 The Romance of the Ranchos, Los Angeles, 1805. Burst American sailing ship, Patches at Harvard, Los Angeles, 1857. Burst Overland stage arrives in city, Los Angeles, 1876. Burst Transcontinental Railroad completed. The title insurance and trust company of Los Angeles presents the Romance of the Ranchos, a weekly dramatization of the highlights of history of our Southern California. Each week, our wandering Vecchero Frank Graham returns to bring us another true story of events of the early South Carolina. Sugar rationing, price ceilings, wage stabilization, and other governmental programs are only our first tastes of a good many more war measures to come. And don't believe anyone who tells you that they aren't vitally necessary. The best informed and most impartial observers assure us that the needs behind these steps are genuine and urgent. Just, this is the need for the money provided through our purchases of war bonds and stamps. Title insurance and trust company urges you to invest in these securities as extensively as you can and to cooperate to the fullest in all conservation measures, present and future. And now here to tell us the story as our wandering Vecchero Frank Graham. Buenos noches, señoras y señores. Tonight our story traces the fascinating history of travel and transportation around Los Angeles. A history full of romance and drama, from ox cart to the modern airliner. It's a story of progress full of the romance of the Ranchos. The man who first discovered out of California, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, sailed north from Mexico in 1542 in a small sailing boat, not even large enough to have a deck. 200 years later, the next flight man came north to California, Captain Gaspar de Porto La, and his small party of soldiers. They rode on horseback and were known as the leather jackets because of the heavy coats which served as their armor. As a result of these explorations, the Franciscan Padres who came with the expedition founded the missions and in their humility trod the long distances on foot. But as civilization came to the region of Southern California, the most characteristic vehicle of the time for transporting men and material made its first appearance. It was the Carreta, the ox cart. It was almost an institution in those early days, a hollow framework of sticks set on an axle with two solid wooden wheels hewn from the trunk of a tree. But the ungainly structure was a thing of beauty to the Californiano. Maria, Maria, come and look. It is finished. Pedro, what do you mean? What is finished? The new Carreta. She is standing outside. Come, you must look at it. Is that all? A new Carreta is nothing to get so excited about. No, just wait until you see. It is a thing of beauty. Come, come, you must see it. See, but there is no need to run. Maria, I have the ox and all hitched up and we shall take a ride in it. But Pedro, I have work to do. I... Never mind your work can wait. We have a new Carreta. We must take it around and show it to all the neighbors. Eh, what do you think? Is it not beautiful? Mm-hmm. It is all right. All right. Oh, Maria, after I have worked for days dragging a tree from the mountains, cutting and pounding and you say, hmm, it is all right. It is fine, Pedro. As good a Carreta as any no doubt. Here, where there is no fine a Carreta in all the pueblo. Pedro, is it exactly level? What do you say? Level? Yes. Isn't it a little lopsided, eh? Oh, no, no, no. It just looks that way because, because it is on a hill. It is. The ground is perfectly flat here. But look, the Carreta slants over this way. It is your eyesight, Maria, it is failing. My eyesight is better than yours. You have just made one wheel smaller than the other. Oh, that is ridiculous, Maria, that, they were both cut from the same tree trunk. But did not anyone ever tell you that a tree trunk tapers down to a point, eh? So, all you can do is find fault with my Carreta after all your work I have done so, so that you may not have to walk so far to the market. Pedro, it is all right. It is a pretty good Carreta in spite of the lopsided wheels. See, and it is the first one you have made, so you have done well. And the next one will be better, see? Ah, gracias. Not yet in, and we shall take a ride. Pedro, no. I have much work to do. Come, come. No more work today. We must have some pleasure. Pleasure? Eh, must I? See, of course. Don't you want to ride my Carreta after all your work I have? See, see, see. I shall ride. Pedro, here. Help me up. See, see. Ah. Now you shall see what a fine Carreta it is. Come, hundly. There you see, Carrita Mia. Isn't it a fine Carreta? Never will it break down. No, but I, I cannot say the same for me riding in it. Caraí, such bumps. I hope I may despair this again. One of those old Carretas may still be seen on display at Olvera Street, and a look will suffice to tell you how uncomfortable they were. Now, as Los Angeles grew and the great ranchers came into being, the horse began to take the place of the ox as the