Los Angeles County
Biographies
OWEN McALEER
MC ALEER, OWEN, Vice President and General Manager of the Republic Iron and Steel Company, Los Angeles, California, February 3, 1858. His father was Owen McAleer and his mother Mary (Miller) McAleer. He was married in Los Angeles April 5, 1898, to Gertrude E. Mullally. He came to Los Angeles from Youngstown, Ohio, in February, 1888.
Mr. McAleer received his education in the public schools of Youngstown, Ohio, and began his business career when but a small boy in the boiler works of W. B. Pollock. He remained at this work until he became proprietor of an establishment, which he later disposed of. When he came to California in 1888 he entered the employ of the Baker Iron Works as superintendent of the boiler department and there made the first boiler ever manufactured in Los Angeles. He continued with this firm until 1906. Then he entered into a partnership with Nat Wilshire, forming the Republic Iron and Steel Company. He is vice president of the McAleer Land and Water Company, president of the Cashier Copper Company and president of the Surprise Valley Water Company. He is a staunch, regular line Republican.
His first public office was on the Examining Board of Engineers in 1901 and 1902. His next was as Councilman from the First Ward, where he made an excellent record. He fought for universal transfers; had a law passed making the life of a railway franchise twenty-one years; had a ordinance passed making it unlawful to gamble on horse races; assisted in establishing the first Municipal Machine Shop and in the establishing of the First Playground on Violet Street. A large deficit confronted the Council when Mr. McAleer was a member, but at the close of the term there was a splendid balance with all current debts paid.
Upon this record Mr. McAleer was importuned to run for Mayor, which he did and was elected by the largest majority ever polled previous.
During his administration the Owens River project was launched, and he was one of the party that made the first investigation and fathered the enterprise in its infancy. Mr. McAleer was the means of the city’s becoming possessed of a street railway by confiscating the South Park franchise.
It is stated that the constant upheaval and opposition he met with in office, due to his desire to carry out the wishes of the people and the opposition he met with from those seeking personal gains, caused the beginning of the reform in municipal politics.
During his term of office he vetoed thirty-five acts of Legislation passed by the City Council, among which the following are of most notable importance: Against thirty-nine-year street railway franchise on Vermont avenue; against ordinance placing tax on privilege of performing manual labor; against increased gas rate ordinance; against acceptance of City Hall site north of Temple street; against contract for purchase of voting machines; against spur track on Third street and Central avenue; against spur track crossing twenty-one public streets in the southwest portion of the city; against use of the Los Angeles River bed for street railway purposes (subsequently known as the notorious “River Bed Franchise”); against the giving to the Southern Pacific Railway Company of East Fifth street easterly of Central avenue; against proposed charter amendment repealing twenty-one-year franchises and permitting the carrying of freight by street railways; against advertising signs over sidewalks; against steam railway spur track on Date street, and against abolishing Gas Meter Inspector.
He advocated adoption of legislation providing for the following: Municipal ownership of gas plant; prohibiting freight cars running on street railways; appointment of committee for proper celebration of the “Owens River Aqueduct Proposition”; against allowance of desecration of the Stars and Strips; the collection of license on street cars; extension of time for payment of city taxes, to allow citizens to contribute funds for the relief of San Francisco; granted leave of absence by the City Council for the purpose of ascertaining the feasibility of bringing to the city of Los Angeles water from the Owens River Valley, and twice disapproved demand for $36,400, covering purchase of voting machines.
He is member Union League, Elks’ and Sierra Madre Club.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 454,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2010 Joyce
Rugeroni.
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