Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-01
A Description of Its Location
and Advantages.
The Prosperous Metropolis of South
ern California.
It's Splendid Commercial Positlon and
Possibilities = Competitive Trans
continental Raiiroads-Retro-
spective and Prospective.

geHtl0n9 Oh nealtu anu loituhO' Lying
far over to the west of the Mississippi
valley aud way beyond the Rocky
mountains, close down by the western
sea. No longer difficult of access, but
easily reached from four to six days
from the largest business centers OF the
United States. A land where the win
ters are warm and the summers cool. A
city in such land, nesting close to the
sea, and 500 miles nearer to the eastern
business center than Its northern rival,
and reached by easier grades and COM
peting lines. Such is the position Los
Angeles enjoys in relation to the rest OF
America.
The exact astronomical location OF
Los Angeles was first ascertained In the
year 1889 by Lieutenant Sinclair OF the
United States coast and geodetic survey;
Taking the flag pole on the Normal
school building, just one mile southweet
OF the plaza, the center OF the town, py
Astronomical observations he deter
mined the location OF the staff ITO be.
Longitude, 1lS degrees is minutes ~ Z
seconds west of Greenwich, and "a de-
yrees 2 minutes 55 81 seconds north lat
itude.
The CITY was founded in the year 1871
as an agricultural colony by the Spanish
government. 1t was then granted four
square leagues, together with the right
to the sole use OF the water of the river.
In 1850 it was incorporated under the
laws OF the state of California and Its
territory was increased to SO square
miles. For this land it was granted
patent from the United States. Subse-
ouently, in 1859, slight addition was
made to the southern boundary by the
state.
At first the city gave away consider
able OF it's land to actual settlers, but OF
late years all the public lands have
been reserved for parks and boulevards.
The city is located on the south side
OF Les Angeles pass. The business por-
ton is built on V-shaped bench be-
tween the river and the western hills.
Large suburbs have grown up acoss the
river on the east side at East Los An
geies and on Boyle Heights. Toe west
ern hills are favorite resort for the
home builders. But the majority OF
residences are in the southern and
southwestern portions OF the city, and
all business and traffic has been steadi-
ly drifting that way for the past ~
years. All parts of the city are con-
nected with the business PORTION by
etreet-car lines which run in every di-
rection. The services OF the cable and
electric roads are very good
Its public buildings are credit 70 the
enterprise of i.s people Tue county
court house on tas crown OF Mariposa
hill cost about 81 600 OO0, and Is
magnificent four-story structure, built
of brown stone and brick, with granite
finshing5. The city hall, on South
Broadway, is an elegant three-story
building in brown stone, pressed brick
and terra Gotta, with marble finishiDgs.
The United States has small but
creditable building on South Main
street.
The business blocks are mostly sub
stantial structures built of stone and
brick, many being four, five and six
stories in height. The number OF new
ones being erected ia very encouraging.
Many Of the public school buildings,
especially the high school, are fine
buildings. The cathedral OF Sancta
Vibiana is among the numerous ele-
CANT churches.
Los Angeles city is the commercial
center of the South Pacific coast of the
United States. Here converge the topo-
graphical lines of the great basin lying
between the Rocky mountains and the
Sierra Nevada, and, therefore, here is
the natural outlet to the sea-and the
world-of all the trade of this great
section.
This great Rocky mountain basin
slopes gradually to the south towards the
NJ GalA 10 vi
draioing the western slopes of the
Rockies. hJws along the lowest levels OF
this basin to the gulf. Long before this
basin rea ches the gulf it's western edge
is rmm ed with the Sierra Madre.
Through these mountains several passes,
as Cajon, Morongo and San Gorgonio,
afford easy access down to the crescent.
shaped plain OF Southern California,
which lies between Point Conception
and Point Iona; hence it is easy to un-
derstand how the grades of this basin
slope gently to the southwest from Salt
Lake TO Los Angeles, and why the lines
of trade and commerce will eventually
come this way, as nature has designed
they should.
Before the days OF railroads Los An
geles mad thriving trade with Salt
Lake, and even as far north as Helena,
Mont. The freight was all hauled in
"prairie schooners Those were the
days when those pioneers in transporta
tion-Bll aing aad Nadeau-laid the
foundations OF theie fortunes. 1t never
can oe, from the natural coniguration
of the country, as cheap to haul freight
and passengers from Salt Lake to San
Francisco "a from Salt Lake to Los An.
gees. over the former route an i'm
mense range of mountains-the Sierra
Nevada--hss tn be climbed at an eleva
tion Of over 1000 feet. Over the latter
route it is an easy grade all the way
down the s'ope OF the Rocky mountain
basin TO lbs Angeles There are ne
deseent all the way.
Railroad com mpanies already appre
ciate this fact. and are seeking to clos,
the gap between Los Angeles and Sail
Lake. The latter place is the termina
of three eastern lines. With line t.
Los Angeles the latter will PRACTICAL,
be the terminus Of six transcontinenta
lines. At present che has two outlets Il
the eastern world through the Centra
and Southern Pacific, and a third owe
the Santa Fe route
Los Angeles is situated II miles from
the Pacific ocean on the west, and q
miles from the same body OF water OF
the south. In Santa Monica bay, on th'
west, are three places-Redondo Ii
Ballona and Santa Monica where sbipi
can load and unload nearly every day il
the year. la the Timer harbor" at Sar