Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-08-22
Letter From D. n. RosI.

PeedIey. Cal. Aug. 15.--Editor
Reflector: thought l would write
Iyou a few lines and LET my friends
know that l am still alive. We have
had IT tolerably warm here this sum-
mer. but at the present time the
weather is nice and cool. We have
been busy the past two weeks drying
peaches which are a good crop. We
Just returned q short time ago from
trip to the coast There were nine
in the party. Went in two Overland
autos and had a fine time. Left
Peedley July %; from here we pass
Through some very nice country and
then some very poor, used mostly
for grazing purposes. Here we come
TO the San Louis ranch Of $4,000
acres, pass the ranch house which
done service in stage coach days. II
still shows the marks Of the outlaws
the weatherboarding being full Of
bullet holes. Here we pass over the
first range OF mountains and enter
the San Clair valley. This is a very
fertile valley, pass through quite
number of small towns which are
not worthy of mention until we come
to jacksonville. This Is a very pretty
town of about five thousand. Every
thing seems to be kept In first class
shape. The county for miles around
here is devoted to apple raising. They
claim they shipped five thousand
cars out of this town last year and
the trees are as full as they can
hold this year. From here we go
to Santa Cruz. Here we get our
first view of the ocean. This is
town of 10000. Stayed here several
days; this is a summer resort and
was carnival week and there were
thousands of people there. The coun-
| try around here is the most produc-
tive of any / saw. Berries and veg
etables of all kinds grow here to
perfection. 1t is also great place
for pears and plums and the land
of flowers of all descriptions. They
seem to grow without any care just
like weeds grow in Kansas. They
certainly were fine. The climate here
lis ideal. From here we took a trip
of six miles to see the big trees. This
is mountainous road, very narrow
and very dangerous, mountains on
one side and canyons on the other
and so crooked some places you could
/, not see an auto ten feet ahead of
you. There is great deal of travel
on this road and yet not many &C
cidents. There are some very large
trees here and very high. The seem
cry around here is fine. From Santa
Cruz we go to San Francisco by
way of San Jose. This is nice city
of about 10000. There seems to be
plenty of money here. This is the
incest place we saw on our trip. The
country around here is good. This
is great prune and apricot valley
and they also raise lots Of small
fruit. From here we go to Oakland.
This is quite city. From here we
take the ferry and cross the bay to
San Francisco. This is a seven mile
trip. was disappointed in Frisco.
Expected to see a level city but 1t Is
just the reverse. 1t is a business
place but not very pretty, We stayed
here two days. The weather was
very COOL Plenty of people wearing
overcoats in the morning. / was
unfortunate by not having one but
wishing had From here we started
from home August 2, which is 20
miles. Stayed one night at Modesto.
This is a very pretty little town;
reminded me very much of Abilene.
This is stock and grain country
and a good looking country too.
They were harvesting and threshing
all at the same time in quite num-
Der of field. Thirty-two mules
hitched to each machine and looks
like quick method, but they drive
very slow. Some of the grain was
very short and thin on the ground.
We arrived home Aug. 3, making
very good time thought. We ira
veled altogether 635 miles and all
the trouble we had with both ma
chimes was one small puncture, which
speaks pretty well. Wishing the Re-
| Hector and all my friends success
will say goodbye.-D. M. Ross.
FARMERS CANNOT BE FOOLED.