Polk's Oakland (California) city directory, 1930, Part 2

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1928
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1624

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centers in the world-were the ones to set one building record after another during the World War.

HEALTH CONDITIONS

In point of health Oakland has consistently ranked among the first cities of the nation for a long period of years, and statistics show that it has become an increasingly more healthful place for residents during the last fifteen years.

In 1920 Oakland ranked second in smallness of death rate out of a list of forty-three larger cities compiled hy the United States Government. The rate which was then 11.6 per thousand was exceeded only by Seattle, where the death rate was 10.5

It is noteworthy that Oakland, as indicated by the death rate, exceeds in health conditions both Los Angeles and San Francisco; in one case 3.4 per thou- sand and in the other by 3 per thousand.

POPULATION

The population of Oakland in 1910 was 150,174, in 1920, 216,261, a gain of approximately 44 per cent in a ten-year period. In 1930, 284,213.

The cities of Berkeley and Alameda and the municipalities of Emeryville, Piedmont, San Leandro and Albany have now grown together into one compact whole. It is these seven cities which are referred to as the East Bay community.

SCHOOLS

Few cities in the United States can boast of a more perfect school system than Oakland, or more attractive school buildings. Noted educators from every section of the world have praised Oakland's educational facilities. The present school enrollment is in excess of 60,000. In Berkeley, which adjoins Oakland on the north, is the great University of California, the largest in the United States in point of enrollment and incidentally one of the richest in the matter of endowment.

Oakland has 52 primary and grammar schools, 12 junior high schools and 8 high schools.

PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS

Oakland's new park and playground development-a noteworthy feature of which was the acquisition last year of extensive municipal golf links-undoubt- edly will be conducive to a still higher level of health and well-being among resi- dents of this favored city. Among the Oakland parks which have attracted the attention of tourists from all parts of the world is beautiful Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park. Lake Merritt, situated in the center of the city, comprises 160 acres, and is surrounded by wonderful lawns and beyond these by beautiful mod- ern homes and apartments. On one side of the lake is situated Oakland's new million dollar auditorium.

The waters of Lake Merritt are dotted the year round with canoes and launches and during the so-called winter months many thousand of wild ducks make Lake Merritt their home. Spring finds these traditional wild birds almost as tame as barnyard fowls. They walk on the lawns and among the sightseers, apparently recognizing that their safety is assured.

The annual visit of these ducks that have adopted this spot in sunny Cali- fornia as their home has been made the occasion for pageants on the part of the people, and each January the now nationally known Wild Duck Pageant is held on the lake shore.

Possessed as it is of all those things considered essential for a great metropo- lis. with three transcontinental railways, its position on one of the world's greatest land-locked harbors and with ample room in which to make a tremendous expan- sion, Oakland's future is assured.

BERKELEY STATISTICAL REVIEW

Name of City-Berkeley.

Slogan or sub-phrase-"Athens of the West."

Form of Government-Council-Manager.

Population-81,543 (Gov't) 89,000 estimated.

Area-9 of land; 8 of water square miles.

Altitude-3 to 1300 feet

Predominating nationalities in city are English-speaking peoples.

Parks number 17 with 109 acres, including playgrounds.

City's bonded debt is $1,308,692.50.

Financial: 16 banks, 3 trust companies with clearings of $225,766,124 annually.

Post Office receipts of $511,715.

Telephones in service: 28,000.

Church buildings-52.

Building and construction: Value of building permits, $4,732,846.

Industry: Number of establishments, 210, having products valued at $62,000,000 annually.

Trade: Territory (retail) serves 100,000 people within the trading area covering a radius of 10 miles.

Hotels: There are 18 hotels, with total of 1512 rooms. Newest hotel was built in 1928.

City served by 2 railroads.

Amusements: Largest theater or auditorium seats 1200 people. There are 7 theaters.

Hospitals number 3.

Education : Names of colleges, etc. Number of schools 22, including 5 high schools, one parochial and diocesan school. Number of pupils in public schools, 14,667.

There are 117,000 volumes in the libraries of the city.

City Statistics: Total street mileage 200, with 190 miles paved.

BERKELEY

Reaching along the base of the gracefully rolling Berkeley hiils, the city looks westward over the glorious pageant of San Francisco Bay to the Golden Gate, the mystic portal through which the commerce of America and all the lands of the Pacific Ocean are interchanged. To the sonth of the Golden Gate it looks upon San Francisco built on its many hills. To the north it faces the Marin County hills rising into the gracefully chiseled profile of Mount Tamalpais.

