From the Los Angeles Evening Express, November 22, 1900

GREATEST STORM EVER KNOWN IN THIS SECTION

Rainfall During the Past 24 Hours Aggregated 3.66 Inches

Total for November Is 6.53 Inches, the Greatest Yet Recorded — Los Angeles Completely Shut Off From the Outside World

Los Angeles was to all intents and purposes cut off from the outside world during the 24 hours ending at noon today.

The telegraph, telephone and railway companies had scattering connections with points more or less distant at that time, but the service was generally anything but satisfactory. Such a condition of affairs has not been known in this section for several years. . . .

The several streetcar companies inside and out of the city tried hard to stand up under the big strain . . . . By 7 o’clock last night not a wheel was turning in any direction.

Shoppers and business men who had not succeeded in reaching home by 5 o’clock were up against it, and the hotels down town have not experienced such a business boom this early in the tourist season in years.

Several [street] cars left down town for their destinations determined not to continue the entire business. It was after the danger signal had been hoisted, but conductors and motoneers [a word, probably from “motorboat engineers,” used at the time to describe the pilot of a small vessel] were determined to do or die.

Their blood was up and headquarters had not ordered them to tie up. Besides, their cars were homeless, with no place to lay their several heads.

In such instances it usually requires from two to three hours to reach Eighth Street on Spring from Second [a distance of only six blocks!], then another hour was needed to get the cars around the junction at Spring and Main and Tenth [now Olympic Boulevard] streets, and after a wrestle of 30 minutes more to the vicinity of Tenth and Hope streets — or Tenth and Figueroa on the Traction Line.

[T]he cars generally left the track, and the patient conductors would announce that the jig was up and that it was a case of wading home or taking chance with a wrecker which had been sent for, and never came till daylight. . . .

The hackman [driver of a carriage for hire] and the hotelman have in the past 24 hours certainly had a taste of [President] McKinley prosperity . . . .

The hackman who between 6 and 11:30 p.m. did not gather in enough yellow gold with which to build for his declining years a mansion out on Adams Street ought to be investigated by his union, for he failed to charge all that traffic would bear and therefore “ratted” against his craft. . . .

The property damage during the storm cannot as yet be estimated. It will,

however, reach into the thousands, the steam railroads being the worst sufferers, with the traction lines a close second.

It was impossible to receive word from the surrounding counties up to noon, but Fullerton is reported under water, and at Ventura the lumber schooner John F. Miller of San Francisco, heavily laden, left her moorings during the night and floated out to sea, the captain and crew of six men having abandoned the vehicle last evening at 5 o’clock. . . .

The Los Angeles River at noon today was wide and high enough to float a fleet of fair sized gunboats.

The Southern Pacific Covina branch is washed out. . . . The service to Santa Monica and San Pedro has not been interrupted. . . . No trains to San Francisco or eastbound left the Arcade depot last night. . . . The Southern Pacific and Santa Fe yards are huge mud banks today.

The Western Union and Postal Telegraph companies have been working with stump wires all day. The former has eastern connections, and all messages for San Francisco were going via Chicago. The Postal was working in gasps. . . .

For monthly rainfall figures, click on this Los Angeles Almanac site.
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From the Los Angeles Evening Express, November 25, 1900

AMONG COLORED CITIZENS

Note: The Express ran this column as a regular feature during the early part of the decade.

Click on the links to learn who these people were and where they lived.

Mrs. Ellen Huddleson has returned from a two weeks’ visit to Riverside.

The Idle Hour Club met at the home of Mrs. McDowell Friday afternoon.

Mrs. Julius Maxwell and Mrs. William McClain, both of whom were ill, are now much improved.

Mr. and Mrs. Banks of Boyle Heights, who have been confined to bed by illness, are convalescent. For a history of blacks in Boyle Heights, click here.

W.H. Reynolds, J.L. Holt and Mr. Ramsey returned last week after a pleasant sojourn at Catalina.

Rev. J.W. Wright has been appointed pastor of the Zion M.E. Mission, and if he arrives in time will occupy the Zion pulpit today.

George Washington and family have moved into their new home on Clanton Street [the present East 14th Place, west of Central Avenue], between 14th and 15th streets.

Mrs. Bailey Whitlock is at the Good Samaritan Hospital, having recently undergone a surgical operation.

Mrs. Bowman of Williams, A.T. [Arizona Territory], was taken to the County Hospital two weeks ago, is very low, with no hopes of her recovery.

Attorney Wickliffe has gone east on a visit to friends in St. Louis and Chicago and will take Thanksgiving dinner with his mother at Chattanooga, Tenn., his former home.

