Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-12-18

|
Mayor, have the pleasure of placing
in your hands my last official commu.
nication with your honorable body.
If the city of Los Angeles of Decem-
Der, 1872, is compared with itself in
December, 1874, the result of the COM
parison will show good ground for con-
graduation. The number of inhabit-
ants was h HH
About 5000; the assessed value of real
and personal property for the fiscal
| year preceding that date was $780,
900; the total Indebtedness was $685.
600; the revenue of the city from all
sources was $6,500; the number of
public schools was s; the whole num-
ber of scholars attending them was
| 575. There was at that time one rail-
road running out of the city to the
Port Of Wilmington, and the number
of miles run daily by the regular trains
upon it was eighty.
| AT THIS TIME
The population of our city is estimated
at 13, 900; the assessed value of prop
erty for the fiscal year just passed is
| $4,589, 746; the total Indebtedness is
$220,750; the revenue of the city from
all sources for the last year was $685.
600. The number of public schools at
present is Is, and the whole number of
scholars attending these schools is 875.
! The improvement in the school build
! ings, and, what is of still higher i'm
! portance, their character, has kept
pace with the numerical increase of
attendants. The number of private
schools and seminaries and the num-
Der of their pupils have also largely
| increased.
Phere are now 4sxsSe
FOUR RAILROADS
Running from this city in different
directions, of an average length of %
miles, or an aggregate of SO miles, over
which roads regular trains run to and
from the city daily. One of these
roads will, in few days. be completed
and in operation 80 miles to our sister
city, Anaheim; while active prepara-
tioiis are making for the extension of
another distance of sixty miles
through and beyond San Bernardino
to San GorgoniO Pass. The number
! of miles now run to and from the city
| daily by regular trains is 352, and the
| size of the trains on these roads has
| increased largely with the increased
| number of miles of railway in opera
| ton. -s st
In this advance in material prosper
! ity and in the means of education, re-
( ligious culture has not Jagged behind.
| There are now sever houses Of public
| religious worship, with their respective
| congregations, and there are four con-
| gregatiOnS which meet regularly for
services, but which have not yet pro-
.vided themselves with society build
ings.
An improvement in
THE FINANCIAL STATE OF A MUNICH
| PALITY
Is as sure an index of its prosperity as
it is in that of an individual, and the
financial condition of either is but dis
covered by the cash value of its prom
ises to pay. Two years ago the war
rants drawn against the City Treasury
were worth seventy cents on the
dollar. At present and for more than
year past they have been at par, be-
ing paid in coin upon presentation.
In 1872 the rate of taxation was ST. 40
on the hundred dollars. For the year
1874, the rate has been reduced to ST.
on the one hundred, making a reduc-
| ton of about 30 per cent. on the tax
levy during your administration.
PUBLIC MEASURES.
| In December last the attention of
the Common Council was called to
the public library; to the bad condi-
| ton of the streets and sidewalks; to
| a 81 4, IL n
| lighting of the Streets, the urgent de-
mand that exists for a beneficial sys-
tenn of sewerage for a more advanta-
geous and economical use of the water
| for irrigation and manufacturing pur-
poses, and to the great necessity there
] was for the adoption of efficient meas
ures to guard against an overflow of
the river within the city limits.
LITTLE ACCOMPLISHED.
1t would have been a great pleasure
to me to have been the instrument for
carrying into execution as many of
these needed improvements as the
wants of the people demanded. The
Legislative branch of the city govern
ment has not, however, taken the
same view of these matters, and but
| little has been accomplished.
| Notwithstanding considerable sums
have been expended on works intend
ed for public sewers, it is to be regret
ted that no system r., commensurate
with the present or prospective re-
uuirements of the Inhabitants has
been adopted. The health of this city
is in great measure dependent upon
judicious system of sewerage. While
| it may not have been the only cause,
there are sufficient reasons for the be-
! lief that the prevalence of that fatal
| and dreaded disease which has bereft
so many parents of their children
within the past year has been the
DISREGARD TO PROPER SEWERAGE
And imperfections in the escape pipes
of kitchens and closets. The cost e
devising, and putting into operation
an efficient system OF sewerage woulo
be gladly and cheerfully paid ten folo
by those whose tears have fallen upon
the graves of the little ones, If i
would but restore their babes to theil
arms. But while the dead cannot b'
recalled, we cannot be ,insensible tt
the fact that provision might hav'
been made to protect them from the
attacks of the destroyer. aaaI.
Nature has spread her richest gift
round about us in grand ant
beautiful landscape, a delightful
and salubrious climate and teemins
soil, vet little has been done by ms il
imitation of her beautiful and bene
fetal works. " !, %
OUR STREETS AND PUBLIC SQUARE
Are less beautiful to the eye and les