Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-06-29
w eastward Bound.
by Mrs. M. e. Hoogstraat.
CONTINUED from last week. J

by Mrs M. e. Eoogstraat.
Continued from last week
Little green patches show the grain
fields of some adventureOuS ranchman
who has chosen for Il home portion
of this land on the mountain side.
Vegetation changes and a species of
giant cactus or yucca palm stand like
scntinels guarding their mountain
haunts overlooking Sea OF solitude.
Two locomotives are necessary at
this point to drag a moderately
heavy train over this range. Here
we saw the mOuntaineer at home and
the first flowers We're the dainty pink
blossoms of the apricot on this tiny
ranch in the heart of the Sierras
''They tell me-" says the conductor,
who dwells somewhere near and
knows the country well, 'that there
is nothing short of tropical fruits
they cannot raise here and they are
not sure about that. [ have seen
cots grown right here. And as for
grain, why | have seen Oatstalks
nearly as tall as | am and as big
around as that fishing rOd-hOnOr
bright, They don't go much on corn
in these parts, but you'll pass lots OF
barley fields this afternoon; fields
with more acres than you ever saw
in one ranch. There is nothing they
can't raise here in these foothills
where they have more water than
they know what to do with, and it
won t be many years before the whole
mountain side will be set out to orch
ards and-"OatstOckS interrupted
the captain severely. Before WefOrgOt
the effect this last story produced we
were at San Bernard1no where we
were Obliged u part with one who
had been teacher, protector and
friend for the greater part OF a week.
We had come a winding way through
Caion pass to the valley and now little
was to be seen. It appeared to be q
tract of perhaps five miles square, wall
ed in with mountains. It was here the
Spaniards came years and years ago;
here they established a mission and
here some OF the largest land grants in
America were located; the question
came where can there be room for so
many cities and villages and orchards
as we have read about?
This is the valley to which Brig
ham Young directed some of his faith
full bands. He told them to gosouth
and west until within sight OF the
cross upon the mountain and there
settle as it was a land flowing with
milk and honey, and these wanderers
advanced across acres OF desolate
desert to settle at OLD ST. Bernardine
where the old cross Of wood, which
had been provided. may be seen to-
day.
The county of ST. Bernardine has
greater area than the State OF New
York AMI the city population OF
twelve or thirteen thousand; it is sit
uated in the center of the valley as
chief center of vast mining and fruit
district. From here all mining oper-
ations radiate and here many OF the
products are brought for final distri-
button.
A glance down Fourth street to
the north and a mountain stands
like a mighty gate shut by the hand
of time; turn to the south and the
mountain greets you, ever the same,
ever on the watch, and thought
Thou seest not ALL but piecemeal thou
must break,
| To seperate contemplation, the great
| whole;
And as the Ocean many bays will make,
That ask the eye. so here condense thy
soule
TO more immediate objects aud thy
thoughts CONTROL
But the mistry of distance is ever the
same. ever near to the sight but the
reality far far away.
There is no other state i'll the Union
which furnish SO many and such va
ried products as California. 1t is a
land. too, OF which the stranger, If he
can keep an unbiased mind, finds it
most difficult, from his own personal
observations and experiences, to ar
rive at any great choice of location.
In one place the orange, in another
the lemon, in another the English
walnut. il, another the fig is best
adapted to the soil the visitor must
indeed be difficult to please if he is
not more than satisfied: and the cos
mopolitan nature Of it's inhabitants
90 to show that not only people
from every State but from every civ.
ilized nation reside here. Here the
Southerner of leisurely movement and