The Dickinson press., 1903-03-14
OUR FOURTH WESTERN LETTER.

49,
Southern Pacific. 1t was too late to see
much Of the beauties Of San Jose and
other coast towns immediately south Of
San Francisco, but a beautiful scene
greeted our eyes upon awakening next
morning. Our train was skirting the
shore of the Pacific, which sparkled and
danced as the sunlight fell upon it and
the surf came rolling in only a few feet
from our train. On the other side orange
and lemon groves for the frs thine greet
ed our northern eyes. I'VE reached Santa
Barbara about nine but made only a five
minute stop at what many contend is the
most delightful of all the delightful Cali
fornia winter resorts. From this point
the road leads inland in a ~south-easterly
direction to Los Angeles. Wherever
water can be had for irrigating, beauti.
full flowers and thrifty fruit orchards are
found but throughout much Of this sec.
ton the water problem has not been
solved and the country is still a desert.
Mountains extend in nearly a north and
south course not far from the coast and
it is to them that Southern California
owes much, for they stop the cool ocean
breezes and thus the heat OF the hottest
summer day is tempered. They also
give the variety to the landscape that
makes it pleasant than a level
coast would be. The train passes the
famous marine oil wells not far north Of
Los Angeles. These shafts are sunk
through the water and great quantities
of oil are pumped up. Oil is found also
in parts of the city, aud we saw oil shafts
at Whittier and as we went north to Sac
ramentoj just after crossing the Tehachapi
mountains. This is a great source of
wealth to the state and oil is quite gen.
orally used for fuel in engines and for
cooking. 1t is used in the crude state
and retails at 81 per barrel now, although
it has been as low as $50. 1t emits little
odor but there is a sort of roar that some
find annoying. A conductor told US that
it was a common practice to form oil
companies, on paper, and sell worthless
stock to the fasteners. The resident
dabblers in this kind of stock occasion
ally make a winning.
AS we neared Los Angeles a novel fea-
ture was a pigeon farm. W. saw thous.
ands of the birds as the train flew past.
In Los Angeles we were met by gentle
men of the Chamber of Commerce and
representatives of the Los Angeles press.
We had been royalty entertained all
along the route but Los Angeles proved
itself the most hospitable of all the hos.
pitable cities we had visited. The
chamber of commerce was made our
headquarters, where Virgins orange
punch was always on the sideboard and
the best of California oranges on the
table.
The first afternoon we were the guests
of the Pacific Electric Co. which placed
an elegant and spacious parlor car at on,
disposal for a trip to Santa Monica, one
of the favorite beaches some twent,
miles distant. Many were the exclama
tons of wonder and delight as we behelc
for the first time the luxuriant, semi
tropical vegetation and the new varieties
OF trees and shrubs. We passedthrougl
Hollywood, a new and fashionabl,
suburb, where H.. J. Whitley, a torme'
Dickinson man, resides. We were TOT
late in starting to have much time at tn
beach but went down and let the sur
catch US and wet our feet while we wer,
trying to get shells for souvenirs.
Wednesday morning the Temperature
was aboat 70, the skies blue and the sun
shine-as one of our party remarked
the most like that of North Dakota o
any we had experienced. We were give,
a trolley ride over the city. shown its OLE
church, parks, fine buildings and streets
oil wells, Spanishtown, Chinatown, etc
In the afternoon as guests of the Sal
Lake Railroad we visited Long Beach
A number of newspaper gentlemen an,
ladies accompanied US on our trip, a
we'll as representatives of the road ex
tending the courtesy. On the Lon
Beach trip a ive-minute stop was mad
at a San Dominguez, a very old Spanisl
ranch. Here is an old chapel wher,
Ramona is said to have worshipped an,
where our party was photographed
Long Beach is a popular resort and Their,
is quite a town. The freedom of tn,
bath houses was given US and nearly al
were very glad to take a plunge in tn,
warm salt water and free ourselves from
some of the stains of travel.
Long Beach is rightly named for tn,
surf breaks in a long roll. The rock
that mark so many of the Eastern beach
es are rarely found on the Pacific.
When the next days Herald appeare,
we found that the cartoonist who accom-
panied us to Long Beach had not beef
idle and seven of u party we're able t,
see themselves as the cartoonist saw
them.
An early start was taken Thursday TO
the trip to Santa Catalina, that wild ant
mountainous island that shelters Avalon
the most quiet and restful of all seasid,
resorts. But alas! the way thither i
often a sorrowful n for the sea i
usually rough. Our party was very for
tunate in having a comparatively quie
sea and but few were obliged to seel
the rail or 60 in haste below to meet
friend" The large boat was not runnin,
and our crowd and two hundred and fft,
more were crowded upon a small boa
registered, we afterwards found, to carr,
less than half that number. Nobod,
interfered and the trip was made withou
mishap, but an inspector refused to al
low all to return with the result that tn.