The herald., 1894-01-01
LARGEST COUNTY IN THE STATE
San Bernardino With Its Noun
tains and Valleys.
A Princely Heritage for a Thrifty,
Energetic People.
Some OF tho Features OF the County,
Its Topography and Its Re-
sources-i 1t Has - Bril-
liant Future.

III tue BJaLe. IL HAS I'LL htch VI Al,lfS
squarc miles. 1t was cut off from Los
Angeles county in 1858. 1t is divided
by the Sierra Madrs. which here have
their highest peaks. North OF these
mountains is the Mojsye desert, on
which are some of the richest mining
camps on the Pacific coast. Calico,
IvaIpsh, Providence, Orc Grande, Dag
gett and Victor are noted for their min
eral productions. The Mojavs river
flows northerly and easterly from tine
Sierra Madre and sinks in the desert
sands. The grand Coloiado river is the
eastern boundary OF the county and OF
the state.
The San Bernsrdino valley ia the gem
of the county. This geeat basin has the
Sierra Madre for it's northern and esat-
ern boundary, the Pomona and Chino
hills for its western boundary. The
greatest length OF the valley is Rbout AZ
miles east and west. Its greateH width
is about 80 milas north and south. 1t
has comparatively level area OF over
300 square miles. Nearly all of this
valley IS arabic land, needing only irri--
cation to reader it profitable. For this
the great waterseheds Of the nigh
mountains to the north and east, whose
tallest peaks have eternal snow, afford
an ample supply, only awaiting proper
outstanding. Nowhere are the benefits
OF irrigation more apparent than in the
San Bernardino valley. And all around
its rim, set like clusters OF emeralds in
q golden crown, are the thriving colo
niee of Redlande, Grafton, Mentone,
Highlands, San Bernardino, Riglto,
Etiwanda, Cucamonga, Ontario, Clare
mont. I.nr6shnrg, Pomona (for the laat
three named places are geographically
within this Valley, Chino. Rincon,
South Riverside, Arlington, Riverside
and Cotton.
The valley was first settled in the
year 1920, at Old San Bernardino, by the
priests of San Gabriel mission. The
ruins OF their buildings and zanjas still
remain. In 184l q colony of New Mex
leans was established at Aqua Mansa,
near Cotton.
In 1851 Mormon colony from Salt
Lake founded the city of San Bernar-
dino. They laid out townsite with
streets crossing each other at right an
giles, erected sawmils in the mountains,
built houses, dug irrigating bitches and
farmed successfully. In 1867 majority
of them obeved an order of Brigham
Young to return to Salt Lake. After
that time the town gradually assumed
GENTLE character, until now very
| little traces of its Mormon founders are
left.
With the advent of the railroad, in
1877, and the increase of the colonies in
the valley, the growth of the city has
been continuous. 1t has good court
house, hotels, schools, electric lights,
street and motor car lines, chu rches,
and newspapers, and is right on the
overland line of the Santa Fe route.
The chops OF this line are located here.
Since it's enlargement by the absorp-
(! ton of outlying settlements, San Ber-
nardino is taking on quite metropolitan
aire. The most marked new departure
there of late is in the Transformation OF
her streets, which are being rapidly put
into q shape to compare with those OF
any city In the state.
There is little speculation about rain
in San Bernardino, because that valley
is really the best watered in California.
The city itself sejoices in Mill creek,
Warm creek, Lyle creek. Plunge creek
and the Santa Ana river, while arteHian
wells innumerable give evidence of the
inexhaustibe character of the water
supply. The heart of the city-the re-
gion just around whore the Hotel Stewart
stood-is now built over an old water
courae. The San Bernardino valley is
not only noted for the abundance OF its
water supply but for tie energy and
persistency OF its capitalists in develop
ing water. Two splendid schemes of
water exploitation are under way in
that region just now. The first is the
extension of the Bear valley RESERVOIR,
and the second is the Arrowhead dam
and reservoir plan.
For years it was said that San Bernar.
dino lacked enterprise aud was of the
paleozoic order of municipalities. No
one who visits the place now will in
dulge in any such reproaches. Excel
sior" seems to be the motto ON all hands.
The spirit of Improvements has taken a
firm foothold and is the dominant inn
pulse OF the hour. When the present
plan CT streets shall have been COM
pleted no city in the state will excel our
neighbor in the smoothness and periec-
tion OF her roadways. the many hand
some edifces recently erected be testi-
mony to the spirit OF Improvement that
CerVRu6B Inc Guy. IU6 u6F6lupH6uC Ol
the country tributary to San Bernardino
warrants this urban growth, and the
march OF progress will doubtless soon be
resumed with accelerated pace.
San Bernardino valley has many IA
NOUS places. A few miles north of the
city are the celebrated Arrowhead
springs, whose mud baths are noted for
curing rheumatism. Near by is the ate
of the Southern California insane asy-
lum.
Up in the mountains, to the north OF
Mount Grayback, is the famous Bear
valley reservoir, that has sufficient Ca
pacity to irrgate 600 acres.
Eastward is Redlands, city that has
been built since the boorc, and whose
citrus products are famous.
Southwark is Riverside, with it's world
wide reputation for oranges and raisins.
Westward is Etiwanda, noted for it's
raisins, Cucamunga for its wines, On
tario for its citrus fruits and Chino for its
beet sugar.
Near by is Cotton with its lime and
marble quarriee.
Some OF the statistics OF the county
are given elsewhere under the general
headings for Southern California.
Take it all in all another such valley
cannot be found throughout all the Pa
cific coast.
Nothing is more enjoyable than a
drive through the suburbs of San Ber-
nardino. This can be taken any day in
the year. Arrowhead Hot springs,