Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-04
FLOWERS AND vlNTAcEs.
The Home of Mr.. Charles Stern Of
Mission Street.


Yesterday was pretty fine day even
for Los Angeles winter. A HERALD re-
porter was over on the east side of the
river looking at the big levee the Ter
minal railway company is putting in
along the river. While sauntering
along he found himself at the entrance
to the Charles Stern & sons winery and
distillery near the covered bridge.
Walking in he found the head of the
house in the Office just closing letter
he had been writing to married
daughter in York, telling her of the
charm of the day here in Los Angeles.
and wishing she were here to enjoy the
bright sunshine and the balmy air.
The gatherer of news asked Mr..
Stern about the vintage, and learned
that the distillation of the vintage into
brandy was about complete. The total
output will be about $4,000 gallons OF
brandy. That means about SOC, 900 gal
ton Of grapes is about 140 gallons, and
the above results indicate that about
$500 tons Of grapes had been used last
fall.
In answer to an inquiry as to the mar
ket for this amount OF brandy, Mr.. Stern
said the firm had disposed OF about 75,-
600 gallons in the year from September,
1889, to September, 1890, and that in the
first three months of the current busi-
ness year the sales aggregated all OF 27,-
600 gallons. These figures come dir
rectly from the books, and are
oh o1,,tn fo rto
That that rate the vintage will
hardly be sufficient for the demands of
trade. The goods of this house COM
mand ready sale in all the large cities of
the country. They are Of uniform ex-
cellence, being all handled in the same
manner.
Mr.. Stern said he did not know why
it was that his firm 80 readily disposed
of all the brandy distilled. He said the
machinery was all of the old patterns,
none of the newer and more expeditions
methods being resorted to. The place
is kept scrupulously clean and sweet.
The processes of fermentation are all
closely watched and thus good results
are reached.
In reply to suggestion to the effect
that skill and care in the handling OF
the machinery had much to do with the
results, Mr.. Stern modestly said he and
his associates were lifelong wine men
and distillers, who gave their undivided
attention to their business; but beyond
that could not say why their goods met
with such ready sale. The fact is that
the firm can dispose of all this vast vint-
age without fail.
The amount OF money disbursed by
the firm here is about $40, 900 year.
One would think that the handling OF
so much of the grape crop, the working
up OF so much wine, the distillation OF
this ocean of brandy, and the disburse-
ment of so much money would absorb
all the time, thought and attention OF
those engaged in the business. This is
not the case with Chas. Stern, nor with
his sons. The elder Stern is a grand
father. He has been immersed in bus
mess all his life. But he finds time to
write letters to his daughter as full OF
sentiment as any young cavalier ever
wrote to his inamorata. He is not obliv-
ious to the comforts of home, nor to the
all important fact that no business sue
cess is worth achieving outside OF the
pleasures it brings to those one loves.
Mr.. Stern is evidently wrapped up in
his family affections. He is just COM
pleting one OF the lovelest homes in the
city. The original cottage has been
moved forward to point near the
street, and to one side. Then on the
looking the river, the new house is
built. It is so arranged that all the
length of the structure is to the
sun and that all the rooms are light and
full of warmth. Much attention has
been paid to the plumbing, lighting and
ventilation of all the apartments. The
| lower floor is so arranged that every
room on the whole floor can be thrown
into one, thus presenting q fine area
for an evening party. The residence has a
tower on the southwest corner, from
which a marvellous view is presented.
The whole panorama of the mountains
from Santa Monica to San Bernardino
lies full in view. The snowy top of
Mount San Antonio rises up sharp into
the central blue of the clear sky, as
light-crowned sentinel on watch over
the lovely valley, miles of which lie be-
fore the eye from this coign OF vantage
in the Stern mansion. The sea. the
island of Santa Catalina are in the dis
tance, and all the orchards and homes
of all the alley'between fill the middle
distance, while the most beautiful por-
tions of Los Angeles fill the foreground.
Descending to the garden, a rare col
lection of plants was found. There are
$50 varieties of roses. A fine date palm,
twenty-five feet high, and with spread
of twenty feet foliage, set out a small
plant foot high eight years ago, shows
what can be done here in year. An
Abyssinian banana of as giant growth,
and all in three years, is better illus
tration of this popularity OF this land OF
wonderful productions. Attached to
the house is charming conservatory, in
which Mr.. Alfred Stern has collected
the rarest collection of beautiful
ferns in this end of the state. They
came from all parts Of the world, and
embrace all the rarest varieties, from
the maiden hair to the big tree ferns.
There are many other rare plants in the
collection, one of the most noted being
beautiful archid in full bloom. 1t is
of the variety known as cottleyo trian@.
The flowers are extremely lovely.
Another notable plant is q strange one
known as the monstera deliciosa,
with big leaves like pond lily of giant
size, but when they first come out they
are all twisted up like a corkscrew.
These plants are interesting adjuncts of
a busy business mans home. They
show that while the Sterns, father and
son, are excellent business men, that
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