USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > Men of achievement in the great Southwest Illustrated. A story of pioneer struggles during early days in Los Angeles and Southern California. With biographies, heretofore unpublished facts, anecdotes and incidents in the lives of the builders > Part 5
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American metropolis, dates from the 9th day of November, 1885, when the last spike was driven on the Atlantic and Pacific Railway, at the Cajon Pass, thus completing what this city had long yearned for, a new route from the Atlantic to the Pacific, providing competition in overland railroad trans- portation. It is not unreasonable to claim that the second stage in this era may be properly reckoned to have commenced thirteen years later, when, in October, 1898, Mr. Huntington, having sold out his inter- ests in the street- railway system of San Francisco, pur- chased, with his as- sociates, the Los Angeles street rail- roads, or the major portion of them. After the subsidence of the great real es- tate boom of 1886- 87, which followed the arrival of the Santa Fé system in Southern California, there was something of a lull in Los An- geles. There was no crash, but a breathing spell, dur- ing which our peo- ple had a chance to take stock and see where they stood. Then followed an era of building and steady but unsensa- tional development. It took about a year after Mr. Hunting- ton's identification with the interests of this section for our people to realize what it meant to Los Angeles and Southern California. Then began an upward movement that has astonished the country. Without going into details, it is sufficient to state that the assessed valuation of property in Los Angeles county, which in 1808 was $90,819.643, had risen in 1903 to $169,268,166, and that the value of buildings erected in Los Angeles city during
HENRY EDWARDS HUNTINGTON.
Henry Edwards Huntington is a na- tive of Oneonta, N. Y., where he was born in the early '50's. After acquir- ing an education in the best schools of the day, he early commenced his bus- iness career. For a number of years he was identified with various important enterprises in the East and South, before finally coming to California, where he at once became con- nected with his extensive interests in the management of :he Southern Pacific Railroad.
By common consent, the birth of Los Angeles, as a modern
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
the past year amounted to about $13,000,000. Some chronic complainers may perhaps charge that a large percentage of this increased assessment is directly due to Mr. Huntington's activity. Perhaps they are right.
Twenty years ago there were in Los Angeles a couple of horse-car lines, the little cars making infrequent trips Three years later, at the time of the real estate boom, two short lines of cable road were operating on the western hills, one on Temple street and the other on Second street, and a rickety sort of an electric line-said to have been the second in the United States-was being built out Pico street by a real estate speculator, who had subdivided a tract at the end of the line. A few years later a cable system-called com- plete for that time-was built, at large expense, involving heavy financial loss to Chicago capitalists, upon whom the bonds were unloaded, and who have doubtless not yet for- gotten it. This system was solidly constructed, as was realized when it became necessary to tear up the roadbed of the cable. The motive power was subsequently changed to electricity, and then, as stated. passed into the hands of the Huntington syndicate, in October, 1898. Los Angeles people considered this a very good railroad system at the time, and were rather proud of it, but Mr. Huntington immediately began to make radical changes and improvements, expense being apparently no object. until today Los Angeles has undoubtedly the most complete street-railroad system (abso- lutely) of any city in the United States.
Not only is the system thoroughly well built, with heavy rails and jointless, so as to make travel easy, but the equip- ment is also modern and up-to-date, the large, clean, hand- some cars exciting the admiration of visitors from the North and East, who also frequently express pleasure at the uniform courtesy and gentlemanly bearing of the street-car men, a feature that is unfortunately too often lacking in other cities. The cars run at frequent intervals, from early in the morn- ing until late at night. One may ride from the southwest corner of the city to the city limits, between Los Angeles and Pasadena, a distance of eight miles, for a nickel, and in several other directions, by means of transfers, for almost an equal distance. The Los Angeles Railway Company operates 298 cars and employs 1500 men. It has 115 miles of double track within the city.
