Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-01

is here presented in full, and it wol
geles might read IL and those that
u, To the Board of Park Commissioners,
Gentlemen; l desire to lay before you'
In writing, a few suggestions looking
to the adoption by the board of a
plan for the management and I'M
proyement of our city parks, and for
the wise expenditure of the public
money appropriated for that purpose
Much seems to be expected of TINS
board by the public and in order to,
at least partially meet this public eX-
pectation. 1t is absolutely necessary
that we should get into working mar
ness without delay.
This is all the more urgent because,
as | view the situation, the park man
agement is now a humdrum affair, ap-
solutey without spirit, a steady out
lay of over $4,000 per month with no
adequate, permanent results TO the
CITY. Considerably over one million or
dollars has been expended upon our
parks during the last ten years eX-
elusive of the money used for the pur-
chase of park sites or park addltlons'
l. of course, realize that the expendi-
lures for daily maintenance are neces-
sarily large; but they are excessively
large. first, by reason of inadequate
labor-saving facilities, which a small
amount of money would supply; ana
second, by reason of keeping up an
old and antiquated system OF park
planting which Is very expensive ana
which does not add TO the scenic
beauty of the parks-in fact, 1t de-
tracts from their beauty.
Automatic sprInklIng
As an example of the first, let me
call your attention to the fact that
nearly all the grass is watered by
hand where men are obliged in many
instances to drag around a 75-foot
section of garden hose, when by using
automatic sprinlSlers and by extend
ing the water pipes to the necessary
and convenient places OF use' 20
foot piece of hose would be sufi1cient
for all purposes and twice the present
results of the labor could be obtained
This is but a sample of other like meth
ods I'm our park management ana is
In itself not small when 1t is borne
In mind that the city last year paid
for over 5000 feet of garden hose for
mark use. This hose is worth in the
market from IL to 20 cents per toot,
and by the methods In use is worn out
in very short time, While the eN-
tension OF pipe lines costs from z TO
70 cents per foot and is practically
permanent in results.
III is also lTut lildl any SSoNNAAA
saves labor or doubles the results OF
labor is Of the utmost Importance in
our mark management, because 30 per
cent of all the park expenditures Is
for labor. AS an example OF the sec
ond we find that two separate prop
agating stations are maintained at
great expense in which plants ana
shrubs are raised and are scattered
largely in small beds in the most In
4
parks. In some instances these plants
are intruated to men not qualified by
nature or education to give them the
necessary care and are therefore vast
ed What l have said of this indis-
criminate, useless, and I might we'll
saw. Objectionable park planting, con-
sidered from every point of view ap-
plies particularly to our smaller
marks. 1 have spoken of this as
q preliminary to tho suggestion of a
special and general park plan, because
II is in those matters that reforms
could be Immediately set in motion,
the depletion of the park funds, by
abandoning the expensive and bad
methods now in use, be checked and
our parks turned from the path OF
retrogression to that Of Improvement
Epoch in Citys History
our city is approaching an epoch in
its history, a period of remarkable
events which will have great influence
on our future. Owens river viii short
ly reach the portals of our city and
will be an accomplished fact. or
that project we are justly proud. The
harnessing of its power for municipal
purposes will speedily follow Our COM
ing harbor. too, with the improved
facilities of approach and improved
means of transportation is an object
of great pride. Our parks should be
next in line. / am told by tourist
agents that Smiley Heights at Red
lands is the best known spot In South
ern California and each tourist re-
turning to his home says to his friends,
"When you visit California don't fail
TO see Smiley Heights" We have in
our parks hundreds of Smiley Heights
each naturally more beautiful, await
ing but the hand of man and the wise
expenditure of money to make them
of worldwide fame. In fact, there is
no other city anywhere that has such
a heritage in her parks as has Los
Angeles.
very reluctantly refer as a further
preliminary matter to our parks as
they now are. And in doing SO and in
what I have said before and shall say
hereafter / do not propose to be cap
tious or personal but, guided by a
sense of duty, to point to the condi-
tions with which the present park
management is confronted. Our parks
are inexcusably commonplace with
scarcely any attractive park features
and hardly up to the standard of q
citv of $4,000 population and yet we
have here a community of over 100000,
with a reasonable hone and expectation
OF reaching the million mark, popu-
lation which is intelligent, progressive
and wealthy. Some of our parks are
filthy to the grade of a public nuisance
and should have been condemned long
ago.
around the Plaza, through portions of
Eastlake and Westlake, win convince
any casual observer of these conditions,
1t is necessary that this condition