The Columbus journal., 1891-04-29
California Letter.
La VIVA ADrii ItD lS1'

LA VIVA, April III. 1871.
EDITok JOUENAL:-Sinc my last let
ter, We have had postOtfice established
here, SO We will he able to get our mail
regularly. There was lots of trouble in
getting our letters and papers from Ma
dera; there was an"ther James Hudson
lHed there, at least my
letters faa been opt,Iej D. mistake.
Last Thursday night al tiers aud
papers came with a I'd We were
going to eat snpper. and I" help the
matter. I heard the wife say in "i.. of
her sweetest notes. "Iim. the COW has
got loose" and l'eins Il y"nms h-if-r. she
did get mp and dust. But then. Mr.
Turner, she is a Jersey and they are SO
dOcile and gentle. y"u know: she must
have left her xentleness al the end of
the rope. for as soon as I said ",lrat that
heifer" she broke like Il quarter horse.
| tell You its no fun, to catch a Young
heifer, hungry and tired AS I WAS. and
had only sniff at my supper. She's IL
daisy: she cost ME S4:I. gives rich cream
aud that's better than paying :n cents IA
pound for butter and poor. suspicious
stuff at that.
Our town is growing right along. new
comers every day. three houses going up
near me; large hall is being built. and
arrangements are being made to build Il
school house, and il will have 10 he big
one, there are lots Of children here.
II is very healthy, We ;sFs-aA we'll. and
hear Of no sickness.
~. yes! l strucks9 DDsU0aEeise feet:
it is good tasted, but not very cool.
We have had three nice showers the
past week and everything is growing
fine, the vineyards and orchards are
loaded with frnit, the SHOWS from the
mountains furnishing irrigation an in
exhaustible source Of water. have ten
acres Of land already planted with vines
and fruits. paid $50 for my land,
$3.50 down. the balance in three Years, in
annual payments.
Mr.. Brown, the founder Of the colony.
has advertised for 100 families; he has
100 men in his employ, planting 3OO0
acres to vines and other fruits; the ex-
penses last month were 2s.OOO.
4 railroad is expected here soon and
canning factory in the near future will
be built by the colony. like the out
look, and think now l shall he satisfied
with the change: at all events, can
make living much easier and pleasant
er than on a farm, wadins in snow and
feeding stock six or eight months in the
year. with all its toiling and changing
climate.
1t costs us about the sane to live here
as it did in Nebraska. l can save near
ly half 1 earn, and my boys keep them
selves. and wife wants me to get her
some chickens to raise,-she finds her
work SD much lighter out here 1t seems
to me that man with the ordinary
habits of industry can make living in
this delightful climate. While writing
this letter We have had light thunder
shower. with some wind. Some of those
who have lived here two or three years,
say this wind is unusual; it must Ire
because SO many from Nebraska are
coming in, and they are bringing the
wind with them. tell you if they had
one day Of such winds as You folks have
had this spring, all the houses would
crush up like eggshells. 1t looks very
funny to see them bnild their houses,
and even the large hall that is going up
without studdings.
! will try I" explain in one Of my
letters. the plan and terms upOn which
the John Brown colony sell their lands
to those who come here 1" settle with
their families. Hope you are all losing
the grippe. JAMES H. HUDsON.