Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-11
At the winter ResOrts.

winter VlHltOrS TO LOS Angeles Will uuu
many changes for the better. Last year
tourists were disappointed in some
respects. The streets were badly kept,
and the mud in the main thoroughfaree,
when it rained, was the worst ever seen.
Every room in the hotels was taken, and
Ia some cases exorbitant prices were
charged. Houses to let were rare,
and the prices for furnished rooms
ran up to fancy figure. The expense
of living was enhanced by cir
cumstances far beyond what it ordinarily
is. All this has been changed during
the past year. The principal streets OF
the city have been paved and are kept
as neat and in as good condition as the
avenues OF Washington. Over one hun
dred hotels and private boarding houses
have been built and opened, and the
stranger and invalid can find all the
comforts that modern ingenuity has de-
vised. About 2 900 residences have been
built since October, 1887, and rents are
now down to reasonable figure.
The same improvements have been
going on in the other principal cities OF
Southern California. The tourist can
depend upon it that the discomforts of
last season will not be possible this win
ter. Crops of all kinds have been good
this year, and the farmers are well sat-
is6ed with their profits. Many who
rented land have cleared enough to
purchase homes. The total valuation by
the assessors of all property in Los Ar
geles county in 1887 was $97 1924, 1922; in
1888, $1O9. .703 ,040, an increase of $l2,-
67S,2l8. In San Diego county, valuation,
1900 tQQ RT0 T7Q. in.
crease, $40 9.127 ,9l4. In San Bernardino
county, 1887, $15, ,440; 1883, $2l,-
800, ,595; increase, $6,372, l45. AS the
speculative land boom has entirely died
out, these fgnres show healthy growth.
The directory of Los Angeles city con-
tains 29, 1926 names. 1t is customary to
estimate the population of cities at three
times the number of names in the direc-
tory, and this would give Los Angeles
at present SS, $40 inhabitants The can
vass for the directory was made at a
time when there were but few visitors in
the city. The census of 1880 gave Los
Angeles barely $4,000 inhabitants.
Few people have any idea OF the
magnitude of the grape industry IN Cali
fornia. Mr.. Arpad Haraszthy, late
President of the State Board of Viticul-
tural Commissioners, has given an
official estimate that the vineyards OF
California will yield, according to the
present tendency of prices, as follows !;
One million five hundred thousand boxes
of raisins at 50 per box-$3, 600, 900 ;
40 900 tons of table grapes at $50 per
ton-$1 zoo, 900; 50,000,0O0 gallons of
wine at twenty cents per gallon-$10, :
600 900; 1900, 900 gallons tax-paid
brandy at 81. 40 per gallon-$2, ,000, 900 ;
total, $4,000, 900. The shipment OF
table grapes to Eastern cities and
the manufacture of raisins is more
profitable than wine and brandy max
| ing. The price for wine grapes in the
State this year is very low. Ralsin-mak'
| ing is an industry which has entirely
grown up during the past decade. The
pioneers in the business were made the
target for great deal of ridicule. The
laugh is on the other side now. A more
profitable, safe and agreeable business
cannot be named. A Riverside (San
Bernardino county, gentleman sold the
crop on his vines for $4,000. he has
1O5 acres, and the price named gives hin
about $100 per acre. The cost of caring
for the vineyard has been abou
$25 per acre. The purchaser as
sumes all risks. The yield o
this vineyard has about 5000
boxes of raisins per annum. L
would be difficult to find more intelli
gent, prosperous and progressive class o
people than the California raisin makers
They reside in comfortable, and oftel
elegant, homes and their life, as rule
is one to be envied.
Mt. Hamilton, where the Lick Obser
vatory is located, lis attracting great dea
of tourist travel. Visitors are only al
lowed to look through the great telescop
Saturday evenings. There is no hotel OF
the mountain, and until one
built tourists will experience con
siderable discomfort in the trip.
Recent reports of the California Stat
Board of Health show that the year ha
been thus far an exceptiona bly, health
one on the coast. There is marke
Improvement in the health of the people
from year to year, as sanitary laws al
more and more regarded. A prominer
physician recently remarked to th
writer, "The long, dry, cool summers al
the salvation of California. Malaria
very rare, and the terrible diseases I
most semi-tropical countries will nevt
, be known here" ANGELENo.
| II ROatOn Tranenrin nt