Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-03
THE LAND OFFICE,
Business Transacted During the
Fiscal Year.
The Preservation of Snow in the
Mountains.
Matters of Interest Tonching the saa
Gabriel ReservatiOn-A Synopsis
OF what Has Been Done
Up to Date.

For the fiscal year which closed June
80, 1892, Capt. W. H. Seamans, register
of the United States land Office at Los
Angeles, CAL, has made up synopsis
of the business OF the Office for the
year, W hich would indicate that govern
ment land was still actively in demand
in the district. The district is very
large one, extending from near Tehach-
epi, west to the Pacific ocean, east to
the Colorado river aud south to the
Mexican line, taking in portions of
Kern, Santa Barbara, Ventura, most of
San Bernardino aud all of Los Angeles,
Orange and San Diego counties. 1t ex-
tends $50 miles on an east and west line
and 1S0 miles north and south, and has
within its limits 5,678 ,036 acres unsur.
veyed land, 6,S40, ,425 92 acres surveyed
lands and 484, ,920 acres in the San Ga.
briel reservation, besides several small
Indian reservations.
The San Gabriel reservation was cre-
ated by an order of the honorable COM
missioner Of the general land Office at
Washington, D. O., November IA, 1901,
with view to the conservation of the
SHOWS in the mountains and the conse-
quent preservation OF the water supply
in the streams emanating from them.
This reservation is in round numbers
fifty miles in length by twenty in width,
taking in the whole Sierra Madre range,
from the Cajon pass to point near
Acton.
Final action has not yet been had re-
garding this reservation, and for the
present it is only temporarily reserved
for the purpose of having it carefully ex-
amined by a special agent and reported
upon, when the permanent reservation
will be determined.
The major portion Of the land remain
ing in the public domain within the
limits Of this district, would be classed
arid lands and will undoubtedly be
greatly benefited in consequence of the
establishment of the San Gabriel reser-
walton.
This class of land, in large part, only
needs water and cultivation to make it
productive. About one-third of the
area would be claseed as mountain land,
rising all the way from the foothills to
an altitude of from twelve to fourteen
thousand feet.
Within the district great variety of
climate is found, from the tropic heats
of the interior valleys to the temperate
climate Of the pine zones in the noun
tains.
It's natural resources are gold, silver,
copper, iron, tin, asphaltum, petroleum,
extensive deposits of marble, kaolin,
cement, granite, red and gray sandstone
and timber of several varieties. The
Temescal tin mine is located in this dis
trict. The production of petroleum is
large and growing industry, but the
principal productions are fruits, citrus
and deciduous, wine and grain. An
other industry has recently been started
in the district, in the production Of beet
sugar, which is likely to grow into large
proportions in the near fubure. The
hardy cereals Of the north temperate
zone, and the fruits of the tropics grow
side by side.
The following statement will show
concisely come portion of the business
done in the land Office during the year
Land entered and otherwise disposed
of for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1892.