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The
Studio Shop
To start a new business in any community demands a combination of
the pioneer spirit, with its faith in the future, together with
courage to await the fruition of conservative policies. Because they
possessed t h o s e characteristics, Ralph and Dorothy Crawford
started an Art Shop and Photographic Studio in the town of
Burlingame where the demand for such a business was not at first
recognized.
They are among Burlingame's most enthusiastic admirers;
for as Mr. Crawford says, "We like Burlingame and Burlingame has
been good to us. We are endeavoring to build up a business in a new
field, on the very unostentatious, but, as we believe, the very wise
policy of rendering such satisfactory service that people shall
prefer to bring us their patronage, rather than on much acclaiming
of past performance or on any claim of rendering a service at less
than market value."
Mr. and Mrs. Crawford, the latter known to her patrons
as Dorothy Crawford, have had plans drawn for the construction of a
new building which they hope to occupy this summer, with their
combined businesses of art shop and photographic studio. under the
name of The Studio Shop.
Mrs. Crawford is a portrait photographer who has broken
away from the established rules of studio portraiture, and now makes
pictures, to use her expression, "Just as I please", with the
wonderfully pleasing result of achieving distinction without
faddism. Mr. Crawford makes a specialty of out-door photography, and
has furnished the photographs for many of the illustrations in this
book, including the frontispiece.
A distinctive characteristic of this new Art Shop and
Studio is the service feature, both Mr. and Mrs. Crawford being
willing to place at the disposal of their patrons, the same taste
and artistic judgment which they have employed in the appointments
and decoration of their business home.
The George H.
Irving Company
Six years ago George H. Irving investigated the entire State from a
real estate development standpoint, with the view of selecting the
best locality for future development. After most careful analysis he
selected the Peninsula. The selection was due to three main reasons:
First, San Francisco is bound to expand down the mainland. Second,
values were very low compared to other sections, considering the
time necessary to get there, thus insuring a good profit to buyers.
Third, because of the great natural beauty and ideal climate.
In 1910 Mr. Irving bought the famous Coleman tract
opposite the Flood estate in Menlo Park. Many houses have been built
on this property by some of the most prominent San Francisco
families. Mr. Irving followed out the modern idea by putting in the
most high grade improvements with high grade_ building restrictions.
A few years later the George H. Irving Company was incorporated with
Mr. E. S. Tanner as secretary.
The Company, in conjunction with Mr. E. K. Wood,
purchased the famous Dingee estate, situated in Redwood City,
fronting the State Highway and stretching from there to the first
rise of foothills. They changed the name of the property, when
subdivided into large lots, to Redwood Highlands. This property the
George H. Irving Company planned to make one of the ideal home
sections down the Peninsula; and with the modern idea of service
they have built up a community which, in beauty and as an
investment, has no equal.
Over one hundred and twelve homes of satisfied buyers
are located on the Highlands. So successful were they with this
property that they have just purchased the three hundred acres of
hill land immediately adjoining Redwood Highlands on the west. This
purchase was made in conjunction with some of the most prominent
capitalists in the west.
The George H. Irving Company has also carried on a most
successful and extensive brokerage department, operating in various
properties in the district between San Francisco and Gilroy. The
experience of Mr. Irving and Mr. Tanner, in these various
capacities, has qualified them to act as experts on any land value
down the Peninsula. The San Francisco offices of the Geo. H. Irving
Company are located in the First National Bank Building.
Brief History of
Western Meat Company
Twenty-five years ago, the South San Francisco Land & Improvement
Co. purchased 5000 acres of land, located in the northern part of
San Mateo County, plotting the town of Baden, now known as South San
Francisco. They erected, at that time, on the shores of San
Francisco Bay, a packing plant for the handling of beef, mutton and
pork and the curing of meat products.
The products of this Company were principally disposed of in San
Francisco, Oakland and San Jose during the early period of the
Company.
On March 17, 1894, the Western Meat Co. was
incorporated as subsidiary to the Land Company, capitalized at
$1,000,000.00. In 1894, Mr. Le Roy Hough was appointed VicePresident
and General Manager of the South San Francisco Land & Improvement
Co. as well as the Western Meat Co. and under his efficient
management, the foundation of the present well established business
was laid. During the years from 1890 to 1900, approximately 250 to
300 men were employed at the packing plant engaged in the preparing
and distributing of their products, the average sales being not far
from $4,000,000.00 yearly.
In the great fire of 1906, their City offices and smoke
houses were destroyed, but within two years after, a modern,
reinforced concrete building was erected on the old site at a cost
of over $200,000.00. The earthquake did not destroy the packing
plant however, and during the first few weeks thereafter, the
Western Meat Co. furnished the United States Government, as well as
the San Francisco Relief Committee with enormous quantities of their
products, including large amounts of canned meats.
Keeping pace with conditions, other distributing houses
were established at Sacramento, Fresno and Stockton; also car
routes, with distributing services over the different railroad lines
tributary to San Francisco. The Western Meat Co. operates forty-five
modern refrigerator cars for the transportation and proper
distributing of their products.
In the year 1908, they added a full and complete line of
products, the sales of which have kept pace with the growing
business. A well appointed and up-to-date creamery was established
and operated at 6th & Townsend Streets, known as the Manchester
Creamery. They also own and operate a modern cheese factory in
Mendocino County.
In 1911, at the death of Mr. Le Roy Hough, Mr. F.
L. Washburn succeeded as President and General Manager. The business
has been gradually increasing in importance until, at the present
writing, approximately 500 employees are on the weekly pay roll at
the packing plant, while the entire organization, made up of the
personnel of the general office, branch houses, salesmen, etc.,
exceeds 850 and the pay roll approximates $10,000 weekly. The sales
for the year 1915 were in excess of $10,000,000.
The prestige of the Western Meat Company is everywhere
manifest among their discriminating customers. The ever increasing
output and sales is an evidence of the increasing popularity of the
fresh meats and provision products, which are put out under United
States Government inspection service, and is today the only meat
packing plant operating under Government inspecion service in San
Francisco and northern California.
Plans have recently been drawn for large additions to
the packing plant at South San Francisco, requiring an expenditure
of $150,000.00 made necessary in order to take care of California
increasing hog production.
Employees are encouraged to become identified with the firm
through stock ownership. The company co-operates with its employees
in securing first class hospital service, and the management is
constantly on the alert to improve working conditions.
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