Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-05-15
CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
RObt. Stead Describes Visit to Cali
fOrnia Places.
DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY.
Writes Letter Telling of Sights Seen
and Various Places Visited
During the Winter.
To NV Many Friends:

only well commenced, and there is
so much that we would like to say,
| will only touch some of the things
that come to my mind, and will not
go into detail on each subject that
| may mention. We think 1T is al
most impossible to write to each
separately, as it would take about
all our time, so if you will pardon
us, we will take the advantage of
your Editor, and let him take the
blame for publishing this article.
We left Decorah, Iowa, Jan. 9Th,
and the day was everything but in
v.ting to start on journey of this
kind. The snow was blowing at
terrible rate, and the mercury regis
tered | think about 40 degrees be-
low. We got to Calmar o. X, but
when We got there we found the train
service was demoraliZed. We stayed
there "a hours before they could get
a road open to Kansas City. At last
we started, and to say the best, 1t
was slow tedious trip. Upon our
arrival at Kansas City We found the
cold was almost undesirable. We had
to go few blocks to get hotel, and
will say that l never suffered as
did there with the cold; going out
of the warm car the cold seemed to
go right through us, mercury 20 be-
low.
We left there the next day. and it
was SO cold that the engine would
not work, for it was covered with ice
until you could not be sure whether
it was an engine or freight car by
the looks of it.
And that was the way it was all
the way until we got on the west
side of the mountains. Just long
tedious drag for nine days before we
reached the California border, and
as We arose and ate our breakfast,
and looking out the car window,
what change greets our eyes the
passengers seem to take on new life,
tor we are it seems in another world.
Even the engine seemed to re3u1oG;
For the first time since we left hOne,
we find ourselves windingsthrough
the valleys at a s45-mile rate.
What contrast The, snow COW
cred mountains on each side and the,
valley one continuous orchard, load
ed down with fruit, waiting for the
picking crews, for 1t is at this time
OF year that the packing houses are
in full blast. How warm is it," we
thear the passengers say, as they be-
kin to pull off their heavy wraps and
ta,ke advantage of every stop, to get
outside the car to get some fresh air,
which Is heavily laden with the per-
fumeA OF the orange blossom. The
passengers were all loud in their
praise, buh for us we can't help
using the words of Gabriel Weltstein,
in writing to Nhis brother. when he
says: Here W. are at last in the
great state of California. My eyes
are weary with gazing, anu my mouth
speechless with admiration, blt5 IN
my brain rings perpetuallyF the
thought: wonderful, wonderful, most
wonderful" I'VE arrived at Los An
geles at last, and can understand now
better than ever before, why it is
that it is called the City of the An
gels. We got hasty lunch, picked
up our grips, and took car for AL
hambra, to see some friends, whom
we knew were anxious to see us, and
am at loss TO say who was the
most pleased, our friends to see us,
or we to be there with them again
and enjoy the hospitality that only
those living in the west know how
to give.
The next day we went to the city
to look up the rooms that We had a
year ago, but found that they were
occupied, and everywhere We went,
we received the same reply: "All
full" Tired out, we went to w. t.
Armstrongs Che used to live south
of Canton) and stayed with them
~ xs,.A Lee Irc, . nd
took a street car for the city, in
hopes that / might be able to get
rooms close in, but in stepping off
the car at 9TH and Main street,
threw my knee out, or sprained it,
so that | had to be taken to hotel,
where | was confined to my bed for
several days. In the meantime, the
Mrs. found tire bungalow Of the
above No. to rent.
1t is only year since | left here,
but during that time the growth OF
the city has been such that it changes
lthe Los Angeles of 1910, with its
population of 319, 900, TO Los An
geles of 1912, with population OF
447, 900, and there is no question in
the minds of those who are in touch
with the business world, that in the
year 1920 it will be Los Angeles
with not less than 100000 people.
We people living in the middle or
eastern states have no idea what a
western man will do; things that we
would think impossible are done
right along every day. II seems as
though they had drawn from every
state in the union the very bright
est men and women that each state
had only one year ago | travelled
over fields OF grain close in TO the
| city, and today as | step into an auto,
or take car. find paved streets,
and built up solid, either with eleg-
ant homes or business blocks for
miles. And right here / want to
mention the way they build roads
here. Los Angeles county voted
S3,5OO.e00 for road purposes. and
toda counted IA autos pass by me
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