, 1877-12-16
SANTA MONICA.
It's Claims as a Sanitarium COMPARED
with Other Seaside Resorts.
Why It Is Preferred to the Other Watering
Places On the Pacific Coast.
4 Climate The Host RquaAle Under tie Sun...Sea
Bathing the lear Round.
Eastern People Settling There.

From Our 01r7l Correspondent.
SANTA MONICA, Dec. 3.-ln' my previous
letters I spoke OF the accessibility Of Santa
| Monies, its nearness to San Francisco and Los
Angeles, OF its numerous natural advantages,
the beauty Of its situation, magnificent drives,
diversity OF scene in mountain, ocean, forest,
and plan its variety of minor attractions such
as delight the sportsman, ard the luxuries
which wealth has provided for visitors who pre-
fer elegant ease; also Of the perfect safety and
comfort Of its sea-bathiug every month in the
year. In other words, canvassed its claims
as pteasure-resort, and found it lacking i'll
nothing essential for that purpose.
1t Is as
4 sAN1TAR1UM,
however, that Santa Monica bases its ..ghest
claim for popular favor, and it is this feature Of
the place, I feel sure, that the largest number
OF your readers will feel most interested in.
Having had an especial interest in the study of
climate in its effcctIon certain diseases which
prevail to an alarming extent in the region OF
the great lakes, I have visited all the places on
this coast which possess particular attractions
for the invalid. The phenomenal climate Of the
California coast, which is never 50 warm in sutn-
spending latitude in the Eastern States, is
pretty well understood. The slight variations
in temperature throughout the year
makes this coast the most favored spot under
the sun with those afflicted with lung difficult
ties; for q few years. residence here has often
been found sufficient TO effect permanent cure
without the use OF medicine. With lncipient
cases permanent cure never fails
+ Ia in, nth
advantages OF the various places on the coast
most commonly resorted to, but the wonderful
curative properties Of California sun and air on
the class of cases have mentioned is too well
known to need discussion. The resorts which
have put fort1, the highest claims for public
mention them in their order from uorth to
SOUTH are Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, San
Buenaventura, Santa Monica. aud San Diego
Santa Cruz is so far north that sea-bathine is
possible only during the summer mouths. IL
is also in the region OF toes, as arc Santa Bar
bara and San Buenaventura. Tue harbor OF
Santa Barbara is funnel-shaped opening out
its widest part towards the sea, and catching
the full force OF all storms that visit the coast.
The bay is great breeder OF logs 1or the same
reason, about which have heard more conl-
plant than little among visitors to Santa
Barbara. The location Of San Bucnayentura
is very similar. 1t is a very foggy place: Sun
Diego is far away. It has an excellent climate,
pUE no 11cllLltS aCa-UAlA1l!G.s LII 1ASL. IL -
hardly safe to bathe in the sea there, as an oc-
casional shark is seen. Its nay IS ilnd OF
lagoon. The sea view Is not inviting, while the
country round about is as uninteresting as pos
siblc.
Santa Monica seems to he the
HAPPY MEAN,
ALWAYS existing in nature and, when found,
always found to be tie nearest possible ap-
proach to perfection. All the other placcs arc
shut out from communication with the outer
=, ~ c$1
both rather precarous and unlnVltlng modes OF
travel. From the nature Of things it will be
long before they can be reached by rail, if, ill.,
deed, they ever are.
Santa Monica, besides having sem1-Weeky
connection with San Francisco by boat, is con-
ncctcd by rail- with the great railway system OF
the coast The scenery, tile natural attractions
of the country hercabout, and the liberal pro
vision Of minor attractions bv the cnrcrprlSln5
patrons of the town, give to Santa Monica claims
on the pleasure seeker which none OF its
rivals possess. But the bay is the
glory Of Santa Monica. Curying into the land
between Point VINCENT and Point Dune, which
stand out like bold headlands to break the yio-
entrance by Catalina aud other islands, it is al
most landocked- However fierce the gale
outside vessels muy ride at anchor here in per-
feet safety, And yet the bay IS immense, in
arce containing pot less than 2;'0 square miles,
and having all the peculiar characteristics OF the
sea without any OF its rou=hness. The town
laws well to tho north, against the southern
SLOPE Of the Coast Mountains, which follow close
down to the water on Point Vincent, shutting
out eptirely the winds aud fogs which come
down FROM the north and northwest. Santa
Monica looksto the south aud east. While Los
Angeles and towns to the north are cropping IN
for Santa Monica has bright sun aud clear
sky. ....
Il being only about two years since the foun-
dation Of the village, no complete therlnoulct-
rical record exists longer back than that. But
the
CAREFULLI-KErT OBSERVATIONS
of the past two years have been quite sufficient
tn show that nowhere on tho coast, and
possibly nowhere in the world, is there such
astonishing eouatility Of tenuerature OF air and
water tue whole year rouud.--no place where
the annual mean temperature ranges SO Algtl, (
with So little difference between maximum
heat and maximum cold. 1t has the inTigoratins |
effect Of sea air with tho soft aud balmy |
atmosphere Of scnli-t7opical climate.
The following table OF thermo1netrlcal ooser- |
vations Tor the year ending June II, 1871, re-
corded four times daily. viz: at a. H.: noon,
4 n. M, and midnight, shows the nature OF the
climate:
juno ............... $3.50. M " az on