USA > California > Imperial County > The history of Imperial County, California > Part 23
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While, as has been stated, the chambers of the Valley are function- ing to the best of their ability, only one so far has reached that stage of opulence permitting the luxury of a secretary who spends his entire time in the conduct of the chamber's affairs. El Centro being the largest of the Valley towns, and the railroad center of the Valley, finally, two years ago, emerged from the stage of spasmodic reorganizations of her chamber of commerce and decided to establish an organization with stability and dignity enough to be a credit to the Valley's metropolis. Accordingly several of the business and professional men of the city who had made a success in their various lines, took the matter up, spent their time and money in raising a sufficient fund to guarantee at least one year of existence, elected progressive citizens, with Mr. A. L. Richmond as president, to direct the affairs of the chamber, engaged Mr. Don C. Bitler, a newspaper man, as secretary, and launched forth to "do things" for El Centro. For the first time in the history of any Imperial Valley city the end of the year saw the chamber financially a "going concern," which was the source of great satisfaction to the men who had given so liberally of their time in directing its affairs, and, best of all, the chamber had become recognized by all, except a few alleged business men with cobwebs on their merchandise, as an indis- pensable asset to the community. At the end of the first year Mr. Rich- mond retired as president and Mr. F. B. Fuller, president of the El
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Centro National Bank and a pioneer of El Centro, was elected to take his place. Soon after this Mr. Bitler resigned as secretary, returning to the newspaper field, and Wayne Compton, who had had charge of Im- perial Valley's interests at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco in 1915, and the commercial publicity for all of Southern California at the Panama-California International Exposition at San Diego in 1916, was offered the commercial secretaryship. He ac- cepted the offer and still holds the position.
At the expiration of Mr. Fuller's term as president, so faithful had he been to the interests of the chamber that he was unanimously chosen to succeed himself over his very earnest protest, and so the El Centro Chamber of Commerce enters auspiciously upon its third year of vigor- ous activity.
Because of its location, El Centro (Spanish for "The Center") is naturally the clearinghouse for business in Imperial Valley, and it naturally follows that, while the chamber of commerce, strictly speak- ing, is an El Centro institution and supported by El Centro money, it is the fountain head for Valley information. Faithfully and regularly its eleven directors meet every Thursday night, and the amount of impor- tant business handled at these meetings is a revelation to anyone who has never sat through a meeting. Space does not permit a recitation of the big things this organization has done and is doing for El Centro and the Valley.
The El Centro Chamber of Commerce has already become recognized as one of the most active and important in the West, and its usefulness has just begun. With the rapid development of the Valley and conse- quent growth of El Centro, accelerated as it will be by the coming of another railroad, now building, will in the next decade take its place among the leading organizations of its kind in America.
CHAPTER XVI
FRATERNAL
MASONIC
THERE is no more rational or potential expression or indication of the permanency and enduring growth in the commercial, industrial and so- cial sides of a community than is to be found in the establishment of Masonic organizations and their subsequent expansion. One of the un- answerable arguments in favor of the high order of social advancement in the Imperial Valley is to be found in the strength and character of its Masonic bodies. And incontrovertible is the fact that no community elsewhere can boast of a cleaner, higher or prouder type of citizenship than is now to be found within the ranks of Freemasonry in the Im- perial Valley.
As in the past, the experience of the Masons of the Valley has dif- fered little, if in any degree, from that of other communities in respect of the trials and tribulations of primary organization. Here, as else- where, "ups and downs" have been enough to make the stoutest heart quail before repeated failures and disappointments. But, true to the spirit of Masonry, its past history and traditions through the centuries since its birth, it has fought its way slowly and steadily and surely to the front and over the top, until today its votaries are legion and com- ponent parts of the brain and brawn, the bone and sinew of the land and the salt of the earth.
Masonry in the Imperial Valley numbers the leading citizens, busi- ness men, professional men, and men in every walk of life whose char- acters are above reproach and who are numbered among those who "builded better than they knew." And it is not saying too much to make the assertion that Masonry has taken a marvelous hold upon the hearts of its people in the Imperial Valley, and is growing splendidly in a high- ly intelligent and systematic fashion. This applies to the symbolic lodges and the Eastern Star primarily and fundamentally, where Masonry plants its standard and sets its foundation stones in adamant as solid
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and immovable as the eternal Rock of Ages. The membership of the five symbolic lodges and the five Eastern Star chapters of the Valley is one to be proud of in any community on earth.
