Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-10

gently sloping mesa rising from the
south bank of the Santa Ana river, about
fifty miles from the coast and the same
distance southeast from the city of Los
Angeles, in San Bernardino county. It's
elevation is from seven to nine hundred
feet above the sea level, and being al
most entirely surrounded by mountains,
the.climate is modification of the ex-
tremes, which makes it most perfect for
the growing of tropical fruits, for which
it has acquired such worldwide repu-
tation. These peculiarities OF climate
naturally make it the Mecca OF the in
valid and the queen Of fruit lands.
The almost perpetual sunshine, the
ever novel scenery, the fine drives, the
trees, the lawns, the shade and the soft
ness of The atmosphere, draw the people
much into the open air. No words or
meteorological statistics can convey an
an idea of the effect OF the climate,
which continues to grow upon one, no
matter how long resident. People
from boasted sanitariums are constantly
coming into Riverside and experiencing
such relief that they frequently take up
permanent residence here. Many of our
readers, no doubt, will call TO mind Just
sucL cases within their personal knowl-
edge.
Twenty years ago the site of River
side was an utterly barren plain. 1t
was used as sheep range, but was SO
lily adapted for even that purpose that
the land was considered practically
valueless. On all these thousands of
acres not single family found susie
nance.
To-day there is gathered here a popu-
lation of over 5000 persons. Upwards OF
10000 acres are planted with oranges
and other fruits. The present orange
crop will reach some 1000 carloads,
valued at 81 10000 while another mil
lion was paid for other fruits produced
last year. AS community the people
OF ofRiverside are more wealthy than any
like number anywhere else in the world.
The assessed valuation of the place is
over $5,000,00O and there is no city
debt Incomes of $500 to $1,000 an
acre annually are frequent, and a more
attractive aggregation of handsome
homes cannot be found. Yet it is only
a few years since the owner of the land
where all this has been accomplished
refused to pay taxes upon it, SO utterly
worthless was it. Today what is still
unimproved of the vast tract covering
some 18, GOO acres cannot be purchased
for less than $3.50 to $40O an acre, while
improved places readily bring $1,000 and
even more for each acre.
During the year 1890 Riverside ship
ped 149t carloads of oranges, 222,994 |
boxes OF raisins and an immense
quantity of dried and fresh fruits of |
various kinds. AS already said, the in
come from the orchards and vineyards
of this section for the year amounted to
81, 100000.
Naturally, where such results have
been attained in so short a time, the
public improvements must be of the
highest order. The people of Riverside
are without exception as enterprising as
they have been Industrious, and the ef-
fects of these characteristics are seen
upon every hand. The hotels and busi-
ness buildings are substantial, and
many are handsome. A new opera
house, the Loring, is one of the finest in
the state, while the homes of the fortu-
nate producers of oranges and other
fruits are models of comfort and ele-
gance. Magnolia avenue, thoroughfare
which traverses the heart OF the settle
ment, is magnificent double drive, 132
feet in width, completely arched over
with shade trees and lined for over five
miles with practically solid orange
grove, in which at frequent intervals are
homes possessing every attraction that
taste can devise and money procure.
Standing at the entrance to this avenue
and looking down its length it resembles
two long tunnels completely arched in
with evergreen as far as the eye can
reach. "A drive down. it is an experience
for lifetime, and the person who can
enjoy such trip and not come away
infatuated with Riverside
must indeed be devoid of all apprecia-
ton Of the beautiful.
eThe transformation that has been ef-
fected here since the days when the poor
half-staryed sheep and their forlorn
herders wandered over this plain less
shan twenty years ago is entirely due to
two elements, brains and water. From
the Santa Ana river close at hand canals
we're constructed and the water divert
ed. In the face Of the ridicule Of those
most persistent and abominablesof silu-
'ians, the "oldest settlers" the pioneers
,f Riverside planted their orchards and
Vineyards. 1t was all new to them, all
vas experiment, and many bitter les
IONS were to be learned in that hardest ,
II schools, experience. 1t required more
than ordinary enterprise and persever
snce to follow the plans laid out in def
snce of the baneful representations of
hose who had no faith in the possibili- ,
" OF reclaiming this most forbidding of {
ieserts. But persevere they did, and /
he result has been already briefly hint !
ID at. Since that first painful and cost {
y experiment new canals have been
constructed, other sources of water sup
)lv devoloDed and now the whole vaot