USA > California > Alameda County > Past and present of Alameda County, California, Volume I > Part 52
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
397
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
In 1886 L. J. LeConte, expert engineer and accountant, was employed by the Oakland council to make a close estimate of what it would cost to duplicate the Contra Costa Water Works. He made the following report:
San Leandro reservoir. $ 510,661
.
Temescal reservoir
195,433
McClure reservoir
6,400
Highland Park reservoir
5,700
Sausal reservoir
4,545
Pumping works
14,123
Pipe system 150 miles
1,139,433
Total
$1,872,345
Ten per cent added for contingencies
187,235
Total
$2,059,580
Total plant on hand.
65,000
Grand total
$2,124,580
.
The expert was also asked to make a liberal estimate as to what the plans had originally cost the company; his report was $2,640,872. These estimates did not include real estate, water rights, rights of way, land damages, etc. The company declared the estimate was much too low.
The Oakland Board of Trade was organized at the City Council Chambers on September 17, 1886, and was composed of all shades of business men. Among those who took part in the proceedings were Mayor Playter, Ex-mayor A. C. Henry, J. L. Lyons, V. D. Moody, Charles L. Taylor, Joseph Dieves, Sr., Frank A. Leach, Max Marcuse, E. W. Woodworth, E. H. Bernheim, J. L. Wetmore, L. Jaffe, George Fish, John Williams, J. H. Macdonald, G. B. Daniels, Richard Jones, M. J. Keller, McGovern & Cahill, A. J. Weiner, Sol. Kahn, D. W. Stande- ford and others. Mr. Kahn who had presided at a previous meeting called the house to order and was chosen chairman and Richard Jones, secretary. V. D. Moody was elected president of the board, there being polled thirty-nine votes : J. M. Danies, secretary ; A. D. Thomson, treasurer ; and M. J. Keller, A. C. Henry, F. A. Leach, Sol. Kahn, E. W. Playter, George L. Fish and James Cahill, directors. Several committees were appointed and a full organization was effected. Several years earlier there was organized in Oakland a Business Men's Association which was largely instrumental in establishing here the numerous large manufacturing concerns in the early '8os. In December the Board of Trade passed a resolu- tion favoring the formation of the city and county of Oakland.
There was an active and energetic movement for a new charter for Oakland in the summer of 1886. Meetings were held and what was wanted was dis- cussed and examined. The charter committee were E. W. Playter, mayor, John P. Irish, John Yule, Wallace Everson, T. C. Coogan and Doctor Merritt. They held regular meetings and consulted with a similar committee in Los Angeles where a new charter was also wanted. The subject was important and many vital questions of municipal control had to be considered.
398
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
An immense dredger was at work in Alameda creek in the spring of 1886. Much of the debris was deposited in a reservoir which was formed by a bulk- head starting from the high land between Willow and Chestnut streets skirting the marsh and putting it to high land again at Oak street. The basin to the depth of six feet was filled. The discharge pipe was located at the edge of the high land and showed well the workings of the system. The discharge was almost the whole capacity of a twenty-inch pipe, and clay balls as big as a man's head, thick mud and large masses of sand were poured out at the rate of 300 tons of slickens every hour. In the fall of 1886, for the first time, iron girders and columns of Oakland manufacture were used here-in the Blake and Moffitt building at Broad- way and Eighth streets. They were cast by the Judson Iron Works. This was the first introduction of California made iron for building purposes and the first castings made in Oakland for building purposes.
In 1880 the receipts from the sale of stamps at the Oakland office were $28,844; in 1887 they were $59,844. In 1880 letters delivered by carriers were 679,362, and in 1887 were 1,973,322. In February, 1888, a petition signed by 2,163 voters of Oakland asked to have the northern boundary of the city extended so as to include Alcatraz avenue and take in part of Fruitvale. The petition asked the council to call a special election to determine the question of annexation.
