USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego county, California; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 38
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To the left of the foyer, under the balcony stairway, is the entrance to the men's retiring, lounging, toilet and check rooms. To the right, similarly located, are the same provisions for women.
The main auditorium is 70 feet deep and 88 feet wide-in contrast with the old style auditorium where the stage was placed at the end of an oblong room. The sight lines for this main floor have been worked out as carefully as for the balcony and gallery, giving a dished floor, higher in the rear than at the front, but with an ever changing pitch.
Large exits on each side near the boxes lead to separate and private passages to First and Second streets. In front under the footlights is the orchestra pit, with stairway to musicians' dressing and locker rooms under the stage.
The balcony is reached by two wide easy stairways from the main foyer, landing on a balcony foyer almost as large and impressive as the one below.
The front row of seats on the balcony is only forty feet from the stage. Two separate and private exits to First and to Second streets are provided for the balcony, in addition to the main foyer stairways. The family circle and gallery
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is set well back from the balcony line, avoiding the cavernous appearance so often noticeable from the stage, and enabling the occupants of balcony seats to feel out in the open. The family circle and gallery is reached by one large stairway from the main foyer, and in addition has a large private exit on each side leading direct to the streets. These side exits have no openings into other parts of the building and afford safe and possible exit for the audience should an occasion arise making it desirable to empty the house quickly. There are separate toilet room conveniences accessible from the gallery foyer.
The number of seats in the new theater is exactly 1,915. In the dress circle there are 768 seats, in the balcony, 428, in the family circle 294 and in the gallery 425.
It should also be remembered that not a single column at any point interferes with the view of the stage from any seat. Both balcony and gallery are sup- ported on cantilevers from columns at the rear of the auditorium and the audi- torium roof and ceiling are supported by three steel trusses, each 88 feet long.
The auditorium is carpeted with cork carpet and all seats in the house are expensive upholstered armchairs.
The stage, with its mechanical and electrical equipment, contains the latest approved devices known to the stage manager's art and is large enough to prop- erly accommodate any scenic production on the road. It is 88 feet wide and 52 feet deep. On each side is a fly gallery, supported on cantilever beams, but all high enough not to interfere with handling scenery below. High above the stage-above the sixth floor level of the offices along the street fronts-is a great framework of steel known among the profession as the gridiron. It is in reality a floor of three-inch steel T beams supported on heavy I beams, which in turn are suspended from the roof construction. These T beams are close enough together to make a good walking surface, but far enough apart to permit the stage manager to drop his ropes at any point he wishes over the entire stage. This gridiron, in area, is almost equal to the ordinary 50-foot residence lot and weighs 50 tons. It is reached by an iron ladder from the stage floor. The stage is quickly and effectively cut off from the auditorium by a curtain of solid steel plate, faced on the stage side with two inches of vitrified asbestos-certainly a combination equal to shutting out the scorching flames of Tophet. This curtain is operated by a hydraulic lift in the basement, and is equipped with emergency control, so that it can be operated from any one of a dozen points.
The electrical equipment constitutes one of the most important features in modern theater planning. The most commonplace lighting effects in any theater today were impossible only a few years ago, and are made possible now only by the rapid development of the last few years in electrical science.
The Spreckels Theater is provided with the best system now possible for pro- ducing stage lighting effects in any desired intensity, distribution or color. The stage switchboard is in the northeast corner of the stage, near the edge of the curtain. All switches are mounted on marble and are so arranged and connected that the stage electrician can control the lights quickly and in any way desired. Lights in any desired number can be dimmed, or by pulling two levers all lights can be dimmed. Certain emergency lights and all red exit lights are controlled from the box office switchboard.
The location of the theater, facing on three streets, enabled the architect to
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introduce desirable features not often possible. A wide and high driveway leads from First street directly across the rear of the stage to Second street, so that all scenery, supplies, baggage, etc., can be carried on motor trucks directly into the building and there unloaded. Over this driveway is a mezzanine floor on which are sixteen dressing rooms, eight over each entrance.
