The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-11-14
ROBT. DOAK'SLETTERS
Interesting News and Gossip From
the Pacific Coast.
San Diego. Cal. Nov. 5, 1907.


m, over the Iowa Central for Abba,
thence over the Wabash to Kansas
City, Mo-, there boarded the Santa Fel
through train for Los Angeles, Cal.,
through Kansas to LaJunta and Trim
idad, Col, and Albuquerque, New
Mexico, and through the God-forsaken
country of Arizona. we could get no,
stop-overs on our ticket or we would
have visited the petrified forests of
Arizona and the grand canon. Our.
train was run In five sections. We
we're on the first with eight chair cars,
two Pullmans, one baggage and one
express car. The engine died on us
twice and at the Colorado river, where
we cross into California, 1t drew its
last breath and had to send for an en-
CINE to pull us through. Consequently
we were fifteen hours late into Los
Angeles, arriving there at 300 p. m.
Monday, Nov 4, put none the worse
of the wear. At Needles, Cal, we
stopped for dinner Sunday at one of
Fred Harvey's famous dining halls.
We were feeling little lank. The
dinner was grand and was served in
five courses, and our stomachs We're.
fitted for the occasion. The conduc-
tor was young man of fine appear
ance, and not much over twenty-one.
He ate at the same table we did and
he said that the train would not move
until everyone had all he could eat,
and he kept his word. Running
through the Needles in California, my
mind was carried back over fifty
years, when we used to attend apple
parings and then when everything was
cleaned up, play was INDUCED IN and
we would sing that old song that
many of the old boys and girls have
sung as follows: Needles eye, that
doth supply the thread that passes
through; it's many lass that I've let
pass, but now have got you" With
chorus of double repeat.
The trains were all loaded, not a
vacant chair in one of the cars; all
tourists to California-from three to
four cars. Their destination was San
Diego When we first landed here
our first impression of San Diego was
not very favorable, but it is commenc-
ing to look good to me now. U. S.
Grant, Jr., son of Gen. U. S. Grant, is
building a fine hotel with 500 rooms
and seven stories high, that will be
very fine when finished. Today l
met an Iowa man and was soon well
acquainted. 1t was Duncan McGreg-
or, the father of the Oskaloosa Nc.
Gregor, the furniture dealer
The weather here is warm; about
the same as pleasant July days in
Iowa. 1t is now near 500 p. m.
am writing in my shirt sleeves and
the windows hoisted. They tell me
they have 365 days of sunshine here
at San Diego.
Nov. 6. Conrad ]. B. Harris and
myself crossed the bay on the ferry
boat to Cornado Beach and spent the
most of the day. That is fine place
and has some good buildings and some
of the finest lawns decorated with all
kinds of green trees and flowers too
numerous to try to mention. The no.
tel, Del Cornado, is large and roomy
having over 500 rooms, with the
lawns around it all covered with flow
ers and shade trees of many kinds.
This is a nice beach. One large
freight vessel was unloading. There
were no passenger vessels in sight
but small vessels and pleasure boats
were plentiful. 1t commenced look
ing like rain and we turned our course
to San Diego and are in our room
writing while it rains. The rain is
warm and comes straight down.
am writing with three windows raised
and my coat off and am comfortable
After leaving Trinidad, Col, and en-
tering into New Mexico, we found a
river with which | was not acquaint-
ed. / inquired of the conductor and
he said it was the river Purgatory, and
from the looks of the country !
thought his answer was correct, and
IL it ever got very hot there they
would run short of water to quench
their thirst. | would say anything to
discourage anyone who is thinking OF
locating there, but for one | want no
interest whatever in New Mexico or
Arizona. There are some good towns
along the line of the Santa Fe, but
they monopolize about all the land
that is worth having. There are
places in these states for twenty miles
at stretch that there is nothing but
stone, cactus and sage brush. In Las
Vegas, Albuquerque and Winslow Fred
Harvey has eating houses. The towns
look to be in thriving condition.
There are some Indian towns mostly
built of mud and stone.
have been here at San Diego part
of three days and the city looks good
and the citizens are very kind and
orderly in the city. have talked
with no one who had to use oaths to
express whet they wanted to say.
Church spires can be seen all over the
city and school houses and several
large sanitariums The streets are
all very wide and are concreted or
oiled. found q restaurant with the
name Iowa House" II looked good