St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-02-02


during early winter, and the late
drought mentioned in Northern Asia,
have had their counterpart in the lack
of rain on this coast. Although they
bring ruin to agricultural interests, yet
for those who only desire to enjoy a
genial climate, this winter here is beau
tiful beyond description. Last year
was very wet. About the Goth of last
March, however, summer began. From
that time excepting shower in August,
a weeks rain in October, and one days
rain the first of November, up to the
present date, January Is, it has been
perpetual summer and sunshine. The
last two months or more have been en-
tirely free from rains or fog, and all
hopes of rain the remaining months OF
winter, excepting slight showers, are
given up. 1t has been cold enough a
few mornings to give little white
frost, but generally the thermometer
has ranged from 40 to 20 above. We
all know bow beautiful seem two OF
three days in September, making what
we call an Indian summer in Vermont,
with beautiful clear sunshine, with
temperature sufficiently cool to give
sharp appetite and refreshing sleep,
when all nature cOnspires to give full
enjoyment TO business or recreation.
Now multiply these few days to make
four and even six months, and then you
can form some idea of the present win
ter in California. Tradition has it that
way back half century ago or more,
there were 300 consecutive days here
without rain. If this were true it may
come again this year, but certainly it
dampens the enjoyment of the season
to contemplate the prospects of the loss
of cattle and sheep ''On a thousand
hills" without number.
Second in point of interest 1.-THE YO-
semitic always excepted) to sight-seers
among the wonders of California, are
the
GEYSER SPRINGS.
These are hot springs, the water boil
ing in them from chemical change as is
claimed. These springs are situated in
narrow canyon with PERCEPTIONS
mountains on either side. The scenery
on the route to them up and down this
narrow gorge for several miles north
and south of them is worth as much to
the visitor as the springs themselves.
In fact one would be more profoundly
impressed with this freak of nature as
exhibited by these boiling springs if
quite ignorant of the laws of chemistry.
As you approach them, however, when
half mile away you see steam rising
like as though there were several Yer
mont sugar camps scattered over an
acre OF two of hill side, minus the camp
but plus the steam dense and thick
rising fIom the boiling sap. The sui
phuric is the only acid as far as | could
learn in this chemical laboratory but
the bases are numerous soda.
magnesia, lime, and several others.
They have on sale at the hotel a case
of bottles filled with pure chemicals
taken from the margin of these springs
among which | might name pure lime,
soda, epson salts, sulphur, good article
of writing ink and several things | can
not remember. These elements are
heaped up in large mounds here and
there along the margin of these springs,
the minerals deposited where there had
existed crucibles and the necessary
materials having become exhausted the
work is now transferred a small dis
lance to some other points, where they
now exist. At the point where iron is
present there escapes from the rocks
stream of writing ink, called the devils
ink stand. At another point the steam
is confined in the rocks but escapes
through small aperture with exactly
the sound of steam escaping from a !
locomotive and quite us loud, called
the Steamboat Geyser. Still another
place as large as Vermont kitchen. an
excavation in the rocks full of boiling
water splashing with ebullitiOn a foot
or two high with roar and tumult al
most like that of thunder called the
Witches Caldron. Hot springs are
in volcanic countries so that
another explanation of some of the
phenomena exhibited by the Geysers
presents itself. In these localities the
water may penetrate far down to highly
heated beds of rock or the deptb so
great that the high temperature NAV
come from the great depth alone. Thus
heated and under great pressure they
possess powerful solvent properties.
The name Geyser is taken no doubt
from the intermittant hot springs known
by the same name in various parts of
Iceland the history of which was known
ong before the discovery OF the Cali
'Ornia Geysers. A.J.H.
st. Helena, Cal, Jan. Is, 1877.
Our New York Letter.
'ULL-DozING THE BEARS-EXHORTERs