The herald., 1897-09-05
SAN PEDRO

o<A4~ ILDItO, Sept. 4.-(heSuldr COT
respondence.) There is rumor in the
air that route is being surveyed from
Los Angeles to San Pedro by way ot
Long Beach for the construction Of an
electric car line. The stock it is said,
has all been sold and the prospects are
good for work to commence in the not
distant future. This is cheering news fol
San Pedro, for it has waited patiently
for the magic wand of progress to bring
it's dormant possibilities to the knowl-
edge Of the world.
We're there no other reason for the
building Of an electrict road it would be
benefit to thousands in Southern CALI
fornia to bring them, by an easy and
pleasant route, to the magnificent ex-
panse of landscape and seascape com.
manded by San Pedro's hills. Compare
lively few people realize the extent Of
the business interests of this quiet little
town, for the wheels of commerce are
not making much stir, though the sails
Of commerce are silently carrying in and
out annually more wealth than the mines
Of Klondike will produce in a twelve
month.
In lumber, the San Pedro Lumber COM
pany alone handles 100, 900, 900 feet year.
ly, which requires 400 schooners to carry
it from the forests of the north. This
is sorted and stacked for drying in
yard covering twenty acres, with water
frontage of 1900 feet.
From here it is shipped by rail to
Arizona Texas and New Mexico and
nearer points. A busy, buzzing little
planning mill cuts and saws the rough
lumber into beautiful interior finishings
of redwood, Oregon pineand other choice
woods for which this coast is noted.
This mill also furnishes the power for
the electric plant that supplies lights for
San Pedro, Terminal Island and Long
Beach, and is owned by woman, Mrs.
L. e. Tut, who resides in the last named
town.
Not far distant from the mill stands
the water works with its trim little en-
gines swiftly pumping the water from
deep. clear pool up into reservoir on
the hill top from where it is conveyed
through eight miles of pipe to Terminal
Island. This stone walled pool is sup-
piled with living springs that bubble up
from the bottom and ripple out from the
sides of the brown barren hill. This
plant is owned by Mr.. r. D. Sepulveda
and is situated on the ancestral home Of
the family.
A few rods from the water works
stands one Of the few old Spanish road
houses preserved in this part Of the
state. 1t Is two stories high, built Of
adobe, partly enclosed in frame for Ito
better preservation. The walls are
three feet thick, affording ample seats
in the few small-paned windows, and
hand finished lumber OF its interior oc-
cupied a month in its coming from San
Bernardino, and the nails hand made by
the local blacksmith. The rooms are as
airy and ample in dimensions as the old
California hospitality was generous. and
the wide balconies extending across
both stories are roomy enough to accom-
modate almost as many persons as the
house built some forty years ago. The
porches and yard are shaded by the
wide spreading branches Of giant pep
par tree measuring near thirteen feet
around the trunk, planted by the hand
of Madre Sepulveda when she moved
from the old house into the new with
the padre and her bakers dozen OF vel
vet-eyed babies. The seeds from which
she raised 1t probably came from the
Mission San Luis Rey, from where the
green Castilian tuna which still sturdily
sends up its prickly spines on the hill
eide, was obtained. This tree was the
parent, says her son, of almost all the
pepper trees in Los Angeles.
What tales of feasts, of merrymakings
and love-makings, of peace, plenty and
pleasure the old tree could tell If its
feathery dropping branches could talk.
Alas, for the pastoral content Of the
old days and alack for the hurry, worry
and strain Of the new. A valuable relic
lies under the eucalyptus trees, IN an OLD
Mexican cannon, dug out OF the nil az
White Point when the Southern Pacific
railroad was built. 1t was probably
planted there when the battle of the
Dominguez rancho was fought, some Of
whose dead are sleeping on the wave
washed shore of Dead Mans island
The attraction here for tomorrow will
be a watermelon contest at the pavilion.
A platform will be erected for the par
ticipants, and trophies are offered for
the fellow who can eat the most melon.
The San Pedro Times thinks Edison
might take a day off and devote his
genius to the invention Of non-shrink-
able flannel underwear. Its all In the
washing and no trick at all when you
know how.
The flags were at half-mast again this
week for Mrs. Newmark, whose remains
were taken to Los Angeles Tor inter-
ment.
A farewell picnic party and clambake
was given at Timms Point on tuesday
evening in honor Of Mrs. Metcalfe and
family, who left for their home in Los
Angeles after a summer spent here.
The Harbor Hills society gave pleas
ant and successful literary, dramatic
and musical entertainment this week.
Considerable dramatic talent was dis
played by the young people participat-
;pU