The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-22

methods that obtain in the East. The
spirit OF speculation and OF quick and
large returns on money-a legacy OF the
mining crazs-is still predominant.
The climate Of California Is bound to be
sort OF wealth to her. She has by al
odds the choicest variety OF climate pos
sessed by any State OF the Union. It Is at.
tracing to her limits people Of means and
culture from the East. They will come in
increasing numbers in the future, Just az
competencies increase in the East. They
will come here for health and 10 escape
the rigors Of harsher climates. By and by
when railroad fares are cheaper, many
persons will have winter homes here amid
these semi-tropical gardens and orchards
where they will come in the fall and
linger until summer, while others, finding
here both summer and winter climate
adopted to their constitutional peculiari'
tie, will remain oil the year round.
FANCY SETTLEMENTS.
The fancy settlements in this valley, like
those have described at Pasadena and
San Gabriel, are something fascinating tc
behold. ! am indebted to Mr.. D. F. Wit.
mer, formerly OF Alexandria, Va, for 9
couple Of journeys around among them.
was especially interested by our visit Ia
McPherson's famous raisin factory or pack
ing establishments, place where some oi
the choicest raisins shipped from California
are put up. The process Of drying grapes
for raisins consumes from eight to ten
weeks, the first and largest period being
the drying period, and the second the
sweating period. 1t takes from five to
eight pounds Of grapes to make pound OF
raisins, and grapes bought at $50 to $25 per
ton are thus manufactured into raisins
worth Is cents per pound. The raisins,
which l sampled, were very fine, more
than equal, as far as could judge, to ut
least the average imported article.
Mr.. Wilmer is one OF the recent comers
to the Santa Ana Valley and is only just
recovering from what he styles his two
years OF probationary incredulity in regard
10 the value Of land. But for his incredu.
lily, he said that he could have doubled
his money by buying at the prices current
at the date OF his arrival and: selling at
those current now. 81 hadn't the faith,"
he said. "and therefore l didn't utilize my
He points out to me several
pieces Of land which he could have bought
at $50 to $l00 per acre two years ago which
have since doubled, and in some cases
more than doubled themselves. "And the
boom still goes on" he remarked. This he
said in surprise TO some expressions OF mis-
giving as to value on my part. He said
that I talked just as he did two years ago,
when he frat come. Well, eaid I, the fact
Is am onthe ground two years later leaves
Just that much less margin for a
iuture boom, and as matter OF history,
all booms have their day and their
and the only question now Is
whether q profitable market will
be found for all the grapes, oranges, lem.
ons, figs, almonds, ETC., which the old and
new comers are planting on such large
scale and with 80 much zest and Juror oi
as to profits. l pointed out to
him the fact that Mr.. J. L. Rose, OF San
Gabriel, OF whom spoke in my last letter,
values his place OF 1900 acres at 81 600 per
acre, and yet by his own statement his
profits last year were only 100000, which
would be about per cent. on his estimate
Of value. Now the question is this: II
Mr.. Rose with 800 acres Of vineyard and
200 orange and lemon trees can only
make 5 per cent. on land held at 81, 600 per
acre, can the small grower, who pays 81 600
or even $500 per acre for ten or twenty
acres, make more?
left this question in the hands Of Mr..
Wilmer for time and experience 10 solve,
both Of us feeling that we had not the
necessary data to deal with 1t satisfactorily,
and, thanking him for his courtesies dur
ing my sojourn, 1 took the train for Los
prior TO turningmy face Eastward
from this land Of enchantment.
AN OLD WEST vIRaINiAN.
Just before left l was introduced to a
Mr.. W. @. Maleyya native OF Richie
county, W. Va, and q cousin OF Gen. T.
NJ. Harris, OF that county. He, like Mr..
Wilmer, and in fact like most everybody
else out here, is an ardent advocate OF
California. met also James kerns, a
young and adventurous fellow from Clarks-
burg, who recently los. his money by tax
ing up small rancho on what he sup
posed was Government land, and "got sur
veyed into q grant" as he expressed it.
Nothing discouraged by his misfortune he
enlisted as dining-room boy at the Santa
Ana House, where he gets $50 per month
and found. l asked kerns why he did not
work for some farmer as q hired hand in.
stead OF going into a dining-room. He re-
piled that he knew all about such service
that the work wes harder and the net
pay not 80 much. a farm laborer in this
country, said he, has TO find his own bed.
ding and hire his own washing. The work
is harder on your clothes and harder gen.
orally, and / can do better here In the
Kerns has scheme on foot to introduce
Wheeling cigars into the Santa Clara Val.
ley. He thinks they would coon become
popular. And, speaking Of Wheeling cigars,
saw several cases OF Augustus PoIlock's
Wheeling cigars in the large wholesale
grocery house Of Albert Man & Co., San
Francisco, and they told me that the use Of
them was becoming quite extensive, and
that until recently they had had difficulty
in getting from Mr.. Pollock all the goods
their trade demanded. A so-called cheap
cigar (sold at s cents) is made by the
Chinese in San Francisco, but those who
are familiar with the methods and prac-
tees Of the workmen in the tipping Of the
wrappers do not care to smoke their cigars.
Wheeling stogies are retailed In San Fran
cisco, as in Portland, Oregon, at three for a
dime. Isaw some stogies made at Mounds.
vile on sale in Los Angeles.
THE CHINESE QUESTION.
On the eve Of taking my leave OF Cali
iornia, after nearly five weeks sojourn in
different parts Of the State, can think Of
Of several subjects as well as different
sights and scenes that l might have written
up for your columns had opportunity per.
mitted. For instance, there Is the Chinese
question and Railroad question, two sub.
iects that enSroEs much attention and
enlist much prejudice in California. /
gave you my observations on the former
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