Los Angeles herald., 1890-12-23
TUESDAY, DECEMBER es. 1890.
HOW A COUNTRY CAN GROW-SAN BER
NARDINO AN EXAMPLE.

There are few things more interesting
than watching the growth of country
like Southern California. The other day
the writer took run through the San
Bernardino valley. He had visited this
unique region as early as April, 1878. 1t
was then merely in its infancy, consist
ing of new and old San Bernardino and
some sparse settlements in the San
Timoteo cai1on. Riverside had just been
laid out and comprised only of two or
three houses, one of them that of Judge
North, the founder of Riverside, and an
other, hotel. Highlands, Redlands,
Grafton, Cotton, Beaumont, and a dozen
other progressive places, had not then
been dreamed of. San Bernardino proper
was sleepy town, with scarcely mod
ern looking dwelling, while old San Ber-
p.sstfo was mainly noted for its few
l/t<ful orange groves.
A Change has taken place in this re-
gion that is positively electrical, and it
Is due almost altogether to the intelli-
gent development and application of
the water resources of the county. The
San Bernardino valley proper is proba-
bly, the best watered region of its size
in the state. In addition to the Santa
Ana river, Mill creek, Lytle creek, City
creek, Warm creek and Plunge creek
contribute to swell the abundant waters.
For long time it was supposed that
the limits of its water possibilities had
been reached by the employment of
these natural streams. Not so thought
Mr.. Matthew Gage, who developed an
immense irrigating supply from artesian
wells, and which impaired such value
to the lands which he had secured to
the east of Riverside that he was able
to dispose of the tract to an English
syndicate for million dollars. Not SO
thought Mr.. f. Z. Brown, who went up
behind the spurs of old Mt. San Ber-
nardino and constructed in a mighty
gorge there a reservoir which has al
ready furnished plentiful supply Of
water to Redlands and the adjoining
tracts. A second reservoir is being
built in Bear valley that affords ample
irrigating facilities to Alessandro and
extensive intermediate regions.
No regien in California is filling up
with anything like the rapidity of San
Bernardino county. Redlands today con-
tains three thousand souls since its alb
sorption of Lugonia, and yet the town is
only three years old. The settlement
l. Il %o h,,t ha is of
recent date. There are few places of
three times the age of Redlands that
can boast the improvements which al
ready exist there. Mounting the Smiley
Heights behind Redlands you can look
across the valley to Highlands and Graf
ton, both pretentious settlements that
can claim to rival even Redlands itself
in the rapidity of their growth and
varied beauty.
In the latter settlement everybody
seems to be imbued with the spirit of
enterprise. The storm drains are vastly
ahead OF anything that Los Angeles can
show, or San Francisco either, for that
matter. All the public buildings, such
as churches and schools, are up to the
highest modern standard. In Redlands
proper there is very little land being
pressed on the market, and this is
held at stiff PRICES. Some of the orange
groves in this new settlement are al
ready held at $4,000 an acre, and this es-
innate is based on the receipts from the
orchards. which can be relied upon
even at this present stage to run up to
$500 or 5000 an acre. While the i'm
proved lands have in many cases at
tanned the figures mentioned, even un-
improved lands sell at from $3.50 an acre
up, because it is known that it takes but
very few years to bring their prices up
to twice and thrice these figures.
While very little land is being sold in
Redlands, driving business is being
done in the sale of lands at Alessandro.
1t is estimated that the growth of this
place will be even more rapid than that
OF Redlands. AS stated, it's water sup
ply will ultimately come from second
reservoir in Bear valley. For the pres
ent it will be taken from Mill creek.
The tract consisted originally of $4,000
acres. Nobody is permitted to buy
more than twenty acres at time. The
first plots were put on the market at $75
an acre, limited number being sold at
that price. The figures were then ad-
vanced to $50. $85 and 500 an acre, the
latter being the ruling price today.
Eight thousand acres have already been
sold at these figures, which foots up the
neat little sum OF nearly 100000, with
$1,000 acres still to the good for the
benefit of this enterprising company.
Their plans are broad and liberal, in
volving the expenditure of 100000 in
Bear valley and in piping the water to
the tract. There is nothing small about
the plans of such gentlemen as the
Messrs. Brown and Kitchin. Taey