Polk's Oakland (California) city directory, 1928, Part 5

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1928
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1708

USA > California > Alameda County > Oakland > Polk's Oakland (California) city directory, 1928 > Part 5
USA > California > Alameda County > Oakland > Polk's Oakland (California) city directory, 1928 > Part 5

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).

PUBLIC HEALTH

Recent controversy between Alameda County authorities and the City Physician con- vinces me of the need of a new hospital for Oakland alone. The County Emergency Hos- pital, in the rear of the Hall of Records on Franklin Street between Fourth and Fifth, while efficiently manned, is small and too far from the average scene of accident. A central City Hospital should be constructed, with at least two branch emergency treat- ment stations, one centrally located with respect to East Oakland and another with re- spect to Northwest Oakland. Such facilities, with new, more comfortable and speedier police ambulances, would undoubtedly save many lives that in future might be lost, through hemorrhage or other injuries requiring immediate care, in the long trip now needed from outlying districts.

At the same time, with such a central hospital entirely our own and independent of Alameda County, access might be had to its facilities by any citizen upon certification

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

by the City Physician. The present Highland Hospital, an Alameda County project, cost in the neighborhood of $3,500,000.00. Of this amount the City of Oakland contributed practically two-thirds, or $2,275,000.00. Nevertheless I am informed that the placing of an Oakland city patient therein costs the City of Oakland something like $30.00 per day -and I am also informed that it is increasingly difficult for our City Physician to enter Oakland patients even under these conditions. It is my opinion that the City of Oakland, paying nearly 65 per cent of the Alameda County taxes, should have allocated for her own use at least one wing of this county facility. The entire situation, however, again points out the necessity of Oakland owning and maintaining similar institutions of her own. It furthermore strongly indicates again the necessity of Oakland's separation from Alameda County and forming-as for many years I have advocated-a "City and County of Oakland." On this latter governmental plan I will dwell more in detail later.

More than incidentally, at this point I wish to commend recent action taken by Council upon its advocacy by the Commissioner of Public Health and Safety; namely, the consolidation of the two positions of Health Officer and City Physician and placing the Health Department in the hands of Dr. Charles R. Fancher. This has resulted in the saving of one salary and in the expediting of public health measures with more efficiency than in the past. The city is also to be congratulated upon obtaining the services of Dr. Fancher, who combines high professional ability with the practical consideration nec- essary to governmental service. He is taking an interest in city health and medical work far above the average, as the record of his combined departments gives ample proof.

RECREATION

Oakland's Recreation Department, though operating under a much diminished budget during the past year, has under the able leadership of its Superintendent, R. W. Robert- son, maintained its high standard. With the expiration of the term of Mrs. Evelyn Robertson last July 1st, and the mid-year resignation of Dr. Zales due to press of private business, I appointed Mrs. Nellie Anton and Mr. Joseph N. Steiner to fill the vacancies. The city's thanks go to Mrs. Robinson and Dr. Zales for their high-charactered service.

Oakland can be proud of this department's activities. Despite the reduced budget, other economies were put in force by the department that gave the city during the past fiscal year the following improvement:

1. Six new whaleboats and 12 rowboats on Lake Merritt.

2. Construction of a traveling theatre.

3. Six new handball courts.

4. Hardwood floors installed in three gymnasiums.

5. Four new horseshoe alleys in Mosswood Park.

6. Many new costumes for costume department. 7. Fencing of the New Century Playground.

Painting and repairing in most community houses.

9. Installation of water supply systems, doubling capacity, in both Mountain Camps. Addition of hickory furniture to both camps.

10. Planting of 350 trees and shrubs, in co-operation with Park Department, on the Municipal Golf Course.

11. New caddy house, power mowing machines and other equipment at Golf Course.

12. Addition of a full time man to carry on recreational work in the Industrial Athletic Association, and an increase in facilities to care for several new in- dustrial organizations.

Same harbor as on opposite page showing Western Waterfront in 1919.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE, 1928

View of Oakland Inner Harbor. showing spacious turning area and docking facil- ities entirely free of heavy seas.

