Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1888-03-16
California Letter.
Los ANGELES, CAL. FEB. 2Sth.

Los ANGELES, CAL. FEB. 2Sth.
EDITOR GRAPHIC:-Having been
requested by numerous friends to
furnish information regarding
southern California, and the real
status of business here, and find
ing it impossible to write to each
of these persons separately, 1 take
this method of giving to all my old
friends IN Adair, my opinions on
the West and especially on this
immediate section.
Leaving the snow and ice of our
thriving Kansas City, in company
with my brother, DR.. Edwin W.
Fowler, via the Union Pacific, we
found littls of interest, to me, until
we reached Denver, Colorado. The
barren plains between Kansas city
and Denver, covered only with
cactus and sage brush, are certain
ly not very pleasing to one who
has been accustomed to the agri-
cultural regions of Missouri; but
Denver is truly great city Here
we remained several days. Here
L was kindly visited by Hope
brothers and families, formerly OF
Kirksville, and found them very
enthusiastic with reference to the
business interests of Denver, as
well as the delightful climate.
Here too, we'receiyed many courte-
sizes at the hands of my brothers
warm personal friend, Hon. Alva
Adams, Governor Of the state of
Colorado. ] shall not attempt a
description OF Denver. 1t was a
happy surprise to me in every
point of view. Sitting at my win
dow IN the Windsor Hotel, [ look
ed out over this great city of the
plains and wondered how this Won
derful state of developement has
been brought about, / believe
Denver to be one of the prettiest
cities / have ever seen. No man
can fully understand the impor-
tance attaching to it in CONNER
cial and business sense until he
has visited it. The character of
the buildings is equal if not super
ior to those of our own st. Louis
or Kansas City. One feature
should be mentioned, and that is
the delightful climate. The pleas
ing contrast between the invigor-
atlng atmosphere and clear, bright
sunshiny days Of Denver, as com
Ipared with what we had just left
at Kansas City, delighted me much
and seemed at the time to give me
a new lease on life. L never ex-
pect to find a place where [ would
rather live than in Denver, Colora-
do.
We left Denver on January Oath,
for San Francisco, going by way
OF the famous Scenic Route" of
the Denver & Rio Grande. Soon
after leaving the Queen City of the
plains, my interest IN the scenery
began. But i shall not attempt
to tell you anything about Grand
Canon, Marshall Pass, or the
Black Canon of the Arkansas. No
sane man would attempt a descrip-
ton of these. l can only say
sat and wondered, as our double
header carried us safely over these
wonderful mountains. This road
is unquestioDably the greatest
piece of engineering known TO the
history of the world. The altitude
of ten thousand feet, which we at
tanned, did not trouble me in the
least. After reaching the summit
and passing through Marshall Pass
we soon began to decend the Pacific
Slope, arriving at Salt Lake City,
celebrated in history, where we
were handsomely entertained by
Major Z. S. Erb, another personal
friend of MY brother. Salt Lake
City is very interesting place to
me. Though scarcely able to do
so, could not refrain from taking
a drive through the wonderful
streets of Salt Lake City, and pay
ing visit to the Mormon Taber-
nacle. As specimen of architect
ure, the world has, perhaps, no
superior to this building. The
point which chiefly attracted my
attention in the Tabernacle was
the fact that, by actual experiment.
a pin dropped from the hand of a
man standing on the platform
could be distinctly heard when j