Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-07
KILL ORDINANCE
ON CREMATORIES
COUNCIL REFUSES TO PRO-
HIBlT ESTABLISHMENT
President Theodore Summerlsnd
Makes Hard Fight, but Colleagues
Vote Unanimously to File
tlf Proposed Measure

AiNNu ny bHpuN AVV ltHlutuib VI r AOD
Heights, many of whom were women,
Theodore Summerland, president of
the city council, made brave but
losing fight to prohibit the establish
ment Of the proposed crematory at
the corner of Sixteenth and Grover
streets, adjoining Rosedale cemetery.
An ordinance was introduced by
Judge j. d. Pope prohibiting the es-
tablshment of a crematory within the
city limits. The council then resolved
itself into a committee of the whole,
with President Summerland on the
floor and Councilman Harmon in the
chair
For more than an hour President
Summerland fought to have the COM
mittee of the whole recommend to the
council the adoption of the ordinance,
but he was unable to get second
to his motion. When the president
paused for breath, Judge Pope, r.
Darrow, A. l.. Ross, Mrs. Taylor and
others of high standing in the Pico
Heights community tried to persuade
the council that it was the duty of
that body to pass the ordinance.
Judge Pope read from the city Or
dnances several sections prohibiting
the further establishment of cemeteries
within the city limits, and declared
that the crematory was but another
form OF cemetery
Claim Values Deprecated
Had crematories been prominent
enough to merit the recognition of the
council when this ordinance was
passed there is no doubt but what
they would have been included" said
Judge Pope, but they are compare
lively new institution and their men
ace to property was not considered
at that time"
Luther G.. Brown, secretary of the
Los Angeles Crematory association,
the corporation which is building the
institution, defended the proposition
by declaring that not only would the
crematory not depreciate the value of
property, as the protestants had de-
clared but would enhance it's value as
the building would be one of the fin
est of its kind in the world and would
shut off the view of considerable
portion of Rosedale cemetery.
THE cemetery has caused a depre-
citation of values" said Mr. Brown,
which the crematory will enhance.
A. L. Ross, who deals in real estate
in that vicinity, has told me that he
has sold property in the neighbor-
hood of the cemetery for less than
half its value because the cemetery
is there. Now I will buy every piece
of property within 250 feet of the
crematory at the same price for which
wi. INOoo vi liS llldlly SOlu II ana pay
for the improvements at a reasonable
figure
Ordinance Is Filed
The sentiment attached to the Gre
nation of bodies was one of the prin-
cipal objections to the institution ac-
cording to Mrs. Taylor, president of
the Civil league of Pico Heights and
chairman of the non-extension commit
Zee of the Outdoor Art club. Other
women advanced the same argument
and pleaded for the home life of the
vicinity.
When President Summerland found
that he would receive no support from
the council for the passage of the or
dinance, he endeavored to have the
proposition kept alive by leaving it in
the hands of the committee of the
whole, but the clamor from the lobby
of Pico Heights residents to have some
immediate action taken brought it be-
Tor the council in such a way that
some action was deemed advisable
Braving the wrath of nearly 100 peo-
pie, councilman Ford moved that the
ordnance be filed. Every councilman
present. with the exception of Presi-
dent Summerland voted for this filing
and thus the proposition was con-
signed to the graveyard of objection
able measures
People Grow Angry
When the death knell of the ordi-
nance was thus sounded angry wo- |
men gathered around Councilman
Ford all talking at once and leaving
the councilman from the First no
ehance to defend his action. He stated
that he did not believe that the filing
OF the ordinance would entirely kill |
the whole proposition but thought that
II would leave it open for some other
mode of settlement.
While the women were expostulating
with Councilman Ford some of the
men were threatening dire things to
the members of the council when they
should seek reelection. One of the |
lobbyists stated that Pico Heights |
was by no means through with the
proposition and that the residents
would hound Mr.. Brown and his as
soeiates until they would be glad to
stop further work on the crematory. |
He threatened that if they could re-
ceive no redress at the hands of the |
present council they would bring it !
up before the next council and make
1t plank in the next municipal cam