The Press., 1897-07-29
CALIFORNIA.
Denver, June 19. 1897.

Coue leGCefS or mlne printed in Stafford and Meriden papers have caused several people to write me who wish to improve their condition, either..physically or finan- cially, --and will try to embody in this letter, some facts, which if published will serve to answer such letters, and also to any other persons who have similar in- quiries to make.
 As to gettingsto California: the best way for person of moderate means is to go by the tourist cars, which leave Boston every Saturday, and go through to Los Angeles without change in about six days, passing through Springfield, Albany, Kan sas City, and Las Vegas. The fare is $67 and any ticket agent will procure tickets for parties so desiring.
 My advise to one going to California for their health is to go expecting to settle there permanently, otherwise the old mal- ady will return, and the trouble and ex- pense of the trip will have all been lost.
 It is somewhat dangerous for person afflicted with heart trouble to undergo the fatigue of the trip. For several days you are travelling at the altitude of 1000 to 10, 900 feet.
 Even here in Denver very many people are afflicted with nose bleeding, terrible headaches, and dreams at night, and are obliged to go away permanently.
 got out at Leadsville the other day to take lunch; the highest city in the world, some two miles above the sea level and when my lunch was half finished the res taurant began to pitch like 8 ship at sea, and 1 hustled back into the car. The ground felt as if I was walking on hay mow. Some conductors and brakemen say they are always affected badly when going over the highest plateaus. It is a saying in Denver that the climate cures consumption and kills with heart trouble. Of course, when once over into California all this trouble disappears.
 As to the outlook for work or support it is hard to advise. The Chinese and Mexicans do large part of hard manual farm labor of California. They are start ing good many mechanical enterprises, and It would seem as if good mechanics could find something to do.
 For $1O0O or $500 you can buy ten acres of land with a small house suitable to the country, and you are sure to be able to get good living off the land, and more than living if you are prudent and indus I t1sf/ bn ind Helm Globe trotter of the world) and the plucky Scotchman have long since recognized the great future of that wonderful country, and are fast getting control of all the banks, bFcweries, wineries, ,mines and the product i've ranches.
 London Houses, like Cross < Black well, have opened immence branch stores for the distribution of English goods, and the purchase of the saleable articles of of merchandise of the country all over the far west.
 While we are worrying about Cuba and Hawaii, and the selection of the village postmaster, the Englishman is quietly supplanting us on our own soil, and dis tributing the dividends in London.
 But there is one thing the Englishman cannot corner in California, and that is the climate.
 Just think of it, a climate that boasts of no ice-boxes, no mildew, no fOgs, no frosts, no thunderstorms, no snow, no frost bites, no sun strokes, no furnaces, no refrigerators, and no fans. To keep the meat fresh, every housekeeper hangs it out doors where it will finally dry up, but will never become tainted; what a climate!
 The best of drinking water is obtained by tunnelling into the sides of the noun tains, and is often heated by a skillful arrangement of coils of pipes in the kitch- en roof where it is heated by the suns rays to more than boiling temperature,
 So pure and clear is the atmosphere that the celebrated Lick observatory has locat. ed more than two thousand stars, before unknown to the wisest astronomers of the world.
 A few more words about the people anC l must stop. It seems strange at first Gc hear the curfew bell every night at o'clock, and to see the children sent home to see notices that persons splitting in street cars or on sidewalks would be arrested to see forty or fifty donkies hitched around school house waiting for the school to bt out so that the children could ride home on their backs; to travel for hundreds O miles and find welcome at every farm house and an utter refusal to receive any pay for lodging and meals; to find that nc one outside the cities think of locking their doors nights, and to see happy commingling of people of all nations. Last 4th of July at 8 little gathering O country people numbering about fifty per sons just back of Pasadena, it was founc that. they represented eight different na tionalties. 7.i.a
 .a. Californiansa recognize, as has beer aptly said, that. every being ''whose blood is red and whose tears are salt'' is a fellow man and their brother. Would all th' world could so see it. How much better a world this would be to live in. | a.. Yours frIllv RATCIIFFE HICKS SS