River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-12-28
CALIFORNIA LETTER.

EDITOR JcURNAL-Dear Sir: Your
ever welcome paper makes its week
ly call bringing news of events that
are taking place in our old home
town SO far away yet brought SO
near with printers ink that it seems
like stepping out and talking with
old neighbors aDd friends. l see by
the date on the wrapper that | am
in arrears, SO will renew my SUBJ
scription and through the medium
of your paper ask the favor for the
benefit of our many friends and
your readers generally TO writing
up in brief way this part of the
state.
So few River Falls people come
to Santa Cruz that we begin to think
that not many know where it is or
what a good county we have here.
Walter Currier and wife are the only
folks we have seen from the Falls.
They like here SO well that they
bought a beautiful ranch of thirty
three acres quite near the coast and
one mile east of u.s.. We are located
about one mile north of the coast
and in full view of Monterey Bay
and the boundless ocean. At the
present writing can hear the new
er-ceasing roar of the serf. The
foothills and mountains are just a
short distance to the north of US
and Just now after the fine rains of
two weeks ago are putting on their
beautiful dress of green.
We are on fine oiled road that is
almost free from dust the year
round. This road connects Santa
Cruz and Capitola, which are four
miles apart. Both of these places
have a fine beach and are famous
summer resorts. Santa Cruz is
place of about 1000 inhabitants
and is building up very fast. Ac-
cording to one of its daily papers
six weeks ago there were five hun
dred houses built or under construc-
ton this season. Mechanics are in
demand and command good wages.
With regard to climate we think
it is pretty near ideal. The temper
ature between summer and winter
does not vary many degrees. The
first frost to nip tomato vines was
the last two nights.
Santa Cruz county is more or less
mountainous with very rich valleys
and fine scenery. The rainfall is
sufficient to mature all grain crops
while corn does very we'll though
it seldom gets any rain. This is not
an orange county, but | have seen
many we'll loaded trees. Lemons
do fairly we'll while nearly all other
fruit and berries grow in abund-
ance. From Watsonville alone there
were shipped nearly 1000 car loads
of apples this season and from 9TH
er parts of the county 1000 cars.
Some irrigation is necessary for
best results for berries. From 100
strawberry plants which / set out
last February / have had nearly
what we needed for table use from
April until November and there are
some ripe berries on the vines now.
Just now two railroads, the Elec-
riot double-track coast line and the
Southern Pacific are under con-
struction connecting Santa Cruz
with San Francisco, which will
mean much for the future of this
county. These roads parallel each
other and run very near the coast
all the way making them unsurpass-
ed for scenery. An immense ce
ment plant, nearly completed, is To-
Gated on these roads not far from
Santa Cruz. This plant has a con-
tract to furnish 5000 barrels of ce-
ment daily for the Panama Canal.
It's cost is $3,000,O00.
There is much l would like to say,
but fear the length of my letter al
ready will doom it TO the waste
basket. We should like very much
about Christmas time to meet our
many old friends and have good,
hearty hand shake, but as that can
not be l will say good bye.
Very truly,
THos. FOSTER.