Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-26
letter E'rs:sM ('a1itOr, IN.
Santa Barbara, Cal. J
Feb. ed 1874.

Dear Mr.:
Yours is received and contents noted.
l have delayed saying much about this
country, for the reason that l had not
seen enough Of it to be good Judge. A
great many things in California like
very much. What l have experienced in
the climate, to much cannot be said in its
praise, but person cannot live on eli.
mate alone. People that get foot
hold" here rs a general thing IRE con.
tented with this country, the dissatisfied
ones are those who do not stay long and
who cannot buya place on acco,' mt Of
high price Of land. l do not feel like
advising my Minnesota farmer friends to
come here, unless they are in poor health
and demand change OF climate Ii q
person cannot live in Minnesota, he can
do no less here. This climate agrees
with me better than that Of Minnesota,
and l shall probably remain here for some
years to come. felt Us thoguh I could
not live without work, and have gone in.
to business. sometimes feel that I am
working to much, but don't see how I am
to avoid it. We are doing a l.rge bust
ness aud it is increasing.
From what know of this st:te should
say that the San Bcrnardino valley pre-.
SCENTS the greatest inducements to settlers
who wish to engage in farming on small
capital, say from $4,000 to 100000.
$1,000 there, is as good as $4,000 here.
Good land can be bought there from SO
to $50 per acre according to locality, but
it all has to he irrigated This can be
done by driving artisan wells to depth
Of from IS to $50 feet, in most places at a
cost of from 5000 to $500 each. Learned
while was ut San Bcrnardino that there
was government land within Is miles of
town subject to entry, but there was no
way Of irrigating. 1 saw great many
flowing wells, some Of them throwing
water 10 to Is feet above the ground.
while was in that valley. The size of
pipe through which the water passes is
about 10 ineher in diameter, and they
throw water up so fast that they do not
know what to do with it sometimes.
This country seems to be very free from
malignant diseases, I have not seen a
snake or scorpion since have been here
We have f1eas during the dry season, and
are somewhat troublesome, but have none
during the winter. I think farmers who
have a good start are doing as we'll as
any one. We have not had more than
two days Of dust that was worse than Min
nesota since I have been here.
The rain in winter comes about as your
spring rains do. We have 2 or 8 days of
rain, and perhaps no more in 3 or 4 weeks
1 believe they shear sheep twice d year.
They raise beans, barley, and corn, in
large quantities, also potatoes, but the
most of the flower and apples consumed
in Santa Barbara is shipped from San
Francisco. We ship potatoes in large
quantities, now from San Francisco, but
some new potatoes are just coming into
market raised here, and soon we shall
ship above.
|: There is large emigration to this
state. have answered your question as
well as I could. Remember me to yours
and your brothers family, and all my
Minnesota friends. After all that I have
said, II I could live in Minnesota would
leave here before tomorrow night.
Your Friend,