The Street Seen: Water (Santa Monica Survives)
Santa Monica
This is the 4th in a series about Ocean Park’s water supply, covering the period from 1916 to 1928. Santa Monica fends off annexation to the City of Los Angeles by obtaining new well water sources for its own municipal system.
Santa Monica gets its municipal water system in 1916. However, the hope of obtaining Owens Valley water from the City of Los Angeles (without annexation) dies in June 1916 when Los Angeles votes down Proposition #8 which would allow Los Angeles to sell surplus water to Santa Monica.
On the basis of obtaining City of Los Angeles water, Santa Monica annexation proponents get annexation by Los Angeles on the ballot in August 1917.1 In a fiercely fought campaign annexation is defeated.2
The most disgusting campaign of vilification and trickery ever known upon the beach - Santa Monica Outlook August 23, 1917
In the 1920s like other Southern California cities, Santa Monica experiences an increase in industry and a significant population boom. There are shortages of water and electricity. Petitions to recall Mayor J.C. Steele (1863 – 1944) are circulated. In 1923, ostensibly on the basis of securing Los Angeles water, plans for another annexation vote are moved forward. The Santa Monica City Council pushes the vote as far as possible in the future,3 and scrambles to improve its water system.
Santa Monica voters approve a $1.00 MM water bond in December 1923,4 and the City immediately starts to work on upgrading the water system:-
Constructs a 5.00 MM gallon reservoir at the Arcadia plant (Bundy and Wilshire).
Constructs a 2.50 MM gallon reservoir at Mt Olivet (Franklin Hill).7
Unable to put it off further, an annexation election is scheduled for December 1924. Another fiercely fought campaign ensues. On November 19, 1924, realtor and annexationist leader L.M. Ford (1870 - 1956) claims in the newspapers that he has no water at his home (Georgina & Euclid). Three days later the Fire Department, accompanied by a film crew, turns up at his house and produces a fire hydrant gusher.
The film of the events is shown at movie theaters in Ocean Park and Santa Monica.8 Outrage follows and accusations flow back in forth in the newspapers. Both sides take out full-page newspaper political advertisements. Leaflets are dropped from airplanes.
On December 16, 1924, Santa Monica votes 4,555 against to 3,479 in favor of annexation by the City of Los Angeles. This is the end of the annexation wars - Santa Monica continues to exist as an incorporated city.
In 1928, the City of Santa Monica became a charter member in the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), with other member cities, including Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Compton, Fullerton, Glendale, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Marino, Santa Ana, and Torrance, applying for water from the Colorado River. The distribution system is not completed until 1941, when the first Colorado River water arrives in Santa Monica to supplement its well sources.
The City of Los Angeles charter does not allow it to sell its surplus water, and seeks to share the cost of the Owens Valley project by annexing surrounding cities. Santa Monica has one-thirty-eighth the population of Los Angeles and would take on the 1/38th of the existing indebtedness of the City of Los Angeles, pay for new Los Angeles facilities, and lose local control (schools, library, etc.). Santa Monica real estate interests favor annexation.
State law only allows the annexation of contiguous cities. By 1917, with the Westgate annexation of June 14, 1916 (and the Sawtelle annexation of May 4, 1917), Santa Monica is contiguous with the City of Los Angeles.
The August 22, 1917 Santa Monica annexation vote is 2,652 against to 1,445 for.
Santa Monica officials declare that 2,500 signatures are required to call an annexation election, In September 1924, Santa Monica annexation proponents submit 4,483 signatures and expect the issue will be on the November 4, 1924 general election ballot. In October 1924, citing delays in verifying petition signatures and in drafting the annexation ordinance, Santa Monica sets a special election annexation vote for a December 16, 1924. Annexation proponents are upset at not being on the general election ballot.
In 1923, the City commissions Olmstead & Gillelen Consulting Engineers to prepare a Santa Monica water resources report. Santa Monica sells its 20-acre Tongva Springs property to the Los Angeles Board of Education for $50,000. A $1.00MM Santa Monica water bond election is set for December 4, 1923. There is widespread support and the water bond passes with 2,785 of the 3,916 votes in favor - 174 votes beyond the required 2/3rds majority.
Englishman John Charnock (1788 – 1874) and his son George Charnock (1835–1925) come to California in the 1860s and raise lima beans and hay near Palms and Sawtelle on their ranch at Rancho La Ballona.
In May 1924 Santa Monica buys 5 lots on the Charnock ranch and drills two 390 feet deep water wells. Well #2 comes online in October 1924.
The water is pumped 3 1/2 miles through a 20” main to the Arcadia reservoir at Bundy and Wilshire.
The Arcadia and Olivet reservoirs are both built by Santa Monica contractor J.L. Schimmer & Son and completed in November 1924.
