CHAPTER III

While the steam shovel was grinding down the site to its present street level and carpenters, cement men, and painters were standing by to begin work, let us take a look at how the Building Association became the Lodge's autocrats.

In order to sell stock the committee of ten incorporated as the Elk's Building Association on December 27, 1905, with $4,700 actual subscribed shares. Frank Burns and M. J. McDermott, according to the Articles of Incorporation, were the high men with purchases of $500.00 each.

"Elks Building Association submitted financial report showing the cost of the building and extras as $31,705.62 with $4,822.60 in unpaid bills. Resources consist of cash on hand, $343.l5, building valued at $35,000 and lots at $30,000, total of $65,343.15. Liabilities consist of loan on property of $30,000.00, unpaid bills of $4.822.60, stock sold, $18,400, at total of $53,222.60 or a profit of $12,120.55 at this date. The stock is divided into 143 shares owned by the Lodge, and 104 shares by non-members and 121 shares owned by the members of the Lodge or a total issue to date of 368 shares."

So Edward Bautzer, exalted ruler, March 7, 1910, appointed a committee to tend to this matter.

A committee of Verne Goodrich, Edward Steward, William Bickenbach, O. B. Sadler, and James Wier was formed to furnish the new building.

The committee contracted the Retting Furniture Company of Racine, Wisconsin, to furnish the new home for $2,007.00.

This is where Rudicinda Dodson, member of one of San Pedro's famous "first families" dating back to the original Spanish Grant Sepulvedas, enters the pages of the Lodge's history.

She was the unwitting cause of San Pedro's longest operated raffle.

Mrs. Dodson had moved a two-story frame house onto a lot at what is now the alley corner and the 14th Street on the north side just west of Pacific.

James Dodson, Sr., another member of one of San Pedro's pioneer families, was an early, but not charter, member of the Lodge. Whether he prevailed upon Rudicinda to donate the house and lot to the Lodge to sell with proceeds to be used to pay off the furniture contracts is not clearly stated.

But that's what she did on May 9, 1910.

Edward Mahar, chairman of the committee to determine how to dispose of the property, recommended that a raffle be conducted at $1.00 per ticket.

It was right after Mrs. Dodson deeded the property to the Lodge that discovery was made that the house set a few inches onto the next door lot. Rather than buy the second lot, the Lodge expended $350.00 to move the house back.

The brothers began selling tickets immediately but it was not until July 24,1911, more than a year later, that the drawing was held. The house brought $2,333.70 net and the furniture was the Lodge's.

By this time, the brothers were impatiently awaiting the new building.

Finally, July 25, 1910, was set as opening night and a gala program was planned.

But alas, Fate stepped in to make the celebration impossible.

The train in which the furniture was being shipped, was involved in a wreck which also wrecked chairs, tables, and lounges.

A large percentage of the furniture was unusable, some broken, some badly marred and scratched.

Nevertheless, the brothers met in their new home but the meeting was without public fanfare.

Minutes of the first meeting in the present building, June 25, 1910, state "owing to the condition of the furniture, the dedication of the new home will be postponed from August 12, 1910." At this time the minutes did not state what date the dedication would be held.

But on May 8.1911, a dedication committee set May 19-20 for the celebration to coincide with a visit here by Grand Exalted Ruler August Herrmann, who was on tour of the Lodges and who would "be delighted to dedicate the new Lodge". He was principle speaker at the dedication which was the evening of May 19, 1911.

Meanwhile, the Southern Pacific appraiser offered the Lodge $700 for the furniture damages. A bid from a local shop set the cost at $350.00, the Lodge thus profited by the train wreck to the tune of $250.00.

Verne Goodrich added to his many personal glories in the Lodge by being its first Exalted Ruler to hold the first meeting in the new home.

One week prior he had adjourned the last meeting in the old Masonic Building early to "permit the brothers to inspect the new building."

What the brothers found was a sight to behold for that period in American architecture. It is doubtful if any architect worthy of the name would dare submit such plans today.

