The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1874-12-11
Interesting Letter from California
Hor r.s,rR, NOV. 18th, ls7i


see some OF your readers suggested that
they would like 10 hear from me
through the columns OF the Posr. / ar.
rived here two weeks ago after a pleas.
ant trip OF seven days from Chattanooga,
and have since been visiting among
the numerous Tennessee families settled
in the vicinity. / have just returned
from trip across the Coast Range, and
down Pajara Valley TO Monterey Bay,
80 miles west OF this place, and as the
road led ne through varied region OF
presenting q succession OF un-
dulating hills, broad valleys, rugged
mountains and wild canons, afording
different varieties OF agricultural and
grazing lands, l think some account OF
what We saw while absent will, perhaps,
be of as much interest as anything ]
could write. Hollister is situated In the
Santa Clara Valley, 40 miles below the
beautiful city Of San Jose. II isa new
place-the first house was built four
years sgo-but 1t is growing rapidly.
The present population is 1000, and II
has many fine buildings and public I'M
provements--it is connected with San
Jose by the GilrOy railroad and a branch
road TO Monterey is being surveyed. 1t
is the centre of fine wheat region, the
average crop being 40 bushels TO the
acre, with comparatively small cost Of
production. Fruit and vegetables are
more prolific than had before thought
possible. A tobacco field will afford
four or five crops in season, each more
abundant than we could raise in East
Tennessee. The adjacent bills give fine
pastuIage TO numerous herds Of stock,
being now quite green with wild oats
and grass. After leaving Hollisler We
travelled tbreo miles westward over a
perfectly level road, through finely cul-
tivated farms and by neat homesteads s
with their universal adjuncts Of gardens,
flower yards and orchards, to San Deni.
ia River, now nothing but a broad bed
Of sand with q little branch trickling
through 1t; but later in the season 1t be-
comes rushing torrent. We now pro-
ceeded some five miles by extensive
stock Ranches, on which were grazing
thousands Of horses, cattle and sheep.
hoof deep in rich. smooth sward OF
wild oats. grass and volunteer wheat
and barley, occasionally shaded by the
wide-spreading California oak. Ground
squirrels seem to be the pest Of these
plains. They burrow in the loose soil,
and as we approach their cities, hun.
dreds OF them will rise on their hind
legs, aud make grimsces, in impudent
security, and then scamper 10 their holes
as If defying pursuit. Qnails, and wild
ducks and geese are also abundant,
along the little lakes that sometimes
dot the landscape. This brought US 10
San Juan, one Of the oldest towns in
California, q Spanish Mission having
been established here about the year
l79S. 1t presents many poiuts OF inter-
est to the stranger, but for want o. space
| will leave II for tho present. Soon
after leaving San Juan we approach the
mountain, and traverse rolling foothills
covered with grass, aud dotted with
droves of stock. On nearer view Of
the great Range, we find the higher
peaks covered with low growth Of
oak, buckeye, chaperral, &C., and like
the deep gorges appear almost black
with the dark foliage Of the hugo red
wood trees (somethlng like our spruce,)
while underneath 10 luxurant growth
Of ferns and grass. Among the foot
hills are some beautiful, silvery clear
lakes, with little islands Of tules "a giant
kind of rush) covered with flocks Of
wild duck, These lakes abound In fish,
particularly, trout. We now enter a
canon, through which meanders noisy
brook, quite hidden by water.cressos.
To the right, close from the brink Of the
stream, smooth high hills bound the
view TO the left blud rises, almost
perpendicularly probably 1000 feet.
On It's face are detached cliffs of rock.
some of them perhaps 200 feet high,
which seem ready to topple off upon
the road and block UP the passway.
Emerging from this pass, we again ira
verse the rolling foothills, which on
this side are dotted with clumps Of tim
bor, and descending long slope, have
q view Of Pajara Valley extending to
the low sand-hilis on the beach, l2 miles
distant. 1t is a very fertile section
thickly settled and highly cultivated.
1t produces, without irrigation, all the
cereals, fruits and vegetables that we
have in Tennessee with many others
that we know nothing Of and looking