Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-11

1900 gave Los Angeles a populatlOn OF
1O2,247. They now claim 100000. and
that Is reasonable, because the growth
of the city has been rapid and steady
ever since 1900. No town In the United
States is gaining in population more
rapidly and Los Angeles last year was
third of all the cities In the amount OF
money expended for new buildings. It
was surpassed only by New York and
Chicago, and 1 am assured that both
the total and the average this year will
pass even that record. In other words,
more churches, banks, school houses,
business blocks, residences, factories
and other buildings are being erected
here than in any other place in the
United States, except the two cities
have named.
The city Is gaining in other respects
also. The census of 1900 showed 1850
manufacturing establishments, where
there are now $500; $4,000 artisans were
then employed, where there are now
more than $4,000, and an output valued
at $21, ,297, ,537, while that of 1905 is esti-
mated at $35OO00O0.
The restored prosperity of the coun-
try affected Los Angeles and the sur
rounding towns more than any other
section, because it again permitted peo
| pie to travel and gave them more
money to spend for luxuries and pleas
ures. 1t permitted thousands of
merchants, bankers, manufacturers and
professional men to retire from active
business and buy and build homes in
this climate; 1t enlarged and stimulated
the fruit market and made better
prices. Los Angeles was just beginning
to feel the benefit of this improved con-
dition throughout the nation when the
| settlement of the estate of the late G.
P. Huntington placed in the hands of
his nephew, H. e. Huntington, about
$40 900, the proceeds of the sale of
his interest in the Southern Pacific
railroad company and it's auxiliaries.
Mr.. Huntington, believing in the future
of Los Angeles, decided to invest the
larger part of his legacy here, and has
everyone to be the finest street railway
system ever known.
Huntington's Part
Los Angeles has more and better
street car lines than any other city in
the world, three, four or five times it's
size. Mr.. Huntington has 3S1 miles of
trackage, stretching in every direction
from the city. His lines run chiefly to
the neighboring towns south of the city,
the longest being thirty-four miles. He
has made Greater Los Angeles possible.
He has started a dozen or more thriv-
ing towns and has made a dozen or
more old towns accessible. Altogether
he has invested about $17, 100000 in troll
ley roads and lands. He has erected
the largest office building on the coast
and uses it as headquarters and ter
minus of his railways. The accommo-
dations for hauling passengers are ad-
mirable and the building itself Is
novelty in several respects. The ground
floor is given up to the railways, all
cars of the Huntington system running
in and out around loop. The top floor,
the floor next to the top and roof gar
den, altogether about six acres, are
leased by the Jonathan club, a social
organization Of which Mr.. Huntington
existence has mere spacious or elegant
| accommodations.
The remainder of the building is
leased to tenants for Offices 1t Is as
nearly fireproof as possible, the doors,
door frames and other woodwork being
sheathed with copper. Mr.. Hunting
ton is the most public spirited man in
Los Angeles, and one might say in
California Other cities can envy Los
Angeles the possession of such a citi-
zen with such a fortune and DISPOSE
ton.
There are two other street railway
systems. One of them is under the
direction of Mr.. Clark, formerly of
Iowa, and takes in the towns to the
westward. 1t has about 200 miles of
track, and gives access to a dozen or
more seaside resorts and suburban
towns.
A third system, which is also con-
trolled by Mr.. Huntington, furnishes
transportation to every section within
the city limits.
Mr. Huntington's railway construc-
ton, which began about 18S6-97, brought
in laborers by the thousands and stimu-
lated trade more than any other thing
that has ever happened in this section.
1t made additional industries and mer-
camille establishments necessary to
supply the wants of the new popula-
| tion, and prices advanced in every way.
The development of the suburban
towns contributed to the general pros
perity, because so many wealthy peo-
pie erected expensive homes and
created a demand for every kind OF
merchandise. The large sales of prop
erty at good prices to newcomers