GregoryTom

BROKE DOWN CIRCUS

Jeff Elliott Leave a comment

Every April, “our” circus returned to Santa Rosa for one glorious day. Then came the year we wish it hadn’t.

In the first decade of the Twentieth Century, there were other circuses that also played here; the bigger and more famous Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth blew into town every couple of years or so, and once Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show raised its tents. Six months after the great 1906 earthquake, the Forepaugh-Sells Brothers’ Circus provided much-welcomed distraction from the long slog of rebuilding the downtown. But it was the Greater Norris & Rowe Circus that kids in Santa Rosa and Petaluma counted on to roll into town every spring. “When the long circus train unloaded at the depot, Norris & Rowe received their annual demonstration of welcome,” the Santa Rosa Republican reported in 1909. “The small boy was much in evidence, as were also big boys, and they worked with unflagging interest.”

The Republican article was undoubtedly written by Tom Gregory in his finest bathetic dry humor (“It is hard to follow all the daring things they do and say in a circus, but the excitement of trying makes life worth living”) and named some acts, which gives a feel of what the show was like (hint: lots of horse riding and trapeze swinging). Thanks to the wonderful archives of the Circus Historical Society we also know the sideshow included four hootchy-kootchy dancers, “the Musical Smiths, South Sea Island Joe and wife Beno, Montana Jack and Maritana, Liza Davis and her pickininnies,” plus a mind reader, a magician, and “La Belle Carmen.”

The Norris & Rowe circus always played the town for one day only, visiting Petaluma the day before or after (the circus additionally went to Healdsburg in 1908).  Like every tent show that came to Santa Rosa, they set up on the large empty lot on College Avenue that’s now Santa Rosa Middle School. It was an ideal location, close to the Southern Pacific railroad tracks, with Fourth street just a few blocks further away for the traditional morning parade.

But this visit by Norris & Rowe was like none before. Girlie shows “for men only” were touted on the midway and children were invited to try their luck at gambling. When they left, the lot was strewn with garbage. It was as if they didn’t care if they would be in Santa Rosa ever again. And indeed, they never were.

What no one in town knew was that the circus had declared bankruptcy a few months earlier, with liabilities of about $1.5 million in today’s money. They owed workers back pay, the printing company for their posters, even the candy company that provided popcorn and peanuts and Cracker Jack. Everything was auctioned off in January, 1909; the winning bid and new sole owner was Hutton S. Rowe, one of the original co-owners.

The comments in the Santa Rosa Republican show the revived circus was a lot rougher along the seams, probably because the creditless touring company needed the cash boost from lowlife acts and barely-legal game booths. As the summer of 1909 passed, the Norris & Rowe circus found itself performing in small crossroad towns and villages on the high plains and across the Canada border, places that were tiny then, and sometimes nonexistent today. It was like the route of someone seeking to hide.

Catastrophe struck on October 22, when a storm suddenly blew up near the end of a show in Princeton, Indiana. Without warning, the big top collapsed on a thousand people. “For a few minutes the wildest excitement reigned and the cries of the people could be heard for blocks away,” the Indianapolis Star reported. Then apparently all the men and boys in the audience remembered that they were wont to always carry folding pocket knives, and the canvas was slashed in hundreds of places. No one was seriously injured, but the circus couldn’t proceed with a shredded tent. It was decided that they would winter in Indiana, far from their Santa Cruz home.

According to a memoir by one of the musicians with the circus, bad luck crushed the circus in 1910. Pockets were empty; they couldn’t even afford a splash of new paint on the wagons or signs, and train cars were “very much run-down condition.” On opening day, the wardrobe lady was jailed after she shot and killed a man peeking into the dressing tent. Over the next three weeks, the situation deteriorated rapidly. The weather was terrible, with cold, hard April rain keeping audiences away, and some days there were no performances at all. The railroad insisted on being paid in advance in cash. Performers began fielding offers from other shows. When they crossed the Kentucky state line, the circus was hit with a lawsuit from another unpaid printer. And that was that. A benefit performance was given for the stranded performers.

None of that was was mentioned when the next circus arrived in Santa Rosa. In May of 1910 came the Campbell Brothers Circus, with twenty “happy jolly funny clowns”, a lady in a cage with a bunch of snakes, and The Marvelous Renello, who could flip a complete somersault on a bicycle. It was a good, clean show, which had even more railroad cars that urgently needed unloading under the close supervision of our local kids.

CIRCUS SHOW IS IN TOWN
Good Story About Norris & Rowe Exhibition

“Shrieking his rollicking roundelay, a monster marched through the town; he woke the echoes, disturbed the peace, and shouted defiance at the police; he frightened the horses, annoyed the dogs, and even the autos trembled; but the youngsters rejoiced at the din he made and followed his way with glee, as youngsters have done since in Hamlin town, another piper of high renown created havoc across the sea. So latter day children are wont to be entranced by the singing cal-i-o-pe.”

