Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-22
SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA
1T FORMS A GREAT AND PRODUCE
TIVE EMPIRE
A Domain of Great Natural Resources.
Tremendous Gain in Pres
tige Of Its Prod
ucts

many products, the gigantic resources
and the enormous possibilities OF South
ern Cali -ornia--an empire in itself-ons
might say r. itself.
Southern California proper is composed
of the eight counties of Los Angeles,
Riverside San Bernardino. Orange, San
Diego, Ventura Imperial and Santa Bar
bara, comprising an area OF 4o,-
900 square -riles-about the size OF Penn
sylvania In 1889 1t contained little over
z per cent of the states population; to-
day 1t contains more than 20 per cent.
During the past few years six other
counties have come to be practically
part of California-in products, inous-
tries, commercial. financial and Industrial
connections. These are San Luis obispo
Tulare Kings, Kern, Fresno and lnyo
counties, the whole comprising an area
of $4,000 square miles. about half the en-
tire area of the state.
So great has been the development OF
the eight southern counties thgt>this sec
ton of the state can scarcely be longer
referred tc as a semi-arid region. During
the past FIVE years over 125,000 inches OF
water has been developed from under
ground sources an amount sufficlent TO
irrigate more than million acres of land.
When we add to this the gigantic GER
tainties Of the Owens river project 1t
may be asserted without fear Of contra
diction that the water problem of South
ern California has been solved for all
time.
One of the greatest assets Of this
marvellous empire is the variety and ex-
tent of it's resources. Southern Calfor-
mia has almost every natural resource
that mountain and pain, valley and sea-
shore can give 1t.
The possibilities of its mineral. agri-
l.I
manufac uri.g industries have felt the
stimulating touch only of a beginning.
II should be clearly understood. too,
that while the area of Southern Calfor-
MIA is so large, the development of its
industries is possible and practicable in
a concentrated form Thus instead of
the great bonanza farms we have sys-
tenn of intensified farming of five. ten
and twenty acre tracts. thus insuring
greater economy of production. better
products and better transportation facili-
ties.
Each Southern California county has
its distinctive industries and resources.
Some of these may be found in several
counties, and there is none hampered by
being restricted to one great industry or
resource Thus San Diego county, be-
sides It's fine harbor. Is noted for its
lemons, apples and other fruits. and more
recently for its wonderful deposits of
semi-precious gems; it's also producer
of gold. [ San Bernardino Is the richest
mining county of the section. Riverside
is famous for it's citrus fruits and for its
mineral deposits Orange county. though
having an area of but 72O square miles,
is famous for the richness and variety
of it's products. which include citrus and
deciduous fruits, walnuts. peanuts. sugar
beets and celery. Ventura county is
known the country over as the land of
the bean. last year 10000 acres being de-
voted to beans. the total output reach
ing the value of $2500.000 The sugar
beet crop of Ventura county last season
produced 60.000o00 pounds of granulated
sugar. The new county OF Imperial. To-
Gated In the Colorado river desert. and
irrigated by the waters of that great
stream, though but just organized, has al
ready made a name for itself by its rich
ness and fertility. Sugar cane. alfalfa.
early melons and similar crops are ex-
tremely profitable And it has been DEM
onstrated on a small scale that better
cotton and more of 1t can be grown in
Imperial county than in any part of the
south devoted to that industry. We may
expect to see Imperial county a great
cotton growing country within the next
few years.
Los Angeles county outside the city.
is becoming more and more devoted to
intensified farming as the population in
creases and better transportation facili-
ties provide a quick and profitable mar
ket. Small farming, fruits. both citrus
and deciduous, vegetable, poultry rails
ing, nuts and similar resources attract
thousands of newcomers every year.
Santa Barbara county is fine agri-
cultural and horticultural region, and is
also one of the chief oil-producing coun-
ties. The oil industry of Southern Cali
fornia is entitled to a chapter by itself.
1t will be seen that Southern Califor-
MIA, in the variety. richness and extent
OF its resources, offers every inducement
to those wishing to make their perma-
nent home in the land of sunshine. There
is something to live on and to live for
besides climate. AS the population in
creases our. commercial and manufac-
turing industries are being developed so
that the two great departments of hui
man activity are conducted harmonious
ly together, each sustaining and stimu-
lating the other.
Is it strange, then, that Southern Cali
fornia should be deemed an empire by
itself?
County Production Figures
According to the reports of the several
county statisticians, the production Of
the Southern California counties this
year is larger than ever before.
Los Angeles county manufactured
products totaled at s30,000000. Green,
dried and canned fruit totaled $1,000. .0OO
The county hens laid nearly 27.O00.OOO
eggs. Wheat. barley, corn, alfalfa and
dairy products amounted to over $6000,-
900; meat products, s40O0,OOO.
Riverside county production amounted
to more than $10,000.OOO. of which more
| than S5000O00 was oranges and lemons
Alfalfa and grain hay, barley, wheat,
oats. etc. totaled over $2,0OO,O0O0OO; manu-
factured products nearly million.
! San Bernardino county's total is over
| $18, 100000. including oranges and lemons,
So 900. 900; manufactured products. $780,
600; grapes and green deciduous fruits
over Sl,OOOO 900; wines and brandy nearly
$5OOOO0.
Orange county's total Is over s9.0O0,-
600, including cereals $6S5.OOo; hay, $780,
600; oranges. $1.SOOOOO; potatoes. $75O,OOO;
oil. sl,2OOOOO; poultry. 100000, and celery,
$5OOO00.
San Diego countys total is more than
1