New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-28
CALIFORNIA HOLIDAYS.
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC ROUTE.


leaning both arms upon his knees, scowled at the |
young ladies who were chucking PROVISIONS at the /
passengers until one of those damsels paused a |
moment to look at him. Il want some DESERT" |
he growled in tone of iniu.y and |
offence "What-cher-say 81 want some desert, |
tell yer" So she chucked hIm piece Of pie and
plate of plum, BOTH" and he went on full speed
ahead.
Wants some desert does he r said Peter, "Wait
till the day after tomorrow, and see 1t he is not
satisfied" We were on the AtchisoD, Topeka and
Santa Fe Railroad, travelling southwark among the
picturesque and SNOW clad peaks of the Rocky
Mountains of New-Mexico, whose fantastic out
lines almost made us forget the awful des0laion.
We brrakfasted next morning at the iunction-town
OF DemIng, and waited there an hour or so for the
Southern Pacific tram, not sorry for the delay
IN the crisp and brilliant morning. looking at the
distant summit sand wondering at the mirage which
created lakes and log banks on the dry plain. The
arid wilds of Arizona-wiJh the Hat topped hills tue
rcd columnar cliffs, the grotesque mes. the
thirsty wastes. where nature. baked in the at
tempt 10 make trees in such country, threw down
her spoiled work (they call it mezquit) and betOok
herself III freak 20 the production of the cac'uS-
rolled Oy US travelled on, travelled leisurely,
for 1t is happy characteristic OF the great railway
journey that there is no hurry. On another bright
morning we halted a while at Yuma where the ella
and Colorado Rivers force their way through the
hills to roll their united food into the Cuff Of Cali
l0rnia ! he Colorado believe. has the distinction
OF doing less good with its water than any o. her
large river in the world, for IN its barren valley the
desert crceps close tO the brink but at Yuma VIC
in tn sunrise little bit of landscape glowing
with color, bright bues in the bare hills,
aud fringe of tender vegetation on
tI,o II
last glimpse of green trees before entering
the great Colorado Desert, and for many hours after
ward we were tantaIzed by the recollection of IT,
Even the cactus and the mezqult disappeared as we
wenf on. An awful sea OF sani spread around W..
The mira Knocked us IN the distance. We were in
the b of IA dried-up Oucc rbe Gnlf Of Caliior
MIA spread mis- depression, but it has
rctreated far to the southward, and the
railroad runs go feet below ITS level. Terrific
cloud burss happen sometimes ~ the neigbDolng
hills and The road is protected by an elaborate
sys;em of trenches against the torrents which rush
down INTO the basin; lut the raveuOus sand
quickly drinks every orop of tue water and no Nv
ing plant follows the ram.
The naked deSol.ton was at its wort when we
crpt ont of this accHred hollow and cl mbrd
$40 SlY to tho boullcrs and gray gravel OF
The San Gorgonla PAS, $500 feet above
mo sea. Then we ran down rapidly
into gIrdcn. Somebody has called this part a.
southern California the American Lombarly. There
Is an effect the sudden transition from the desert
mountain country to the sm'l NJ and fruitful p am
VIII eli minds one Of the descent rom the Alps
in The North Italian PLAIN. The passage so
qui, X hat had barely time 10 notice tire bc1in-
ming OF vcgeta ion fore was IL the midst oil l..
ilI9ars were IN bloom at The farmcrs'
doors. Orange orchards ablaze IN tic
afternoon li-ht ard about suns + We came 10 the
end OF day. ], urney at the bus ling town of
Los Angeles, where winter ~ taid to be UnEnown,
where the tcmperature is always just right, and
whrre everything viii grow--eAc .pt icices.
Whoever has had the misfortune to visit small
American town while il Is in .he throcs Of VII is
popular y known as boom" viii have 30 diff
Guilty III lclicylug that Los Angeles, having just
low speculative and expansive fever.
is too busy fulfilling it's destiny TO make
Itself very pleasant to tho casual tours.
Eyu.ybo. ~ buying sailing la d. gong INTO tio
fruit business buildirg houses, discussing pr ces.
The moi ANA oyercr0wded hotels are intOleIable.
Strangers roam in the stree Is haf the night SeckI g
sIclt-r. and oficn-if the local papers are well M
fomrd-tlcy are driven TO ask 'or hospitality a
the jall. There Is general air OF pressure and
hurry Tie remains Of the ancient Spanish town
are not scanty. but then they are
tot interesting. The new population ha-
ebowcd me oil INTO the worst places. The progeny
Of ort, and his comp InOns affect certain dg-
My sometmrs they rido their sorry and 1nkempt
mustangs or follow the still more popular occupa-
ton OF leaning AGAINST door post but a datFc
ing tent they We b"taken themselves TO selling
spirits and small groceies Even the Chlnaman has
thrus, them on; OF many Of their crumblmg dwell
iugs. Here and there the long One-sIory range OF
wh.tewashed mud houses suggests sort OF faded
and always haif-Larbarous gentIliiy. but upon
the whole it must be con es>ed that
the adobe civilization lost not only ITS respeca
blty but its PIE uesqr ness. Los Angeles. with its
unfinished streets its hnproysed plank cottages lis
business blocks, It's lively traffic aud its electIc
lights seems like one Of those Western towns |
which despite their substantial prosperity always
wear IN, look u having outgrown their strength.
But IN tho lat country around it there are gardens
and orchards and pretty homes.
Maps which | consulted before leaving New-York |
showed ne n railroad from Los Angeles to Santa |
Barbara. The principal draw back to this road Is |
that 1t has not been built. To reach santa Barbara |
YOU must take one of the boats of the Pacific Goa
steamship Company. which ply as intervals Of five |
days be veeD San Francisco and san Diego. near |
the Mexican frontier calling several of the iu- |
termedlate ports We left Los Angeles one morn
InQhya lranch railroad which a. ok TO the sea, |
at the promising iitle to- II OF Wilmington. about
twenty miles away, where the Bay of San Pedro
affords safe anchorage and holds out the promise OF
an active commerce by-and-bv. mile below the
town, al the point of the harbOr, the rain wac
pushed upon Il long wharf, the ultimate stopping
place being known as San Pedro. collier andsr
, raj other large vessels lay AT anchor: party OF
bropzed and serious men whom you tell, half = mile
off, for sea-captains with their shore-clothes on,
were sailing abouC the hlrbor in a cat-b boat.
shooting wild ducks; tho steamer Orzaba was
smoking outside the bar, and a trohen-win ed
tender, with a coa.-barge dashed alongside, was
waiting to take us off. When we reached the ship
they passed us the lighter and in at the for
ward port and before we had settled in our proper