Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-20
NEWPORT OF PACIFIC
Santa Barbara Attracts Many
Wealthy People.
HAS AN IDEAL CLIMATE
Mountain Range on One Side and
Ocean on the Other.
ALL LIVE CLOSE TO NATURE
Descendants of the Early Spanish
Settlers Have Become Thor
oughly Americanized.
BY WILLIAM F. CURTIS
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.

special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
SANTA BARBARA. May IL, 1911.
The climate of Santa Barbara has at
tracted invalids and persons in search of
rest and pleasure since the earliest set
| tlement of the Pacific coast. While Cali
| fornia was still part of Mexico many
aristocratic and refined Spanish families
made 1t their home and contributed to
the charm of social life. A few descend
ants of the early Spanish settlers still re-
side here. They have become thoroughly
Americanized. but may easily be identi-
fed by their names. their features and
complications. and the graceful manners
of their race. The mission Of Santa Bar
bara Is the best preserved in California,
its monastery is the most extensive. 1t is
an educational institution Of high stand
ard and it's influence is the widest Of any
in the state.
Many people consider Santa Barbara the
most desirable place Of residence for
families of wealth and leisure In the
United States, II not in the world. The
like that of the Riviera Of France. 1t is
the only place of resort in tho United
States which has a mountain range on
one side OF 1t and an ocean on the other,
and where the climate permits the popula-
ton to live in comfort the year around.
1t is often called the Newport Of the Pa
cific, but is more democratic and cosmo-
politan than the queen of Atlantic re-
sorts.
No Social Tyranny.
No social tyrany is recognized: the
habits and customs Of the people are not
so artificial: everybody lives as near as
To e. rivyol lev In
dress. or dinner parties. or other forms
of display; all classes spend most OF their
time out of DOORS and the belle Of Santa
Barbara shows to the best advantage In
khaki suit. astride a mustang climb
ing mountain trail. rather than at a
ball or garden party. The population
is made up mostly of "remitters"-that is
people who have retired from business.
widows of large means and others who
are able to live luxuriously upon the pro-
ceeds of investments elsewhere. There
are colonies of Boston, Chicago and New
petroleum prince who has figured In the
divorce court
There is no rivalry in architecture or
extravaganza. The greatest competition
is in flowers. plants and vegetable gar
dens. Most of the residences are of the
villa type. simple and often severe. The
ideal house is of shingles, stained brown,
with wide porches hidden by climbing
roses and other vines. and furnished with
hammocks and easy chairs. The fact
that the temperature seldom varies more
than ten or twelve degrees from one
years end to another. and is always mod
erately warm. enables everybody to live
in the open air, and is. OF course, bless
ing to the infirm and weary ana has
wholesome influence. People from the
east come here to be soaked in sunshine
and play golf 36o days in the year.
The villa population is quite exclusive
nd h2c nf
amphitheater inclosed by the Santa Inez
mountains on the one side and the Pa
cifc ocean on the other is entirely taken
up by rich ranchmen. who own large es-
tates and keep most of their land In
natural parks. They visit in automobiles
and on horseback: they wear sombre r os
and comfortable clothes they take pride
in their crops and orchards and brag
Big Hotels Filled.
During the winter season the two great
hotels. the Potter. which Is the largest on
| the coast and one OF the finest in the
| west. and the Arlington, which recently
| has been erected on the site of an old
| house OF the same name. are filled with
eastern people. During the summer
| western people take advantage OF the
| lower rates.
The Arlington is very attractive. It be-
| longs to E. p Ripley, president of the
Santa Fe railroad: H. G. Brookings OF
| ST Louis and other prominent men. 1t is
| built Of concrete and steel, after the mis-.
| sion style of architecture. has 300 rooms
| and cost S425.OO0. The mission idea is
| carried out in every room and corridor
the woodwork being left in the rough and
| stained dark brown by the use of petro-
| leum There are no ceilings The heavy
| rafters are left uncovered: the walls are
of rough plaster painted to match the
woodwork; the floors are Of red tiles
| and even the bath tubs are Of mission de-
| sign.
The mission style OF architecture will
| its strong yet simple lines. which the
| Spanish adopted from the Moors and in
| troduced into Mexico was used by tn,
| found 1t best suited to the climate. Tha
| was the reason it was adopted in tn,
south of Spain. The brick and tile dit
not reflect. but absorbed the glare of thu
sun. The cloisters are cool at noonda,
| and the thick walls are proof against the
| dampness OF the rainy season. It is be
ing used more and more for public build
| ings. schoolhouses. hotels and even fo
all the new schools and public edifice
are being built after the mission design.
Santa Barbara has been boring hol'
| through the Santa Inez range of noun
| tains to get large and permanent water
supply. Already 1900 feet of a TUNE
| seven by nine feet in size have been com
pleted, and 1900 feet more must b,
pierced to reach the other side Wher
this tunnel is completed it will be con
| nected with aGueducts on both sides ant
| will supply sufficient amount OF wate
| for drinking and irrigation for a popula
ton of 10000 people. Nobody believes
that Santa Barbara ever will have sucl
| a population, but it would be difficult t,
get too much Of the kind of water tina
can be had at the source of the futur,
supply. The present water supply comes
from reservoirs in the foothills of tn,
| Santa IneZ mountains and Is uncertain
The new scheme will irrigate the entir,
Goleta valley, and enable the farmers I,
extend the walnut and lemon groves ant
grow more beans. for those three are tn,
| great staples here.
Fine Walnut County.
This Is the walnut country par excel
lence. and 1t is the best paying crop TIL,
trees require ten years to mature, bu
/ give no further trouble 1t is only neces
sary to keep down the weeds and looser