Description

Ed Fletcher (1872-1955) came to San Diego from Massachusetts as a teenager during the boom of the 1880s. In his lifetime he was active in the development of water supply systems for this region. He was a highway promoter and land developer, and later in life, a California State senator. Producer Peter Hamlin and historian Clare Crane discuss with their guests some of the land, water, and highway developments that Ed Fletcher--called the "Prince of Promoters" by his friend George Marston--was involved in during the first half of the twentieth century. In his own right, or in conjunction with other investors, Fletcher controlled thousands of acres of land throughout San Diego County, especially along the routes of the San Diego, San Dieguito, and San Luis Rey rivers. When you think water, think "Fletcher": he was instrumental in the development of reservoirs and irrigation systems along those rivers. Dam sites for El Capitan and San Vicente reservoirs (along the San Diego river) were included in the holdings of Fletcher's Cuyamaca Water Co. when it was acquired by the City of San Diego. Ed Fletcher, Jr. reminisces about his father's activities in subdivision and water system development, and recalls what the water was like in the old San Diego Flume. Iris Engstrand discusses the historical differences between Spanish and Anglo-Saxon law in regard to water rights. William Jennings describes the court battle during the 1920s which resulted in a decision that the City of San Diego had paramount rights to the San Diego River water. John Witt and Robert Teaze comment on legal problems arising from multi-state claims on the water of the Colorado River. Roy Cook discusses Indian claims and water rights. Charles Hughes and Thomas Scharf describe the San Diego Historical Society's collection of materials on San Diego County water development. Russel Crane shares his reminiscences about Fletcher's dynamic personality and his involvement in San Diego County highway development and road races. Glenn Rick recalls Fletcher's role in transferring State-owned tidelands to San Diego for development of Mission Bay Park. Names mentioned during the program include: M. T. Gilmore, W. E. Hodges, John D. Spreckels, Elisha Babcock, Shelley J. Higgins, and Terence B. Cosgrove.