The herald., 1898-01-02
IN FORMER DAYS

built, from the depot of the Southern
California Railway company to the
southern limits of the city. Two years
ago this line passed into the hands of
the present company, and will ultimate
ly be electrified.
Meantime, in 1885, the first cable road
In Los Angeles was constructed up Sec
ond street, over very heavy grades to
the then western limits of the city. 1t
could not be made to pay, and a few
years later was abandoned The year
following another cable road was built
up Temple street, over the hills and
into the section in which the Beaudry
Bros, originators of the enterprise, were
heavily interested. Streets had been
graded, trees planted and the first water
plant in the city was designed with the
purpose in view of supplying this sec
ton with water, and other improve
ments made. But the cable road did not
pay. Some of the grades were very
heavy, the settlement of the hill district
was slow, despite the fact that in some
| respects 1T was the most desirable in
the city. The view of mountain and val
ley to be obtained from the high lying
lands is unsurpassed and ought, per-
iitiPc, " nave allIdClGu TeSlueHlS, DCL
builders of homes were not then moved
by aesthetic considerations, and the
building sites in the south and south
west had the preference. When the
rapid increase in population made it
reasonably certain that the Temple
street district would also benefit, the
discovery of petroleum in that section
removed the last chance of it ever be-
iy,cr nh Df
the cable road the plant is old, the road
bed worn, the rolling stock Anticipated
and receiver is in charge.
The first electric railroad in the city
began running in 1889, from Pico and
Main streets, along Pico to the electric
railway tract, then west of the city
limits. 1t was of rude construction, but
has been improved and Incorporated in
the system of the Los Angeles Railway
company.
During the "boom" period of 1SS6-Ss
the attention of Chicago capitalists was
attracted to the city, and entering the
field they constructed a system of cable
roads, at a cost of nearly 81, 900, OOO which
was completed in 1889. There were
engineering difficulties to be overcome. |
Three large viaducts had to be con-
oil uClCu, Ouc ONcT Tile 0OuIHGTH racine
railway at San Fernando street, one
across the river at First street, and the |
third at Downey avenue. There were
twenty-one miles of single track in the |
system, there being included in it also |
twenty-five miles of horse car lines, and [
power houses were built at Grand ave-
nue. and Seventh street, Boyle Heights |
and at East Los Angeles.
hi ~ \
ing for about year, says the Land of |
Sunshine, a franchise was granted BY |
the city council to build a system of
electric roads throughout the city, to
a great extent paralleling the cable sys-
tenn. On July 4, 1891, the Los Angeles
Consolidated Electric company ran its
first car from the Santa Fe depot, by
way of Second and First streets, to
Westlake park, and the other lines en-.
braced in the system were in operation
by the end of the year. In 1893 the cable
lines were purchased by the company
at foreclosure sale; the Los Angeles
Consolidated Electric Railway company
was reorganized under the present name
Of the Los Angeles Railway company,
In March, 1895, and in February, 1896, the
cable lines were electrified.
There are now being operated eleven
lines of roads, viz: University, West
lake, Grand and Downey avenues, Pico
Heights, Maple avenue, Vernon, Boyle
Heights, Washington street, Ninth
street, East Side park, and Southern
Pacific depot There are seventy-three
miles of single track, a majority of the
ines being double tracked, and 116
motor cars and sixty-flve trailers are
n use.
Fred w. Wood, general manager of
The company, has supervised a vast
amount of difficult work undertaken by
The corporation. The electrizing of the
able roads was great work, and the
Increase in the capacity of the power
house from 1000 to $500 horse power. with i