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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1927 History TrunkA ffl i9a d rRR!) RIMINMIWA ZAN-- g;l a X"n", "T!, ri 35 �, TIPZ� F-Pk '4M - - 16 ZZ: PY) 7% A �Vl KM h� OV A 19:27 Activity manual to be used with the 1927 Englewood History Trunk b, Nancy A. Bunker A Project of the Englewood Public Library Local History Collection Englewood, Colorado 1992 Project Funded by a grant from the Colorado State Library through the Library Services and Construction Act rA FNCLEWOOD CO. ' PUBLIC LIBRARY Bibliography of Sources 1927 Trunk ['.nrhin Oral Nit Taye Vera Sinclair Corbin, Velma Sinclair Kinney and Rolland Corbin, Englewood, Colorado: Englewood Public library, 1990. 1 • sr. 1 • 'i _•ate • • - rles Dolezal and Lurline Pemberton 990 i• :z Englewood,Colorado:Englewood P • VirginiaL •• • : • • "• library,Public • •, • mMarie Nielsenand BarbaraNielson Library, 1972. Holthaus, Englewood, Colorado: Eng: ••• i • lic Colorado: Englewood Public library., 1990. Englewood public library, 1972. Taw Englewood. Colorado: En.•a- ••• Public Library, General iron Orw ' Al g- • • . library,'•0 Rey Mountain News May 25,1926 June 22, 1926 February 27, 1927 Schwindt, Verne Schroer, and Colorado: Englewood Public 63 CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO ANNEX TOWN OF ENGLEWOOD TO DENVER Committee of 1,000, Backing Proposal, Will Submit Ordinance to City Council 5/25/1926 Preparations for a campaign to bring about the annexation of Englewood to Denver are being made by a committee of 1,000 Denver residents and it is probable an ordinance asking for the annexation will be presented to the countil at its next meeting, it was announced at the council meeting last night. Clyde O. Secrest, 3855 Wolfe Street, chosen to represent the committee of 1,000, announced Englewood has already eliminated many of the objections which were raised against annexation recently by the city council. The committee, he said, would be willing to arrange all of the details of annexation and Englewood would bear all of the expense. The committee of 1,000, consisting of Denver property owners and businessmen, was formed to puch plans for annexation because it was believed the scheme had lagged and that the city council had lost interest. Members of the committee reside in various sections of Denver and most of them are active in their local improvement associations. Organization of the committee was made shortly after the special coucilmanio committee on Englewood annexation reported unfavorably to annexation. Their report showed that the suburb was lacking in water and school facilities and that it was not to Denver's good to annex at this time. Mr. Secrest said last night many of the objections have been overcome. 35 "Englewood recently has spent $200,000 in improving the water situation and an up to date school has been built, eliminating two of the main objections to annexation," he said. "Several bridges have I PRO also been built and many other improvements made. Englewood, with 8,000 inhabitants, is very anxious to be annexted to Denver. The present city administration was elected on an annexation platform 110- and have pledged themselves to aid annexation plans. It would be very much to Denver's advantage to add the suburb to its limits, as it FM would materially add to the population of the city." [ -IN May Present Ordinance Fl IPl- The committee is working wikth Mayor John Simon of Englewood and other residents of the town in its annexation work. It is probable a t ,_ committee of Englewood residents will present an ordinance asking for annexation at next week's meeting, it was said. If this is done and the council votes favorably the next step will be for Englewood to call an election and decide if a majority are in favor. If this action is also favorable the annexation is complete. Rocky Mountain News 1: ■ \_J 36 COUNCIL INDORSES PROPOSALTOANNEX ENGLEWOOD TO CITY Bill Passes First Reading Unanimously 6/22/1926 An invitation to Englewood to annex itself to Denver was contained in a bill passed unanimously on first reading by the city council last night. At the same session it was voted to defeat the amendment to the zoning ordinance introduced by five members of last in to the zoning board of the council night an attempt abolish adjustment and transfer its duties to the council. Mum - The invitation to Englewood, which has yet to be passed on final reading before it becomes official, asks that suburb to annex itself to Denver "in a manner prescribed by law." The procedure, it was said, is for Englewood to hold an election and if a majority of the votes cast in this election are in favor of annexation, the annexation is automatically completed by the transfer of the records of Englewood to Denver. Approved by Committee The invitation was recommended by a special committee composed of Councilman Gus Reddish, Thomas Dolan and Louis Straub. In speaking for the committee Councilman Reddish said: "Englewood citizens seem to be in favor of annexation and nearly all of the Denver citizens the committee interviewed spoke highly of the plan. The committee could find no reason why the suburb should not be annexed. At the present time Englewood is paving Broadway and when this job is complete will have three miles of street paving. 