Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-24

Oh DDutntIii ttiitOtHlh. ~ ""
time past there has been strong
movement towards acquiring land IN
Antelope Valley, a region which lies
10 the north of the San Fernando
mountain, and which impinges upon
what is known as the Mojave Desert.
A number OF enterprising Americans
and at least one wealthy English
company have acquired lands there.
These have all made money by the
enhancement in the value OF their
purchases. The chief recommended
ton for the acquisition OF these lands
is that they could be obtained at
abnormally low prices and on very
easy terms as compared with the
more valuable and much more costly
lands OF the better portion OF Los An
geles county. Adjoining, as it does,
the through line OF the Southern
Pacific Railway, sagacious Los
Angeles real estate operators
like NJ. l.. Wicks, Esq, and
far-seeing English corporations like
that which is converting yucca into
pulp for the paper mills on the
Thames, appreciated the fact that
Antelope Valley presented a splendid
opening for speculation. Their judg-
ment has been confirmed in remark
able degree. They could undonbted-
ly to-day realize several hundred per
cent. advance on their purchases
made not more than two years ago.
A secondary feature OF the handling
of Antelope Valley is that number
OF English agriculturists, fresh from
the old country, bought land there.
These people were utterly unacquaint-
ed with the peculiarities OF the coun-
try and not calculated to succeed as
farmers, utterly without experience
as they were. Purely as an invest
ment their ventures would probably
net them money to-day, although
they bought at second hand. Mr.. G.
White Mortimer, the British Vice
Cousul at Los Angeles, has been
writing back to the English press
warning them against Investments in
Antelope Valley. His intentions were
doubtless good, but he has permitted
himself to indulge in an intemperance
OF statement which the facts disprove.
Mr.. Mortimer makes his last appear
ance in the london World. That
journal OF Dee 22nd contained the
following, under the heading "Who
Killed Cock Robin"
We have received the following let
ter, which, being in a sense official,
we feel constrained to publish;
BRImsH NIcE CONSULATE
Los ANGELES, Cal,
Nov. q, 1885.
TO the Editor Of The World London,
England
DEAR SIR: During the last six
months have exposed fraudulent
land colony scheme in letters TO the
London papers, and in my Consular
report for 1884. The colony is lo-
Gated at Antelope, in the northern
part of Los Angeles county. | am in
formed that one OF the promoters OF
the scheme has endeavored TO dis
credit me in your columns; or, in
truth, by representing that | am in
terested in another colony, or pro-
posed colony, in this county. This
statement IL a willful falsehood. II
it has been made in your columns, |
beg you will make the necessary cor
rection.
The enclosed circular letter speaks
for itself.
C. WnrE MORTIMER,
British Vice Consul.
Y. S.-If the statement has been
made in your paper, would You kindly
send me copy Of the issue in which
il appears, and OF the correction
c. W. NJ.
MEN. The printed circular en-
closed in the Vice Consul's letter in
forms the public that since MIR.
Mortimer is far too busy to write to
his correspondents they had better
buy his book, Part VII, of II. NJ.
Consular Reports, August, 1885, price
ls Sd, and subscribe to the Los
Angeles llERALp, Times, Express
price Ss per annum EACH, before de-
Gliding TO go California; that the best
time TO visit his district is autumn,
when the country is seen at its worst,
and the "presence OF alkali, want OF
water, etc, are apparent to the most
casual observer. Trembling a. we
stand before this outraged official we
assure him that it wasn't MS. We
never even heard before either OF him
or his exposure, and certainly never
told that "willful falsehood. l." Heaven
forbid that we should tamper with
the character of one of her Maiesty's
representatives even in Los Angeles
Can it he possible that the senior
member for Northampton has actually
fallen foul of II live Vice Consul, and has
dared to treat even Los Angeles with
irreverence? Ii so, the new parlia-
ment should lose no time in investi-
eating the matter-by ROYAL Commits
sion or otherwise We trust that our
contemporary will hasten to send MIR.
Mortimer a copy of the paper contain
ing the ''willful falsehood," +" so that a
Vice-Consular indictment against him
may be framed without delay. The
correction" may then be safely left
10 his judgment and discretion.
0ur esteemed friend, the British
Vice-Consul at Los Angeles, comes in
for a good dose of ridicule in the fore
going which he will doubtless stomach
az hest he may. We accord him good
motives, but he has certainly been
inexact and by far too sweeping. 1t
is within the personal knowledge OF
the editor OF the HERALD that many
persons, outside of the large operators
mentioned, have made II great deal OF
money by judicious Investments IN
lands in Antelope Valley. Many by
the payment OF fifty cents down have
doubled and trebled their money in
vested on the basis OF their having
paid the iull purchase money outright,
instead oi only one-iilthinstallmeut.
This movement is under full head
way now, and what promises 10 be
big gboom ior Antelope Valley is plainly
under way. Investors from Los An
Reles and Northern and Central Cali
fornia are to-day eagerly engaged in
buying up these lands. What expe-
rienced and sagacious Caliiorniansa are
themselves doing there is certainly no
great iniquity in advising an English
nan to do, always ON the suppOsition
that the latter is not obliged TO live
from hand to mouth and has been a
year or two away from his mothers
apron strings.
Mr.. Mortimer has oyershot the
mark. He would do well to adjust