Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-04
OLD COUNTRY
BECOMES NEW
SMALL INVESTOR lNVADES
ANTELOPE VALLEY
OWNERS SU5DlVlDE WELL
KNOWN RANCHES
With Sufficient Water at Various
Depths for Development, Alfalfa,
Fruit and Poultry Offer ln-
dueement to Buyers

Antelope valley. the great arteslan
basin of Los Angeles county is holding
forth vast opportunity to the investor
and homeseeker, and the large estates
of that region are being subdtvided 10
accommodate small farmers. one ol
the places now undergoing sueh
change is the Reid rancho, owned ny
Charles Merrill Reid, son of the late H.
w. Reid.
Mr.. Reid says that the country 10 the
north of Los Angeles can show hette1
results than any other advertised as
triet in California.
I'm the building up of the Antelope
valley alfalfa should be the prlnclpdl
crop raised. as it is no longer an eN-
periment there" says Mr.. Reid.
As an illustration on the Reid ranch
and properties in that vicinity from
ten to twelve tons of alfalfa to the acre
are raised each year.
Apples will be another big paying
crop, as the apples south of the kald
ranch. in the Little Rock district TOOK
first prize and gold medals at the st,
Louis and Portland eXpositions.
Pears raised in the Antelope valley
are attracting attention. Mr.. Martini
who owns the oldest pear orchard in
the valley, cleared $500 an acre from
his 15-year-old orchard last year.
Poultry Raising Is Profitable
Poultry raising is extremely profit
able as the climate 1t is declared. Is
the best in the state for that industry
the altitude being 230o feet. The re-
gion is above the fog belt.
Water, which is the cardinal issue IN
every district, seems to be plentiful in
the Antelope valley. Water can be had
at various depths. Mr.. Reid says that
on his ranch there is a 500-foot flowing
we'll (six-inch casing) which when
pumped produces over 100 inches of wa
ter. The first stratum of water Is
found at from twelve To fifteen feet,
and other stronger strata are found
at forty, ninety, 40, 1870, etc. until the
flowing artesian stratum is struck
The best class of buyers is going into
the Antelope valley, says Ed Scher-
man. well known Los Angeles land
dealer. with offices in the Citizens
National bank building. During the
last season he interested over thirty
cash buyers I'm the vicinity of the
improved ranches of the valley,
and many of the buyers have al
ready begun the Improvement of their
lands. The lands seem to be selling at
a bargain at from $50 to 500 an acre.
for, according to figures furnished by
ranchers themselves, 10 per cent is real
ized on a valuation of $500 from al
falfa. Taking these figures into ac-
count any one securing land at $50
an acre can realize on the annual in
come from so to 100 per cent on the in
Vestment.
Leading Merchants Opinion
Probably {. II. Cram. the leading
merchant of Antelope valley, is closer
in touch and more familiar with con-
ditions there than any other man. He
is one Of the young men, whose ener-
gies are giving the valley impetus and
whose efforts are directed toward hav-
ing every square foot of land under cul-
tivatlon. He is a firm believer in the
principle that a man can do far better
for himself and everyone else on 40
acre ranch than on a. larger one.
Mr.. Cram came to Los Angeles in the
winter of 1890 A few months later he
homesteaded some land in the Antelope
valley. Later however, in partnership
with Charles Hollenbeck, he put in an
orchard of apples, which was later sold
to Blanchard Bros
Mr.. Cram then purchased the relin-
quishment of eighty acres. known as
the Gentry ranch, and planted forty
five acres to apples, In this spot are
grown some of the finest apples in Cal
ifornia, paying magnificent income,
and care of which gives just work
enough for one man. When more per
sonal attention can be given to this
ranch the owner expects to plant many
more trees.
4 have seen this valley during the
most discouraging years. says MI.
Cram, but | never saw the time yet
that a man who worked his ranch
thoroughly and who stuck to it did not
win out. ! do not believe there would
be such thing IS failure II the ranchGr
with small means would take up from
ten to fifty acres instead of a larger
tract, and work il right 1t is only
ouitter who fails. There is a right way
of doing everything, and that is tile
only way to make money i'm anything.
$1oo an Acre a Year
IN the irrigated districts alfalfa viii
return 500 an acre year. This requires
very little care, with the exception Of
irrigation. Apples, pears and grapes as
well as all kinds of vegetables are
grown here to a big financial adyan-
tage. There is no locality that l know
of so we'll suited to raise milch COWS
and poultry as the irrigated districts
of this valley. The people who are here
are going to make d success Of it. Then
the world viii know of the great things
than can be done in Antelope valley
Joseph Reh, who came here from Ida
no, says that there are more possibili-
ties in Antelope valley than anywhere
lie ever heard of.
To show the thOrOughness with which
he farms he bought a ranch in Idaho
for SIS an acre when he reached there
When he left to come here he sold it
for $3.50 an acre.
In comparison with Idaho, Mr. Reh
says that the valley is ahead three to
one in crops Alfalfa, garden truck
and vegetables do much better and
climate is far superior
Mr.. Reh has plenty of arLesian water
on his ranch, so that he can make it
rain whenever he wants to. He intends
TO divide his property into twenty and
forty-acre farms and lease them out,
because he says men can do much bet
ter on smaller places.
J. A. Stuckey, known 10 everybody in
the valley as "Uncle John (even mail
coming to him addressed that Way), is
one Of the oldest settlers.
Wheat Does Well
Mr.. Suckey says that this country
cannot be eXeelled for raising alfalfa,
wheat grapes and fruits of all kinds,
and there is no place in the United
States where there is better land with
such an abundance of water and so
near to a good market. Opportunity
is knocking at the door OF the farmer
in the east" says Uncle John. "They
ought to take advantage while they
have the chance
A four-room house 1876 feet made
of adobe, roof of corrugated iron, ce-
O1enfed ont side and plastered inside 7t