The herald., 1894-03-22

Los Angeles, March 16. 1894.
Byron Welcomes Great Scheme.

Byron Welcomes Great Scheme.
EDITORS HERALD A great deal has
been written regarding the best method
of driving the poor people from our
municipal doors into other parts of the
United States, where they would fare
worse in many respects than here
worse, because our Southern California
metropolis standH on better financial
basis today than any other city OF our
great country. Also, because for out
door residence purposes our glorious
climate is especially fitted by nature
above all our competitors. Therefore,
since all advantages of location are to he
found at Los Angeles for economically
providing for our unfortunate brethren
until general prosperity shall again ex-
ist in our midst, let US courageously face
the problem and do our duty.
There is a plan which, If adopted,
would not only tide our unemployed
army over the panic. thus aiding them,
but it would result in an extremely re-
munerRtive investment for the right
parties. The plan is substantially as
follows:
According to the records of 1880 the
assessed value of land within the city
limits of Los Angeles was $4, 900, 900 in
round numbers. Assuming that land
was worth then as now, about two and
one-half times it's assessed value, it's
real value was s10,000,000. The
census of 1880 shows a population of
about II, 900 for Los Angeles; making
per capita land value of nearly $1,000.
In 1892 Los Angeles land was assessed
at $29, 900 900. Real value OF Los An
al ta1 N
to over $40 900, 600. Estimated popula-
tion of Los Angeles is, say, O,0O0. We
have thus a gain OF $1,000 worth OF land
to every living person in this city just
as in 1880.
Observation has led the writer to be-
ieve that similar proportion of land
value to population exists in all cities /;
in fact anywhere, with but slight
variation, increasing somewhat as we
approach the denEest cities Of civiliza-
ton.
II, therefore, the addition of every
single individual to the population of a
city increases its land value to the ex-
tent of $1,000, it would be in the
interest of those who own the
land of the city to devise some method
by which all able-bodied people could
be induced to stay here and keep up or
increase the value of the land. The
question then arises, how large an in
vestment would be req uired per head to
keep our unemployed fed until such
time ss they could support themselves
Let ua aae. SupposinR this panic were
whole year, and that at the
10 year each of the now unem-
)uld again be at work, what
the cost to the investing land
ltdoor residents are supposed
onomy down to a scence, and
he whole HOO of them could
with good. substantial raw
ra Whole year for not to ex-
head $75, therefore, invested
VI would return GU $1,000 in
and values. What an enor-
Consider, on landlord
gain there is in tramps
asked. of course. how would
lis? The state law prohiD.
isl tax to be levied on land,
must be done by voluntary
would ask, why do you se-
lers from among ali others
. make this investment =?
,ased population does not
value OF anything in the
and. Groceries or drugs
ns prices in large or email
ld rises or falls as popula-
-us aud falls. New York hue a
large population and naturally, there
fore, lot was recently sold at the rate
of $4,000, 600 per acre, or l-5 the value
Of all the 36 eouara rniipR Of land nj chic