The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-17

new conner. Perhaps readers NAV think this
Joke but II they mad my experience they would
see that the statements are facts.
HISTORICAL PRECEDENCE.
good many Calilornians who pretend to the
possession OF no small snare OF intelligence, think
that this country Is the Ophir OF King solomon,
the land from whence the sIge sovereign OF Israel
drew ms treasures TO build the Temple OF Jerusa-
lem, while lew Others ADMIT the possibility oil the
State having been named IN honor OF Calphurnia.
who was Mrs. julius Caesar. Whichever OF the
TWO hypothesis may be correct. IL Is certain that
tue Opherites are largely in the majority about
Santa Barbara because say they, Is 1t not certain
its ample commodlc1s bay. was lust the place to
anord the ships OF solomon every facility TOT car
ryng away the gold, silver and pearls.a9aione
shells and all-that were needed in the East 10
erect temple unto the god or battles 1t Is
now, IN our degenerate days. greatly to
be regretted that Moses, instead OF Solomon'ss
agents. did not visit the Pacific coast, for In the
latter case the great lawgiver's rod might nave
rom the parched bOulders that frown down upon
this bubble OF town. AS II is, the unsympathetlc
eye OF Nature never seems to weep tear OF re-
greet for the drought that Is consuming US. me
thermometer below reezing point at night and
above summer heat in the day, with not drop OF
rain to sprinkle the raiment OF the hills yet tins Is
the country for the sake Of which people In the
East are advised through the press. ofncal ana
otherwise, to sell all they have and come TO. Tne
thing Is hamoug ana the advice deceitful
snare. III a somewhat dearly purchased experience
may have any weight on the ,n subject .v1 !
Mountains, who have anything do and something
TO eat TO stay where they are. rne summers
heat and winters snow OF an eastern cline are
far preferable 10 the parched up plains OF wood
less Wilderness, where there Is neither wafer 10
drink, much less to irrigate, nor timber to burn,
not TO mention lumber for fencing. country
where there IL no coal (and stove WOOD costs
sl6 cord cannot be a paradise 10 the wor1ing,
nothing to recommend them and no WOOD or
water, are offered for the moderate prices OF rom
$25 to $3.50 per acre. Luckily few such drugs IN
the market lind purchaser, ana when some uI-
fortunate wight falls into the trap he tries the
role OF the tailless iox. ana persuades hu HAenuS
that the style Is fashionable.
SANTA BARBARA.
santa Barbara town Is situated on the western
outlet OF the bay bearing It's name. Tne Vauey
comprises some 100 square miles lying between
the santa Ynez Noun ains and the sea the santa
Baroarians claim that the ountains, which rise
10 an elevation OF 1000 10 5000 feet above the sea
level project their embryo CITY from Inc nor1 t
Sierra NevadaA This may be, but they DO not
prevent Its freezing sometimes IN the town, nor
keep away that chilly, disagreeaole log which his
the lungs with vaporous mist that bOthers the
respiratory organs without helping vegetation
The consists OF long, WIDE lily built street,
where the passenger sinks ankle deep into dust,
that only awaits the FIRST rainlall-whIch may take
place month or year hence-to become first class
material Tor the potter's cunning hand to mould
into good chimney pots: 1t has three or four dirty
holes OF houses called hotels-every h0Stelfy or
roadside stopping place IN these parts Is dgnlhed
With the name OF hOteI-a dozen or so primitive
barrooms, couple Of barbers shops, Chinese
laundry an Improbable milliner's shop and 200
or 800 frame adobe houses, including
number OF inexpensive attempts Ut DricK stone
buildings. The OLD MISSION CnurCn, al eQ.uCe VI
some 800 feet long, situated at the head OF state
street, worthy or visit; So too, is the grape
vine, the fame OF winch Is IN every ooay mouth, as
ifnownere but Santa Barbara could produce such
q wonderful vine. The size OF this vine- like
all other California wonders, has been much
magniied oy the admirers OF the locality where 1t
grows; but the tree is no more to be compared TO
the great vine at Hampton Court Palace, England
than Pompey's Pillar would lie 10 a ball OF wax;
and no man worthy OF the American name can
doubt but we could grow more productive, larger,
better vines anywhere IN the negnoornooo OF
Ncnc nplu1ed 3rlStOCrAtIC
levers in Henry Wills old tree might ever hope
to do. The sulphur springs, situated about four
a snare OF the travellers attention. They are
situated In spot that Is rather dhcult OF access
benent or his health frequently wishes to
XIII time little and escape from the
dust That nearly STILES him, ne Will IN
Valuable medicinal properties are attributed 20
these waters, ana II hall OF what is said In favor OF
them be true there Is enough OF the healing ee-
ment about them to cure the half OF suffering
humanity. Enterprlsng spectators on small
scale are already prepared to board and lodge
parties near the springs, so that lnvalids can
have the benefit oil suphurated atmosphere
morning. noon and night great hardship Is
that what the sufferer loses OF his maady goes as
an additional tax on his digestive powers Tor the
food winch Is furnished has not the advantages OF
being either ludlclously selected or properly pre-
pared The vIctlm however, may console himself
with the renecton that what the victuas lack in
quality is made up in quantity; and, after all, the
prices charged are moderate enough.