Again the painted wagons rolled through the streets and everybody, young and old, who could gain a vantage point, feasted their eyes on the classic spectacle of the circus parade that Norris & Rowe brought to us Monday morning. When a man or woman becomes so old as to lose all interest in circus day it is time for them to call in Dr. Osler. When the long circus train unloaded at the depot, Norris & Rowe received their annual demonstration of welcome. The small boy was much in evidence, as were also big boys, and they worked with unflagging interest in assisting men and horses to the circus lot. The big tent is filled this afternoon and for the convenience of those unable to attend the matinee, the whole thing will be repeated again tonight, when a number of attractive special features will be added. There is a set formula for modern circuses and one which departed from it would fail for want of patronage. They may vary somewhat in form and quantity, but in spirit they must follow the traditions. The Norris & Rowe enterprise is properly conducted and it offers all the ecstatic thrills and aesthetic delights demanded of a circus. It begins in the good old way. Three bands are united and march around the ring to a most inspiring air. Elephants come lumbering after, holding each other’s trail. After that it is the camels, dromedaries, and then delight of delights, shades of chivalry, the Knights and Princesses ride in graceful ranks, garbed in such glory as to outshine the pomp of power. Then come the clowns, humble Yoricks of the saw-dust and the pageant melts away, and in the two rings upon the elevated stage and high aloft toward the billowing tent-top this is a riot of daring deeds. It is hard to follow all the daring things they do and say in a circus, but the excitement of trying makes life worth living. From the shrieking of the calliope to the spieling of the concert and sideshow, Norris & Rowe’s is a real big circus, just as good as any other, and maybe better. Young or old, you cannot miss it, and if you did not go this afternoon, go tonight, and if you went this afternoon, go again. It will make your big troubles little ones and your little ones disappear altogether.

The afternoon performance was a good one and many attended and were entertained by the various acts. The principal riding acts included George Holland, the somersault bareback rider; Edw. Hocum, also a somersault and principal rider; Frank Miller, principal jockey and hurdle rider; Herbert Rumley, trick, fancy and rough riding; Frank O’Brien in a mule hurdle act; Rose Dockrill, the dainty equestrianne; Dolly Miller in a four horse carrying act; Maude Hocum and her well educated high school horse; Edna Maretta, principal lady somersault bareback rider; Mlle. Julienne and her trick horse Banaldo. The Melnotte troupe on the high silver wire; the flying Banvard troupe of aerial performers; the Leffe troupe of mid-air bar performers; the Sisters Sillbon on the flying trapeze; the famous Avalon troupe of seven daring trick and fancy bicyclists; the Montrose and Keno troupe of acrobats and other things.

– Santa Rosa Republican, April 12, 1909
COMPLAINT REGARDING SOME CIRCUS FEATURES

There is heard considerable complaint and criticism regarding several of the features of Norris & Rowe’s circus, which showed in this city yesterday, and those who witnessed the vulgar actions of certain of the noisy spielers connected with the affair are wondering why the police did not take notice. In front of one of the side tents near the entrance to the park several men and women, employees of the circus, were “barking” for an exhibition within “for men only,” and their work in that public place was suggestive of positive indecency. Ladies passing would hurry away, but boys and little girls were standing around witnessing the talk and actions. So vulgar was the language that it could not be printed and it is a shame that such was permitted.

There were also several gambling schemes running and it is stated that several young men lost money in the skin games. The park which the show occupied was left littered with straw, scraps from the kitchen tents, waste paper and other rubbish, causing the whole to be an eyesore to the public and a general nuisance.

 

– Santa Rosa Republican, April 13, 1909

 

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TOM GREGORY

Jeff Elliott Leave a comment

Had I the chance to visit 1908 Santa Rosa, I know exactly how I’d want to spend my day. First I’d ask James Wyatt Oates for a spin in his fine, new touring car; with any luck, I could convince him to drive over to Hoen Avenue so we could say hello to the newly arrived Comstock family. I’d drop by Frank Muther’s cigar shop on Fourth Street and thank the Fire Chief for saving our town from burning down after the Great Earthquake. Should Fred J. Wiseman happen to be loafing around the Santa Rosa Cyclery with old friends, I’d ask if he thought airplanes had much of a future. But come the end of my visit, I’d like to have a beer and hang out with Tom Gregory.

(RIGHT: Portrait of Tom Gregory from “History of Sonoma County”)

Next to Luther Burbank, Tom Gregory is probably the most famous person who ever lived in Santa Rosa, by one measure: His “History of Sonoma County” (available to read online or download here) became the de facto reference on local history almost from the day it was published in 1911. In genealogy circles, he’s particularly viewed as a superstar because most of the volume is filled with 558 biographies of local movers and shakers (who each paid something around $50 to be memorialized as a m&s). But in a believe-it-or-not twist worthy of Robert Ripley (another of Santa Rosa’s famous sons), Gregory is famous for the wrong reason; he likely contributed little besides editorial touch-up to the biography section, where only occasional flashes of his hallmark writing style can be found.*

In the twilight of his life, Tom was a history-writing machine. After the 1911 Sonoma County volume, he followed with county histories for Solano and Napa (1912) and Yolo (1913). Truth be told, however, his histories really aren’t very good. He wrote in a style more florid than precise; rarely are sources cited, and there are more than a few passages where he added colorful details that leave Gentle Reader wondering how such bullshit ever made it into print. (He made the absurd claim, for example, that the word “gringo” was coined by Mexicans who heard Americans endlessly singing the old folk tune, “Green Grow the Rushes.”) And although he was an eyewitness to the 1906 Santa Rosa earthquake, he offered a mere three pages describing the day of the disaster and its immediate aftermath. That’s almost unforgivable.

