Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-07-13
THE YOUNG MEMS CHRISTIAN
ASSOCIATION.
Los Angeles. California, July 4 1905.

EDITOR CATocTIN CLARION
Thinking perhaps 1t may interest the peo.
pie of Thurmont to hear from this section of
the United States, l take the liberty 10 ad.
dress you this letter.
After most pleasant weeks visit home
and with relatives and acquaintances May
18th to 24tb, 1904, Meade w. Sigmund and
boarded a west bound train for the Worlds
Fair. We had most pleasant, delightful
and enjoyable time. The things we saw
were lovely. elegant and sublime.
Travelling through some of the most beau.
tifdl parts of this country, we arrived at the
garden spot of Oklahoma, Enid, 1.-THE City
Of the Fair God" A place Of delightful eli.
mate, good land and sociabe people. The
toier of the land finds the strong wind blow
ing south west great help to him through
the very warm summer months. These
winds greatly hinder the apple growth;
and unless wind breaks are planted, it is
useless to try the growing Of apples. Other
fruits and grains reach full maturity; wheat
is the staple product. The city has had
marvellous growth, it being not over ten or
eleven years old, has population OF about
1900. Leaving the we'll named city, we
made way to Iowa one of the greatest agri
cultural states Of this country. The soil
being from eight to ten feet deep at many
places r:akes farming paradise and living
good within reach Of all,
But not satisfied with seeing the middle
west only, headed for "the city of the An.
geles," Los Angeles. Cal. In crossing the
Rockies and the great desert, we saw some
of the grandtst scenery the eye can look up.
on or the mind conceive. The scenery of
the Sierra Nevada range, think, surpasses
that of the Rockies in splendor and magnifi-
canoe. The many snow sheds, the tall pines,
the ripping twisting streams, the beautiful
valleys and the productive farm lands all
add to the trips subimity.
Los Angeles is city of parks and drive
ways; hotels and roominghouses; .heaters
and churches; busy street scenes and bust
ness houses flowers and tree geraniums and
rose bushes climbing to the house tops: A
population of people from all over the Unit
ed States and from other nations The Jap.
anese and the Chinese people are very
strongly represented and are scattered most
ly over the ranches and in the many laun-
dries OF this place. The climate Is equable.
We have few months rainy season. from
November until April, although the rain TALL
is not very heavy, eight inches being the av-
erage by some mysterious spell eighteen
inches fell last winter. We had some very
hard rains; the hardest ones took place dur
ing the night and almost flooded sections of
the city as there is no drainage system. This
city is building up very rapidly and it is
thought 1t will be the greatest city in the
United States in ten or fifteen years hence.
Within twenty five miles are found the Pa
cific beaches of Ocean Park, Santo Monica,
Venice, Playa Del Ray, Rcdonda and Long
Beach. They furnish much enjoyment and
pleasure to the citizens and to the numer.
GUS tourists who come here to spend the
winter months.
Los Angeles is surrou nded by many other
interesting places to visit, namely; the larg-
est dove farm in the world, the great Caws.
ton ostrich farm, Griffith Park, Pasadena,
Uhe rich mans city, and many others too
numerous TO mention; but not to leave out
the one of greatest importance, Mt. Lowe
sixteen miles from Los Angeles
AT the foot of Rubio Canyon starts great
incline plane electric road 5000 feet long
aud having at its greatest incline point 60
degrees incline. 1t runs by double cable
so az to insure The safety of its passengers in
going up and IN coming down. At the top
Of this plane great observatory, not Licts,
Is reached. An instructor is always there
to explain to the people the great wonders
of the heavens. 1t is at Echo Mountain
where an echo can be heard distinctly five
times. At this place is also found the 5000
900 candle power search light which took
the first prize at the Chicago Worlds Fair.
Leaving Echo Mountain in four miles ride
1877 curves are turned around. twenty bridges
gone over one of which is circular bridge.
At certain point one can see five different
sections of the railroad crossed over just a
few minutes before; each part being at a
higher elevation than the first section and
almost in direct succession aboye each other.
Alpine Tavern is the next place reached
after passing through Granite Gate. From
Alpine Tavern trail is followed either on
foot or on burrow to the top of Mt. Lowe
which reaches above the clouds. On de-
scending, new trail cab be taken and the
magnificance Of the valley below cannot be
expressed in words. 1t is simply lovely
elegant, beautiful, brilliant, splendid, dazz-
ling, gorgeous, superb, magnificent and sub
lime and there is not enough adjectiyes lief,
to rightly express its grandeur
Leaving Los Angeles on warm summer
day your overcoat becomes a necessary ar
ticle before reaching the top of Mt. Lowe
The plants of the torrid zone are succeeded
by the tall pines belonging to northern
cline. At certain sections Of this city snow
capped mountains can easily be seen while
the temperature here Is summer heat.
In California there are FIVE hundred differ
ent climates. In the northern part Of the
state there Is climate very nearly like oui
MARYLAND climate only it is more foggy dur
ing the morning.
l beg to remain very respectfully yours,
| VlCToR s. MARTIN