Crittenden press., 1905-08-24
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
a Vivid Description Of the Won
ders Of the Ocean.

fricnds, through The columns oi th'
Press a glimpse Of my experience il
he great and growing west
Last Thursday, Aug. 10, We left
&one at O'Clock in the morning.
e<sar, aud !. We boarded q trac.
|nn car aud were landed in the big
Hontington depot We procured
vonnd trip tickets TO Catalina Island.
Iaking al electric car for San Pedro
~ arrived there at 10 o'clock and
bosrled the steamship Hermoso, ply
ing between San Pedro aud the city
~ Avalon, on Catalina Island. IL
sing the hrs, time ever sailed on
~ bosom Of the great deep. IL IL
= miles from San Pedro t0thc Is
land, aud the sea being calm u d
1uoothe Ne had a pleasant run and
don't think there ever was NO
teinRs enjoyed themselves more on
fhe Pacific than We did aud I h r
(kings seen will never be forgotten.
A. FOR my individual par, saw more
uonderful ,hings than ever before in
ny life, which ! will Try ie describe,
bus j, seems beyond human power T.
Ie<cribc them.
Thcrv is the aying 6sh which in.
11rested u great deal. Ii would
1koot out q the water like a wad out
4 gun, and would sail through the
sir, NO, over three cr four feet above
NJ water. for at least a couple Of
HUNDRED yards, which was a wonder
fnl thing 60 see. Il made mo think
81 Milton 6end, who over bog aud
fen and vale and dell would run and
Ieap aud hy and swim saw one on
Iand aud be certainly has wings,
which be uses TO hy through the air
- we'll a. through the water.
At 80 We arrived al the city Of
AVALON IL nostlcs IN q scmi-circle,
1nrrounded by barr mountains on the
nsrth. west and south, aud on the
ensi by the sea. There would be
e1pnt a square mile II Il was square.
Itis the largest level spot on the is-
lid. The island il twcnty-cight
al long aud from one half mile TO
6iHkt miles broad. The narrowest
bIn<r il l5milc- north q Avalon and
a &lf = mile from sea TO sea. IL is
&<.barrow valley between the bare
antains and l. called The lsthmus.
N rc i store and some boarding
~ pes in H. II. +. Huntington is
>c owner Of It now; he purchased IL
the Banning heirs, who inher
IL from their forefathors, who
Spa niards, and secured il as n
from the king Of Spain for some
erous achievement IL has never
bcen Of much consequence until re-
'centlyi only place for wild goats
and eagles. Hunting ton is improy-
ing il by cutting down the mountains
.eud terracing them. II Is his inten-
8ion 10 build an electric railroad the
whole length Of the island with sta
tions and parks along the route for
the sole benefit of sigbt-seers aud
tourists.
think it highly probable those
mountains contain large quantities of
mineral and will some day pay rich
Ia their owner.
The next day after arriving at Av
|nlon we took passage on the steam
launch Cleopatra to visit the Marine
Gardens and the Seal Rocks The
much had in its center about three
90 wide, running from stem to stern
klass bottom, with benches on
3er side for passengers TO sit on
look down into the gardens and
onder of wonders it is. cried
~ my soul, Oh, my God, the
ens declare Thy glory the earth,
81 ea and air, proclaim thy wond
"a power and silently uttereth
pf > to Thy matchless name.
passed over a mighty forest,
VI seemed so thick Of foliage that
th4 E could not penetrate it; then
~ pld emerge out into an opening