There is no better evidence of the presence of high social standards than the existence of these bodies, and no surer evidence of advancing prosperity than their rapid growth. And this applies with equal force and effect to every part of California, where Masonry is growing by leaps and bounds and numbering among its disciples the best that so- ciety has to give. And this is good, viewed in the light of the quiet, un- obtrusive, unostentatious but none the less God-given work of charity accomplished by Freemasonry among the nations of the earth since time began, and especially since the birth of the present awful world-war, the most terrible holocaust of carnage the world has ever seen, where the human family is receiving its fearsome baptism of blood-and to what end ?
Masonry is filling its allotted niche in this world of exclamation and interrogation points for the dispensation of charity to stricken hearts and suffering humanity, the alleviation of distress among men and women, Mason or profane, and the coming of a world peace, "when war shall be known no more," and "when the reign of our blessed Emanuel, the Prince of Peace, the great Captain of our salvation shall become universal and eternal."
No one who knows will begrudge to Masonry the exalted position it has attained among the nations of the earth as the greatest charitable organization the world has ever known.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
In Imperial Valley, the vast inland empire with its untold millions of commercial wealth, where cotton is king and the mighty Colorado River is diverted into irrigation ditches, Pythianism wended its way soon after the pioneer had demonstrated the vast richness of its soil. In Pyth- ianism this large expanse of country is officially known as the 34th Convention District of the Domain of California.
Pythianism invaded Imperial County in 1906, thus making it possible for the foundation of the "lowest down lodges on earth." Imperial Lodge No. 36 was instituted in the city of Imperial on September 39th of that year. There were 20 charter members and the largest number
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ever reached was 33 members. After a brief struggle it surrendered its charter to the Grand Lodge in June of 1910, though it had not reported to that body since December of 1907.
In the spring of 1911 another attempt was made to plant the banner of Pythianism, but this time in the city of Brawley. Through the un- tiring efforts of E. A. Morris, a member of Fort Bragg Lodge No. 24, a lodge was finally instituted in Brawley on June 15, 1911, with 23 char- ter members. Brawley Lodge No. 292 today is one of the most active lodges in the Valley, though not the largest, having only a membership of about 100.
Holtville Lodge No. 301 at Holtville was organized through the ef- forts of J. H. Whistler, a member of Helmet Lodge No. 25, and was instituted April 1, 1912. The lodge is the smallest one in the Valley, only having a membership of 47.
The organization of El Centro Lodge No. 315, located at El Centro, was brought about mainly through the efforts of J. Stanley Brown, who at that time held membership in Redlands Lodge No. 186. J. Stan- ley Brown is now spoken of as the "Father of 315." On November 26, 1913, this lodge was instituted with a charter membership of 123. The lodge has progressed until today it has nearly 200 members. Officers: Chancellor Commander, J. H. House; vice-chancellor, A. L. Lackey ; prelate, R. A. Chestnut; master of work, Marvin Moore ; keeper of rec- ords and seal, R. Kellerstraus; master of finance, B. C. Leech ; master of exchequer, Y. N. Adams; inner guard, F. M. Moore; outer guard, L. R. Stillman.
Calexico was the last to institute a lodge, and this was accomplished mainly through the efforts of the other lodges in the Valley. The lodge was instituted on March 13, 1914, with 83 charter members. The lodge has prospered ever since the institution and today has a membership of about 150. The Calexico Lodge bears the distinction of being the only lodge in the State of California located on the Mexican border. Officers : Chancellor commander, D. L. Ault; vice-chancellor, E. L. Parker ; prelate, W. B. Park, Jr .; master of work, A. E. Liscahk; keeper of 'records and seal, H. W. Going; master of finance, R. G. Goree; master of exchequer, Max Harris; inner guard, H. J. Edwards; outer guard, James Price.
The honor roll of Pythians of the Valley lodges in the U. S. service
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contains 31 names, and nearly every branch of the service is repre- sented.
