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Fred Lind Alles

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Fred Lind Alles, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 10 August 202513 sources
Fred Lind Alles
BornTemplate:Birth date
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedMarch 7, 1945(1945-03-07) (aged 93)
Occupation(s)Businessman, community leader
Years activeLate 1800s–early 1900s
Known forSecretary of the National Irrigation Congress; roles in Los Angeles civic organizations

Fred Lind Alles (August 2, 1851 – March 7, 1945) was a prominent businessman and community leader based in Los Angeles, California, active from the late 1800s through the early 1900s. He held roles such as secretary and various official positions within multiple committees, including the National Irrigation Congress.

Professional life

Born on August 2, 1851, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Lind attended public schools in Pitt Township from 1857 until 1861. Around the age of thirteen in 1864, he began his career in printing as a "kid press feeder" at the Pittsburgh Post. Subsequently, he worked at the Pittsburgh Dispatch and later at Pittsburgh's Workingman's Advocate.

In 1868, he relocated to Chicago where he initially served as an office assistant for the Religio-Philosophical Journal, eventually advancing to foreman and contributing writer. During this period, he also attended a public school in Saint Charles, Illinois. By 1872, Lind had moved to Sparta, Illinois, taking on the role of publisher for the Sparta Plain Dealer. Two years later, in 1874, he edited the Advocate in Belleville, Illinois, and from 1875 to 1883, he was employed by the Sentinel in Pontiac, Illinois.

In 1883, Lind settled in Ontario, California, where he served as president of the San Antonio Water Company during 1884 and 1885. Concurrently, between 1884 and 1888, he published the magazine Rural Californian. In an effort to improve his health in 1887, he traveled to Alaska accompanied by Senators George Graham Vest of Missouri, Charles B. Farwell of Illinois, and J. Donald Cameron of Pennsylvania; upon his return, he noted a weight gain of fourteen pounds.

By 1889, Lind took on the temporary managing editor position at the Riverside Press and Horticulturalist. The following year, after selling his orange grove in Riverside County, he moved back to Los Angeles. From 1890 until 1902, he was secretary and general manager at the Los Angeles Printing Company. During an printers' strike in 1890 that halted composing rooms across Los Angeles newspapers, Alles mobilized his print shop staff and personally oversaw operations at The Times’ composing room while delegating others to manage printing for The Tribune and the Herald. He treasured a letter from Gen. Harrison Gray Otis expressing gratitude for these efforts that prevented The Times from suspending publication.

In March 1897, Lind became business manager of the Los Angeles Express. He launched his own printing enterprise in 1901 which he operated until 1905.

In recognition of his extensive contributions over his career, a portrait painted by Arthur Cahill was unveiled in January 1941 at Los Angeles’s distinguished California Club.

Volunteer work

Lind offered his services as both an officer and participant in numerous nonprofit organizations. His roles encompassed:

  • Secretary of the Illinois Press Association from 1877 until 1883[1]
  • Secretary of the Los Angeles Pomological Society in 1885[2]
  • Secretary of the Illinois Society of Los Angeles in 1886[3]
  • Secretary for the Los Angeles Fair Committee during 1887[4]
  • Secretary of the National Irrigation Congress between 1893 and 1895[1]
  • Vice president and organizer of the annual parade and fiesta for the La Fiesta Association in Los Angeles, serving in 1896 and 1897[1][5]
  • Director at the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce in 1897[1]
  • Director and secretary at the Mechanics Institute in Los Angeles from 1902 through 1923.[1]
  • Secretary of the Sunset Club of Los Angeles, authoring The Sunset Club: A History in 1905.[1]

By the year 1889, Alles had assumed the position of immigration commissioner for the Southern California Immigration Association. During that year, he embarked on a four-month journey through Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Upon returning, he remarked:

Throughout my travels I encountered widespread interest in . . . Southern California, with many eager to receive dependable information regarding our soil, climate, resources, and future opportunities. . . . The prevailing notion that this region is exclusively for wealthy individuals was common; however, people were surprised to learn that affordable lands are plentiful and can be effectively cultivated by hardworking individuals of average intelligence.[6]

In September of that same year, Alles initiated a petition to rename Fort Street in downtown Los Angeles—proposing it be called Broadway southward from First to Tenth Streets and North Broadway northward from First Street,[7] Initially, the petition met with limited support as reported by the Los Angeles Times: "Fort Street is one of Los Angeles’ oldest landmarks, and many felt its name should remain unchanged,"[8] but ultimately the argument that "Fort Street" was often confused with "Fourth Street" gained traction, leading to approval of the new street names.[9]

In 1895, Alles became embroiled in controversy when C.M. Heintz, who succeeded him as secretary of the National Irrigation Congress, accused him of falsely asserting that the Albuquerque congress had formally expressed gratitude to both Alles and chairman William E. Smythe after they declared they would not seek re-election. Editorials defending Alles appeared in both the Times and the Los Angeles Herald.[10][11][12][13]

Personal life

Born on August 2, 1851, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Lind was the son of Henry Alles (also known as Alois) and Elizabeth Kaufman. Reflecting on his youth, he once mentioned sitting beside former president Martin Van Buren on a streetcar; Van Buren passed away in 1862 when Lind was approximately seven years old. On December 4, 1873, Lind married Mary Elizabeth Allen in Sparta, Illinois, during a joint wedding ceremony alongside Mary's sister, Avis. The couple had three children together: Allen Alles, Clara Lavinia Greaves, and Lind Chesley Alles. Mary Elizabeth passed away at age 73 on July 23, 1923.

Fred Lind Alles died at the age of 93 on March 7, 1945. His final resting place is Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named RootsWeb
  2. ↑ "The Horticulturalists". Los Angeles Times. April 5, 1885. p. 6. Template:ProQuest.
  3. ↑ "Illinois Social". Los Angeles Times. February 4, 1886. p. 1. Template:ProQuest.
  4. ↑ "The Fair: Committees Working Like Beavers for Its Success". Los Angeles Times. August 13, 1887. p. 2. Template:ProQuest.
  5. ↑ "An Incorporated Body". Los Angeles Times. July 11, 1896. p. 9. Template:ProQuest.
  6. ↑ "A Bird's-Eye View". Los Angeles Times. September 1, 1889. p. 2. Template:ProQuest.
  7. ↑ "City in Brief". Los Angeles Times. September 6, 1889. p. 8. Template:ProQuest.
  8. ↑ "Public Works". Los Angeles Times. February 7, 1890. p. 3. Template:ProQuest.
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LAT19410113
  10. ↑ "Heintz et Alles". Los Angeles Times. September 22, 1895. p. 22. Template:ProQuest.
  11. ↑ "Alles Is Suspicious of Heintz". Los Angeles Times. September 25, 1895. p. 12. Template:ProQuest.
  12. ↑ "Who's a Liar?". Los Angeles Times. September 30, 1895. p. 10. Template:ProQuest.
  13. ↑ "A Cowardly Villain". Los Angeles Times. October 5, 1895. p. 3. Template:ProQuest.

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