Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-06-09


part of the wonderful machinery OF the
plant. they were seated at the tables and
an excellent collation. was spread before
Them. It consisted OF several kinds OF
cold meats, salads, oyster patties, Iellles,
ices, meringues, tarts and numerous
other varieties of pastry. For wines
there were claret and champagne
During the meal the band played selec-
lions from Ermanie, The Yeoman OF the
Guard, and other popular music.
Mr.. Robinson presided as toast-master,
but delegated most of his labors to Z. +.
Spence and Mayor Hazard, who sat next
to him. The first toast, that OF "The
City OF Los Angeles" was announcer
by District Attorney Frank P. Kelley, in
the place of Judge Cheney, whose name
appeared on the programme, but who
was not present. Mr.. Kelley said that
this was an occasion on which every one
would awake to the greatness OF the city
in which he was living, and appreciate thai
it was the only place really worth living
in this side of Paradise. The toast wa:
then drunk by the company standing.
Mayor Hazard rose to respond, but as
he was little hoarse, and as the noise
of the machinery made it hard for those
at the further end of the tables to under
stand what was said, he was called tt
the center of the room and put upon
chair, process to which all the speakers
were treated thereafter. He referred
with hearty enthusiasm to the grati1ca
ton which Los Angeles felt at the conf
dence shown by Chicago business men
il the future of this city, and expressed
a belief that the success of the enter
prise would more than justify them II
the venture which they had made. His
remarks were received with vigorous ap
plsuse.
Mr.. Osborne, of the Express, proposed
the toast of "The Los Angeles Gable
Railway Company" He spoke OF tht
problem of rapid transit, which, he said
was one Of the most difficult when wa
presented TO growing city, but which
had been in a great measure solved II
Los Angeles by the energy OF the Caol'
Railway Company. The response wal
given by Mr.. Robinson as follows;
Mr.. Mayor and Gentlemen:
In responding to the toast just 80 ably
and gracefully proposed, have, first o
all, to express my great regret for the alb
sence from amongst US OF our esteemed
president, Mr.. G. B. Holmes.
To the genius and enterprise OF Mr.
Holmes, and to the abiding faith he ant
those gentlemen associated with him il
Chicago have in the future of this EdeI
City of Los Angeles, may be attributed thu
ceremony inaugurated today. Therefore
gentlemen, on behalf of Mr.. Holmes ane
his colleagues east and west, constituting
the Los Angeles Gable Railway Com
pany, do l offer you, Mr.. Mayor and gen
tlemen, all a hearty greeting for you
services and presence at these inaugura
proceedings.
The active supervision of large stree
railway system such as this does no
leave much leisure for the preparation o
a response worthy of this occasion
else would /, as an enthusi
asst identified with the development
of 4 street railway enterprises a
home and abroad during the larger POI
ton of busy life, strive to portray
you the rise and progress of the cabl
railway system, since its first introduC
ton as mode OF street traction at Sal
Francisco, in 1873, in Europe in 1884
and it's Inauguration by US in the city o
Los Angeles to-day. Had I the oppor
tunity, hoped to be able to place tn
subject before you in such a way a
would prove both useful and interesting
1t would be shown that in social al
rangements alone cable railways adj
materially to the character and import
ance of our cities, and that they ar
worthy of being recognized as a gres
factor in our social and sanitary progress
affording facilities by which our cite
can be made pleasanter and NOR
healthy; indeed, 1 have known sue
railways to have been characterized Us th
very landmarks Of our civilization.
l do not hesitate to claim for them
high value in the improvement of on
cities, for, the more ready the means {
communication between one post an
another the, less is the necessity fc
crowding the population together nes
the center.
The capital invested in enterprises
this description is OF such magnitude a
to make them of great importance in
financial point If view, and in this respet
there are many aspects on our stree
railway system which have perhap
hardly received as much acknowledge
ment as they deserve. I refer to thei
value as new industry and to their il
| fuence here as elsewhere in improvin
the value of the districts through whic
they run.
During the past year there has been
staff Of some 700 persons, with cars rur
ming some 133, $3.50 miles, and 500 horee
and mules employed, providing the fv
Of toI
nuslly a constant, ready and prom
system of locomotion. 1t would b
tedious to refer in detail to the work
ing costs and to revenues, but it may b
said that nearly the whole Of the expend
iture during the past year of som
500, 900 on construction and 5000 900 OF
operating, or 5000, 900 in all, is local. Ii
addition to which an average of SOM
$500, 900 has been expended on materia
and equipments, and very probably dur
ing and consequent upon the work of gu
extensions this outlay will continue.
A substantial contribution to the rate
and taxes, amounting to many Thousand
dollars per year, is made by the com pan,
on the valuation of its lines, and, in add
ton to this, the city is relieved from tn,
maintenance of the roadway on which
the track is laid, the repair and renew wa
of the line being thrown wholly upon th,
company.
1t must strike everyone who looks int
the cost of street railway working by
horse power that it absorbs an unusually
high proportion of the working receipts
amounting to over 70 per cent. oyel
the entire United States, but still
more prominent is the large proportion
Of 40 per cent. which is absorbed in thu
cost of horse haulage. II this ques
ton was merely one Of larger or smaller