The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-07-29
A WESTERN TRIP.
An Interesting Letter From j.
81. Bonnell About the
Wild West.
He Concludes That He Likes Mis-
souri, Best After All.

Windsor. Cal, July 24.-[Correspond-
ence. Iii you will allow me little space
in your paper l will try to give my
friends end the readers OF the BAZoo a few
items of interest. | will not attempt to
give In detail my tour of the west aud
south at this writing.
started from Sedalis, June Is, 1884,
arrived at San Francisco on the morning
of the 21st. i came via. Omaha, Ogden
and Sacramento. From Kansas City to
Cheyenne the trip was very mountainous !;
| from Cheyenne to San Francisco the scenery
is good. Twill not describe i, as il has
been given so often that nearly every one is
familiar with it ii, however, will say that
1t pays any one to make the trip. / would
advise any one coming out here to come
via. Denver. stopped two days in San
Francisco, visited all the principal places
of interest. At the boat landing you take
the cable cars TO Golden Gate park, there
you change cars for the old
reliable Cliff house on the coast; here you
have splendid view Of the rolling pillows,
the Seal Rocks, Golden Gate and sea lions
in abundance. From San Francisco L
crossed the bay to Tiburon. Here | took
lhe San Francisco & Northern Pacific rail-
road 10 the present terminus-Cloverdsle
From Tiburon to Cloverdale there is some
beautiful valley and some very good noun
tain scenery. The crops are very good,
with the exception of the hay; the late
rains damaged IL to great extent. Nearly
all OF the first cutting OF alfalfa is total
loss.
THE FRUIT Is VERY GOOD.
The vineyards look fine. From Clover
dale returned TO within a short distance
of Mount 81. Helena, in Sonoma county.
Here | took few days rest and started
for the upper lakes. / visited Clear
and Blue lakes, also Saratoga Springs,
Highland Springs, and the hunting
grounds. The Blue lakes are noted as
watering place here are good hotels, plen-
~ Of boats, and the water is very clear
fish can be seen to the depth of ten or
twelve feet. Saratoga Springs are four in
number-iron, soda, sulphur and msgnesis.
The water is very strong, much stronger
than any Of our mineral waters. The tcip
to these lakes and springs over what is
called the new grade is very exciting, in
deed, especially to one who has never
driven a team over the mountains. How
ever, made safe trip with young team.
In some places il is hundreds of feet below
TO the bottom OF the canyon, and the wheels
60 in ten inches of the edge. Ga this grade
there are several passing points for wagons.
Some of these are very narrow too, as there
is just room to pass. | have often heard
of horse shoe bends in the waters but never
knew what they were until crossed this
grade. At the summit of this grade is the
first view of Clear lake. II only looks a
few miles away but it spoils day with 8
good team to get to Lskeport. The re-
turn trip from these lakes can be made by
three different routes, the best is via
Ukiah.
] was seven days making the round trip.
Ny team looked somewhat worked down
when returned to Windsor, as these win
ter drives are pretty hard on them. will
take a few DAYS rest here and then / 60 TO
Lower California, Arizona and Mexico. /
have not made up my mind what route
/ will take. For the present think will
return via FL Psso. / expect to remain
in Mexico short time, as am collecting
specimens from all the principal places /
visit. NV collections so far are very good.
/ visited the noted Red wcods-have some
fine specimens of bark and wood. In a
few wears these vast forests will succumb
to the woodlands axe, as immense quanti-
ties are being taken to the mills. To give
you a little idea of this lard, will say was
on a 160 acre tract where there has
been 1000, 900 feet taken of, and last fall
the rest was sold for $4,000. Land all
through this county (Senoma) is worth
from 500 10 $500 per acre. Wages in this
country is from = to Sc per day, mechan-
les first at from 8 to s. per day, and plenty
of work for those who want it. As for
living it is generally supposed with US that
everything is very high out here, but it is
different. Anyone can live here as cheap
as they can in Sedslia, and everything else
is low except land. Say nothing of the
climate. take it all around, like Missouri.
So far there are many drawbacks here a.
we'll as in the middle states.
With these few lines / will close for the
present, and can be heard from again If
agreeable to my friends.
JOE II. BONNELL.