The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-06-12
TOR four long years the residents
of Los Angeles, metaphorical-
~ speaking, whistled to keep


heved themselves to be passing
through the woods of uncertainty.
They argued with themselves and
with their friends and companions
that there was no danger; that the
forms dimly seen were harmless, and
the forest was becoming less dense
But even the bravest continued to
whistle.
They remembered with a shudder
the boom slough through which they
had struggled years before; they as
sUred themselves that there possibly
could not be another such slough Just
ahead But the whistl1ng continued.
and, as stated, 1t lasted for four long
years
With the advent of the present
year, gradually the dulcet notes of
the whistlers ceased and the resi-
dents of Los Angeles awakened to
the fact that they had not been in
the woods Of uncertainty at all; that
the shadowy forms they had seen
were in reality the milestones of pro-
gTess and signboards marking the
continuing and broadening road of
prosperity.
1t was like one awakening from a
siesta following a rarebit lunch to
find that the horrible things feared
were only imaginati6ns resulting
from over-indulgence; that even
while the dreamy mind was being
troubled by fantasies the glorious
sun was flooding the room with rays
of light, and that really there had
been 10 danger at all.
That Is the exact condition of Los
Angeles today. For the last four
years there has been uncertainty as
10 whether the prevailing and in
creasing activity and the signs of
prosperity would be enduring or
whether they would vanish almost as
suddenly a. they appeared.
Now all Is changed. The entire
populace has awakened to the fact
that the prevailing conditions are
genuine, due to perfectly natural
causes. Every doubt has been dis
PEELED, and even the ones who whis-
tied the loUdest are saying 4 told
you So"
Doubtless there are many who
most strenuouslv would deny the as
sertiOn that at any time during the
past four years they felt the slight
est uncertainty regarding the future
of the city OF experienced the least
alarm lest there would be a diminu-
ton of prosperity; but there would
be hutter of the heart when they
voiced the denial
Period of Dread.
To the awful effect of the boom of
the SOS was due all the uncertainty
of the past four years. The unballed
prosperity freely Partaken of left a
bitter taste which lasted through all
the years while Los Angeles and the
entire southern portion of California
were recovering from the effects of
the unwholesome repast. Every one
who participated in that event nat
urally was fearful of another such
affair, as were others who perhaps
had gone through a similar expert
ence elsewhere or merely had learned
from old-timers the dire conse-
quences Of the feverish and unnatu-
raj activity which ended so disas-
trously about seventeen years ago
Even in the minds of those who
felt comparatively confident that
conditions were not the same a.
those which prevailed during the IN
fortunate period mentioned there
was a dread that advantage might be
taken of the era Of prosperity 10 ere
ste another boom. This dread. which
prevailed and was freely expressed
Fl, late "a the fall of last year by men
who were foremost IN investing their
capital in property and industries.
has been entirely dissipated. and I'm
Its stead has come a realization that
it Is an impossibility to erect a boom
OH the solid and enduring foundation
OF prosperity born of natural condi-
tons
There were others who labored IN
der the idea that a boom actually
existed.
This thing cannot last" remarked
one man who imagined that he had
his finger on the public pulse, and
! am going to get out while | can"
He did get out. but 1t Is d fact
that today he Is buying back, and al
good advance, the very property
that he sold. but not at a loss. dur
ing the latter part of 1904. lie adj
lnits that he has awakened to the
fact that conditions are different
from those which he thought pre-
vailed and that a closer study of the
situation has brought the knowledge
that there has not been a boom. and
what Is more. there Is no danger of
one.
The most conclusive evidence Of
the change of feeling Is the fact that
there i no shouting over the out
look. but rather a display of feel
ing of satisfaction born of knowl-
edge that the situation Il too well IL
hand to get away.
Prosperity, But No Boom.
Those who were acquainted viii
the situation following the explosion
of the boom fully understand why
the fear Of a recurrence of such al
Il L