EL OASIS TEMPLE NO. 173 DRAMATIC ORDER KNIGHTS KHORASSAN
On April II, 1914, El Oasis Temple No. 173, D. O. K. K., was in- stituted with a charter membership of 150. The affairs of the Temple have prospered until today the roster contains nearly 300 names. The ceremonials of the Temple are held annually and are attended by mem- bers from all over Southern California, for they are the creators of clean enjoyment for all Pythian Knights.
Royal vizier, Lou Philley; grand emir, Geo. Dixon; sheik, E. J. Clark ; secretary, R. Kellerstraus ; treasurer, A. C. Nieman; satrap, C. B. Farris ; sahib, T. A. Tunstall; mahedi, G. H. Mathews.
EL CENTRO TEMPLE NO. 77, PYTHIAN SISTERS
The youngest organization in the Imperial Valley Pythian family is El Centro Temple No. 77, Pythian Sisters, which was instituted February 28, 1916, by Past Grand Chief Mary Livingston. The institution was brought about by Mrs. Lulu Thompson, then a member of Moonstone Temple No. 101. The charter membership was about 40, and today the membership has increased to over 80. The sisters are very much inter- ested in Red Cross work and have charge of the local Red Cross head- quarters two days of each week.
Most excellent chief, Mrs. Zella North ; excellent senior, Mrs. Sophia Kellerstraus; excellent junior, Mrs. Marvin Moore ; manager, Mrs. Y. N. Adams; mistress of records and correspondence, Mrs. Cathalene Moffat; mistress of finance, Mrs. Frank M. Moore; protector of the temple, Mrs. F. G. Wier; guard of the temple, Mrs. G. W. Hortson.
EL CENTRO LODGE, 1325, B. P. O. E.
El Centro Lodge, 1325, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, was organized in January, 1916, the institution being done by the San Diego lodge. J. Stanley Brown was the first Exalted Ruler. The charter roll consisted of 35 men, all former Elks. Phil D. Swing was elected Exalted Ruler in March of the same year and during the next twelve months the baby lodge reached a membership of 75, more than 100 per cent increase. Vern R. Bishop was the next Exalted Ruler, and the
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lodge now numbers 120 members. Otis B. Tout will be in the Exalted Ruler's chair for the next year. During its existence the El Centro lodge has participated in many patriotic and charitable events and is rapidly becoming a forceful factor and an aid to the government in the present war. A five-year program is being mapped out. Club rooms will be leased and furnished this summer and a home will be built after the war.
CHAPTER XVII
ARCHITECTURE
BY SAMUEL BLAIR ZIMMER
NO ONE expects Class A buildings in a new community, nor is the art feature ever highly developed in such a locality. We must consider things relatively, and it is great progress that has been made here, and the beginning is at hand for "cities beautiful" that may easily be real- ized in the time to come.
From the formal opening of the Valley in 1900 until 1907 the devel- opment was from tent houses up to characteristic cheap frontier struc- tures. Building materials were very high priced, owing to high freight rates, and very little money was available for buildings on account of the extreme necessity for improving the land.
During the year 1907 quite an activity in building began and rapid colonization made it desirable to provide suitable schools and public buildings for a people intent on permanent residence.
The cost of building material made it necessary to use local products as much as possible, and this necessarily limited the art impulse. But in a short time there was an improvement in this respect, and in 1908 the Valley launched out in a manner that produced as good a class of buildings as could be expected in a new country, building many credit- able school buildings in country districts and grammar school buildings in the towns.
In 1909 the Imperial Union High School district erected at Imperial a good high school building which in design and arrangement ranks with the best in the state for its size.
In 1910 the Holtville Union High School district followed with a similar well-constructed high school building.
In 1911 El Centro Union High School district built a high school unit which has been added to up to date at a total cost of about a quarter of a million dollars.
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
Brawley and Calexico Union districts have also built fine high school buildings, bringing the total investments in high school buildings in the valley to about $700,000, all being strictly modern structures.
The grammar school buildings in all of the Valley cities are of the best designs and well laid out for the work intended, while most of them are built of durable materials.
There are three Carnegie public libraries in the Valley, at Imperial, El Centro and Calexico, all of which are well-designed structures, and each city is well provided with church buildings for several denomina- tions.
