The herald., 1895-08-19

| oranges and other products OF the orchard
/ and garden. The decrease in the wool
| clip marks the increase in the settlement
| of the state, From 56, $50, 900 pounds in
1876 it fell to /, ,S5l, 900 in 1887, since which
| the substitution of better methods has
made up for the falling off of fiocks
,, Instead of being ruined, as they antici.
| pated. by the forced REIMBURSEMENT of
ranges, sheep men. rs well as cattle men,
have found themselves benefited.
Hogs thrive in Southern California as
| well as any other variety OF stock. and
| enough are raised to furnish the home
market with fresh pork. The bacon and
nam consumed in Southern California
hav hitherto been largely imported. Hogs
eat alfalfa readily, and are generally mn
ished Off" with corn. A large packing
mouse has been constructed in Las An
geles. which has capacity OF lo00
hogs daily and furnishes a good local mar
ket.
MINERAL WEALTH.
1t is fact not generally known that
gold had been discovered and was being
washed out in Los AngeIes county long
before that discovery BY Marshall in Ell
Dorado couhty, which set the civilized
world crazy. Yet. though Southern Cal
ifornia abounds is valuable minerals.
which await development. mining has
never attained any great Importance in
this section. In the early days. the great
mining excitement in the northern part
OF the state completely overshadowed ev-
erything else. and of late years horticul.
turs has cast other industries into the
background.
Placer gold is found in Los Angeles
county. also gold quartz, there being prom
ising mines near Acton. Gold mines are
also being worked in San Bernardino
county, and at several points IN San Di-
ego and San Bernardino counties there
are valuable gold and silver deposits. some
of which are being worked with much
success. In Orange county are deposits
mining has also been uone in San Gabriel
canyon. There is deposit OF tin at
Temescal, in San Bernardino county,
which was purchased by an English COM
pany and worked for about year, when
it was shut down. Opinions are divided
as to the value of the deposit.
There are large deposits of excellent
iron ore in Sa1 Bernardlno county.
marble OF exceptionally fho qualify is
quarrIed at several points in SaI Ber-
nardino county, and II large deposit was
recently fund in Antelope valley.
Among other minerals found in South
ern California are asphaltum, bituminous
rock. borax. copper, cinnabar, fire clay,
granite, gypsum, iron, limestone, lead,
marble, rock-salt, and sandstone. With
the exception OF tire-clay, granite. gypum.
limestone. and rock-salt, these deposits
have not been developed.
By-p:oducts of petroleum. such as brea.
bituminous rock, asphalt, and natural
gas. crop up in many PLACES. At several
points are small gas wells, which have
been utilized.
Southern California offers an inviting
field to the miner.
BUSINESS ACTIVITY.
The commercial Importance of South
ern California has grown with wonderful
rapidity during the past ten years, yet
residents of this section have scarcely be-
gun to realize what the near future has in
store for this southwestern corner of he
United States. whose favored location
and wonderful productive capacity must
ere long make of its principal cities pop
ulous and busy marts OF commerce,
known to merchants throughout the civ
ilizad world. Long before the days of
gold" vessels made the tedious voyage
from the Atlantic coast to Southern Cali
ornia, bringing manufactured goods. and
taking on the return trips hides, tallow
and wool, then the only exports from
this section, and TO be had at almost
age of Southern California An age which
Dana has ably pictured in his Two
Years Before the Mast" Then came the
great rush to the northern gold uiggings.
From 1s49 to 1876 Sacramento was the
bourne OF all travellers to California. and
San Francisco was the Pacific caost, as
far as commerce was concerned.
In the early davs gold was the one great
product OF the state, and San Francisco,
as the shipping point OF the mining
counties, became, through her location
on a fine harbor and the rapid accumula-
ton of capital, the CONNIE ercial metro
polls oi the whole coast. Scattered tails
were then the only means of inland COM
municatlon. Transcontinentai traif1c was
impossib BILE. Everthing in the shape of
Imports to California came by sea to SAN
Francisco, and was thence distributed by
sea north and south. There was 1900
miles of coast. with a "back country
extending to the Missouri river. and only
one commercial outlet.
All of this has since been changed. In
1876 came the southern Pacific to South
ern California. and five years later the
Santa Fe, SO that now Southern Califor-
n.a has two competing transcontinental
systems. whereas San Francisco has only
one. The low mountain passes and the
short distance from ocean to ocean, gave
this section great advantage. CONNER
cially, over the northern part OF the state.
The Southern Pacific company finds it
more profitable to bring freight from the
east to San Francisco by way OF Los An
geles than direct across the Sierra Ne
vadas.
HARBORS AND SHIPPING.
Southern California enjoys, in common
with a large portion of the state. the BEN
eft OF ocean competition in transporta-
ton. The shipping ports are Santa Bar
bara, San Buenaventura, Hueneme, Re-
dorGo, San Pedro, Long Beach, Newport
Port Los Angeles and San Diego.
The first three are good rondsteads,
where. through the protection affo rded
by the Channel islands and projecting
points of land vessels lie at open sea
wharves most of the year with little diff
Guilty. Redondo, which is less than live
years old. has built up a remarkable ship
ping business in lumber by schooners,
and in merchandise by steamers. The ex-
ports and imports by steamer at Redondo
of late have slightly exceeded those at
San Pedro. The santa Fe system taps
Redonuo while the Southern Pacific runs
to San Pedro. This has aroused the lat
ter company to action, and one OF the
longest wharves in tho world-about 4600
1eet IN length-has been constructed at
sheltered point about four miles
north of Santa Monica, to which
extended its line. This wharf is solidly
constructed. and is by all odGs
the most commodious on the Pacific
coast. Deep sea vessels como to. the
wharf and discharge their carsoes at one
handling, without lighterage, and great
ships take away cargoes OF grain,
wine. fruit and other products for. foreign
markets.
Most of the shipping of Southern Cali
h,y hn f, "a