Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1885-03-17
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
WATsoNvILLE, Santa Cruz Co,
March 6, 1885.

TACT that nave not nau WOru from
anyone up there since my departure
from you, | again write you a few
lines, to inform you that | am still
moving. I am at present visiting rel
atives here in the Pajaro valley the
Schleswig -Holstein, of the Pacific.
The trip hither from San Francisco, ~
distance of one hundred miles, on the
Southern Pacific Coast Railway, is a
pleasant one The principal stations
on this route are, Redwood City, San
Jose, Santa Clara and Gilroy. Along
this line also can be seen the .beauti-
full villas Of Belmont, Milbra, and
Menlo Park, the country residences,
respectively, of ID. O. Mills, the bank
er, ex-senator Sharon and ex-Gover-
nor Stanford. Through that section
of the country the land is ia a high
state of cultivation, and as matter
of course, commands an enormously
high price in the market. In this
valley, even, land is 'selling as high as
$500 per acre, according to quality
and location. Many landowners who
are inclined to take things easy, and
yet always be on the winning side,
rent or lease their land by the year,
at the rate of $12 so per acre, paya-
BILE ia advance. With a favorable
season, good crop and a fair mark
ct both parties will do we'll; but with
conditions contrary to these, the prob
ability is that the owners get all there
is in it, and the one who rents goes
where the woodbine twineth. Such
results, believe, are not unfrequent
and this year may furnish another ex-
ample in proof Of it. The farmers are
now anxiously looking for RAIN. The
fall grain needs it badly; the ground
is getting too hard for blowing and
but very little of the spring work has
vet been done. The soil in this val
ley is adobe; rich ia fertility. well
adapted to grain, and with all ordina-
ry amount of rain, produces lbund-
antly, but in dry season bakes like
brick and a light yield is the NEW
liable result. Notwithstanding this
not very favorable outlook, there APP
pears to be an overproduction- grain
selling at cent a pound.
Viewing, then, the situation from
this standpoint, we are forced to the
conclusion that the owners who have
grown rich by the increase in the val
uation of their lands are always sure
of making money no matter what the
season may be. while the industrious
but poor toiler, who by strong efforts
,endeavors to realize something out of
his labor, wherewith to lay fuanda-
tioR Tor more successful operations,
may lose his all, and here we have an /
other illustration of the advanta ges
capital has over labor.
The climate in these southern coun-
ties is excellent, perhaps unsurpassed
anywhere. 1t as not at all cold in win
ter nor very warm in summer, and
unlike some parts of the State along
the coast to the north, this section is
not visited with the strong trade
winds from the north, which, though
not conducive to bad health are
sometimes quite unpleasant
jacksonville, located in the heart
of the Pajaro valley, is a pretty town
of considerable size, having railroad
connection with the principal cities
and towns in every direction, thus af-
fording ut fine opportunities for trav-
,el and transportation, but here as in
lnost all places that l have visited,