By the last of March the Oakland Board of Trade, through lack of unity, ceased to be a representative body. The trial of a large directorate had proved unsatis- factory. Members had resisted the organization, the dues had fallen to a small sum and there was an indebtedness of $300. The public measures before the board, at this time, were (1) extension of city boundaries; (2) adoption of the new charter; (3) issuance of bonds; (4) build up manufacturing interests ; (5) improvement of roads near the city; (6) liberal support to the California and Nevada railroad; (7) improvement of street railroad facilities; (8) new lines of railroads converging in this city. After much discussion a committee was appointed to consider all the status of affairs and report at a subsequent meeting. The board of trade was reorganized early in April, when fifty well known and prominent business men agreed each to pay $5 per month for one year in order to build up the organization. There was yet much dissatisfaction expressed con- cerning the question of incorporation. The new directors were V. D. Moody, F. K. Shattuck, S. Kahn, W. W. Camron, J. S. White, A. S. McDonald, R. M. Fitzgerald, F. J. Moffitt, J. L. Lyon, C. L. Taylor and E. F. Delger. The newly incorporated board of trade prepared to push the completion of the projected road into Contra Costa county. That county had already completed the road to its limits at a cost of about $5,000. C. M. Plumb was secretary of the board at this time.
Uncle Joe Russell, the hermit of Richmond canyon, was found dying in his cabin in April, 1888, and was conveyed to the Receiving hospital in Oakland, where he breathed his last. He was once a partner of Mountain George, who was found dead in his cabin some time before this date.
Upon retiring Mayor Davis, on April Ist, recited what his administration had accomplished : Maintenance of the high standing of the schools; sixty miles of macadamized streets ; improvement of the mid-turn plazas ; the merchants license was abandoned; a large appropriation for Oakland harbor; the question of city expansion had been well advanced, the new charter was ready for the people after
399
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
months of labor by a citizens' committee of fifteen ; the city ordinances were being codified; work on the boulevard around Lake Merritt had been commenced.
Capt. W. R. Thomas, captain of the Oakland police department, was removed in April, 1888, and Capt. Peter Pumyea was appointed in his place. At a large public meeting held in Cameron hall on April 9th the council was severely criti- cised for this action, because no cause for the step had been given. The meeting in its resolutions said : "The City Council without just cause or provocation and entirely neglecting to make suitable investigation before performing so important an act, has arbitrarily removed William R. Thomas from the office of captain of police, and has appointed to succeed him a man who has been tried in the office and found lacking in the qualities to administer it properly; and that we regard the recent removal and appointment as political in character and as tending to make the department again a political machine and is thus a violation of the previous understanding; that the action of the council in its manner and cir- cumstances constitutes a public outrage and we denounce the five councilmen who voted to perpetrate it and regard them as unfaithful to their trusts."
The commission of freeholders were satisfied with the charter, but it was yet to be submitted to the citizens-the voters-and its fate was not certain nor clear. It was desirable that it should have the approval of the people generally of the city before being presented to the Legislature. But the proposed extension of the city boundary, it was agreed, should precede the adoption of a new charter and should be submitted at once to the voters. At this time the desire of the people for a progressive official policy which would put public enterprise in Oakland abreast of private enterprise found expression in two great public meetings under the auspices of the board of trade. At these meetings three vastly important improvements were demanded, namely (I) the improvement of Lake Merritt, (2) the reclamation of the marshes and (3) the construction of a proper sewerage system. It was then found that it was impossible to effect these improvements under the old charter, but as they were necessary it was concluded to secure a new charter that would permit and amplify action. The board of freeholders was chosen and the charter was prepared, adopted and ratified. The vote was -for charter, 4,153 ; against charter, 1,955. All were united. The spirit of asso- ciation generated in this common step upward which was shared by so many, so profoundly influenced the people that they temporarily renounced and aban- doned party organizations, crossed party lines and suspended party loyalty, as they believed, in the interest of local welfare and patriotism and elected a citizens' ticket in order to put into effect the new charter as the first great step toward the required public improvements. With these facts in view, why, then, did the new council delay the passage of the ordinances that would put into execution the commencement of the reforms demanded ? was asked in October, 1889. The city was on a peninsula, so located as to make the delivery of sewage short of deep water at low tide almost a crime, and yet nine-tenths of the sewage was deposited in Lake Merritt, in the north arm of the estuary, on the south front of the First ward, on the west shore of the bay, in easily remedied cesspools, or on the Six- teenth street marsh, so that the city was wrapped in a phylactery of its own filth. Action was now demanded in accordance with the spirit that had animated the people since the inception of the general movement for improvement. This demand was voiced and emphasized by a citizens' committee of which John P. Vol. I-26
400
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
Irish was chairman and for which he was spokesman before the city council. The committee demanded the issuance of bonds in sufficient amounts to meet the expenses. This committee consisted of John P. Irish, W. F. Price, J. C. Bullock, J. C. Carrington, H. Toedt, G. H. Wright, A. A. Williamson, William Gross, Joseph Emery, Robert Brand, C. A. Nordhausen, R. M. Anthony, E. B. Herome, B. C. Cuvellier and N. B. Hoyt.
