Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-07-24
FROM JOHN M. MENErEE.
He and Family Will Eventually
Come Back to Mexico, His
Old Home, to Reside.

Of the Ledger.
Los ANGELES, CAL, July 16.--
1t is now over a year and a half
since | left you all with whom had
lived so pleasantly and long, and
you had not entirely lost
all interest in me l will give you a
short letter and,..if you think it
while, "a give it a little
space in your great religious paper.
My family are all we'll and
hearty. Mrs. Ann. Davis, my
mother.in-law, is here making US a
visit. She came out about March
/ and is much pleased with this
city and climate. Ida Menefee
and Mrs. Davis will start East
about the last Of the month and
Mexico, Mo-, will be the first stop
ping place. They will 60 over the
Central Pacific and Denver Il
Rio Grande. The balance of our
family intend going up to San Jose
about August l. l will rent a cot
tage and furnish 1t plainly, and if
we are pleased there We may make
it our home. We have no cause
to regret coming to California. l
think l have been benefited in
health and our little children have
grown strong and fast.
l understand the report has
come to Mexico that I had sunk
here $500 on my house. This is
all a mistake. Last year l bought
two lots and built on it a very
nice house, furnished it and the
grounds. About March /, this
year, it cost me about $4,000. I
sold it for that amount and sold
the furniture in the house for ST.
800, making in all SIG, 300. This
price did not include piano, two
Windsor folding beds, pictures,
bedding and sllverware. I lost a
little on the furniture I brought
out from Mexico with me, but /
had decided that we wanted To be
toot-loose, and in this country one
does not need a big house or much
furniture. 1t is unlike Missouri;
every one can tour around a
great deal and it is so pleasant up
and down the coast one feels good
under any circumstances. This is
undoubtedly a favored country as
for a pleasant climate and health
full one. Not half enough has evel
been said in regard to this country
as a summer resort. 1t is ever
better than winter. But I mus
stop Dragging ON the climate les
you may think l am a real estate
dealer and want to sell you a cor
ner lot !; but it is not the case, for
have nothing here to sell.
Now las to the condition ofSouth
ern California. l will give it t.
you as it is, for I have been over i
lately a good deal, and also Lo
Angeles City. This is a growing
city in buildings ct all kinds ant
expensive ones population is so,
600 in city limits and ove 1000
in the suburbs. 1t is now spend
ing over a million dollars in publ
works and this does not includ
the government building Now a
to the chance for a poor man will
a family to come here. I think
is now better than it was two year
ago, for land for raising fruit o
grain is not one-half so high. Blu
if he can make a living where he
he had better stay. 1t will not d
for him to come with the expecta
ton of living in the cities ; but it i
a good place now tor girls that ar
not afraid to do cooking and genel
al Homework ; they are wanted q
from twenty to twenty-five dollars
month, with good home and board
But no other kind Of help is want
ed here. Business of all kinds i
. California is dull at present; ye
this will be a more prosperou
. year than for several. The frui
crop is fine and is all being savec
and Is bringing much higher price
than last year. I do not think thi
city or this country dead, but
has gone through one of the biz
gest booms. both country an
, towns, especially in the souther
part of the State, that vas eve
seen. Yet with all that in Lo
Angeles since / have been her
. very few failures have occurred
: AS I have previously stated, I leav
in about two weeks and never e.
pect to live in Los Angeles AGAR
but it Is one of the incest places o
, the continent to live in if You hav
the money, and ii it was not fe
i. my boys I would remain perms
nently. The outlook for bushes
here is not good, and I intend t
go where I can learn them to worl
The people here are now turnin
. their attention to the country an
are planting out millions of fru;
and orange trees. Tho scale bu
! that was on the orange tree an
: : the worm that has done lots {
t damage to the grape vines hav
both about disappeared, so tn
l horticulturist is in much bette
. spirits. This part of the Stat
!, raises most everything by irrig,