Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-17
AN UNRIvALED FUTURE-wHY NOT
WORK UP TO 1T.

TO live up TO the nlgn IDEAL WHICH Is JUS
titled by the circumstances of our sur
roundings.
Everything points to Los Angeles as
destined to be an imperial city in the
near future. There have only been two
movements of population in the United
States which have equaled the growth
of this city in ratio between the years
1880 and 1890. OF course, we mean
where place has already attained a
considerable population. Those were
the growth of Chicago between 1S45 and
1866, and the marvellous record made by
Kansas City in the decade embraced be-
tween the dates of 1860 and 1870. In
this last example Kansas City slightly
improved on Los Angeles. She made a
record of an increase OF six hundred per
cent. but that was on a population of only
five thousand. It's easier, ordinarily, to
increase population of five thousand
six hundred per cent. than it is to in
crease one of twice that figure three
hundred per cent. In this, as in other
lines, the old adage that large bodies
move slowly applies. The fact that,
even by the admission OF Robert P. Por-
ter's census, Los Angeles increased her
population from II 900 in 1880 to within
fraction OF 81 900 in 1890 remains, and
will always remain, one of the phenom-
email features of growth of country
which has always been notable for ex-
ceptional urban advances.
Such significant and memorable in
crease can never be whistled down the
wind. The fact that it has taken place
speaks volumes ior the geographical and
railway position and for the productive
capabilities and possibilities of Los An
geles and the country tributary to the
Angelic city. Our march in population
hos been more CfIan parafieled by the
magical change from struggling and i'll
built town into flashing city, which is
ornamented by some of the most elegant
buildings, public and private, residence
and business, in the United States. In
this respect nothing like it has been
achieved on any portion of the American
continent, and in such lines this country
is far ahead of any other.
And yet it is all merely in the initial.
There is hardly limit to the number of
enterprising and energetic men who
have their eye on Los Angeles, and who
intend to set up here their household
gods. There is certainly no limit to the
productive capacity of this region, either
as respects minerals or varied and re-
munerative agricultural, horticultural
and viticultural possibilities. In ten
years from now perfectly miraculous
spectacle will be witnessed in the terri
tory tributary to Los Angeles-in what
is emphatically known as "our back
country" Nothing like the develop
ment which is sure to take place here
has been heard of in the world before,
and especially will the marvel be inten-
sified when regard is had to the short
time in which it will have materialized.
During the next decade Los Angeles
will become magnificent metropolis, in
which every wealth-producing agency
will be represented. There will be
manufactures, but they will be of an
eclectic character. They will not be
permitted to encroaeh upon the elegant
quarters of the city. Cheap fuel will
follow in the wake of the completion of
the railway to Salt Lake City, and which
Judge Chandler of the Terminal railway
says will certainly be completed inside
of eighteen months. Commerce, which
has already been developed to a con-
siderable extent, will expand gloriously,
the geographical, railway and ocean
advantages of Los Angeles, taking them
altogether, being absolutely unsurpassed
anywhere, on this or on any other con-
tinent.
The HERALD demands that the people
of Los Angeles shall realize and live up
to their destiny. We have at last be-
gun to show some signs of energy and
spirit. The citrus exhibit at Chicago
was positive inspiration of genius, and
was departure in the right direction.
1t was brilliant and masterful.
Our business just now, to employ a
colloquial phrase, is to stay by the
works. To make our career in the future
correspond with our advances in the
past we need an harmonious and enter
prising programme. We may be thor
oughly assured that all that will be done
for Los Angeles we shall have to do our
selves.
The most exigent necessity just now
is that we should make an earnest move
ment to get appropriations for the i'm
provement of Wilmington harbor, and
for the notifications necessary at that
point. We have been rendered the
earnest cooperation in this good work
of the powerful gentlemen who compose
the st. Louis syndicate, who are now
building the Terminal railway here.
They are quite willing to give us the
benefit of their very considerable indu-