Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-29
FROM THE FAR AWAY PACIFIC.
All About Southern California, BY An Old ans
Valued Correspondent.

| TRABUCo CANYON, NEAR eANTA ANA,
Los ANGELES Co., CAL, Aug. 3, 1884.
To the Editor Of the Daily Eagle:
Dear Old Bird SO you've grown so old
and have SO increased In vigor that you
now essay daily flights, and with so much
success as to elicit words of praise from all
observers! Success TO you! May your
pinions never weaken, you eyes never grow
dim, and may your screams in behalf OF
Kansas in general, Sedgwick county in par
tieular, and Wichita pre-eminently. re.
| sound from the stormy shores Of the Allan
tic to our charming Pacific, and from the
lands of the tichen to the cline Of the CO.
coanut. Your faith which has never
wavered is having its perfect work, and
your most sanguine prophecies are being
more than realized.
Our past winter was the " ettest since
1862. All the river bottoms were overflow
ed, the channels themselves Of the rivers
were changed in many instances and much
damage done by washing away farms. On
low grounds the long continued wet
has killed many varieties OF trees, such as
the eucalyptus, cypress and pepper, among
the shade trees, and the peach, apricot,
English walnut and some apple among the
fruit trees. The pear has passed through
unframed. No orange or lemon trees are
planted on low lands, and SO none have
been harmed
The amount of rain fall was not so ex-
cessive, twenty-four inches only having
fallen with US; it was the surplus water
from the mountains and hills that caused
the misihief. The rains continued SO late
that much hay and grain has been injured.
Only week ago in one Of the canyons of
of the San Bernardino mountains every.
thing was swept away by u sudden and
heavy rainfall. Such rains are called
"cloud BURST so rapid is the condensation
and SO great the precipitation. On the
whole the rain has done much more good
than harm. The inundated regions have
been comparatively email, and even In them
the complete saturation of the ground
which had been dry SO long, the increased
supply of water in the springs and wells,
and the wholesale drowning Of gophers
and ground squirrels has compensated
many fold for the damage done. In indi-
vidual cases, however, farms have been
completely cut TO pieces and their owners
ruined. In the lower portions Of Los An.
geles city many houses were washed away.
A near peighbor. an old settler, said 10 me
last fall that he would almost be willing to
move up stairs If he could have a wet win
ter, and he did have a sheet of water from
one to two feet deep sweeping over his
willing to cry enough. My pastures we're
submerged for several weeks, and my
meadows TOO miry for the cattle to range
on, so we were obliged TO NOW alfalfa and
barley and haul to them, and at times could
only carry feed with our pitch forks.
But it is all past, corn Is looking fine,
though it is later than usual; on thd citrus
fruit lands people are irrigating and trees
and vines are loaded.
This is the height Of the camping season.
All California goes camping. The desire
and need OF change in this uniform climate
is the cause.
People from the hot interior go down to
the mighty deep, camp by the sounding
seas, roll in the sand and tumble in the |
breakers. Inhabitants Of the low plains
seek the mountains with their bsbbling |
brooks and shady canyons, and spend their
time in fishing and hunting quail, deer,
rabbits or perhaps q bear. The latter, |
however, very seldom for most campers say |
that they have not lost any bears, especially |
grizzlies. Anything that will keep OF the
SUMS rays will answer fer tent, so the ex-
pense of getting up an outfit need not be
large.
At Lagunda, the fsvorite seaside resort
Of this section, there are, at present, more
than five hundred persons encamped on the
beach for miles just as close 10 the waters
as the tide will allow. Some have come .
distance Of seyenty-fye miles and have ar
ranged TO stay for weeks. Others coming
1 short distance, stay but day or two.
some camp in their covered wagons; some
nave four upright poles covered with brush
'or their abode; some tack cloth to the up
lights and draw cloth fat across the top;
others have regular tents with flags and ex-
ra tops; others, still, have bought lots and
erected neat little cottages which they &C.
,upy season after season.
This crowd OF pleasure seekers, or health
eekers as they prefer to be called, necessi-
ates quite an army Of attendants and assis-
ants, and for them it is harvest.
Regular tracks are run to the coast from
arious points to carry campers to and fro.
n the absence Of grazing feed yards must
70 established and plentiful supply ofhay
nd grain kept on land, and this must oil
e hauled twenty miles or more. The haul. /,
ng of water to the different camps at TWEEN.
y-fve cents per barrel gives employment
o some. The demand for groceries, tobac-
o ond confectionery has developed two or /,
hree stores. John Chinaman makes his
eguiar round with vegetables. The milk
ian does not overlook this market In his
ne, and the fishermen ply their vocation
usily to supply the demand for fish, more
sh. A daily mail from Santa Ana keeps
p communication with friends and home.
he amusements and occupations are va.
ed. A stroll on the beach il always pleas
nt; gathering bits Of colored sea moss,
18th which wreaths, flowers, etc., are con-