Los Angeles herald., 1905-05-14

In view Of the disclosures Of thu
recently completed school census
which shows that the population ot
Los Angeles has increased upward ot
eighteen per cent during the past year
there has been much speculation as tC
where the swelling tide of new.
corners shall find homes.
That this phenomenal immigration
will continue there can be no earthly
doubt. The growing importance of the
commerce of the Pacific ocean and
the strong attractions of the hithef
Rocky mountain region of the United
states are manifest to the people of the
whole country and are drawing with
the force of magnets.
Shortly after his defeat by Garfield
for the presidency in 1880, Major-Gen
eral Winfield Scott Hancock paid Los
Angeles visit and was rendered re-
ception by the people irrespective of
party AS part of the program he was
driven about the city and out to the
Sierra Madre Villa, at the foot of San
GdDIltl IduBt VI IllOunldlllSs L ut
carriage in which he rode was stopped
at the ascent to the villa. The general
turned and took a long look at the
charming prospect, and, addressing his
opinion the Los Angeles and San Ga
briel valleys are destined to be the
most densely populated regions on
earth"
All portions of Los Angeles are grow
ing. The city of Pasadena, then hand
some village, now claims a population
of 10000 souls-twice the population Of
Los Angeles In 1881, when Hancock
spoke. All the numerous outlying
towns, or nearly all of them, have ad-
vanced pari passu with the Angelic
city.
From a Spanish Pueblo
There are those amongst us who
have seen all these things grow from
almost nothing to their present impos-
ing status. Thirty years ago Los An
geles was a Spanish pueblo of 5000 or
5000 inhabitants.
Thirty-two years ago there was only
one house in East Los Angeles. Boyle
Heights had not come into being as
residence quarter and was occupied as
home by Uncle Billy Workman
and precious few neighbors. The old
grapes for sixty years or so with un-
failing fecundity, was the chief object
of interest in that direction. The wine
made from these grapes had quite
reputation and Uncle Billy" has
doubtless still some puncheons left in
his cellars.
Between Los Angeles and Pasadena
there was only the solitary house men
toned in East Los Angeles, built by
DIR. John S. Griffin for home, and
the ruins Of the old 'dobe ranch house
of the San Pasquale ranch, owned also
by the doctor.
Many newcomers have often won-
dered how it has come to pass that
that portion of Los Angeles known as
Sonoratown has not been the scene of
the striking improvements which
characterize other portions of the city.
The old mission fathers, wise in their
day and generation, selected it as the
cream of the locations available 70"
their town. There they erected the
cathedral. 1t is sheltered from the
winds and has the most equable cli
mate of any portion of the city. 1t
was not the presence of the adobe
houses there, but tho difficulty of get
ting satisfactory titles. that stood in
the way. The Mexican laws of in
heritance are very complicated; and of
the heirs of an estate. some might be
in Sonora or Chihuahua or Sinalon.
After acquiring what was supposed to
be a good title there was no telling
when some wandering boy. who had
not been included in the deal, might
turn up and ask for his share. Gen.
Bouton, the late Tom GOss, Mr.. Null
lally and a very few others were the
only ones who for years and years had
the courage to locate themselves in
Sonoratown.
Advent of the M Modern Era
The spell of the old Mexican regime
was first broken by the erection of
the Pico house, which for that day
was looked upon as a very imposing
modern hostelry, by long odds the fin
est hotel south of San Francisco, if
the Horton house, San Diego, were not
the exception. Then came the Downey
and Temple blocks. which were ro-
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