A short time before his death Mr. Chabot made a deed of trust to certain persons to found an institution for dependent women and children. The aggre- gate value of the whole gift was estimated at $116,000 and consisted of twelve shares in the Central Land and Improvement Company; 600 shares in the California Jute Mills Company: 500 shares in the Contra Costa Water Company; 40 bonds of the Judson Manufacturing Company, and $25,000 in money under the codicil of the will and to a piece of land at North and Franklin streets. The object of the gifts, in the language of the grantor, was as follows: Nature-A temporary home or haven for working women and their minor dependents; object-to lighten the burdens of humanity and aid respectable women in earning a livelihood. The name suggested by the grantor was "The Woman's Sheltering and Protective Home of Oakland." The seven trustees named in the deed were Henry Vrooman, John R. Glascock, Horatio Stebbins, J. R. McLean, S. T. Gage, John P. Irish and Ellen H. Chabot.
The Chabot estate was divided among the heirs early in 1888 and was appraised at $1,348,370. Among the items were 9,170 shares of the Contra Costa Water Company, appraised at $825,300. Among the bequests were $3,000 to the Ladies' Relief Society; $10,000 to the Chabot observatory; $25,000 to the Sheltering Home in addition to the property given to the home in June, 1887, not yet delivered and worth from $75,000 to $100,000. Charles Burckhalter was chief astronomer at Chabot observatory. At this time Charles B. Hill, his col- league, resigned to accept the position of assistant astronomer at Lick Observ- atory. Mr. Hill a short time before this had discovered the nucleus of Comet A. The observatory regulated the time pieces of the city and gave instruction in astronomy, etc., to school classes.
On April 1, 1888, there were in Oakland sixty-four miles of macadamized streets and about seventy-five feet of bituminized streets. During the fiscal year 1888-89 there were built 10 2/3 miles of macadamized street at a cost of $201,504. Bituminous rock was laid in different places at a cost of $20,807. Sewer work costing $53,319 was completed or under way. The Sixth Ward Improvement Association did much street improvement this year. Harrison square, an eyesore, was made attractive and beautiful. Among the contemplated improvements were underground electric wires, streets opened to tide water, a marginal sewer on the south side of the city, cross walks of bituminous rock, salt water for street sprinkling, flushing of sewers, extension of fire limits, rear entrance to city hall. The city was determined to be up-to-date and modern at the earliest possible moment. It was at this time that the talk of a bonded debt for needed public improvements was seriously broached and thoroughly discussed. The charter had been adopted with ease, the annexation of new territory was almost unanimous, and the rings of politics had been broken and dissolved in favor of non-partisan municipal administration. The city finances were in excellent condition, the city rich, taxation low, everybody prosperous and why not then issue bonds to make the
401
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
city the most attractive on the coast? was asked. The Legislature had petitioned Congress to grant to Oakland the north arm of the San Antonio estuary. The generous appropriations for harbor improvement kindled in the breasts of all the fond hope that Oakland would become a great ocean and interior shipping point. The most important duty of Mayor Glascock at the outset was the selection of the board of public works.
The council had much trouble in 1888 to prevent property owners near Lake Merritt from continuing the old practice of discharging their sewers into that body of water. The use of bituminous rock on the streets of Oakland was com- menced. In July M. J. Laymance and Company, real estate dealers of Oakland, sold 100 lots in San Leandro at public auction. In July Oakland had four fire engine companies, two hose companies and two truck companies and 3,000 feet of hose. The expenses for the year ending July Ist, were $34,407.38. Lorin had a volunteer fire company ; it had several stores and shops, lodges, schools, churches, etc., and was growing rapidly.
