Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-08
TELLS OF THE WEST
Gus Applegren Just Returned From
Extended Trip to California.
SIGHTS ARE BEYOND DESCRIPTION
Visits in Southern California, San
Francisco, and Many Places of Inter-
est in That vicinity-Mare Island,
Navy Vary and Preside.
[Trom Fridays paily.l

tFrom Fridays Daily.l
Gus Applegren has returned to his
home in this city after an absence of
nearly three months on an extended
trip and visit in California in which
he was accompanied by Henry Pallis-
ter of this city. Mr.. Applegren left
OttumWa on his western trip January
10 and during his absence visited
many places of interest throughout
California. He made a short trip
through the southern part of the
state and spent some little time in
New Castle where he visited with
Will Hinsey, formerly of Ottumwa.
While at San Francisco Mr.. Apple
gren visited several places of interest
in that city and the vicinity among
which were the navy yard at Mare is
land, the United States reservation,
Preside. and several other places of
note. He also made trip to Mt
Tamalpais, which is located just north
of the San Francisco bay near the
Golden Gate. Mr.. Applegren in talk
ing of his trip tells many things con-
corning the country and the people to-
gether with the sights to be seen in
luOSI Interesting manner.
Southern California.
During the first few weeks of his alb
sence from this city Mr.. Applegren
toured Southern California, was in
Los Angeles for time and visited in
the fruit country. The large fruit or
chards and tracts of land under cult
walton are kept fertile entirely by the
means of irrigation and wherever this
fails there the land becomes barren
and desert. Throughout a great part
of this territory, however, the system
of irrigation has been quite we'll per-
fected and the country has become
one OF the most fertile regions in the
state.
At New Castle.
| I'VE spent quite a pleasant time at
New Castle, little place about $50
miles northeast of San Francisco and
here we saw the fruit growing indus
try carried on in large proportions
One thing that may be little sur
prising to some people is the fact that
in California the price of fruits does
not differ very materially from
the price in this country.
/ 40 III dii lltill uiSlllClS lllS
great majority Of the better grades
of fruit are shipped away to the mar
kets leaving for the home use only
the poorer quality. And in the dried
fruits the prices are no lower than in
Iowa. 1t is quite noticeable, too, that
the people in that country do not
seem to care particularly for the
oranges, bananas or other varieties
which they grow in abundance When
a person there sits down to the break
fast table they do not generally call
for oranges or bananas as is mostly
done in this state but they rather be-
| gin their meal with baked apples OF
some variety of fruit that is not so
common there.
San Francisco.
''We spent considerable time visit
ing in San Francisco and taking in
the places of interest in the vicinity
of that city. One of the first things
noticed was the difference in the city
itself over that of six or seven years
ago. At my visit to that city then
i there were many residences and bust
ness places too for rent and nearly ev.
erywhere one would go could be seen
the ever present sign For Rent
This has been greatly changed within
the past few years and now the ap
pearance of the rent notice is the eX.
ception rather than the rule. Bust
ness seems to be in a most prosper
Gus condition. One of the most no
ticeable things with regard to the PEG
pie in California is the apparent ease
with which they live Though every
one seems to be in a prosperous con
dition, yet in the carrying on of theil
: business affairs there does not seem
! to be that continual rush and fierce
competition as there is in the eastern
J cities. People there seem to think
! more of their fellows and there is
more of the spirit of live and let live
than is found in any other part of the
country.
Sight Seeing.
"While in San Francisco we visited
many places of interest in the vicin
ity of that city. We went severa
times to the United States govern
ment reservation, the Preside. Here
was the home of the soldiers as they
were on their way to and from the
Philippines. The barracks at thai
| place are not large enough to accom-
modate but very few of the soldiers
: who are quartered there and there are
a great number of small camps scat
, tered about through the Preside
= grounds, and it is most interesting t.
take a trip through the camp:
p and see the boys as they are in theil
: tented homes. Among those wht
!, have recently returned from the is
lands there seems to be a great diver
, sity OF opinion with regard to the con
ditions which surround that country
] until one becomes almost unable Il