The mechanical equipment of the theater is complete. It is heated and ven- tilated by fresh air which has been drawn from above the roof to the basement, then washed, heated by passing over steam coils, humidified, then forced through numerous outlets into the auditorium. The movement of air currents in an auditorium greatly complicates the acoustic problem. In this case that has been successfully solved without resorting to the deadly "forced draught" responsible for much of the noted Iroquois disaster in Chicago. None of the conditions actually responsible for that awful catastrophe can be found in the Spreckels Theater.
The remainder of the building has direct steam heat. All steam for heating the entire building is brought from the big power plant of the San Diego Elec- tric Railway Company at the foot of D street, making any interruption of heating service highly improbable. Exhaust steam will be used, with emergency live steam, which can be turned into the heating system on a few minutes' notice. The entire building is equipped with vacuum cleaning service and is lighted with electric lights. Emergency gas lights in all corridors and lobbies have been installed.
In the fan room there is a large motor-driven fan for driving the air over steam coils and into the various rooms to be ventilated. Exhaust fans drive out the vitiated air. In addition to the auditorium proper the toilet and loung- ing rooms, basement toilet rooms, kitchen and basement dressing rooms have artificial ventilation.
All of the five elevators in the building are electric-driven, with magnetic cab control. In addition there are electric sidewalk elevators leading to the basement. The electric current of the building comes through from conduits under ground from the street into a transformer room in the basement of especially high fire-resisting construction. Here the voltage is "stepped down" from the high street potential to that customary for house use, and the heavy mains extended to the main house switchboard near by. On this switchboard are mounted switches controlling the feeders to each subsidiary switchboard in the entire building. All switchboards are of polished marble and all wiring is in lined iron conduits.
The plumbing installation is equally modern, all waste pipes being wrought iron screw pipe with Durham fittings and all tested under water pressure. All toilet rooms and all corridors have tile floors and wainscots, white and sanitary.
Structurally, the entire building is what it should be-fire-proof and earth- quakeproof. The entire structure, footings, walls, columns, beams, floors, bal- cony, gallery, boxes, roof-all is of reinforced concrete designed and constructed in accordance with the most advanced practice.
The exits have been so arranged that persons leaving the auditorium, bal- cony and gallery will move in separate currents, with no conflict at any point. The balcony and gallery have each three separate exits properly distributed with regard to seating spaces, and entirely independent of each other. The balcony
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and gallery crowds will therefor come into contact with each other only at the three street entrances, which are wide enough to accommodate the total number which can come down the various stairways. This arrangement prevents any overcrowding or local congestion at any point of exit, and eliminates unpleasant jostling during exit.
The widths of aisles, stairways and entrances have been proportioned so as to allow at any point a width of eighteen inches for each one hundred persons using them, a ratio that experience has shown ample under any circumstances. All stairways are broad and built to an easy gradient.
The exit doors all swing out and all are equipped with emergency bolts which open when any pressure is applied to the door from within. It is thus possible to lock the doors against persons coming in, but impossible for any one to lock or bolt any exit door against any one wishing egress at any time. The comfort and safety of the audience have been given the most careful consideration at every point in the theater design.
On the five upper floors there are 375 large, well lighted offices with steam heat, electric lights, lavatory, fireproof vault, vacuum cleaning service, telephones and A. D. T. messenger service in each room. This makes the largest single office building in the city and none in the city can offer better service.
In addition to the Spreckles theater, San Diego is well provided with other playhouses. Among these are the Savoy, Empress, Isis, Pickwick, Princess, Mirror, Queen, Grand and a score of moving picture houses.
