Sedgwick County KS Archives Biographies.....Davidson, Charles L. 1859 - 
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Author: O. H. Bentley (1910)

   Hon. Charles L. Davidson, the first mayor to serve under Wichita's commission
form of government, was born in Cuba, Allegheny county, New York, November 22,
1859. He is a son of S. L. and Susan R. (Hampton) Davidson. The first twelve
years of his life were spent in his native state. The father, desiring to locate
in the West, went on a tour of inspection and decided on Wichita as the place to
make his future home, the family arriving on October 22, 1872. Charles L.
attended the Wichita and Lawrence, Kan., schools, and after completing his
education, entered into business with his father in the S. L. Davidson Mortgage
Company. This was the only company in that line of business in Wichita which
remained intact and weathered the storm after the boom. This company is still in
existence, the pioneer in its line.

   Mr. Davidson has served in many official capacities in city and state. For
five years he was president of the park board and three years president of the
Chamber of Commerce. It was while serving in this capacity in 1904 that he
called a meeting in Wichita and the "Square Deal" movement was inaugurated,
which has spread until the entire nation feels its influence.

   Mr. Davidson was councilman during the time that both Ross and McClain filled
the office of mayor. In 1906 he was elected to the state legislature. One of the
bills which he introduced and which became a law was the new tax law, which
called for a revaluation of all property throughout the state, in this way
readjusting and equalizing the tax levy under the new valuation. He was the
author of this bill, and it is known as the "Davidson law."

   In 1909, when Wichita adopted the commission form of government, he was
selected to fill the position of mayor. The wisdom of the people in selecting a
business man for this position is shown in the results attained. When Mr.
Davidson took his place as mayor he found the treasury empty and a deficiency of
over $300,000. These debts have all been paid, and on January 1, 1911, there
will be a balance in the treasury. The public improvements have been on a scale
scarcely dreamed of by the residents of Wichita. The New Forum is being built at
a cost of $200,000, with a seating capacity of 6,000. The dam on Little river
has been built at a cost of $30,000. Forty-six miles of streets have been paved.
More than 100 miles of sewers are being built, and thirty miles of water mains
have been laid. The city has voted bonds and the land has been bought on which
to build the new city workhouse and jail.

   Mr. Davidson has arranged a uniform city plan under which all future
improvements will be promoted. He has arranged with the different railroads
entering the city for the elevating of their tracks and the building of a union
depot for the accommotion of the public.

   While Mr. Davidson has spent a very busy life so far as business is
concerned, he has not neglected the social part. He is a thirty-second degree
Mason and is active in the co-ordinate bodies of the Scottish Rite. He is also a
member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Commercial Club. He is an ardent
autoist, a good fisherman and has spent weeks at a time hunting big game in the
mountains of Colorado. In addition to this, he is one of the leading members of
St. Paul's Methodist church, a liberal contributor to the same, and for
twenty-five years the superintendent of its Sunday school. Organized League of
Kansas Municipalities, of which he is serving his second term as president.
Vice-president of League of American Municipalities.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from 

History of Wichita and Sedgwick County: past and present, including an account
of the cities, towns and villages of the county

Editor in chief: O. H. Bentley
Chicago: C.F. Cooper & Co. (1910)


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