37 "Its finances seem to be in good condition. It already is using Denver's water, electric and sewer facilities. The committee is of the opinion annexation is only a matter of time and now seems to be a good time." City to Gain 8,000 L. B. Philo, president of the Allied Council of Improvement Associations, also spoke in favor of annexation. Mr. Philo declared that by annexation Denver would gain seven or eight thousand in population. At the same time the city's limit on the sourth would be greatly extended, he said. It is probably that public hearings will be held this week by the council in order that councilmen may have expressions from citizens and acquaint themselves with the sentiment of property owners on annexation before final action on last night's bill is taken. Dates for these hearing have not been set. Rocky Mountain News ANNEXATION TO BE UP FOR VOTE Special Election Planned if Question Does Not Go on Regular Ballots 2/27/1927 If Englewood voters do not vote on the annexation question at the regular spring election, April 5, a special election will be called within 60 or 90 days afterward, W.. Grant, city attorney of Englewood, declared Saturday night. This is to do away with the postponing of the election for two years until the next municipal election, he said, and bring the matter to an issue this spring. Judge George W. Dunn, of Arapahoe county, will hear several motions in the case Tuesday and upon his decision will rest the question of whether the annexation issue will be placed upon the ballots at the regular spring election. He may issue an order on the Englewood city council for the placing of the issue on the ballots immediately after he reaches his decision. The council meets March 7 and could act on the matter then. This, Grant said, would give the required.20 days in which to advertise the proposition before the election. Rumors were current Saturday that unless the order was signed Saturday night the issue could not be voted upon April 5. Grant, however, denied these rumors. "If the issue fails to go on the ballots," he said, "we immediately will institute legal steps to call a special election. This can be done within 60 or 90 days, I belive." Rocky Mountain Nears 39 ISSUE CARRIES BY 967 TO 951; J.E. ABBOTT HOLDS LEAD OVER DR. SIMON IN MAYORALTY RACE Legal Obstacles Likely to Be Raised Against Consolidation With Denver; Both Factions Express Regret at Light Representation of Citizenry; Contest Ends Bitter Fight 4/6/192 7 Englewood voted Tuesday to be annexed to Denver. Complete returns of the balloting in the municipal election gave a majority of 16 votes for annexation. Complete returns at the Englewood city hall gave the votes, according to wards, as follows: Ward 1: For annexation, 292; against 263. Ward 2: For, 408; against 383. Ward 3: For, 267; against 305 Total votes cast on annexation, 1918; for, 967; against, 951.. These figures, according to party leaders, were official at the polling places but had not been finally certified at the city hall. Partial returns at 2 a. m. indicated that. the mayoralty race between Dr. John Simon, annexatinist and present incumbent, and J. E. Abbot, anti -annexationist and head of the Abbott Lumber Co., was as close as the annexation issue. A In Ward 1, Abbott led Dr. Simon at 2 a m. by 10 votes, the partial count giving the Englewood party leader 273 votes to Simon's 263. 112 17 Ward 2 showed Abbott in the lead with a total of 297 votes to Dr. Simon's 267, on a partial count out of 927 votes cast. Abbott showed his heaviest lead in Ward 3, where he had 367 votes to his opponent's 294, on the face of a complete count. The rest of the anti -annexation ticket appeared to be dividing honors nearly evenly with the present encumbents. Whatever the result of the party election, the present incumbents will remain in office under the law until all dispute over annexation is settled. Late Voting Holds Up Counting It was announced at the anti -annexation headquarters. that the result would be contested thru the courts on several grounds. Leaders indicated one point in the protest probably will be the allegation that Mayor Simon illegally moved the polling place in Ward 2 at the last minute. Another