The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-02-09
CALIFORNIA. SO.
Los ANnELns. Jim. 9th. 1N7h.


The morning wes cool at leaving Cam.
ua's, but the day was clear aud the sun
grew warm. The road was hard, and
passed near cumps of willows and in
sight Of some beautiful live oaks in ie.
cesses against the mountains. at tho Dor.
der of the wide plain. The live oaks arc
evergrcens with lautel.like fat leaves, and
the figure OF large apple.trees. There
were also black oaks interpreted with
leaves dried, aud some cotton woods Our
course struck the Kern county und Los
Angeles road, aud bore more southcrey
the dry plain continuing, and the noun.
taips that bounded it throwing up the
same bare rocks toward the cloudless sky.
At about noon we came to the FIRST stop
ping place, LyoDs station, twenty miles
from Can ula rancho, where the road
crosses the mountains, and the welcome
live oaks stand pleasantly about. 1t con.
sists Of small waysde Inu and store.
and is kept by Yankee from Connect
cut. While We were at dinner, two
trains of mules, one of fourteen the other
of sixteen pairs, had come up aud halted
to water They each Grew two heavy
wagons filled with freight. The drivers
told me they drew from sixty to eighty
thousand pounds, and made from fourteen
to twenty miles a day; of course, in hard
places, might aid each other. They we're
carrying supplies to mines, two hundred
miles distant, and returning would bring
back ore.
A boy from Bakersfield, VI, had made
my comrades acquaintance, and was
riding his odd horse He was about sew.
enteen, and very civil lad. lie lad
come to California from Illinois three
years ago, and seen, ] judge, rather hard
times. He was on his way to Los Angc.
los, looking for work. They had given
him dinner at the hotel, the first food he
had eaten since the morning of the day
before, and in the meantime he had walk
ed thirty miles He was going on with.
out friends or money, in direction from,
which we we're constantly meeting squads
of iootmen, with their bundles sung over
their shoulders. locking for work. In
summer, he said, be could scarcely ask
farmer in llinoisc without getting job.
gave him dollar, not gold to be sure but
such as would pass in Bakersfield.
The ascent was steep in crossing the
mountains, the road deep with dust. At
tho top is deep cut, perhaps hundred
and fifty feet, the elevation by barome.
ter 100 feet above the sea. The descent
was very rapid, the first halt toll gate
where were "a number of Mexican teams
Below 90 the mountain side was flock Of
sheep, as in Span, and its shepherd Be.
yond, another valley lay in sight with
other sun burned mountains There was
enough of similarity, possibly without
the Spanish language, to recall the Pyr.
anes' border, though that has trees, fir
trees, needing both rain aud snow. Here
was an ideal country for half nomadc
people, which had made such of two races
aud was being matched now with third.
The Chinese alliance for US is not bad
idea. We made the night at Mexican
Inn, mile before reaching the San Fer.
nando mission, and twenty FIVE miles from
Los Ange.os. The proprietor was inc
looking, but Mss slow to understand that
| wanted a room, yet following bis lead i
found myself in the midst OF group OF
chatteri'g laughing, Spanish women. A
yonng mau sat at table, on which were
several books. A map Of the United
States ornawented the wall, aud there
wele two bedsteIs aud sewing machine.
Ia another part Of the house was the par
lor, quite large room, carpeted srd very
well furnished.
We got in here at Los Angeles, at two
p. IN, yesterday. Trusting Santa Anna
to the boy from Illinois, made the ride
by cars. We came through u valley bar.
ren in the extreme most Of the way, but
as we approached Los Augelos we saw
orange trees, in the different yards and
gardens, filled with golden fruit. | am
told these are all cultivated by irrigation.
Irrigation indeed is a necessity Of salts.
factory farming IN southern California.
and is possible apparently for but small
proportion of its lands Lieutenant (now
General) Emory, vino was with General
kearney in the conquest Of the country
In ls47, and was the chronicle of that ex.
petition, says the same thing. The til.
lers of the earth depend upon irrigation
from the mountain streams for their crops,
so that the ground capable Of tilace is
reduced to very narrow limits"
The population. Of Los Angeles, at that
time was 1900, of the vicinity as MANY
more. 1T was the center of wealth and
population Of the Mexican Californian
people, and their seat Of government.
Near the base of the mountains, it was
the center Of military power, commanding
the passes Here the revolutions had
their origin" General Kearney took
possession Of the place, January 10Th,
with $50 men. three. fourths Of whom
were sailors, when be me, at San Diego.
With 100 dragons and fifty supernumer.
aries, the expedition had madc the march
from New Mexico, supposing the country
already subdued, but found this n mis-
take. The Generals tactics were simple.
Being the smaller force" he said 1--WE
must attack !" which was done on the
night of December 9th. aud the way into
San Diego secured Tho rest was regu
lar work, CALAMITY performed, reducing
under the stars and stripes southern Cal.
iiornia and this city OF the Angels" now
of some 5000 people. the diriiest city
have ever seen j. b.
SCHUMAKER AND IRWIN The conclud.
ing Interviews of the ways aud means