Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-26
WITHDRAW OFFER
TO DONATE PARK
WORKMAN AND FRIENDS FEEL
AGGRlEVED
Consider Delay In Accepting Property
as Personal AHront, and Boyle
Heights May Lose Rec
reation Acres

Aggrieved at what was considered
unnecessary delay on the part of the
park commission i'm accepting the
tender of land in Boyle Heights for
park purposes the men who made the
offer have withdrawn It.
Unless the proposition can be
smoothed overland city hall officials
say it can-Boyle Heights may lose
q proposed park.
Land between Stephenson, Venice,
Dakota and Vista drive has been ten
dered the city by property owners, the
tract having been increased by an adj
ditional donation by William II. Work
man. The commission proposed that
additional acreage on the west be
donated also In order to take in higher
land and give better street front
age. This involved an addition of
twenty-four lots.
Withdraw Proposition
One of those chiefly instrumental
In giving the land said he would en-
deavor to get help from the council
and property owners to buy the ad-
ditional strip. Meanwhile the PROPOSE
tion hung fire and the donors finally
withdrew their offer yesterday in the
following letter:
"Owing to the fact that you have
delayed and refused our continuous
appeals for the acceptance Of property
bounded by Stephenson, Venice, Da-
kota and Vista drive to be used for
park purposes we desire to withdraw
all previous propositions. to take ef-
feet at once Expressing our regret
that the city should not see its way
clear to accept the same when eff
fered, we are,
Very truly yours, ETC."
Express Regret
The park commissioners expressed
regret at receipt of the letter and in
structed their secretary to write to
the donors His letter will state:
81 was instructed to make denial Of
your charge of delay and refusal to
accept, such not being the case, the
board simply awaiting adviceS from
you as to whether you would agree to
donate the additional land as requested
by this board"
After the meeting a number of COM
lnissioners criticised the action of the
donors, making the charge that some
one had offered to buy the tract in
question, hence the sudden change of
mind. "
One of the interested PERSONS last
night made this statement:
1--WE wrote the letter simply because
we thought we were treated unfairly.
We donated that land without any
strings tied to it. All we asked was
that the city use it for park purposes
when it could do so.
DAY after we fooled around trying
to persuade the officials to take the
tract and when l found that three of
the commissioners We're opposed used
what Influence ! could bring to show
that it was good thing for the city.
I'VE were told that we had to get !
the additional frontage on Dakota
street; and we tried it. We found the |
ownership was scattered, that some
houses were built there and others con-
templated and finally gave it up.
1T is true we have offers for the
tract since then. We may sell. I will
not say now whether l will reconsider
the withdrawal of the letter. l feel
that have done my duty.
II may add that the persons who
want to buy this strip will do so with
the understanding that if the city
wants the land for park purposes 1t
will be donated.
,"I have secured one railroad for the
Ninth ward and am working on anoth-
er and / believe my efforts in the in
terest of the park have not been en-
rel or tod