Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-06-02
4 Wine VILLAGE in California.

A correspondent of the Chicago Repub-
hcan writes from Los Angeles, California,
under date of May 1st:
''Here, on the east bank of the Santa
Anna river, twelve miles from the Pacific
ocean, is community of Germans, nam
ber1ng forty families, that live without
lager bier. They are healthy, prosperous
and happy without the beverage of the
'Faderland' In 1857 they purchased one
thousand two hundred acres of what was
then considered the poorest land in Los
Angeles county, and in the following year
lald 1t out into twenty-acre lots, and have
since brought it to high state of cultiva-
ton.
''These people have shown what results
can be attained in this country by industry
and perseverance, and history of their
efforts will be a guide to those who care to
go and do likewise, and at the same time
indicate to the general reader the produc-
ing capacities of this section, therefore it
may be well for me to give the outlines of
what has been done.
''After the purchase of the land by the
agent, the families were collected in and
about San Francisco, and moved to the
present site of the settlement. The first
two years they had a superintendent and
all worked together; in which time a water
from Santa Anna to irrigate the whole
tract. The land was cleared off. plourhed
narrowed and laid off like corn ground.
except in squares of six instead of four feet,
and theyines planted ar
'sAfter the second year the sr1perinten
dent was discharged, each one by that time
having learned sufficiently to manage his
own affairs and a division of the lands
made Each of the forty householders
got twenty acres OF land, valued from $3.50
to 81 1000, according to location and i'm
provements made; but each householder
got 81, 400, either in land or money. That
is to say, at the end of two years the forty
families, working together, had accumu-
lated property valued at $50, 900 in gold,
besides the improvements made in the
water ditch, which are yet held in common
and very valuable, and besides supporting
and maintaining their families.
In 1861, three years after planting, each
householder had one pipe 130 gallons) of
wine from eight acres of vineyard. the fourth
year 5000 gallons; and since then the aver
age has been 10000 gallons. This year
500, 600 gallons Of wine will be manufactur-
ed by this community.
The people in and about Los Angeles,
who laughed at what they called clutch
stupidity IN trying to grow vines and make
homes on barren waste in 1859, are now
buying up the lands around Anaheim for
ten and twenty dollars an acre, without any
water privileges. These plodding Ger
mans have taught them what persever-
ing industry will accomplish. Men who
came here poor, are to-day rich in their 90
acres of well titled land. What has been
done by these people can be accomplished
in hundreds of places in Southern Califor-
MIA. Good water can be had by digging
from fifteen to twenty feet. Twelve miles
southwest the steamers from San Francisco
touch once a week, where freight is landed
cheaper than at San Pedro, the seaport town
of Los Angeles.
''Forty acres Of the twelve hundred acre
tract were reserved for town, in which
are two hotels, three stores, school house,
church, and other necessaries of thrifty
town in prosperous condition"