Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-14
Enterprise Supported
by Chamber of
Commerce
Prominent Citizens Ride
Over Proposed
Route
Broad Road From City to Shore VIII
Require Little Work and Be of
Immense Benefit to South
ern California

The probabilities are that within a
few months Los Angeles will have a
magnificent highway extending along
Wiltshire boulevard, clear through to
the sea at Santa Monica.
Members of the parks and boulevards
committee of the chamber of commerce
went over the proposed route yester-
day afternoon and, without exception,
they favor the plan.
In addition to the members of the
parks and boulevards committee, the
board of supervisors and twenty busi-
ness men of Los Angeles went on the
trip. They were received at Sherman
by a delegation of business men from
Santa Monica, and were entertained
at luncheon on the ship hotel at Venice.
The proposed route extends from Will
shire boulevard and the city limits to
Sherman, through the grounds of the
Soldiers home and along Sunset boule-
ward to Santa Monica. Every member
of the party was enthusiastic over the
route and each one spoke of the adj
vantages of it.
Will Be Genuine Boulevard
The party started shortly before noon
and was conveyed over the route in
automobiles.
r. w. Blanchard, secretary of the
the chamber of commerce, said in re-
gard to the proposed highway: III
this is put through 1t is to be a boule-
ward such as Is spoken of in the stats
law. This is the description of boue-
ward given by the state code of Cali
fornia. "A boulevard is a highway Of
limited dedication and use, not less
than 100 feet wide and over which no
wagon for heavy teaming having a
tire of less than four inches shall be
permitted to pass, and upon and along
and over which no franchise for tele-
phone, telegraph or electric wires or
poles, or for the operation or running
cars or vehicles upon fixed tracks or
rails thereon shall ever be granted
Highway Is Easily Followed
1.-THE view along the proposed route
is most slightly and is in fact one of
the most beautiful I have even seen.
1t would be simply ideal for automo-
bfles or indeed. for any kind of pleas
ure vehicles. The great practical adj
vantage of the route is that 1t is SO
simple and easily followed.
Upon all the other routes any one
who drives over them for the first
time is almost certain to get confused
and lost, but with this one there arS
no devious paths to be followed. 1t is
all plain and any one in the world
who had been told the route could find
the way from Los Angeles to the beach
without the slightest difficulty.
'In the true sense of the word, there
are no boulevards in Southern Cali
fornia. Not one of the so-called boule-
wards is dedicated to the use Of light
vehicles and upon none Of them is
heavy traffic prohibited. The heavy
wagons with the narrow tires cut the
face of any road, however good, and
it is only matter of time until it Is
all covered with ruts.
Route Overlooks Valley
"The boulevard would start at West
lake park and would go about half a
mile south of Sherman, connecting with
the boulevard which has been started
by the Santa Monica Land and Water
company, and which is called the San
Vicente road.
'The proposed route overlooks the
whole valley and for that reason Is
more desirable than the Washington
street way which follows the valley to
the sea. In short, the Wiltshire boule-
ward route seems not only the most
feasible but the most desirable drive
way from Los Angeles to the sea. 1
was impressed far beyond my ex-
pectations."
Robert McGarvin, another member
of the parks and boulevard committee
said: zone feature of the proposed
route which must not be overlooked
is the great attraction which such a
boulevard would be for tourists. Hun
dreds of wealthy people are deferred
from coming to Southern California be-
cause they fear that the roads are not
good enough for their automobiles. If
Los Angeles once established reputa-
tion for having the best roads in Cal
ifornia, the difference in the
number of wealthy tourists who come
to this country would be very notice.
able.
Highway Most Practicable
''The people along the route, are very
enthusiastic over the boulevard and I
believe that they would be more than
glad to bear the cost of the construc-
tion of such boulevard, as the value
of their property would be increased
greatly, j believe.
ut is most practicable route and has
many advantages over the others which |
have been proposed. One of the main !