The herald., 1898-01-02
The Parks

NO city In the United States, of ap
proximately the same population as Lo
Angeles. has system Of public parks fl
to compare with it. Nay, it may furthe
be- truthfuly asserted that no city in tn
country OF double its population has a
nrsch acreage devoted to park purposes
The lack of the city is in the improve
" ment and development of it's park lands
Public parks have been defined as tn
breathing spaces Of the poor" but thi
defnition Is narrow and very partial
They are safety valves which conserve
the health of the entire community
rich and poor alike. When Baron Hauss
man, at the command Of Napoleon III.
designed modern Paris, and the narrow
crooked, old streets gave way to thu
magnificent system of boulevards an(
parks, the death rate of the city de
clined very markedly. There are plague
spots on the fair face of Paris today, a.
there are on the face of every othel
city. but at least even the very pool
have better chance to oxygenize theil
blood by a plentiful supply of fresh air
That is the primary and by no means the
least important use of open spaces scat.
tered throughout a large city. In these
degenerate days of building. when the
to l as compared with it's expansion or
the fiat for the reason that sky space
Is much cheaper than ground space, the
business centers of most American cities
are being darkened by the immense
buildings which overshadow one an
other from each side of the street, and
prevent the sunlight from flooding the
sidewalks with it's vivifying rays. In
such case parks spread over a city at in
tervals are the citizens salvation.
AS means of recreation and an es-
cape from the hustle of business life
their advantages are too apparent to re-
quire comment
In Los Angeles there are eleven parks.
Of varying size, aggregating about 37O4
acres. or these the old Plaza is, per-
haps, the most notable for the reason
that 1t Is one of the spots in the city
linking the puebla days-the Spanish
time when La Puebla de la Reina de
Los Angeles was a veritable Sleepy
Hollow-with the busting activities of
today 1t is in comparatively recent
years that this little oasis amid brick
and mortar was improved, and since
November, 1890, when the park commits
sion was organized, to date, it's support
has cost the city about $4,000
Central, or as 1t Is more commonly
known. Sixth street park, came into the
city's possession in October, 1893, and
up to January, l. 1898, will have cost for
its maintenance $4,000, the monthly
expenditure being about $780, There is a
fine variety of plants. shrubs and trees
In this four and one-half acres of park
land, and 1t Is one of the most largely
patronized of all the parks.
st. James park is just Off Adams
street and was donated to the city b
the neighboring property owners in May,
1892. 1t Is very small, covering only
about 1.-TWO acres, and is practically, for
purposes of recreation used almost en-
tirely by the residents in the immediate
vicinity.
Echo park consists of thirty-two acres
and came into the city's possession
rather curiously. 1t lies off Temple street
beyond Angeleno Heights, and num-
Der of years ago quite large tract of
land was donated to the city for res
ervoir purposes. But other parties
claimed interest in certain of the land,
and legal proceedings threatened. Final
ly the DIRECTORS consented to surrender
any claims they might have to a certain
portion of the land, If the city would
relinquish its claim to certain other por-
tons of the tract. This was done, and
so Echo park resulted. The first i'm
provements were begun in October, 1892, |
and to the end of the year the total ex-
penditure will have been $19,50O, the !,
average monthly outlay being about |
5000. There is lake covering seven
teen acres, and much larger amount |
of money than has heretofore been ex-
pended could be laid out on this park
with advantage.
Westlake park, on West Seventh
street, is par excellence the peoples
recreation ground. On each Sunday
throughout the year and upon all holt
days the park proves inadequate to COM
fortably accommodate the thousands of /
people that saunter about enjoying the
balmy air laden with the perfume of a
thousand varieties of flowers, enjoying
the picturesque views in the park itself
and the lovely landscape in which it is
set, while listening to the music of the
band.
There are twenty-five acres in this
park, of which fifteen are given I'D to l.
the irregularly shaped lake. Ten years
ago, when the tract was donated by sew
eral citizens, the site was dry, alkali
hole, and in the interim most delight
full resort has been developed. 1t is the
most improved park in the city and con-
tains 300 varieties of trees and a very
wide range of shrubbery and plants. The
sail boats on the lake add very materi-
ally to the picturesqueness of the park.
and milk and other simple drinks and
food for children that can be obtained !
at the kiosk make the park charming :
resort for children. An open space of
about three-quarters of an acre in front
Of the bandstand affords quite a large
seating capacity for those visitors who
desire to enjoy the band concerts, at
close range. From November 1890. to
January l, 1898, the total expenditure
on this park has been SIS, 500, and a sum ,,
Dr. 700 is on an average expended .
monthly on the park. The boating priv
llege has yielded an annual revenue to !,
The city of 5000 since 1892.
Lying beyond and to the west of West
axe park, at the city limits, is Sunset
Dark This is an undeveloped tract of :.
WE'VE acres donated to the city, and :
Upon which nothing has been vet done. :.
The sum of $1,000 was appropriated some :
little Time ago, and in early spring be- :,
ginning Will be made in the way of i'm /,
,rovement. When this park is improved
t Will practically be an annex to West
axe, being connected with it by the 4,
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