Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-01
WHITTIER.

An Account of the History, Resources,
Progress and State School.
rBy DR.. Waiter Lindley, editor of The Whit
tier.
In 1887 a company composed OF mem
bers of the Society of Friends purchased
o tract of land known as the John
Thomas ranch on the southwestern slope
of the Puente hills, Is miles east of Los
Angeles city, and laid out the town.
The Pickering Land and Water company
developed water in the Puente hills.
1t has a supply Of 81 100000 gallons per
annum and three reservoirs with a
storage capacity of 3,50O,000 gallons.
The water is piped to every house in the
town at cost of $4,000. The East
Whittier Land and Water company
bored artesian wells near Ell Monte,
constructed cement ditch feet across
at the top, Az feet deep and feet
across at the bottom, and 8 miles long,
and is tightly covered with two inch
boards. Over one million feet of lum-
ber was used. The costof the ditch was
about $500, 900. 1t now carries about
700 inches of water. The fume passes
through Whittier and terminates in
East Whittier. The latter is a pros
porous addition to the town.
The total cost of the buildings in the
town proper is little over 1926, 900. A
large proportion of these homes are on
five-acre tracts that have been set out to
citrus and dsciduous fruits.
There are tive public school buildings ;
one cost 1000 and the other $4,000
There is also an academy under the aus.
pices of the Friends society, with DIR. W.
v. Coffin as president, assisted by fac
ulty of FIVE. This school has "a Students
1t is the only Quaker school in Califor-
mia.
The Whittier state school is located
here, and has an attendance of 410 chill
dren-330 boys and 80 girls. This is an
academic, military, trades and agricul-
tural school, under the control and sup
ported by the state.
About two-thirds Of the population are
Quakers. They have very commodious
building that is crowded at almost every
service. There is also Methodist Episco.
pal church. Rev. Father A. Montaner-
ELI will begin the erection of Roman
Catholic church the first week in jan
uary. There is also q Baptist society
that holds regular meetings in halls.
There are $40 registered voters in the
Whittier precinct, which would indicate
population of 100, besides the 95 chill
dren in the academy and the 4l0 chill
dren in the state school, total popula-
tion of 2206.
There are also growing in Whittier
and vicinity over 100000 orange and
lemon trees in nursery stock that will
be budded this winter. There is can
merry and dryer in Whittier that has
been in operation four years. 1t is oper-
ated about five months in each year and
employs steadily during that time from
100 to 225 persons.
During the past Is months % resi-
dences have been erected in East Whit
tier. Nursery stock has been brought
here in large quantities and "heeled in"
to avoid the frost of the upper San
Gabriel valley.
The Southern Pacific railroad hasa
branch line from Los Angeles to Whit
tier. The fare for the round trip is 70
cents. During the IL months from
January, 1892, to November, 1892, in
elusive, there were sold in the Office in
Whittier 1899 tickeJs. During the same
time there was shipped from Whittier
by freight 1922 tons OF vegetables, fruit
and grain. Besides this line of freight
wagons is constantly running between
Los Angeles and Whittier, which carries
about aB much freight as the railroad.