Los Angeles
city, population, san, average, ft and days
LOS ANGELES (los ang' ge lez or los ang' je lez), a city and the county seat of Los Angeles county, in the southern part of the State of California, U.S.A., is situated in 3' N. and Ii8° 14' W. The situation of the city between the mountains and the sea is attractive. The average altitude is about 275 ft., ranging from sea level to 1,692 ft. at Mt. Hollywood. The city had, on Jan. I, 1934 an area of 449.32 sq.m. and a population estimated at 2,166,00o. The population within the city limits, according to the U.S. census bureau, increased from 319,198 in 1910 to 576,673 in 1920, and to 1,238,048 in 1930, making it the 5th city in the Union.
Geography.
The business section is 16 m. north-east from the Pacific ocean, on level land, with foothills of the San Gabriel mountains on the north. Fresh water issuing from these hills led to choice of the original site. The original town—the "pueblo" of "Our Lady, Queen of the Angels"—was built around a square, or plaza, near the Los Angeles river. With growth, after railways came, the city spread south, east and west over level land, assum ing an irregular outline. In the hills to the north, separate munici palities grew up, of which Pasadena is largest. A high spur of the foothills on the west, which blocked growth in that direction for a time, has been pierced by tunnels and boulevards. On the south a narrow strip of annexed land, about 20 m. long, known as the "shoestring strip," communicates with Los Angeles harbour. The city touches the ocean in annexed towns, San Pedro, Wilmington and Venice, and entirely surrounds separate municipalities, as Beverly Hills, Vernon and San Fernando.
The height of sky-scrapers was limited to 15o ft. by city ordi nance, with beneficial results in developing outlying centres.
Hollywood,8 m. north-west of the business district, and part of Los Angeles municipally through annexation, is such a centre. It retains its original name and character, and is a distinct business and theatrical entity. A large area in the San Fernando valley,
likewise annexed, has its distinctive communities.
Climate.
Even quality is the chief characteristic of the cli mate. Winter is a season of moderate rainfall, 15.23 in. yearly average. There is practically no rain from May to November. Winter days are sunny and warm ; the nights are often cold, with occasional frost in December and January.
A 50-year average of the records of the U.S. weather bureau shows the mean temperature to be 62.4° ; that there is a 72% pos sibility of sunshine ; and 179 clear days. There are only 37 days per year with more than .o1 in. of rain. Average wind velocity was 6.1 m. an hour; the highest wind ever recorded, 48 m. an hour.
During nearly half a century, Los Angeles has experienced a moderate earth tremor about once in five years. Since 1781, when the city was founded, there has never been a death or serious accident by earthquake.
Population.
The population of Los Angeles at the past four censuses was (190o), 319,198 (Iwo), 576,673 1,238,048 (1930). About 1920 began an influx of population to southern California which surpassed even the movement of earlier years. The rapid increase of population, with a corresponding in crease of capital and industry, and the discovery, at almost the same time, of rich new oil-fields in the vicinity caused a "boom" which accounts for the city's phenomenal growth to 2,166,000 (Federal estimate) inhabitants in 1934. This figure surpasses that of greater New York in 1880. Los Angeles has a high percentage of American-born people, and these are chiefly of Anglo-Saxon descent. The Latin and Oriental population is about 17%. The census of 1930 showed the foreign-born whites to be 14.7% of the total population. Most of these were Mexicans, many Japa nese, some Chinese, and the remainder chiefly Europeans and Canadians.