The San Francisco call., 1897-03-22

ing object lesson of achievement along the
lines of modern growth.
Ever since the esta blishment of the great
beet-sugar industry here in 1888 the growth
of the town has been steady and substan-
tial. Without the noise and pretense OF
boom the country has taken on substan-
tial growth. People take pride in point
ing to additions to the town-places that
were nurseries or fields a few years ago,
now dotted with many beautiful homes.
There is substantial element about every
thing here and a charming absence of pre-
tense among the people.
81 have friends and neighbors who last
year made as much as $3.50 an acre out of
their orchards" said Iowa Tuttle, one OF
the prominent young ranchers here, far
seeing resident who was formerly a sur
vevor of Oakland. Hs is now engaged in
raising hops in a large way and on
profitable basis. This fact illustrates the
great diversity of resources OF this rich
soil.
Santa Cruz County is famous for its
superior apples and peaches, also for
peculiar grape, yet its soil has shown the
most wonderful prod of the
sugar beet. The sunshine and rain blend
beautifully here for the beet crop, and it
is everywhere apparent that beet raising
has given impetus ana tone to commercial
transactions in this vicinity.
Directly it has been a great benefit to
large classes of the population-a few
hundred employed in the factory and
twice as many more in the fields; but the
beet business has also stimulated men to
NO al bor 1f I'D
benefited every business and promoted
the general welfare of the people.
The stranger here hears many stories of
the prosperity that comes to the people
"when the factory is running" which
means about five months each year.
Farmers from all sections drive in with
loads of sugar beets, and it is a common
sight to behold line OF wagons that
reaches mile from the factory blockad-
ing the streets. In their haste to be served
promptly farmers get up soon after mid
night, drive to the factory gates, and wait
in line until the gates open at A. NJ,
when their products are received and
weighed.
The direct and stimulating effect of
such movement of farm prod ucts is felt
throughout all the ramifcations of COM
mercial life. Hundreds of thousands of
dollars are annually put in circulation,
debts are paid and new enterprises are
undertaken with confidence. This in part
accounts for the evidences of thrift
abounding in the town and over the popu-
lated areas of highly cultivated soil con-
tributory to this thriving entrepot A
casual study will convince one that Wat
sonville is the natural commercial center
and distribution point for large and fer
tile area. That is why sturdy business
mer have settled here, remaining year
after year with undated faith In the
future of the county and It's legitimate
commercial capital.
There are many things, aside from the
attractions OF commerce. that make Santa
Cruz County at once place for enjoy
ment and wonder. The beautiful territory
lies on the north shore of NJ onterey Bay,
and is a strip OF scenic grandeur and fer
tile soil forty miles long and but fifteen
miles wide at its greatest extent. To the
norhward the picturesque Santa Cruz
Mountains separate it from Santa Clara
County, while to the west is San Mateo.
and east of it San Benito and Monterey.
A recent eloquent writer, Philip Francis,