The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-17
Personal Experience Of a California
Paradise on Paper.
THE LANO-GRABBERS ELYSlUM.
A DissolVing View Of Golden
State Puffery.
WATER AND TRUTH SCARCE.

Three years ago the chief OF the Bureau OF sta
tistics, IN Washington. published volume pur-
porting to be special report an investigation,
with accompanying information for immi-
grants" Whatever may have been the merits OF
the work as literary effort or O compilation Of
statistical data Tor the use or foreigners coming
to the United States 1t had that circumscrbed
circulation which is peculiar TO nearly all Official
publications. A few numbers were distributed
among the consulates and legations IN the federai
capital aud In New York, while the greater remain
ing part went to the paper. mill; but none
OF 1t came into the hands OF the immigrants, for
the benent OF whom 1t was proiessedly written.
SO little is known about this labored. useless work,
that all mention OF the book might have been
spared now were 1t not for the purpose OF draw
ing public attention to The loose and careless man.
ner in which the peoples money Is wasted in Is
suing from the official press thousands Of bulky
tones that are good for waste paper only. For
instance, when speaking Of California the author
OF the Special Report on Immigration occupies
whole pages giving unabridged letters from
people whom nobody knows or cares about de-
voted TO pulling up certain localities ana serving
particular interests, to the manifest injury OF the
entire State; because such parties launch forth in
exaggerated euogies OF their particular districts,
giving to the public glowing accounts that have
no foundation in truth. We are told Of the
overloaded with oranges, lemons, citrons,
pomegranates, figs, almonds, nectarines and
q long list OF other tropical fruits plants and 1ow-
ers the bare enumeration OF which would make
ones mouth water to taste Them and the heart
yearn to be in such land Of luxury where these
delicious things grow. Talk to Santa Barbara
property holder, look into one OF the little two
pence haltpenny papers that exist but to pun
local interests and the listener or reader would
imagine that Adam had been expelled from some
where in the neighDorhood Of santa Barbara and
the angel Gabriel had kept the key Of the garden
up to . very recent date when he delivered it IN
person to some OF the hundred and one land grab
bers who have made their headquarters IN this
dusty roggy, dried up little village. Yes, let the
prospector for q paradisiacal home in California
take turn about this town just now, and
he Will be cruelty undeceved as to the
kind OF place which writers in the Special Report
on immigration represent 1t to be. He Will IND
an uncouded sky and q dry atmosphere to consu-
tute the only recommendations IN favor OF the
place. He Will find flowers growing in the open
air during the winter season-that is, when the
enterprising gardener has spent fortune for
artificial Irrigating machinery. Flowers will grow
anywhere in these low latitudes, provided they
can be watered. Well come how 1t may, the fact
cannot be disputed that even in New York there
are cloudless skies and sweet smelling flowers.
Go along Broadway any day you please IN winter
and bouquets may be seen there that cannot be
surpassed, perhaps not equalled in all California.
They tell us OF huge pumpkins and gigantic
pppns produced from this virgin soil OF peaches,
pears and other fruits in miraculous
quantities bullet the people OF the Eastern states
search among the orchards OF their own favored
soils and the mythical truitfulness OF santa Bar
bara will be put to shame, II, indeed, Californian
village could blush for anything Seeing, as l do
now that the tabled richness, beauty and fruitful
ness OF Santa Barbara are but a delusion and
snare to catch the gullble or unwary, 1t strikes
me as something inexpIcabe that the praises of
the place should be sounded forth IN the oflcial
pages OF the Special Report on immigration.
But, after all, this is nothing strange when we
consider that In the same book whole part is
dedicated to advocating the interests OF Jay Cookies
Northern Pacific Railroad.
SCHEMES OF THE LAND GRADERS.
Ele wideawake land grabbers OF California have
still other means than Official publications at their
disposal for putting up the arid. sun-burned,
waterless wastes which are owned by them. And
1t is due to these gentry to admit, once for all,
their considerable ability and undouDted energy
In the important matter OF advertising their lands.
They frequently unite and club together, organiz-
ing now and then such associations as the Cali
ornia Immigrant Union, for the purpose OF entrap.
ping the unwary fastener into purchasing por-
lions OF their desert wastes. T1is so-called Cali
ornia immigrant Union will tell you all about
santa Barbara, anywhere else in the state that
you may desire. and recount It's tremendous
Inducements for settlers In such glowing
terms that the poor, frost-bltten Eastern
MN cannot choose but purchase farm
at'abulous figures. These Immigrant Union men
vii tell you that small farms are best and that
mai must be sure to Guy water rather than land,
fact which no man dare dispute; for a very small
mea:ure OF ground Will suffice to keep poor man
busy enough Tor dozen or so OF years, just while
his otange orchard Is getting into bearing, and he
will hive to pay good deal OF money to obtain
very ana1 water privileges; there being so little
OF thiselement in that part OF the state where 1t
is mostneeded. They have millions OF acres OF
the besl land in the world, out here; but 1t wants
just thetwo requisites that make land workable
or valuale-wood and water. / have been in
Southern California since the oath OF last October.
Now, tbisis supposed to be the wet season, and
since tina time there have been but two days.
rain. tn, consequence Is that we live IN
perpetual cloud OF dust: we inhale IL;
we eat it; Te drink it; it sticks to rs; we are i'm
mersed in /. Wherever she eye IL turned, bar
rem, bare hills meet the sight; wherever the loot
ia planted, vuunes OF dust choke the lungs All
this may be leathy and beneficial to those who
linger under pulmonary affections, but 1t IL ter.
rioly dsagree,ble 70 people in a sound condition
OF body. Anduout imagine, gentle reader, that
the thermometer shows no variations In this little
corner OF the earth There are more COLDS ana
catarrhs contraded through sudden changes OF
the temperature IN hts well as other places
throughout soutlert California, than ever came
under my observation during a somewhat pro-
uscted experience n the East out here IL Is
very hot In the middr Of the day and cold enough
10 freeze $50 as to leive ice in the mornng) dur
ing the night. Between these extremes the dem
izen OF this district nas a good deal to do in
humoring the time OF day by changing wearing
apparel to suit 1t. In the morning woollen
clothes middle OF the day linen buster and at
night your winter ovenost. PEOPLE who neglect
these precautionary changes are either foolish or
blessed with iron constitutions. But, then, there
is no lack OF doctors. Perhaps the superabun-
dance OF the SONS OF EsclIaniua anLhan