The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-02-17
GEN. BAKER.
Writes Letter No. Six From
California.
The General Gives More of His impress.
sions of that Country in His
Interesting Style.
Los Angeles, Cal, Feb. 3, '99.

Los Angeles, CAL, FeD 3, w.
/ have hitherto in these letters said
nothing concerning this city. | now
propose to give my friends some idea
of one of the finest cities in the world.
Los Angeles, the Angel City, was
charmingly named, and is worthy of
its natal appellation Once little
semi Mexican town, of Spanish. Ameri-
cans, Indians, Mulattoes, and other
mongrel breeds, with dwellings of
adobe, a sun dried brick, it has now
become a thorough modern American
city, as progressive and up to-date ais
any in the United states. Los Angeles
made it's first eventful start il 1S47,
when it was captured by Gen. John G.
Fremont. From that date onward its
history has been changed. The gold
seekers were here in 1849, but it was
not until 1876, when the Sante Fee
railroad system reached this city that
it's wonderful growth began.
Los Angeles has the advantage of a
lovely location. The city lies midway
between the Sierra Madra range of
mountains and the great ocean 1t is
wonderfully affected by the conditions
growing out of this relation. These
mountains are perfect charm to the
landscape, and salute the eye from al
most every street and home. From
their higher elevations the sea may be
seen shimmering in the distance. The
city has population of 10000, not
counting the tourists. The character
of this population proved quite sur
prise to me. The percentage of for
eigners is very small. j. K. Moore, for
merly of st. Peter. and myself counted
the foreign born voters in his precinct,
on election day, and found it less than
4 per cent There are few Germans,
scarcely any Scandinavians and some
French The native Mexican has quite
disappeared. There are some Spanish
to be seen The wild population of
California as described by Mark Twain,
has entirely vanished from this section
of the state. The population is far from
being as cosmopolitan as I had antici-
pated There is quite a number of
Chinese who are engaged in raising
vegetables or employed in homework.
They are a useful, quiet, orderly set of
people, who seem to be very essential
to the Industries they pursue. They
have residence section of their own,
and its inspection is matter of great
interest to the traveller.
Taken as whole, know of no city
where the population is more truely
American. The old northern states
have furnished the cultivated and en-
terprising people who command and
control this city in its business and all
it's social conditions. The churches are
we'll represented. There are not SO
many Catholics but the Protestant
churches are strong and vigorous The
Methodist church appears to lead but
in general, all the great orthodox
churches are in hourishing condition.
| see it. stated that there are 154
churches in this city. The public
schools of Los Angeles command my
highest admiration. The school build
ings are admirably constructed, the eli
matte conditions admitting of more
light and air than | have eyer before
seen in school buildings. In every way
the school system is complete and effec-
tive The army of pupils look clean,
bright and healthful One thing l do
like, they make speciality of scultivat-
ing patriotism. and the flag flies from