He built curbs and sidewalks, lobbied for better roads leading into Pacific, organized a volunteer fire department and a public water system – which he saved during a great flood to the peril of his own business – brought commuter rail service to Pacific, and sold Pacific flour to bread basket California bakers at a premium over local sales. Yet he is far enough back in time that few references to him show up today in casual conversation.
Alfred Koppitz was a man worth remembering – the ultimate man for all seasons, who was willing to take action through calm and crisis, under all circumstances.
When Jeff Titter, former mayor and Meramec Valley Historical Society president and Sue Reed, local history author crafted a presentation on all past mayors in May, 2015, they noted that Koppitz was a man apart.
“He was one of the most civic minded Mayors Pacific ever had,” Titter said.
Alfred Koppitz was born in Austria in 1852 and came to this country at age 17. His father was a miller. After serving as an apprentice in his father’s mill at age twelve to fourteen, he traveled through Europe where he worked in a series of mills to study their equipment and techniques. After coming to the U.S. he worked in series of mills in Kansas, Indiana and Ohio, and completely rebuilt a mill in Columbia, Illinois.
By the time he arrived in Pacific in 1885 he was a master miller. He and W. B. Smith created a partnership and bought a one-year old flour mill from Henry Westmeyer, which they immediately remodeled.
Within five years of his arrival he was elected Mayor of Pacific for the1890-92 term. He would be elected ten more times serving longer than any other. His last term, after a ten-year hiatus, was 1924-26.
While serving as mayor, Koppitz seemed to be everywhere, a handsome and dapper man, who always dressed to the nines, whose speciality was organizing
In 1892 he helped to organize the Bank of Pacific and served as president until his death in 1931.
He was a charter member of Columbia Lodge No. 534, A.F. & A. M. And served as master of the lodge for two years.
In 1895 he turned his attention to the mighty Missouri Pacific Railroad to petition for commuter service between Pacific and St. Louis.
“Pacific is only 37 miles out of St.Louis and yet from 7:55 in the morning and 5:25 in the afternoon, there is no train from St. Louis to Pacific,” Koppitz said. “Towns west of Pacific are in worse condition because the no-train period is longer.”
“In these times, distance is measured by railroad time and service,” he said. “The current railroad policy isolates St. Louis and cuts it off from surrounding communities.”
The eventual result was a daily commuter passenger schedule between Pacific and St. Louis, allowing hundreds of Pacific residents to work and shop in downtown St. Louis, that continued for more than 60 years.
Throughout his years as mayor, he ran his Banner Roller Mill business, aka Koppitz Mill, located at Columbus and Central streets, which dominated the south city neighborhood. Advertisements for area businesses invariably listed their address as, “Across from Koppitz Mill,” One block south of Koppitz Mill,” “next door to Koppitz Mill.”
In 1906, the Pacific Transcript ran a front page, full column story on Koppitz Mill’s sale of its brand “Reliance Flour,” to the Golden Gate Bakery in Oakland, California.
“When one learns that this carload of 300 barrels of flour is delivered at its destination at a cost of $450 more than its market price here, and no doubt much more than the price of the product of their home mills, one is apt to ask why,” the Transcript editor noted.
“Are the California bakers, “off their box?”
No, the transcript editor gushed.”They realize that the Missouri farms produce better wheat than they raise with seeds brought from Australia. But the great cause is the superiority in the Banner Roller Mills product, which lies in the superior skill and advanced process of is making.”
The editor goes on.”The proprietor of our popular milling plant provides himself and business with the best equipment and processes the trade affords, and with his skilled workmen he is making a world reputation for his flour.”
It was during the great flood of 1915, which placed many businesses, including Koppitz Mill under four to six feet of water that his devotion to the city he served shone. The city water pump house, which had been funded and built on his watch was threatened. Ignoring his flooded mill, Koppitz worked through the night to protect the city water pumps from flood water. Meanwhile at the Mill, the basement filled with water putting out the fire in the engine and extinguishing the electric lights.
Some 500 bushels of wheat in the basement had to be baled out to dry on Monday and sold for chicken feed at a great loss. Lumber in the yard was under three or four feet of water. Lime, cement and building materials were ruined.
For this and other action, Koppitz’ popularity at home never wavered. In 1924, some 200 residents signed a petition urging him again run for mayor, which he did. The admiring editor printed the names of all signers of the petition in the paper.
In 1925 he saw a way to improve the detour route from St. Louis to Franklin County while Manchester Road was under construction. He took a delegation of businessmen – including car dealer and future mayor Clarence Mayle, who no learned a trick or two from the confident and polished Koppitz who persuaded the County that the best way to improve the road was to use Pacific special road district trucks to gravel the detour route.
That year he was back at the giant Missouri Pacific Railroad tower in St. Louis where he persuaded rail officials to open a street crossing onCongress street, so it could be used by the public.
In a July, 1929 illustrated “Industries, Persons and Place of Importance in Pacific in the Pacific Transcript, the small rare photo above of Mayor Koppitz, identified him as. “The Father of Pacific.”
Albert Koppitz died in 1931 and is buried in Pacific Cemetery. The final add for his name listed the corrugated roof of is giant mill for sale as the building was to be demolished.
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Sue Reed served as branch library supervisor at the Pacific Library for more than 30 years. She initiated the Meramec Valley Genealogical and Historical Society and authored two local history books: In Retrospect and Sifting Through Time. Jeff Titter founded the Meramec Valley History Museum in 1999 when he was an alderman. He served as Pacific mayor in 2002-06. Through their love of history we can keep alive the contribution of former citizens. Mayor Koppitx was a unique example.
