Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-07

tate valuation Of the city, which at the time
of the boom was fifty millions, has steadily
risen in an almost unbroken line of increase,
until at the present time 1t aggregates near
ly one hundred and sixty millions. These
are tangible results OF the activity of the
people Of this region in drawing settlers
from the east"
What part do the remittance men take
In this development and how much outside
capital is represented by your big buildings
and other enterprises?' / asked.
Attractiveness of the City.
IF you would take the assessment roll OF
Los Angeles ana pick out twenty of the
largest property owners you would find that
the majority Of them came to this section
originally because Of their own health, or
that Of some member Of their families; re-
manned here for time merely as visitors,
and finally returned to stay, bringing some
money with them, which they invested
doubtfully at first. Presently they became
neamored of the country particularly be-
cause OF its equable climate; became con-
WINGED that the same attractions 1t had for
them must draw others; noted the regu-
iarity OF Its increase in population and
wealth. and finally concluded to draw out
their money from the east and invest 1t
men or bona fide settlers? AS q matter
OF fact, they live here and their invest
ments now are practically all here.
twenty-five years ago, In 1880, there
were only 1000 people in the city; now
there are 100000. l myself believe in the
2oooVO theory, because 1t squares with
every conceivable evidence of population.
as, for instance, water taps. school census,
, voting registration, directory and every
thing else. Now, among those II 600 peo-
pie a good many must have died or moved
away. / do not believe that 5000 were
here twenty-five years ago. In 1890 there
were 10000, and in the discouraging years
1891. 1892 and 1893 great many left and
others came to take their places. / ques-
ton whether more than 10000 of that 80 600
are still here. In other words. about So per
cent of the town Is new within the past
fifteen years. I believe that fully one-half
of the present population has come here In
the past five years.
1T seems to me-" explained Mr.. Willard.
man Is rather fiction. You see him at
the clubs and hotels, but he does not ap-
pear In the actual life of the city. OF
course. some Of the best property in the
more than twenty-five years. Some of 1t
belongs to men who were here at the city's
beginning as an American city. These
very largely are leasing their land and the
the newcomers, who either came with
money from the east or have made 1t here.
There Is little. but not much, San Fran
cisco money here. There is more from
Chicago than any other one place. In fact,
we have been accustomed to look upon
Chicago as a sort of big brother to this
city. I could name to you, think, twenty
or thirty leading men who came here from
Chicago. The largest individual investor
in Los Angeles, of course, is Mr.. Hunting
ton, to whom came the millions of his
uncle, Coils P. Huntington. which millions
were made in California and a part of
which were paid by Los Angeles In help
ing to build up Los Angeles H E. Hunting
ton is doing an act of poetic justice and
restoring to this city a part Of the enor-
nous tribute paid to the Southern Pacific
cOmnlete
nopoly and charged what 1t pleased"
Beautifying the City.
What is being done to beautify the
city9'
Everything is being done by individuals.
but very little by the municipal govern
ment. I think this city feels the need Of
parks less than almost any other city in
the country, because it is SO we'll spread
out, the f1fty-foot lot being the unit. and
fats and apartment houses having existed
for only few years. We do not have
long rows Of solidly connected brick build
ings that are to be seen In eastern cities
of one-half our population. The Califor-
ntan, whether a native or an adopted son,
loves the sunshine and fresh adr. We have
a great deal of both. but never too much
to satisfy him.
I'VE have thus far had water in sufficient
quantity to allow every home owner his
grass plot his trees and his flowers. and
in certain large areas Of the city there are
wide grounds about the houses, without
fences. which supply. In a measure, the
need for parks. l speak OF this because
1t Is not well supplied with pubic parks.
Our park area Is large by reason Of the
fact that we have one enormous tract Of
over 1900 acres, which was presented to
the city and will some day be made into
one OF the most remarka BILE recreation spots
to be found in the country. 1t has the
scenic possibility for that sort of develop
hY,t at ta ~, 4
pose you have heard It's peculiar htstroy-
how 1t was presented to the city by a
wealthy and eccentric old-tiIner, G. G. Grif-
fifth, who afterward took to bad habits and
finished by shooting at his wife in a drunk
en- rage, and as consequence of his folly
is now doing time in the penitentiary
Not only are our parks few and mad
equate, but we have no boulevards al
though we have many beautiful streets AS
] have said, we have no statuary and no
bene factions. These things cannot be done
to order, and they are the conspicuous
shortcomings of the city that is in most
other respects entitled to credit for its pub
he spirit and progressiveness
Real Estate Speculation.
What about the real estate speculationr'
l asked.
The characteristic feature of business
life In Los Angeles at the present time is
activity in real estate" replied Mr. Will
lard, although as matter of fact there
Is high degree of activity along every
commercial line. Lot speculat ton Is simply
a form of demonstration Of the existence
of high degree of good times You must
remember that people here are far re-
moved from the great money centers where
stock operations are carried on. Gambling
is strictly prohibited and horse racing with
Its accompanying pool selling occurs In
January and February, but not at any
other time during the year. The specula-
tive instinct must find some outlet. For
q while we had great speculation in oil
undertakings. but that finally died out The
production of oil became so large as to
cause the price to fall below a possible mar
gin Of profit. Local securities. represent
Ing water, electric power. street car en-
terprises, telephones, etc, have some mar
ket, but they do not constitute a volume
sufficient 10 admit of large speculation.
Efforts have been made at various times
to get up an interest in mining stocks but
mines are too difficult of investigation and
their values are too often utterly imaginary
TO make that form of gambling a success
Hence real estate is substitute for stocks
and wheat and other forms of produce in
New York, Chicago and the great eastern
cities. and it has this advantage as a form
OF speculation: That investigation is always
possible and fair approximation may be
reached to the present and probable fu-
iht,- h nf4 t,a To-