Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-05-22
IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA.
Rev. w. 7. Sparhawk Writes Interest
inely Of His Trip.

in9ly OF his Trip.
Rev. w. t. Sparhawk, who left here a
few weeks ago on a eircuitous trip to Cal
ifornia, arrived Tuesday OF last week at
Wawano, in the Yosemite valley, where
he expects to remain at least a year with
Mr.. Washburn, an uncle of Martin l..
Washburn and a member of the firm OF
Washburn Brothers, proprietors of hotel
in that place. At Los Angeles Mr.. Spar
hawk found o. B. Childs and family,
former residents Of Randolph, and at
Whittier had an opportunity to greet
another Randolphite in the person of
Walter B. Morse. In a letter to his fam
lily Mr.. Sparhawk gives an interesting ac-
count of his travels, as the following ex-
tracts will show:-
Il left Los Angeles at O'Clock in the
morning of Wednesday. Arrived at
Monterey about s o'clock same evening.
The journey was very interesting. Some
of the time we had to have two engines to
climb the mountain. We could see the
trails away down below in the valley and
at one place we could see an engine plain
ly around bend. Most of the way pre-
scented a beautiful view of the Pacific, and
! a moving panorama of sea and sky. This
was along the famous Coast Route and
was exceedingly satisfactory. In many
spots along the route we could see and
smell the fragrant locust trees in full
bloom, reminding us of our own New
England. As we came out of Los Angeles
the scenery was more like that of the
plains; low coast ranges in distance and
the brown and arid hills relieved by deep
est green where irrigation has been prac-
ticed. A good deal of mustard adds color
to the landscape with its vivid yellow.
''As we reached the coast the deep blue
OF the waves of the Pacific greets the eye
with island mountains out at sea-and
here are the
Breakers on the beach
Making moan, making moan
''The air becomes distinctly cooler as it
is famed by a sea breeze. The waves seem
green in shore and blue away out. IL IS
very restful to ride so many miles along
the beach and see these long 'combers' OF
waves come up on the beach. In several
places we saw oil wells out at sea, pump
ing up oil from beneath the surface.
aBeyond San Luis Obisp we emerge
from the hills up on high plateau. The
ever present low mountain ranges are in
the distance. The grass is green and
waving. The plateau is generous and
broad. II seemed like peep into old YER
mont.
PREACHED Monterey at about o'clock
in the evening. Monterey is great for
what it has been. In 1770 the first mass
was said in central California at Monterey.
A statue of the good Padre Junipero Sierra
still stands and cross to mark the spot
where be celebrated the mass. took a
picture OF Cotton Hall, where first consti-
tuition was drafted in 49. In 1916 Com
modore sloat first raised the stars and
stripes in California. This was over the
old Custom House at Monterey.
"After some inquiry ] made my way to
the home Of Mrs. Nina Badger Moore. l
met her and her little girl-Miss Minora
Holman-and Mrs. Badger. Met Mr..
Moore later at his pharmacy down town.
The landscape about here is very beautiful,
especially between Monterey and Castro
vile.
sIeft Monterey Thursday morning at
1910. As we neared San Jose we saw the
Lick observatory on the right on the hills.
Thursday at 4:10 p. m. we got into san
Francisco. This is more like New York
or Boston,-all in q hurry, sky-seTraP e
buildings, etc. Called on Nj. l.. WASH
burn at his office.
aOn Friday, May 9, was on my way TO
Oakland, across San Francisco bay on
ferry boat Oakland. After we got fairly
ON the way through the San Joaquin val
ley the landscape was entirely new. The
views OF the country here were the most
satisfying Of anything of the kind have
seen vet. The view in general was broad
valley sixty miles wide in places, extern
sive fields OF grain and hay, many vine
yards, six and eight-mule teams at work
in the fields, rose powered entrances 10
the ranch houses, locust groves, with now
and then California quail perched on
fence rail. But away in the east we're the
snow capped Sierra Nevada ranges, from
which come the rivers which make this
part Of California a wellwatered garden
by irrigation. One looks on one side OF
the car at the surprising stretch OF eoun-
try, level as floor, as far as one can see.
But turn to the other side and the same
broad expanse of fields and ranches APP
pears.
"Madera is an agricultural community,
population about 1000. There are SIX
churches and seventeen saloons here.
Nearly 3 to /, in favor of saloons as re-
CARDS number of houses. As regards con-
stituency cannot say. ! am told that
this is fair sample Of the comparatively
Young California valley towns. Town Is
less than twenty years old, and is doubt
less worst of educationally and morally OF
any in MADEIRA county. OF course unqual-
filed comparisons with New England
towns established a hundred and nifty
years ago and settled by different class
OF people are not fair. One needs to stop
to consider