Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-18

Wall street and the life Of New YORK
at it's heart-from the center out. I
have realized the difference of modern
advantage, when I have been lifted $50
feet to the glorious city view from the
Montgomery Ward tower in the heart
of Chicago. 1t was there I first took
off my hat to Montgomery Ward for
his free favor in elevating man
kind. I have toiled 600 steps up the
minister at Antwerp Ga city just the
size of Los Angeles) and feasted on
the scene below, where the whole city
lies revealed, and its environs as far
as the eye could reach. Though good
fee must be paid for admission, the
dome Of st. Pauls in London, the
tower OF Notre Dame in Paris, the
spire of Milan cathedral have steady
streams of visitors, who climb the dark,
close stairs to their SUBMITS, because
each stands in the very center of the
city. Given a beautiful building in the
heart of Los Angeles, with an outlook
above all adjacent buildings; add
choice architecture, broad, open gall
Ieries and free elevators, and thou
sand people a day will visit it for the
recreation and the pleasure of the view.
It would soon be known the world over,
just as the Call building in San Fran
cisco is known and admired to the
ends of the earth.
Third-The Merritt building is a
study in fine materials and in archi-
tectural skill that will influence the
thousands of young people who visit
1t or pass in view Of it daily. There is
no question that the best ideas of
beauty, permanence, stability of char
acter and work are developed in the
presence Of such structures. The loca-
tion in a community of perfect build-
ing, in the erection of which cost is not
considered, where the only considera-
tion has been an ideal work of honor
and skill, Is always educative and re-
fining. 1t starts young men and
women into the higher ideals of work
that endures-of service that is beau
tiful because perfect-perfect because
done in honor. In these days of cheap
and quick construction, of obtaining
the most room for the least money, we
need deeply just such a structure as
this promises to be. 1t will be new
high school.
Fourth-No one who has seen on the
campus at Berkeley the magnificent
mining building erected by Mrs.
Phoebe Hearst as a memorial to her
husband, miner, can ever question
either the usefulness or the appro-
priateness of that work. 1T was years
in building, was just completed when
the earthquake came, and went through
that ordeal without a scar, the proof
Of its fitness for it's twofold use, as a
school and as a memorial. The highly
enlightened spirit of our day approves
of such memorials-useful and usable-
daily used in the common work and
play of life. The more who use and
enjoy the memorial, the more honor to
the memory of the builder or the
cause. So we have the drinking foun-
tain, the chapel, the library, the en-
dowed school, or charity-use, daily use
in helping to solve the problems and
tighten the burdens Of fellowmen. If
Mr.. Merritt makes a mining memorial
for daily use, with it's complete mining
library, it's costly material and beau
tiful architecture it's grand belvedere
for all the people, it is to his honor,
and the city should so receive it.
F1fth-The people wish the building
under the present understanding of its
plan and purpose. Especially do those
most concerned-those in the imme-
date nelghborhood of its location-de-
sire it's erection and have so petitioned
the council. And this is the genius of
our municipal government, that the
will of the majority Of the people pre-
vail. If a majority of the owners of
property near the proposed building
wish it, certainly a majority of those
farther distant would vote for It, and
thus vote on the question is NOT
necessary. ,,,-,,
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR.