The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-09-18

California, writes an interesting let
ter to friend in this city, and the
FREE PRESS is permitted to give it
publicly. Here it is:
VENTURA, CAL. Sept. 10, 81.
FRIEND WILLIAM WALLACE:
1t would not surprise me to know
that you had thought the old saying
very true "out Of sight out of mind,
ETC." Well, be that as it may, if you
had been along should have enjoyed
the trip much better. You see as we
grow old we lose lots of pleasure in
travelling that once were ours to enjoy
when we were younger: all the same |
had very pleasant trip all the way
| through. The Canadian road is mon
otonous until we reach the Rockies,
then for one day and night the seen
| cry is sublime. The last half day is
down the Frazer river. In this valley
| was disappointed. 1t is narrow, wet,
and but very little room for cultiya-
| ton as far as we went. Our train
stopped at place called Mission,
where we took the first train on the
new branch through Samos valley TO
Whatcom; then we made connection
direct for Seattle.
1t is very pleasant on the sound in
summer time and the scenery is SUBJ
| lime. Seattle is very much as | had
pictured it to myself-full Of life with
but little to support it outside Of the
travelling public. To man up tree
their making money on real estate is
good deal like Josh Billings trading
| dogs-of course Mankato people excep--
ted-for really as far as saw they are
all doing we'll The Fourth was cele-
brated with the grandest turnout
that ever witnessed anywhere, and l
| felt proud that Mankato boy with
his fifty teams in the procession made
the best showing of any business firm
in the city. Frank has done well and
is well liked. Harry does the work of
the Transfer office. He looks well
and sticks to it like an old hand.
| found my Harry pushing to the front
with considerable business tact. We
spent a couple of days in Tacoma, and
there found Judge Branson busy put
ting up three story business build
| ing. He looks the same minus the
wear and tear. His wife is quite a
| fine appearing woman of about 30
summers, and according to the Judges
decision, is model woman mentally.
physically, and morally. Dublin
| son & Son are connected with
big business firm, apparently thriving.
! Our old Indian gibbeter Duly | did
not see
One thing is sure, Mankato is well
represented in Seattle, Tacoma and
San Diego Took a boat from Seattle
to Frisco: stopped few hours at Port
Townsend and Victoria. The latter
| is quite pretty little city, but it's
English you know" From there to
Fuca Straits and around Cape Flat
terry. Then we enter the ocean and
keep out of sight of land most of the
time until we enter the Golden Gate,
trip Of a thousand miles in three
days. The greatest attraction here is
the Golden Gate new park: few min
uteS ride takes you to the Cliff House.
The park is handsomely arranged,
and watching those sea lions at the
Cliff for a couple Of hours is something
never to be forgotten.
One day on the Southern Pacific,
one night in a hotel and Is miles on
the stage next day took me to Clara's,
40 miles east of San Luis Obispo.
Found Emma Fowler, Clara and fami-
! ly all well.
On the Fourth of July we wore an
oyercoat with pleasure, but here |
could get along better with nothing
but a ''tig Leaf" Stayed there five
weeks, during which time the Their
mometer kept winking from 100 to lis
in the shade with Scarcelya dayin the
ninetieS We put up barn 40X4S and
hu 40 tiroa If WAC donn 1 yyac down
| to my lighting weight. That govern
ment land my wife took is not surveyed
yet. 1t lays about thirty miles east
of where Clara is, in Kern county. We
| intend taking it as soon as surveyed.
| We left Clara's three weeks ago. One
| days ride landed US at San Luis Obs
pc, where the climate is about as per-
| feet as one could wish. Next morn
| ing we took twelve mile ride on a
narrow guage to Port Hartford, when
we met the steamer: at 4 o'clock the
same day we are landed at Santa Bar
bara. DR.. Stanfer is the only Manka-
tote in this place. He is the easy
enial-hail-fellow well met that he
always was. His wife and daughter
are in Scotland.
Thirty miles on the train landed US
at Ventura; found Rena and husband
and children all well. / don't think
there is two days difference in
Mr.. and Mrs. Seward for the last ten
years. Josiah Keene shows age since
last saw HIM. There is Bean fami-
| ly here that | am not acquainted with.
We have concluded to build a small
house on the land that wife bought
| last winter. The place is called Mon
taloo, young town Just starting, five
miles from here. Our house will be
about one-eighth Of a mile from the
depot, about four miles from the
ocean on a gradual slope, SO there
will be nothing TO obstruct the view.
I think it a delightful place for
home, and / wish you had few acres
joining with neat little cottage big
enough to keep you busy painting and
gardening. You think [ am joking,
do you? Well, | think it terrible joke
to see man splitting wood all sum-
| mer in order to keep from from freeZ-
ing the balance of the year.
The times are quiet, but all the
towns are making some improvements
as they do through Minnesota. One
thing | like here better than IN San
Diego; you see something green the
year round without irrigation. 1t
will not be many years before every
| ocra IF ao0d land q 1nno this n0QGf ig