The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-26
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
Climate, Fruits and Yankee Enterprise in
This Sunny Land.
Especial correspondence


California climate. Were 1t not for vio-
lent gale which swept over the district the
night of our arrival. stripping orange or
chards, unroofing large buildings and de-
molishing churches, we should have said
that 1t was perfect winter climate. Again
we are assured that such an occurrence is
unparalleled and never before known In
the experience Of the Oldest inhabitants.
but we cannot help feeling that it may hap
pen again. We visited Pasadena where the
greatest damage was done, and found the
principal street of this famous winter san
itarium filed with tin roofs which had
been taken bodily from whole blocks and
deposited with coping and chimneys in the
middle of the street. The large Methodist
church had been practically demolished.
Its tower had tumbled in through the roof
of the auditorium and the side Of the build
| ing was broken in. The lofty steeple of
the Presbyterian church opposite was
blown off at its base and broken into Ikind-
| ling wood. These were the principal dis
asters. but there were many minor ones.
| Orange orchards within the limits of its
march were practically stripped of fruit
and the partially ripened oranges lay in
| heaps upon the ground. Fortunately Riv-
erside lay outside its path and did not suf-
fer. No damage was done in Los Angeles,
but the writer was awakened from his
SAUNDERS by the severity of the gale and at
| first had the impression that he was listen
| ing to northeast gale on the Maine coast.
| The next morning the wind subsidized into
a moderate breezn, which served to give
piquancy to the somewhat dull monotony
of genuine Southern California day. 1t
was delight, however, to be able to bask
in the sun in December and to walk about
without an overcoat, to pluck the roses
growing in pr0fusi0n on the clambering
vines about the door, 30 see tropical plants
f0nrishing In the open air and feel the i'm
pulse of awakening nature on every hand.
Nearly every home in Los Angeles seems
to have its little plot of land laid out with
scrupulous neatness and filed with snowy
shrubs and evergreens. The golden fruit
of the orange trees peep out from every
garden and often oyerhang the locust
hedges along the streets. Some of the
.prlvate grounds are marvels of luxuriant
vegetation and good taste. The variety of
their shnbbery and foliage plants we have
never seen surpassed, and their well kept
lawns would do credit to Newport villa.
AS a city Los Angeles is the pride of
Southern California, and well 1t may be.
1t is the distributing point for large sec
ton and has attained solid growth which
cannot be permanently checked. 1t has
court house. which In style Of architecture,
ard luxury of appointments would do
credit to city ten times its size, and its
municipal building surpasses the former
in some particulars. ITS main street is
filed with shops which would delight by
their contents the searcher for articles of
luxury and convenience. It boasts of hay
ing at least 300 clear days in the year, and
that the heat Of summer Is more than
t0lerable and tempered by cool nights. l
am inclined to think the Yankee tempera-
ment yields somewhat to the delightful
lassitnde Of the climate, which tempers
somewhat his restlessness and activity, but
from the specimens have met in official
and other positions here, 1 judge he is still
a good deal of a ''rustler." No matter
how long since he left the East, he seems
to have still warm place in his heart for
the New England hills and coast. The
famous oronge groves of Southern
California are well worthy of
study. as they illustrate the
important part which irrigation plays in
the development of this country. Without
irrigation, land is of little value except for
town sites, and even then some system of
water supply is essential. The beautiful
San Benardin0 valley boasts the largest
and best organized irrigation system in
this country. The Bear Valley Land and
lrrigating company, and its inception and
success are largely due to former resi-
dent of Connecticut, Mr.. f. E. Brown,
who is its engineer and general manager.
1t represents an investment OF several mil
lion dollars, and its irrigating works con-
sist of an immense artificial reservoir high
up in the mountains, with subsidiary res
ervoirs at lower levels. The water is dis
tributed by system of iron and cement
pipes, the former being used where there
is much grade or pressure, with some open
bitches cement lined. AS the system of
small farming prevails, in plots of ten
acres or less, the ground is fully utilized,
wherever favorable to fruit growing The
water Is delivered at the highest point of
each tract and then distributed by means
of furrowed channels over the surface,
although in some cases the water is deliv-
cred by means of iron pipes with faucets at
the head Of each row of trees. Orange
trees commence bearing when about four
years old. but full crops are not expected
before the expiration of seven years from
the setting out. Not every kind of soil is
favorable to orange culture, gravelly
knobs being preferred. Prunes,
olives, apricots. peaches and grapes
are also largely grown, with
some figs and other semI-tropical fruits
The favorite varieties of oranges cultivated
seem to be the Navels and Mediterranean
Sweets. Well cultivated orange groves
often give annual returns of five hundred
dollars and upwards per acre, and the price
of unimproyed lands, suitable for orange
culture, with adequate water rights, varies
from five hundred dollars to one thousand
doII