Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-18
MERRITT MEMORIAL

In order to clarity the thought of
the city fathers in the decision whether
or not to permit the erection of the
Merritt building at Eighth and Broad
way. the writer offers the following
points:
Ffrst-The erection of the building
(if the plan of it published in The
Herald is the real plan) is not viola
ton of the present ordinance on height
of business structures. That ordinance
was adopted in order to protect the
business houses and hotels from loss
of sunlight and air and to keep the
streets comfortable and attractive to
all users of them. The section of the
| Merritt building which will exclude
| light and air is not higher than the
ordinance allows, while all above that
is n vanishing spire whose shadow will
fall mainly on itself, and whose open'
tapering form does not obstruct nor
defect the free air. Moreover, the COM
mercial section of the building, being
within the limits of the present regu-
1ation. leaves only the question or
whether or not the city may permit q
tower, cupola or belvedere to be built
above the limit of the business build
ing. which is no question at all. on
new library, city hall, court house.
union railway station, monument OF
on anv business structure, the city
has the right under the present orol-
nance to permit tower, spire or bel
vedere. 1t Is not forbidden, though 1t
may not be mentioned. The letter is
not transgressed and the spirit OF the
regulation is upheld.
Second-Especially is the belvedere
permissible when it Is for the free use
Of all the people. The cupola with lts
two wide open galleries (Which we
understand are to be always free to the
public without charge for admission FOR
entrance or elevator service) is in real
ity a little park for the people OF Los
Angeles in it's most crowded portlon'
and where needed most-a little play
ground in midair, just as acceptable
and of far more practical benefit than
the most beautiful surface park or
sunlyen gardens, because it will be used
bv thousands who cannot enjoy the
mark or garden. If Mr.. Merritt guar
antees the two wide galleries at l3o and
| 1SO-feet elevation, with free elevator
service. he makes a gift of little park
m the Deople. which, we venture to
predict, will be more used and enjoyed
/ than any park in the city. For the
writer has found in his visits to all the
! leading cities of this country and Eu-
rome that the real tourists, such as we
wish to have visit and sojourn here
and the enterprising and public spirited
citizens, such as we wish to abide here
are always seeking just such an out
| look in the very center of the city
Every true traveller knows that an
hours study Of a great city from a
| belvedere overhanging its center is the
most interesting and instructive hour
| he can spend in that city. Thencetorth
with the city visuaized-with the map
Of It in his mind--he will go more easily
and intelllgently to every part OF 1t
than he can do otherwise. 1t Is time
]
saving, instructive, recreatiye and
pleasing. And the citizen Of civic pride
will desire to go often himself and to
take his friends to such a lookout at
the city's heart. A gentleman from
| Asia-a missionary-who would have
but two hours in San Francisco, asked
the writer how he could get the most
satisfactory view OF the city in a few
minutes, and I directed him at once
to the cupola of the Cali building, or
the top of the Fairmont hotel. He chose
the former and said he had made nc
mistake. L have climbed old Trinity
spire in New York city before there
were any skysorapers, trudging up the
hundreds Of narrow stone steps, be-
\cause wished tn see Broadway and