The herald., 1898-01-02
Few Of Los Angeles Advantages

naturally fell into the citys possession
A year ago $4,000, contributed by phi
lanthropic people, was expended, an,
with good effect. A main entrance an,
approach was made on Buena Visit.
street at Fremont's Gate, q road bein)
constructed from that point for thre,
miles.
In 1892, when Henry T. Hazard wa
mayor, the first attempt was made at i'm
provement by the construction of VIVA
was facetiously chrlstened Hazard.
burro trail" This was the beginnin,
of boulevard, but after the expenditure
of $5736. no further work was done
Many visitors desire to visit the propa
eating and green houses, and the rose
garden, and these enter the park by ap.
preaching from College and Adobe
streets. In the rose garden are 500 diff.
ferent varieties Of the queen of flowers
In the botanical section of twelve acres
are 300 varieties of plants from all parts
of the world; and there have been set out
elsewhere 10000 eastern forest trees OF
$50 different varieties.
From November, 1890, to January l.
1898, there will have been expended upon
Elysian park the sum Of $47,5O0.
The magnificent donation to the city
by G. j. Griffith of 5000 acres OF land for
park purposes has furnished Los An
geles with the opportunity to possess a
park superior, probably, to any in the
United States. The natural advantages
are such as are possessed by no other
city park in the country. Not only is
there level ground in plenty, undulating
land that will lend itself readily to
striking effects in the planting out of
| flowers, but there are hills and wales,
and, indeed. mountains. Throughout it
meanders the Los Angeles river. Ac-
curate surveys have not yet been COM
pleted, and so its boundaries are not yet
defined. There Is quite large quantity
of good agricultural land embraced in
this 3000-acre tract, and if the
city should desire to let this
off and apply the proceeds to
the park development, then, with
an annual appropriation from the
city, the park might be made superb
resort for the citizens. But the work
can only be done slowly as in the case of
the Golden Gate park at San Fran
cisco. That park has been made out of
sand dunes by slow but steady system
of work through long series of years
In the Griffith park the soil is excellent,
and the broken character of the land af-
fords excellent opportunity for the skill
of the landscape gardener. The ap-
proach to thespark is along Vermont
avenue, from Temple street, or along the
Los Feliz road, on the west side of the
river.
In East Los Angeles is one of the finest
and most highly cultivated of all the city
parks. 1t is on the old Adobe road, and
contains So acres, of which 10 acres are
comprised in the lake. Previous to 1890
this park was not in existence, and the
way in which it came to be made was
some such way as this: The Southern
Pacific was thinking about erecting a car
shop in East Los Angeles, and the city
agreed, if the company would do so, to
donate the ground where the park now
lies for the purpose. The negotiations
had gone so far that the city bought the
land for the purpose of transferring it
to the company, but at the last moment,
so to speak, the railroad company backed
down, and decided not to build. The
city, being left with the tract of land on
ieS iidiiOo, dl Il idteI udle IndQe IL into
a park.
The display made in the conservato-
ries is very fine, many rare varieties of
plants here being displayed. Here are
propagated the plants required at the
other city parks. To date there has been
upon the parks improvement
$1,000, the monthly expenditure being
on an average $3.50.
Boyle Heights has two parks The |
first and most important is Hollenbeck
park a tract of 26 acres donated to the |
,ity jointly by Mrs. Hollenbeck and ex-
Mayor Workman. The park fronts on |
Cummings street, and has an eight-acre |
AXE that adds much to the beauty of |
the park. Overlooking the park on one |
side 10 the Hollenbeck home, while the
Catholic orphanage, on another side.
Freaks the sky line and improves the
landscape. From January l, 1898, to
January l. 1898, total amount of 1927, 500
Will have been expended in improve
nents. and it's cost to the city each
month averages about 1926.
The second park at Boyle Heights is
he one known as Prospect park, con-
aiming 3.12 acres. The entrance is on
lchandia street, and while there are
many forest trees in this park by rea-
on of the light traffic it always presents
beautiful appearance. To the first
the new year the sum of $40, 500 will
AVE been expended, and on an average
he sum of SIPS is paid out each month.