Imperial Valley press., 1935-02-08


lieves il exposes condition that
is not only an injustice to the
EaStside residents of Ell Centre
and a disgrace to this city, but,
and the charge of selfishness may
be made against us, il is a posi-
tive menace TO the health of the
entire city. 1t is a condition that
calls for prompt action by the city
council which is the only agency
that can initiate nn improve
mcnt.
When a community or a part of
community has long suffered in
conveniences and has repeatedly
petitioned the servants of the peo-
pie for relief or at least surcease;
and when these elected or appoint
ed servants of the people fail the
petitioners in their repeated plea,
then it becomes necessary for the
aggrieved to appeal to the supreme
court of iustice-the people.
1t is in this spirit that the under
signed the civic committee of Sal
ton Sea Lodge of ElkS and it's rep
resentativeS in matters pertaining
to the civic betterment of the cit
izenS in this section of the City of
El Centre, presents this appeal to
the supreme bar of justice.
Repeatedly have various commit
tees and organizations, including
this one, made appeal to those in
authority to improve the streets in
this section of the city. If we 90
when it is wet and muddy, we are
told to wait until the roads are in
condition to be worked and then
this and that will be done. If we
go when it is dry and dusty we are
slapped on the back and are assured
that Imperial Valley has but little
rain, etc, but when it is a little
more convenient surceaSe will be
ours. When we have been insistent,
then is instituted the old army game
of buck passing" The city council
win do i the county board of sup
erviSors will; the county board of
supervisors will do if the RFC or
the SERA will cooperate, the RFC
will function if the city council will
cooperate: the SERA will furnish
the labor if the city council will al
low the county board of supervisors
to use their machinery in the city
limits. And thus on and on to the
point of evaporation.
Many Promises Made
Added to these numerous and un-
fulfilled promises we have those OF
the professional and perennial poll
tician. When campaigning he pro-
misses everything and anything. To
listen to him and believe in him you
will not have to wait to go to hea-
ven to get to the golden streets;
you will get them right here on the
East Side in Ell Centro. After he is
in office his ruse You people get
together" There are too many fac
tions over there" And please under
stand Mr.. and Mrs. Public, we know
better When one has to wade
through 1863 names to elect some 30
or more officers, factions aren't
confined to any one side of town.
But back to our appeal. Now what
is happening, with all these eyaSions
and delays. Here is part of an in
corporate city with its streets and
ought to be side walks, under water
and mired in slime and mud. School
attendance is cut from rs per cent
in some rooms to 90 per cent in
others. Stores cannot deliver their
wares through this section of the
city. Only yesterday the delivery
wagon of the I. v. Hardware store
was mired in the middle of First
street and a group of little urchins
had their shoes off and we're in the
middle of the street nearly knee
deep in mud and water helping to
push the truck. Laborers going TO
work were delayed. You say the con-
dition in this storm is unusual? Not
for us. It is ever thus. There have
been instances when physicians
could not reach their patients. You
will note we are discussing this sit
uation from merely the economic
point of vieW-the loss due to de-
crease in average daily school at
tendance: the impossibility of busi-
ness men delivering their wares;
the cases of illness and the scourge
of contagious disease because of the
dreadful unSanitary conditions; the
wear and tear on vehicles sliding in
to ruts and -preyentable COL
lisions. We have said nothing about
the unsightly condition of the en-
tire district, the loathsome condi-
tions for living and consequently
crime breeders; nothing about the
adverse criticism that comes to our
city because of the neglect Of this
section.
Outsiders Criticize
In 1882 when the grand session OF
our order was held in Phoenix, dele
gates from San Francisco to San
Diego came through Ell Centro, a
great motorcade of them, with plans
to visit our new building, spend the
night in Ell Centro, and then on to
Phoenix. When they reached Sec
ond and Main streets, they found a
lake of water in the middle of the
street three blocks long. To this day
we get echoes of it. This weekend
a gathering of delegates were ex-
pected to arrive to attend a church
convention. This is impossible, the
meeting called off and our valley
messengers, Los Angeles and San