Mower County transcript., 1904-11-09
AN ABSENT A PIONEER I \ I''
William F. Hunt Regrets That lie
Not Here With His Brothers
on Their Recent Visit. .

= II.
Was Not Here With His Brothers
\ on Their Recent Visit.
-fi.} - ,,&%5<s' .<+S}5J '&,.< Z
SSANTA BARBARA, Cal., Oct. 20, 1904
To the Pioneers of Austin: = ;
-. I was. greatly disappointed in not
being able to be with my brothers or
their recent visit to your city that
might be able to take you by the hand
once more Three days, before I was
to leave I was taken sick, brought on
probably by overwork in getting things
ready to leave and it was not thought
prudentfor me to attempt the long trip.
was very much disappointed and the
tears came when I saw the boys start
without me. L had hoped to see the old
s5ttlers and Austin once more, the
place where l made my first home. 1
was pleased to read the account of the
reunion of the old settlers which the
&. A. R. and others gave my brothers.
1t surely was a right royal welcome.
Had been there and had been called
on for a speech think I would beeh a
good deal like my brother, Dick, too
full for utterance.
I might have told of some of the
hardships of the winter of '56 and 81
when the snow was four and i've feet
deep, when there was no -four in town
for two weeks and when l had to float
my first cow over the snow on boards
the snow was so deep, half mile from,
the main road to our log cabin, and
many other such trials. But we were
healthy and full of hope.
I can remember three generations of
Cooks: Rev: Stephen Cook, the genial
John F. Cook who could. tell such a
good story, and his little boy who
played in his fathers yard who, I am
glad to hear, is now mayor of the
beautiful city of Austin. What changes
time will bring about. <<.
I remember picking hazel nuts on
Main street in Austin when there was
not building on the wholestreet. One
day in March, 1857, we boys, George
Baird, brothers Dick and Charles
and myself, shot three deer just across
the Cedar where Hormels packing
house now stands. 1t was lucky thing
for US as our larder was getting very
low.
My brothers say that they had the
time of their lives on their recent visit
with you, every one was so kind to
them. They say I world not know
Austin, that it lis asexceptionally
beautiful city and t1st$:all it lacks is
Santa Barbara climat 1t makes me
feel sad that .couldhot participate
but we cannot always have all we want
Perhaps some of the old settlers who
are not able to cross the continent would
like to know how things look here at
the present time, We had a very heavy
rain, over seven inches, on September
%, "a and 25. It started everything in
to new life, so now there is plenty of
green feed for cattle. 1t was rather
hard on the bean growers. They did
not expect rain for a month. Spring
has now come. AS for winter, it is not
known in southern California, have
made garden and planted early vege-
tables. I planted potatoes September
2S. I expect new potatoes for our
Christmas dinner. We. DC. not plant
our main crop until March as We are
liable 70 have a~frost in December,
January and February, although last
winter we had no frost to kill the
,tenderest plant. Tomato vines We're
green in our gardentall winter. This is
delightful climate: all the year round.
Respectfully, y
=. WILLIAM F. HUNT