The herald., 1897-04-25
in the world, as we'll as quite an acreage
of oranges and other fruits.
CORONADO.

peninsula now known as Coronado, and
the building of that great modern hotel
which has a worldwide reputation, the
Hotel del Coronado.
SAN DIEGO FLUME COMPANY.
During this decade the San Diego
fume was also constructed. This fiume
is about forty miles long, and takes
water from the Cuyamaca reservoir, u
reservoir having a holding capacity OF
about 1850 acre-feet of water. This
system furnishes water to the city oi
San Diego, and irrigates large tract Of
country devoted mostly to citrus and
deciduous fruits In the Cajon valley and
on the mesa between that valley and San
Diego city.
CAUSES OF THE BOOM
The extending of the Santa Fe rail-
road system into Southern California
by the building of the California South
ern railroad. the building of the two ir-
rigation nsystemsmentioned and the build
ing Of the Coronado hotel were the
leading causes which led up to the great
real estate boom of 1867 .at least so far
as work in San Diego county was con-
cerned.
INCREASE IN POPULATION.
In 1870 San Diego county had a popula-
ton of but 1851.
In 1880 the population of that county
had increased to s61S, an increase in ten
years of "A per cent
In 1890 the population had increased
very rapidly, and had reached 34,074, the
percentage of increase having been -.
per cent during that decade.
In 1898 the new county of Riverside
was formed, the territory for which
county was taken from San Bernardino
and San Diego counties. Just how
much of San Diego's population was
taken and put into this new county il
not known, but it is known that in June,
1896, San Diego county had larger pop
ulation than it had in 1890 by 97S people
Notwithstanding the fact that this coun-
ty had furnished about half the people
to form Riverside county, which in 1896
had a population of 1S,S S99.
The population of these counties in
1896 was ascertained by taking the school
census of that year and multiplying
1t by 4.3. This is known to be the correct
ratio for ascertaining the actual popula-
tion.
Thus we find that from the federal cen
sus of June, 1870, to the school census
of 1S96-twenty-six years-the popula-
tion of San Diego county had increased
from 4951 in 1870 to 35, 965 in 1896, an in
crease of 626 per cent in twenty-six
years, Notwithstanding the fact that San
Diego county had lost territory during
that period. containing in 1896 about
opr1o dOurh1o tho q
of the entire county in 1870.
In 1896 San Diego county had 1888 more
population than the whole Of Southern
California had In 1870.
THE REACTION.
1t was naturally to be expected at the
close of the real estate excitement of
1867 there should be relapse, heavy
losses and a stagnation of business. This
condition of affairs did exist to a grea;
extent, and still the city and county con-
tinued to grow. Fortunes had beer
| made suddenly and fortunes had beer
lost suddenly, but the people of the coun-
ty as whole were neither bankrupt
nor discouraged. They had valuable
permanent Improvements that would as
sist in producing wealth and the people
proceeded at once to clear away the
wreckage adjust prices and business
to the new order of things, liquidate
their indebtedness and utilize the wates
systems that had been built, in order
that they might patronize with fares
and freights the trans-continental rail-
road which had it's terminus on the
shores of their bay.
WATER DEVELOPMENTS.
Realizing that water was king. they
not only went to work to utilize the
water already developed, but they also
laid the ropes for developing more
water.
Up to date only one other large water
enterprise has materialized. This is the
Escondido Irrigation district system,
including a storage reservoir, with a ca
pacity to hold at the present time about
4700 acre feet of water, which capacity
will be increased by raising the dam as
occasion may require until the reservoir
will hold about II, 500 acre feet.
A distributing system of cement
bitches and pipes is carrying this water
to all parts of the district. composed of
about 10000 acres of very choice land.
THE LEMON AND THE ORANGE.
Thus three storage reservoirs have
been constructed, and the stored waters
are being used TO develop the horticul-
tural products of the county This
water is being used to good effect. The
orchards thus far planted under these
systems are as yet young and are only
in partial bearing. The lemon takes the
lead. for San Diego county is recognized
as the great lemon section Of California
There are from 5000 to 7OC0 acres now
planted to this fruit. The lemon crop
of 1S95-96 was 219 carloads, with an esti-
mate of about 450 carloads this year.
Prices have been varying-sometimes
good and sometimes only fair-but 450
carloads of lemons would probably this
season bring the county about $3.50, 900,
OBJ. and with the legislation now pend
ing in congress in force as law, these
returns would be materially increased.
The orange comes second in import
ance as a profitable fruit. Last season
the crop amounted to less than zoo car
loads. and this season that crop will be
nearly doubled. The lemon and orange
crop Of the present season will amount
to about 100000.
From now on the increase in the crop
will be very rapid as the acreage of
young orchards Just coming into bear
ing is very large. San Diego county viii,
produce next season probably 1900 car
loads of lemons and oranges, which,
with favorable legislation. should give
the county an income of 81, ,000, ,000
The lemon and orange crops of San
T.