Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-25

/ yers. There were no banks nor loan
offices.
There were no paved streets in Los
Angeles in 1867. and less than a mile of
| sidewalks, which were of asphalt or
plank There was no system of
sprinkling, although the merchants on
Main street between First and the
Plaza had that section of the leading
thoroughfare wetted down on hot
dusty summer days by subscriptions
out of their own pockets. There were
no mems nor wom0ns clubs. no tenn
perance nor other organizations, ex-
cept one Masonic and one Odd Fell
lows lodge. There was no theater, no
music hall, no dancing academy, al
| though small wandering theatrical
and minstrel companies occasionally
put in an appearance and gave per-
formances in a hall. Circuses came
annually from Mexico or San Fran
cisco and always did a good bust
ness.
There were many orange groves and
vineyards and wineries right in what
is now known as the business heart of
the city, and there were "Zanjas" and
other irrigation bitches all over the
town except the portion bounded by the
Plaza and Sixth street and by he hills
and Los Angeles street. All along Main
street from Sixth to Washington, were
lnOuSdnUS OI acres OF vineyards anu
orange and lemon and walnut orch
ards. Where the Arcade station now
stands q, adjacent was the largest or
an5C orchard in the state. and where
the Maier Brewing company's big
buildings now are were the oldest vine
yards and the largest wine making es-
tablishment in the state. Sheep and
cattle roamed by thousands within half
mi'e in almost any direction from
where the new postoffice now rises in
magnificent and impressive proportions.
Where the Nadeau hotel now is there
was a corral where the Hollenbeck
stands was vacant unfenced lot;
where the Natl k Is was a bakery and
stable; where the Herman w. He'll
man block is there lived a lawyer
named Lai ders; directly opposite,
south, there was u family resided
named Hereford: where the Alexan
drla is there was a bakery and stable,
and opposite, east, there was a corral;
where Jevne's new store now Is there
was a bakery; where the Angelus is
there was a woodward: the Farmers
and Merchants bank occupies what was
a vacant 'ot: 1.-The Central building
rises majesticallY where in 1867 there
was small dwelling of five rooms
and where the Citizens National bank
now Is there was brewery; the Van
Nuys stands on n lot that Col. Jim
Howard plTCndSeQ TOT SSUU IN 1903. Anu
this story could be told of hundreds of
similar cases.
The people of Los Angeles were
dancing people forty years ago, and
there were few nights that there were
not balls or dancing parties of some
kind. Indeed, everything but funeral
wound up with a dance. The balls SEN
orally took place in a hall on CONNER !
cial street, about midway between Main |
and Los Angeles streets, on the west |
SIDE or in the dining room of the Bella |
Union or Lafayette. There were no |
, oteries or cliques in those days, and |
the Mexican, the European and Ameri- |
can, and the Jew, the Catholic and the |
Protestant, all tripped the light fantas-
tic together. The music was always |
furnished by the two Kerren brothers
(violin and GUITAR, as there were no
brass or other bands then in existence.
Los Angeles was a mighty busy city
even in 1867, for it sent big caravans
Of "prairie schooners" as far as Yuma,
Prescott and Tucson. and to other
points in Arizona, laden with all the
necessaries of life, such as -four. meal,
dried fruits, boots and shoes, hats and
clothing, tobacco in various shapes, and
wines, beers and liquors. There was
quite a trade with Eastern Nevada and
as far as Salt Lake City. These