The Columbus journal., 1899-03-22

all Of IA. But one item in this distuJbs
me. All my life I've been trying to
learn the lesson Of letting other peoples
business alone, but it won't stay learn-
ed. So I must say that..I am sorry to
see Mr.. Clark's call for '75 familiea r
20 to Fresno, Cal, }" etc. do not n
Who DR.. Clark is, doubtless an ho
man desiring to do The ~ight thing
others rs we'll as himse pt shouI
be succeed in persusdf Tor any
other considerable NUM- nmilies
to leave Nebraska for r. EQa, CAL,
the coming summer, with 11pecta-
tion of getting desirable homes and
remunerative business he will be the
cause of much disappointment and
trouble. No one is more enthusiastic
and confident about California than L
But / insist, and so advise all who ask
OF me about coming, that no one should
arrange to come to California until
through some disinterested party, or
what is better, a preliminary visit; he
knows just what he is coming to and
what he can confidently expect when
once here. The conditions are utterly
different from those Of any other state
in the Union, hence it is more difficult
to Judge what one may expect, than if he
was removing to another state when the
differences were not 90 great. But I
would not trouble You with this were it
not that at this time special conditions
exist that those who think of coming to
California should be aware of before
completing their plans to do SO. 1898
proved to be the dryest year in Califor-
MIA in Is years, less than six inches of
rain falling in the twelve months. That
is not the worst, our rains come in the
winter months. These months are now
nearly passed and less rain has fallen
even than last year. Hence the pros
pect for the balance of the year is dis
couraging. The rivers, mountains and
other reservoirs depended upon for irri-
CATION have not been replenished and in
some instances disaster stares the farm
ers in the face. Fresno county has been
one OF the prosperous counties Of the
state. It is the center Of the great
raisin industry, but that industry was
severely over done and during the past
few years the section has not been pros
porous. The dry spell last year with
another threatening to follow has greatly
reduced the value Of property there as
in many other sections. I insist that no
state has brighter future than Califor-
mia, but this is not the year for . poor
man, at least, to come here unless he has
something definitely desirable to come
to and he knows just what that is. I'm
sure there must be . better outlook for
the working man with no money to risk
on chances, on some OF those grand old
prsiries Of Platte county, at least for
this prospective dry year.
Riverside is one OF the few exceptions
where trouble has not come for lack Of
water. Our irrigating systems are fed
by one OF the greatest underground
lakes known anywhere and were the
only ones in Southern California that
supplied the full amount Of water dur
ing tho past year. And there is no
doubt about q full supply this year even
without Hain. But even here there IL
not much inducement for q man without
ample means, to come. It's . busy
place. Nearly . score Of great fruit
packing houses give good employment
to hundreds Of men and women. The
ranch work requires great many labor
ers, but the hundreds out Of employ
ment in nearby places are ready to step
into any vacancies giving little chance
for stranger. The orange business has
been specially successful here and prop
erty is high. A neighbor, an elderly
man in poor health, offered his place
consisting Of . ten-acre orange grove
with modest house and barn for sale Q
little time ago. It was quickly taken up
at Q cash price Of 81 ,75O pee acre. Sl76OO