But Tom Gregory wasn’t a scholar or historian; he was a storyteller and newspaperman. He spent his life writing about people and matters he knew about first hand, not long-distant events researched at a library. Instead of his flawed histories, he should be celebrated for the decades of entertaining, often hilarious, writings that appeared in the San Francisco and Santa Rosa newspapers.

He was the only writer in the early 20th century Santa Rosa papers to be given a byline or allowed to sign his articles, and he appeared in both the Press Democrat and the Republican. Before the 1906 quake he had an occasional column in the PD called “One Man’s Opinion” or “Individual Opinion.” For the Republican after the quake, it was “Pencil Gatherings Among the Social and Other People” (it would later be called the even more irreverent “Unclassified News of the Social and Other Things”), which was a staff-written society gossip column that took sarcastic pokes at local snobs when Gregory contributed.

The February 22, 1908 “Pencil Gatherings” was particularly good fun. Responding to a reader who hoped the newspaper would reproach “certain lady [card] players who are more anxious to win prizes than they are to play fair,” Gregory wailed in mock despair, “My! my! I am jarred out of all think…I have worked so hard uplifting society to a higher moral plane, spying out and eliminating every element of the earth earthy, we find that our labors have been in some respects in vain.” Card cheaters risked the launch of “horrid war…in the ethics of game there is no redemption for the gamester who falls from honor.” Later in the same column, he oozed unctuously over the fashions at a sorority dance instead of offering the customary fawning praise:


It was indeed a bright phalanx of fair Grecians that came to the dance of the Lambda Theta Phi Friday evening in the Occidental. If one may refer to them in the scholastic and classic lore of Hellenic days, he may write that no more charming company of girls ever gathered to the Olympian games that these Minervian maidens of the West. Their gowns were not just the draperies seen on the graceful marble goddesses of the Parthenon, but they were dainty, pretty, and fetching…

Tom dabbled in Santa Rosa civic affairs in 1906 with his customary humor. When there was a kerfuffle over sidewalks being used by bicycle riders and roller skaters, he proposed the city should encourage scofflaws, the better to issue tickets that could be used to rebuild the earthquake damage. Policemen could even expedite the fines by selling coupon books in advance: “Under this beautiful system a cop could grab a wheelman, tear off a coupon, and let him ride on. No delay, no bother.” He ran that year for city clerk (see below for an amusing anecdote), and when he didn’t win, his Press Democrat column laughed at his own defeat: “I have not yet found the central cause of my ‘pass in the night’ of April 3. I fancy, however, that it may be attributed to lack of votes.” A friend comforted him by saying that he lost only because “after my opponent finished at the ballot box there was not enough votes left to go around.”

In a 1908 “Pencil Gatherings” column, Gregory introduced his fictional (?) nemesis, a blowhard he called the “up-town citizen” who would stop by the newspaper office and wax his ill-informed opinions, then stealing a paper as he left. Another episode is transcribed here, but this one will make less sense to those not familiar with events that have been discussed in earlier posts. When the windbag says, “[W]hat is this report about settin’ the proposed city park down in the crick…I was asked what the crick was assessed at, bit I don’t think it has any taxable value since the fish died,” the references are to an election-year promise to create a park on the banks of Santa Rosa Creek, although it was well-known that the waterway was now so polluted that the fish were vanishing.

Alas, there’s no index of Tom Gregory’s writings in the Santa Rosa papers, so stumbling across an unknown item is always a treat. There are undoubtedly many more gems to be unearthed, although his contributions seem to slack off after 1908 as he began writing the histories. A look at older papers should prove fruitful; he moved to town in 1898, when he was already an acclaimed writer.

Tom Gregory was born in California in 1853 and joined the U.S. Navy at 17. Although he had only a rudimentary education he read constantly, and when his ship was monitoring the war between Bolivia, Chile and Peru in 1879, he made his debut as a war correspondent for the San Francisco Call. For most of the rest of his life his focus drifted between the sea and the newsroom. He left the Navy to become a newspaperman, then later re-enlisted to run the Navy recruiting station in San Francisco during the Spanish-American War. He wrote for the old Alta California and the San Francisco Call, where “he was assigned to the waterfront and became famous for his waterfront stories,” the obituary in the Santa Rosa Republican noted. “Some of his exploits in search of news are traditions in the Press Club of California.”

gregory-poem(RIGHT: Featured poem in the SF Call, February 9, 1896. CLICK or TAP to enlarge)

By at least 1895, he was highly regarded as a poet and writer of human interest stories about life at sea. Historic newspaper archives for the San Francisco Call show a couple of dozen stories or poems that appeared in the fat Sunday editions between 1895 and 1899, often featuring an illustration drawn specifically for it. Obits in both local papers stated that the poems in particular were widely reprinted nationwide. A Call article referred to him as the “chief staff poet” and after a Friday night romp in the Bohemian district with other reporters, there was a laugh because Gregory was back at his desk at midnight “…searching a dictionary of rhymes for something to go with ‘-izzle.'” Now, that’s dedication. Or something.