The Pacific Electric Railroad was the name adopted for the corporation managing the suburban electric lines of the Huntington system, Mr. Huntington having acquired the line to Pasadena, and outlining a plan for an extensive system of suburban railroads, reaching out from Los Angeles in every direction. Since then, in addition to the Pasadena line and the new short line to that place, there have been com- pleted electric railroads to Monrovia, Alhamhra, San Gabriel, Whittier, Long Beach and Alamitos Beach. An extension is being constructed from Alamitos Beach to Newport Beach, which will run for the entire distance along the ocean front, passing the Bolsa Chica and other gun clubs. This is but the beginning. Further and larger extensions are planned. It has been conclusively shown that where elec- tricity comes in competition with steam for passenger traffic, steam has to give way.
The building of such an extensive system of street railway naturally entailed the creation of car shops, houses and other appurtenances. A centrally located tract of twenty-eight acres was purchased at Seventh street and Central avenue. which is all occupied by the shops and yards.
The total number of men employed by the Los Angeles Railway and Pacific Electric companies, including those working in the shops, power-house, etc., but not including those engaged in new construction work, is about 4000.
A noteworthy achievement of Mr. Huntington in Los Ange- les has been the construction of a mammoth building, at the corner of Main and Sixth streets, designed primarily as the central station for all the company's urban cars and as an office for his various companies, the rest of the space to be devoted to office purposes. The building, which is rapidly approaching completion, is nine stories in height, each having a little over an acre of floor space, making altogether eleven acres, giving it the largest amount of floor space of any building west of Chicago. It is absolutely fireproof.
Mr. Huntington is something more than a mere "common carrier." He is net only a railroad builder, but a town builder. He likes to see improvements spring up, under the magic touch of the wands of science and capital.
There have been incorporated, in connection with the Los Angeles Railway Company, three affiliated land companies, the Los Angeles Land Company, with the same personnel as the railroad company; the Pacific Electric Land Company, and the Huntington Land and Improvement Company, the latter representing Mr. Huntington's personal land holdings. Since his arrival in Southern California, Mr. Huntington has been a steady and persistent purchaser of desirable real estate, both city and country. So judicious have been his invest- ments and so invariable the subsequent rise in values, that the mere intimation that "Huntington has been buying" in any particular section is sufficient to start a small-sized boom and cause investors to scurry around in his wake.
One of the first sections to catch the discerning eye of Mr. Huntington, soon after his arrival in Southern Calı- fornia, was the San Gabriel Valley. Here and hereabouts, during the past year or two, Mr. Huntington has quietly acquired property in various sized tracts, until he now has hundreds of acres, extending from Pasadena on the north to the Southern Pacific Railroad line, at Shorb, on the south.
Here, along the slope that overlooks the lower valley, were the homes of many old-timers, who selected this spot when they could have had the pick of almost everything, from Santa Barbara to San Diego-the Wilsons, the Shorbs, and the Stonemans, and the Roses, and the Winstons and others, who comprised the "first families" of Los Angeles county in those days. The view from the summit of this ridge is far-reaching and magnificent.
"The mountains look on Marathon, And Marathon looks on the sea."
In the rear, the picture is framed by the pine-clad Sierra Madre. Around about is a perfect forest of magnificent live oaks, forming a natural park, with here and there an opening, disclosing groves, vineyards and ornamental trees. Away off to the south and southeast stretch a succession of rolling hills and smiling valleys, and in the extreme distance looms up from the bosom of the Pacific the Magic Isle. Here Mr. Huntington is laying out high-class residence subdivisions, intended for people who have not only wealth, but taste. It is only thirty minutes' ride by electric car from the business center to this delightful spot. No street will be less than eighty feet in width, and the main avenue is 120 feet wide. The street improvements are of the highest class.
Mr. Huntington comes legitimately by his ability as a rail- road man. His uncle and early patron, Collis P. Huntington, was one of the great railroad builders of the United States, filling a similar position in the West, as a builder and operator of steam railroads, to that which his nephew holds in South- ern California, as an electric railroad man. Both have been men cognizant of every detail of their business, masterful, dominating those with whom they have come in contact, and injecting enthusiasm and loyalty into all their assistants.
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
HENRY T. OXNARD.
