The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-02-19

FRANCISCO capitalists, Is SloWeu u monop-
olize trade, and override the best interests
of the people at large, 80 long will this port
be virtually closed to general trade. 1t is
the hope Of the people in Southern Califor.
MIA that this monster monopoly will get
setback, and that the AtchisOn, Topeka u
Santa Fc, Atlantic and California Southern
may unite in one line to this coast. Hereto
fore the s. p. railroad has headed off every
other road that has tried to get to the coast,
and the magnstes will do all in their power
to play the same game in the future, butt
is to be hoped other corporations will have
the backbone to push on their roads to the
coast, in spite of every opposition. There
is but little stir and hustle here, outside Of
quite q number OF tourists coming and
going, and people who come here for their
health, and to spend the winter. Some
thirty to forty strangers arrive daily by
railroad; and the cost steamers that arrive
and depart every five days from San Fran
cisco usually bring about the same number
each trip. The city contains some 5000
inhabitants, has some good buildings and
some building going on. There is govern
ment post here with number of soldiers,
also custom house. The people are
mixture Of almost all natlonalities, and
there are some here from almost every
state in the union. 1t is said to be the
finest climate to be found in the world;
in summer the temperature seldom goes
above so degrees, and in winter not often
below 40. In 1872 Prof. Agassiz, when
here with party of scientists, in speaking
of the climate: "Perhaps, as scientific
man, may lay more stress upon it than
necessary, but l hardly think it possible. 1
have seen many parts of the world, and
have made some study of this subject. 1t
is the question of climate-of your latitude
to which l refer. You are here on the
32d parallel, beyond the reach of the severe
winters of the northern latitudes. You
have great capital in your climate. 1t
will be worth millions to you. This is one
of'the forward spots of the earth, and peo-
pie will come to you from all quarters to
live in your genial and healthful atmos-
phere."
As a bit OF history We will mention the
fact that the bay of San Diego was discoY-
cred by Spanish navigator named Cabnlo,
in September, 1541, but no settlement was
attempted until 1909, when Philip the II,
of Spain, attempted to colonize this region,
but failed until 1859, when the mission of
San Diego was established and that was
the first successful step ever made to civil
ize California. Five years after the Indians
made war on the settlers, and burned the
mission; oaly remnant of the runs are yet
to be seen. In 1777 new buildings were
put up; they, too, are partly in ruins. 1t
is quite an interesting visit to drive out to
the old mission. There is in the main
building or what is left of it, a floor some
60x90 feet, that has not nail in 1t, but
was put down with wooden pins. The
joice are In pieces Is feet in length, 1S In
ches square, and il is said they were car
ried on the backs of slaves, from the noun
tains 60 miles distant. An old orchard of
olive trees, one hundred or more years old,
are still in thrifty condition as are also
some large palm trees.
Driving out eight miles in the country
across Sweetwater river and Otay Creek,
we had an opportunity to see some of the
farms, orchards, and citrous fruit groves.
Most all irrigation is done b., wind pumps,
as the creeks and rivers are mostly "bot-
tom side up"-that is, the water is beneath
the bed of the streams. Sub-irrigati0n
is practiced to considerable ex-
tent here. 1t is done by
laying cement pipes beneath the surface,
through the area to be irrigated, and thus
the water is carried to every tree, and soaks
out into the sub-soil. Sixty dollars per
acre will DO the cost of putting in the pi re;
and common wind pump, where there is
a reservoir to receive the water, will prob.
ably irrigate ten acres. The water can be
had at depth of from ten to ninety feet,
according to the elevation of the land.
Grain crops are mostly raised WITHOUT irri-
cation, but often fail on account of drouth.
All kinds of fruits are raised here to some
extent, and bring good prices, such as o.
anges, lemons, lines, pemegranates, grapes,
peaches, aprlcots, olives, figs, ounces, jap
auese persimmons, apples, pears, almonds,
walnuts, &C., &c. Flowers bloom all the
year, and gardens produce astonishing
crops. We think this the most even climate
we have yet got into, but not the best, at
present, for farming. Farm lands are not
so much together in large tracts as in Los
Anoolea and Gan parno rd;po oount;o, buk