The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-07-21

The first place visited WAS West Lake
Park and fine view was had OF the
CITY and surrounding country from the
neighboring heights. There are many
points of interest worthy of the special
attention of the visitor of which Bunker
Hill, Crown Hill, Angeleno Heights,
Boyle Heights and Mount Lookout are
among the most northumberland
localitie. surrounding the city from
which the grandest views to be seen
in any cline can be obtained, ranging
in extent from twenty to one hundred
miles. according to the condition OF the
atmosphere. The views embrace
great range of mountain peaks from
5000 to 10000 feet high broad valleys,
with succession of thriving towns
with intervening orchards and tiowery
slopes the Pacific ocean. twenty miles
distant; and on clear day, the Cata-
lima islands, about fifty miles South
west Of the city.
Commercially, Los Angeles occupies
an advantageous position with trade
extending as far East of New Mexico,
and South to Old Mexico. The city
is connected with various seaports and
seaside resorts by the lines ofthe Santa
Fe system, and there is large coast
trade.
Leaving Los Angeles and travelling
via Southern Pacific Railroad we
awoke next morning about l25 miles
away to find that we were i'll the midst
of mos: enchanting mountain scenery.
We were now crossing the Tehachapi
mountains, a range running East and
West and between which, the Sierra
Nevada mountains and the Coast range
lies the far famed San Joaquin (San
Waukeen) valley. In crossing this
range the railroad runs through 20
tunnels, the longest of which is about
half mile in length. This tunnel is
at the summit of the mountains at an
elevation of 5000 feet above sea level.
Here is the famous LOOP" which
is certainly a marvel in engineering
skill. In crossing these mountains the
roilroad forms a perfect loop and winds
up and around and through high peaks
in such manner as to show five
parallel tracks, or rather one above an
other step fashion. The loop is about
three miles around and two-thirds of
mile across. In formins it the track is
SO shaped that the train looks like it is
going back through the same tunnel
out of which it had merged only short
While before. While on the mountain
siding station was observed in the
valley below. 1t did not appear to be
more than half a mile from us in an
air line, and yet by the windings of
the railroad we had to travel distance
Of 9 miles before it was reached.
Having descended the Tehachapi
mountains we enter the San Joaquin
valley of which | have already spoken.
This is one of the finest and most fer
tile farming and fruit countries in the
world. 1t extends North and South
$40 miles and from IS to IS miles in
width. On the Eastern side Of the
valley are the Sierra mountains and
ON the West side next to the Pacific
ocean is the Coast range. When I
speak of the fertility of the soil mean
when it is brought to a state Of cult
walton by thorough system Of irriga-
ton. Naturally and without being IL
gated it produces little or nothing. But
properly cultivated this valley alone is
capable Of sustaining population of
several millions of people. 1t never
rains there from May to November
and in some parts Of Southern Cali
fornia no rain falls at all. Windmills
are seen again as noted further back
on our trip. Nearly every farm house
in sight of the railroad is provided with
one OF more of these devices for pump
ing water for household purposes, for
stock and for irrigating the land.
Wheat is the chief crop raised in this
valley, and from so to 40 bushels are
produced to the acre without the use
of fertilizers Of any kind. Some Of the
wheat farms are operated on quite an
extensive scale and it would be i'm
possible to harvest the immense crop.
which they yield without the use OF
improved labor saving machinery
Besides the ordinary harvesters in use
throughout the country they have new
machine called the Pacific Harvester
which cuts, threshes, cleans and sacks
the wheat at the same time, harvesting
i'll this way 40 acres a day. l saw one
of these machines at work. 1t was
drawn by l6 horses, and was quite a
novel sight to = ''down Easter. -
Threshing wheat as soon as cut will
sound strange to readers of the GOLD
LEAF in this part Of the country, but
they must bear in mind that such a
thing is rendered possible only by the
peculiar climate of California. Its ex.
IRENE dryness and the absence of rain
allowing the grain to thoroughly ma
ture and harden in the field accounts
for it. 1t would not seem necessary
for any farmer to have more than one
such harvester as the kind l have jus,
mentioned, yet some are obliged tc
have more in order to harvest their
crops. We passed an immense farm OF
"ranche" as they are called out West
that had this year 10000 acres in
wheat.
We pass number of little towns
along the route but none Of special i'm.
portancc until Fresno is reached about
1870 p. M, May 22nd. This is a
prosperous and pretty little city with q
population Of lO,S9O. 1t is the count,
seat of Fresno, a small empire within
itself. 1t is larger than the State Of
Maine, with 5000 square miles, o.
which vast area the central portion is
a great valley, about 60 miles square
or nearly 100000 acres of compare
lively level land. From East to Yves,
this county is about l40 miles long
and extends from the top of the Sierra
on the East, to the top of the Coas
range on the West. The foot-hill ant
mountain section East of the valley i:
about As miles wide. and a similar
section on the West Of the valley j:
about 20 miles. This will give oul
readers some idea of the magnitude O
the country, where they are content t.
have counties as large as that wher
here III North Carolina our people are
constantly wanting to form new ones