The herald., 1895-07-03
A Bit of the History of a
Prosperous Town
WHAT THE RANCHO
SAN VICENTE
Has Developed Into in These
Modern Days
What the City Offers as Attractions to
Those Seeking a Seashore
80 Resort

CdAAt4 ulOIlCd, Ucaubllui III HtI pdlllS
name. which ripples in conversation lik
the sunlit waves on her snowy beach,
not only the ideal seaside resort, BIT
possesses all the requireme ents of a resi
dence city. Built on bold bluff over
looking wide, fine beach. she GRACEFUL
stands lovely creature, ornamented un
sparingly with the most priceless OF jew
els the American home.
To the one who is happy enough t
make his home here, nature is very kind
The summer months are cool and pleas
3 ant, and in niidwinter the temperature !
truly delightful.
The Pacific has ever genial, sum.
face, which, though changing constant.
in expression, is never cruel and fierc
and tickle as the Atlantic. In the morn
ing the Santa Monican looks out upon it
tender gray surface, which is constantly
breaking into rlppling smiles. At ncor
the tone has changed to rich ultra mar
inc hue, and evening brings the restful
cool green. gray. Here nature uses the
sane simple colors as elsewhere, but sh,
com bines them into my Rad of varia
tions, with which she touches up the land
scapc and deoorates the bower-like homes.
santa Monica is the main center of the
fifty different varieties. gracing in uni
form arrangement the long avenues and
clustered artistically in plaza and park
Roses bloom here tn. year round, and
here the cape and the night blooming jes-
samine tnd their full perfection. The
gar rienia, hydrangia and all their decor
ative kindred grow in wonderful size and
variety; but to enumerate and describe
the beauties that greet the eye would take
q book.
Santa Monica is situated about eighteen
miles from Los Angeles, with a magnit-
cent beach of over five miles in length
the land, gently sloping from the inte ior
to the sea. terminates in ragged blum
varying from few feet to over a hun
dred feet in height, with q beach at its
bas3 with ample width to accommoda
two OF more lines of railroad any num-
Der of whares and pleasure resorts.
The .townsite is a part of the Rancho
San Vicente. an old Spanish grant which
was formerly in the Sepulveda family,
and acquired for services to church and
crown. Colonel r S. Baker bought it in
1872 or 1873 and sold three-fourths in
tere st to Senator J. 2. Jones of Nevada in
1874.
In 1875 they commenced selling lots and
the "silver-t6ngued" Tom Fitch sang its
praises to the eager throng of boomers
and millionaires who flock ed to the new
town. A wharf WAS constructed where
the coast steamers found anchorage, and
Senator Jones commenced the costrunc-
ton of the first railroad in the south to
connect his mines at Panamint with the
sea. The mines did not come up to ex-
pectation ana not being a railroad man.
he did what he thought was for the best
of all and sold wharf and railroad to the
Southern Pacific. with an implied prom
Use that the wharf and railroad were to be
maintained. and that they would make
it their Southern California ocean ter
minus.
At that time the Southern Pacific was
more interested in San Pedro, where it
was reapins golden harvest by reason
OF the fact that every pound of freight
and all passengers had to be lightered.
They complied in Santa Monica with the
railroad part Of the understanding, but
allowed the wharf to become destroyed.
The boom was over and, while Santa
tate sense. she felt the collapse exceeding
ly On account of q lack of funds tc proper
ly develop. Having no practical wharf
in sight and none in immediate prospect,
she was not in position to compete for
commercial honoIs. Her citizens COM
menced to build and develop the resort
qualities of the city by The sea. That they
tuilded far wiser than they dreamed,
future events have proven.
1t may have been tritle hard at times
but no grum bling was INDUCED in by her
people, and they went on pay
ing for improvement after improvement,
until today there is rot city of three
times her size that has as many improve
melts and public attractions and not a
dollar of Indebtedness. - ..,az
in 1898 the Southern Pacific feeling
the effect of competition from Redondo
realized that it must do something to
hold the business IN Santa Monica, and
50 began to develop the commercial side
Of the place. at an exl ense OF over ST.
a road up the beach, and mammot tn
wharf, 4S00 feet long, which is already
busy mass of commerce.
The state located a forestry station
hers in 1855, and the governments a branch
Sol.liers' Home in 1887, the land ior the
former being generously donated by SEN
ator Jones and Colonel Baker, and for the
latter institution by Messrs. Jones,
Baker and Wolfskill. MIR. Wolfsklll do.
mating 300 acres Of the choicest land he
had.
Later the great Santa Fe railroad sys-
tenn extended its line into Santa Monica,
thus giving the necessary and valued COM
petition.
Santa Monica claims water supply
that for coolness and purity and abun-
darce is unsurpassed. 1t is brought from
the springs, which are situated midway
between Santa Monica and the Soldiers
Home, comprising a thirty-acre tract,
which is owned by the Santa Monica
Water company. The springs are located
on a knoll which is considerably higher
than Santa Monica. The company is con
stantly developing water by means of
tunnels. and using ali revenue at pres
ent for the most costly and permanent
Improvements. 1t is now extending its
mains on the South Side, and intends to
supply necessary amount It. each resi-
dent within the corporate limits ard in
time to furnish water for irrigation, etc,
on the neighboring ranches.
There are some famous and interesting
ranches touching the boundaries of Santa
Monica. On the north is the Boca de
Santa Monica, owned by Jones & Baker,
in Its limits the famous can
yon, as the name indicates. On the
We: tern boundary is the ranch of John
". Wolfskill; on the south the Machado
rarch, and numerous smaller holdings.
Here the soil is, as in most parts of
Soiither California. wonderfully produc-
siyr, and lemons and nearly all the de
ciduous fruits do well. The smaller fruits
and vegetables are perfect and abundant.
Tho roads and transportation facilities
Ase SO good that those who live on