Tom Gregory died on Sept. 8, 1914, at his home at 930 Cherry Street (which still stands, on the corner of Cherry and E) and his remains were taken to San Francisco and there cremated. Rest in peace, Tom; it would have been nice to have known you.


* Although nothing specific is known on the practices of the “Historic Record Company” of Los Angeles, the publishers of these “mug books” typically hired a local newspaper editor or scholar to write (or supervise the writing of) the histories, but sent a salesman from the home office to sell the subscriptions that underwrote the publication. The salesman also collected the all-important biographical data from subscribers. As an example, the 1889 “Illustrated History of Sonoma County, California” is attributed to Petaluma Argus editor Samuel Cassiday, but a man named William Buckline from the Lewis Publishing Company in Chicago was in the county the previous year for interviews and taking pre-orders. The main author sometimes hired a local writer for the biographical sketches, and other times subscribers sent their autobiographical details directly to staff writers at the company. Regardless of how these books were assembled, they were enormously profitable. As the books typically included 500+ biographies, the publisher had a risk-free publication that brought in about $25,000 – a princely sum for the day.

COLONEL GREGORY’S PETITION

Colonel Tom Gregory petitioned for an electric light on King street, to relieve the situation on that thoroughfare. By reason of the large pine trees growing in the old college grounds the Colonel declared it could easily be termed “darkest Santa Rosa.” He prayed for relief from the situation. Referred to street committee.

– Santa Rosa Republican, February 7, 1906
UNIQUE CAMPAIGN CARDS
Advertising Legend Brings Out Good Joke at Tom Gregory’s Expense

Tom Gregory shows his newspaper training in the unique character of his advertising campaign cards. His penwork is as striking as it is funny, and attracts attention wherever it appears.

In the windows of several stores the reader is told to “get a quick meal on one of our stoves early April 3rd and vote for Tom Gregory.” Lou Dillon’s famous sulky in a well-known harness store is adorned with this statement: “The fastest sulky on Earth, puled by Lou Dillon in 1:58. Tom Gregory’s run for City Clerk is equally marvelous.”

One of these election legends brought out a joke at Tom’s expense which is as good as one of his own: A grocery window held a card which said, “Ask your grocer for Tom Gregory.” “What is it?” queried a curious customer. The information was given by the proprietor.

“Oh, I thought it was a new breakfast food,” the customer replied.

– Press Democrat, March 23, 1906
THINGS HEARD ABOUT TOWN
A New Society Formed— A Political Rumor

“These here fine, sunny days just drags everything and everybody out of the shell,” said the up town citizen, leaning over the counter and cheerfully confiding to the entire office force, “I reckon society will just turn on ‘high speed’ this nice weather and crowd the dates with functions or whatever you call ’em, before Lent turns out the lights. Speakin’ of society, I must tell you about a new social club we have organized, though I must not tell you where it is located, because the police is awful fierce now, it bein’ purtty close to election. It is the Paradox Bean-Poker and Debating Society, Limited. We found in the dictionary that paradox is something a person would think aint but really is, so we though it a good name. Bean poker I guess you ‘sabe.’ The debatin’ comes in when the members are a-growlin’ over five of a kind before the draw, and the limit is in ‘five hundred’ and euchre professionals. When we get more coin in the kitty we are a-going to federate with other clubs and then we will have the angtray into the select circles of the hoi polloi. Better let me take your name in? What say?”

Nobody said anything, and he continued: “But there is one thing not out yet, and that is the candidate. I’ve been a-hunting for the bunch who want to serve the public, and I can’t flush a single bird. I did catch one stickin’ his head out of the grass, but before I could get a camera on him he ducked back. He had ‘councilman’ and ‘goodness’ written all over him, but he was skeery. There’s to be six men and a city hall with a fire house on the side voted for, and the only thing yet in sight is the place where the hall and house is to be if it is to be.

“The folks in and out of town don’t ‘pear to like the mositness in the streets. They keep a’askin’ me to dry up the mudholes. I tell them with so much free water, natcherly lots of it will get splashed around a good deal. Just as soon as the summer comes and people begin to wet down their lawns and find roses so the Chamber of Commerce can truthfully tell what a gardin spot Santa Rosay is, the free water idea will evaporate, leaving excess bills in its place. I was up to the city council t’other night and heard a cry going up to thet cloudless skies. If was for free water for revenue only. I hear they are a-goin’ to make the old water company put in meters so it can’t work no cut rate job on the city business, I’ll be goshdurned if this water question isn’t gittin’ complerkated.

“Haven’t got a late Lost Ang’lus paper have you? I had a visitor from the sunny south the other day. He belonged to some Chamber of Commerce down there and said what was needed to make this state have a settler on every fifty-vera lot of it was more harmony and less ‘knocking’ between the different sections. Pretty soon he sets down on the hammer he had in his back pocket and hurt himself real painful.,

“The court house deputies is a-pickin’ out their offices in the new county building and askin’ the architect to put sunny south windown on the north side. Say, what is this report about settin’ the proposed city park down in the crick? Geminy, it would take more money to fix up the place, put in dams, walks, gondolas, submarines, like Healdsburg had, than it would take to build a battleship. The citizens could never stand for it without a bond issue. I was asked what the crick was assessed at, bit I don’t think it has any taxable value since the fish died.

