The herald., 1896-11-22
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
: A PROJECTED WELSH COLONY ;
THE FERNANDEZ RANCHO

This is the rancho where it is proposed
to establish a model Welsh colony. as
stated before 1t is situated in Santa
Barbara county, one and one-halt miles
from the Pacific Coast railroad, four
miles from the town of Los Alamos ana
fifty eight miles north of Santa Barbara:
1t contains 4400 acres of fertile land, an l
for dairy industries and mixed farming
and fruit growing it stands without Il
peer in the whole of Southern California.
There is not an acre of poor land III the
entire rancho, seven-e -eighths of the tract
being sandy loan soil. of great depth
and fertility, the balance light adobe,
which is easily worked. Cattle, hoss anu
sheep We're seen by the writer During
two days thorough investigation of the
rancho) feeding contentedly on the dried
alfileria, clover and bunch grass, in the
valleys and on the hills, even at the hign-
est elevations And this during the dry
est month of the year, October. where
no rain has fallen for over six months.
The land is naturally moist, as demon
strated in the fact that on the summit
of the highest hills moist earth is
reached by digging down few inches
from the surface. Springs of pure.
sparkling water are found at many
places on the rancho, and a neVer-fail-
ing cienaga Cor lake of water) extends
for a mile in the vicinity of the ranch
owned by a native Castilian. who de-
rived a handsome revenue therefrOm
each year, and it is now one of the best
paying tracts of land owned by the Pa
cific Land company. Well water is OBJ
tanned at a depth of twenty-five feet IN
the valleys. but as the land is naturally
moist, no irrigation is required Should
it be necessary to pipe water to any par-
of the tract. however, plentiful supply
can be obtained by pumping from the
cienega to a reservoir on an adjoinin 4
hill. which will give sufficient pressure
70 reach most of the tract. The same
reservoir will supply the proposed town
site, situated near the ranch house.
a most delightful location, near natural
park of sloping and hill land, dotted here
and there with magnificent live oaks
1t is proposed to construct a branch Ct
the Pacific Coast railway distance 0f
one and a half miles from the main line
to the town site. The latter will contain
Gncuding the cienega and park as COM
mon property of the colony 400 acres,
The remaining 40G0 acres will be sud-
divided into 100 tracts of 40 acres each
The purchaser of each 40-acre tract will
be entitled to one-acre lot in the town
for residence purposes.
Anyone desiring two or more forty
acre tracts for dairy purposes. raising
choice dairy stock or for mixed farming
will have that privilege. Forty acres, is,
however, sufficient for fruit purposes
only. as every variety of deciduous
fruits berries and nuts will grow to per-
fection in this fertile soil and excellent
climate. About $500 acres of the rancho
is cultivated land; the balance can be
cleared of the oak timber and consid-
cradle money realized from the wood. as
there is always good demand for it. San
Francisco and Los Angeles. the principal
cities of the Pacific coast, are easily
reached by rail and water. hence the
proposed colony is assured of two good
markets for its products. There is a
large deposit of bituminous lime rock in
the vicinity, with which material many
of the leading streets of Los Angeles are
paved. This will be of great advantage
for streets and sidewalks in the proposed
town and for roads through the colony.
Those who desire to purchase tracts in
the colony and have their land set to
fruit trees, almonds. walnuts. etc. that
require several years to come into bear
ing. and not occupy the same until on a
paying basis, will be accommodated
Others who desire to take immediate