Based on comparative figures of the government census of 1920 and the Berkeley Post Office and Chamber of Commerce survey of 1926, Berkeley has a population of considerably over 90,000 inhabitants, including some 7000 students of the University from outside homes. The metropolitan area of San Francisco and the East Bay cities includes in a compact district on the shores of the central Bay area a population estimated at 1,500,000 inhabitants distributed among the cities of Berkeley, San Francisco, Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Richmond, Sausa- lito, and the smaller intervening cities.

From the standpoint of climate, site, living conditions and educational oppor- tunities, Berkeley is today a magnet attracting those who appreciate the better things of life. The great problem today is to keep up with the growth in popula- tion by making proper provision of schools, playgrounds, parks and other neces- sities of a rapid-growing community.

The University of California is located in the very heart of Berkeley on six hundred acres of beautiful hill slope and plain, with Strawberry Canyon in its midst, cutting back into the Berkeley hills. In the classic white granite buildings with red tile roofs, clustered around the graceful campanile, some 15,000 students pursue their studies in the regular session, the intersession and the summer session of the University. Included in the scope of its activities are one of the foremost colleges of mines in the country and a college of agriculture that is reaching out over the entire state in creating untold values to the land hy its investigations of means for destroying pests of fruit and farm products, by teaching how to irrigate and to prune, by soil analysis and by removing the element of chance from husbandry aud developing it into a science. Its college of architecture is training young men and women in the art of creating buildings nobly conceived in the light of artistic traditions of the past and the engineering skill of the present. Its college of medicine is endowing the men and women who are to he the guardians of life and health of the people of tomorrow with new standards of proficiency. So in law, economics, commerce, the natural sciences, pedagogy, the classics, history and art and letters, the University of California, under the presidency of the eminent Robert G. Sproul, is training the leaders of thought and action to take their places in the great democracy which is destined to shape the course of world history.

In addition to its outstanding reputation as an educational center Berkeley is hecoming widely known as a city of industrial opportunity. Two hundred and ten manufacturing plants here are turning raw materials into finished prod- ucts at a rate in excess of $60,000,000 annually. Such outstanding national in-

dustries as Colgate Palmolive Peet Soap Company, H. J. Heinz Corporation, Durkee Famous Foods Incorporated, Hall Scott Motor Company, Byron Jackson Company, California Ink Company, and a host of others are located in Berkeley. The products of Berkeley's industries are shipped to practically every country in the world, and with exceptionally fine industrial sites being offered the future of Berkeley as an industrial community is assured. The use of hydro-electric power, eliminating smoke and dirt commonly associated with industrial develop- ment, gives Berkeley an opportunity to develop both as a beautiful home city and as an industrial center.

Another field in which Berkeley is doing pioneer work is the Police Depart- ment. The basis of Chief August Vollmer's work is the education of children who have established bad and unsocial habits. In this work he is now ably seconded by a highly trained policewoman. Many of the police officers are college graduates or students, chosen for a combination of physical and mental proficiency. They are gaining a training which makes many other communities look to Berkeley for police chiefs. The lie detector, the highly developed fingerprint department and the expert work in criminal identification have made the Berkeley police system internationally famous.

All charity, welfare and social agencies receive public contributions under the Community Chest plan, which has now served twenty-one agencies for the past six years.

Berkeley has operated for the past six years under the Council-Manager form of government, which has been conducted in a thoroughly business-like way and has gained very general approval from the community. John N. Edy has served as City Manager since the revised charter was adopted. The Mayor at the present time is Thomas E. Caldecott, who with the city council is enthusiastically behind Mr. Edy and his administration.

Today Berkeley, christened by the founders of the University of California after the idealistic Bishop of Cloyne, stands upon the westernmost rim of Western civilization, looking through the Golden Gate, out over the vast waste of the Pacific. Beyond the sea is the ancient East, that land of hoar antiquity teeming with its millions. California is the farthest west where the New World must pile upon the last margin of the Indo-European migration. Berkeley, the intellectual center of California, standing upon its hill slopes with the vision of the setting sun in its mystic portal, must look steadfastly through this gateway and must ponder along on the problem which it conjures to the imagination. The Pacific, now linked by the Panama Canal with the Atlantic, is the center of the civiliza- tion of tomorrow. Here where West meets East in trade and the interchange of ideas, is the theater of the mighty deeds of the world to be. Berkeley, the Pacific capital of learning, must fit herself to be worthy of the leadership which fate has thrust upon it. It must rear a city of supreme beanty wherein men will think great thoughts and exercise that leadership which flows from knowledge and high ideals. Come to us, all you who see the vision, and help us to worthily fulfill our destiny. Berkeley, looking through the Golden Gate, is calling you!

ALAMEDA STATISTICAL REVIEW

Name of City-Alameda.

Slogan or sub-phrase-The Dahlia City.

Form of Government-City Manager.

Population-34,837 (Gov't) 36,000 estimated.

Area-31/2 square miles.

Altitude-Six feet.

Assessed valuation-$30,208,000 with $2 tax.

White population-35,000.

Colored Population-1000.

Predominating nationalities in city are American.

Parks number 5 and municipal golf course with 209.33 acres.

City's bonded debt is $911,600.

Financial: Four banks, with total deposits of $11,000,000; resources, $13,000,000; four savings banks with $2,500,000 total deposits.

Telephones in service-8850 Church buildings-14.

Building and construction : Value of building permits, $1,404,416, with 737 new dwelling units constructed this year.

Hotels : There are 3 hotels, with total of 154 rooms. Newest hotel was built in 1926.

City served by Western Pacific, Southern Pacific, Santa Fe railroads. Amusements: Largest theater or auditorium seats 2112 people. There are 3 theaters, with a total seating capacity of 4812 people.

Hospitals number 1 with 110 beds.

Education : Names of colleges, etc. Number of schools, 13, including 1 high school, 1 parochial and diocesan school. Number of pupils in public schools, 7380; in private schools, 278. Total of all teachers is 301.

There are 57,642 volumes in the libraries of the city.

City Statistics : Total street mileage, 71.5, with 65.9 miles paved. Miles of gas mains laid, 50; of sewers, 64.5. Fire department employs 60 men, with following equipment: 2 engines, 5 hose and chemical wagons, 3 hook and ladder trucks, in 4 station houses. Value of fire department with property is $124,829. Police department has 44 men with 1 station and 9 pieces of motor equipment.

ALAMEDA

Alameda, located on San Francisco Bay, is one of the most beautiful home- sites in the Bay District, and has many beautiful homes. The northern and western portion of the city is devoted to industries and airports, and Alameda is rapidly becoming known as the "airport city", with its two large airports. One, the San Francisco Bay Airdrome, Inc., comprising an area of 232 acres, is now in the course of construction. It is situated on the west side of Webster street close to the entrance of the Posey Tube, is a downtown airport, and when completed will be up to date in every respect, and will be the terminal for the Western Air Express and the West Coast Air Transport Company. The other, the Alameda Airport, comprises 346 acres, and is operated by the Curtiss Wright Company, which also conducts a flying school at this port. These airports are within seven or eight minutes of the heart of Oakland, and seven minutes to San Francisco by motor boat. It is anticipated that between these two airports will be located the large U. S. Army Air Base for this part of the coast.

The Beaches located all along the south shore are the greatest vacation attraction. They offer bathing, boating, playgrounds for children, dancing and all manner of amusements.

The Beaches are not the only source of amusement. The Municipal Golf Course on Bay Farm Island, in the south end of Alameda, offers a very attractive course for those interested in golfing. The course is equipped with a modern Club House and Restauraut. The course is well patronized.

The Parks, one of Alameda's chief beauties, serve every residential section. Daily attendance averages 2085 people, the majority being children who seek outdoor amusement and recreation so generously offered by the Park Department.

With all these residential advantages, it is not to be assumed that Alameda's industrial attractions play a small part, for she is unsurpassed for industrial and manufacturing purposes, having a water frontage of 14 miles, five of which are situated on the estuary, offering splendid shipping facilities.

The Encinal Terminals, after looking over the entire East Bay District, found Alameda the most favorable site for its location. It has plans for the construction of seven more units such as the two already established.

The Alaska Packers Association, also located on the Estuary, is one of the largest salmon packing concerns in the world.

The Boyle Manufacturing Company have expanded their organization consid- erably during the past few years.

