Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-04-18
CALIFORNIA LETTER
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dred and ten stops. The organ is
blown by ten horse power electric
motto and two gangs OF feeders fur
nish 5, 900 cubic feet OF air minute.
One thing particularly impressed
me, the statue of the angel Maroni,
- feet in height on the top of the
highest point of the temple, which
cost 100000, making the greatest
height of temple 222 feet high, 90 feet
wide, 1867 feet wide. This statue
is of hammered copper covered with
gold leaf, and represents the angel
Moroni, the son of Mormon. The
statue itself is a person standing
erect with a bugle extended from
mouth, sounding out the message
prophetical found in Rev. xiv 6-7.
This city is certainly well worth Wis
iting, and we were loath to leave.
Took the Western Pacific, passed
Salt Lake five miles out, FIVE barrels
of this solution evaporated will leave
one barrel of salt. Went over a salt
bed 20 miles long and miles wide,
12 TO 16 feet deep, $50 pure salt.
Passed through AZ tunnels, scenery
grand-touring mountains, rocks, riv-
ulets, through Sierra Nevadas. The
valley 30 miles long IS miles wide.
Next the Mohawk valley rich in
farming land on to Feather river val
ley, through which Feather river
runs emptying into Sacramento river
where power house is built furnish
ing water for San Francisco 100 miles
distant, water pipes coming down
from mountains many feet high.
On we journey through Sacrament
to valley where our eyes look upon
orange groves for the first time also
olive and apple orchards. beautiful
palms. We stop off at Sacramento
and visit capitol building and grounds
which are beautiful Our guide took
us in Senate chambers and House of
Representatives Beautiful hand en-
broideded draperies and curtains solid
walnut doors costing $1,000 each or
$4,000 per pair. On the grounds were
flowers, fountains, trees trimmed uni
formly others tall while some were
far bran ching.
Continued on trip from Sacre-
mento on through Sacramento val
ley on south to San Francisco, rich
farming county and beautiful seen
cry Across the bay in ferry boat.
Put up at hotel Cadillac; 700 rooms.
All went out sightseeing car, out to
Golden Gate and saw the seals play
ing on the rocks amidst the roar of
the ocean tide coming in. Three
hour ride around the city and Persi-
do grounds Saw the standing army
drilling and where the officers lived
nice mansions Our guide through
a megaphone explaining all as we
glided along Went over to see the
ruins of the city building by earth
quake Only one left and cost $175,-
600 to repair that, the hall of Re-
cords. All records were lost at the
time of the quake. Building cover
ed seven acres The dome of one
building 40 feet high all destroyed
So happened we had opportunity to
talk with the Waterman, being the
same one who was on duty at the
time Of the great disaster Said it
happened at 5:13 A. NJ and he was
in the building on third floor. Saw
the dome fall on hotel opposite across
the street, crushing it. Building alone
cost $15,000,000.
5000 acres of buildings were de-
stroyed, not all rebuilt yet by any
means. All the way from Spreckle's
residence on Mob Hill to Ferry
house.
We stopped off at several minor
places of interest on our way down
to Los Angeles, viz: Turloch. where
we saw grapes by car load, shipping
out seven car loads a day, we samp-
led them and they were delicious.
Exeter and Lincone where / have
some investments in orange land all
0. K too. Lindsay and Visalia are
small towns we also stopped at. and
reaching Los Angeles October %
A two weeks trip covering $500 miles
intended to go on to San Diego but
sickness Ct my daughter prevented
as we had to call doctor at once and
after consultation of Doctors six diff
ferent ones all agreeing an operation
was necessary for appendicitis, &C
cordingly am ambulance was sum-
moned and she was taken to Clara
Barton hospital, where she was oper-
ated on October 80, barely escaping
death, using artificial respiration
Doctors gave no hope for three days,
she rallied. was four weeks at hos
pital, got home in ambulance after
two weeks able to be on her feet
Those were dark days for me, and
not a very pleasant introduction to
California life. However I have re-
covered from this trying experience
and thankful to God it was no worse
My daughter was spared though her
life hung on thread Gas it were) for
days, and 7 should have informed
you long ago of her safe recovery to
health as so many false reports of her
death was at that time heraldcd. She