The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-30

Something over one year ago had the
llmsure of giving our readers something
ihout beautiful Denver. lovely Colorado
prings. grand old Pixies Peak, Leadville,
cripple Creek and many other places OF
interest in Colorado, so that now | shall
pass over these places and speak of other
sections and some of their many attrae-
tims.
leaving Denver We passed on out OF
Colorado, passing IN sight of the snow
on Pixies Peak and soon we reached
New Mexico. Here we found nothing OF
more interest than the min s, floeks of
sheep and goats and the many cattle all
In fine flesh, until we reached the beau
tiful city of Albuquerque, where we found
that Fred Haney has outdone all his
other eating houses in building. here
hotel that cost $4,000 The service at
this hotel is fine and as good as can be
found on the continent. Here, too is a
large building containing Indian canoes.
and here are Indians selling trinkets and
fruits The Indians do not seem to be
offended If one refuses to buy. They
simply offer their goods at a bargain,
stating the price, and If you refuse they
p
they are unlike the white man is that
they give value received for your money.
The old missions in this as well as
many other towns are now being pre-
served and considerable interest is taken
in them because of their age and history.
Passing ON out of New Mexico we came
next to Arizona, where the topography of
the country is pretty much the same as it
is In New Mexico, only there may be
some higher hills and the grass was
greener and all stock in fine flesh.
The first place of interest was the Pet
riied forest which is one of the Won
ders of the world. Here great forest
of trees. lying in confusion, has been
turned to stone with great variation of
eolors and shapes. One large tree, over
one hundred feet long, forms a natural
bridge over a deep canyon. One must see
this great wonder In order to get a cor
rect idea of 1t.
Passing on a few miles we came to Will
liams. Here a branch road, sixty-four
miles long, leads up to the Grand Canyon
of Arizona, of which l wrote last week.
But | want to repeat again that there is
nothing to compare in grandeur to this
canyon. 1t is unlike anything else, and
Is a worlds show by itself. As l grow
older I become more thoughtful of chill
dren. and as I stood and viewed this
wonder I thought what a t4eat 1t would
he If | could only bring every American
school boy and girl here ant let them
have a view also of this beautiful scene.
But we pass on, go down the mountain,
reach Williams at noon and resume our
westward trip At Needles we cross the
Colorado river and we are In Southern
California. Soon we are travelling through
the greatest orange country in the world.
There are thousands and thousands OF
acres. and all in the highest state of Gull
tivation. of this shall have more to say
later. I now want to give the reader
some idea Of the scenery. and will write
about agriculture and horticulture later.
Soon we reach Los Angeles, one of the
prettiest cities in California, situated in
the center of the great orange belt. Here
we found great aet'vlty in building and
learned that contracts were let for the
erection of S2,0G0o90 in business blocks.
The climate of this city was a great sur
prise, Everything is new. clean and up
to-date, and everything wears an air of
prosperity. There are few street loafers
here. and this is true of most California
towns.
The street car service here is nearly
perfect, lines running out in all direc-
lions to smaller towns and passing
through the rich farms of this part of the
state. made what they call the long
trip to Santa Monicha, beautiful resort
on the Pacific and it was while making
this trip that | saw the farm of 5000
acres of beans. But this Is only begin
ming, and l will tell something of beans
later o..
l ais. made the trip from Los Angeles
to Pasadena. ano' her beautiful place [
vent one teiife and back another, pass
ing the great ostrich farm of over 100
fine birds All cars stop at this farm and
one can see the birds and resume his
journey at pleasure, as cars pass every
fifteen minutes.
| can't stop now to tell of the great
fruit packing and drying, also canning
industries as carried on here at Los An
gees, but all these are the largest in the
state, and pages can be written about
them.
Through the courtesies of the Southern
Pacific railroad officials, | was permitted
to change my route and make trip over
their coast line from Los Angeles to
Portland. Ore, via San Francisco, a dis
lance of over 1900 miles. The scenery
along this line is some of the grandest
In the world. Here the scenery is so va
ried that one is charmed and fascinated
all the while. There is the great Pacific
ocean on one side and the high noun
tains on the other with now and then
a peak pushing out into the ocean, and
the pillows come washing out as if they
were made, strike these rocky points and
are broken to pieces and dashed into
foam and spray. What scene could be
grander?
Looking away in the distance on one
side we see the vine-clad hills all covered
with vines and fruit trees, while in the
valleys are crops of alfalfa and vegeta-
bles, and looking away on the ether side
Is the great blue ocean, with now and
then a stamer carrying the commerce