Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-02-22
Our California Letter.
Editors Democrat:

Uur California Letter.
Editors Democrat:
When | last wrote you I left
you looking at the grand scenery
around the Pavilion on south edge
Of Mission Valley. Week before last
we had quite a quantity of rain, SO
much more than they have had in
recent years. Week ago last Satu,
day the water came rushing down
the San Diego river, something it
had not done in a number of years.
Now this river runs down in Mis-
sion Valley and when it was known
to the denzens of this place that the
water was coming down the river,
there was great rejoicing and hun
dreds of people went in street cars,
automobiles, and carriages to see
the water once more running in its
old wonton channel of many years
ago, and amongst the throng might
have been seen Mr.. and Mrs. A. O..
Moore and your scribe and wife.
We arrived at the pavilion and
stood on the hill some three OF four
hundred feet above the valley. We
saw stream of water little larger
than Honey Creek. But southern
California has had number Of
inches more rain this winter than
for eight OR ten years and things
look quite promising. l would like
to tell Of the sport we had in des-
cending very steep hill, but I will
have to forbear on account of the
ladies. Last Thursday Mr.. and
Mrs. Moore. Mrs. G. and / boarded
the train at nine ten a. m. and went
up to La Jolla fourteen miles from
San Diego. This town is located
on the ocean and is quite a pretty
place. 1t is where some wealthy peo-
pie have cottages for an outing.
The village is about two hundred
feet above the sea, and the ground
to the west gradually descends to
the beach and a high mountain a
little ways to the east. Along to the
north Of the town there is cave
and when the tide is out one can 90
in for number Of feet. Here the
bluffs are quite high and with the
angry waves dashing against the
rocks, sends the water foaming in
all directions. A little to the west
Of the cave is where they go bathing.
They stand out in the water up to
their waists and watch the waves
when they come to the shore and it
picks them up and carries them a
good many feet and then they recede
with the waves. There were two
ladies and one gentleman in bathing
while we sat on the bank and watch
ed them and thought of what diff
ference between here and Iowa
There you are wrapped up in a
mantle of snow with zero weather,
while here the roses are blooming
and those that desire can take the
out door ocean bath. Mr.. Editor
don't SILVER now for I did not, 1
only wanted to go and do likewise.
We wandered along the beach, close
to the waters edge some of the time
and once Mrs. G. and l got just a
little to close and big wave dashed
against the rock and covered us with
spray. We thought we could see
very well little farther off after
that. We found many beautiful and
curious stones and shells and atfour
o'clock we boarded the train for
home and as the train runs close to
the beach for number of miles we
watched the ocean to see if we could
see a whale spouting water and we
were rewarded for close attention at
last, for we saw the spray many feet
in the air and then it would stop
and then come again. We arrived
at home about FIVE thirty, after hav-
ing enjoyed one of the most pleasant
days in this of all climates, the
balmiest.
San Diego Harbor now contains
quite a Navy. There are the battle
ships Chicago, Buffalo and Beninq.
ton, Monitor Wyoming and Saturn.
Last Saturday we, in company with
Mr.. and Mrs. Moore, visited the
Monitor, Wyoming, and on Sunday
Mrs. G. and visited the battleshir
Chicago. The Chicago has thirty
three officers and six hundred and
thirty eight men; Bennington ten
officers one hundred and ninety one
men; Buffalo twenty nine officers
and six hundred and fifteen men;
Wyoming thirteen officers one hun.
dred and fifty eight men; Saturn
seven officers and fifty two men.
may refer to what we saw at some
other time if this sails through the
snow to the Editors table.
Yours, A. S. Coon,
February 2, 1905.