New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-13
DEPEW TALKS OF HIS TRIP
SURPRISED AND DELIGHTED BY CALL
FORNIA.

TIoNs OF THAT sTATE-THE FINANCIAL
ouEsr1oN-DEclINE OF THE FREE-sI1~-
YER NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
PROTECTION IN THE WEST.
Cornelius Vanderbilt Chauncey NJ. Depew and
the others in Mr. Vanderbilts party. which has
been making a tour Of the Pacific coast. arrived
in this city yesterday. The party left New-York
twenty-three days ago. in a private car. The
trip was planned by Mr.. Vanderbilt. and 1t was
In his car that it was made Since the private
car Of Mr.. Vanderbilt left the Grand Central
Station It's occupants have travelled 5000 miles.
Mr. Vanderbilt and his friends visited twenty-five
States. one Territory and the District Of Column
bia Nineteen of the twenty-five nights they
were away from home were passed in the car
Travel-staned and tired. but much pleased with
their trip. the party broke up yesterday
THAT KIDNAPPING STORY.
Chauncey NJ. Depew. who has been having
great deal Of trouble with newspaper artists IN
the West and hairbreadth escapes from bandits
was just as serene as ever yesterday. despite his
adventures Mr. Depew said laughingly, that he
didn't know where the story originated about the
bandits that planned to waylay the excursion
and hold Mr.. Vanderbilt and his friends for ran
son. but added that 1t would have been pretty
hard to stop any train that .he Vanderbilt party
was on except at scheduled stops as 1t was run
ming special and at a high rate OF speed. Various
pictures Of Mr.. Depew printed in the newspapers
Of the Pacific coast gave him stately repose OF
feature, but made him look several years older
than Gladstone or Senator Morrill,. He said, IN
speaking Of these pictures: when went TO make
an address In San Francisco after local paper
had printed a portrait that made me resemble
a centenarian. some Of those present said that
they recognized me from my picture printed In
the paper. told them that was not nearly as
much fiattered over the matter as would have
been II 1t had been fifty years later"
THE RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA
Speaking Of the trip and information drawn
from 1t, Mr.. Depew. who always absorbes enough
data and facts trip Of the kind to fill large
book said, slowly: Il did not want to go at first,
owing to the fact that the State Convention
would meet within few days. but Mr.. Wander
bilt had arranged to go at that time, and saw
1t was my only opportunity. I must say that
/ am glad that went. The trip has been reve-
lation for me. I have always considered that
was pretty we'll informed as to the conditions In
my own country, but confess that California
startled me- honesty believe that the people
Of the East know less about California Its char
acteristics and attractions than they do Of Eu-
rope. There Is a country out there equal in area
to the whole of France. and populated with only
about one million and half of people. France
supports So O00 900 of people, but it has not the
rich soil the almost tropical climate OF Cali
fornia. do not say that California could sup
port 30,000,O00 people, as France does, because
the country is not so level as France. There are
mountains In California that France has not,
but California could easily and comfortably sup
port 10 900 people.
PROFITABLE SMALL FARMS
California is pre-emnenty agricultural
district. There are few manufactures there. In
fact, there are none. In the East we think that
a man who can operate farm Of 100. or 200, or
300 acres without getting a mortgage on IT, raise
and educate his family without saving any money.
Is doing remarkably well. We are farmers and
farmers sons In the East. but we have no knowl-
edge of conditions out there. In the first place,
there are no large farms. l was surprised to find
hundreds upon hundreds Of farms averaging
about thirty acres IN extent. These farms are
Just as pretty and carefully kept as a garden.
Lemons oranges and olives predominant. was
told that farm Of thirty acres OF this kind.
after paying all expenses. the net profit for cult
waiting one Of these kinds Of fruits was about
50 900 q year. 1t seemed to me to be almost AL
truha. The farmers there are not as they are
here You find man who owns thirty acres.
He is q country gentleman. He does not want
any more than he has. He works just enough
to keep his little patch going. He gets the papers
and magazines. and in that beautiful tropical cli-
mate surrounded by gardens similar to his own.
he leads a quiet, uninterrupted life. He reads
and studies and does just enough work to keep
himself in physical condition.
Il was on the place Of a man who had about
twenty acres He first went to California for his
health, and then became interested In the country.
All along there you will find the homes OF the
farmers to be dreams of comfort and almost
luxury They are well furnished and comforta BILE.
and everything to make life pleasant is at hand.
This man told me that from his twenty acres he
cleared from 50. 900 to $4,000 year OF course. he
said. he was not novice. He had made farming
a. business He went TO Europe and studied. and
he had read scientific farming works. He fought
the pests that invaded his garden and now he Is
in a position of comfort, almost luxury. To be
sure II takes some time to build up good farm.
and the price demanded makes II necessary to
have quite little capital at the start to go into
the business. but / was told that for $4,000 one
could buy a good farm OF thirty acres, ready to
bear The fruits are prodiga in their abundance.
Lemons grow the whole year round, and there Is
not a month when some of the fields are not bear
ing.
GRAPE-0ROwING AND WINE-MAKING.
1.-THE grape industry Is good one. too The
owners of vineyards In California have been
able to make red or white wine and bottle 1t.
with a European label. and sell 1t cheaply
enough to compete with Europe and still make
a fair profit The result is that they have paid
less attention to the quality OF culture and
more to quantity. Now they are beginning to
Improve the quality. and the matter Ii being
studied closely. The trouble In the making Of
champagne. and the inability to compete with
the champagnes that come from France. 10 that
the soil II too rich In California. The rich soil