Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-09-09
LOS ANGELES.
The Metropolis of Southern Cali
fOrnia I'm Summer.Time.

The Metropolis of southern Cali |
f0Fnia in summertime.
1t has been stated that Los Angeles
was dead and that Southern California
has been buried as a whole. Having
been here for several months during the
dullest part of the year and casual OBJ
server of matters in general, l must say
if Los Angeles is dead it is peculiarly
lively corpse. Judging from the amount
of business going on during this duil
summer, l feel justified in saying the
fair city will live several years yet to
come.
Since coming here in April there has
been scarcely dav that the real estate
transfers have not footed up to 500, 900,
and from that to half a million.
There are at present 1,l00 new dwell
ings in course of construction of an aver
age capacity Of six rooms each, and
costing in the aggregate $4,000
There are thirty or more of elegant
business blocks in various parts OF the
city going up, which will cost, when
completed, all the way from 100000 to
$250,0 each. Besides these the new
Court House, to cost $780, 900; the new
City Hall, to cost $3.50 900; the new post
office, to cost $3.50 900; the Main street
Hotel, OF which o. j. Mucbmore, for
mer resident of Lebanon, has charge, to
cost 81 10000 numerous other smaller
hotels and boarding houses; the new
opera house, costing $3.50, 900; the Spring
street theater, costing 500, 1000; the
Young Mems Christian Association build
ing, to cost 100000; the new Southern
Pacific depot, which will cost $3.50 900 !;
several fine churches costing from $25 900
to $4,000, and various other buildings
of greater or less value. Besides
all this building the streets are
being paved and graded, side.
walks laid and streets extended
and improved in every direction. The
new cable system of street cars will be
one of the most perfect in America, and
will cost when completed upwards Of
$2,OO0,000. Other street car lines are
being extended, new ones built and
others projected. One of the most i'm
portant items of interest to the city is the
sewerage system about to be built from
the city to the sea, distance of fourteen
mills, to cost $500, 900. This will do away
with the present imperfect system, and
place the city in the most perfect sani-
tary condition. Some idea may be iorm-
ed of the activity of the place by glancing
at the report of til postmaster. During
the last six months about 2. 1000 900 pieces
of mail matter have been distributed, :,
and nearly as much collected. The re-
ceipts of the money order department
have amounted to round million Of
dollars. Seventy trains arrive and de-
part over the Southern Pacific line daily,
twenty-six of which are passenger trains.
Nearly as many come and go over the
Santa Fe line. Outside of these two
great transcontinental lines of railroad
there are several other lines centering in
and others building to the city, which
will make Los Angeles a railroad center
second to none in the State. In TACT, it
is authoritatively stated that $500 tons
more freight was handled in this city by
rail during the year 1887 than in San
Francisco. The amount of freight sent
out over the Southern Pacific during the
months OF January, February and
March, 1888, amounted to 10,S5S, $40
pounds, and that received during
January and February amounted to
42,040, 900 pounds. The number of pas
sengers is enormous, and the prospects
for the coming fall and winter travel is
of such character that all the roads are
making great preparations to handle it.
General Passenger Agent Goodman OF
the Southern Pacific remarked recently
in Los Angeles that the passenger travel
to this coast during the coming season
will be unprecedentedly large, or, as he
expressed it, ''the coming winter will
see an influx of visitors into California
such as has never been known in the
history of modern civilization"
All these facts 60 to show the activity
of life and business in the city OF Los
Angeles. A great many statistics might
be given showing the growth and devel-
Opment of the county, but time and
space forbid at the present writing. At
some future time we will give some OBJ
servations relative to the county of Los
Angeles and Southern California. We
may be false prophet but give it as our
opinion that the city of Los Angeles, now
comprising about $4,000 souls will more
than double its present population in less
than three years. The lull in the real
estate business has set capitalists to in
vesting in manufactures and substantial
improvements which will do much
towards building up and improving the
city. Scarcely day passes but some
new industry is started, and it is
safe to say that hundreds of dwell
ings and business houses are under con-
temptation, as is evidenced by the tear
ing away Of old buildings, grading of lots
and other visible preparations. One of
the surest signs of prosperity is the fact
that hardly vacant house can be seen
For Rent" on the business streets of
the city. 1t is not uncommon to see
elegant stores filed with the stocks of
goods and opened in new blocks before
the upper part is finished or even rooted
over. So great is the demand for stores
that they are often rented be-
fore the building is started.
Notwithstanding croakers and disap-
pointed spectators cry out against this
city, Los Angeles goes grandly on, and
will continue to do 80 until the sea is
reached. With her manufacturing facil-
tiles; with her railroad communications
with her seven seaport towns within easy
access; blessed with the finest climate of
ary city in the world possessing all the
elements for most beautiful residence
city backed by ample capital and inhab-
tied by the most enterprising and wide-
awake people to be found in any country,
the day is not far distant when Los An
geles shall take high rank among the
cities of the world.
GEO. M. SMITH.
The above appeared in The Free Press.
published at Lebanon, N. H., under
date of August "a, 1888.