Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-10

4. streets. Former Mayor Hazard. 4
4 "Our big issue should be good !
= streets. s."-Councilman Wallace.
3s'*as*s
Los Angeles streets are in bad shape.
Some days ago in the city council the
Firth ward member, A. D. Wallace,
denounced the condition of the thor
oughfares, especially in the downtown
section.
Mayor A. C. Harper has emphasized
these facts in interviews with inter-
ested men.
Daily letters reach the different de-
partments in the city hall complaining
about muddy streets, filthy crossings,
cutters choked with mud and storm
drains out of order.
These grievances when in writing go
the usual routine of being referred to
the board of public works. There they
end.
The board is blamed for present con-
ditions, and its three members, Messrs.
Anderson, Hubbard and Edwards pass
the blame along to the people for not
furnishing more funds to carry on
street maintenance and repair.
On the shoulders of D. K. Edwards,
inspector of public works. falls the re-
sponsibility for the care of the streets.
Since the first Of the year the title has
been his, the office of street superin-
cOSAA
of the year by charter amendment.
Inspector Edwards says he Is doing
the best he can but others charge that
the city is losing prestige in the east
because of the shameful neglect of
street paving, cleaning and repair.
1.-THE police are doing their duty and
the inspector of public works should do
his" is Chief Kerns retort
With but one exception 1t is i'm
possible to find a street in Los Angeles
where the pavement has been laid for
more than a year where the asphalt
is not in need of repair. This one
exception is Mercantile place, the street
which runs from Spring to Broadway
between Fifth and Sixth. The pave
ment there is in excellent condition,
but as no heavy teaming is allowed
on it that fact is not a cause for
wonder.
In other parts of the business dis
trict the pavement is in such condition
that constant complaints are made to
the board of public works and have
even been carried to the mayor by en-
ragged citizens who feel that the city
has been robbed by the contractors.
Holes eight feet in length, two feet
wide and four to six inches in depth
are no uncommon sight, while holes
of a foot square are so common that
they pass without attracting notice.
On Main street, Spring or Broad
way, or on any cross street which is
paved with asphalt between First street
and Seventh, it would keep a dozen
men busy measuring the holes in order
to find out just how much rotten as
phalt had broken down beneath the
horses hoofs.
Holes on First Street
Within one hundred feet of the police
ct an Eircf ctr md within 6ftU
feet of Broadway is a hole nearly
eight feet long, four feet wide at it's
widest part and two feet at its mar
rowest. This hole is about five inches
deep and is caused by horses paving
the spot with their shoes. The pave
ment there has been in this condition
for months and yet no effort has been
made to have 1t repaired. 1t is dan
gerous, as bicycle riders, or drivers of
vehicles driving down the street at
night cannot see it, and should any
of them run into it while going at
fast rate a serious accident would
probably occur.
On Broadway Spring and Main
streets the square stones which are
laid near the street car tracks have
been torn up in many places and the
consequence is that hundreds of small
holes are left and the constant jolting
to buggies which pass along these
streets reminds the occupants more of
a bad country road than a city street.
On any of these three streets holes
fully as large and as dangerous as the
one on First street can be found. No
effort has been made to repair any
of them, although here and there a
spot of lighter asphalt causes one to
remember Of the weeks a street
closed" sign blossomed forth there,
and the spectator wonders why the
workmen, when they had the street
closed, did not repair all the holes in
the neighborhood instead of one or
two isolated ones.
on Hill street between Fourth and
Fifth an effort has been made by some
person to repair a hole in the pave
ment. This hole compared favorably
with the one on First street. The
method used by the person who re-
paired 1t was unique. Several Wheel
barrow loads of broken stone were
dumped into it and the stone left for
horses to beat down with their hoofs.
The stones have mostly been kicked
out of lit, but enough remain to stand
as a monument 70 the work Of some
public spirited citizen.
A Herald reporter yesterday made a
careful investigation of all the so-called
asphalted streets in the downtown dis
trict. On his trip he found there was
more asphalt than holes, but was un-
able to learn that the contractors who
laid the pavement We're to be thanked
for this. In only a few spots could
he find where any repairing had been
done, while business men in several
sections informed him that the pave
ment In front Of their places had not
been repaired in years.
On Fourth street between Spring and
Main a tourist from the east stood
and when asked his opinion OF the
condition Of the pavement there said
well, / have only been In Los An
geles few hours. but II this is a
sample OF the pavement in all parts of
the city think an investigating COM
fhittee should be appointed by your
council to see whether the city got the
grade of asphalt it contracted for.
The pavement on this street-lf there
really Is any paVement-ls rotten"
The pavement at this point is fierce.
Holes have been made IN It by horses