Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1898-02-23
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA,
SAN DIEGO, CAL, Feb. IL, 1898.
To the Editor OF the Pleasantville Press :

| To the Editor OF the Pleasantville Press
This town has about 30, 900 inhabi
tants, and a few well-built streetf
and blocks of fine buildings, several
electric railways and q ferry-bOat
1t is situated nicely on one of the
| finest BAYS or harbOrs ON the coast
are at stand-still, yet the city isnot
| finished. A bright future is visible,
The rich soil, fine climate, and deep
land-locked harbor are conditions
waiting some outside schemes to
materialize. A canal across the
| isthmus will send business wave
that will make this the most I'M
portant port and city on the coast,
when a road to Yuma will be built,
shortening the rail route to the
east.
This is the finest climate we have
struck Fire and exercise are not
needed to keep warm. The land and
ocean are very productive. | think
our Atlantic County people could live
here easier and more comfortable
than at home. Land here is held
mostly by companies who have
bought large Mexican grants and
can be bought reasonable. Vege-
tables sell higher here than in Los
Angeles, partly at present on account
of the drOuth.
Tuesday we rode out in the country
on an electric car, five miles for five
cents to Mission Valley, SO called,
from a mission building, which was
the first built in this country. The
San Diego River runs through the
valley (when it runs). Now it is q
sandy streak winding up through
the level valley which is perhaps two
or three miles wide, the hill sides
being from two to four hundred feet
high. The valley is well under culti-
walton, much of which is in truck
and cultivation by Cinnamon. The
nice level fields of green presented a
fine appearance.
Yesterday with some Kansas
friends we took long. carriage ride
to Mexico. The country is billy and
treeless and much of the way is
through large lemon ranches, the
trees of which were loaded with fruit
seemingly" enough to supply the
whole country. The water to irri-
gate is conveyed a long distance
through pipes. Many of the orchards
contain forty acres, and are sur
rounded by high hedge of cedar or
cypress, a species of ever green similar
to our cedar. 1t is grown here
largely for hedges and shade, and is
trimmed in all conceivable shapes.
We passed and fOrded several dry
rivers, we saw rabbits, squirrels and
owls. / got out to see the owls but
they slid down the squirrel holes for
safety. We saw now and then a
strange bird to us. Our driver said,
they were ''road runners" They
evidently were rightly named, as
they kept well to the road and run
along at lively rate. They were
twice as large as quail with a
longer neck and legs, and with tail
of three or four feathers like a
blue-jay or robin. We passed the
boundary line between Uncle Sam
and Mexico marked by granite
monument enclosed by an iron
picket fence. Engraved on one side
is the following. Boundary of the
United States treaty OF 1S53-Restab-
lished of contrentors of 1S82-1SS9" ("
Across the line to the city of Fig
uana, composed of about 20 one
story wooden shanties of different
size and shape, from shade trees (no
other Eind) and the ruins of old
adobe Mexican custom house. We
saw no land under cultivation, but
noticed some cattle pastuiing in the
distance. We dined at the hotel The
fare was quite simple. An Invisible
feature was the absence of butter. A
reminder to the landlord brought
out the fact that they never used the
article. These Mexicans are an
indolent set. After riding their
mustangs long distance, they are
too lazy to dismOunt and give them
rest. After a visit to curious store
for the women to purchase some
trinkets, we started for the United
States, where we were "held up" by a
U. S. Revenue officer who after
slight examination of the ladies
purchaces admitted us back to our
country free of duty. On our return
trip we came by way of the penin-
sula narrow strip between the bay
and sea, and across the ferry to San
Diego, where the fine is $500 for
expectorating on the side walk. Next
should be an ordinance to keep dogs
from irrigating things on the side
walks. With kind regards,
A. LAKE