Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-12-14
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.


A Newsy Letter From Prof Watson, For.
mer Principal Of the Custer
| Schools.
GARDENA, CAL. Nov. %, 1901.
EDITOR OF CHRONICLE, Custer, S. d.
KIND SIR:-When left Custer num-
Der of persons asked me 10 write and
give them my opinion of Southern Cali
fornia, and as have not time to write
to each individually / shall write you
for all.
In coming TO a new country the first
thing most people think of is the climate.
Well, SO far as that is concerned it is as
near perfect as could be found any where.
We have but two seasons, wet and dry,
and the dry season here lasts most of
the year. This year they had one rain
rs late as May which they say is unusual
and IT began to rain on the 26th Of Oct.
and rained gently two days. Since then
we haye had one shower, but now the
weather is delightful. During summer
everything seemed as dead as it is at
Custer in December; but since the rain
all things are starting fresh and green
just like spring. During the summer it
was not warmer than We had it at Gus
ter, and in fact do not think it was as
| warm, the hottest weather we had was
from S5 to 90 except on two days for a
q ~ ~ AnIx, Tia - cft
day ia between and II a. m. Then the
sea breeze sets in and blows gently till
late in the afternoon, usually till after
dark. Then short calm and breeze
starts in the opposite direction coming
from the mountains. So ve have cool
breeze day and night. We have no sui
try days or nights, absolutely. I have
not seen a night that we did not need
two or more blankets for comfort. Most
evenings one needs an overcoat if he is
out. The section is entirely free from
malaria, and think it is as healthful as
any place on earth. We have no storms,
neither do we have thunder and light
ming. | have never seen the wind blow
hard enough to raise the dust unless it
was stirred up by teams or otherwise.
We have some fog, but not enough to
make it Objectionable as it helps to leep
the earth moist longer where 1t is irri-
gated. Vegetables Of all kinds grow to
perfection. We have one patch of peas
that are bearing fine and one that is only
few inches high but will bear later.
Have just set cabbage for winter use
Have had several patches of raddishes
and have one now that will come in
ready for use in short time, cucumbers
are bearing fine, and patch of corn that
is ready for use now. we are now cut.
ting the fifth crop of alfalfa since we took
charge OF the place in May. Ii was cut
once before that. mention these things
to show what the climate is in regard to
vegetable growth. On one morning only
has the temperature been as low as 40,
that was last week. To-day is quite
warm. The climate is much more even
here than it is farther from the coast,
even few miles make considerable diff
ference.
On straight line we are miles from
the coast and l2 miles from Los Angeles.
Our elevation is something over 81 feet,
l am told. Land is high in price here
on account of the delightful climate and
nearness to the city and the ocean. We
have a narrow g1age r r. running from
the city to Redondo Beach, and an elec-
tric car line is now being built that will
connect the city with San Pedro Beach.
1t also runs right by here giving us ex-
cellent facilities for going either way. A
number of persons from the city will
build homes on this electric line. One
tract Of ten acres close to us sold few
days ago for $500, another, little far
ther off, for $4,000. But still there is
plenty of unimproved land that can be
bought at 500 per acre. This is COM
paratiyely new section as it was not
known till few years ago that water
could be had here for irriSating and it
was all broad grain ranch, growing
chiefly barley when there was enough
rain in winter to make a crop, if not it
was barren waste. Now by boring
about 200 feet they find an excellent
quality of water for drinking and for ir-
rigating too, and plenty of it. In some
sections it rises to within few feet ofthe
surface and then is pumped up for use,
in others it flows from the ground in
fine large stream. We have to pump it
about 20 feet, some pump more, others
less. We pump for three other ten acre
tracts besides our own, and can supply
them all we'll by running about two and
half days cut of the week.
The main crop raised here is alfalfa
which is mostly fed TO COWS. We have
creamery and Gardena is famous for its
butter, berries and vegetables. The
strawberry crop brings in fabulous re-
turns but takes more labor than most
people want give to it to make it sue
cess. 1t is not unusual to get from $500
to $500 per acre per annum, and some
get more than that. The season lasts
from Feb. to Nov, and some berries can
be gathered every week in the year.
There has not been day since we camo
here that you could not get all the straw.
berries you wanted and they are still
blooming. Blackberries and raspberries
haar two crons. one in lima and Inlu