The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-07
LARGE LAND-HoLDTNGS.
How They May Affect the Destiny of
the State.
from the Los Angeles HeraIdl


From the Los Angeles HeraId.l
A decade and a half ago the northern
part of the State held the southern part in
contempt, and that our section merited
the term applied TO US, of COW counties
was shown by the fact that outside of a
few valleys devoted here and there to
orange and wine culture, our immense
ranches were mere cattle and sheep
ranges.
But since that time a great change has
come over the face of nature in this lati-
tude. The great ranches, especially those
| in the fine valleys and on the table lands.
have been cut up and subdivided into
small farms and vineyards and orchards,
and are now supporting families instead
Of sheep and cattle. There are very few
of the great ranches that it would pay to
subdivide left in their old condition. We
can just now recall but two. and these are
the San joaquin ranch in Orange County
and the Laguna in this county. The
| TETON is still an immense cattle range,
and we doubt whether it is fitted for any
thing else. The San Joaquin will be
subdivided as soon as the heirs can agree
upon plan of partition, or upon terms
of sale, for the whole piece. The Laguna
cannot long stand in the way of the
progressive march of settlement and pros
perity that has invariably followed in the
wake of ranch subdivision. These two
IdlltDCS NOulo give DOlLlGS 10 on GH Il lIlOu-
sand families, and increase in value hum
dredfold, If they were cut up into small
holdings.
Nothing has contributed so much to
| the marvellous growth Of population in
Southern California as the subdivision
of its extensive ranches, and however
some people may berate the new ConSti-
tuition, it is a fact that this instrument
gave the first impulse to the movement
that resulted IN making our section inVit-
ing to hOmeSeekerS and in changing cat
tie and sheep ranges into orchards and
vineyards.
1t is curious to note the fact that whilst
this process of beneticent change has been
steadily going on in Southern California,
the very opposite process has been oper-
atIng in some portions of Northern Cali
fOrnia to turn small ranches and farms
into either extensive cattle ranges or i'm
mense grain fields owned by a few men
of great wealth. The Sacramento REC
ORD-UNIoN has looked into this matter
thoroughly, and finds that since 1850
there has been rapid concentration of
land in few hands. In 1880 there were
twenty-five landowners in Colusa Coun-
ty, whose aggregate holdings were 336, 5SI
acres. The largest owner held $500
acres, the smallest 5,2O2. In 1885 twenty
two owners held BAT ,932 acres, the largest
owning 4,05l, the smallest 5,II9 In 1890
/
owned more than 5000 acres each, and
the number Of acres embraced reached
| 466, 533. Thus we see that the aggregate
of land owned in that countyin 5,O00-acre
! holdings and over had increased in ten
years by 1883 acres.
An impetus has been given to this con-
centratiOn of land into few OWnershipS
by the marvellous improvement made III
agricultural machinery, and the profits
from Wheat-growing on large scale.
Whilst the small farms have been alb
sorbed by the great landowners the pop
ulatiOn, instead of increasing, has de-
creased, some of these counties present.
ing the pitiable sight Of miles of open
country of excellent land where not
home is to be seen.
If this tendency to land monopoly
should continue in the north, there
will soon be a reversal of the center of
population in California. The counties
in this part Of the State will hold the bal
ance Of political power in less than five
years from this time. There can be no
check given to our growth by a possible
return to great individal land-holdings,
| because irrigation has become so firmly
established system in Southern Califor-
MIA that progress in subdivision is inevi-
| table. The transfer of the political power
of this State to Southern California means
more for our section than appears on the
surface. 1t means that we shall be able
to compel division when we choose to de-
mand it, and that we shall be in position
to exact from the Federal Government
and Congress a consideration which we
have looked for in vain under the domin-
alton of the political power of the north
ern part of the State.