Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-14
SOMETHING ABOUT OUR PARKS.

d0 BOul0gn0. prospect park is tne
great attraction OF Brooklyn, Druid Hill
park of Baltimore, Fairmount of Phila-
delphia, and so on to the end of the
chapter. Golden Gate park in San
Francisco has already become, through
the skill, taste and enterprise of the
park commissioners of that city, one of
the beauty spots of the world.
1t is peculiarly easy to create park
in California. and particularly so in
Southern California. Notwithstanding
this fact we have until lately been very
remiss in creating these spots, wh.ch
have been properly called the lungs of a
city, and which can here te m ade things
of beauty and joys forever with probably
less expenditure of money than any
where else in the world. And yet, with
all our neglect, it is pleasant to know
that we have done something. The
writer yesterday took a spin over the
principal parks of the city and was
pleased to find that creditable begin
ming had been made.
Los Angeles possesses eleven parks
altogether, of which the smaller consists
of two. and the largest, the Elysian, of
$50 acres. The little Prospect park,
containing only two acres, is a perfect
biiou of a pleasaunce, and comprises a
delightful variety of plant and fora
specially adapted to a sub-tiopical eli
mate. Specimens of all trees common
to California and Australia may be seen
there, from an infant sequoia gigantea
to many varieties of the eucalyptus and
bamboo family. This park has been
admirably kept, and is located on the
east side of the river, on Brooklyn
Heights. There is "a perennial
wellspring of pleasure in this ex-
quisite spot to the lover of
dainty arboreal and sdoral beauty.
It's attractions are set of by small res
ervoir, on the surface of which float
many aquatic plants, the principal of
which is Victoria Regia, which is ex-
pected to expand to a diameter of five
feet and to flower shortly. When in
flower the report of its splendors will
doubtless attract our whole people to
this park. Most of them don't know
what they are missing in not frequent
ing this radiant place. Its vivid beau
ties are bath to the esthetic senses.
A. much more pretentious park is the
East Side park, proper. 1t comprises
fifty acres, and is set out on an artistic
scale, with lake, plantations of trees
of all kinds adapted to this climate, and
with flower parterres. A bridge and a
miniature waterfall add to its effects
1t has been neglected for some time,
owing to the inadequacy of the sums at
the command of the commissioners, but
it has now been taken in hand in
earnest. Propagating and hot houses,
well appointed for their purpose,
are doing their good work under
competent hands. Hundreds of thous-
ands of Eucalypti, Monterey cypers,
pepper trees, and other shade trees,
practically innumerable in variety, are
being got in readiness for transplanting
the coming Fall. The East Side will in
a very few years be an exceedingly
handsome park, and it already shows
the results OF painstaking work. The
tree growth is something astonishing.
Trees are pointed out there only three
years old that have attained height
and girth which fifteen years would
scarcely guarantee in the eastern cli-
| mate.
The most ambitious project which
the park commissioners have on hand
is the Elysian. Very few of our people
know anything about this park, and yet
it will undoubtedly in time become one
of the most remarkable and romantic
places of public resort in the world. It
can be reached by the Solano Gallon and
by Elysian avenue, which runs out past
the Sisters infrmary. The road which
passes the Jewish cemetery also leads
into the main thoroughfare. There is
in this park a main drive Ave miles
long, which is carried over high hills on
grade of one in twenty. The views
which are obtainable from hun
dred turns in this ascent are ma
jestic and almost incompatible. At
one moment the eye takes in the whole
expanse of the Los Angeles valley and
the ocean, at another the Raymond
hotel and San Gabriel valley, with the
noble background of the Sierra Madrea,
and anon the Ballona and Santa Monica
plains, with their ocean environment
fill the vision. Thus far only $4,000 have
been expended on the Elysian park.
The statement simply seems incredible,
and the results accomplished are GER
tainly magical. OF this small sum only
$500 have been applied to road-making.
A good start has been made in setting
out trees, which embrace pretty much
all varieties adapted to sub-tropical
climate, and great things have been al.
ready accomplished. Two hundred and
fifty thousand already show a fine
growth. A portion of them are & wears
old, and these have already attained the
dignity Of forest. The plan of the
commissioners is to devote the whole
five hundred and fifty acres to forest.
with here and there nooks devoted to
minute floral ornamentation. Tbev
hope, by acquiring adjoining property,
to increase this park to one thousand
acres. 1t is heartily to be hoped that
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