USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego county, California; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 32
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This is a feature which at once attracts the attention of the visitor who has not been in San Diego for a year or two. He marvels at the transformation in D street with its row of concrete buildings, including the U. S. Grant Hotel, one of the finest hostelries in the country; the six-story Union building; the Spreckels theater and office building and the Spreckels Hotel of six stories, each of which occupy an entire block of frontage on the street.
THE SPRECKELS' THEATER
Though the Spreckels' Theater was completed and opened only a few months ago, it has already gained an enviable reputation among the leading theatrical men of the country. The most experienced and best known men of this profession in America have pronounced it the best and most complete of any they have ever seen. The large stage, its appointments and general arrangement at once appeal to the theatrical man. Its great feature is a wide driveway passing through the building and over the rear of the stage. The biggest loads of scenery can be driven directly on to the stage for unloading and loading.
The theater building occupies practically an entire block, being two hundred by two hundred and thirty-five feet in size and six stories in height. Excepting the portion occupied by the theater, the building contains stores on the ground floor and modernly equipped offices on the upper floors. It cost more than $1,000,000.
NEW SPRECKELS' HOTEL
The Spreckels' Hotel is another six-story structure of concrete, occupying a block of frontage on D street between Union and State streets. John D. Spreck-
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY
els intends to eventually improve the entire south D street frontage from Third to the bay front with six-story concrete buildings. To complete this work will require the construction of eight of these handsome blocks, three of which have already been built. Arrangements are being made for the beginning of two more of these fine buildings and it is expected that by the beginning of 1914 there will be another big change in the skyline of D street.
F street is another thoroughfare which is rapidly developing along a business line. New buildings are either under construction or to be commenced at an early date, having a total frontage of one thousand one hundred feet on this street. First is the federal building, in which is located the main postoffice, weather forecaster, immigration men, customs offices and the various other de- partments of the United States government. This building has a frontage of two hundred feet on F street between Union and State.
In the next block is the Starkey & Sunburg building, a three-story hotel and store building, now under construction. This has a frontage of two hundred feet between Front and Union streets. At the northeast corner of Second and F streets Judge Albert Schoonover is erecting a four-story hotel and store build- ing, having a frontage of one hundred feet on F street. Diagonally opposite on the southwest corner of First and F the site is being cleared for a two-story block having a frontage of one hundred feet on F street.
At the northeast corner of F and Third streets S. W. Grier is erecting a four- story theater, store and hotel building of concrete construction, having a front- age of one hundred feet on the same street. Plans are being prepared for a four-story hotel and arcade building to be erected by the Sefton estate on the north side of F street extending from Sixth to Seventh, a distance of two hun- dred feet. On the northeast corner of Eighth and F the new Martin Hotel has a frontage of one hundred feet on each street.
The F street activity is due to the construction of the new federal building, which has affected building operations and realty transactions in the entire dis- trict contiguous to it. Ever since work was started on the new postoffice there has been a big demand for property in this section, which heretofore had been dormant for many years as a business district. Now, however, it is quite differ- ent. Not only is F street receiving the attention of investors but the entire sec- tion contiguous to the federal building. In every direction from this building new business blocks are being erected. Besides those mentioned on F street. the new buildings recently completed or under construction in the district include the following :
Sylvester & Schmid, two-story concrete store and rooming house, Union street, between D and E, $6,000; Otto Jungk, brick factory, Front street between E and F, $3,500; Campbell & Sturz, four-story brick store and hotel, Fourth street between F and G, $25,000; W. H. Sweeney, three-story brick hotel, soutlı- east corner of State and E streets, $20,000; Anton Mayerhofer, two-story brick store and rooming house, Third street between H and I, $10,000; Wilde estate, tile store, H street between Arctic and California, $4,500; E. A. Kavanagh, two- story iron and brick store building, First and G streets, $5,000; H. Jerome Fos- selle, three-story brick store and rooming house, Third street between G and H, $15,000 ; Independent Door & Sash Company, four-story brick and concrete fac- tory, State and H streets, $45,000; W. R. Norman, tile store, First street between
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY
F and G, $3,250; Union Ice Company, two-story brick ice plant, First street be- tween H and I, $19,000; A. Blumberg, concrete store building, Third and H streets, $7,000.
