Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-03-19
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.


LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
Dear Monitor In my last letter
did not complete the description of
Woodward's Gardens. l resume, and
invite your readers to Polytechnic Hall.
The walls of this building are adorned
by hundreds of the largest Photographic
views, of the remarkable scenery of the
Pacific coast, taken by the artist, E. G. |
Watkins. Passing first down fight |
of stairs, we enter the Marine Aquarium,
where the strange marine animals are
confined in the miniature sea, that has
been made in the rocks beneath our feet.
There are salt water tanks, and the visit
or, by looking through thick plate glass,
sees, as it were, a portion of the sea,
with its peculiar denizens. Here are
countless varieties of sea animals and
fish. which no brief description can do
justice to.
The water with which these tanks are
supplied is procured far out at sea, and
is pumped into and out of the tanks by
steam engines. The water that supplies
WIZ --o''- tanks is procured from
the arteslan wells. In looking ove1 sr.S
fishes in the fresh water tanks, we dis
covered trout from the brooks of the
East that looked as happy as those in
the mountain streams of Vt. Here also
is great variety of fresh water fish,
varying in size from the great sturgeon
of the Columbia river to the minnow of
one-half inch in length. We will not
continue these fish" stories, but pass
into the menagerie. Here we again meet
ehO ''"lnO o-~-@------+s-st that is grouped
together in every department of the Gar
dens. Yonder is grizzly bear that
weighs nearly ton; and here is wee
bit of white mouse that weighs only
an ounce. We saw in cage No. 10 what
is called ''the happy family" in which
were monkeys, cats, dogs, raccoons, pigs,
&c., &c. This family, though noisy, ap-
peared to dwell together as harmonious
ly as the average of families, (homo spe-
cie) East or West But we must not
dwell too long among these countless an
finals.
AS we cross the Garden toward the
Aviary, We pass the fountain, the high.
est jet of which shoots up hundred
feet. All along the way are beautiful
pieces of statuary, which we linger tc
admire. Here we take rustic seat and
| examine for few moments an artificial
cave that has been cut in the rocky side
hill. The owls have taken possession o.
this cave, and they appear as happy ant
look as "wise" as can be in their home
: On and up flight of steps, We come t.
a series of cave-like recesses, fitted VI
= with seats for the accommodation o
: those who wish to take lunch or lit
: .le rest sin the cool grot." We hav,
arrived at the top of the hill, in front o
: the costly glass Aviary. This is divid
ed into three apartments, which are sep
{ arated by wire screens. Here are hun
' dreds of birds, in size, all the way iron
: the bald eagle to the humming bird
t Nothing can be more beautiful than tn
: form, color and plumage of some of thes
s birds.
r Near by is the Pavilion and Skatini
t Rink. Skating assemblies are held dai
o ly, and thousands participate in thi
It amusement. The skates are the Plymp
s ton Parlor Roller, not steel runners, sue
a as are used on the ice in those unfortu
e nate countries where ice is staple dur
y ing many months in the year. In from
a of the Pavilion on the brink of the hill
e is an elevated Orchestra, the top q
e which makes an excellent observatory
l. From this we get an extended view of tn
u city, the bay, Oakland, and the mountai
panorama in the far distance. The Turk
Il ish Mosque, Music Hall and other inter
'e esting buildings are near at hand, bu
IL we will not describe the beauty of th
IL buildings or what they contain.
r. We will now go down the hill and tax
IL a ride on the Lake in the Rotary boa
N The water is only Is inches deep an
s. very clean, so if we get upset there wi
E. be less danger to ourselves than to tn
( water. AS we pass on toward the Ell
IL trance, we find everywhere the same pre-
'e fusion of statuary, the same beautifl
IL flowers, planes and trees, and the san
D. variety of interesting objects that hay
rs met us all day, as we have passed thr
er this wonder of the City of the Golde
e. Gate. M. P. BLAKE.
Is San Francisco, March l, 1877.
Or Hon. Hoyt H. Wheeler of Jamaio
re one of Vermont's best Supreme Judge
n. has been appointed United States CT
ID cult Judge for Vermont, to fill the Vi
| Al