Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1927-08-06
TWENTY YEARS AGO

Imperial county is 20 years old today, and the
older settlers here who able to recall the strenuous
day Of August g. 1907 are having great time taking
over the bitter battle waged between Brawey Impe-
rial and Ell Centre for the honor of being the county
seat
Ell Centre the Youngest Of the three towns,
the honor. with $40 votes. Imperial second with
43c votes and Brawley brought up the with 220
Charges of corruption and dishonesty in the Ell
of the Imperial Daily Standard which had carried
the banner for those who wish to see Imperial get the
honor.
est attention Second in Importance was the vote on
the division from San Diego county which carried rs
to IS.
Officers elected Tor the new county included Sup
ervisors Ferguson, Wade McHarg and Clark, with
Webster holding over presumably from the San Diego
board; superior Judge Franklin j. Cole; county clerk
D. S. Elder sheriff, Mobley Meadows recorder, }. B.
Baker auditor T. j. Kellogg; treasurer. Paul Boman;
tax collector Thomas Harding; assessor Fred Fuller
district attorney, John NJ. Eshleman coroner, 7. j.
Mitchell public administrator E. f. Forester super
nendent Of schools, j. E. Carr county surveyor, r. H.
Gaines. ++'.
OF this LIST the writer has been told only p. E.
Forester is still residing in the valley The others
have died or moved away. 1t is interesting to note
that the superintendent of schools elected from
Picacho, then thriving community now deserted
There were only ~ voting precincts as follows
Imperial Irnpelial Outside; Biawley. CaleXico, 81
Centre, Hotville Silsbee, Hedges, Pot holes, old
Beach, Palo Verde and Picacho Of these Old Beach
is inland Sis!,ee, then fair sized town is now
district instead OF settlement POt f1OleS exists
along the Colorado river but has few inhabitants
Hedges also the river is no more and Plcacho has
been embalmed.
Ira Aten director Of the Imperial Irrigation Dis
trc today brought to the office of the Press the big
Ell Centre banner which hung in Imperial 20 years
ago. above the Headquarters of the "El Centre Tor
County Seat committee of which he was chairman
He has kept the banner all these years and 1t Is now
at the Press office. This banner the rallyng point
for the FL Centre adherentS and Mr.. Aten stated 1T
must be fireproof not to have gone up in smoke from
the heated arguments held beneath it.
Talk about modern elections being hot, they are
tame COMPARED to the campaign we had 70 years ago
he said Feeling high, tempers were hot and con-
sidering the strain everyone under the old timers
deserve credit that the election not marked by any
serious disturbance Most of it is forgotten and
old settlers discuss it without getting warm
under the collar any more
Judging from the "Standard's" files, it certainly
was a hot campaign For days prior to the election
the paper is filled with claims. accusations, charges
and counterchsrges. Unquestonably it was serious
then now It seems amusing American politics al
ways do after the smoke of battle has cleared away.
The total voting registration for the county was
2,Ol2 while the registration in Ell Centre alone is today
$685. indicating the growth of the county.
Better means Of TRANSFORMATION and commnnca
ton plus the feeling that Imperial Valley must face
all its issues united body has done much to remove
the old lines of jealousy between the various munich
pa'ities There is still rivalry between the larger cites
and undoubtedly there always will be- tits friendly
rivalry however and many occasions in the past two
decades thew have joined together IN social, commerc
al and political endeavors.
Recalling 20 years ago today one cannot help but
notice the progress that has been made since then and
hope for even greater progress IN the next ~ years