Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-11-03
Dr. Grifffn,s speech.

DIR. Grifffn's speech.
Mr.. Sherman Page, the Master of Cere-
monies, then introduced to the people
DIR. John S. Griffin, the founder of East
Los Angeles. The doctor said in SUBJ
stance:
My FRIENDS: This is great event.
None of US who, years ago, began to
make improvements on this side of the
river ever dreamed of seeing anything
like what we see today. Some of you
perhaps may be interested in very
short account of what was done here 80
many years ago. In February, 1868,
Or. :. y. Welch aud myself petitioned
the City Council to sell us 800 acres of
land on this side. Some of them seemed
TO be afraid there was a job in it, 30 it
was decided that we be not allowed to
buy the 300 acres. but that we must buy
the whole tract of city land on this side
OF the river. There were 1000 acres of
it, They sent German Baron over
to survey the land, and he saw over
l2.0 600 acres of it. 1t was put up ut
auction, and DR., Welch and were ad-
Judged to be the highest and best bid
ders, so it was knocked down to us. We
did not know where to get the money to
pay for it. 1t cost $1,0l4, a big sum of
money for that time. We bought the
land for sheep pasture and stocked it
with sheep. There was no. much money
| in it. In 1867 bought out my partner,
paying him 81 an acre for his interest.
All the people who knew us thought /
| VAS cinched in the bargain.
In 1870 my nephew and myself had
home erected. l. was in the Schieffelin
tract, where F. 81. Newell now lives. The
same year we fenced 1000 acres of the
land and went to raising barley. There
vas not much money in that. In
1868 the City Water COMPANY was
founded. took good deal of interest
il that, and hoped at some time to set
them to work in water mains on this
side. Then | began to hope that some
day we might be able to have a little
town over here. After getting the ditch
in here, and the water mains laid in the
streets, in 1875 we decided to lay out
town site l see here some of the men
who were with us in those early under
takings. Eere is Hayden among those
present. I do not see Ledbetter.
He built the first bridge over
the river. Then there was
Mr.. Hughes and Billy. He drove the
first conveyance for people that ran to
this side. 1t was an old omnibus. The
Legislature passed bill allowing the
Supervisors to give $500 of county money,
to be increased by An equal sum from
the city. Before this we had to wade
the river. We all took off our shoes and
waded. The ladies did so, too. Charlie
Hayden has seen them often sit down
and take off their shoes and wade the
stream.
And now we havs this great cable road
to carry US over the river and back. 1t
| is great thing. Let US not rest here.
Let US be stirring and get some other
great improvements in here. Let us
work together let US join hands. The
High School was to be built on the hill,
but the people of the West End did not
like that. They wanted to drag it off
to the racesrack or somewhere. They
put it on wheels to hunt
site for it. People offered the
sites at $4,000, at $4,000, at
$40 900. offered them four acres by the
park. four times as much land as they
could get in the other side for $40, 900,
for 81. They would not have it. 1t was
the best place of all for it. Here is my
friend Workman, of Boyle Heights, who
will join us. Let the East Side all pull
together. Let US keep the other end of
the town from pulling every thing
away from US. | never expected to see
here what we have, but if we pull to.
getber we will get much more than We
have now, more th an many of us yet
expect to see here.