Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-17
STREET TRAFFIC

- pal League appointed a committee
~ to investigate and consider the SUBJ
Ject OF Ncomplete and satisfactory
street traffic ordinance to meet the
requirements of the rapidly growing
city of Los Angeles and to relieve, SO
far as practicable, the congestion of
the streets, particularly those In the
center of the retail business district.
The committee was made to consist of
six well known citizens-Lieutenan
Randolph Miner, Charles d. Willard,
I. L. Lowman, f. w. King, Sheriff w.
A. Hammel and Deputy City Attorney
Thomas L. Woolwine.
The sessions of this committee were
attended by Chief of Police Kern or
his secretary, Mr.. Pendegast, who were
able to present valuable data in regard
to the manner in which traffic on some
Of the chief business streets frequently
was seriously impeded by the presence
of large numbers of public automobiles.
cabs, drays, etc, and who advised with
the committee as to practicable ways
and means to relieve this unnecessary
effect in many large cities In other
states were secured and from these
many valuable suggestions were OBJ
tanned.
After an exhaustive study of the sub
ject proposed ordinance for the regu-
lation of traffic was finally agreed upon
and presented to the city council, which
will probably take 1t up for considera-
ton at tomorrow's session.
The ordinance defines the "congested
district" as follows: Spring street
from First street to Seventh street;
Broadway from First street to Seventh
street; First, Second, Third, Fourth,
Fifth, Sixth and Seventh streets from
Main street to Hill street"
Section 23 of the proposed ordinance
provides: 'It shall be unlawful for the
owner, or person in charge, of any
vehicle used in carrying freight, bag
gage or merchandise for hire, to allow
such vehicle. while awaiting employ
ment, to stand upon any street in the
congested district"
Section "a provides: "It shall be
unlawful for the owner or person In
charge of any hack, coach, carriage,
omnibus or automobile used in carry
ing passengers for hire, to allow any
such vehicle, while awaiting employ
ment, to stand upon any street in the
congested district Of the city Of Mos
Angeles, unless such person shall have
procured a permit for such privilege
from the board of police commissioners
of the city of Los Angeles
Section % confers upon the police
commission authority to grant permits
of the class mentioned in the preceding
paragraph upon the written consent of
the owners or occupants of the lands
abutting upon the places designated as
mot more than three such vehicles
shall be permitted to stand on one side
of such street." within any block in
the congested district. These public
vehicles must be kept at least seventy
five feet apart. The license fee for this
class is fixed at $50 per month.
AS might have been expected, the
owners of vehicles for hire, who have
been in the habit Of monopolizing the
streets near the curbing in the con-
gested district and who have come to
regard this privilege as sort Of vested
right, are strenuously opposing the pas
sage of the ordinance, which, they
argue, will 'fnjure their business"
The measure is one calculated to facili-
tate street traffic and Is intended to be
for the good of the greatest number,
and the objections interposed by a
handful of men who have been using
the public thoroughfares for private
purposes should have no influence with
the council.
Los Angeles is not country village
in which every Tom, Dick and Harry
may expect to utilize the streets as he
pleases, regardless of the welfare or
comfort of others. 1t is a large and
rapidly growing city, the freedom of
whose streets from unnecessary obsta-
cles is essential to the transaction of
the business of all it's inhabitants. That
a few men who cater to the public
should enjoy almost unlimited special
privileges to the hurt of the great ma
jority is unthinkable. The proposed
ordinance should be passed.