Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1907-05-23
California Letter.
Huntington Park, California.
May 18th, 1907.
Dear folks at home:

just five monthes ago today
| left home for a visit in the
west, and can hardly realize
that | have been here so long, !
have had such adelightful time
that the time has passed so rap
inly, and still when | think how
long since | have been with you,
it seems even longer than five
months. | certainly shall be
glad to be home again, but there
is always a sadness in saying
good bye to new made friends.
My trunk is all packed and in
readiness to have started yes
terday, which I could not do on
account of the serious strike in
San Francisco, making it not
only unsafe to sight seers, but
even to those passing through
the city, but [ shall leave here,
Tuesday May 21st, strike or no
S srike.
Well, the La Fiesta isa thing
of the past, and was a very
grand and beautiful thing. The
parade consisted of Shriners in
fancy drill costumes, gentlemen
and ladies on horse back, cleo
trio floats, represented by pre-
cious stones. This was the pro-
cession of Knights, then came
the floral grand parade. The
Flower Carnival, Friday morn
ing. One cannot realize, otsee-
ing the beautiful sight, how any
country can have such a profu-
sion of flowers; flats literally
one mass of flowers, it seems
there would be none left, and
yet the yards seem just as full
as ever. The La Fiesta lasted
from May 4th to l1th, and you
can have some idea of the vast
crowd the Shriners being here
from the east, north and south,
even some from Honululu.
$4,000 visiting Shriners, be-
side thousands of other guests,
these added to one-fourth mill
ion of people who live here and
can form some idea of the jam.
The first night mother and
were until 1890 trying to get a
car home. sat on the back of
a seat watching our car going
out every fifteen minutes but
unable to get through the jam.
Mother did not go again at night
and Istayed ata hotel. Mrs Con
ner came out here Monday to
be our guest until we start for
home together. Ihave not been
"treading on the desert sands
but my feet are simply blistered
Two weeks ago | enjoyed my
last visit with Mrs. Pierce, at
Pasadena. The noted "Winery''
is something every one is sup
posed to visit in California, but
for the first time since | have
been here she "balked flatfoot-
ed" and said ";she would not GO
with u.s." of course Mr.. Pierce
aud | were disappointed, but we
went anyway. This is a great
industry here. Last year this
winery made up 11.0O0 tons Of
grapes into wine. Some of the
wine casks contains 10000 gal,
some 1,0G0 and on down to 5
and 500 ga|., enough, wine if
turned out, to make good sized
river for a time. put my tenn
perance principles aside for the
timebeing and just tasted some
said to be 20 years old. | sup
pose it vast was very fine.
I landed Mr.. Pierce safely at
home, ard had lunch, then Mrs.
Pierce and | and "Old Doc" Ghe
horse), started on our trip to
San Gabrial Mission. 1t was a
beautiful day and we just visi-
ted as hard as we could, being
our last day together this time.
We stopped at several friends
and loaded ourselves down with
orange blossoms and fruit, and
finally reached the Mission. 1t
is located in the midst of an old
Mexican village, the old adobe
houses are still standing. We
first visited a Mexican Restau-
rant and eat a regular Mexican
shot tamolla." Oh, my, but it
was hot! | had enough red
pepper toslast me for years tc
come. Then we visited the
celebrated "grape arbor.' = Tap
ping on a triangle the gate is
opened and we find ourselves ir
a shaded covered garden, made
by a grape vine 141 years old,
and covers 5000 square feet
and making a complete root
over the garden. The vine is
civ foot in dianotnr Two tor