Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-26
sAcRAMRNrANs ABROAD.


In former letter it was promised that an
account of the continuation Of the excursion
OF Sacramentans should be furnished you.
Let me first speak Of something forgotten in
my LAST. We saw at National City head of
cauliHower that turned the beam st 2s pounds.
II was about Is inches in diameter. We cav
there as fine olives as 1 ever tasted many of
the party thought they were better than any
Of The olives Of commerce. We saw and
tasted guLvA Jelly more delicate il favor than
any have before tasted. Apples also had
the finest favor Of any California apples |
have seen Of the same variety.
On our new exploration tour we started out
from "The City Of the Angels Tor the Pasa-
dena settlement or colony. Pasadena-" The
Key Of the Valley"-is the dividing ridge
between Los Angeles and San Gabriel val
Ieys The place of friendly interest to u5
there was that Of Professor Ezra Carr and
wife, Mrs. Jennie G. Carr. Mr.. Carr, OF
course it is remembered, YVES Superintendent
of Public instruction during the administra-
ton Of Governor Irwin, and it was during the
latter part Of the term that they began 20
improve the place, which contained forty
acres. They have displayed much fine taste
and good judgment in the improvements:
They have grapes that ripen at intervals OF
one week, from the earliest until the 1T OF
December. If memory serves me right, is
contains tWenty.seven varieties. IheT are
Just completing new house, very unique
and graceful in its architecture, strictly IN
harmony with the beauty Of the location.
From the observatory We had the finest view
of the valley the heart could wish, and one
which was proof indeed that we held the
"key of the valley" Mrs. Carr and the
doctor were overjoyed to see us, and wished
we could stay longer, but we had a long ride
before US, aud therefore bid them sn early
adieu and proceeded TO "Sierra Mgdre Villa
for lunch This place is most beautiful
niche in the hills under the Sierra Madre
range. There we found the orange in per-
lection also the lemon, which latter, 10
many places, was almost entirely killed by
frost. We rested our horses and breathed
the mountain air, tempered by the warm
brsezas Of the valley, and ate the DIS ert Of
our meal out under the trees, which
were loaded with golden fruit. It was one of
the most beautiful and restful phases of cur
whole trip. From there we went down the
valley in search of Governor Stoneman's
place, which we did not find until we had
passed il. We went TO the home OF s. Fl.
Titus, who has been one Of the great breeders
of the trotting horse Of Los Angeles county;
also TO the home Of S. j. Rose, who is one of
the Directors of our State Agricultural So
ciety and proprietor Of the finest vineyard of
the State, as well as having one of the best
studs of horses on the Pacific coast. We en-
loved very much looking at his sleek-Gmbed
youngsters by Sultan and Del Luis, some of
which we shall see at our next State fair. We
also enjoyed testing the quality of his vintage
and distillery, which opportunity was extend
ed to US with liberal hand. But space and
time have an end. We rode on Mr. Roses
place through the fnest avenue of orange
trees that we saw on our trip-swo rows of
lordly trees upon each side Of the drive from
the house to the main road. From Mr.. Roses
place we turned our horses for Los Angeles,
via the old San Gabriel Mission, which our
party visited in force, curious for its antiquity
and its character of church and stronghold,
as a fort against the marauding Apscaes.
We went into Los Angeles that evening at
about o'clock, with the . United States colors
flying from the head-pieces of our horses,
tired and hungry, but well satisfied party.
The day following we went to Santa Monica
beach. the town Of Senator j. ?. Jones, of
Nevada, fame. The town is situated on high
table land, and is not Of any particular inter-
est except as resort for invalids. The beach
is too abrupt and too gravelly for fine surf
bathing nevertheless, three of our party
thought they would try it, which led to what
might be termed !" s thrilling adventure -
at least it might have led to fatal one.
Two young men not OF our party. one Of
them q nephew of G. P. Huntington I've have
lost bis name), were launching a small boat
to ride the surf. One of our party, good
swimmer but for the first time in the briny
waters, asked permission to go with
them, being assured that they knew what
they were about, and that there was no dan
md iuet fhov cot the hnat into the
water another gentleman stepped into the
boat and took the oars and the oarsman's
seat. He was not dressed for bathing. but in
an ordinary suit The young men expostu-
lated and invited him to get out, but he re-
fused, aud said ne could manage it, and that
he did not mind little wet. So the boat
was pushed for deep water, and when the
order came to jump in, our Sacramentan
jumped in, and when the other two should
have jumped in they gave the boat strong
push and let it go and made for shore.
The Sacramentan did rot discover
this until the boat had gone quite
a distance, and when the first breakers struck
the boat it became evident to him that there
was trouble ahead. for the nan at the oars
could not keep the bow straight to the breakers.
He demanded the oars, which were refused.
He then concluded to stick to the "ship" as
long as it was right side up. When the boat
struck the second breaker it became evident
that the next one would capsizs the boat, and
our Sscramentan told his crazy pilot that he
would soon be il the briny deep. and that he
would have to paddle his own canoe. Aiolt
this time young wife on the shore realz
the danger the little craft was in and began
to hurry to the scene to pick up her drowned
lord, The next tidal wave, true to p-edic-
ton, tossed the frail craft out Of the water
and it came down bottom up, spilIipg It's load
of souls into cid ocean. The stubborn boat
man chung to the boat, but our SacramentaH did
not propose TO keep company with him longer,
and made struggle for the shore, and was sue.
ceasful in reaching it without help or knowing
whether he was in danger or not /; the
other was less fortunate, and had to be saved
by the two young men, who came gallantly to
his rescue when they saw his strength was no
match for the ocean. He was hauled ashore.
looking like a chicken that had experienced
an extended bath in a swill barrel. Without
this little adventure the trip to Santa Monica
would have been monotonous, at least TO one of
the participants. The next day we visited the
city Of Los Angeles and the orange groves
in the Immediate vicinity. The Wolfskill
grove is the most noted the trees ara thirty
years old, and the crop has been sold
on the trees. from thirty acres, for
SIS, 600 this year, and il is not a very good
year for oranges, being too dry. We were
very kindly received and entertained by the
family of one Of our party, who sre native
residents Of the fair city. The courtesies ex-
tended US were bountiful. and will long be
remembered. At the town OF Orange we
found the fruit in excellent form and flavoE
the Navel variety almost as large as at Ma
tionsl City. 1t gave US proof that it is one of
the very best places fer the citrus fruits that
we visited. We spent very pleasant social
evening at the psrlors of the Cosmopolitan
Hotel. There we met several of the press
excursionists who, like ourselves, were in for
having a good, jolly, free and happy time.
From this point we soon leave, and turn
our course homeward. 49,
Los Angeles, March 81. 1888.