I N THE days of '49, California drew upon the sturdiest and mnost energetic men in this and other countries. The conditions which prevailed at that time have continued since in no less a degree, with the result that the brain and brawn of the world have centered in this, the "Golden State." In all walks of life, California men excel. Its wonderful wealth of natural resources has made it possible for enter- prises to prosper here that would never have succeeded in less-favored climes. Principal among the growing industries, and one that has already assumed gigantic size, employing thousands of men and supporting a prosperous farming population on thousands of acres of land, is the heet-sugar industry. The development of the great industry in the southern portion of the State is due to Henry T. Oxnard, who must he classed with the Spreckles and the Havermeyers in the sugar industry of the United States,
Henry T. Oxnard is first, last and all the time a typical American. His ancestors on his father's side have been prominent in New England since the early part of the eighteenth century. For many years his father was identified with the cane-sugar business of Louisiana, where he had ex- tensive interests. Being op- posed to slavery, he finally disposed of his extensive plan- tations and refineries in 1860, nearly two years before the dis- astrous Civil War, which ruined so many Southern planters. With his family he traveled extensively throughout the continent. It was while the family were stopping in Mar- seilles, France, that Henry T. made his début upon the stage of life. Shortly after the birth of his son, who was later to become so important a factor in the industrial world, Mr. Oxnard returned to his old home in Boston, and here the boy grew to man's estate.
HENRY T. OXNARD.
With every educational advantage at his command, young Oxnard proved an enthusiastic and diligent scholar. He successfully passed from one school to another, until he entered Harvard with the class of '82.
During the four years' course, Mr. Oxnard devoted much of his time to the study of chemistry, thereby well fitting him- self for the duties which have since been imposed upon him in his connection with the beet-sugar industry. After leaving college Mr. Oxnard spent a number of years in studying the process of sugar-making in Germany and other European countries. Having resolved to master the whole art of sugar- making, he became familiar by practical experience and obser- vation with every detail of the business. After having become familiar with conditions in the cane fields of the
South and the beet fields of Germany, Mr. Oxnard felt that the time had come when he could successfully demonstrate the correctness of his theories that sugar beets would be a profitable crop in the Middle States. Accordingly, experi- ments with imperfect machinery having proved that the scheme was practicable, he commenced the construction of a factory at Grand Island, Neb. This plant was erected in 1889 and was one of the first beet-sugar factories erected in the United States. So successful was the experiment that the following year he erected another factory at Norfolk, in the same State. The first year it paid a dividend, and the suc- cess of the ventures now being proved, Mr. Oxnard looked about for new fields to invest in.
Claus Spreckles had been operating a factory at Watson- ville for two years, when Mr. Oxnard's attention was directed to the possibilities afforded by the fertile soil and equable cli- inate of California, and in 1891 he purchased the famous Rich- ard Gird Ranch at Chino, and here erected the first beet-sugar factory in the southern portion of the State.
Since that date Mr. Oxnard has been making a series of ex- tensive investments in Califor- nia that have all tended to the prosperity and development of this section. The influence of his presence in the sugar mar- ket was felt very shortly after his advent in the field as a producer. Prices made a very considerable drop and have since been maintained at a fig- ure that is due entirely to Mr. Oxnard's presence in the mar- ket.
It was in 1897 that the im- mensely-rich lands of Ventura county first attracted his atten- tion, and after investigating conditions thoroughly and be- coming convinced that here was an ideal location for a factory and the raising of sugar beets he commenced the erection of the most complete beet-sugar factory in the world. It cost nearly two million dollars. It devours two thousand tons of heets per day. That means nine thousand dollars a day for the farm- ers. Before Mr. Oxnard began its construction he had con- tracted with farmers to keep 18,000 acres planted in beets for a series of years. The beet fields that supply it with raw material stretch for miles in every direction, and it is estimated that there are nearly 100,000 acres in the vicinity adapted to the cultivation of the sugar beet. Some idea of the extent of the industry and the benefits accruing to Southern California may be determined from the knowledge that it costs $160,000 a year for petroleum to keep the machinery running, while $300,000 is spent for labor alone, and another tenth of a million for lime rock, which comes from the desert.
