Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-06
VICE-CONSUL MORTIMER AND HIS
REPORT.

no more than its duty in the action
taken ON the report to his government
made by Vice-Consul G. White Morti-
mer. Indeed, while the answer to the
willful Misrepresentation made by this
man concerning this section as reported
by the committee of the chamber of
commerce is full and absolute refuta-
ton of the malicious falsehoods con-
tanned in the report, yet the action OF
the chamber of commerce stops far
short of what might have been done in
this direction No doubt, for the
purposes in view, the committee
and the chamber of commerce
did the best thing in confning them
selves to the cold facts, and contenting
themselves with the perfect refutation
of the malign misrepresentation sent to
London, damaging in the extreme to
this section. and false to the facts in all
their elements. The report of this COM
mittee is quite sure to bear fruit not
agreeable to the vice-consurs palate. 1t
is not trifing matter to have whole
section misrepresented, its resources be-
Titled, it's enterprises cried down, and its
citizens maligned. 1t is quite proper for
Mr.. Blaine to make the matter subject
for inquiry, and the least the English
government can do is to remove this OBJ
noxious agent from the position he has
SO abused.
Nor is it only the American citizens OF
this section who feel aggrieved at this
malicious report OF Mr.. Mortimer, or
whose interests are solely injured by
his misrepresentations. There are a
great many English residents of this
section whose interests here are very
heavy. Many of these people have
made money here, and nearly all of
them are now in circumstances salts
factory to them and constantly i'm
proving. Many of these people will
suffer with the rest of our population,
by anything that will retard the improve
ment of this section, the development OF
its resources or the building up of its
industries.
More than this. Those of US
who can run back in memory only five
wears in this part of the state, can recall
the reports made at that time by this
same superserviceable vice-consul, c.
White Mortimer. About that time he
singled out the Antelope valley country
as the object of mis- ignorant or enven-
omed pen. Many subjects of Her Bri-
tannic Majesty were attracted to that
district, where lands were to be had for
a song. The railroad company was a
willing seller at fifty cents an acre.
Among those of English birth who be-
came interested was a most delightful
and intelligent gentleman, Colonel Gay.
His plan was to purchase some
thousands of acres of this land,
remove the yucca from it and convert
the fibre OF that plant into paper, and
colonize the lands with farmers from
his native isle. Colonel Gay gave up
his plans. abandoned the lands and
went back to England, as it was under
stood, defeated in his purposes by Nor
timers report. Those very Antelope
Valley lands that could have been pur-
chased five years ago for fifty cents an
acre are now worth $5 to $l5 an acre,
and can be sold at those figures. TAX
ing the lowest figure and we have an
enhancement of values of 1000 per cent.
in five years, or 200 per cent. a year.
Colonel Gay and his English friends
were beaten out of this handsome pro-
fit by these stupid and false consular
reports.
Look on that picture and on this.
Not long after the date last referred to
the l.. J. Rose property of Sunny Slope
was offered for sale and fell into the
hands of set of London promoters who
seem to have been as heartless gang of
schemers as ever put up a job. The
sale went through, Mr. Rose getting les 8
than 100000, if memory serves us
right, andA the English stock
holders paying $1,750,OoO for the
same property. Round numbers
are used but they are nearly correct.
Now it is all but certainty, if not quite
one, that the sale of Sunny Slope was
effected mainly by means OF valuation
nut upon it by this same Vice-Consul G..
White Mortimer, and the allegation has
been made and is credited in well in
formed circles that Mr.. Mortimer
received fee for that report. Indeed,
we believe that he has never denied
that he was paid for reporting as he did
on that property; but that on
the contrary he acknowledged hav-
ing received the money, and ex-
cused himself on the ground that at
torneys in America were accustomed to
take contingent fees, the arrangement
here being, as it is alleged, and SO far as
we have heard not denied, that Morti-
mer was to get $4,000 if the ranch was
sod at his valuation.
G contingent fees are Eot allowed IN