Now that we are through the election, it might be interesting to see some of the political problems Long Beach faced in the early 1900's.
Remember, the City had incorporated, unincorporated and then incorporated again in 1897 primarily over the issue of alcohol. Most residents were very conservative Christians from the mid-west and wanted to keep Long Beach "dry." Outside its boundaries, saloons sold the devil's drink and so business interests inside the City wanted some way to sell it too. So the Board of Trustees -- our first council -- passed an ordinance allowing alcohol with a physician note or to be sold at hotels with less than 15 beds.As the City grew so did its political problems. In 1905, the local press reported that there were a series of attacks on the homes of elected officials and public buildings by anonymous individuals and dubbed it the "Reign of Terror in Long Beach."
Mayor Rufus Eno claimed to have received a note threatening him with "disfigurement." Someone doused Eno's house with oil so it could be set on fire. Other homes were dynamited.
Eno resigned in 1906 after being arrested for taking a $350 bribe from an architect who wanted the contract to design the city's "pleasure pier and sun parlor." Eno was not convicted but another council member was.
In 1913, the auditorium connected with the pier and sun parlor collapsed sending dozens of mostly women to their death.
Long Beach had to pay tens of thousands in claims when it was found there was faulty construction -- pilings not proper -- which caused the collapse.
Eno is buried with his wife Julia in Sunnyside Cemetery.