principal means of locomotion. Californianos were among the greatest horsemen the world has ever seen, and they were justly proud of their abilities. The sports of the day were all performed from the back of a horse. Their hard-riding bacheros carried all their worldly possessions on their saddles, and the aristocratic rancheros displayed their wealth by their lavish riding costumes and their silver-mounted saddles, some of which were reputed to have cost as much as $2,000. To say that the Californiano almost lived in his saddle was no exaggeration. Go on, mi amigo. Before we go home, I must stop any pistols in your temple. Very well. I will go with you. Here are the horses. Oh, let us walk. There's only a few steps to the corner. You mean you want to walk when we can ride? But there's only a few feet. Amigo, I shall not walk that far since I was a very small boy. If you will not ride, then I shall wait for you here, mi amigo. Horses and ox carts furnished the local transportation in those early days. In California had no outside contact with the rest of the world. Packed trains and an occasional ship brought supplies from Mexico. Then in 1805 Captain Shaler brought the first American ship into the harbor at San Pedro and a new era dawned for the Southland. Soon the ships of all nations were touching at the port and for the first time the manufactured products of the world were brought to Los Angeles and with the activity at far away San Pedro, a new mode of transportation made its appearance. An enterprising American, Phineas Banning led the way in establishing stages and freight wagons from the port to the Pueblo. But the traveler was taking his life in his hands to board one of the stages run by Banning or his rival Tomlinson. Very well, gentlemen. Are we all in? Yes, yes, everybody is settled. And now before we begin, Senor, you have taken no part in the betting. Betting on what? On the outcome of the race, of course, Senor. Race? You mean these two stages are racing into Los Angeles? It's life, Senor, and it's considered unpatriotic not to have something up on it. Just enough to make it interesting, of course. Very well. I'll bet a fiver on our stage. A fiver? Oh, you mean $5, Senor? Why, yes. Well, there may be someone in the other stage who is willing to bet so little. Oh, very well. Will $50... There is a good sport, Senor. $50 is offered. Who will take it? I will. All right, Senor, place your bets for the driver and make ready for the ride. Hang on to your hats. When will we be in Los Angeles? Three hours at the outside, amigo. All right, my lads. Mound your helm. Let her drive. Come out, carajo. Oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, good lord. Oh, where are we going? To Los Angeles, of course, Senor. Oh, but where is the road? Don't call this a road. See, of course. A little bumpy, perhaps. A little bumpy. Slow down! This stage won't tip over any minute at this stage! Slow down, nonsense! This is a race, sir! But don't worry, your money saved. We'll win! I don't give a thing about the money! What I'm worried about is my life! Oh! Saints preserve us! In a rough and reckless trip, banning stages brought the traveller to Los Angeles. And as the years passed, banning pioneered the heavy freight wagons which transported all manner of goods from San Pedro all over the southwest to such faraway points as Port de Hone and Salt Lake. As the American era began, Los Angeles was the distribution center for the whole area for everything came by ship around the Horn. But with the region growing up, it became more and more important that direct overland contact be made with the East, especially in the matter of mail. Weeks, sometimes months elapsed between mail deliveries in Los Angeles and the citizens demanded action. Finally, in 1858, a strange sight was seen on the streets of Los Angeles. Well, glory be! What internation is that? What, tell me? Why, that there conquered stage drugged by six horses. Look, here it comes. Well, jump in, Jehoshaphat! It's the Butterfield stage, the first one. She's through! She's come through! Overland! Man, you mean it's the Overland stage? Sir, there she is, all dusting battered. But she's through! Come on, let's go over. Well, welcome to Los Angeles, driver. It's a great day when we look up and see you. Well, you see a lot more times. Once a week you'll see me from now on. And you got the mail through from the East? Yep, here she is. Straight through from St. Louis in 23 days. Quickly, three days. Glory be! Ain't that wonderful. With a federal subsidy, the Butterfield stages established the first overland contact with Los Angeles. And meeting the mail stage each week was quite an event in the Pueblo. But sometimes the stages were delayed and a cry began to go up. If it could be done in 23 days, why not 13? And this demand for more speed brought to the West its most colorful mode of transportation, the Pony Express. From St. Louis to San Francisco, stations were established and hardy men riding like the wind spanned the