Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-04-04
THE TOURISTS PARADISE
AS DESCRIBED BY Mr.. BIGEL0N.
He Says Goodby to the Land Of FruaE
and Flowers, and Will Turn His
Face to the North-Another
Interesting Letter.
Los Angeles. Cal. Mar. %. 1900

Los Angeles, CAL, Mar 20, 1900
Special TO PUBLIC OPINION:
AS the birds go north in the spring
so expect soon to follow their example
and it is with no little regret that 4
leave the land of sunshine and flowers
the invigorating sea breezes and the
pure air from the mountains. This liz
my estimation is the most desirable
place on this continent to spend the
winter, and / wish to thank my nu
merous friends in California, both old
and new, who have contributed so
largely towards making my visit one Of
the most enjoyable ever experienced
But there are some ties still stronger
which the old and the young, the sicK
and the well, hold most dear; and one
of them is ''hOme." I have fai h to
believe that my friends are not all in
California, but 5000 miles away there
are some, which the pleasure of meet
ing will be reciprocal.
l intend to return by the way Of
northern California, Salt Lake City,
and what is called the Scenic Route.
1 shall probably not call on Congress-
man Roberts as have not the number
of either one of his residences and am
not acquainted with either of the Mds
Roberts, and he may be in Salt Lake
or still on his way up Saltsriver, butsI
am absolutely sure he is not in Wash
ington.
This seems t. pc the tourists paradise
They come here in winter from q
northern latitude to get rid of the cold
and locate away from the coast; they
come i'm summer to get rid Of the heat
and locate at the coast as it Is never too
warm there. 1t is quite interesting to
see the different styles of the turn-oute
used by the two legged big-bugs. Some
are two wheeled, with seats back te
back; some have two seats with az
extra one for the driver, who is usuallE
colored, and the best dressed and the
finest looking man of the outfit. Then
there IL the tally-ho, with four, six ami
eight horses. loaded down with sight
seers and pleasnre-seekers. saw one
yesterday with eight horses carrying
large plumes ON their heads, the coach
glittering with splendor that reminded
one of the gilded chariots of old. There
are also three or four parlor electric
cars, sometimes called poppy cars, N
when they are lit up at night they
resemble the great beds of poppies that
grow wild here. The fare on these cars
Is so cents for the same distance thai
others charge cents. They are con-
stantly in use and patronized by those
who were born with a golden spoon in
their mouths or have gobbled the
spoons belonging to somebody else. 1
saw fish at the beach that is a conun
drum that no one has as yet been able
to solve. 1t is about the shape of a
pumpkin seed and weighs 1900 pounds.
1t was captured by some fishemeE
and is now being prepared for a curie
sity. No such fish was ever seen Ia
these waters before, and no one can
give it a name. The question is how
many thousands of miles has it strayed
from its home.
The people here don't fool away
their time talking politics and as q
have scarcely heard IL mentioned I am,
getting terribly rusty. The principal
topic here at present is dry weather.
This is the third dry winter and it is
astonishing what an amount of drought
the country can stand. There Is ne
boom but the cities both large and
small are having a healthy, steady
growth.
H. A. BIGELow Y