Alameda's most beautiful and outstanding building is the new Hotel Alameda, built of old Spanish architecture and furnished in similar style.

With its reputation as a manufacturing, horticultural and residential city, the social life is not overlooked. There are lodges and benevolent organizations such as the Elks Club, with its beautiful home, The Women's Adelphian Club, which has done wonderful work since its organization and now takes its place among the leading women's clubs in California. The Alameda Tea Club, the Shakespeare Club, the Research Club, the Alcyon Reading Club, the Business and Professional Women's Club, are among the women's clubs in active operation.

Alameda has a population of 38,000. . It is under the City Manager form of government. Alameda owns its electric light plant, which makes the electric rates about 25 per cent lower in Alameda than in neighboring cities. Taxpayers in Alameda are not taxed for street or other public lighting.

Two unique blossom festivals, the annual Dahlia Show and the annual Gladioli Show, participated in by flower growers of Alameda and held under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, brings out thousands of flowers.

The Alameda Chamber of Commerce recently published a new booklet which gives some very valuable information on Alameda. They shall be very glad to send out any literature upon request.

*******

Oakland City Hall, looking westward toward the Golden Gate from the Financial Center Building. Central Bank Building at right. Memorial Plaza, with "Jack London Oak," below.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE

Commissioner of Public Works GEORGE WILHELM

Commissioner of Revenueen/ Finance DR. CHARLES R FANCHER

Commissioner of Public Health & Safety FRANK COLBOURN

Commissioner of Streets COL.CHARLES I. ANDERSON

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

MAYOR'S N ESSAGE

1928-1929

Honorable City Council. City Hall, Oakland, California.

GENTLEMEN :

In accordance with the custom of previous years, and as required by the Cry Char- ter, I herewith present my annual report on the City of Oakland for the past year, to- gether with such recommendations as I believe would result in an acceleration of our city's progress in ways economic, esthetic, and governmental.

Oakland still leads.

Condition of retail trade is one of the surest indications of the prosperity and con- tinuing growth of any community, and despite the general country-wide business de- pression of the year just past, Oakland's average condition has been a most healthy one. For practically every month Oakland led the cities on the Pacific Coast in retail trade, and she has averaged throughout the year among the first three on the list of the few American cities that were able to maintain high business conditions.

It is true that building permits fell from the Twenty Million of 1928 to something like Fifteen Million in 1929, but this decrease of 25 per cent in new construction is in- significant compared to the falling off of building operations in practically every other city of our size or over in America. Locally, too, the decrease for 1929 is a result of what was probably overbuilding in the three previous years. It is significant to note, however, and this subject will be taken up in more detail later, that there was an excep- tional increase in industrial construction and expansion.

The City of Oakland has been advertised during the past few years throughout the nation to an exceptional degree. There have been many contributing factors in this favorable publicity. Our airport is world famons, and not only maintaining that fame, but continuing to magnify it. Our harbor development is attracting in ever increasing degree world commerce. Throughout the conutry Oakland is known to have a new and inexhanstible supply of fresh water from the High Sierras. The great valleys of Central California every day look upon Oakland with increasing respect as a shipping and manu- facturing center for their products.

It is natural, then, that our industries and our commerce should show marked development. The following data, approximated from reports submitted by the Oakland Port Department, the Statistical Department of the Chamber of Commerce, the Public Utilities, the Clearing House, United States Post Office, and other official sources of information, reflect Oakland's continued growth with clarity and definiteness. Compared to the 1929 figures I give those of 1916 and 1928.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE

OAKLAND'S EXCEPTIONAL ADVANCE

% Increase

over

Population

1916 187,000

1928 342,000 50

1929 361,000

1916

1928

Banks

920%

Bank debits (1919)

$751,947,000

188,863,436 $2,800,000,000 $2,000,000 $250,770,100

$2,203,000

293%

10%

Assessed valuation

$142,914,775

188,104

216,225

166 %

15%

Motor vehicle registrations.

18,000

90,000

96,600

433%

Vessels arrived

1,500

14,800

15,488

932%

School enrollment

34,000

61,000

62,000

82%

Cargo tonnage

182,000

2,150,000

2,286,035

1,155%

Building permits (number)

3,380

6,600

5,129

51%

-22%

Building permits (value)

$5,368,000

$18,500,000

$15,927,905

196%

-14%

Theatres

750%

Feet of lumber carried.

