Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-19
PAYS HIGH TRIBUTE
TO ACHIEVEMENTS OF
GRIFFITH ]. GRIFFITH

An old friend of Colonel Griffith, one
| who stood by him in the days or MS
adversely, has given The Herald th-
following sketch of the life of the mar
who donated Griffith park to Los An
geles:
Colonel Griffith has resided in this
community since 1873. When the ola
board of trade was started he was one
of its early members and was one OF
the organizers of both the chamber OF
commerce and later the Merchants and
Manufacturers association, serving as
a director for q term in the latter. In
1882 he sold some of his Mexican min
ing interests and invested some $oO'VVc
In Los Angeles property. In 1884 ne
sold his water right to the city OF Los
Angeles for $4,000, and although OF
fered more money by others he re-
fused to break his word with the city
council committee (Joseph Wolfsklil
and Frank SabichD. He served In the
NJ G. c.. as an officer, where he got MS
title. He organized the Citizens league,
served on the board of directors, acted
as secretary honorary and with MS
associates. General Charles FOREMAN
the late James S. Slauson and L. "
Stimson, saved this city and county
hundreds of thousands of dollars. II
was he who organized the Pioneer
Fruit Growers association and 1or
wears served as director In the same
and aided in organizing similar asso-
Citations. both In Riverside and San
Rernardino counties. The fruit grow
ers up to that time were at the mercy
of the shippers. 1t was at the dlnner
he gave the committee in Washington
d. g.. Secretary Dolliver says, that they
decided to change the citrus tarin. IL
proved a. blessing to the growers.
HE was a large contributor to the
many Fiestas and nearly every public
charity, and, above all, was good 10
the moor. He has fed hundreds of
tramps when he resided on his Los
Feliz ranch and it was said that ne
never allowed hungry man to pass
his home. At mass meeting ne was
unanimously selected for chairman OF
the Mckinley memorial services here,
and when the two great halls were
crowded he organized an overflow
meeting in Central park and addressed
over 10000 people himself. 1t was MS
$40. 900 that paid experts who found S9o
clay beds and started the Troplco tie
factory which now has $5OO,OO0 IN the
plant. employs over 200 men and women
and annually turns out several hum
dred tons of the finest floor and art tile
in the world. This same Col. Grl1ltn
+ Griffith on December 15, 1896, DO
mated to the city of Los Angeles 3Ol0
acres for park purposes, giving this
city the largest city park in the world.
''In his donation, after insisting on a
5-cent fare. he used this sentence: 1
wish to make this gift while l am still
in the full vigor of life, that l may en-
JOY with my neighbors its beauties and
measures and that / may bear with
me, when L cross the clouded river, the
pleasing knowledge of the fruition of a
wish long dear to me-.
I'm brief, ever since 1873, there has
not been a great public movement in
this mart of the state for its better
ment up to the day of his misfortune,
hut that Col. Griffith was one of the
wheelhorses in all such events.
II hope The Herald will mention
these facts now so that those at Sacra-
mento who so bitterly opposed his last
session measures will know better
hereafter. All his enemies combined
cannot compare with the public spirit
shown in this community by Col
Griffith"