The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-08-26
San Joaquin Valley, Aug. IA, 1916.


Our party arrived at Fresno, the
metropolis of this large and fertile
valley, which has been but about
fifteen years fruit growing section.
As in these parts there were thousands
Of acres held by the stock raisers, and
the cowboys (Who by the way are a
class by themselves), are still to be
seen here. Their boots and hats are
Of a style such as no other man would
wear and the cowboy, whether en-
ployed in that capacity or not, can
not be hired for any other sort of.
work. Some class to these fellows.
Alfalfa is grown extensively, being
cut eight times in a season. 1t is
baled and shipped. It looks too green
to be cured but the sun shines SO
brightly it cures quickly In this
valley raisin grapes are extensively
planted and hundreds of tons cured
and packed here. The apricots are
now harvested and disheartening feat
ure of the business is that last years
crop of apricots is still unsold. The
war is in a great measure the cause
of the slow market for fruits and of
the immense crop of splendid peaches
now being harvested there will be
acres of the fruit that will not be
picked and will go to waste as the
price will not warrant the further ex-
pense of picking and shipping. Aug.
18th we return to Los Angeles and
after good nights rest take an early
train up the valley line and for miles
out Of this beautiful city we are pass
ing through a fertile valley. At
Tornado we pass the largest olive
grove in the world A stream of water
white as snow is brought down the
mountain to irrigate this immense
grove of trees. We have been climb
ing the mountain and near Sangus we
pass through tunnel one and one-half
miles long and altogether we go
through twenty-seven tunnels in get
ting over this mountain range. The
Southern Pacific has accomplished
what probably no other railroad sys-
TEN in the United States has ever I'M
dertaken in its way through the noun
tains west Of Ogden and in the valley
line of Southern California. We pass
over the water pipe that furnishes Los
Angeles with water taken from the
mountain several hundred miles to the
northeast. At eleven a. m. we are in
Antelope Valley, where the scrub pine
and sage brush are all the vegetation
for miles. At Harvey we stop twenty
minutes for lunch, and then begin to
climb another spur Of the mountain,
but soon are in the valley where grain
and trees are grown. At Bakersfield
! in the oil region we see nothing to
entice us to stop for sightseeing trip.
August 18th we left for San Diego
early over the Santa Fe which at this
time is being little crowded and al
most every train is in from one to three
| sections, and certain to be late. We
were two hours late and when we had
lunch and entered the fair grounds the
| time for sightseeing for the day was
nearly over. The grounds are beauti-
full and the buildings, which are all
white, show to fine advantage, sur
rounded by such luxuriant growth
of vines, flowers and shrubs. The
display Of products which we visited
was mostly from the southern counties
Of California and probably is not sur
passed anywhere. For a good many
miles down the coast to San Diego
from Los Angeles the country is beau
tiful and the orange, olive and walnut
groves look thrifty and are loaded
] with fruit. But after we come nearer