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The following is an excerpt of an article on the 10-year anniversary of Berkeley’s first municipal elections, 125 years ago this month, published in the Berkeley Advocate on April 18, 1888: 

Last Sunday closed the tenth year of our incorporation as a town and it brings back to memory the scenes and incidents that occurred before our first town election which took place on Monday, May 13, 1878.  

Some excitement had been caused throughout California by the anti-Chinese crusade of Denis Kearney and following up the practice in other towns and cities an anti-Chinese club had been formed in West Berkeley, of which M.M. Gilman was president.  

As soon as the town was incorporated this club became the People’s Party. The convention was held in what was then known as the Ocean View (West Berkeley) Schoolhouse, although several informal talks were held in Mr. Doyle’s house on University Avenue near where Dr. Hilton now resides. 

A laughable scene took place there one evening. A son of the “ould sod” was speaking and in the course of his remarks quoted Denis Kearney saying this and Denis Kearney saying that until a young man (now one of our town officials) jumped to his feet and informed the speaker that the party present were Americans and did not care a doughnut for Denis Kearney, upon which Pat got his mad up and shouted “By God Denis Kearney is our apostle and I will lick the man who says anything agin him.” 

The convention for the nomination of officers took place at the schoolhouse on the evenings of May 6 and 7. There were no delegates in those days. Nominees were named and each man voted as he pleased by writing his favorite’s name on pieces of paper, which were soon gathered up, counted and the successful man named. 

The great contest was for the position of Marshal, and although Philip Montoe seemed to be the favorite on the first night the prize was awarded by Marvin M. Gilman on the second evening. There was no great amount of wire pulling made to obtain any office and the writer distinctly remembers the coaxing and pleading which was made to Edward L. Wright (brother to W.C. Wright) before he would accept a nomination. The first election was held in Union Hall and the total number of votes polled was 304. 

Local historian Richard Schwartz found this article, which he plans to use in his next book, a prequel to his book “Berkeley 1900, Daily Life at the Turn of the Century.”