St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-04-26
VIEW OF CALIFORNIA.
Climate the Chief fAttraction.--ReaI Es-
tate Must Come Down.

tate Must Come Down.
E. T. Howard, formerly of st. Johns
bury but who has for four or FIVE
months been living in National City,
California, has moved to Oakland. In
a private letter giving his views of the
country are some things that will in
terest st. Johnsbury readers. Writing
from National City he says -
We have been here about five
months. In some respects we are very
much pleased with this portion of Cal
ifOrnia. We came here seeking health
and have derived fully as much bene-
fit as we expected. The climate since
we have been here is all that any one
could ask, and that perhaps as much
as anything else is what will eventual
ly settle up this whole region. The
bay and climate are all that have been
claimed for them. The whole country
all about here is covered with small
but rich valleys. The price at which
they are held will, however, prevent
them from being settled for some time.
Should the price be placed at from $50
to 800 per acre they would, l think,
in very short time find buyers. The
soil is on the whole of excellent quail
ty. Irrigation is what is needed and
that will in time be so fully developed
that this whole region will be amply
supplied with water. The Sweetwater
dam ten miles from here holds in check
water sufficient to supply National City
and irrigate the whole valley between
here and the dam. There is water
enough in the mountains if properly
held in check to furnish sufficient
supply for this whole region, and water
is all that is needed to make this cOun-
try bloom-except lower prices for five
and ten acre tracts of land. From $500
to $500 per acre is too much for land
that has never been improved.
The boom which commenced last
spring and lasted till into the fall caus
ed thousands to come, caused hundreds
of houses, residences and business
blocks to be erected, and added very
largely to the general wealth of this
whole region. Many people of means
have come and invested some came
simply to invest, others came to stay
and these have erected fine residences.
Southern California will become a
great resort for people of means from
the East and West. A great many
have made fortunes during the past
and very large number constituting
the great majority have not made very
much more than a living.
1 have frequently said and have
found no reason as yet to change my
opinion, that if one is doing fairly well
in the East and has but little money,
the best thing he can do is to stay
there unless he seeks this country for
health. Health is of course the first
thing to be considered. Agreat many,
however, make the mistake of waiting
till it is too late before coming.
There is one motor r. K. running
through National City from San Diego
every half hour. Another motor is
nearly completed and line of horse or
street cars is nearly done and another
one to be built. Real estate transac-
tions are quiet just now but will take a
new start one of these days. The dis
covery of valuable gold mines across
the Mexican line about 10 miles from
here may be and likely will be of great
benefit to San Diego and National
City. Whatever benefits San Diego
will help National City.
do not expect to be here to see 1t
but the time is surely coming when
there will be large city on this bay
second only to San Francisco. One
cannot always form a correct opinion
of a place by residing in it only four
months but they can certainly catch on
to some of the more prominent charac-
teristics.