distance between them in 100 mile steps. It took hardy men to ride the Pony Express, for many was the time a rider pulled into a lonely station in the Indian country in a sorry state. Hey, George! George! Sam! What in the Federation didn't expect you for another hour? I made time. Fast time. You did, but say, where's your hat? And coat? And your gun? Overboard. I threw them all off to take better time. What's Sam, your shoulder? Is that blood? It's just a scratch. It's nothing. You wounded? Just scratched me, I tell you. Those Comanches never could shoot straight. Indian soul, that's why you made such good time. Yeah, I've ridden a brown car, but not like this. Made it from red canning less than an hour. And they chased you all the way? Until a few minutes ago. I guess I left him back there in the grave. Well, man, come inside. I'll fix that wound up. Never mind that. It's all right. Tied my handkerchief around him. Get me a fresh pony. There's no time to waste. But you can't go on like that. Well, I'll get it fixed to Shian's station. Oh, but Sam... I can't lose no time, George. Those Comanches are probably slipping around right now. They cut across my route. Just hurry and get my pony. Well, I'd stay here and wait him out if I was you. With a fresh pony, they'll never catch me. Not unless we stand here talking till they walk right in. All right, all right, Sam. I'll get it right away. But I think you're a fool. No, sir. This mail's supposed to be in San Francisco by next Wednesday. You still got the mail? Why, sure, it's in the saddlebag. No, don't worry. That's one thing I wouldn't throw off. That mail's going through to San Francisco and no bunch of cock-eyed Comanches on the warpath is gonna stop it. The huge system of records in which title insurance and trust company of Los Angles accumulates and classifies the information that requires for the issuance of title insurance policies is called its title plant. Operating this title plant is much like operating a large bank with more than a million and a half depositors, for there are over a million and a half separate parcels of assessed real estate in Los Angles County. And title insurance and trust company of Los Angles maintains a separate account on each one of them. Even though the company may never be called upon to ensure the title of a particular piece of property, its account on that property must always be kept up to date. In this county, there are some 1,500 recordings filed daily that affect the ownership of real estate. Each of these must be entered in the account of the particular property it affects. And the entry must be made the same day the instrument is recorded. All this record keeping entails a great deal of hard work by a large number of trained personnel. But its net result is that when you want title insurance on property anywhere in the county, title insurance and trust company of Los Angles can serve you without delay. And the rate you pay is much lower than the average cost of similar service and protection elsewhere in the United States. Pick your ask as it was. The Pony Express lasted but a short time. When the Civil War came, both the Express and the Butterfield Stage Service were interrupted. But the Civil War also brought a new method of transportation to the Southland. The most colorful of all. Strangely enough, the Pony Express was the most colorful of all. The Pony Express was the most colorful of all. The Pony Express was the most colorful of all. The Pony Express was the most colorful of all. Strangely enough, it was Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, who first thought of the idea and put it across during his term as secretary of war in 1854. But it was not until 1858 that the new method of travel made its first appearance in Los Angles. And it was the occasion for many a laugh. Wilbur, Wilbur, come on back here. It's not time to go home yet. Come here, Wilbur. One more little drink. Another drink? Is it on you? Sure it's on me. Sure it's on me. Come on, Wilbur. Now look. A little drink is just exactly what you need. Well, I don't know. I don't think I will. I'm going to go home. Now look, Wilbur, just one, just one. It's all like suffering grasshoppers. Well, what's the matter with you? Just a minute. Do you see what I see? Coming down the street? Well, good. She just goes. What is it? It looks like a camel. Well, Wilbur, there ain't no camels in Los Angles, does he? I don't know. Is it? No. No, no, there ain't. Well, that ain't real. Ain't real? Well, I don't know about that. Now look, Wilbur, let's get out of here. Let's go home right now. Home? Let's go and have that other drink you were talking about. I need it. Yes, caravans of those ships of the desert, the camels, applied the vast stretches of wasteland in the Southwest. During the Civil War, they were used by the United States Army to transport supplies from drum barracks at Wilmington to the various army postings. But the drivers had no love for the animals. Just look at the critter. Looks as meek and mild as a little lamb, doesn't he? Yeah. But he's an ordinary critter, that's what. Except he's ordinary in a sneaking sort of way. He ain't stubborn, like a Texas mule or vicious like a western bronc. He's sneaking ordinary. That's what. He just causes you trouble innocent like. And then lets you beat him without a blooming word. He just ain't got no spirit. Though the army teamsters didn't like the African animal, and because of this, their use was discontinued. But now, the age of the machine was at hand. Again, it was the pioneer of Wilmington, Phineas Banning, who pushed the progressive movement to bring a railroad to Southern California. It was the Los Angeles to San Pedro Railroad, and was inaugurated in 1868. On the day for the first run, people lined the tracks. Henry, I do believe it's coming. Of course it's coming, Matilda, I can hear it. Well, come on, let's move up here where we can see. Matilda, you keep waiting those tracks. Can't you read the sign? It says look out for the locomotive. Oh, yes, but what does it say under that? Fidado por la máquina de vapor del camino de fiero. What? What in the word is...? Spanish, Matilda, it means look out for the machine of steam on the road of iron. Oh, that's much nicer. But it means the same things to step back here. I don't want the railroad to have an accident first day. Here it comes. There she is. Look at her. Look at that locomotive. This is then Gabrielle. Just think of it, Matilda. Now Los Angeles has a railroad of its own. Yes, but it makes so much noise and... That's small. Oh, who cares about a little small? This is big. Just think. Won't be long before we'll probably have a train coming over land from the east. From the east, Henry, what are you talking about? I'm sure the central Pacific is almost through in the north, connecting San Francisco with the east. Come now before we have ours, too. There was to be another eight years before the Los Angeles to get a transcontinental rail connection. Agitation started as soon as the Central Pacific went through, but progress was slow. And in the meantime, another transportation innovation was made in the city. It was the first horse car, the forerunner of the present streetcar system. Judge Robert M. Whitney and his associates started it in 1873. The single track line ran a circuitous route from Temple and Spring to Sixth and Figaroa, in the middle of the country in that day. It was a welcome improvement, but there were times when the horse car was a problem. Driver, when are we going to get moving again? I'm in a hurry. Well, mister, if you can get this dead plastic Texas mule to move, you're a better man than I am. Well, do something. Don't just stand there. Well, mister, there's nothing much you can do. This here mule just doesn't want to move. Well, you've got a whip, haven't you? Yep, yep, I've got a whip. But that'll only make matters worse. Well? Yep, yep, you see, just kicks up his heels. We'll just have to wait him out of here. Either that or walk where you're going. By 1872, Los Angeles had learned the Southern Pacific was going to build a road south. But Angelenos were amazed to learn their intention. I, uh, no, they don't plan to come down through Los Angeles. The road is being built to Mojave, then through Cajón Pass to San Bernardino and out of the east. You mean to say the Southern Pacific is going to go right past Los Angeles and leave us without a railroad? Well, they may put in a spur line from San Bernardino. Why, it's ridiculous. It's an insult. That's what it is. But, sir, you must realize that Los Angeles is just a sleepy little village compared to San Francisco. It really wouldn't pay the railroad to come through. Is that so? Well, we'll see about this. I can assure you, sir, that the Southern Pacific will come through Los Angeles before we are finished. But it's exorbitant. It's robbery, that's what it is. Well, now, gentlemen, gentlemen, railroads cost money. You can't expect to be serviced by a great transcontinental railroad without paying for it. But 5% of the assessed values of all the property in the county will come over to, oh, half a million dollars. Certainly. Yes, but it'll be repaid many times by the business it'll bring to you. Besides, you gentlemen don't seem to realize the terrific problems involved in bringing the road into Los Angeles. It'll mean a tunnel through the mountains at New Hall. But even our engineers are not agreed can be done, and it'll mean crossing the Tachapi Range. A difficult enough job. I know, I know, but it can be done. Yes, I think it can be done. But you'll have to pay for it. And suppose we don't. Then we'll go ahead with our original plans and leave Los Angeles out. And I don't need to remind you what has been done to several communities up north already. They're dead. Ghost towns. They're future-blasted. If you don't want that to happen to Los Angeles, you'd better vote this subsidy. The Angelinos have to swallow their pride and pay a subsidy of over half a million dollars to the railroad. Part was paid in the stock of the Los Angeles and San Pedro Railroad, which was taken over by the Southern Pacific. This subsidy was actually little enough to pay considering the tremendous benefits the road brought and the almost superhuman task in building it. The Southern Pacific engineers under William Hood cracked many a tough nut in the stretch from San Fernando and Mojave, but probably the toughest was on the steep grade of the Tehachapi range. This is hot work. I wish that water boy'd get his mule up here. We're coming. See him down there plotting up the grade. He'll be here in ten minutes. Well, boys, I've got it. I figured it out. What, chief? You mean how to get down this grade? Right. Here it is on this map here. What do you think of that? I wouldn't have believed it possible. You've actually figured out how to build a road on a grade as steep as this. Here it is. Just take a look at it. Yeah, but, uh, Mr. Hood, I don't understand this map. I don't either. I must be crazy, but it looks to me like you've plotted out a loop. Good. That's it exactly. This elevation is the know where we're standing. And the track will be laid right around the hill at a two-and-two-tenth percent grid and pass over itself. Oh, I'd say about over there. Mr. Hood, it sounds crazy. I don't think it'll work. That it will. It'll give us a 77-foot rise without increasing the grid. It's like having an elevator raise the train straight up that many feet. I don't get it. I know it's an unusual engineering procedure, but we have an unusual problem on our hands. And it's just good common sense. Well, just take a look over there. There's living proof of what I mean. What do you mean, the burrow carrying the water? That burrow carry water up this grade for days. Have you noticed that he always comes up the same way? That burrow is a better engineer than we are men. He has instinctively picked up the easiest way to get up the hill. And if you've noticed, he follows almost exactly the same path I've marked here. Come to think of it, that burrow does make a loop. Sure he does. I've watched. Well, there you are, gentlemen. There's my proof. Follow that burrow's trail and you will find the path of the Tohachapi Loop. William Hood bridged that treacherous stretch of mountains. The stretch which rose 2,700 feet in 28 miles and contained 18 tunnels. And finally, on September 6th, 1876, at Lang Station in the mountains, General Crocker pounded in the Golden Spike and Los Angles was linked with the rest of the continent by rail. Thereon, the growth of the Southland was assured. A few years later, the Santa Fe came through and the competition between the two roads brought on the great lamb boom which started Southern California's phenomenal growth. In the city, Judge Whitney's horse car gave way to the cable car and then the electric car. And through a series of additions and mergers, was born the present day Los Angles Railway with its thousands of cars and buses and the Pacific Electric serving the suburban areas. With the tide of progress came great steamship lines, truck lines, and finally, airlines. Today, Los Angles has served with every method of modern transportation with as many as 10,000 travelers and tourists passing through the city weekly. From ox cart to airliner. Such is the story of progress and such is the romance of the rancher. Today, as never before, the problem of planning for the distribution of your estate to your family requires careful study and expert counsel. Facing changing laws, new taxes, unsettled conditions, and an uncertain future, people of means are leaning more and more on the services of specialists of long experience who are in close touch with day-to-day developments. Preeminently qualified to render such service are the officers of the estate planning division of the Title Insurance and Trust Company of Los Angles. Finding the best and most economical solution to each individual's estate problem is their sole function. It will gladly work with you and your attorney without obligation to help develop the best plan for the preservation and distribution of your estate. If you're uncertain of your estate plan, consult with the experts of the Title Insurance and Trust Company of Los Angles for complete information about this and other services of its trust department. Now Frank, what's the story for next week? Next week, we're going to close this series for the summer. And as our last broadcast, we're going to have a special treat-in store for you. Our story will deal with one of the most colorful families in California history, the Carrillo family. So, be sure to hear it. And so, until next week, this is your Wondering for Carol Frank Graham saying, Hasta la vista, señoras y señoras. The Romance of the Rancho is a presentation of the Title Insurance and Trust Company of Los Angles featuring Frank Graham as the Wondering for Carol, is dramatized by John Donkel and produced by Ted Bliss with special music arranged by Gaylord Carter. Bob LeMond saying, good night.