The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-07-31
OUT WEST.

ACES OF THE RICH.
Special Correspondence of the VIRGINIAN.
Probably no one in the State Of California
has paid so much attention to the cultiva-
tion OF grapes from which can be made fine
brandy as has Gen. Henry M. Neglu. He
has one hundred and fifty varieties of grapes,
many OF which are known as the French
and German stocks. The fruit of these vines
he manufactures into high grade of bran
dy, and his wine cellars now contain many
thousand gallons, some of it dozen years
old. AS the increase in value Is entirely In
excess of and disproportionate to the in
crease in age, he can safely calculate upon
receiving high rate of interest upon the
capital laid up in brandy casks in those
cellars.
Gen. Neglu aspires to become philan-
thropist by demonstrating that as fine bran
dy can be manufactured from grapes grown
in California as from the fruit when it is
gathered from the vines in the Fatherland
or in sunny France, and persons who con-
slider themselves competent Judges assure
me he is meeting with gratifying results.
entertain no aspiration to become a
manufacturer of fine brandies, but if any
one knows OF any other philanthfopic enter
prise which is attended with as small risk
and which ensures such large returns as does
this, give that person free permission to
inform me Of it.
An entire day could be profitably spent in
Gen. Neglu's grounds, for he has expended
large sums of money beautifying them. and
has gathered plants and shrubs and trees
from many countries. His flower gardens
are veritable paradise to those who re
fond of Gods sweet messengers, and Aunt
Dinah would delight in ''dem dar veg 'tabes
what he raises.' Six artesian wells furnish
plentiful supply Of water for irrgating
purposes. the surplus being conducted into
artificial ponds where fountains play, the
cool spray keeping the atmosphere pleasant
in hot days.
If you call upon the General, in his cot
tage,h he will treat you tosome of his choicest
wines, and tell you a great deal which do
not know about his enterprise.
One thing like about the old Catholic
missionaries who laid the foundation for so
many of the towns in this State, they i'm
mediately set about improving the plans Sc
lected, and proceeded with determination
which indicated they had come to stay. The
man who would never set out fruit trees be-
cause he shouldn't live to eat the fruit, )"
always seemed to me like selfish excres-
cence on the face of the earth, which could
be dispensed with and no one suffer loss.
1t is over hundred years ago since these
representatives OF the Catholic faith came
into this valley to begin their work, and no
more beautiful monument could be erected
to their memory than is found in the triple
row of trees planted by them in their first
years here, land which shade the drive known
as the Alameda, extending the entire dis
lance of three miles between Santa Clara
and San Jose. Handsome residences are
reaching out until soon the two cities will
clasp hands under the trees. How those
hard-headed and Woodworking old priests
would have secuted the idea, ii some one had
whispered in their ears that the tinkling mu-
sic OF the street car bells would some time be
heard on this fine avenue.
! The wheels OF civilizati0n'turn not back
ward, and Santa Clara, il she has not kept
even pace with her sister city in the race, has
had to yield very much to the memorable law
of progress. There yet fingers about her
streets a suggestion of the olden time, and
I caught myself watching for the dark
skinned senoritas who seem the fitting in
habitants of some OF the buildings.
The Catholic School and Church build
ings are conspicuous objects and are quite
extensive. The old adobes are in good
state OF preservation and steps should be Ia
ken to preserve them both here and in San
Jose, for people need these old landmarks
to keep alive in their memories the past
history of their town, and since, once upon
q time, there arose in the city OF San
Jose, a man so devoid of all appreciation oil
the beautiful, so bcreit OF all common sense, ol
uncommon sense, or any other kind OF
sense, as to attempt to lobby through the
city council a vote to cut down the trees
which have been the delight OF the San Joseat
and Santa Clara heart for century, there is
no telling what some other idiot may not at
tempt in the future.
Let the trees live on. The heart Of eact
of them is full OF the sweet secrets which
have been whispered by those who walked
beneath their shade; they count the lovers
vows they have listened to by the leave
which fade and fall, and they know tina
many vow was kept no longer than tn
trail leaf kept its fresh beauty. l wonde
If the birds which twitter SO among tn
branches, are not telling the secrets OF the
hearts which hounlad with hone and happl