The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-27
AMONG THE TUNA
Topeka Nan Gives Experience
on Catalina Island.
He Landed One Of the Pacific
Game Fish.
THE LAND OF SUMMER.
Place Where Snow Never Falls
and Frost Is Unknown.
An Ideal Resort to Camp in
Open Air.
he LAND OF SUMNER.

Santa Catalina Island, Pacific Ocean,
Feb. 6, 1904
I landed on this beautiful island, the
gem OF the Pacific. at O'Clock today,
two hours late. with the temperature at
rs and ranging around zero in Kansas.
The steamer was crowded and I had
the pleasure Of going over with a small
party on a steam launch, with a ca
pacity OF fifty people. The ride was a
delightful ono. and the sea was just
rough enough to make the trip an en-
joyabIe one. The island is thirty miles
from the main land, just over the
horizon and quite out of sight OF land
The seven days I spent On the island
were the happiest moments Of my life.
My intentions were to camp out the en-
tire time, but I found that almost i'm
possible and cover the entire island in
the way that was cougenial to me. The
stand straight up from the waters edge
in many places and continue so for
miles
Avalon. the beautiful little village,
lies in the bay along the pretty beach,
with little island rocks reaching up
ward for a score of feet. The innocent
sea lions may be seen darting out
Of the water here and there by the
dozen, making their peculiar barking
noises, and is certainly a wonderful
sight Especially to a Kansan)
A bit Of history Of the island might
well fit here:
SOMETHING ABOUT CATALINA
It is about three and one-haIf hours
ride from Los Angeles ESQ nniIes), TWEEN
ty miles to San Pedro where the boat is
taken and thirty miles over the beautt-
Tul blue waters Of the Pacific; little
world by itself with its high mountains
= eafr -% 3Tc.
ideal climate, natural beauties and sport
are as near perfection as you could
wish It has a braeing climate. little
bays with gIasslike surfaces.
Santa Catalina is the .faShionab BILE re-
sort Of southern California, and is pat
ronized especially by those who wish TO
escape the eonventionalities Of fashion
able life There are cottages, shops,
hotels and boarding houses, while a city
OF tents affords the lovers Of camping
out under ideal conditions every oppor-
tunity.
It is a natural sanitarium, combin-
ing all that is best in the Madeira Is
lands and the famous Riviera without
any of the Objectionable features of the
latter. Even in Hid-winter the days are
mild. frost being unknown in many of
the valleys; the island is then q flower
garden It has valuable sulphur
baths and enjoying the remarkable |
varieties of climate make it an IDEAL re-
sort. In winter 1t is visited by tourists
from all over the world.
The days are never uncornfortably
warm in summer nor too cool in win |
ter, presenting conditions which chaI- |
lenge comparison. In August the high |
est mean temperature observed at six I
IN the morning was 72 degrees, the |
highest at noon 70 degrees, the lowest /
So degrees. Water temperature at noon I
rs degrees.
Catalina IsaInd has perfect sanitary
regulations, the whole under the super I
vision of a resident physician and |
health officer No locality IN the United /
States has such extensive arrangements I
for the convenience of campers, nor
can any other place show such an at |
tractive picture Of coy canvas habita- /
ideal. because the climate and sur
roundings make it SO. Every effort is
made to cater to the comfort and pleas
ure of campers. Camp lots front on
hard macadamized streets and are sup
piled with modern flush closets con-
nected with an outfaH sewer. The
streets are cleaned and sprinkled-
sent a wireless message from Gaia
lima to my mother when the boat land
ed The station stands on high hill
and looks like the pictures There are
no other methods Of communication
here
WORLDS FISHING RECORD.
Probably the most thrilling moments
I have had was one day out fishing in
a row boat with a guide when hooked
a Ieaping tuna and landed hin-a small
one Weighing eighteen pounds. the big
gest fish ever caught. It was the pref
test one I ever looked at, as he lay on
the snow-white sand on the beach of
Catalina The tuna is a clean cut fish,
cat-1ike eyes, rather fiat, and in gen
era1 color resemble tan-coloTed
shoe and shaped something like a crop
by It is enc of the gamiest FISH
- %-rr-
told me that It was just fifteen min
utes from the time I hooked him IN
til he keeIed over and gave up the ngnt.
This is q true fish story and how L
wish Jesse Elliott or some other OF the
many good Topeka fishermen could
come out here and try-many of them
have no doubt. but have kept It
secret. As for small fish of different
salt water varieties, the water is black
with schools of them-nany using grab
hooks. catching three and four at a
tirne-not very sportsmanlike. /
think. In using single hooks the bait
used is clam, and many persons eaten
a small basket full in a few hours
Santa Catalina Island IS the home OF
the 1eaping tuna; it is caught nowhere
else with rod and reel. The Hotel Me-
tropoIe is the headquarters of the TUNA
club Of $50 members, who gather here
from all over the world to enjoy this
exciting snort Here is the famous
tuna book, containing the pictures OF
the members and their catches, and
here is exhibited the gold medal Of the
Tuna club, which is dshed for each
season. and open to any angler lie
who holds it becomes president of the
Tuna club, and may be said to hold the
worlds record for the hardest fighting
game fish on rod and reel, one tuna
bing the equal of two or three tarpons,
in point Of strength Some of the rod
and-reel leaping tuna records are as
f.f1r
Pounds.
Col c. P. Morehouse. Pasadena (the
Mrs. r N. dickinson 216
IcEn T. Stearus 1877
$50