The following is from the microfilm copies of the San Leandro Reporter. Article is dated April 20th, 1934.
Mayor's history is briefly told; Derry not new to gavel waiving.
San Leandro has a new mayor, but to many persons the chief executive is an unknown quantity though he is probably one of the more widely known members of his community, as is witnessed by the huge number of votes cast for him in 1932 when he was elected to the city council.
Prior to his coming to San Leandro in 1928, Derry had served as a councilman and mayor in his hometown of Ashley, Michigan, where he lived for eight years.
Derry was born and raised in Ithaca, Michigan where he lived until he was 25 at which time he married and moved to Ashley, a small city 14 miles from his birthplace.
After moving to Ashley he went to farming, which pursuit he followed only a short while. He then came to California and stayed one winter in Oakland. Unable to find suitable business to enter, he returned to Ashley where he engaged the farm implement business with his father for a period of eight years. It was during this time that he was elected to the city council and served 18 months of his term as mayor.
With the wane of agriculture, Derry disposed of his interests to his father and again turned this interests west this time settling in Elmhurst where he opened a real estate office on E, 14th Street.
Shortly thereafter he became engaged in the building business and constructed 15 homes on 87th Avenue in Oakland.
Finding the contracting business to his liking, Derry then turned his attention to San Leandro, and opened what is known as the Del Orta Tract through which California Street Runs. Here he built 15 homes, which he disposed of after he opened up the Cherry City Tract laying between Superior Avenue and Foothill Boulevard and Dutton Avenue, where he built 56 homes. He then turned his attention to Broadmoor Park where he built approximately 50 homes.
Upon his entrance to business in San Leandro he moved his office from Elmhurst to the Freidman Building and about a year ago moved into his present offices on the Mason Property where he is engaged in the real estate and insurance business with his brother Tom Derry.
************** My side notes on tracts by Derry Bros. ***********************
"Del Orta Tract" is California Avenue behind San Leandro City Hall.
"Cherry City Tract" is Superior Avenue between Dutton and MacArthur Boulevard
"Broadmoor Park Tract" is Lee Avenue and Arbor Drive in "Estudillo Estates"
"Lealand Heights" is the older portion of Bay-o-vista above Estudillo Avenue
"New Broadmoor Tract" is Glen Drive, Begier Avenue, Oakes Boulevard and Superior Avenue (east of Chetland Road) in "Estudillo Estates"
Other tracts where Derry, Weaver & Derry or Derry Bros. homes can be found are; "LeBrun Tract" and select parts of "Estudillo Estates" (Bridge, Collier, Cary and Rondey).
