Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-12-13

ubllOi III Nud'iSys
The immense stock of thoroughly
matured and bottle ripe wines consists
of the following varieties: Pert, X
Trousseau; port, Xxx Malvoisie; port,
xxx st. George private stock; sherry,
dry; sherry, sweet; Angelica, Muscat,
Madeira. Malaga, Tokay, dry; Tokay,
sweet; Condensed Grape Juice, Black
berry wine, Claret, Zinfandel, Bur-
gundy, Cabinet, Hook, Ricsling, Sau-
terne, Haul Sauterne.
Left San Francisco at 9 80 A. NJ,
Nov. 26, for San Diego, on the steamer
State of California, where we arrived
safely after delightful 46-hour voy.
age. A stop OF over four hours was
made at Port Los Angeles, giving us
ample time to visit the beautiful and
picturesque city of Santa Monica.
This place is virtually city of hand
some dwellings, exquisite flowers, fine
and well-attendedto lawns, luxurious
shade trees, and well-paved streets.
1t is within easy distance of Los An.
geles, the street car service being every
30 minutes. The city is also noted
for its large and well-equipped sum-
mer-trade hotel, named the Arcadia
surrounded by grounds where the
landscape gardener has been given
carte blanche, the results everywhere
being very pleasing.
Upon arrival at San Diego, regis.
tered at the Horton House, where ex-
cellent rooms are had at so cents.
Meals vary from Is to Is cents, &C.
cording to taste. l note l0-cent meals
and 1O-cent barber shops, but have
not Investigated either. But the most
wonderful difference between Puget
Sound and this city is the climate.
Frost and snow are unknown. For
December the average normal temper
ature is Sc degs. average rainfall, about
2 inches; average number clear days,
l6; partly cloudy, IL; cloudy, 4. The
transition from the cold, damp, foggy,
sunless December weather, with rain
on the side, the muddy roads, and the
generally dreary aspect of everything,
with fires in the stoves and fireplaces,
az a necessity, of the Sound, to the
invigorating and soothing ocean
breezes, tempered by the unfettered
sun to feeling OF unequaled excel
lence, perfumed by the aroma Of
countless rare, costly and beautiful
flowers, around which the bees, yellow
jackets, various insects and birds hum
and twitter in joyous abandon; the
pepper trees, which OCCUPY here the
relative position that our maple shade
trees do, the orange and fig trees, and
the curious varieties of the palm, the
miles of asphalt pavement, and the
perfectly dry roads, requiring the SER
vices OF the sprinkler, the universal
use by the women OF the parasol as a
protection from the sun, the warm
nights and unusually clear and bright
skies, giving the stars and moon q
purer and more vivid radiance, the
vast quantities of all kinds of tropical
fruits, and their extreme cheapness,
including strawberries, all these and
many more, is like grand transfor-
nation scene from the arabian Nights,
in which the Caliph Of Bagdad. Hal
roun AL Rachid, rubs his eyes in
amazement at the metamorphosis
cansed by the Genii. 1t seems to me
that after o'clock p. NJ. the tempera-
ture does not fall degree lower dur
ing the whole night. The thermome-
ter ranges from about SIS to IS degrees.
Speaking for myself, however, will
here 60 on record as giving the prefer
ence between the two places, as my
permanent home, to good old NOISY
rooted Olympia, with its mud fats and
CLAIMS, and its yearly rainfall of 50
inches. Here every day is like the
day before, practically no change in
any way, each one OF the 365 days be-
ing about similar. There are no dis.
cernable seasons. 1t is an ideal spot
to pass the winter, however, and it is a
source of wonderment to me that SO
few of the northern people take ad-
vantage of its many and varied charms.
The total fare from Olympia to San
Diego is $1,000, by steamer. This is
the highest it has been for some years,
but there is probability that it will
be lower soon.
On Nov. 3Oth enjoyed a delightful
trip on the National City & Otay Rail-
way across the line to Tia Juana, Mex
leo, pronounced as if spelled Tea
Wana.) The distance is over 25 miles
from here, and the time, little over
an hour.
The scenery along the route is
grand, comprising abrupt curves
around steep mountains, bridges over
dry rivers, which are torrents in March
and April of each year, vast system OF
irrigation, tract after tract OF the cele.
brated blue grass, vast and undulating
prairie land, a good deal being under
cultivation OF vegetables. and acres
and acres of orange groves, some green
and some yellow, all conspiring to add
never-ending interest to the kaleido-
scopic journey.
On this occasion / made the &C.
quaintance OF Reuben. the Guide. a
character OF general reputation
throughout Southern California. For
nearly 20 years he has had charge oil
parties of sight-seers from the United
States and taken them across the
Mexican line. He is a negro OF more
than ordinary intelligence. and is
stocked with an inexhaustable fund OF
legend and "reminiscences. For genu.
inc pleasure this trip can not be ex.
celled. BY changing cars at National
City, a view OF the imposing Sweet
water Dam can be had in all its native
grandeur.
By a strange chance l arrived hero
in time to witness the closing nights
of the engagement OF the Jessie Shir-
ley Company. had the pleasure Of
meeting H. w. Gilbert, whom you will
remember. He states the company is
gradually working its way northward,
and will probably stop at Olympia the
fore part of 1902. They are drawing
crowded houses everywhere, and the
past week presented the following
bills here: Nell Gwynne," "For
Fair Virginia." Trilby,"" Camille"
"The Sultan's Daughter" "The
Young Wife," and "The Two Or.
phans." The company still com.
-.s.>~ a.