Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-05-22
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Peoples Forum
Barnhill Again Writes.
Lodi, Cal, May 16, 191t

Editor Tidings: Came down here
last week to see if it were true that
the people didn't do much else but
fight fleas in summer and blow fog
horns in winter. 1t seems they also
raise few things, such as grapes
and disturbances, umbrellas and al
monds, prunes and potatoes. The
disturbances are raised when the
grapes are turned into wine and TAX
en- internally. The drys lacked only
seven votes Of closing the saloons in
Lodi, and this year the latter are
practically sure to be put out Of bust
ness.
Lodi is the Ashland of San Joaquin
county, being the finest residence city
east of Oakland and south of Corn
ing 1t has population of about
1000, magnificent churches and
schools, no delinquent taxes, beauti-
full homes and paved streets. The
municipality owns everything that a
city usually owns and a paving plant
in addition. A million dollars worth
Of grapes are produced each year and
vast quantities of almonds, apricots,
prunes, watermelons, and other farm
products too numerous to mention.
Rev. Schwimley, at whose hospita-
bic home / was entertained, is right
in the swim here, living in new
$4,000 parsonage, riding in big,
black automobile and on Sundays lis
tening to $4,000 pipe organ which
the brethren have recently installed
in his church. Andrew Carnegie put
$1,000 into this organ, considering
it fine peace proposition. The port
ly pastor of the Lodi Congregations
church and his devoted wife have
been working like beavers since leav-
ing Ashland and are seeing the fruits
of their labors, not only in material
improvements to church property but
in increased membership and spirit
ual activity. The Sunday school has
been built up until its membership
equals that of the church, 250, many
of the classes meeting in the old par
sonage.
Max and Leslie are following in
the footsteps of their hard-working
father, each Of them doing janitor
work in grade school building
mornings and delivering daily papers
evenings, one having a ten and the
other an eighteen-mile route. Last
summer Max put in a perspiring
month with railroad section gang.
Leslie started in high school five or
six weeks behind his class, but soon
caught up and made an average grade
of SO for the year. All the Schwim-
leys appear to be well liked, the eld-
est son being especially favored by
pretty peacherino of the poppy state.
They all read the Tidings eagerly
when they receive copies and are still
much interested in the Granite City.
Have put in most of the past two
days riding over the country with
Frank Lyons, the county agricultural
agent. We saw lots of interesting
sights, including some badly frosted
vineyards. This is the twelfth rich
est county in the United States, the
annual products being valued at
about $9,OOO,OOO.
Saturday at Sacramento | had the
pleasure of seeing a parade Of 10000 |
school children, at the Causeway
Celebration, the occasion of jubilation
being the completion of a trestle |
roadway many miles long over the
swamp lands west of the city. 1t
was a wonderful parade, equalled |
only by the children's parade at the
Portland Rose Festivals.
Hoping to soon have the pleasure
of seeing all our friends in good old
Ashland town,
o. H. BARNHILL.