Pinky Snyder was thrice elected Mayor of Los Angeles between 1901 and 1921. He was active in the successful movement to open Los Angeles Harbor and to connect it by a shoestring strip between Los Angeles and San Pedro and Wilmington. During his mayoralty, the Third Street Tunnel was bored through Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, in 1901, and the water system became municipally owned. He appointed the city's first Water Commission, which made plans to bring water to the city from the Owens Valley.

In the mayoral election of 1900, he was opposed by Republican Herman Silver. Voters were given a seemingly clear choice. Besides Silver's array of prominent endorsements--including those of the League for Better Government, the Citizens of the Fourth Ward and the Republican Party (which at the time was more closely aligned philosophically with today's moderate Democrats)--the election was, according to the Los Angeles Times. "essentially a fight for decency and order, clean municipal government, and the thorough enforcement of law on the side of Mr. Silver, and for jobbery, corruption and the domination of the disreputable elements of society on behalf of his opponent."

Silver's endorsement notwithstanding, Snyder was reelected mayor; in fact, he served four two year terms in all.

© All Rights Reserved