The Republican journal., 1886-04-22
Our Congressman in California.


my recent trip to California, and also refer to
persons whom met there who have friends in
Maine.
We left Washington at seven O'Clock Satur
day evening, arriving at Chicago the next even
ing at about nine O'Clock. Monday morning we
awoke to find ourselves crossing the Mississippi
river at Burlington. Most of the day was spent
in crossing the state of Iowa, which consists of
rolling prairie, very FERTILE looking as if it had
been the ocean and had hardened into dry land
just at the moment when there was a heavy
sea. In the evening we reached Omaha. The
next morning we were well toward the west
ern limit of the state of Nebraska and imper-
ceptibly climbing the Rocky Mountains. ] say
impcrceptiby because nothing looking like
mountains is seen. and the ascent to Sherman
which is nearly 5000 #. above the sea, the high
est point the r. X. crosses, is gradual that
one seems to be all the time riding along level,
grass covered prairie. Alighting from the ears,
however. we could see no land above us in any
direction and there was an eNhilaraton in real
ling that we were on the top of the continent.
and could look down upon all around us. Not
a tree nor shrub nor bird could be seen.
Cheyenne, not far from the summit. is bright,
smart handsome town Of 1900 inhabitants.
1t has been built up by the cattle-raising indus
try. We ran very rapidly over the Mountains,
reaching Ogden, near Salt Lake, in the night.
All of Wednesday was consumed in crossing
the Alkali plains. with no incident worth nam
ing except that at a station where we stopped
near evening handsome string of specked
trout caught in the Humboldt river was present.
ed TO us. When we awoke the next morning
we We're in the Sierra Nevada Mountains which
We're covered with snow. Here some very
skilful and expensive engineering was done in
building the road. We stopped for few mo-
mcnts to look down into the American Canon.
said to he 5000 #. deep. where the snow-cover-
ed trees and white mist curling up from be-
low gave the most beautiful effect to this Won
derful mountain gorge. We also stopped at
Cape Horn, where the road winds around the
side of the mountain and the cars run within
few feet of perpendicular precipice as deep
and impressive as the one just mentioned.
We soon began to descend the western slope
and the time occupied in running from the
snow to green fields and orange blossoms was
less than twenty minutes. Arriving at ColfaX
Senator Jones formally delivered the body of
his dead colleague to company of the G. A.
r., who had come out from San Francisco to
receive it. Here | net Edward Everett. form
crly OF Montville. who resides i'll Oakland and
does business in San Francisco. At Sacrament
to met Emerson Gilkey. an old Schoomate of
mine i'll Camden, and A. ). Herrick, formerly
of Sed@wick. one of my college mates. now
preaching to a large Baptist congregation.
At Port Costa | met Capt. Albert Herman.
well known to Belfast people. also Capt. Hark-
ness of Rockport who was loading ship with
grain for Europe. At Oakland was greeted
by Capt. ID. ). Goodell and LAFAYETTE Staples.
We arrived in san Francisco Thursday evening"
having made the journey from Washington in
five days and one hour.
The funeral of Senator Miller occurred on
sunday. The affection in which he was held
hy the people of his state was evinccd by the
fact that at least 100000 people lined the streets
through which his body was taken to the
cemetery. We kept our headquarters at San
Francisco during the week. but through the
generosity of the people We're taken down the
Santa Clara valley and back up the Sonoma
and Russian valleys, through a land of vine
Yards to the redwood country, where we saw
tree fcled - #. in circumference 800 it. long,
and shown by the number of its grains to have
been more than a thousand wears old.
We Were taken by steamer down the bay out
through the golden gate into the Pacific 10
Mare Island Navy Yard, and around the bluff,
where "A great number of seals can be seen
upon the rocks. At the Santa Clara depot
was met by Col. Her>ey and his son who drove
me to his home three miles distant | found
the Colonel his wife and two bows living in a
handsome house with ranch of GO acres of
level, fertile land III one of the most beautiful
valleys in the world. They have eleven acres
planted with grape vines. several thousand
Young fruit trees and the remainder in wheat
and pasturage. On the opposite side of the
street resides Mr.. Goodenough He has fifty
acres of land. upon which are 1000 fruit trees
His family a. We'll as that of Col. Hersev.
appeared to he pleased with their new homes
At Oakland | met the widow of Seth MILL
ken. the family of Edward Everett, and Mrs.
ODER. ali formerly of Montylle. | also met in
san francisco VIM. Henry Milliken, VIM. and
George Atkinson, natives of Montville, all of
whom | was informed are at least fairly
thrifty. Judge Blake, once collector of the
port of Belfast, has fine law practice and is
universally respected. DR.. Moore and family
reside at No. Eddy st. The DR.. is stoutcr
and looks younger than when he left Belfast.
found him and his family all ia fine health
and nicely situated. One Of the brightest and
most successful men in san Francisco is J. Ii.
Jones. formerly Of Camden. His hospitality
and kind attentions to his old friends from
Maine are proverbai. and We're extended lay
I>hly to the writer. He and his brother Oscar.
are doing a thriving business Among the
solid men of san Francisco i, L. n Torrey.
formerly of Belfast. He has Delighted home
and his latch string is always out to people
from his native state. Ex-Governor Lowe.
formerly OF NllterpCrt, and Ex-Governor
Perkins from York Co.. have honoretg their
native State by their success and high standing
among people of California. ] also met Mrs.
). ; Lewis. who resides with her sister in
san Francisco, Scion Pattee and Joseph DYER.
formerly of Searsmont, and VIM. and Andrew
Merriam from Camden. | doubt. indeed, if
any State OF the Union has sent out so many of
Its people to develop the resources and build
up the industries of California as Maine has
done. Her sons are found in every part of the
State, engaged in every respectable pursuit.
and their success and achievements have been
such that their native State may Justly be
proud of them.
L was given a dinner at the Bohemian Club
by fifty Maine men, many of whose faces were
familiar to me. l will not describe it as that
has been already done in yonr paper. 1t was,
however, an exceedingly enjoyable occasion, at
tended by men who represent in a marked de-
gree the wealth, enterprise and public spirit Of
California. Saturday evening we left San
Francisco and arrived Sunday morning in Los
Angeles. Almost the first persons | met were
Louis Harris and Frank Bedford of Belfast
George W. Simonton from Camden. Mr.. Bark
er, the carriage maker from Searsmont, and
George f. Miliken, formerly of Surry They
all express themselves delighted with this land
of fruit and flowers, and almost perfect eli
mate. L was very handsomely entertained for
day and a night by Mr.. Milliken in his elc-
giant home. Los Angeles and a large extent of
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