Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-02-17
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
Pasadena. California. Feb. Z, 1909

Pasadena. California, Feb. Z, 1909
Manchester Democrat
"How do like California now that
I have been here two months 2"
have many reasons for liking it very
Is well but see that it will not do to
place too much dependence on the
glowing literature scattered every
where describing the productions and
climate and desirability of this truly
wonderful state.
OF course zero weather is un-
known here and oranges hang on the
trees the year around, yet one can
be decidedly uncomfortable even
when the trees are white with al
mond blossoms. 1nvalids make a
great mistake in coming here alone
unless they are prepared to live in
one Of the grand hotels and spend
money freely for the entertainment
provided for guests. One hosiery
here has prive car and takes its
guests to Les Angelus to the theatres
or concerts OF wherever they desire
to SO, even serving supper to them
on the way home, but of course all
this has to be paid for. And on rainy
days the manager of the millionaires
can always get up something to in
terest his patrons and keep them
from getting blue
1t is different with the lone individ-
ual whom the doctors have advised
to come to milder climate. Per
haps he is obliged to come alone,
and he rents room paying price
for the furnishings, which are not in
{ it.. Wood is very high. Fifty cents
I per sack, neighbor told me. They
locked on the wagon like ordinary
& gunny sacks. If the room has gas
! you may use all you can pay for, and
there are many kinds of gas heaters.
In the fair weather the invalid
should spend most of his time out of
doors but the rainy days must be
torture to him. No friend to talk to,
4 or to- read to him, just the dreary
rain to see and the chills creeping
up and down his spine and aggravat-
ing every suspicious symptom.
"This is bad day for our sick
friend. we said Friday, as it rained
steadily all day so that none of US
even ventured up town. Saturday we
said this surely is a bad day for
the sick and it rained all day but
"our man" did go to cheer up
his friends little if possible. And
to day it has rained heavily all day
long with no showing Of blue sky at
4 four .. m. and there is muddy river
rushing down the gutter beside the
street. California has already had
{ IT'S average rainfall for the year but
the rainy season" is not near over.
yet, Let the sick be sent to camps
or. sanitariums or any place where
there is company to cheer them up
and oblige them to exercise in bad
weather and to see that they are not
neglecting to get out on the good
days. Otherwise they are surely bet
s ter ct home even in snow storms and
zero weather. .
How it pours. I hear "our man"
'phoning to friends saying No use
to cry about the storm but it is hard
tourists who are paying five dollars
day for climate
But you must not think that only
count the rainy days. Monday and
Tuesday and Thursday were fine days
Tuesday my brother. a Fayette friend
and myself took a little trip, going
first to Rubic Canyon, which is a
cleft in Echo mountain and a favor
Z lite place for picnics. Here We went
IN the incline which is 5000 feet
long and in direct ascent is about
400 feet The grade begins at so
per cent. is 81 per cent. passes the
turnout then drops to So and 4S per
cent. To say that 1--WE felt a little
creepy" does not express our. feel
{ ings at ALL But we soon forgot all
that looking from at the lovely Echo
mountain scenes spread out in the
i San Gabriel valley before us.
Pasadena with its streets and boul-
evards reminded us Of great check
er board. Hills that from the city
seemed to be a part Of mountain
Co., IN hn IA.
meath us and we saw as never be-
fore hills and mountains surround
ing Pasadena.
The great Worlds Fair Searchlight
& is located here and the electrical ma
chineyr for operating the incline.
And from here starts the electric
road that winds to Alpine Tavern 8
miles away. But no tongue nor pen
] can describe the grandeur of the
scenery on that journey. Deep can
ycns, pleasant valleys and distant
mountains lay before US in the gold
en- sunshine as our car sped upward
along its shelf hewed out of tho
mountain side. It's ties are laid on
the solid granite and it seemed as
If there was not foot of ground be
tween the track and the dizzy depths
of the canyons that reached for as
Tar as we could see beneath US
) Where the mountain had been cut
into to get the road bed we could see
how the trees had kept their places
on the mountain side and grown b,
2 the roots which had crept far dowr
into the crevices of the rocks a per
feet anchor in the fiercest storm.
Through Grand Canyon, with it.
knotted oaks and evergreens W.
passed and came, all too soon t.