Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-05-04

/ Except few light showers this month aud
next, no more rain is looked for until next
fall. Fogs and dews and irrigation are de.
! pended upon to keep vegetation alive until
! then but these cannot prevent the broad
meadows and pasture lands now green with
barley, alfalfa and other forage plants. or
carpeted with brilliant wild howers-how
brilliant and varied never could picture to
you--from losing their beautiful colorings
by June or July. Wherever irrigation is
| supplied, of course things will keep right on
growing, and it is wonderful TO what an ex-
tent this system has been ami is now being
developed throughout this whole extent Of
country. Whatever may be alleged, or i'm
agined in the way of drawbacks to "A coun-
| try where the crops depend upon irrigation,
1t must be acknowledged that the farmer
who can depend upon shower uoi coming
up just when he don't want it, and when
he does can bring it, or its equivalent 10y
the turn of hand, has a certain advantage
over the one who is obliged 10 put up with
the eccentricties Of a climate like that Of
New England. The water obtained from
the mountain canyons and artesian wells
is usually Of good quality, and the supply
is apparently inexhaustble
The soil varies considerably in different
sections. In some Of the low lands, as
about Los Angeles, the adobe clay prevails,
forming when wet very adhesive mud
! but most of the soil Of this valley is a rich
deep, sandy loan, needing only water to
make reproductive. and forming good roads
And here is one Of the advantages Of this
country over Florida
The Alps which constitute the north
ern barrier of this Italy are not only essen
tal to its existence and development. but
form an important and picturesque feature
Of the landscape At little distance they
seem 10 rise from the comparative level Of
the valley in an unbroken wall, whose top
forms an irregular outline against the sky,
varying from 5000 to II 900 feet in height,
or twice the height Of the mountains of
Vermont and New Hampshire. Approach
ing closely. however, one finds them fur
rowed and divided by narrow. steep can
yons and gulches, i'll the largest Of which
streams and springs Of water exist the year
round, fed by the SHOWS which melt upon
the SUBMITS.
These submits are often white in winter.
and three or four Of the loftiest peaks wear
their snow-caps almost the entire year
round. As | write at my window. fronting
the east, beyond the beautiful, fragrant
orange groves and the more distant villages
which dot the broad valley, itself outlined
| 10y the low green hills upon the right and
Al' iplAN t'leli Il hullt range uINJll lllc ltll
[ the afternoon sun makes brilliant the white
summit of "Old Baldy," thirty miles dis,
tamt which form, the eastern terminus Of
the range while farther to the right. like
thunderca caps in II summer sky, appear the
/ gOriiied submits Of St Bernardino and
san Jacinto-the latter 30 miles away
From the roof of our house the view takes
in large extent of country within and be
yond the city limits, the city being located
on AN elevated mesa or table land To the
north the mountain range is five or six
miles distant TO the west the view is
bounded 10y the San Rafael hills To the
south beyond the noted Raymond hotel
which occupies a hilltop three miles distant
commanding a view not unlike our own
We get a glimpse Of the Pacific ocean, b
miles distant, and Catalina island, a like
distance off the coast.
Pasadena we find to be a beautiful city
about twice the size Of Brattleboro OF
its 10000 inhabitants 20 or more are rated
as millionaires and a considerably larger
number count their wealth by the hundred
thousand hence the city abounds in fine
avenues and palatial residences, surround
ed by grounds adorned with all the wealth
of sem-tropical vegetation-and what
this term implies | must leave to the read
ers imagination for description is impossi
BILE. OF course, where everything is 50
new, many of the streets are as vet un-
graded. and many Of the private grounds
unadorned but it is wonderful that so
much has been done during the two or
three years that have seen .e place devel
Op from "A small, unimportant village to its
present rank as one of the most stirring
wealthy and attractive places Of its size to
be found in the country. The tone of soc
ETY. here may be inferred from the fact that
not a saloon exists within the city limits
and the same is true Of many Of the small
er cities and towns, Monrovia included
At a meeting Of the local New England
society the other evening | had the pleas
ure of meeting Prof and Mrs. Boynton,
formerly of Leland and Gray seminary,
Townshend They have been residents of
this place since last July. The professor
now gives exercise to his educational tai
ents by instructng strangers in the won
derful prospects of Pasadena and the value
of its corner lots. Fred Chamberlain, for
merly Of the same town, is still here, un-
derstand, and here reside several members
Of the Tower family, relatives of Rev. Mr.
Tower, formerly pastor Of the First Bap-
tist church in Brattleboro Here also are
located Miss Hattie c Stacy and her broth
er Louis Stacy formerly of Bernardston
and Greenfield. At Los Angeles H. c.
Horton formerly of Bratteboro, ranks as
a successful tinancier and investor. Mon
rovia we found to be IA finely located and
promising place of some $500 inhabitants
Here resides Dr. O. A. Wheeler, formerly
of Bernardston, Mass, surrounded by his
pleasant family and among the financially
heavy men residing or owning property in
the place are Mr.. w. y Monroe, ex-rail-
road contractor and founder of the city
Mr.. J. |. Case of Madison Wis, owner of
the famous race horse, jay Eye See -
Messrs. Aver and Green of patent medi-
cine fame, ex Mayor Spence of Los Ange-
les. and others At Pomona we were hos
ptably received by Secretary A. NJ Ing
ham of the Y. NJ. c. A, formerly of Brat
tleboro, whom we were pleased to find
greatly improved in health and evidently
enjoying his work and surroundings. Po-
mona is the largest place east of Los An
geles on the Southern Pacific line within
the borders of the state, is located in a
very fertile valley, and the view of the
mountain peaks from the heights south Of
the city, is most magnificent Ontario,
Just east of Pomona, one Of the most prom
Using, best located and laid ont of the in
cpient cities of this entire region is the
home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Albert Kendall, for
merly of Wlliamsville,
BY what have said about the recently
deceased boom | do not wish TO be un-
derstood as implying that all these towns
and cities are not growing, or that real es
tate is not in some demand. The real es-
tate transfers here in Pasadena amount to
several hundred thousand dollars weekly ;
new churches, school houses stores, hotels
and private residences are now going up ;
general sewerage system is being put in ;
street grading is in progress new railroad
connections are being established and
there would be little talk of dulness were
it not for the contrast with the unusual ac-
tivity of last year, when it was no uncom-
mon thing for a single real estate firm to do
2 a business of $50, 900 TO 100000 per
month-and their name is legion. How
ever, the reaction, ! think. is felt less here
in Pasadena than in most other places.
Concerning the boasted healthfuluess of
the climate | can say little that will be of
2 help to any one. Many invalids who come
here receive great help and seemingly have
I years added TO their lives others receive
I only temporary benefit or none at all /;
l while some who came here well contract
fevers or other diseases incident to "A new
e country, which prove fatal. | believe the
r climate on the whole to be healthful but
the precautions necessary elsewhere eau
, not be neglected here This remark ap-
, plies not only TO individuals but to towns
/ and cities which have cultivated their
5 booms in forgetfuness of ordinary santa
e ry precautions.
l have purposely delayed writing this
letter until had found time 10 look about
somewhat and become acquainted with
a people and places, and could thus form an
- intelligent opinion of the country and
my verdict is in brief, that notwthstand-
> ing the eXaggerations of boomers, and the