Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-14
CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION

Editor Herold: The West Vernon
and South Hoover Improvement as
sooiation is one of seven improvement
associations working for the advance
ment of the rapidly growing south
western portion of the city. All these
associations have united in a fedora
ton which consists of five members
from each of the individual associa-
tions.
The federation meetings are held
every Friday night near the corner
of West Forty-seventh street and
Vermont avenue. The first above
named association holds its regular
meetings every second and fourth
Tuesday evening Of each month, at
the Baptist church, corner of West
Forty-ninth and Figueroa streets. AT
the last meeting of this last named
association some interesting facts were
developed as to the cost of some of
the contemplated improvements and
the order in which these improve
ments ought to be made. While there
is a strong sentiment in favor of I'M
provements, there is quite a loud cry
being made against the expense. In
harmony with the wisest counsels of
our best city financiers, 1t was ad-
vised that we go slow and take up
the work of Improvement in the or
der of its Importance as far as possible
and accomplish one thing at time.
A committee of five reported on the
probable expenses to the condemna-
tion for park purposes OF the little
strip of thirteen acres lying between
Santa Barbara avenue and the former
south boundary of Agricultural park.
These men were all real estate men OF
high standing, and some of them have
had extensive experience in making
appraisals of property in condemna-
tion proceeds. Their estimate on this
property was six thousand dollars
per acre with three thousand as the
cost of condemnation proceedings,
which in all for the thirteen acres,
would amount to eighty-one thousand
dollars From carefully gathered In
formation they showed that there
were about forty-five thousand lots
in the assessment district. This would
amount to approximately one dollar
and eighty cents per lot on an aver
age. 1t was developed at the meeting
that through extravagant statements
made by those in touch with the rail-
road interests some had the impress
sion that the people of this assessment
district would have to pay for the car
barns that the railroad company could
not build and for the Improvement
of Hoover street and Santa Barbara
Editor Herald: The West Vernon
avenue and other streets, making the
expense climb up to the million dollar
mark. and some were led to believe
that they would have to pay from two
to four hundred dollars per lot for
all these. Josh Billings said "It is
better not to know so much than to
know so many things that are not so"
The Improvement of any street de-
pends entirely on the petition of the
people living on that street and half
way to the next parallel streets and
thew are the ones to meet the ex-
pense. So later on in the future. as
these improvements are wanted they
will be demanded and paid for by the
parties interested. 1t will do for chill
dren and feeble minded to believe that
the people win be called on by our
city government to pay for buildings
t at exist only on paper. The think
ing people can see clearly that all this
hue and cry is inspired by desire to
enhance the value Of the property un-
der condemnation proceedings, which
we doubt not will prove futile in the
long run.
INTERESTED TAXPAYERS.
Los Angeles, Cal.