5,000,000

204,231,000

203,614,220

3,972%

-1%

National industries

130

132

450%

General industrial establishments.

573

1,289

1,415

147 %

10%

Number of employees in above.

7,706

45,825

47,755

529%

Annual payroll in above

$5,966,000

$62,400,000

$65,490,000

997%

Value of annual output.

$28,522,000

$430,000,000

$469,500,000

1,546%

Averaging the percentages of increase above enumerated indicates that Oakland, during the period from 1916 to 1929, inclusive, has grown over 700 per cent-probably no other city on earth can offer so remarkable a showing. Faith in Oakland is faith rightly placed.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

Our city can be congratulated upon another year of remarkable industrial progress and recognition. During 1929 eighteen more branch manufacturing plants and factory distributing branches of national concerns located in Oakland. These are in addition to many hundreds of purely local new developments in the industrial field, for which, unfortunately, there can be no space given in this document.

New Industries

Of exceptional importance among these new industries are the following-and I include them here not only because of their importance, but to show the diversity of industry for which Oakland is increasingly becoming so well known.

1. The Aluminum Company of America purchased the plant of the Modern Foundry and Pattern Works, and will add to the foundry work a high strength alloy heat-treating department, a molding department, a die- casting department and a forging department. This will probably be one of the largest and most diversified aluminum plants on the Coast.

2. The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company of Cleveland, Ohio, merged with the Johnson Washer Company of Oakland, and has added several new products to the line of washers formerly manufactured by the John- son Washer Company. Apex-Rotarex products include ironing machines, washing machines, electric dish pans, ventilating fans, bench grinders, electric motors, vacuum cleaners and health exercisers. The value of the manufactured production of this plant will run well over $1,000,000 per year.

3. California Co-operative Producers, packers of canned fruits and vege- tables, has an investment of over $500,000 in the plant at the new terminal on Oakland's inner harbor. The value of its annual production will be $2,250,000. The plant is a big employer of labor during certain seasons of the year.

4. The new plant of the Continental Can Company at the foot of Fifty- seventh Avenue represents an investment of over $500,000, and the value of its manufactured products will annually exceed $2,500,000.

5. The Fisher Body Service Corporation is the second plant of the Fisher Body Corporation to be located in the East Bay. The investment of this firm will exceed $500,000.

93 %

Bank deposits

$72,955,292

205,562,148 $3,017,346,000

181%

9 %

Postal receipts

$560,000

$270,516,781

893%

Carloads of freight

81,107

.Auto sales

6,961

9,889

300%

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

Oakland Municipal Auditorium. Visited by over a quarter million persons during 1929-in conventions, expositions and theatrical and festival activities. Capacity: Main Arena,

8,800; Theatre, 2,000.

6. The Hazel-Atlas Glass Company of California, Ltd., manufactures glass bottles, jars and tumblers, and will have an investment in excess of $1,000,000, with an annual payroll exceeding $200,000.

7. The Kings County Packing Company, canners of fruits and vegetables, has an investment totaling more than $500,000, with an annual production exceeding $3,000,000.

8. Libby, McNeill & Libby, canners and packers of foodstuffs, has a plant with a capacity of 150,000 tons annually, located on the western water- front.

9. The Oakland Motor Car Company established a parts and service branch to serve the entire Pacific Coast. It occupies 27,500 square feet in the new building of the United Motors Service Corporation, both being divi- sions of General Motors.

10. Rosenberg Brothers & Co., one of the largest packers of dried fruit in the State of California, has a plant on the western waterfront representing an investment of more than $1,000,000. The company's annual production will exceed $5,000,000.

11. United Motors Service, Inc., a division of General Motors, has established a service and distributing branch in a new $250,000 building at Twelfth Avenue and East Eighth Street, from which it will serve the entire Pacific Coast.

12. C. H. Will Motors Corporation purchased the old Star plant from the Durant interests and has established a plant for the manufacture of busses and trucks. The corporation will employ over two hundred people, with a payroll of more than $280,000 annually. The value of the manufac- tured products will exceed $3,500,000 per year. Oakland is the headquar- ters for the Pacific Coast division.

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Polk's Oakland (California) city directory, 1930, Part 2

Author: R.L. Polk & Co Publication date: 1928 Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co. Number of Pages: 1624

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1928
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1624