Los
Angeles County
Biographies
GEORGE JACOB KUHRTS
Long identified with the operation
of the Los Angeles Railway in an executive capacity, George Jacob Kuhrts was
its president and manager at the time of his death and was one of the most
widely known transportation men and engineers in the west. A member of an honored pioneer family of Los
Angeles, he devoted his life and the full service of a finely tempered mind to
this, his native city. He was born in
the old Kuhrts homestead, a two-story brick building, at the northwest corner
of First and Main streets on January 10, 1869, a son of Jacob and Susan (Buhn) Kuhrts. The father immigrated to America from Germany
and came to California during the Gold Rush of 1849. He cast in his lot with the early settlers of
Los Angeles when it was practically an adobe town and he was one of the first
councilmen of the city. For forty years
he was connected with the fire department, and was also street superintendent. In 1865 in the Old United States Hotel at the
southeast corner of Requena and Main streets, he was
united in marriage with Miss Buhn, who had made the
long journey to Los Angeles from southern Germany in 1861, when she was a girl
of thirteen. She came via the Isthmus of
Panama, which she crossed by rail and mule back. Besides George J. the other children
were: Emelie, Mrs. John P. Krempel, now deceased; Grace E., wife of George E. Karstens; and Edward W. Kuhrts.
George J. Kuhrts received his
education in the Los Angeles city schools, and his first work was in the office
of the city engineer. It was while thus
employed with the surveying crews that he decided to become an engineer. Three years later he joined the maintenance
of way forces of the Southern Pacific Railway in Arizona. His natural bent for engineering and the
experience thus gained enabled him to qualify for the post of assistant
engineer of the City of Los Angeles in 1892.
While in the service of the municipality he made the original survey and
was the engineer in charge of the construction of the first outfall sewer built
for the city, which is known as the Hyperion outfall sewer. He was only twenty-four years of age at the
time.
In 1895 Mr. Kuhrts was made
assistant chief engineer of the Los Angeles and Pasadena Electric Railway and
the Pasadena and Pacific Railway, so continuing until 1898, when he became
personal engineer for H. E. Huntington, pioneer railroad builder, who was then
engaged in the task of consolidating the various electric lines in the city
under the name of the Los Angeles Railway.
Capable and trustworthy, Mr. Kuhrts steadily advanced, becoming chief
engineer of the Los Angeles Railway in 1902 and assistant general manager in
1916. Two years later he was elected a
director of the company, assuming the duties of general manager at that time
and in 1920 was entrusted with the responsibilities of vice president. In 1927 upon the death of Henry E.
Huntington, owner and president of the railway, Mr. Kuhrts succeeded him in
that office and controlled the destiny of the Los Angeles Railway Corporation
until his death on April 1, 1932, administering its affairs with conspicuous
success. In addition to serving on the
directorate of that corporation, he was a director of the City Railway Company
of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Railway Corporation, the Los Angeles Railway
Company and the Rodeo Land and Water Company.
Mr. Kuhrts’ home life was
ideal. His marriage with Miss Myra H.
Bennett was solemnized on June 28, 1893, in the old St. John’s Church on Adams
Street, and they were the parents of three children: George J., Jr., of Hollywood, owner and
president of the Standard Steel Works, who married Clara Barton Bergh, by whom
four children have been born, Charlotte Ann, George J. III, Patricia Lou and ClaraLee; Sue K., who married Phillips Murray and is the
mother of a daughter, Georgia Myra, and resides in Beverly Hills; and Jack
Gordon Kuhrts, of Beverly Hills, who is engaged in the insurance business.
Mr. Kuhrts’ deep love for his city
was shown by actual achievements in its behalf.
He was liberal to a fault and his benefactions were many and
far-reaching, for he never recognized sex, creed or condition, but gave to all
whom he felt needed assistance. Of him
it was said: “His contributions towards
solving the transportation problems of Los Angeles, at a period when its growth
was the most phenomenal in American history, and the difficulties encountered,
consequently of unprecedented magnitude, have conferred on him a mark of
special distinction among constructional engineers of the west.” Mr. Kuhrts was a patron of the Los Angeles
Grand Opera Association, the Los Angeles Museum Association, the Southwest
Museum and other civic and charitable organizations and was widely known for
his philanthropies. In the work of the
Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce he took an important part and was one of the
most progressive members of that civic body.
