Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-28
TURNING RANCHOS INTO HOMES.

TURNING RANCHoS INTO HOMES.
The damage OF the recent rain storm
was certainly considerable: but its bene-
fits to our farmers and horticulturists
will Offset the injury done thousand
fold. The vast acreage of grain that was
plowed and seeded after the first rains
this year is now assured of reaching a
healthy maturity. We therefore risk
nothing in predicting that we shall have
the heaviest grain crop ever produced in
this county.
A short time ago some OF the pessi-
mists were prophecying a dry season.
Hay was to go up to fabulous price,
and barley would be worth its weight in
silver. Happily the evil forebodings of
these people were soon brought to an
end by the copious rains of this month,
and now the agricultural prospects are
more encouraging than they ever were
before.
The effect OF another year OF bounti-
full production will be far more beneficial
to the prosperity of our section than it
is possible for us to realize at present.
Let us for moment take glance at
the outlook. Some of the owners of
large ranches in the vicinity have al
ready signified their intention of cutting
them up and placing them on the mar
ket at fair prices and on reasonable
terms. The people who come here in
search of homes will be immensely pre-.
JUDGED in our favor by the agricultural
prospects Of the season, and will readily
cast their lot with us. The successful
subdivision and sale of one ranch will
stimulate the subdivision of other
ranches, and great tracts of land that
are now devoted to sheep and cattle will
become the homes OF thousands of fam
lilies.
The Rodeo de los Aguas is the first
ranch that will be Put upon the market
in small holdings. We are assured OF
this. The next will probably be the
major portion OF the San Vicente and
Santa Monica ranches, belonging to Sen
ator Jones. A plan has been submitted
to that gentleman to create storage res
eryors in the Santa Monica mountains
and to pipe the water all over the ranch.
1t has been shown the senator that the
water that can be thus stored, with what
can be developed in the cations and
springs, will afford an ample supply to
irrigate every acre OF land from the
mountains to the sea. The proposition
is to divide the ranches into twenty-acre
lots, convey water to each of them in
pipes, and then to offer them for sale en-
terms that will be acceptable to pur-
chasers. Senator Jones will take steps
to carry out the proposed plans as soon
as he returns here from Washington.
The opening OF these ranches to settle
ment will give us in few years a very
large productive population imme-
diately tributary to the city. Similar
propositions will, we understand, be
submitted to the owner OF Laguna ranch,
adjoining the eastern boundary of the
city. Ample quantities of water to irri-
gate the whole of this fine ranch are
available. The San Gabriel river will
afford the greater portion required. But
there are, besides, number of springs
in the back hills that can be developed
so as to contribute materially to the ir-
rigating facilities of the ranch. 1t must
also be taken into account that there
are q number OF natural lakes scattered
through it. 1t would be most excellent
thing for the business of this city
to have large population of
producers on this tract, the soil
OF which is not surpassed in richness by
any of the mesa lands OF California.
And whilst it would be very desirable
thing for the city, it would afford
prinoely returns to the owner of the
tract. The Laguna ranch can be made
another Riverside.
We now look forward to splendid de-
velopmente from the good effects OF the
ample crops we shall have this year.
The vanguard OF the homeseekers have
already made their appearance, and
land is selling rapidly in the north
eastern part of this and San Bernardino
counties. Every new settler is the
leaven to whole batch OF new settlers,
and we shall see them stringing along
to find new homes in accelerating num-
bers from this time on.