Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-06-17
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
SANTA BARBARA, CAL, June is

Here on my old stamping Ground for the
last ten or twelve years, failing to find what l
sought, viz warm weather, l journeyed on
miles to Santa Barbara. The climate of Santa
Barbara is unequalled on this continent, and
probably not surpassed in the world.
| The city is situated in a small valley of two
or three miles in width, and almost COM
| pletely shut in ON three sides, north, east and
| west, by the coast range of mountains, which
rise abruptly from the valley to height of
1000 feet. The south is open to the sea and
to these causes may be attributed its extreme
salubrity of climate, varying the whole year
round it is said, not more than fifteen degrees,
and usually ranging from sixty to seventy.
The cold winds of winter are broken off and
tempered by breezes from the south, while
the heat of summer is cooled by just the
faintest breath of air coming in from off the
ocean. The city was built from eighty to one
hundred years ago by Mexicans, the Mexican
Government granting it all the arabic land for
miles around. This land long since passed
into private hands with but little benefit to
the town. 1t is rather picturesque looking
place at the present time, being composed of
about one half American and one half Spanish
built buildings. The Spanish or Mexican part
| is of course built of 'adobes." These adobes
are large sun dried bricks made of blue clay
mixed with sand and straw. The houses are
| all one story and the walls are made from
three to four feet thick, plastered over on the
outside, as it is customary to plaster lime kilns
at the north. The roofs are made very heavy
and strong, and are covered with earthen
tiles. Just back of the town towards the hills
is an old Mission building, now used for a
| catholic school, and to the south of this build
ing large olive grove, put out by the Friars
many years ago, from the product of which
the priests make the finest of oil. This little
valley of Santa Barbara, and the continue
ton of it further south, along the coast,
which is called ''Montecito Valley" if it had
been in possession of Americans as long OF
half as long as it has been settled by Mexieans
would have been perfect paradise. The soil,
which is exceedingly rich, will produce any
: kind of fruit known to either tropic or frigid
zone. Apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots,
| nectarines, pine apples, pomegranates, figs,
f bananas, oranges, lemons, olives, wallnuts,
pecans, almonds and grapes in endless varie-
ty, are some of the many Injuries, that with
but little more care than placing the seed in
the ground, may be grown side by side in the
same garden, in this wonderful climate. The
favorite lands of this favorite State, extend
ing south all the way from San Francisco Ia
the Mexican line, 500 miles, are now rapidly
being divided up into farms of from 80 to
500 acres, and are being settled and titled by
: Americans. "They will make this country
S 'blossom like the rose" in few years.
S. In one of the gorges of the mountains bach
lie of Santa Barbara and Mohtecito, and over
n looking the latter beautiful valley, across i
n to the long line of white sandy beach, VI
T. which the white crested waves are continual
l. ly rolling, and over the wide stretch of eceai
b. to the horizon, beyond which we can imagin
,e China to be nesting, are located the Gin thes
PC parts) celebrated ''Santa Barba Hot Sulphu
~ Springs" Here drinking and bathing il
b. their healing waters am trying to regain m
=. health. The present owner of the Springs
Mr.. Curtis, native of New York, and
very gentlemanly man, was one of the frs
white men who in 1851 penetrated through
the chapparel and sage bush tothis point. o.
q his first visit to the springs, he found yer.
y old Indian (he thinks he must have been con
# siderably over a hundred years old) sitting OF
n a rock in the gulch drinking the water. IL
. questioned the old man in Spanish as to hoy
n long he had known of the waters and wha
|, they were good for The old man replied
: that he had known of and drank them sine,
he was very small boy, and that they were
very good, they made him feel strong ant
we'll. Mr.. Curtis thinking they would some
day be valuable, Immediately stuck up hi
: presumption notice and claimed them, and has
lived by them most of the time since. Fol
!, years he has been fighting one of those curses
! Of California, Mexican land grant. This
q grant was for handsome fifteen miles away,
d where it was comparatively valueless. As
= soon as these springs began to be valuable, the
e purchasers of the grant attempted to swing it
J., around so as to cover the springs and a part
# of the town of Santa Barbara.
= The faith of Mr.. Curtis in the healing quail
&, ties of the waters, founded on his knowledge
), of what they have done for the many who
have visited them since he has been h ere, il
;. very great. The sp rings are situated at the
extreme head Of gorge or canon IN the
), mountains, about two miles from the valley,
q At an elevation Of about 1000 feet. The water
y gushes out from assures in the rocks which
e rise above them almost perpendicnlarly 2oo(
G feet. There are half dozen different spring,