The Rev. Mr. Edwards, at the A.M.E. parsonage, on November 12 united in marriage Major Franklin West of Los Angeles and Miss Pauline Ada Morehead of Oakland

Rev. J.D. Pettigrew has given up his work with the Congregational Mission temporarily on account of ill health. . . .

The funeral of Miss Alice Stewart was held Tuesday, the Rev. Mr. Edwards officiating. The deceased came home from Oxnard recently and was ill about three weeks. The interment was at Rosedale. . . .

The regular annual services of Court Solomon, No. 8677, A.O. of F. [possibly Ancient Order of Freemasonry], will be held today at 3 o’clock at Azusa Street Church, the pastor delivering the annual sermon. All organizations and lodges of the city are invited. [Azusa Street runs east from San Pedro Street in the present Little Tokyo. It is a city landmark.]

Stevens A.M.E. Church will hold Thanksgiving services at 11 o’clock Thursday morning.

There will be music by the combined morning and evening choirs. . . .
Stevens A.M.E. Church, at 312 Azusa Street, later fell upon hard times, and by 1905-06 it had become what a Los Angeles newspaper referred to it as a “tumble down shack.” For source, click here.]

The colored citizens are taking steps to organize a vigilance committee to protect the public against the promiscuous and oftimes unnecessary begging of funds on the plea that it is for the burial of some dead friend. This practice is often abused during a campaign season, and in a recent case there are whispering to the effect that the money did not reach the source intended by the donors.

At the meeting of the Payne Lyceum Wednesday evening, the subject was “Negro Authors.” Each member brought in some works of a Negro author, and the readings, recitations and quotations were confined to these.

Among the fifty-odd authors mentioned, the works of [Daniel A.] Payne, [Frederick] Douglass, [John M.] Langston, [Paul L.] Dunbar, [A.A.] Whitman, [W.S.] Scarborough, Alice

Ruth Moore, George W. Williams and E.A. Johnson were most frequently used. Click here for a list of Negro authors and their works prominent in 1900.

Mrs. R.C. Owens entertained Thursday evening in honor of Mrs. Flora Greenly of San Francisco. The evening was spent with music, games and refreshments.

Those present were Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Skanks, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Bouchey, Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Warner; Mmes. M. Woods, McDowell, G.H. Lewis, Flora Greenly of San Francisco and L. Lee; Misses Florence Alexander, Florence Welmer of Pasadena, Laura Brown; Messrs. G.D. Taylor, George Miller, James Bate, G.V. Grayson, Elbridge Lee, Perry of Chicago and Lewis of New York.

The colored citizens will hold a meeting tomorrow at Elks Hall - old Music Hall on Spring Street [No. 231]. James C. Rives, district attorney, will be the speaker of the evening, and addresses will be delivered by A.J. Roberts, J.J. Neimore, Rev. D.R. Jones, Captain G.W. Hawkins, P.J. Anderson and others.

District Attorney James C. Rives. Click here for a biography.

Excellent music will be furnished by the best talent in Southern California. All the Republican candididates on the city ticket will be present and make short addresses.

Rev. J.L. Edwards, pastor of Stevens A.M.E. Church , will preside. The list of vice presidents includes the names of many of the leading colored Republicans.

WHERE THE ‘COLORED’ NEWSMAKERS LIVED, AND WHAT THEY DID FOR WORK

Pompey J. Anderson, a janitor, lived at 504 W. 20th St. (near Flower).

James H. Bate, a porter, lived on the northwest corner of Third and Main. There were no street numbers in his block.

Napoleon Boucher (probably the correct spelling) was a letter carrier who lived at 840 Commercial (probably between Alameda and the L.A. River).

The Rev. Jarrett E. Edwards lived in the Stevens A.M.E. Church at 312 Azusa St. This is not to be confused with the A.M.E. Zion Church at 622 E. Fourth St., between Towne and Ruth streets, pastored by the Rev. C.B. F. Moore.

Garner V. Grayson was president of the Alpha Club (a billiards parlor at 118 San Pedro). He also ran a restaurant at 116 San Pedro, across the street from the Salvation Army. Grayson lived at 222 N. Alameda.

George W. Hawkins dealt in second-hand goods at 210 E. Second St. His home on the southeast corner of Central Avenue and East 16th St. had no address, but it was next to the Tubbs Feed & Fuel Co.

The Rev. David R. Jones lived at 324 Azusa, in the same block as the Stevens A.M.E. Church.

Gertrude H. Lewis, a box maker, lived at 1939 Maple Ave.

John J. Neimore, who had lived in Los Angeles since the 1870s, was the owner of the Eagle Publishing Co. and publisher of the California Eagle. He lived in the same building as the Eagle offices, at 243 E. Fifth Street. He died in 1912.

