Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-08-16
CALIFORNIA.
Letter from Captain George w. Gift
Cold weather in July-Htnter
Clothes. FIauneIs ana over
coats IN Demand.
The Great Garden spot OF the World
The SSutBeFners the Yankees OF
the nay-the Spirits Of Or.
Watson.

OAKLAND, CAL, August 3, lS74.-I
have bsen 50 thoroughly Ie MIS-, both in
NV private and public correspondence,
that am now rather ashamed to make
nv appearance. Ny excuse for the
seeming negligence is that the weather
has been so cold since came here that
l have not had courage to sit with cold
feet and numbed fingers and scribble as
| would otherwise have done. Coldw
saws q skeptic; cold in July?' Indeed
il has been. Since coming here L have
worn a suit OF winter clothes, heavy
fi4nnels and heavy overcoat, and have
suffered from cold feet, and, what Will
still more puzzle you, have eaten
oranges, lemons, raisins, English wal
nuts, almonds, figs and pomegranates
grown in the open air in the very eli
mate where / am suffering from cold!
NV suffering is because my blood was
thinned before leaving hOme-yes, Ten
nessee is still hOme-and until [ get ac-
cust0med to the change l will have to
muflis up as in midwinter elsewhere.
l have travelled 8 good deal over the
State during my months sojOurn, aud
am so full Of what l have seen, that l
scarcely know where to begin or what
TO say. I have been up NaIa valley,
the garden spot Of the world, have seen
its beautiful fields, vineyards and or
chards; have been over Saint Helena
mountain what views you have from
there) into Clear Lake valley; stayed
fs days at the great quicksilver mine,
and returned down SOnOma valley,
another garden spOt-equal to Napa-
and down the santa Clara valley bet
ter than either Of the Others-until / am
b-wildered. l have seen grain enough
gong to waste uuder the manipulation
of these careless CallforniaDs TO feed a
state like Tennessee, and fruit enough
20 load all the steamers OF the 81. Louis
packet company, the good Grand Tower,
which bore US from you, included
Within five miles Of where l sit writing
thousands of tons Of cuTrants sre rotting
for want OF q market, and the other va
rieties Of fruit are in such guam
titles as to be fabulous. Until
this visit 1 never had any true
conception OF the marvellous soil and
climate. / dropped into the supervisors
room Of this county a few days since
with a friend, aud found the hoard
sitting as a board Of ofequaliZatiOn. Some
testimony was being taken 10 regard to
the value Of q certain tract of land, when
a farmer testified that a part OF 1t sown
in harley had this year produced ore
hundred and eight bushels OF barley TO
the acre. This town of Oakland eXcels
all others in the beauty Of the hOrticul-
t,.raI embellishments sur -ouDding its
dweSlin 5. Such lawns DO not exist
alsewSrye, aud such growth of young
timber is nowhere else TO be found. 1t
has a hotel with front of three hundred
and twenty feet with drawing rooms
and apartments equI to the Fifth
avenue. auO.ner not quite so large, and
many Others, and this is but suburb Of
the great city over the bsy-which has
IA he seen 10 be appreciated. Southern
people are welcomed and petted here.
Their superior intelligence, industry
eeo1oDau and sterling integrity COM
mend them as the best immigrants who
reach these shores. Read that last SEN
tence again, and take in its full mean
ing, Southern people are regarded as
the best immigrants who come 10 these
shores, best because they are the mos'
thrifty, most industrious and most intel
f1igent, True, every word OF IT, else the
/ people here most interested IN such
! things are greatly deceived. AND Whal
/ is more, they go to the country and com
mence making Improvements anu de-
/ velOping sOmething-don't want TO keel
] saloons, or be policemen. was sitting
/ in the cuunting.rOom of one Of the grea
merchants of San Francisco few days
since when one of his young men en-
tered 10 deliVera message. His manne
was dignified, Vet polite and courteous
| When he had retired bis employ er In
formed me that the person who had JUS
l gone out was one of my country men
/ and that he was one who would surel!
rise. "Did YOU know" said he, "tha
| vou people seem TO have exchanged
| POSITIONS with the men from the north
/ Great wealth has made them careless
! extFsvagant and trifiiBg, whilst grea
I pDverty has made the people from th'
! south careful, saving aud industrious
vdq are the yankees now !" There !
| considerable truth in this My healtl
/ has improved very much sine
/ | came here; l have gained som'
/ nouuds Of flesh, am getting
/ rubicund countensnce, and feel thai
am going 10 get well. / once wrote
itils paper 10 20 in ct the end Of law
yeris brief, which cur learned opponent
| which his name was Tom Brown )com.
compared 10 a scorpion ltOr which
have forgiven him, because, y said he
Ia his most imposing and impressive
l manner, "the sung Is in the tail" This
| ielter must also be likened 20 a scorpion
Your paper OF the twsnty-secoud o
July is lust at hand, aud ses 8 letter IL
It fIOm my good friends Major khee anC
DIR. Rice, IN regard 10 q publication from
I samuel Watson, concerning and old er
| ,.se OF the woman who keeps big In
Inn at the Old GayOsO, wherewith 4
amuss and humbug people. As yet d.
moi kn0yy what Bother samuel has sal
about me, but these presents are to no
ifs an whom il .aay cOncei n that whe
get his letter l shSll proceed 70 decol
tieAte the afOTe aid Samuel until theI
shall be no particle Of entiele LETT
MIN. What a goose he was 70 suppos
| could get 80 far away as to be 9eyon
hearing! Uutil l gel the Ledger l sha
. nurse my wrath, and invent shar
, things to say. 70 tell the Truth / ratb'
: like a shindy, especially one where l al
pretty sure Of a victory. How sha
stand that fellow in a pillOry and tuT
MIN around so that the whole world ma
read the labels that l shau pin to hin
. Some Of my friends may think sam VI
I kiDd in having waited eighteen montl
: and until | had gotten three thousaI
miIes away. / don't; on the coatral
, 1 am thankful Of an opportunity 70 81
J him up. Wait till you hear nom !, me: ne:
GEO. W. Glff
II