Each town has made ample provision with fine hotels for the accom- modation of the stranger. The famous Barbara Worth Hotel in El Centro, begun in 1913, would be a credit to any city.
One and two-story store buildings in the retail districts of the Valley cities have arcades over the sidewalks and are wide spreading in de- sign. Some of them have fronts of handsome design, which the mer- chants so trim as to make effects and displays equal to large city stores. Among the store buildings of importance are the Anderson building in Calexico, which cost $75,000, and the Auditorium building in the same city, which cost $50,000. They are both of reinforced concrete and of good design.
The industrial district of El Centro contains several handsome re- inforced concrete buildings, notable among them being a model cream- ery, the largest west of the Missouri river.
The residence districts in all of the Valley cities are being built up with handsome bungalows and some good residences costing from $10,000 to $15,000. Most of these are typical of California cities, while others have extensive screened porches and screened sleeping rooms, adapted to a warm climate.
Imperial County built a temporary court house at El Centro, the county seat, in the central part of the city, in 1908, where county busi- ness still is being transacted, but the county has a five-acre tract on West Main Street, on which now is being constructed a jail building at a cost of $90,000. This is a modern, fire-proof, reinforced concrete building. It will be a unit in the future permanent court house, which is to be a structure of modern design, incorporating all the features necessary to make it one of the best court houses in the state.
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In general, the architectural designs are above the standard, as com- pared with similar localities. The public buildings follow the designs which are common throughout the states in the best localities, while the stores and business buildings are distinct in their arcade effects, which lend themselves to novel designs.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE IMPERIAL COUNTY FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS BY MRS. ERNEST POSTON
THE PIONEERS of the country leave a lasting imprint upon a locality, for they have laid the foundation stones, and the building that follows must in a measure conform to the foundation.
Imperial County was doubly blessed in its pioneer women, for in ad- dition to the courage, endurance and perseverance which are the com- mon characteristics of all peoples who build new empires, these first- comers possessed culture and vision that gave them sight beyond mate- rial necessities. It was owing to their determination that the lives of their families should not be bare of the culture that united effort gives that these women bravely banded themselves together to look after the mental and social welfare of their community.
As soon as possible each town had its women's club, alive to the many civic and social needs of the people, and working tirelessly, sometimes against almost overwhelming odds, that the needed reforms should be accomplished.
Much of the beauty of the Valley is the direct result of the efforts of the women's clubs in planting trees, grass, shrubbery and flowers.
On February 22, 1910, the Imperial Valley Federation of Women's Clubs was organized in El Centro, thereby widening the scope of work. The social feature of this occasion was carried out in a luncheon that was much more elaborate than anything before attempted in this new country, and was indeed an occasion long to be remembered.
Mrs. Violette S. Campbell, of the El Centro Women's Ten Thousand Club, was elected the first president. She ably filled the position and was re-elected, having the distinction of being the only woman who has held the office for two years. At the close of Mrs. Campbell's adminis- tration the term was limited to one year, the presidency to be given in rotation to each club in the federation.
Committees to handle the different phases of club work were added
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IMPERIAL COUNTY FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS
as the need presented itself. Today there are six chairmen of the fol- lowing departments : Birds and Wild Life, Civics and Forestry, Club Extension, History and Landmarks, Child Welfare, Home Economics. The standing committees are: Entertainment, Press and Parliamen- tarian.
The most important event in the life of the federation was the 14th convention of the Southern California District Federation of Women's Clubs, which convened in El Centro on November 9, 1915. Perhaps no other community in the world could boast of so much accomplished in so short a time as could Imperial Valley, and the visiting club women enjoyed it to the full-from the new Barbara Worth Hotel with its pic- tured story of reclamation, to the wonderful afternoon at Calexico, when the Women's Progress Club entertained the visitors. A feature of this entertainment was exhibits of a variety of things that could be raised here, and a visit to the cotton and oil mills; nor were the other clubs outdone by Calexico, each club gave that which was uniquely ap- propriate to the locality. A luncheon at Brawley was furnished by the Northend clubs. Holtville served tea at the Harold Bell Wright home, and Heber served home-grown dates at the Fawcett ranch.
The convention brought much to Imperial Valley, and Imperial Val- ley also gave much to its visitors ; as one delegate expressed it, "I am sure we all had Imperial Valley in our souls, and all we need to do is to develop it."
