The herald., 1896-04-22
Growth of the Metropolis of
Southern California
1T is WITHOUT A PARALLEL
What Has Been Accomplished In the Past
Nine Years
The Early History Of the Pueblo and Its
Transformation Into q Beautiful
metropolitan City

When will Los Angeles take first place
among the cities of the Pacific coast?
This is a question which is being asked
with increasing frequency, and to the
man who has observed the marvellous
growth and development since the boom
in 1885, twenty-five years does not seem
an extravagant guess in which to see
this result accomplished. And Why
should not this anticipation be realized?
With her unrivaled railroad facilities,
having two transcontinental railroad
lines, and with prospects in the near
future for another; competing lines to
three seaports, and in the midst of the
most fertile and productive section on
the face of the globe, with climate that
Is unsurpassed, there appears to be no
good reason why grown up men now
walking the streets may not live to see
Los Angeles lead San Francisco in popu-
lation and wealth.
While some may insist that the outlook
Is painted in too glowing colors, /. brief
review of Los Angeles from its earliest
days to the present time. together with
what has been accomplished, will con-
vince the most skeptical that the claim
is at least not an impossibility.
The first white man to look upon what
is now known as Los Angeles was
Portuguese explorer and navigator, by
name Don Juan Rodriguez, who, in the
year 1542, sailed north along the coast of
California and discovered the island of
San Clemente and Santa Catalina. which
he named for his two vessels, the San
Salvador and Vitttora. From Santa Cat
alma he sailed to San Pedro, which he
called Bahia de los Fuegos (the bay of
fires). from the fires and smokes which
he claims to have seen there. He further
more described 1T as "a good port with
good lands, valleys, plains and groves"
San Pedro and the two islands before
mentioned were given their names in
Sebastian Vizcayno, Spanish admiral
who was searching for a place where his
crew might rest and repair their ships.
Whether Cabrillo or Vizcayno actually
set their feet on the soil of Los Angeles
county is not positively known, but to
Governor Gaspar de Portola and his
party, who arrived in 1869, this honor
has been accorded, for on August 1st
Of that year the expedition reached
the place where now stands the city of
Los Angeles, having Travelled north from
San Diego. AS far as can be known
they camped on the bluff overlooking
the river where Sonorato town Is now sit
uated. and the next day, August I'd, be-
ing the feast of Nuestra Sonora, la
Reina do los Angeles (Our Lady the
Queen of the Angels), the usual mass
was solemnized and the camp named by
Father Crespi. From this time dates the
Spanish occupation.
On August 6, 1771, Somera and Cam
bon, with a guard of 10 soldiers and a
supply trains of mules left San Diego
for the purpose of founding the San Ga
briel mission. They followed the old
route of Portola, which was the same
used in more recent times by the stage
between Los Angeles and San Diego,
and over which now lie the rails of the
Santa Fe railroad. On September Sth
the cross was raised and the ceremonies
performed which instituted the found
ing of the mission. About 1175 the site
of the mission was changed, and in 1897
the present stone building was half
completed.
For some time after the padres first
made their appearance in Los Angeles
county they lived in what was COM
paratively wilderness, but their pres
ence soon brought others, and ten years
after the starting of the mission the
town Of Los Angeles was founded by
Gov. Felipe de Neve. Eleven families
consisting of forty-four persons, were
the first residents of the little town or
pueblo. There were two Spaniards,
nine Indians. one mestizo, eight mulat-
toes and two negroes. The rest were
children. Not one of them could read
or write, and only one had a trade
Navarro, the tailor. They were poor in
purse, learning and blood-in truth, the
scum Of Mexico-yet from this humble
in all California. the fourth west of the
Missouri river. In 1890 there were 90
adobe residences, besides the town hall,
barracks, guard house and granaries,
all enclosed by an adobe WALL and the
population was 141 persons. In 1890 the
census showed total Of $4,000, and the
city of Los Angeles has grown to be
known all over the globe as the Para
disc of the Pacific.
During the days of the Spanish occu-
patton events We're quiet and common
place enough, but in the 40's American
immigration began to be extensive, and
in 1S41 a party of 25 arrived from Santa
Fe, known as the Workman-Rowland
company, and headed by William
Workman and John Rowland. During
the same year Joseph r. Walker and a
party of fourteen American trappers
and traders came to the city. From
this time the stream of settlers contin-
ued and the American population in
creased. Then came the Mexican war
and Don Pho Pico, the last of the Span
ish governors, saw California go into
the hands of the United States May
30, 1S4S.
The first picture Of the city ever taken
was in 1854, and was made by the ar
tist of the Williamson survey. 1t was
taken from Fort hill, looking east, and
the Catholic church, plaza. Main, Also
and Los Angeles streets are plainly dis
From this time the future of the city
was assured. The growth was, how
ever, very SLOW. .
But if the growth was slow it was sure
and the little adobe pueblo gradually
spread out. During the period OF the
civil war but little progress was made.
but from 1855 there was a considerable
immigration, principally of southerners,
for several years. In 1873 there was
quite q squirt, but the most marked
epoch in the early development
was the advent of the Southern Pacific
railroad, which gave the city rail con-
nection with the outside world. The first
trains were run to San Fernando and
Spadra in April, 1874. In July, 1875,
gang of 1400 men commenced work on
both ends of the San Fernando tunnel,
which was completed in September. 1876.
1t is 6940 feet long and cost 81, 500 600. The
gold spike connecting Los Angeles with
San Francisco was driven September 8,
1877. IN the Soledad canyon. The mayors
of Los Angeles and San Francisco were
present, also the officials of the company
and large number of guests from both
cities. A ball and banquet in Los An
Eeles closed the festivities. In the mean
time the ground work had been laid for
pueblo school system, which has grown
into q model for the country, and the
public was beginning to assume city
airs. The first primary school had been
established in 1888. with Ensign Quad
aiupe Medina as teacher. The term was
nVe ana half months, when Medina
was called to the army. The attendance
averaged JOB The high school was or
canned IN 1873. and the first class, con-