The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-08-18

directed the waters OF what looks
like a little yellow stream, as to Gre
ate the sublimest scene which human
eve can witness.
Back to Williams we came in the
bright and bracing air OF Sabbath
upon the Arizona plateau, and in the
rocking, lurching car, with no ringing
OF church bells nor solemn peal OF
organ, worship, was offered to Him,
the work OF whose mighty hands had
Just overawed us.
At Williams we were coupled on
behind the coach OF Col. Hagee, gen.
eral superintendent OF the Wabash
system, which is one of the Gould
roads. Col. Hagee, on learning who
the party was, threw open his hand
some private car to us, and many OF
us erljoved the rare experience OF
smoking the finest OF cigars which
come wrapped up in tin foil All
that afternoon and night we were
travelling through the barest and most
absolutely uninv;ting regions to be
found anywhere this side OF the desert
of Sahara. When we passed over
sections Of the road where there had
been recent washouts and where the
bed had not been oiled with crude
petroleum, the whole party was made
wretched by clouds of penetrating,
suffocating, irritating, debilitating, ex-
asperating alkali dust. 1t was almost
maddening, and one of the most es-
timable ladies of Our party was be-
wailinq her rasfness in ever leaving
Newberry. Only thoughts of a dip
in the Pacific the next day made
this part of the trip at all endurable.
The heat and the dust put sleep al
most out of the question.
This night of wretchedness, how
ever, was succeeded by the bright
ness of California day. The palms
and the ever-blooming geranlums,
brilliant in hue, large and luxuriant
enough to form hedges, orange
groves olive orchards, red rooted
villas, built in the cool Spanish style
OF architecture,-all passed by us
with kaleidoscope rapidity, and after
the desert were as grateful to us as
drink of cool water to a thirsty
traveller
Nowhere are the benefits derived
from irrigation so clearly to be seen
as here where short stretches OF alb
solute desert are sandwiched between
gardens OF fairy like lovellness.
All the way to Los Angeles we ran
through valley which draws It's sup
plies of water from the mountains on
both sides OF it. Great water compa-
nies are formed in which the land
owners are stockholders to lrrlgate
the country, and when a man buys
piece of land, he buys the water rights
with it. Only during certain hours IS
he allowed 70 let his water run, but
this is enough to change the desert
into wilderness Of beauty. In this
country where rain comes only IN the
winter time and then in April showers
the farmers absolutely control their
seasons by this system OF irrigation.
We reached Los Angeles soon after
breakfast on Monday morning. we
were met at the train by Mr.. Ketch-
nm. the representative OF the South
ern railway, 10 whom Col. R. ".
Hunt had wired that we were COM
ing. Mr.. Ketchum was kindness itself
in giving us information and directing
us to the train for San Pedro, twenty
seven miles away. whence a steam
er sails for Santa Catalina island,
twenty-nine miles out into the Pacific
ocean.
This island twenty-five miles long
was bought by Banning Bros. for
sheep ranch. and back in the interior
of the island there are thousands
upon thousands of these valuable ami
mails, but it was found that there was
a cove in it facing toward the east,