pc. Fr. Fcty
I5
40,000
Four breweries
40
175,000
Five cigar factories
50
100,000
The tanneries
41
195,000
Northey & Wagar
7
17,500
Hugh Frazer
8
20,000
Miscellaneous
200
400,000
1,872
4,754,500
Mayor J. W. Martin, in November, 1883, stated in his message that his admin- istration had begun when the city finances were exhausted and $33,000 had been spent in anticipation of the next year's revenue. The supreme court had recently decided that under the new constitution each year's income and revenue must pay each year's indebtedness or liability, and that no indebtedness or liability incurred in any one year should be paid out of the income or revenues of any future year. This decision drove the council to extremities, because this step had not been anticipated. It was necessary to reduce salaries, discharge extra help, cut down city expenses in all departments-reduce the number of lights, suspend work on the streets, etc. In addition the assessment was less and the revenues fell $58,982 short of what they had been in 1882, with the current debt of $33,000 to be met. The result was the cancellation of the debt and such a retrenchment as met the actual situation. In 1883 the receipts from taxation were $226,771 and from licenses, wharfage, police fines, etc., $53,000. The actual expenditures were $278,371. The defalcation of the previous treasurer left the treasury short of funds. The bonded debt of the city was as follows:
393
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
Due
Funded debt, bonds of 1872, 8 per cent. $ 80,000
1903
School debt, bonds of 1872, 8 per cent.
50,000
1893
Funded debt, bonds of 1874, 8 per cent.
100,000
1905
Sewer debt, bonds of 1874, 8 per cent.
173,000
1885-86
Consolidated debt, bonds of 1882, 5 per cent.
167,000
1895
City hall bonds, lost.
500
Total bonded debt
$570,500
The Pacific Coast Steel and Iron Manufacturing Company was incorporated in October, 1883, with a capital of over $1,000,000. Its place of business was at Melrose, Alameda county. Late in October, 1883, the Pacific Iron and Nail Company manufactured 600 kegs of nails per day, but planned to soon increase the output to 1,000 kegs per day.
During the last week in October, 1883, the flounder fishing in the basin at East Oakland was at its height. Scores of boats were out every day and night and no fisherman failed to return with all he could carry. They realized as high as $4 a day for their labors.
In 1881 not less than 1,500 people were added to the population of Oakland ; the year 1882 was better, as 192 houses were built. More buildings were erected in 1883 than any year except 1876. In January, 1884, the Pacific Iron and Nail Company closed their doors until the differences between themselves and their employes should be settled. Their employes, who were brought from the East under a specific contract as to wages, formed a lodge of the Amalgamated Asso- ciation of Iron and Steel Workers soon after their arrival in this city and made much higher demands than their contracts warranted. An investigation showed that they demanded 50 per cent more than the same workers received at Wheel- ing, Harrisburg, Pottstown, Oxford and other cities of the East. A good nailer here had been paid as high as $18 a day for double work, and good average workers received $9 a day by working thirteen hours. Average workers made about $4.50 per day. The strikers claimed that they were to be paid Wheeling prices, but that after beginning work were paid the lower Omaha rates.
The average daily attendance at the West Oakland reading room was about two hundred and thirty in February, 1884. The proposed abolition of this room encountered strenuous objection. The readers in the evenings were nearly all working men and boys who needed the room. Mr. Burnham of the free library favored the removal and stated, much to the indignation of the citizens there, that the readers were largely bummers and tramps. For a week early in February it was unprecedentedly cold in Oakland, the thermometer falling as low as 22 above zero, with ice in the gutters and over the ponds. The soft earth in gardens was frozen to a depth of two or three inches in some instances.
The painters' strike in 1884 presented a solid and determined front; they demanded $3.50 a day of nine hours. Seventy-two of the seventy-five members of the Painters' League in Oakland struck during this movement. On August 16, 1884, Badger park was opened for the season with a gorgeous display of lights, banners, and draperies, accompanied with vocal and band music. The Thomson- Houston Electric Company asked for a franchise to light the streets of Oakland.
