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Dean, Fred (audio interview #4 of 6)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This is the fourth of six interviews and it was conducted in Dean's Long Beach home. 5/24/1982
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- 2020-10-21
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- *** File: cbfdean5.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-3:45)... Subsidence caused a financial slow down in Long Beach. The Nishkian Company was the engineering firm that designed the pumps that pumped water into the ground to replace the oil that was taken out. The first water that was used was from the Metropolitan Water District. Later refined sewage water used. The state, the harbor department and the THUMS consortium of Texaco, Humble, Union. Mobil and Standard, have been responsible for monitoring the control of subsidence. (3:45-6:54)... Oil companies did not want to take responsibility for subsidence . They were afraid they would be liable for the damage it caused. The building in which Dean operated his business in was an experimental one that was built to prevent damage. It was built after WWII when there was a shortage of materials. (6:54-9:00)... Downtown business people were part of the committee that worked to solve the problem of subsidence in Long Beach. Most of the committee members did not have a direct interest in oil. Llewelyn Bixby and Darrell Neighbors were members of the committee. (9:00-17:00)... There's a break in the tape. The Catalina Bathing Suit Company was a sponsor of the Miss America pageant. Mr. Stewart was President of the company and withdrew his company from the Miss America pageant after a rule change. He sent Oscar Meinhart to Long Beach to talk to the Chamber of Commerce about having a "Miss Universe" pageant in Long Beach. The Chamber went along with the pageant and it brought a lot of publicity to Long Beach. Universal Studios gave prizes to the winners of the pageants. The city of Long Beach was supportive of the pageant including providing the services of the police and fire departments. The pageant left Long Beach following Mr. Stewart's death. "Miss Universe" was an international competition. There was also a competition between representatives from each state and the winner was named, "Miss USA." This winner then represented the US in the "Miss Universe" pageant. All of this brought Long Beach a lot of International attention. (17:00-19:07)... Long Beach operated its own beauty pageant, which they called the International Beauty Congress, beginning in 1961 after the Miss Universe pageant was moved to New York following Mr. Stewart's death. This only lasted until 1968 when litigation caused the Chamber to end the pageants all together in Long Beach. (19:07-23:50)... Dean's family had always had horses. He delivered groceries and newspapers on horseback. Fred Bixby's mother had a driver that drove her downtown to do her shopping. On the way back, they stopped at Dean's home where Dean's mother had coffee and sweets for Mrs. Susan Bixby. Dean became friends with Mrs. Susan Bixby's son, Fred. They rode horses together and later became active in politics. Dean was the campaign chair for Eugene Biscailuz when he ran for Los Angeles County Sheriff and Dean relied on Fred Bixby and Bill Prisk of the Press-Telegram for support (23:50-29:49)... In 1934 Dean decided to get involved with the Newhouse brothers, who owned a cafe near his radio business, and Dr. Bishop, a personal friend. They all owned horses. Dean had always had horses since he was a child and had taken animal husbandry courses at UC Davis, but had not owned horses since he started in the radio business. He was invited to become an associate member of the Mounted Police. In 1935 the organization was asked to lead the Tournament of Roses Parade. In 1954 Dean became an active member with a silver saddle and a Palomino horse. The group was asked to lead multiple parades and participate in rodeos across the United States. The Mounted Police was a nonprofit organization that rode in parades and participated in rodeos to advertise Long Beach. End of tape *** File: cbfdean6.mp3 (0:00-5:40)... The Long Beach Police Department named the Long Beach Mounted Police. The presidency of the organization alternated among its members. At one time Alvin Slate was the Long Beach Chief of Police and the president of the Mounted Police. In 1961 Dean was president. He served as captain, who is the manager of the organization, from 1962 to 1967. The captain was responsible for making sure the saddles and horses met the Mounted Police standards. They changed their uniforms for the Tournament of Roses. (5:40-9:58)... The Long Beach Mounted Police originally kept their horses near Los Coyotes Diagonal. They had to sell this property when urban sprawl over took them. They used the profits from the sale of their land to transport their horses. The Mounted Police went to the presidential inaugurations of Eisenhower and Nixon. The horses have traveled by train, truck and air to get them to parades and other functions (9:58-18:00)... The members of the Long Beach Mounted Police are friends and they often go riding together at member's homes. Dean enjoys being a member of the organization. The organization is not in debt. Paul Deats was a member of the Mounted Police and was also a council representative. There are an average of 25 riders per parade. The captain selects the members who will ride in each parade. Everyone polishes his silver saddle himself. (18:00-24:46)... The Mounted Police sold their clubhouse and the land where they kept their horses in 1960 or 1961. The area was predominantly residential by that time. The have not rebuilt a clubhouse because it is expensive to maintain. At the time of this interview they were having trouble finding a place to keep their horses because the city is moving them out of where they've been keeping them. Many of the surrounding cities do not allow horses and the places that do are very expensive. Members of the Long Beach Mounted Police come from all over southern California; many of the members are from Long Beach and have moved out of the city. (24:46-27:23)... Dean and Howell Haney are the 2 oldest members of the Long Beach Mounted Police. It is hard for the Mounted Police to recruit young members because it is expensive to get involved with. At one time the Mounted Police had 40 riders; now they have 30. Dean's son is a member. End of tape
- SUBJECT BIO - Fred Dean was a local businessman who prospered when the radios he sold became popular. He was also interested in local politics and appointed to the boards of directors of such public agencies as the Long Beach Water Commission and the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). In this series of interviews, that were conducted as part of a project to study the impact of oil on Long Beach, Dean talks about his public service. He was on the MTA board when the Pacific Electric street cars stopped running in southern California and he served on the Water Commission when they sold some of their land for commercial development. Dean was also an active member of the Long Beach Mounted Police and as urban sprawl engulfed Long Beach, he fought to keep part of town where they could keep their horses. TOPICS - subsidence; "Miss Universe;" International Beauty Congress; horses; stables; radios; Long Beach Mounted Police; Long Beach Mounted Police; parades; stables; and horses;
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