Nov. 14, 1924: This is the second of two articles I have from the Los Angeles Examiner titled “Rediscovering Los Angeles.” Notice that even in 1924 people were complaining about traffic and congested streets. Reporter W.W. Kane notes:
Residents of later days made repeated attempts to widen Seventh Street beyond Hill. But the majority declared that ‘cows never would require a wider path than what was already there.’
Broadway has been widened twice.
The reason for narrow streets in Los Angeles, according to this article was law based on Spanish custom.
And ostrich plumes, once the height of fashion, were passe in 1924.
ladailymirror.com 
The text regarding the “cold counties” is easier to read here.
https://books.google.com/books?id=3cE1AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA218&dq=%22in+cold+countries+the+streets+shall+be+wide%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiRgsHbrPXKAhVJ-2MKHfmpCLMQ6AEIHTAA#v=onepage&q=%22in%20cold%20countries%20the%20streets%20shall%20be%20wide%22&f=false
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Hey thanks!
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I’m loving these pieces about “Rediscovering Los Angeles.” We often don’t document what seems like everyday life to us. To me, everyday social history is fascinating.
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Yes, it’s worth noting that even in 1924 Los Angeles was being “rediscovered.” These are fascinating features. Unfortunately, the only way to get them is from the microfilm of the Examiner and in the Digital Age, that is a significant obstacle.
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When I was doing some research on the Los Angeles Angels baseball team of that era, I found a mention of fans leaving the game at Washington Park early to “beat the traffic”! That was in 1918 or so! Can’t find the exact citation, but it was in the story about the game.
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Absolutely true. Los Angeles traffic is at least a 120-year-old problem.
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