THE FOURTH ANNUAL INDUSTRIAL FAIR
For four years past the city has held what is called an "Industrial Fair," to exploit the industries of the city, and more particularly, goods made in San Diego. At the fourth annual fair Mayor James E. Wadham opened the exposition in the following characteristic manner, at the same time giving some interesting history of San Diego's birth and wonderful growth :
"Ladies and Gentlemen: As I understand it, the general plan of this fair is to present 'Made in San Diego goods,' to the San Diego public in order that our home people may learn what our manufacturers actually produce, to the end of providing 'San Diego goods for good San Diegans.' Over 180 exhibitors here display their products-most all the leading inventions and industries are repre- sented, and we behold this successful exhibition as a whole, and we gaze upon the genius here portrayed, the splendor of which causes us to pause and reflect.
DELVES INTO PAST
"Standing in this environment of this up-to-date achievement and luxury let us delve a few moment into the past-not ancient history-but events that have happened in the city of San Diego during the residence of the speaker.
"I landed in San Diego with my father and mother in September, 1870, at which time I was a little boy. It is therefore impossible for me to have a very vivid recollection of many of the things that I saw and which occurred during the first few years of my residence in San Diego.
"I take it that I am warranted in saying that some of the objects of this fair
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are to encourage, cooperate and to advertise the products of San Diego, and I well recall the first advertisement that I had ever seen respecting San Diego. It was issued by a real-estate firm, at a time when the steamers landed in La Playa. It was a picture showing Point Loma covered with cocoanut trees. These trees were laden with fruit and the monkeys were plentiful, and the funny part that appealed to me was that the passengers of the steamer were dodging about to avoid being hit by cocoanuts that were thrown by the monkeys.
CIVILIZATION BEGAN HERE
"If we were to deal in ancient history we would speak of the fact that civiliza- tion of California, and of the whole western coast now belonging to the United States, began on the shores of San Diego bay; also that this was the scene of the first discovery of the coast by Spanish explorers; of the old mission; some of the first houses in Old Town; the old hide factory at La Playa, where as high as fifty thousand hides a year have been shipped to Boston, Massachusetts; the first houses that were built in New San Diego (the lumber for which was shipped around Cape Horn), the first one of these houses being the residence of William H. Davis on State street, between G and H, which, about 1885, was purchased by Captain Knowles and moved to Eleventh street, between K and L. I might also mention the Dunnells hotel, known as the New San Diego Hotel, on F and State streets. But much has been written of the very early history and I desire to confine myself to the progress and growth during later years.
BILLED TO 'SOUTII SAN DIEGO'
"When we landed here, our trunks were marked 'South San Diego,' which meant that our trunks were not to go to San Diego, now known as Old Town. A great rivalry at this time and for a considerable subsequent time, existed be- tween what is now Old Town and the present city of San Diego, and when we landed at the wharf at the foot of F street, a man from Old Town, as an induce- ment to the passengers to locate at that place, called out in a loud voice announc- ing a great fight between a bear and bull, which would take place that night at the Plaza in Old Town.
"Again, there was considerable whaling carried on in this section and the whales were landed on Ballast Point, and whenever a whale was landed, great excitement prevailed and every one that could do so would go to see the whale.
"This fair illustrates and brings forth the progress and achievement that has been made in many things that are not strictly 'Made in San Diego,' but it is a part of the great scheme of illustration and education. There are a great many things that I might deal in, but I will refrain from so doing on account of time.
PRAISES FIRE DEPARTMENT
"I might speak of the wonderful growth of our fire department, which has grown from a piece of fire hose attached to a faucet to the most modern and up-to-date fire equipment anywhere to be found, manned by a fire department that is the envy of every other city where its true history is known.
"I might speak of the mile and a half of mule cars which made a trip every
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hour, and the modern 35.31 miles of electrical street railway equipped with most modern machinery and rolling stock; of the old up and down hill streets, and the now 32.54 miles of paved streets, traversed in every direction by the most modern carriages and conveyances.
