Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-07
Tunnel PLAN
IS DENOUNCED
OBJECTIONS MADE TO SECOND
STREET BASE
Board Of Public Works Sends commu.
nioatlon to Council Giving Rea-
sons for obIeotlng to Pro-
posed improvement

AS far as the board Of public works
Is concerned there will be no Second
street tunnel unless a petition for the
Improvement is brought before it in an
amended form. In a communication
to the council the board gives as its
reasons for denying action on the pro-
posed tunnel the following:
Office of the board of public works.
LOS ANGELES, Cal, Aug. 6. 1906.
"Tirst-The tunnel is to begin and
end on a traffic street. practically de.
stroying said street for block at each
end.
Second-Petitioners ask that the
city bear 10 per cent of the cost of the
tunnel.
"Third-That a perpetual franchise
be granted to the Los Angeles Railway
company on the condition that said
company bear one-half the expense of
construction.
"Fourth-That an elevator be con-
structed from the tunnel to the top Of
the hill at Grand avenue; the said ele-
Walton to be operated by the city per-
petually, free to patrons.
Precedent Involved
Relative to the last two PROPOSE
tions we do not believe it is wise for
the city to enter into the business of
character, and neither do we think it
has the power to grant perpetual
franchise for street railway in a pub
lie roadway, and it is against the best
interests of the city that any right
should be granted any one under which
cars for street passenger service could
be operated perpetualy. In the state
of the city's finances we could not
recommend that it agree to pay out Of
the common treasury 10 per cent of the
cost of this undertaking.
"The results both directly and indi-
rectly of putting a tunnel on Second
street, as asked for, are very serious
and far reaching.
Urged by Protestants
Second street, from Hill to Olive
streets, is a traffic street. and the one
most used by a large population in the
territory from the east side of Olive
street to the west side of Bunker Hill,
between First street and Third street,
which territory is occupied largely by
hotels and apartment houses. This
matter was brought out by the protest
ants at the hearing on last Friday, and
Is partly represented by the names on
the protests.
THE proposed tunnel would not only
deprive the section of the use of the
street for the purpose of travel and
getting supplies and baggage, ETC., but
would also very much depreciate the
property abutting on Second street
east of Olive street.
"The opening of Clay street, be-
tween Second and Third streets, has
been urgently demanded for some
years, and the proceedings are now
nearing completion, much to the graft
fication of many property owners in
that block. The tunnel would inter-
fere with this contemplated improves
ment and indirectly injure property the
full length of Clay street, which is now
only blind street, stopping at Third
street
For the above reasons we cannot
favor the prayer of the petitioners and
therefore recommend its denial.
I'VE further suggest to those inter
ested that before prosecuting this
project further they investigate care
fully the comparative expense and pub
lie convenience of constructing a tun-
mel on the proposed lines and that of
securing entrance and constructing o.
tunnel beginning at some point be-
tween First and Second Streets