Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-01
FIRST STREET.
improvements Along II and the
Need of Grading.


Need of Grading.
Since the planting of the Santa Fe
depot on the river bank at the foot of
First street, that avenue has become one
of the busiest in the city. Yesterday
HERALD reporter took stroll along this
street to the river and was surprised to
see how much business is being done
along it, and more 80, to note
the preparations making to accommodate
more business. A walk along First
street will disabuse the mind of the worst
douhter as to improvements going on, or
as to the future of the city.
At the corner Of San Fedro street, on
the gore between First, San Pedro and
Alameda, Fred Haver has big gang of
men and teams ut work excavating the
cellar for two brick blocks. One is for
Mr.. Sessich, and here the walls OF the
basement are in course OF construction.
These walls are solid, and on them will
be upreared a handsome two-story
block. There will bs two stores below,
and probably living rooms above. I'm
mediately east OF this, Theo. Frohlinger
is to build similar structure. The first
: loads of dirt are just being removed for
this.
A little further down on the north side
of First street, the Gollmer block is SO
fine. as it takes on the last finishing
touches of the workmen, that it would
ornament any street in this or any other
CITY. There are three stores on the street
and the building is three stories high. 1t
adioins the Terre Haute House on the
| East. These last named premises are to
some degree historical. The house is one
of the Oldest brick structures in Los An
geles, and was built by James Armstrong
| for a residence not less than % years ago.
| Here his family dwelt for years. and his
daughters, pretty girls they were, Pinky
and Kate were the bellies of Los Angeles
"a very small adobe town then.
Further down, below Wilmington
street, Mr.. Henry Newell has just begun
excavations for fine three-story brick
block. 1t will be so foot front, and will
be one of the best structures on the
street.
1t will be seen that the era of improve
ment is decidedly active along here.
One can look nowhere and not see g
building recently finished, just being
completed, or at some stage of progress
after that of inception.
Along the street here and there may
be observed few men engaged in the
work of paving. 1t is we'll known that
| for months the street cars have been re-
moved from First street on account Of
| the Improvement of the street and of the
bridge being removed from the river.
| Dwellers on the East Side get to the
city as best they can. Their rights
seem to count for nothing. The Gable
Company are retarded from laying in
their tracks at many points, and at pres
ent their people are doing not one stroke
| of work on the First. street bridge.
The property-holders are to blame too,
| in many cases. Some of them with a
narrow spirit utterly unworthy of this
| city obstruct the widening of the streets.
| The plan proposed for this will make the
property worth twice as much on fine
street as it would be on an alley. But
the purblind citizen does not, or will not
see this. The consequence is that the
street presents a most unsightly aspect.
Here is a house moved back and the
sidewalk laid on the new line, and there
| is the next one right in the line OF
the proposed street with the sidewalk
merely hole in the street. Move back,
men and brethren, to the new line, and
make your street one of the best in the
city.
Then the street officials, the Council,
the Mayor, some one, or all the people
should join in one great universal howl
ing effort until the street is graded and
sidewaiked all the way from Hill street to
the river. And when this bowling effort
shall have accomplished its purpose,
those interested should get new hold
and repeat the dose until the bridge over
the river is completed. 1t is said that
work is to be resumed on this enterprise
at an early day. The iron is reported to
be at hand, and men are preparing con-
crete to 60 on with the work. Speed the
plane, or rather the shovel and hammer
until the viaduct is complete.
So much for that stretch of First
street. There is a small gang of men at
work on the hill by the bell tower cut
ting down the street. 1t is big job,
and if not pushed will not be completed
at an earlier date than that mentioned in
the refrain of the topical song-in 1909.
If the contractors at all points can be
forced to do their work with some expe-
dition, then in a short time First street
will be thoronghfare indeed from Ever
green cemetery on the extreme eastern
verge Of the city to the Baptist College
on the west