"Again, I might take you to the olive industry, commencing from the time that the old padres planted the trees in Mission valley, now the oldest trees in the state of California. I might carry you to the scene when Frank Kimball, being desirous of starting in the olive industry and being unable to obtain cut- tings, went to the old mission and bought the green olive stovewood which had been cut and prepared, carried it to his place in National City, carefully planted and nourished these pieces of stovewood and a few years afterward produced one of the finest olive orchards in the state of California.
REVIEWS GROWTH OF INDUSTRIES
"I might review with you the growth of this industry from the few olives that were produced for home consumption to the enormous proportions that it has assumed.
"And so I might go on enumerating the growth from this infancy to the pres- ent greatness and completeness as evidenced by the displays here tonight (Febru- ary 18, 1913).
"I call your attention to the water display in the city of San Diego and I can- not dismiss you tonight without dealing somewhat at length with the water and the water supply of the city of San Diego. I go back to the time when water was delivered in the city of San Diego by a two-horse cart. At the back of the cart were hung two large buckets. Upon the cart was a large barrel, tapped by a faucet, and on stated occasions the waterman would come to your house and deliver you such water as you might need at the rate of 5 cents per bucket. This water first came from a well at Eleventh and Beech streets, where the city of San Diego now has its repair shops.
WATER PUMPED TO HILLS
"Thereafter a pumping plant in Mission valley was installed and water pumped to the top of the southern hills, which, by pipe, was brought into San Diego, and I shall never forget the observation of the old Indian who, after he had been to the pumping station and to the top of the hill and watched the water come from the pipe, observed, 'American can make water run up hill-Injun can no do.'
"Thereafter private capital built the San Diego flume and San Diego entered into a contract for flume water. One of the great events of our past history was the celebrating of the coming of the flume water. A pipe had been erected on University Heights, out of the top of which this flume water was to flow. The day had been set many months in advance and the occasion had been extensively advertised. Officers of the day had been chosen-the president, marshal, etc., --- but through unforeseen mishap it became manifest that the water of the flume could not be made to flow over this pipe on the appointed day. But rather than disappoint the people, particularly those who were coming from abroad, it was
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determined by those in authority to pump the water from Mission valley and celebrate the event nevertheless. Some of the officers in charge who had agreed to this, upon reflection, grew faint hearted and one of them, on the day of the occasion wrote a letter to the marshal that it was impossible for him to be pres- ent, recounted a short history of the great undertaking and the happy consumma- tion of the same, and ended his letter by saying that he was 'with them in spirit if not in form.' The marshal read this letter to the audience and then consider- ing that it behooved him to make some comment upon the letter, said: 'The speaker says he is with us in spirit if not in form. Perhaps that's better.'
"The next fight on the water question in San Diego came when San Diego voted bonds to take over the distributing system then owned by a private corpo- ration.
ADVANTAGEOUS CONTRACT
"The next move was the entering into of one of the finest contracts that was ever entered into for a supply of pure mountain water with the Southern Cali- fornia Mountain Water Company, and next came the recent acquiring of this great conservation system from the Southern California Mountain Water Com- pany, until this loved city of ours owns a never failing water supply from the brook that fills the reservoir to the faucet that fills the cup of the housewife. San Diego is the proud possessor of the three hundred and sixty-eight miles of pipe, constituting her distributing system-she has an investment of $5,000,000 in water, means of conservation and distributing system, and no citizen of San Diego need be ashamed to point with pride to the water supply and the quality of water which is offered to all that come within our gates.
"I remember in 1872 going with my father and hearing Tom Scott speak from the balcony of the then almost completed Horton house, wherein he as- sured us that the Texas & Pacific Railroad was coming to San Diego and that it would be completed within two years from the time that he was speaking.
