Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-12-31
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OUR RAIL ROADS.
Colonel Peel ON the Situation - He
Thinks s'Number One'' the Winning
Card. "a

EDITOR HERALD: We heartily commend
issue on railroads and by your permission we
will continue the subject by way OF rejoin-
der. Los Angeles county has received too
much benefit from railroads 10 be Indifferent
to full ventilation of this subject from any
and every standpoint. Col. Howard assures
us that Senator Jones is sharp enough to take
care of himself, and we have abundant evi-
dence that the Southern Pacific company will
do the same. Now, as Number One seems to
be the first law in nature, the city and county
of Los Angeles should have an eye to the
main chance.
This city and county have contributed lib
orally TO the building OF over one hundred
miles ofroad now in active operation in the
county. They have subscribed and paid over
nine hundred thousand dollars for that pur-
pose. But for every dollar thus appropriated
five dollars have been returned to us in the
enhanced valuation of property and in the
actual business operations OF the county. Be-
sides this the positive wealth added to the
county by the roads is enormous. The tax to
be derived from these roads alone, to say
nothing OF the enhanced valuation of prop
erty, will refund to the county within twenty
years, the entire amount of our appropria-
tons. f#N
Thus II will be seen we have been greatly
benefited by the appropriations. But while
the countya at large has been greatly benefited
by the sale of lands the building of towns,
the settling ofnew districts and bringing into
cultivation hundreds of farms the city of os
Angeles has not been benefited in a proper
tiOnafp daQren 4
true that while there has been steady
stream OF immigration TO the country they
have all necessarily visited our city and spent
n few dollars with US in hotel bills and shop
ping, and some have bought property and
settled here. But the great majority, finding
1t so convenient to run out on railroads 10 diff
ferent sections OF the county have gone to the
villages and country around, where property
was cheap. Not only this, but these little
railroad towns have built up stores and fur
nisheds market. Tor all the country around
them, and their merchants trade direct with
San Francisco as our merchants do, thus CIV
Ing Los Angeles the go BY. In this way we
have lost the trade OF San Bernardino, Ana
helm, Los Nietos, San Fernando and all the
country around, TO say nothing of Kern
county. Thus while Los Angeles has
received little prosperity from one
source she has lost her best support from
other quarters. or this we spoke plainly to
the people three years ago, and because of
our predictions many of them supposed We
were opposed TO railroads. In this, however,
county more in favor of railroads than we
are; we only objected to the manner OF buil0-
ing them. We fOreSaw that the center of
trade would be broken up by this manner Of
building the roads, and and what we predict
ed has come to pass. But the roads have
been built and the country has been greatly
benefited by them, If the city has not. n And
now, under the circumstances, what is the
wisest thing for us to do? First, let us en-
courage all the roads with our hearts, hands
and purse. Secondly, let us encourage those
roads most that will bring back to ms the
trade we have lost We are com pletely in the
power ofthose roads now, and they can center
trade here or squander 1t, as they please.
What we want most Is q through connection
with the East, and the company that can give
IL 10 us with the guarantee OF perpetual low
freights and fares Is the company for Los An
geles City. Let me say TO the people of Los
Angeles land speak impartially, for have
no favors to ask that nothing else will secure
to you your desired prosperity. Four hun
dred thousand or four millions would be
nothing compared TO the benefit you will re-
ceive. And to the county at large would
say that " whatever tends TO the building up of
great center of trade In your midst will en-
baDce the value of everything you have. To
say nothing Of the benefit you will derive by
cheap freight across the continent, and the
great market fpr your products between here
and there a large business center itself in
your midst would add TO the convenience and
wealth OF every man in the county.
Los Angeles Dec. Both, 1876