Attendance at various department facilities during 1927-28 follows:

Lake Merritt Boat Houses .86,000 using boats

Chabot Golf Course .. .54,000 players

Playgrounds. 1,790,167 total attendance with 60 playgrounds open Total Gross Income from Golf, Camps and Boats .. $71,000

The Christmas Pagent, annually given in the Municipal Auditorium in co-operation with the School Department, achieved another success in this past year. Two thousand children participated and each of the two performances was attended hy capacity houses a total audience of over 18,000 persons. The May Day Festival, likewise a joint affair, was carried ont in Lakeside Park with over 5000 citizens in attendance.

The two municipal mountain camps, one in Tuolumne and the other in Plumas County in the High Sierras, were practically full to capacity on opening day in June of this year, with many hundred on the waiting list. The time is shortly coming when the city will need another camp, and I would advocate at least one of these closer to the city. Several locations are available, in the Santa Cruz mountains, in Sonoma County, and on the coast. Transportation would he cheaper to such camps, and working members of households could visit camping families during week-ends. An all-year highway has been promised through the Feather River country, which will make possible entrance to the Feather River camp for Winter Sports, which would add another feature to Oakland's recreational facilities. The department has published several excellent pamphlets on its mountain camps and general recreational service. Of these 46,800 were printed. Copies have been sent to all cities, and Oakland received most favorable publicity through them.

PARK

Installation of a deep well and independent water supply system in Sequoia Park is an outstanding achievement of the Park Department during the year. This facility will be invaluable in case of summer fires originating in the hills which might threaten the thousands of redwood trees and the rare Oakland Zoo animals that are features of this great park.

Here it must he noted that three young Oakland redwoods, grown in Sequoia Park under the direction of Mr. Lee Kerfoot, Superintendent of Parks, I sent with his and the Park Board's co-operation to Mayor George E. Cryer of Los Angeles upon completion of the latter's city's magnificent new City Hall. These Mayor Cryer himself planted in the parked area before the municipal building, and the publicity hoth Oakland and Los Angeles received therefrom was worth thousands.

Changes in Park Board personnel include my appointment of Mr. Roger Coit, prom- inent Oakland hotel and business man, vice Mr. Edgar M. Sanborn, who resigned in the late spring of last year. At this point I wish to emphasize to the people of Oakland the high calibred service of Colonel Charles I. Anderson, whom I appointed to the Park

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

Feeding the wild ducks on the shore of Lake Merritt. Much has been learned of bird migra- tions through the banding of thousands of these wild fowl.

Board to fill a vacancy occurring some time before. He has devoted much thought and energy to Park affairs ever since appointment, though giving his time, as do all mem- bers, gratis. His service has ever been with a complete understanding that money spent by the Park Board is the taxpayers' hard-earned money and must be expended only in worthy projects and with an eye toward efficient economy in its use, At the same time he is enthusiastic in Park work and his recommendations always practical and thoughtful. He is an outstanding example of the type of public servant that our growing city needs, and I wish in this writing to make public acknowledgment of that fact.

In addition to the new Sequoia Park water system, other major improvements in this department are:

1. Replacement of rustic fence at Mosswood Park.

2. Construction of Concession Building in Lakeside Park near the Duck Pen.

3. New well at DeFremery Park to replace the old one, which caved in.

4. Relaying walks and constructing beuches in Lincoln Square and in Jefferson

Square-made necessary by the building of playgrounds in these parks.

5. Construction of rock retaining wall and re-surfacing walks in Linda Vista Park.

6. Regrading and re-surfacing the grounds around the Zoo.

7. Replacement of rock wall at various points around the Lake.

8. Thinning out trees and clearing out underbrush in Sequoia Park.

9. Construction of new Lion cage at Zoo.

Here, incidentally, since jurisdiction of Lake Merritt particularly pertains to the Park Department, I wish to advocate the continuation along Lakeside Drive of the stone embankment now bordering the Lake on Harrison Street. This also I will mention later on under the head of "Recommendations."

