Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-26
REALTY SHOWS A
STEADY INCREASE
AVERAGES ARE BETTER THAN
LAST MONTH
SOME PREDICT HIGH TIDE DOT
WILL BE REACHED
Recent Rains Prove strengthening
Feature in Real Estate-Pern1a-
nent Fleet Would Raise Values.
Engineers Warning

Engineers warning
Notwithstanding the fleet celebration
has delayed the consummation OF nu-
merous real estate transactions, facts
demonstrate beyond a doubt that our
ing the present month better business
was done than for March or any other
month in the past half year.
Advanced reports show that to aatS
the average amount of mortgages PAID
off is a little above that of March,
Last month the average was tnlrty
five, while this months average VIII
reach forty a day. These ngures
which are furnished by the Fielding j.
Stilson company also show that a
comparison of this month, SO far' Win
the corresponding days of March Is IA
vorabIe to an increase in the number
of real estate transfers. The daily av-
erage last month was, 1870, and thls
months average will run 200 daily.
The business situation is gradually
improving and there are some VINO VINO
predict that 1t will reach the hisn Tue
totals of a year ago.
County Recorder Logan comes TO
this conclusion from figures furnisneu
by his office, which is fast resuming
its old busy air, with the everyday
incident of lines of persons Waltihg u
have papers recorded.
April i to 20, inclusive, last year,
6505 documents were filed In the record
er's office; this year for the same
number of days the total was 6OOS, a
shortage of approximately per cent.
Considering that in the previous
months of this year the shortage
as compared with corresponding
months of last year was never less
than 20 per cent, Logan thinks he
with good reason can assume TO oe an
exponent of returned prosperity. And
that the recent furry cannot snake
the fundamental development of the
county Is demonstrated by an interest
ing long-range comparison: April l6
1893. twenty-six deeds were recorded;
April 16 this year, the number was
264. an increase of more than 1000 per
cent. The proportions for other papers
are similar.
Increase In Papers Recorded
At present the proportion of deeds
to other kinds of papers srecordeueu -
greater than at any other time TINS
year. and this proportion Is constantly
increasing Deeds now constitute more
than one-half the total number of doc
uments handled at the office. In view
OF the recent financial stringency the
number of foreclosures recorded has
been remarkably few, and they are be-
coming fewer every day. Altogether
the average of the volume of business
erage for the last four years.
That this flow of business through
the recorders office is no temporary
spurt Is shown by the deliberate prepa-
ration made to handle an amount OF
transactions from now on greater than
ever. The abstract companies are in
creasing their clerical forces. and addi-
tional escrow windows are being
opened. Activity of searchers in the
deed department of the recorders Of
flee is much more pronounced than III
several months, and the tables laden
with documents are overflowing.
Real estate being dealt in is of
more substantial character now than
has been the case for a long time. The
wildcat element has been pretty thor
oughly eliminated In transactions, and
as a rule only property with intrinsic
value is the feature of the market.
Slices of distant barley fields have
been eliminated, the circle has been
drawn in, and such property as now
comes within it's circumference has
value apparent at sight. The eXcep-
tion to this Is country property, which
is now in steady and healthful de-
mand, and ranches daily make up
wider basis of the business which goes
through the recorders hands.
The controversy at Washington over
the establishment of a great fleet on
the Pacific coast bids fair to end in
favor of western interests. With
fleet permanently established in these
waters business is bound to be vastly
benefited, opening to the ports of
Southern California a wider sea of
commerce through the protection such
a naval strength would afford. The
added prestige among other nations
and safety to trade with the far east
would, through the increase of COM
merce, raise realty values in Southern
California and be lasting inducement
to settlers.
Rains Benefit Real Estate
A strengthening feature of the week
in real estate was the vigorous rain
which fell over the entire state re-
freshing crops and giving to the arid
districts a drenching sufficient to as
sure a plentiful harvest. The extent
of the rain was .25 of an inch, making
a total for the season of 1870 inches.
AS the best results in farming in
Southern California are wrought with
irrigation the most stable citizens of
the community are putting forth effort
to have the forests at the source of
supply placed In preserve and thus
protected against the disastrous ad-
vance Of the ak. These citizens realize
that without the trees there can be lit
tie or no irrigation, and that therefore
real estate values would suffer dis
heartening slump and that the best
farming districts would be ruined.
The board of directors of the Ameri-
can Institute of Electrical Engineers
are urging protection of the head
waters of important sreams by scen-
tific forestry. for the sake of preserv-
ing the stream flow on which water
powers depend The committee which
recommended this action by the board
asserted that:
"The really vital point at issue is
the recognition or denial of the fun
damental economic and engineering
principles upon which forest re-
serves are based. On this question
there can be no difference of opinion
among engineers.
Engineers Sound Warning
SIT is of the utmost Importance that
directors of corporations and other
persons interested in hydroelectric de-
velopments should realize how great
the ultimate effect upon the value of
their properties will be if the forests
which now protect their water supplies
are destroyed, and that they should
know that their advantage demands
that regularity of stream flow be in