Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-04-21
From Sunny California.

spent the winter at Long Beach,
Calif., will, we believe. prove interest
ing to . large proportion of our
readers:
eve have very comfortable quarters
in IN exceptionally good. clean town of
about 10000 people with good street
car service, an abundance of flowers
and elegant shade trees. plenty of
fresh vegetables and cheap fruit. We
have been able to take pleasure trips
often as we are only 20 miles from Los
Angeles. The improvements are very
good for the comfort of tourists, the
amusements good and we'll distributed,
plenty of fine large churches, good
schools and no saloons. A very large
pleasure pier nearly half mile long
with an immense sun parlor at the
ocean end, with plenty of seats and
pleasure boats and fishing walk around
the outside. At the shore or beach
end of the pier is an immense audi
torium free for all kinds of. entertain
ments. The upper floor is a we'll fur
nished apartment with capacity for
about 10000 people. well seated, and
the Municipal Long Beach Band num-
beripg "a pieces play for the entertain
ment Of the public from 2:3O p. m. to
4:30, also evenings from 7:3O to 9-all
free. The city pays for all to amuse
the crowd, but don't forget the graft
ers" Tor real estate men and women)
are ready to ''take you in" at all
times. Another attraction and THE
one for a majority is the "Pike" "a
narrow street or the ocean strand)
with every possible thing to sell or
amase you or in other words anything
to induce you to divide your finance.
There are about five blocks of this
street which is curiosity shop from
beginning to end. Every pleasant day
there are thousands Of people here for
the Beach amusements and since /
have been here the crowd much Of the
time has amounted to from 10 to 80, 600
per day; it ir "slim" day that is as
low as to 5000.
II have met many Of our Iowa
people from the vicinity of Cresco. l
visited H. Y. Ernst and wife, M. A.
Flood and family, including Mrs.
Ernst's daughters, Emma Wright and
Ed Gillet and wife while we were at
Santa Ana. Also saw Willis Lincoln.
tho coIored boy who lived with Flood.
They were oil looking fine. While at
tending the Iowa Picnic at East Lake
Park, Los Angeles, Feb. 22nd. met
Mr.. and Mrs. Nicols, and found they
were living for the winter in Long
Beach. Also saw NJ. o. Tuttle, wife
and daughter. of Pasadena, and S. H.
Hazledine, Of Los Angeles, who has
been abroad from Cresco about IS
years. Ida johnson and sister, of Pasa.
dens. Will Rumsey, Of Pomona, Andy
Shsfsr and wife, who are located at
Pasadena. Also saw Will C. Moore,
Ernst's step-son who married Isabcll's
May.
"The expense Of housekeeping here
is easy, no higher than in the middle
west. Some articles cheaper and
others some higher. out the average is
about ssthe same. Rent is not very
high. But be sure to bring good heavy
underwear - the mornings and even
ings are cool al the time.
Il do not believe this is a good place
for {. poor man TO- make money. The
crop. especially fruit, l cannot figure
much profit and during the two years l
have been here I have collected a
of figures on fruit rails
ing. The profitable years are excep-
lions. The orange ground is enorm-
ously high. in the good orange sections
from 1000 to a, 600 per acre and the
lowest interest here is z per cent. and
It is very very expensive keeping
orange trees in good bearing. l will
not give figures now as it will take too
much paper, but if any Of you
tackle" me when come to Cresco, l
think can surprise you with figures.
With good crop and good prices there
is little to be made but with advers-
ity there j. no money, and many years
do not pay expenses. As to the
alfalfa there is 50 much talk, the 8 or
crops per year may be reduced to 4
to 6 and is very hard crop to save
and requires expensive irrigation, and
market uneven as to demand. The
truck farming close to the cities l
think is al right as this immense
tourist crop" must be fed, and the
tourist crop" 10 THE CROP. Anything
that comes directly in use to keep the
tourist 10 good. They have the climate
here and We have to come here to get
it. The middle west makes the money
and come here to spend it. This is the
chief resource Of profit in southern
California. There has been lots of
money made here in boom speculstions
and much more lost. The ''sucker"
that ''bites" as rule is loser, and the
other fellow gets the money. Now
note, am not knocking" against the
climate but there are some unpleasant
times in vet season. The season from
Nov. lst until May ,14th is worth
taking in for those in poor health or in