Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-25
The Broad Acres of a Los An
geles Ranchero.
Mr.. Richard Garvey's Posses
sions Along the San Gabriel.
Hill Lands. Mesa Lands, Moist and
Semi-MOist Lands Galore.
A Scheme of Subdivision That Will Place
Fine Lands on the Market at Very
Moderate Rates.


ranchero met the scribe at Alhambra
and drove him south to his home on
the mesa over the bottom lands OF the
Potrero Grande. 1t is needless to say
anything about the fine appearance of
things in charming Alhambra, with it's
splendid orchards, beautiful homes,
schools, churches, hotels and business
places. As the team headed south,
Ramona lay to the right, with the
Sisters substantial school crowning
commanding height at the edge of the
town. The road lay directly through
the fine orange orchard and vineyard of
T. B. Bishop, Esq, and soon passing out
OF these runs directly through Mr.. Gar
vey's lands. These begin about mile
east of Ramona and stretch easterly
some two and one-half miles, while
they run quite over the crest of the low
line of hills to the south, and overlook
the Laguna on the other side. Here
Mr.. Garvey has 1000 acres OF splendid
land. 1t is rolling, hill or mesa, and is
all fertile to high degree. This land
was acquired by Mr.. Garvey from the
state direct. 1t is an exceedingly fine
body of land. The mesa is rich soil,
capable of producing any fruit crop, and
needing water only for citrus culture.
Pears, prunes and all the deciduous
varieties of fruit will flourish here with
out water. 1t is only about thirty feet
to fine supplies of we'll water, and well
with a strong windmill will irrigate
twenty acres with the greatest ease.
Into the hills Mr.. Garvey has driven
tunnel and got a good stream of water for
use at his own house and for his stock.
He intends to take out a couple of
hundred inches of water at dis
tant point and pipe it to this tract,
which he will cut up and put on the
market soon. There are homes here for
a hundred families, who may become
independent by putting out small fruit
farms on this land. Mr.. Garvey is at
present using the ranch for general
farming purposes, and has some fine
horses, cattle and hogs on the place.
He sold 5000 worth of cattle off the
ranches the other day, and is all the
time selling fine farm horses and road
sters. At several points, and particu-
larly around his home, Mr.. Garvey has
planted great many groves OF eucalyp-
tus trees, which have made fine growth
and are now magnificent trees. His ex-
ample ought to be followed by all who
own land in this part of the state.
Below Mr.. Garvey's house lies another
of his ranches. This is part of the old
grant known as the Potrero Grande.
This is unlike the tract just described,
being all moist or semi-moist land.
off 1r.v,
all in one body. 1t begins at Hon. L. j.
stretches away to the river near the old
mission. The north portion of this
tract where it JOINS Rosemeade is the
best walnut land in the county. The
south part of it is moist land fitted for
the growth of alfalfa, corn, potatoes and
such crops. This 1,100 acres in one
body would make magnificent dairy
ranch, with the semi-moist portion
of it devoted to walnuts. A good busi-
ness man could make interest on about
q quarter of a million dollars in this
tract, and be independent for life. The
soil is very rich. No part of it needs
irrigation for any purpose, the water
lying below the surface at about from
six to twenty feet. There is corn on
the land now that runs at ten to twenty
feet high. Other parts are planted to
potatoes, and the crop of tubers is as
fine as the sun shines on. In other
fields fine, fat stock was knee deep in
the rich grasses of this bottom land. A
stream of water from the San Gabriel as
clear as crystal runs at all times through
the lands.
The road lay past the old mission,
where nearly century and quarter
ago the mission fathers founded their
first mission in the valley, some years
before the San Gabriel mission proper
was thought of. The remains of the
houses still remain to mark this inter
esting historic spot. Below this lies
the gap where the river breaks between
the hills, and the roads divide here, one
going to the Ranchito and Whittier
and the other turning up stream to-
wards Ell Monte. The former abode
of the Temple family, so powerful once
in business and political circles in Los
Angeles is on the road just after crossing
the bridge. Here are some of the finest
alfalfa fields and walnut groves in the
country. Mr. Durfy has notably fine
walnut orchard on the very bank of the
San Gabriel. All along here the droop-
ing boughs of the trees have to be
propped with so or 100 poles to the tree
to prevent the weight of the crop from
breaking the tree to pieces.
Here the road again enters the pos
sessions of Mr.. Garvey. This is the
Felipe Lugo ranch, which back from the
road adjoins the Potrero Grande. The
soil is much the same as that of the
other ranch. 1t is mostly moist land,
a little being semi-moist. The corn,
potato, beans and sweet potato crops
come up to the road here, and all look
in excellent condition. A good deal OF
this land has been sold off in small
farms and all the settlers are doing well.
Remember crops were never known to
fail on these moist lands and fertile
soils. Nor has there ever been boom
there. Twenty years ago these lands
were selling on their merits and the
showing of their products, for about the
same price they are held at today. Old
timers all know the esteem in
which these rich bottom lands
have always been held. No experienced
farmer has ever changed his mind as to
their intrinsic value. Mr.. VIM. H.
Freer has been in the country long
time and has farmed all the time. He
is q shrewd man, and the other day he
went to Mr.. Garvey and paid him $10,-
600 gold coin for ninety acres of these
very bottom lands. An industrious man
can make living off of ten acres of it.
IJaro ;o a history rplatpd bv Mr. Garvev .