The Republican journal., 1898-04-07
A-WheeI In California.
A Belfast Boys Biking Tour of More Than
300 Miles.

A Belfast Boys Biking Tour of More Than
300 Miles.
! | left Anaheim in the morning at $50
for "a ride and look at the country south
of us. After passing through the fine
towns of Santa Ana and Tustin l went
across the San Joaquin Ranch to Capis-
trano and San Juan; after passing this
settlement there is nothing but an almost
barren mesa along the shore to San
Diego.
However | went to Oceansde and
from there left the coast and followed the
pass through the hills to Escondido,
about "A or p miles by road, passing
through small valleys on the way, some
of which had small orchards and vine
yards, which all people informed me did
not pay them as yet, grapes and olives
being the best of anything thus far in
their experiments as a money getter.
From Esconddo | went up into Bear
valley for ramble and chatted with
many farmers scattered over the hills
and valleys there. All want to sell out
This year looks hard to them Grain
looks fairly well considering the dry sea
son we have had thus far, but it looks
very discouraging indeed all over the
country and especially from here on to
the South.
The great difficulty with all the farm
ers south, they have no such market as
we have up this way. They never see
cash for eggs, butter, poultry, etc, it is
all trade; and on raisius, lemons and Or
anges the profits are very small when
expenses and freight are paid.
The next day after my return to Es-
condido | went to San Diego over the
stage road, distance "a miles. There is
nothing but hills and desert mesa all
the way. God Almighty did not do
much for the country surrounding tile
beautiful bay of san Diego, the FL Cajon
Valley being the only valley of any con
sequence OF course | am telling you
this as my eyes see it, and from a bust
ness point of view. San Diego has a
beautiful bay and elegant climate ard is
fine place to live for those who have
plenty of the ''flthy lucre''
On my return from San Diego to Es-
condidO | came across country to Fall
brook, mp hill and down all the way but
they have nice hard roads, as | found
our to my sorrow before | got home
From Fallbrook l came via Rainbow p.
O. and the Viretas pass, through Temec-
ula, Murietta, Elsinore, Corona and home
through the Santa Ana canon, via Olive
to Anaheim.
After leaving Falbrook | took an old
fashioned "header' while descending a
hill, and lost my latitude and longitude
for over two hours, and after returning
from dream (?) land and taking my OBJ
servation and reckoning, | rode 80 miles
and seemed not much the worse for it,
only some loss Of my beauty of face and
a lame jaw.
| With all my wandering and talks with
f, the people and looks at the country,
have come to the grand conclusion that
Orange county is good enough for me,
for home, for health, for farming, for
business, or anything else one wants to
do.
The people of California always have
reminded me of an anthill, whose in
habitants are forever on the move;
and our southern neighbors all have the
ant fever, for all want to move, sell or
exchange for some where else. All
over the country | have mentioned there
is enough of good drinking water, and
that is all one can say. 1t is no stock
country and not much of fruit country.
This is not my first and only trip over
this southern country, nor first impress
sion. | have journeyed over most of it
before, and out to the Colorado desert
but this time | went more into the high
ways and by-ways and talked with the
people, and | have seen enough Of the
barren country to make me want to fly
back as quickly as possible to Orange
county, to friends and home.
1t looks like mere existence living in
most of the country over which l jour
neyed. But | guess this is enough for
this time. Clarence II. Luther in the
Anaheim, Cal, Plain Dealer.