The sun., 1888-04-22
FORTUNES FROM the EARTH.
Town Lots and Orange
Blossoms.
4 COUNTRY'S MARVELLOUS GROWTH
It's Varied Attractions
and Resources.


Dsss-fsspis Fsuri.s in-Ths Rssh FER
sAs Lssa-Aassins Inerssss or Vaiuest
0Nssns La.as . Ths s.saudE Tewn
Let Crass-Pis.tins Tswns-spresAins
Over tAs CsuHtry-oranEs Grsves-Lnnds
Oaes TAsusht Barren New Prsduei.s
Riehiy-TAs Present state or the BEEN.
Tho assessed value Of all property in Call
forpia In 1886 was s76S.000. 600; in 1887 1t was
$500, 900, 900, an increase of $182,000,000. OF
this grsnt increase the three lower counties,
Los Angeles. San Bsrnardino. and San Diego.
show nearly s72.000.000. or moro than three
and q half times as much as the gold and silver
product Of the State In 1887. which was 500 00O.-
900. The aggregate increase In the counties
OF Fresno. Tulare. Kern. Santa Barbara, Ven
tura. Los Angeles. San Bernardino, and San
Diego all In tho lower part Of the State, was
Sss.OO0.0O0. In Los Angeles county alone the
increase OF assessed value was $55.000000. The
assessed value OF property in Los Angeles
county In 1886 was $s7. .66o.ssO; in 1887. s92..
7p6,G66. Tho assessed value of San Bernardino
county in 1886 was ss089.805: In 1887. $l5,-
937 995. Of San Diego county In 1886, $996l .282 ;
1857. tl67i2.6lS. Santa Barbara In 1886. S.
5.4S5; I'm 1887. Slo,035.982.
Tho wonderful boom OF whose later growth
these figures afford some indication. is not o
bubble In tho sense that It is something that
may collapse and disappear. 1t is not even
likely to diminish In It's general proportions
but rather to continue to grow. though in parts
It may recede somewhat In prices AID glow less
brightly in colot. Tho boom has tt exceeded
first authorizations. Soa,e Of the OH residents
are still actively engaged In big enterprises: {:
others. men Of brains, and OF COURAGE. too. got
out yoar or moro ago. believing that the
boom had reached its height. only to see new
men take hold where they had left or and
prices keep moving UP.
Real estate men have been attracted from all
over the country. including men OF push
energy. and nerve: and some men Of capi-
tai who have taken large tracts OF land and
made them ready for settlement before offer
ing the land on the market Tho first step IL
to supply tho land with water. Some large and
crsditable work has been done In hydraulic
engineering. Irrigation is tho key that un-
locked the treasures Of tho soil.
Tho cities existing before the boom began
hayetmultiplisd in population. and young cities
and towns have arisen ut touch. Land
hitherto thought useful only for grazing pur-
poses or not even At for that, some OF 1t COW
cred with sage brush and scraRRy bushes. has
been proved to be Of extreme value with water
applied. and many thousands OF acres that ap-
pssred ~ barron wastes are now valued at
hundreds Of dollars an acre.
Some big fortunes have been made and many
smaller ones Of $4,000, $20.0 900. 1000. $4,000
and $4,000 each and many persons have made
little sums Of . few hundreds and thousands Of
dollars on various kinds OF property. Some
buyers Of town lots have realized immense
profits on their Investments, and many have
come out whole or with some gain: and thou
sands have lost or will lose money invested in
town lots Tho town lot business has been
enormously overdone.
It is . magnificent country OF mountains. val
leys. and plains. possessing In many OF its
PARTS prolific soil and delightful climate.
and presenting many attractions. Tho prices
at which acreage property. covering q large
territory. are now held. were never heard of
before except for comparatively small sections
naturally and exclusively adapted to special
crops. and near to or in easy and cheap COM
munication with large markets. Residents
and property owners say that these values
have been and will be more than justified by
the returns from the land. and that the de-
lightiul climate and other attractions Of the
country will draw rich people In largo numbers,
and that health seekers will continue to como.
all contributing to maintain and enhance
values. OF the rise and progress OF the boom
and the present indications some account Is
hero given.