The herald., 1895-08-19
THE LOCAL BUILDING BOOM
Steady and Rapid Progress Made in
Building Improvements
Los Angeles is Laying Foundations to Be-
come a Great City as She Is
Beautiful One

::sFor two years past Los Angeles has
been accused of fostering building
boom, and no one has denied ir though
there has been an insistent and persistent
variance in the Interpretation of the word
'boom." The jealous outsider Will ac-
cept no definition for "boom" except an
unhealthy and unauthorized growth,
while the loyal inhabitant of the city of
the Queen of the Angels laughs al such
a definition and points to his own beloved
city TO prove that "boom," as applied to
city means a rapid and wholesome in
crease in population, the improvement
in character OF buildings and of public
works. and the growth of the city's in
dustriai and commercial Importance.
Ever since Los Angeles became an
American town it has been growing; it
has been growing more rapidly during
the past two years than at any previous
time: and the last year has eclipsed the
advancement which marked any former
year, and the six months ended with the
first of August, 1895. showed tremend-
ous increase over the work OF the first
half of the year. and laid the foundation
for development in the immediate future
ut a pace which even Los Angeles has not
known.
Los Angeles has long been famous fol
climate and her boom, but it is only very
recently that she has come to be recog-
nized as a city of Importance and prom
Use, to be considered in discussion or con-
versation which calls for mention OF
those cities OF the country which are
likely to leave their impress on the civil
ization of the country; and her citizens
are slowest to recognize that fact.
81 don't know but YOUR court house is
as handsome building as ours, but it
doesn't stand where 1t can De seen to so
good advantage" said q newly-arrived
Phllauelphian to an Angeleno who had
been an oldtime eastern friend.
The Los Angeles citizen listened in a
surprised way, vaguely recognizing that
there may be criticism which is compli.
m entary. When an easterner picks out
such city as Philadelphia in order to
make com parsons which shall not be
complimentary to Los Angel es, he thereby
admits Los Angeles to possess a promi-
nence which the westerner has not
dared to assume. Yet IL is true that Los
Angeles has, measurably at least, already
taken her place among the 'big cities. "
During the past two years ONO half dozen
buildings have been constructed which
bear comparison with the structures oil
any American city. Not the big shells
which violate all fundamental rules OF
architecture which are characteristic OF
the ambitious ana prosperous frontier
community, put solid, substantial, self
which will be handsome until the civil
lied idea of beauty changes, ana useful
until mankind departs from its funda-
mental ideas OF business procedure.
Buildings, both public and private, have
undergone a change during the past few
years, until :the Queen of the West has
become, not u big village, but a small
city with strong promise of becoming on G
| of the greatest, as it will be the most
| beautiful on the face OF the earth.
| When 1t 10 said that Los Angeles will
| become great city the assertion is not
| made without su bstantial basis for the
| Judgment. Los Angeles has been grow
| ing at the rate of nine houses a day for 8
year past, which represents an increase
! of population anywhere from 10000 to
! 900 year. That the population has
| actually SO uincreased is proved point
blank by the fact tn ii these recently built
houses are occupied. Whether the build
! ing desired be one for q yaletndinar
| with an income of S25 900 a year t spend
or very modest cottage with wood ano
| hay yard attached for q man who ha
| no income but wants to make one 1T is al
| actual fact that there are fewer houses
to rent in Los Angeles. IN proportion tt
the demand, t1an at any time during the
past ten years; the capitalist VINO ha!
money to invest in houses to rent, bis
ones or little ones, has IL better outool
today than the city ever offered in tn,
| past and Los Angeles has become a littl,
famous for the fact that her tenants pay
| their rent.
1t may be a boom that now affects
! Los Angeles, but 1t is boom rs healthy
as the appetite of the sturdy boy with
craving like that of nyena and di
gestion like that of an ostrich he eat
everything, everywhere and at all times
and grows handsome. and stronger ane
| better every day.