City begins war against flophouse bedbugs

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Los Angeles Women

National Mothers’ Congress (forerunner of PTA), opens

in Los Angeles

Westlake area card party boosts fight against billboards

Mrs. Prior is chose for a fourth term as president of Wednesday Morning Club

Grieving mother sues for loss of her daughter, a waitress,

in February’s gas explosion

Prominent women from many sections of the United State who are interested in child study gathered at the Ebell Club house, 18th and Figueroa streets, this afternoon for the opening of the [National] Mothers’ Congress.

The delegates represent probably the largest organization of women in America, for the Child Study Circle movement, while comparatively new, has attained a popularity which is unprecedented in the history of women’s clubs. . . .

Sweet-faced matrons who are able to give valuable advice concerning the training of children; teachers, anxious to co-operate with the mothers . . . and philanthropists who are interested for the general good of humanity [and] in the proper rearing of the rising generation. . . [attended].

Many flowers, brought from Hollywood, filled the club house with their fragrance. . . .

Joseph Scott, president of the [L.A.] Board of Education, greeted the Congress:

. . . “You are in the land of California, which has witnessed the early work of the padres, who, coming here, found the Indian mother simply a beast of burden, doing all the menial tasks and surveying her husband truly as her lord and master.

“It was a saddening picture for these men who came to spread the light of civilization and instill into the brute man some of the elementary lessons of his duty to the greatest creature on God’s footstool — the mother.”. . .

Mrs. Frederic [Hannah Kent] Schoff, president of the National Congress of Mothers, . . . drew attention to the occasion five years ago when she and Mrs. Joseph T. Mumford, honorary vice president, came to Los Angeles to consult with Mrs. W.W. Murphy concerning the advisability of establishing a congress in California.

. . . the California congress was formed, and it is now one of the largest and most flourishing in America. . . .

[Mrs. Schoff noted that the national congress set for San Francisco in 1905 had been canceled because of the earthquake and fire.]

The purposes of the congress were outlined, the speaker [Mrs. Schoff] saying that the betterment of child-labor laws, the furtherance of child study and the better co-operations of teachers and parents are receiving equal attention.

Rev. E.J. Harper, representing his brother, the mayor, extended greetings to the delegates and guests. . . .

Mrs. F.W. Force, chairman of the hospitality committee, assisted . . . in looking after the comfort of the guests, and Mrs. C.W. Rogers, chairman of the membership committee, is also among those busy today caring for the interests of the congress at the Ebell Club house.

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Los Angeles Express, May 1, 1907

CARD PARTY PLAN TO FIGHT BILLBOARDS

Women who have been waging war against the billboard nuisance do not intend that any merchant shall have occasion to regret his support of the movement.

Society women have determined to show their appreciation for the merchant who does not advertise on billboards by drawing attention to his wares at their social functions. . . .

Mrs. J.F. Kanst, chairman of the anti-billboard committee, today set the ball rolling by giving the first anti-billboard card party ever undertaken in Los Angeles or any other city.

For days Mrs. Kanst and her friends have been busy arranging table covers decorated with advertisements clipped from the daily press. . . . not one represented a firm which patronizes billboards.

At the home of Mrs. Kanst, 432 Westlake Avenue, . . . society women gathered to enjoy the afternoon of military whist. [I didn’t know what this was until Peggy Backlund sent me an e-mail from Walla Walla (below).] . . . As the players progressed from table to table, they paused . . . to read the advertisements on the cover.

Talk about your bad-hair days!

For markers, Mrs. Kanst had provided tiny flags attached to pins, which filled ship-shaped cushions, the idea being to suggest battleships engaged in a billboard war. . . . After the games, refreshments were served on the lawn. . . .

Plans are being made for a renewed battle against the billboards. Within a short time letters will be sent throughout Southern California in an attempt to further educate public sentiment, and the anti-billboard committee expects that this will ultimately result in the total abolishment of the nuisance. . . .

Mrs. Caroline M. Severance has written to the Outdoor Section Civic Association a letter in which she urges the abolishment of the billboards. . . .

Mrs. Frank E. Prior was elected today to succeed Mrs. W. L. Pitkin as president of the Wednesday Morning Club.

The annual meeting took place at the home of Mrs. Prior, 229 N. Sichel St. . . .

[O]ther officers chosen included the following:

Mrs. E.C. Croffman, first vice-president; Mrs. Saunders, second vice-president; Miss Annie E. Pierce, secretary; Mrs. H.E. Ball, treasurer; Mrs. H.H. Harrison, financial secretary.

Mrs. Prior has already served the club as president for three terms, and even

When it was learned that Mrs. Pitkin would not accept renomination, the club made a concerted effort for the election of Mrs. Prior.

What was once Morley’s skating rink can’t now be distinguished from fairyland.

