Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-09-01
"A PAPER TOWN."
what Has Become OF One of These
Ventures.

Ventures.
The term "Paper town" is applied to
the new places founded in this section
during the recent boom. The term car
ries with it to the ears of the prejudiced
a strong sense of opprobrium. 1t is sup.
posed in certain quarters that the losses
sustained by the unwary from investing
in "Paper towns" would run up into the
millions if they could all be gathered into
one exhibit.
Between 1882 and the present year of
grace the entire area of South California
grew apace in population. Hundreds of
miles of railroad were built through it,
and many industries were put on their
feet. The population of Los Angeles
county increased from 20,SS0 to 175,OOO
souls. All other counties in the section
have grown in proportion-if not quite
SO rapidly as Los Angeles, yet
very greatly. In this development,
of course, many new towns have
sprung up. The real estate "boomer" is
nothing if not quick to take hint. He
laid out great many townsites, and to
do SO invaded the fruitful borders of
many vineyard orchard. 1t was a
familiar sight to see the lot stakes stand.
ing in the rows of the vines or amid the
orange trees. These were the only out
ward, visible signs of town in the
vicinity. If you went to the boomers"
Office he would show you a city-on
paper. 1t had big hotel, water works,
bank, street car lines and all the other
belongings of town. They were all
on paper, and as yet no "local habita-
ton" but merely "name" made the
''airy nothing" town. Hence the
term "paper towns"
The prevalent idea away. from here is
that all the the new towns thus laid out
in these parts during the past few years
were of this delusive and deceptive ma
ture-fruit!ess and disappointing to those
who had put their money into the closing
quest" 1t is here proposed to sketch the
brief history of one such place as sam
pie of nearly all Of them.
SOUTH RIVERSIDE.
South Riverside is the place selected as
the example of what has been made OF
"Paper Towns" About two years ago
the plain stretching from the mouth of
the Temescal Canon to the Santa Ana
river, and lying between, River
side and the Yorba Cahon, was
Ia pasture for sheep and cat
tie. The Yorbas, who owned the
ranch, had pastured this mesa for many
years. About the time referred to some
one called the attention of r. B. Taylor,
then Of Anaheim, to this tract. He went
up and
"yiewed the landscape o'er"
He then went on to his old home in Iowa
and there enlisted the interest of ex-
Governor Merrill of that State, of Geo.
L. Joy and others of the same place.
The upshot was that they purchased the
ranch from the Yorbas, and the town of
South Riverside was duly laid out-on
paper. 1t took more than six months to
get the "Paper" town made, and it re-
quired nearly six months more to get at
work in reality on the building the town.
South Riverside is therefore about a
year old. The California Central
railroad from San Bernardino to San
Diego via Santa Ana passes through it.
This "Papertown" to-day has hotel, q
bank, more than one hundred houses.
and is growing like weed under July
sun. There are between 450 and 500
souls in the place. 1t has the credit of
containing $50 actual voters. At the end
OF five years from to-day there will be
not less than 5000 inhabitants in South
Riverside.
WHAT THE COMPANY HAS DONE.
The enterprising men who laid out the
town first, went to work to develop q
water system. First and last, they have
expended $500 900 on this. Several fine
flowing wells have been bored
in the Temescal caflon, aud
their waters piped to the
town and lands. The sales of small lots
and small farms have returned to the
company ell their outlay. including the
first cost Of the land aud that of piping
the water from the cafion. It is esti