The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-07-12
SEEING CALIFORNIA
a. J. VAIL WRITES OF THE SAN
.... YoAoulN VALLEY.

m. when our car moved out of Villa
street, Pasadena, and headed for
"over the hills and far away" A heavy
fog was prevailing and overcoats and
wraps were necessary for comfort, and
kept the lights burning for nearly
30 miles, then we were on higher
ground in the upper San Fernando
Valley, then the sun came up glorious.
ly and we sped along at a pace OF
from 25 to 80 miles an hour. AS we
passed the spot where the famous Los
Angeles aqueduct pours it's flood OF
waters from a tunnel through the
granite hills it glistened like silver in
| the rays OF the early morning sun.
Without hating, we sped on and en-
on the other side of the mountains.
| We then headed for the higher range
that lies on the south of the great
San Yoaquin Valley and reaching from
the Sierra Madre range on the east
and extending westward to the coast
range whose granite base is washed
| by the waters of the Pacific sea. AS
| we began the ascent we left behind
the smoothe Macedem road and tray
eled over dead granite bed that
made a very good base. For dis.
lance OF II miles we followed wind.
| ing way through the heart and to the
top of the range, where we reached an
altitude of 4,233 feet above sea level.
We halted several times to enjoy the
magnificent views afforded. There
| was not speck of cloud in the sky
and a pleasant north breeze afforded
real comfort with hats and wraps laid
aside. The road is wide enough
every where for cars to pass, the
grade is moderate, so that in only a
| few places you needed to change speed
| from high to intermediate. Bridges
and -culverts are made of cement, and
| while there are many canals s only
wreckless driving can be offered as
any excuse for accidents. This is
known as the bridge route, that Is We
do not thread of way through can
lyons, but climb steadily along the
mountain side until we reach the sum-
nit, sometimes running miles along
one side of range to the head OF a
canyon and then crossing to the OPP
posite ridge. In many places our. car
was more than a thousand feet above
the canyon bed but there was no ex-
cuse for taking a tumble as the road
bed will average twenty feet in width,
so we felt perfectly safe and the draw
ing way up in the sky did not affect
our nerves in the least. The car be-
haved beautifully and the load of five
| passengers and six valises did not
prove a matter of worry.
From the summit there is room for
mighty feast of vision. From posi-
could look southwark to the ocean
nearly 100 miles distant, westward
about the same distance to the Santa
Yritz mountains back of Santa Bar
bara, northward over the mighty
stretch of the San Yoaquin Valley
that comprises about the territory of
Iowa, eastward over the blistering
| sands of the Mojave desert. upwards
nto a cloudless sky and downward
upon lower mountain ranges and their
winding canyons caused through the
ages by the erosion of waters. 1t was
indeed an inspiring view; and we re-
called the declaration of the prophet
when he declared, How great, how
glorious, how magnificent are the
works Of God. In wisdom hast thou
made them all"
Speeding onward we rounded a
shoulder of the moutains where an
auto left the road, crashed through a
heavy planking guard and plunged in
to the dizzy depths OF the canyon, kill
ing the driver He must have been
driving reckless as there was ample
room and to spare Cat least 30 feetl
in which to make the turn. From this
point downward we coasted many
miles and at the mouth of the canyon
Cajone stopped for lunch. Then we
headed northward over a stretch Of
smooth Macedem in which there was
but one slight curve in forty miles,
and we danced along at thirty mile
clip, passing through Bakersfield, a
wonderful oil district which turns out
about 30,9O0,OO0 barrels monthly. At
Delano thirty-five miles north, We
parted company with G. d. Way who
staged it across the country TO his
ranch some forty miles east of
Fresno.
The San Joaquin Valley is almost
as level as floor, just a gentle slope
south and west and the mass of it is
yet in wild state. The soil is rich
but it needs capital on stupendous
scale to develope water and make it
wonderfully productive. II is nearly
one hundred miles wide and is con-
nected with the Sacramento Valley to,
the north, is some 700 miles long,
north and south. What wealth these
millions of idle acres can be. and
sometime will be made to produce,
seemingly enough to feed the world.
At Deleno we bought gas. seven
gallons, and noted that on that
amount we had run los miles. How
Is that for n Saxon Stx2 M Trash