Plans are being prepared for the construction of many other buildings in the district surrounding the federal building. The latter is completed and already various departments of the federal government moved into the large, handsome structure, the site of which comprises an entire block of land two hundred by three hundred feet.
Another feature of the past year's building operations is the development of the outlying sections along business lines. In many of the residential sections have sprung up business districts where the residents of adjoining home tracts may purchase almost any household commodity desired.
The biggest office building on which work was begun during the past year is a ten-story structure of reinforced concrete on the northeast corner of Fifth and E streets for Nathan Watts. A permit for the building proper, in the amount of $300,000, was issued by the city building inspector.
Sites have been secured for several skyscrapers which are to be erected dur- ing the year. These include an eight or ten-story hotel building to be erected by Bailey & Post, on ground one hundred by one hundred and fifty feet, at the northeast corner of Seventh and D streets. The same men also own the old First Presbyterian church property, one hundred by one hundred and fifty feet, at the southeast corner of Eighth and D streets, on which they also plan building a structure eight or ten stories in height. Directly opposite the church property George E. Hart, of Los Angeles, recently secured a ninety-nine years lease on one hundred by one hundred and fifty feet of ground on which he intends to erect a ten-story office building. A Los Angeles company is also figuring on the pur- chase of the Louis J. Wilde property at the southwest corner of Eighth and D streets, where it intends to erect a modern building. Other large structures are also under contemplation, which will materially swell the total of building permits for the year of 1913.
A comparison of building permits issued for business blocks in 1911 and 1912 follows :
1912
Number
Value
January
7
$ 132,700
February
9
53,500
March
9
230,100
April
II
460,340
May
IO
245,900
June
8
151,750
July
7
167,445
August
17
269,810
September
7
154,950
October
IO
174,290
November
II
182,000
December
12
390,000
Total
II8
$2,612.785
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY
19II
Number
Value
January
6
$ 64,600
February
4
39,000
March
4
319,000
April
3
163,500
May
5
87,000
June
IO
391,200
July
6
12,200
August
17
42,500
September
I4
376,075
October
3
27,000
November
4
19,800
December
12
92,000
Total
72
$1,633,875
Another striking feature of the past year's remarkable building activity is the large number of flats and apartment houses erected in various sections of the city. More than $1,500,000 was expended during the year on new flat buildings and apartment houses. To be exact, one hundred and fifty-five permits were issued for buildings of this kind costing $1,503,982. This is thirty-three per cent. more than the amount recorded in 1911. Every month last year excepting October shows a big increase over the corresponding month of the previous year, either in number or value. Not only were more apartments erected during the past year but as a rule the buildings are of a superior class of construction.
Construction work will be commenced early this year on the largest and finest equipped apartment house ever produced in San Diego. It will be a four-story structure occupying seventy-five by two hundred feet and of a fire-proof construc- tion. It will be built by P. J. Benbough, at a cost of $200,000 or more. The site is on Date street, between Seventh and Eighth, overlooking the park.
A comparison of the number and value of apartments and flats built during the last two years follows :
1912
Number
Value
January
II
$ 75,000
February
19
86,050
March
II
59,000
April
18
147,600
May
14
123,220
June
13
1 36,927
July
14
226,210
August
18
103,675
September
18
220,300
October
8
69,000
November
II
204,500
December
8
52,000
Total
I55
$1,503,982
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY
I9II
Number
Value
January
O
$
.
