Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-08-03
our tributary Mineral Territory.

no tAttnt 10 WHICH tho niinihb ih-
terests OF Southern California are devel-
oping is simply marvellous. and the nd
vance has oil taken place during the
past two years. II is curious thing
that no sooner has railway made its
appearance in any Of the extensive re.
gions tributary to Los Angeles but gold,
silver and copper are turned out with
something that reminds ono Of the old
prolific days Of California and Nevada.
In most conspicuous manner was this
the case in Arizona. Prior to the ad-
vent Of the Southern Pacific Railway in
that territory tho most contradictory
accounts Of its mineral riches appeared.
No two people told the same story. The
pretentious experts who were sent out
there returned with the most discourag-
ing reports. There can be no question
but that the bonanza millionaires sent
their trusted agents into the sun.kissed
land, and it is equally certain that their
reports were not such as to lead to in
yestment. Even before the Railway
reached the Colorado river, however, q
wonderful change had come across the
spirit Of the Arizona dream. The Silver
King mine and Tombstone, together with
o dozen other most attractive regions,
came into notice with the suddonness of
vision. Arizona at once began to yield
gold and silver with the aplomb Of an
old stager. Nor did she coniine her out
put to the precious metals. Her copper
mines are so prolific that already the
price Of that commodity has been sonsi-
bly, lowered, and the Lake Superior folks
are compelled to acknowledge the pres.
cnce Of q competitor Of infinitely greater
productivencss than their own preserves.
We look for great results very shortly
along the line of the Atlantic 4 Pacific
Railway, and particularly in that por.
tion OF California and Arizona which
ndjoins the Needles" Almost coinci-
dent with the starting of the branch OF
tho Southern Pacific which connects with
the Atlantic h Pacific, at the Colorado
river, Calico came into being, very
much as Tombstone sprang up in Ari-
zona, on the advent of the South
ern Pacific in that territory. In addi-
ton TO the numerous successful treas
ure camps which we expect to see de-
veloping in every direction in north
western Arizona, southwestern Utah
and Nevada and on the California side
of the Colorado river, the completion OF
the connection between the Southern
Pacific and Atlantic & Pacific ought to
give us the advantage of cheap and abund-
ant coal. st. George county, in South
ern Utah, is rich in an excellent quality
Of coal, and there ought to be no diff
Guilty in building little railway from
Callville, at the head of navigation on
the Colorado, to the coal-beds. 1t could
then be hoated down on flatboats to the
crossing of the Atlantic & Pacific, at the
Colorado river. Cheap coal would at
once result in making Los Angeles a
great manufacturing center; fuel in
proper quantity asd at a sufficiently
low price, being all that would be needed
to accomplish that most desirable result.
The crudes material for manufactures wo
have in abundance. Our city is, besides,
the natural smelling point for a very
extensive metal bearing region. 1t is
absurd that ores should be transported
great distances when they can be as
cheaply and satisfactorily reduced here.
Iron, copper, tin, galena, gold and sill
yer, abound in all directions and within
easy reach Of Los Angeles. We should
aim to make this city the great reduc-
tion point of Southern California, at
least.
We confidently expect, in the next
ten years, to see the region around the
Needles. and between Los Angeles and
the Colorado river, and between Mono
and San Diego counties yearly produc-
ing more of the precious metals than
have been yielded by northern and cen
trail California in the most favored
twelve months of the past, All the bust.
ness arising from this superb production
ought to center right here; and, if our
merchants, bankers and "solid" men
generally, show the proper energy, it
can be made to do so. 1t is a question
that ought not to be ignored. Almost be-
fore our people realize the transition it
will have grown into tremendous prop
osition.
Meanwhile, very fortunately, our farm.
ers have, in this new and soon to be devel-
oped country, n most remunerative mar.
ket, which is secured to them by the
mere fact of contigHity, and of which
they cannot be deprived. 1t forms
another guarantee for the continuance of
a quite exceptional prosperity, which
has been theirs for the past three years,
Almost at o bound, the completion of
the Southern Pacific Railway to the
Colorado river. opposite Yuma, convert
ed the farmers of Los Angeles county
from struggling and depressed class
into men who cannot be surpassed by
any equal number of grangers on the
American continent for thrift and even
wealth. 1t is this fact that explains the
unprecedented cancellation OF mortgages
which has been witnessed in this county
during the past two years. Three years
ago quite twenty people a month were
sold out at a Sherif7s sale. On the
other hand we doubt if, during the first
six months of the present Sheriff's term,
there were so many as half dozen fore
closure sales advertised.
This state OF things is owing Il. } to
our railway extension; q. to the splen.
did mineral development of Southern
California, Arizona and New Mexico,
which has furnished reliable and lucra.
tive markets to our farmers.
THE most eminent Grand Commander
Of the Grand Commandery of the
Knights Templar of the United States,
Sir Benjamin Dean, escorted by Boston
Commandery, which comprises some of