Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-16

lures Of the situation, II is only fair
to assume that a period Of great activ-
ity is ahead for hitherto somnolent
resort.
HE Hospitality
For a goodly number of years after
he bought the Centinela Mr.. Freeman
inhabltated the modest ranch house
which had been built by Sir Robert
Burnett While he certainly did not
dwell in palace he dispensed the hos
pltallty of a king. Those Southdown
muttons had a great attraction for the
educated palates Of those who were
admitted to his hospitality. In addi-
tion to the substantials, his rustic cell
lar was always garnished with goodly
stock Of Chambertin and choice Bor-
deaux wines, some Of which would be
placed in q shady nook, expectant of
the arrival of his guests. At last, prob
ably with a view of keeping his town
of Ingewood in due countenance, he
built himself a stately mansion, where
the welcome of his guests might excel
in splendor, but could not in cordiality,
that of the old unpretentlous Sir Rob-
ert Burnett house days.
When the celebrated drought of 1876
n came along Freeman found himself
in a pretty pickle with his sheep. Fine
they were and broad were his
lands, but the sky was of brass
and the rains-they came not. Never
Southern California, for that year
taught it's lesson and people are
now prepared for it. 1t was not
then as 1t was some years ago, when
the chief superintendent of Haggin &
Carr's ranch in Kern county boasted
that he had enough feed stored up on
that 4S5,000 acre property to take care
Of the whole of Southern California
in drought of three years.
Southern California was then a land
that knew not Joseph or anything of
the providing in fat for lean year,
or series of them, as happened in the
early SOS. There was absolutely no
accumulated feed. Not only that, but
greed had led to overpasturing the
country. 1t had been for years depas-
tured by innumerable flocks of sheep,
bands Of horses and herds of cattle
The result was inevitable. Selected
animals of all species had to be gath
cred together and driven to the noun
tains for safety and salvation. The
rest had to go.
His Last Resort
Dan Freeman took 10000 of his prec-
ious Southdowns and started to drive
them to the mountains around Bear
valley. 1t was the dernier resort. In
going through the Monte he found a
great bubbling of excitement Some
body had robbed woman storekeeper
the previous night and the whole town
was hot foot on the warpath.
With his usual impressive politeness
our hard bested ranchero pursued his
way. He was not long in encountering
the major domo of Lucky Baldwin,
who was also on his way to Bear val
ley with sheep. Lucky" recently en-
riched by the $5, 100000 he had received
for his shares in the Ophir mine, had
two jobs on his hands, that is to say,
he wanted to get his sheep up into the
mountains and to transport thither
some gun fighters whom he was send
ing up there to protect some of his
mining interests. In a moment of in
spiration Freeman sought out Bald
win and sold him the fated South
downs. He thus escaped the gunfghts
and got out of the sheep business, in
such years most unfortunate occu-
patton.
AS he approached the Monte on his
return he beheld depending from the
bridge the body of homo who had
undoubtedly been a victim of the sum-
mary. vengeance of a mob. AS our
ranchero was a devotee of the old in
junction, when in Rome do as the
Romans do" he approached the tav-
ern, which was full to overfiowing,
invited everybody to take a drink and
was informed, as he expected to be,
that the man depending from the
bridge was the individual who had de-
spoiled the widows store in "the dead
waist and middle of the night" as it
were. AS the glasses were set down a
physician who had participated in the
libation said that he would give IS for
the corpse.
II Was a Bargain
why, Doc" said stalwart, It'll
get you that meat for S."
A bargain was struck and the dis
appearance Of the corpus deficit made
a coroner's inquest unnecessary-a very
frequent incident In those days.
With that rather sensational trip
ended Dan Freemans career as a
sheep rancher. He got out OF the bus
mess exactly at the right time. Lands
on the Centinela y Sausal Redondo and
other lands became too valuable for
sheep herding purposes. The 1000 lots
~, hu AA