Los
Angeles County
Biographies
GEORGE READ
Devoting his energies to the mastery
of one line of work, George Read has steadily advanced therein. He has been superintendent of meters and
service of the Bureau of Water Works and Supply of the Department of Water and
Power of Los Angeles since 1920 and in years of continuous connection is one of
the oldest employees in this department of the city. He was born in London, England, February 28,
1874, a son of Thomas George and Elizabeth (Millard) Read, who went with their
family to Australia when he was but two and a half years old, and were nine
months in making the trip by water. They
returned to England but left that country a year later, sailing for Canada, and
spent twelve months at Vancouver in the province of British Columbia. In May, 1888, they arrived in Los
Angeles. The father was a carriage maker
by trade, but for a number of years before he retired was employed as a blacksmith
at the old city waterworks. Both he and
the mother passed away at the venerable age of eighty-two years.
George Read attended the public
schools of Australia and England and after he went to work furthered his
education by taking correspondence courses in mathematics. In February, 1892, he entered the employ of
the old Water Company, working under William
Mulholland. He was first with the pipe
laying crew as a lead and rat man, thus beginning his career with the company
in a humble capacity. When the company
was taken over by the City of Los Angeles he continued in its employ. He worked as a time keeper, pipe distributor,
meter repairer, meter reader, manager of the blacksmith shop, and in the supply
department. His industry and ability
were rewarded by repeated promotions and in 1907 he was made superintendent of
the meter and service department. First
he had charge of meters, and later service connections were added to his
department, which he has brought to a high standard of efficiency. A pioneer in water works service, he has been
with the department for forty-one years (1933), assisting in its development
from a small organization serving only a few people to a great system
accommodating millions of people in a metropolitan city. In 1903 Mr. Read was classified by the civil
service as chief meter man. He is
responsible for the great development of the water and service connection
construction of the Los Angeles utility.
Mr. Read has written and published a number of articles along the lines
of his work, in such magazines as the American Waterworks,
issued monthly by the American Waterworks Association of New York.
On December 25, 1899, Mr. Read was
married in Grass Valley, Nevada County, to Miss Ethel Alderman, whose parents
were pioneers in that gold mining district of California. The two children of this marriage are: Earl George, a prominent attorney, who has a
wife and two children, a son and a daughter; and Irene, now Mrs. Charles Lacy.
Mr. Read is a lover of outdoor
sports, particularly those of hunting and fishing. For three years he was a professional
taxidermist and still indulges in that line of work as a hobby. When he was a very young man he worked for
eight months as a herder and it was during this period that he learned
taxidermy. He has read much concerning
the American Indians, and is a keen student of aboriginal lore. In religious belief he is a Methodist, and
his political allegiance is given to the Democratic Party. He has never sought political office,
preferring to remain in the background, and an upright, serviceable life of
quiet devotion to duty has earned for him a secure place in the esteem of his
fellow citizens.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 509-510, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES