Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-11-12

artesian wells afford abundance of water
for these grounds, and give cleanliness
to the otherwise dusty place, freshness
to the plants and life to the trees. Here
is wonderful variety of flower beds.
with an almost endless variety of plants
and flowers. Here, not to mention but |
few of the plants and trees, are the fig,
palm, olive, almond, magnolia, hello
trope, fuchsia, gefnaium, jasmine, clean
der, clematis. ivy and the century plant ;
here, too, flourish the palm from Pana-
ma, the from Patagonia, the &C.
dar from the Himalayas and from Leba-
non, the cypress from Japan, the euca-
lyptus from Mexico, and very large
number of the rarest kinds of trees
which it would be tedious to name. A
century plant put out in 1871, is now
feet high; Washingtonian magnolia
planted six years ago, is II feet high
and has blossomed two years. An enca-
lyptus planted in II, is now sixteen in
ches in diameter the growth of these
trees is wonderful. These premises. on
ly partially described, are dedicated to
the pleasure of man by their liberal own
er, who has derived his vast property
from the income of grapes and the man
ufacture of wines and brandies. His
vineyard has $50 varieties of grapes.
but we will not describe it.
We leave this garden and rich vine
yard, and pass over to Washington
Square, where the city donated large
! tract of land for the site of the State
Normal School buildings. Like every
thing else in this magnificent county, the
public buildings are very large. These
school buildings are 284x16O feet, with
height to correspond. The high tower
is $50 feet above the ground. This in
stitution cost $4,000. and is supposed
to be as good as any East or West. On
Market street is Market plaza, the old
Spanish park. which is the public gar
den and the prettiest public park in the
city. Beside the Normal School there
are many other public schools; noted
among which is the Academy of Notre
Dame and the University of the Pacific
the former is an institution of the M. E.
church in the latter, male and female
students arc admitted on equal standing.
The city has churches for almost all de-
nominations, many of them very costly,
Hotels are abundant. The best of them
charge only three dollars day.
San Jose is third city in Importance
in the State. 1t was first settled by
missionaries in l777, but really dates
its existence as city from l847. II
was the first capital of the State, but il
1852 the capital was removed. The pop.
ulation of this city is 10000, with a
constant growth. 1t has good railroad
facilities and is the county seat. The
courthouse is an attractive building
with dome lifted to the height of more
than hundred feet this building cost
| Sl75,000. We Will try and find the
stairway that leads to the lofty dome
one hundred and seventy-two steps
and we step cautiously out on the lofty
summit of this building. Beautiful Wis
ion Northward lies the glittering bay
of San Francisco; eastward, the eye
passes over the green lines of live OAK
timber, catching glimpses of farms and
farm-houses, villas and towns, and in
the far distance the towering form of Mt
Hamilton; to the southwark lie the Lo
mos Lagrimas Hills of Tears) that fence
in the valley in that direction; to the
southwest, rise two mountain peak:
in lofty grandeur, Chanal and Bache
which lift up their heads nearly 1900
feet above the Pacific. At the foot Of
these is located the famous quicksilver
mines of New Alameda.
But we have been so interested ii
drinking IN the beauties of the more dis
tant scenery, that our eyes have not fol
lowed the lovely sight of nature and ar
beneath our feet. Time will not sufic,
to describe all that can be seen from
this elevation. and we leave the imagin
alton of our readers to picture the scene
"Lovely of situation" and adorned b.
the wealth and skill of many of the mil
lonaires of this golden region. San Jos
is among the most beautiful cities o.
the continent. nj. T. BLAKE.
THE REAL QUESTION.