The West Oakland Improvement Association was organized in 1888-89 for the purpose of securing the reclamation of the West Oakland marsh and its transformation from a pestilential hole to a beautiful park. William Gross was one of the first members. About fifteen men met in a dingy room on Peralta street and during several meetings consulted what was best to be done to secure the cooperation of the authorities. The hat was passed around to raise money with which to pay for the room. Finally open meetings were held, the news- papers began to give accounts of the proceedings, and more prominent citizens began to attend and to take an interest in the object of the association. William Walsh, Father J. B. McNally and John P. Irish soon became interested and the latter was elected president. From that moment the usefulness and purpose of the association were heralded over the city with a force and eloquence that in the end brought results.
The board of trade in August espoused the cause of the annexation, boule- vard and clean-up projects and announced its approval of the proposed new charter. At this time the citizens residing east of the city limits except Fruitvale, favored annexation. The citizens north of the city limits gener- ally favored annexation. The board at this time circulated a petition for the annexation of these districts, and expressed the opinion that Oakland's imperative need was signal success upon some one line of progress and improvement which should be accepted by the majority before any action should be taken. First agree upon the line of action and then go to work, was its recommendation. The proposed new charter provided for four additional councilmen from the city at large, four additional members for the board of education from the city at large; created a board of public works which should have executive control of the various city departments; provided for a police court and two justices of the peace; made it compulsory for the council to grant franchises to any railroad company to enter the city and operate steam railroads to and upon the water front west of Wood street and south of First street.
In August the public improvements demanded were the dredging of Lake Merritt, construction of the boulevard around it, a park for West Oakland, sewer extensions and intercepting sewers. But while the people were enthusiastic and could see nothing in the way, the council found that the end desired could
402
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
not be attained without an enormous cost. It was estimated that $1,500,000 would be necessary to carry into effect the reforms demanded. Part of Lake Merritt and the proposed boulevard lay outside the city limits; there were conflicting titles to property ; how to improve the noisome swamps in the western part of the city; the practical construction of a new sewer system and many other obstructions faced the willing council; and in addition the paving of Broadway throughout its whole length seemed an imperative necessity. The council had its troubles at this time. In his message to the council in August, 1888, Mayor Pierce advised the council to give the board of education what they required for the public schools; stated that the increased death rate should be remedied; rec- ommended that petty criminals should be made to work the streets; advised that electric wire systems should be underground; suggested that two more fire engines and a hose cart should be procured; advised that the fire alarm system, which had been put up in 1875 should be repaired; recommended that thereafter street franchises should be sold, not given away; advised electors to vote in favor of the new charter in November; urged the council to give necessary atten- tion to squares, parks, sidewalks, streets, bridges and the care of all public buildings; recommended that an election should be held to determine whether the limits of the city should be so extended as to take in all of Lake Merritt and the proposed boulevard around its borders.
In spite of all drawbacks many very useful and important industries located at Oakland or its immediate suburbs. The cotton mills, the flour mills, the oil refinery, the metallurgical industry, powder making, furniture business, grain shipping, iron industry, electric power, lumber business, rail making, beet-sugar making, coal distribution, canning, acid and paint works and many others were vastly important to the rapidly growing and ambitious town. The first important stretch of double track railroad in California was laid by the Southern Pacific from Oakland to Martinez, a distance of about twenty miles, in 1888.
A small section of bituminous rock was laid on Ninth street near Broadway and on September 21, 1888, an immense crowd gathered there after dark to listen to speeches by W. W. Camron, J. L. Lyon and others on the value of that material for street paving and to enjoy the music of the band. A large number of citizens, in September, petitioned against the paving of Broadway with bituminous rock as had been proposed.
A large basking shark (Selache Maxima) was killed in Oakland harbor in 1888 by the sailors of the revenue cutter Bear; it was over twenty feet long and at first no one knew what it was. The annexation of Vernon Heights to the north of Oakland was projected late in 1888. This was included in the land to be annexed to the city under the newly proposed charter.
