Los Angeles herald., 1905-06-10
.BEHYMER TALKS OF
. TWENTY YEARS AGO
LOCAL IMPRESSARI0 GROWS
REMINISCENT
COMPARES THEN WITH NOW
Speaks Of the Wonderful Development
and Rapid Growth Of Los An
geIes Since He Came
In 1885
COMPARES THEN WITH NOW


L. E. Behymer, our local impressario,
was In a reminiscent mood yesterday.
1t was the twentieth anniversary of his
arrival in Los Angeles.
"Well, am a Rip Van Wrinkle even
IL haven't been asleep. Twenty years
ago today landed in Los Angeles, and
on this very spot, the heart of town,
vines and fig trees were growing-and
now look at the changed!
II landed here with a sick family
er to every one in the city-not friend
to turn to. l was forced to work in a
lumber yard at first.
There was but one street car line
mule car, running from Ninth and
Figueroa street to Downey avenue, this
side of the river, with branch line
from Spring street running out tc
Twelfth and Flower streets.
"The Nadeau hotel was the swell
hotel and the Baker block the finest
block in the CITY,, w. H. Perry was a
youngster running the lumber yard
and several years afterward l went to
work for him again at the Los Angeles
theater.
Where the Chutes is at the present
time large vineyards extended from
Figueroa to Alameda street, and JEFF
ferson street was out in the country
and the border of the city limits. A
little railroad running to Santa Monica
was the only beach line in that direc-
ton.
There was but one theater, the
Childs opera house, with Nine. Rhea
as one of the first attractions The old
Boston Ideal Comic Opera company
was another and Ben Cotton's min
strels a close third.
1.-The only vaudeville house was the
old Merced hall on North Main street,
and was leased probably once a month
for such occasions.
my first experience in theatricals
was handling the program and the bal
cony ushers for H. c. Wyatt, nine
teen years ago at the old Grand opera
house, and I have been with him in
some capacity ever since. I was one OF
dozen men who first gave Billy Brady
start in old Hazards pavilion, when
he dramatized "She" and put on that
play and AFTER Dark"
Twenty years ago! While we think
of it, seven churches furnished the re-
ligious fervor for the city, now there
are one hundred and seventy-one. Six
to eight school houses were sufficient
for the pupils, now there are over two
hundred and fifteen. Mamie Perry
(Mrs. Modini Wood) was the local
prima donna, and the greatest In the
west-now we have many aspiring ones.
A blacksmith just across the street
from the cathedral at Second and Main
streets. There was but one theater-
now we have nineteen. Nat Goodwin
and his bull dog, John Drew, and his
eyeglass had never reached Los An
geles.
zone little business college was trying
going. The Hollenbeck, Angelus, Van
Nuys and Lankershim hotels had never
been thought of. There was no LIE
Grande station, Arcade depot or great
Salt Lake road-but little of the desert
had been conquered and the great fruit
lines had not been formed. The silent
cities, Evergreen, Hollywood and Rose
dale were without even pioneer.
IT would not give the memories of the
past twenty-five years for any amount
of wealth During that time I have
probably made as many friends as any
other man in Los Angeles, and that
without capital. unless could call a
CHEEKY smile, an even temper and
love. for my fellowmen capital"