The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1881-06-01
LITTER IRON CALIFORNIA.

WONTEhEfs OALt bAdy 40, oil.
FRIEND P. Having decided to omit the
trip to the Yosemite Valley and spend few
days extra at this place, it gives time to write
up some of the letters that owing to the con-
slant travel and sight seeing, we've neglected
We rather expected to find warmer weather
when we reached the Pacific slope, but for
the most part it has been cooler than in LAM
berttille when we left there on the 2bth of
April. To-day, at one o'clock, the mercury
reached 700, which is about as high as it goes;
in the mornings and evenings, 55o to 600. 1t
reminds one of our beautiful Indian summer,
both as to temperature and appearance. The
mornings and evenings are hazy, in fact, even
at mid day the sun is not quite clear and one
can sit or walk in the sunshine without dis
comfort and the shade is deliciousif you have
a shawl or overcoat on.
| suppose ii would come to be true here as
elsewhere, that 'sfamiliarity breeds con-
tempt" but it certainly seems on first in
PRODUCTION as though one would never tire of
the beautiful walks and drives within easy
reach of our hotel.
The trees, shrubbery and flowers are not
only new and peculiar, but exceedingly beau
tiful in themselves. Some of the old live
oaks aud cypress, in size and general appear
ance, look as though they had borne the winds
aud absorbed the beauties of many centuries.
The artist desiring to sketch in trees would
not need to draw on the imagination here, as
almost every conceivable shape is to be met
with, besides untold numbers not conceivable
This Hotel del Monte,n Monterey, the
farthest point west and south that we shall
likely visit, with its surroundings both art-
fetal and NATURAL is the most perfect Except in
grandeur and sublimity Of scenery that we have
yet seen. The hote itself is paradise for COM
fort, elegance and convenience, nothing that
| have ever visited coming near equalipg it,
The architecture is stylish, tasteful, beautiful,
and the grounds surrounding it have had the
benefit of natural adaptation, Incompatible
it seems to me- and then improved by mas
ter in taste and skill. should judge the de-
signer had not been hampered by any such
inconvenient restrictions as estimated cost,
but was to make the best that he could and
send the bill to the Southern Pacific r. r.
Co. to whom it all belongs, as well as ten
thousand acres of land beside, through which
many miles of beautiful, hard, gravel roads
are already made.
A camping ground comprising some hun
dreds of acres on one of the beautiful points
jutting into Monterey Bay, near here, organ
lied on the principle of Ocean Grove, N. j.,
has also been laid out and occupied. Ifthere
can DO any possible objection to such place,
it would be that it is not warm enough. Per-
haps, though, person who has lived in Lam
bertville nearly quarter of a century, is not
a competent judge of warm weather. One
person here to whom I talked about the eli
mate, ETC., said they had the warmest wealth
er in the aointer time, but then he was evident
ly from the Screen Isle," which might
account for the Hibernanism but for the fact
he gave some reasons.
Most of the workmen round about here,
except perhaps, the mechanics are Mexican
and Chinese. Some few are Portuguese and
regular Spanish. All who live here any
length of time learn to talk little Spanish.
All the house girls Except the chief one, who
is an Englishwoman) are Chiaamen, and very
clean and neat looking they are, and make up
bed and arrange things in room with
celebrity and becomingness not often excelled
by any one. Their style Of dress makes them
look all right at the business, and being most
ly very slight build, active and quiet in their
movements, they seem to me quito in their
place.
cta1x 81. toa - 40
head of horses, and vehicles of every descrip-
tion to correspond SO when we want to ride,
which we propose to do tomorrow, doing our
own driving, we shall have no trouble in
getting suited, there beng'so few guests at
the house as yet. One of our party who is
arrangement the best he had ever seen, and
ladies do not hesitate to walk all through 1t
to see the place.
Almost everything is here except good
water; that, though good enough for drinking,
and said to be healthy lat least it does not
make you sick,) yet is SO hard that it is al
most impossible to wash your hands or linen
with any satisfaction.
AS this letter got started in the direction Of
commentator, and it seemed easier to lot it
run on in that way, have neglected to say
anything about the most annoying lot of flies
that have been Fostering me most of the
time or the various kinds and sizes of
mosquitoes that inhabit round about in the
evening or the ever busy flea that has evil
IDENTIFY come to stay, If he did not originate
here. 1t would seem that 60 wherever you
win, there are some drawbacks, and | would
be quite willing to exchange these fine parlors
and other elegant surroundings, for modest
olive-green frame house in T., at least long
enough to see how all the good friends are.
This old town of Monterey, of only few
hundred inhabitants, came near being the
first in the state, having been the place where
the first convention was held to frame con-
stitution for the state, and notice that one
of our Jersey Governors, r.. NJ. Price, was a
member of it. It is stated that only small
fraction of the members conld speak English,
being largely Mexicans, Spaniards, Indians
and mixed.
But am at the bottom of another sheet