Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-01-07
A LARGE ENTERPRISE.
Oakland Capitalists In a Southern
California scheme.


California scheme.
The proposition to establish road
stead on the coast near Los Angeles has
been long considered by the residents of
that county. The harbor of San Pedro
is considered too far off, and though the
harbor of Santa Monica is quite near,
still it is unsatisfactory for many reasons.
Colonel G. H. Mendell of the corps of
engineers, United States army, and
William Ham Hill, State Engineer
of California, were employed by
the Board of Trade of Los Ange-
les to make surveys, especially of
the waters at Redondo beach, below
Santa Monica, and report the same to
the Redondo Beach Company. The first
named engineer in his report says the
characteristic photographic feature of
this beach is the existence on its front of
a remarkable sub marine valley, the ten
fathom contour of which is within 500
feet of shore and which widens and deep
ems rapidly, attaining 100 fathoms' depth
at about mile and half from shore.
This feature belongs to no other frontage
on Santa Monica bay proper. The place
is remarkably free from winds and wave
disturbances and will make a safe harbor.
Steamers from San Francisco, landing
first at Redondo, would doubtless there
discharge their passengers, who would
reach Los Angeles some hours earlier
than they can do now, or than they could
do if landed on piers in San Pedro bay.
1t is claimed that by the expenditure of
comparatively small sum Of money for
docks and training walls, the largest YES.
sells can be brought Immediately along
side the cars, and that such plan, il
carried out, would certainly prove of
much Importance to Los Angeles. The
valley lying back of Redondo Beach is a
beautiful one, and is very fertile. The
beach itself is fine one, and if improved
as it is intended to have it done, it will
be one of the finest resorts in the State.
| The establishing of new port where
vessels from the Orient could come along
side the cars near Los Angeles attracted
| the attention of Captain j. G. Ainsworth.
of this city. His long connection with
shipping interests between Portland.
Ore., and China, has made him thor
oughly familiar with the importance and
commercial value of such a harbor
near Los Angeles. 1t was he who
perhaps more than anyone else made
Portland, from q commercial view.
the city that it now is. Captain
Ainsworth, after a thorough sur
vey of the field, concluded to undertake
this new enterprise. With this idea. he
invested largely in tracts of lands in the
| Redondo valley. On the beach is stu :
ated the town of Redondo, and between
it and Los Angeles is the town of Inele-
wood. Two joint stock companies have
been organized, one known as the Cent?
ela-Inglewood Land Company, and the
other as the Redondo Beach Company.
Captain George J. Ainsworth, of PaQoda
Hill, near this city. is President of both
companies.
An Enquirer reporter called on Captain
J. q. Ainsworth at his beautiful home al
Roselawn, Claremont, this morning and
learned from him that his son is now at
Los Angeles where he is completing ar.
rangements for improving both places
and establishing the proposed harbor. A
large hotel will be built on the beach
which though not as extensive and cost,
as that at Coronado Beach, near Sal
Diego, will be sufficiently commodious
for all practical purposes and will be O
, beautiful architectural appearance. J. G
: Matthews, the we'll known architect O
! this city. is now making the plans for thi
proposed hotel.
Work at both places will be pushe,
? forward as rapidly as possible, and in tn
: meantime Inducements are being offere,
|, to those who desire to purchase homes i
! the lands OF either company. II Oaklan
2 Enquirer.