Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-03-08
FsCm California.

Editors Democrat: The part Of
the Pacific Squadron that has been
anchored in the San Diego bay be-
sides the Monitor, Wyoming and
Battleship Chicago is the Battle
ships Buffalo, Bennington and
Revenue Gutter Manning, and a
torpedo boat. They made quite an
imposing display. On February
~ they gave salute of l26 guns
in honor of Washington's birthday
and it raised quite a smoke and us
the boats each fired at the same
time it gave one a little idea of what
a battle would sound like. 1t is re-
ported that before the squadron
leaves that they are going out into
the open sea and go through a regu-
lar battle maneuver. l hope they
will before we leave here as we
want to see it. Last Thursday in
company with few friends and
about sixty tourists we took boat
ride around the bay and out on the
deep blue rolling waters Of the Pa
cific. 1t was beautiful to see the
great blue waves coming gracefully
up and and gently raise our boat
up on its crest and then ease it
down into the hollow space between
waves, We had about fifty mile
ride and all seemed to enjoy the
pleasure of the trip.
Week before last in company
with Mr.. and Mrs. A. O. Moore we
visited Point Iona. They call it
thirty-two mile drive out and back.
Now this is one of the most pic
turesque scenes there is around
San Diego. Point Iona is small
peninsula and to reach the summit
and descend to the light house at
the south end with team we have to
so north perhaps a couple of miles
then west about three miles, then
south past the Domains of Madam
Tingley, the Theosophis. These
grounds are situated on quite a
high hill and consist of sew
eral hundred acres and grand
buildings with orange and lemon
orchards and other fruit bearing
trees suited to this climate. They
keep watchers at the road gates and
no one is allowed to enter without
buying a ticket At the old studio
our guide tied his team and babe us
get out and led us to the brink of
the hill. Here we had high COM
handing view of the bay: Cornado
Island and San Diego and many
miles to the east, south and north.
1t was view once seen not soon to
be forgotten. We were soon going
up hill quite rapidly and when we
reach a high point our guide halted
and said that we could go to the
southwest for 10000 miles and not
run against the land. We all took
one long look and concluded as our
informant was a minister, to take
his word for it. Now we descend
down the west slope of the noun
tains we wind and twist around in
the Kenons and at times we are
crossing narrow and high bridges
and it seemed that a little mishap
would send us on either side to the
chasm below, and such scenery. if
could but only describe this with its
redish soil scalloped out in all
forms and shapes by the beating
rains in ages past, and every storm
that sweeps over leaves a new pic
ture of its own. And ,onlwe go
down and at times we are at a
scallop in ocean beach and we look
down a couple of hundred feet or so
and see the angry waves dashing
against the rocks in their madening
fury almost beneath us. We take
look, draw back a little and eau
ton our driver not to go SO close,
and we pass on down and reach the
south end of Point Iona at the
government light house. Here we
allght, seek secluded spot and eat
our dinner. After dinner we hunt
for shells of curious specimens and
at two o'clock we start on our home
ward journey up the road we came
down few hours before. AS we
near the top of the hill and is quite
steep, some of us got out and
and walked and when we got to the
top we stopped, take another long
and steady gaze in all directions. To
the east twenty-five miles or so is
the coast range to the south and
west is the Grand Pacific to the
north about one hundred and twen-
ty-Gve miles is old Badly with it's
snow covered peak and the valleys,
with their coating of green makes
one of the most attractive scenes the
eye.can witness. AS ever,
A. S. Coon.