William H. Carlson

William H. "Billy" Carlson (April 11, 1864–July 7, 1937) was an American Independent politician from California.

Early life and Ocean Beach

William "Billy" Carlson was born 1864 in Sweden. He immigrated to the U.S. and grew up in San Francisco by 1870.Carlson, a fast-talker, would later often deny he was an immigrant.

Carlson came to San Diego by 1885 where he became editor for the San Diego "Sun".Then, with San Francisco associate Frank Higgins, he opened a real estate firm, Carlson & Higgins, just when the real estate boom of 1886-1888 took off.The firm developed Ocean Beach in 1887,including the Cliff House Hotel and selling lots.The development didn't do well because it was 2 1/2 hours from downtown by carriage.They rented a locomotive in 1888, but by then the boom ended and the development was in financial trouble.Higgins partner committed suicide.Carlson sold the Ocean Beach development to an Eastern financier and its development would wait another 20 years when permanent rail service arrived.

On October 3, 1887 Carlson married Carmen Ferrer,of the wealthy Estudillo family.

Political career

Carlson became quite well-know 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 up 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 a last-minute candidate, with four other candidates.Carlson was a tall, dapper, lanky, good-natured young man with no political connections or party affiliation.Carlson won with less than 34% of the vote.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, unfulfilled, was to build a railroad east of San Diego.He was elected by people wondering just what he could 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 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.At 28, Carlson is still the youngest person elected mayor in San Diego.

Real estate scams

After his defeat, Carlson left town for several real estate and railroad schemes in Los Angeles, Alaska, and Cuba.In 1917 Carlson was caught in a scheme where he sold desert land multiple times to different people and was convicted of mail fraud. He served half of his sentenced time in federal prison, gaining an early release in 1920.

Carlson died 1937 in Los Angeles while in the middle of another shady real estate deal.

Quote

:A man is honest as long as he intends to be honest.

ee also

* [http://www.sandiegohistory.org/bio/carlson/carlson.htm Biography by Robert W. Bogue (San Diego Historical Society)]
* [http://www.sandiegohistory.org/books/smythe/5-2.htm "Political Affairs and Municipal Campaigns" (part 5, chapter 2), "History of San Diego" (1907-09) by Smythe]