Omaha daily bee., 1888-07-13
LAND OF THE SETTING sun.
A Visit to Some Of the Cities of CAL
ifornia. o.
oMAHANs WHO HAVE MIGRATED.
The Prolific Fruit Crop-Great Public
lmprovcmrnts-Va OF Realty
Arrow Head Springs
Mud Baths.

lnltDutu NlSlb W Ulle tClllc NOtSu. IL
number Of persons wished me to give
them my impression of California. |
have concluded that letter or two
through TIE BEE would save me the
trouble and time of writing to individ-
uals, since almost every person reads
TIE BEE. / left home on May 8; spent
several days in Denver, Leadville and
Salt Lake City; arrived at San Fran
cisco May II, and was at once impressed
with its vast business outlook, having
one of the finest harbors in the world.
The city is growing rapidly, and des-
tined Mt no distant day to be
one of the three largest and most i'm
portant points in our country, New
York and Chicago being the other
two. The climate of San Francisco l do
not like, being too damp and rare. Oak
land, on the opposite side of the bay,
is beautiful residence city of 10000 or
more inhabitants. Many men reside
here who do business in San Francisco,
crossing to and from their business on
the line of steamers that cross the bay
every fifteen minutes, crowded with
5000 monthly tickets were sold to per-
sons who live in Oakland and do busi-
ness in San Francisco.
PROLIFIC CROPS.
The country surrounding Oakland is
beautiful and productive. Property is
held at reasonable prices, not yet hav-
ing boom here. The climate, while
much better than in San Francisco, is
still too damp, and at times, particular
ly in the morning, too cool. At least
that was my experience during the
month of May.
From Oakland went to San Jose.
city of l,SOO or 1000 inhabitants, To-
Gated in the celebrated Santa Clara
valley, about thirtytive miles from Oak
land. 1t is II very pretty city, having
many delightful homes. several col
leges and good schools, fine churches
| and an entcrprising class of citizens.
No doubt a very desirable place to live,
having good climate and surrounded
by magnificent country. Fruit grow
ing is largely developing in this section
of the state, and pays well. Land is
held at pretty high figure. orchards
bringing from $500 to ST. 900 per acre,
and raw land from $3.50 to $500 per acre.
Yet at these prices money is made in
fruit culture A Mr.. Newhall in 1887
| Sblu Ills upilNou SIop oli lci W i,ICo VI
ground for 81 200 Messrs. Gardner re-
ceived for their prune crop $4OO
per acre, bought by the Omaha
Schneider boys, who are largely
engaged in fruit drying. They put up of
raisins alone 200 900 boxes during 1887.
| Peaches, cherries and pears also pay
| largely. The crop of cherries this year
was large. was told by Mr.. Taft, for
merly of Omaha, that ne knew person
| who had been offered $40O for the cher
ries on eighty trees, covering less than
an acre of ground. Charles Schneider,
| during the time / was there, picked
| to thin it out, and left as many on the
tree as it was able to bear. May 26
| Messrs. Nully g. Co. exhibited a straw
berry that measured 5x6 inches. Grapes
also pay largely, and many are culti-
waited.
| OMAHAS IN CALIFORNIA.
At San Jose and in the immediate
neighborhood number of Omaha fam
lilies are living. Mr.. Fred
Schneider has a beautiful home
in the city, and fruit ranch in
Ii. T. Bell, G. L.. Leabold
John Tremble. E.. A.. Abbott, Rev.
Ingram and others, all of them say they
are delighted with California and in
tend to stay. There are from here a
number of fine drives, over as nice
roads as | ever travelled. The ride to
Mt. Hamilton, twenty-seven miles dis
tant, the site of the Lich observatory,
is worth trip across the continent. No
one coming to California should miss
it. From San Jose / went to Santa
Cruz and Monterey. The Hotel del
Norte is near Monterey, the most de-
| ;rb IN, no Initial Stnfao IL
not in the world. All that man can do
to beautify this place of over two hun
dred acres of ground apparently is
being done. The new hotel is perfect
in all its arrangements and always
filled with guests.
LIVELY CORPSE.
From here | returned to San Fran
cisco and then started for the Yosemite
valley. An account of this delightful
trip will reserve for a future commun-
| ication. After leaving the Yosemite
"dead city" but to my mind lively
corpse, 1t is the only place have seen
since | left home that reminds me OF
| Omaha from business standpoint as
we'll as geographically
The amount of improvements going
on here at present is wonderful.
Among others is the Hotel Splendid, ,
3OOX332 feet, seven stories, estimated
cost 81 ,000, 900: a government building
to cost $25O,OOO; opera house $4,000
, county court house, $4l0,O 900: w. G. II.
u. building, $45 900; Y. NJ. c. a. build
ing, $l20,O00; city hall, $3.50, 900
Southern Pacific railroad depot, are;
) covered, l30x5l5 feet, 5000, 900, and
: | other public and private improve
ments, amounting to about $1,000, 900
A large amount of street paving
is being put down also. They ar,
using for paving material the lime-rocS
) substance resembling asphaltum, bu
5 in many respects superior TO it. 1t is ;
, product Of the state, and can be pu
down for less than the cost OF asphaltum
/. THE BOOM COLLAPSED
, The real estate boom has collapsed
) in a great measure. A good thing it il
| for the entire state. Yet property il
the city and immediate neighhorhoo'
r is held at high figures. Many holders
l however, will soon be compelled to sci
3 at reduced prices. | think as rul'
, | property is still too high in price. Yer.
/ | little at present is being sold. The
are expectinga decided improvement
. in this direction this fall and winter
, | Among the succ assful real estate firm