Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-06
OUR NEXT MAYOR.
Biographical Sketch of w.
II. Workman.
FOUNDER OF BOYLE HEIGHTS.
A Planter of Vineyards-A Self
Made Man-Experienced
in Affairs.

w. Fl. Workman, the Democratic
candidate for Mayor, is man who cam'
here over thirty year, ago, a boy with
out cent of money. But he had energy
and enterprise and since the day that h'
set foot upon the soil of California unit
this very moment when he is seeking the
suffrages of his fellow citizens for tn,
honor of being their Mayor, he ha.
demonstrated that to be born honest
energetic and intelligent is far greater
boon tnan to have been born rich and 9
fool. The whole life of Mr.. Workman
has been that or the useful man par ex
cellence, whose push and enterprise
genius and sagacity produce something
when there is nothing, and from desert
make en- oasis. A short biographical
ketch Of this eminent citizen will show
the wood that he is made out of. W.
Ell. Workman was born at Bonneville,
Missouri, in 1889, and when boy
twelve years of age was appsenticed to a
printer. In 1854 he came to California,
making the trip overland in six months.
He stayed in Los Angeles upon his
arrival in California and has never
left the city since, excepting at
rare intervals. He has seen the City of
the Angels rise from a miserable little
adobe town, controlled often by lawless
bands who wanted their murder each
mornngfor breakfast, and saw it grow up
until it now is perhaps the most glorious
gem in the crown of the Pacific He
saw the time when, in q quarter of an
hour, one could walk all around the
burg, and he sees the beautiful city now,
extending over miles of fine groves,
with well laid out streets, through
which street railroads make travelling
convenient and easy; where formerly
stood few adobes are now large bust.
ness blocks, and where there was moth
ing but few vineyards and gardens
large and elegantdwellipgs embellish the
landscape. Can it, then, surprise any
one that Los Angeles has wrapped itself
around Workman's heart with strings
so tight that nothing but death
can sever the love he bears her! He
loves the adopted city better than the
place of his birth, and who, knowing it
as we'll as he does, will blame him !?
When Mr.. Workman came here he en-
gagged in the printing business on the
Southern Californian, of which Colonel
John o. Wheeler was the editor, and
later, and for over twenty years, was con.
nected with his brother in the saddlery
and harness business. He married Miss
Boyle in 1867 and removed to barren,
desolate sheep ranch on the bluff across
the river. There were no houses there,
with the exception of one or two small
adobes inhabited by Mexican 'borre-
geros, whose sheep only did well dur.
ing those years that rains were abund.
ant. In 1876 Workman, who had long
studied The question, commenced i'm
proving his barren ranch. He called it
the Boyle Heights, after his father-in.
law. His first move was to carry over q
city water pipe to the other side; then
he built the Also street railroad and
next laid out suburban town sites. At
terwards he laid out and built splendid
l5.acre park. In 1878 he brought over
pipe from the east side, connecting
Boyle Heights with reservoir No. 5, for
irrigation purposes. He then expended
nearly $500 in carrying water in 10.
inch pipes all over that section. In
1880 he planted a large vineyard on
tract l25 acres in extent, where he has
now no less than l20, 900 vines. In the
meantime Boyle Heights was becoming
populated gradually. land selling then
at about Sl0O per acre. Since then the
Heights have steadily improved. Where
in 1867 there were three or four Mexi.
can herders in two or three adobe huts
en- dry and desert heath, there are
now $500 inhabitants living in more
than 500 beautiful homes. with
water and vegetation every where.
There are two churches over
there, one Methodist and the
other Baptist. A Catholic place of wor-
ship is soon to be built also, towards the
erection of which Mr.. Workman will,
with his usual generosity; make dona.
tiops of land and help financially. His
latest enterprise is the Electric Railroad,
now nearly completed and expected to
be running by Christmas. 1t starts from
Main street and reaches Boyle Heights
by First street, across the river. During
the building of this railroad MIR. Work
man had the steep hill on the other side
of the river graded at cost Of $4,000.
This road is to be extended soon to Ev.
ergreen Cemetery, the rails for the same
being now on the way from Pittsburg.
When a man has been able to make
start with nothing in the world and has
achieved great success in life; when dur.
ing all the years that he was thus sue
cessful, no suspicion of dishonesty has
ever cast a blemish over his name
it is safe to believe that that man who
has done so well for himself will also be
useful to the citizens whom he seeks to
represent as the chief executive officer
of this city. With such man they can
ouly expect prosperity and need not
fear crookedness. He is the man they
need for square, straight and honest
government and prosperity. and if they
give him their vote they will not be dis.
appointed. Workman wants the city's
prosperity; he wants her welfare, and if
he seeks the honor of being the Mayor
of Los Angeles, it is certainly more for
the good that he can do her than for the
honor of being her trusted servant,
though that honor will also be greatly
appreciated by the man.