The most notable guest at the convention was Mrs. E. D. Knight, State President of the Federation of Women's Clubs.
During the present year the federation has specialized in patriotic work. The president, Mrs. Joseph F. Seymour, Jr., of El Centro, has urged upon the club women the necessity for keeping up all helpful organizations. The federation has purchased thrift stamps with their surplus funds.
The following are the names of the federation presidents, their terms and the clubs they represent :
Mrs. Violette S. Campbell El Centro 1910-1911 Mrs. Will Best, Brawley 1912
Mrs. J. E. Peck, Calexico. 1913
Mrs. J. R. Stevenson, Imperial
1914
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HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY
Mrs. A. M. Williams, Holtville (resigned)
Mrs. C. F. Turner, Calexico (unexpired term) . 1915
Mrs. W. S. Cummings, Heber 1916
Mrs. J. F. Seymour, Jr., El Centro. . 1917
Mrs. H. L. Fulton, Brawley (elect) .1918
From a small beginning the federation has grown until there are eleven clubs in the organization, the Bard Women's Club and the Mothers' Club of El Centro federating this year.
The remainder of the chapter is given over to the histories of the clubs which compose the federation.
WOMAN'S TEN THOUSAND CLUB OF EL CENTRO
In the spring of 1908, after many of the women had gone out of the Valley for their vacations, the men who "stayed behind" gathered from day to day (for their luncheon and dinner) at the Palm Roof Garden, and at these gatherings pledged each other to work for a "City Beauti- ful," with a population of ten thousand. Thus the club got its name.
In October of that year, at the instance of the opening of the new Oregon Hotel, a banquet was served, the Men's Club having charge of the program. At this meeting (to quote from an article in the Morning Star of October 23rd) Mrs. A. W. Swanson read a paper on "Woman's Civic Influence," in which she urged the women of El Centro to co- operate with the Men's Club in their efforts for the upbuilding of "Our City Beautiful." Before the close of this auspicious gathering President Allen Kelly of the Ten Thousand Club appointed a committee of five women "to take such steps as were necessary to form a woman's sec- tion, auxiliary to the Men's Club."
In pursuance of this call, such a meeting was held on October 30th and the following were chosen to serve as officers: President, Mrs. A. W. Swanson; vice-president, Mrs. J. M. Eshleman ; recording secre- tary, Mrs. Genevieve Williams; corresponding secretary, Mrs. C. E. Paris; treasurer, Mrs. C. F. Hayden. Mesdames C. F. Buttress, J. R. Garren, D. V. Noland, and Louis Havermale were elected as directors. This nucleus of a woman's club began its existence with a charter mem- bership of thirty-five.
On November 17-18 of that year the Woman's Section co-operated
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with the Men's Club in the entertainment and reception given the South- ern California Editorial Association, which assembled in convention in El Centro.
Committees were appointed on "Parks," the promotion of gardens and tree planting, also on the elimination of dust from our streets, and in December, 1908, the Woman's Section took charge of the domestic booth at the Imperial County Fair.
Mrs. A. W. Swanson's term of office extended over a period of three years, laying the foundation for what is destined to be the largest women's organization in the great Imperial Valley. During her presi- dency the Men's Ten Thousand Club formed themselves into a chamber of commerce, and the Woman's Section became the Woman's Ten Thousand Club of El Centro, federating with the state organization in January, 1909.
In February, 1910, a County Club Day was held in El Centro, to which women from all parts of the Valley were welcomed. At this time was formed the Imperial County Federation of Women's Clubs, the second county in California to so organize, and Mrs. Violette Campbell of El Centro was elected as president.
This now thriving club, looking well to the future, invested in a choice piece of property on State Street, laying the foundation for a city park and club house.
Mrs. R. B. Vaile was the second president of the Woman's Ten Thousand Club, holding office for two terms, from 1911 to 1913. The club, during this period, was passing through the kindergarten stage, seeking self-expression, finding, from week to week, new ways to be helpful to the community, and gaining in strength and members.
The Philanthropic section, under the leadership of Mrs. Flora Mc- Kusick, did splendid work. Also the club, looking toward the moral and social uplift of the community, was sponsor to a course of Lyceum entertainments.
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