Robert L. Burns
Encyclopedia
Robert L. Burns was a Los Angeles
school board member between 1923 and 1929 and Los Angeles City Council member between 1929 and 1945. He previously was on the school board in Hutchinson, Kansas
. At his death in 1955, he was described as Los Angeles's "elder statesman."
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, the son of William E. Burns of Erie, Pennsylvania
, and Dulcina Elizabeth French of Indiana. His brothers were Fred F., Jed W. and William Burns. He graduated from high school in Hutchinson, Kansas
, and then became a lawyer and was business manager of The Hutchinson News
; He also engaged in coal mining and the "telephone business."
Burns was married to Sarah Bertram of Kentucky on October 11, 1898; they had four sons, William B., Robert J., Harry F. and John A.
He and a brother began a flour mill
that grew into the Consolidated Flour Mills of Kansas, His company was the first in the nation to introduce the eight-hour day
for mill employes. In 1916, he retired and moved to Los Angeles, where he joined the Los Angeles Country Club
. A Presbyterian and a Republican, he was a notable chess player. In 1934 he was living at 673 Hobart Boulevard.
In that year, an interviewer wrote about him:
Burns died March 17, 1955, in his home at 672 South Serrano Avenue, between Wilshire Boulevard
and Seventh Street. He was buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery
.
As a school board member, he attended the unveiling of a portrait of the late school superintendent Susan Miller Dorsey
in 1929 and cast one of the favorable votes the same year to purchase the surplus property of the UCLA campus on Vermont Avenue
to be used by Los Angeles City College.
Burns was first elected to represent the 4th District
on the City Council in 1929, was repeatedly reelected for sixteen years, and for half of that time was the council president
, serving as acting mayor when the mayor himself was out of the state. Known as an opponent of "radicals and subversives," Burns was opposed in his candidacy in 1935 by James A. Farley, postmaster-general of the United States and chairman of the national Democratic Party, in telegrams sent to two council members.
In January 1930, Burns and seven other council members who had voted in favor of granting a rock-crushing permit in the Santa Monica Mountains were unsuccessfully targeted for recall on the grounds that the eight "have conspired with Alphonzo Bell
, Samuel Traylor and Chapin A. Day, all multi-millionaires, to grant this group a special spot zoning permit to crush and ship from the high-class residential section of Santa Monica, limestone and rock for cement."
in 1945 and subsequently to the Recreation and Park Commission. He headed the Coliseum Commission in 1947. A city park (Burns Park) at Beverly Boulevard
and Van Ness Avenue was named after him in 1959.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
school board member between 1923 and 1929 and Los Angeles City Council member between 1929 and 1945. He previously was on the school board in Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson is the largest city in and the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, United States, northwest of Wichita, on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City", but locals call it "Hutch"...
. At his death in 1955, he was described as Los Angeles's "elder statesman."
Biography
Burns was born January 12, 1876, in Knoxville, IowaKnoxville, Iowa
Knoxville is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,731 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County. Knoxville is home of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum located next to the famous dirt track known as Knoxville Raceway.-History:The site for...
, the son of William E. Burns of Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, and Dulcina Elizabeth French of Indiana. His brothers were Fred F., Jed W. and William Burns. He graduated from high school in Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson is the largest city in and the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, United States, northwest of Wichita, on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City", but locals call it "Hutch"...
, and then became a lawyer and was business manager of The Hutchinson News
The Hutchinson News
The Hutchinson News is a daily newspaper serving the city of Hutchinson, Kansas in the United States. The publication was awarded the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service "for its courageous and constructive campaign, culminating in 1964, to bring about more equitable reapportionment of the...
; He also engaged in coal mining and the "telephone business."
Burns was married to Sarah Bertram of Kentucky on October 11, 1898; they had four sons, William B., Robert J., Harry F. and John A.
He and a brother began a flour mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
that grew into the Consolidated Flour Mills of Kansas, His company was the first in the nation to introduce the eight-hour day
Eight-hour day
The eight-hour day movement or 40-hour week movement, also known as the short-time movement, had its origins in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where industrial production in large factories transformed working life and imposed long hours and poor working conditions. With working conditions...
for mill employes. In 1916, he retired and moved to Los Angeles, where he joined the Los Angeles Country Club
Los Angeles Country Club
The Los Angeles Country Club is a golf and country club in Los Angeles, California.- History :In the fall of 1897, a group of Los Angelenos organized a voluntary association to further the cause of one of Southern California's newest sports...
