Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-16
LETTER FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
Preparations for the Great Masonic
DemOnssratiOn-Fifty Thousand WIS.,
itOrs ENpected-CrOP Prospects i'm Cal.
ifOrnia-Beiter Show for Wheat
About Southern California.
ice of THE EVENING STAR.
SAN Francisco. CAL, June


Your correspondent came to this great inter-
national city on Saturday from Benicia and
found the hotels crowded with visitors and the
streets ablaze with beauty and splendor. Some
Of the most distinguished men of the east are
here for purposes of health and pleasure. SEN
atOr Edmunds is still at the Palace hotel, and
Gen. Albert Pike, of your own beautiful city, Is
registered at the Occidental Elaborate prppara-
lions are in progress for the trlennial concave
of Sir Knights which is to be held here in
August-and which, it Is supposed will bring at
least fifty thousand people to the city. The fare
from New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago.
&c, will not exceed 8 100 for the round trip,
and these special rates will be extended to the
families OF the Sir Knights also. Multitudes
will seize this opportunity to cross the continent
and to behold the Pacific world with its thousand
wonders and attractions. The day when the
knightly procession moves through the streets
will be the grandest day in the history Of this
city Twenty thousand men In line arrayed in
brilliant costume, led by bands of music from
the cities of the east and west, and with magnifi-
cent banners floating In the fresh breeZes Of the
Golden Gate, will certainly constitute q most
imposing spectacle to the people Of this coast.
We arc now in the midst of the hay harvest
season Of California. The wheat crop is later
and promises to be abundant. In the early
spring the prospect for the cereals was gloomy
but the fine showers which have fallen since
u
could furnish bread for half the Union, If neces-
sary- Her annual shipments of wheat to for
eign ports are simply immense, of which have
written in former letters to The STAR.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
has become the center Of attraction for tourists
the world over. In respect to salubrity of cli-
mate, magnihcence of scenery, and in album
dance Of semi-tropical fruits it is Justly styled
the garden spot of the state. This section is
chiefly confined to two counties, namely, San
Bernardho and Los Angeles. The first is an
inland county, extending from the Colorado
river, or state boundary on the east toSwithin
nifty miles OF the sea, from which it is cut Off By
the !ast-named county. 1t is by far the largest
county in California, embracing 23,472 square
miles-a territory equal in extent to one half the
entire state of New York. 1t would swallow up
dozen of Rhode Islands. with New Jersey thrown
in. This wide area Is barren mountainous des-
ert, poorly adapted to agricultural purposes,
but rich in mining resources and in cattle rails
Ing. Is unsurpassed by any other section of the
state AS the tourist enters the state By the
southern route, traverses the broad Colorado
desert, with its alkali plains and dreary wastes,
and comes up through the mountain pass one
of the finest pictures of the sublime and beauti-
full opens on his admiring view. Ii he comes in
the winter season from the cold climate of the
east, where the land lies locked In icy letters,
with the thermometer far below zero. he finds
himself here In the midst of the brightness and
bloom of spring. Frequently he discovers win
ter and summer combined in one charming pic
ture-the mountains covered with snow half
way to their base and fringed with evergreen
pine, while In the valley the flowers are in full
bloom and the fields covered with the splendor
OF midsummer sum- The ordinary winter tenn
perature ranges from So to so.
THE "NORTHERs"
are the most unpleasant feature of this climate.
These strong winds, which sweep down the
coast, blast the vegetation Of the desert, and
seem to absorb the vitality Of man and beast
They are not, however, Of frequent occurrence,
and never last more than two or three days in
succession.
The rainy season usually begins about the
close OF November, and rain continues to fall at
Intervals through the months of January and
February, with occasional showers through
March and April. During the remainder of the
year rain is a rarity. The following variety OF
fruits abound in this region THE apple, april
cot, banana, cherry currant. fig. grape, lemon,
lime, nectarine, olive or anze, peach, pear
plum, pomegranite, prune. ounce, black
berry, raspberry, strawberry, almond.
English walnut. etc. The county Of Los An.
| geles has frontage on the Pacific ocean of
| about 100 miles. The water ia deep near the
shore most OF the distance, and the locality is SO
| free from storms that vessels may load and un-
load, by means Of lighters, at any point. The
town OF Los Angeles IL the present southern
/ eeiiuuus VI Tue FdCiuC cOasC OF all tfanS-cOnt1-
mental travel The Union Pacific and Central
| Pacific railroads are connected from San Fran
cisco with Los Angeles By the Southern Pacific,
| while this latter extends east from tho town to
the new belt and connects with the railroad
| system OF the southern states. Thus It 10 plain
that Southern California by reason OF the CEN
trality ofits location, Its superior climatic ad-
| vantages, the grandeur OF its mountains and
valley, with It's immense mineral resources. has
| q magnificent future before 1t. w.
4
| Judge Foraker. the republican candidate fer