The herald., 1898-02-06
Between Los Angeles and
Pasadena
FRANCHISES ARE APPLIED FOR
AN INDEPENDENT SYSTEM TO
BE BUILT
Park Commissioners Take Tallyho
Ride-Street Assessments.
City Hall Notes

Within six months there is to be run
ming new electric road from Los An
geles to Pasadena-that is, If everything
goes as anticipated. In the office OF th'
city clerk yesterday morning there wa:
filed by ]. NJ. Thompson petition to ths
council for a franchise for an electric
railroad from Downey avenue and
Pritchard street to the city limits.
Before the board of supervisors there
was an application filed for franchise
in this city, commencing at DowneN
avenue and Pritchard street. running to
the Mission road, thence to the city linn
it's and in the county from the city
limits on the Mission road to point in
a thousand acre tract known as the Es-
tudillo property through the Estudillo
property i'm a northeasterly direction to
the city limits of South Pasadena.
There was also franchise applied for
today in South Pasadena by Simpson
G. Willett, attorneys in Pasadena, for a
route commencing in the Estudillo prop
erty, of which about 800 acres is in the
city limits of South Pasadena, connect
ing therefrom with Encino avenue, to the
Monterey road, to Palermo avenue, and
along Palermo avenue skirting the Ray
mond hotel lands on the west, to the
northeasterly line of the city limits of
South Pasadena.
The application for a franchise in
Pasadena connects with the South Pasa-
dera franchise at Raymond avenue.
passing the Green hotel, and crossing
Colorado street to Union street. thence
up Union street to Fair Oaks avenue, to
Vineyard street. and from Vineyard
street back to Raymond avenue, form
ing a loop so as to handle cars there
without switching.
The promoters of this road have made
traffic arrangements with the Los An
geles Railway company to operate its
cars over their tracks from Downey ave-
nue. and Pritchard streets to Spring
and Fourth streets, and to fur
nish a transfer over the entire system of
the Los Angeles Railway company for
the same fare now charged by the pres
ent electric road operating between this
city and Pasadena.
The new route is claimed by the own
ers to be about one mile and a half
shorter than the present line, and they
say that the time will be cut to thirty
five minutes running time instead of
fifty-flve minutes, as now required.
The new system will require a tunnel
about 600 feet long, coming out just back
of the ostrich farm in South Pasadena,
and also a trestle work of about 900 feet
crossing the steam railroad tracks and
coming out on Raymond avenue on the
south boundary of the city limits of
Pasadena. This will give the new line
clear track from Fourth and Spring
streets in this city to Union street in
Pasadena without crossing any steam
railroad track on grade. The existing
lines cross the Southern Pacific, Santa
Fe and Terminal tracks on grade seven
times.
The company will be known as the
Los Angeles Suburban Railroad COM
pany and will be absolutely independent
of any other system. The work of con-
structng the powerhouse and buildings
will commence Immediately upon the
granting of the franchise. Mr.. j. NJ
Thompson of Chicago, the promoter. is
one of the foremost western railway
builders and has been formerly identi-
fled with several railway enterprises in
Los Angeles. He is at present in San
Francisco on business connected with
organization, but will return here dur
ing the coming week. Connected with
him are some of the foremost men of
capital and business enterprise, whose
names are sufficient recommendation to
insure absolute success.
The plant will be located just outside
of the city limits on the Inter Urban
Land company's tract. All cars and
equipments will be of the most modern
type.
The estimated cost of building and
equipping the new road is 100000. This
capital is ready to be expended as soon
as the necessary franchises have been
granted, and within the next six months
it is expected to have the road built and
in operation.
In connection with the electric road the
same parties have purchased the Estu-
dilo tract of one thousand acres and
organized the Los Angeles and Pasa-
dena Inter Urban Land company. They
propose to build a boulevard of about
three miles in length through the tract
into South Pasadena, put water on the
land and subdivide it into villa lots and
suburban homes, thus adding another
suburb between the two cities.
The ordinance accompanying the petit
tion filed with the city clerk for present
alton to the council, through some mad
vertence is made out in the form of a
grant to Mr.. Thompson, his successors
and assigns. The law requires that the
franchise must be advertised for sale
and be sold to the highest responsible
Ridder
Wants His Boards to Stay
H. G.. Wiltshire has filed a petition to
the council asking permission to main