The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-11-08
LETTER FROM SACRAMENTO, CALF.

We are permitted to make the follow
ing interesting extracts from a personal
letter written by B. F. Wells to Bel
fast friend:
SACRAMENTO, CALF, Oct. Is, 1900.
There is vast difference between the
climate of California and New Eng
land, Maine in particular. II the peo-
pie of Belfast did not protect them
selves more than they do in this locality
it would he a city of dead before spring.
| was told that the thermometer regis
tered 90 in the shade several times last
January i'm this vicinity. l arrived here
the 18th of March via Los Angeles.
Everything was midsummer like. The
trees were in full summer garb, and
flowers of every hue were in bloom.
They have continued to bloom up to
the present time, and there is a great
variety Of them: so much so that it re-
quires person well versed in botany to
explain and inform you of their nativ
ity. AS YOU stroll through the residential
part of the city you will meet with
great many different kinds of trees
bearing flowers. In the Capital park,
which is said to be the most beautiful
in the world. you will see quite a num-
Der of different kinds of palm trees
and | was quite surprised to learn that
they belonged to family of no less
than fifteen hundred different kinds. As
they are of fungus growth they are
classed with the cactus.
AS to climate, from the 18th of March
up to the present time the weather has
been simply perfect, grand, and beauti-
full in the extreme. Just think OF
months of delightful June weather.
We have only had three showers, two at
night and one in the day time, since the
Sth of May No black clouds rising in
north west, or the dreaded rumbllng
of thunder or the vivid flashes of light
ming which terrify every one, even to the
house cat. This is not criterion for
the whole State-as they have flew
storms in the southeastern part in mid
summer
AS regards the streets of Sacramento,
they are as clean as 5th Avenue, New
York, and the sidewalks are spotless.
These walks are six feet wide, con-
structed of Portland cement and gravel,
and of light gray shade worked off in
2+inch squares with an outside border
of grass ground and trees, the palms
and umbrella trees predominating. Y ou
can walk for miles on this beautiful
walk, which is without dust, spots or
blemish. If you use it for a cuspidor
and are detected by the police it will
cost you just So. Friend or foe, it would
make no difference to them, you would
have to pull out the required amount.
On the whole l think this is a dandy
country and climate. Almost every
thing is different from the East. For
instance, "Shall | trig your wagon?
What do you mean by triging it? What
do you call it? Blocking it. A girl says to
a fellow, ring me up (phone) and will
josh you. The word joke is never heard
here. Telephones are almost univer-
sally used here: so much so that the tel
ephone book is as much used as direc-
tory. We have VIM. Tell hotel here
You have heard of VIM. Tell, the fell
low who shot an apple off his kids head?
| could not imagine why there should
be a VIM. Tell hotel i'll Sacramento, but
L attended a Swiss concert one after
noon and learned for the first time that
there were 1900 Swiss people in Sacra
mento, and that explained the hotel
business. The Swiss concert was Just
charming. l thought | had heard sing
ing before but I must say think that
was touch above all
1neIe is one InlnS Inal would look
natural to you here and that is to see
half a dozen of those white omnibusses
they used to have on Broadway, New
York. When | saw them | thought |
had met an old friend. They are used
from hotel to depot. frequently think
of my second trip to New York in 1862.
| stopped at Powers hotel, Opposite the
Aston, and looking down the long din
ing table | discovered resident of
Belfast i'll the shape of G. \. @.
In regard to papers here, we have
the Daily Record Union, published !
times week, and the Daily Bee and
the News. We take the two b. j. s.
the Boston Daily Journal for New
England news, The Belfast Journal for
Belfast news, and the Sacramento Rec
ord Union, which keeps us posted all
around. The Boston Journal is now a
photograph paper, and for a New Eng