The herald., 1895-12-15
WHAT THE CROWDS MEAN

An individual who will stand at any
corner of Spring or Broadway. between
First and Fourth streets, and contrast the
volume of the stream of people who pass
on Saturday afternoons and evenings with
that of the crowds who passed the same
point on the corresponding day of year
since, needs not resort to census returns or
the number of building permits issued. to
be satisfied that there has been a splendid
increase in the population of Los Angeles
during the year soon TO close. But it is
doubtful if the true significance of the ex-
pausion Of the street multitude is recog-
nized by those who have continuously
resided in Los Angeles since the opening
of the year 1875. To the man or woman,
who traverses the same thoroughfares
daily for twelve months, the augmeuta-
ton of the crowd of which he is part. is
noticeable of course, but never to the ex-
tent it deserves. 1t is made so gradually
that unconsciollsly his vision proportions
itself to the change, just as the views and
habits of the people undergo the most
radical transformation as the result of long
and quiet working forces, hardly apparent
10 the individuals.
The difference between the spectacle
presented by the streets of Los Angeles
today aud thar shown year or two since,
marks the assumption of metropolitan
proportions and cosmopolitan attributes.
Not only have we witnessed the enlarge
ment of population. the extension of the
actual if not Official area of the city, the
multiplication of public Improvements and
the development of public conyenences.
but we have also to observe notable di-
versification Of the character of the city s
population and of its commercial and in
dustrial enterprises. In sewering, side
walking and street making it is doubtful
if any city in the United States has sur
passed this one in the same time. And in
the twelve.month period now elapsing for.
tunes have been invested in business lines
that few years since were considered
either foreign to or AT least not practicable
in this section of the union.
The same causes that have produced the
marvellous growth Of the passing year and
OF the years that have gone before are
equally potent for the future. With popu-
laton and Development the country has
lost hone OF its natural attractions; on the
contrary, not only are the latter yet pres
ent, but they have become more widely
known and highly valued, and will prove as
persuasive to the homeseeller of tomorrow
as they did to the one of Yesterday. In
the region which Is naturally tributary to
Los Angeles, and which embraces all of
California south of Iehachap, and Arizona
and New Mexico, there is vet untouched or
not put to its best uses hundreds of thous-
ands of acres of the finest land
that the farmer, lie fruit-rrower
and the vineyardist e1 er coaNed the wealth
of nature from. Upon the mighty founda-
ton of the possibilities of the area as great
a structure of industrial and commercial
prosperity can be reared as in any similar
extent of territory elsewhere in the world.
aud as this empire grows Los Angeles will
grow and wax wealthy with it, for Los An
gcies is ana always will be the metropolis,
tie base of operations, the distributing
point of and for it.
Theprediction that has sometimes been
made iestingly that in a few years Santa