. A Presbyterian and a Republican, he was a notable chess player. In 1934 he was living at 673 Hobart Boulevard.
In that year, an interviewer wrote about him:
So interested and energetic is Robert L. Burns in the discharge of his councilmanic duties that his colleagues call him, "the Watch Dog of the City Treasury." A forceful personality, but admittedly not a "joiner," Mr. Burns belongs to no clubs of any sort, professing more interest in his jobs than in handshaking. Until He became a member of the City Council, golf was his hobby. Now, with very little spare time, reading and browsing at home in his large library has superseded the golf."
Burns died March 17, 1955, in his home at 672 South Serrano Avenue, between Wilshire Boulevard
Wilshire Boulevard
Wilshire Boulevard is one of the principal east-west arterial roads in Los Angeles, California, United States. It was named for Henry Gaylord Wilshire , an Ohio native who made and lost fortunes in real estate, farming, and gold mining. Henry Wilshire initiated what was to become Wilshire...
and Seventh Street. He was buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood Park Cemetery was founded in 1905 in Inglewood, California. A number of notable people, including entertainment and sports personalities, have been interred or entombed here.-List of notable and celebrity interments at Inglewood Park:...
.
School board
Burns first ran for election to the Los Angeles Board of Education in May 1923, when he came in thirteenth in a field of twenty, a sufficiently high result to be nominated for election to the seven-member board. In the final vote in June, he was third and was elected. He was reelected in 1925 and 1927 but announced in January 1929 that he would run for the City Council.As a school board member, he attended the unveiling of a portrait of the late school superintendent Susan Miller Dorsey
Susan Miller Dorsey
Susan Miller Dorsey served as the superintendent of the Los Angeles City Schools from 1920 to 1929.-Biography:...
in 1929 and cast one of the favorable votes the same year to purchase the surplus property of the UCLA campus on Vermont Avenue
Vermont Avenue
Vermont Avenue is one of the longest running north/south streets in Los Angeles, California with a length of about . Located just west of the Harbor Freeway for the major portion south of Downtown Los Angeles, it starts in Griffith Park at the Greek Theatre in the Los Feliz neighborhood as a...
to be used by Los Angeles City College.
City Council
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1929–43Burns was first elected to represent the 4th District
Los Angeles City Council District 4
Los Angeles City Council District 4 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council, situated in the center of the city. It is represented by Tom Labonge....
on the City Council in 1929, was repeatedly reelected for sixteen years, and for half of that time was the council president
Los Angeles City Council president
This is an incomplete list of presidents of the Los Angeles City Council. Not only does the officer preside over meetings of the council, but he or she also makes assignments to City Council committees and handles parliamentary duties like ruling motions in or out of order...
, serving as acting mayor when the mayor himself was out of the state. Known as an opponent of "radicals and subversives," Burns was opposed in his candidacy in 1935 by James A. Farley, postmaster-general of the United States and chairman of the national Democratic Party, in telegrams sent to two council members.
In January 1930, Burns and seven other council members who had voted in favor of granting a rock-crushing permit in the Santa Monica Mountains were unsuccessfully targeted for recall on the grounds that the eight "have conspired with Alphonzo Bell
Alphonzo Bell
Alphonzo Edward Bell Sr. was an American oil multi-millionaire, real estate developer, philanthropist, and champion tennis player...
, Samuel Traylor and Chapin A. Day, all multi-millionaires, to grant this group a special spot zoning permit to crush and ship from the high-class residential section of Santa Monica, limestone and rock for cement."
Commissions
Burns was appointed to the Water and Power CommissionLos Angeles Department of Water and Power
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving over four million residents. It was founded in 1902 to supply water and electricity to residents and businesses in Los Angeles and surrounding communities...
in 1945 and subsequently to the Recreation and Park Commission. He headed the Coliseum Commission in 1947. A city park (Burns Park) at Beverly Boulevard
Beverly Boulevard
Beverly Boulevard is one of the main east-west thoroughfares in Los Angeles, California. It begins off Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills and ends on the Lucas Avenue overpass near Downtown Los Angeles to become 1st Street...
and Van Ness Avenue was named after him in 1959.