he wisdom of the selection was readily perceivable, when the site was viewed from its southern boundary, the highest part of the acclivity. The gradual descent to the plain below gave assurance of perfect drainage for the resident section, which the portion allotted for business purposed offered advantages for street making with minimum grading.

Allusion has already been made to the magnificence of the landscape, as viewed from the extreme eastern edge of the valley. It may truthfully be said, that the outlook from the south-side heights of Redlands is not surpassed, if indeed it is equaled, from any other point of view. A wealth of scenery, such as but few spots on earth afford, is spread about the beholder, on all sides except the south, as he stands on these elevations and casts his eyes eastward, northward, and westward.

Turning to the right and up the valley toward the east, his eyes follow the peculiar formation of red soil, along the edge of the south-side hills, until the head of the valley is seen only half a dozen miles away. Beyond these hills, which fringe the vast mountain range, rise the gigantic eastern sentinels of the valley, San Bernardino and San Gorgonio, while in the father distance, to the southeast, San Jacinto stands clear cut against the sky, a colossal, natural pyramid, with its apex 10,100 feet above ocean level, a height attained in the short distance of five miles. Glancing back to San Bernardino and following the range westward, the eye presently rests upon the only broken link in the great mountain chain, Cajon Pass, and just below "Old Baldy" is seen in all his glory. Then, growing dimmer in the distance, and apparently lower, the mountain range disappears from sight, at the limit of vision, sixty or seventy miles down toward the ocean. The view directly westward is unbroken valley landscape, except by the lonely hill already mentioned. As the beholder turns to the left, and takes in the view up to his point of observation, he sees the broken, yet lofty range of mountains which forms the southern portion of the horseshoe. Below and about him is the lovely valley, with a width varying from two to ten miles. Only he who would attempt "to paint the lily" would venture to do justice to this landscape with color and brush.

(Source: Illustrated Redlands, 1897, p. 2)