San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-10-03
From California.

California, and ms You babe me goOd-b
> your last injunctions 10 mo were not 10 fc
: get my old friend, tho FREE PRrss. and
, let You hear from me. now avail myst
Of the opportunity. have seen conside
able OF Southern California, and am fave
ably impressed, though not completely ca
ried away an some have been. l left 81
Marcos on the 10th OF June, 2 o'clock a. 4
train reached San Antonio just after su
rise spent few hours very pleasantly
the Alamo City with relatives and frient
, whom met there. visited the Alamo an
other places Of interest, leaving there G
the 1890 o'clock train.
As the train pulled out felt was lea
ingf rionds aud home for for time, an
partly realized the risk l WAS running
taking such trip, seemingly alone.
was not long. however, before l made th
acquaintance of nice family from Tylel
Texas, journeying TO the same state rs my
self, their destination being Sacramento
consequently l had pleasant company a
the way.
After leaving San Antonio saw little +
attract my attention until we reached tn
Rio Grande, excepting two acquaintance
Rev. Is. Harris and Mr.. Wolf. Tley wer,
on board the train and Travelled quite |
little way before stopping of.
The sun was setting and throwing its las
lingering rays on the cleaning water as We
caught sight of its smooth surface spread
out over the prairies. We travelled fol
miles along the banks Of this stream, with
the painted cave to our right, towering
almost rs high As the eye could reach, form
ing huge WALL respondent with the hues
of the rainbow, and such deep caverns
seemed az if God had torn them asunder in
his wrath. never saw anything 30 cub
timely beautiful l almost shuddered as
the train would make O sudden curve, for
the least little jar would have hurled US
over the depth of fifty or hundred feet
into the waters below. We partly lost
scenery.
We reached Maria just at dawn. My
cousin, Mrs. Ellison, came to the depot to
meet me, expecting me to stop over few
days with her. was sorry to disappoint
her. but, as had telegraphed on leaving
San Antonio when would reach Los An
geles, could not stop,
After leaving Marfa and even before we
reached there, we passed over some lovely
country. varying with every point of the
compass. as we journeyed along, winding
along the foot of those lovely hills.
Ell Paso, the next place of note, is city
of more or less attractions, spreading out
on the banks of the Rio Grande, and on
the border of Texas and Mexico. Mexico
is wild, dreary looking country, with
small scrubby growth, dotted here and there
with cactus some of which we remember
seeing at the Exposition at New Orleans
and wondered at their immense height.
And far back in the distance those lofty
peaks aud blue mountains, reaching far up
into the heavens.
Arizona like Mexico, is dry and barren,
with the same blue mountains in the dis
lance. Near the border of Arizona and
California we stopped for dinner at n quaint
Indian town called Humor. Here we saw
our first Indians. What horrible looking
they are, with their painted faces
md long black hair flowing over their head
md shoulders like an inken veil
After leaving there we entered that
dreaded desert of ninety miles, and were
i've hours passing through. The heat and |
lust were intense, and long before we |
cached the end we were all willing to say, |
Amen, enough of the desert" Strange to |
ay, but some parts of it were beautiful.
treat heaps of sand, like beds of snow and J
with sun rays, would fall upon it /,
ike beds of diamonds.
Think how tantalizing. While we were
lmost broiling with heat to look out of the
ar windows and view the snow capped
Mt distance of fifteen or twenty
niles (The atmosphere is SO extremely
ure here the distance is very deceiving.)
It first was loath 10 believe 1t, thought it
kali; Mt last l gave in, remembering it
'as Califoi MIA, and l must make up my
lind to believe anything 1 heard, 10 mat.
Or how extravagant
Soon after leaving the desert we were
reeted with sight of lovely orange and
mon groves and beautiful vineyards with
heir trailing vines waving in the air, max
,g California seem almost paradise. A
sw hours ride and we were whirled into
he beautiful city of Los Angeles, all aglow
18th the electric lights, that we could see
Or miles and miles before We reached
,ere, cleaning like so MANY beacon lights
uidng ms from afar, and throwing their
fellow light over the teeming multitude
lronging the streets.
Willie and Lewis Mitchell met me at the
epot, and within few moments 1 was
riven to their home, The children came !,
1t and gave me Joyous welcome, then
d me to their mothers room, where she
y quite ill. She has never left her room
nee 1 came. l was grieved to find this ,
ime had not benefited her as we had all ,
'ped. Sad TO say, now she has gone from q
noug Us. Her loss to her family is q :
eat one, and it was sore trial to give :
n up, but their loss is her eternal gain. !,
r, Mitchell is now travelling In Arizona
I'd Utah for his health. The boys have =
grown to be tine-looking young men, of =
ell-trained minds and noble qualities.
le girls are bright and healthy, and were L
g pride Of their mothers heart, and but I
r the sad death of their mother would be /
happy family.
Los Angeles, or the City of Angels MS it :
termed, was founded by priest in the .
ar 1772. 1t is comparatively a new city, :,
all the improvements have been made n
thin the last few years. 1t numbers =
out eiGhty-fve thousand inhabitants and
asts of all the modern improvements:
complete cable line railway, the street
r, and various ways of transportation from
3 OK wagon to the palace car. Thestreets
3 beautifully laid with asphalt, making
I'm almost as smooth as marble. Lovely 4
ives and beautiful parks, with such rare
eet flowers, making tue whole ali redo IN
It with their sweet perfume. This is
ly a land of flowers. They have a fine u
stem of waterworks; have all the water
sded for irrigsting purposes l have n
N a few native live oaks, such as we
We in Texas. The sycamore tree is
.ural growth here. The palm, eucalyp-
and pepper all seem to flourish. The
,alyptus is a tall, graceful tree, and re- 2
miles the pine; the pepper is very SINH
to the mesquit-foliage the same-in-
nd Of the bean lovely red berries hang
in great clusters, making it a tree Of I