Imperial Valley press., 1912-10-01

TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED
C0L0NISTS ARRIVED SUNDAY
Los ANGELES, Oct. Twenty five
hundred colonists, seekers after more
hospitable homes, arrived in Los Ange-
les over the ans-continental rail-
roads Sunday. Incoming trains at the
Santa Fe, Southern Pacific and salt
Lake stations discharged their full
quota of men, women and children,
while advices from various points all
along eastward indicate that many
thousand more are taking advantage
of the colonist rates and will be here
within few days.
Five trains over the Southern Paci-
fc, each carrying extra coaches and
chair cars for the accommodation or
colonists, pulled into the city with ap-
proximately 1000 newcomers aboard.
All day long Depot Master Parker, at
the Arcade station, and his assistants
answered questions, gave directions,
hunted stray children and returned
them TO their parents, and in one way
and another made themselves useful.
To the uninitiated who might imagine
there was little to do in assisting these
new arrivals the vision of the dignifed
station master with a child in one arm,
suit case in the other. and a bro od
of anywhere from three to seven
youngsters clutching at his coat in an
effort to avoid becoming lost would
have proved a revelation.
The redeeming feature of the entire
situation was that everybody stayeu
good natured. Crowding and pushing
there was, to be sure, but through it
all each individual seemed to realize
that his neighbor was in similar po-
sition and those least hampered with
children and bundles gladly proffe red
assistance to those less fortunate, or
more misunderstanding to the view :
point
Much the same condition prevailed
at the other stations. Four trains with
extra coaches and chair cars arrived
over the Santa Fe during the day,
bringing something over 1900 persons
whose respective destinations were Los
Angeles and the surrounding country.
On this line. on the others, the heavy
traffic is playing havoc with the sched
ules, many trains being unavoidably
delayed Assistant General Passenger
Agent Held said that Apr Ultimately 35
coaches of co1onists will arrive over
his road within three days.
The impression that the majority of
the colonists are foreigners is errone-
Gus. BY far the greater part are ma
tive born men and women of German,
English, Swedish or French stock, who
come from Dakota, Montana, Idaho ,,
the Atlantic coast states and from :he
Great Lakes region as well as the
Missouri and Kaw river valleys. For
eigners there are, too, the sturdy, intel
ligent class in the preponderance, Gag
er to make home and become Ameri
canized. The modes Of travel differ.
Many take advantage of the tourist
sleepers, while others make the best
of the day coaches and chair cars.
Not the least interesting phase of
the colonists' arrival, and especially
interesting for the unfortunate young
sters, is the unalterable determination
of the respective mothers not to take
their offspring out of the station on
the streets of a strange city until they
have been properly groomed. This
grooming process is a sad one for the
kids. The frequent trips to lunch bas-
kets where thoughtful housewives
have provided against bankruptcy by
preparing food sufficient to obviate
any necessity of going to lunch rooms
along the journey, usually leave the
features and clothing of the younger
members of the party in rather an
untidy state to say the least Inas-
much as this foraging continues up to
the time of entering the station, the
mothers are perforce compelled to
tidy them up" in the waiting rooms
at the station. Ice water usually is
the only water procurable here and
the lusty lunged young hopefuls are
treated to impromptu baths under try
ing conditions. Usually the youngsters
emerge with faces shinging like new
pennies and all trace of tears van
ished.
At the Salt Lake station the crowd
was much in evidence. Virtually every
train brought it's complement of COL
onists and the incidents enacted at
other receiving points were noticeable
here. In addition to the arrivals Sun
day, two special colonist trains are
scheduled to arrive today over this
road. The two trains will carry in ali
21 cars for the exclusive use of the
colonists
What the agricultural and Industrial
prospects Of the country and the city
are to the grown folks, the flowers and
n he
coming from congested districts of the
east tell how their little children ego
wild" with delight at the first sight
of the mountains, and weave wonderful
fancies of a future life in a land of
sunshine.
"Oh, mamma, we can have real
yard, with no brick, but only Just lots
and lots of green grass and flowers"
cried little 4-year-old Dorothy wray
who had spent most of her life in an
apartment house in Chicago "why,
mamma" she went on rapturously, IT
don't believe any little girl could be
bad out here. Could they, any little
girl be bad in California;"
Comm enting on the number of col
onists already here and the probabil-
ity of hundreds more coming, the of
fcials of the various lines agreed that
the influx of homeseekers this year
would be far in excess of the number
which came last year. The three great
lines having their terminals |
iere have made virtually all arrange
nents for colonist specials and these |
rains will bring perhaps 5000 addition
II into the city today and tomorrow.