Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-01-31
FROM THE GOLDEN SHORE
Farming in California. How They
Make Roads Out There.
A Petrihed Giant.

DE- d. ID. httCHey, McMluHNllle'
Dear Friend:-It has been some
time since l wrote you. We are hav-
ing the finest weather at this season
of the year, have ever seen in Cal.
Farmers are making use Of 1t too. 1t
seems that the rains come just as we
need them. The farmers will get in
more grain this year than they have
ever put in. The rains set in during
October, and have been coming just
at the right times. We had nice
rain last night. Wheat is coming up,
and | never saw the farmers more
hopeful, for last year they made
money, and so far the prospect is far
better than last year. But we can't
tell yet whether we will have crop
or not. 1t depends on the spring
rains. This is a wonderful country.
1t will produce anything that you
put in the ground, where you have
water, and we are getting fixed now
so we can have plenty of water to ir-
rigate all we want, and if the rains
don't come at the right time we can
have crop any way. 1t is surpris-
ing to see what one man can do, in
the way of cultivating the ground.
But if you were here and could see
the machinery they work with, you
would not be surprised.
was up in Tulare county a few
weeks ago and while there l saw Mr..
Berry's steam plow at work. 1t pulls
five gang plows, each cutting forty
inches. He runs it night and day,
has two crews, one to run at night
and one to run ia the day. also saw
road worker, to grade roads. 1t is
run on the same principle as the
header. The dirt is plowed up by a
large pillow and falls on an apron, and
is carried to the middle of the road,
and, as the team goes the dirt is pour
ed out in the middle of the road. 1t
takes from ten to twelve horses to
draw the machine.
There are many wonders to be seen
here and one who never saw this
country would be slow to believe the
true story of what can be seen here
We who have been raised in the
back woods can hardly believe Oul
own eyes. If | tell that we have
trees out here that six horse stage
can pass through, and it still stand
ing, many would disbelieve it
There are still larger trees than thi,
to be found in the Calaveras grove
One of the greatest wonders that
have seen is the petrified man tina
was found few weeks ago in thi!
county. No doubt you have read thu
account before this. He is now OF
exhibit at our town, Fresno, twenty
five cents sight, and no one would
stand back to give it. When / saw
the account of it thought it a hum
bug, but it is not. He is just as per
feet man as can be. He is six fee
and five inches, and looks to be al
older man that l am, and from hi
upper lip it seems that his uppe
teeth were out, for his mouth is caveC
in. His finger nails are just as plail
AS can be, even the wrinkles on hi
fingers are as natural as life. He ha
one hand on his chest and one on hi
stOmache, he seems to have been lay
ed out, or at least he is lying in tina
position. His foot is long and from
the loHks had worn a shoe, for hi
toes are close together, and hi
big toe is sharp showing that he ha
worn tight shoe. His foot is eleve
inches long, and his weight is abou
four hundred pounds. He is wort
more than that many pounds Of gol
to the man who found him. He is
poor man, or was, but now he is ricf
hear that he has sold one fourth il
tereSt for ten thousand dollars.
would not have sold it for any price
The man promised me photograp
of him. He said he was preparin
to make dam to back up the waite
in the Cantue creek, which is abou
80 miles from Fresno. He saw h
foot sticking out of the creek banl
he then set in to dig him out, an
where his head came out he was
or IA feet under ground. He
thought to be Of a race of people "
have no account Of, He will be take
to the worlds fair. l took Wad
Burney and Earle to see him la
week. Earle stood off at first, but
soon came up and looked at him. L
seems to have been bald headed, c
the back of his head you can 81