Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-04-21
LOCAL N0TES.--N0 2.

Wilmington as She is To-Day-Tem-
porarily Under n Cloud, But With
Ample Elements of Recuperation
The Genius of Wilmington-The
Amelia-A Big well-The Future
"A Hint OF the Banning Glamour.
lin the famous dry year Of ls76-77 the
editor of the HERALD made circuit OF
Los Angeles county with view OF
showing that, even in such n season of
comparative privation, this section
abounded in various md valuable re-
sources. He proposes now, in what
will prove to be more than an average
season, to 60 over the county from time
to time, and to give, iu this journal, the
result Of his observations.]
Yesterday we gave our recent expert
ences OF San Pedro, the Oldest and yet
the newest Of California ports. To-day
we propose to say something of Will
mington, which, for the moment, owing
to the tremendous impetus which has
been given to San Pedro. appears to be
under cloud. Wilmington owes her
very name to Phineas Banning, the ire
pressible genius Of the lower coast, who
halls from Wilmington, Delaware, and
who has lifelong Republican prefer
900. g.. Al. .1aya on,,saaratad M 1aeo-
Grated section, MS the case may be, In
which he drew his first breath. The re.
moval OF tho offices of the Southern Pa
ciic to San Pedro. together with Its sub
sidiary business, including Banning's
headquarters, has, for the moment given
Wilmington what, in the vulgar par
lance, Is known as "black-eye.' But
the elements of recuperation are quite
considerable; and deaths in several hon
ored families of Southern California,
with consequent division of very extern
sive ranches, will aid in this work.
Three or four Of the traditional large
ranches of this county will shortly go
into the market, with the result Of cre-
ating a farming population which will,
in the end, give Wilmington far more
enduring prosperity than she has ever
known. As matter Of fact, the town
looks, to the casual eye, far brighter and
more prosperous than we have everknown
her to be. The main street Is graced by
a spick, span and new series of brick
buildings, including the new and impos-
ing Masonic Hall, which would do honor
to any sea.coast or interior town in
California. Mercantile houses like that
Of P. II. Downing & Co., which do
very large business, are to be en-.
countered. Give Wilmington time to
draw her breath, and we will wager
money that she will come ont capitally
in the near future, as the result of her
splendid climate, the fine farming coun.
try which surrounds her and her con IT,
guilty to ono of the most promising and
progressive harbors in California.
THE AMELIA.
II will doubtless interest the people of
Los Angeles, who often cherish an ambi-
tion to spend at least portion of their
leisure on the santa Catalina Island, to
know that Gen. Banning has purchased
the steamer Amelia, which, at one time,
ran as packet on the line between San
Francisco and Sacramento, and between
Oakland and San Francisco as q ferry
boat, and that he is fitting her out to ply
between Wilmington and Santa Cata-
lima and the other islands. just now
she is ripped up in most unseemly
fashion, preparatory to taking on her
new boilers. On truck provided
with twelve wheels, standing near by,
is IN engine which cost the General
$4,000 OF his hard earned cash, and
which will guarantee the Amelia speed
of fifteen miles an hour. When the
change has been effected, the Amelia
will be able to compass the distance be-
tween Wilmington and Santa Catalina in
two hours, Including the original price
of the vessel and her improvements, the
Amelia will have cost the Admiral fully
$4,000 when she is ready for the water.
Those who have pitched and tossed, and
endured unutterable agonies from sea-
sickness, in their quest OF health and
change on the islands, will bless the
Pirate of Wilmington Slough for his
timely provision for their comfort-a
provision which, Mt the worst will
abridge their agony so many hours.
JAcoBs WELL.
The at times benevolent autocrat of
Wilmington has by no means limited his
benefactions to the purchase Of the
Amelia. With view to the growing |
importance of San Pedro, aud the neces.
sity OF providing the now settle.
ment with an adequate supply OF
water, some years ago Gen. Banning
began to dig a prodigious well on his
handsome homestead, about mile from
Wilmington. He projected this well ON
q scale commensurate with all his UNI
dertakings which, whether one likes him
or no, one must admit to be gigantic
and beneficial to his neighbors This font,
which now sufIices for the supply of
both Wilmington and San Pedro, ia
twenty-five feet in diameter and has been