Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-10-17
A MODEL CALIFORNIA RANCHO.
How Economy Leads to Wealth
Hotel Farming on Large Scale
A Home-Made Market and Pros
perity.

Hotel Farming on a Large Scale
A Home-Made Market and Pros
perity.
As a specimen Of how shrewd business
men make money in California, the pro-
prietors of the Cosmopolitan and United
States Hotels in this city afford a forci-
BILE example. These gentlemen are pro-
prietors Of the Rancho Rodeo de las Ag-
uas, about nine miles west of the city.
at the base of the Cahuenga range OF
mountains. This fine body Of land con-
ssts OF about $500 acres, all surrounded
by board fence except some foothill
land near Coldwa,er Canon, which is be-
ing cleared for the planting OF vine.
yard next winter One peculiarity about
this rancho is that none OF it is for sale
atany price. The owners Of this piece Of
earth are determined to keep it as long
as they live. 1t is just what they want,
and they are determined to cultivate il
to the utmost extent that money and
men can do. On the lower part of the
tract is a stream OF water from which
two fish. ponds have been made, one Of
which is stocked with carp and the othei
with catfish. To supply the two hotels
with milk, butter and cream eighty mich
COWS are constantly kept, and a monster
churn, turned by horsepower, makes the
butter, while in the next room is large
creamery, where 600 pans Of milk, on
revolving frames, give up the cream for
tho churner. The skinned milk and
buttermilk fow down aume to the
swine pasture, where thousand Berk-
shire porkers, from the pigling to the
four-hundred pound hog, roam in fatncss
in the neighborhood of a generous corn
crib.
In the stalls are 100 fine horses largely
Of their own raising, comprising the
stalwart Normandy and the feet-footed
Morgan horses for work on the rancho.
In the granary large pile Of barley and
wheat is piled mp for seeding purposes
out of the late crop of 10000 bushels of
wheat and barley grown on the rancho.
Reapers and headers and large thresh-
er stand near by, and mill for grinding
barley is in the group OF machinery and
turned by horse power, Of which they
have an abundance. A well and turbine
windmill give an abundance Of water
for domestic purposes, and for the large
amount Of stock that roam over the
pasture and stubble fields. Over the
beautiful plain about 400 head of beef
cattle may be seen, and not far away a
band Of fat sheep, so with hundred
horses to till the ground. thousand
porkers to furnish ham, bacon, lard and
spare rib, 400 head Of beeves to furnish
beef, eighty COWS to furnish butter,
cream and milk, and a band OF sheep to
furnish mutton chops, field to produce
green. corn, melons and potatoes at the
cost of raising, it is no wonder that
these great hotels make money. The
products Of their land by the process of
changing it into food for their guests is
increased in value over ordinary farming
400 per cent No wonder the ranch is not
for sale. If ordinary farming pays
by selling the crude products in the
market at wholesale, the great profit of
selling those products as prepared
on the table at retail, must be evident
to any person of intelligence.
By the politeness of Mr.. Henry
Denker, the najordomo of the rancho,
we recently had the pleasure Of inspect
ing this whole estate. rich in everything,
and oil its varied industries. After an
inspection of the lower land the Eext
step was to ascend the sunny slope that
led to the upper border Of the tract, al
| the base Of the mountains. Here, at the
mouth of Coldwater Canon, about GOO
feet above sea level, tunnel has
been thrust into the mountain side about
400 feet above the hacienda, to the
extent OF 200 feet, and will be continued
as much further as is deemed necessary
10 secure proper supply of pure noun
tain spring water for the land below. A
fine stream has already been secured in
the tunnel, and more will be found as
the work progresses. The rock now be-
ing taken from the tunnel is strongly
stained with iron and the water is de-
Iicious.
About half mile to the east of the
tunnel strong sulphur spring comes
out on a bold crown of land that over
looks the ocean on the right, whose roll
ing surges may be heard in sullen roar,
as they break on the shore at Santa
Monica, about eight miles away, while
below, the broad fields of the Rodeo de
las Aguas with its vari-colored cattle
in fatness and comfort. make fine
foreground to the picture. Beyond,
the Ballona. tine Brea, Centinela, Cien-
ega, West Los Angeles, the south part
of the. city, Green Meadows and the
whole Caheuenga valley, are in full view,
as well as the Sierra Madres and the
old San Juan in the eastern horizon.
Here is to be erected beautiful and
spacious hotel, on this grand mount Of
vision. which will be planted with semi
tropical fruits, where the frost never
disturbs or destroys. After leaving this
place, with odors like the fire Of Sodom
and Gomorrah, the next place Of interest
is a vast bed of Asphaltum aud springs
of oil that the hydrogen of the earth
is heaving up to show mankind
that the hidden springs lie down beneath
their feet. ThiA show of oil and as
phaltum is on line of thegeologic break
in the rocks that extends from Santa
Barbara through Ventura and Los An.
geles counties to the Santa Ana river.
seven miles north Of Anaheim. 1t is
difficult to conceive of more richness
than is contained on such ranch. Al
ready large part of it produces two
crops year without irrigation, the land
is surprisingly rich, and the pure
mountain stream viii soon be sent
in pipes all over the tract. The
sulphur spring is another source Of
wealth, while the asphaltum and oil will
doubtless bring millions to its fortunate
owners. Where else in the world can
such combination of advantages be
found except in the queenly county of
Los Angelesg Messrs. Hammel& Denker
are proud of their farm, as well they
may be, They are specimen Californi-
ans, and, like others of their kind, are
4 So