Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-07
BY FALSE PRETENSES.
THE WAY Los ANGELES STREET
LAND OWNERS WE'RE FOOLED.
A Correspondent Who Intends to Appeal
to the Courts Against the Confscation
of His Lands-Some Plain Talk.

EDITORS HERALD: / think your cor
respondent Mr.. Burnett, is needlessly
alarmed about the prospect of losing his
land and money Tor the unnecessary
widening of Los Angeles street, from
Washington to Twenty-third. None OF
the property owners see any advantage
to be derived from the scheme, and
never would have entertained the prop
osition for moment if they had not
been deceived by promises to pay for
their loss and trouble. That the sum
paid was to be swallowed up by "assess-
ments for benefits" was carefully con-
cealed from them, and many believed
that any payment they might be called
upon to make was to be expended in
grading the street, so as to make the
promised "boulevardl" Now that they
see through the trick they have not the
least intention OF paying assessments to
the amount of $4,000 for widening their
street, and as to cutting up the land
south OF Twenty-third street, into little
blocks two hundred and forty or fifty feet
square, they laugh at the idea, being
entirely confident that the laws of the
land will protect them from any such
unwise measures. If they were to sub
nit to that. these land spectators might
next want to have these toy blocks cut
in two again, so that each block would
consist of four lots, each one a corner.
(Phew what a scheme.) 1t is a sad
thing to disappoint the owners of these
three hundred and fifty dollar lots, who
expect to get nine hundred apiece for
them, to make street where there is
none needed, but they might as well
abandon their hopes first as last. Our
superior court judges are too wise and
sensible to allowa reckless and irrespon-
sible city council-now happily extinct
Ito leave such trail of folly and wrong
behind them as this scheme to provide
work for camp-followers, called "com-
missioners of Streets"
The courts are very chary in forcing
people to give up land that they have
bought and made home of. unless the
public good requires it. AS one of our wise
judges said during a recent case, "Where
you take mans land without his con-
sent you must do it according to law"
But what does the average councilman
know about law? scarce as much as
Nicodemus did about the second birth.
They do what they want to and ask the
advice OF their city attorney afterwards,
sometimes plotting by it and oftener
disregarding it. So, Mr.. Burnett, don't
hasten to fling your $239 into the first
hat you see, but wisely bide your time
and don't be scared by threats to sell
your lot for this assessment. They may
sell but they can't deliver the goods.
Except the few who would profit by it,
do not believe there is man in town
who would express the opinion that it
would be wise to open an eighty-foot
street through the land lying south of
Twenty-third street and within hun
dred yards from Main, as is this proposed
opening and extending OF Los Angeles
street, named Carlisle on the city maps.
Its present width of sixty feet would be
much less Objectionable, but it is not
really needed nor was it ever intended.
L. E. HI.