CLEAR WATER FOR LAKE MERRITT

I wish at this time, however, to repeat and emphasize a recommendation I first brought up in 1919, and which I have urged for the Council's most earnest consideration in practically every annual message since. I refer to the necessity of cleaning the waters of Lake Merritt, and to the demand for the establishment of a Municipal Swimming Pool therein. This is a matter, too, which from the fire hazard standpoint of our entire business and industrial district should have the advocacy of every taxpayer and citizen.

Lake Merritt should and can be maintained at maximum purity by bringing to it, via pipe line and high presure salt water fire fighting conduit and pumps, the clean, high- tide ocean water of San Francisco Bay. In my message of 1923 I stated that "bringing in this water, which can be accomplished at a relatively low cost from the deep water of the western waterfront at the end of Fourteenth Street, will not only provide athletic clubs with clean salt water for plunge, bath and other purposes, but will permit the hotels of our city to take advantage of the supply. The greatest benefit, however, would be the provision for a continual flow of clean salt water into Lake Merritt, delivered to the Lake through a series of electrically lighted cascade fountains erected at strategic points. The present Estuary opening will then be used for an outlet only."

MAYOR'S MESSAGE, 1928

.........

Oakland Municipal Auditorium on the south shore of Lake Merritt

In addition to supplying clean water for the Lake, thus eliminating danger of stagna- tion, this plan would carry out the project of teaching our school children to swim. Sand for Lake beaches could be brought in at a minimum cost, and bathing houses of an architecture blending with the Lake parking constructed for the convenience of all our public. The Lake could then be used for international swimming contests and acquatic events for which our citizens must now avail themselves of the facilities of adjacent cities, spending their money in such localities when it should be spent in Oakland. That such a swimming facility would be appreciated even by those people who have swimming facilities directly on San Francisco Bay, is clearly indicated by the fact that govern- ment tests of the temperature of Lake Merritt water show it to have an average annual temperature some 12 degrees warmer than the waters of the Bay.

Another advantage would be the Lake's greater value in the making of motion pic- tures. Some years ago two Hollywood firms used the Lake for water scenes in a picture of college life, but the bathers were so fouled with the impure waters that they have not returned. With clear water for such use Lake Merritt scenes would be broadcast to all the world.

Another point of inestimable valne would be that with fresh salt water continually flowing down the Lake and out into the Estuary, there would be developed a fishing ground of great recreational value. At the time I first gave publicity to this plan, I had an offer from a man in Pittsburg, Contra Costa County, to supply at least one ton of live striped bass for the Lake each month. The State Fish and Game Commission would also co-operate in keeping the Lake stocked with the fish. Not only our adult sportsmen would be supplied with sport without leaving the confines of Oakland, but our school boys and girls could also thus be taught, not only swimming, but the essentials of sports- manship as pertaining to fish and game. Added thousands of wild fowl now wintering on the Lake would also be attracted by the clear water. In addition to the pleasures added for Oakland people, Lake Merritt beautification and its use for acquatic sports and fish- ing would be of incalculable value from the advertising standpoint. Another factor lower- ing the actual taxpayers' cost of such a system, would be the reduction of insurance rates following the completion of the high pressure salt water system with its un- limited supply and the higher value of salt water for fire fighting purposes.

DURANT PARK PETITION

The Durant property should be an Oakland park. I long have advocated it: purch ise. Three years ago Cliff Durant himself offered this home property to the City a les than the then market price 500 acres for $350,000. It contains 150 acres already beautifully parked with one of the nation's finest collections of rare trees; it has its own i: { pen- dent water supply; it would require but little expense to convert it into one of the finest parks in the country and one available not only to East Oakland-wh h badly needs such a facility-but to the entire City. The other 350 acres, practically comt.guors to our present Municipal Golf Course, would have furnished sufficient land for a s . l golf course and a municipal playground. I even engaged the late Luther Burbank to lu- spect this land-yet despite his enthusiastic report the then Council turned the purch se down three times; though Mr. Durant's generous offer was twice repeated. Now the owners ask over a million dollars for the same acreage.

