River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-02-14
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
SAN lose Cal Ian %


its are ''as welcome as the sun after
the rain" bringing as messages from
the dear old Wisconsin home, and
forming, as il does, link between
the letters from horne friends. Long
months have passedby since | came
for one-sided chat with YOU. and i
am wondering if / snail be welcomed.
I'll rap. come in and make my best
bow, anyway, and when you see what
budget of good. O. things I've
brought perhaps You will grant me
pardon.
ne are ID tie m&ist of the rainy
season in right earnest. a4I said
budget may be little damp when il
reaches you, for by this morning
paper we learn that the mountains
between us are filled with snow, and
THAT added TO the great amount OF
water that has fallen on hts side NAV
make trouble for Uncle Sans past
men. Ii has rained with few excep-
lions every day since the Sd of Dec.
and the wind has rgmained stationary
in the east for several weeks. and as
an easterly wind always causes some
people to feel edgewisc, | may give
this letter an easte,ly slant.
What world THIS is, when we stop
TO think about it: i IL issnnny we are
anxious for the showers, and when
cold we are wishing for the warm TN.
Ii we were only content to be as wise
as the old shepherd who, when ques-
TONED regarding the morrow S
weather prospects, replied that lit
would be Just such weather as pleased
him" ana when asked for his reason
for sucn an assertion said that lit
would be just such weather as pleased
God, and whatever pleased God
pleased him"
Work is at standstill with the
exception of street sweeping. Our
jails are full of the tramp species,
VINO have been driven out OF Fresno,
Sacramento and other cities, and the
council decided to keep them on our
streets scraping mud, reserying the
better part of street improvement TO
those who were des.r Vingof remunera-
tion. a L the rate mud is formed they
will at least earn their board for some
time TO come.
Youmay think that you like eastern
weather better, but just take into
consideration the tact that THIS rain
means pruneS, peaches, apricOts and
all other fruits 0f'thiS country, Just
as the big snow storms, and summer
rains mean big crpps TO the eastern
farmer.
We are only taking our necessary
tonic all at one time for wnen our
sunny days do come, they come to stay
until our crops are all well housed.
Now as we nave ELECTED Badd TO tnC
Gubernatorial char we expect blossoms
and fruit that will cause Cal. TO pull
down ner barns and build greater" Tor
although our shipments are enormous
now, the warehouses are full TO over
flowing. and as a daily paper says, 1.-The
East is big couaLry but we have
prunes enough 10 40 round
THESE be blue Tunes" most certain
ly but the darkest night has
morning and this rich country ought
To nelp The dawniBg.
Late in OCTOBER went north; across
the San joaquin valley up into tine
mining regions anong the foothills
OF the Sierra Nevada mountains, one
hundred and tiftv miles from here
ana 1 saw part. OF the richness Vi
California; recUurSes.
On either side 81 Tie train, as far as
the eye could reach were the most
wheat lands. lis true
Lle valley is dry ald not, but all ovef
Gnat vast country we're windmIlls,
NIndmiils Till one cOuld but wonuei
IL Unls were not TIE section III WHICH
Don QulxoIe fought MS famous
udJLle.
Beyond Sacramento were the hop
Ilelus WnUse vast acreage supplies IA
large part oil Inc east ana Engidhu
WIN It's prOuUcts. 1wenty-hYe
workmen were employed
,IurIng the plDkIu5, airy Ing, anu pdoh-
ing season. fdronef norm were
UiangeS, whose D. &c trunks measured
clguU Inches III diameter anu whose
JranCueS bent low wIUn their green
IruIJ wnicn IN size anu color reminded
me of Tue RnOut Island GreenIngo,
aud / colilu QUO eACldIm at tile
WONDERS oI Jnis grand country whose
ct,Htute is worth more 10 the square
100 Jnan alnIosb any other on the
globe. L spent Two weeks there
among those scenes OF the OH mining
days, ana evening alter evening
listened 10 interesting stories OF THOSE
OImes wnen the bills ana ravlnes gave
IurLn uI their Wealth. To the men
VINO riskeu lire tc obtain il; OF stages
carrying the precious metal whose
drivers were snCU from their seats
ana whose passengers gave up either
life or gUld; OF Jne queerly named
camps, Ilcu in reminders OIL
the nome county and wnicn still
clings To the little settlements all
over the hills AID gulcnes; such as
Fiat, JlmDucJoO, Bangor,
New England Hollow, and others,
and wilder ones as Red Mans Gulcn,
and uDa m--prOnOunced yOu-be-
dam. for the river in which they
WASH their gold.
Quartz mining gave place to the
hydraulic and nllls gave way before
lLs mighty power and ravines were
formed, one from which screen million
dollars worth OF gold was taken.
The home in which spent this time
was built thirty<llye years ago when
the gentleman brought his bride from
Old MaSsacnusett into what must
nave been a wilderness of mountains.
The house, an 0ld-faShioned Two story
one with wide pOrches on three sides,
where one could sit late in the moon
light and soft Indian summer air, was
DuiiU in a little basin at the summit OF
these foot Mills, ana the view from ali
sides was most eutrancing.
The Indians VINO once were SO
thickly scattered over this country
are now 20 - scarcely found. One
evening solitary campfire away up
and across the ravine arrested my at
tention. and | was told ii was that OF
a wandering Ted-man. In the wee
small hours when caring for my
patient. | coulI but wonder if he
might not come across to where my
light was cleaning, and as doors and
windows were sIot fastened and a
part of them nkyer closed, you may
not wonder thu / cast somewhat
fimid chances Over my shoulder.
The source CT irrigation for this
section is from mountain river
forty miles away, and its running.
yurgling sound gave the impression
Of mountain brooks.
Two mines only were in operation
and dav and night the rush OF water
from the hydraulic ram and the blast
mo and falling OF earth, rock and
,.rtsas reSem bled both thunder and
earthluakes. a large field glass
things very close, but time
did not admit Of visiting them as |
wished. Those rams are made at
Marysgille twenty miles away, being
As | was told tie only mandatory in
the world. and they are also sent To
Tie South African diamond mines.
Mr.. b.. the owner of this mountain
h, me. operated his mines until they
were exha listed. The gold dust was
brought 10 the house in big buckets
and for safe ke ping were kept under
-. ~. Ill hiur SouuIIp xgbila no