The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-10-20

EDITOR JoURNAL:-Although stopping at
this Saratoga Of the Pacific" $50 called by
some fond adlnirer,) shall not at present de-
scribe its beauties, but will give you my i'm
pressions of
Los Angeles.
This city is in Southern California, distant
from San Francisco four hundred miles, and is
reached either by steamer or stage. took
the former, and she arrived at her anchorage
in the Bay Of San Pedro early in the morning.
After getting our breakfast We were transfer
red to little steamer which conveyed us to
Wilmington, town OF few houses. L. S
fort, at which are stationed few soldiers, and
after waiting two hoars, we took the cars. A
dusty ride of twenty-five miles, over n dry but
fertile plain, which is lately rendered produce
tive by artesian wells, and is being rapidly set
tied up, brings US to the city of The Angels.
We are soon comfortably disposed of at the
Pico House, which is q fair hotel, built by
Don Pioo, who was the last governor under the
Mexican rule, and though he is seventy years
old, is said to be the gayest gallant in the city
LIZ 70 oAO Va VIC OAIoo5 BAaNCo Al lllC Cbdlby
and is, and has always been good point for
business All branches of trade are well rep
resented. This is ths great distributing point
for the southern part of the State and Arizona
The freighting is done by teams and gives en-
ployment TO a great many wagons and men.
One Of the sights that interested me most, was
watching their great wagons, drawn by twelve
horses, with goods piled on as long as they
would lay and barrel Of whisky lashed on to
each side, as they passed through town on
their way to the mines In this vicinity are
Gold, Silver, Lead and Tin mines, all OF which
are being worked. They afford considerable
revenue to this place, as all their productions
pass this way to go to San Francisco. They
manufacture large quantities of vino and
brandy, and olive oil to some extent. Their
liquors do not stand very high In the market
yet but they claim that no proper effort has
been made to introduce them, and that when
they are once thoroughly advertised and
known they viii replace the French wines.
They are willing to convince any one of their
superiority, and one of the treats expected by
an eastern tourist, is the pleasure he viii have
in sampling the wine in some of the large eel
lars that abound here. Temperance for the
time is at discount Even ministers have been
known to enjoy short period of sampIng.
Some very exemplary people are said to have
got quite boozy in trying to decide which was
the choicest brands. One complaint of their
wines is the quantity of alcohol they contain.
HISTORIC GROUND.
1t was here that the fate of California was
decided Fremont captured the nights which
command the town and soon caused them to
surrender. The trenches dug by his troops are
in a perfect state OF preservation.
PROGRESS.
Three years ago looking at this city from
one of the hills that shadow it, would have
shown, low, fat adobe houses which are about
as ugly as need be, and irregular streets well
Uttered with rubbish. Now they have quite a
number of fine business blocks, several costly
residences with handsome grounds attached,
churches (very inferior,) school houses ION a
par with the churches,) two colleges, under the
control of the Catholics, and one of them
French, two good hotels, gas works, water
works, an ice manufactory, public square
with fountain playing in it, an agricultural
park and a railroad.
THE POPULATION
numbers some ten thousand, and is Of all ma
tionalities. The native Californians or Mexi-
cans from the largest class. They don't seem
to be but little attached to the country since
they lost control Of it, and like the Indian they
seemed to be pushed to the wall" and are de-
creasing every day. A great many die from
Lung Fever said to be caused by their inveter-
ate smoking of cigarettes. When they owned
all the land and stock, they were the best of
customers and the pioneer merchants all made
fortunes out Of them. Very few Of them have
any thing left and most Of them are poor and
miserable. Ignorance is one of their charac-
teristics. To know how to read and write is
thought to be educated. It is only of late
years that any floors or doors were in their
houses. The use of spoons and knives and
forks was not known till introduced by the
Yankees. They don't like to work, and many
live on water melon IL summer and corn in
winter, rather than to do anything, The Jews
have almost the entire control of business, own
a large share of the property, are the bankers
and in some cases are extensively engaged in
raising stock and sheep. Most of the people
from the States are persons seeking health.
They seem to be the c ief managers Of the
politics and manage to fill most of the Offices.
Like carpet baggers generally they are some
what corrupt, but in this case it is Democratic.
John Cinnamon is also on hand hele, D1sy' at
work, absorbing money, but spending none
THE GARDEN SPOT
Of Southern California is certainly here. The
mildness of the climate, the richness Of the sell
and the abundance of water furnished bv the
Los Angeles River, all combine 20 render its
productions most remarkable No where dc
they get more wheat and barley 20 the acre
In corn they beat the world, They have corn