Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-22
DECEMBER.
How Californians Spend
the Month.
DRIVE OF FIFTY MILES.
Superb What is Doing
in the Vineyards and the
Grain Fields.

with pair OF little mustangs about the
size of sheep, that got over the ground
in fine shape. Always take pair OF
these tough ponies for long journey.
The S. z. Co. has a double switch
west OF the powder house which was
filled with double line of fruit cars.
There were probably two hundred of
them there in waiting to handle the
orange crop. At this point on hill
south OF the railroad some one is putting
up very fine residence. Away on the
other side in East Los Angeles, on an
other big knoll, the new residence of
Mr.. w. L. Lambie looms up, promising
to be one of the finest houses in the
city. There is second powder house
erected recently about mile beyond
the old one, just where the wagon road
crosses the railro I'D track before reaching
the Five-Mile House.
AT the vineyard of the San Gabriel
Wine Company, some dozen men were
busy pruning. This vineyard is two
years old, and the growth of the canes
Is very large and strong. The vines
have good hold on the ground and are
doing excellently. The width between
the rows allows to drive wagon be
tween to gather up the canes. All
along the country everywhere the same
activity in pruning is noticeable.
Out at Covina, the immense new
house OF Mr.. Hauaer is nearly com.
pleted. All along the Azusa country
new houses are seen very numerous on
all hands. The big Phillips ditch is
nearly finished. Some S93 600 have
been paid up on the stock. A payment
OF seventy cents more would pay up in
full, and it is not likely that will be
called for. The corn is all
husked, and several gangs
are busy shelling it. The
farmers thereabouts have plenty of po
tatoes. This is the great potato district
of the county. Many orchardists were
seen on the Azusa and on the Duarte
picking oranges. For the early season
the fruit was large and the color very
high. The Puente is for wide stretches
brown where the ground has been turned
by the plow and the new crops of grain
put in.
Getting across the great washes of he
San Gabriel river, which are about four
miles wide between McNish's store and
the Duarte, the end of the Los Angeles
and San Gabriel Valley Railroad-that
is the present end of track laying was
encountered. The gang there at
work were of the opinion that
the river crossing would be reached
by next Saturday night. This will
bring tracklaying TO halt for the pres
ent, On that very day forty men were
sent out from here to frame the bridge
timbers and get the bri lge over the
! river. BY the end Of next week the
first span Of the bridge will be in. As
soon as it is completed traeklaying will
be resumed beyond the river.
Below the old Duarte settlement some
parties are clearing up an immense
stretch of land preparatory to settle.
| ment.
Getting out of the fine orchards along
| the Duarle, the new town of Monrovia,
! with its churches, schools, hotels, stores
and fine residences looms up like Wig
orous young city. By the way, at the
Duarte is fine new schoolhouse, and a
| liner one still is just about to be COM
pleted at the Azusa.
A year ago the writer visited the site
of MoDrovia. Then there was no sign
of town there. Now the new settle
ment makes great showing on the hill
side.
Striking the Santa Anita ranch one is
| surprised to observe how the trees along
the great avenues are growing. A year
ago the peppers and eucalyptus trees
had just been planted along the road
Now they are fifteen to twenty feet
high and looking very vigorous. 1t is
impossible to imagine how greatly these
trees enhance the beauty of the roads.
On the Santa Anita ten six-horse teams
were busy putting in crop of barley.
| By the way, the farmers are very back
| ward in parts of the valley in the way
of sowing grain.
Evidently some of them think there is
possibility of there being dry season
! onich will furnish them an excuse for
their laziness. They will be mistaken.
There are still four months for rain to
fall in and only one of our raining
months passed, 1t is TOO earl to give
up yet. The season will need but little
eain as tho ground is all well soaked
from last winter. We shall get all the
moisture we need before the end OF
April.
Gangs of dozen fnen in bunch were
pruning the Rose vines and Mr.. Rose is
we'll along in this work, and he takes
time by the forelock. He is getting out
good many cuttings for the spring
planting. They may be for himself or
for some others who are ordering some
of his new and choicest vines.
Pasadena was reached as the sun was
going down. Passenger trains were ar
riving from the city and others return.
ing here. On all sides new houses were
springing up like mushrooms, and they
are large, well-built, stylish residences.
Getting this side of the new city, along
by Lincoln Park, the roads were lined
with vehicles carrying gay parties of
Pasadenans home from the city. Along
through Garvanzo other parties weremet,
and so on into East Los Angeles. Be-
tween the Raymond in Pasadena and the
last crossing of Arroyo Seco, the other
side of East Los Angeles, probably one
hundred vehicles were met.
The new wagon bridge over the AFRO.
yo Seco, just beyond Garvanzo, is fin
shed and is great improvement. 1t
spans that big gulch just above the rail-
road bridge. The new hotel at Garvan-
20 was all aglow with lights, and looked
very comfortable in the cleaning. Near
the residence Of George Rice beautiful
me- residence is nearly completed. The
cosy home of Judge d. M. Adams is on
the bank of the Arroyo Seco, just above
the new hotel and the new bridge.
At about 10 o'clock home was gained
again after December drive through
the finest valley in the world. In the
gardens the roses were in bloom. There
were many wild flowers still gay along
the roadsides. Flocks of butterflies
fitted from flower to flower forgetful
that the shortest day in the year, the
death of the year, the holiday season
were all at hand. with the wild bells"
L