Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-17
Two Needed improvements.


1t is much to be desired that the Rapid
Transit Railway should be Immediately
provided with depot facilities in this city.
If the passenger could enter car at Mon
rovia and find himself in the heart Of Los
Angeles in forty-fve minutes he would
practically be nearer to business than if
he resided near Agricultural Park. III
the passenger could alight at Commercial
street without being obliged to take an
omnibus over at the County Hospital,
Monrovia would double in population in
side OF a year. Its unsurpassed situation
and water privileges, in connection with
the fne grade of society and church and
educational facilities which exist there,
would make that charming suburb one
of the most prosperous and attractive in
the State. The projectors of the Rapid
Transit Railway have had to struggle
with a number of difficulties. First
they met distractions in getting the right
of way, prices which were positively pro-
hibitive being asked on the East Los
Angeles side. Next they made propo-
sition to the Southern Pacific to lay a
third rail, using the Alameda street depot
of the latter company in common. 1t is
understood that the Southern Pacific de-
manded 81 900 month for this privilege
and the sum was regarded as too high.
An offer Of $500 month is said to have
been made to the Southern Pacific and
to have been declined. The public is
assured, however, that the road will be
at once pushed to this city. This is a
sine qua non of its real usefulness and of
its paying. Put on proper footing the
Rapid Transit would pay handsomely
within few months, to say nothing OF it's
indirectly recouping the property owners
at Ramona, Monrovia and other points
along the line, who are its principal stock
holders, in the greatly enhanced value Of
their holdings. There is every reason
why the whole of that lovely section
should fill up with very superior grade
OF people, and it will when they can get
to and fro in reasonable time.
1t is highly desirable, also, that the
new branch of the Southern Pacific
which runs through the Savannah,
Monte, San Felipe Lugo and Laguna
ranchos, should be completed. 1t will
open one of the most valuable and pro.
ductive regions of Los Angeles. The soil
THAT portion of the county is prolific in
the extreme. From six to eight crops OF
alfalfa and three crops of potatoes yearly,
and all kinds of vegetables,
can be raised there in perfection
English walnuts flourish there with a
luxuriance that we have remarked IN no
other portion Of Southern California.
The soil is SO moist that irrigation is not
necessary. Very important improve
ments are under way there. Senator l..
j. Rose has started near the Monte one
of the model farms OF California. There
is an extensive stretch of country, en-
bracing the San Felipe Lugo and the
Merced ranchos, and the country adjoin-
ing Savannah and the Monte, where an
industrious market gardener could get
rich off of ten acres. Property sells
there for very little more than it would
have brought ten years ago. The COM
pletion of this branch cannot fail to give
a great impetus to values all over that
section. Real estate ought to command
there now as high prices as any within
the limits of Los Angeles county.