A petition to create an assessment district in that section was circulated during th year, but failed for want of proper signatures. I believe in buying this tract-Int {[ be - lieve firmly that the cost should be borne by the entire City and not by a smaller dis trict. Later on in this message I shall discourse briefly on a proposed city-wide band issue and this matter will appear again.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

MUNICIPAL BAND

The Municipal Band is an adjunct of the Park Department, and I am happy to see that it is giving excellent service to the people who every Sunday come by the thousands to Lakeside Park to listen to the open air concerts under the efficient baton of Director Herman Trutner Jr. Captain Trutner was for years Bandmaster of the 13th Infantry Band, as was his father before him, and is an accomplished musician who can handle practically every instrument in the band himself. I would recommend that sufficient funds be placed in the Park Department Budget to allow band concerts practically every week in the year, during sunny days in Lakeside or other parks, and on rainy days in the Municipal Auditorium.

In this connection I believe that the wisest means of funding the Park Department is by appropriating it, through Charter provision, a set number of cents on the tax levy each year. This would allow department heads to look ahead in the matter of land purchase and lay aside annual amounts to such account. It would thus also provide for normal increase of annual funds in proportion to the assessed valuation of Oakland property. On this matter, under recommendations, I shall have further to suggest.

LIBRARY

The Library Department, under the supervision of Librarian John B. Kaiser, has maintained its efficiency and inaugurated many developments that add greatly to this important municipal service. In the Library Board itself one vacancy occurred, to which I appointed Charles W. Fisher, an attorney and member of a well known Oakland, family.

I wish to convey to Mr. Russell Lowry, whom Mr. Fisher succeeded, my highest ap- preciation of his service to the city while acting on the Library Board.

The Library Department is growing rapidly and the public more and more demand- ing its various services. During last year it circulated over 1,100,000 books from a col- lection of approximately 150,000. More than 63,000 persons now hold Oakland Library cards.

There is great need for a new Central Library building. The present one, at Four- teenth and Grove Streets, was erected by Andrew Carnegie in 1901. Long since it has outgrown these quarters, with the result that it is costing the city many thousands annually in rental of adjacent buildings for reading rooms and storage houses. The inclusion of a new Library Building in an early bond issue is practically mandatory.

MUSEUM MANDATORY

It is my belief, however, that adequate museum housing is a more immediate need at this time than is a new library building.

For years I have advocated construction of a Museum Building more befitting the metropolitan era this city is entering, at one time making a budget appropriation of $100,000 to start the work and allowing for two more annual similar appropriations for its completion. I appointed a committee of thirty representative citizens, headed by ex- Congressman Joseph R. Knowland, to make a comprehensive and forward-looking plan for the construction. But when the committee report came in the money had been shifted by the Council to other nses.

In this connection let me mention the necessity for a Budget Control Officer who would be empowered to prevent such illicit transfers of budget money. On this matter I will discourse in more detail under the head of "Recommendations."

The museum situation is a most unsatisfactory one. We possess exhibits that any city in the country would be proud to have, and the Henry Snow African and Arctic collec- tions are without rival in the entire world. They are among the greatest assets the Oak- land School Department as well as the general public has for its educational advance- ment-but they are housed in antiquated residence buildings entirely inadequate from

Recreation Department activities on Lake Merritt, in cooperation with Oakland School Depart- ment. Practically every school in the city has its crews.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE, 1928

The "Heart of Oakland," looking westward across the eastern arm of Lake Merritt. La ment house district; cupola of City Hall in

the standpoints of setting, exhibition, lighting and fire protection. I most strongly urge that action be taken upon this vitally needed improvement during the coming fiscal year. It is unfortunate that, among Oakland's many men of wealth, not one has so far been public spirited enough to build at least a wing of such a museum building as a donation to the people among whom he gained his riches.

PUBLIC WORKS AND CITY HALL

Through efficient work of this department the city buildings are in better condition and appearance than at any other time in the past decade. At a cost of some $3000 the City Hall itself was washed, acid being necessary to eradicate the grime and soot de- posit of many years. It now presents a fine appearance of which our citizens can be proud.