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
As president of the American Beet Sugar Company, Mr. Oxnard's time is much in demand. The company has estab- lished a factory in the famous Arkansas Valley in Colorado within the past three years, and all are being operated most successfully. In addition to being one of the most successful organizers and financiers in California, and a man whose in- fluence has done much for the advancement of the State, Mr. Oxnard owns one of the finest ranches in Ventura county. It consists of 5700 acres, and is beautifully situated within two miles of the city of Oxnard, named after its distinguished founder. The ranch borders for several miles along the Pacific as far south as the Hueneme Lighthouse and adjoins the ranch of Senator Bard on the south, while to the north and cast are other smaller properties.
merits. Seventy-five ranch hands find constant employment on the property, while during the season many hundreds are necessary to care properly for the crops.
Within the grounds at the factory Mr. Oxnard has erected a beautiful home, typical of California. Spacious and care- fully-kept grounds add to the attractiveness of the place, a half-tone of which appears in connection with this article. Here Mr. Oxnard has made his home for the past six years, and here he entertains his friends in a manner typical of the open-hearted generosity of the West.
With interests so extensive, he has to make frequent trips to Chicago, New York and San Francisco, where he has an intimate acquaintance with many of the men of the hour. In club life Mr. Oxnard is well known in the exclusive
RESIDENCE OF HENRY T. OXNARD, AT OXNARD, CALIFORNIA.
The Patterson ranch-for the name still clings to it-is one of the most productive in that section, and is operated in as systematic a manner as would characterize the conduct of any great business enterprise. Two thousand acres are annually planted to sugar beets, one thousand acres to lima beans, which grow most luxuriantly in Ventura county ; over a thousand acres are put into grain, and the balance is sum- mer fallowed. In the conduct of the ranch Mr. Oxnard uses the most improved and scientific methods. His chief agri- culturists are men of experience in both the United States and France and Germany, and no improvements calculated to benefit the ranch are overlooked without a trial as to their
Metropolitan Club of Washington, D. C .; also in the Univer- sity Club and the Union of New York City, where he main- tains offices at No. 32 Nassau street, in the heart of the financial district. Nearer home, he holds membership in both the San Francisco and the Pacific Union clubs of the northern metropolis, while his name appears among the members of the well-known California Club of Los Angeles. When social duties press on his work, or there is an important problem to solve, pleasure is sacrificed for months at a time. Hard work has been the keynote of Mr. Oxnard's success, just as it has that of almost every other man of importance in the world of finance, commerce and industry today.
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GRE.IT SOUTHIVEST.
JONATHAN SAYRE SLAUSON.
I T WAS well when Destiny ordained that an empire be builded in the western wilderness that there were men of J. S. Slauson's stamp to lay the foundation. Born in Orange county, New York, seventy-four years ago, he was raised in the farming regions of one of the most productive valleys of the Empire State. He received a limited education in the district schools of his native county, later commencing course at a local acad- emy until he had at- tained his sixteenth year, at which time his edu- cation was supposed to be "finished." Young Slauson had higher as- pirations, however, than those afforded by life on the old homestead, and after working upon the farm until he had left his teens he com- menced the study of law in the office of a local lawyer, later supplement- ing this with a course at the New York State Law School. Graduat- ing in the fall of 1854, the following year saw him established in the practice of his profession in New York City. He was accorded flattering recognition, and during the nine years of his res- idence in the metropolis of the United States he established a lucrative and successful clientage which from failing health he was compelled to ahandon.
The year 1864 marked a great influx of migra- tion to the mines of Ne- vada. Among the throng was the young lawyer from New York. Aus -. tin, in the central part of Nevada, was then one of the most stirring and active of the many centers of the State, and to this place he directed his way. Immediately upon his arrival he engaged in mining, and continued to devote his entire time to this pursuit, until the last year of his residence in the State, during which he resumed his practice of the law in partnership with Hon. C. E. DeLong, who in the latter part of 1868 was appointed United States Minister to Japan by President Grant. During his residence
in Austin he was thrice honored by the Mayoralty of the town, and left a record that was gratifying to his constit- uency. Having acquired a comfortable fortune, he removed with his family to San Francisco in 1868, from which point for the ensuing four years he directed his interests.
