Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-03-06

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Lancaster Station - The English
Paper Company--A Rich Silver
Ledge Discovered.
1.-THE following interesting letter was
received some days ago. but owing to
the crowded state Of our columns its
publication was unavoidably postponed.
--EpIToR HEBALD.l
EDITOR HERALD: Lancaster Station
and Antelope Valley having suffered a
blockade from railroad washouts for a
week, we would like the outside world
to hear from us, If we cannot hear from
it. Last week fall of snow of twelve
inches was followed by heavy rain,
which has been succeeded by five days
Of genial sunshine, bringing out the grass
and gladdening the heart Of the settler.
Flowing is being pushed on nearly all
the claims and o generous harvest is
promised The land is certainly very
rich and easily cultivated. and the pres-
ent season forever puts the quietus on
the bugaboo stories Of the desert, manu-.
featured by sheep men to scare out
actual settlers. The settlements, 80 far,
have been made on the west side of the
railroad track, extending q distance Of
twenty miles. Tents aud cabins dot the
plain in every direction and new settlers
are arriving daily. to take advantage of
the benefits of the homestead. desert
land. timber culture. presumption and
school land acts. At present, very little
effort 10 being made 10 sell railroad
lands, they being considered good prop
erty to hold. What this vicinity will
become, with continuance Of the boom
for few months. is not hard to
tell, and undoubtedly there will be a
great rush, as there is much good
land left. Should the sanguine ex-
pectations of forty sacks Of barley to
the acre be realized, the future Of Ante
lope Valley is assured. With rich
soil, easily TILED, and accessible to Los
Angeles, blessed with plenty of water
and genial climate, this section affords
great advantages to the settler.
THE SHEEP BUSINESS.
The sheep men are the only class dis
gusted with the advent Of farming pop
ulation, and, If cock and bull stories
would do the work, all newcomers would
be scared away. For more than q
quarter Of century their aocks have
roamed the plainr, where they never
owned an acre; here they have made
fortunes on the public lands and they
dislike the encroachments Of civilization.
The experience Of sheep men during the
recent storms has been sad one. A
band Of 5000 owned by San Diego
Frenohmau, was caught by the snow
storm near Mud Springs, and about
1900 stampeded. At last accounts he
had found about 200 mired do wn, their
heads alone remaining above the mud to
tell the story Of their unfortunate fate.
From appearances, sheep-raising will
soon be thing Of the past. and barley
and wheat will be the staple exports.
LANCASTER STATION.
Lancaster has now q commodious no.
tel, nearly completed, which will be oc-
cupied by Mr.. Peter Richards at an
early date. 1t has been built by Mr.. NJ.
l.. Wicks, of your city, and will be
thoroughly furnished by him. Mr..
Wicks also owns the livery stable and
lumber yard. though the former has not
been much profit, As he furnishes teams
and drivers free to all desiring to look at
land. His agents here are also very
obliging in giving reliable information to
all intending settlers. A well appointed
general store, kept by franklin 4 Bay
les, furnishes the settlers with the nee.
essaries Of life, but at present. owing to
the railroad embargo, stock is getting
low. A bIacksmith shop. railroad build
ings, an eatins place and Chinese
wash house complete the improvements.
One Of the great needs Of the station is
. notary public or justice Of the peace, so
as to end the Inconvenience Of being
compelled to go to Ne@hall to make q
plain affidavit. A postmaster, deputy
sheriff and deputy U. s. marshal would
also be benefits.
THE ENGLISH PAPER COMPANY.
Capt. NJ. Kelleher. Of Los Angeles,
with corps Of surveyors. is laying out
the land recently purchased by an Eng
lish company, which Intends to establish
. factory for converting the yucca palm
into paper pulp. He has already sur
veyed 10000 acres. leaving 10000 acres
moro to be surveyed.
A MINING BOOM.
Notwithstanding the agricultural
boom, mining matters are not neglected,
and prospectors are jubilant. Ye ter
day friday party of four discovered
. six-foot ledge of silver bearing rock in
the mountains about twelve miles south
west Of the station, and brought
in some fine specimens. Experta
pronounce it very rich and say that it is
similar to the best Calico rock. The for
tunate locators Of this new bonanza are
the Messrs. Bayles. Dickey and Mekell
Brothers. and they have already sunk
. tsn-foot shaft. Other prospectors are
out and soon we may expect to see the
railroad platform crowded with silver
rock destined for Los Angeles for an as
say, with prospect Of quartz mill be-
ing brought here in the near future.
To-day party went out, and if they
strike NO rich silver ledge, 1t is hoped
they will o(rike' some antelope, geese OF
ducks, with which the valley abounds.
Altogether, Antelope valley. with ita
rich soil, its abundant grass, its numer.
ous springs, its artesian wells and its
well-timbered hills offers great induce
ments to settlers and has promising
future. Mr.. NJ. L. Wicks deserves great
credit for his nerve in, attempting its de.
velopment. c.
Lancaster, Feb. %, 1884.