Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-06-20

these, l forward them to YOU for publica-
ton.
SAN DiEGo, CAL. April II. 1874.
You will. Of course. want
To know everything about San Diego aud
Southern California. and will devote the
most Of my letter TO that and our railroad
affairs and future prospects. my own affairs
aud hopes. There is no doubt that the
Southern Pacific would have been the first
TO be built had II not been for slavery and its
results Moreover. the enterprise fell into
unworthy hands and has been delayed till
now. The road after Il became chartered
a year ago. was put into the hands Of NJ.
o. Roberts of New York. who was to
commence the great work and push II
to completion with great energy; but he
called in Thos. A. Scott and the influence
of the Pennsylvania Central Co.. aud they
saw fit TO wransle, aud thus let time pass
away. until Scott became master of the
field, and Roberts retired. In the mean
time the Penn. Central bought up all the
straight line or short road connection
throughout the South. and In fact, almost
throughout the country. They have just
row failed to get a Commercial Company
charter to control the China trade. They
are now trying 10 get an extension Of time
To build the Taxas Pacific. and to be
allowed TO build all from the Texas end Of
the route. either Of which plans. il carried
out. would be disastrous to our interests
here. There l. a very strong opposition
to these schemes: and an amendment to
the charter will probably pass in a few
days. compelling the Company Ia build
twenty or twenty-five miles from here the
first wear. and TWENTY-FIVE miles yearly
thereafter So much for the Texas Pacific
Railroad which Is to have its Western
terminus ut San Diego.
We have two mere chartered companies
here. one Ia build a road from this place
to Los Angeles and connect with the
Coast road north: and another to build 10
San Bernar,llno. and there connect with
the road running south and also TO con-
meet with the Kansas Pacific.
10. Angelo. has about eigh, thousand
people. and san BernarClino. perhaps, be-
tween two and three thousand, and both
are surrounded by rich valley lands. and
have delightful climate. and raise abund-
ance of grapes. figs. oranges. and support
immense herds of cattle. sheep and goats.
These towns are the present base Of sup
plies for Northern Arizona and rich min
ing sections.
~ much for our neighbour. aud now for
Ourselves. san Diego County is larger
ihan the State of Rhode Island. aud has n
little of all kinds of soil and climate The
valleys are rich INT small. and those near
the high mountains are visited with suf!i
cicnt rain TO insure crops, but those near
the coast ar. subject to long and severe
drousht>. There grain cnops are unccr-
tain and Improbable. The bulk 81 the
land j. bench and able-land-practiczlly
worthless. except for range for cattle and
sheep. The mountains are only partially
iimbered hit have some very rich mining
districts. The climate i dry and even
throughout the year the pl-a>autest
green. and the surface Of the country
covered with flowers
The range of temperature Is bet wecn s0S
and 90 and very seldom reaches the ex-
tremes. The grain crops in the valleys
within twenty miles OF town, have failed
FOR the three years that ! have been here ::
but have been good In all the valleys nearer
the mountains. The dry valleys are
valuable for raising such fruit as figs. nuts
and grapes. Probably they will not again
be cultivated for grain.
There are several old Spanish Mission
Churches In the country, all in state Of
decay All there Is of interest about them
besides the nuns and their history are
few groves Of olives which are very pro-
ductive and valuable.
The lands are mostly covered BY Next
can grants which are the curse of Califor-
MIA Many of these are not surveyed, and
until they are all surveyed and titles set
tied. so that they can be subdivided. aud
good title obtained for homes. no very
large population can exist here. There is
hope that in a few years this state of
affairs will be changed for the better.
The hay crop here is cultivated wheat
and barley. and is cut just before ripe
when the grain is fully formed 1t is the
best hay in the world. commanding prices
ranging from twenty to forty dollars ton
according TO season and circumstances.
The gold bearing quartz mines at Julian
City, sixty-five miles from here, produced
about 100000 last year, and will. have
no doubt. produce half million thi. year.
We import from other parts of the State
most of our bread-stnf and part of our
vegetables and fruit. and manufacture
little or nothing here as yet. Our exports
are small. and consist of wool. cattle.
dried fish, gold bullion. whale oil. honey
and few other things in small quantities.
We have been living in ''air-castle.'' feed
Ing on climate. railroad prospects. fine
harbor. politics and 'buncombe' generally:
and now begin to realize that the railroad
must be built. aud a part of the trade of
the great Pacific Ocean flow through here.
and crowd our wharves with merchandise.
or We may look for homes elsewhere.
There was an old adobe settlement near
here always. or at least, SO long ago that
1.-THE memory Of the oldest inhabitant
runneth not to the contrary" 1t is stu
ated three and a half miles west of here;
and its remOteness from the bay makes it
of not much use as a town. The town
proper is about three years old. and has
about three thousand people. 1t is laid
out with streets at right angles; and Is
situated upon a sloping plane with just
enough slope for drainage. Except for
its future supply Of water. there could not
be found prettier or better site for a town
in the world. The water front is about
four miles long. on bay. with twenty-five
feet of water at entrance, having a width
OF from three-fOurths to one and half
miles. perfectly land-locked. free from