The herald., 1897-01-13
OUR CROP 0F TOURISTS
Plans MOOted for Its Great
er Development
SCME PROJECTED IMPROVEMENTS
Provided for by the New City
Charter
A SYSTEM OF BOULEVARDS
To Make a Complete Circuit of the
City
How to Have Your Cake and Eat 1t,
A SYSTEM OF B0ULEVARDS
To Make a Complete Circuit of the
City
How to Have Your Cake and Eat 1t,
Too
A Businesslke Administratio With a
Reduced Rate of Taxation, Can
Undertake These and Kindred
improvements.

Speaking in broad, generous way, it
may be said that Southern California
produces two different kinds of crops,
and the city of Los Angeles is the bust
ness center where both are handled.
The fruit crop is being handled in a
business way, SO far as the knowledge
of the grower permits, and both the
grower and merchant are learning new
points all the time as to how further
profit may be gained in this direction.
The other crop has been sadly neglect
ed, and yet 1t is only second in import
ance to the fruit industry of the southern
portion of the state. The crop Of tour
lists has not had the attention paid to it
that its Importance deserves, and Los
Angeles has received in most nonchalant
way the copious dollars poured into the
lap of the city without a thought as 10
how the golden stream may be increased.
The new charter provides for this, and
in several ways. Not only is Los Angeles
destined to become the very center of
highly developed business activity, but
it is now most delightful place of resi-
Gence. Its increase in population and
wealth in the last decade has been mar
velous, and with the enormous reduc
ton in taxation which will result from
the adoption of the new charter, one
great objection, very validly raised by
NE taxpayer and the property owner,
VIII have been removed.
But with a tax rate of ST. as compared
with the present rate of $1.40, there will
be an ample fund Wherewith to beautify
the city, and 80 increase the crop of tour
lists while gratifying the permanent resi-
dents of the city.
One plan provided for by the new
charter having this end in view, is the
laying out of certain streets as boule-
wards. Along these avenues it is stpu-
lated that no street railway shall ever
| be permitted to run, and that no fran
! chise shall ever be granted fer the lay
| ing or building of any kind of line upon
| them. Any one, by taking a map of
| the city, may follow this system of boule-
wards, which runs as follows: Soto street,
! from Ninth street to East Los Angeles
park; Hancock street, from Kurtz to
Hawkins street: Hawkins, from Hancock
| to Chestnut; Chestnut, from Hawkins
| street to- Downey avenue; Water street,
| from Downey avenue to Pasadena ave-
| nue.; Lake Shore avenue, from Park ave-
| nue. to Temple street; Union avenue,
J from Temple to First street; First street,
ITOlll DOHIlle bTdc street. lo tuc DOult-
| ward through the Metcalf & Fudicker
| lands, thence to Sunset park; Carondelet
street, from Seventh street to Magnolia
| avenue; Magnolia avenue to Adams
! street; Adams street from RoSedale
avenue to San Pedro street; San Pedro
| street to Ninth; Ninth to Soto.
| There are one or two breaks in these
| systems, which, it is hoped, may be filled
| later and then the City of the Angels
will be encircled with a driveway that
may be made to rival the celebrated
/ Magnolia avenue at Riverside.
| To properly lay out these boulevards
| as double driveways, with bicycle path
at the side; to plant trees and foliage and
| in other ways make them what it is an
| ticipated they will be, will need quite a
| large expenditure. But it is an eXpen-
diture of money that the laboring class
will get, and will be kept within the
community. This is the nearest ap-
| proach imaginable to solution of the
problem that puzzled the greedy boy
| how to eat his cake and still retain it
| for future enjoyment.
| In the case of boulevard Improvement
| the money expended upon the work will
be almost entirely for labor, and the la
boring men will get that benefit. Being
| expended in the city, the mercantile class
will get the benefit. The boulevards be-
| ing made a delight for all time, the COM
munity at large will reap the benefit,
and the tourists who flock to Southern
| California each year will rise up and
| call the city blessed.
| All this can be done within a short per-
| iod of time. By abolishing the Offices
| of tax collector and assessor the city
| will save $4,000 per year. The civil
service rule will provide for a
| sufficiency of clerical labor, but
| not for one solitary hanger
on. Under such business like and eco
nomical rule the tax rate of 81, not to
take cognizance of the ordinary street
assessment plan, will suffice to permit
! many things to be done that ought to be
! done toward caring for the tourist crop
but that most certainly will not be done
| while the city continues under the old
| charter.