Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-02-16
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA.
a Trip Through Sacramento Valley. the
Land of Sunshine. Fruit and Flowers.
Especial Correspondence-l


SAcRAMENro. Jan. IL, 1SSa
Here we are In Sacramento City after a
visit to the surrounding country, under q
cIoudless sky, the thermometer this day
standing at forty-eight degrees above zero
merchants doing business with open doors,
and people on the streets without wraps,
flowers blooming In the open air, oranges
and lemons on trees in the door-yards OF
the cory residences, a revelation to one
who arrives from the frozen east and who
has dropped down n four hours from the
summit OF the Sienss where the snow is
ten feet deep and the thermometer at 10
degrees below zero.
Sacramento City is the capital of the State
is located eighty-three miles nori beast from
San Francisco at the confluence of the
American and Sacramento rivers. The latter a
naVigable stream, and Is the railroad center
and the largest fruit shipping point in Cali
fornia- Fifty-four trains from seven differ
emit directions arrive and depart daily, the
shops of the c. P. 4 r. furnishing employ
ment to two thousanl mechanics and labor
ers The city Is built upon level plain,
wide streets running at right angles, let
tered from A 10 north to south, and 1st to
31st from west to east
Many fine buildings adorn the resic ence
portion OF the city, but many of the busi-
ness structures with their wide awnini:s re-
main as erected during the mining of
=
ance to us from the East The State Capitol
building Is modelled after the CapiDol at
Washington, and cost over two million dol
lars; is surrounded by grounds not excelled
in beauty of landscape gardening and semi
tropical plants by any capital grounds In
the United States The city boasts of the
Croker art gallery costing over four hun
bred thousand dollars, donated to the city
by Mrs E b. Crocker, said gallery contain
ing largo collection of choice statuary and
paintings. in which is m active operation
an art school This gallery, second to none
in the United States. will amply repay the
tourist who may visit It
There are many other fine buildings,
among which are the new Catholic eathe-
dral, Masonic and Odd Fellows tcrlplns
different churches. school buildings lad
two elegant theaters, numerous Eettas and
business structures The city co ltains
about 30. 900 population, and has large
wholesale trade, one store having $50 en-
ployes. The city is well lighted ~ two
electric light ana one gas cOmpar y. The
State fairs are held here IN SepLeml er each
year, the State Agricultural SocleIJ- having
d large exposition building and mile race
track.
An exposition building adjoining The rail-
road depot is being erected, wnere con-
tmuous exhibit of the products OF Central
California Will be shown and printed inlor-
nation relative to same distributed The
area of Sacramento County Is 620, 900
acres The land is of three characters, loot
bill, plans and river bottom The fooL-hll
land IS peculiarly adapted TO the produc-
ton OF fruits and grapes. The plains lands
are mainly devoted to gra n raising, and no
failure of crops since the Amer can os'cupa-
ton OF this country. In some portions OF
the county fruits, berries and grapes are
extensively produced on this class OF land,
and from small farms OF forty and sky
acres considerable incomes are derived
The best lands are those on the i'm
mediate banks OF the rivers, and are de-
voted TO the production of fruits and
vegetables. The income per acre is fab
ulous, enabling the owners of the river
bank orchards 70 own and manage line or
steamers on which their produce is trans
ported to San Francisco markets or TO
Sacramento City for Shipment T. Ist Pre-
Vious to the last two years many of these
lands were held in large tracts; now the
owners arc subdividing Them and Offering
Them for sale to actual settlers
For many years California regarded |
as valueIess save Tor It's mineral wealth, |
but American enterprise has developed |
that its richness in tine line OF agriculture |
and fruit raising is inferior TO none in the |
world From the cultivation of cereals the |
step was taken successfully in the line or |
fruit and vine raising. and lastly IN the |
growing OF oranges and lemons consequent |
ly the fruit-grower here has no waste time, |
but can, If he will, utilize every day in the |
year He may actually gather fIuIt OF |
some kind from his orchard every month |
OF tho year, as the winter fruits embrace |
oranges, lemons. pomegranates olives and
persmmons, which npen during the
months of November, December and Janu-
airy. The spring fruits embrace Strawberries,
raspberries. blackberries and cherries and
are marketed in April, May and June The
Dgs. pears and nectaraes, ana are marketed
from June TO October. The fall fruits are
apples, pears. grapes ounces. prunes and
peaches, TO which may be added almonds,
Egyptian corn, alfalfa sweet potatoes etc,
are all grown with profit We who have |
spent our lives east of the Rocky Mountains /
can nave no reasonable conception or |
country that apparently has but two |
sons, an autumn and sprIn.E, as it il here in !
the Sacramento valley. The rainfsn COM |
menceS about November ! and ends IN |
May, but only at intervals during that time. |
so that with few exceptions there is no |
cause for suspension from outdoor labor. !
Flowing begins here as soon as the rains |
commence-n fact, many farmers who |
their lands in April and |
May seed the same in August and Septem-
Der before the first rains
The change from ons season to the o.her |
IS marked with no sudden or severe climaJ-
&c changes While sleet and snow. 10 say
nothing of billiards at this time of the wear,
lre the fortune OF the people at the East
here in the Sacramento valley the people /
are basking under clear skies and can pluch |
fruits and flowers The writer noticed i'll
0ne OF the markets this morning the fol-
owing fruits and vegetables, being in
formed they were grown in this Immediate
vicinity: Asparagus, caul flower, cabbage, |
ceIory. drL.cnOkeb, sweet potatoes, sprouts. |
spinach. peas satisfy. ring-bean new
Dotatoes. onions oranges. lemons persim-
mons. English walnuts. almonds and rails
ms In an interview with the signal service |
officer located here. am informed hat this
present winter has been unusually cold
1ne-in fact, the coolest in the past thirty
our years
few days since a snow-storm actually
Iwept over the valley and snow fell to the
lepIh of inch, afford NO great amuRe-
nent to men, women and children during
he few hours it lay upon the ground HI
llso informed me that Sacramento County
shows a warmer winter, spring, and yearly
average temperature and about the same
summer and autumn temperature that the
yreat citrus belt in Northern Italy does, as
hown by the following table which kea
kindly furnished me: