Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-06-01

Los Angeles x San Gabriel Valley
ShEl has been steadily pushed
Fai from the station at Lamanda
o. until the graders and traeklayers
\. at last reached Santa Anita ave-
.e. on Mr.. T.. j. Baldwin's beautiful
place Of the same name. On the 18th
of the current month station will be
opened at Monrovia, and shortly
thereafter the road will be extended
through the Duarte ii the railway
people can secure the right OF way
through that settlement.
The development which is now
taking place along the line Of this
road surpasses anything known in the
previous history OF Los Angeles
county. From Garvanzo and High
land and Lincoln Parks out to Monro-
via there is the liveliest movement in
real estate and building operations,
and the setting out Of vineyards and
orchards is being carried on with in
defatigable activity. The superb new
RAYMOND Hotel has now reached al
most the finished stage, and II will be
ready for occupancy by the LIST OF
September. II will accommodate a
number OF guests, and all its three
hundred and fifty rooms are already
engaged by Eastern people. Its site
is the most commanding in the
county, and the edifice would show
up grandly in any quarter OF the
world. Pasadena is enjoying first
class "boom, /" the fruit of the sagacity
and energy of her people in encour-
aging the completion OF the Los An
geles 4 San Gabriel Valley Railway
and of their determined industry and
intelligence. A number OF very pre-
tentious and costly buildings are in
course of erection and everything is
fairly humming in the Crown of the
Valley.
The San Gabriel Valley proper
shows the signs OF progress in re-
markable degree. Settlement, though
perhaps not as marked as in Pasa-
dena and some other places, is still
very active. The foothills are COM
ing into great demand, and elegant
villas are springing upon every
coigne OF vantage in the highlands.
Countless thousands OF acres OF vine
yard and orchard have been set out
during the past year, and both trees
and plants look strong and thrifty. tits
really singular to observe the spon-
taneity OF tree and vine growth in
this valley. Acres Of vineyard are
passed in which not a single cutting
has failed to flourish. This is pecu-
liarity which we believe to be re-
stricted to Los Angeles county. Every
thing that is put in the ground seems
to mature here.
The new station OF Lamanda Park
seems to have started out very vigor-
'ously, and the town grown space. 1t
can already boast of several stores,
saloon and billiard hall, a boarding
house large enough for hotel and
winery, built by Hon, }. +. Crank
and others, which adjoins it,
The railway trayerses the beautiful
Santa Anita ranch, and station will
be built at the town of Baldwin,
which is located near the wash OF the
Santa Anita creek. The Santa Anita
probably contains as much good land
as any equal expanse Of territory in
Los Angeles county, but the best por-
ton has by no means been selected
as the site for the town of Baldwin
this is true at least as to that portion
OF it which is visible from the road.
A short distance from the nascent
city of Baldwin lies the young and
vigorous settlement OF Monroyia.
There is something unique about the
history and progress OF this enter
prise. which promises to be the most
successful and beautiful OF all the ex-
periments OF the kind thus far made
in Los Angeles county. The tract
starts from the foothills and runs at a
gentle slope, which admits OF perfect
irrigation, towards the plain. The
altitude is about twelve hundred feet;
and the climate, like that OF the Sierra
Madre Villa, Carterhia, Kinneyloa,
the Duarte, and all along the base of
the Sierra Madre mountains, is per
feet. No man with bronchitis or in
the opening stages OF consumption,
could long remain sick here. The
air is too bright and stimu-
lating to admit Of any OBJ
structed human organs. Any
where on the foothills of this range,
at an elevation OF from twelve hun
dred to fifteen hundred feet, this ex-
quisite and life-giving temperature
may be found. Monrovia, which is
about seventeen miles from Los An
geles, lies at the foot OF high mount
aims and directly opposite a break in
the range of hills which separates the
San Gabriel from the Los Angeles
valley proper. Gentle sea-breezes
blow through this convenient depres-
sion, and reach the settlement after
passing over the warm plain for dis
lance, in air line, of twenty-five or
thirty miles, A perfect view is com
manded in clear weather, OF the sea
and shipping at Wilmington, and even
of the Santa Catalina Islands.
Something over a year and half
ago number OF Los Angeles capital
lists, including Mayor Spence, Judge
j. d. Bicknell and Col. W. N. Mon
roe, saw the advantages OF what is
now Monrovia and bought the land.
The work OF retaining it from the
wild state was entrusted to the last
named gentleman, who has achieved
wonders in this short time. In Feb
ruary OF last year he completed the
erection OF what is perhaps the most
elegant and complete country resi-
dence in Southern California, which
even in that short period he has sue
ceeded in surrounding with the most
exquisite flora and foliage. He at
once applied himself to the work OF
clearing off the brush and developing
the water supply, the sources OF which
are from Santa Anita Greek and Saw