The herald., 1895-04-06
THE GREATER LOS ANGELES
A Project to Increase the Extent
of the City
THE WEST SIDE ANNEXATION
Rosedale, Pico Heights and University
Interested
A Petition Calling for Special Election to Be
Presented to the City Council
c. on 7ondsy

Some 300 citizens who are taking an
active interest in the project to extend
the city limits ON the west assembled on
Thursday evening at Paulk's hall, near
the postal station ID, on West Washington
street. 1t was one of series of meetings
to consider the subject which has been
held BY the Southern Development assoca-
ton. On this occasion members of the
Plco Heights association and delegates
from the Harper tract and the University
district attended and took part in the
proceedings. Much carnestness and enthu-
slasm were manifested. AS chairman OF an
a.nalgamated committee of the different
associations, Colonel Eastman read an
elaborate report which was favorably re-
ccived and unanimously adopted. His
report was as follows:
fne report herewith respectfully sub
mitted by your special committee is also
the report of the joint committee on the
subject of the extension OF the city limits
by annexation of contiguous territory on
the west, raised by a vote of the South
west Improvement associa iatlon and the
Pico Heights association respectively;
to which committee, oy your JOINT dlrec-
tion, certain individuals representing resi-
dents on the Harper tract and the Unlver-
sity district who are in sympathy with
the movement-three from the 1ormer
and three from the latter. This JOINT
and enlarged committee has at repeated
sessions mad the whole subject under
careful consideration. with the result that
ALI is mem bers are of the opinion tnat the
proposed extension of the city limits is
botn desirable and practicable at the pres
cnt time.
In every section of the country where
two or more cities lie close enough to
Il. ..f to-, ,..f t1,a
munici palities, or where populous towns
and settlements outlie one advancing city.
there is a movement started or completed
similar to the one now in progress ln
and also just over the western border OF
Los Angeles. Greater Chicago, some
years accomplished; greater New York
now mooted; consolidated cities around
Massachusetts bay, and the move to unite
Duluth and Superior City, are moving
examples directly i'll point. But TINS J 5
the sentimental view of the general sub
ject. and though important it does not
require to be much insisted upon by this
committee. There are considerations
both numerous and weighty which sup
port the project OF annexation, and To
these the present observations will be
confined.
The urgent desirabilty of annexation
has long been fixed in the minds OF many
good ciJizens residing III the eastern por-
tion of Ballona township-in Rosedale,
Plco Heights, on the Harper tract and
in the University district and intelli-
gently and earnestly has the subject been
privately discussed. No less so for
long time has the expediency of extend
ing the western boundary OF the city been
settled in the convictions OF great num-
bers of the people of Los Angeles city.
The inconvenience to individuals and the
detrimenJ to realty of having the east
and west streets ended abruptly at Hoover
and Alvarado streets, thus forming ne
elected, ragged edge where should be CON
tinuous Improvement and rlvaling
beauty, has for years been recognized and
bewailed by hundreds. The obvious
disadvantages resulting from occupying
nearly isolated positions outside til city
to all the dwellerS i'll the localities above
named, and the great expense OF main
tanning separate minor authorities. and
the little good these are capable of doing,
have together served to create i'll the
minds of (it is believed) the majority, a
strong wish to obliterate the various
signs of village inferiorty and to unite
their community fortunes completely
with those of the city. That no earlier
promisingly started has been mainly
owing to the lack of information for the
public as to where the initiative rests and
what steps are necessary to be taken to
get the question of annexation effect
ually before the people. This committee
has in the person of one of its mem bers
competent legal counsel, and nothing
is hazarded IN this report in setting forth
the law governing the matter ana the
practice necessary under it.
The law is plain and very simple and
one of the fairest to all concerned that
ever was enacted. In order to extend
the boundaries of any city or town, and
take in and incorporate new territory,
and make it part OF one corporation,
certain number of people must first take
,ict ha a
OF the town or city desiring to extend its
boundaries; the residents of the district
sought to be annexed have later a duty to
perform, when opportunity is given them
to vote on the final proposition. In this
instance, therefore, some people inside the
city must first move in accordance with
the law, which requires that petition,
containing a description of the new ter
ritory asked to be annexed, and signed
by not less than one-tifth in number of
tile qualified electors OF the city-com
puted upon the number OF votes cast at
the last general municipal election-and
that this petition be presented to the
city council. Whereupon the city coun-
Gil, the law says, shall without delay
submit to the electors of the city. and to
the electors residing in the territory
proposed by the petition to be annexed
whether such new territory shall be an
nexed to, incorporated and made part of
the City of Los Angeles. The question is
required to be submitted at an election to
be held for the purpose and no other and
the city council is by law empowered and
it is made it's duty TO cause notice 70 be
given of such election by the publication
Of a notice thereof in some newspaper
printed and published in the city, and
i also III a newspaper printed and published
outside the city, but in the county; in
Il each at least once a week for period of
four successive weeks next preceding the
date OF the election. Sucn notice shall
distinctly state the proposition to be sub
g I'M tied with full description of the dis
itrict proposed to be annexed; and in the
notice the qualified electors of the city
and the qualified electors of the territory
proposed to be annexed. shall be- invited
to vote upon the proposition by placing
upon their ballots the words. ''For An
nexation" or Against Annexation, or
words of the same meaning. All other
acts and things necessary to be one in
order to secure an expression of opinion
by the electors, and to complete the work
of annexation. are specified in the law,
and full authority given therefor.
The election in this city and in the dis