The Cecil Whig., 1877-03-03
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA,
SAN Francisco. February % 1877

SAN FRANCISCO, February %, 1877.
1t has been a question with us here in
California, whether we should not have
what is known III tropical countries as
dry season. All our rain occurs during the
Winter months, and when December had
passed and no rain had fallen there were
good reasons to believe that little OF none
would come during the balance of the sea
son. But within the last few weeks we
have been blessed with several good soak
ing rains, and now our wise men say that
at least average crops of grain and gold
two years have been known when not
drop OF rain fell the whole time: one was
known as "the year of hunger" as most
OF the cattle died of starvation. AS dry
seasons are liable to appear in cycles, great
efforts are being made throughout Central
and Southern California to perfect systems
OF irrigation, So as to he comparatively
independent of the amount Of rainfall.
But this is a slow and costly work. Irri-
gated land produces far more abundautly
than that watered only 10y the rains, and it
is sad experience proves that the land is
not SO rapidly impoverished, it being sup
posed to be nourished in some peculiar
manner by the reserved water
The valleys of our State are capable of
feeding many millions of people, and will
do SO when irrigation shall, in the course of
time, become general. Long centuries ago
the Pacific coast was better watered by
rams than now, and great population
dwelt in its valleys. During the procession
of the centuries, less rain gradually fell, the
country became too dry for human habta-
ton, aud the ancient people died or emf
grated. For unknown ages no persons
dweIt here. At length the climatic tide
turned, rain began to fall more and more
abundantly, till at length the coast was
again moist enough for habitation and cul-
tivation. The present is supposed to be
about half way between the limits of ex-
treme dryness and extreme moisture: so
we may expect yearly more and more rain,
upon,the average. Centuries WILL however,
is reached The period is supposed to be
about twenty five thousand years.
immigration still holds its own, and pop
uiation is increasing. \ favorite plan is to
settle in colonies, and thereby secure good
neighbors and other advantages too numer-
ous to mention. The population OF the
cities is growing largely. San Francisco
enjoys a wonderful growth: our new City
Directory gives US three hundred thousand
people, which we consider very fair for
place which twenty-eight years ago had no
population whatever, was situated in an
almost unknown quarter of the earth, and
the country about supposed to be desert.
The surplus production of this State last
year was over one hundred million dollars,
or in other words, California has that
much more capital. The great resources
of the coast are constantly being expanded
and developed by the restless and energetic
people. Freed from the business depres-
sion of the East, all here is life, activity,
aud prosperity. We can see but little
trouble ahead, and that mainly from the
Chinese in our midst. They have not yet
wrought much evil, and it is an even thing
whether their presence so far has not been
OF benefit. Whenever they become intoler-
able, means will be found to expel them,
even though ii be by revolution. The evil
will be aOated. 5. +.
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