The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-03
THURSDAY, MAY s. 1894.
PUBLIC WORK IN Los ANGELES.

Everybody admits that Los Angeles is
the most busy and progressive city in
the country. The amount OF building
improvement now going on and which
has been under way during the past ten
years, places US in the very front rank
OF fourishing American cities. Since
the opening OF the year no less than 500
building permits have been issued. and
q large percentage of these are struct
ures OF formidable and costly char
acter. The number of residence build.
ings now under way shows that the PEG.
pie are erecting fine homes at rate
which denotes rapidly increasing pop
ulation. This is especially the case in
the southwestern part of the city and
in that rapidly improving district east
of Main and south OF the Wolfskill
tract, which last has within a few
months taken very noticeable stride in
building.
We have just completed public i'm
provement that is beginning to attract
the attention Of civil engineers in this
country and Europe. The outfall sewer
to the sea is one OF the most interesting
Improvements in the drainage of city
that has ever been successfully accom-
plished. The magnitude OF the work.
she engineering problems successfully
solved in its construction. the sanitary
city. and the fact that it will also be
the means OF irrigating and bringing
intn profitable cultivation sone $4,000
acres of land that were here
toiore dependent alone on the rainfall
for precsrious grain crons-all these cir
cumstances have justly brought our out
fall sewer conspicuously to the attention
Of engineers and municipal Legislatures
everywhere. Not the least of the bene-
fits which this great and successful
work has conferred, was to give employ.
ment to large number of people dur
ing season of great depression; and
the taxpayers Of this city are greatly
gratified with the intimation that the
sale of the sewage water for irrigating
purposes will probably not only pay for
the maintenance OF the work, but afford
@ surplus that promises to go far to pay
for the bonds by the time they mature.
Bat it is in street work that our city
has, during the current year, been ex-
ceptionally generous. Since the begin
ming Of the year there have been street
Improvements made that cest the prop
erty- holders $400, 000 and there are un-
finished contracts cut now that will add
$500 900 to this princely sum. All this
work has been done with the consent OF
the property owners, who have to foot
the bills. 1t is true that at the present
time the volume of street work is con-
eiderably accelerated by the fact that
we are engaged ia connecting our streets
with the new System Of intercepting
sswers that dow into the outfall sewer.
But the amount OF street work, outside
of the sewerage work has been much
tion to its size and the number Of its
Inhabitants, 1t is safe to cay that Los
Angeles has been, so to spea{ para
disc for the willing laborer compared
with other cities in the United Ststss.
We shall reap the benefit OF all this
improvement in the inevitable grswth
of our city, in it's structural beauty and
sttrsctiveness, in its greatly increased
sentative inducements, and in the fine
appearance OF Its streets. Los Angeles
ia now admitted to be one OF the most
beautiful cities in the country. Its stu
alton and the matchlsss climate it en- joys
wonld make it q very desirable city to
live in under any circumstances; but
when we supplement what nature has
done for il with all the adornments that
AFT and liberal public expenditure can
accomplish in Its improvement, why
should we mot be proud OF its wonderful
growth and etill more wonderful prom
Use?