issue on which the fight will be renewed is the alleged votging of husbands and wives on single tax certificate made out ikn the name of only one. An agreement was reached by both sides prior to the start of balloting that this innovation would be permitted. The anti-annexationists later declared it illegal. Late voting in two of the three wards held up the counting of the ballots on the mayoralty issue for several house. Altho the polls were scheduled to close at 7 p. m., that hour found more than 150 persons crowding the voting place in the Mayflower church. Last minute balloting at the Devine garage polling place likewise held up the count there. Despite a victory in Tuesday's balloting, there still remains a chance that many obstacles may be placed in the path of the annexation move, leaders admit. The verdict of the voters must be certified to Judge Dunn of the Arapahoe county district court, who then must set a date for a hearing on protests if any. 41 Will Add Two Miles to City The future annexation of Englewood to Denver will add a district of two square miles to the Queen city of the Rockies. It is chiefly a residential district and numbers between 7,500 and 8,000 people. Englewood includes one large industrial plant, the Alexander Industries, among its assets. The annexation controversy has lasted nearly seven years. It was carried into the courts in 1925 by Mayor John Simon, who won a decision in the Arapahoe county district court ordering a special election at which the issue should be placed before the people. This order was appealed by the anti -annexation faction and the fight carrfied to the state supreme court. There the lower court decision was upheld and Tuesday's election resulted. Rocky Mountain News 42 DENVER AND ENGLEWOOD HAVE GROWN TOGETHER FOR 24 YEARS Suburb Got Its Start as Agricultural Community Known as Orchard Place by Leonard Hall 4/6/1927 Since their simultaneous incorporation as distinct municipalities in 1903, the civic destines of Denver and Englewood have followed parallel courses that joined Tuesday in a public ballot on the question of annexation. Dr. John Simon, annexation mayor, said Tuesday. At the time, 24 years ago, when Denver was incorporated as the city and county of Denver, the hamlet of Orchard Place officially proclaimed itself the city of Englewood. Orchard Place then had a opulation of 700 and was the terminus of the horse car lines to Fort Logan and Cherrylyn. Agriculture was the chief pursuit of its citizens. J. C. Jones, the first settler in Orchard Place, was elected Englewood's first mayor. Boom is Reflected Until 1908, the newly incorporated city grew slowly. In that year a business boom in Denver was reflected in real estate promotion in Englewood. Land that had long been pastures and farms was subdivided and workingmen from Denver began to flow to the S. Broadway district in a steady stream to build homes. In 1922 when business conditions improved and Denver industry took on new activity, these improved conditions were reflected in Englewood. In 1920 there were approximately 4,000 persons in Englewood. On Tuesday when the citizens turned out to vote on the annexation measure the population was said to be more than 8,000. Within the last five years water mains were laid throughout the town to bring Denver's mountain water to the householders. Cement 43 r] sidewalks were laid in parts of the city that were cow pastures 10 years before and streets were paved and graveled thruout the two square miles of the city. Battle On In 1920 The question of annexation with Denver became the mooted point in Englewood politics in 1920, when Dr. John Simon, present mayor, began his battle for annexation. Citizens of the town first publicly proposed annexation to Denver in January, 1925. Dr. Simon ran successfully for mayor in the election of the following April on an annexation platform. Five months later Englewood petitioned the Denver city council for annexation but was refused after a study by a committee of councilmen. A petition to put the annexation question to public vote was filed in July, 1926. The anti -annexationist group then marshaled its forces and protested the proposed election in the district court of Arapahoe county. A ruling authorizing the holding of a special election on the annexation proposition was handed down. The anti-annexationists carried the matter to the Colorado supreme court. In January the supreme court cleared the way for the election held Tuesday. Many Improvements During the administration of Dr. Simon, Englewood spent more than $400,000 on civic improvements, including water mains, paved streets and sidewalks. That expenditure was greater than the total budgets during the first 22 years of the town's existence, the records