Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-29
MASS MEETING
BOOMS CAUSE
OFGOOD ROADS
MUCH ENTHUSIASM SHOWN BY
CITIZENS
CROWD AT SIMPSON AUDITORIUM
CHEERS MOVEMENT
Facts, Figures and Theories Regard
Ing Improved Highways Set
Forth in Convincing
Manner

If any one in Los Angeles was in
doubt as to the attitude of the citizens
| toward the good roads movement that
doubt would have been dispelled by the
big mass meeting at Simpson audltorl
um last night.
There was enthusiasm. lots of it, and
the determination expressed by. every
one who had anything to say that the
campaign will be carried through until
the close of election day and the good
roads bonds carried by big major
ity.
The meeting last night was one of
| the most important of the series. II
| had been advertised well, and Dig
crowd was on hand to hear the bene-
| fits of good roads expounded. And
| they were not disappointed. Facts, hg-
ures and theories were set forth in a
convincing manner, and If there were
any doubters they must have gone
away converts. an,
| good roads banners and in which red
| fire was burned reached Simpson audi
torium about s o'clock and played sew
eral selections, after which 1t was an
nounced the meeting was about to pc
gin in the auditorium. The place was
well filed at this time put aLter eIe
music ceased the people began TO ar
rive in crowds and in short time al
most every seat on the lower floor was
| taken.
George n. Stewart Presides
George H. Stewart, president of the
chamber of commerce, was the cnar
man of the evening. He made brlet
address in which he said the cnaInneS
of commerce was thoroughly in accord
with the good roads movement anu
stood ready to assist the undertaking
| in every way possible.
Mr.. Stewart introduced Seward A.
Simon, who dwelt at length upon the
| advantages of improved highways. he
cited instances in ancient history where
| GOOD roads were the making of an en-
pire He told of the roads Leading 10
| Rome; of the Appian way, and or the
| interest taken by the Romans III per
| fecting their highways, and stated tIlaC
| the citizens of Los Angeles county
| should revive in them some of the
| snirit of the early Romans. He told OF
q conversation he had with citizen
| several days ago, when he was asked
the pointed question: How ABOUT
graft?" He declared that the men VINO
are now interested in the good roaus
movement and who are acting on COM
mittees are of the highest integrity
and that with the advisory board com
nosed of the foremost citizens of Los
Angeles, and with the power of the
board of supervisors, there Will be no
possible chance for graft. ~
The speaker closed his remarks Win
the statement that the people of this
county could not afford to register
negative vote on these bonds at the
election next Thursday.
Quartet Makes a Hit
The Angelus quartet was introduced
and rendered a. selection Wh1ch was
heartily applauded by the assemblage.
They responded to the encore and were
again applauded.
chairman Stewart then remarked
that if the kind treatment extended the
singers be given to the speakers the
committee would appreciate 1t.
A. ]. Wallace, chairman of the mn
ance committee of the Good Roads as
sociation, was the next speaker. He
smoke convincingly of the benefit that
the good roads would bring TO the res
idents not only of Los Angeles, but OF
Southern California as well. He told
of the roads built by Cortez In Mexico
more than 300 years ago, and declared
that although the Anglo-Saxons think
themselves the whole thing the Lat
in-Americans were far ahead of us.
He stated that before the good roads
movement, which has barely begun,
will have advanced much farther, not
only the 307 miles of highway Wnlch
are TO be WIN VIZ P~foNN'NNO
bond issue will be built, but twice as
MANY miles will be under course of
construction.
He declared that the tax rate to car
nv the bonds would not amount 70
much, and said that after the ponds
were sold the tax rate would decrease
from year to year until It Wo9la De out
half of the rate at the beginning.
He described the appearance OF the
finished roads as planned, and declared
they would be something to be PROUD
Of and would be a lasting beneflt TO the
citizens of this section.
Eddy Is Enthusiastic
]. w. Eddy, secretary of the Califor-
MIA Good Roads association and also
secretary of the Stockton chamber OF
commerce, spoke enthusiastically in IA
Vor of the movement.
He compared the low rate of taxa"
ton that would be imposed upon resi-
dents of Los Angeles county to the
high rate that was made necessary TO
undertake the project in Stockton.
| He told of the advantages 1t would
bring to the people, not only of Los
| Angeles county but of the state or Cal
| ifornia, because the people of the east
are watching our every move, he said,
| and with good roads more settlers will
come to this state. He was heartily
applauded during the course of his ad-
| dress.
Bishop Conaty told Of the poor con-
dition of the roads in different parts OF
fhe county. He declared his patience
was severely tried on numerous occa-
sions while riding or walking along
rough and uneven streets. He said he
was not a paver himself, but he could
appreciate a good street as much as
any one.
He stated he has been severely taxed
on several occasions in explaining to
friends from the east the cause of the
moor highways. He said also he has
scouired the nature of the Los Angeles
citizen, who is able to explain almost
everything concerning this city.
Our Climate an Excuse
His remarks concerning the climate
as being an excuse for the exaggera-