River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-11-08
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
So 49,. a.. o.. Fl. ]

4 I'D SON mai A<tAt 81 DN4iRNN
I am in your debt letter, for l have
not written you since my return from
Wisconsin and we receive the "l1oked
for JOURNAL every week with its grist
of news, that is devoured even to the
ads.
Shortly after | arrived home in
September we experienced a slight
shock, commonly called an earth
quake. The only fault | could find
with the shock was. it woke me
little early in the morning-about
O'Clock. Now when anything dis
turbs my slumbers it has to be some
thing more than the common run of
things. 1t reminded me of the saying
of one of your principal lawyers the
initials of his name being Chas. Smith.
lie would express it thusly: This
is great state of things" | really
believe that would be the right express
sion to use under the circumstances.
Our little city has made many extern
sive and valuable Improvements dur
ing the past summer. Among the
most noticeable is the Hotel Vendome,
costing in the neighborhoOd of $780,
900. 1t is needed acquisition to the
Garden City. The City Hall, commence
ed year ago and now nearly COM
pleted, situated in Market Plaza, will
cost when finished nearly $3.50
The fremont House now under course
of construction, located on Second
street, contract price S35, 900, will be
used principally as a family hotel.
Many other buildings, business blocks
and residences. have been built that
would be an ornament to any city.
The street work has been pushed
with all vigOr and is still being con-
Quoted with dispatch, as the rainy
season will soon make it's appearance,
when street work comes to a stand
still for a time. Granite and gravel
are used as paving material. with as
phaltum as covering, making very
tine streets. The bitumen, or asphalt
tum, is quarred out of the Santa Cruz
mountains in its natural state. The
country roads are macadamiZed with
alum rock, so called, as it contains
some of the alumen properties. 1t is
found only III one place in the valley,
in canyon named "Alum Rock Can.
yol." The water in this locality has
"a sulphuric taste.
The fruit crop has been gathered.
1t proved TO be up to expectation, but
not so abundant as last year. am
garnering and dispOsing of my fruit
crop pumpkins aud beets) at the pres
ent time, realizing $500 per ton for
the former and $3.50 for the latter.
Some of the pumpkins tip the beam at
$50 pounds, while some OF the beets
reach the enormous size of l07 pounds.
This am we'll aware will meet with
derision and ridicule from the most or
many of my r. f. friends, but | could
convince them at once if they were
here to assist me in loading them into
the wagon. Some of my neighbors
Lse block and tackle in loading them,
but we use ''main strength and awk-
wardness.
Politics appears to be the principal
topic of conversation. Each party
Republican and Democratic) feels
that they are treading the only road
that viii save the people from actual
want. The Prohibition party claims
to have gained strength on the coast
during the past year, but we can
tell better after election. Your hum
bile servant still maintains and sup
ports the good old party. The
Chinese must go" Do not use this as
a campaign letter for do not intend
it as such. "Great men differ
Joseph Schupp and family, formerly
of saltwater, Mimi, have lately NOV
ed here, purchased property and will
make this place their future home.
Mr.. Schupp was engaged in the whole
sale grocery trade in the lumber
city" until recently. Mr.. Spencer, an
Old lumberman of the same city, came
at the same time and after taking in
the state has concluded to unpack his
| .s,r;,,ss -, tho Gapdou ritv
Mrs. &. b. Cox, of Santa Rosa, and
Mrs. ID. ID. Proctor, of Occidental,
made their many old Wisconsin
friends a visit the past week, and
'.broke bread at the writer's board.
They both look as though the coast
climate was good enough for them to
live in. We would have been right
glad to shake the hands of their
"worser halves, but presume some
Que had to keep ranch and this time
.women's rights" ruled.
Ed. Hamilton and family lately OF
Z. F., arrived safe and sound in our
midst last Monday and he remarked
that he was not ready to return yet.
Oh! forgot to inform you that we
are enjoying the most glorious weather
Imaginable If we meet an old Cali
fornian on the street and accost hin
with the familiar eastern phrase, Zine
day" he will stare at you, as much a:
to say. When did you arrive from
the Eastl' Respectfully Yours,
II. +. l..