SURVIVED HARD TIMES
"The deep interest in an eastern outlet was as keen in 1872, and has ever since been as keen as it is today. When you consider the many times that the pendulum of adversity has swung upon San Diego and her citizens-when you take into consideration the sturdy way that they have fought for that which they claimed as their own-when you stop to consider the great and marvelous growth that we have made and are still making under the present conditions-what must be our inevitable future of greatness and prosperity when we shall have acquired that which we have so long, so earnestly and so devotedly coveted and striven for-a direct outlet to the east. I say to you that it is safe to permit the most optomistic prophet to answer.
"Ah, but methinks I hear the silent whisper that 'Made in San Diego Goods' is a misnomer. I grant you that all that is here was not made in San Diego, but ladies and gentlemen and fellow citizens, the spirit that brought them here was born and bred in San Diego. May that spirit ever guide us through the future, may that spirit bring us to that long coveted goal-a greater prosperity and a greater San Diego."
CHAPTER XLII
SAN DIEGO'S HARBOR
By Edwin M. Capps, Harbor Engineer
The bay of San Siego was discovered three hundred and seventy years ago by the navigator Cabrillo, and from that time to the present it has been known among mariners as one of the most excellent natural harbors in the known world. In 1769 Father Junipero Serra established the first of the California missions near its shores, the first settlement of a Christian people in this part of the new world. This mission flourished for many years, gathering unto itself the many Indian tribes that inhabited the neighboring region, together with a number of Spanish and Mexican citizens who chose to live in this favored clime. By the latter was later established the settlement now known as Old Town, which con- stituted the only trade center until 1867, when the present city of San Diego was founded. This city grew but slowly, owing to the fact that it was off the beaten paths of commerce and travel. In 1880 its population comprised less than 3,000 people, in 1900 less than 17,000; since that time, however, the population has increased rapidly, due principally to its recognized importance as a port when the contemplated Panama canal should have become a reality. This, together with a salubrious climate and a wealth of natural resources, has occasioned the present population of 70,000.
The building of the Panama canal will readjust and revolutionize the entire commerce of the world; will open up entirely new marine highways and fields of trade; will create new distributing centers, and will bring into prominence many obscure and heretofore unused ports, converting them into thriving empo- riums of the first importance.
The Pacific coast seaports of the United States will be the first to feel the im- pulse of this great trans-canal activity, and when it is realized that along the entire Pacific shore line of the United States there are but few points where nature has contributed in any degree toward a possible haven for shipping, it is at once obvious that commerce will become centralized at these points and that those which offer the most substantial inducements will receive the greater bene- fits therefrom. In anticipation of this fact the ports of the United States and the Pacific coast ports especially are exhausting their coffers in their endeavor to present the best possible conditions.
Among the harbors of this coast the bay of San Diego stands out unquestion- ably superior to all, possessing as it does in a generous degree all the natural en- dowments required by man for the development of one of the finest seaports of modern times. Located in a region of perpetual summer, free from disastrous
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storms, ideally placed geographically and commercially, with a surrounding coun- try second to none in fertility, producing in abundance all the semi-tropical and deciduous fruits, and with a climate known the world over as unsurpassed, it requires no seer to foretell the future of this splendid port.
The bay of San Diego comprises an area of twenty-two square miles, is com- pletely land locked, and has a depth of water over the bar of thirty-one feet at low tide. The main channel inside the bay will average from 1,500 to 2,000 feet in width, and from 35 to 60 feet in depth at low water. The tides are nominal, being an average of about five feet. There are no reefs or insiduous currents to jeopardize shipping, and violent stormns are unknown.
One of the many cogent reasons why this port should become the logical distributing center for the southwest is that it is the principal gateway of ingress and egress, being the first port of call in United States territory for all incon- ing vessels, and the last port of call for all outgoing vessels plying between United States Pacific ports and the canal.
The states of the southwest, comprising Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, as well as the southern half of the state of California, contains rich, fertile val- leys, highly mineralized mountain ranges, extensive grazing lands and vast beds of coal, salt, borax, and semi-mineral substances useful in the arts, all of which are being rapidly developed by a steadily increasing population of enterprising citizens.
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