San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-03-30
LETTER FROM FRISCO.
Bert Tells of the Beautiful Country and
Other Interesting Items.

! SAN Francisco, March ga few days
ago eastward bound train on the
Santa Fe road picked me up in Colorado,
and together with eleven cars well
fill with passengers, sent us over high
mountain passes, adown the great Rio
Grande valley and across the wild and
treeless plains of Arizona, onward to-
ward the setting sun until we reached the
metropolis of the Pacific coast. Through
northern Arizona and eastern Cali
fornia we passed several Indian villages
very ancient in appearances as well as
in fact, and the dress OF the dark colOred
inhabitants was quite interesting to the
visitors from the land OF our Puritan
fathers. Unlike the dear ladies, they
paint their faces, wear the hair hung
and square banged In front, feathers on
their heads instead of on their hats,
rings in their noses, not on their dainty
fingers; very comfortable, loose-titting
dresses, made of three or four large
banuana hsndkerchiefs, thrown care
lessly around their bodies, while some
appear In almost the same attire that
nature gave them. One swarthy buck
wore only a vest with a heavy gold
chain and very short bib apron made
OF buckskin. They amused the passen
gers by some swift races and their skill
with the bow and arrow and
shadow OF a war dance. After
leaving the needles on the east
ern boundary of California, the ride
for several hundred miles 10 over q very
desolate rough country, rich only in
cactus and perhaps minerals until reach
ing Summit, large and beautiful valley
opens up an admirable vista for 300
miles toward the bay of San Francisco,
and Is often a hundred miles in width.
The great Sierra Nevadas are far to the
right, their ever saow-clad crowns gilt
tering in the distance. The coast range
is away on the left and this grand valley
traversed by the Southern Pacific is the
San Wakean. Many streams wind
leisurely through it, the largest being
the Sacramento river. The soil is sX-
cellent and where farming Is done
splendid crops are now growing thereon.
The greater part is used for grazing.
Here was the grandest sight of wild
flowers | ever witnessed. For hundred
miles on either side of the road and as
far as your eye can see was an almost
limitless sea Of the sweetest and pref
test flowers that grow. Nat res flower
garden excited the highest admiration
of all who saw it AS no painter could
picture 1t.
Frisco is Of course great city and |
was not aware that it contained, as they
claim, $4,000 people. An ardent San
franciscan says 1t is the Largest city in
the world and Chicago is next greatest"
Everybody knows it does an immense
trade, has grand hotels and some of the
finest residences on the continent. 1t 10
certainly the Bay Window City" as it
is sometimes called. Millionaires are
numerous and noted for their royal style
of living.
Ex-senator Flood is erecting private
dwelling, said to cost Sl,000,0O0. 1t is
on Knob hill, where the most of the
Bonanza Kings reign.
The city is built upon numerous high
hills that are nearly surrounded by san
Francisco bay. The Cable Railway sys-
tenn is grand affair, and greatly facili-
tates going up and down the billy por-
ton OF it.
The parks and drives are good, the
largest one, Golden Gate park, contain
Ing 1900 acres, il directly on the coast,
and is beautiful resort where the roar
ing ocean waves, and breeZes from Pa
cihc's waters give 1t charm others do
not have.
Chinatown is al important and dis
gushing feature of the city, where the
pig tails are plenty, as mosquitoes in Ar
kansas, and where they borough up in
the ground like rats two and three
stories beneath the surface and as many |
above. 1t is almost in the heart of the |
city, and curious and yentursome tour
lists do not think the trip complete until |
they go Through Chinatown"
Oakland, jusr across the bay, is city
of $4,000 people, and is one of the pretti-
est ever saw, and far more desirable
place to reside than Frisco. 1t is full of
sunshine, flowers, parks, drives and ele-
CANT turnouts. Much could be said of
it's beauties and charms. But dinner is
just now more pleasant duty for
BERT"