“Speakin’ of aquatic matters reminds me that the big fleet is in the Pacific and will soon be up here. Bein’ a society man, I’m goin’ to leave my card aboard Evans’ flagship and have the Admiral up to Santa Rosy and get up a reception. We are well acquainted with each other–I was ship’s cook with him once. One day he gave me five days in double irons for burning the beans. I’ll make Fightin’ Bob honerary member of the Paradoxes. Guess I’ll take a paper home with me, the carrier might fergit to leave me one.”

– Santa Rosa Republican, February 13, 1908

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ELECTION 1908: THE GOOD OL’ BOYS VS. THE REFORMERS

Jeff Elliott Leave a comment

War makes for strange bedfellows, and in 1908 Santa Rosa, bedfellows were strange, indeed: The Democratic and Republican parties united to offer a single slate of candidates for mayor, council, and other elected city posts. These normally-bitter rivals joined forces to fight a common enemy: Reformers who wanted to clean up the town, starting with booting the good ol’ boys from power.

The deal for the “fusion” ticket was sealed during the simultaneous party conventions that March, with a delegate from each dashing back and forth to ensure that Santa Rosa voters would be offered the same wonderful “two party system” enjoyed in banana republics and better dictatorships. So close were the platforms of the two parties that you could not slip a playing card between them:

DEMOCRATS REPUBLICANS
We earnestly recommend and favor the immediate repeal of the so-called boarding-house license…
We hearby pledge…to repeal the ordinance licensing houses of ill-fame…
We demand the payment of good wages for labor at Union rates and declare that eight hours shall constitute a day’s work; in all departments of the city government, and that all appointments and laborers be bonafide residents of this city… We hearby pledge…to protect the mechanics and laborers of the city, asking of them only a fair day’s work at union wages; giving preference in the employment of labor to the bonafide residents of this city…
We favor proper legislation to secure to our citizens abundant and wholesome free water for domestic use… We hearby pledge…to secure abundant free water for domestic use and a just and equitable distribution thereof…
We favor…the regulation of public service corporations to compel them to furnish to this city and its people proper and sanitary light and power, both gas and electric, at fair and reasonable rates. We hearby pledge…to compel public service corporations to furnish adequate telephone service and proper and sanitary light, heat and power, both electric and gas, at reasonable rates…

Aside from repeal of the unpopular law that had legalized and regulated prostitution, the Dem/Repub platforms could be summed up as a vote for business-as-usual. Heading their ticket as candidate for mayor was the quintessential insider: James H. Gray, developer, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and namesake of the town of Graton.

The reform mayoral candidate was Rolfe Thompson, a lawyer and former Deputy District Attorney. (Thompson would become Superior Court judge in 1920 and later be appointed to the state Supreme Court; when he left for that seat in 1929, his Superior Court judgeship was taken by a man named Hilliard Comstock.) Thompson was less specific about what he would do as mayor, except for one point that he repeated often: He would put an end to “bossism.” He maintained that Santa Rosa was being run by just four men – and he even had the temerity to call them out by name.

Thompson’s reform party was called the Municipal League, and will be explored in the following post. For the purpose of introduction, it’s only necessary to know that it was the descendant of the 1905 Good Government League. Also: Press Democrat editor Ernest L. Finley hated them with passion.

In the weeks before the April election, Finley wrote several lengthy editorials scourging the Municipal League. His main avenue of attack was to repeatedly accuse them of being puppets of “the church element,” and particularly a prohibition-seeking group called the Santa Rosa Ministerial Union. And truthfully, the Municipal League leaned towards being a neo-temperance party because Thompson took no position on alcohol; what the temperance movement wanted at the time was for elected officials to show willingness for prohibition to be put to a vote, as was about to happen in Healdsburg that April (the town elected to stay “wet”).

But Finley didn’t stop with insinuations that the Municipal League played footsie with prohibitionists; he wrote at length they were nay-sayers who sought to destroy Santa Rosa by questioning the status quo. Finley’s favorite mud-slinging gimmick was setting up straw-man arguments; when the Municipal League said that a vote for the fusion ticket was the same as “endorsing the present administration,” the Press Democrat editor pretended to misunderstand their allegory and dismiss it as “twaddle” because no one from the administration was running for reelection (the newspaper followed by boasting that the administration was composed of the finest, most unselfish men that could be found anywhere on the planet). When the Municipal League suggested the PD was “owned” by the “same men who aspire to own Santa Rosa,” Finley took the literal meaning in order to call them liars or fools for not knowing that Finley and his partner were the business owners.