February
3
28,000
March
2
9,000
April
4
45,500
May
3
19,000
June
4
18,700
July
7
44,405
August
7
114,700
September
12
105,000
October
13
515,825
November
I2
104,100
December
7
46,500
Total
74
$1,050,730
THE SCHOOL BOARD BUSY BUILDING
The board of education also has had a busy year providing additional accom- modations for the rapidly increasing enrollment. In December, 1912, it awarded the contract for a fireproof school building to be erected in the Middletown dis- trict, at a cost of $125,000. Work is under way on two $20,000 schools, one of which is located in Mission Hills and the other in West End. Three polytechnic school buildings are nearing completion on an eminence adjoining the regular high-school structure. These improvements will cost nearly a quarter of a million dollars. Fifteen portable schools also were erected during the year. These are temporary structures which will give way to permanent buildings this year.
Several new churches have been erected or started during the year to pro- vide accommodations for the growing congregations. The largest of these is the First Presbyterian church, on which construction work is now under way. This occupies a half block of land on the north side of Date between Third and Fourth streets and will cost about $125,000. Work also has been commenced on the con- struction of an $80,000 structure for the First Baptist church at the northwest corner of Tenth and E streets. The First United Brethren congregation erected a $10,000 building on Robinson, between Third and Fourth streets, and the First United Presbyterians put up a $12,000 building at Twenty-second and H streets.
At the end of 1911 when the cost of new buildings erected during the year aggregated $5,700,000, it was believed that was a building record which would stand for a year or two. Even the most optimistic did not believe that mark would be reached in 1912. But that total has almost been doubled during the past year and it is even predicted by persons familiar with local conditions that a still greater amount will be expended on new buildings during the year of 1913.
SAN DIEGO REALTY BOARD By John F. Greer
Early in the year 1912 the San Diego Realty Board began with a membership of twenty-nine. Its first year's close found it a well organized, incorporated body
A bit of coast at Ocean Beach La Jolla Coast The Cliffs at Long Beach, La Jolla Sunset at Coronado
Surf at Coronado Coast at Ocean Beach La Jolla's Rock Bound Coast
273
HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY
with more than one hundred members, of which more than seventy-five are en- gaged actively in brokering real estate, leasing lots, business and residence property.
This remarkable growth has not been the result of a membership campaign, but a steady, healthful increase of the roll; a gradual weeding out process of the undesirable element engaged in real-estate dealings in the city and county of San Diego, until the beginning of the new year witnesses the completion of an organi- zation comprising nearly every well established office within the jurisdiction of the board.
Directed by wide-awake and honest officers and committees, the San Diego Realty Board in the year of its existence has accomplished much toward the het- terment of conditions with regard to the business of the realty broker, the owner of property, the prospective buyer and the public in general.
Before the organization of the board there was little cooperation among the brokers, less between the broker and property owner, and, as it was commonly charged, little community of interest between the broker and buyer other than from the broker's standpoint, procuring a purchaser and earning a commission, regardless of whether or not the property offered and sold was suited to the needs of the buyer and represented full value for the sum invested as purchase price. The buyer's interest in the broker as a rule was to learn the location and owner- ship of his best "buy," and then proceed by fair means or foul to obtain title to the property without considering the broker and his just claim for remuneration for the service rendered and the expense of conducting his business.
No member of the San Diego Realty Board is optimistic enough to assert that this condition of affairs has been entirely changed, but it is asserted by every member of the board that organization has brought about so great a change as to warrant a belief that in the very near future conditions surrounding the real-estate business in the far south of the Golden State will be on a par with any community in the older settled regions of America which have had the benefit of organized effort for many years.
In the year of its existence the San Diego Realty Board has met squarely and assisted in solving some knotty problems in city legislation, each time securing action concurrent with the views of the members of the board designated to con- fer with the city council. As an organized body seeking the best interests of the community, the realty board has been recognized by the city council and invariably treated with courtesy and consideration in the conferences held by the two bodies to determine the best course to pursue in solving the problem in hand.
The board has not confined its efforts to assisting in the work of city govern- ment, but has been a large factor in settling questions arising in San Diego county and of general interest throughout the district and state. Each situation has been met fearlessly and at all times handled with a view to what the board believed to be the best for the whole people.
In questions pertaining strictly to the profession of brokering and handling real property, the board has been alive to the interests and needs of the individual member. A schedule of commissions governing every phase of the business in the several offices has been adopted. The schedule has become generally known among the selling and buying public and has been accepted as just to all.