Elegant indeed, was the name for the new home. It rose three stories, 70 x 100 feet. Stucco exteriors were a recent innovation in large buildings and B.P.O.E. 966 was the very latest in San Pedro. Two sides, the east and north of the building, were plastered with a dingy brown stucco over the brick walls.

The brothers expected to erect another building for a gymnasium, swimming pool, and steam baths, so there was no need to stucco the south side. They also anticipated that someone would build against the west side, so, being frugally minded, they felt no need to expend money for stucco to that wall, no one would see it, anyway.

There was no emblem of Elkdom worked in the building's facings and it remained for Horatio Nelson, a retired windjamming sailor in 1918 to have fashioned in cement the Elks' head which today juts over the seventh street entrance.

A cupola replete with arched windows rose from the roof line where the Palos Verdes side and Seventh Street side formed a cornet and along the roof edges at intervals were red tiles.

The 1933 earthquake so damaged the upper reaches of the building that the cupola had to be removed. Later the tile was cast off to rid the building of pigeons.

Inside the lodge, clubrooms, lounges and third floor are still about the same as they were when the brothers first moved in.

Application for a liquor license had been overlooked so there was no bar in the clubroom. But, undaunted, the brothers converted the closet under the stairs leading up to the lounge and Lodge rooms into a wine cellar.

Someone cut the door in half to make it Dutch doors, and two stewards were hired, one to pour drinks, the other to serve them out on the floor.

No money was exchanged directly. The brothers were required to purchase books with tickets providing two drinks for a quarter. (Broth-ur!)

Beer was twenty-five cents a quart (a full quart, too!), fifteen cents a pint or ten cents a glass. All other drinks were fifteen cents per glass or two for twenty-five cents. The Clubroom was open from 8:00 am. to 1 am. to "brothers in good standing" and later on occasions if so ordered by the then House Committee.

The Clubroom, except for the galley, was given over to billiard and pool tables where we now have dining tables, and the card tables were scattered around with a bank of them where the present bar does business.

The Lounge room today is unchanged except for replaced furniture, and some of that still in use was the original, but it was here the "woman's touch" was first felt by the Lodge.

Mrs. Dodson again came to the aid of the Lodge and furnished out of her own funds, the Ladies room as it is today.

The original Lodge room had a stage at the south end and the Exalted Ruler was enthroned in its center. The chairs by the ruler's podium today are the originals.

Seats for the brothers ranged in a circle around the floor against the wall with the center of the Lodge reserved for dancing and portable chairs on occasion.

Lighting fixtures were in the shape of Elk's antlers and were spotted throughout the ceiling area with the nakedlights providing illumination.

On the third floor were nine rooms for lodgers and the present bathroom. The rooms on the east side of the third floor were later torn out to make space for a social room.

Thus was the new home for B.P.O.E. 966.

What was happening in San Pedro at this time?

Membership was probably approaching the 400 mark spurred on by the new home and expanding activities by the brothers in the social, business and civic development of the city. The first tangible entry stating the membership numbers is found in the record of October 2, 1911 which noted "paid the Grand Lodge assessment for 440 members."

The members could be found leading the march of industry which was to make this the great seaport it is today. In lumber, in the then infant oil industry, in shipping, in the fishing and canning activities, and in the importing and exporting fields, the Elks were in the foreground.

Two important events had occurred:

The City of Los Angeles had suddenly become aware of the great industrial potential and wealth it could lure through San Pedro and Wilmington and had succeeded in annexing the two port cities.

The long, bitter breakwater fight was at end with the mole completed in 1909, and the business of creating this man-made harbor through dredging and construction of innermoles and pier-head lines well underway.

The United States was out of its terrible depression and business was booming.

The brothers could look ahead and see nothing but a robust, rosy future for San Pedro with B.P.O.E. 966 members playing exciting, exhilarating leading roles.

They agreed again with "Billy Wick":

"Why shouldn't we have our own Lodge?"