Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-04-25
The Region for Homes.

The public are at last beginning "a
awake TO realizing sense Of the value
Of land in the San Gabriel valley. The
wonder with us is not that this Is SO,
but that the awakening should have
been so long delayed. The prices which
are now fashionable there will seem mere
bagatellos compared to those which will
be commanded three or four years from
now. That new era is setting in in
that lovely valley one instance will
show. Some weeks ago the HERALD
contained an account Of the purchase Of
the Drcyfus tract, by the Messrs. c. II.
Watts and others, for $50, 900. Already
these gentlemen have sold s38, 900 worth
Of this land and they still have consid-
ernbly more than half Of 1t on hand, for
which they will receive q much higher
ratio. The foothills Of the San Gabriel
range are also coming in for their share
of appreciation. A gentleman who has
charming little nest near the Azusa,
which has cost him about Sl2, 900, was
surprised by visit from an Fastener,
the other day, who told him that II q
check for $50, 900 would induce him to
surrender his home II would be forth.
coming. In his widest imaginings
our Azusa friend had thought it possible
that he might, sometime, realize $40, ,00t
for his place. The truth is that Lo'
Angeles county is destined, in remark
able degree, to be the center Of beautiful
homes. The people Of wealth who ar,
crowding here in such numbers do no
look at the mere mercantile value Of tn
land, but at the ability to convert it int
very close copy of the ideal Garden o
Eden. On closer inspection of oil the
advantages. however, it will be found
that as pure commercial proposition
there is great deal of profit in buying
exquisite homesteads in the San Gabriel
and other valleys of this county
BY planting the vine and orange,
In proportion as the homestead
becomes more beautiful II is alst
more remunerative. BY caro- in thu
selection Of the grade of treei
set out, few acres of orange grove may
soon be made to yield q satisfactory in
come to the purchaser. 1t is the sam,
with the vine, the latter being perhaps
the most reliable source of income, il
the long run. The juice Of the grape il
not only not perishable but it improves
with age, a circumstance that should
give the vineyard the preference ovel
the orange grove, Notwithstanding tn,
apparently greater profits of the latter
With the present very low rates Of in
terest. $40, 900 or $4,000 may be very
sagaciously invested in place which il
not only to its possessor an ideal home
but which can le made to yield him O
very handsome livlihood, besides. Five
or six years ago the HERALD used tc
amuse its readers by predicting thai
every acre of the San Gabriel valley
provided with good water right, woult
be worth thousand dollars, some day
or other. Many of them are ready t.
smile at this proposition even to-day, al
though their incredulity is not now sc
pronounced as it was. An assertion
that seemed extravagant when Los An
geles was in the dolldrums of the hard
times from which she has 30 triumphant
ly emerged, now has an aspect not only O
possibility but extreme probability. Ever
in OldSpain, where money is by no mean
plentiful, and where tho currents o
speculation are sluggish compared Il
the tumultuous rush of our own coun
try, vineyard and orchard lands, with ,
water right, command $1,000 and SS0t
an acre. 1t is reasonable to suppos,
that lands equally famous for grea
variety of production will attain III
great, if not greater pecuniary value
in Los Angeles county.