Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-25

Pedro alone in 1891 Eleven llnes Of
railroad center here, including the two
transcontinental lines. the Southern
Pacific and santa Fe. thus giving the
place great advantnge over San Fran
CISCO, which has- only one traasoon-
tlnental line.
In no phase Of development has Los
Angeles made more remAT Tkabie pro-
gress than an the construction Of street
railroads, the present system being
probably superior to that Of any city OF
equal population in the United States.
Five years ago there we're too short
cable roads, each = mile and . quarter
long. and four horse car lines. with al
aggregate length Of sixteen aud half
miles. Today there are nearly one
hundred miles Of street railroad track,
Of which Is Per cent are cable and
more than 50 per cent electric These
roads carried nearly 1900. 900 passen-
gers last year.
lie classic assssy.
After ali, however, the chief charm
OF Los Angeles, 70 the visitor from
colder chimes, 10 the rare beauty of the
grounds, in which are situAted the
tasteful homes Of its citizsns. Other
cities can show grander business blocks
and more imposing municipal improve
nents, but when It comes 70 gardens,
those of Los Angelee are dreams Of
beauty and are, in one word. unique.
TIE miidness Of the climate here per-
mits the must delicate plants and trees
to flourish in the open air ali through
the winter. Hence. you may zee II
Chrlstmas-as you 80 now-hedgee OF
Gala llies, geranium bushes ten feet
and more ia height, and heliotrope COW
ering the whole AIDE of house. while
the jasmine, tuberoee and orange make
the air heavy with their delicious per-
fume. Giant bananas wave their grace
full leaves in the gentle breeze aud
ripen their fruit, the fan and date
palms grow 10 mammoth proportions
and roses Of . thousand varieties run
riot. The city limits embrace thirty
six square miles Of territory, 90 that
there 10 plenty Of room, and . majority
of the residences stand in spacious
grounds, . lot 50xlo0 feet being the
smallest that u considered suitable for
. residence. Many have from one TO
tive acres OF grounds, all in . high
state of cultivation. with we'll kept.
verdant lawns, upon which the fig,
orange and palm cast grateful shade.
A Bower ss Heat.
After cursory view of Los Angeles. it
is not surprislng that people who come
here in winter from the frozen east and
northwest fall in love with the place.
and that many of them return here 70
reside. Ii would be difficult 70 imagine
. city that approaches nearer to IN
ideal place to live. Nature hes done
her share and art has completed what
little 10 lacking. Here the jaded man
of wealth can rest from the pursuit Of
the almighty dollar and enjoy rus in
urbe. with all the joys of quiet cocn-
try life, wbile not moro than fifteen
minutos' ride BY electric Car, from
opera, lodge and of{ioe, and the poor
man can nt under his vine and fig tree,
surrounded by fragrant blossoms that
would TAX the purse OF the well-to-do.
1t that sesson. IA the east. We must,
however, close this lettsS, or you will
think that have caught the "Califor-
MIA fever"
From here we 20 to Fresno, in the
San joaquin valley, the headquarteru
of the great rAisin industry. whoee
famous wheat fields have . worldwide
reputation, and then on 70 the gold
mining regions Of central Californis
and San Francisco.
C. G. SyENsBEno.