The Newtown bee., 1904-07-22
CALIFORNIA SIGHTS
As Seen Through the Eyes of an Esteemed Newtown
 Gentleman,
E. L. JOHNSON.

From RedlandS to Santa Cruz by the coast line is 426 miles, nearly as far as it is from NewtOwn to Buffalo, which we usually think to be quite a trip. It is 65 miles from Redlands to Los Angeles and as that distance has been gone over in previous letter we will make the starting point of our description, Los Angeles, which, we reached on moonlight evening, June 27, as we were starting homeward. On the following morning we took our train at 8 o'clock for the coast line daylight nearly to Santa Cruz. We knew much of our course would be along the shore of the Pacific Ocean, and making some of our bearings, we took our seat on the left hand side of the car, in order to get the best view. Our long train of Pullman coaches moved out on time, and after passing city limits we made but few stops, ours being limited train through to San Francisco. The first 80 miles was over a new road bed opened last March, connecting with the old line at San Buenaventura. We were glad of that, for we had taken trip short time previous, from Los Angeles, to Santa
 
 quite distance eastward of the coast line, though through an equally fer tile valley, with ranges on either side of scenic beauty and grandeur. AS we move northward we pass between the Sierra Madre and the San Rafael rang es, until, crossing a rocky range by many winding ways and through four mountain tunnels, the last of which is 1892 feet in length, we turn to the left from SangerS to run on to OXnard, 50 miles to the northward. The country we ran through in reaching 0xnard is comparatively new, having just been through it, but enough of it is under culture to show the possibilities of the soil with intensive cultivation.
 IRRIGATION IS REsoRrED TO IN PART, but crops are not entirely dependent upon it, because of its nearneSS to the ocean. Citrus and deciduoas fruits and corn, beans and English. walnuts are extensively cultivated. The soil is black rich loam exceedingly deep and of good condition to retain moist- ure. Long stretches are s0wn with barley, which makes good yield and is cut for fodder. About one-half the land on either side the track is in it's original condition, which makes it all the more interesting, as we can see the country as it is coming into develop ment. It is no uncommon thing to see a large ranch of corn, barley or fruit under high state of cultivation, and alongside the same long stretch of land equally as good, but still covered With sage brush, prickly pears, cactus and horned toads, bidding the time when it, too, will be made to blossom as the rose.
 In due time we reach Oxnard, city of 5000 people, located in the Santa Clara valley. Here is one of the larg- est beet sugar factories in the United States. It is also great bean grow ing valley, of which was told 1t pro- duced, last year, 100 car loads. A few miles further on we pass through San Buenaventura, where there is an old Mission in good state of preserva- tion and is pointed out to us as we pass along. In addition to it's varied crops of grain, beans, fruits and flowers, cat tie raising, dairying and hog raising are important industries, and from this point on to the end of our day 's journey we saw thousands Of cattle, horses, hogs and sheep. We are now riding alongside the ocean, and will be for three or four hours. At Carpen- teria we pass through an old Spanish town in the land of the fig tree and vine. They boast
 with trunk eight feet in circumference at it's base. Here, too, the y cultivate bananas with citrus fruits. A few miles further on, we pass through an oil belt, where are oil wells bored in the ocean, and oil taken from its depths. A unique experience for us to see oil and water seemingly so near we pass through Santa Barbara, where we had already passed few days, SC delightfully."-, and of which we have
 written in former letter. Thirty miles beyond we pass through Gaviota,
 that is of some interest historically
 as it was at Pass near this place
 where the Indians proposed to waylay General Fremont on his California journey in 1S46, but were thwarted in | their purpose by hls choosing another day. Our stop at Conception, little
 further on, was interesting, because to the seaward rises the great rock
 of the lighthouse keepers stand. Ii
 is one of the most picturesque cliffs
 we have yet seen. At a station called Surf, set up on shelf-like cliff, we saw the ocean unrolled before us in g
 most beautiful picture. Of all the
 interesting places on our trip to Santa Cruz, without doubt that of San Luis
 Obispo is the most so. It resembles | Los Angeles in location, though near
 CT the ocean. Here, too, is an old
 Mission, founded in 1772, and is sought
 after by all tourists, where visitors M 9 ar. are | of the hest cattle. grain and dairy Sec-