Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-15
POTTSIANA.
Some Free History - A Million for $4,000.
About Bracing Houses.


EDITORS HERALD: In your paper OF
the 18th, while referring to the destruc-
ton of trees OF various kinds by the late
wind storms, you say that eucalyptus
groves suffered hardly any. This is
owing to the fact that they send their
roots deep down in the ground, and are
tough tree when green and not easily
broken. While reading this account, l
thought it might be interesting to some
OF your readers to know the age OF some
of the largest eucalyptus trees in the
county. The first trees ever planted
here were brought here by G. E. Thorn,
ESQ, and planted on Main street, where
the Thorn block now stands, about 1865.
These trees have long since been de-
stroyed. The next lot OF eucalyptus was
raised from the seed by the writer,
think in 1860 or 10, so that the
oldest tree anywhere in the county
is not over 81 or % years
old from the seed. In fact L do not
think any tree now growing in the
county is over eighteen years old, as
all of the first trees were planted on the
sidewalks in what is now the business
part of the city, and have long since
been cut down. / find by examining
my books that the larger trees growing
along the sidewalks on Temple and
other streets on the hills were sold by
me to Mr.. p. Beaudry in August, 1875,
for 10 cents apiece, so that they will be
seventeen years old next August, and
think they are as old as any trees now
growing in the county, although there
are some larger trees than those grow
ing in the low, rich lands near the
river, where they root down to the
water. Plenty of them would make
two cords of wood to the tree at the age
OF seventeen or eighteen years. This
would make one acre planted at that
time worth $4,000 for one cutting OF
the wood.
Another very interesting occurrence
took place about that time. l find in
my diary, under date OF July 10, 1875:
"This day / signed mortgage note for
$4,000 to A. o. Porter; gave as security
ten acres in orange grove in Pasadena.
$50 acres in San Pasqual." This was on
the Monk ditch, at the north Of the
town of Pasadena; also thirty-seven
acres, being the Ellis tract. This joins
the Westlake park on the east side.
Also lot l, block G, and two lots in
block |, Mott tract. This property |
had to give up for the mortgage. 1t is
now worth perhaps from $275 900 to
100000. Ii this $4,000 had been loaned
at 20 per cent per annum, compounded
annually, and kept loaned continually,
it would have amounted to $6i, ,44S by
the 10th day of next July, or less than
one-fourth OF the value of the land at
the present time. This is a fair speci-
men of the rise in real estate in
the county in the last seventeen years,
and shows that the best way for
a man to make money is to own and
hold his real estate. 1t may be argued
that man who loans his money may
have living from the interest, but in
this case he cannot compound it every
twelve months; he may, however, live
from the rent or the products OF the
land, and the increase in the value will
still 90 on but as long as the average
everybody else buys, and pays part
cash and mortgages for the balance, SO
that the money-loaner gets the land
back when it is low (because public
sentiment says land is notworth much),
he, the money-loaner, gets the interest
on his money and also the rise on real
estate. But this is not entirely the fault
OF the money-loaner, as many go in
debt expecting land to go higher,
and when a scare comes everyone
who can collects his money from the
borrower and deposits it in the banks,
and as the circulating medium is so
small, the money is soon all locked up,
as the banks (ior their own safety must
keep a certain amount on hand, and
although there is just as much money
as ever the bankers do not loan it, and
the circulation is stopped until such
time as those who have money on de-
posit get tired of letting their money lie
idle and commence to use it themselves,
either in purchasing or improving lands,
or in some other business enterprise.
By the way, the great wind storm of
the 11th inst, so elaborately described
in the papers of Los Angeles as storm,
hurricane, tornado, etc., was not heavier
than an ordinary March wind in the mid
die states where was raised. Any house
set up on stills, no bracing, and only
half nailed together, is liable to 60
down, or have it's roof blown off with
q very slight wind. 1 bought house
some years ago by contract for tender
foot, in the time of the boom. When
| examined its foundations found il set
up at one end about to 8 feet high,
without any bracing. l Immediately
bought 200 or 800 feet OF scantling and
gave it thorough b pacing. 1t stood
the storm all right, although it had no
protection from trees or other buildings.
If had not braced it up at the proper
time, no doubt it would have been
blown off its foundation. OF course, we
had very heavy wind for this country
the heaviest in the city since 1881, ten
years ago. j. w. PoTTs.