Finley’s venom was also directed at the Santa Rosa Ministerial Union’s newsletter called “The Citizen.” Alas, no copies from that year appear to have survived (the county library has a couple of issues from 1909), so we’re left with the snippets and paraphrases that were used in PD editorials. It’s also regrettable that the Santa Rosa Republican didn’t call out the Press Democrat on its lies and misrepresentations, as it had in the political “flapdoodle” of the 1904 election. But the Republican did offer up a column by Tom Gregory describing the fusion conventions. Mostly written in heavy dialect (presumably to make it “humorous”), he drops the hick shtick at the end to make a telling point: “For years and years Santa Rosa has called for a non-partisan choice of city officers, and when the campaign came on the voters have lined up at the call of the bosses.”

DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS NAME JOINT TICKET
JAMES H. GRAY IS CHOSEN FOR MAYOR OF SANTA ROSA
Strong Platforms Are Adopted By Both Parties
Dr. J. W. Jesse Chairman at Democratic Gathering Where the Business of the Evening is Disposed of Rapidly and in Good Order

The Democratic convention was largely attended and was a thoroughly representative body. It met in Germania Hall, and harmony and good feeling predominated throughout this evening’s deliberations.

The convention was called to order by L. W. Juilliard, chairman of the democratic city Central committee…

…[A] conference had been held with a like committee from the Republican caucus, and as result of the meeting a plan had been suggested whereby the two parties might unite for the nomination of a single ticket. The plan, he said, was for the Democrats to name the candidate for Mayor, two councilmen and Recorder, and allow Republicans to select the nominees for Assessor, Clerk and two remaining councilmen. The principal object was to bury dissension.

F. J. Hoffman moved that the report of the committee be to be accepted and its action ratified. The motion was duly seconded and carried amid cheers and much applause…

MUNICIPAL CONVENTIONS ARE HELD HERE LAST NIGHT

The Republican city convention held last night at Trembley’s hall was one of most harmonious and enthusiastic of gatherings. With but one or two exceptions all the delegates were present as well as a large gathering of spectators and deep interest was taken in the proceedings.

Dr. S. S. Bogle called the convention to order and stated its objects… Judge Barham thanked the delegates for the honor conferred in electing him chairman and voiced a word of praise for the people of Santa Rosa, whom he said he loved better than ever for the splendid spirit they had exemplified in rebuilding the city after the earthquake. He also praised the banks of Santa Rosa for the financial assistance they had rendered in making rebuilding possible with so much alacrity. He complimented the Republican convention on the determination to display courage and be bold enough to present a ticket for election regardless of politics, and after indulging in some pleasantries regarding national politics this fall, he again congratulated the delegates and the Republican Party in being big enough in municipal affairs to rise above politics and name a good ticket with men who who fully realize the importance of their trust…

– Press Democrat, March 7, 1908
FIXING UP A FUSION TICKET
Allotment of Councilmen Bone of Contention

“That fusion idee has got into snaggy water,” observed the Up Town citizen. “It’s mighty unnatural fur them two ol’ parties to fall to lovin’ of each other all ter once. An’ th’ rank an’ file are a-askin’ what does th’ higher-ups of th’ scheme, who are mighty bizzy a-bringin’ on this combine goin’ to git out of it? Now that several candidates has pulled out of the Independents th’ Democrats are a-sayin’ to themselves, says they: ‘Why should we carry Republicans along; with all the Democrats off th’ Independent ticket we can put up a straight piece of paper an’ every Democrat in town will vote for it; we might as well have th’ mayor and all four councilmen instid of splitin’ up that bunch of jobs; th’ Indys and th’ Reps can’t fuse, they are so apart, an’ that leaves the Republicans with little change for th’ present an’ less hope fur th’ hereafter.’ Of course, th’ Reps don’t subscribe to that doctrin’, an’ they are hopin fur th’ present as well as th’ hereafter but they druther so many Republicans didn’t git on th’ Indy ticket.

Th’ Democratic secret meetin’ of delegates didn’t run on schedule time th’ other night. Somebody, accordin’ to program moved th’ chairman appoint one man from each ward to act as a committee to confer with like committe from th’ Republicans. Then a delegate who is from Kentucky and was in hot Goebel war there, moved th’ wards git their own representatives. This started trouble an’ in th’ scrap th’ chairman got tangled up in parly’ment’ry law an’ both motions was voted down. Then while they was all talkin’ about how it happened th’ chap from th’ ‘Dark an’ Bloody Ground’ got in his motion an’ it was adopted. Over in th’ Republican meetin’ at th’ same time th’ same protest came up, but it ended smoothly in th’ chair ‘pointin’ the representatives subject to ‘proval of th’ wards.

“Well, look at it any way, an’ th’ withdrawls changes matter some. Th’ Democrats tell everybody that that makes no difference, but th’ most innercent marine would not swaller such an anty-‘lection yarn. Th’ Republicans are still got their heads down sawin’ some purty knotty wood. They’ve got no time for public statements. Th’ makin’ up of th’ fusin ticket is a-worryin’ th’ management. Th’ Democrats want th’ mayor an three concilmen, an’ as they already have a holdover man on th’ council, this would give them three to th’ Republican three, with a Democrat mayor to kick off the tie that will always come up when a vote stands three to three. Reps want three new councilmen, which would put th’ Democratic legislative body of th’ city in th’ minority, a place where they say th’ Republicans orier be. But they’re leered th’ Reps will git mad, so durned mad that they’ll take the independent candidate after all.

