San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1885-10-15
FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Los Angeles, Cal, Sept 26, 1885.

ED. FREE PREss;-It may be posi-
BILE that you and your readers NIGH
still desire further items from delight
full Southern California, and if car
add anything to the information oil
pleasure of either, am at your service
One Of your worthy fellow citizens
L. w. Mitchell and his family are now
domiciled in the city Of the Angels
and from what 1 have seen Of him an
sure that your loss has been our gain
Doubtless he will give you his i'm
pressions of this favored land, and in
a far moro satisfactory manner thar
1 have done or may be able to do.
You will overlook my delay in writ
ing when the chief reason is given
1 wished to say something of the sum
mer season here, and to do so intel
ligibly, it seemed the proper thing to
speak from experience by passing
through that season.
There is as great difference be.
tween summer here and in Texas, as
between Texas and the island of Cuba.
1t is no exaggeration to say that
this section of Southern California is
the only place in the states to pass a
truly enjoyable summer. From an
experience of seven weeks in May and
June in Texas, and since then in this
place it. may be pardoned if l with
many others have somewhat Utopian
ideas and impressions of our present
home.
There are in all four or five "spells"
each year of three to six days each.
This year there was one of six, one OF
four and one of three, called hot
spells, generally in May and June,
and sometimes in August and Sep
tember, which are just about like
Texas for four months at q stretch,
but the GOODNESS OF the nights, also
the mornings and evenings always
must not be forgotten, consequently
the people never know the enervation
and debility so common everywhere
east of the mountains, and all through
the Southern states.
This is the way one of the editors
of the "Glasgow Scotsman speaks
of the seasons here:
In autumn and winter the nights
and mornings are chilly, and fires are
necessary. Yet I can speak from ex-
perience of the pleasant warmth of
the days and of the beautiful luxu-
rance of flower and fruit in the win
ter months. The trees and shrubs,
till the arrival of the rains, are cloth
ed in cheerful foliage; and roses and
other garden pets, which with us
would be dead and withered, grow
abundantly, and form very glory of
bloom about the houses of the Ange-
lenos. Strawberries, green peas, rad
ishes, lettuce, &c, reproduced every
month in the year. The unbearable
heat of the summers and fierce winds
and prolonged rains of the winters of
Southern Italy are here unknown.
The best test, perhaps, in most cases
as to the character of climate is the
looks of the people. I never saw
finer, healthier looking men, women
and children anywhere, the women
and children particularly, Not even
in the most favored hooks of our own
country could one see ruddier or bon
nier lasses or BARNS. There are none
of the nervous troubles and malarial
diseases present SO frequent in tropic-
al climes.
Now l must tell you of little ex
cursion to the mountain canons few
weeks since. A party of seekers af-
ter recreation and pleasure, gathered
together a goodly amount of provis-
ions, their guns and fishing tackle,
started on foot for San Antonio noun
tain (more generally called "Old
Baldy," because his top is nearly al
ways clad in snow,) some forty miles
away yet in plain sight from the city.
They chartered "burro " otherwise
a donkey to carry their freight. To
Pasadena and San Gabriel valley the
trip was pleasant and enjoyable, then
leaving the more level and settled
country, the way became more rough
and tedious. Entering the San Ga
bril- Canon the road became more
steep and rocky, finally there was no
road. only foot path which became
more intricate and stony as the
,supposed) shore footed donkey and
the travellers progressed \
One time the aforesaid beast step K
ped upon a loose stone, losing bis
roothold, and rolled way to the foot
Df the bill, spilling bacon, -four, salt
stc. in a very promiscuous and provo
.ing manner No serious injury oc-
.urred, save a partial loss Of prOvis-
ons and a yufiiing Of temper for
irne Soon r camping pace is reach /
a ami the company bivuasod for tee /
night beside q clear mountain strtam,