Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-02-02
WHERE 1T is SUMNER.
AninteTesting letter from Hon. Luther
Basford.

ALD-Frtend Chandler: Having plenty
Of leisure, l have taken the liberty TO
have friendly talk with you through
your valuable paper, the Grant County
HERALD. L am sojourning in a sunny
cline, the Italy of America. arrived
here on the 10th of November, and from
that time up to the present, the lowest
the thermometer has run is 81 degrees
above zero, and the highestis "a degrees
with one continual sunshine all the time.
Our rains are showers Mt night and very
few at that. giving mechanics and la
borers chance to work every day in
the year. Colorado Island is one Of the
prettiest places in the world. 1t is not
exactly an island, being connected to
the main land by narrow strip, with
the ocean on one side and the bay on
the other, making il peninsula. 1t is
situated but IL miles from the line of
old Mexico The island lies high above
the sea, is perfectly level with streets
and avenues all bordered with orange,
fig and olive trees, intermixed with palm
and every kind of evergreen that grows
on earth, all looking as fresh as they
could look in Wisconsin on summer
day. In the center of the island in
front of where / reside are two large
company parks laid off in beautiful
style, filled with flowers of every vari-
ETY., looking as fresh and nice rs in sum-
mer A little over year ago the island
was as nature made it, inhabited by
lack rabbits and wolves. Now there
are over four hundred buildings on it,
aside from the big hotel Del Coronado.
the second largest hotel in the world,
standing at the brink of the ocean, where
the surf comes rolling in with n noise
like distant thunder.
We have very fine view of the ocean
with its shipping coming in and going
out all the time. | meet people here
from every state in the Union. They
come in with overcoats and overshoes,
but they seon have to discard them and
do as l did purchase pair of the, thin
est socks made for winter use. The
distance across the bay to San Diego is
about half mile. A good ferry plies
between the two cities every twenty nm
utes, connecting with a steam motor
running across the island to the ocean
front, thence down the beach some eight
miles, giving the people II chance to
ride all they wish, making it very pleas
ant. One block west of me are the
company gardens where you can see
tomatoes, green and ripe the same as
summer, with cabbage, parsley and all
kinds of vegetables, some just being
planted, others ready for use. Tomato
vines bear well for four years from one
planting. Cabbage, after the first head
is removed, will produce two and three
heads more from sprouts from the same
stalk. Our rivers here are bottom side up.
You see the bed of the river but no
water, BY digging few feet you strike
the water in abundance. During the
rainy season they flow naturally. but as
the rain ceases the water disappears.
If you wish to procure fire wood, you
/ take pick and mattock and dig it out
of the earth, as the timber. like the
rivers, is up side down, the tops being
nothing but brush with roots as large
as mans body. The grass in the val
leys is generally bunch grass. It being
coarse, a sharp hoe is used instead OF
scythe to cut it. The orange trees are
laden at this time with golden fruit, also
the lemon. We have very extensive
olive orchards here, We have all the
tropical fruits and nuts also.
While writing the sun is shining rs
warm as summer, yet can see in the
distance the snow capped mountains
back of the coast range, covered with
snow two OF three feet deep, some TWEEN
ty-five miles distant, they tell me, but
to me they don't look to be more than
ten or twelve. The ocean front is
magnificent sight to behold. rolling in
/ its white caps upon the beach with
reverbrating sound.
often see in my wanderings along
the beach the bones of the whale, the
monarch of the ocean, to be had for
the carrying home. But after lifting
at some Of them, concluded | did not
want them. We have plenty of fresh
mackerel, halibut, and some other kinds
of fish that are very palatable, but after
all don't think they excel the fish IN
the old Mississippi river. The people
are wild with excitement on real estate
transactions. Some will make, others
will lose. met Minor Perrin, former
ly of the Wright House. here. He says
he has come to stay, that this country
is good enough for him. He will try
and secure position on the new hotel
Del Coronado which will be opened the
first Of February. am not prepared
as yet, to give an opinion as to the
healthfulness of this country. 1t is very
certain that there is a good deal of sick
ness at the present time, caused, ! think,
in part by the grading of streets, dig
cling of cellars, and the laying of sewer,
gas and water pipes, causing good deal
Of malarial fever. San Diego and Coro-
nado stand fair to rival all other cities
in southern California on the sea coast.
With its fine and extensive natural har-
Dor, capable of receiving the largest
vessels that float the ocean, coupled with
the energy and perseverance OF the
Santa Fe Railroad and Coronado Beach
Companies. it must build up city in
few years to excel all others on the