Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-01-01

Los Angeles County. The soil of Tus-
tin is fine brown, sandy l0am, very
easily worked, and of the finest quail
ty for farming or Embarrassing. It re-
quires irrigation constantly for fruit,
and on dry years, for farming. One
of the bitches from the Santa Ana
supplies this want. Fruit-raising has
begun to attract the general atten ton
of the settlers, and Tustin is rapidly
becoming fruit garden. The appear
ance of the place is specially pleasing.
Situated among a fine grove of old
sycamores, the bright colored cottages
contrast cheerfuily with the green of
the trees and shrubbery, producing a
fine effect. 1t is often remarked by
visitors that the scenery in and around
Tustin excels that Of any other part of
Orange valley. Col. Tustin gives
away lots to those who will establish
Legitimate industries upon.them. This
liberality has of late induced marked
change in the settlement. Visitors of
one year ago would scarcely recognize
the place, SO great has been the inn
provement. Recently there have
been erected handsome store-the
handsomest this side of the Santa Ana
Rivera good saloon building, large
livery stable, several elegant cottages,
and steam Touring mill. An arte-
sian we'll is now boring, and the own.
er says he shall sink it till he "strikes
water or bedrock The railroad will
cross Tustin on its way to San Diego.
No claims have yet been made by
Tustin for the great central city of the
valley, but Quten sdbee the last may
be first.
SANTA ANA.
Southwest of Orange, about two
and a-half miles, and adjoining the
Orange settlement, is Santa Ana. The
soil in the northeastern part of the
Santa Ana tract is light, sandy loam
of the very finest quality. More or
less irrigation is required on this land,
but with irrigation its qualities are
unsurpassed. Wherever tried, fruit
trees,-especially the decduous kind
yield the finest quality of fruit, and
in great abundance. Crops Weld
finely, and this section may be ranked
as fully equal to the best Orange soil
in fruit-raising and farming qualities.
The land slopes gradually southwest
erly toward the ocean, and with the
fall the quality of the land changes
till just below the town we come. to
moist, black loan, almost a solid
mass of pure vegetable mould. This
is the ideal farm land. There is never
any necessity tor irrigation in raising
ordinary field crops, and everything
produces enormously. Alfalfa Yields
ten tons II year. Corn gives seventy
five to hundred bushels to the acre
The eucalyptus grows with the great
est luXuriance, and is extensively cul-
tivated. Several thousand acres are
yearly planted with corn, after first
producinga a crop Of grain, corn and
barley being the two great staples.
Several thousand fruit trees were, set
out the past season, and preparations
are making for many thousands more
the coming Spring. Whenever it is
needed for stock purposes, or for spe-
cialiirrigation, artesian water is easily
obtainable at depths varying from,
sixty to three hundred feet. The flow
of pure water is always abundant. In
the town much enterprise is sdisplayed
in the erection OF fine business houses
and pleasant residences. Here, as
elsewhere all over Orange Valley, the
temporary shanties are rapidly giving
place to tasty cottages. Santa Ana
now has three fine stores, good pub
lie hall, two drug stores, q well-kepe
hotel, blacksmith and wheel-wright
shops, barber shops, saloons, restau-
rants, ETC., all kept i'm q creditable
style, and all enlarging their accom-
modations with their constantly in
creasing business. Santa Ana claims
to be the site of the new city, whose
true location will be decided after the
railroad track is laid upon the already
graded road-bed, mile and a-half
north of the place. The school is
a graded one, of two, soon to be en-
larged to three, departments. An
Odd Fellows Lodge is now in active.
operation. Energy and enterprise are.
the characteristics of the citizens of
this section, and, if work will do it,
Santa Ana is the great town of the
future.
COMPTON
Is located on the Wilmington Branch of the
Southern Pacific Railroad, some twelve miles
from Los Angeles. Compton is one of the
most attractive and thriving settlements in
Los Angeles valley. The location is an ex-
cellent one, the sea breezes keeping the tenn
perature moderate during the Summer, while
it is sheltered from the chilling winds of Au-
tumn and Winter. The abundance of arte-
sian water in this section iLsures prosperity
during all seasons. A fine flow can be OBJ
tanned at q very small depth, so that every
farmer can be supplied with an abundance of
water for irrigation. The soil is a rich sandy
loam, well adapted for general farming, and
fruit growing is proving success. During
the past year there has been the progress that
might have been expected from the advan-
tages of the place. While last year land
could be had for so to $50, the price is now
$50 to 500 per scee. There are now about $50
farms in the settlement, an iDicresse of thirty
per cent over last year. end fully half that
number Of artesian wells, each OF which is
capable of irrigating from forty to two hum
dred acres. There are a general merchandise
store, drug and notion store, shoemaker,
blacksmith and wheelwright shops. The sur
plus grain product sent to the Los Angeles
market exceeds $1,000 bushels, with proper
tionate quantities OF potatoes, beans, &c.
For valuable information and for
articles contributed to the New Years
paper, the HERALD returns thanks to