Los Angeles herald., 1890-11-08
BUSIN ESSi

to our duties in the business world.
Fortunately for us, we have business to
return to here, and it's volume is steadily
increasing. Los Angeles and the section
around here stand as we approach the
opening of new decade op vantage
ground of very exceptional value. There
is not on any side an industry peculiar
to our section that is not paying, nor is
there an institution, corporation or firm
that is at all lacking in stability. Few
individuals are to be discovered who are
not making a living, even if their
only means of so doing is their
Drawn. If there is one here and there
without his regular meals, out at elbow,
or that has not dollar or two in his
pocket, the fault is in himself, not in the
section. 1t is the result of laziness, not
of lack of work.
That tells only half the story. Not
only are business affairs of all sorts
solid here, but all industries are in pro-
gressive vein, and the prosperity ahead
and shining on us is growing daily
brighter; and will fairly glow within the
next twelve months. This cannot be
otherwise with the forces at work that
are patent to the most casual observer.
The farmers of this section are
all making money. Every crop
that grows out Of the ground finds
ready sale at good prices. Streams of
coin have poured into the granger's
pockets all summer for fruit of various
sorts. Just now the men who grow corn
and those who own walnut groves are
the lucky ones into whose laps the coin
is being showered. Two months from
now the orange growers will have their
innings. They will gather about $500
carloads of the luscious golden spheres,
that is about 100000 boxes, and the
value on the trees will be about 81 $780,
600 to $4,000, 600. Side by side with this
great source of wealth may be arrayed
the crops of winter vegetables, peas,
beans, cauliflower, tomatoes, potatoes
and cabbages that mature along the
frostless foothills all winter long.
There will be a good market for every
pound OF these raised this winter, and
there is a big acreage seeded along the
Cahuenga country and in the upper
Azusa valley. If the oranges pay $3.50
to $500 an acre, these winter vegetables
fall little if any behind them in the
gross sum realized. The expense of
production may be somewhat larger.
The boom of fruit-growing naturally
stimulates the setting out of orchards
on liberal scale. There will be great
multitude of young trees set
out in orchard this year. This
planting will embrace besides cit
rus fruits, all the deciduous varieties,
and to these will be added walnuts. So
the dollars are kept in lively and fruit
full circulation, and the nurserymen will
get their share, while there will be am
pie wages for the men who dig the holes
and cultivate the soil. Another natural
effect of all this is demand for small
farms. A large number of new settlers
are finding their way in here quietly
and securing little homes which they
proceed to improve. From the east
come frequent inquiries for information
as to this section, and they get it in such
an attractive shape that the result ia
usually to bring the inquirers here
to settle. The display OF our pro-
ducts making the itinerary OF the
union in California on wheels, and that
other, more valuable display, which
Major Truman presides over at Chicago,
are doing excellent work in directing
attention to this as the most attractive
home on the face of the earth The de-
mand thus created for lands is putting
new heart into the holders; and those
who, year or two ago, were afraid they
never would be able to give their prop
erty away, now find sale for it at fair
prices, with values slowly hardening
preparatory to a sure advance. This is
most significant fact, and one that the
landless should quickly lay hold of.
There is only one Southern California. Its
area is limited. The frostless belt does
not cover the earth. Lands whose crops
are worth from 800 to $500 year will
not always be cheap. Soil that may be
had today for 500 to $3.50 an acre will
be worth when an active movement
springs up again $500to $1,000. tits not
remote date when land suitable to
orange culture, or that will produce ripe
strawberries and peas in January, will be
worth $4,000 an acre in it's raw state.
Then there are several new enterprises
on large scale about to be set on foot
in this city. The Terminal Railway
company is already at work, and will be
so in earnest in few days. A cargo OF
lumber for the levee is here, and the
engines to be used in driving
the piles are on the ground. The
next thing will be to begin work below
the city to reach tide water at Rattle
snake island. The company has al
ready paid nearly 100000 as part pur-
chase price of that valuable harbor prop
erty. 1t seems surely as if some trans
continental scheme was behind this
enterprise. A smaller enterprise, but
an important one, is the rehabilitation
of the Second-street cable road Prepar-
ations are now in hand for construction