The herald., 1893-02-28
THE RRTIRING COMMISSIONERS AND
THE PARKS.

our municipal government has been
passed by the legislature and is in the
hands OF the governor, it is not out OF
place just now to say something of the
work that has been accomplished by the
retiring board, for it is generally under
stood that Sutherland Hutton, s. G.
Hubbell and Jsmes G. Kays will not
seek re-appointment.
Ia taking hurried view OF the parks
of Los Angeles it is we'll to start from
Sixth street park. This 10 small park
of three and half acres, but i, 10
worthy of visit, and is so familiar to
most Angeleiios that it requires no
heightened description. The next, the
Westlake PARK, is also equally we'll
known, and is recommended by beau.
tiful sheet of water, which ia supplied
with boat house and boats, which,
by the way, paid for themselves in
little while alter thsir purchase.
A short drive to the north brings
one to Echo park which is also
supplied with lake, portion of which
the present commissioners had intended
to devote to swim ming pond for boys.
There is no place in L)s Angeles where
boys can learn to swim outside of the
natstorium, which is in private hands.
In this respect they are at great dis
advantage. The commissioners had
contemplated the acquiring of laud for 3
boulevard two hundred feet wids CON
Meeting thu Echo and Eiysian parks.
and it is to be hoped that this scheme
will be carried out, as it will give the
people Of Los Angeles an unsurpassed
drive, and will prove to be delightful
extension of the last named park.
We wish to dwell with great empha-
sis on the sttractiveness of this last
mentioned of our public breathing
places because very few even OF our own
people seem to know what a noble
thing is growing up in their midst. The
number of Angelelos who have not
more than heard of Elysian park is in
credible. Aad yet right there is the
making and very considerable advances
have already been made on it--of one Of
the noblest parks in the world. 1t will
be the opinion of any unbiased person
who takes the trouble to examine their
work, that the commissioners have
achieved miracles in this really nota Die
park, and that they have done it an al
outlay that ID surprisingly small. All
told, only $4,000 have been spent hers,
and yet already respectable forests have
been created aud an astonishing amount
of excellent roadways have bssn made.
It ID impossible to exsggsra5e the
grandeur OF the views presented
on every hand on the serpentine
roadwsys which have been cut over
the hills. To give an idea OF the infinite
variety and majesty of the vistss which
unfold themselves before the eyes OF the
wayiarer we shall simply say that they
are equal to those unrolled before one's
eyes on the Presdio drive to the Cliff
House in San Francisco. OF course the
road-mAking cannot be compared to the
superb drives created by the army of the
United States in the Bay city, but the
landscape is more varied and quite as
picturesque. During ones progress over
these hills st one point one takes in the
whole sweep of country between Los An
geles and the Bsllona and Santa Monica.
At another point the spread of valley
through which the Los Angeles river
mesnders comes to the front, with the
lower portion of the San Fernando valley
and the San Fernando and Tujunga
mountains 1anking the charming
expAnse. at anothers the ma
jestic ramparts of the Sierra
Madre mountains swell up from
the distance, with Pasadena, the
Raymond hotel and portions OF the San
Gabriel valley in the foreground. A
turn in the road at frequent intervals
gives splendid views of the city OF Los
Angeles and of the Los Angeles valley
to the south and west, the latter
taking in the Pacific OCEAN at Long
Beach and San Pedro, and on clear days
even tue Santa Catalina Islands. This
park compriaes $50 acres, and the com
missioners have contemplated the pur-
chase or condemnation of some 440 acre;
adjoining, which could now be acq uired
at q very reasonable figure, but which
are bound to become very valuable al
the park is improved. That their plan
would be in the best interests of the
city cannot be doubted. 1t would give
Los Angeles one of the nobsst aud larg-
est parks in the world, and in
the coming years it would be {
source of incommensurable pride
and pleasure to our people. Alread y
extensive plantations have bsen set out
Little slips that were planted Ave years
ago are already slightly trees over forty
feet in height. Realizing that the pres
ent year would be one specially favorable
to arboreal growth, the commissioners
have planted forty thousand trees since
the first rain. They are all doing we'll
Not foot of the roadways which were
built in such an economical manner was
washed out during the late rains. Thi
is certainly remarkable circumstance
and is the beat way of indicating how
easy it is to extend and improve thes
drives. 1t would really be hard to ex
aggerste the attractions Of this park, a
yet in its infancy. We have written O
it at such length because we think tha
the attention of the whole commuait,
should be aroused to knowledge OF th,