Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-08
IS NOT ASHAMED OF
HIS PAST RECORD
T. L. O'Brien Has Hoed Hard Row,
but Won Out - Splendid
Work Done for His
District

do things first. Then do the talk
ing"
Such is the platform of 7. L. O'Brien,
candidate for nomination for council
man. He has lived his platform all his
life, for he has been doing things, and
in most instances letting others talk
about what he has done. His has been
the doctrine of hard work, deep think
ing and sparse speaking. He is u
seif-made man in every sense of the
word. Everything he has, he has
worked hard to get, just as he is work.
ing hard and talking little to become
one of the Good Government nominees
for council.
Born on a farm near Alma, Mich,
in 1870, Mr.. O'Brien was reared in the
stern school of personal endeavor. Al
the age of IA he became the first paper
carrier of the little city of Alma.
When he was not delivering papers he
was splitting wood to gain the money
which allowed him to go to school, He
learned his lessons well, so well in
fact that at the age of 10 years he was
appointed a teacher in the Alma public
schools. He saved and worked and
finally had money enough to give him
a short term in the State Agricultural
college at Lansing, Mich. While there
to pay his expenses. Later he took
a two years law course at Ann Arbor
but circumstances prevented him from
being graduated. However, he re-
ceived a certificate which allowed him
to practice in the Michigan courts
Recently he. was admitted to practice
in the California courts.
At the age of % Mr.. O'Brien left
Michigan, going to Milwaukee, where
he became a life insurance solicitor. He
made a record for himself in this field
of endeavor and continued there until
1901, when he came to Los Angeles
seeking larger fields.
Trained as a salesman. Mr.. O'Brien
entered the real estate field here, es-
tablishing an office at jefferson and
Main streets. He has continued at that
location since the first day he hung
out his shngle and has been eminently
successful He has lived in Precinct
ia, of the Sixth ward ever since locat-
ing i'm Los Angeles.
Mr., O'Brien is best known for his
constant efforts toward civic improve
ments. He organized and was presi-
dent of the Maple Avenue Improvement
club for a long term. Later the club
was merged with the South Side I'm
proVement association. When the
elected president From that moment
on he was tireless in his efforts to i'm
prove the south end of Los Angeles.
Some of the improvements directly
traceable to Mr.. O'Briens connection
with the improvement association are
street sprinking, garbage collection,
mail delivery, better lights, improved
school facilities and tree planting. One
of the monuments to Mr.. O'Brien's
energy is a line of acacia trees extend
ing two miles from Thirty-seVenth
street to Slauson avenue. These were
planted in 1903, and have caused favor
able comment in dozens of cities
throughout the United States An
other great work done by the improve
ment association under Mr.. O'Brien's
direction was the construction of the
Fortieth street school, at Fortieth,
Trinity and Adair' streets.
In the recall election, when Los An
| geles elected the best mayor it has
ever had, Mr.. O'Brien helped put the
machine to rout in the Sixth ward, and
gave Mayor Alexander an enormous
vote. He also worked for the charter
amendments, and carried the One Hun
dred and Thirteenth, One Hundred AMI
Fourteenth and One Hundred and Fiji
teenth precincts by an overwhelming
majority.
Il want to do all in my power for
the betterment of Los Angeles" said
Mr.. O'Brien, when asked for a state
ment as to the policy he would pursue
if elected to the council II believe in
working each day and meeting the
exigencies of the moment with reme-
dies of the time. 1t is useless to say
what a man will do when he does no.
know what circumstances may control
at future time ANYTHING whic7
means a better, bigger more substan"
tiol los Angeles has my support now.
and will have it in the future. as I
has had in the past, whether I am a
councilman or a private citizen"