The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-29
KICKS AGAINST TAXATION
Lines of Business Which Object
to a License
MANY NAMES TO PETITIONS
Merchants In the Wholesale District
Have a Grievance
Final Ordinances For Public WOrk-The
Superintendent of Street S2rinkling
Recommenis-Th Druggists

The leading merchants doing business
in the WI olesale district have finally arisen
in wholesale rebellion az ainst the at times
almost impossible condition of First street
between Main and Los Angeles streets.
petition signed by every merchant and
firm doing business in the district was yes
terday filed with the city clerk, which after
reciting the preamble in regular form,
says:
That part of town is largely given up to
saloons and poker rooms and is the habl-
tual loafing ground of hundreds of hobos
and buns, who o5s,ruct the walks to such
an extent that it is extremely difficult at
times for one to elbow his way along the
street.
Tho locality mentioned is the principal
approach to the wholesale quarter and for
years the nuisance complained of has con-
tipued unche cked until il has at last become
we'll nigh unhearabIe. The petitioners there
fore, ask that such directions be given 10
the police department as will insure the
narrow sidewalks being kept clear for their
legitimate use.
An epidemic for the reduction of eX-
penses appears to have struck some OF the
several lines of business and mercantile
establishments operating in this city with
the end of the old year.
The following was yesterday filed, adj
dressed to the council:
We the undersigned taxpayers and resi-
dents of this city and real estate dealers
therein respectfully petition your honora-
BILE body to repeal the ordinance imposing
license tax upon real estate dealers for
the reason thai the same is unjust and is
class legislation. If license tax Is I'm,
posed at all it should be uniform and
should be imposed upon all classes of bust
ness in the city. while in fact the mer-
chants of the city have not been required
10 pay any license tax at all and there are
other classes of business that are exempt
from such tax.
Most of the real estate dealers in the
city and who pay such license, who have
offices and property in the city, are tax
payers, while the class known as curb.
stone brokers who have no permanent
Offices and usually no properly, escape the
license tax, so that the operation OF the
license in so far as it affects real estate
dealers is not Uniform, the reputable tax
payers being made to pay the tax, while
the others do not.
Justice and right demand this tax on
mans right to do business should be re-
peaied, and we respectfully ask that the
same be done.
The above signed by 100 real estate
operators and firms. 1t will come up for
weekly session tomorrow.
In line with the plant of the real estate
men is the following:
Your petitioners respectfully request
your honorable body to take such steps as
are necessary to reduce the city license on
skating Kinks. which your petitioners rep
resent at this time to be too high. to-wit.
$40 per month.
We beg leave to show your hon orable
body that there has b en- fitted up, at great
expense, in connection with the baths at
the Natatorium, a rink, the floor space of
which, however, is only 36XSO feet, and
there is no capacity for a business that
would justify the payment of such high
license tax to conduct this business.
And you are requested 10 change the or
dinance providing for such license to con-
form to this request, which petitioners
urge is reasonable and just.
SOME COUNCIL BUSINESS.
The city clerk reports that in the matter
OF sewering Savoy street from Bueua Vista
street to Bishop Road, notice of street
W ork was published on December Sd.
Time for protest expired December 10Th.
No protests have been received.
In the matter of paving Main street from
Ninth 10 Thirty streets, notice of
street work was published December Sd.
Time for protest expired December 10Th.
The final ordinances in both of the above
will come up for adoption tomorrow.
John H. Drain, superintendent of street
sprink ling, has filed with the council the
following:
your honorable body calling your atten-
ton t. the subject of sprinliling the paved
streets of this city and suggesting that the
paved streets be swept thoroughly every
night, thus avoiding the sprinkling of them.
| desire again to call your attention to
this matter, and to say that with the made
quate street sweeping and tn large amount
OF hauling done over our paved streets, a
large amount of dirt is left, and that but
very little sprinklnF makes it very muddy.
and without sweeping leaves the streets in
"A very dusty condition. and | would again
suggest to your honorable body that you
have the paved streets swept every night
instead Of two or three times a week, as is
now done.
would further say a one who has had
some experience in working with asphaltun
and bi,uminous rock in street paving, that
sprinhling is very injurious to the pave
ment, and the slight additional expense
which will be incurred by the extra sweep
ing suggested will he more tan paid by
the saving in making repairs upon the
paved streets and the convenience and
comfort which it will give residents along
them and pedestrians who are required to
cross and recross them.
DRUGGISTS ARE FIGHTING
The finance committee of the council
yesterday considered the contemplated
amendment to the license ordinance which
is intended to tax druggists $40 month
for transacting IA liuuor business. A com
nittee of druggists was ON hand 10 protest
against the intended legislation, claiming
that its adoption would convert every drug
store into dram shop. The finance COM
mttee took no final action. Some sort of
a license will probably be recommended.
Only two drug stores have so far paid the
wholesale liquor license for December.
The building committee took no action
yesterday relative to the cigar stand at the
entrance 10 the city hall Tho sentiment
OF the majority of the councirnen is in
favor of wiping out the establishment.
which library patrons have always insisted
was a public nuisance. Captain Martin
dale, the owner. is an OLD soldier with one
leg lost in battle. He pays the city no rent
for his privilege, and has been doing bust
ness for several years. He is said to be in
receipt of a large governmental pension.