The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-06-02
DreRry Prospect in California.

Correspondent " Y Sun.
If malt that Is told Of the drought in Cali
fornia is true its worst proportions have been
assumed in that State. Mr.. Leander A. Be-
win, Of this city, who has just returned from
the Pacific coast, brings trustworthy lntorma-
ton. He says that although the California
newspapers have only just begun to report
the condition of the agricultural districts
they have been aware Of the facts since the
close ofthe winter; Mr.. Bevln passed through
the San Joaquin Valley, which is the great
wheat producing section Of tie State. He
not only heard from the people there the
truth about the drought but he observed its
ravages for himself. The entire great valley,
reaching 800 miles into the lower portion Of
the State, Is bone dry. The rainy season,
which should have set in in November, did
not begin until late in January, and then, in
stead OF raining necessarily, often for weeks
at time until the latter part OF April, there
were only light and occasional rains, and the
dry season set in much earlier than usual.
In the winter months as much rain falls in
California as our lands receive during the en-.
tire year, and after April they get no rain
until the next winter. The consequence is
that now the soil is arid, and there is no hope
even il il were not already too late-for any
rain for months TO come. The farmers of the
San Joaquin valley have raised wheat almost
exclusively, and have tried to cultivate too
much land. They have become entangled in
debt, and nearly all the land in the valley is
heavily mortgaged. In putting in the spring
crop the farmers were obliged to borrow the
money used In the purchase OF seed and the
payment for labor. The grain grew two or
three inches in height, and then, the rain
ceasing It withered and died. and the land
is now barren Intelligent men who are COG.
versant with the facts prophesy that nine.
tenths Of the farmers will fail and be utterly
ruined this year. 1t is almost certain that
hundreds and hundreds will starve to death
unless sustained by charity. SEINE are out
of money now.
II saw" Mr.. Bevin said, On the foothills
and in the valley hundreds of dead and dying
sheep, and the bones Of sheep and cattle whit
ened the fields"
Mr. Hollister, the famed sheep king, who
owns $4,000 sheep in California, told friend
that if 5000 remain alive next spring he will
consider himself very fortunate. Friedland.
er, widely known rs the grain king, who con-
trolled all the shipments of wheat from San
Francisco, failed recently by reason Of loans
made to farmers. He used 10 pay $4,000 per
month for accommodations for himself and
family in the Palace Hotel, San Francisco.
In the northern portion of the State-the
Napa valley partlCularly-the chances are
that there will be a reasonably good crop.
The farmers there irrigate their land though
only in q small way. Irrigation is too eX-
pensve, costing from $50 to $40 per acre.
and is therefore practised in only fractional
part Of the State,
Instead of shipping grain this year. Cali.
fornia will not raise more than sufficient to
support her population. These facts are not
generally known, and while tram loads of
people are leaving California with what little
they are able 10 escape with there is yet Il
strong tide of emigration from the East
Whenever it does ram it pours, just at pres.
eHt.