278 HISTORY OF PASADENA. 



DIVISION FOUR — BOOM 



CHAPTER XIV. 



The Municipai, Corporation.— Early steps and stages of Pasadena's growth as a 

 civil jurisdiction.— Different efforts for incorporation. — Successive city hall build- 

 ings.— Table of all city officers from date of incorporation to 1894 —City expend- 

 itures one year. — List of city property. 



History of the City Fire Department. 



CITY INCORPORATION. 



The territory now comprised within the city of Pasadena was from the 

 earhest Spanish occupation a part of the San Gabriel Mission lands. And 

 after the church rule was broken up by the Mexican government, and the 

 lands segregated and parceled out to individual ownership as ranchos, this 

 land still remained within the civil jurisdiction of San Gabriel. This status 

 also continued through the American occupation of the land as a territory 

 and as a state, up to August, 1874, when the first civil separation from San 

 Gabriel was made by the creation of the San Pasqual school district. This 

 new departure was brought about by the original colonists of the San 

 Gabriel Orange Grove Association, commonly known then as the "Indiana 

 Colony," so that they might have a school within their own borders instead 

 of having to send their children five miles away to the old San Gabriel vil- 

 lage, or else to lyos Angeles. I. N. Mundell settled on his original colony 

 lot in October, 1874 — and in 1875 he was appointed road overseer, being 

 thus the actual first civil officer belonging to Pasadena. And when his time 

 expired A. O. Bristol served next. 



In 1877 A. O. Bristol was elected constable ; but he did not want the 

 office, did not qualify, and so never actually served. And Harry Price in 

 1883^84 seems to have been the first Pasadena constable in real service by 

 election. 



In March, 1877, Henry G. Bennett was appointed deputy county as- 

 sessor, and served until March, 1886 — nine years. His district included 

 San Gabriel, Alhambra, I^a Canyada, etc., besides Pasadena. 



Pasadena was at this time dependent on L,os Angeles for notarial busi- 

 ness, till Major Erie lyocke obtained a commission as Notary Public ; and 

 hi'^ first official act was the acknowledgment of a deed from the San 

 Gabriel Orange Grove Association to L,. J. and T. J. lyockhart, of the land 

 now known as the McGregory place — this act of his as notary being dated 

 March 29, 1877. At the fall election that year Mr. Locke was elected one 

 of the justices of the peace for San Gabriel township, and thus Pasadena 

 first acquired a civil tribunal of her own. During 1878 Mr. lyocke, by 

 reason of sickness, became unable to administer the office, and Col. J. Ban- 



