Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-10
California Is Found to Have q Glori-
GUS Climate, but Not Perfect.
THE PEOPLE ARE GREAT LIARS
When 1t Comes to Polishing Off the Fine
FONTS of the State.
PRETTY SIGHTS IN THE SCHOOLS
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH!

exaggerated place, California, which un-
doubtedly in its southern part has the
climate which bears comparison with the
choicest of the world. That does not mean
it is perfect. There are days, weeks and
months which are a procession of clear,
dazzling, sunny days-neither too hot nor
too cold. All the rain takes place in four
successive months-generally from Decem-
Der 1 to April 1. 1t often pours for a week
at time. There is never thunder, but the
rains are often accompanied by terrific
winds. Often it blows furiously, without
rain. Earthquakes of a menacing but not
dangerous character occur.
will never forget the night of December
10, 1891. 1t was the opening Of the season
at one of the hotels at Pasadena. We sat
down to dinner that evening in the immense
dining room aglow with lights and flowers
The polished floor shone like mirror. The
next morning the mirrored floor was cov-
cred thickly with dust that had sifted
through the closed windows. Such pande-
monium as reigned that night from II
o'clock until the next morning could only
find its equal in Hades. The crashing of
windows and heavy chimneys-the rollings
of immense detached tin roofs and the
hideous wailings Of the terrible winds made
night of horror long to be remembered;
and yet the first 20 DAYS of January follow
ing were the most perfect days We ever ex-
perienced. All that Californian would
say about that awful night would be, cit
blew little" A few days after the storm
we stepped into shop in Pasadena to avoid
81 60
remarked about the unpleasant weather to
the suave clerk Like true Californian
he answered.: eyes, it is very unpleasant
day. I have been in Pasadena for six
years, and in ali that time we have never
experienced such weather as we have to-
day." When recovered my breath said:
'eYoung man, I admire you as the most ire
proachable liar I ever met. We were at
the hotel on the opening night" He
smiled pleasantly and said he had forgotten
that night.
They Love the Tenderfoot.
They say California produces the smallest
matches and the biggest liars. The natives
smile complacently when this statement is
made, and that leads me to believe it true.
Contracts here should always be made in
writing and attested by half dozen disin-
terested witnesses. Strangers intending to
settle need not expect the natives to give
them welcome which means honest treat
ment. In discussing the crops and you
may be sure that discussion is large and
fowerv, YOU will often hear, "And the most
profitable crop in California is the Eastern
tenderfoot" However, the tenderfoot
profits quickly by his lesson, and soon
adopts the native tactics. Groves in bear
ing, when the season is good, yield immense
profits, but bearing grove is a costly pur-
chase, and it takes some years and steady
labor to transform the bleak brown land
into floral or financial success. Servants,
laborers and mechanics wages are very
high. If Won are not willing to toll your
self YOU will need long purse to get your
land into shape.
In Ell Cajon Valley we know swell
young Bostonian who owns and runs a
''raunch." The charms of the great hotels
are frequently necessary to recall civilized
life, and the 'sraunch'' is run by hirelings.
His income last year was 81, ,200-expenses,
$1,000. In answer to the inquiry whether
the ranch would ever pay, he said:
81 don't know. I am only waiting chance
to sell it to an Eastern sucker"
If man of small means is willing to
a comfortable maintenance in a few years
from even 4 ten-acre lot. In comparison
with the East, meanwhile, he is living in
heavenly climate, and life free from small
worries and cares.
The Schools Are Magnificent.
A poor mans children have the benefit
of royal education. The public schools of
California are conducted in palatial build
ings throughout the State. The salaries are
liberal-the instructors of high grade
everywhere. The children are stunning
so big--so bright--so healthy. They are a
delight 10 look upon. Living out of doors
almost every day in the year, and not bur-
dened with too much study or stylish cloth
ing, the young Cal1fornians make it seem
as if fine race of giants would be the out
come. Such physigue-such complications
and such appeti.es! The girls are simply
immense-both literally and in slang par
lance. The young Amazons tread the earth
as if they were princesses. There is a fear
lessness about them which would be bold,
if it were not so innocent and pure; dig
nifty, which would be pretentious, it it were
not so natural, and composure which
would be affectation, were it not so woman
ly and gracious.
If YOU have never been TO q citrus fair
you can anticipate one of the pleasant sur
pr1SeS OF lie. remembering tue CouHtiy
fairs at home, deemed it a waste of time
one golden February morning in Los An
geles when We decided to attend the fair
Visions of Uncle-Tom-Cabi quilts, home
made bread, big pumpkins, over-fed pigs,
plows, etc, flung together in picturesque
confusion under tents or in barn-like struc-
ture, arose as we neared Hazards Pavilion,
formerly mammoth skating. rink. I'M
agine our delight when we found that the
ugly rafters overhead were entirely covered
by a ceiling of the beautiful pepper tree
branches, studded star-like in oranges and
lemons, and the big supporting pillars and
arches were gorgeously upholstered In royal
palms and smilax galore.
Artistic Displays in Fruits.
Everywhere cleaned myriads of golden
oranges and yellow lemons. not heaped up
in great unmeaning piles, but beautifully
combined in fantastic shapes. Of
on which the choice fruits of all kinds
were placed for the convenience of
the Judges awarding prizes, but the great
bulk of oranges and lemons were made into
designs representative of the place of pro-
duction. Redlands had model OF her
High School in oranges about 20 feet wide,
80 feet long and proportionately high. The
frame, being of wire, allowed fancy architec-
ture. San Diego was represented by the
fort hoped for. The orange walls made an
effective background for the iron guns that
had lemons for shot and she'll There was q |
towering Chinese pagoda of lemons a tenn
pie, an arch, an obelisk and innumerable
small designs. Even the perennial 'Gates
Aiar" appeared in mandarines-the whole
show poem of gold.