The Republican journal., 1904-03-17
From Maine to California.

New York to New Orleans by Steamer
The Colorado and Arizona Deserts.
Housekeeping in Los Angeles. A Visit
to San Diego.
Mr.. and Mrs. E. p. Frost, who are
spending the winter in Southern Cali
fornia, have written several entertain
j, ing letters to friends in Belfast, from
which we CLEAN the following:
Mr.. and Mrs. Frost left New York
Jan. goth on steamer Proteus for New
Orleans. The first two days out were
pleasant and the sea was smooth, but
after that they had variety of rough
er experiences. There were forty pas
sengers in the first cabin, and Mr.. and
Mrs. Frost were among the few who
were not seasick. But three ladies
were unaffected, and one day during a
storm the captain invited them to the
bridge, where they could see old ocean
in his fury. Mrs. Frost describes the
experience as thrilling in the extreme.
They remained on the bridge enjoying
the scene until all we're drenched to the
skin.
The passage along the Florida coast
by Palm Beach was beautiful, and they
saw innumerable flying fish, sharks,
turtles and other tropical fishes and
reptiles. The rainbows seen in that
latitude were unusually brilliant.
The cold weather which prevailed in
the North was also felt in the South.
A letter dated J an. Goth states that the
car windows were frosted at some points
on the passage between New Orleans
and Los Angeles. In the Colorado des-
ert, at point 263 feet below sea level,
and said to have been once a part of
the Gulf Of Mexico, they saw mirage,
showing river and mountain range
apparently not more than a mile away,
but in reality far beyond the line of
vision. The Arizona desert they found
very dry and dusty, but it was said to
be nothing as compared with the alkali
desert in California. This has been an
extremely dry winter, with only a frac-
ton of an inch of rain in six months.
What they call a heavy rain there would
be regarded as light one in Maine, and
the dust on the roads is no more than
in Northport in dry weather. Planting
is about six weeks behind the average,
but is being rushed now that the rains
have begun.
MI. and Mrs. Frost secured many
photographs of scenery and people, in
Guiding number of Mexicans and In
dians in their gaudy costumes. The
Indians are very superstitious and COW
er their faces whenever they know a
camera is pointed at them, but some
very satisfactory pictures were secured
by strategy. One was of a woman no
years old, hale and hearty.
Mr.. and Mrs. Frost are housekeeping
in very pleasant apartments at 72s
South Figueroa street, Los Angeles,
and they consider that city model one
in many respects, but excelled as a
whole by San Diego, which they visit
ed after pleasant ride of four hours
The latter city is very prettily stu
ated on fine bay. Fort Rosecrans,
which protects the harbor, is finely sit
uated from strategetical point of
view. The city is building a boulevard
along high ridge which runs length
wise the city and presents an extern
ed and beautiful view The view in
cludes the ocean, numerous islands,
mountains, and birds-eye view of the
city. There are proportionately more
beautiful residences in San Diego than
in any other place Mr.. and Mrs. Frost
have visited, They saw the residence of
Z. S. Grant, Jr., also the first frame
building ever set up in Southern Cali
fornia, and the adobe house in which
Ramona signed her marriage contract.
Pacific Beach at San Diego bay is 4
miles long, 600 feet wide, and smooth as
carpeted floor. The land slopes very
gradually back to the high hills.
In Los Angeles ripe Strawberries
were selling at 20 cents per pint, and
green peas, water cress, young beets,
string beans, ETC., were on the daily
bill of fare. The fish on the Pacific
coast are nice but the beef is poor. The
Holsters are different from ours, having
no claws, and the bodies covered with
knobs or punches. The flesh is not
quite so fine as the eastern lobster, but
very meaty.
Mr.. and Mrs. Frost have met many
Eastern people in Southern California,
including Capt. n. B. Foss and family
OF Pasadena, who are we'll and pros
pering; Horatio Mears and daughter of
Pasadena; Mrs. Barker, formerly of
Searsmont, and Miss Grace Whiting of
Pasadena.