The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-07-30
A CALIFORNIA LETTER
h. W. Wells, a Former Resident of
Decatur County, Tells of His
New Home in California.
kELso, WASH, July IL, 1908.

KELso, WASH, July II, 1908.
EDITOR REPORTER: 1t has been eight
wears since i moved from Decatur
county going to Dakota. After staying
there SIX years l took the California
fever, SO we packed our trunks and
away we went 10 see the land OF sun
shine and oranges, the land OF fruit and
flowers. But on our trip we have seen
the finest scenery. After leaving Dem
yer about the frsJ thing is Pixies Peak,
the balanced rock, the Garden OF the
Gods, the royal gorge, the holy cross,
the hanging bridge. Following up
the Arkansas river where the rocks
stands up on either side for several
thousand feet, nearly perpendicular,
then over the summit at an elevation
of over 10000 feet above sea level, then
through the Utah sheep country to Salt
Lake City, one of the finest layed-out
cities in the United States. Here we
saw the great Mormon temple and tab
ernacle. After leaving the city we
went to Ogden, then across the great
Salt Lake into the desert for several
hundred miles to Reno, Nevada. We
then began to climb the mountains
steep the second time, over the coast
range, and on the summit we passed
through the longest snow shed IN the
world, 40 miles in length. After COM
ing out of the shed we began to see the
placer claims of the 49s and SOS, great
mountains being washed away with hy-
draulic machines hunting the precious
metal. After couple of hours we
were in Sacramento the capital of Cali
fornia. 1t isn't exactly like the city
grandma used to tell us about, where
the city was paved with pure gold, but
the state house is of marble and they
have statues of Columbus and Queen
Isabel, of Portugal, that cost $1,000
About half way between Sacramento
and San Francisco we crossed the Sac
ramento river on the largest ferry boat
in the world. When we crossed there
were three engines and forty-two
coaches. The next grand sight was the
greatest harbor in the world. Looking
from Oakland Pier you could see any
ships, sail vessels, sail boats, gasoline
hundreds OF row boats. We then went
that gets it's yearly shakeup. From
ucFc We pdoSCA OuC Odu JOd-
quin valley to Fresno, the raisin city of
the world. One lady told me you could
get Fresno raisins and wine in any of
the large hotels in Europe, France or
Germany. Before we got to Los ADge-
les we crossed the coast range again,
this being the third time we have
crossed over the summit. Here we
looped the loop. At Burbank we saw the
largest olive orchard in the world. Just
before we got to Los Angeles we saw
the largest pigeon ranch in the world
where they aim to raise 1000 squads
every day in the year. At Los Angeles
we saw the largest building west of
Chicago, the Hamburger building on 5th
and Broadway. Between Los Angeles
and Calton we saw one of the Oldest
missions in the United States; also the
largest grape vine, and at Cueomanga
they have the largest grape vinyard in
the world, $500 acres in one field. Pas
adena is the home of the millionaire. 1t
is the richest city of it's size in the
United States. In south Pasadena they
have the largest ostrich farm in the
world. Here l saw 142 in one yard and
their average heighth was 1Oa feet.
One they called W. ]. Bryan. The larg-
est bird weighs $50 pounds. King Ed
ward VII is the finest bird in the world
they claim, being an African bird. They
sell them at $3.50 pair. Now we are at
Calton in the heart of the orange groves
where they ship about 5000 car loads
every season, and out of the Santa Anna
Valley about $4,000 car loads each sea-
SOD. This county lives off the tourists
as they come into this county by the
thousands during the winter season.
Southern California would go bankrupt
if the tourists would stay away five
years. The reason SO many people
come to this country is through the
reading of the Times or some of Hearst's
yellow journals. They come here and
can't get enough ahead to get away
While in southern California we we're al
San Diego, San Pedro, Long Beach, Santa
Monica and Monterey. We left Caltor
on the first of July and came to this
place by the S. P. & N. R. R., by the
way of Los Angeles, Oakland, Redding
Ashland, Salem, Portland. then on tt
Kelso where we are for the present
We have travelled nearly 5000 miles
since we left Dakota two and one-hal
years ago. This is all timbered lant
here. There are four saw mills and on,
shingle mill. The shingle mill has
capacity of 100000 shingles per day ane
employs SO men. 1t is so miles to Port
land and 1874 miles to Seattle. Thi
leaves us all we'll except Mrs. WE'LL
who has been in poor health for tw'
months. l will stay in the United
States until after election and if Taf
wins out am going to Canada.
H. w. WELLS.
! a A,nou G.fhorion