The San Francisco call., 1898-01-09

IN the beauty of her surroundings, the salubrity of her climate, the magnificence Of her homes, Pasadena stands un- rivaled.
 The snow-tipped peaks of the grand Sierra Madres, at the north, where vary ing tints shift with every passing cloud, giving them an enduring charm; the flower dotted foothills stretching down into noble vineyards and sweeping orange groves with their green and gold; beau riful suburbs marked by palatial homes; the fair city with its miles of broad avenues and well paved streets shaded by picturesque trees with their petpetual green; glimpse to the southward of the : broad Pacific; all combine 10 form falry-like picture gilded by sunshine and p framed in dazzling tints of heavenly blue . and summers brightness which raVlshes . the senses, fascinates the visitor and en- chains him to the spot.
 In 1874 party of gentlemen from h. diana selected this garden spot, attracted Gy it's admirable location and picturesque surroundings, to locate, build homes and raise fruit, little fOreseeing that this val ley which pleased their fancy would in a score of years be a favored spot in Southern California. When first known as Rancho San Pasqual a dollar an acre would have been considered an exorbit- : ant price for lands which now sell for from $l0O to $400 an acre, but the soil was then here just the same; the mountains were there, just the same, making their annual sponge-like storage of water; and to the ingenuity. labor and untiring eff fort of all who have located in this val ley are due the results of to-day, although certainly abundantly assisted by nature.
 The fame of this orange grove settle ment spread so rapidly that in two years it's lands were all taken-it had nothing but two or three small lots left for sale. Then Hon. E. D. Wilson laid out his Lake Vineyard subdivision of lands east of Fair Oaks avenue, and the settlement continued to grow and expand. These early colOnists did not aim to build a city; they did not want a city; they wish cd to live in peaceful retiracy on their fruit farms, and rear their children in ways of intelligent industry, sobriety good morals and steady-going thrift. But after they had brought living beauty out of barrenness, and made the desert to blossom and teem with all goodly fruits and all lovely flowers, the place became so inviting that people crowded in to seek d share in the Edenllke garden spot; and so it came to pass that the colonists had populous city in their midst, in spite of their original desire and plans.
 Growth and improvement have been the rule from that time to this, until now Pasadena takes rank as the third city in size in Southern California-Los Angeles and San Diego only exceeding it. Many acres of the original citrus groves remain, in the midst of which beautiful residences have been built while additional acres have been divided into villa tracts and smaller lots, or % which flowers and tropical plants and fruits are grown abundantly about the houses, giving the city the appearance oi Z a large park, studded with picturesque homes.
 In 1884 the famous Raymond Hotel was erected and the San Gabriel Valley Rail- road built from Los Angeles to Pasa- dena, the same line being now part of the Santa Fe main line across the con- tinent. Up to this time stage accommo- dation had sufficed.
 This gave great impetus to the growth of the town and in 1886 the city was in- corporated.
 In 1S9O-91 Professor Lowe took up the mountain railroad project which has proven one of the electric wonders Of the age. On July 1, 1893, the first passenger trip was made up the great incline to Echo Mountain, giving visitors and tourists who now came fiocking from all portions of the globe an opportunity to see views of unparalleled magnificence and mountain scenery unsurpassed on this coast.
 In 1894 the electric railroad was built connecting Pasadena with Los Angeles with a fifteen minute service and extend ing it's line from the mountains to the sea.
 The rapidity with which the popuIa- ton of Pasadena has increased during the past seventeen years may be best shown by the school census, as follows: