The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1906-03-26


Forum: Southern California is, at the
present time. experiencing phenoriie-
nal boom. Real estate is on a rampage
and dealers have gone daft on the fabu-s
lous prices to which it has attained.
Cities on the coast which numbered Io,-I
600 inhabitants one year ago, have doub-8
led in population since that time, and
real estate values have quadrupled. In
many instances small fortunes have been
made on single business lots
All kinds of enterprises, in anyway
adapted to this country, are being push
ed to the utmost limit. Railroads and
electric lines are being extended in all
\ |directions. Hotels, rooning houses, and
private residences are springing lip like
magic, not only in Los Angeles, but
| throughout entire southern California.
Capital appears to have lost its time
honored conseryativeness and gone stark
mad over the seemingly rare opportuni-
ties for investment in this and of per-
|petual sunshine. Moneyed men of the
east have caught the inspiration of get
rich quick" in the golden state and all
sorts Of ventures are eagerly caught up.
and hurried along as on the. crest OF Al
cyclone. Apparently everyone is float
ing on the topnost wave OF prosperity
with expectations and anticipations rum
ming high.
There are several reasons for this
marvellous business activity in southern
California at the present writing. The
ong continued and unparalleled pros
|perity of the country at large, acting
in conjunction with the most delightful
climate in the world, has opened up
channels of revenue from every state
1 in the union, through which flows a
steady stream of the surplus wealth ac-5
quired as the result of long continued
and remarkable prosperity. n
California has become a kind Of finar-
cial reservoir supplied by the mountain
streams of accumulated wealth from
the prosperous states and territories of.
| the nation, and even foreign countries
are generously contributing their moiety'
to this stupendous financial influx. Pros
perity has made it possible for some
among every class to avail themselves
| of the enjoyment of this delightful eli.
mate, where summer and spring are ever
Iconmingling, and thus escape the rigors
/ OF winter in the east and middle west.
Many aged people, with deep lines of
care traced upon their venerable brows
by the finger Of time, come here with tot
tering steps where every breeze is lad
| en- with health giving balm that sends
youthful blood tingling through their
antiquated veins, rejuvenating its slug
farmers of Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa
rent their farms or leave them in charge
of hired help, and with their families
come here for the winter months, where
the frost king is unknown and where
gardens are always green and flowers
forever bloom. Business men, over
worked and seeking rest, come here and
forget the cares and worries of life
where the fruits of the tropic glow in
golden splendor and millions of blossoms
garland every nook and dell Many itl-
valids, seeking health, come here to bask
In the health-producing sunshine, to in
hale the invigorating ocean breezes, to-
breathe the exhilarating mountain air.
TO scent the rich aroma OF millions OF
flowers and to listen to the sweet music
|of nultitudes of birds singing their
hymns Of JOY the year around. .
1t is estimated that $a5,oooooo were
paid into California in 1905 from the.
pockets of tourists and 1906 will prove
L the banner year in the history of the
state for the number of tourists within
its borders.
Another element which has added inn
petus to this remarkable boom of south
ern California, is the great improvement
IN crop conditions. For the past two
years the country has had no lack of
moisture, and crops have been excellent
as well as abundant The orange and
lemon yield this year is simply enormous
and prices far better than heretofore
Good profits have been realized from
| these orchards which has started this
kind Of property on a boom with every
thing else. Good orange and lemon
groves are valued at from ST. 900 to $I,-s
500 per acre.
But the more conservative class of
business men are wondering how long.
/ this condition of things will last and
when the limit will be reached. TO my
mind the answer is easy and does not
require a large amount of business acti-s
men TO enable one to arrive at IA salts:
factory solution of the problem. 1T
will last Just so long as the country at
large continue in its present prosper
GUS condition. and the limit will be,
reached when history repeats itself and
the country suffers from another panic
similar to that of 1893, followed. BY sew
eral years of business depression before
1.-THE country RECEIVERS from the paralyz-5
ling effect In case Of "a financial distur-5
bance Of this kind, III my opinion, its
would prove more disastrous to Califor-