The Washington times., 1894-06-11
The LAND OF SUNLIGHT
Southern California Jaunt of the
W. N. P. A.
ITS JOYS AND ITS SORROWS
The Lizards and Centipedes and Landlords
and Beautiful scenery-The Switzerland
of Amsrica-The Glorious San Gabriel
Valley and Picturesque Pasadena.
A land Of sunny days,

a lRnu OF sunny u2ys,
OF winds whose soft caress
Doth lun to sweet forgetfulness;
OF days enwrapped In mellow haze,
And nights where fairy-dngered sleep
Doth soothe the restless pulses Of the deep;
A land where Winter hath fair Summer wed,
And these, their gentle progeny, are bred.
Yes, married and gone to housekeeping, to
stay. A beautiful corner of the earth blessed
with ever-vernal Spring, whore days and
nights are one sweet dream, where the winds
softly caress and soothe into forgetfulness the
very aches and pains of afflicted humanity,
and they bless the hand and brain that led
them to this lovely spot. Such was the uni
versal opinion of our party AS We rode In the
tally-ho, up and down, in and out, around
the plateaus Of the old and new Spanish-like
San Diego.
And oh! the beautiful sunsets at this land
locked town by the sea! The peculiar soft
ness of the atmosphere is said to accrue from
the salt ocean breeze kissing the hot desert
current sweeping out from the interior, max
ing 1t as mild the year round as the Egean
seattle paradise of invalids.
covers an area OF twenty-five miles. A reach
or arm of land twelve miles long forms rim
or reef, respectively divided into North and
South Beach and is connected by a low, mar
row sand-spit. The North Beach Is in broad
irrigated acres Of chapparel and fields OF
barley, where the amateur hunter can prac-
tice on the shy quail and rabbits.
The "Hotel Del Csronado,' located on the
South Beach, is the largest pleasure resort
hotel in the world, under one continuous
roof. 1t covers nearly five acres. with 10, 900
feet of flooring in dining hall alone, with its
circular ball room or music hall measuring
IL 900 feet of flooring, its canopied ceiling.
with winding staircase leading to the observa-
tory, reminding one of the plan of the Capt.
tol at Washington on a smaller scale. and to
which our party climbed as il at home. and
were rewarded by one of the finest ocean and
harbor views that could be imagined; an ocean
steamer coming into port. the United States
man-of-war Monterey lying at anchor in the
San Diego bay, with the jolly tars flying about
the silvery ribbon of water in their dories.
singing as they kept time with the measured
dip of their oars-a beautiful picture indeed.
On Point Iona is a government light
house. which seems to be so high $500 feet)
that another has been built on the sand point
below OF more practical advantage.
About the hotel parks are luxurious fora,
hedge-rows Of Marguerites and Monterey cy-
press. WHICH uuo Tue dNcuucs, anu Wulto IOWe
OF calla lilies form borders to Hover beds, the
patio or court sheltered by palms and cling
ing vines over endless fretwork OF arbors. all
lay lovely sight around US An electric
railway connects this great caravansary with
the San Diego ferry. We gazed into Old
Mexico fifteen miles south) with no envy in
our hearts. Mr.. Babcock. the hotel manager,
showed the bath houses with hot and cold sea
water; the well-stocked museum, with its at
tendant professor to instruct the searcher in
practical demonstration Of facts, such as the
uses of lizards and centipedes; the wonderful
mineral spring that bubbles out Of the sandy
conglomeration in the relation Of q "Provi-
dence Spring" to the briny surroundings.
furnishing abundance of fine mineral water
for table use and bottling for expectation,
said to be nerve tonic. There is no hay
fever, no malaria, no cold snaps. NO heated
term, no loss of appetite, no languor. no in
sonn1a, 800 days In the year of sunshine and
cool nights. We are told to make excursions
to Mexico. to Old Town San Diego. to
strike their bells in the quaint tower at the
historic ruins Of the old Mission church, visit
the Portuguese colony and their vineyards; see
the ostrich farms carried on with great sue
cess here; see the remnant of the Pueblo In
dians from Isleta the same rich band who
loaned money to the United States govern
ment to carry on the Mexican war, still liv-
ing, we suppose; talk with Mr.. C. F. Lummis,
their guardian, who says they have come to
see California and the great Fiesta" but we
prefer to talk with the great writer and ex-
plorer, the man who has mastered their Ian
guage and studied their hieroglyphics as no
other writer has had the courage to do, by
living with them for a decade. We must
see the bronchos and bulls at the race grounds
ready for the morrow's races, Spanish
games. professions; all this to be seen in a
half day, and Sunday at that, for Christian
hat DO hrs hat
we could, send regrets for the rest, with
promises to the kind and hospitable peo-
pie and to ourselves that, with carrying
home memories we could never forget, we
had promised to come again. The grand
Fiesta" was great success, although the
women visitors were too timid to remain for
the fight.
We could not forget the large-hearted host
Of the Horton house, Mr.. W. E. Hadley, who
recited rhyme upon receiving US in the par
lor on Sunday morning, thus:
"Ohl grace divine shall ever shine
On these beautiful ladies Of mine"
Some thought he said '.thine;" we argued
''mine'' was all right when we discovered
his good care of US. Upon being assured it
was original. we responded by the W.
sora p 4 salute al Mn Tnd IOrgave him il
with floral blessings in bouquets at each plate
at breakfast-a delicate compliment, which we
enjoyed. At this home-like hos
telry We were shown the very room in
which was written the novel Ramona"
with scenes laid in this charmed
region. Boxes and bouquets Of flowers were
sent in by citizens during the day, and the
quiet Sabbath night interspersed by callers,
among whom were the mayor of San Fran
cisco. Mr.. Ellert, and Miss Madge Morris
Wagner, the poetic author Of the Liberty
Bell" Mrs. Gen. U. S. Grant has a home here,
,ut her daughter-in-law was quite sick, and
Ne drove by in the tally-ho, leaving each ouf
ards for her, with regrets and sympathy.
OF all the places visited which we should |
emember as woman's work, where each were |
ct loose to take all the roses and calTas they |
pleased in Miss Sessions gardens, she, a |