The Portland daily press., 1871-05-01

WEEK IN SANTA CLARA VALLEY" %
SAN FRANCISCO, April 20.-We take the
Southern Pacific railroad to Gilroy, its present
terminus passing one hundred miles through
the valley, stopping at the principle places of
interest San Jose, the third city in size and
importance in the State, situated in the richest
part Of the valley is q beautiful city, with fine
streets, bordered on either side by oaks planted,
1t is said, by students of the old Jesuit College
when under Spanish rule The College Court
/ Hsuse and many other buildings are very fine,
surrounded by beautiful lawns and shrubbery.
The "Auzerais Hotel' is not surpassed in the
State. A few old "Adobe' buildings with tilt
ed roofs are still to be seen. The mountains in
the distance are covered by Red Wood timber,
the hills, with herds of horses cattle and sheep
reminding us Of "catte upon a Thousand
hills") the table lands with wheat fields, Vi ne-s
yards, fruit, strawberries and flowers. So -
We found our arrival anticipated through
California hospitality ana carriages in waiting
to drive our party through the beautiful vine
yards, fruit aud strawberry farms. Many of
the vineyards cover forty ia sixty acres, and
one we visited of ninety. On one strawberry
patch Of30 acres, we saw 800 or 400 Cinnamon
picking the fruit. We visited by invitation,
the estate and vineyard of General Naglee,
well-knOwR during the war. The General
seemed pleased to welcome Eastern visitors
and show his cellars containing the vintage of
five years, say two hundred thousand gallons
of what is said to be good brandy and wine.
Only one OF our party being q judge we could
test only few samples. His grounds are Fl ne
ly improved with walks, drives, ponds, trees
shrubs and flowers and fine collection of mar
BILE and bronze statutes and fountains.
We visited the "Almaden" Quicksilver
Mines, 10 mines distant in the mountains. and
having letters were shown over the works that
many visitors have failed to see. The mines
are the most valuable on the continent. Here
We drank from the spring the celebrated San
Jose "Vichy Water many thousand bottles
of which are being yearly sent to. all parts of
the country, lcosting three dollars per dozen at
the depot.) aa...-s ~ ass 1e's u
Mr.. Ralston, wealthy Banker to whom we
had letters, sent his carriages to Menly Park,
25 miles distant from San Francisco, on our re-
turn, and after driving through many beautiful
estates, not equaled in this country or perhaps
excelled in any, entertained our entire party in
truly princey style at his private residence;
the most elegant and costly in California, and
capable of &C accommodating from IS to 100 per-
sons. His palace, grounds, stables aud horses
$50 in number) alone would repay a visit to
the Golden Gate - IL VI
After spending the night and partaking
OF an early break fast, and driving through
&c any fne estates we took cars for San Fran
cisco. Whose tho pen? be it "mighter than
the sword" that shall fully and Justly describe
the beauties OF tho Santa Clara Valley?
y We have spent a few days in "Napa" VAL
ley, to visit our Portland boys, NOyes Wash
burn, Hal, Lewis and Emery, who are plant
ing their ranches. They have fifteen or twenty
acres already set with grape. Next Sunday
we expect to leave for Los Angeles, Santiago,
and possibly Northern Mexico IS =.