Aaron Titlow

Titlow came to Tacoma in 1888 and later formed the law firm Titlow & Applegate.[9][10] He also invested all the earnings he had accumulated in Tennessee, into Tacoma real estate. This investment proved to be very successful, propelling Titlow from "rags to riches."[11][1] In addition to Tacoma, many of Titlow's real estate holdings were in Gig Harbor and on Fox Island.[12][13] By 1903, Titlow owned three farms and approximately 300 lots in the Tacoma vicinity.[1]

In 1893, the Tacoma City Council voted to purchase Tacoma Light and Water Company for $1,750,000, while the value of the company's assets was estimated to be under $600,000 ($50 million and $17 million in 2020 dollars respectively.[note 1]) Although the purchase was explained away as the city's way to escape the "corporate grip," it was rumored that the Light and Water Company had spent $50,000 ($1.5 million in 2020 dollars.[note 1]) to carry the City Council vote in the favor of the purchase. Titlow raised the alarm, doubting that the purchase conformed with public interest. On April 7, 1893, he publicly debated councilman John W. Berry on the issue.[14] Unable to convince the City council, Titlow took the matter to court, joined by John A. Shackleford.[15] Titlow and Shackleford won the case, securing a $787,000 ($22.6 million in 2020 dollars[note 1]) judgement against the Light and Water company.[9] The case earned Titlow the reputation of a person who couldn't be bought by corporate interests.[14]

On September 14, 1895, Titlow was appointed as receiver for two bankrupt institutions: the Bank of Tacoma and the Tacoma Trust and Savings Bank. He led a "sensational" investigation that unearthed dubious dealings in municipal bonds and eventually led to the arrests of the banks' management in October 1895.[16][17]

In 1909, Titlow entered a legal battle with Northern Pacific Railroad around Tacoma waterfront access. The railroad's local interests in Tacoma were personified by railroad magnate James J. Hill. Titlow framed the battle as a fight for public interest against the railroad's monopoly on waterfront access; however, Titlow had his own financial interest in the matter, as the railroad's plans would have interfered with the ferry service between Tacoma and Fox Island, the location of many of his real estate interests.[13][18][19] The railroad eventually abandoned its plans.

Titlow was a Republican until 1896, when he switched allegiance and became a Democrat. He claimed that he was dissatisfied with the Republican party's handling of the "money question."[10] That same year, Titlow was elected on a Democratic ticket as a prosecuting attorney for Pierce County, replacing his former ally John A. Shackleford. Titlow served in this capacity until 1898, and that remained the only political office that Titlow served.[10][9][1]

Beginning in 1896, Titlow emerged as an active and high-profile Washington state politician. Although he never sought public office after 1898, Titlow developed influence and prominence through his appointments within the Democratic party. In 1896, Titlow publicly supported Washington state governor and populist John R. Rogers. In 1897, he managed George Turner's successful campaign for the US Senate.[10][20]

In later years, Titlow became a strong ally of Hugh C. Wallace, succeeding him as the Washington state Democratic National Committeeman on May 19, 1920.[21][22][20] As committeeman, Titlow succeeded in modifying the party platform to Tacoma's advantage: he included a provision for equal division of vessels between Atlantic and Pacific fleets, which benefitted Tacoma and Seattle among other ports along the Pacific Coast.[10]

Titlow was a strong favorite of the free silver measure and a strong supporter of William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic party heavyweight of the time.[10] As Democratic National Committee chairman Homer S. Cummings retired, Titlow supported the candidacy of Eliakim H. Moore for the post,[23] but the chairmanship went to George White.

Titlow supported the re-election bid of Woodrow Wilson's campaign for a third presidential term. However, once it became clear that Wilson wouldn't attempt re-election for health reasons, Titlow opposed James A. Reed and supported James M. Cox as the presidential nominee in 1920.[24][23] Titlow believed that Cox would carry Washington state and win the presidency.[23] After Cox lost the presidential election to Republican Warren G. Harding in a landslide, Titlow initially advocated for the immediate resignation of the party chairman, George White, but later withdrew his signature.[25]

A bus, operating between Fox Island and Titlow Beach, 1922

In 1911, Titlow built the Hesperides Hotel which was designed by famous Tacoma architect Frederick Heath in the Swiss chalet style. The 3.5-story wood-frame building cost $50,000 ($1.4 million in 2020 dollars[note 1]) and had 30 guest rooms. It was built on 75-acre (30 ha) waterfront property that Titlow acquired in 1903, and is currently known as Titlow Park.[26][27][28] This property was an important cornerstone of Titlow's real estate holdings, as it was the terminal end of the ferry service, connecting Tacoma with Gig Harbor and Fox Island—the sites of Titlow's other major real estate investments. In 1909, Titlow fought railroad magnate James J. Hill and Northern Pacific Railroad in court to protect the waterfront access and ferry operation.[13][18][19]

The construction of the hotel was a long-lasting dream of Titlow's, and he and his family operated the hotel. Titlow's son Marcus worked as a bellboy.[27] All the food for the hotel was supplied by one of the Titlow's farms.[26]

The hotel offered the most luxurious amenities of the era: bathrooms with hot water, a barber shop, pool tables, a variety of boats for exploring Puget Sound (including a glass-bottom boat) with glass bottom, and a salt-water public pool, the first public pool in the Tacoma area.[26][11] Although Titlow's plans to obtain a liquor license for the hotel were thwarted by local women activists of the temperance movement,[29] the hotel developed into a popular resort. The hotel rooms were often occupied by upper-class citizens. Other amenities were frequented by the middle-class public who arrived either in personal automobiles (which were becoming more and more popular) or via a dedicated bus service. The location of the hotel—at the ferry terminal stop for Gig Harbor and Fox Island—contributed to its popularity.[27][26]