The San Francisco call., 1909-05-28
Los ALTOS, CROWN
OF THE PENINSULA
City on Route of Southern Pa
cific Scenic Line Planned
for Home Builders
Will Be Central Point for Great
Seat of Higher Education
in California

step midway Oh the slVpS 'iiOih lHS
Santa Cruz mountain foothills to the
bay of san Francisco. four miles
south of Stanford university at Palo
Alto. 1t is destined to be one of the
beautiful suburban residence towns
made possible by the new Southern Pa
cifc cutoff.
Primarily Los Altos win be new
seat of learning on the great penin-
sula The Chandler school for girls, a
fashionable young women's seminary,
is already located there. and the new
Santa Clara college has purchased 1000
acres of land for campus and build
ing site but one and half miles from
Los Altos. An immense hill has been
leveled off and work is now under
way for the college A public school
district has been formed and the school
board is now preparing for the erec-
ton of $4,000 public school building
in Los Altos
The town of Los Altos is being pro-
noted by a well known firm of San
Francisco realty dealers. Great sums
Ol IlOutN ndNC OCCil SRCnb III tllpiONC7
ments. many of which are not entirely
completed. although the materials are
already on the ground. The plot is 10
Gated right on the Southern Pacific
double track main line with eight
trains daily in each direction stopping
at the station All trains on the new
santa Cruz scenic route will stop at
Los Altos.
SAN FRANCIsCANS, BUILD HOMES
Homes of many wealthy San Fran
ciscans have already been built in the
foothills back of Los Altos, and more
than half of the property at Los Altos
proper has been disposed of under
terms of building restrictions provid-
ing for the maintenance of high artis-
tic and architectural beauty. In GER
tain sections no house costing less than
$1,000 can be erected. and in others
800 and $4,000. respectively. is the
minimum limit.
Plunging swiftly toward the bay
from the heart of the Santa Cruz foot
hills, the Yagea, a pure mountain tor
rent, cuts midway through Los Altos.
The tract was artistically laid off by a
competent engineer, who made the
mountain stream the central feature Of
the town. a park of ample dimensions
planted with shade trees, has been laid
off around portion of this stream so
that no resident OF Los Altos Will be
cut off from enjoying the beauties of
the property. other choice residence
lots front directly on the creek.
Another section of Los Altos has
been laid off for business places, sub
ject also to rigid building restrictions.
Liquor has been barred and it will not
be permitted to be sold on the prem
ises.
All modern improvements necessary
for residents used to city comforts are.
rapidly being attended to. Eleven
miles of water pipe is now on the
grounds being installed for both do
mestic purposes and fire protection.
Los Altos is 225 feet above sea level
and has been aptly termed The Crown
of the Peninsula" Back from the rail-
road it slopes gently toward the foot
hills. but from all parts of the tract
commanding view Of the bay five miles
distant. can be had The landscape is
green with cultivated farm lands and
orchards dotted here and there by
pretty farm houses.
PROMINENT PEOPLE BUILD
quite number of people from san
Francisco have erected residences there
already, while a large number more
have purchased lots and are arranging
to build. Among those who have made
Wendell, assistant cashier of the
Crocker national bank who purchased
two lots and arranged for number OF
friends TO locate in the neighborhood,
and Robert Dewar. the San Francisco
contractor. who has built a handsome
residence there. r. A. wellman, a
prominent wholesale grocer of San
Francisco, has purchased nine acres of
land on hill adjoining Los Altos and
is having il laid out for a country
home. In the meantime he is living
in Los Altos in the summer home built
by Charles k. Field, a magazine editor
of San Francisco.
Smart society of San Francisco is
represented AT Los Altos Among those
who have summer homes in the foot
hills are the Tobins. Grifins and
sabins. all taking the train for the city
from Los Altos station. d. w. John
ston and j.. ]. Harper of Santa Cruz
have recently rented houses in Los
Altos while building residences of their
own.
A comprehensive sewer system is also
being installed. to be operated on the
septic tank system. Pipe is now being
laid for this.
Los Altos is less than an hour from
San Francisco by train. Business men
living there can attend to their affairs
In the metropolis without any incon-
venience, and families can spend the
evening in San Francisco, returning on
the late fast train after the theater
The wafer system being installed at