The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1889-07-25
{ Cabo. distant 16 mile.

Cabo, distant 16 miles.
From I. S. Vice Consul Dexter, who resides
at san Jose, ! have gained some interesting
data regarding this region. He SAYS that Sep
tember Is the season when most distress pre-
walls among the proetarian class of the p0pll-
Iation, because then they can hardly find occu-
patton. and the wild fruits that sustain them
through the summer have all disappeared. OF
course the poems. who belong permanently on
the larger ranches, are sure of something to
eat. but the majority are totally unemployed.
The mines, farther to the northward, do not
furnish steady work, and until the orange har-
vests begin the families of the poor are reduc-
ed to a minimum of food.
OF late Years the culture of cotton has been
greatly stimulated, and all lands susceptible of
irrigation have been devoted to it to an almost
exclusive degree. Formerly sugar was raised
instead, but the prices fell from an over-sup-
ply.
Though when viewed from the sea, upon
either side, the peninsular looks so sterile COM
pared to coasts where rain falls more freqrent-
iY, Consul Dexter asserts that "a short resi-
dence here will convince the most Skeptica
that 1t possesses vast resources, even superior
TO those of Upper California; He says that
by the application of intelligent industry and
moderate capital, most of the land could be
made available for valuable purposes After
the annual rains, an astonishing change takes
place IN the surface of the country. which is
then carpeted with richest green and even in
the absence OF rain, the heavy dewS produce
grass enough for the sIStenance of stock. The
emlgrant has four degrees of climate to choose
from. in the area lying between the coast and
the mountain tops with a soil whereon every
exotic can be produced by irrigation; and if no
streams are near to furnish the water supply,
1t can generally be obtained not far below the
surface.
The mountains contain every known miner
al. pom the coasts. a> well As i'll the interior
deposits OF conner and pVnSnn fpunl
hclent to supply the world. Gypsum exists
both in the crude and cry>talized state, and is
susceptible TO finer polish than that of marble.
1t can be selected in almost every color, in
pure or mixed hue>, and is in demand for Ia
bics, monuments. and various household arti-
cieS ana ornaments. Some of the copper mines
have been worked for generations There are
a few old silver mines that are still Welding
We'll. Gold mines are less frequent, bat such
> are IN Use have long been the support of a
large share of the population.
The fora of Baja California, for the most
part new to Botany, is extremely varied and
valuable Probably no quarter of the globe
furnishes 50 great a variety of medicinal root,
ind plants, which, though little known to the
scientific world, have been successfully used
for centuries by native Metiicos ana cuYUHdef-
tS. large part of the table-lands ana foot
hills are yet solely occupied by Indigenous wild
,nlmas. Shell-ti>h are abundant atong the
,o9>ts, well aS the choicest varieties Of food
fishes. The Gulf. especially, is veritabIe
nine of treasures, Yielding, IA, il does, mother
1i-pearl, oriental pearls the H1tc0. d.lrhu. and
Dther ornamental shells of countless variety
Or expectation, and for the lime which is manu-
arlurcti therefrom. The Consul, WHO GER
AMY ought to know, having long matii4 this
'ountry study concludes hv saving that III
wants to make "A terrestrial paradise here i
III honest, industrious and Intelligent pupula-
ion