The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-08-20
"A TRAMP ABROAD"
Interesting Letter from MIR. August
j. Rehbein.
(Continued.)

for piers under new bridge that is
being built on East Main street, had
struck strong flow of crude oil in
the river bed at a depth OF only 10
feet, and that 20 barrels were pumped
out in few hours. If this be true'
it may become a source OF revenue
for the municipality. we coulo
mention other items OF interest IN
Los Angeles, but space Will not per-
nit. Los Angeles is eighteen miles
from the Pacific. We spent a de-
lghtful day, Monday, with the bal
loon route trolley excursion, visiting
the west beaches, 2S miles along the
ocean, with stops at Redonda-py-the-
Sea: Moonstone Beach, where we
picked up some moonstones; Playa
Del Rey, where we had good shore
dinner, Venice, which has canals
covered with gondolas; Ocean Park
Beach, an ideal resort, and real
city on the strand; Santa Monica
by the sea, finely located. Here
we had a free view of the Great
Camera Obscura, said to be the only
one in California; and Port Los An
geles, with it's long pier. We then
20 inland to Sawtelle, and visit the
National Soldiers Home, where
some 5000 old soldiers find comfort
and rest. They have 700 acres OF
choice land, large buildings, and
beautiful grounds. We pass through
Cahuenga Valley, where a great
many beans are raised. Our guide
called our attention to a field of
two thousand, and another field OF
three thousand acres, planted with
beans, and said: when you go
home from this trip your friends
can't say you don't know beans.
We next pass through Hollywood
with it's old pepper tree avenues and
beautiful homes, one of the prettiest
suburbs near Los Angeles and the
home of Paul De Longpie's and his
art studio.
We pass through prospect ave-
nue., sunset boulevard, along Echo
and Elysian parks, the oil district,
Old Sonoratown and we are again
back to the city. In the evening,
with Ford as our guide, we visited
the Y. NJ. c. A. and Armory build
ings, some of the principal streets
and parks. On Tuesday with Hor-
ace Collum, as our guest we visited
the Cawston Ostrich Farm. A short
ride from Los Angeles, on the cleo
trio cars brings us to the entrance.
We pass through the salesroom
where some of the most beautiful
plumes and boas we have ever
seen, were displayed; passing
through another door, ostriches are
seen in the distance and present an
imposing sight, with their big eyes,
long necks and peculiar walk. The
ostriches are confined in corrals, to
separate the different flocks and to
keep them from stealing from visi-
tors. They will swallow almost
anything, particularly that which
sparkles. Our guide gave one an
orange, it was swallowed whole.
We could see the form of the orange
going down the long neck. Oc-
casionally a bird becomes angry,
and in that condition is dangerous.
They can kick forward very hard.
Mr.. Cawston secured his original
stock Of fifty birds direct from
Africa, some twenty-five years ago.
There are $50 birds at present in
this farm, while others are kept at
La Habra, Cal. Most of the chicks
are hatched in incubators and kept
by themselves for a few days. We
saw one that had just freed itself
from the shell. AS they grow they
are transferred to different corrals,
and after they grow to full size and
are mated, they are given corrals
by themselves, and named. The
guide said, when they once mate,
there is no divorce-it is for life.
They have one female bird that will
not mate-she is called the "Old
Maid" The male birds are very
dark brown and usually sit upon
the nests at night. The hen birds
are gray in color, and sit on the nest
during the day. When plucking
time comes, a hood is placed over
the head of the ostrich, the matured
feathers are then selected-not
pulled out, but cut, leaving about
an inch of quill, which after time
falls out.
We continued our trip by trolley
to Pasadena, which is about ten
miles from Los Angeles, at the west
end of the San Gabriel valley, and
at the base of the Sierra Madra
range. 1t is a city of beautiful
homes, surrounded by splendid
grounds. 1t has magnificent hotels,
prominent among them being the
Green and the Raymond; excellent
school buildings, a public library of
$4,000 volumes and has a popula-
tion of more than $4,000. On a
little farther is Altadena, with it's
stately homes embowered in ample
grounds. This is as far as we had
time to go. We should like to have
continued our trip to Rubio, to have
taken the incline to Echo Mountain
where an observatory is located,
trO11pV tO We Alnino rTovorr ood Inv,