The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-10-07
ThE @ailg g tlletin.
THURSDAY. OCT. Z. 1886.
up AND DOWN the COAST.

When Horace Greeley uttered that
sage advice, $50 West, young
man." he promised that he would
bring up on the eastern side of the
Rocky Mountains, for he knew very
little at that time of the Pacific side
of the country. California has a
chain of coast counties stretching
from Oregon to Mexico, distance of
nearly eight hundred miles. Not one
of these counties contains one-tenth
the population that might well be
supported in comfort through fur
Their development of natural re-
sources. San Francisco being only
city and not being an agricultural
county, is excepted from this esti-
mate. There are three great parallel
lines of development. The first is
along the coast line taking in, say,
for much of the way, two tiers of
counties. The second is along the
midland valleys which extend six
hundred miles more or less. The
third is along the western slope of
the Sierra and other ranges of
mountains on the easterly side of
the State. Along these lines so dis
tinctly marked by physical features,
a great industrial development is
going on. The physical elements of
three great States are here combined
in one. The moist timber belt and
the wooded hills along the ocean will
never be less attractive than now.
All along the western slope rivers
and brooks are flowing down to the
sea the year, round. These do not
depend upon melting SHOWS because
for the most part, no snow falls, or
not enough to swell any stream.
For GOO miles along this coast line
very little irrigation is needed to in
sure one good crop each year.
Crops are made sure from the win
ter and spring rains and from the
moisture deposited by fogs coming in
from the ocean. Bat beyond the
moist belt, or rather at the extreme
southern end of the California coast
line, there is the great county of
San Diego, which is just now at
tracing rs much or more attention
than any other county in the State.
1t has been made accessible by rail-
roads, and was always accessible by
water and has good harbor. 1t is
interesting to note the number of
cargoes of lumber, lime and all
kinds of building material going to
these extreme southern points. A
few years ago a solitary schooner
loaded with lumber for one of these
southern ports would stuff the mar
ket. Now fleet of sailing vessels
are constantly plying between north
ern ports and such ports as Whining
ton and San Diego. They are princi-
pally laden with building materials,
although railroad ties and coal make
up some important cargoes.
The northern coast counties at
present are contributing a great deal
of building material for the south
ern coast counties. A few years ago
the hide drogher called in at these
ports once a year or so and took in
cargo for Boston. Now the very
breeds of cattle which furnished
these hides have, for the most part,
disappeared, Every foot of land
susceptible of cultivation has be-
come quite too valuable for the pro-
duction of the half-wild native
stock that formerly roamed over
these great unpopulated areas. San
Diego county is the latest to be
brought into agricultural promi-
hence. The comparatively dry mesa
lands are the natural home of the
grape, as well as nearly all fruits
needing great and long-continued
summer heat to bring them to per-
lection.
Some years ago this journal
pointed out the ultimate certainty of
line of railroad down the coast
tier of counties from San Francisco
to San Diego. No matter how many
railroads in the interior were built
the population and resources Of
these counties would make line O.
coast road certainty. Ten year.
ago there were few indications tina
such a line would be immediatel,
constructed. 1t is not yet com
pleted. But probably before tn
expiration of another year there will
be an entire chain of coast roa,
completed of nearly, or quite, fiv
hundred miles in length. Slowl
the gap in the San Luis Obispo an
Santa Barbara counties is abridged
1t turns out that there are no in
separable physical obstacles; in fac
the great trunk lines on the Soutl
ern Overland will avoid the climb q
Tehachepi, with gain of abou
eighty miles in the reduced distance
The completion of this great line {
coast road will bring these countie
into much greater prominence, !
some important sense there will b
new era of industrial development
The coast line going north is NJ
making much progress; but there
quite as good prospect that in tie
years a line of railroad will
pushed through the extreme nortl
western coast counties as there VT
ten years ago that line of railroa
Il 4 -.