Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1901-02-14
Labor Conditions in San Diego

Labor Conditions in San Diego
To THE FREE PREss:-S.nce my
last letter written two weeks az.
this section has been blessed bl
abundant rains which have practi-
cally kept US within doors all the
time. But white it is bad for the
tourist who comes down here ex.
pecting perpetual sunshine, it is
none the less proving the salvation
Of the country. For the past five
years this whole southern Cali
fornia country has been subjected
to distressing drouth, with all it's
attendant evils OF ruin, despair
and in too many instances OF
abandonment Of fine farms. The
streams and reservoirs have gone
dry and places are Offering for sal,
now for fifty per cent of what the
improvements cost. Ia fact so
severe has been the drouth that
San Diego county, according 10
the census taken last year, has
actually less population than the
census of 1890 gave it. The popu-
lation of the city increased a triflt
but in the county at large there II
an actual decrease of 100 in popu
lation in ten years. And SO ii
comes that the rains of the present
winter have infused new lie into
thi, community and for once til
farmers expect to raise a good croI
Of cereals and hay for the firs
line in five years. The rainfal
up to date is still two or tire
inches below the average, but ex-
ceeds by one inch tie qnantlt
which has fallen in the past fl, e
years. In country where ware
for irrigation costs form 8 cents t.
20 cents per 1000 gallons, every
drop Of natural moisture is an i'm
portant consideration and they
cant set too much of it.
The orange season is now Oh
and the fruit j. about at Its best
IN buyin, at retail or by the dozeu
tn rels very little difference be
tween price,' here and at Grange
He. Oranges which at home sci
N FIFTY cents per doaep here COS
35 cons. ut in bnying by tn
TX we get 200 good oranges 70.
$50 All III e seui ,opl,
hi do well h, re, but in order l.,
raise them one has to he sciet.
mfic specialist, and the averag
/ mon ranch seems to be made W
# three equal parts-one par'
lemons, another part chemicals foi
spraying and fertiiisers, and the
third part of methods for irriga
ton. The apples grown here are
tasteless things. Outside of the
winter climate there is nothing il
this part of the land of sunshine
that can hold candle to any par
of Idaho. Most of the peopi,
J seem to be in business more fol
occupation and amusement thar
, Tor profit, having come here from
! the east, l presume, to prolonl
their lives.
hear that the same condition
: prevail generally all over southel
] California, and so the legilimat
farmer or business man or frui
I grower is brought into competition
with ameteurs of greater or les
means who care nothing for legiti
mate business principles, and S
D the country is being gradual.
t turned over to the lotus eaters
]. while the men Of enterprise see
/ less cnervating climates whel
e business principles prevail. Th
labor market is in the same con
Il dition and the light clerical labS
!, is performed by class of me
Il who are content to work fOr a me-
J. pittance in order 10 exc out the
!. resources and give them occupatio
u IN climate " here they can pr
Is joHg their lives. | do not say TIN
y this is the general condition
10 affairs, but 1T Is condition viii,
l. exists to some extent and in |
ime it is bound to have "A mo
N iemoralizjng effect by virtual
giving this whole section over
n an unprosressive class OF sen
lie invalids to whom the slrenuo
n life of other sections with k
OF genial winter climates is unknow
III p efs onally we are all enjoyl
e. the change, and all of lis a
ed putting on flesh and gaining
g. weight, health aud strength. +
G. IA winters recreation aud chan
k it is all right, but for steady d
IN there is no climate SO well adapt
for n strenuous life as Can
H. Prairie. A. +. L.
nj San Diego, Cal, Feb. 5, 1901.
-. .-------
"a, A Serious Charge.