Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-02-20
What the Hiliites want to Do.

What the Hillites want to Do.
For five years and more, since the hills
west of the city have become populous,
there has been great discomfort felt there
because Of the difficulty of getting to and
from the business center of the city.
There are three steep ascents, or de-
scents, to be overcome, and it is very
difficult to conciliate the many inter ests
at stake. just now there are 70 ur plans
before the property holders, no one of
which will give the measure of relief
sought. 1t will require at least two of
them. If all four could be carried out
these hills would then become one of the
most desirable places for residence
within the city limits.
The first plan is the regarding of
Temple street from Olive street westerly.
This scheme looks to cutting the crown
of the first hill at Bunker Hill avenue,
some dozen feet, we believe, and the fill
ing of the depression at Pearl street to
about the same extent. Other changes
in the grade are proposed further west.
This plan has partly passed the Council
but there is strong opposition on the
part of property holders, and many pro
tests are being fled. The Mayor at first
refused to sign the ordinances aiming at
carrying this project into execution, and
only did so finally on condition that the
cost should not exceed $4,000. The
area assessed to do this is very large,
and the amount psr front foot will not ne
to exceed on an average from Is to 20
cents foot.
The recond plan contemplates the
grading of First street from Hill
street to the extreme limits of
the city westerly. The steepest
gradient encountered on the street, if
graded according to this proposed profile,
would be one in ten. That is ne arly
twice rs good as the worst grades now en-.
countered on Second street. The cost oi
so grading this street would be some,
thing more than $l00, 900 probably. The
objections to this pro position are the
heavy cut requir ed between Hill and
Olive streets; and again at Flower there
would be heavy cut with a corresp spond-
ing fill beyond. Another objection is
that it cuts nine feet at the Olive-street
crossing which would render it neces.
cary to regrade Olive street, and really
neeessitats the cutting off the crown of
the hill on that street at the intersection
of Court House street, thereby calling for
the practical regarding of the last named
street. The same objection in a modi-
fed form arises at Grand avenue, and
still again in still less degree at Bunker
Hill avenue. But in spite of all these
objections many property holders along
this street and the cross streets have
signed petition to have First street
graded as outlined. The expense
would fall mostly on the frontage along
the street. From Grand avenue tc
Flower it has already been graded &C
cording to an established profile, and The
frontage tn ere may claim damages if tn,
grade is changed aud the street ordered
regarded. That First street ought to b
opened up to traffic in some ehape
that this compromise is perhap
as good thing as can be ez
pected just now is generally conceded.
Coming to Second street we find thol
oughfare already graded, 80 me of
paved and much Of it sidewalked. 1t
not traffic grade anywhere betwee
Hill and Pearl streets, excepting on th
crown of the hill. There was viii
scheme broached once to cut this stree
on dead level from Hill to P earl. mai
ing q canal nearly ninety feet deep at tn
crest Of the hill. That plan is gone int
the limbo of things lost on earth. 1t vii
never be heard of again. Now a ney
scheme is being talked up by resident
on the hill west OF Pearl street, and b,
the owners of business propert
from Hill east to Main. This COZ
templates the cutting of tunne
through the hill from hallway betwee
Hill and Olive streets to hallway be
tween Hope and Flower. The mouth o
the tunnel is to be in Second street, belov
the east line of Olive, the crossing O
Olive at Second being left undisturbsd
The crossing Of Hope street, too, woult
remain as it is now. This tunnel ant
the grading Of the street to the western
limits of the city is estimated to cos
5000, 900, and will give grade of one in
twenty-five at the sseepes ct point. 1t il
claimed by those who are interest ed thai
it will not at all interfere with double
cable street railroad. 1t contem.
plates a fill of twenty-five fee,
at Pearl, thus doing away
with the big hole there, which becomes
lake at every time of heavy rainfall.
That this is popular scheme is proven
by the fact that 10000 feet of frontage
has already signed the petition for the
work to be done. The assessa BILE area is
large, and the cost will not average high.
Some estimate the average cost to be
fifteen cents per foot of frontage, and
many say they would favor it if it cost
fifty cents a front foot. They say it
would be well worth $25 lot to them to
have it done. This plan does not at all
interfere with property on the hill. No
assessment would be levied there for the
work. The principal objection will
come from those near the mouth OF the