The Republican journal., 1899-05-11
California to Oregon, Overland.
Correspondence of The Journal.

Correspondence of The Journal.
CHICo, BUTTE Co., April %, 1899. We
have travelled only IS miles this week.
We have been expecting an addition to
our stock of horses and she arrived last
evening, and is fine colt. Chico is her
name. We started with horse team
and now have ). We are camped one
mile out of Chico on the bank of Chico
Creek and as l am writing it is raining.
We have had beautiful weather all the
way, and can not complain Of the shower
now. We have cur tent pitched, and as
our wagon is nicely covered we are high
and dry.
This is a grain and fruit country for
miles around. In about two or three
weeks haying will be in full blast in this
location, and the harvest time will last
for several months, including the grain
and fruit crops, of course. Chico is the
home of Gen. John Bidwoil and he
Gowns the EARTH here. He is said to
own or control over p. 900 acres, his
land running away back into the noun
tains He ran for governor of this State
at the last election, on the Prohibition
ticket; but of course Gage, the Republic
can candidate, was elected
Wages are low here. Maine or New
England is good enough for the laborer
or poor man, and my advice to the young
- e 10,
alone l have travelled about quite bit,
and l think California the poorest place |
know of for a poor man or the laboring
class.
Chico is a town of about 5, 900 popula-
ton and is a very pretty place. 1t has
many nice residences, and one fine avenue
that runs away north, and for mile out
it has a driveway for heavy teams, two
for light rigs and one for bcyclists and
pedestrians with plenty of shade trees on
ali sides There is large fruit canning
dried fruit.
There is some fine black soil in this
region that is hard to beat any where, and
there is also plenty of coarse gravelly soil
that is good for nothing at ALL except to
furnish little sheep feed for about OF s
weeks in the year. There are many sheep
over the plains now, that in few weeks
will be run back into the mountains. For
every real good acre of land in California
there are thousand that are good for
nothing but to feed sheep OF cattle, and
hardly that.
California has beautiful climate, in
deed and it has more of that than any
thing else that can be counted upon.
We are all enjoying our trip very much.
This is the way to see country and its
people and know what it is worth We
are near the mountains now, and find
there is snow on the road over which we
intended to go, SO We have changed our
route and will go farther up north before
crossing, then take the Pitt river route
through for Alturas, CAL, as we hear that
road is open now.
We shall have plenty of fishing from
now on, as there are lots of streams along
here, and through the mountains.
tried my luck in the creek here yester-
day but nary bite did get.
l will say to all those that are follow
ing us in The journal that there are four
of us-R. Luther and wife and c. Fl.
L luther and wife-that we are all well and
happy, and that some of us are much
| better in health than when we started on
this voyage.
We are about half way to our home in
Oregon now, but will reach the other side
| in due time.
Good luck to all.
c. II. LUTHER.