Robert C. Owens lived at 742 S. Hill St.

J. Howard Skanks worked as a barber at 854 S. Main and lived at 417 W. 22nd.

George D. Taylor, a physician, lived and worked at 252-1/2 S. Main. He shared a building with two tailors and City Councilman G. P. McLain.

Eugene Walker, a tailor at 630 S. Main, lived at 513 E. 8th.

Benjamin F. Warner, a porter, lived at 934 Bellevue Ave.

Franklin W. West, also a porter, lived at 733 S. Central Ave.

Gustavus Woodson Wickliffe, an attorney, both lived and carried on his practice at 127 N. Main St., where the City Hall is today. According to an Oberlin (Ohio) alumni Web site, he was married on July 3, 1901, to the former Minnie Mitchell. He died in 1921; she died in 1960. They were survived by a daughter, Mrs. Caroline Wickliffe Antoine of Washington, D.C., and a son, Gustavus Woodson Wickliffe of Los Angeles.

Note that most of these “Colored Citizens” who got their names in the newspaper lived in the south or east parts of the city, many of them near the railroad tracks. For a look at where newspaper-worthy “Non-Colored Citizens” lived in 1900, click here. 
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From the Los Angeles Herald, November 24, 1900.
Amusements

Morosco’s Burbank Theater. Oliver Morosco, lessee and manager. Matinee today at 2 p.m. Tonight, last opportunity to see the thrilling and exciting melodramatic success, “Man’s Enemy.” See the hero triumph over the villain in the realistic hand-to-hand struggle. Next week: Harry Carson Clarke and the Oliver Leslie Company in “All the Comforts of Home.”

Orpheum. Tonight — a vaudeville bill to tempt the angels. Remember that Flower Day is next Wednesday. Camille d’Arville. Dunham Family, Jessie Couthoui, Preller’s Talking Dogs, Howard and Bland, Sanson and Delila, World and Hastings, Biograph. Prices: 50c, 2c, 10c; box seats 75c; matinee, any seat, 25c. Phone M. 1447.

Los Angeles Theater. H.C. Wyatt & Co., managers. Bargain matinee today, 25c and 50c. Matinee today at 2:10 p.m. Last performance tonight. The whirlwind society farce, “Whose Baby Are You?” A great hit. A barrel of fun. Seats now on sale. Prices 25c, 50c, 75c, $1.00. Telephone Main 70.

Blanchard Hall. Edward Baxter Perry, celebrated blind pianist. Local management, F.W. Blanchard. Two recitals only, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, Dec. 4th and 5th. Seats on sale Monday, Nov. 26, 9 a.m., at Bartlett Music Co., Blanchard Building, 50c, 75c and $1.00. Note: Laying claim to no special favor on account of blindness, he stands on his intimate merits alone as an artist of the highest order. — Boston Traveler. The audience hardly knew which to admire most, the skill of the lecturer or the ability of the performer — Baltimore American.

Blanchard Hall was the first art gallery in Los Angeles (including offices and studios). It was created by Frederick Woodward Blanchard, who later founded the city’s Art Commission and was the first president of the Hollywood Bowl Association.

Norris & Rowe’s Big Trained Animal Shows. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, November 26, 27, 28 and 29. Performances daily at 3 and 8 p.m. at the corner of Eleventh and Flower Streets. Grand free street parade Monday morning at 11 o’clock. Elephants, zebras, sea lions. 300 performing animals 300. Ponies, dogs, monkeys, goats, anteaters, pigs and zebus [photo at left]. The greatest congress of educated animals in the world. Every act and feature new this year. Prices — adults, 25c; children, 15c. Two performances Thanksgiving.

Velodrome Races. Sunday afternoon, Nov. 25. Ten races. First race called at 3:15, including the big 15-mile match race. Nelson vs. Lawson. Paced by four motor cycles. Fine music. Admission, 25c. Home stretch, 25c extra.

The Velodrome, managed by H. Fleishman, was a skating rink and bicycle track on the northeast corner of South Main and 10th Street (present Olympic Boulevard). It is now occupied by the 13-story California Market Center.

Foot Ball. Today, 2 p.m. sharp. Washington Park. Admission 25c. University of So Cal vs. L.A. High School.

The match between USC and Los Angeles High School was not so far-fetched. Although L.A. High lost this 1900 game, in 1898 and 1907 it “beat all the college teams in the County.” L.A. High Web site, but no link is provided because of the deluge of pop-up ads.
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For a personal look at Los Angeles in the 1920s and 1930s, click for
He Usually Lived With a Female: The Life of a California Newspaperman

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