Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-22
PASADENA'S PROGRESS
BY A. j. BERTONNEAU,
Secretary Pasadena Board of Trade

Secretary Pasadena Board of Trade
Perhaps most readers of The Herald
know OF Pasadena, that beautiful city
sometimes called the Grown Jewel of
haps, heard of its beauties through some
enchanted tourist or by some old resi-
dents-an old resident is one who has
lived here a year on up to twenty-five
years. Then again you may have re-
ceived some publication from the Pasa-
dena board of trade, that sterling or
ganization composed of 800 of the city's
progressive citizens. telling you of our
superb location scenic attractiveness,
the mi.dness of our all year round eli
mate, etc. Therefore, the reason for this
article Is simply to give you an idea of
Pasadena's progress for the past year.
AS one of the best indications of a
city's progress is its growth in popula-
ton it is very proper to mention In the
first place that in round numbers our
population has increased by 5000, the
population as shown by our city directory
for 1906 being 25,000 1907, 10000.
In the matter of assessed valuation,
based upon figures that are just and
equitable, Pasadena has cause to con-
graduate herself, for we find We have
grown richer by $5,s12,130 over the pre-
ceding year and that our citizens now
pay taxes upon a total valuation of
So, 1872, ,S95.
Famous for it's clean and well paved
streets, the year 1908 will dawn upon us
to find that we are better than ever in
this respect, for Pasadenans look upon
good streets as the best possible payirS
investment. The city engineers report
shows that during the past fiscal year
the amount expended for street improve
ments shows an increase of 70 per cent
over the outlay of any previous year.
For the year 1866 the cost of street i'm
provements was $223,60O while for the
fiscal year ending June 80 last 1916, 400
was spent on the Improvement Of streets
and the good work is steadily going on.
More than sustained is the record of
Pasadena's building operations for 1907,
for almost $222o,0O0 was expended in
buildings or improving the modest but
comfortable cottages of the contented
toilers or the more pretentious mansions
of the capitalists. Though noted for our
handsome homes and public buildings
there have been completed this year two
edifices that are worthy of special mem
ton and would do credit to cities great
deal larger than Pasadena. One is the
broad, six-story store and office build
Ing known as the chamber of commerce
building and the other the MAGNIFICENT
new Presbyterian church.
To keep pace with our marvellous
growth in population, three handsome
and commodious public school buildings
have been constructed and put In COM
mission this year, while ways and means
are now being discussed to further in
crease the accommodations, which seems
| necessary. Throop Polytechnic institute,
| the most fully equipped technical school
on the Pacific coast, recently acquired a
! large beautiful site upon which. In the
near future, will be erected the perma-
nent buildings of this great school that
attracts students from everywhere.
An institution of which Pasadena is
justly proud is its city library. with its
| 280O0 volumes. From the librarians re-
port we learn that during the past fiscal
| year the number of books loaned for
| home use was 145,310. This represents a
| gain of nearly 10000 over the previous
year. or of nearly 5000 in two years.
January l. 1907, saw the business por-
| tion Of Pasadena lighted as 1t never was
before, due to the joint efforts of the
board OF traue and merchants associa-
| ton. Our ornamental posts, crowned
with a cluster OF thirteen incandescent
| lamps, have been admired by thousands
and copied by several communities. De-
string to light its streets better than ever
| before, the citizens of Pasadena voted
to issue bonds for the purpose of con-
structing municipal lighting plant. On
July last the current was first turned
on 3O5 arc lamps and 300 thirty-two candle
power incandescent lamps for street
lighting, besides about 400 incandescent
lamps for light in our public buildings
Since then numerous additions and i'm
provements have been added to the plant
and great deal more contemplated So
fas the results of this new feature in our
municipal affairs are gratifying and de-
velopments are being watched with keen
interest.
Blessed with the ideal kind of South-
ern California climate and wise adninis-
tration of sanitary laws. together with
an excellent drainage and sewer system.
we have enjoyed a year of great health
fuiness and an almost total absence of
epidemic diseases.
The real estate transactions during the
past year kept pace with our rand
growth. The large volume of business
done in this line would probably stagger
eastern mmunities of our size vet i'm
proved property for residential or in
vestment purposes does not exceed the
demand. A good sign of the times has
beens that unimproved property has rot
been speculated with to any extent. the
buying and ceiling having been mainly
for purposes of Improvement
Summing up, it can safely be said that
the most optimistic Pasadenan could NOT
be but satisfied with his city's progress.
viewed from any standpoint whatsoever.
for the year so soon to end. With in
city lying at the foot of the lofty Sierras
looks upon the future with comfort and
equanimity.
+ TsTrNTOnrhrmArr c..A