Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-02-02
The Business Manager of "The Journ.
nal'' in the Land Of Flowers.

nar' in the Land of Flowers.
A trip from Salem TO Southern Cal.
ifOrnia at this season of the year Is an
event pleasant TO contemplate, but
when IL Is materialized into reality
there are many varying phases Of the
journey to set one to thinking. The
train on which we travelled was
crowded with passengers for the
Golden Jubilee at Frisco, but with
the splendid free tourist cars fur
nished its patrons by the Southern
Pacific only, the greatest comfort was
experienced. While che day coaches
were crowded, these slecpers with all
the cOnveniences, II not the elegance,
Ola Pullman, were limited TO a proper
number of passengers,
The only sightseeing Is from South
ern Oregon to Sissons, California,
where night again overtakes us.
There is degree of thrift at Ash
land and other Jackson county points
that Is peculiar to the twin indust-
ries Of that region, viz, fruit growing
and mining 1t Is a veritable KlOn-
dixie in either case, and this valley of
the Rogue river 'presentS about the
only signs of prosperity to be seen
until the famous Sacramento Valley
Is reached. At nightfall we passed
Mt. Shasta blazing in the sun, with
the town Of SissOns settled at its foot.
There Is a great rush among the pas
sengers for drink Of the famous
mineral water, at Shasta springs,
where the train stops few minutes,
and whether the excitement or the
tlaYor of the highly-impregnated min
eral water makes the more enjoyment
is a problem, but all appreciate the
stop.
AT Sacramento we laid oyer four
hours while secti on of our train ran
over to Oakland and return, and the
time was pleasantly spent taking in
CalifOrnia's state'capital.T The grounds
occupy four blocks, all beautifully
terraced and ornamented with palms,
shrubs and outrageous shade trees
The place is we'll kept, and credit To
the Golden state. With party Of
tourists we were shown through the
building by uniformed janitor, who
In pompous manner told the num-
erous points in which California S
capitol excel all Others in the coun-
try, and let us go by selling us two
bit souvenir book for a dollar.
Gov. Budd was absent from the city.
He lives at Stockton, and like Gov.
Pennoyer Of old, he spends but short
time each week at his executive Office.
State Printer johnson was In his office
but has little TO do, as the apprOpri-
atlon for all printing except school
books was vetoed. We were shown
the text books printed by the state
and furnished the school patrons at
cost. They are lar superior to those
fnpnn1 n oh "a hxr
the American book trust at two
that OREGON secure the plates from
which California books are printed
and supply her people the same series
at great saving. That sounds like
good sense, but OF course IL would
deprive many f the Web-FoOt leg.
islators and eductors of an "honest
penny" earned of the trust. Oregon
has flags on her school houses. and
that ought TO satisfy her, no matter II
her school books do cost a few millions
more than they ought.
The days ride south nom Sacra-
mento 20 Fresno took us through the
San Joaquin valley, which is largely
devoted TO grain growing, and In some
parts 10 fruit raising. The farms seem
TO be run on the syndicate plan. The
fields are mammoth, with no fences,
and the cOuntry is sparsely ,settled.
Few wheat farms consist OF less than
1000 acres, and most OF the harvesting
Is done combination harvesting and
threShing machines-when there Is
any 10 do. Rain is scarce In this re-
gion, and all grain is sOwn in dry
ground. One good wetting down In
sures crop, but TO illustrate what a
slender thread they hang their hopes
on, one old farmer then Insisted that
he would be satisfied II he could get
a crop one year In i've, aud make
money at IL, too.
That would hardly suit an Oregon
farmer, especially In the Willamette
valley, where four feet Gf annual rain
fall is sure thing. In the southera
part OF this valley all kinds OF fruit Is
raised In abundance, except the citrus
varieties, and some OF that. Much OF
this land Is irrigated, and where
farmer has water at command that Is
a sure business, but il taxes big capt
tai, II is hot place 10 live in sum
meT.