Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1903-12-17
\. OAKOTANS ABROAD.
A Visit to Ex-Governor Fancher 10 Cali.
fornir-S Saow Capped
Peaks.

Pe0kS.
Sacramento, CAL, Dec. 7, 1908.
To The Alert:
Five days on our tour brings us to
the capitol city. Fine weather and
agreeable company made the time
pass quickly as our heavily loaded
train Of eleven cars moved along
through western Dakota, passing the
Bad Lands in the night we were able
TO see Medora and the barren lands
only by moonlight. The valleys in
Montana were rather disappointing
yet many ranchers with large focks
and herds were in sight. The scenery
of the Rockeys was grand as up, up
we toiled through the winding passes
crossing deep chasms with high peaks
covered with snow and the storm
clouds lowering in the mountain gor-
ges. We reach North Yakima, thence
up along the foothills following the
winding course OF the little river, up
we 60 and the heavy train drawn and
pushed by three giant engines putting
and slowly moving until we reach the
summit Of the Cascades reaching ele-
vators over 6, 900 feet above the sea
level. Down we run to the level of
Puget Sound. At the junction we
part with our enthusiastic friend,
Buss, who goes on to Seattle-we to
Tacoma. AT South Tacoma Mr.. and
Mrs. Helmer meet us at the train
looking we'll and with pleasant greet
ings. Here Glenn leaves 5us and we
quickly leave for Portland crossing
the Columbia in the night, we arrive
in Portland II p. M, stopping for
the night Here we are from Port
land, Maine to Portland, Oregon,
across the continent nearly or quite
$500 miles. We start in a dense
fog for Sacromento. AS we glide
along down the Willmette the sun
shines out affording a splendid view
of the finest farming country and
most. beautiful scenery on the tour vel
seen with the east range on our right
and the SiereraS to the east. Passing
the mountain range to the Sacra-
mento valley in the night. The early
morning afforded most magnificent
view of Mt. Shasta looming up like an
hnr frcfn hin r1,f
then on our left as the train moves
along the curves. Sacramento is
reached at dusk. BY electric car we
reach our nephew's for our first stop
in California. Back to the city we
called at "The American Cash Store"
Here Ex-Governor Fancher gives us
very cordial greeting and a hearty
hand shake. The same old genial fell
low we knew in jamestown. Fred is
secretary and treasurer Of the firm,
Gncorporated.) A cash grocery doing
business of nearly 100000 per year
as the books show. There are twenty
five persons employed in the business.
Mr.. Fancher took us to his house and
then for call on Ashley his brother
in-law, who was former register Of
deeds of Stutsman county. Ashley is
doing fine business in harness
store. We had a nice call with
Fancher and Ashley and wives. We
were pleased to know they were all in
good health, Fancher tipping the
scales at 200 pounds. Fancher has
the record of being the only governor
who refused an election after receiv-
ing nomination. / remarked to
him that he resembled Caesar, "who
thrice refused the crown" Sunday
we went to the pavilion to hear the
sacred concert. There we saw with
some 5, 600 people the ''processed fruit
exhibit" which is to be a part OF Cali
fornia's exhibit at st. Louis.
Today we have visited sold Fort
Sutter" built by Gen. Sutter in 1889
to1S41. This old fort contains por-
traits of many forts miners and many
curios among which is the sextant and
record book of Gen. Fremont, who
stopped at this fort when on his mem
orable campaign during the Mexican
war. McGue facsimile of page of
Bigler's diary showing note of Mar
shall's discovery of Jan. "a, lS48.
'.Monday oath, this day some kind
Of mettle was found in the tail race
that looks like gooald first discovered
by James Martial the boss of the
mill.'
The custodian of the fort told me
this is the only true account of the
discovery Of gold in California. AS
the capital city of the great state OF
California, Sacramento is disappoint-
Ing rather seedy looking yet 1t is in the
great Sacramento valley one Of the