If the flower show which opens there at 7 o’clock tonight is not the nearest approach to the Elysium Fields Los Angeles has yet produced, one hundred or more women from Christ Church and every prominent horticulturist in

For days they have been doing their utmost at the rink to make the visitor believe he is stepping into Paradise.

The May dance at 9 o’clock tonight was planned by Miss Mayfield Brown. Sixty children will be in it, all of them dressed in white and carrying flower wands.

They will crown Aline Chase, a tiny dancer of 4, queen of the May, on a white throne in the rear of the hall.

Solo dances will be given by Aline Brain, Roseta Ashton and Wilma Faust. . . .

Miss May Walker will dance the gypsy dance, and Miss June Golpatrick the Highland fling.

To aid the Lark Ellen Newsboys’ home, which was named in honor of herself, Miss Ellen Beach Yaw gave a benefit concert last night in Temple Auditorium. . . .

Miss Yaw was assisted by Maximilian Dick, violin virtuoso, and Miss Georgelia Lay, solo pianist, and the Woman’s Lyric Club. . . .

As an encore to the waltz song from Mireille, Miss Yaw came forward and, removing her long white gloves, . . . accompanied herself on the piano for a charmingly rendered love song. . . .

This is the 14th concert which Miss Yaw has given for the home, which was started 17 years ago for abandoned boys.

For three years the home struggled on with little or no

Every year she has done the same, the home gradually expanding and taking in a larger number of boys.

Four times they moved to larger quarters, and now they have two homes, one at 120 E. 11th St., and the other at 435 E. 20th St.

There are 30 inmates, and the officers . . . have decided that the quarters are becoming cramped and that it would be better for the little boys to have one place farther out in the country, where they could play and be outdoors.

The proceeds from the concert last evening will be devoted toward buying an acre for this purpose. . . .

Los Angeles Express, May 22, 1907

BEDBUG WAR IS BEGUN

Already the beneficial effects of the new anti-bedbug ordinance is noticeable. Before it the “creepers” are fleeing like grasshoppers before a prairie fire.

Keepers of the lodging-houses where 10 cents rents a bed for the night . . . are . . . ministering sundry deadly potions to the festive little “bedfellows” . . . .

One of the bedbuggiest establishments in the city, the Tourist rooming-house on Los Angeles Street has been closed up by the authorities. . . .

“There was nothing to do but close up the Tourist,” said E.G. Russell, inspector of hotels and rooming-houses.

“The building, which had once been a stable, was literally alive with everything mentioned in the category of creepers.

“In addition to this, the general filthiness of the place and the condition of the beds was such as to seriously menace the health of the neighborhood. . . .”

A visit to several of the cheap rooming-houses in the poor section of the city today disclosed an improved condition in those places where no man in turned away who has 10 cents to liquidate for a bed.

In one lodging-house, at least, conditions were found as satisfactory as could be expected with the class of patrons accommodated.

This was the Workingman’s Metropole, conducted by the Salvation Army at 123 1/2 Wilmington St. Here there are 200 beds, ranging in price from 10 to 20 cents.

The place has just been renovated and the interior repainted. The building is comparatively new, and Capt. J. Berill, who is in charge, denied that creepers had ever infested the place.

He attributes this in large measure to the fact that the lodgers who show the need are compelled to make use of the free baths before retiring, and

Conditions were found not to be so good in the lodging-house conducted by the Volunteers of America at 125 E. 1st St. The floors were very dirty, the lavatory in bad condition, the bed linen in some cases inexcusably dirty, and on the third floor the number of beds exceeded the air space required by law. . . .

[Go to VOA-LA history.]

Improvements are being made in the house conducted by the Union Mission Army, at 232 1/2 E. 4th St. . . .

As the result of a visit of Inspector Russell to the 10-cent house conducted by J. Roderiguez at 107 Marchessault St. [the Plaza area], things there are in a more sanitary condition. . . .

[Said Russell: “T]hey have been improved considerably, and I guess the house now is in about as good condition as can be expected in view of the class of lodgers served.”

(Color and captions badly added by the Web site owner.)

CHARLIE’S BUTTE, OWENS RIVER VALLEY

Charlie’s Butte is a mound of lava piled up on the bank of the Owens River above Independence by some prehistoric volcanic upheaval. It is one of the landmarks of the Owens Valley.

The original plans for the Los Angeles Aqueduct provided that the intake should be located at this point, but further investigation showed that it was possible to locate it three miles nearer to Los Angeles, thereby saving the expense of building that much conduit.

Observations of the flow of the river are taken at this point, and a United States gauging station is now located here.

There is a tale current in the valley which

The story is that a family of whites traveling through the valley were attacked by hostile Indians. In the party was a Negro named Charlie, who was a servant.

When they reached the butte with the Indians in close pursuit, Charlie, with a rifle, stayed behind to cover the retreat. He climbed to the top of the butte and held the Indians back until the party reached the old fort at Independence, but his ammunition became exhausted, and he was killed before reinforcements arrived.

The butte is his monument.