Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-07-07
SKETCHES OF SAN DIEGO.
AN ENTERTAINING LETTER FROM
JOHN CLARK RlDPATH.
San Diego q Living Competitor with Her
Fellow Cities of the California Valleys
for the Prizes Of the Future-Notes of
q Recent Trip.
Especial Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, July 2-The traveller ap-
preaching San Diego from the north tray-
erses country somewhat different from that
to be seen elsewhere on the Pacific coast. Tho
lowiands as you approach the city grow
green with pastures: and, though the scene
has not familiar aspect, there Is something
analogous in 1t to what ono might see In
Pennsylvania or Kentucky. Occasionally
the train passes between rounded heights that
rise on either side and are green to the sum-
init. Here noticed small herds of cattle, Of
good breeds, helping themselves to rich pas
turage. There is also a more plentiful dis
tribution OF water on the surface, a running
stream here and there or pond that Cali
fornian might dignity by the name Of lake.
In these low parts there is everywhere an
abundance of water fowl As the train
passes they skim out on the surface at q right
angle, and leave an agitation on the water
like a rippling harrow drawn by the bird
We shoot at them now and then, sport
which is, doubtless, more at using to the
ducks than to ourselves
1t is well toward nightfall when our train
approaches San Diego. There is little
furry of preparation, a little excitement for
q view of the ocean on our right, and here
we are. The greater number are expected
at the Hotel st. Jsmes, but few Of US take
the ferry, cross the bay and make with all
speed for the famous Del Coronado. Time is
not for anything tonight, except to provide
for the morrow's comfort and pleasure.
Those of US who crossed the harbor, to
! spend the night on the Coronado beach, were
astonished on entering our rooms at the hotel
to hear a sort of thunder and roar, as If a
battle and rain storm had combined their
energies outside. Up with the window, and
here it is. The Pacific lies below, tumbling
and roaring against the very battlements Of
the hotel All night long the sublime SYM
phony goes on and on, as it has done for in
Unite ages, even before the epoch of man.
Welcome to its roarl Welcome to its majes-
tic thunder, its rhythm of the surf and ita
perpetual beating on the shorel 1t was the
throb of the sunny sea, the polyphloisboia
Thalassa of Homer, on the sands Of the
Egean Islands and around the coasts of an
cient Peloponnesus, that put into the ears and
| spirits Of the Hellenic bards Of old times the
pulse beat and music of their sounding hexa-
meters
With the morning light we are all astir
on both sides of the bay to sec what things
soever San Diego has 70 offer. The writer in
early morning took the street cars and as
cended to the highland north Of the city,
from which a fine view can be had of all be
low. The car that carried him up to the
summit was propelled by electricity. Even
so it is that we have lived so long and jour
| neyed from the older states of the Union,
deep rooted by time and development and
Boosting much Of the accumulation of the
progressive forces Of society, to this far south
west and extreme verge of our country to
what was an old Spanish town, TO take our
first ride in an electric car.
San Diego is a living competitor with her
fellow cities of the California valleys for the
prizes of the future. had expected, how
ever, to see better eqIipoise to Los An
geles in population and enterprise than San
Diego sable 20 present. The Qseen of the
Angels has fully three times as many people,
according to my estimate; and the southern
city will have to travel far before she comes
ur with her rival Nevertheless, many
things may be truthfully said of the vigor
recently displayed in the development Of the
city of the south; and to the efforts which
her citizens are putting forth to raise her
rank and influence must be added the ever
memorable fact of her magnificent karbor.
/ have already remarked upon the scarcity
of havens along the Pacific coast, and have
said something as to the relative merits of
the bay of San Diego and that Of San Fran
cisco. repeat that the former is for its ex-
tent as fine and safe a sheet of water as may
be found on the shore of any ocean While
We were in the city, one Of the government
ironclads came to anchor at the pier, and the
heaviest ship on any sea might do the same
Besides, the bay, though not Of the largest
dimensions, is sufficiently capacious. II Los
Angeles should be arrogant in her Boosting,
San Diego may well respond by showing q
map of her splendid harbor.
Only few years ago this Coronado beach
was merely long, low plain Of sand Moth
ing could he less promising in its natural as
pect than was this desert beach. But the
shrewd eye of enterprise saw the possibilities
Of the situation; the peninsula is already re-
claimed; palm trees are here; a park is there;
flowers are blooming in the new made lawns;
and youder rises one Of the finest hotels in
America 1t is not yet completed ct the time
of our visit, but is sufficiently advanced TO
receive some hundred or two Of guests The
structure is of wood The building is a great
quadrangle, including, within, the largest
hotel court between the Atlantic and
the Pacific. The court is a sward
crossed with stone walks and having
fine fountain in the center. Tie most fra
grant flowers and beautiful shrubs are planted
here and there; and the air brings to the
senses OF the guest the sweet perfume Of early
or perennial blossoms. The marvels Of the
hotel are the magnificent court, the ample
! theater in one part of the structure and the
beautiful dining nall not yet finished The
latter will be ons Of the most elegant in the
country. It is a perabola In shape and fin
shed throughout in redwood whether Of the
sequoia semper virens or Of cedar, l am not
certain. The Hotel Del Coronado as a whole
is worthy to take equal rank with two others
in California-the Del Monte, Of Monterey,
and the Raymond, of Pasadena These
three constitute group by themselves, and
above them is seen only the Palace Of San
Francisco.
A walk of a few minutes from the north
steps of the Del Coronado brings US to an os-
trich farm. Why the word farm Ii applied
to it hardly know 1t has a comparatively
small area of ground, perhaps an acre. It Is
bounded with a close fence, high enough to
prevent the escape of the ostriches. OF these
there are thirteen, in sort of corral, inside
the inclosure. Their three pronged, gro
tesque feet have beaten every sign Of vegeta-
ton from the arena; and they have the
pleasure of sauntering about over the sand
as in their native desert. Some of these SOL
emn creatures are black as to their wing
feathers and tail, others a kind of saffrcR
color, and both varied with patches OF whitA
Some parts of their bodies present only sur
face of wrinkled skin. The beak is rather
useful than aggressive in its construction,
and the eye is the most strangely introspec
tive organ that I ever saw in bird or beast
1t suggests to you that the possessor has been
studying into the mysteries Of Buddhism, and