William H. Carlson - Political Career

Political Career

Carlson became quite well known because of the failed development, and politically successful. He was first elected as a City Trustee around 1888. He ran for County Assessor in 1890 and lost. Next, he studied law and passed the bar. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 1893.

Then, after the legislature adjorned, he ran for mayor in March 1893 as an independent, a last-minute candidate in a five-way race. Carlson was a tall, dapper, lanky, good-natured young man with no political connections or party affiliation. He won with less than 34% of the vote. At 28, Carlson is still the youngest person ever elected mayor in San Diego.

He was elected and reelected on the promise to provide all sorts of civic improvements, although he did not deliver all or most of what he promised. His biggest promise, ultimately unfulfilled, was to build a railroad east of San Diego. Reportedly many people voted for him "just to see what he would do."

Carlson served as mayor of San Diego during 1893–1896. He pledged to remove unneeded city jobs, but the council resisted, setting a pattern of conflict for the rest of the term. Many of Carlson's public works projects were rejected by the council.

Carlson also raised funds for a railroad to Arizona. He raised funds from thousands, but only had enough to lay 10 miles (16 km) of track. Not until John D. Spreckels' San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway was this plan realized 25 years later.

Towards the end of his Mayoral term, Carlson ran unsuccessfully for Congress, promising a new Post Office in every town. Sure he would win, he had his friend David C. Reed run for mayor, but after he lost the race for Congress, he kept his name on the mayoral ballot. However, Carlson lost and his friend Reed won in a 3-way race. After losing, Carlson staged his own mock political funeral.

Carlson's successes as mayor include obtaining federal funds for a jetty at the entrance to San Diego Bay, first interesting the Navy in San Diego, obtaining state funds for a Normal School (later San Diego State University), and getting a Mexican right-of-way for a railroad to Yuma, mentioned earlier, which Spreckels would later exploit.