“Some of the fellers who do a good deal of standin’ around on street corners are a-perfessin’ to enjoy th’ sight of the new candidate on th’ non-partisan ticket, but a lot of men who know things an’ think sometimes, see a hot fight ahead. Yesterday one of th’ most prominent Democrats in this city said to me, ‘For years and years Santa Rosa has called for a non-partisan choice of city officers, and when the campaign came on the voters have lined up at the call of the bosses. A bitter political fight was quickly on, making it hard to get the right kind of men to stand for the offices. When the whole city should be standing together working only for Santa Rosa, they have been arrayed in two political factions, battling over the old political issues that have descended from father to son down the line of years.”
TOM GREGORY.

– Santa Rosa Republican, March 6, 1908
THE “PRESENT ADMINISTRATION”

Having floundered about until they themselves scarcely know where they stand; having advanced all their “arguments,” and without visible effect; and realizing that the tide is sitting against them stronger and stronger every day, the manipulations of the so-called Municipal League charge that a vote for the regular Democratic or Republican nominees is a voted “endorsing the present administration,” and appeal for support upon that ground.

Such talk is of course all nonsense. The outgoing administration has nothing whatever to do with the one that is about to come into power, and all sensible people realize it. Neither Mayor Overton nor any of the members of the present city council are up for re-election. James H. Gray is absolutely untrammeled and has publicly and repeatedly declared that no other consideration than that of the interests of the community as a whole will be allowed to influence his appointments. Under the circumstances the League’s latest appeal becomes mere twaddle.

But the supporters of the so-called Municipal League presume considerably upon the credulity and forgetfulness of the people when they advance arguments of the above nature as a reason for supporting the League ticket. The administration which is so soon to go out of power has in many respects been one of the best, if not the very best, Santa Rosa has ever known. More has been accomplished in less time and under greater difficulties than by any other similar body ever placed in control of affairs here.

Going back to four years ago, when the present administration was called into existence you’re reminded that the conditions were anything but what they should have been. The affairs of the municipality were in such shape, in fact, that our people had come almost unanimously to the opinion that it was time to turn over a new leaf and inaugurate a big change. It was seen that the sewer system would have to be extended to the water works further perfected and developed, new bridges constructed, and a large amount of work done upon the streets. This required funds and the only way to secure them was by bond issue.

To insure such a project carrying, it was realized that it would be necessary to have men of high standing in office, so that no one would question the fact that the funds, if voted by the people, would be honestly and judiciously expended. After great difficulty, John P. Overton, President of the Savings Bank of Santa Rosa was finally induced to stand for the office of Mayor. With his assistance the consent of three other good men to run for councilmen was then secured. Nothing but the sense of duty induced any of the gentlemen to accept or stand for public office. All were busy men, whose time was valuable. Nevertheless, when finally made to see that their consent meant something to the community, and mighr contribute to the best of the great lover needs to be presented as candidates for there once desired and to it advancement, they agreed to allow their names to be presented as candidates for the offices named and to serve if the people so desired.

Mayor Overton was elected, together with an acceptable city council, and the bonds were voted by a large majority. Meters were provided, several miles of new mains laid, a number of new wells sunk, and finally, after a great deal for careful investigation, which included visits to a number of other cities and consultations with several eminent engineers, a plan was evolved whereby Santa Rosa’s water problem was at last solved.

[.. A lengthy tribute to their leadership on water, sewer and street improvements ..]

The awful havoc wrought by the earthquake and fire is something of which our people do not have to be reminded. The frightful scene of death and desolation that greeted us on the morning of April 18, less than two years ago, is still fresh in the minds of every living inhabitant. The “present administration” had been inducted into office only the night before. What a stupendous and appaling task was presented on the very first day of their official existence! Did the men whom the so-called Municipal League are now trying so hard to belittle shrink from their duty? Did they meet the trying task that was laid before them bravely, and as men, or otherwise?

Every reader knows only too well the story of the days and weeks and months that followed this, the greatest crisis and all the city’s history. Under the guidance and direction of the “present administration,” our dead were buried, the living fed and the widows and orphans provided for. In the twinkling of an eye the whole condition of affairs had been changed. From a happy, prosperous, well-ordered community, Santa Rosa had been transformed almost instantly into a state of utter chaos. Character, ability and brains of a high order were required to meet the situation which then confronted the community. But it was met–bravely, and with a dignity and quiet thoroughness that can never be forgotten or too highly praised.

The men who have since been “big enough to build hotels and business blocks” who had previously shown themselves brainy enough to attract the attention of all the country through the handling of an international legislation, who both before and since have been considered capable of managing some of our most important enterprises, also show themselves capable of handling the many complex and trying situations that then presented themselves.

Even San Francisco, in a somewhat similar position was glad to take advantage of and adopt many of the ideas and suggestions evolved by the “present administration” at that time.

And in two short years Santa Rosa has almost completely recovered, as far as outward appearances go, from the frightful calamity which befel her on that fateful morning of April 18, 1906.

And yet in spite of all these things–this stupendous burden that has been carried so bravely and so well, this neve-racking task that has been so faithfully performed– a few people pretend to find fault with the “present administration.”