Among the largest and most active and enterprising real estate firms in 1888-89 were E. W. Woodward & Co., operating in the direction of Piedmont ; Benham & Thomas, on Myrtle, Twenty-fourth streets and San Pablo avenue; O. C. Logan at Fruitvale; Scotchler & Gattshall, between Oakland and Berke- ley ; A. S. Macdonald & Co., in Piedmont and on Linden street and San Pablo avenue: Gaskill & Vandercook on Castro street and in North Oakland; E. C. Sessions at Highland Park and Twenty-third avenue; H. H. Smith at Glen Echo.
In September the council hesitated long in taking measures to call an election on the question of annexation. It was doubtful whether such a step was legal
PUBLIC LIBRARY, OAKLAND
LENPT
FOURTEENTH STREET, EAST FROM BROADWAY, OAKLAND, IN 1905
403
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
and there were many obstacles in the way. A petition signed by about two thousand voters asked for such an election, but still the council hesitated. It was only after the board of trade had taken strong position in favor of such action that the council finally called an election for that purpose on October 27th. Legal council had been taken by both the friends and the enemies of the propo- sition. After much discussion the council on October II, 1888, called a special election on the charter question for November 6th. There was some doubt whether the election should be special or be a part of the general state election.
Late in November the Oakland Board of Trade asked the county board to give them the balance remaining of the $1,000 authorized by the Legislature to be expended in advertising the county. This board of trade was the only organ- ization in the county devoted to this work and was contributing $300 per annum to the California State Board of Trade. It had just constructed, at a cost of over five hundred dollars, two topographical maps of the county, one of which was on exhibition in San Francisco and the other had recently been on exhibition in Columbus, Ohio, where 100,000 people saw it. Circulars had been issued, but more were needed. This request was referred to the proper committee with power to act.
On December Ist the Oakland free library had 11,173 members. The mem- bership of 2,000 was cancelled so that on January 1, 1889, the total membership was 9,259, a few others having joined. The old list had not been revised for ten years. Upon investigation it was learned that many had died, moved away or had failed to return their cards; so all who had not used their cards for the previous five years were dropped from the list. There were the Central, West Oakland, East Oakland and North Oakland reading rooms. In 1888 no portion of Oakland grew faster and better than Piedmont. Its elevation made it specially desirable for residences. At a meeting held at the residence of Herman Bendel on Alice street on January 18, 1889, resolutions were adopted asking the council to memorialize Congress or the Secretary of War to grant to the city of Oakland the north arm of the estuary of San Antonio for the sanitary improvement of the city. By January the sale of brooms made at the Home of Mechanical Trades for the Adult Blind on Telegraph avenue just north of the city limits amounted to $17,955, all of which had been from time to time paid into the state treasury and was lying there unused. Senator Dargie introduced a bill for the apropria- tion of that sum to the use of the institution. From the passage of the Vrooman law until January Ist nearly $400,000 was spent for street improvement-mainly by the Oakland Paving and the Alameda Macadamizing companies.
There was a strong movement against the ratification by the Legislature of the new charter in January, 1889. A meeting was held in Hansen hall and an organization effected to extend the opposition to Sacramento. Among the leaders of the opposition were H. M. Collins, W. F. Price, E. E. Walcott and Rev. George Bothwell. A petition addressed to the Legislature and opposing the ratification was prepared, one clause being as follows: "That said charter contains provisions which are detrimental to the growth of the city of Oakland and discriminates against a large body of the citizens of said city." It was stated that a tract of about one hundred and fifty acres covered with from five hundred to six hundred houses was made subject to condemnation for railroad purposes. Other objec- tions were offered. The petition in opposition to the ratification of the new
404
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
charter contained 1,730 names. Both sides in the charter fight sent strong lobbies to the Legislature in July. Before the new charter had been approved by the Legislature nearly all the city officers regarded it with disfavor; only three or four were its outspoken friends. Mayor Pierce was its ardent friend from the start. So was Fred M. Campbell, city school superintendent, who was the author of the feature which took the public schools practically out of politics by making the office of superintendent appointive instead of elective. While the measure was in the Legislature struggling hard for passage against violent and determined opposition, sentiment here was at fever heat as the news was received from day to day of the fight over the various and numerous vital provisions. When Assemblyman Hyde turned against the measure and supported the cause of the opposition, many supported the cause of the opposition. Many hesitated to express their delight. When it became known on January 30th, that it had just passed the House and would no doubt be signed by the Governor, there was intense delight here among its friends.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.