People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-03-02
NO. 28.
From California.
RIVERSIDE. Calf. Feb. \.

breakfast we had a trip through the
orange orchards. The trees are set
in rows about sixteen feet ci.h way.
The first two years a nursery og Young
trees are grown between tie rows.
Trees begin bearing at two or three
years Of age at height of about four
ieet. Parties will prepare the ground
and grow the trees three years for
Wnat they can raise on the ground
during the time. A full grown or
chard is a sight worth seeing, the
branches touching between the rows.
the trees loaded the foliage OF some
OF them being nearly entirely hid by
the golden fruit. Now in the BEGIN
ming of their harvest the fruit is
shipped to neighboring towns in
gunny sacks as we would ship pota-
toes.
We boarded the motor ears for San
BernardinO, where we changed to the
Southern California for Barstow.
AT HeSperia there is an attempt To
raise fruit on portion Of the des-
ert by irrigation. Here is a natural
orchard of cactus trees, of which we
did not learn the real name. Some
grow to the height Of twenty feet,
the body Of some of them b,ing three
feet iG circumference.
AT BarStOw we resumed our Jour
ney over the great desert, a great por-
tiOn Of which does not grow a sign OF
vegetation. Arrived at Mojaye at 6
p. m, where We waited two and a-half
hours for the S. P. train which we
took for the farming portion of Cali
fornia.
We stopped at Goshen, intending to
run up to Nisalia to see some parties.
but learning they were not there.
we went to the Villa Hotel to wait
for the next train, All the talk here
is about Chris Evans, the notorious
outlaw, train robber and Jail breaker.
who is giving the officers more trou-
BILE than anyone seemingly could;
sending them word every few DAYS OF
his whereabouts and inviting them to
come and see him.
This, the 9th, is a cold, rainy day.
genuine California winter weather
Arrived at the city Of Fresno at D.
m. 1t appears, looking from the
depot, that a large portion Of the bus
mess is Chinese. 1t is raining q
steady rain and the streets are very
sloppy. Fresno county is the great
raisin growing county OF the state.
Hon. VIM. W. Bowers. OF California.
in the house Of representatives in a
speech January s, 1894, said that
Fresno county had sent out over 1000
car loads Of raisins this year.
The city Of Modesto seemed to be
afloat. 1t looked, by the reflection of
the electric lights, to be built on the
water. Arrived at Lathrop at s D.
m, where a train was waiting to
take US 10 Stockton. A few minutes
ride brought US to Stockton, one Of
the best cities in the state. Friends
were at the depot to meet us. We
went to $50 San Joaquin street, where
rooms had been procured and where
we made our home while remaining
in the city.
Saturday, the 10th, was severely
cold for this valley. The weather
was the result of the snow not melt.
Ing in the foothills, thereby prevent
ing an overflow. As it was. the
French camp and Stockton sloughs
were bank full. People here say this
is the coolest day for years. We
would have taken it for a healthy
Kansas breeze. Sunday, the llth, we
took trip to the country. Found
the water lower in the slOughs, but
still rising in the San Joaquin river,
but no danger was apprehended. The
weather had changed and was more
summer like. We find that after an
absence Of twenty years the country
and town look very natural.
February IA we went to the French
camp slough to see dredger at work.
The dredger is bnilt upon the water.
The machinery Is run by steam. A
derrick of ITO feet in length to which
is suspended by cable chains two
clam-like shOvels, the weight Of
which by closing, will sink into the
earth and closing, hold two or three
yards OF dirt, which is lifted and
swung by the derrick: some Of it, for
a distance Of 300 feet, making at the
same time river and building a levy.
, The dredger, when working we'll, will
move two loads per minute and at
an average Of :. yards per load, would
} be 300 yards per hour or 1900 yards
per day. The day being fine we en-
, jOyed our trip very much.
. H. II. HOWE.