Morning journal and courier., 1894-03-14

BELMONT, Cal, March 5.
 Tothe Editorof the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 believe that promised in one of my letters to write you something about Los Angeles at this season of the yeir. I left San Francisco at 5:30 p. m. December 20, from the Market strest ferry, for Oakland, where took the Southern Pacific through train for Los Angeles. Right here wish to say a word about this railroad, which is causing 50 much trouble in California. It has virtually the entire traffic from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and for that reason more than anything else Is the de- velopment of the resources of southern California go slow. The one aim of the directors of the railroad seems to be to get all they can out of the country and give slmos. nothing in return. They charge abominable rates and furnish poor accom- modations. Their freight charges have been 30 outrageous that the fruit growers in many cases have been obliged for the last year or two to allow their crops to rot on the trees because there wss absolutely no profit after the transportation charges were paid. What California needs, and more especially southern Cslifornis, more than anything else is more railroads. There is too much of the accommodating of wealth by few here to the extreme dstrl- ment of the massss. California should, with all its various resources, be a poor mans land; but in reality 1t is the worst state in the union for 8 man with no means to establish himself. But the time is coon coming when there will he more railroad facilities and fewer large corporations. The people are awakening to the fact that they must band together and act for them selves. The owning of immsnse tracts of land by individuals has also done much to retsrd the advancement of California, but this evil Is fast being overcome. as the large ranches are being cut up into small farms, which are sold to the man of mod crate means at a reasonable price. My readers will easily see that am not & cap italist to any great extent, or might feel differently.
 Now that have delivered my little hom- fly on the reasons for the glow develop ment of this great state I will proceed to tell you about my trip. Wien we woke up in the morning at about seven o'clock we were just passing over the famous Te- hachspi Pass, which alone well repaid us for eur trip. As the train wound around the great curve and soon passed in and out of the many short tunnels we began to re- sllzs what an undertaking the building of & railroad in this region was. We found in this elevated section of the country s very sharp and bracing air, snd when we got out of the train at Mojsvs for break fast we were able to do ample justice to the excellent meal of broiled quail, trout, etc set before us. From here on we passed through a portion of the famous Moiave desert, where for miles and miles we saw nothing but 6 sea of sand and d. kali thickly studded with innumersble vs- risties of cacti. One cannot help wonder | ing If ever the inventive genius of man will make use of these queer plants of the desert; for already the csctus Is being used for the manufacture of paper, and surely there is 6 we'll nigh inexhaustible | supply of the ugly plant here. At noon, | as we emerged from the dry, dusty desert l into the more fertile fruit regions, we ex- | perienced 8 pleasing contrast, and We be- | gan to feel that we were approaching civil II iLAhlOh ekelhs heL9 HUT Sut AEst tlLls we | saw the orange growing in the open sir, and at 1:30 p. m., when we slighted at the | Los Angeles depot, on all sides of us was the perfums of roses, violets, msgnoliss and many semi-tropicsl plants. Proceed. ing at once to the Nadeau hotel, which by the way is the best hotel on the European plan in the city, registered, and then,
 after sn excellent lunch in the cafe con-
 nected with the hotel, proceeded to look
 about the city. It is astonishing how rap idly this metropolis of southern Oslifornis
 has grown. Twenty-two years ago it was
 a mere hamlet. and yet to day 1t has e
 population of fifty thousand people. It is
 laid out on 8 very liberal and excellen,
 plan. The streets are well paved, there ii
 fine system of electric cars, and many
 handsome residences and large businsss
 blocks give an air of substantishility; ou
 every hand there are proofs of the rapid
 but steady growth of a prosperous city.
 There are several excellent hotels, tho
 Westminster, Hollsnbeck and Nadssu, be.
 ing every bit ss good as any of the came
 sizs in eastern cities. There is a court
 house costing over five hundred thousand
 dollars that would bs credit to a much
 larger city. I took an electric csr and rode out into the suburbs of the city | through Figaro street, the swell rssidencs portion of the ely, and was charmed witt | the neat frame house., surrounded by
 most luxurious growth of all sorts of beau
 tiful flowers and shrubs. Like all the resi
 of California, Los Angeles suffered from the boom of 'S6-'sT, but when the bubbl,
 broke and priess went down to solid roct this city soon regsined its prosperity; fol l situated as 1t Is in 90 beautiful 6 region | with no rivals of any size near, 1t is bound
 to be the center of & most productive frui country. There will never te another
 boom in southern California, for peopl, have learned too much from their forme
 sad experiences. Real estate in Los An geles Is bound to be s paying investment
 In the future, provided 1t is not bought a
 any fancy price. It is curious fact tba
 during the present financial crisis Los An , | geles has suffered lees than any city on tn !. coast; and never in the history of the cit, , has there been SO much building as fn tn
 last four months. After spending 6 ds, in the city seeing the sights I took a ruI { down through Orange county to SAn. Ana. Here I found town that has nsvs : really recovered from the effects of tn
 boom. There Is 6 hotel here which cal
 accommodate five hundred people, built il the time of prosperity, and I was told ths 1t was full and overfowing for a shor time with eastern capitalists and speouls = tors. This town has very little to offe II l and consequently Is doomed to a sleepl ' | exisseace. At Tustin City, s suburb o , Santa Ana, the same effects of imitation f are to bs found; many buildings, bu
 few people. took 6 night ride iron , Santa Ans to San Diego and visited tn
 famous Coronado hotel, probably th f largest sea shore resort In the world
 The courtyard of the hotel Is lsrg
 enough to receive the entire Palace hott of San Francisco in it, and being full c
 flowers, birds, etc it seems like sms = tropical forest. The hotel is excellent J arranged, only three stories high, ever room looking ont upon the ocean and th 2 court There Is every sort of Amusemer ' for the young people imaginable. IT elegant dance-hall, with its fine sprin
 floor and beautiful arched dome, is nt Q surpassed at any hotel In America. n