Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1881-02-04

Promising 0rops-This Pleasant Watering
Place Comparatively Deserted.
Yesterday we availed ourselves
Of friends buggy for rapid and
exhilarating trip 10 the seaside.
We were glad to note that much
work had been done on the county
road and the drive Is very enjoy
able one. The moment the city
line is passed one comes upon ex-
tensive fields of volunteer barley,
which look remarkably thrifty and
promise good crops. Other fields
are being ploughed, while still
others have already been sown In
grain and are quite advanced. I'm.
questionably, If the season holds
out as 1t began, an immense har.
vest Of grain and hay will
be recorded between the city.
line and Santa Monica As
one nears the ocean the grass
becomes notably luxuriant. 1t is
both twice as high and twice as
thick IS the pasturage near the
city. The lush grasses are dspas.
tured by Col. r. g. Bakers numer-
Gus focks, amongst which we no.
ticsd large number OF thorough.
bred Msrino rams. Col. Baker has
graded his sheep to q high stand.
ard, with the result that the fleeces
have run up from an average OF
from three to four pounds to ten
pounds and q half. A fleece sheared
from one Of the bucks weigh
ing thirty.iive pounds. Our wool
interest is entering on a new era Of
prosperity and that that fact is ap.
preciated is shown by the great in.
crease in the number Of sheep to
be encountered everywhere.
Few sights are more inspiriting
than the vivid mantle of green
spread over the royal stretches of
the San Vicente ranch. Santa
Monica looms up from the
plains very grandly. Splendid head
way has been made in tree planting,
and the foliage has everywhere be.
come massey and abundant. The
park, especially. is almost o jungle,
so surprising has been the growth
Of every species of tree and plant.
The contrast between the Santa
Monica of to-day and the "CIty by
the Sea" Of Tom Fitch's fervent
fancy is worry marked, although in
all physical respects 1t il for the
better. Then the streets were full
of people. Now the hotel for some
time past has been closed. Even
Perkins has betaken himself to
pastures new and Eugene, at the
French Restaurant, has taken
down his stove and spsculates de.
spondently about his being under
the necessity of putting 1t up again.
In vain did we tell him that the
probability was that this Summer
Santa Monica would be more
thronged than at any time In it's
history. An expressive and dissi-
dent shrug Of the shoulders was the
reception accorded by the French
man to our efforts to cheer him up.
The superb bath house looked as II
1t mourned the absence of patrons;
but the surf rolled In with the old
time maj sty and power. An occa-
sional angler, from the ruins Of the
wharf, trottsd for surf fish with in
different success.
It is In the power of the South
ern Pacific Railway, by q word, to
work magic change in this at
present "Deserted Village" II the
rumor proves to have some founda-
ton In fact that that corporation
Is about to buy Senator Jones's In.
tersst in Santa Monica and in the
San Vicente y Santa Monica ran.
chos, this fascinating seaside re-
sort will enter upon new and
stable era of prosperity. Governor
Stanford himself could not do q
better thing than to buy the San
Vicente and turn his stud out over
Its broad acres. He Is Thought to
be ambitious of having the finest
horses in the world, and in that
stimulating air his equine pets
would flourish galore. Then, with
Q hotel at Santa Monica on the
model of the Real del Monte At
Monterey, with = good road be.
tween Los Angeles and Santa Mon.
lea, flanked by eucalyptus or psppe
trees, with the great tide Of
| travel pouring over the Southern
transoontinental route, Santa Mo-
MICA would realize the most san
guine expectations Of its friends.
OF one thing we feel tolerably
assured, and that is that, as the
Summer approaches. the Santa
Monica hotel will pass into COM
| natank hands. tho haths. the surf,