The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-08-16
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
What a Former Resident Of Fulton, Now
Of Fresuo, California, Has Learned
of that Western State.

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many of our readers. She is a
daughter of j. II. III. Lewis, of
Bethel township, and known by
many of our readers. She says !;
am a reader of the Fulton Coun-
ty News and would not think of
dong without the paper from my
native county and state.
A few items may be of inter-
est of what ! have learned of
Fresno, since have leen in Cali
forn,a. ! shdl 'u'lcmpt to write
short sketch witch my many
Fulton countI f,tc ds may enjoy
readiup.
Fresno has a ropnlation otabout
%, 200, made up Vilh people from
almost every sta'o m the union
who came here to ~9un health and
wealth. II is au i,,laud town in
the San Joaquin Vauyy, the finest
almost in the Moil1, it is not a
city for the tourist, but laborer
and inventor.
The town contains several large
packing houses, all of which are
in full BLAST during the fruit sea-
son. The principal fruit beng
raison grapes. During the pick
ing and packing season there al e
not less than 10000 person extra
engaged in 1t. They all make
wages enough IN five months to
carry them the rest of the year.
1t is all piece work. A worker is
paid according to the amount of
work he performs. One day IN
one of the large packing houses l
saw several Young girls folding
fat paste board into cartoons for
seeded raisins, l asked the fore
man how much they made day
working as they were. Oh, $1.75
was the reply.
In the surrounding country are
$4,000 acres in vineyards and as
each 100 will emf 10y 80 pickers
you see the VINEYARDS alone en-
ploy $4,000 pickers. Then, taken
in account the industries con-
nected with it, the farmers them
selves, the teamsters, the prun-
ers, the wine makers, the labor
ers of all classes, and you see it
1t takes an army of men just to
handle grapes. Then think how
many men it takes to care for
a million and a half OF trees and
their fruit.
Did it ever occur to you that
California is one state in the I'M
ion more nearly independent than
any other? 1t is true. There is not
a prOdUctot any state in the union
but is found in California in com
merclal qualities, and 1t has every
climate from Torid to Frigid. -
This is not romance tbs fact. Re
member that ut is larger than New
York, New Jersey, Vermont,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Maine, Connecticut, Ohio, Rhode
island all put together, more than
800 miles long; full of surprises
from one end to the other.
Fresno is the hottest place in
the State. The theremometer
has run up to 115 degrees, yet we
do not feel the heat as much as
you would at 80 degrees IN the
East. There has been no ralr
since in April and there Will bt
none before October. Irrigation
is our rain, and the nights are
pleasant, only a few night vast
too warm to have covers.
Fresno has as fine schools as
may be found any where, and
see by the list of examination
questions that to teach here the
teacher is required to possess q
certain amount of knowledge. -
The schools all have been let fol
the ensuing year with very gooo
salary ranging from $50 up tC
Sl25 per month ] have been told
that male teachers were in great
demand as they were preferred
This thriving little city is not
without churches of all denomi
nations, namely, Baptist, Metho
dist, Christian, Presbyterian
Eyangelic, Congregational, Cath
lie, Lutheran, Christian Scientists
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