The herald., 1895-08-12
FIGHTING THE STORRS LINE
Vigorous Protest by West Eighth
Street Property Owners
THE TRACTION RAILWAY
Holders Of Improved Property Are Reused
to Action
They Think They Have Ample Street Railway
Facilities, and Want One Street
Free for Driving
THE TRACTION RAILWAY

The owners of improved property on
West Eighth street are considerably exer-
csed over the prospect OF the Storrs or
Hook electric railway, known officially as
the Los Angeles Traction railway, run
ming out that street from Pearl, in an
effort to reach Westlake park and the
undeveloped property lying west of that
resort. While they concede that. as a
general proposition, q street railway is a
good thing for any section OF the city,
they think they have enough, and in
consequence will oppose the granting of
the franchise asked for, claiming, in
addition. that the railroad people have
taken advantage of them by surrepti-
tiously circulating their position and
stealing a march on them. AS the po-
sition now stands. there is a pretty fight
on, with the advantage on the side of
the railroad.
The franchise asked for is from Pearl to
Lake streets. the trst thoroughfare west
of Alvarado, on Eighth, thence on Lake
to Seventh. and on Seventh to the
western city boundary. A franchise is
also asked for on Wiltshire to Orange
streets. thence en- Orange street to the
western city limits. 1t is stated. how
ever, that it is not known that this por-
tion will be built.
With view of ascertaining the feeling
of the people interested, and their grounds
for complaint, Herald reporter yester-
day interviewed Mr.. G. W. Sanders, re-
siding at Eighth and Bonnie Brae streets,
who is at the head Of the opposition.
~, -
that the principal reason for opposing the
granting of the franchise was because it
was not needed. in the first place. and
secondly. because it virtually closed for
driving purposes the only street to West
lake park. With the cable line on
Seventh street, and with the Ninth-street
lime, which Mr.. Sanders said he had been
assured by Superintendent Woods OF the
Consolidated line would soon be cleo
tried and put in first-class condition,
there was absolutely no necessity for
another line on Eighth street. Besides,
Eighth street is only sixty feet " ide. and
a double track, such as the Storrs COM
pany propose to put down. would virtually
confiscate that thoroughfare. or course
ii the road was put down, the next step
would be the widening of the street, anu
this would be an expensive proposition.
as in many Instances 1T would not only
ruin handsome lawns and shrubbery but
in some cases cut into houses. necessitat-
ing their removal. thereby entailing
heavy cost on the property owners. many
of whom have thousands OF dollars in
vested. Mr.. Sanders said that he and his
neighbors did not wish to be considered
as obstruuctionists, but he, as well as
others. had purchased their property in
tn location where it was because it was
convenient to street cars. while not di
rectly on the line, and for this reason
they considered is especially desirable.
He thoughtit would .depreciate values
along Eighth street at least 25 per cent,
and without any compensatory advan-
tages; he did not thiak the property
owners should be called upon to m axe
this sacrifice FOR the purpose of benefting
unimproved property to the west of
them. There would he no local traffic to
speak OF on Eighth street. for the reason
that ;he new company could not transfer
fight on the ground that he did not wish
to be damaged for the benefit of other
people. He further claimed that the op-
position was making great headway, and
that they had already secured num-
ber of withdrawals from the compapy's
petition, and would have prevented many
others from signing if them had known
that the company was trying to secure
the franchise. Mr.. Sanders further said
that they proposed to keep up the fight to
the last, and would 60 into the courts if
any relief could be granted from that
source, il the council did not stand by
thsm.
While the railroad people do not wish
to antagonize any one, they say the mat
ter is plain business proposition with
them. Eighth street is the best and
most direct route for them to Westlake
park. and the building Of the road will
open up large area of valuable property
and add thousands OF dollars to the tax
able wealth OF the city. They had c'rcu-
lated their petition and secured the sig
natures of numb bers of the largest prop
erty owners on the street, and while they
were sorry that any one was inconven-
fenced they din not think it was right
that great public improvement should
be stopped because a mparatively few
people objected to railroad in front of
their property. They did not consider
that the property would be damaged from
q pecuniary standpoint, but that even if
the street had to be- widened it would be
q good thing for the property owners
so far as money was concerned. At any
rate, they would build their road. if they
could secure the franchise, and would pu t
IN plant as good as there was in the
United States.
The matter may come up again in the
council TODAY. but no definite action will
probably be taken before next week.