The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-10

| Mrs. Caroline Crawford Williamson,
also well known in Topeka, adapt and
write many of the popular productions
| given at the house. The Auditorium
| has a big pipe organ and DR.. Bruce
! Gordon Kingsley, one of the best or
ganiStS in America, conducts the or
chestra and performance. This week
the bill at the playhouse is a musical
novelty called "Whim-Wham." Ernest
Crawford not only wrote the book and
staged the production, but he plays
the leading role, new departure for
him here, although he was formerly
on the stage in Shakespearian and ro-
mantle drama. His appearance had
not been announced and was a sur
prise to the audience, but he received
a flattering ovation on the opening
night of his play which was attended
by all of the theatrical managers in
town and big first night audience.
In Los Angeles the problem is not
where to go, because you simply can't
miss it, there are so many attractive
neighboring resorts, but how to
choose, if choose you must. One could
spend a month or six weeks in this
city, take an interesting jaunt every
day and sleep in the same bed every
night. OF course we must spend some
thing besides the month. but not so
much at that. An impression prevails
farther east that a California trip is
expensive and it is true that travel
always costs. But one can see more
for the money in and about Los An
geles probably, than in any other city
or town in the States.
This is largely due to the unsur-
| passed electric railway system includ-
| ing lines all over the city and to all
| the adjoining resorts, and centering in
| the beautiful Pacific Electric building
in the heart of the town. to which all
| roads lead. No city in this country
| has so complete and perfect an electric
| railway system and few are so notably
| lighted
| Los Angeles gets it's power from the
mountains over one hundred miles
away and the water for this city, built
| on a reclaimed desert, comes as many
miles, through the aqueduct from
| Owens lake. The tourist invariably
exclaims at the beauty OF the Los An
| geles street lights. This town was the
first to adopt electricity exclusively for
| lighting and the principal down town
streets are magnificently lighted with
elaborate and decorative clusters of
lamps. A big majority of the Los An
geles population Of $4,000 is the
army Of tourists which pours into the
| town daily winter and summer. To
accommodate them are innumerable
hotels, lodging houses. boarding
houses and cafes. 1t is a city of hotels
and you may live at virtually your
own terms The Topeka bunch was
booked for the Angelus, one of the
| largest and best hotels in town where
a guest is made exceedingly comfort
able.
Beside the tourists and the people
who live to serve them or by serving
them. the population of southern Cal
ifornia seems to be made up of the
Idle Rich. There is an enormous lei
sure class in this town and the adj
joining towns. People who have ac-
cumulated money. much or little, so
long as it spells independence for
them, come to southern California to
pass the rest of their days which are
mysteriously and wonderfully length
ened in this salubriouS cline. The
number OF middleaged and elderly
people is astonishing, but there is
something rejuvenating in the at
mosphere. Everybody who comes to
| California no matter how jaded and
worn. seems to get second wind and
some of the "old tops are very frislky.
| A we'll known Topeka man of years
and dignity who spent the winter here
| became a familiar figure in. the box of
| a theatre where a stock company
| plays musical comedy, and where the
| actors. principals and chorus, are no.
| ted for shapeliness and beauty. AL
though accompanied by his wife and
! daughters Ito take off the curse) his
j interest in the stage was noticeable,
| especially as he carried an enormous
4 PAIR of field glasses to level on the
| chorus loidies."
People who go to California and
| miss Coronado (a1though not many
| DOB overlook the most beautiful place
| in southern California. and they do
| say, as know, the loveliest bay in Am
| erica. There is nothing like It, so the
| globe trotters declare. even on the
| Mediterranean, to which it is always
compared. One could remain for a
| season at Hotel de Coronado, famous
| among the hostelries on this continent,
| taking advantage of the many diver
| sions which San Diego and Coronado
| offer in the way of fishing, bathing
boating. polo, golf. riding. motoring
| and sight seeing not to mention the
! social recreations of a fashionable re-
| sort. for one who cares for that sort
| of thing. The hurried visitor gets a
| glimpse of this place of surpassin e
| loneliness by an overnight stay. leav-