Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-06-18
A MAMMOTH HOTEL.
The Tenth and Main street Hotel
NOW HBeing Constructed.

NOW HBeing Constructed.
One of the first calls made on arriving
in the city OF Los Angeles was upon our
old friend, of New England fame as a
contractor and builder o. J. Muchmore,
who is experimenting the construction
OF the mammoth hotel now lie pg built on
Main street, between Ninth and Tenth.
As anticipated, we found him on the
works, with one hundred or more busy
laborers, preparing the foundation. A
full description, with cuts of this i'm
mense structure, will appear in later
number OF The South, and will be OF in
terest to its readers.
The hotel will cover an entire block
is being built of brick, five stories in
height and will be the pride of Los An
geles and OF great Importance to the trave
cling public.
The hotel is being built by the "Tenth
and Main Streets Hotel Company" COM
posed of men in afluent circumstances,
and residents OF this city, of whom A. H.
Denker is the principal mover and chief
owner, and Samuel j. f. Thayer, of Bos-
ton, the chief architect, w. F. Goodwin,
assistant, and now in charge of the work.
1t is possible that the capacious hos
telry will be ready for the coming win
ter's travel.
Great credit is due to the energetic and
enterprising protector, Mr.. A. H. Denker,
who has personally attended to the de-
tails OF this great work.
Mr.. Denker is native of Germany,
but has been resident OF California for
twenty-five or thirty years, and is large
land owner in and around Los Angeles,
the city in which he has unbounded con-
fidence. He has been largely identified
with the citys interests, and has watched
with pride its growth and prosperity.
Upon being introduced as a represent
ative of The South he kindly invited us to
take drive with him through the town
and to his ranch, the Rodeode las Aguas,
an invitation which we most cheerfully
accepted. Ii one wants to enjoy an April
morning in Los Angeles, let him take a
seat with this genial, active man, who,
though having world of business, is
never too busy to show up the beauties
and interests OF this fair city, and ride
through its streets and view the vine
covered cottages; the modern homes and
the palatial residences to be found in
every direction. 1t does not take long to
convince one that the growth of Los
Angeles is no myth, neither can one fail
to note the multitude OF lovely flowers
beautifying these cheerful, thrifty
homes.
| 1t was a bracing drive behind a spank
ing span OF bays that took us to Rodeo
de las Aguas, where we saw something
of what California can produce. This
ranch embraces 900 acres, reaching from
the Cahuenga Mountains along the gentle
slope OF the mesa to the Palms, or Bal
Iona Station on the Santa Monica rail
road, and is about eight miles from the
city OF Los Angeles and six from Santa
Monica. II is logely spot. A place
where mountain peaks, rich green val
leys and the grand old Pacific command
one to pause and behold.
The great wonder to us was that Los
Angeles was not built upon this ranch so
delightfully."- located. This property is
owned by Messrs. Hammel and Denker,
and is under the charge Of Mr.. Denker' 3
brother. On it they keep about 700 head
OF horned cattle and about 200 horses.
They milk from 200 to 250 COWS, which
produce from five to six tons OF milk
daily. The cream is separated from this
| by one of De Laval's cream extracters,
and made into the most delicious butter,
put up in two pound rolls and sold in the
city at from 50 cents TO 81 per roll. The
milk is then fed to the calves. They
raise about $50 to 200 steers for market
each year.
The ranch is also devoted to the rails
ing Of fine horses, being stocked with $50
to 200 fine brood mares and some OF the
finest stations on the Pacific coast. This
is profitable part OF their business.
Ii any one doubts the productiveness
OF this State, or if he desires to see its
capabilities, let him visit this ranch and
there see the fine stock OF the various
breeds and the abundant crop the soil
produces. In one field OF $50 acres we
saw barley growing five feet and six
| inches high on an average, and so thick
that we had to press it aside in order to
step into it to measure its height. This
crop was growing on land that had been
; cultivated for a score OF years and had
never had ton OF fertilizer.
In another field we saw hay.cocks so
thick that it would be difficult to drive a
team among them, ready for the barn,
and this was the 18th day of April
During the summer two, and sometimes
three, crops OF equal quantity would be
harvested from the same field. We have
seen rich fields in New England, where
they had been heavily fertilized, and
bottom lands in the West produce one
such crop in twelve-month, but never
saw, and do not expect to see, any coun-
try that can produce three or four such
crops as this.
While beholding all this in wonder
and amazement the query arose in our
minds, why do the New England people
work and delve among the rocks OF that
rugged country, barely living in summer
and nearly freezing in winter, when they
could come to this sunny land and by
working one half as hard and enjoying
perpetual summer, turn these California
valleys into fields OF wealth and homes
luxury and comfort.
Some have learned the lesson, others
will, and this fair land will "blossom as
the rose," and these granite hill re-
sound to the glad voices Of multitude Of
happy hearts.
Much more might be said OF this and
the rich ranches between this and the
city, but we refrain from further COM
ment at present. Our ride home was by