Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-29
THERMAL BELT AGAIN.
FROM THE CAHUENGA PASS TO THE
RANCHO LOS FELIZ.
A Summer Day Spent in the Foot
hills Northwest of Los Angeles
City.

The tramp reporter of the HERALD
spent all of yesterday in the foothill
country northwest OF the city, inspect
ing the country between Hollywood and
the pass, around where the Rancho Los
Feliz Joins onto Ivanhoe, near the river.
1t was as perfect day as ever shone out
of the heavens, and as the roads are
generally in good order, firm, smooth
and clean, drive behind a fleet pony
was anything rather than disagreeable.
While the sky was bright the sun was
not hot, and from early morning to sun
set there was not a moment when the
breeze was not as fresh and life-giv-
ing as a breath from Paradise. The
campaign was begun at the place of
John B. Rapp, on magnificent site
| Just west of Hollywood and the pass,
and the mouth of the ca1on where Mr..
o. E. Roberts and Henry Claussen live.
Mr.. Rapp has twenty-five to forty acres
here, high upon the foothills, from
which the entire valley is visible to San
Pedro, Redondo and Santa Monica. 1t
is an ideal place for home, and the
| fruit on the place is as fine as there is
in the world. Mr.. Rapp had gone to
Los Angeles and therefore but few facts
could be cleaned as to the products of
the place. The cozy cottage was pic
ture to behold, surrounded as it was by
'olive branches" of the Rapp variety,
bright, healthy, pretty children.
From here the road led to the 100
acre farm of Mr.. w. Beesemeyer, pros
porous farmer just east OF the
Pass school house. Mr.. Beesemeyer
was busy at the school house putting its
grounds in order and getting ready to
set it with shade trees. Just across the
road is farm OF thirty acres owned by
an eastern gentleman, nonresident
here, but in the care of Mr.. Bennett
who was absent in the city. Much of it
is set to vineyard, the vines appearing
to be seven years old or more. They
appeared to be in perfect health and are
thickly loaded with fine grapes. Mr..
Beesemeyer is an experienced farmer
and he says it is his opinion that the
vine disease is at an end. East of this
place is a thirty-acre farm, the property
of DIR. Noble, also nonresident. This
is rented by Mr.. Edward Prettyman. 1t
contains a small orchard of fine apricot
trees. All along this mesa are many
fields planted to watermelone and cante-
lope. The crops are doing well and
promise an excellent yield
Travelling still easterly the Lick tract
was soon reached. Three places here
deserve special mention. The first is
the 50-acre ranch of Mr.. p. Penman. 1t
lies close up to the base of the noun
| tains and runs in hooks quite into their
feet. There are two knolls on the place,
on one OF which he has built a nice cot
tage for his home. Several fine springs
rise on the land, which is broken and
diversified without being at all rough.
1t can all be plowed with great ease.
Right up to the base of the mountains
are damp lands where fine corn was
growing apace. From here the view
is indescribably fine. The city
and the whole country to San
Pedro and Santa Monica lies right
in view. With one sweep OF the eye
one of the fairest' landscapes in the
world can be taken in. Here is the spot
| spring Mr.. Penman sold during March
and April eleven tons, $4,000 pounds, OF
green peas in San Francisco, at to 8
cents pound. They netted him to 5
cents. That is sum of $3.50 to 81 100
net for his crop. That is equal to the
revenue from the sale of 1,760 to 2,200
bushels of wheat, which in the west
would require more than quarter sec
ton to produce. Mr.. Penman used
much less than half his fifty acres for
this purpose.
Another place in the Lick tract that
deserves mention is the charming home
| of DIR. F. Keller. This consists of eight
acres of choice land on slightly
eminence, commanding much such
a view as that described in the
last paragraph. 1t varies but little from
that. The house is an elegant one in all
respects, artistic, with ample room for a
large family, with outbuildings quite in
keeping with the house, and with
large space devoted to lawns and shrub
berry. The grass is green as an emerald,
and the plants are growing with great
vigor. The rest of the place is set to
young orange trees, which are doing
well. DR.. Keller has sunk good wells,
each with windmill and tank. Pipes
are laid to all the grounds and orchards,
and he is Independent of all considera-
tions for an ample supply Of water.
The third place to mention is that of
Rev. Mr.. Cash, Congregational minis
ter. The church and parsonage are just
DelOW Dr. hellerS mouse, ana MI. CaSn
has small farm east of there, embrac-
ing one or two of the most commanding
knolls in the place.
And now the reporter must retrace
his steps to gather up two points
missed in reading his hastily made notes
One is the place of Mr.. Sturtevant of New
Jersey, who has small lakelet ON the
side of the hill near Mr.. Rapp's where
he cultivates the lovely Egyptian Iris,
the lotus flower and other varieties of
the pond lily. The whole expanse of
the water is covered with bloom. The
gentleman in charge of this lovely spot
is making large pond for the purpose
of propagating other varieties Of these
lovely flowers. One is to be the famous
Victoria RECALLS, one leaf of which COW
ers several square feet Of water.
The other forgotten link was the at
tractive home Of Mr.. w. G. Fry. 1t lies
- cot ~fA M -, Il