New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-10

. GREAT NATURAL SANITARIUM OF
CALIFORNIA
WHERE THE BANANA RlPENs IN THE OPEN
NR-GAME FISH or GREAT SIZE AND
Observation-Disclosures FOR THE
BoTANIsT BIOLOGIST AND

,rpGANE FISH OF GREAT SIZE AND
ABl.NDANcE-ATTRAcTIoNs FOR THE
BoTANIsT. zooLoGIsT AND
ARCHAEoLoGIsT.
Los Angeles, Cal. October 80
7, ono wishes to find actual realization of
49, ro,os Eaters Land. where it is always
.,,sr,oon he cannot do better than go to
60, catalina Island. twenty-five miles from
q, s Angeles coast and only four hours by
ali and boat from this city. California resorts
~. the seashore or in the mountains furnish
~ assurance that the busy man cannot be reached
- the demands OF trade profession which nc
~ temporarily dropped. The telegraph or the
,snbone is always ready to seek him out and
o1 his en- yment of thorough loaf" But
ra,olna Island. when the little steamer departs
Gov the mainland. he knows that he is off from
~. world for twenty-four hours at least. and dur
,ns all except the height of the summer he
= freed from the outside world for days
Tho island too. has something more to recommend
!, 10 the tourist than perfect days delightful bath
,s and the opportunity for pcnics innumerable
=, the many pretty caves that mark its sheltered
as,srn shore. It's deep waters furnish the finest
ssbinc ground on the California coast: its hills
IA CANYONS are the haunts of the wild goat
rhch gives rafting good sport for the hunter:
ora its rocky ribs full of the remains OF an
indian race distinct in many ways from the ma
lives of the mainland. and famous for their skill
4, the making Of weapons and arrow-heads shell
na Aint and household utensils from the soap
stone that abounds the island. These Indian
rslics ofer an inviting field to the archaeooSist
,bev give proof that here a OF workers in
Stone and she'll and bone who furnished most of
the dwelers on the mainland with weapons and
tools The island rs also on attractive spot for
tho botanist it has 100 varieties of plants
about twenty of which are unknown on the main
land. and a few not found in any other part Of
the world
!, will thus be seen that Catalina Island has
ranv claims to the favor of the tourist but IT is
only this season that the deectable island has
been visited by any large number OF people. Fully
600 persons were crowded into the space OF few
acres at Avalon the pretty town on crescent
hay which boasts OF one good hotel and about the
largest colony of campers under canvas that can
he found in the country outside of the big camp
meeting groves. The approach TO the islands Is
lovely one journeys by rail from Los Angeles to
San Pedro. the coast. about twenty niles as
the crow flies At San Pedro is a steamer which
takes passengers and freight to the island twenty
FIVE miles away In the height of the season the
steamer frequently carries eco people but at TINS
time when the tents have been struck and the
hg hotel is closed. a tug is found sufficient Tor
taking the score OF pleasureseekers bound FOR the
island. on most days in october the sea VIII ne
like glass only the long swell that heaves IN
from the Orient limiting OF the possibilities OF thls
when IL is reused. Inc run dCIosS INC N'"47
mel of twenty-five miles is made in less than two
hours on clear DAYS the faint outlines of the
island may be made out soon after starting. soon
one may distinguish the high mountainous ridge
that forms the backbone OF Catalina but IL is
onlv when the boat nears its destination that the
peculiar volcanic character OF this rocky PIE Is
seen All around the sea is emerald green broken
here and there by flying fish. which rise and SKIM
across the surface with motion that bears a
s,rkine resemblance TO a stone that is "shied' by
an exper boy. At times. also. lazy whale spouis
or a porpoise heaves his back.
Like all the California coast, in this season the
island is Of rusty brown; but much of the rock
has a rich tinge of red The shores rise sheer from
the water. looking as though carved and shaped by
some huge axe and they form a line OF cliffs reach
ing a height of from 400 TO 500 feet Ii Is an I'M
pressive sight, this of lofty hills stretching
along for twenty-five miles. and broken here ana
there by little coves, where a canyon has cut ~
way to the sea Rounding a rocky highland the
boat comes Unexpectedly into half-moon shaped
bay with huge sentinel rocks on either hand stand
Ing ward over pretty amphitheatre. The big hotel
and the lighthouses give the place It's only modern
touch for the cabins and chalets that cling TO 'he
sides of the hills like wasps' nests might be OF
any age Back of the town are rolling Nils ehuihg
in high rocky ridges that form the sky line
The moment you go ashore you see that this is a
fishing community Signs of the sport are on every
hand and a half-dozen boat stands show now pusy
a. this Mace in the season. The town is well laid
ont and is kept beautifully clean. II seems scarcely
credible now when nearly all the tents are ioidea
and the tourists gone. that this little place shell
tered 300 people last July and August Yet TINS
Is fact and the signs indicate that another season
will see double this number 1t is an ideal camping
ground The owners of the island furnish canvas
houses or tents at fair rental or they VIII rent
a frame on which the tourist may pitch MS own
tent Every day all the garbage Is corrected anu
he rfa iC
and wholesome. . 49, o..
ca,aiina Is now recognized as one OF the great
suuner resorts Of this State but II VIII nov De
long before the chief rush VIII be IN the "in'eI'
The climate throughout the fall ana winter 10 de-
,.,r rerfact as can be imagined The sun is warm
or than in Los Angeles and the sea appears u
,eroner the air Bananas ripen IN the open AK
u,,ho, shelter on the east side of the Island while
m the west the shore is dashed by huge preaho'S
n,led nm ny the fierce southwesters. lnose VINO
live on the island the year round declare Una. II "
favored spot for any one iroupieu WIN "e'"'''''
Of the lungs or other organs. Mere eAlste"'e -
delight for every day the is seen, ana ioeS
and cold utrds are almost unknown. Indian ira
ai,ions aec-ibe great age TO the jewellers on 'hls
island and there is no question mat II - io''"eN
BY nature for a great sanitarium
II wlklot be long. also. before the Hcil'S oi '""
lima as a fishing ground known to al spof'S''e'i
IN the East as they are 10 most lovers Of '"e 'o-
On this coast The Jewish. which reaches d "eis"'
Of from 800 to 700 pounds is perhaps the beskho"h
variety because of it's enormous size, but the yeo"
tall a species Of salmon, is far more gafney an.
furnshes more exciting sport H. r. Ed'!' VI
Montana a rich merchant. famous as hsherina''
spent week recently at Catalina engaged IL, ,'r
lng for yelIow-taU and Jewish with the oru'haiy
rod and reel The common custom Is 10 use ~, q
heavy line and troll for these big hsh as oiie WI
10 the ~ Lawrence for the muskdlonSe, Dul al
Eddy disdaned this ordinary way OF cdtShins io,i,
by hand He determined 10 employ the roo "a am hofs
and b. certainly demonstrated tnat IN the haHIi
Of skilfl man even the big FISH couid De ~
landed He had some rare ehcoun ,in "s ,purh
as an hour in landing a catch. The iea,hers %.
his reel were worn almost through from preasuti'
OF his ,br,.nh "s ,he line went whiZZing through
The chief danger that any amateur VIII nnn ~
landing fish in this way Hes IN the heiVyr Us ~
Sawed fhat are found near the shore. Inc Gun