Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1868-05-02
A Dark Side Of California


aluding 10 the fec, that companies oi
speculslors have recently taken up some
200, 900 acres of tie best government
land in the State, to the circulars they
have issued, and TO emananons OF me
press generally, setting lOrth the advan'a-
ges Of California "in glowing language
bu. which he thinks are intended 10 con-
ceal information that is import nj 10 emil
grants, lie says:
IL deem il duty 10 say few words
10 the public, Of Whist know, and have
experienced as California farmer for the
past seventeen years. The climate is
generally healthy and PleasanI, but some
localities are more subject to levers than
Others. Probably all know there are Two
seasons, a wet and dry when the wet
one commences. which is sometimes ear
" in November, and al other times not
until the latter end Of December, spring
in reality commences, grass and vegeta-
lion grow while all are psrched 10 per-
feet dryness through the summer and lsil'
As TO lain, the climate is exceedingly va
risble, druughts never fail, during which
a scorching sun and drying wind prevail,
parchng the earth from one 10 two ieet
deep. The season for rain always re-
turns, but with different results ; some
times The clouds seem TO have every last
ening 10 The heavens loosened, and come
pouring down, flooding the valleys, car
rying away bridges, fences. and even
houses. At other seasons, and they are
numerous, the clouds are attracted 10 the
heavens and mountains, and furnish the
valleys only from two or three inches 10
eight or ten inches of moisture, as in the
rainy season from 1855 or 1856 or 1864,
with one exception, which was IN 1862,
and called the wet winter.
"My own and adjoining farms IN Santa
Clara Valley, during those years, produ-
ced only five or six bushels, down TO
nothing per acre. One year from one
hundred acres sown, not bushel was
gathered: This was the case all through
that part of the country. 1t was quite
as bad, if not worse, throughout the San
Joaquin Valley, and. indeed. all the large
valleys OF California. Almos. all the cat
lie were starved there, and also through
all the Southern part OF the Stale. Those
who sowed lost labor and seed. until lhe
country Of the San Joaquin especially,
was thought 10 be unfit Tor occupancy.
Except for The lille pasture II afforded Tor
cattle, every acre Of that fine agricultural
country would have been occupied
with bona fde settlers, who have turned
away, end are gone back to their Eastern
homes, dlsgusted with California.
"The abundance Of rain the three last
seasons, has given a different aspect TO
those valleys, and there are plenty here
ready to try then again, and II the sea-
sons prove the same as heretofore, The
results will be the same. My experience
of California goes to show that the sea-
sons Of fertility and sleTllliy come by
periods Of years. Previous 10 1855 there
had been plentiful rains, consequently
plentiful crops. After that, the rains IN
The larger valleys were quite insufficient
10 make crops, except IN those places
where the water was near the surface.
Now, again, ~e ATE N period OF abun-
dan, rains, mud in The roads ankle or
knee deep, and very possibly next sea-
son may not give US more Than enough
rain 10 lay the dust.
Take another view Of the case, and
suppose The seasons Of plentiful rain con-
tinue, there is no building or fence tim
Der in The San Joaquin Valley. 1t has
TO be brought some hundred miles down
the coast To San francisco, then up The
San Joaquin river one hundred to Two
hundred miles, then by lesms, and this Is
MOI tie end. for when you have put that
material into buildings and fences, you
will have 10 pay TWO and hall 10 'hTee
per cent State and county tax, and on all
YOU possess, even TO your pigs aud wIIe'S
chickens nor is your individual person
exempt. for that will be taxed 10 The a.
mount Of six dollars per year. he only
things exempt from tlxs'lon that kno"
of, are your wife and children, and they
would no duuti be taxed, but that there
are already SD many oacheIoI house-"e'p
ers, that to tax wives and children would
not be likely 10 make The number less
Should such period Of drought again
prevail, farms in that valley will not pro-
Guce enough to pay the taxes. which 're
from double, to FIVE or six times tha' oi
any oiher Sat. Then there are liIIga-
linn, and rrbbefes Of homes and lands
through the s,-coIled Spanish grants
which afford peuifopgers fine field Iot
The exercise OF their fleeing operations.
Pearl Divers.
Professor Schele de We're, in Pulnam's
Magazine for March. gives ihe following
account Of divug for pearls and 'he d.
vers
Tbo boa,s generally assemble alta late