Imperial Valley press., 1912-09-07
OCEAN PARK TO REBUILD
BURNED AREA At ONCE

OALAN AIM, Sept i.-N ltn tiC
actual reconstruction yesterday of the
new bigger and better" Ocean Park,
plans were formulated 'for the eXpend-
iture of more than $7,000,000 in reha-
bilitating the burned district. This
immense outlay will mean that the new
buildings will be much larger and OF
the most substantial fireproof con-
Struction.
Already there is a remarkable de
mand for sites in the area of the ru-
ms. real estate men declaring that the
fire really had created a demand for
property in the district which will be
built anew On every hand the men
most active in the rebuilding plans
are united against cheap construction.
1t is this determination for the making
of a better Ocean Park center that is
attracting much outside capital, it was
declared.
Those with foresight realize what
the new Ocean Park will be" declared
Secretary Mcleod Of the Santa Mon
ica Bay Chamber of Commerce. and
they are eager to get in now for the
later rewards Those who raised Ocean
Park out of the sand dunes originally
are planning comparatively as great
a strand formation in the making of
the new place"
With amazing enthusiasm and deter
mination, the Boosters Club will begin
today vigorous campaign with the
slogan, Nothing but the best for the
new Ocean Park" One of the first
projects 10 be undertaken by the club
will be the interesting of capital in
immense hotels for the Ocean Front.
Already it is declared that a 12-stOry
hotel for near Marine street is being
seriously considered by Los Angeles
capital.
Meantime, while the ownerS of the
smaller concessions in the burned dis
trict are being prevented from return
ing to their sites with temporary struc-
lures. provision is being made for a
temporary pike" for them along Troll
ley Way. This will become the amuse-
ment center temporarily
Stands were set up in the allotted
space on Trolley Way yesterday, sew
eral curiO dealers selling their black
ened wares they had dug from the
ashes as souvenirs.
This space will be filled with tenn
pOrary booths and counters were set
aside by the Pacific Electric Company
TO those who wished TO resume bust
ness Immediately. Those whose places
of business We're burned were eligible
TO obtain a space 80 by 30 feet upon
application to G. A Murray. city clerk
of Santa Monica. Between 10 a. m.
and p. m. 80 undaunted merchants
and concessionaires had applied for
space to start anew with odds and
ends of what they had saved from the
flames.
The first load of lumber TO pass
through the fire lines was taken to
the Fraser pier, where the first work
in the milliOn-dollar rehabilitation
there was the bracing Of the piles
which were weakened by their heavy
supporters being eaten away by the
fire. When the first nail was driven
by wOrkmen under the direction of
A. w. Layne, manager for A. r. Fra
ser. the pier owner, work which will
90 on uninterrupted until the new pier
is completed was begun.
Soon after the pier labor began, the
sound Of he hammer and saw were
heard near where the Decatur Hotel
SlOOu w It'll tllHuSldSlll anu ulludulii-
ed optimism in the future of Ocean
Park. H. G.. Howell, lessee of the De
catur Hotel, was directing small
force of men working in the construc-
ton of new Decatur Hotel. To be
sure, the structure was TO be only
one story with two rooms, but it was
a start.
And it gave to Howell a new record
for fighting back IN the face of ad-
versity. When he stood in the black
ened San Francisco fire district and
built temporary hotel over the ruins
of his old one, he was the first to
act in his district. And yesterday he
was the first to raise a structure in
the Ocean Park burned area
Aiding Howell with hammer and saw
were his neice, Miss Lena Aimes, and
her friend, Miss Helen Champion. To
them was given the honor of driving
the first nails.
The financing of the rebuilding Of
the six blocks swept by the flames
is a problem that may receive a par
tial solution from the city of Santa
Monica. Yesterday officials and prom
inent business men discussed the call
ing of a special bond election by the
council.
The city, by the plan, would vote