Frederick Eaton

Frederick Eaton

Frederick Eaton (born September 23, 1856 in Los Angeles , California , † March 11, 1934 there ) was an American politician . Between 1898 and 1900 he was mayor of Los Angeles.

Career

Frederick Eaton briefly attended Santa Clara College and was trained as an engineer. He then worked for the Los Angeles City Water Company , which was responsible for the city's water supply. As early as 1875, at the age of 19, he headed this company as superintendent . He then worked as an engineer for the city administration, where he designed a sewage system and was responsible for establishing many city parks. In the meantime he also worked as a private engineer. He was involved in the expansion of the railroad network and a general improvement in the water supply in southern California.

Politically, Eaton joined the Republican Party . In 1898 he was elected Mayor of Los Angeles. He held this office between December 15, 1898 and December 12, 1900. In the election campaign, he had defeated the democratic incumbent Meredith P. Snyder , who was to become his successor in 1900. Los Angeles then had more than 100,000 residents. Around 200 cars have already been registered. The oil industry in the area boomed and the Los Angeles Stock Exchange was established.

What Eaton really became known for was its commitment to improving the city's water supply by cutting water sources in mountains up to 200 miles away. That was after his time as mayor. There were also conflicts of interest with the residents of the affected areas and even with the federal government. Ultimately, Eaton's aqueduct was built and inaugurated in 1913 ( Los Angeles Aqueduct ). In 1928 he ran into serious financial difficulties, losing the ranch he had acquired in the meantime to the city of Los Angeles. He died on March 11, 1934.

Web links

• Frederick Eaton in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• The Political Graveyard
• The Mayors of Los Angeles