Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-04-22
Another Letter from California.

EDITOR HERALD: In my former let
i ter | mentioned rather cold time for
this climate. After that during my
stay the weather was very fine. To a
man from Wisconsin it had very little
the appearance of March. On the goth
visited the seashore at Santa Monica
1S miles from Los Angeles, and saw
dozens of people enjoying a free bath
in the surf did not feel the urgent
need of il and did not participate and
from the forced smile of some of them
| would infer that many of them did it
more for the name of il than the pleas
ure
Near Los Angeles in the San Gabriel
valley we see the extremes for which
California is noted. Trees with their
dress of perpetual fruit and foliage,
grass and grain waving and everything
indicating almost tropical climate,
while only twelve miles distant the
grand old San Gabriel Mountains are
clothed in their garments of dazzling
white.
Leaving here the morning of the
22nd, after passing San Bernardo no, we
pass through the waste lands again
until within about 250 miles of San
Francisco.
From here TO the city it is one stretch
of thriving villages, green fields and
blooming flowers, thousands of acres of
uncultivated lands in patches, of every
hue, looking in the distance like one
vast bouquet.
Arriving in San Francisco met my
friend Frank Reynolds, son of our
worthy townsman. He is looking young
and hearty and was so glad to see me
that he made the next day holiday as
far as business was concerned and de-
voted it entirely to my benefit in show
ing me around the thriving cities of
Oakland, Piedmont Springs and Al
media. Here we called at Mr.. Dave
Arthur s. formerly of Beetown, and
were pleasantly entertained by his lady.
he being absent at the city. they seem
TO be in nice location and are highly
pleased with California and Almeda in
particular. | also had the pleasure of
meeting Messrs. Frank and w. E.
Stevens, brothers of Rev. G. D. Stevens,
and from their appearance should Judge
the climate agrees with them. passed
very pleasant evening with them and
regretted very much that / could not
redeem my promise of calling at their
homes in response to their kind invita-
tons. | visited the cities of San Mateo,
Santa Clara and San Jose, but as they
are all about alike in one sense, gen
eral description will suit all: they are
all thriving places and at this season
of the year are almost perfect.
On Saturday morning l started across
the Bay for Sonoma Valley, passing
through Petaluma. Healdsburg, Santa
Rosa, arriving at Cloverdale at 11:15.
Here met our ex-mayor, l.. Holloway,
and his worthy lady. 1t was a surprise
He-e was compelled to stay over Sun
day because they made it imperative.
and | will say if Mr.. and Mrs. Hollo-
way cannot make it pleasant for any
''wanderer" it will be hopeless task
for anyone 10 try. He is in the furni-
tuIe business and seems to have good
trade, and both seem well satisfied.
also met Mr. j. c. Holloway and his
family here. They are well and pleas
antly located. | had pleasant visit
with them also. They seem to be al
home in the full sense of the term.
Cloverdale has about one thousand
inhabitants, is about 90 miles north Of
San Francisco at the terminus of the
San +. & n. p. Il. r. at the head of
Sonoma valley. The hills here form a
circle of two or three miles in diamet er,
making a cosey nest for this village Il
think it will compare favorably with
any village on the slope for health. The
soil is somewhat gravelly but very pro-
duc.ive. The principal industry appears
to be grape culture, for raisus and
wine. Several large wineries are built
here, giving a market for all the grapes |
raised. The town has just completed a
water supply. making it very conven
lent for irrigating, if needed, and for
other purposes. The streets are in ex-
cellent condition and from the nature
of the soil never get muddy and for the
same reason they do not build nor need |
any sidewalk | can easily see with
what favor our worthy ex-mayor would |
look upon such a place as this, ''whrre
the broken planks cease from troubling
and the lawyers are at rest.
Upon my return to San Francisco
found some acquaintance getting ready
to start eastward and | concluded to go |
with them via the Central Pacific, pass
ing through Benieia & Sacramento To
OgdC 4, thence via Denver & Rio Grande |
r. r. 10 Salt Lake. Gunnison, Pueblo, |
Colorado Springs and Denver to Chica-
go. We stopped one day at Salt Lake and
took in the city. We found the Nor
mons vary courtooiIs and nhlipipr |