Many alterations inside the hall were made during the year. The Civil Service De- partment was transferred to the main floor formerly used by the Tax Collector's depart- ment, but now available due to the consolidation of our assessment and tax collec- tion function with that of the County of Alameda. The old Civil Service quarters on the third floor have been remodelled and are now being used by the Recreation Department. Alterations were made of quarters vacated on the fourth floor by the Recreation De- partment, the space now being used by the Building and Plumbing Departments, re- sulting in more efficient service to the public. Additional rooms were partitioned off on the fifth floor for better accommodation of the Legal Department, whose work has been greatly augmented through public service developments. On the ninth floor other altera- tions were made to accommodate increased staff of the License Inspection and Collection Department, following passage of the comprehensive business license ordinance.

Outside of the City Hall the most notable achievements of the Public Works Depart- ment were three: construction of a new type of fire house in the Moraga District, instal- lation of a hardwood wainscoting in the entire corridor of the Municipal Auditorium, and construction of a demountable sectional stage and sloping floor for the Auditorium arena, through generous co-operation of the Chicago Grand Opera Company. Many changes were also made in some twenty-five fire houses, police stations, the pound, and library, adding to their efficiency, comfort and better appearance; while, with co-opera- tion of the Street Department, better facilities for automobile parking were completed adjacent to the Auditorium.

The Moraga Fire House is outstanding and unique in appearance and design, and has won admiration and discussion throughout the country. A photograph of it appears on page 26. It is built of pre-cast reinforced concrete frames, a notable departure from usual custom; and is equipped with every modern convenience, gas stove, instantaneous

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

ground; to the extreme right a portion of the Grand Avenue residential and apart- Scottish Rite Auditorium at extreme left.

water heater, steel lockers, hose drying tower, wall beds, etc. Not only is it an efficient station, but its cost, $22,826, has been largely returned in the national advertising gained through its most modern and unique characteristics.

The new wainscoting in the Auditorium facilitates the re-location of equipment with- out damage to walls as previously often occurred, and also adds greatly to the appearance of this much-used public facility.

CHICAGO GRAND OPERA

The coming of the Chicago Grand Opera Company to Oakland marked a distinct for- ward step in Oakland's progress as a theatrical city. After consideration of the facilities of all hay cities the agents of this world famous organization chose the Oakland; Muni- cipal Auditorium for its only Bay District performances, four of which were given with an aggregate of over 25,000 paid admissions.

To accommodate the great crowds, the arena, normally seating 8800 persons, was used. A sloping floor, built in numbered sections, was constructed on the main arena floor which in size is normally 118 by 213 feet. This sloping floor faced a sectional stage, also constructed by the Citizens Committee guaranteeing the opera company, which can be made any size up to 50 by 90 feet and can be erected at any place in the arena. The cost of these demountable facilities, which in twenty-four hours' time can convert the arena from a ball room to an opera house, was approximately $16,500. The Citizens Com- mittee and the opera company turned this valuable equipment over to the city at the conclusion of the opera season-and in return the Public Works Department through council action returned the $2500 rental to the committee. This was little enough com- pensation to the 100 or more citizens who sponsored the operatic season with $25,000 of their own funds, and I wish to convey to this group, headed by such men as Ralph Fisher, Wm. Jurgens and Al Lavenson, the city's appreciation of the public spirit that actuated their guarantee.

Let it here be recorded that the Chicago Grand Opera Company has again chosen Oakland for Bay appearances of March, 1929, when it again will present four operas of its discriminately chosen repertoir.

In this connection I wish to recommend to the Department of Public Works and to your honorable body the purchase of opera chairs for the new removable opera floor of the auditorium arena. The net profit to the city in the facilities built by the opera backers and presented to the auditorium 'is in the neighborhood of $10,000, and the two thousand new chairs needed would come to not much more. The acquisition of such com- fortable seats would be greatly appreciated by the public, and I urge their purchase most strongly.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE, 1928

The eighteen hole at the Oakland Municipal Golf Course near Lake Chabot-only six miles from the City Hall.

CONVENTIONS AND EXPOSITIONS

Many shows and conventions also used the Municipal Auditorium during the past year. Among them were the following, with attendance given:

Name of Convention

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Polk's Oakland (California) city directory, 1928, Part 5

Author: R.L. Polk & Co Publication date: 1928 Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co. Number of Pages: 1708

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1928
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1708