Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-02

ing. and passed lightly over the discom.
forts of heat, yellow fever, alligators
sand fes, and heas. Kansas offered
TO the immigrant cheap and fer
tile soil, but said nothing of oliz-
yards and wind swept prairies. And so
on through the list of "booms" that have
followed each other in swift succession
This one of southern California, the last,
but by no means the least of the lot, is
founded on climate. Little is said of the
fertility of the soil-marvelous when
water can be had-little of the profits of
fruit-growing, though they seem TO be
large: but the great card of the seller is
climate. He realizes that you have prob
ably left land of snow and ice, and he
puts the delights of the glorious Califor-
MIA climate before you in its most seduc-
tive aspect. If You look at town lots the
talk is ever OF climate. If you buy, your
deed will be tor real estate. but you will
pay for the everlasting and omnipresent
climate
word about this vaunte6 climate. To
q hearty. robust person, fresh from the
winter of Wisconsin, he climatet is de-
lightful. Bright clear days follow each
other as II storms we're unkre1n. Al
Christmas time roses, geraniums, callas
and otker plants are in fall bloom on
every side. The parks in the middle of
the day are filed with people enjoying
the warm sunshine. Flies and even mos
quitos are not unknown though they are
by no means pests at this time of the
year. On the other hand the nights and
mornings are cool, perhaps not cold, but
very chilly TO person expecting summer
heat, and winter clothes are not uncom-
Portable. You see about as many sealskin
| sacQues and Overcoats as you would at
home, and they are not Guperhuons
articles of ones wardrobe. Thou
sands of eastern people come
here expecting to doff their win
ter garments and bask in uninterest.
ing sunshine. Such will be disappoint
ed and will doubtless impudeutly expose
themselves to suffer for it afterwards.
From 4 in the afternoon till 20 the next
morning, and all day if you are so I'M
lucky as to have a room that the sun does
not visit during the day, fire is a neces-
sity if you would be comfortable. That
it is luxury is evident when I state that
coal is worth $50 per ton and wood SIS
per cord. But coal or wood is not need.
ed, indeed most of the rooms are not pro-
| videa with either stoves or CRATES. A
small kerosene oil stove with two or three
burners seem to be the most popular
methods of taking the "chill" and it an
swers the purpose very well.
But this climate of Los Angeles is evil
IDENTIFY not the place for invalids. There
may bs other localities better adapted
for persons with weak lungs. Probably
there are. One of the peculiar claims tf
this country to public attention is that
any variety of climate desired can be
found. Between the coast and the snow
capped mountains the individual must be
exacting indeed who cannot be suited.
The rush to this country at the pres
ent time is something wonderful. The
whole country seems turned California
ward. You meet people from the far
east quite as often as those from locali-
ties nearer by. Maine and Massachusetts
are represented as well as Kansas and
Iowa, and all the states and territories
between. One thousand per.week is the
estimate that reliable judges put upon
the number coming into Los Angeles,
and even this number is expected to be
largely increased. The carrying capa
city of the railroads is taxed to the ut
most, and freight is side-tracked from
here to st. Louis and Kansas City, that
the engines may be free for the hauling
Of passengers.
With such an influx, it is little wonder
that rents are high. Ordinary six or
seven room cottages rent for $50, $50
and $75 pei month; fair room, barely
furnished, brings $40 per month readily
The hotels are full. Nearly every hous
has the sign, Furnished rooms;" still tn
accommodations are insufficient for the
coming crowds, and the overflow spreads
over the adjoining towns to find the
same state of things prevailing there.
To meet the extraordinary demand houses
are going up by the scores, ar
builders, carpenters and plasterers a.
| as busy as bees from morn till
night. It is estimated that over 100 new
business blocks have been erected within
a year, and the number of new residences
and apartment houses, some of them
very large and fine, can only be told after
careful canvas of the city. They are
to be found on every street and in almost
every block. The incentive to build is
realized when it is known that houses
return an annual rental equal to fifty per
cent, of their cost, and capitalists are
| straining every nerve to meet the demand.
The only limit is the scarcity of labor
and material. This ought to be the para
disc of laboring men, for along with all
large improvements, laying gas and
water pIpee, sewers. street car lines, etc.
million dollar hotel and vast depot
for the Southern Pacific road are among
rhe projects of the near future.
Ard yet, with all these opportunities,
you are som etimes besieged by the in
pecuninus individual = usually with a
claret-colored nose = wanting "assis-
lance" THAT is their invariable formula,
Resistance" never dime or a qCarter.)
| Probably he wants assistance" to en-
able him to look more often upon the
generous red wine of the country or the
foaming amber beverage for which we
are largely indebted to st. Louis. Not all
the visitors from the east are wealthy.
The tramp is here. He, too, is in search
of "climate," but he doesn't go to the real
estate agent and pay fancy prices for
what he gets. He finds it in areas, on
cellar doors and back porches and IL
freight cars. Occasionally, too, if you
| happen to be on a back street late at
night he makes more that usually for
chile request for "assistance;" one that
you may be compelled to listen tc. Such
things have happened, not very far from
the business streets, and at compare
lively early hour in the evening.
But this should not be counted against
the City of the Angels. 1t should be re-
memberei that the city has grown with
unexampled rapidity. A police fore
that was perfectly adequate a year ago
is entirely too small now. So with the
fire department. The Hotel Belmont, a
fine hotel in the suburbs, took FIRE few
days ago. The day was perfectly still,
the time about 10 in the morning, but the
engines were nearly two miles from the
building; had to take roundabout