The herald., 1897-03-06
Prominent Residents on the East
Side Indignant
THEIR WISHES IGNORED
They Claim the Councils Action Was
Precipitate
Citizens and Property Holders-A
Dangerous Precedent

meeting on Monday In granting fran
chise for an electric railway to run
through Daily street. East Los Angeles,
has occasioned a general protest from
the people residing in that part of the
city, who were apparently unaware of
the proposed action, many having de-
clared that their first intimation of the
new franchise matter was when they
read of the passage of the measure in the
newspapers.
Several leading citizens of the East
Side are very indignant and desire to
file a public protest against the hasty
action of the council and its refusal TO
postpone the matter. until the people
interested might be heard.
Judge Sherman Page, who resides
on the East Side and who was dele
gated by the people to appeal to the
council to postpone it's action in the
matter of the Daily street franchise until
the people of that section of the city
could be heard on the subject. was seen
but a moment by Herald representative
yesterday. as he was about to leave for
the north. .1.f..
The judge said: IT think the action
of the city council was most precipitate
and unwarranted. AS public servants
the council should give the citizens of
every locality an opportunity to be heard
on any question affecting their mater
ial welfare and property interests. The
proper and most feasible route for the
electric line was Griffin avenue, it being
the most central, widest and in all re-
spects the most desira BILE street.
Il am not individually affected, in any
degree, by the location of the line, but
I am speaking the sentiment of a ma
jorty of the people of East Los Ange-
les. DAILY street is a narrow thorough
fare and 1 do not believe its selection
for the electric road would prove salts
factory"
Judge John p Reed, who appeared
before the council Monday with Judge
Page. at the request of East Side peo-
pie. to protest against hasty action in
regard to granting the franchise on
DAILY street. upon being interviewed by
The Herald reporter gave the following
information:
II was before the council last Monday
in the matter of the franchise to con-
struct and operate an electric railway
through Daily street in this city, which
was being rushed through the council
at the instance of the Pasadena and
Pacific Railway company, and the power
of that company in the council chamber
was made impressively manifest. The
company was trying to put the matter
through in extreme haste in the evident
desire to avoid publicity and prevent
opposition by those interested. Some
of the leading citizens of East Los Ange-
les. deeply interested in the matter, hav
ing received an intination of what was
being done, requested me to appear be-
fore the council and urge that the peo-
pie of the East Side be given personal
no arp on tho n a
cial or regular meeting"
councilman F. NJ Nickel of tine
First ward asked that the matter be
postponed, and Judge Sherman Page
and myself supported his motion with a
strong appeal that the rights of the
people interested be observed. But after
some deliberation the council denied the
application and passed an order calling
for the advertisement and sale of the
franchise for Daily street. I am frank
to say that I have not yet recovered
from my amazement. For more than
twenty years l resided in New York
city, and have known proceedings to he
carried through the board of aldermen
of that city that were far from ac-
ceptable to good citizens, but / never
knew of an applicati tion of citizens for
a hearing on a matter of public import
ance to be denied.
"The facts are these: In August. 1895.
a franchise to construct and operate an
electric railway from North Main street.
along Macy street to its junction with
the Mission road, and along this road 20
the East Los Angeles park and on to the
city limits and also from the junction of
the Mission road and Griffin avenue
along that avenue to point where I
intersects the land of f. Saw
yer was granted. One of the
express conditions Of the fran
chse was that the railway should he
constructed and completed within
eighteen months This has not been
done. and the company. in order 10
avoid the danger of a forfeiture. ap-
pealed to the council for more time.
which. upon their promise to go on and
complete the road. was granted. Up to
this time work has only been done as
far as DAILY street Now. at this late
day. the company have rushed through
the council the proceedings for a fran
chise to run it's railway through Daily
street. which is a number OF docks
west of Griffin avenue
"The petition for the new franchise
was not presented to the council at It's
regular Monday meeting but at meet
ing held on Thursday. February 25th. IL
was then referred to the board of public
works. which met the following day.
This board recommended the grant
ing ard sale of the franchise
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