Out upon the ingrates who would try to belittle the great work that has been done! When one stops to recall the long the hours of toil that been so willingly and conscientiously devoted to public service, the thousand-and-one details that have been studied and given consideration, the sacrifice of time and attention to private interests that it has all entail, the wonder is that even men to make it their life practice to object and find fault with everything and everybody have the hardihood to do so in this instance.

But let them carp and criticize, if they will. Every man who is a man and who possesses any sense of gratitude and appreciation whatever, endorses the “present administration”–yes, and is glad of the opportunity!

Morally as well as otherwise the present administration has constantly labored for the betterment of local conditions. The very thing for which it is being blamed most was in reality an honest, sincere and painstaking attempt to restrict and regulate an evil has never been regulated before save by the policeman’s club. Except that some authority was provided for doing what had been done for years before without authority, conditions were not changed in the least. The license for saloons has been raised from thirty to sixty dollars per quarter, and while such places kept open until twelve o’clock at night when the “present administration” went into office, they now close at ten o’clock each evening. Card games are no longer permitted in cigar stores, and gambling anywhere is now strictly prohibited.

“OWNERSHIP” AND “CONTROL”

Who owns the Press Democrat, anyway? We wonder if it is the same men who aspire to own Santa Rosa?–Municipal League.

Ernest L. Finley and Charles O. Dunbar are the sole owners and proprietors of this paper, and have been for many years. Nobody else on earth owns or in any way controls the Press Democrat, or even suggests–much less dictates–its policies. The man who says otherwise either lies or has been misinformed.

This is about as strong as we know how to make this statement. If we knew how to make it any more sweeping we should certainly do so.

We do not know of any many or set of men who “aspire to own Santa Rosa.” We do, however, that a certain set of men aspire to a control of public affairs here. They are the men constitute and stand for the ideas of the Santa Rosa Ministerial Union. They seem to think it would be wise to turn the administration of public affairs over to the church element. We think this is as unreasonable as it would be to talk about handing control over to the saloon men, or the medical fraternity, or to any other aggregation or element representing the ideas of a single class. This and the fact that James H. Gray stands for progress and advancement and for the upbuilding of Santa Rosa, and by nature and experience is qualified to bring about these results, while his opponent is not, is all there is to the fight now on. And everybody knows it.

Candidate Thompson in his little paper now declares that he never said anything of the kind, while half a hundred men can be found who say that he did–and to them.

– Press Democrat editorial, March 29, 1908

INTEMPERATE AGITATION

Another issue of “The Citizen” published under the auspices of the Santa Rosa Ministerial Union, and the acknowledged organ of that body, has made its appearance. As was to have been expected, local conditions and the campaign now on come in for some attention at the hands of the publishers.

The “Citizen” reiterates the claim that the movement headed by the so-called Municipal League is not one in behalf of prohibition, and admits that the League has perhaps acted wisely in taking this position, because the time for coming out into the open is not yet right. And in another place, further on, it asks what will happen when the Union takes off its coat and “sails into the fight.”

Of course no one will question the motives that prompted the Ministerial Union in issuing “The Citizen.” The organization’s only object is to benefit Santa Rosa, and publication of the little paper referred to is but part of the general plan adopted in furtherence of this end.

It is doubtless for this reason that the paper is, and for a long time past has been printed in San Francisco, rather than in this city. Anything that benefits California benefits Santa Rosa.

The sordid man of business, with no idea above the dollar and for the most part engrossed with such every-day problems as how to meet the rent and pay his employees on Saturday nights, might be inclined to argue differently. He might contend that having the work done here would mean keeping that much more money at home, giving that much more employment to local printers etc. and conclude that if everybody followed the example set by the Ministerial Union in such matters, Santa Rosa would soon disappear from the map entirely.

But this is not what helps a town. And besides, there are other and far more important matters up for discussion and consideration here just now.

The question is not so much how to build up Santa Rosa, keep the wheels of industry turning, and enable our people to recover from the effects of the great disaster, as it is what the municipality shall do to be saved. Santa Rosa is a place accursed. No man who has any respect whatever for himself or his progeny would think of bringing up a family here. Our once fair city, known far and wide as a place of happy homes, good schools and find churches, has gone completely to the dogs. Everyone is dishonest, all men are liars, the Demon Rum has us tightly by the throat, and Virtue weeps and drags her mantle in the dust. In short, we have both Sodom and Gomorrah worn to a frazzle and poor old Pittsburg is not and never has been in the running.

Of course, some people may not believe what we have just said about Santa Rosa. We shall be considerably surprised if anyone believes it.

Santa Rosa is one of the cleanest, best-governed cities in California today, and every man who has traveled about to ant extent knows it.

But people living in other places, and having no other source information but “The Citizen” and Municipal League paper, would form just such an idea of our town as that first above outlined.

Under all the circumstances, the absurd charges being made by some of the intemperate advocates of the so-called Municipal League are not only showing the great love for Santa Rosa in a most unique way, but they are also doing Santa Rosa a grave injustice and working irreparable injury to her reputation abroad.

– Press Democrat editorial, April 1, 1908

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