Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-06
Two Propositions Under Seri-
Ous Consideration.
One in Relation to Reservoir
No. Four.
Mayor Hazard Makes a Suggestion
to the Council.
He Thinks the Land About Reservoir No
FIVE Should be Secured and Turned
Into a Breathing Spot.


the city to take hold of the land sur
rounding reservoir No. has been con-
sidered by special committee of the
council, which reported at the last meet
ing of city fathers recommending that a
park be made OF the property, provided
the property-owners will carry out GER
tain requirements. At the same meet
ing Mayor Hazard sent in message, to
which reference was made in yesterday s
paper, and which reads as follows:
l herewith present your honorable
body map of tract of land lying be-
tween the East Side park and reservoir
No. 5, containing about forty acres,
which is indispensable to the city, mas
much as it will connect the park and the
reservoir. On this ground one of the
finest parks in the state can be made,
with but small outlay, compared with
the amount we have expended on other
parks. 1t will be four times as large as
the Westlake park, having an equal
quantity of water surface, being divided
into a series OF lakes, the reservoir being
the largest. If the city acquires the title
to this ground and dedicates it, together
with the reservoir, for park pur-
fOScS ALL duIuOTlLcu W SldIc ludG JIlt
property-holders will donate all the
grounds around the reservoir we may
need for drives and ornamentation, max
ing thereby an immense park. Topog-
sraphy is such that it could hardly be
exceeded for park purposes. There are
nov growing on the grounds large shade
and ornamental trees, that would require
years to grow to their present size; there
are from ten to twelve acres of orange
trees, now bearing and in fine state of
cultivation, and it might be well to
make a feature in at least one of our
parks of the orange tree-the crOwning
glory of Southern California. All our
orange groves in the city are going to
decay, owing to the rapid appreciation
an the value of property in the city. Let
us preserve these trees in high state
.sof cultivation, in which they now are
A succession of small lakes extends
from the reservoir to the present park,
which would by little expenditure make
ryne of the most beautiful features in our
parks.
Besides this, in case the city acquires
nSstle to the ground and converts the
sassf> into park, the property-owners
have.s;isye.; fed their willingness to open
a road from rshe sCuth side of the park,
which will follow the topography. OF the
hill into Soto street ON beautiful grade
connecting East Los Angeles and the
East Side park with Boyle Heights, one
Ss the finest drives in the city, which
drive could be extended through the
park to Pasadena and Alhambra. 1t
would be the faNorite drive out of the
i, city, avoiding all lines efcars. The con-
><iition of the reservoir, separate as it is
from the park, cannot be realized as a
yuart Of the same, and is no beauty or
benefit to anyone in its present posi-
ton, but by extending the park up to
and around it, it can be made to add
very materially to the beauty of our
city and the pleasure OF our people.
The advanced growth of trees and
: sfm1abs is such that it can be transformed
into a park that would require years
of time and large exenditures of money
40 accomplish elsewhere. A few months
only in the hands of the present park
commission would suffice to show our
people the beauty of the place and the
wisdom displayed in purchasing it.
This property belongs to DR.. j. S.
Griffin and l. w. Hellman, Esq, and
SINCE INV election have been endeavor-
ing to devise some scheme whereby the
o
ascertain its approximate value / ap-
pointed A. E. Pomeroy and DR.. Griffin
appointed w. L. Graves. Mr.. Pomerov
estimated it at $3.50 per acre and Mr..
Graves at 81 900. The price being agreed
On, they are willing to give the city a
contract to convey the land at any times
within, say. five years, providing the
city will in the meantime pay on the
amount of the purchase price interest at
.the rate of per cent. per annum, giving
the city immediate possession of the
ground. Our parks may cost us some
money at this time, but in the years to
come we will never regret the outlay.
q have written you thus at length be-
cause l am so thoroughly satisfied we
will make fatal mistake if we do not
purchase this piece of ground. l am
aware that the various funds are low,
ont we can pay this low rate of interest
r and secure the right to purchase, and
get the immediate possession of the
ground, and have park that our people
will be proud of, years in advance OF
those we are now working on.
This would open up beautiful part
of our city unknown to most OF out citl-
zens. and would exert great influence
in staying the tide that is sweeping
seuth and west, for the reason that the
East Side is inaccessible from one part
of it to the other for the want OF properly
opened roads. One cannot 60 from Boyle
Heights to East Los Angeles without
vcoming into the city.
know it may be said that the prop
erty-owners should grade their streets,
but the answer to that is that streets
run straight through hills and .gulches
and could only be improved by immense
,outlays, but ii the streets are surveyed
with view of utilizing the beautiful
hills that nature has favored it with, i
will cost us so much, and all the prop
.erty-owners between the junction OF Soto
street and Wabash avenue, and the parl
have authorized me to say that II the
city will purchase this ground for
park, no matter where the street may
cut their grounds, they will offer no 90
lection, but will open the street ON th'
lines laid out; we will then have roat
that will follow the natural course o
the hills from Boyle Heights to the parl
and East Los Angeles.
U. s. Grand Jury Report.
The U. S. grand jury, which has beel
- aaor;op for cauoraI waQke mast. Drp