In addition to the commission schedule the board members have been operating Vol 1-38
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY
under a set of tentative rules, which from time to time have been amended and enlarged. Without exception the individual member has found the rules helpful as well as profitable in the conduct of his office.
The associate membership roll has been growing steadily throughout the year. This class includes property owners, corporations and officers of corporations and public bodies. A number of the progressive realty holders of the city and county have become identified with the realty board and its work. The board has been fitted through their association, and the property owner, by that association, has been more thoroughly imbued with the importance of cooperation in handling the vast realty interests of San Diego-the phenomenally growing city and seaport of the great southwest.
CHAPTER XXXV
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The most active public factor in the furtherance of San Diego's upbuilding and advancement in the rapid march toward supremacy among the cities of the United States, is the Chamber of Commerce, which was organized by a number of ener- getic and enterprising business men in 1871. During its existence of over four decades this important and valuable organization has had an active and influential part in all local public efforts to increase transportation facilities by land and sea ; in the promotion of state and local legislation relating to the material development of this community in all that has been attempted or accomplished in connection with harbor improvement and local coast defenses; and also in matters of such stupendous significance as the bringing to San Diego of Oriental trade and the building of the Panama canal.
ORGANIZATION AND WORK PERFORMED
The history of the Chamber dates back to the beginning of 1870, when David Felsenheld called a preliminary meeting at his store on the corner of F and Sixth streets, where the Express building now stands. Formal organization was effected on January 22d, Aaron Pauly being elected president ; G. W. B. McDonald, vice president ; Joseph Nash, secretary ; and A. E. Horton, treasurer. The constitu- tion and by-laws were drawn up by a committee composed of G. W. B. McDonald, E. W. Morse, D. Choate, David Felsenheld and Joseph Nash. The purpose of the organization was stated as follows in the preamble to the constitution :
To take some practical steps to unite the business men of the city for the bet- ter promotion of the public interest; to aid in the development of our back- country ; and make known its resources ; to give reliable information of the com- mercial advantages of our harbor, and of our natural position as an overland railroad terminus on the Pacific coast.
The first important business transacted by the Chamber was the passage of a resolution instructing the secretary to communicate with W. B. Webb, of New York, in regard to the need of a competing steamship line between San Diego and San Francisco. As an inducement, Mr. Horton offered the free use of his new wharf at the foot of Fifth street. While the offer was not accepted by them, the de- sired competition was obtained before the close of the year, the steamer William Taber being put in service between the two ports. Competition did not last, how- ever, as the new line was soon absorbed by the Pacific Coast Steamship Company.
On May 5, 1870, the first advertising matter was issued by the Chamber. It took the form of a pamphlet prepared by D. Choate and E. W. Morse, and entitled
275
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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Climate, Resources and Future Prospects of San Diego. The first memorial drafted was addressed to the state legislature. It urged the passage of a bill authorizing boards of supervisors to levy special taxes for the construction of roads and highways.
One of the earliest and most successful enterprises with which the Chamber of Commerce became identified was the building of a turnpike to Yuma to accom- modate the overland freight shipped from Arizona to tide-water. There was already a highway in use between San Pedro and Fort Yuma, but the haul was one hundred and twenty miles longer. A turnpike company was formed for the purpose of forwarding the work. Aaron Pauly was elected president ; H. H. Dougherty, secretary ; O. P. Galloway, superintendent of construction ; and C. J. Fox, civil engineer. Subscription lists were opened and $10,000 pledged in a short time, the citizens appearing to realize from the start the vast importance of the project. It is interesting to note, that the sum of $6,000 was raised in San Francisco for this purpose.
The records of the Chamber reflect something of the excitement occasioned by the controversy over the tide-lands and tell of a stormy meeting held January 2, 1871, when Editor Truman, of the Bulletin, appeared to press the charge made in his newspaper, to the effect that two of the city trustees had "packed" the Chamber in order to obtain its endorsement of a big land steal. Truman seems to have held his own, as resolutions were passed declaring that more care should be taken in admitting members.