showed. Dr. Simon said Tuesday that Englewood has grown on the overflow from a growing Den ► r. "Englewood is a community of small houses, the home of many Denver workingmen..' he said. The section has also developed an exclusive residential district lying near trhe Cherry Hills Country club. The Alexander Industries, Inc., factory and studio are in Englewood, and the General Iron Works just across the Denver county line employs approximately 500 Englewood residents.Rocky Mountain Nears F] C r_. n 1:1 i d R LEADERS CHARGE ILLEGALVOTING IN ENGLEWOOD "Gentleman's Agreement" Hundreds of I Instances, Violated in, Says Anti -Annexation Chiefs 4/11/1927 Leaders of the Englewood anti -annexation party investigating the election Sunday declared that more than 100 case of illegal voting under the terms of the "gentleman's agreement" with the annexation party had been found. One member said he expected between 400 and 700 instances in which ballots had been cast without the proper qualifications of the voters would be discovered. He declared Denver persons who had no right to vote and persons who were not naturalized had voted. Prior to the election both parties agreed that since tax receipts denoting ownership of property were held in many cases in the names of both husband and wife, both could vote if only one possessed a tax receipt. Dr. John Simon, mayor of Englewood, and leader of the annexation party, said Sunday that discrepancies in the election would be found only because of the "gentleman's agreement." He said he believed there would be no cases of unnaturalized citizens voting, but that it would be an easy matter for Judge George W. Dunn of the Arapahoe county court to open the ballot boxes when the anti -annexation party protests the election at the end of 15 days. Judge H. J. Hersey of the anti -annexation party said: "We are going on with our work of investigation and the results will be known in 15 days when the protest against the election is filed." The ballots were sent to Judge Dunn Saturday, who allowed the anti -annexation party 15 days to file objections to the court. A hearing then will be set by the judge and the election either approved or disapproved. If the election is declared irregular a new election will be held. Rocky Mountain News ENGLEWOOD ANNEXATION LOSES BY MARGIN OF ONLY SEVEN VOTE Another Court Contest Looms Over Election Opponents of Union Hold Big Celebration on Victory 8/24/1927 Annexation to Denver lost by the scant margin of seven votes out of the 1,071 cast in the special Englewood election, Tuesday, but proponents of the consolidation threaten to carry the issue to the courts. Last .spring when annexation carried by sixteen votes, the anis dug up enough irregularieties to have the result set aside. Ann3xationists now propose to turn the tables on their opponents. More litigation now is threatened. While the antis howled in glee, Tuesday night, dragged out the city fire. wagons and paraded in triumph thru the streets, the consolidation faction was making plans to appeal to the courts. Friends of union with Denver called "foul' when the election result was announced. Dr. John Simon, leader of the group, is disheartened at the result, and claims that many friends of annexation were lost to the cause when the judges denied them votes on questionable technicalities. Dr. Simon Is In Doubt About Plans "I cannot say definitely that we will go to court over the result," Dr. Simon declared, "But I know of many instances where voters were reques - d to show deeds and the like when we think their statements they were taxpayers should have been sufficient." W. W. Garwood, attorney for the annexation group, said the I fight would be carried on and irregularities charged against the winners. "Some judges refused to accept votes when they knew the elector was an annexationist," declared Garwood. "In some cases they refused to accept ballots without the accompanying property deeds, and in occasional cases where deeds were not recorded. We shall file objections in the county court." Interest in the election, intense throughout the day's balloting, ® mounted to fever heat when the final count began. Hundreds gathered around the ward polling places and waited while the judges were at work. r Tight Vote In All Districts Ward three was the first to report — 165 against annexation, 146 in favor of it. The antis cut loose, marched to the city hall from ward headquarters, and waited. Ward one was next — 158 for annexation to 153 against. ' Finally the second ward came in with a seven vote margin in favor of annexation, but it wasn't quite enough. The antis again paraded to the offices of Dr. Simon, where a big banner was hung, with the flaring message: "This is Englewood." Denver Post 1 9 0 47