Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-06-17
CALIFORNIA TRUTHS.
Hints to Home-Seekers in the
Great Golden State.

/ noticed recently the following
paragraph, written by a well-known
and somewhat eccentric physician,
who, several years ago, spent two or
three winters in this State:
saw, when in Southern Califor-
mia, family of parents and five chill
dren living under a live-oak tree,
where they had stayed three years
with no other covering than the tree,
not even tent. 1t was an intelligent
New England family; they left Massa-
chusetts wretched from scrofula.
When | saw them they were in fine
health"
After nine years experience in this
State, 1t is my opinion that the good
doctor was wofully deceived by that
intelligent New England family"
During "dry' year a tent would
not be mpracticable, although it
would be found rather damp on a cool,
foggy morning. But it is the height
of folly to conclude that people can
live comfortably Cor otherwise) in our
ordinary winter storms with no other
shelter than that afforded by an oak
tree.
Such statements as this have done
California incalculable injury. They
are generally made by travellers and
tourists who are here for few weeks
or months, visit some of the principal
cities, take the popular excursions and
90 back to their homes to be recog-
nized as standard authority on Pa
cific Coast matters. If the season is
favorable and their surroundings pleas
ant, their descriptions abound in rose
color. But if they chance to encounter
stormy weather, or are forced by the
press of travel into inferior accommo-
dations, or something occurs to inter-
fere with their own individual comfort,
then every thing is seen through blue
spectacles. The cities are mere mush-
rooms that have seen their best days,
the fruit is insipid and coarse, the
oranges sour, the climate humbug,
the scenery nothing to boast of-even
Yosemite hardly pays for the expendi-
ture of time and strength required for
the trip. Occasionally one of these
doleful soull vents his private griev-
ance on thq ntire State, but the florid
descriptions are in large majority
1t is easy to see how people may be
led to make these extravagant express
sions. Every thing here is new and
strange to them. They drive over
green plains spangled with many-col-
ored flowers, in January as though it
were June. They ramble through the
orange groves breathing the fragrant
air, and picking with their own hands
the golden globes. They see hot-house
plants bossoming freely in the open
air. They are delighted with the
climate. the scenery, with every thing,
and frequently make the widest state
ments without taking the trouble to
verify them. They take single eX-
ceptional instance, and hold it up for
ah invariable rule. For example, |
picked Gala the other day that meas
ured six feet from the base of the flow
er-stalk to the tip of the spathe. 1t
came from growing variety
which has been specially enriched, but
this is the tallest flower it has pro-
duced Shall |, then, proclaim that
callas reach the height of six feet in
this favored landP Though this NAV
be true in occasional instances, would
it give nonresident correct idea of
the ordinary growth of calas?
| was greatly pleased when | read in
the Christian at Work last summer
Rev. John X. Aliens account of Santa
Barbara-it presented our semi-trop-
ical life so truthfully But these hap
hazard statements that will not bear
investigation give Eastern people
particularly the poorer classes-a
totally false conception of our State.
Many of them seem to think that it is
little short of Paradise; that if they can
only scrape together enough money
for the overland trip fortune awaits
their arrival; that if they conclude to ac-
cept some position very large salary
will reward correspondingly small
amount of labor; and various other fig
ments that will lead to disappoint-
ment.
ANY person of small means who i'm
agines that he can live comfortably in
California without working is deluding
himself. never saw people work
harder than they do here. And the
work lasts the year round. To be
sure. nearly every one takes play
srell sometime during the summer,
going either to the beach or the
mountains-but there is plenty of work
to be done at all seasons. 1t is some
times said that California is no place
Tor poor man. But that depends
greatly on what sort of man he is.
A person in good health, able and will
ing to do whatever honest work comes
to hand, will probably do as well here
as IN any part of the country. But il
is far better for poor people who are
sick and unable to work to remain
where they are with their friends. The
professions are crowded. Southern
California does not require any, more
doctors, lawyers, teachers. or real es.
tate agents. What she needs is Az
army of active. able-bodied men an
women who are not afraid of manua
labor.