The herald., 1895-11-11
Growth Of the Metropolis Of
Southern California
IT IS WITHOUT A PARALLEL
What Has Been Accomplished In the Past
Nine Years
Transformation Into Beautiful
Metropolitan City

among the cities Of the Pacific coastp
This is question which is being asked
with increasing frequency, and to the
man who has observed the marvellous
growth and development since the boom
In 1886, twenty-five years does not see m
an extravagant guess in which to sec
this result accomplished. Aud why
should not this anticipation be realized?
With her unrivaled railroad facilities,
having two ontinental railroad
lines, and with prospects in the near
future for another; competing lines to
three seaports, and in the midst of the
most fertile and productive section on
the face Of the globe, with climate that
10 unsurpassed, there appears to be no
good reason why grown up men now
walking the streets may not live to see
LIS Angeles lead San Francisco in popu-
lation and wealth.
While some may insist that the outlook
Is paintsd in too glowing colors, brief
review OF Los Angeles from its earliest
days to the present time. together with
what has been accom- plished, Will con-
vino, the most skeptical that the claim
ID at least not an i'm possibility.
The first white man to look upon what
10 now known as Los Angeles was a
Portuguese explorer and NAVIGATOR by
Fame Don Juan Rodriguez, who, IN the
year 1912, sailed north along the coast Of
California and discovered the islands OF
San Clemente and Santa Catalina, which
ha named for his two vessels, the San
Salvador and Vittoria. From Santa Cata-
lima he sailed to San Pedro, which he
called Bahia dc los Fuegos (the cay of
tires), from the fires and smokes which
be claims to havs seen there. He further.
moro described it as "a good port with
good lands, valleys, plains and groves"
San Pedro and the two islands Iefore
mentioned were given their names in
1908 by the next voyager, VINO was
Sebastian Vizcayno, a Spanish admiral
who was searching for a place where his
crew might rest and repair their ships.
Whether Cabrillo or Vizcayno actually
sat thoir feet on the soil OF Los Angeles
county is not positively known, but to
Governor Gaspar dc Portola and his
party, who arrived in 1869, this honor
has been accorded. for on August
LIST of that year the expedition
reached the place where now stands the
city of Los Angeles, having travelled north
from San Diego. As far as can DO known
they camped on the bluff overlooking the
river where SonoratOwn is now situated,
ana the next day, August %, being the
tesst OF Nuestra Sonora, la Reina de los
Angeles (Our Lady, the Queen OF the
Angcls), the usual mass was solem nized
and the camp named by Father Crespi,
From this time dates the Spanish occu-
patton.
On August 6, It'll, Sonora and Cam
ply train of mules, left San Diego for
the purpose OF found ding the San Gabriel
mission. They followed the old route
Of Portols, which was the same used in
tween Los Angeles mad San Diego, and
over which now lie the rails of the Santa
Fe railroad. On September 9Th the Cross
was raised and the ceremonies performed
which instituted the founding of the
mission. About 1775 the site of the mis-.
sion was changed and in 1897 the present
stone building was bali completed.
For some time after the padres first
made their appearance in Los Angeles
county they lived in what was COM
snoe soon brought others, and ten years
sf:er the starting of the mission the town
of Los Angeles was founded by Gov.
Felipe de Nsve. Eleven families con ist.
ing OF forty-four persons, were the first
residents of the little. town or pueblo.
There we're two Spaniards, nine dians
one mestizo, eight mulattoes and two
negroes. The rest were children. Not
one OF them could read or write, and only
one had trade-Navarro, q tailor. They
were poor in purse, learning and blood
in truth, the scum of Mexico-yet from
this humble settlement has grown the
second city in all California, the fourth
west of the Missouri river. In 1890 there
were twenty-nine adobe residences, be-
sides the town hall, barracks, guard
house and granariss, all enclosed by ar
adobe wall, and the population was 141
persons. In 1880 the census showed
total o. IS, 900 and the city of Los An
geles had grown to be known all over the
globe as the Paradise of the Pacific.
During the days of the Spanish occu-
patton events were quiet ana common
place enough, but in the 4O's American
immigration began to be extensive, and
in 1s41 party of twenty. five arrived from
Santa Fe, known as the Workman Row.
land company, and headed by William
Workman and John Rowland. During
the same year Joseph r Walker and n
party Of fourteen American trappers
ana traders came 10 the city. From
this time the stream of settlers continued
and the American population increased.
Then came the Mexican war and Don
Pho Pico, thr last Of the Spanish COVER
nors, saw California go into the hands of
the United states May 80, 1S4s.
First picture ever taken of the CITY
was in 1854 and was made by the artist
OF the Williamson survey. It was taken |
from Fort Hill, looking east, and the
Cathol1c church, the plaza, Main. Also |
and Los Angeles streets are plainly dis |
tineuishec.
From this time tho future of the CITY
was assured. The growth was, however,
very slow.
But If the growth was slow it was sure
and the little adobe pueblo gradually
spread out: During the period of the civil
war but little progress was made, but
from 1860 there was a considerable I'M
migration, principally Of southerners. for
several years. In 1873 there was quite
squirt but the most marked epoch in the
early development was the advent of the
Southern Pa citc railroad, which gave the
city. rail connection with the outside
world. The first trains were run to an
Fernando and Spadra in April, 1874. In
July, 1875, gang of 140O men com
menced work on both ends of the San
Fernando tunnel, which was compIeted
IN September, 1876. It is 694O feet long
and cost 81, sou, QUO. The gold spike CON,
Meeting Los Angeles with San Francisco
was driven September 8, 1877. in the
Soledad canyon. The mayors of Los An
geles and San Francisco were present.
also the officials of the company ard a
large mum bsr Of guests from both cities.
"A ball and banquet IN Los Angeles closed
the festivities. In the meantime the
groundwork had been laid for pueblo
school system which has grown into
model for the country, and the public