Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-01-01
INDUSTRIES OF LOS ANGELES.


INDUSTRIES OF LOS ANGELES.
From what has been said elsewhere
it must be inferred that there is q
great variety of industries in Los An
geles. In the surrounding country,
agriculture, horticulture, stock rails
ing, bee raising, and mining occupy
the leading positions, with their at
tendant pursuits, while commerce,
manufactures and fruit growing occu-
py the metropolis. Every branch of
trade from the highest to the lowest is
represented in Los Angeles. There is,
of course, still plenty of room for all
who wish to engage in mercantile en-
terprises, but the man who comes here
expecting to find himself the pioneer
in any branch, no matter how intri-
cate or simple it may be, will find
competitors have occupied the field
before him. In manufactures we are
making fair progress, and with the
water-power available and being de-
veloped, there is reason to hope for
steady extension. Two Touring mills
are doing good business; woolen
factory is in operations; an ice factory
supplies our wants; wagons and car
riages equal to any made in this
country are being turned out; iewelry
of superior quality is made; tie num-
ber of homemade boots and shoes is
on the increase; in the manufacture of
clothing our tailors equal those of San
Francisco; the manufacture of oil
from the olive and the mustard seed is
of Importance. A large deposit of por-
celean clay has been found in the San
Fernando Valley, and it is proposed
to establish factory there as soon as
the necessary capital shall have been
secured. We understand that one of
our largest lumber firms contemplate
erecting shortly door, sash and blind
factory. With the rapid increase in
the cultivation of the irish potato in
this section, there is room for the
erection of starch factory, and we
hope to soon chronicle the commence
ment of such an enterprise.
The most important branch of man
ufacture, however, is the making of
wine and brandy. There are some
three dozen large wine cellars in the
Los Angeles Valley, and into these go
the product of all the vineyards. The
smaller grape growers are unable to
erect the necessary apparatus for wine
making, and therefors sell their crops
in the raw state to the large ranch
owners, who have facilities for MAX
ing wine. Don Mateo Keller now has
control of the vineyards in and around
the city. The distillery formerly in
operation here, and which was Il heavy
buyer of grapes during the Fall, hav-
ing been closed for violation of the rev.
enue laws, Mr.. Keller was left almost
alone in the field. His operations dur
ing the season are therefore very eX-
tensive. The average annual product
of Los Angeles county amounts to
about 100000 gallons of wine and
brandy, which is over one-third that
of the entire State.
Within the past month II firm of
Eastern men have established here a
mandatory of artificial stone. A ce-
ment brought from Portland is mixed
with pure white sand, and the con-
crete in few days becomes as hard as
rock. At present the manufacturers
are confining themselves to the MAX
ing of six inch water pipe, which can
be sold at twenty-five cents per foot
or one-third the usual cost. This
places a cheap conveyance for water
for irrigating purposes within reach of
our farmers, and must result in great
saving of the precious fluid. The
same material can be used for CHM
ney tops, mantels, building blocks,
sidewalks and many ornamental arti-
cIes.
The gigantic cactus of California is
the delight of Eastern people who
have been accustomed to cultivate the
plant in lighthouses, and labor long to
secure single specimen of its beauti-
full blossom. 70 the native it is first
class nuisance, encumbering the land,
and affording shelter for wild ami
mails and vermin. That it could ever
be made y source of wealth has never
been seriously considered by our peo-
pie. The bayOnet cactus, which grows
in such profusion on the deserts be-
yond the Sierra Madres, is to be con-
verted into paper of the finest quality.
An Eastern firm has brought out the
necessary machinery for the purpose
and are now inspecting the neighbor-
ing country with view of ascertain
ing the means of transportation or the
selection of location.
OUR LANDS.
There is much misconception with
reference to the amount and value of
good farming lands in Los Angeles
valley. The new conner looking at
the sales of real estate which are pub-
l;chad from, ri mo IN fima and hoo rhlp