Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-09-26
FAR.FAHgo CALIFORNIA.
A Fort worth Man Writes Of the wonders
NJ thfs FruifIand.

railroads. The heat was oppressive DUR
Ing the whole route, day and night con
trary to the common opinion that the
nights are always cool on the high pla-
teaus of New Mexico and Arizona. The
portions of those territories passed
| through were treeless, uncultivated, and
apparently uninhablted, except at the
stations, few and far between. Nothing
met the eve but brown, cherries plains
and steep, barren and desolate mountains.
over these lonely regions, destined per-
haps to perpetual sterility, primeval si-
lence still broods, broken only by the
rumhling OF the train and the scream OF
the steam whistle. Occasionally, at the
stations, small patch Of irrigated land
would display green and thriving vegeta-
ton, contrasting strikingly with the brown
| landscape around, and showing the pos
| sibilities OF the soil when sufficiently
moistened West of Yuma the train was
| delayed several hours by a "washout" in
the desert, properly so called, where for
miles you can see no signs of animal or
vegetable life, and nothing meets the eye
| hut loose sand heaped in some places into
| hills, and presenting landscape as DESC
lite perhaps1as any portion of Zahara's
cheerless wastes. Washouts are caused
by "cloud-burs,s" or waterspouts, which,
in August and September, frequently del
uge the mountains, whose steep granite
slopes cannot retain the water which
collecting in rayines and canyons rushes
down in roaring waterfalls, and sweep
for miles over the plain in a resistless
torrent Such washouts are the source
of great trouble and expense to the s. z.
and the A. & z. railroads, delaying the
trains sometimes several days, and caus-
ing irregularity of the mails. About two
weeks ago twenty-five miles of the track
of the S. z. road were washed away.
Farther north the railroads are less
troubled by cloudbursts, as they are not
common.
About twelve miles north from Los
Angeles, frown the steep and treeless
Sierra Madre mountains, known fifty or
sixty miles farther east, as the San Bernar
dino range, towering in some places 5000
feet above the plain, and like stipend
GUS wall, protecting from northern cold,
this far-famed fruit region, where gentle
and salubrious breezes from stormless
seas mitigate the summers heat and
winters cold, as they murmur amid
orange groves and perennial flowers, and
where fertile valleys yield the productions
of every cline.
The climate is superior to that of
Italy, being more equible, especially on
the coast where the heat is never OPP
pressive, the mean summer and winter
temperature differing about 8. The
climate OF San Diego sis the mildest and
most equlble known to exist" according
to Johnson's encyclopedia. Frost and
hot weather are unknown. There is not
much difference as to climate between
that and other coast towns in Southern
California. In Los Angeles, eighteen
miles from the ocean, the summers are
hotter, the maximum temperature in
August being 90, but the nights are
always cool, whether one gets the benefit
| of breeze or not. / have
slept under blankets every night since
| came here. The night air has a chilly
quality, and lacks the softness of the
south winds in Texas, which are so en-
| ioyable after long hot day. IN the
mornings now everything out of doors is
wet with ocean fog, which the sun at
length dlsperses, and then beams pleas
antly from the slightly navy sky. There
are places here free from the dampness
of the sea breezes, and. TN 9resss beat Of
the dry Interior valleys, Which, as resorts
for invalids, summer and winter, are
probably hnrivaled anywhere else, De-
structive storms are unknown, and the
term gale could not often be properly
applied to the wind. About two weeks
ago light rain, with no wind, fell IL
. quantities just sufficient to lay the dust
The papers alluded to it as "the storm.
One would think that at this dry season
when the air is filled with dust uulimiteC
, as to quantity, and of the finest and mos
| hnnuanf nnalifU GtIah a Gkafnpun1I 1,
, have been quite acceptable. Far from it
! Not much rain now is required to in
! jure the fruit and the cure,
vsgetati, on which stock feed. |
is pleasant to live in climat
b like this, out one with greater changes O
: temperature Is not necessarily les
e healthy. Winters moderately cold pro
mote health. Even northers are not III
mixed evils. They brace and harden tn
system and purify the air of every yes
tige OF malaria. They are like col
q shower baths, unpleasant when received
q out making the recipient feel better after
ward,
Los Angeles is fine city, containin
now 40, 600 inhabitants. The adobe par
Is not very attractive. The newer Dol
tions contain many beautiful bushes
l. blocks and private residences. In som
OF the front yards may be seen the palm
date, cork, banana and many other tree
20 and flowers that need the protection {
n hot houses in higher latitude. Orane
- trees grow everywhere, and are the mo.
= common tree. The geranium hedges
3 presenting an almost solid mass of re
er flowers, and the long avenues of ii
ID eucalyptus and pepper trees In some ,
ty the streets are quite attractive The Gil
Is brilliantly lighted with electricity. II
IL crowds, hustle and activity in It's prime
nal streets indicate the extensive bus
e. pess transacted. Its prosperity rests {
OF basis as permanent as the productiy
IN ness OF the valleys around The city,
d, well as the county, is on the onwal
r march. In July, property to the amour
a. OF SS 100000, 1t is said, changed bands
Of Los Angeles county. Los Angeles is e,
ap celled IN rural loneliness by the small,
all cities Riverside and Pasadena, the form,
In Santa Ana, the latter In San Gabri
st valleys. These towns are situated am
&c the most extensive orchards in the stat
he containing orange, lemon, olive, aprlct
he and other fruit trees. The inhabitants
either OF those beautiful localities won
or not exchange their homes, az far as q
le- mate and surroundings are concerned q
any other spot on earth.
he The present is not very good firm
Die season, but there seems TO be a plenty {
m the market. All kinds are sold by weig
OF retailing at from to cents per poun
Dir Some Is very large; OCCASIONALLY, / hai
lac Cd