The herald., 1895-09-26
STATISTICS FOR TOURISTS

10 tue uuuuTeuS Vi strangers WUO dTo
daily arriving from the east for the pur-
pose of spending the winter with us. per-
haps nothing could be more interesting
or instructive than few facts and fig
ures concerning our fair city. We are
fully aware that no true estimate of the
growth and progress of the city can be-
obtained from statistics alone. Actual
business in the city is the only true critic
rion of its progress and enterprise. But
we fully realize how impossible it is for
the tourist to engage in actual business,
and hence We offer for perusal the follow
ing statistics, cleaned from the city di-
rectory and other sources. with the hope
that they will not entirely quench the
tourists thirst for information, but
rather act as stimulus towards the &C
quirement of further facts concerning
Los Angeles.
A brief historical sketch of the city
might be given. did the scope of this edi-
torial permit it, but for the present pur-
poses it will not be necessary for us 10 60
back further than 1880.
The population at that time was not
much more than enough to qualify the
name of city being applied TO Los An
geles, as it consisted of only little over
ii, 600 inhabitants. During the next de-
cade, however, such unprecedented pro-
gress was made that in 1890 the popula-
tion was over $4,000. Surprising as this
may appear, the present decade is des-
tined to show a still more remarkable in
crease of population. In 1894 the popu-
laton was in the neigh borhood of 6S, 900,
and this year, when the census was taken
in February for the publication of the
directory, it was found that the popula-
tion had reached almost S1,000. showing
a remarkable increase OF over II, 900 duy-
ing the past year.
But if the growth of population in the
city has been unexampled in its rapidi-
ty, the advancement made in public
works has been equally so. In 1874 the
first street car line was established. along
Sixth and Spring streets. In 1885 the
first cable railroad was laid. over Second
street hills. In 1887 the first electric road
was built land today We congratulate our
selves upon having one of the most per-
feet and modating street car sys-
tens in the world, comprising many
niles of street railway, to which large ad-
ditions are continually being made.
For some years previous to 1882 the city
vas lighted by gas, but in that year the
electric system of lighting was intro
duced, and, as the number Of lights has
kept gradually increasing through bout
the whole city, not only has the general
appearance of the place been greatly
added to. but the public safe ty has also
been largely insured.
In 1886 fire department was organized.
We now have fifteen fire companies, con-
sisting in all of ninety paid firemen, eigh
steam fire engines, one Howes truck, two
four-wheeled hose carts and five chemi-
cal engines. In connection with the de-
partment is fire alarm telegraph with
ninety miles of wire and ninety-eight au-
tomato boxes. There are $50 hydrants in
use at present which, with the splendid
water power in our city. are an invalua-
Bile aid in extingushing fires.
We can also boast of dozen beautiful
parks, a free postal delivery, comprising
forty-three districts, and free public
library which is open every Gay in the
year and contains over 40, 900 books. ne
sides almost 500 OF the leading newspa-
peIs and periodicals.
Inc past lew years nave witnessed the
erection of many splendid buildings
both public and priavte. In 1882 the
state normal school was esta blished in
our city; 1888 saw the erection of our
magnificent city hall at cost of many
thousand dollars, and in 1891 the county
court house, a magnificent structure. was
completed.
AT present there are no less than 233
business books in the city. and about
4240 business firms, corporations. socie-
ties, etc.
We have also ninety-four churches for
ty-two colleges and schools, besides th:r-
ty-seven public schools, fifty -four newspa-
pers and periodicals, seventeen bansk,
FIVE theaters and a music hall and fifty
nine hotels.