The herald., 1897-04-30
PROPOSED ROUTE DISCUSSED
THROUGH FIGUERoA ST. AND
PAST SISTERS HOSPITAL
Some interesting Data, on the Public
Pleasure Grounds-Dr. Wills and
Others Address the Meeting


Elysian and Griffith parks. Many
representative property owners were
nresent and the meeting was quite en-
thusiastic, addresses being made by
Messrs. Griffith, Kelly, DR.. Wills and
others.
President A. C. Summers called the
meeting to order, and ]. Mills Davies
acted as secretary
Col Griffith prefaced his remarks
with some data he had prepared on the
subject of parks which he thought OF
interest. He said he had visited parks
all over the world, and could say Grlf-
fifth park was the largest one in the
world. The data given he had Verlneo
by authority, and he requested Mr. Da-
yies to read the same, which was as
follows:
The largest public city park in the
world. except Griffith park, is FAR
mount park, of Philadelphia, Pa, which
contains 2791 1-5 acres, of which SlS
acres are water surface of the Schuyl-
kill river.
The second largest park IN the United
States is the City park of San Diego
Cal. containing 400 acres, which
is being improved gradually, now almost
eoualing Elysian park in that regard.
The third largest is Forrest park, OF
St. Louis. Mo-, which contains 1872 acres.
That city has seventeen parks all told.
having a total acreage of 226S, of which
Tower Grove park contains 267 acres.
The fourth largest park is Golden
Gate park of San Francisco, which con-
tains 1850 acres. The fifth is Central
park. New York, which contains S4S
acres The sixth largest park of the
United States is Druid Hill park of Bal
timore. Nd. containing 700 acres.
Chicago has fifteen public parks, con-
tanning an aggregate acreage of 1856,
the six larger being in size as follows:
One of 372 acres, ore of 952 acres, one of
225 acres. one of 1856 acres, one of $50
acres. and one of $50 acres. st. Paul,
Mimi. has fine park of 800 acres. Gin
cinnati. Ohio, has two handsome parks
one of 206 acres called the Eden park
and one of 40 acres called Burnett
Woods. Council Bluffs has small but
very handsome park containing SIX
acres Portland, Ore, has very hand
some park 800 feet wide and extending
the entire length OF the city, containing
20 acres.
Los Angeles has several good sized
public parks. Elysian park, contain
ing 592 acres East Los Angeles park,
80 acres; Westlake park 35 acres; Echo
park, SO acres; Hollenbeck park. 20
acres and Griffith park, something over
5000 acres, the largest park in the world.
The third largest city park in the
world is Bois de Vincennes, Paris,
France, which contains 2200 acres, and
next to this comes Bois de Boulogne,
also of Paris which contains PISS acres.
Paris also contains many other parks
and public gardens. among the larger
being Tuileries gardens, "a acres; Lux
embourg gardens, 76 acres; Buttes Cha
mont, 62 acres, and Montsouris gardens,
40 acres.
Melbourne. Australia. has many parks
of considerable size, among which are
the Royal park 600 acres; Yarra park,
300 acres; Botanical gardens, 200 acres;
Albert park, 500 acres. and Studley park
200 acres.
London has many squares and parks,
among the larger of the latter being
st. James, so acres; Green park, 70 acres;
Hyde park, 800 acres; Kensington gar
dens, $50 acres; Regents park, 47O acres;
Battersea park. $50 acres; Victoria park,
800 acres; Southwark park 63 acres, and
Finsbury, 115 acres:
Liverpool has a park of GOO acres
called Seton park Greenwich, Eng,
has a park of 1870 acres, and Manchester
has a small park 4f 40 acres. Munich
has a park of 600 Scres called English
park. Lyons, France, has one of the
most beautiful parks, Tete dor, which
contains 2S2 acres.
After this reading, Col. Griffith made
a short address, touching his attachment
to Los Angeles the desirable features
of an attractive and beautiful public
park, and his desire of seeing the people
OF this city having a recreation ground
all their own.
There were many features to discuss
in building boulevards; they cannot pass
every ones door, the speaker said, but
he felt that he had in his many travels to
Los Feliz ranch found the best route
where the boulevard could be built
taking into consideration the southwest
portion of the city. and preserving the
natural grade to a great extent This
route was to start on Figueroa street
which extends through the whole city
and makes a fine grade running to
Bellevue avenue, TO the Sisters hospital
from thence on Sunset boulevard through
the Montana tract. to Alvarado, east tc
the Dobinson vineyard tract, then north
to the high ridge where the road crosses
and looks over into the beautiful valleys
of Tropico and Glendale; Their 2= through
Ivanhoe to the southeast end of the
new donation. This route touches tbs
south entrance of Elysian park by tn
Sicters' hospital.
Ivanhoe, Col. Griffith said woul(
sometime be city property. Later il
would be a good idea to build a boule
ward on the hills, which, of course, would
give wider views, but this proposed
route would be less expensive and coulC
be planted with trees and palms ant
flowers, making really a charming parl
the whole route. All the romantic val
leys could be kept as they are now
with all the beautiful old trees and nat
ural features along the route.
Col Griffith's remarks were greeted
with much applause.
Dr. lie Moyne Wills followed, speak
irg briefly, and touching the proposed
boulevards to Pasadena and advocating
the river route. He also paid tribut,