The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-08-13
"a TRAMP ABROAD"
Letter from Mr.. August
j. Rehbein.
(Continued.)

(Continued.)
/ The words, Pacific Coast and
California, comprehend great
deal Many people living in our
eastern states, have no conception
of the vastness of our western
coast They look at you in sur
prise, when you tell them that from
Seattle to Sitka, on the south coast
of Alaska, is over thirteen hundred
miles, and that from Seattle, WASH,
to San Diego, Cal, is as far as New
York City to Chicago and half way
back; that California being the sec
ond largest state in the Union, con-
tanning 153,650 square miles, is
larger by over one thousand square
miles, than the combined area of
ten of our eastern states, namely,
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode
| Island, New York, New Jersey, Della
ware and Ohio, they having total
of 152,57S square miles.
California is region of wonder
full scenic attractions; of delightful
climates, of a long coast line, beau
tiful cities, mighty snow-capped
peaks, rich soil, luxuriant orange
groves, and an energetic, wide-awake,
refined population. A visit to and
along the Pacific Coast is a liberal
education in itself. Landscape,
climate, people, everything found
there, is new to us, from the east,
and the broadening and educational
effects of such journey, is beyond
statement. We only wish that more
could and would take it. From San
Francisco to Los Angeles the trav-
eler has a choice of two routes;
through the San Joaquin Valley, or
via the Southern Pacifc's scenic
Coast line. We preferred to go one
way and return the other, thus Sc
curing quite a complete panoramic
view of the greater portion of the
state. The Coast line train leaves
at o'clock p. m. Mr.. Osborne, a
wholesale dry goods merchant, of
Los Angeles, very kindly kept us in
formed about the various places we
travelled through. We pass through
Palo Alto, the seat of Stanford Uni
versity-not visible from the train,
and enter the famous Santa Clara
Valley, with it's one hundred square
miles of orchards, producing, it is
said, greater part of the prunes
raised in the State. At 8 o'clock
we are at San Jose, the metropolis
of this valley. San Jose is one of
California's thriving cities, and the
point from which the great Lick
Observatory on Mt. Hamilton is
reached, after a drive of twenty
eight miles. The big trees of the
Santa Cruz Mountains are twenty
seven miles from San Jose. Also
near here at New Almaden, is To-
Gated one of the largest quicksilver
, mines in the United States. We
: retire for the night while our train
! passes through the great grain
| fields of the Salinas Valley, through
; FL Paso de Robles-the Pass of the
Cakes, near the head of the valley,
| and noted for it's hot springs, charm
: ing climate and fine landscapes;
through San Luis Obispo, on the
western slope of the Santa Margareta
Mountains. The next morning we
are up at four o'clock. Our train
| is travelling along the ocean cliffs
} within a stones throw or the blue
waters of the Pacific. At 4:40 we
reach Santa Barbara, which by
| many people is considered the most
delightful place in California. The
= station is built after the old mission
i ! ctr al 0f
it. We should liked to have stopped
! over a train to visit the Old Mission
| established here in 1856, said to
be we'll preserved, and still in use
but time would not permit, so we
continue our journey along the
! coast to Ventura, not at sea level
but all the way on cliffs from fifty
to two hundred feet above the
ocean, along the very edge of the
cliffs. From Ventura we travel in
: land for seventy-five miles, and at
: $40, Sunday morning, enter the
station at Los Angeles, Cal. We
: were met by our eldest son, Ford
| Rehbein, who has been resident OF
this city for the past two years and
: a-half. We found him we'll and
, entirely pleased with Los Angeles
and his surroundings. He is now
| in the employ of Sanborn, Vail and
Company, extensive dealers in sta
: tionery, artists material, and
leather goods. Their main store is
: at San Francisco. They also have
; a branch store at Portland, Oregon
} After securing our room at the
, Hotel Rosslyn, we called with Ford
) on Mr.. and Mrs. Barringer, with
whom he boards, and their son,
= Griff. We were very favorably i'm
= pressed, and feel that our son has
been fortunate in securing such a
| good home. During our stay in the
| city, we called on our neice, Miss
Fern Smith, daughter of Mr.. and
: Mrs. Ford Smith, formally of Los
Angeles, now living at Seattle
| =