Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-11
To MAKE GRIFFITH
PARK ACCESSIBLE
Will Enhance Natural Beauty of
Mountain Scenery and Open
Tract to Automobiles
FORTY MEN ARE PUT TO WORK
Superintendent Shearer'S Report
Shows d Miles of New Road
and Many Improvements

Beautiful Griffith park, the 3015 acres
of mountain and valley donated TO
Los Angeles by Griffith J. Griffith, is
being made accessible to the public
Already five miles of road have been
constructed, although this work was
not begun until late last June and as
much more is to be done IL the park
departments finances will permit.
1t has been one of the aims of the
present park department to enhance
the natural beauty of Griffith park and
put it in such shape that it could De
visited by automobiles and other We
hicles instead of mountain climbing
parties only. This has been one OF the
pet projects of Commissioner ]. B. LIP
pincott and he is devoting most OF MS
spsre time and much of his engineer
ing skill to the work.
Frank Shearer, park superintendent
made a report to the commission yes
terday showing some OF the work tnae a
has been accomplished in the last 1eW
months. In part, his report follows:
"In June. 1910, preliminary surveys
were made, lines and grades estab-
lished, for the purpose OF constructing
an extension Of Griffith Park drlVe'
starting at point about one and one
fourth miles north of the ostrich farm'
leading around the foothil slopes at
the north end of Griffith park meadow
following the line of the Los Angeles
Water company's main conduit, north
70 the river flats, winding along the
course and recrosslng the stream at
four points on rustic bridges. This por-
tion of the drive Is in regular jungle
Of dense shade, festooned with grape
Afe nNa TNFn6nninO n seem
ic effect that would be hard to dupli-
cate in any other part of Southern
California
FORTY MEN AT WORK
"Tn June. 1910, through the cour-
tesv extended by the board of public
works. twenty head of city stock were
secured from the aqueduct department,
So that by July 1 the work OF roao
construction was in full swing and an
average force of forty men ana ten
teams has been maintained for a per-
iod of three months. The services on
Mr.. f. A. Brown, one of the best OF
the aqueduct forman, were secured
for this construction work.
'There have been built three and
three-fourth miles of new road or an
average width Of % feet, costing about
$3.50 per mile, and one and one-fourtn
miles of former drive widened ana re-
u. IL
The reason for the increased cost OF
reconstruction being that when the
eoueduct resumed work we returned
their mules and twenty head were
rented at $11 per head per month. The
greater portion of this road was built
on the mountain side.
"rThere is much work to be done on
+he remaining portion of Griffith Park
drive before II will be satisfactory for
public travel. About four miles of
road between the southeast entrance
and the ostrich farm have TO be
widened from twelve feet to twenty
five feet The present line of this road
has been formerly established wltnout
much regard for economy OF construc-
tion or grade, and II is estimated that
the widening and reconstruction will
cost about $240 mile.
"The remainder of the Griffith park
appropriation will be used In improv-
ing the water system, together with the
general maintenance of the park and
Ipkeep of roads already constructed.
Provision has been made for force of
twenty men and eight head of stock to
extend roads and trails during the f1s-
cal year.
"Regarding routes that would give
easy access to the higher elevations In
the park-two roads are possible of
the south side and one on the east side.
An easy grade could be maintained and
the probable cost would not exceed
$4,000 a mile. The present road, which
is designated Griffith Park drive, ter
inmates in a temporary loop near the
northwest corner of the park. The
owners of the land adjacent have under
consideration the granting of a right
of way to the county, this right of way
living between Griffith park and the
Cahuenga pass, leading to West Holly
wood, forms a link in the proposed
scenic drive.
"As Griffith park will in the near
future be a fair sample OF Southern
CaIifornia's mountain scenery, easy of
access to the visitor and resident alike,
1t would be a mistake to change the
landscape effect by introducing alien
features in the way of tree planting,
etc. The native collection of trees and
shrubbery which exists under present
climatic conditions can be greatly en-
hanced by the proper methods Of sylvi-
culture and the introduction of an ade-
uuate supply of water-even the scrub
brush which exists on the south slopes
could be increased in height growth
several feet by the application of water
during the dry season extending from
April to November.
"There is a splendid opportunity for
the introduction and maintenance of a
zoo of magnificent proportions, as there
are canyons and slopes of every imag-
Unable size, shape, aspect and climatic
conditions. The necessary barriers for
the various species that comprise the
ZOO could be. skillfully concealed among
the trees ana shrubs growing on the
different slopes, giving to the visitor
the impression that the inhabitants of
the zoo have each selected a habitat
and are there through natural inclina-
tion.
"a consignment of 5000 rainbow trout
have been received from the state fish
and game commission and distributed
in that portion of the Los Angeles
river flowing through the north end of
Griffith park. The same commission
has promised us number of pheasants
and Mexican quail. Arrangements
have been made to secure a number of
large silver gray squirrels from the
Golden Gate park in San Frisco. We
have in the park number of elk
which are multiplying in number sew
eral nylghau antelope and few white
Russian deer, transferred from East
lake park zoo. which had become over
o~oxry5ad