He was a member of the California Club, the Los Angeles Country Club,
the Recreation Gun Club, the Tuna Club, the City Club, the Los Angeles Railway
Square and Compass Club, the Turn Verein, and was a
life member of Ramona Parlor, No. 49, Native Sons of the Golden West. His Masonic affiliations were with the Henry
S. Orme Lodge, F. & A. M., the Royal Arch
Chapter, Los Angeles Consistory, No. 3, and Al Malaikah Temple A. A. O. N. M.
S. Along the lines of his profession he
was a member of the National and the Los Angeles Chapters of the American
Association of Engineers; at the time of his death he was a member of the executive
board of the American Electric Railway Association; has served as president of
the California Electric Railway Association and was on the executive committee
at the time of his death. He was deeply
interested in California history and was a member of the Los Angeles County
Pioneer Society.
Ever just, considerate and
sympathetic, Mr. Kuhrts did all in his power to promote the welfare of those
who worked for him and was chairman of the board of administration of the Los
Angeles Railway Employees Provident Fund.
In rising to distinction and power Mr. Kuhrts never crushed, pushed
aside or humbled his associates, but carried them along with him. His career of notable achievements and marked
usefulness was abruptly terminated in his sixty-fourth year, when he was in the
full flush of his powers, and his unexpected death brought deep sorrow to those
who were privileged to know him, for he was liberally endowed with those
qualities which endear a man to his fellows.
The funeral services were conducted at St. John’s Episcopal Church by
the Rev. George Davidson. The esteem in
which Mr. Kuhrts was held was expressed in beautiful floral offerings which
filled the church and lined the walks in front of it and in the large number of
people from every walk of life who came to pay their
last tribute to him. During the long
period of his administration of the Los Angeles Railway he won the love and
esteem of all employees, who mourned his passing as the loss of a friend. Under the caption of “Our Beloved Chief” the
following tribute appeared in the April (1932) issue of Two Bells, a magazine
published monthly by the employees of the Los Angeles Railway:
“George J. Kuhrts, our beloved
chief, has left his desk forever. Our
good friend, our kindly counselor, he who was so tolerant of our faults, so
eager to give every man his due and more, has gone away. How we shall miss him in the days and years
to come!
George Kuhrts loved people and his
rugged, forceful character and personal charm drew men close to him in real
affection and secured to him a deep and abiding loyalty. His philosophy of life was simple faith in
the innate goodness and decency of human nature. He shrank from giving another hurt, and few
ever heard criticism of another from his lips.
Democratic in his habits and
extremely modest, he never lost the common touch and was always accessible to
even the humblest. He was quick in his
understanding of the problems of others and never happier than when able to
help someone out of difficulties. He was
generous to a fault.
George Kuhrts was a big man physically and mentally, an able executive and one of
the community’s finest citizens. He
started humbly and climbed to eminence through ability. He bore his heavy responsibilities with
courage and was always just to others.
Those of us who worked for him and
with him will always remember him with admiration and warm affection. We grieve that he had to go away, because we
loved him, but his work was done – God called him home.”
On page three of the magazine is a
photograph of Mr. Kuhrts and beneath it is the following poem, written by James
Whitcomb Riley:
He
Is Just Away
I cannot say and
I will not say
That he is
dead—he is just away!
With a cheery
smile and a wave of the hand,
He has wandered
into an unknown land,
And left us
dreaming how very fair
It needs must
be, since he lingers there.
And you—O you,
who the wildest yearn
For the old-time
step and the glad return—
Think of him
faring on, as dear
In the love of
There as the love of Here;
Think of him
still as the same, I say,
He is not
dead—he is just away.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. III, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 5-9, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los
Angeles, Indianapolis.
1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES