River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-05-23
From California.
Santa Cruz, Cal, May IA, 'O7.

i
time past been thinking that !
would remit to the JOURNAL my
subscription for the ensuing year.
In forwarding the amount | will
write you a few lines in regard to
conditions here at the present time.
The many readers of the JOURNAL
will recall what | had to say in my
letter year ago. l spoke of the
Ocean Shore and the Southern Pa
cific railroads then under construc-
ton through this region, connect
ing San Francisco with Santa Cruz,
paralleling the ocean shore the
whole distance. | spoke also of the
mammoth cement plant twelve miles
up the coast and of the wonderful
activity in building throughout
Santa Cruz county,
Of the first railroad, the Ocean
Shore, the work has been pushed
vigorously along and is so far COM
pleted that in the near future the
two cities of San Francisco and
Santa Cruz will be connected with
a short line while the beautiful and
romantic scenery along the route
will make it a most desirable road
for travel. 1t is now determined to
build this road to Sequel and thence
on to jacksonville, but it's final des-
tination beyond that point does not
seem to be known to the public. 1t
is possible that it will ultimately be
built on to Los Angeles. Very
recently there have been three
surveys of this road made past here,
one of which locates the road about
sixty rods north of my place, which
is about midway between Santa
Cruz and Sequel. Parallel to this
road, and north about a mile, just
skirting the foothills Of the Santa
Cruz mountains, the Union Trac-
tion Co. of Santa Cruz will extend
their electric car line to Sequel and
on to Capitola, thus making cir
Gle. This road, as we'll as the Ocean
Shore, is to be double tracked. Both
are electric lines.
These enterprises mean very
much to Santa Cruz and the country
through which they pass. Property
along these lines has made rapid
advance. To r. N. Jenson, Frank
Matteson, Sherlock Wales and wives
who visited us year ago the past
winter, these statements will be of
interest, as we rode around with
them to these places. The South
ern Pacific has been built nearly to
the cement plant. The cement
plant here mentioned is now in OPP
Grafton, employing several hundred
men.
After the earthquake of year
ago there was a perceptible lull in
building for a short time, but this
was only a temporary backset.
Business in real estate was rather
dull for time and while the excite
ment attending the earthquake was
on some people lost their heads and
sold out very cheap. Since then,
however, property had steadily ad-
vanced and still continues to go up.
Nearly all holdings have advanced
from fifteen to fifty per cent above
prices prevailing before the ca-as-
trophe. Buildings throughout the
county are springing up like mush-
rooms, some of which are very good
ones.
Shortly after the earthquake the
Casino at the beach was destroyed
by fire. This was a building of no
mean proportions and it was
thought for some time it could hard
ly be replaced. Later on parties at
home and others abroad became in
terested and now a magnificent
structure is nearing completion
which makes the old one dwindle
into insigni6cance. For architect
ural design it is a marvel of beauty
and will go far to make Santa Cruz
one of the leading resorts of the
state. The electric fixtures used in
the buildings will cost over ten
thousand dollars and are arranged
to make grand display. Another
attraction is a fine pleasure ship
which is now anchored in the har-
Dor. Our visitors will remember
the tented city. That is thing of
the past assneat little cottages have
taken the place of the tents. These
cottages are painted in different
colors and make a very tasty ap-
pearance. Since November there
has not been less than two hundred
mechanics and laborers employed
on the buildings and IN daily pa
L