Year: 1875

Though not laid out with taste or reguarl-
ty, the location, surroundings, delightful at
mosphere, and lovely settlements dotted
along the streets and throughout the Valley
of Los Angeles, are truly captivating; and a
stranger is inclined to accept il as the "ne
plus ultra" of habitation for a family. Moth
lug can be more inviting to one who has been
raised and lived long in the rough, irregular
climate anywhere east of the mountains,
and as he contemplates the beautiful scene
ry, and dwells on the cheering prospect, bis
admiration increases until he feels like ex.
claiming Eureka Eureka J" But after re-
naming long enough to become familiar with
all the localities of the town; the very few
crossings from street to street; those streets
or crossings SO occupied from morning till
night with crowds of rapid running vehicles,
throwing up clouds of dust; the terrible odor
arising from innumerable cesspools which
cannot be drained or washed of, and Pontine
marshes skirtIng all along down the uncon-
fined red of the bordering river, and see no
prospect Of improvement; he may still eX-
claim eureka !" II have tound)-not "Par-
longer he stays here, the more he will become
convinced that the city authorities do not
know and are not likly to learn how to reme-
dy these evils; and many such visitors wend
their way back TO their inciement homes, or
some other locality where health and happi-
ness are more in prospect.


Just twenty-three years ago, such, and even
worse, was the condition OF a city (then lit
tie more than a village) which now ranks
third among the great cities OF America. Its
streets were badly laid out, its typography
dotted all over with foul lakes and filthy
ponds, with a sluggish, swampy creek run
nuai sickness and death. The people had
gone on electing to their Councils pop
ular men who were penny wise and
pound foolish" till Doctors grew rich and IA


them and nndprfa X
caste to society. Such was the condition of
st. Louis in 1858. But when that irresistible
man, Luther NJ. Kennett, opened the veins
of the city government, streets were opened
and swipped through blocks wherever their
natural course was interrupted u perfect
system OF sewerage was organized and vigor.
ously executed ;the lakes and ponds began TO
disappear by dirt furnished from the opera
tiOns of good engineering; the great project
of building Mil Creek sewer was COM
menced, by which q large area OF territory
was reclaimed; railroad policy OF unusual
liberality was tnaugurated; experts were
sent abroad TO gather informationin relation
to all matters involving protection and de-
velOpment OF the city; and soon the wide
spread fame OF st. Louis for health, comfort,
and educational and business facilities began
to attract emigrants by thousands from every
State of the Union and every quarter of the
civilized world and st. Louis was at once "a
great city, claiming soon to rival or outstrip
the great metropolis of America.


If the present enterprising Mayor of Los
Angeles should turn his energy that way, or
II such a genius as Luther M.Kennttt should
rise up among US to shape and urge on lib
eral policy of city improvement, the natural
advantages of Los Angeles would enable IL TO
attract such a mum ber of thrifty and enter
prising inhabitants, that period OF five years
would make 1t the rival OF San Francisco.


But, whatever projects for Improvements
may be adopted. their success will be Grip
pied by the material causes OF disease, which
will continue to rise from that large border of
shaded, damp, decomposing soil on the river
to poison the people; for the town must be-
come more and more sickly as the mass of
population increases. Why not cut a straight
ditch or canal deep and wide enough to afford
sufficient earth to form an embankment so
high that the Winter freshets cannot pass
over, and far enough from the mesa border
on the east to allow the largest volume Of
water 10 pass between? 1t would be easy TO
plant it In grass or shrubs TO grow and render
1t permanent. And in view of the impossi-
bility of ofrunning out the sewerage of the city
ifit ever grows to be any larger, to place
where the decomposition will net be danger
Gus TO the population and ruinous TO land
holders In the vicinity, a bold and adequate
policy would suggest the easy practicability
Of extending 1t to the sea. -"