Omaha daily bee., 1883-04-30
An Omaha Party Over on the
Golden Shore.
Reveiing In the Perfume Of
Fruits and Flowers.
Troubles and Annoyanoss Of an
Overland Trip.

slightly neglected. This neglect Is
owing to the fact that on my arrival
In this city I entered at once upon my
work, and have been constantly 90
cupisd. l will frat say q few things
about our trip, for the benef: of those
of your readers who may contemplate
q visit to the Pacific coast.
Although our party was '~'relect"
and our car entirely new, we were all
greatly disappointed to find that In
place Of an emigrant train, rs VIC had
ignorantly supposed, u car was at.
taohed to q long, allow freight train.
We had supposed an emigrant train
to be made up of emlgrant Jars only.
Had there been no invalids In the
party 1t would have made but little
difference, but the constant jerking
and iamming, from taking on and
letting off freight cars, was most IL
noylng to the sick in the company.
Therefore, we would warn all invalios
against crossing the mountains on y
freight train. We deem 1t q duty to
suggtst, also, to parties crossing the
MOUNTAINS on an emigrant-freight
train to make their own arrangements
with the Central Pacific at Ogden be-
fore starting. We relied upon the
promiee of the Unior Pacific agent at
Omaha to arrange for n party to
have q special car from Ogden to San
Francisco, but when We arrived In
Ogden we found to our great surprise
that such q parry had never been
heard of by the Central Poetic. But
through tho great kindness of the
agent ut this road we we're snugly
slowed away In a clean, nice car, en-
tirely to ourselves.
We YER just nine days making the
trip, and would have been ten had not
cur car been transferred to the OK press
ut Sacramento. This was done, at the
request of the writer, on account of
the illness of the wife of Rsv. j. B
johnson, whose life was despaired #
81 we crossed tho summit Of the
Sierrss. We were assured by the con.
ductor that persons with very weak
lungs greatly endangered their lives
by being carried to such an altitude.
After nine days picnic We arrived in
San Jose Tuesday evening, March ~,
1888. No doubt the majority of your
readers are already familiar with the
many published accounts of this
"wonder land" San Jose is a city OF
about eighteen or twenty thousand.
1t is situated in the beautiful valley of
Santa Cloud, near the center. Is
Just fifty miles south of San Francisco.
It is famous for its wide streets, beau,
tiful drives, fine residences, tropical
trees, fragrant flowers and prosperous
schools. If the education of her citi,
zans may be measured by the lumber
end character Ct her school buildings,
and their religion by her churches
they r highly educated and truly
religious.
Hhe state normal school Ia located
here and has an attendance at the
present time of over 500 pupils, Thii
delightful valley and its surrounding
foot hills are devoted almost exclusive
ly to the raising of fruis. There are
still q few wheat fields In certain local
tiles, but these r being divided ~
into small lots of FIVE, ten and twenty
acres and sold to fruit growers.
A. --I--l e L. Ill Ill.
an income of from 90, 600 to $5, 00(
per year
The following are among the mos
common fruits in the valley: Pruues
pears, peaches, spricots, nectarines
cherries, oranges (uot 90 plenty
lemons, lines, figs, grapes and all tn
smaller fruits. The extensive frui
canneries furnish Q ready market TO
al the fruit raised. The most of tn
orchards are sold while the fruit II onl,
In bloom, sold for 30 much per pound
These orchards are cultivated with q
much oare and kept a. clean % til
most CAREFUL farmer would cultivst,
his garden-not . weed, not q blad
of grass can be seen.
The glory of this valley consists Il
its great variety of fruits, flowers an
shade trees. The very air 10 frsgran
with the perfume of flowers. Toe yard
and gardens surpass anything 1 eve
looked upon.
The people are, al q rule, rlch, goo
nvers, very social, generous and happy
They are certainly the most satisfs
people on earth.
The climate is not what we had hope
to find 1t, judging from the few weel
we have been here. It is very COO
and at this season of the year, and n
doubt the year round rather DAM
There has not been an hour since v
arrived 10 the state that q good fire b,
not been comfortable; ana, ss / wrii
with a magnificent boquet on mytabl
the wood fire roars..and crackles In Il
stove by my side.
Twice within the last ten days v
could see the "beautiful snow" fallir
and spreading Its white mantle ov,
the summit Of Mount Hamilton, viii
all around us were growing fruits ar
blooming flowers. We are told tn
during the very hottest days 1t Is 90
in the shade, and when night com
on you need the same amount OF GOV
that Is necessary In the oolde
weather. We sleep under as muC
GOV here, with the perfume
roses In our room as we did In Omsl
when the mercury marked 80 belo
zero. Those accustomed to tn
climate think 1t perfectly delightfr
We hope in time to reach the sar
much to be desired state of mind.
We find our old friend and town
man, j. s. Murray, and his excelle
wife, living on q small fruit farm
the suburbs of the city. They ha'