The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1897-09-03
Los Angeles, Cal.

EDITOR BULLETIN-AIthO
several weeks have elapsed
since the California CORES
pendent showed up, in two
letters, written from Frisco
and vicinity, and the Chris
tan Endeavor excursion west
has probably been forgotten
by many, yet a few stray
notes from Los Angeles, hur-
riedly written, may be Of in
terest to some Of your read
ers, even at so late a date.
Los Angeles and southern
California are almost synOn-
ymous terms. This City of
Angels lies midway between
the Sierra Madre and the
ocean, almost 800 feet above
the sea level. Just 116 years
since the pueblo of Los AM
geles was founded by Gov.
Felipe de Neve, with appro-
pirate religious ceremonies,
the founders having been
soldiers at the mission of San
Gabriel. The head Of each
family received a plot of land,
with the necessary imple-
ments and stock. The first
census, 1870, gave a popula-
ton Of al. All of the 20
buildings were built of adobe
or sun-dried brick, while the
town was surrounded by a
wall of the same material.
Many of the early houses are
seen to-day, some in a tum-
bled down state, while others
have been weather boarded
and modernized. A number
of patriotic people Of Califor-
mia have lately organized a
'Landmarks Club" for the
preservation Of this early
Mission architecture, also to
construct d thoroughfare be-
tween the old Missions Of the
state. A delightful idea if
perfected, and what a boon
to the tourist .
The growth Of Los Angeles
was almost phenomenal. The
three leading features that
largely contributed to it's rap
id development were soil, cli~
mate and location. 1t is said
that it is on the shortest
route, by the easiest grade,
between the two oceans. The
future alone can tell what is
in store for this metropolis of
southern California.
From a population Of al
in 1870, the census of to-day
gives $4,000, but it's growth
was so slow at times as to
cause much Encouragement
among property owners in the
early days, to such an extent
that they were willing to sell
their all at any price, in Or
der to go to the silver mines
of Arizona, which were then
attracting as much attention
as Klondyke, in far away
Alaska, is doing to-day. The
first railroad was built in 1868
connecting the city with San
Pedro, which has the finest
natural deep water harbor on
the coast. Eight years ago
the Southern Pacific was COM
pleted from San Francisco,
giving the city it's first COM
munication by rail with the
rest of the world. In 1885
the Atlantic and Pacific Rail
road was completed, thus
giving Los Angeles the right
of way, as it were, from ocean
to ocean, and allowing her an
advantage in overland trans
pOrtation which is not even
enjoyed by her Jealous neigh
Dor, Frisco, three times her
size. Ten years ago, there
was not a paved street in the
city. At present there are
200 miles of graded and gray
eled streets, 30 miles ofpaved |
streets and 80 mics of ce-
ment and asDhalt side walks, |
$50 miles of sewers, includ-
ing an outfall sewer to the
ocean. A dozen years ago,
one horse car was the proud
boast of the citizens, now they
point with pride to the 127
miles of electric car lines.
More rides can be had for a
nickel in this city, possibly, /
han in any other Western !
own, excepting Denver, /
yhero "Easterners" came to l