The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-03-01
SUNNY CALIFORNIA.

SAN DIEGO, GAL, 7
February IL, 1895.
EDITOR TRUE NoRTHERNER:
How time flies! Four years ago to-
day landed in California, stepping off
the ears at Santa Barbara ut 1900 noon,
brief letter for publication, because
thus l can reach more of my old
friends and schoolmates.
As | read the NORTHERNER weekly,
there | see names that bring To my
mind scenes of ye olden times. And
right here let me say that Van Buren,
county misses IL much that IL lets its old
pioneers depart To the "silent city"
without cOllating their life as a'remin
iscence TO be used when "A new history
of the county is desired One old pio-
neer, | see by the NORTHERNER, has
gone, and if the historical society failed
To interview him ere he went hence To
Join the silent majority, the time will
come when they will regret 1T. l will
not mention his name for good reasons,
but he lived there at time when Paw
Paw was surrounded 10y bowling will
derness filled with beasts OF prey No
marrow gauge" no macadamIzed road,
no graveled pike led To town-only an
Indian trail, along which many bag
of flour was borne on the shoulders of
men whose families had been awaiting
since morning the return of the good
man in order that they might have
something to eat.
To come back to California: Most of
the time | have lived in San Diego, and
| expect to live aud die here. Nowhere
in the United States is there such an
equitable climate as here. AS an in
stance of our winter weather, | saw 10y
the NORTHERNER that on the 18th of
January the thermometer showed IL
degrees below zero with you while on the
same day here it stood 81 above. There
is neither extreme heat nor cold, the
summers being as pleasant as the win
tiers. / have been as far north as Calls
toga, Napa county, and while the Napa
valley is well called the garden of Cali
fornia, it has most eXecrable climate.
was there in August last, and during
the middle of the day the thermometer
marked l0S and ll2o while during the
night you would have To pile on the
blankets To keep from perishing from
the cold. Calistoga is ~ miles north of
San Francisco, hemmed in on the east
west and north by towering mountains;
that on the north, at the foot of which
lies the city, is Mount ST. Helena, ZOO
feet high. There is daily stage goes
over this mountain into Lake county.
The stage goes within 800 feet of the
summit. Grand is the scenery along
this route, and the valley does not have
to be Notwithstanding out of the
usual for valleys in California. This
county and SOnoma are the great wine
producing counties of California. But
of all the miserable climates on the face
of the earth, | think San Francisco can
and does furnish the most uncomfort-
able.
Think of living in a city where the
fog is so thick all day that the street
cars have to be lighted and have to
keep their bells constantly ringing in
order To comply with the ordinance
that requires them to ring at crossings
as the fog is SO thick the inotormen
can't see to the side-walk-so thick
that in crossing a street you will run
into pedestrian coming from the other
side before you see him. Aud such a
dirty city; even Market street is not as
clean as Smoky Row in Nashville or
Clark street, Chicago, or Green street,
St. Louis, while iniquity in all its varied
phases runs rampant at MONDAY. Go
along Front street of an early MOI ming
when the fog is raised sufficient so you
can look into the saloons as you pass
by, and as you see them cleaning out,
instead OF sweeping outside they raise
a trap door, and 10! there below are the
waters of the bay, dark and deep
enough to hide the result of any crime
But what contrast when you go to
Santa Cruz. This is very IA pretty little
town indeed, and should one wish TO &C
there from San Francisco, be sure and
take the narrow gauge, which will tax
you over and through the Santa Clara
mountains amidst the most weird
as well as most beautiful scenery
The pleasure of the trip is somewhat
clouded with awe lest you roll over and
down one of the mighty canons along
which you skirt, thence plunging into
huge tunnel Six miles from SAINTS
Cruz you pass the big trees, and if you
lay over one train and have ten cents
left you will be allowed TO pass inside
the high board fence surrounding the
streets and the tree in which Genera
Fremont made his home while here
On again, and as you come out of the
last tunnel you ere right in the city
This city has most beautiful beach
for bathing purposes. Then northwest
of the&ity is a beautiful drive along the
. cliffs for many miles. From the road
it is sheer down fifty or sixty feet to the
water. The water keeps cutting under
compelling them to move the road
back from its Entertainments. In times
of storm | have seen the salt spray leap
clear up and over into the road.
But for pleasure, nothing is compared
to an ocean trip from San Francisco to
San Diego. have been over the route
now four times. Sometimes the weather
was as fair as May day, and at Others
the wind and waves shrieked through
the rigging like the wall of the lost TIC
one that don't get seasick q never was
there is something grand to be out al
sea in storm. On the way down you
occasionally see whale, and as you
near San Diego you see those curiosi
ties seen nowhere else so well-hying
fish.
More anon. ARTHUR &. EVERETT
MIR. Everett says he will be pleased
to answer any inquiries from NORTH
ERNER readers if they send sufficient
stamps to pay for postage, paper and
envelopes.-ED.