Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-04
A WARRANTED CHEERFUL FORECAST.

There are few people who do not re-
joice when the community in which
they live is on the up grade. The num-
ber OF those who cannot exult over the
well-being of their kind is fortunately
limited. The HERALD never took any
stock in that class, useless and atrabili-
Gus, who hang upon and clog the wheels
of progress. 1t is pleasant to be able to
chronicle the rushing rate at which
things are advancing in Southern Cali
fornia, and, in more particular man
ner, in Los Angeles. For years past this
journal has cordially recorded the splen-
did sweep of things in our neighboring
county of San Bernardino, and in every
adjacent county in which we could dis
cover any movement worthy of note.
"No pent-up Utica" has contracted our
vision; and, ii it did not take in the
whole boundless continent. it is because
just now we are more particularly dedi-
Gated in our missionary scope to the ev-
olution of the matchless region in which
we live. And, OF verify, it is going
dDcdu llkC d lOuSC-d-AICs L 'iO oolliO ou
gacity and energy which have character
lied our San Bernardino neighbors for
years past still characterizes them, and
they are deservedly realizing the bene-
fits accruing from their enterprise and
marvellous production. Los Angeles has
made up her mind to join the process
sion. While the four years since the
bursting of the celebrated "boom"
have been really the most profitable
we have ever experienced, for in
that interval we have graced our city
with fine blocks, cable and electric rail-
ways, gorgeous city and county buildings,
and have established many new indus
tries, the country suffered dispropor
tionately in the reaction from the boom.
Because reckless spectators ran up
lands valuable as acreage property for
it's prolific and remunerative production
to ridiculous figures, many persons fool
ishly supposed that the lands them
selves had become valueless. This alb
surd misconception is at last being re-
allied. Today there is an active demand
for acres which are good investment
at twice the price that is asked for
them. The city and county of Los
Angeles are both being rapidly settled
up by the most desirable kind of immigra-
ton. Money is abundant, and any reasons
which heretofore have initiated against
a liberal policy in its employment no
longer exist. The most conservative
capitalist recognizes how essentially
changed all the conditions are here
abouts. We have added to one of the
most complete cable railway systems of
any city in the United States Belt
Electric road which will rival any other
in the United States when the plans of
its projectors shall have been carried
out. The Terminal railway people are
now spending the 100000 which they
have elected to put into rail
ways radiating from Los Angeles.
Mr.. R. G. Kerens and Hon. Jeff. Chand
ler. of st. Louis, are on record to the
effect that this system will shortly give
us connection with the Union Pacific
or some other road with eastern con-
nections. They will open to US the in
exhaustible riches OF Southwestern Ne
vada and Utah. They have given their
project terminus on the Pacific ocean
at Rattlesnake island. Look where we
may, the prospect is most alluring. With
already the most perfect railway system
on the Pacific coast, the probabilities
point to at least one and perhaps two
new transcontinental railways, of which
Los Angeles will be the terminus.
But, brightest of all the harbingers of
good things to come, is the determined
spirit OF production which has taken
possession of our people. The value Of
lands that can produce almost anything,
and that are perennially prolific though
called on to yield two, and in some
cases three, crops of the eastern staples a
year, if irrigation is employed, cannot
be overestimated. Much of this land is
being sold for less than a single years
crops can be made to yield in hard cash.
Some time ago we gave striking in
stance of this in the case of farmer on
the Chino ranch, just across the line in
San Bernardino county. This industri-
Gus and level-headed man bought
some land from Mr.. Dick Gird,
which he put in sugar beets. The land
was purchased on deferred payments.
The crop looked so promising that the
proprietor of the land came to the buyer
and offered to give him deed for the
land in exchange for the sugar product
of a single year, and the offer was de-
clined. The sugar beet industry alone
would guarantee great movement in
the rich lands of Los Angeles county.
The latest development pregnant with
good hereabouts is the development of
the petroleum interests in our immediate
neighborhood. We risk nothing in say
ing that Los Angeles itself is super
imposed on tremendous petro-
leum fields, and that natural
gas is ours without limit when
ever we shall choose to develop it. The
recent discoveries of lubricating oils
within our city limits has simply con-
firmed what the HERALD predicted
would be the case a dozen years ago.
1t is not the first time that people have
slept over either volcano or a bonanza.