The herald., 1894-01-01
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY,
Where the SIM Smiles Upon a
Delightful Section.
1t Has the Longest Coast Line in
the state,
There are 399,O3o Ac -es Availabis for
AgricuItarai rurposes-A Giaucs
nt Its Resources and
Advantages.

Santa Barbara has tho longest coast
line OF any county in Southern Califor-
mia, exceeding even San Diego in this
reepect. Its area is l l,450 600 acres,
large portion OF which 10 composed Of
rugged mountains, used largely for graz
ing purposes where not too steep. Prob
ably 300 600 acres are available for sari-
cultural purposes. This land ia chiefly
located in the Santa Barbara, Santa
Maria, Santa Ynez, Los Alamos and
Lompoc valleys and on two islands in
the channel. The population of the
county in 1890 was 1874.
The narrow strip along the south coast,
sheltered from the north winds by the
Santa Ynsz mountains. has most de-
liehtful climate. which attracts health
and home seekers OF wealth and culture
from all parts of the world. Here are
raised delicate semi-tropical productions
that come to perfection in few other Sec
tons.
Santa Barbara county borders on the
Pacific ocean and is crossed by the 35th
parallel of latitude. 1t is one of the
original counties of the state, having
been organized in 1850. 1t is traversed
by the Santa Ynez mountains, whose
general trend is very nearly east and
west. The county ia thus divided into
portions, northern and a southern, OF
which the former is much the larger.
The former portion ia comprised OF four
valleys, for the most part shut in by
mountains snd foothills. The southern
h 70 oyt in
open to the sea. There are also en-
brsced within the county two islands, %
miles off the coast.
Its area, aside from its islands, Is 20
miles in length by S5 in breadth. 1t
en- mbraces, therefore, on the main land,
2450 square miles, to which the islands
add 180 more.
There is the following acreage avail
able for practical uses:
The Santa Maria valley, W ith the val
leys that open out of it and pertain to
it, and the slopes OF it's foothills that
bound it, 250,000 acres; the Los Al
amos valley, 10000 acres; the Lompoc
valley, 100000 acres; the Santa Ynez
valley, 100000; the Santa Barbara val
ley, 100000 acres; two islands, 100000
acres.
The first four are the four northern
valleys. The Santa Barbara valley ia
the tract between the mountains and
the sea.
The population is from 10000 to 25,-
600, OF which something more than half
are gathered in the city and suburbs of
Santa Barbara, 30 it is plain they are not
crowded.
OF natural wealth, apart from the
productions of our soil, there are mines
OF quicksilver, of which the yield has
been abundant, but which are now not
worked by reason of the extreme cheap
ness of that. natal ri>--,-, :, - - Z &
quantities OF asphaltum and bituminous
rock. Sulphur is abundant, and i'm
pregnates several mineral springs with
medicinal virtue. Extensive beds OF
gypsum are being worked for the manu-
fsctnre of plaster of paris. Clay is in
abundance, from which an excellent
brick is made; limestone also, from
which may be obtsinod lime for use In
the mechanic arts. Gold. silver, copper
are here, but 80 far as yet discovered in
small quantities. Oil has been discov
cred in paying quantities and the in
dustry is being developed. Natural gas
is indicated in many sections, and at
Summerland, five miles from Santa
Barbara, a strong flow hasbeen obtained,
auu ID ubeu bhkOukhOuu viz toWA AVA
domestic purposes.
Olives, walnuts, orsnges, lemons,
lines, guavas, beans, wheat and barley
are among its principal agricultural
products.
The climate OF Santa Barbara IL re- !
markable for the absence OF rudeness,
for its mildness, its eveuness. Ths
mountains protect from the winds Of
the north and west; the trade winds,
that would otherwise sweep in from the
ocean, are held at bay by the chsnnel
islands. A gentle breeze is expected
every day, but high wind from any
quarter is rare. To these same channel ,
islands is it indebted for comparative
immunity from fog; for there is much
less of it than at lees protected localities
along the coast.
Santa Barbara ia the principal town
and county seat. Here is the old Fran
ciscan mission, founded in the year
1884. The building was erected in 1920.
The town is the present terminus of a
branch of the Southern Pacific railroad
running from Los Angeles city.