River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-10-25
Letter from DR.. Clough.

| westminster, Gal, Oct. 10, 19U0.
/ have not written for two or three
weeks because I have been busy
and on the anxious seat a portion of
the time. Conference is a serious
time in the lives of many Methodist
ministers, especially to such as are
not members of the local body, be-
cause Methodism is strongly con-
! ferential.
The Southern California Confer
ence is numerically about the same
strength as the West Wisconsin.
1t has some great churches, such as
First and West Lake churches of
Los Angeles, First church of Pasa-
dena and of San Diego, but while
the churches pay larger salaries |
did not discover any greater strength
than of the rank and file of the West
Wis. Conference. But Southern
Californians are generous givers and
pay very much larger salaries in
proportion to their ability. 1t gave
the largest amount for missions per
member of any conference in Meth
odism. Another very marked thing
in southern California is the intense
hatred of the people against the sa-
looms. Los Angeles appears to be
the only paradise for the drink sell
Ter and if you could read the edito-
rials of the strongest papers urging
the utter determination of the saloon
from business prudence alone River
Falls business men would have
cause for wonder. The argument
is, "What money is spent in the sa-
loon is taken from legitimate bust
ness and it must not be allowed,
nor will we tolerate the evil effects"
Such towns as Pasadena and River
side prove that great prosperity can
be had without income from the
drink evil.
expected for some days to be To-
Gated at San Jacinto, health resort,
but a great revival which began
lust before conference made it wise
that the previous pastor should re-
main and so l was, after futile ef-
fort to place US on elevated ground,
appointed to Westminster in Orange
county, which is called the garden
county of southern California. 1t is
a beautiful country of small farms,
the southern portion of which lies
in the celery belt the amount OF
which is so great that the Southern
Pacific is building through the belt
and passing through the village of
Westminster, primarily to carry
away the celery. 1t is an artesian
region. Every house has its well
and several on the ten-acre plats on
which so many people live and
make money. 1t is five and a half
miles from the Pacific ocean which
greatly modifies the climate making
it cooler and more equable than in
many sections. Westminster lies
about three miles west of the Santa
Ana branch of the Pacific Electric
railway systems which run hourly
cars at about cent mile to and
from Los Angeles. The Southern
Pacific steam railway has graders
near the town now and in month
will be there. The only great lack
to the eye are the beautiful blue
grass lawns of the East.
Next week | expect to have the
garden plowed and to begin plant
ing for our winter vegetables. |
don't know how twelve months
gardening will agree with me but
if | get tired will write brother
Erickson to come and help me out.
l understand that celery or peat
land is worth only about $4,000
an acre. think of buying a few
acres. The Westminster region is
for many miles series of groves of
the eucalyptus. E. E. CLoUGH.