Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-10-13
R BACK COUNTRY-PECULIA
PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT.

fRlness. The Fourth of July orator in
teuested them particularly, and loud and
long were the peals of laughter with
which some specially bold conceit was
greeted. The reviewers guffaw rivaled
in strident 'cacophony the dulcet notes
of the jackass. Neither the reviewer
nor the Fourth of July orator had the
slightest notion that in these roseate
Vaccinations not the half nor the
fiftieth part.of what was to happen in
the United States was outlined. The
result has shown that the court OF an
oriental queen by no means engrossed
all the marvels, as to which not even the
half had been told.
We have had them at home, notably
in Los Angeles and in that portion Of
the back country OF Los Angeles known
as San Bernardino county. The gigantic
schemes of development which have
been accomplished and are now
under way in San Bernardino county,
backed by ample capital and in
thel hands OF sagacious and progress
sive men, are simply incredible. The
formal dedication of Perris the other
day, which, though not in San Bernar-
dino county, derives its water supply
from that county, is the latest case in
point. Throughout the whole San Ber-
nardino valley outside capital is work
ing miracles. OF course, Redlands and
Highlands and Grafton, although really
the achievements of the other day, have
become an old story by this time. But
the tremendous Improvements of the
Smiley Brothers, through which they
are transforming the hills around Red
lands, abutting on the San Timoteo
cailon, into scenes of enchantment, have
not attracted the notice to which they
are entitled. 1t is often claimed that
our mountain scenery lacks the elegant
improvements that characterize the
Alps. With half dozen men like the
Smileys at work at the base OF the no.
Bile San Bernardino range of mountains,
the picturesque in that region will be
capped by the hand OF man with indie
scribable beauty. With the mania for
developing water which now exists, the
lakes which are lacking to our splendid
mountain ranges will not long be alb
sent, and they will be put to purposes
of utility not dreamt of in Switzerland.
The latest great water scheme is the
Arrowhead reservoir, details of which
first appeared in the HERALD over six
months ago. 1t is contemplated to Gre
ate, in an immense chasm back of the
Arrowhead. the largest artificial lake in
California, far surprising the Bear val
ley and Sweetwater reservoirs. The
conformation of the region is exceed
ingly favorable, the watershed is pro-
digious and the extent of country avail
able for irrigation is practically I'M
limited.
Before dismissing San Bernardino it
is we'll to note some peculiar and graft
flying facts in connection with both tine
city and county OF that name. They are
about the most independent communi-
ties on the footstool. Neither of them
owe anything to any body, and they have
a large surplus in the treasury. The
city is now busy making streets, and
appears to be doing the work well.
The proposition to issue bonds for
building court house was approved by
a majority but failed of two-thirds
vote of the people. whereupon the super
visors found they had big balance in
the treasury; and, by slightly increas-
ing the levy, they could build the court
house without going into debt, so the
handsome and recently erected hall of
records will be supplemented by no.
BILE county building, Notwithstanding
the squirming of Riverside, which ex-
poets soon to set up in business herself.
The city is equally favored. She is at |
scarcely any expense for her fire de-
engines being dispensed with
A flow from any of the
water plugs will send stream twenty
FIVE feet above the Stewart house, the
highest building in the city. Very few
people pay any water rate because it is
no trick at all to strike artesian water
at trifing depths. The whole cost of
Insuring your own water supply forever
and day is only couple of hundred
dollars. Happy city, Unique countyll
Ye both approach nearer Sir Thomas
More's Utopia than any place we can
recall on the American continent. Both
seem to have been passed
over altogether by the public thief and
parasite.
Los Angeles county boasts one enter
orising gentleman who can be grouped
with the Smileys and other progressive
men of San Bernardino county, and
which his name is Prof. Baldwin, of the
Jlaremont college. This progressive
oedagogue went up into the San Antonio
,afion and took up big water right.
On this foundation he built an electric
with Thomas R.. Bard for
president and men of standing for direc-
,ors. With the power thus secured,
ne proposes to run three thousand in
;andescent lights, supplying Pomona,
Ontario, San Bernardino and other ad-
dining settlements. He claims that in
his illumination to San
3ernardino he will only lose fifteen per
,ent. There are some interesting fea-
lures about hisscheme. He proposes to
unnlv an incandeaeenf lioht at a rent