In 1874 Mr. Slanson moved to this city, where he has since resided. He founded the old Los Angeles County Bank shortly after his advent into the commun- ity, and devoted ten years to building up the institution, with the re- sult that when he sold out in 1885 to John E. Plater, it was recognized as one of the strongest banking houses in the State. He may he called the father of citrus fruit culture in the foothill region, and through that agency a prime factor in the development of the wealth of resources of which the southern por- tion of the State boasts. Before having disposed of his bank, in 1885, he had acquired the Azusa ranch, comprising some 5800 acres of choice foot- hill land lying about twenty-three miles east of this city. At about the same time he pur- chased the San José Ad- dition ranch, adjoining - the other property, mak- ing a total of 13,600 acres of land, the market value of which was little ap- preciated at that time.
JONATHAN SAYRE SLAUSON.
In 1886, having dis- posed of a one-half inter- est in the Azusa ranch to J. D. Bicknell, I. W. Hellman and others, re- taining about 800 acres for his own private use, he incorporated the bal- ance under the name of the Azusa Land and Wa- ter Company. With char- acteristic energy, Mr. Slauson threw him- self into the task of subdividing and settling up the famous old ranch. The town of Azusa was laid out, and the follow- ing year the completion of the Santa Fé Railroad gave an additional impetus to the work which was being prosecuted under his direction. The San José Addition ranch was dis- posed of the same year. Mr. Slauson having relieved himself
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
of the greater part of the work connected with the disposal of the larger properties, set about to improve the 800 acres which he had retained. Orange and lemon trees of the choicest budded varieties were set out from time to time, Some idea of the amount produced from this magnificent estate may be gained from the knowledge that freight pay- ments on the citrus crop for the past season exceeded the sum of $80,000. To expedite matters in the management of this princely estate, a consolidation of his interest with that of his children was effected, and the company incorporated under the name of the Azusa Foothill Citrus Company. This is withont exception one of the largest and finest citrus estates in California, a State which has a world-wide reputation for the extent of the industry and the quality of the fruit.
Mr. Slauson's interests are by no means confined to the
the matron, Mrs. Watson and Mr. Slauson. He helped to estab- lish the Y. M. C. A., and has been a liberal contributor to that worthy institution. The Orphan Asylum owes its origin to Mr. Slauson, who, together with his son-in-law, Mr. MacNeil, gave $1000 apiece and were instrumental in obtaining the first $19,000 toward that end. The Salvation Army Rescue Home was purchased and turned over to them free of debt, all but $1000 having been given by Mr. Slauson, who was gener- ously aided by Gen. Harrison Gray Otis. To commemorate the memory of those brave soldiers who died for their country in the Spanish-American War, he raised a fund for the erec- tion of the monument that honors their memories in the Sixth-street Park. Besides those with which his name has been mentioned, he has furnished the funds for scores of worthy enterprises.
RESIDENCE OF JONATHAN SAYRE SLAUSON.
ranch just described ; he is the owner of valuable city property and 320 acres almost adjoining the city. Together with his children he owns a 250-acre orange grove at Ontario, situated in the same foothill belt with his Azusa property.
During his residence in this portion of the State Mr. Slauson has seen a wonderful growth in religious organizations as well as in other lines of advancement. When he came to this city there were but five weak Protestant churches between San José and the Mexican line. Up to the year 1887 there were but five churches in this county that he had not assisted in starting, and during the previous twelve years he had contributed $45,000 of his own private fortune to assist churches and kindred institutions to become established in Southern Cali- fornia. A few of the institutions that owe their origin and success to him are the Boys' Home at Garvanza, established hy
As president of the Chamber of Commerce he has taken an active interest in the affairs of that organization since it was organized, and during the ceremonies incidental to the laying of the corner-stone of the new building last March, he made the speech in honor of the event. In his seventy-fourth year he is as benign and beneficent as thirty years ago, and is one of the most popular and effective toastmasters and responders at banquets in the city. As president of the Sunset Club, a social organization, he has done much to advance its interests and popularity among the exclusive set who are its members. During the Midwinter Fair in 1893 he acted as one of the five State Commissioners, and despite the prevailing financial depression of the time, the fair was a financial success. Los Angeles has no citizen whose public spirit has done more than he.
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