Alameda County Biographies

BURG BROTHERS

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 

	The city of Richmond finds progressive and enterprising representatives of its business 
interests in C. H. and E. J. Burg, comprising the Burg Brothers Company, Inc., controlling 
large and important real-estate interests in the vicinity. They are the largest real-estate 
operators in Richmond, and their business has grown from a humble beginning to its present 
great proportions.
	Both brothers are natives of Sweden and E. J. came to California in 1884, C. H. 
following in 1889. They have been interested in the real-estate business during practically 
all of their active careers and in 1901 began operations in Richmond. Five years later they 
formed the Bay City Land Company and in 1910 incorporated the Burg Brothers Company. One of 
their first enterprises was the subdividing of the Richmond tract, the first subdivision in 
Richmond, and since that time they have sold sixteen different tracts of land in and about 
the city. In two years, ending August 1, 1913, they disposed of over two and a half million 
dollars worth of Richmond property, and many of the most important subdivisions of the city 
have been promoted and developed by them. In May, 1910, they put upon the market the Central 
Richmond tract and by January eleven hundred and fifty lots had been sold. Some of these were 
later resold at an advance of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars over the original price. 
On the 26th of March, 1911, the Burg Brothers Company put upon the market the Richmond Pulman 
townsite and up to March 1, 1913, held contracts for the sale of fourteen hundred and seventy-
five lots, the largest real-estate record ever made in Richmond. They are the developers also 
of Grand View Terrace, a subdivision in which one thousand and seventy-three lots were sold 
within nine months, and in November, 1912, they purchased and put upon the  market the Nicholl 
McDonald Civic Center tract, paying five thousand dollars per acre for this property. By August 
1, 1913, they had sold one thousand lots. Both are keen, resourceful and far�sighted business 
men and under their able direction the firm has become a powerful factor in the development of 
Richmond.
	C. H. Burg is a member of the Masonic fraternity, holding membership in the lodge, 
chapter, commandery and shrine, and E. J. is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of 
Elks. Both are members of the Richmond Industrial Commission and at all times enthusiastic on 
the subject of the opportunities which this city offers. They believe in its splendid future, 
which their well directed activities have aided in making possible.

Past & Present of Alameda County, California � Vol II, S. J. Clarke Publ. Co., 1914, p. 255