Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1888-02-16
"THE LAND OF CANAAN"
which the American horticultural Society
Endorses with Enthusiasm.
Especial correspondence.l
lopoSiei iCOhioSpOuuVhco.l
IAN IOsE IlaI Ian 2lai 1895

to hold their eighth annual secs on at San Jose,
California, they ~bullded better than they
knew" That ~ the universal testimony OF the
delegates here who, by coming. have escaped
the terrible bllzzards raging east of the Rocky
Mountains, anu at the same time have come
to the spot where Horticulture is on its native
heath, and challenges comparison with the
world, without fear of the result
San Jose, where the Association has just
held its session, is tho county seat of Santa
Clara County, and the conter OF all the Santa
Clara Valley. It's Mexican history dates back
over one hundred years, but Mexican history
was a half-civillzed, non-progressive era,
which does not count for much, and no Cali
| fornia town has a history worth recording
earlier than 40. II is notable that the spot
where San Jose is located attracted attention
at an early date, both from the Mexicans and
Americans The Mexcans were attracted
there in l777, and the Jesuits located q mis-
sion at Santa Clara, threo miles distant the
! same year.
When, in 1S49, the gold discoveries attracted
Americans in large numbers to California
San Jose was instantly recognized as an ad-
vantageous point Consequently, the first
constitutional convention, which convened at
Monterey the temporary capital, selected
San Jose as the capital Of the State, and the
first California Legislature met in this city.
In those early days the capital was a great
bone OF contention, and San Jose finally
lost it; but the fact remains that the
selection was tho unbiased judgment OF
to political and real-estate inhuences
The visiting horticulturists heartily in
dorse the judgment OF the early pioneers.
We find here u beautiful and home-like city
of ~, 900 people, the fifth in size in the State,
Wide streets, paved and mechanical; cleo
tric-light towers, street railroads, and an
electric street railroad nearing completion !;
churches and schools in abundance; charm
ing drives, and in the city and county com
bined many more notable points than is ordi-
narilY YOuchsafcu one lOcalitV
NOTABLE POINTS
The State Normal School, located in q beau
tiful tract OF land, thirty acres III extent, do
mated by the city, averages 545 pupils. This
institution was visited by the horticultural
Association in body, as were many other
points Of interest Here, too, is the Convent
or Notre Damo, with two or three hundred
pupils. Within two miles is the University of
the Pacific, an extensive Methodist Institution,
with 800 pupils. At Santa Clara, three miles
distant. is the famous school Of tho Jesuit
Fathers, with 100 pupils. These, with Ave
public schools, would seem to supply both
San Jose and Santa Clara Comfy; but these
do not comprise all Within the county and
twelve miles distant from San Jose is
Palo Alto, where Senator Stanford is
building the Leland Stanford-Junior Uni
versity, as monument to his deceased SON
an only child, who died while travelling in Eu-
rope Senator Stanford has endowed the insti-
tion to tho extent Of $50 000, 600 making it
financially the strongest institution in the
| country. With such an endowment there is
| no doubt IL will also be the strongest intel
lectually when completed, as 80 magnificently
| planned In addition to the university Sena-
| tor Stanford has here his country seat and
world-famous stables, where the finest run
ming and trotting stock in this country Is pro-
duced Fifteen hundred acres, over SOD
horses, and build ngs and employees in pro-
| portion, give q ia mt idea OF the extent of
these stables. A night school for the boys and
rational amusement for all are provided on
| the grounds.
THE LICK TELESCOPE
Many OF the Horticulturists enjoyed a
delightful drive-albet there was tnin coat
of mud on the road-to Mt Hamilton, twenty
four miles distant This is the site of the
and vicinity seem TO have been especially
favored by public enterpr ses James Lick,
Pennsylvania bachelor, was attracted to
! California by the gold fever of 40, and, as
the saying goes, no ~struck it rich" His
mining work and investments were especially
fortunate, He lived, personally, in very
| parslmonlous manner, and his increasing
fortune was never diminished by any luxury
he provided in his will to turn his
great property over to trustees for
public institutions; and the greatest of all
was $4,000 which was to be devoted to this
observatory. helenses for the telescope were
only put in place few weeks ago. though Il
is twelve years since Licks DEATH and eight
years since the work Of building the observa.
tory wa. vigorously begun, San Jose is but
ninety feet, VIII le the observatory is over
1000 feet above the sea level II is literally
a monument to the founder, for his remains
lie under the marble pier, which, thanks to
his hberality, supports the most powerful
| telescope in the world. The visit to Mt Ham,
ilton was ono which every one enjoyed. This
| trip will be q pilgrimage for visitors TO San
Jose for all time, and fifty 30, for tho great
telescope is one of the wonders of the world
In fact, 1t is bringing scientific men to see it
fro 1.afa M
all portions of our own.
| QUICKSILVER MINES.
Twelve miles from San Jose we find the
New Almaden quicksilver Mines which have
! no equal in the world save the Almaden mines
in Spain. The existence Of this rich ore was
known to the Spaniards in 1924, but il was
not until 1864 that work was systematically
begun. No gold mines in the State have
proved 80 uniformly productive, and the net
earnings OF these mines are between three aud
| four million dollars per year. The mines
| have penetrated 2, $40 feet below the surface
of the earth, and arc still going The plant
| or machinery for carrying on the great work,
| is something tremendous, and we'll worthy
| long journey 10 inspect
Deposits OF asphalt found in the county af-
| ford San Jose cheap sidewalks and fine street
| paving. 1t will in time vie with Washington
in asphalt pavement and this, too, without
| the importation from foreign lands, as was
the case at tho National Capital
Tho parks and pleasant drives properly
come under the head of @notablo points, but
in reality they are too numerous 10 notice in
detail You simply cannot go in any direction
from San jose without finding attractive
drives, and somo of thom arc positively en-
chanting.
THE HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION
1t was really difficult to secure a full at
tendance upon the Horticultural Association,
| 80 many were engaged in outdoor roamings
| and sght-seeng II was such a marked con-
trast to lowering over huge fires or wading IN
snow encased in buffalo overcoats, that the
| delegates seemed TO want to make the most OF
their time by enjoy ng the open air or visiting
| the horticultural fair, which was in progress.
| Still there was much interest in tho proceed
| ings, and an interchange of information and
| experience which cannot fail to be valuable
| to all in attendance.
The sess ons were presided. over by Parker
| E1rl, of Cob len, ILL.,, and continued for
three days. President Earle's annual address
contained the following explanation of why
| thew were here:
It was nearly fifty years ago that had my
| first dream OF n horticultural paradise as /
read. in the good old Bible story the report Of
| that exploring committee which Moses sent out
| to search the land OF Canaan, and spy out its
resources and ito bring back tho fruit Of the
| land Now, Moses being tho wisest Of his race,
| and the great st leader Of men, did not ask Is
committees TO bring back samples OF the grain,
the merino wool. the short staple cotton, or the
| best breeds Of live stock, Short Horns or Jer-
| seys, but simply to bring back the fruit Of the
land. For Mosos seemed TO know that the
country which could grow the best fruits was
/ the LORD TO emigrato to. And when this frst
| horticultural deputaton returned laden with
the hgs, the pomegranates, and the great clus-
| fschol that tho two men bore ON n staff b.
tween them-and l know that that cluster OF
! grapes reached from tho staff ON the mems
shoulders nearly to the ground, for my moth
| er's. great Bible pictured IL that way-then Mo-
| ses and Aaron and Caleb and the few wise men