Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-05
GREAT AND MORE BEAUTIFUL

Only one regret is evoked by the an
nouncement that comprehensive plan
for beautifying Los Angeles has been
provided for by the city council. The
regret is that the step was not taken
long ago.
With all the admiration accorded to
the earlier dwellers in this city, the
community of the present day cannot
forgive the civic blunders that now are
such universal sources of regret. IT
Jars the pride of the contemporary An
geleno to have his attention called by
visitors to our wondrous misfit in
streets, to the lack of public breathing
places in the central parts Of the city.
to the hideous bridges that span the
river, and to the general want Of civic
method in the days that are gone.
But are not the sensitive Angelenos
Of the present day amenable to just the
same measure Of criticism that they
mete out to their predecessors?
Los Angeles is a younger city today,
paradoxical as it may seem, than it was
quarter of a century or more ago.
That is to say, the city's future at the
earlier period. as viewed by its citizens.
had narrow and near limitations. Prior
to its start as an enterprising American
town the most optimistic citizen hardly
dared to predict that Los Angeles
would ultimately become a city of
100000 inhabitants which is about one
third its present population.
But the future of this city as we all
see it now is without Limitation. 1t is
readily seen that the population will
approximate half million when the
next federal census is taken, in 1910.
and it requires no great stretch Of i'm
agination to see a city of a million
right here within a dozen years from
this date.
Consideration of this prospective fu-
ture brings us back to the starting
point that the Angeleno of the present
day is quite as open to criticism as is
his predecessor for negligence in the
matter Of provision for artistic effect in
civic improvement.
What has the present generation done
in the way of enhancing the natural
beauties Of the city and it's environ
ment?
But it is never too late to mend"
1t is impossible to correct all the mis-
takes made in the early outlaying of
the city, but the present is just the
time to make provision against mis-
takes of the future. That is the point
to which the city council has been
aroused and to which that body has
made response by providing for the
comprehensive plan in question.
The proper course has been adopted
in starting the project for making Los
Angeles "a thing of beauty and a joy
forever" The relatively trivial sum to
be expended for a plan, designed by a
recognized authority of national fame
in his line, will prove to be one of the
most satisfactory investments the city
ever has made.
The time is just ripe now for this
new departure in civic improvement fol-
the reason that there is pressing meet
for several new puolic buildings, new
river bridges, park improvements
boulevards and more modern streets
Los Angeles is just entering upon a
greater metropolitan era which is as
sure as the coming of sunrise to cui.
inmate in making it not only the me,
| tropolis of the Pacific coast but one ot
the most important cities of the world
Now is the time to adopt system thai
will warrant its future Characterization
as "The city beautiful"