Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 Public Domain. Release under the CC BY Attribution license--http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/--Credit both “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library; From the California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California Send requests to address or e-mail given USC Libraries Special Collections specol@usc.edu
Description
Photograph of a view of San Jose Post Office from Plaza Park (or Saint James Park?), ca.1907. The circular park has a y-shaped walkway where in the center stands a statue. The landscape, consisting flower plants and trees, is beautifully designed. Trees line the circular perimeter of the park. One prominent building, across the street from the park, features castle-like architecture. Behind it is another unique building that features a Moorish or Spanish-like architecture. In the distance is the San Jose's Electric Light Tower. "San Jose's Electric Light Tower is seen at top left of this old San Jose post card. The tower was conceived by J.J. Owen, editor of the San Jose Mercury News, and was called Owen's Folly by some negative types at the time (gas people). It was duly noted that the tower did not light up all of downtown as advertised. The 1906 earthquake toppled the tower from the U.S. Post Office - note topless Post Office in photo, and in 1915 the San Jose Light Tower would crash down, a casualty of rust and heavy gusts. The Light Tower, erected over the intersection of Market and Santa Clara Streets in 1881, was a landmark feature of San Jose for 34 years. It was designed to light downtown San Jose using six carbon arc lamps at the top of the tower - 24,000 candlepower. The tower was constructed of iron pipe and brace rods and stood 237 feet (counting the 30 foot flagpole), and was described as the seventh wonder of the West. At Christmas the tower was decorated with lights, and on the 4th of July, fireworks crackled from its precipices. A Parisian delegation took copious notes of the tower and skulked back to France to build the Eiffel Tower. San Jose would later sue Paris, unsuccessfully. Ralph Rambo describes the demise of the tower, '... finally the the old tower felt the weight of years and on Dec. 3, 1915 at 11:55 A.M., a wind storm spelled doom. With loud warning groans, the rusty 200 foot skeleton slowly folded like a jack knife and eased its weary bones to the street below.'" -- unknown author. "A statue/water-fountain of San Francisco prohibitionist dentist Dr. Cogswell provided refreshment for both man and horse." -- unknown author.
Type
image
Format
1 photograph : photonegative, b&w 21 x 26 cm. negatives (photographic) photographs
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