394
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
They had ready at this time three miles of wires and many lamps. In 1884, $20,437 was received from the sale of lots in Mountain View Cemetery, and the expenses $21,063. The large expenses were due to the important and necessary improve- ments. A large reservoir was constructed-begun in 1883 and completed in 1884 -with a capacity of 5,500,000 gallons which could easily be almost doubled in capacity. Many beautiful monuments and an artistic mausoleum were erected. This year according to the report of W. H. Fountain, city wharfinger, the gross earnings of the city wharf were $4,855.66; total running expenses $982.70 ; balance in favor of the city $3,969.11. During the year there was an increase in the mail matter handled by the postoffice of nearly 40 per cent-pieces handled in 1883- 2,792,173; in 1884-4,086,775. The three most important industries to locate at Oakland were the East Oakland cotton mills, the glass works and the Wentworth Boot and Shoe Factory. In 1884, 315 buildings were erected at an aggregate cost of $754,000. The total receipts from all sources in the city of Oakland were $446,062.36, and the total expenditures $473,588.93. The bonded debt of the city was $397,000 ; sewer bonds to the amount of $128,000 were redeemable during the year. Of the sewer bonds $45,000 were redeemed at a cost of $44,212.50.
The great improvement in Oakland in the early '8os ; due to a great increase in the number of manufactories, was brought about by the energy of a few citizens who banded themselves together and put their money in the enterprises. Before the cable roads were built in San Francisco the business men there sought homes in Oakland rather than in the back districts of their own city. Oakland became known as the bed chamber of San Francisco. After the construction of the cable roads in San Francisco the out districts of that city filled up cutting off the previous order of things. As a result, Oaklanders united and converted the city into a manufacturing and business city. The result was that by 1885 the city was the leading manufacturing center of the Pacific coast. During the four years from 1881 to 1885 the city increased wonderfully in population and wealth.
The largest fruit canning factory in the county in 1885 was operated by a company at Temescal, of which A. C. Henry was president. It was known as the J. Lusk Canning Factory, Mr. Lusk being the founder. It had the capacity for packing 250,000 cases per season, equal to 6,000,000 quart cans. This large capacity insured Alameda growers against loss. Already the fruit production of the state exceeded home consumption; it was therefore necessary to seek outside markets and goods in the canned form were acceptable in all parts of the world. This cannery controlled the branch cannery at San Lorenzo.
Several years before 1885 a company was formed in San Francisco called the Lake Pleasanton Water Company for the purpose of supplying Oakland with water. Part of the land at Pleasanton which they wanted for a reservoir was owned by the Contra Costa Water Company of Oakland. The Lake Pleasanton company brought suit to have the property condemned, but judgment was given against them on demurrer. An appeal was taken and the supreme court reversed the decision of the lower court and sent the case back for trial. The point made was that the plaintiff sought to have the land condemned for the use of the public as a pure water reservoir and there was nothing to show that it was so used by the defendant; therefore it could be condemned by the plaintiff under the rule of eminent domain.
MCELROY FOUNTAIN IN LAKESIDE PARK, OAKLAND
A VIEW OF LAKE MERRITT AND HILLS BACK OF OAKLAND
395
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
In January no place in Oakland showed a greater change in growth than the vicinity of Shell Mound. A few years before the place was an unoccupied meadow land of willow thickets and swamp stretches, but was now occupied with numerous factories, stores, markets, hotels and rows of neat cottages. The Parafine Paint Company was a new establishment then. At 8:55 o'clock p. m., January 26, 1885, there were two distinct earthquake shocks felt in Oakland, one quickly following the other. The shock was preceded by a loud rumble and report.
In the early part of 1885 and before the cost of gas to the city was 12 cents per lamp per night for 821 lights. Under the new contract made in July, 1885, the price was fixed at 101/2 cents per lamp per night. Only 329 nights were provided for-known as the "moonlight schedule."
In March A. Chabot offered to bear the entire expense of fitting up the observ- atory-over $4,000. Half a dozen instruments designed to aid observers were purchased. Mayor Henry refused to sign the ordinance just passed by the council increasing the city tax levy 23 cents on the $100 over that of the previous years. He said he had no good reason to anticipate such extraordinary expenses during the coming year and gave other reasons for disapproval. The levy was, however, adopted over his veto by a unanimous vote of the council.
