Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-09
FIRST-STREET GRADE.
MIR. Connor Has Word to Say on this
Subject

Subject.
EDITORS HERALD-Figures count. Let
us use some of them, and see where they
land us, before we spend any more time
quarreling about grades, tunnels, etc,
etc.
First. Taking grade of to 25 from
Broadway to the city limits, with open
cut from Hill street to Grand avenue,
and tunnel from there to Hone street,
and open cut beyond 20 Pearl street
thence westward to city limits
on same grade, with approaches
to streets at each intersection,
would cost, conservatively estimated,
$3.50 900, or more than double the as
sessed valuation of all the property
fronting on said street between Broad
way and the city limits. Or, allowing
10000 feet frontage to be assessed for
such an undertaking, it would cost $15
per front foot, or 5000 for one of Mr..
Maltman's 60-feet-front Diamond tract
lots. If, on the other hand, the assess
ment is made on the assessed valuation
of the property aligning said street, the
fortunate owners of the property be-
tween Broadway and Hill streets would
have to draw on their bank account for
the trifing sum of $1S0,000. Now, if we
deduct $50, 900 for city help and private
donations it only reduces the assessments
one-ninth. Who believes that this large
amount of money can be raised? If, on
the other hand grade of l to 10 is
made over the hills, and grade from
thence to the city limits to conform with
the present grade of intersecting streets,
the cost would not exceed $40, 900,
or lust one-ninth the sum of the | to 25
grade.
Who says that 500 assessment on
Diamond tract lots is not all they will
bear? Is there not some law to inter-
fere with contiscating persons prop
ertv for public improvements? Is there
no limit by law OF the amount you can
assess for street improvements? What
is the use of continuing to agitate
something that is utterly impracticable
and by law impossible to accomplish
The money that it will cost to construct
First street with a regular grade of
l to 25 from Broadway to the city limits
will construct grade corresponding
with all streets intersecting First street
between said points, build and equip a
double-track cable car line over said
street and have money left to help pay
our present debts. Who says that
grade of this description, with double
cable-car line, would not benefit the
present property-owners between the city
limits and the center of the city more
that traffic grade? Not one of the agi
tators of the unreasonable traffic grade
ever draw load of hay, wood or grain
to market, and l doubt if they would
build fine house on traffic-grade
street between the city center and the
Cahuenga valley, to be always in the
dirt and dust stirred up by ten mules
drawing two wagons loaded with
traffic"
Bellevue avenue can be completed and
be used for heavy traffic. 1t
has fewer fine residences at present
than either First, Second or Third
streets, and, as no one wants fine resi-
dence on heavy traffic street, we can
do the greatest good to the greatest
number by using First, Second and
Third streets, with their beautiful villa
sites for fine residences, as residence
streets with reasonable grades for car
riage drives and cable-car lines,
and neither try to make business
property or traffic-grade streets out of
what divine providence has dedicated to
some other purpose.
Now, Mr.. Robson, please get out your
pencil and figure it out, not ON the
proposition OF selling your lot between
Hope and Flower street to the city, for
street purposes, but OF walking up to the
captains Office with the rest of the vic
Tins and paying your little assessment,
and see if it won't bring you back to
your first love e-the l to 10 grade. Very
respectfully M. w. CoNNoR.