Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-26
Hollywood, De Las Aguas.
Buenos Ayres.
The Foothills From the Mount
aims to the Ocean Shore.
The True Semi-TrOpic Belt of All the
Section Around.
Citrus Fruits and Early Vegetables that
Net the Producers Profits Farmers
Never Dreamt of Before.

IC5tOlOdy lliOlulhSy bliSho oliNt Ooll
about the time people were getting to
their business in the city, HERALD re-
porter and A. H. Denker, seated behind
a good team, drove over the hill on Sew
enth street, west of Pearl, for long day
along the foothills. Dashing along at a
rapid pace, the city was soon left far be-
hind, and the broad, level expanse OF
the Rancho La Brea lay full in view. To
the left lay the bluff that just concealed
the ocean at Santa Monica from view,
and to the right and in front rose the
mountains, with the morning sun kiss
ing their brows and lighting up each
feature, so that all their beauties were
fully revealed. The scene was different
from that which met the eye of the
writer the first time he saw this valley
more than twenty years ago. Then
there was scarcely one house in sight
from the remotest part Of the Rancho
Los Felis to the ocean. Nor was there a
tree on all the plain. Now the Lick
tract rose up to view adorned with dozen
fine residences. Hollywood lay in the
center fourishing place. The soldiers
home, with its fine buildings, could be
discerned near Santa Monica, and all
the valley was studded with pretty
homes, adorned with fine trees. Each
nook in the profile of the mountains
had been seized upon, and here cosy cot
tages were seen with their fine orchards
around them.
The first stop made was at the resi-
dence of Mrs. Ida Hancock, the widow
of the late Major Henry Hancock. 1t is
in the midst of the Rancho La Brea, and
the asphaltum rises to the surface all
around the house. There is a lakelet,
too, and boat upon it, with a unique
flag, device of Mrs. Hancock's exuber-
ant fancy. The lady of the manor was
not at home, source of regret to any
visitor. The house is simple, but it
shelters and has sheltered a great deal
of distinction. Old timers will all recall
the dashing bearing of Major Hancock
twenty-five years ago, when he
was stationed at Drum Barracks, Will
mington. He was first cousin OF Gen
eral Winfield Hancock. Mrs. Hancock
was Harazthy, sister of Mr.. Arpad
Harazthy, and her father was man of
much distinction in his time.
Leaving Mrs. Hancock's, by short
cut across country the dairy ranch of the
Messrs. Carter & Gilmoor was reached.
The cattle roamed free over the plain,
whose sweet milk is enjoyed by so many
families in this city.
The next stopping place was the
ranch of Hammel & Denker, known as
Rodeo de las Aguas. Here the board of
supervisors in full force was met to look
over a road through the ranch to connect
with the great Sunset boulevard to the
sea. Mr.. Denker and John Wolfskill
will give right-of-way 100 feet wide
over their property for the road. 1t
runs distance of two miles over the
Hammel & Denker ranch and perhaps as
much overMr. Wolfskill's land. The route
has been practically agreed upon; and a
meeting will be held next Monday to
arrange the details. Soon contracts will
be let and by fall new road to the sea
will be available.
One need not dwell on the big dairy
plant nor the fine horses on the
Rodeo de las Aguas. All these things
are well known here. The supervisors
and reporter enjoyed the nice butter
milk and admired the perfect facilities
for making butter, but no one could look
at this ranch, of some $500 acres of fine
land, with several streams of pure water
running through it without feeling of
regret that the whole slope was not
beautifed with orange groves and wal
nut orchards The land lies on such a
gentle slope with its face full to the
morning sun, the soil is so rich and the
oil 70
place for such enterprises 1t is not a
matter of speculation. The orchard
around the house shows what might be
made of all the ranch. Walnut trees but
five years old are loaded with fine fruit
apricots, plums and peaches make a
line showing. And here are streams of
water from the caflons running to
waste or seeping through hundreds of
acres of land, making it too wet even for
corn. For miles the road below the
the water that needs to be taken off in
drains. Where the winter floods have
cut the soil to depth of perhaps ten
feet the soil is the same to the bottom as
ON the surface, and where wells have
been sunk, depth of twenty to sixty
feet has been reached all through the
cdhlC ooidOull VI sui dS bllc SuIldCe.
Such soil is inexhaustible in its rich
ness. 1t is true loan mixed with dis
integrated granite from the hills that
renders the ground as friable as a heap
of ashes, keeps it warm at all times, and
furnishes perfect drainage to the low
lands below the Rodeo de las Aguas.
There is no spot in this southern country
better suited for orange growing than
this ranch, and all the surrounding
country from the southern slopes of Los
Felis to the ocean.
From Mr.. Denker's ranch the party
entered the Rancho Buenos Ayres, the
princely possession Of Mr.. JohnW Wolfskill
The tract contains 4 400 acres and was
purchased by Mr.. Wolfskill some hall
dozen years ago. 1t is in rearly all re-
spects a duplicate of the ranch Just
described above. On a commanding
knoll its fortunate owner has built one
of the finest country houses in the Sec
ton, but it is not of the house one
wants to speak. A fine house can be
built anywhere, but such wonderful re-
suits in the way of arboreal decorations to
the grounds can not be brought about in
three short years anywhere on this con-
tinent outside of semi-tropic California
The writer has been well acquainted
with this country for nearly quarter Of
century, yet his experienced eyes were
scarcely sufficient guarantee for what he
saw here Three wears auo thie kpo11