The record-union., 1899-05-08
The CHIEF TOWN IN BUTTE.
CHICO AND IT'S CHARMING
ENVIRONMENTS.
"A Thriving and Wideawake Com
munity-Some Of It's Many
Attractions.
fcorrespondence Record-Union.)

Correspondence Record Union.)
The charming little city of Chico Jles
on the Oregon line of the Southern Fa-
ciic sy stem, about 100 miles north Of
sacramento. 1t stands within trao;
OF rich loan of practically unlimited
depth, and therefore inexhaus-ib!e.
Furthermore, it is well watered, and is
therefore almost exempt from the Dis
tressing drought, the bane of the Cali
fornia agriculturist. The creeks make
their way directly through the Town
one bearing the town name maintains q
stream of pure water throughout the
Jear This combination of rich soil and
abundant water makes total failure Of
crops so rare as to be of no momen, in
general agricultural calculations, and
on the other hand produces q vegeta-
tion unusually luxuriant.
Adequate description of q Chico
spring cannot be fixed in ordinary Ian
guase. From where l am sitting one
can see the towering foliage OF nagnffi-
cent trees reaching far about The sky
line. The glory of their spring garments
is inexpressible. Roses peculiarly
perfect and abundant this season-Ge-
press the stalks with their fragran:
weight, and the air is scented with
orange blossoms. The May maiden
never came to her bridal more gor-
geously decorated and perfumei than
here in this flower garden of fruitful
California a.f,
1t may be doubted whether any other
region of the West produces such colos-
sal shade and fruit trees. The early
Oh;
Bidwell, who still spends his honored
age teneath the groves planted 10y
himself, had the prescience as well as
the opportunity of the genuine planter
and placed in the virgin soil the germs
OF the present magnificent growths
Walnut trees large enough to fairly
rank as forest products emboHer The
walks and drives, and in their season
bear 80 abundantly as to make sta~Ta-
tiCn impossible. Locusts, old-fashiOled
but beautiful, touch their graceful
heads above the streets, forming aIbo--
escent shades where the weary man of
affairs may cast off his burden. or the
lovers may dream and talk after the
manner of their kind in every age
Cherry trees, not in single show lots,
but in great groves, spread their branch
es in vigorous life until the entire
ground is shaded, and in favorable Sc "a
Sens produce their fruit IN such guam
tity that the measure seems fabulous.
Grange trees planted away back be
fore the days of booms and spectators
make familiar door-yard shuie, and
with their deep green picked ont with
the golden fruit are at once picturesque
an1 useful. Time fails to tell Of the
palms and figs bringing u touch &C ORR
entail sentiment in our prosaic Western
life; Of the magnolias and crepe nlyr-
ties: of the numberless arborescent va
ricties smiling under the sun of this
glorious May-day.-
The nature of the soil and the lay OF
thu land" make Chico a paradise OF
good f.ads; that is to say, after the
n'a:l eT of our conventional mundane
paradises. AS such things co. these
roads are well-kept and furnish
abundont pleasure drives for the happy
wight with leisure on his hands. Cy-
cling is exceptionally good and cyciers
much ~ evidence, albeit the club idea
seems 10 have taken no roct 3rnong
them. Lady riders especially fit here
there. everywhere, having with ne III
sight CT their sex solved the pcublein OF
dress IN which grace, ease and modesty
are combined.
Af6; whiic speaking of roads, am re-
minded that there is no place within
my know'eGge where wild and sublime
scenery is 50 near to the gentle beauty
of cultivation. Within an easy Ten
miles lies a great gorge cut out of vol
garlic debris, appropriately known as
If~,4fa &c
grandeur it n-ust yield to the YOSEMITE
AID the K.rg's River Canyon: hut i;
las it's OWN stern beauty, ana IL some
respects RI ais even these mast arpieces
OF Nature.
Thither &C numerous pfcnIcs BGtan-
izers from the Normal School search
its wild Businesses for specimens re-
CURED for the inevitable her BURN;
aratelr photographers sweat an1 toll
amid rocks that scratch like a horse
rasp, and waters that roar and threat
en- every STEP: enduring bruises and
duckings for the coveted view" It is
gicrious-iike passing from Inv lady e
sar1en into the marvels of Olympus.
Chico is emphatically a home city
Not That business does not reach The
average activity. In fact, BUSINESS life
here Is almost as finely diAerantiatel 4
as in the larger cities. One locks in
vain for the traditional general ner-
ehaniise" establishment, with ts gone
fo-sleer. appearance and fringe Of
pumpkin ioafers. All the usual lines OF
trade are well represented; stocks are
shown IN late styles and fair assert
Eiears, and competitive rivalry is very
Keen. The epieure need no. starve, nor
the lady OF fashion languish The more
prosaic trades are excepticnally well
represented. Hardware and agricult-
ural supply establishments sra large
ard we'll furnished. Flrniture ard
house hold supplies are so easily within
reach that tic daintiest hoasou ifa RAY
surround is5rself with comfort and lux
ury.
The two banks are well managed and
apparently safe and prosper Gus The
Sierra ] lumber Company, with its
unique y-fume for transporting its
lumber hither, is one of the largest
compaiies in its line. A lo1r mill, fuJl
of the best machinery: a fruit eannery
ana clearinghouse. and a vesy efficient
water company add their pat 70 the
Industrial sctivities of the place
-he town Is lighted with gas md cleo
tricity But while thus aboLnding with
me usual commercial activities, TIE
homes Of Chico are the chief charm t.
< the stranger. The broad. we'll surfaced
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