The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-23
MISSION BOULEVARD.
PROTESTS SUSTAINED BUT WORK
WILL PROCEED
MERELYATEsT OF SENTIMENT
Thus Far, and Council Got Stronger
Expression Than Was Looked
I for-0ambNng Ordinance

Mission boulevard. intended for the Los
Angeles terminus Of the projected driveway
to Pasadena. was knocked out yesterday.
AS one Of the councilmen stated. the propo-
sition has q history. The Los Angeles and
Pasadena boulevard project has been talked
over for years. but 1t was not until little
over a year ago that any actua. movement
was set on foot looking to the construction
Of the highway 1t was then that COM
mittee of citizens looked over the ground,
examined the various routes suggested, and
chose as the best arline starting in near the
old plaza, running over the old Mission
road. and in zigzag course reaching It's
destination.
Although 1t was the general impression
that the Buena Vista street route was much
preferable to this roundabout one, the coun-
ell Instituted proceedings on the recon-
mendation of those who were interested In
the project, and the matter went along
smoothly enough until the assessment dis
trict was laid out. Then terrible howl
went up. Protest upon protest was flied.
and, though the hearing was postponed for
weeks. every few days has seen new OBJ
jecting communication. The hearing final.
ly took place yesterday, and, with lobby
crowded full of protestants, the council lis
tened to half dozen long speeches on the
question.
The matter was brought up by the reading
of the report from the engineer, who es-
timated that the opening and widening of
the street as proposed wouf0 cost SIS, 1863.
not including the grading. The fist
protestant to be heard was Attorney ]. r..
IY~v~
what he termed the "shoestring district"
laid out. He asserted that the contemplated
Improvement would be Of common benefit
to the entire city, and therefore the entire
city should pay for 1t. as the Broadway
tunnel is paid for Mr.. Adcock. another
protestant, made long talk on the same
ground and informed the council t.,at
mass meeting of East Siders had been held
last week, at which the people unequivocal-
ly declared against the proceeding unless
the city pay for 1t as whole. He incident
ally limited that for the council to make q
great lot Of poor people pay for fine drive
way they would themselves be unable to
use would be nothing short Of an outrage.
Mr.. Burns. an interested properly holder,
asked the city engineer who would be ex-
pected to pay for the necessary viaducts
across the river. From the additional in
formation given by Engineer Dockwsiler,
1t developed that one viaduct alone would
cost SIS 900 more than the estimate submit
ted, and that after the opening 1t would, of
course. be necessary to grade, gravel, gut
ter and curb the street, at an additional cost
Of ST, 900, making the total cost of the i'm
provement In the neighborhood OF $225 900.
These figures opened not only the eyes of
the protestants, but Of the council as we'll.
Mr.. Burns then entered an objection not
only to the improvement. but to the route
also. contending that, Instead OF the short
est and best, the longest, meanest and most
crooked and inconvenient had been chosen.
He argued In favor Of the Buena Vista
street route.
Mr.. Barclay. representing the Rimpau
estate, believed the street railroads should
pay a part Of the expense. as they would
certainly use the right Of way.
Attorney Lowenthai, representing the
Baker estate, contended that 1t was not
within the power Of the council to build
a mere pleasure drive to the city limits,
there to be continued to another municipal
lily. He asserted that the bond act was not
intended for such enterprises, even II they
are great and good. His protest was against
the entire boulevard.
DR.. Kurtz. as the owner Of Main-street
property, objected to the plan Of assess-
ment. He brought up Broadway as a shirk-
er Of duty in such matters, and claimed
Main street has been imposed upon from
time immemorial. "1n the cutting down Of
Temple street Broadway was left out, be-
cause she would soon have to pay for a
tunnel on Main street; in a Third-street I'm
provement for the same reason, and in the
paving Of Main and Spring streets the same
regime prevailed. Now the tunnel is to be
built by the city. and in the building of this
boulevard Main street catches the heaviest
assessment and Broadway the lightest."
Councilman Nickel had been moving
around in his chair uneasify for some time
and at this stage in the game ne could
stand 1t no longer. He called upon Mr.. Toll
to preside. and,after explaining that the
councils real intention was to get the senti-
ment OF the people in the matter. he moved
that proceedings be abandoned and the
board OF public works instructed to report
what further action was desirable In secur-
Ing boulevard from Los Angeles to Pasa-
dena. An amendment by Baker was car
ried and the matter was finally left to the
board Of public works. with instructions
that It thoroughly investigate the entire
cost Of any route 1t may favor and include
II in Its report. 1t may favor the same
route. but II so. the entire city will prob
ably be asked to share the expense Of con-
struction.
The decision was greeted with vocfferous
applause.
HEARINGS POSTPONED
Judge Lamme and Attorney. Landt