The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-10-10
A SMASHED BOOM.
Town Sites Go Begging in Southern Cali
fOrnia Now.

The effects of southern CALIFORNIA;
collapsed boom are coming out with
humorous clearness at the sessions of
the state board of equalization now
holding there. The boom is relic of
the past. The most accomplished
real estate manipulation cannot keep
up initiation prices, and with humble
unanimity boomers have prayed the
state authorities for reduction of 90
per cent. in the Los Angeles county
assessment roll. The figures pre-
sented are interesting to eastern men
who have backed the county up with
their coin, and now hold deeds to re-
mote sand lots where cactus would
blush to grow. A list compiled un-
der the direction of state controller
Dunn during his recent trip to Los
Angeles, cites particular instances of
decline in values of which he knew
personally. There was found one
piece that sold in 1887 for S15,885
which has since been returned to the
owner for $1,000, the face of the mort
gage upon it. In Redondo Beach
some sand dunes designed for a town
site are assessed for $1,000, and now
the owner offers them for $4,000, with
no takers. At Oak Knoll lots sold
two years ago at $500, which can
not be sold at 800. The sales given
in this list aggregated S404, $3.50, and
the assessment of the same property
800, $50, which, it is asserted, is more
than the properties could be sold for
now.
One of the most curious things that
came out was offered by Mr.. Davis of
Los Angeles. 1t was a document Civ
ing the history and present condition
Of go paper towns projected in all por-
tions of the country, two of which
were actually on the desert. None of
the local sharps, however, bit at these
two, Lots were unlOaded upon the
unsuspecting public. The 60 town
sites, Mr.. Davis said, comprise 1880
town lots now listed by the assessors,
and at present the whole 60 had but
1881 inhabitants. Among the towns
were Borden City, having 1920 lots
plated, and not a single inhabitant;
Chicago Park, 2,286 lots and one in
habitant, the watchman who takes
care of the leading hotel; Carlton,
1850 lots and no inhabitants; Man
chester, 1904 lots with not soul i'll
it; West Glendale, 8,128 lots and no
inhabitants; Sunset, 2030 lots and
one inhabitant, he being as in the
other case, watchman Of an expensive
hotel.
It must be remembered that these
town,sites are not merely tracts of land
with a stubble of surveyors stakes.
The mass of them are laid out in
streets, some with sewers leading no
where, cement sidewalks, on which
jack rabbits scamper up and down,
and an occasional electric light stand
ard from which now and than lonely
wandering owl boots at the skeleton
of half finished house. Such places
dot the prairie, and here and there are
the beginnings of paper railroads,
talked of, but never completed. The
real estate dealer in southern Cali
fornia is not a happy man to-day. He
had his term year ago, and now the
deluded lot buyers are making him
pay taxes at city rates Oh acre prop
eFty by holding on to worthless town
lots, which compels the assessment of
adjoining property at equal rates.
Hence the howl from property own
ers, and their cry will probably be
needed. For the present taxes based
on boom prices are working hardships
among the poorer classes,