The herald., 1894-01-01
FAIR SANTA BARBARA.
THE CHANNEL CITY AND ITS
DAINTY CHARM.
One of the Spots on Earth Favored
by the Gods-Its Progress
in These Latter
Days.
InY FRANK NJ. sELoyER ]


arguments are fruitless; and when, as a
last resort, he is invited to visit other
places to sea for himself their superior
ity, he appears surprised and exclnims:
"Why should 90 elsewhere? am sat-
iefisd with my home"
Ever since Southern California was
opened to the world as place OF sojourn
and resort, Santa Barbara has received
her quota of visitors. With eighteeers
came permanent residents, until the
Flower City has grown from Spanish,
Mexican, Indian settlement of 100 years
ago, to a charming city OF homes, where
gather the intellectual, the talented, the
wealthy, the retired, who either Tor
health, pleasure or q desire to escape
the disagreeable, constitution-wr -wrec6ing
regions beyond the Rockies, take up
their residence in milder CLINE.
The location OF our city is not sur
passed. At Point Conception, about 40
miles distant, the coast takes an east
ward turn and continues on that bear
ing for 30 miles; to the north and east
rise the Santa Ynez mountains. South
ward the channel islands form u bar
rier. Towards the west the mesa or
highland affords protection.
Thus, it will be ssen, the city is en-
closed on all points. Winds cannot
gain access, and fogs are the exception.
The temperature at no place on the con-
tinent 10 more even. Gentle, cooling
breezes from the sea modify the heat OF
the summer sun. In winter the same
currents from the south warm the other
wise chilling air. Frost, except in the
lower places, is never seen. So mild is
it. that the most tender eemi-tropi-
cal, and in some instances, tropical,
plants can be grown in the open air the
year around, without fear OF climatic
changes. Nature has surely blessed
Santa Barbara.
the seas0Is, %%h;!e not so marked. are
in common with other parts OF Soninsrn
California bordering on the coast. The
rainfall averages about IL inches an
nually.
In late years the residents have taken
great interest in public improve
ments. Streets have been severed,
graded and paved. A boulevard by the
beach IVES completed during 1898, and
trees aud shrubs planted along the drive.
The population of the city is aoout
5000 or 1000, not including a large num-
Der OF families who are considered resi-
dents, but who are in town only six
months OF each year. The municipal
limits do not include several pretentious
additions" which sooner or later must
be incorporated with the city. For in
stance, Just outside the borders is the
Oak Park tract where hundreds of people
find their homes but are not counted as
residents. Arlington Heights, ,nlikswise
without the city, is becoming apsRular
and populous place OF residences Were
these districts, which are to all purposes
q part of Santa Barbara, included in the
census enumeration the record would
chow 5000 or 10000.
The city is we'll lighted by electricity
and gass. The streets are kept in ex-
cellent condition. The water supply is
furnished by the Santa Barbara water
company, but several proportions are
now being considered with. the view of
municipal control OF this important and
necessary commodity. s t
AS business point Santa Barbara
compares we'll with other cities OF its
size, though it ia considered more of
resort than a commercial center. From
the islands (ownea mainly by citizens of
this county,. wool, hides, tallow, sheep
and muttoh are shipped in large guam
titles, but in most cases directly to San
Francisco without transferring at this
port. Lumber from the pine and red
wood regions is landed by schaoners at
the wharves. The lumber merchants
are working up a considerable trade
with adjoining localities, and their busi-
ness is constantly increasing. Every
year vessels with coal discharge their
cargoes, and the harbor is becoming well
known to mariners. f
The mining of asphaltnm and btu
minous rock is an important industry.
There are several rich mines within
short distances, and large shipments are
made continually.
In FL Montecito lemon culture is
attracting The attention of the ranch
ers, many of whom are men of means
and more than average intelligence,
able both financially and from an edu-
cational point of view to experiment
knowingly with fruit growing and
curing. Thousands of trees have been
set out and Santa Barbara lemons COM
mand the highest price in the market.
The orange has proved a satisfactory
crop, but lemons are now given the
preference.
Olives, principally for the oil, are
raised to a great extent. Since the
pioneer orchard at Ellwood has scored
such a great success, acre after acre Of
these trees have been planted. The
returns have always been good. A new
mill just put in operation by the Monte
cito Manufacturing company cannot
procure a sufficient quantity to meet
demands.
The Montecito (which ie, by the way,
the fayerite suburb and home OF those
loving country life-is beautiful val
ley about three miles from the city.
Two miles below is Summerland, q
spiritualist colony. In the Carpinteria
valley, IL miles distant from Santa
Barbara, the principal product has been
beans, mainly Limas. Farmers have
grown rich with this crop. Chicago.
New York and Boston are the foremost
shipping points, and hundreds of car
loads are sold yearly. Lemons, olives,
peaches, spricots and like fruits, barley,
corn and vegetables are grown to psrfec-
tion in this and adjoining vsleys; in
fact, the diversity of products ia an
ever-increasing wonder, even to the
natives.
From Goleta, six miles west, walnuts,
beans and pampas plumes form the
bulk of the shipments, and nearly
every known fruit, from the hardy
apple to the tender banana, 10 raised
successfully.
In this article only that portion OF
Santa Barbara county lying south of
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