The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-09-11

mountains convcrging into the coast range
IL Is one of the many beautifully foliaged
cities for which California is noted, and
S In2 6dgg nut population of not more than
@o,oUu people Is To he found here, II EN-
braces al the up.to.date comforts of the
largest cities, including free public lnst-
Iu,tiTehs, parks and streets, which are paved
Win macadam or aSphultum.
The Hotel vendome, grand architec-
tural structure, located in the center of
e9eauuIully kept park Is the popular home
Tor tourists, who come here by thousands
70 enjoy the comforts ana sight seeing
TO be found here, Texans who have Wis
lteu' IN days gone by, the beach at Gal
weston, will recall the appearance OF the
once popular Beach hotel with It's night.
~ concerts, listened to by thousands Of
people With this picture still In mind,
aud TO II stll more imposing hotel o'
similar design, superb band, flrstcIss
appointments, ana an unerrug desire TO
please patrons. and we have one OF the
grandest homes "a be found In the West.
In connection herewith Is what is called
the Mount Hamilton Stage company"
WhlGh, however MS regards the application
for the thrce-scated carriages of modern
design must not be compared with Il term
that would imply the uncomfortable ap-
peArance Of the .dfashloned stage. These
convCIanceh are appropriated TO the use
of visitors who desire to make the trip
to the Lick observatory, prominently
located on The summit Of Mount Hamilton,
within ten miles distant as the crow Gler
nut on account of a beautiful mountain
road, with more than 600 turns. the actual
distance 10 he Travelled Is quite twenty
eight miles. Mount Hamilton has an ali-
tude of nearly 800 feet and on n clear
day the dome Of the observatory can be
easily distinguished from the valley below
us appearance white In color, Is about
like the larger end OF an egg resting on
granite cylindrical base, and forms a pecu-
liar looking spectacle. viewed even at u
distance of many miles.
California is noted for her robust, sleek
and splendid conditioned horses, and with
vol ,sltr NOV Of
ful animals the trip can be made; but
| even then. not without considerable weari-
ness to the animals. Before the ubserv
atory IL rencned tncre IS II continued phna-
rama of interest, as The ascent is made,
and every turn of the road hangs either
picturesque canyon, an orchard, vineyard
OF field glowing with yellow grain, or,
perhaps, green swaTds OF alfalfa If the
trip grows tiresome from continues travel,
Z stop cgn be made, where the finest OF
nome made wines can be had from good
old vintage at any farm house. or any
orchard In season viii afford fruits in
great variety, which may be plucked
! luelous and ripe from the overburdened
| trees. This privilege seems TO be lnevita-
bly, mark Of hospitality on the part of
| the frult growers to all tourists aud on nc
| count of the great bounty and even shame.
| ful waste of oyer-productiOn, fruit seems
|. begging for thousands of people to come
| aud enjoy H. The entire valley and noun
| tain sides, several miles In width Is a VERT
| able. forest OF fruit trees, planted In such
| straight, symmetrical rows, and so nice
| y cultivated, without the appearance Of a
| blade OF grass, as TO give most tempting
| appetite for what Is 10 be enjoyed when
! a stop Is made for that purpose.
Fruit Is hauled TO any OF several can
| nerles, and sold Mt n marvelousy low price
not by the pound. hut by the ton. And
| even at the prlct profitable Is the bust
| yields a nice living for cay family. but
| the price Of such land In consequence Is
never less thnh 500 Pei acre.
| With this wonderful enjoyment OF real
| NJ
| earths surface can yield, a view through
! the observatory at the summit, Will fur
nish stll more phenomena picture; thai
! Of the moons surface and myriads oil
| other heavenly bodies.
| L. IS very gratifying TO know that Inc
| rlles governing the great Lick observatory
are SO democratic that any one who reaches
| the top Of the mountain has cheerfuly
accorded him, by the astronomers IN
| Charge, the privilege of not only looking
through the great equatorial but also
| many other Telescopes OF less power
! peculiarly adapted 10 other Astronomical
! study. The cylinder Of the equatorial alone
| weighs fourteen tons, but SO well is II
poised on Its bearings that IL can readily
| be placed Into position by the strength
wnereyer It may be located. The tube 1,
Duy-seyen feet long ana with Its great
disk Of thirty-six Inches IN diameter 4
| portion OF the moons surface can bt
| brought 50 close as n TO appear only 2J
| miles distant by the naked eye.
As regards the cost Of this instrument
| IL can he said that The disk. the SECOND
| most pow crful in the world. cost the rounI
| sun OF 10000 II was cast In France ant
| ground I'm Cambridge, Mass, and is con
| sidcred as colorless In texture and perfec
IN mechanism as il is possible for human
! ingenuity to accomplish. The disk at IN,
| Yeikes observatory Ia the state OF wis
| cousin has a diameter of forty inches anf
! Is therefore cOrresp1ndlngly more power
| fn but the telescope itself Is not so com
| plete With mechanical accessories and ap
pllances as the Lick instrument, making i
in this respect less valuable for all-arount
i astrt nomical study.
lac world owes its gratitude for thli
instrument of education 70 rather com
monnhce man in some respects-Jamel
Lick who lived and died a batchelor. III
became the possessor Of estates and othel