Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-17

cities, builded thoughtlessly, without
heed of the day when increased popu-
lation would demand entirely different
palms, have been used to point this city
to the Importance of early provision
for similar contingencies, already to
be regarded as fact when the phe-
nomenal growth of the city within the
last decade is considered
The plans which Mulford Robinson
drew for the city seem not to be prac-
ticable to the conference. AT any rate
they have not been followed, and with
growing demands for wider streets,
more parks, better housing conditions,
and all the needs of a great city, it is
an impossibility to keep these i'm
is some one guiding mind under whose
plans the development may be contin-
ued
PIsTURESQUENEss OF PLAZA
The organization of the association
was left in the hands of a committee
which includes the Rev. Dana Bartlett,
chairman; F. w. Blanchard, Charles
Farwell Edison, Miss Florence Mills
and Mrs. oliver C. Bryant, this COM
mittee to act as an executive board
until such time as members have
greater knowledge of the subject, and
more complete appreciation OF the
needs of the situation.
Sessions yesterday included talk by
Dana Bartlett on showing the proposed
changes he advocates in that portion
of the city adjacent to the plaza. This,
the Oldest part of Los Angeles, has
most picturesque possibilities, and with
the few changes suggested by this stu
dent of social conditions the city would
have a magnificent site for union sta
tion extending from the Plaza to the
Los Angeles river bed; the old church
of Our Lady of the Angels would be
restored, and have sufficient parking
about it to insure it's preservation from
fire and the hills near the tunnel would
be transformed into a magnificent nat
ural amphitheater where ten thousand
persons could be seated to listen to nu-
sic by a municipal band, or to other
entertainment suited to popular taste
Mr.. Bartlett said that the centennial
of the beginning of this old mission
church would be celebrated in 1915, and
suggested that an appropriate celebra-
tion for that event would be the COM
plete restoration of the edifice, and the
enhancement of the surrounding prop
erty to make a fit setting for this his
toric building.
One of the most important papers of
the entire conference was that read
yesterday afternoon by A. B. Benton
on typical architecture for the SOUTH
west He regretted the use of plaster
ornaments, cheap imitation materials,
and inappropriate designs when the
country offered such desirable mate
rials and the necessities of the climate
had suggested a style of architecture
so commensurate with the materials to
be used.
''The use of adobe mud is better than
plaster and staff" he exclaimed, land
Imitation marble, and stone are an in
suit to the intelligence. Why should
we do poorly and with cheap materials
those things which for thousands of
years men have dole grandly?"
The ever present trouble concerning
freight rates came to the fore when
discussing the marble and granite of
this state, which the speaker said
could not be used as building material
on account of the cost. Marble inn
ported from italy and Vermont granite
can be secured at less cost than ma
terials from our own state because the
railroads make through rate from the
Atlantic seaboard, and charge local
rates from Inyo county"
BEAUTIES OF SILVER LAKE
Mr.. Benton said that our city hall
is one of the best west of the Adiron-
dack mountains, Mr.. Benton explained
that at the time the court house was
built there was strong effort made to
secure the other md of the same block
for the city hall and establish a
civic center there at that time. but
real estate politics interfered and the
plan was frustrated.
Will D. Gould in his talk spoke of
the beauties of Silver Lake, one Of
the largest lakes of Southern Cali
fornia, which lies between Elysan
park and Griffith park. He also adj
vocated early and adequate provision
for a railway station, saying that no
city in this country had sufficient ter
ritory for it's railway terminal facilities
excepting Washington, d. c.
Prof. r. L. Larkin commented upon
the wonderful view of Greater Los
Angeles which he obtains from his
observatory on Mount Lowe. and sal
that the natural possibilities of the
city had caused praise and approval
from savants Of many foreign coun-
tries.
Students from the Los Angeles high