The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-06-23
VOLUME 10.
FROM CALIFORNIA.
What Sort Of n State It Is for
WOrkIngmem.

EDITORS NEWS: When 1 was
about to leave Kansas for the pur-
pose of making journey to the
Pacific coast. 1 was requested, by
several parties, to write and give
my Impressions as regards Califor-
mia, compared with Kansas as a place
in which q mechanic or laboring
man might best make his home, and
secure the most chances for q COM
petence in his old age, sc. To this
class 1 write, stating beforehand,
that as many well know, I am
more familiar with q handsaw and
house building, than with the pen,
and letter writing.
Leaving Emporia on the third
day of April, arrived at Omaha
the next morning and was soon
rapidly passing westward, but as
the route has so often been describ-
ed, it needs NO comments now, yet
/ will say that Nebraska would gain
little by comparison with Kansas,
as the eastern part is hilIy and
rough, while in the western portion
the soil is thin, and white like al
kali. There is neither timber ner
building rock worth mentioning
from the Missouri, to Cheyenne.
At Truckee, on the eastern slope of
the Sierra Nevada MIS-, the snow
of winter still fingered, as deep as
in mid winter While an hour or
two afterward we were rapidly de-
scending to the valley of the Sacre-
mento, where the fruit trees and
flowers were in bloom, and the
"birds were singing in the morn
ing" AT Sacramento was disap-
pointed in seeing the coast range
of mountains so near, and the valley
no narrow. That portion that /
would call suitable for farming is
not more than fifteen or twenty
miles in width, while often on one
side and sometimes on both sides OF
the Sacramento river, are long
sloughs, extending back from the
river, with stsgnant water standing
therein, from q few inches to sever
Al feet in depth, and sometimes COW
cred with a floating turf, through
which grows q kind of bullrush,
here called tule. Near the river
bank the land seems higher and
here vegetables, fruits and flowers
are cultivated, by Chinese garden
ers, for the different city markets.
Throughout the entire length of the
Sacramento valley the Inhabitants
are subject to ague. The same de-
scription applies, ss well, to that
part of the San Joaquain country,
that 1 have seen. About forty
miles above San Francisco the riv-
er empties into the Bay, and from
this point the land seems higher
and slopes gradually from the foot
hills to the waters of the bay. The
bay extends about 80 miles south
and varies in width from q mile or
two to several miles. The coun-
try bordering on these waters, is, 1
believe, unequaled in it's beauty, its
fine climate, and it's magnificent res
licences, surrounded by ever bloom
ing shrubs and flowers. On every
hand are seen villages and cities, all
charming places in which to live,
if you are a millionaire or q sue :
cessful politician. Of course San
Francisco is the great objective
point, and here, on leaving the boat,
or cars, the innocent traveller is in
stantly beset by an army of hack
drivers, who in broad accents, en-
umerate the numerous and peculiar
advantages, possessed by their diff
ferent hotels, with q pertinacity that
would call q blush to the diminu-
tive cheek of Chicago drummer.
One might spend q month in this
city, with profit, in sight seeing
and visiting the numerous places of
resort, 1 stayed only a week, and
during that time I visited amongst
other places, the The Cliff House, a
fine hotel on the coast just outside
the Golden Gate and miles from
the city. Near this hotel are three
large rocks lying q few rods from
shore, on one of which / counted
twenty-seven seals or sea lions, al
one time, lying in the sun. About
midway from here to the city, are
the cemeteries, located on Lone
mountain and Laurel hill. The
four different ones that visited are
all tastefully adorned with monu-
ments, statuary, trees, and flowers
&C.. forming a delightful retreat for
the living, and a place where, if
anywhere, the dead should rest in
peace. The city street cars runs to
this point, and here q carriage is al
ways in readiness to convey pas
sengers to the Cliff House. Any
one visiting San Francisco, should
not fail to visit Woodward's Gar
dens, where are to be seen more that
is instructive, curious, and amusing,
than at any similar place on the
western coast. Any description
that might give, would fail to con-
vey an accurate idea of its beauty,
and the rare and artistic talent dis
played in fitting up this famous re-
sort for pleasure and recreation.
There are many fine buildings in the
city, among which are the new
Opera House, Palace Hotel, SC,
The latter at an expense of So, $780,
600 and which it is said, the Chinese
Pigtails wish to purchase. AL
though had read q description of
this hetel before coming, 1 was not
prepared to see q building of such
magnitude and nagnificence. /
think the News published descrip.
ton of this hotel last winter A