Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1881-05-06
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
4 Esok at San Joss-Ths Normal sehool-
Gen. Hsglss's Plaee-Ths Famous Alameda
-prslimiasziss for Our Own School.
DEAR HERALD: As the guest Of
Nr. e. f. Spence, Saturday last, I
took . hurried run down to "San
Joae the Beautiful" and I was we'll
repaid for the trip. When the
train had got we'll into San Mateo
the landscape was inde-
soribably lovely. In the fifty.one
miles which intervene between
Ban Francisco and San jose are
Of exquisite homes
many of them palaces-built
by wealthy San Francis
cams. s'Mlllbrae," late the resi-
dsnce Of Mr.. D. y. Mills, is a pre-
tsntious but not specially attract.
I've rssldence. At Menlo Park one
only catches aglimpse Of one of the
tall towers Of Floods rural palace,
90 high and obstructive with rich
green foliage arc the trees. An ex-
qulsitely wooded ravine leads off to
Belmont, around which cluster
more associations Of elegant and
genial hospitality, when it WAS
presided ever by VIM. G. Ralston,
than attach to any place Of com.
paratively recent erection on the
American continent. The house
itself is not visible from the road.
The country seems to increase in
natural beauties until Santa Clara
and San Joee are reached. For
miles the railway is aligned by the
lordly domain Of the Murphys.
who have acquired much land and
sold next to nothing, and who, in
consequence, are enormously
wealthy. An appreciative eye for
the beautiful and usefnl had that
flne old Irish gentleman, one of the
olden time, who laid broad and
deep the fortunes of the family.
Santa Clara Is "a lovely little
town, the Roman Catholic and
Methodist Colleges being distinct
i've features Of the place. 1t Is also,
In common with San Jose, part
owner Of the celebrated Alameda,
Of which we shall have more to say
anon.
THE NORMAL SCHOOL GEN.
NAGLEE's PLACE.
The surroundings of San Jose
are bright, inspiriting, vernal with
flowers without end and radiant
with many.hued leaves of tree and
shrub. It does not impress the Wis
ttor ~ q very lively business
place, however, though the bust
ness blocks are imposing and ex'
pensive. Notable amongst these IL
the Ryland block, and the banks
are all handsomely housed.
Churches And educational institu-
tions abound in San Jose, the
Methodist and Roman Catholic
churches heading the list. The
Convent of Notre Dame is bright,
CHEEKY, extensive and graceful in.
stitution and the grounds vie with
the buildings. The State Normal
School, recently rebuilt, did not
impress me as the acme Of archi.
tectural excellence, and the
grounds, for the improvement oil
which q large appropriation was
made by the Legislature, are not at
oil up to standard. or course, it
would hardly do to visit San jose
without taking in the Nagles
place. The grounds are umbra-
geous, serpentine walks and car
rage ways leading through a will
dsrness of trees, the Monterey cy-
press being conspicuous. There
are some superb weeping willows
also. The house is very modest
AFFAIR. It is flanked on one side by
Gen. Naglee's dlstillery and
In the rear is his famous vins-
yard, or at least portion Of it.
It would be mistake to
suppose that there is about San
jose anything like the prodigality
Of vineyards which add to the
wealth and beauty of Los Angeles.
They are not there. San Jose is
emphatically a region Of resi-.
dences. It il inhabitated in great
degree by people who have made
their wealth elsewhere, and who
have set about seeing what money
aud taste could accomplish in the
direction Of building themselves
delightful homes. 1t is needless to
soy that they have succeeded IN
their aim superlatively we'll. The
whole place 10 odorous with flow-
DFs, jocund with the suggestion of
ppulsnt and elegant home-lifs and
ray - the dream OF Parislan.
THE FAMOUS ALAMEDA.
TO crown al, San jose has her
Ilorlous Alameda, which runs from
len Jose to Santa Clara, danked
u each aide by grand old trees,
1ith another row down the center,
Ihieh were planted By the old
$500 hssnd rad vAaPa nU0