Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-04-16

VIEW NEAR STOCKTON.
Then why allow all other trades and
societies To organize while we look at
each other askance: We need lodge of
millionaires in every town. 1t is for that
reason | hail with i'll disguised JOY the
advent of this book, and as soon as | can
possibly raise the money will subscribe
for it,
Fresno is one of the handsome cities of
the Sacramento valley. One rides for
many miles along the broad, level sweep
of green, with never break, save where
the purple orchard scents the air, and
then again miles of green, trimmed with
millions of wild flowers, such as Cali
fornia alone can furnish by the township
in unending yet blending colors.
On the way to Fresno one also discovers
product of the Golden State which he
had not heard about before. 1t is the
wind mill. All along down from Sacra-
mento you discover this rank growth.
About Stockton the wind mill grows to a
great height, and even in the most barren
soil. Some have a bright red blossom,
whilst others are variegated, and still
others are red white and blue A field
is fine sight. do not know what they
are used for unless it be for purposes of
irrigation. Now, however, after the in
tense rains of the winter, it seems almost
mockery for this great army of uuem-
ployed wind mills to stand around with
the water up to its knees and its idle
hands in its pockets.
Fresno is in the heart of beautiful
grape growing country, but these grapes
are not used to promote the interests of
the flowing bowl. The vine growers
here are all engaged in the raisin' of
raisins. Among the horny handed but
wealthy toilers here / found Joseph r.
Goodman. When the angels were en-
gagged in naming that rare and radiant
maiden whom the neighbors called Lee
more, they christened Joseph T. Goodman
with the name he has so honorably borne
for over half a century.
Seeing the evils arising from the cult
walton of the grape as a wine producer,
yet fully alive to the great advantages to
be derived from grape growing gener-
ally as source of food supply, he gave
his attention to the cultivation and prop
agation of the raisin. Selecting the
large, fat, early dwarf, maroon pie raj
sin of commerce, and crossing it with
the citron, he soon obtained a hybrid
raisin, with seeds in it, which could be
hardly distinguished from the royal oc-
tavo raisin Of Spain. He now produces
tons of this beautiful fruit each year at
an enormous profit, and each night as he
retires he can place his hand on his heart
and say: AT least l have never aided in
the great and growing but reprehensibe
industry of filling drunkards' graves"
Mr.. Goodman has history. He ran
The Territorial Enterprise in those early
days when such young strugglers as
Daniel De guile, the bright young
Frenchman, and Samuel L. Clemens, the
talented Missourian, worked for him.
He was one of the features of those won
derful days on the Comstock which can
never come again.
1t was my good fortune to see a con-
siderable of him. Not SO much as we see
of our lady friends in society when in
full dress, perhaps, but still L saw him in
his working clothes and in his every day
manners.
In San Francisco they told me about
his attendance at the obsequies of Sandy
Baldwin. Baldwin and Goodman were
fast friends, and when Sandy died Mr..
Goodman was asked to act as chief pail
bearer. He came down from the mines
for that purpose. and had to borrow some
clothes of John Mccullough. They were
very good clothes, but not long enough in
the sleeves or the legs for Joseph T. Good
man. The Prince Albert coat was plenty
long enough in the skirts, bat revealed a
sweep of forearm and flannel shirt sleeve
which came very near giving tinge of
sadness to the funeral. His trousers also
We're of the hydrophobia variety. and in
order to make friends with the tops of
his boots they had sacrificed the valued
friendship that had existed between
themselves and the waistcoat, as it were.
In the midst of all this the master of
ceremonies suddenly decided that Mr..
Baldwin's pail bearers ought properly to
consist of judges and political dignitaries
of the state, rather than of his old and |
tried friends, who might be barren of |
titles. This was contrary TO the Bald |
win style. however, and highly offensive
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