Just why the Library Board should have recommended to the City Council the purchasing of an $81,500 site at Eleventh and Figueroa streets for the erecting of a public library has not been made clear, but . . . the matter was referred for investigation to the [council’s] finance committee . . .
The site in question is 300 by 330 feet and extends from Figueroa to Flower Street, with frontage on Eleventh [across from the present Staples Center; it was also called the Odea site].
Taking Second and Spring streets as the business heart of the city, this site is seventeen blocks from the city’s most central point.
. . . the public library is an institution of the people, a general utility, and as such is expected to be accessible to all classes, especially wage earners. . . . move it away from a central location, . . . and it ceases to be free; a 10-cent tax is imposed on the privilege of borrowing its books . . . . The street car companies will collect this tax — and keep it. . . . That means 5 cents car fare out and 5 cents car fare back. . . .
[Instead, the Times argues, the new library should be moved from its crowded quarters in the City Hall to Sixth Street Park, the present Pershing Square.]
Dr. J.W. Trueworthy, president of the Library Board, last night said:
“. . . A beautiful building would add to the attractiveness of the park rather than detract from it; this structure would occupy the spot where the band stand now is, and neither trees, lawn or shrubbery would be sacrificed.
“Another important benefit would be the driving out of the mob element that now infests the park grounds, preaching anarchy, hoodooism, Socialism and other strange isms whose creed is to oppose all government.” . . .
Councilman Theodore Summerland of the Fourth Ward had this to say:
“You don’t expect ME to oppose the Odea site, now do you? Why, if I could, I’d drag every public building south of San Francisco into the Fourth Ward. What am I in the council for? Show me.” . . .
H.W. O’Melveny said: “I very much regret to learn that the Times is opposed to the Odea site. . . . I must be excused for [not] giving my reasons for favoring that site, as I’m off for a six weeks’ vacation, and my train leaves in thirty minutes.”
