San Jose Light Tower, 1881-1915
|
1861 |
J.J. Owen, a New Yawka, settles in San Jose. He became the editor
and publisher of the San Jose Daily Mercury. |
|
1861 |
On Dec 24, gas streets lamps are turned on for the first time
in downtown San Jose. It was a dark and stormy winter that year,
the light was appreciated. |
|
1879 |
J.J Owen visits the first electrical lighting station in the
world in San Francisco, a degenerate metropolis to the north
of San Jose.
("It's gonna burn" - my lead-bottomed Christian friends
opine, when speaking of the Sodom to the north.) |
|
1881 |
J.J., in a May 13 editorial, touts the plan of Nevada City (California)
to use electrical lights. A new-fangled concept. He describes
a tower design of his own invention. |
|
1881 |
Bids for labor presented to John Gash, the San Francisco architect
selected to supervise the project. |
|
1881 |
George Roe's San Jose Brush Co. selected to supply power to the
tower. (named after Charles Brush, inventer of the dynamo-generator
and arc lamps that would be used). |
|
1881 |
Foundation of the tower laid on August 11. A great work is at
hand. |
|
1881 |
Thomas Gillespie's planing mill on El Dorado St. (present day
Post St.) chosen as site for George Roe's dynamo. The steam engine
that ran the planer by day, would power the dynamo and tower
by night. |
|
1881 |
Ceremonial first lighting. December 13, 6:30 Tuesday evening.
One thousand San Joseans in attendance. |
|
1881 |
Spies from Paris, France visit San Jose and steal the plans of
San Jose's tower. The plans find their way to Alexandre Gustave
Eiffel. |
|
1882 |
George Roe's San Jose Brush Co. re-organized as the San Jose
Brush Electric Light Co. |
|
1882 |
J.J. Owen sells Light Tower to San Jose Brush Electric Light
Co. to satisfy an outstanding debt. |
|
1884 |
J.J. Owen sells his interest in the San Jose Daily Mercury. |
|
1884 |
Generators are moved from Thomas Gillespie's planing mill to
52 to 56 North Fourth Street. Tower no longer used for downtown
lighting - ceremonial purposes only. |
|
1885 |
J.J. Owen dies shortly after moving to San Francisco. |
|
188? |
Electric Improvement Co. formed and wins the street lighting
franchise for San Jose. San Jose Brush Electric Light Co. refuses
to grant tower use. |
|
1889 |
San Jose Brush Electric Light Co. renamed San Jose Light &
Power Co. |
|
1889 |
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, using stolen plans of San Jose's tower,
constructs the copy-cat Eiffel Tower. |
|
1891 |
Electric Improvement Co. (Harry Edwards) granted rights to light
the tower. The tower rewired and relit - much to the chagrin
of San Jose Light & Power Co. |
|
1891 |
Manager Thomas Gillespie of the San Jose Light & Power Co.
cuts wires on the tower and removes the lamps to thwart the efforts
of the Electric Improvement Co. |
|
1891 |
Harry Edwards and James W. Rea of the Electric Improvement Co.
brave stormy weather and valiantly reconfigure the tower to thwart
the efforts of the San Jose Light & Power Co. |
|
1902 |
United Gas and Electric Company is formed, buys the Electric
Improvement Co. and the San Jose Light & Power Co.
Peace is restored to San Jose's utilities. |
|
1915 |
San Jose Electric Light Tower is badly damaged in a February
storm. |
|
1915 |
On December 3 at 11:55 a.m. the San Jose Electric Light Tower
collapses in gale force winds. No one is injured. |
|
1960 |
The Tower Saloon, a final reminder of the Light Tower at the
intersection of Santa Clara and Market Street is shamefully demolished. |
|
1977 |
A half-size replica of the light tower is constructed by the
San Jose Historical Museum in Kelly Park. Masterminded by the
San Jose Real Estate Board with Irene Tolbert heading the project.
Why not full-height??? |
|
1990 |
San Jose sues Paris for copyright infringement, accusing Paris
of stealing the idea for the Eiffel Tower from San Jose's Light
Tower. |
