Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-04-01
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
lts Thriving Business and Social
Metropolis.
VIEWED FRoMAFARMERss STANDPOINT
The Climate, Soil. Produetions-Pub'le
Schools Churehes-Matd Sup
ply = Taxes -taad
( -.- Titles.

winter, from the latter part Of Janu'
airy, 70 the latter part Of March, In
Southern California, as well as week
| in December, it may be Of interest to
some of the readers Of the SUNDAY
REGISTER if would give them few
general observations upon the climate,
soil and productions, from the standpoint
of a farmer. But 1 will preface these
observations by few general remarks
of q rather miscellaneous nature, all
having a bearing, however, on the main
question.
Los Angeles
First, l will speak Of the commercial
and social metropolis of Southern Cali
fornia-LOs ANGELES. This town
stands near the foot of the Sierra Madra
mountains and on the broadcast fertile
plain in the southern section Of the Gold
en- Slate. Semi.tropical California, as this
section is called, is divided from the
remainder of the State by the union Of
the great capped Sierra Nevadas
with the towering Coast range; and Los
Angeles occupies position easy Of &C.
cess from every section of it. Only re-
Gently has this section been opened up
to the outside world by railroads, and
only recently has it been NOV ing for
ward in the march OF improvement.
In 1880 Los Angeles had a popula-
ton, in round numbers, Of II 800. Last
month II mean March, the School
Board and the town authorities Joined
in having an enumeration taken OF the
youth of school age, and, at the same
time, careful census of the entire
population Of the Incorporation, and 1t
was officially discovered that the popu-
lation is now over q ,OOO-1 have for
gotten the exact figures-neary double
Uhdt it tUtS in June, lSS0-icss than three
gears ago! Free mail delivery has been
ordered by the government, and will
90 into effect on the first of July next.
Last year, the leading contractors in
building informed me, and showed me
the figures for their statements, that be-
tween 1900 and 400 new houses,
dwellings and business, were erected in
the city, and my frequent drives and
walks throughout the place convince
me that fully as many in proportion
We're under construction during the
past two months. In conversation with
builders and also with people who were
having building done and who had like
experience in States east of the Misss-
sippi river, The weight of opinion was
az hill 10 oh On
expensive in that country than in this
and this increase in cost Is mainly
due to the greater cost Of labor there.
Lumber is not, as rule, more expen-
sive; hardware and glass little more,
but labor is quite 20 per cent. higher.
Schools.
All the towns and settlements in
Southern California have good schools,
and good teachers receive from SD to
500 per month. Great pride Is taken
in schools every place / visited. And
there are as many church edffices to
the population as in any Of the best Sec
lions of the older States, and the pulpits
are occupied by preachers of as much
culture and power to entertain and in
struct the nearer.
Good and Pure Water.
The rapid growth of Los Angeles
which have noted above goes to say
that business in that little city Is brisk,
and that the place must possess q good
many pretty enterprising men. There
are several finer business blocks in Los
Angeles than there are in some cities
not far from here with double the pop
ulation-large and handsome stone
blocks with elegant appointments. The
streets of the city are good; its water
supply is abundant, and the water is
always clear and pure. The water sys-
tenn of Los Angeles cost the city over
S200,000; and the water is furnished to
all consumers at prime cost. 1t is not
made q source Of revenue, as in Wheel
ing. The washer-woman and the bath
tub is not taxed at an eXorbitant rate
in order that the real estate OF rich
sharks shall escape taxation to that eX.
tent.
Neither is artificial light specialized in
by the city. Every citizen has the full
benefit of the brilliant clusters of cleo
trio lights which shed their rays from
seven tall towers into every street, alley
and every open space within the city,
at a moderate charge upon the general
treasury. Gas is supplied at a reasona-
bic rate as a private enterprise.
Three lines Of street cars, each several
miles long, pretty we'll accommodate
those who desire to travel by such con.
yeyances, and an additional line OF
cable cars for q route which is quite
uneven is one Of the probabilities ofthe
near future.
There are several jobbing houses in
Los Angeles Of quite respectable pro.
portions, and there Is one in particular
which covers quite as much ground as
is embraced between Market and Main
streets, on the one hand, and Twelfth
street and the alley where Thirteenth
should come down, by the odd REGISTER
building.
Gardens and Orchards
The city covers space Of twelve
miles square, every portion Of which Is
easily covered by water from the irregst-
ing bitches aud pipes out Of water
furnished by the city, and as sprinkling
carts keep the dust down In the streets
there need be little concern by the peo-
pie Of Los Angeles II 1t never rains, ex-
cept insofar as the droUth would affect
the prosperity Of the farmers outside;
yet, as a matter of fact, it is seldom
that rainy day comes that does not
cause jubilation. Within this large
area which is embraced in the city
limits there are many delightful gar
dens and orchards-sOme pretty extern
sive ones. One Mrs. Lohgstreet has o
residence Of no special elegance, but so
handsome are the grounds about, with
their fruits, flowers and semi-tropieal
embellishments, 1t Is understood that,
although she Is offering 1t for sale that
she may occupy less pretentiOus
home, she has refused q S60, 900 cash
offer for IT, Mr.. WOlfskill has an Or
ange orchard within the city, about
one-half Of which is an old orchard and
the remainder was but recently plant
ed. 1t was currently understood that
he sold the fruit, this years crop, which
grew on the older half, just as 1t hung
on the trees, to be gathered and handled
by the purchasers, for $4,000 cash.
There are orchards Of English walnuts,
groves Of olives, gardens containing
ii ID - Ir 49,