The Chamber was very active in connection with the movement for turning the San Diego river into False Bay, and its influence was strongly and persistently used in behalf of the Texas & Pacific during the whole period in which the town had hopes of Scott's illfated enterprise.
Next to its work in behalf of railroad promotion, the constant activity of the Chamber in urging harbor improvement was probably its most important service. Despite the fact that the Bay of San Diego was at that time the only port on the coast of California outside of San Francisco, considerable difficulty was expe- rienced in maintaining its position. After gaining recognition as a port of entry in 1872, we find in the minutes of March 4, 1880, notice of the appointment by President George W. Hazzard of a committee, consisting of Douglas Gunn, A. Klauber and J. S. Gordon, to memorialize congress relative to permitting San Diego to remain a port of entry. This effort was successful.
After a long agitation of the subject more frequent mail service between San Diego and northern points, there occurs in the record of a meeting, November 24, 1876, a resolution of thanks to Senator A. A. Sargent for having secured for San Diego a daily mail service.
The matter of proper fortifications for the harbor was taken up at an early date by the Chamber of Commerce and never permitted to drop until adequate military protection had been provided. The defenseless condition of the harbor was emphasized with no uncertain force and endless repetition, communications and many memorials urging the necessary appropriations being sent to congress. October 4, 1883, General Scofield wrote from Washington that a two-company post had been decided upon for San Diego, and this has since been maintained.
In the same year a curious proposition was made to the Chamber of Commerce regarding the waters of that portion of the bay region known as False Bay. G. S.
277
HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Pidgeon had invented a tide-power machine, capable of producing enormous horse power from the inrush and outrush of the 12,000,000,000, cubic yards of water taken in and emptied from False Bay every eight hours. This power was to be distributed throughout the city for every known purpose. Messrs. Gunn, Marston and Silliman were appointed an investigating committee. Their report was favor- able to the enterprise, whereupon a mass meeting was called under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce. Horton Hall was crowded to the doors. Inventor Pidgeon explained his device at great length. He wanted $200,000 capital to start the enterprise and prophesied that its inception would mean "the making of San Diego," inasmuch as his plant would supply power for factories of all kinds at a ridiculously low figure. The Chamber of Commerce appears to have been quite favorably impressed with the scheme but whether expert mechanics and engineers reported the device faulty or whether the inventor himself gave up the enterprise is not recorded in the minutes of the Chamber. At any rate the Pidgeon Tide Power Company never materialized.
With the growth of the city and the harbor, the need of better fortifications was recognized by the Chamber of Commerce. Considerable correspondence passed between the Chamber and the war department relative to the allotment of land for this purpose. July 11, 1890, Senator W. M. Stewart received a communi- cation from Secretary of War Proctor offering to accept all North Island as a gift to the government for fortification purposes. This letter was sent to the Chamber and the "offer" was promptly rejected.
December 3d of that year resolutions were adopted instructing Congressman Bowers to urge greater fortifications in the neighborhood of Ballast Point at the entrance to the harbor. The Chamber also called attention to the fact that San Diego's location and strategic importance demanded the establishment of a ten- company post. Congressman Bowers found an able ally in the person of Senator Stanford. It was not until 1894, however, that an appropriation was finally se- cured for San Diego harbor defenses. Congress atoned for its delay by setting aside nearly half a million dollars, and the result is the Fort Rosecrans of today.
Long continued efforts were made by the Chamber, seconded by the whole peo- ple, to induce the great Japan steamship line, known as the Nippon Yusu Kaisha Company to make San Diego its sole American terminus upon a guarantee of a shipment of at least 4,000 tons of freight per month through this port. No satis- factory arrangements were made, however, and the Japanese steamers never ran for any considerable length of time. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company also withdrew its steamers, although it had a contract with the government to touch at San Diego on every trip for freight, mail, and passengers. In the latter case the government seemed powerless to enforce its own contract. This state of affairs elicited much unfavorable comment from the press throughout this country.
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