Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-03-18
AT LONDON.
A Hos.onlan view Of Pasadena.

Mr.. L. l.. Holden, in the Boston
Home Journal. has this to say:
The opening of the Los Angeles and
San Gabriel Valley Railroad tSeptember
l2, 1885, has given the place fresh i'm
petus. This road has already been ex-
tended to Lamanda Park, point within
mile Of the Sierra Madre Villa and
about thirteen and half miles from Los
Angeles. and will soon make its way
through Lucky" Baldwin's extensive
tract and as far as Pomona. Eventually
it will reach San Bernardino. A ride
over the road as far as Pasadena is in the
programme of every visitor to Los An
geles. The cars, besides being new, are
very neatly and handsomely finished,
and everything pertaining to the road
seems to be in the best of order and be-
fitting a service that is likely to encom-
pass large share of tourist and pleasure
travel. The stations along the line 50
far as they have been finished, are
especially neat and picturesque, and,
with the other provisions for the COM
fort and welfare OF passengers, betoken
that the managers propose to make their
road "gilt-edged" line. Between Los
Angeles and Pasadena there is a tract
of unimproved land, but as there are al
ready two projected "Parks" within that
range it is presumed that the region will
soon be settled up. As Pasadena is much
higher than Los Angeles the train enters
upon an upgrade soon after its start.
just beyond East Los Angeles grade
r \ \ a 4 h. 10 tG nd
from Los Angeles to the summit, just
beyond Pasadena, the rise is 600 iest,
or au average of 80 feet per mile. AT
South Pasadena, seven and q hall
miles out. one reaches the outer boun-
Diary Of this really beautiful region, and
thenceforward to the end of the road
| the train traversea country rich in
| gardens, orchards, vineyards and pretty
homes. A large number OF the residents
OF Pasadena are Eastern people who
came here in seach OF health, and who
have built charming residences. Others
are Los Angeles business men who have
also displayed refined taste in beautify-
ing Pasadena and its surroundings. The
visitor is everywhere struck by the re-
| markable absence Of fences, which in
various forms of hideous aspect, picket
barbed wire and otherwise surround
houses, gardens and orchards in the
East. A simple hedge of cypress, more
or less ornamental, and in many in
stances not even that much, border the
most elaborate gardens and the richest
orchards. The laws against cattle run
ming at large are sufficiently strong 10
guard against danger in that direction,
| and the stranger is almost everywhere
made welcome to drive through wide
entrance-ways If there is anything to be
gained thereby. Churches, schools
and public library have arisen here
| in addition to many charming homes,
and there are also attractive business
blocks. Midway between South
Pasadena and Pasadena the railroad
runs along at the base of the hill upon
the slightly summit of which the Ray
| mond Hotel is being built. A station
has been established here and the rail.
way people have named it Raymond in
honor of the protector of the hotel en-
terprise. From the top of the hill the
view is magnificent. All around are
scattered the rich gardens, vineyards
and fruit orchards of Pasadena and San
Gabriel. An extended view is had
down the broad valley to the ocean,
thirty miles away, and even the
distant blue heights of the island
OF Santa Catalina may be seen. Turning
in the opposite direction, or northward.
a superb mountain prospect is had, the
rugged wall Of the Sierra Madre extend
ing in both directions, and within a
range of vision that renders its deep
cafons and gorges objects that may
be studied. In the east is the silver
crowned summit of "0ld Baldy, ~ the most
prominent landmark in all Southern
California, and always--and from every
outIook--an object of picturesque beau
| ty. Work npon the hotel is being pros
ecuted very vigorously with view to
having the house ready for occupancy
on the LIST OF November, 1886. The en-
ergctic Mr.. Raynond. senior, has spent
much time here in experimenting and
directing the work, and certainly ap-
pears 60 have renewed his youth
| in this glorious climate. The
hotel is to be 2S3 feet long
with wide veranda about thousand
feet in length, extending around the
main edifee and the wings, and there
are to be in addition to the public apart
ments, about l75 guest rooms. every one
Of which will command fine outlook.
The hotel promises TO be a credit "a
Pasadena and the Pacific Coast, gener.
ally, and to fill want that every year
tourists in Southern California lind more
and more pressing.