Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1880-12-24
roe A.sssea. Csiouy-rns True
POlcy.

he American Colony, which will
be located on q portion Of the Ger
rites rancho, fronting on the Bay
Of Wilmington. The project in
SLIDES an ample town cite, college
grounds and all the latest improve
ments. The soil Of the Cerritos Is
noted for its fertility and one of the
most gratifying things about the
programme 10 that the lands are to
BE- sold ct reasonable rates, rang
Ing from $3.50 to S25 an acre, ac-
cording to location, quality Of the
coll, etc., etc. We do not see why,
with such figures for the land, those
who buy in the American colony
for purposes Of actual settlement
and this 10 the desirable class of
buysrs-should not profit by a de-
cided advance in the value of the
real estate upon which they settle.
Both corn and wheat will grow
abundantly on this ranch and ar
tooian water can be secured at
triflIng depths. The farmer would
~ only three miles distant from
his point Of shipment, either by
rail- OF water, at Wilmington. Mr..
Willmore, after experimenting
the details of printing circulars.
maps. etc.. at San Francisco, will
be the Los Angeles Manager Of the
colony. Mr.. w. II. Martin, Of the
Immigrant Union, will be the Gen.
sral Agent at San Francisco. We
zee no earthly reason why Pasa-
denA, Anahsim, Santa Ana and
Gospel Swamp, should not be du-
plicated on the Csrritos ranch, if
the projectors of the colony adhere
to their published schedule and do
net tire Of selling their forty acre
farms for prices which the colonist
can chserfully pay with the con-
sclousness n----bisinve stment will
uld God-speed to the Amenelx
Colony, but we hope that many
other large property owners will
initiate the example set by Mr.,
Bixby aud subdivide their cum.
brous and unwiefdy estates, con.
vsrting them from sheep ranches
into prosperous farming settle.
msnts. Rapid as has been the
progress OF Los Angeles county, it
would have been very much great
OF II our large land owners had
cordially co.operated in inviting
settlement. Our own opinion is,
and we have no hesitation in ex.
pressing 1t, that the day is not far
distant when every acre of eligible,
level land IN this county will be
worth at least 500. Much of it
will be worth from $500 to $500
with the improvements. The
Commission sent abroad by the
United States Government, con.
sisting of Gen. Alexander and
other eminent gentlemen of
the United States Corps
of Engineers, to inquire into the
irrigation systems Of Europe
and Asia, In addition to gathering
large amounts of very interesting
material from q scientific and
technical point Of view, gave some
very curious economic facts In re.
latlon to the value OF lands.
Thus, an acre of vineyard, in
favorable locations In Spain, with
fAcilities for irrigation, is worth
from $500 to $500. Who can doubt
but that, With the enormous accu.
mutation Of wealth in the United
States, the limited section of terri.
tory In this country which can be
made to reproduce every form of
vegetation of Spain will be.
come equally or more valuable.
OF course, such pronounced valua-
lions will attach to but even a very
limited portion Of Los Angeles
county, and those very highly i'm
proved. It does not follow because
such values are imminent, even in
the near future, our landholders
should shut their eyes to the en-.
lightened policy of the present.
Old Gen. Lewis Cass, who died
worth seven millions-a sum
equivalent now to at least twenty
milllons-made all his money in
land. Going to Michigan In the
early days, where thousands of
acres could be bought for less than |
the price of suburban lot near |
Detroit to-day, the General loaded |
himself up with real estate. In
sfsad Of holding 1t In a com pact
bedy, paying onerous taxes upon
e for years, aud waiting for the
efa OF high prices, he sensIbly
started out to make these high
prices By method at once ingen-
ieuss novel and effectual. He sur.
veyed his immense domain, di.
vlded u up into quarter sections
nd gave every alternate one away
= noeual settlers. The result was
ebet The quarter section aligning
- 81 the settler who improved
~ peepsrty, doubled and quadru.
cd--aye. quintuplsd--in value
lenin lev years. BY this plan