Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-01-12
cRuAr Inpaovlmlnrs GOING on.
Railways in Prospect-A Boulevard
Surveyed. with an Easy ardde.
Up the Arroyo Seco-southern
Pacific Hxtension-Another Hotel
More Mountain Water

The grading Of the site for the great
Raymond Hotel at Marengo Hill is pro.
ceeding very rapidly. The contractor,
Mr.. 7. Banbury, is drilling deep holes to
the grade Of the site, then chamberiug
these with dynamite, which gives them
capacity to hold eleven kegs of pow
der, which are put in and exploded with
terrific force, that skaters the soft
rock, SO that it resembles mellow soil. A
single explosion will loosen 1000 tons in
an instant Of time. Mr.. Banbury says
he will be ready for the builders to COM
mence on part of the foundation with
in tho contract time. The brick for the
foundation are being made on the spot.
The lumber for the immense building
will be required in few weeks, and we
learn that the Southern Pacific Railroad
will extend the Shorb switch track, that
leads to the San Gabriel Winery, up to
the hotel grounds, SO that the lime. lum-
ber and other building materials can be
sent by rail directly to the spot without
rehandling at the switch. 1t was ex-
pected that the narrow-gauge road would
be ready to do this work, but it seems
that few land owners on their line each
desire depot on their lot. SO they can
sell city lots, but as that would require
about fifty depots instead Of the three
contemplated. the harmony Of Interests
has not yet been adjusted. The peculi-
arly picayunish spirit that has animated
some Of the small land owners on the
line OF this road has hindered the addi-
tion Of $500. 900 to the taxable property
Of the county this year. They seem to
have an idea that they can corner the
capitalists that are to build the road. In
this they are mistaken. Capital has
wings and can fly from one locality to
another, and the route Of an unbuilt rail-
road can be changed by a fash Of
thought in moment of time. The
Southern Pacific will in few weeks
have line to Pasadena and can lay
second track beside the present one
from the Shorb switch to the
city. In this connection it may
not be amiss to state that capitslists are
contemplating the erection Of large
and elegant hotel on Boyle Heights,
which could be connected with the
Southern Pacific track by switch less
thsn mile in length. This project will
doubtless be carried out at an early day
and prove Of great advantage to the rail-
road company. Street railway cars with
a dummy engine could be used to ad-
vantage.
In regard to the boulevard that is to
60 up the Arroyo Seco, a new and much
improved hne has been surveyed that
meets with popular favor, and the road
will be made and planted with shade
trees.
The tunnel that Fred Eaton is run
ming in the San Gabriel Canon for the
Azuaa company, has passed through the
headland and struck the gravel of the
river bed, where fifty inches Of water
promptly put in an appearance. The
tunnel is As feet below the surface of the
river wash. but has not vet reached the
bedrock. When that is reached big
how is expected that will rival the Los
Angeles river. The depth Of this river
bed Of boulders and gravel that is filed
with water. is very remarkable, and shows
that there is more water underground
than above the gravel. The tunneling
for water, that has been so earnestly ad-
vocated by the HERALD. is now being
adopted with great success, and will con-
tinue to be the popular method on the
side and at the base Of the mountains.
These projected movements indicate great
business prosperity and an abundance Of
capital. They are also solid improve
ments fer the use Of future generations,
and their advent will be hailed with Joy
by al the people. The business boom is
now stronger than ever.