We are told by local historians tnat the Town OF
Santa ~ nn, o ve or
scale, so long ago as 1854 by an American sur
veyor named Haley" 1t was expected that the
newly laid out city would soon grow up TO the
prepared scale OF its greatness but for some un-
explained reason 1t failed to 40 so. and there are
those VINO think that 1t never VIII. The laying
out OF their town, the grading OF three or four
streets and building OF pier seems to have Occu-
pied the chief attention OF the Santa Barbarians
from the days OF surveyor Haley down to the
present time. No doubt the pedding panoramas
sent out lately from here by tine land grapDers
to advertise their possessions have made many
OF the HgRALD's readers already well acquainted
with the appearance OF Santa Barbara's only pier,
ton, 1000 ieet into the bayn Certainly, the per-
severing pluck OF these people In puing their pos
sessions Is TO be admired. They nave hooded the
East with oceans OF trutnless pamphlets ana rose
tinted letters mat mlsead, deceive ana often ruin
credulous people. The dred-up lands OF Santa
Barbara were very aptlv represented lately by the
set dissoving vie VS. exhibited III Eastern cities
by an enterprising editor from this place. Those
who come out will find the charms OF the place
recede from MS vision ana change into an unsuD-
stantia dream OF beauty, Just as the Image on the
canvas mets from the view at the motion OF the
magic lantern.
AGRIcuLTURIsT PROSPECTS,
There is no doubt that many Of the sandy plains
and gravelly hills OF Southern California are sus-
cepti0le OF cultivation II water were oDtainaDe TO
irrigare them. The want OF water Is acKnowl-
edged TO be an insurmountable OBSTACLE In the
way OF anything Ike extensive cultivation about
these parts yet In face OF this fact real estate
vendors viii cooliy ask from $50 to $500 per acre
for property winch Ia Jnelr sous they know does
not possess titDe OF the good qualities attributed
to 1t. IT is amusing behold the refreshing cool
ness OF the impudence with which these people
ask a man one hundred times the value OF bare
sand hills, without wood or water, and point out
the spot on winch an artesan wen Is sure TO
strike water you only go deep enough"
Perhaps the "going deep enough" refers
to tne numerous dives wnlch the de-
uded purchaser has to make into his
pocket as well as the quantity OF ineal feet
that he Is expected to penetrate into the bowels
OF mother earth. But the land sell Is only way
OF asking Tor the Eastern mans hard cash. There
are many others whereby he may be eased OF his
purse. went into q drug store tue other day to
get a TWO ounch bottle filled with volatile llni-
ment, a simple admxture OF hartshorn and Oil.
A silver half-dollar was the fine imposed upon me
Tor this small favor. For this and many similar
reasons, good weller in the East, come not ut all
to California, or II you Will insist upon making The
pilgrimage, much to the satisfaction or the rail-
road and steamboat companies, provide yourself
Win liberal supply OF money before starting.
With money you can have many trends and &C
complsh wonders In the Eureka state; without 1t
you infinitely worse of than In the East, for
there tney have poor houses wnere you may at
least find a refuge after being robbed, while out
here they will plumber and laugh at you IN the