The lower Chinatown of Oakland in 1885 was a bunch of hovels on the marshes between First street and the estuary and consisted of a dozen huts mounted upon stilts or piles. It was the headquarters of the Chinese scavengers, all of whom were sneak thieves. Junk of every description was collected there, sorted and the best sold in San Francisco. Opium smokers were there of course. Occasional raids were made upon this quarter, and in all cases stolen articles and other evidences of crime were disclosed.
The total expenses of Oakland including payments on bonds redeemed, interest on bonds, water bills for the last few years, and all other expenses were as follows, omitting cents :
1880 $474,988 1883 561,706
1881
474,563 1884
473,588
1882
486,920 1885 552,162
The total of bonds redeemed in the six years was $399,500; bonds reissued $167,000.
Few public improvements ever occasioned more public comment, vexations, wranglings or imposed more labor on certain city officials than the main lake sewer. It became a constant cause of expense owing to its faulty construction. By 1885 it was nearly worn out in certain portions. It was not properly built to begin with and the council of that date was responsible for the inferior grade of work done. It was ordered May 18, 1874, and fourteen bids were received for the contract. It was to be built in two sections and bidders were required to figure in each separately. On the first section the lowest bid was $83,000 and the highest $245,202. On the second section the lowest bid was $29,000 and the highest $53,300. Both lowest bids were by D. Jordan who was awarded the contract. He failed to qualify, procrastinated, was prodded and finally threw up the contract. Bids were again called for and Jordan was again the lowest bidder for both sections for $112,000 or the first section for $88,000. The latter was accepted.
396
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
The second section went to N. Myles at $34,000. The price of brick suddenly arose in value and the contractors began to squirm. Bad brick were resorted to, but were thrown out. Again there was a change. The council awarded the con- tract for section one in the spring of 1885 to the Pacific Bridge Company at $126,850.
In 1885 there was a coal combination at Oakland to control the price of that product. About forty-five retail dealers were united in this combination. Any member violating its rules was fined heavily and if the fines were not paid, was proscribed. Soon after this date the combination broke under the pressure of public opinion. This year a lot was purchased from J. Boehmer for $4,000 for the use of the free library ; by January, 1886, the debt was reduced to $2,800. A big concert at this time aided in still further reducing it, all the best musicians of the city contributing their services free. A branch of the Non-Partisan Anti-Chinese League was formed at Temescal, the meeting place being Sullivan's hall. F. W. Hunt of the Central League of Oakland presided. President Hinckly of the West Oakland branch was present. C. W. Moore, postmaster at Temescal, was elected president. In less than fifteen minutes, so unanimous were the audience, eighty-four members joined the branch. West Oakland already had a branch with a membership of seventy.
It began to be fully realized in 1885-86 what a mistake Oakland had made in allowing the Southern Pacific Railroad company to locate their warehouses in Port Costa-a vast amount of trade had been diverted from this city. This mistake was partly rectified in 1886, when a portion of that business was transferred from Port Costa to Long Wharf, Oakland.
The real labor issue came out in February, 1886, when the Anti-Chinese League of Temescal appointed a committee to wait upon the J. Lusk Canning Company and request them to discharge their Chinese help. Mr. Graves of that company stated in reply that if white labor had been available no Chinese would at any time have been employed. Even the Chinese were employed only about four months of the year during the very busy season. They were employed, not from choice, but from necessity. He stated that the company had found it impossible to secure the necessary white help to run the factory. Yet the committee of the league, after a thorough examination, proved that hundreds of women, girls and boys of Oakland were idle, because they were unable, as they declared, to obtain work. This step caused the Lusk company to issue a circular offering the places occupied by Chinese to the idle women, girls and boys of the city. In March seventy-six business firms of Oakland petitioned the council to repeal or change the ordinance requiring them to pay a license on their solicitors, as they were placed at a serious disadvantage with competitors in San Francisco and other cities where no such license was required. By 1886 the Basket Brigade was almost a thing of the past in Oakland. The Oakland merchants had fresher and better vegetables, it was shown. The Hays school district was created at this time and embraced portions of Piedmont, Peralta and Fruitvale school districts. The Oak- land Daily Times was sold in May to a joint stock company of which J. A. Brown was president. The paper was republican under the new management. J. W. Wyman severed his connection with the office with this change.
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