Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-18
VICE CONSUL MORTIMER AGAIN TO THE
FORE.


England, for some reason best knewn
to herself, maintains all over the globe
line of consuls, whom she invites to
address the home Office on all topics
that might prove to be of interest to
her majesty's government or people.
Los Angeles is favored with one OF these
vice consuls in the person of Mr.. G..
White Mortimer, and just now there is
great deal OF indignation in Southern
California at certain portions of his last
report to his government. The Herald
last year had occasion to animadvert
with some severity upon his remarks in
that issue of the British diplomatic
Dunciad, into which Mr.. Mortimer, in
common with his pretentious brethren,
whom Captain Marryatt describes in
one of his novels, is permitted to dis
charge his drool and drivel. We saw
nothing calling for special comment in
his last performance, and would not
have noticed it if it had not become the
subject of extended comment in the
press of this state.
Amongst other journals, the San Fran
cisco Examiner has devoted consider
able space to Mr.. Mortimer's report. 1t
premises its remarks by saying that a
knowledge of what this official has really
said is necessary to any fair comment
upon his utterances. If we may be per-
mitted to say so in the case of our bril-
liant contemporary, this is an outgiving
worthy OF Bunsby himself. The Exam
liner then proceeds to say that Mr.. Mort
inner, in his latest report, asserts that
"the depression of business in Los An
Cycles still continues, and residence
property is practically unstable except
sat exceedingly low prices" We pre-
sumo that the HERALD has right, if
this statement is untrue, to say 30, not
withstanding the fact that Mr.. Mortimer
is compelled, in portions of his report, to
give the lie to his owngloomy coloring of
the aspect of things about the angelic
city. The allegation that there is any
unusual business depression in Los An
geles is untruthful in the highest de-
gree. On the contrary, the tact can be
established on irrefragable evidence
that Los Angeles is probably today, all
things considered, the liveliest city on
the Pacific coast. This statement can
be substantiated from many quarters,
all worthy of credence. When Mr..
Mortimer wrote his report there had not
been business failure of consequence
for year past. AS to the charge that
residence property is unstable, except
at exceedingly low prices, it is not true.
For long time past there has been a
marked recovery in the low prices which
followed the collapse of speculative
real estate boom. Just about the
time Mr.. Mortimer wrote his report,
Mr.. Bradbury had bought the lot on the
southwest corner of Third street and
Broadway - distinctively residence
quarter at that time-for 500, 900. This
was price which showed that instead
OF depressed there was a very high
idea of real estate values in those resi-
dence portions of Los Angeles that had
any chance of soon being converted into
business property. As to eligibly To-
Gated residence property in all quarters
there has been, during the past twelve
month, a remarkable hardening of
values, instead OF a depression.
These statements OF the British vice
consul are untrue of themselves and cal
culated to deceive.
The Examiner next proceeds to say
that Mr.. Mortimer gives, in a "sympa-
thetic way" statistics and other infor-
nation about the industries of the
southern country, and our contemporary
quotes the following from his report:
Such great dangers beset the British
investor in Southern California, from
promoters in London, from mismanage-
ment by English managers unfamiliar
with this country-whose sole qualifica-
tions are possibly. a reputation for hon
esty and relationship to one OF the di-
rectors and from impositions by ven
dors and their agents here, that l am
reluctantly compelled to advise British
capitalists not to invest in Southern
California companies. | give this ad-
vice unwillingly, as there are many
openings here for the profitable invest
ment of capital. l am again most un-
willingly compelled to reiterate this ad-
vice-unwillingly, because am satisfied
that this district offers excellent oppor-
tunities for profitable investment either
by companies or individuals. The de-
velopment of Southern California is in
its infancy, and it is beyond question
that all this part of the state will be
very thickly populated. Unless, how
ever, English investors can form joint
stock companies without the aid of pro-
moters, and can arrange for their man
agement by responsible persons familiar
with California business methods, it is
useless to expect profits.
OF course, our San Francisco contem-
porary is excusable for not knowing any
thing about the solid chunks of humor
that lie behind this passage. In one of
his old time reports Mr.. Mortimer
started in to give solid 'black eye" to
certain sections Of Los Angeles county.
In his report to the home Office he
solemnly warned Englishmen to have
nothing to do with lands in Antelope
valley, in the northern portion of this
county. These lands were then selling
for from 81 to $3.50 an acre. At the