Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-24
THE SEMI-TROPICS.
What Strangers Think Of
This Section.
ENERGY AND CAPITAL NEEDED


The Best Climate, the Best Soil, the
Best Society, the Best Schools,
the Best Churches.
People who lack eyes to see what is
before them often charge the press and
psople of South California with being
too enthusiastic in their admiration for
this section, its climate, resources and
products. It is always we'll to learn
what disinterested people think of this
country, and, when the opinions OF
strangers entirely coincide with those of
dwellers in the land, to tell what visitors
think of us, is pleasant.
There has been at the Hollen-
beck, for some time past. party
of tourists consisting of the
Messrs. D. F. Comstock and VIM.
Delaney with their wives. Mr.. Com
stock is from Big Rapids, Michigan, and
both gentlemen have large interests in
the lumber districts of that state and OF
Wisconsin. Mr.. Delaney is an argonaut,
having came to California in the first
flush of the gold discovery excitement.
He dug from the hills in few years a
moderate fortune and then returned.
Since then he has made large fortune
in busines as also has his companion,
Mr.. Comstock. They are now we'll
advanced in years and wish to retire
fir ON business. This is Mr.. Comstock's q
first visit to Los Angeles, but Mr.. De-
lany was here about six years ago. Both
gentlemen are so enamored of this land
of sunshine that their one remaining am
bition is to arrange their business on the
other side of the Divide and come here
and settle down in the semi-tropics.
Having by chance met these gentlemen,
yesterday q HERALD reporter spent an
hour or 80 in conversation with Mr..
Comstock. He finds the views of this
experienced gentleman so fully up to the
most roseate of those entertained by the
greatest admirers of this section, that
they seem we'll worth putting on record.
Ia the course OF brief conversation
Mr.. CoMsToCK EXPRESSED THESE OPINIONS
My opinion of this section and of this
city is that for the matters of health and
comfort, as these depend on climate,
you have the best place in the world.
OF course, have not seen all your coast,
nor have been here during the summer
take it that what l have heard of
other parts of the State aud of your
summer weather is correct. I have been
in Europe. 1 am we'll acquainted with
the climate of Florida. There are places
in Europe, in the south and in many
parts of the north where the climate is
nearly perfect for parts of the year. But
none of them compare with yours.
Yours is good all the year around, and
it is better than any of them a.
all times. This is of course only the
opinion of one person but it is confirmed
by that OF ali wio visit Jour city. I
have met not less than thousands of peo-
pie all over the United States who have
spent more or less time in or about Los
Angeles. Their accounts of what they
saw aud experienced is the thing that
Drought me here. They told me 1
would find it much more delightful than
words could express, and have found
it so. Here is where great many peo-
pie of means, old persons ready to retire.
those who are in poor health, and all
ages and and classes of people wish to
come and make their homes.
We have been here three weeks. Dur
ing that time we have been about the
valley somewhat. We have made little
trips to the sea at Santa Monica, to the
ranch of Hammel & Denker, out into the
country towards Wilmington, and other
places. We have been to fields where
the grain is nearly up to the hubs of the
wheels in February; we have seen
strawberries ripe in the field; the plains
are all covered with rich grass, and it
seems strange to see the cattle roaming
about unhoused and fat in the middle Of
winter. That ranch of Denker's is very
fine one. They have large band of
6ns cattle on it. And I never
tasted sweeter milk, better butter or
more delicious buttermilk than theirs.
See what an immense stretch of country
you have here. Mr.. Denker's ranch ia
only little patch. As good land lies in
all directions, further than one can see.
I saw the largest fields of cabbage there
my eyes ever fell on. You are shipping
this to the East in large quantities, but
the time will come when you will send
much more of this and of other
vegetables to the East through all the
winter months. You ought to ship a
train-load of vegetables a day. They
would find the best of markets there.
You have the best dairy country in the
world, as we'll as the best vegetable and
the best fruit country. What you want
now is to break up your big ranches into
small farms. That ia the best thing for
yon to do.
MORE CAPITAL.
Another thing you need here is more
capital. From what see am persuaded
that you have here some of the best oil
fields and natural gas deposits in the
country. Your people are partly too
timid. and they have not the capital to
develop your resources. 1 see your
banks are rich, and that they carry very
heavy lines Of deposits. This does not
argue great enterprise on the part OF
your people. So much idle money is not
what you want. Some of these capitalists
ought to be able to find better use for
their money than having it counted up
and their balances written once q month.
They ought to get to work with it. You
are importing butter. You need some
manufactures here. The gas, the oil
opd tho cool o,,oht to ho douolonad