Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-10-11
Tho Outlook

ment. go crude and tentative have
been all our efforts and so far have
We been from crystalizing into the
status which our geographical, ag-
x;cultural and other possibilities
assign to us, that the situation is
apt to and does change from year
to year. The writer is not an old
Californian. His experience OF the
State only dates back some SIX
years. And yet he has seen, during
that time, a great many varying
phases of development, both in Los
Angeles and San Diego counties.
He cav San Diego when she was
at the neap tide of her prosperity,
aud he saw that prosperity pass
away like mist before the hot
Summer sun. He has seen Los
Angeles In two periods of depress'
ion and in one of exceptional pros
perity.
There were. few duller communl-
ties than Los Angeles in 1877. All
eyes were riveted on San Diego, the
asserted coming rival Of San Fran
cisco as a trade emporium. OF the
immense numbers who passed
South on the steamers. few stopped
short of San Diego. Los Angeles
was hardly dreamed worthy OF
visit of inspection.
OF course this sighting OF the
fairest agricultural aud pomolog
cal section of California could not
last long, and reaction set In
which carried this city up to the
highest pitch of prosperity it has
ever known. This progress was so
great that it resulted in positive
fever, with the inevitable reaction,
which has now lasted some years,
and which we firmly believe to be
at an end.
We are intimately aware of all
the dra wbacks which now incon-
veEien6e Los Angeles. The COM
pleted Railway has by no means
proved all that its advocates claim
ed for it. 1t Involved certain radi-
cal changes in our methods of doing
business which make the period OF
transition one of trial and positive
hardship. But we should like TO
have a single instance in the
/. history of railways pointed out to
US in which the experience was
different from ours. AS result OF
the competition of the Central and
Union Pacific Railways San Fran
Disco not only failed to realize her
extravagant expectations, but she
was thrown back years while ac-
commodating herself to the
change. That the railway is now
q recognized benefit to San Fran
cisco, and that it has been for some
years, no sane citizen of the me-
tropolis will feel inclined to dis
plte.
Los Angeles, also, will go
through similar experience.
While the completion of the rail.
way from San Francisco via Los
Angeles to Yuma has diverted
some sources of trade from our
city, it has created and will con-
tinue to create new ones. Those of
our merchants who are character.
lied by any degree of enterprise
are building up quite a remunera
tive trade in Arizona. We are in
formed by them that ArIzonans
are proving their most reliable
customers, satisfactory remittances
from that territory being as cer-
tain as the day.
Asw may legitimately regard
Arizona as q portion of our back
country" it is impossible to avoid
noting with pleasure the rapidity
OF the development which is now
witnessed there. The shipments
of four mines of that territory, in
the single month of August, ag-
gregated nearly two hundred
thousand dollars. From all we can
learn We have no doubt whatever
but that the yield of the Arizona
mines for the current year will
amount to six or seven million
dollars. This sum Will be
indefinitely increased in the COM
Ing years. With Arizona our re-
lations are certain to be profitable,
and our already considerable com.
mercial Intercourse is sure 10 ex-
pand to huge proportions.
But, more than any outside
guarantee, is the assurance of pros
petty we bave in our local devel-
opment. 1t has really been mar
velous- In some sections of Los
Angeles county there are now as
many settlements as there were
formerly single Inhabitants. This
is notably the case in the southern
portion OF the county, although
Los Angeles proper and the San
Gabriel valley have been marked
by an almost equal rapldity OF
growth. Immense areas of our
lands, which were formerly desig.
mated as fit only for pasturing
sheep and cattle, have been d-mon-
strated to be the most fertile and
productive in the State, and TO ad-