The herald., 1898-09-09
LIVE IN tLYSIAN
soUATTERS INVADE THE PARK
PRECINCTS
BOUNDARIES ARE NOT MARKED
Other Park Matters-New Poker Room
Ordinance-Vandals Damage the
City Hall on Holidays

With the army Of janitors around the city
hall, it seems strange that the building
should be totally unmatched on holidays
and be left open to the vandals and hood
lums to wreck and ruin at will. Mayor
Snyder and Clerk Vance have taken the
Labor day depredations in hand, and some
body will have to explain.
The prospect of lot Of lawsuits over
Elysian park boundaries is excellent. Peo-
pie have squatted on park lands for years
and propose to hold their possessions. 1t is
queer that The boundaries Of the park were
never properly marked. The lake in Echo
park is again stagnant, and Hollenbeck
park is drying up in places, while water Is
running to waste.
The council is after the poker rooms
.omorrow-with the same old ordinance
stretched out a little. The poker players
say their attorneys tell them to go right
ahead, and that the ordinance will be use
less In law.
Park Commissioners
The park commissioners met yesterday
morning, Teed, Workman and Mayor Sny-
der being present. The question Of the
condition Of the lake in Echo park was
brought up again. This small body Of wa
ter has caused considerable trouble during
the past two years, as the wafer in 1t stag
mates and becomes not only offensive, but
dsease-br eeding. Several attempts have
been made to remedy the evil but without
success, and the council has finally asked
that the upper end of the lake be filled in.
This the commissioners are unwilling to
do, and the park superintendent was in
structed to try once more to abate the nuis-
auce.
That official reported to the commission
that the boundaries Of Elysian park, espe-
cially on the north, were so poorly marked
that 1t was impossible to tell where the
public domain ended. Both the superin-
tendent and secretary Of the commission
stated they were almost certain that peo-
pie had encroached upon the domain, and
cited case Of one man who occupies thirty
acres Of park land and claims title to the
same because he has resided thereon for
five years.
The commission requested the city en-
gineer to at once run and mark the bound
ary lines of the park in such a way as to
enable the city 10 prevent encroachments
upon the public domain. Numbers Of law
suits are expected as the result Of re-
survey Of the park boundaries.
Hollenbeck park was reported as suffering
from a scarcity Of water, and Commission
er Workman charged that the deputy wa
ter overseer was allowing much Of the wa
ter that should be used on the park to run
to waste. The superintendent Of parks was
ordered to investigate the matter and re-
port.
r-- After the Poker Rooms
A special committee Of the council took
up and considered yesterday an ordinance
framed by Job Hartman and others, which
is intended to so amend the present law
governing poker rooms as to cut off their
revenue from the "kitty." Under the pres
ent law the parties who run poker rooms
take out" a certain number Of checks in
payment for cards, ETC., and the new ord!-
nance is intended to preven. this.
The poker players laugh at the new ordi-
nance, which reads as follows:
"Section l.. It is hereby declared unlawful
for any person or persons, whether prin-
cpal or principals, agent or agents, clerk
or clerks, employe or employees, either fol-
themselves or for any other person or bodies
corporations, within the limits of Los An.
geles, to open up. carry on or conduct, oi
have the charge or control Of any room
apartment or place in said city wherein any
|game of poker or draw poker, or any Other
game played with cards, Is played or dealt
whereby any person owning. managing OF
conducting any place wherein any game
played with cards shall receive benefit OF
compensation or profit ;herefrom, or from
any of the players, either by means Of 6
| kitty 'rake-off' or 'take-out,' or by any
other scheme or device, or by renting o.
selling cards, or furniture, or lights, OF
room, or by any other direct or indirec
way.
"Sec. 2. Any person violating any Of thu
provisions Of this ordinance shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and upon convic
ton shall be punished by a fine Of not les
than $500 or by imprisonment in the cit!
Jail for term of not less than three months
or BOTH"
The codes protect draw poker, so far al
allowing 1t to be openly played for money
but prohibit the kitty" or 'take-off." II
order to meet the law, the proprietors o
the majority Of the poker rooms have incor
porated clubs and get their money in tn
way of 'dues'' from the various members
How they collect these dues is their owl
business, they claim. The matter has beel
fought over and over again, and every tim
the poker players have won. The propose'
ordinance is said to have passed the cit.
attorneys office and will be brought befor
he council at its next meeting.
All Sorts Of Business
| Chief Moore of the fire department ar
rived home yesterday from his vacation
Trip throughout the northwest. His frs
action was to order a general inspection
and parade Of the Los Angeles department
a, o'clock today at the old plaza. All tn
apparatus must be on hand for inspection
| Chief Moore says he is we'll satisfied will
the home department, after comparing
with those of the northern cities. v
City Clerk Hance reports that on Labo
| day vandals wrecked the toilet rooms o
the city hall, cutting the lead pipes. break
ling the doors, sinks, etc. No clew to tn
offenders has been found and in all prob
ability will not be. Clerk Hance will max
special report 20 the council concernin
the matter.
City Auditor Nichols has finished audit
ing all the demands upon the city treasur
FOR the month Of August Demands O