The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-09-02
NEWS OF
KENOSHA COUNTY
SALEM.
Laton, Calf, Aug. 26. 1915


This town is 20 miles south of Fresno
and near the Kings river which forms
a boundary between Fresno and Kings
counties. This is small place but
has many Of the comforts provided in
the larger villages. This is owing to
dealers in real estate who see to it that
the prospectus which they furnish in
advertising their land is lacking moth
ing that would be inquired for by their
prospective purchasers. There is a
church which is intended to accommo-
date any or several denominations, if
they choose to occupy it. A bank, a
library building, a high school, several
stores and garages, electric lights and
water. The Santa Fe railroad carried
the mail which is brought in here four
times day. Telephone service eight
hours in "a. While the principal oc-
cupation of the rancher is fruit raising
the low prices have had tendency to
discourage the producer and stock rails
ing and dairying is being taken up and
alfalfa raised on ground formerly plant
ed to peaches. Hogs also are now raised
and allowed to run in, the peach or
chards where the trees are loaded with
fruit and it does not pay for the pick
ing. Here as well as elsewhere the
fruit growers are handicapped by the
trickery Of nursery men, and when their
peach orchard comes to bearing they
find there is no uniformity of fruit, and
there are peaches IN all stages of ripen-
ing. The expense of pruning and cult
waiting and providing props for an or
chard is considerable, and when land
that is selling from 5000 to $500 an acre
is being used for this purpose one can
understand something Of the problem
the fruit raiser faces in this state. The
roads are built on a level with the levee
and yet at times the whole country is
overfowed, as it was two years ago. A
winter flood does but little damage but
a food in June destroys all grain. The
houses are all built up from the ground
and when the rivers overflow the ranch
er who is prepared for this emergency is
particularly fortunate.
Indian corn does not do we'll here, but
a very good substitute is found in a
corn called Gyp corn, and it grows very
much the same as the kafir corn and is
a fine feed for fowls. Many ranchers
keep quantities Of poultry and eggs
are now bringing 80 cents per dozen
The population of this section Of the
San Joaquin valley is made up of people
from nearly every state, and Mexico has
not few, as well as China and Japan
to represent their native manner of liv-
ing. The man who probably can write
the biggest check is from Massachu-
sets, and with his wife came to Cali
fornia in 1850. He has a big stock
ranch and other interests here and al
though 50 years old. is able to look
after his interests.
The large oak trees, which closely re-
semble the burr oak of Wisconsin, grow
to immense size and their shade is
sought by those building for resi-
dence. A tree six feet in diameter and
its branches covering 100 feet stands
within sight of the church mentioned.
The soil looks strange, as it is void
of stone and full of mica or something
that glistens in the sun, and is the color
Of the dust in the roads in Wisconsin.
But it is not all this color for the alkali
beds are so scattered throughout this
valley and many a trusting investor
has lost his money by not understand
ing the conditions of this.
We go from Fresno over the Southern
Pacific to San Francisco, to spend a
short time at the Panama Exposition on
our return trip.