A man well known in Oakland for his public spirit, his broad views and his excellent business and professional ability is Perry F. Brown, now acting in a capable and efficient manner as city engineer and superintendent of streets. He was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, and acquired his preliminary education in the public schools of that city, later entering the State University, from which he was graduated as a civil engineer in 1897. Immediately afterward he engaged in professional practice at Janesville and he served as city engineer of that city, gaining thus his first experience in his profession as applied to municipal questions. Mr. Brown came to Oakland in 1900, and here he spent one year with the Standard Electric Company, in charge of the construction of the Bear River dam, completed in 1901. In the following year he entered the employ of the city of Oakland in the city engineering department and when the new charter went into effect in July, 1911, was appointed superintendent of streets and city engineer, positions which he has since capably filled. Mr. Brown takes a just pride in the fact that he has been identified with the inaugeration of many movements making for public sanitation and beautification and that he has done much to advance the cause of good roads throughout the county. It has been his constant aim to see that all affairs coming before his departments are conducted along business lines and upon a fair and honorable basis, and in this way he has done a great deal to promote efficiency in the offices over which he has control.
Mr. Brown married Miss Beulah Hodgdon, a native of Wisconsin, and they are the parents of a daughter, Marian. Mr. Brown has since 1908 been a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and is widely known in engineering circles, on account of his professional ability and the excellent constructive work he has done along this line in the public service.
Past and Present of Alameda County California, Vol. II
Published in Chicago by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1914
Pages 148-149
Transcribed by Linda Jackson 5/31/2008,
Alameda County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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