Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-07
A NEW RAISIN CENTER.
Something of Interest for Intending
Settlers.

Something of Interest for Intending
Settlers.
Fresno has long claimed to be the
raisin center OF California, and her pre-
eminence in this respect no one ac-
quainted with the facts in the case cares
to dispute. How ever. the Fresno land
! holders do not seem willing to rest on
| their laurels. Fifteen thousand acres,
equal to the very best raisin land now
under cultivation in that valley, is about
to be put on the market.
The condition of the sale and coloniza-
ton of these lands is at once 90 liberal
and yet so novel, as to be worthy of
special mention.
The object sought by the promoters of
this enterprise, is to go dispose of the
! land that the occupants will enter into
possession of productive orchards put
into bearing by the improvement COM
pany on the spot, to be paid for by the
| prospective owners on liberal INSTALL
ment plan without interruptipg his regu-
| lar pursuit until such time as the in
tending settler can take possessioal of q
self sustaining home.
To carry out the financial details OF
this important enterprise, the Improve
ment company has selected the well
known Mr.. Mich. H. Lang, of San Fran
cisco, late member of the conspicuous
real estate firm, O'Farrell & Lang, of
that city. Mr.. Lang was met by q
! representative of this paper last night
and outlines his plans as follows: "Our
company controls 1890 acres, divided
| in such manner that one acre is the
equivalent to one share, valued at
slOO. This body of land will be dis
posed of to bona fide settlers on the
same basis of value; or the improve
ment company will undertake the clean
ing. planting and cultiyating OF land
until the fifth season from the planting.
1t will charge their customers only the
production of the second, third, fourth
and fifth years crop.
"While the original price will range
in the neighborhood of 500 an acre
with water right attached, the land
when turned over to the settler from the
Improvement company will be low esti-
mated in cash value of $500 per acre.
ga raisin orchard is in full bearing
after the third year, and will yield, in
accordance with market value of the
crops, from $3.50 to $3.50 per acre net.
''It is proposed to appeal to the same
class Of settlers as those who have al
ready made SO signal success of the
raisin culture at Fresno. Intelligent,
enterprising men and women at present
bound in the tread mill of fixed but
limited incomes. By cash payment of
$50 and monthly installment of $3.50
per month the intending colonist will
own home at the end of the five years
that will be free of interest and rent
charges, and producing a net income
ranging from $500 to $500 year.
"These are not fancy tales but can be
most readily demonstrated in hundreds
of instances. Raisin culture has made
Fresno all it is, and converted the bar
rem plain of San Joaquin valley into one
of the most productive centers OF our
fertile state. Its one drawback has
been absence of railroad competition.
the immediate future in that very re-
transcontinental line, if not more, is not
struction-and if Fresno, even without
such competition has forged to the front
in less than 10 years as the leading city
between San Francisco and Los Angeles,
what can it not do in the next 10 years
to Gomez"
The reporter felt that Mr.. Lang had
excellent reasons for the faith that was
in him, and that the Fresno land hold
ers had chosen the right representative
to interest capitalists and settlers in the
east in their lands. Mr.. Lang leaves
shortly for Chicago. 1t is understood
that the amplest financial guarantees
stand behind this enterprise.
Since Mr.. Lang's arrival in this city
he has been negotiating for bond on
an improved orange orchard, years
old, which he proposes to have under
written by the same company to be in
corporated and the stock cold on the
same terms as the above raisin scheme,
$25 cash and 1915 per month on each
acre, the company to receive all products
for the first five years, and then deliver
same over and give grant, bargain and
sale deed for $3.50 to the shareholder or
ne-fourth of it's actual value.
Mr.. Lang feels confident in his propo-
sition, and predicts a great boom for
California lands next year.
There is no excuse for any man to appear in