The herald., 1897-05-02
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
PASADENA

PASADENA, May IA we'll known
citizen was heard to remark today:
"Some Of the wild statements made by
the promoters Of the scheme for securing
a monopoly Of Pasadena's streets would
seem to indicate that the said 'promot'
ers' do not credit the citizens of Pasa-
dena with having ordinary common
sense" Take. for instance. this state
ment, in the exact words OF the prop
osition" submitted to the city council.
"If this company IL reorganized and ex-
tensions made as proposed, saying Moth
ing about the value of franchises, mil
lion dollars will have been spent be-
fore It il completed" This was evil
IDENTIFY intended to give an idea that
huge amount Of money was to be ex-
pended in improving the Pasadena and
Loo Angeles electric road and Its very
numerous branches (the latter consist
ing altogether Of unused franchises and
broken promises. up to the time OF the
present writing). Indeed. that at least
one of the trustees had this impression
OF the matter was indicated by the
fact that he called especial attention
Ito the whole million dollars that this
lphilanthropio institution intended to
spend on account Of Its great love for
Pasadena-certainly not as an invest
ment. However. when Mr.. Webster was
questioned as to how 1t would be pos
sible to spend so much. the fact came
out that 1t was not intended as a joke,
as one would naturally be led to believe,
but that they really meant to- tell the
people of Pasadena that 1t would re-
Quire six ciphers after the unit to rep
resent the amount spent by this COM
pany. 1t might be remarked in passing
that five ciphers only will represent to
q nicely the five members of the city
council, so far as their standing and
influence in this community is con-
cerned, II by chance 1t should come
about that they bow down ac1 attempt
to put the neck Of Pasadena in the yoke
of this coropration. Mr.. Webster went
on to say that $500, 900 had been already
spent, of which amount E5G,0o0 repre-
sented bonds issued, and S450,000 float
ing Indebtedness. Then, by adding
about $125.000 for the purchase of the
electric light plant and $4,000 for ex-
tensions and other improvements, the
round million is as plainly seen as the
philanthropy and benevolence of Mr..
Webster and his oonfreres. But some
thow there are still a few skeptical peo-
lple who are reminded Of the Irishman's
,Aea. A schoolboy sat down today with
his slate, and after a few minutes fig
Iuring submitted the following figures:
Cost Of single electric linc-better than
the Pasadena and Los Angeles-includ-
Ing rails. ties, poles. wires and labor,
everything complete, $4,000 per mile; dou-
ible track. ten miles, 100000; cost of
power house and machinery complete,
$4,000: cost Of cars-much better than
Pasadena and Los Angeles cars-$5000;
ten OF them (the number owned by the
Pasadena and Los Angeles company,
$3.50. 900; cost of old car lines bought by
the Pasadena and, Los Angeles company
in Pasadena, $4,000. Total $3.50, 900.
These figures. when submitted to
gentleman who 10 thoroughly familiar
with the cost Of electric roads and roll
ing stock, were declared by him to be
entirely too high. But let the larger fig
ures stand. How 90 they compare with
the figures submitted by the philan-
thropists? A gentleman was heard to
semnrk the other day that this whole
scheme had another feature which had
not yet been touched upon, namely
ON the strength OF the contract" with
She city Of Pasadena. How would that
look, after the above showing? These
kre questions which the average citizen
has no difficulty in answering.
RAYMOND ARRIVES
Mr.. and Mrs. Walter Raymond arrived
N the city late last evening on the Santa
Te. The train had been delayed In Ari-
tona by the derailment Of freight train
ln front Of the passenger train. They
were met by DR.. Lewis of North Pasa-
eena. who is Mrs. Raymond's father and
WhoAe guests Mr.. and Mrs. Raymond
Will be during the next two or three
keels. Mr.. Raymond expresses himself
II favoring the proposed boulevard. and