The San Francisco call., 1896-12-30
LOS ANGELES PARK.
Exact Copy of the Generous Offer of G.
j. Griffith

Exact Copy OF the Generous Oner OF G.
j. Griffith.
The following is an exact copy of the
original offer made by the generous donor,
g. J. Griffith, of tract for the Los An
geles Park:
To the Mayor and City Council Of Los angeles
YOUR HONOR AND GENTLEMEN: In the course
OF twenty three years of active business life in
California have become proudly attached TO
our beautiful city of Los Angles, which through
its great natural advantages and its matchless
climate, averaging 800 sunny days in the year,
is destined to soon become great metropolis.
The arduous work of these years has been re-
warded With fair success, and recognizing the
duty which one who has acquired some little
wealth owes to the community in which he
has prospered, and desiring TO aid the adv ance
ment and happiness of the city that has been
for so long and always will be my home, am
impelled to make an offer, the acceptance of
which by yourselves, acting for the people,
believe will be a source of enjoyment and
pride to my fellows and add charm to our
beloved city. Realizing that public parks are
the most desirable feature of all cities which
have them, and that they lend attractive
ness and beauty that no other adjunct ean
hereby propose to presen TO the city Oh Los
Angeles, as a Christmas gift, public park OF
about 5000 acres of land in one body, 81 tuated
q fraction over a mile north OF the northern
city line. including fully two and half miles
of the frostless foothills bordering on the
Cahuenga Valley, five miles of the Los Ange-
les river bottom, the lands generally known
as the Ostrich Farm, and the beautiful little
valley which was called the Press Colony site.
Also with these lands the improvements
thereon consisting of several buildings and q !
water plant with tunnels and piping, Ethe
original cost of these having been over
SIC, ,000 aud all of which will be of service
and benefit in improving the park. This park
will include over 1000 acres of tillab.e land
aud some of the most romantic scenery of any
park in the world. Net only will it be the
largest city park in the world, but its diver
slty of picturesque valley, hill, river and
mountain, with It's many varieties of trees
and its rich underground, render it suseept-
ible OF being cultivated into the most beau
tiful of parks.
I will deed this land to the city as soon as
the City Engineer has established the lines
salts factorily, but in making this donation I
would like to impose the condition, if after
consideration it should appear that 1t may be
legally done, that no railroad to this park be
chartered with the right to charge larger
fare than cents wish to impose this con-
dition to insure this tare, so that the park will
be in every sense the peoples recreation
grounds and transpor rtation to it kept within
the reach of the most modest means.
/ wish to make this gift while am in the
full vigor of life that l may enjoy with my
neighbors its beauties and pleasures and that
I may bear with me, when l cross the clouded
river, the pleasing knowledge of the fruition
of wish long dear to me. trust that you
will accept this gift for the people of Los Ange-
les in the same spirit in which it is offered.
Respectfully yours, q. J. GRIFFITH.
Los Angeles, CAL, December 10, 1896