Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-21
Vandal, spare Fort Hili.

q Landmark, and if the charms OF asso-
citation are added to this distinction the
boon is all the greater. Flat cities, like
Chicago and st. Louis, would give
millions to have such an historical land
mark as the people of Los Angeles have
in Fort Hill. The scenic attractions OF
this unique spot are of themselves con-
siderable, it's historical associations are
of specially dignified character, while
it is the vantage point from which the
most superb views obtainable anywhere
in Los Angeles or elsewhere are unfolded
to our own people and to the stranger
within our gates. From this command
ing point q panorama of valley and
mountsin beauty, surpassed nowhere
else on earth, unfolds itself to the appre-
ciative vision of travelled people. The
prospect which discloses itself from that
eminence embraces mountain ranges oi
the first dignity, rising from the ten
thousand feet of "Old Baldy,"i in the near
perspective, to the superb heights of "Old
Gray back" which loom up in the dis
tance at an altitude of over thirteen
thousand feet. Within these ranges are
the clearly defined Cajon and San Cor
gonio passes-the really most significant
breaks in the mountain chains of the
Pacific Coast.
Naturally Fort Hill, with such advan.
tages, has been graced by the erection of
many noble and costly villas. Their
owners went into the work OF develop
ment in the full conviction that they
were yielding to their own esthetic in.
stincts at the same time that they we're
reinforcing the attractions of the city.
Given such physical confguration as
that Of Los Angeles, and the terrace plan
on the hills is that which is suggested
both by the artistic and the common
sense view of the matter. If we have
gone too far to admit of terracing Fort
Hill, we should at least aim to preserve
the artistic element as far as it has been
left to US. We should sternly repel
all efforts at vandalism which are
dictated by the greed of contrac-
tors and the right-angled barbar-
ism of American City Engineers. In
this connection we are not rejecting
upon the engineers personally but on
the system.
The attempt to make a deep cut
through the historic Fort Hill, in order
to facilitate connection with Buena
Vista street, is entirely the greatest en-
gineering outrage ever suggested in Los
Angeles. 1t would wipe out in the most
brutal and iconoclastic manner, the only
historical landmark about the City of the
Angels. 1t would cruelty wrong the
appreciative and public spirited citizens
who have improved that locality ia such
q notable manner; and it would be, to
notable degree, a disgraceful political
job. Mayor Hazard has advised that
the hill should be tunneled and not
vandalized. A tunnel is the only propo-
siticn that should be entertained for
moment. The home of Mrs. Banning
has been already practically ruined by
cut which is part of the absurd right
angled madness which is in no degree
adapted to that portion of the. city. 1t is
now proposed to destroy the beautiful
Willis homestead.
The HERALD calls q halt in this dis
gusting and indefensible programme,
which can benefit nobody but the con-
tractors, and which benefits them at the
expense of good taste and municipal
morality.