The Oskaloosa herald., 1907-12-26
JOE WRIGHT'S LETTER
interesting Incidents Decribed By
Former Mahaska Man.
Salt Lake. Utah.

ACbS q lCllSI 10 the
hs S,a'u' ana In that length of time |
49, seen SO much that, really. i
saeu 10 commence to write this
.e'ter' But somehow feel duty bound
- .ne people of Mahaska to tell them
" tne sights, because it is not every.
one VINO mas the privilege | have Of
seeing SO much. Then, again, i'm
asine as you read this letter you say
70 yourself, oh! / wish could see
as much as Joe Wright. He certain
~ must be on picnic every day,"
~ Just finished ten months picnic
july ~ worked out OF Winnemuc.
Cd Nevada, ten months, braking and
running train, and never missed a
call only the twelve days that | was
IN the hospital at Sacramento. Then
% usual, got fired discharged, or, in
railroad language, got can tied
70 me. But this time it was a wash
policr. Then | started to travel. not
only sightseeing, but for another 10.
cation That's how came to see so
much. am very optimistic and look
on the bright side only. So, you in
Mahaska, You who have the best
homes, the most productive land, sur.
rounded by all modern conveniences
and advantages that go to make life
comfort, you, who think you never
nave seen anything, just thank your
lucky stars that you don't have to
travel because it is not all sunshine
by any means. Restaurants and no
tells (and quite often Chinese cooking)
will certainly make man think of
home.
got in conversation one time with
an old gentleman from Michigan, and
he said that in his lifetime he had
been quite observant, and one thing
in particular he had observed was
this, that the pleasures and troubles
OF this life are quite equally divided
among all classes of people, and to
Illustrate, told of young man in his
town, who, poor but honest, and
faithful worker, had fallen in love
with a young lady and she had prom.
ised to become his bride, and he
planned and worked harder and saved
more, thinking to have home of his
own, he would be the happiest man on
earth. And in this same town was
a millionaire, Ga married mani who
not only had home, but several
homes. and he was spending all his
money to get rid of his wife, thinking
when accomplished, he would be the
happiest man on earth. So there it is.
wish had home in Mahaska, and
you think you would like to see the
sights. So let's forget it for little
while and will try to make this let
ter as entertaining as possibly can.
Since writing my last letter my
first pleasure trip was to Los Angeles
and over to the Catelina Islands. This
was in February, 1906. Leaving
Fresno over the S. p, we cross the
Tehasache MIS-, and at one point, J
think it is called the loop, you can
see FIVE tracks, two above you, two
below you, and the one you are on.
At this time of the year the grass and
the trees we're green and it made
pretty picture.
The Catelina Islands.
Now If you ever go to Los Angeles,
don't fail to take the balloon trip
Il only costs SL00, and it's well worth
the money, for you take in all the sur,
rounding beaches and places of in
terest, and there is always a speeler
with megaphone to make you laugh.
/ will mention only one thing on that
trip and that was seeing the Camera
Obscura 1t was at Monterey. Built
ON the edge of the beach was a fine
house; | suppose it would hold fifty
people, and in the center was a large
round table, thirty feet in circumfer
cnce, and covered with white enamel
oiIeloth, and from the top OF the
building revoNed the Camera Obscura,
making the surrounding country q
moving picture on this table.
Well, next to Catelina Islands.
never had much desire to go on water
but Catelina Islands are only thirty
miles from San Pedro. just nice ride.
| got chair and sat on the sharp
end of the ship. THAT is not the cor
rect name, for that part of the ship
but that's all know about ships.l
Welt | sat up there thinking | never
had such nice ride. as we would go
nm over those big swells. The sea
happened to be pretty rough and most
If the people aboard were sick. After
so long a time as the ship would go
down over those swells, my stomach
relt as If 1t did not want to go that
wav. II | could just have kept going
m all the time, | know ] should have
been all right. We landed at Catelina
MI right and commenced to take In
he sights. There was not much to
sec, only the Aquarium and a trip in
he glass-bottomed boats.
In the Aquarium you see sea lie
hat you can not see III any other wat
srs I'm the world | will only men
ion one or two, One in particular is
he Conger eel. II you had a piece
If liver and cut it into a piece two
inches square and about ten inches
ong, that would look just like Con
,er eel, no head, no tail, no nothing,
,nly Just eel. Next is Sea Cucum-
,er. Just go into your garden and
lick out large cucumber and mag
ne il being alive. Next is the Opal