Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1897-03-31
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
A Journey Across the Continent
BY PIeasantville Citizen.
NUMBER TWELVE.

We left Los Angeles Monday at IL a.
m, on the Southern Pacific tor San Fran
cisco, distance of nearly 500 miles, The
route runs along the Los Angeles River
for few miles. then commences to climb
the Los Angeles and San Fernando val
leys. When 26 miles from the city an al
titude OF i, 469 feet is reached or climb
of 1900 feet. 1t then goes through the
great San Fernando tunnel in the noun
tain range of thatname. The length ofthe
tunnel is 6,967 feet, and we were 5 min
utes passing through. Before the rail-
road was built, q Mexican pack-trail led,
and long strings OF burros loaded with
the products of the country wended their
way to the coast. From the tunnel, for
a long way, we go twisting and curving
through the mountains, stopping at Ma
harva, meal station for dinner.
We pass through the Western corner
of the Mojave desert where the Yuca
palm takes the place of cactus. Each
desert seems to have vegetation to suit
it's elevation or vice versa. This desert
is 270O feet higher than the Colorado
desert where cactus grows. As on all
the desert plains we have noted the white
patches Of alkali, (salt.) At depth of
$50 feet, good water is obtained. At
Techachapi the highest elevation is
reached-4O2o feet. Here the mountain
streams turn with US as we rapidly des-
cend. This is very interesting point
1t was serious barrier which prevented
access by railroad to the Southern part
of the State for a long time, but was
finally mastered by engineering skill.
North OF the summit of the Sierra Ne
vads, ian elevation of 1864 feet,) and
which is its Southwestern spur, it dis
puted the advance of the iron horse, but
by series of curves one of which crosses
itself by tunnel forming great loop
the obstacle was overcome. Five times
the road passes the same point in it's de-
scent. During the war gang of cut
throats made the pass their headquar-
Iers, and they robbed and murdered all
travellers who failed to pay them tribute.
They were finally broken up and some of
them hanged.
The scenery now is rugged enough to
suit US all. First there are great canon
walls, then dashing stream, then great
mountain crags, and valleys of live oak,
and 80 on until the great San Joaquin
Valley is reached. which is great basin
bounded on the East by the Sierra Ne
vada and on the West by the Coast
Range 1t is 70 miles wide, and 4S0
miles North and South. Watered by the
Sacramento, San Joaquin and Kings
Rivers, it is great agricultural country.
Irrigation is on a stupendeous scale
one canal that taps the Mercer River is
over twenty seven miles long, 100 feet
wide and 10 feet deep. The average
rainfall is 10 inches.
Night comes on and we retire to wake
and dress, and peep out on the beautiful
Bay of San Francisco. Our train runs
into Oakland and we take the ferry to
San Francisco and arrive in time for
breakfast, where Mrs. Lake meets her
lady friend, Mrs. Andrews from New Jer-
sey. Breakfast over, we commence to
see the sights, and by the way of differ
ent street car lines land at Golden Gate
park, where squirrel, rabbit and Califor.
MIA quail go unmolested, and drove of
BuffalOes are at home. A large enclos-
ure of wire netting contains many beau
tiful birds, and large green house, trop-
ical plants and flowers, a beautiful park
that is well worth visit. San Francis
co was started on a level spot. but the
spot did not grow with the city, and SO
the hills were utilz ID. Some of them are
not used by teams on account of their
steepness. Streets green with grass are
not uncommon. Our car was full and
one gent was standing. When q step
grade was reached, the passengers slip
ped towards the end of the car which
made ample room for the stander, which
he took advantage of.
Wednesday we went to the beach, Cliff
House, Sutro Park and baths, and Seal
Rocks where hundreds of seal, (sea lions)
crawl out, below and tumble off. Here
from Inspiration Point we view the en-
trance to San Francisco harbor, (the
Golden Gate,) and one of the finest har-
bors in the world.
In the evening, led by an experienced
guide, we took a trip through China
town, to the underground haunts where
the Chinese swarm like bees, chit the
pipe" of opium, and gamble. We visited
their schools, where Eastern 'school
marms'' teach them, and also their
"Joss" houses where they worship. One
trip was sufficient, and have no desire
to swap the schools and churches of
Pleasantville for those of the "Heathen
Chinese" A. LAKE.
San Francisco, Cal, Mar. %, 1897.