Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-01-30

EDS. HERALD.
Becoming weary OF the dull monotony
Of my life In the Capitol City, I packed
my wardrobe and was soon on my way
southwark, destined for the ''promised
land" about which so much has lately
been written, in such glowing terms
am sorry to say that the
glowing pictures have turned out like
great many other things in this curious
world-'sdistanee lends enehantment to
the yiew," and the golden fruit so tempt.
ingIy pictured turn out to be nothing but
bitter s'Dea Sea apples'' when you. get |
within the charmed circle. - I
A trip down the great San Joaquin /
Valley Is an enjoyable journey at any |
time, but Is more attractive at this season, |
when the harvest of fruits is being made /
and the green of summer is giving place |
to many beautiful tints of autumn. The |
road is danked on either side with vast
wheat-fieIds, fruit-laden orchards, and
a few charming villages, which give
promise of rapid growth in the future
The railroad has done what 1t could to kill
all the old towns near the road, by giving
them fhe ''go-by," and locating their own
towns and depots, on their own lands, a
few miles distant.
Some of the ranches in the valley are
almost as large in area as Fayette county,
and their owners are still adding to them.
Miller & Lux, in Kerns county, are the
owners of the finest ranches in the State,
and a few weeks ago made $500 900 ad-
dition to their already broad acres. They
are the cattle kings of the coast. The
Kern and Tulare valleys do not look to be
as productive as the San Joaquin; but,
with increased emigration, and better
facilities for irrigation, they will be the
garden spots of California.
Leaving behind us these beautiful and
| fertile valleys, and passing over low
range of mountains, or rather sand-hills,
we enter the Mohave desert, bald and
bare, without redeeming feature. And
emerging from this, you surmOunt and
wind around mountains and pass through
| tunnels that are marvels of engineering
skill, into and through the heart of OBJ
truding ranges until you reach the region
of orange, lemon and fig-the land of
health and felicity, of which Los Angeles
is the center. Travellers by this route
should not fail to get a glimpse of the
| Loop" which the railroad makes in
crossing the formidable range of noun
tains lying between the head of Kern
Valley and the Mohave Desert. The fame
of the 'FLoop'' has become worldwide.
It is located midway between Keene and
Girard, about $50 miles from Sacramento.
its length is 3,795 feet; difference in ele-
vation, 7s feet. Between Caliente and
the summit there arc seventeen tunnels,
the largest being 300 feet. The summit
of the Tehachapi is nearly 1000, but the
climate is very mild. The descent is grad
nal and easy, presenting few of the en-
gineering difficulties of the ascent. be.
lieve this Is the only instance in the world
where a railroad crosses itself, making {
complete loop, and is regarded by all en-
gineers as a marvel In railroad building
1t was given up as a hopeless task to at
tempt to cross the mountains by some O
the ablest engineers of the country ,wher
, a young man, almost novice, came for
ward and undertook the difficult task
He solved the problem and secured
>
in the company's service as chief engineer
At Mohave station there are few house
and a stage station. This place has tn
reputation of having the worst climate o
] any place in California. The wind blow
] furiously, even in the best of weather
: and fearful sand-storms are frequent. I
h is next to impossible to make the mos
: hardy trees grow. Nothing but cactu
e and stunted sage thrive in this drear
5 desert.
/ Leaving the Mohave plains, the roa
? enters the Soledad pass, where it wind
a its way through series of deflles until
e is confronted by the San Fernando Noun
e tains. The engineer looked in vain for
d feasible route ovsr the mountains an
II finally concluded to go through. The Sa
S Fernando tunnel is 6,967 feet In length
e being one of the longest in the country
}. AS we emerge from this tunnel we ente
y the valley of Los Angeles, and it is
j. welcome relief from the dreary desel
: which we have been passing over. ha
e formed n very high opinion of the LC
e Angeles valley, from the glowing d,
/? seriptions had read of it's magnificer
n orange, lemon, fig and pom1egranit
d groves, but the reality dispelled the ca
h ties 1 had built. The city itself was ais
Y a great disappointment. 1t has some fir
1T buildings and residences, but sort
ir ''finished' look which is apt to strike
D. stranger unfavorably. 1t enjoyed goc
trade for time; but now that the raj
road is completed to Yuma its glory
rapidly departing; and, having got into
= quarrel with the railroad, the latter Al
= doing all they can to kill it.
. The railroad company are about to /
. cate new line between Mohave and Co
. ton, which will leave Los Angeles so
70 in the cold,'' except its connection wit
le the sea by way of Santa Monica.
. After leaving Los Angeles the road fe
lows the Santa Ana valley. The Missic
= of San Gabriel is located few mil
le south of Los Angeles, and Is still in a j
- markable good state of preservation.
There are a few. settlements as we pa
: along, and the country presents rath
: better appearance, until the road begi
- its ascent through the San Gorgonto Pas
:, when we again encountered a steril
:, - dreary region. In fact, the country go
!. to the bad altogether as we descend in
- the Colorado Desert.
In my next 1 will tell you of the Desc
yuma, and trip to PRESCOTT, my prese
ay stopping place. Yours,
it, TYFo.
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