The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-08-13
sister of Mr.. Chauncey Courtright
of Honesdale, Pa.

of Honesdale, Pa.
Los Angeles has grown from a |
population of 11,311 in 1880, to
1O2,479, by the census of 1900. The |
present population is estimated at
10000. In our opinion there are
three leading features that have |
contributed to such growth. These
are climate, soil, and location, and
fourth might be added, that of irri-
cation in the country throughout
Southern California. Any one of
these advantages would be sufficient
to build up a large city, but taken
together they insure the future of
Los Angeles as the metropolis of
the southwest. Our national gov
ernment is building large break
water at San Pedro, and dredging to
make a deep-water harbor there.
| This work when completed, and
when the Panama Canal is finished,
will give a great impetus to foreign
commerce, and Los Angeles should,
before long, become a very import
ant commercial city, as we'll as a
health resort.
There is no winter or summer in
Los Angeles and Southern California.
They are represented by a wet and
dry season. We cannot speak for
the rainy season, but at this time of
the year, the last of June, when
there is no rain, we did not like the
looks of the bare, brown hills not
tree, shrub or anything green on
them. 1t was dismal sight, but
you look in the valley, there is life
and verdure, due to irrigation.
They have the climate and the soil,
and when water is supplied they can
grow anything that can be raised in
semi-tropical countries. The mild
ness of the climate permits the most
delicate plants and trees to flourish
in the open air, all through the win
ter. We saw geranium bushes ten
feet and more in height, near the
city of Los Angeles. The fan and
date palm grow to mammoth pro-
portions. Two good sized palm trees
will shade a fifty foot lawn. While
during the day the sun shines good
and hot, there is no Oppressive feel
ing, because the air is so free from
moisture. The evenings are made
pleasant and cool by the sea breezes
. from the Pacific. Los Angeles has
all the luxuries found in eastern
| cities. Her hotels, libraries, churches,
! clubs and schools are of the best.
5 She covers an area of 63 square
; miles, has 60 miles of paved streets,
( IT'S miles of street railways in city,
5 and 676 miles including interurban
services. Her total area of public
: parks is 1920 acres. Along the
< sides of the streets in the residential
5 district, are shade trees, the favor
= ite varieties being the Palm, the
: Pepper, the Eucalyptus, the Gra-
= villa and the Acacia. We saw only
} two maple trees. Many miles of
= we'll kept streets are lined with beau
r tiful homes. A majority of the
2 residences stand in spacious grounds,
l lot 50X150 feet being the smallest
l occupied by a house of any preten-
! sion. Particular mention could be
2 made of the homes in Chester Place
and st. James Park, also in Figu-
= eroa, Lake and q few other streets
|; but it might be a surprise to many
2 to learn, that outside of these places
4 we have mentioned above, sixty
2 per cent. of the homes are one-story
l bungalows. They are comfortable
5 and artistic; some very beautiful
: They have from three to seven
2 rooms. They are built of wood and
Y shingled, and have wide caves.
t We visited the University ot
2 Southern California, the Shrine
l Temple, the Y. NJ. c. A. building
l the old Plaza and Mission church
l once the center of the city (durine
, it's romantic pueblo days), and
} Sonoratown, where Spanish is
:, spoken, and which still retains the
2 habits and customs of the good ole
2 days" They are building a new
, water supply for the city. This
Y water will be brought distance oi
2 two hundred and twenty miles
e from Owens River, by means of al
= aqUeduct and more than twenty
t miles of tunnels. The cost of build
2 is estimated at twenty-five millior
2 dollars. Crude oil is found in large
| quantities in and near the city anC
f many derricks can be seen.
l (To be continued.)