Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-07-01
LETTER FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO.
Notes of TrRvel-The HarbOr-Enter.
prise-San Luis ObispO Shade
Trees.

Notes of Travel-The HarbOr-Enter-
prise San Luis ObispO- Shade
Trees.
EDITOR HERALD: Last Saturday
afternoon the outgoing steamship Pa
cific numbered among her list of pas
sengers your semi-occasional cores
pondent. To see and be seen was the
chief object Of that departure, and
having seen, at least in part, the
- lions " of this locality, can think of
no more pleasant way of spending a
short time than in giving the readers
of the HERALD an insight into the
general character of this beautiful
place.
HARBOR.
Much has been said through the col
umns Of Los Angeles journals relative
to harbors, and 1 have, personally,
many times heard Wilmington COM
pared with the landing at San Luis.
l call it "landing,u with all due
respect to the people of this locality
for it would really require an impress
i've stretch of the imag ination to char
acterize it diff arently. From the
north a high oky bluffjuts abruptly
out into the sea, stretching away in
reefs and forming for a distance of a
half mile or more natural water
break and point of no inconsiderable
danger for venturesOme craft. On
the south the coast describes large
circle to the southwest, and the inden-
tion thus produced constitutes the
harbor. From point about half
Ia Oh
mentioned reef has been built what is
known by the popular title of
THE "PEoPLE'sn
Wharf. 1t was projected and COM
pleted number of years ago, by one
of the most enterprising citizens of this
place, John Hartford, Esq. At present
it is owned by Messrs. Blockman &
Co. After the sale, with characteristic
Yankee shrewdness, he Immediately
rebuilt some distance above, and con-
nected his structure with the outside
world by what, as an individual enter
prise, is certainly worthy of great en-
comium. Between the two wharves
the shore rises very abruptly, almost
perpendicularly, from the sea- broken
here and there by huge gulches, the
=
altogether one of the most inviting
fields for the development of engineer
ing skill west of the Rocky Mountains.
To eXcavate these rugged sleeps, tun-
mel through huge rocks and bridge
those mighty chasms and lay q mar
row-gauge railroad that should place
him in actual communication with
the outer world, was the enterprise to
which Mr.. Hartford devoted all his en-.
ergy and capital, confident in his abil-
ity to force final success. 1t is COM
pleted, and the long lines of cars, pro-
PEELED by horses and carrying immense
quantities of freight, attest to the graf
itude of the people for thus being SO
fully supplied with shipping points.
The Pacific Mail Line lands at Har-
ford's wharf, while Goodall, Nelson &
Co.'s steamers patronize the Peoples
Wharf. The freighting interests are
nearly equally divided between the
two landings, and San Luis rests con-
tent, without desiring Government
appropriation for the improvement of
her harbor.
THE TOWN OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
Is reached by picturesque drive of
nine miles through the "Cahada de
San Luis" the road winding in and
out through beautiful groves of syca-
more, live oak and willow trees, form
ing for considerable distance, a con-
tinuous shade from the scorching rays
of the Summer sun. 1t is situated in
nearly the center of the valley that
bears its name, and is rapidly grow
ing town of about 1900 Inhabitants.
Like all the old Spanish missions, the
attention of the stranger is at once
arrested by the inevitable and ancient
church, but the appearance of these
"relics of departed greatness" are so
familiar to our readers that l will
refrain from a description. There are
many substantial and ornamental
buildings, prominent among these is
the building now being erected by
Schwartz & Co., an enterprising mer-
chant firm, and the Court house
(San Luis is the county seat,)
little more than one year ago, at a
cost of about $4,000. 1t is situated
upon slight prominence overlooking
the town and farms, very attractive
feature. One of the most notable
attractions of this place consists in the
presence of the beautiful shades af-
forded by numerous live oak, syca-
more and other trees. Seats have
been cosely arranged and the youth
and beauty congregate daily, and
enjoy themselves in playing croquette,
promenadlng or engaging in a social
chat. Thus week has slipped rapidly
away, and your correspondent begins
to think with regret of leaving one of
the
MOST ENJOYABLE LOCALITIES IN THE
STATE.
There are many objects of interest
around through the valley of which l