The herald., 1897-05-18
Merchants and Manufac-
turerS for Fiesta
ARGUMENT FOR AND AGAINST
THE COUNCIL ASKED TO GIVE
IMPROVED PAvEMENTs
A Lengthy Communication Calling
Its Attention to the Vile Con-
dition Of the Streets

A large and representative meeting of
the Merchants and Manufacturers As
sociation was held in the Wilcox block
last night Two important questions
were discussed, namely, that Of continu-
Ing the annual celebration Of La Fiesta,
and that Of repaving the principal
streets.
VIVA LA FIESTA.
ture was opened by F. K. Rule. He was
most decidedly in favor of the festival.
Its wide advertising of the city, it's pc
culiar attractions, were so great he
thought 1t would be a great mistake to
think of dropping it.
Max Meyberg was the next speaker.
and most enthusiastically presented the
beauty Of the carnival, comparing It
with similar festivals in Southern Eu-
rope and the great enjoyment of the peo-
pie In this season, when nature Is alive
with flowers and fruitage.
G. w. Burton followed, also greatly in
favor of the festival. Mr.. Burton grew
quite eloquent In his flight of oratory,
and touched the artistic features of the
Fiesta and its educational advantages.
He believed its refining influence was
great and that the dropping of all care
by the business men for one week was
also thing to be cultivated.
r. w. Burnham thought no one could
really oppose the Fiesta unless he op-
posed 1t from the ground that the city
ievh Err f,u CD h Io
that we might not have room for the
people who were attracted by the glow
ing beauties OF the city. He also touched
on the artistic merits Of the festival.
AS no one seemed to have any opposing
view the following resolution was pre-
sented and read by the secretary in order
to bring out the opposite side of the
question:
Resolved, That It is the sense Of this as
ISOLATION that the Fiesta celebration be
made a permanent institution; that the
association render any and all assistance
in its power, and the president be In
structed to appoint three members of this
association as Its quota to the committee
of thirty.
THE OTHER SIDE
Judge Edwin Baxter, who was pres
ent, said he had heard much on the other
side Of the question. He had heard
many say that the money spent during
the week Of carnival could be used much
more profitably for street Improvement
and giving employment to a great num-
Der of needy men. Judge Baxter further
said that the Fiesta interfered with the
schools, the children were interrupted
in their studies, not only during the
week, but both before and after Also
that the great body of almost four hun
dred teachers were compelled to stop
teaching one week, to be on expense
without salary during that week, and to
teach a week later at the close of the
year. which they considered a great
piece Of injustice. The support of the
saloon keepers, their profits and sub
scriptions, were also touched upon by
Judge Baxter. and the disgraceful
things that occurred here on .All-Fools'
night. The bull-fight on the last day
of the Fiesta, Judge Baxter thought a
fitting finale for the whole.
F. X. Rule was called upon to an
swer Judge Baxter. Mr.. Rule said Judge
Baxter was mistaken in regrad to the
saloon support of the Fiesta. Not per
cent Of the subscriptions came from the
saloon-keepers. The keeping open of the
saloons was In the hands of the police.
not the Fiesta committee. The bull
fight had nothing to do with the Fiesta.
The tribunes were leased for a year.
The Fiesta committee had stopped the
bull-fight on Sunday. AS for the schoo!
children, they only appeared on Sat.
urday, and there had been no training or
loss of time.
Griffith ]. Griffith thought the Fiesta
most desirable. 1t was a relaxation
that was good thing for the business
men. If the men of San Francisco
took the right view of life and took more
relaxation and pleasure, there would
be fewer lawsuits in that city. The
future of Los Angeles was predicted by
Mr. Griffith to be most marvellous in
growth and development. and he fel.
the Fiesta was great promoter of this
Mr.. Hanly read an extract from The
Herald of April 25th. showing some of
the disgraceful occurrences of that
Right.
The discussion being closed. motion
was made on the adoption of the reso-
lullOH ~ lcdOp NulCu Wdo pdSoSQ uudul.
mously.
STREET PAVING
The discussion on street paving was
next In order, the president reading
from the bylaws the extract in regard
to the aiding and assisting of the asso-
citation in the carrying out Of laws for
the comfort and safety of the citizens.
John M. Drain opened this subject. He
said he was perfectly aware of the bad
condition Of the streets of the city. On
January 9Th he had called the attention
pf the council by official letter to this
fact The letter he asked the secretary
to read, which was as follows:
To the Honorable Council of the City of
Los Angeles-Gentlemen: I would re-
spectfully call your attention to the
wretched condition of Main and Spring
streets, from Temple to Ninth street: also
Sixth street, from Main to Pearl street.
The surfaces of these streets are in such
miserable condition that 1t is an absolute
waste OF money to attempt to repair them.
! nereby recommend that your honorable
body take action to have these streets re-
surfaced; that the, street railway COM
panies having tracks on these streets be
compelled to put In heavy rails. which will
40 away with the constant tearing up of
Inc same tor repairs. would recommend
lnat sprinkling paved streets be prohibited.
The present condition OF many Of our naved
streets IS que IN no small measure to the
constant hooding Of the same. would
lurther ask that some action be taken to
nevs such portions Of street railway tracks