Sacramento County
Biographies
IRA C. BOSS
The distinction of having been the founder
of one of the most important and prosperous business enterprises of San
Francisco and Sacramento belongs to Mr. Boss, who as president and manager of
the Ransome Concrete Company has been instrumental in
the promotion of an industry invaluable in the material development of his own
home city of Sacramento. It may not be amiss to mention, as indicative of
the character of the company's work, some of their contacts in this city, viz: the hotels Sacramento, Land, Sequoia, Bismarck, Argus,
all well-known and substantial hostelries catering to the comfort of many
guests; the News Publishing Building, and the California National Bank
building, both of which structures are unusually substantial in design as well
as attractive in architecture; the Western Pacific depot and shops; twenty
residences at Colonial Heights; the residence and business block of Frederick
Cox; and the United Farm Lands building, also the Farmer's & Mechanics
Bank building. This list, which by no means represents the entire extent
of their contracts in the capital city, is sufficient to indicate their variety
and importance. At San Francisco the company erected the Columbia
theatre, the Chamberlain building, the wing on the Southern Pacific hospital,
the Portola theatre and the Polk Street Market building. At other points
there have been building operations of great magnitude, including the cotton
mills at Oakland, the court house at Placerville and the First National Bank of
Contra Costa.
The gentleman to whose intelligent
supervision may be attributed the distinct success attendant upon the progress
of the company claims California as his native commonwealth. Born in
Oakland in December of 1877 and a son of M. P. and Laura (Gallagher) Boss, he
was given the best advantages afforded by the means of the family and the
schools of the state. During 1890 he completed his course of study in the
public schools and entered Belmont Academy, from which he was graduated in 1895.
The winter term of 1895-96 found him a student in the department of mechanical
engineering at the University of California, where he laid the foundation of
the engineering knowledge so indispensable to his later business
activities. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he volunteered in
the service and became a member of Company I of the Fourteenth United States
Infantry, in which he continued until 1899. Upon retiring from the army
he went to Mexico and became a superintendent in construction work, going from
there to New York City at the expiration of two years and engaging in business
as a consulting engineer for eight months. Nevada furnished him with his
next field of business activity and until 1905 he remained in charge of construction
work on two mills at Goldfield and Tonopah. Next he had charge of the
construction of mills at Gladstone and Howardsville,
San Juan county, Colo. Returning to New York
City in 1906, he formed an association with the Ransome
Concrete Company, of which he has been president and manager. When the
office of the company was moved to Sacramento he established a residence in
this city, where he now ranks among the leading members of the Chamber of
Commerce and one of the most enthusiastic promoters of enterprises for civic
development. His marriage in New York City July 16, 1904, united him with
Miss Kate Ransome, by whom he has a daughter,
Katharine. Various organizations number him among their members, among
them being the Sutter and University Clubs of Sacramento, the Claremont Country
Club of Oakland and the Construction Club of San Francisco. While he has
not identified himself with political affairs and takes no part in them aside
from voting the Republican ticket at national elections, his knowledge of governmental
problems is thorough and his opinions represent the result of thoughtful
reading, keen faculties of observation and a cultured mind.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 808-809. Historic
Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.