Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-17
our spring opening.

The spring is we'll upon Us here in
the semi-tropics. While the mercury
is reported 18 degrees below zero in
parts of the East, while at no point
east Of the Rockies is there the least
suggestion that winter is at all nearly
over, and while from Europe come
reports of snow storms and cold
weather = "winter lingering in the
lap Of spring"-here in South Cali
fornia the air is delightfully."- mild, the
grasses are lush and almost knee
high to the herds that feed
in our meadows, the wheat
and barley are springing up
and the gardens are all in full bloom.
The promise of the year in all re-
spects is of the most brilliant, and
when hope is changed to fruition in
the harvest time, the record of the
year will be Of the most prolific sea-
son yet experienced in this section.
And business is moving along in all
channels and at all points in a full
tide of prosperity quite in keeping
with this grand promise held out in
the liberal hands of Nature. The
new conner is in the land, like an
army with banners; at any rate
he is here, a veritable army with
coin. He is exchanging his
shekels freely for homes, farms,
Investments and speculations in this
great land of promise. Not less than
$3.50 600 in coin is each day paid over
in barter for lands, lots and houses
in this city and county. The money
represented in these transfers is not
all that is rushing in here like a
stream of gold. Stand anywhere one
may within the limits of this pueblo
and new houses in all stages Of con-
struction will be seen as thick as
blackberries. In the center of the
city fine brick blocks are rising in
graceful symmetry and by the score.
On the corner of Fort and Second
streets one Of these will cover an area
165x120 feet. 1t will be three stories
in height. Near there, on Fort, are
also being built two other stately
brick blocks. On the corner of Spring
and Second streets fve-story build
ing as artistic, symmetrical and sub
stantial as any edifice in any city in
the country is being built. 1t covers
an area of 12Ox105 feet. On the corner
Of Spring and First streets an edifce
120x10 90 feet on the ground and three
stories high is being rushed up at an
unparalleled pace, two gangs of men
being put on it, one working by day
and the other by night, lighted by
powerful electri lights. On Main
between Requena and Commercial
streets, the Lanfranco building-an
old time landmark-has been demol-
ished to make way for magnificent
three story block. At the corner of
Main and Turner streets a six-story
building Of beautiful model is going
up. 1t is somewhat over 100 feet
square on the ground. On Spring
street, between First and Second, the
old Trinity Church is soon to be
removed to make way for
six-story building, 45x160 feet.
The plans for this are be
ing made, and those who have
learned of their character say that it
will be by far the most handsome
business block in Los Angeles, or, for
that matter on this coast. On Los
Angeles street there are several mass
i've structures being erected for busi-
ness purposes. Then there is the
hotel Splendid" which will cost
$1,000. 900, there is the engine house
for the cable system which will require
100000 brick to complete, there
is the county court honse TO
cost 100000, and the city hall
to cost $250,000, all now being
built. If one passes from fact to ru-
NOR, the name of the schemes on
foot is legion. The latest is that the
Baldwin property, on Spring street.. is
to be improved by the erection Of a
six-story block, all Of granite from
our local duarries. But we will not
dwell on things not certain. We will
also pass over the magnificent blocks
almost complete, Of which, perhaps,
the one on the corner Of Spring and
Franklin streets is the most costly.
Edifices of less massive proportions, as
for example, the pretty brick block
now being built at the corner of New
High and Franklin, are also omitted.
Nor is mention made here of such i'm
pro vements as that really mammoth
one on New High street north of Fur
ner, where excavations are going for
ward to prepare for the bricklayers,
named. Then there is the new depot
being erected by the railroad COM
pany on which no particular empha-
sis is laid. Here are enterprises
whose cost runs up into the millions at
a rapid rate. Los Angeles is but one
point out of a hundred in this section
where just such movements are under
way. While this is incomparably
the most important OF all other towns