Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1890-09-04
A JAUNT IN WONDERLAND.
A Ravishing Description of the
Wonderful Beauties of
Nature in California
and the Far West,

thence up the Columbia river to
Portland, Ore. All along this
route there are sights for the tour
ist that he will never forget. On
each side of the Columbia river,
after 80 miles from its mouth, to
the dells, 10 miles each side, both
in Oregon and Washington, there
is almost solid orchard of prunes,
each yielding about $500 per acre.
From Portland we travelled up the
Willamet river to Salem, Oregon
This is beautiful valley, which
yields an abundance of all kinds of
fruit and grain, except corn. From
here we went to old Sacramento,
CAL, over the highest mountains
we travelled over in all our 5000
miles. The railroad lays coiled
like snake. We went up and
up, over and under the same road
bed several times before We reach
ed Shasta Mountain, just off to
the left some two miles, as we all
thought, Tut it was twenty miles
by measurement. The mountain
was covered some so feet up with
snow and ice, which was rapidly
giving way under the radiant sun.
Water was pouring down the sides
of the mountain, over the rocks,
hundreds of feet into the Sacra-
mento river, near the Sulphur
Springs. Here we all stopped and
got out and viewed the beautiful
water falling over the rooks. We
could see the rainbow in the sheets
of water as 1t poured over into the
river. The railroad runs just on
the edge of the river from its head
to Sacramento City. Nothing but
rocks, trees and mountains on both
sides along this stream. From
Sacramento we run down through
the San Francisco valley, which is
very rich and one solid wheat
field, as yellow as gold. Landing
at Oakland, from there We crossed
the bay into the Golden City" of
California. This ls a wonderful
city. We took in the Woodward
Gardens, the City Cemetery, Gold
en- Park and the Cliff House, with
Its wonderfully fine flowers, walks
and statuary; also, its fine bath
house and Cliff House, filled with
the finest shells and ornaments in
the world. From the side porch
of this house you can get a good
view of the bay and sea lions, as
there are hundreds lying close by
the rocks, making all sorts of noises.
From here We started to Fresno,
Cal running all the way tn; ough
the San joaquin valley. This
valley il over 200 miles long and
an average of 60 wide. This is all
in wheat of the very best quality,
yielding about thirty bushels to
the acre. Imagine the piles of
sacks Of wheat we saw all along
the railroad at every station. We
landed at this place at 3 o'clock in
the evening of the 21st inst. Here
we found one of'the prettiest little
cities in our travels. This city is
about seven years old, has popu-
lation of over 20, 900 and is rapidly
growing. This is a raisin and
fig country-the best in the world,
so I have been told. They can
make $500 per acre out of their
raisins. We are now stopping here
for a few days with our friends,
Mrs. Walker and her two little
grandchildren, Gertie and Daisy,
and Miss May Snyder, the latter
our niece, J. B. Snyder's daughter,
all of Mexico, NO., who live on
their beautiful raisin farm, some
2 1-2 miles from this city, on Cat
tenau and Fresno aves., which il
the prettiest drive in sll this coun'
try. There are three tracks on this
boulevard with pure water running
on both sides of the drive and the
very prettiest tropical plants and
all kinds of flowers and shrubs
Their farm 10 in . high state o.
cultivation, with fine drives snd
lawn in front of the residence Il
the boulevard in the shape of {
heart, filled with beautiful flower.
and shrubs. The farm is abund
ant with raislns aud figs. W.
found them in the very best o
health and we'll satisfied; they
could not be induced to leave theil
beautiful home. From here ",
are going TO Los Angeles. To at
tempt to give you description o
all the fine fruits, flowers, shrubs
vines, orange blossoms, trees, &c.
here would be out of the question
as we cannot find language to ex
press the beauties of this Colder
State, From Los Angeles We g
through Arizona, New Mexico ant
Colorado TO Great Bend, Kansas
where / fear We will find every
thing dried up and blown away
From there We 60 to Kansas City
thence home. We have been bene
fted very much by our trip. M.
wife is much improved and Cal
' walk as far as myself, looking q
1 the wonders of nature in each cit,
az We 20 though the beautiful gar
dens. / must stop, as l fear