The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-04-01


wither and fall on the spot In the former
case 1t is good fodder for cattle; in the latter
1t forms good manure for the young shoots
: which have been springing from the root, and
which are soon ready 20 bear fruit IN their
turn. From these shoo,s or sprouts the plant
is propagated."
: In one particular Los Angeles is built ter
racelike on the side OF hill, from the sum
nit of which a most charming view of the sur
rounding country is had To the right or
south stretches q beautiful space of country,
beyond which is Santa Manica, and IN the
dlmly outlined distance the blue waters of the
Pacific. On the lett stretches the valley
through which Andres Pico, general of Los
Mejlcanos, IN '46, marched the army of de-
Tense to spend one long summers day IN
bloodless combat with the Pathtinder-,Johu
G. Fremont And at a later day the same val
Iant Cabaleros rode to redeem themselves in
the hearts of their Senoras by that long to be
remembered disastrous attack on kearney's
Dragons. Here in this valley Is one OF the
Oldest and most important of the old Missions
of California, and located IN the most lovely
spot IN the valley for comfort and convenience.
In selecting sites for those monuments of the
early struggle for Chrlstlanity-as some call
them-t is very evident that the fathers were
wise in their generation; for no matter where
you 60 or where they are you will always find
them located IN just the right spot for conven-
fence, comfort and health. i have written so
much and pictured so many times in former
letters the style, build and history of those old
Missions that the readers OF the TRADER mast
be well acquainted by this with their charac-
ter and nature; and as the history of one is al
most the history of all, and description of
one, with slight variations, picture of all,
will not attempt one here.
! Leaving Los Angeles in the early afternoon,
our train skirts along the foot hills up the val
ley, through the orange groves and vineyards,
and soon enters the great Mojave Desert or
great Cacti Forest, rs it is sometimes called.
Here Is tract of land averaging several hun
bred square miles, whose leading feature OF
interest Is the merable species of Cacti, at
least it IS said that there are over one hundred
and fifty different kinds. For miles and miles
and hour after hour the tram dashes on throu IA
this orchard of Cacti, and although interesting
at first you soon tire OF looking at them. of
the many species, the one which confronts you
at almost every turn Is the Sagnara These
specimens grow a straight, upright stalk to
the height OF fifty feet; stiff mass OF green
pulp and frame work, with most beautiful
system of net work, resembling crocheting
with spangled stars, and with prongs and col
oring matter running through the entire length
of the tree Then there is the Tucca Cactus, an
other specie This tree is unique and luter
esting to look at. 1t Is composed of trunk
about half to three-quarters of foot in diane
ter with open, sumpy branches protruding
from near the top, the end of which is
round ball.like, gracefully beset with porcu.
plne.like thorns. For years and perhaps CEN
turles this CactI has stood the hurricanes, tor
nadoes, sand storms and drouths of the DIES.
ert, without any conceivable use, but science
has at last discovered use for it IN the way
of converting it into paper. 1t prOducesa fine
quality of paper in almost every grade and
suitable for any purpose. Thus we see there
Is good IN all things" But twenty years ago
who would have thought there was any good
in the Cactus but mans industry and civil
cation is turning mountains into molehills |
and heaps OF sand into the river to get at the
filthy lucre that lies at the bottom.
Leaving the great Moiave desert, our train
enters the wondrous
TEHACHAPI PASS,
or LOOP" SO named from the fact that in cir
cling the railroad crosses its own track to
reach high elevation Of mountain. The Te-
hachapi Pass is one of the greatest pieces OF
railroad engineering IN the world 1t COM
prises distance of about twenty miles, IN
which you have trestles chasms, curves and
tunnels OF the grandest, the widest and the
most wonderful construction of the works OF
nature and of man. There is a certain sensa
ton over one during this short ride, and at
times you are held spell-bound as apparently
the locomotive is playing tag with the tail end
of the train, which seems to jump from noun.
tam dome to pinnacle; from peak to peak
round curves and angles, and across deep ra
vines, with towering mountains on one side
and precipitous gorges on the other. A halt
dozen or more tunnels are passed through, and
as the train energies from the longest and last
we are somewhat elevated, from which point
a most imposing view of a wild tract ot couu !
try Is had Looking from our car window,
the eye peers over hill dale, mountain peaks
and ranges until lost IN its own vision; and
30 vast in extent as TO suggest that the whole
of Gods footstool was spread out before US.
As the shades of evening began to gather
we take last lingering look at the region OF
| Tehachani. and morpipy pds nc al ,rt;nc IN Al