The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1919-03-13
MIR. Sibley's Letter

DEAR JOURNAL: My previous letter
climb up the steep grade from Ashland,
Oregon, and going through tunnels for a
distance of about one hundred miles from
Ashland. | presume my description will
give to the readers of The Journal rather
a poor idea of the Shasta range of noun
tains, and if there is any one who wishes
nearer acquaintance my advice is to
take the trip.
After leaving Marysville l went to
Oakland Pier, where J. took train for
San Jose a distance of forty-seven miles,
and received very cordial reception
from our mutual friend, Col. Philo Her.
sey, and his son Edward and wife. His
son Ralph and wife live at Santa Barbara
so | did not see them. | was there five
days, and he showed me every attention,
and great many places of interest in the
city and vicinity, among which was the
Stanford University at Palo Alto, about
seventeen miles from San JOSE
There are 5000 acres belonging to the
University. which includes the Park, and
in the short time | was there | could get
only an imperfect idea of the buildings
and grounds, except of their vastness
| The buildings suffered quite severely at
the time of the earthquake in 1906 and
some of them had to be rebuilt The
beautiful church had to be entirely re-
built. 1t cost $1,000. 200 when it was
new, and the same cost when it was
rebuilt.
San Jose is beautiful city, has popu-
lation of about 10000, and its prosperity
is very largely due to the dried fruit in
dustry. think our friend, Col. Hersey,
has shared in its prosperity during the
thirty-five years he has been very promi-
nently identified with the growth of the
city and its industries.
was in San Jose five days, then went
to San Francisco, and stopped at the
| Stewart Hotel on Geary street. My
principal way to see the city was by
sightseeing autos and the street cars. |
went out to the Cliffs which is at the
entrance to the harbor at the Golden
Gate. and there | saw the noble Pacific
rolling huge waves onto the beach and
against the cliffs, but | did not see the
seals disporting themselves on the rocks
at the cliffs. 1t is wonderful how San
Francisco has recovered from the earth
quake and fire of 1906. | could not see
any vestige of the fire. in fact it is built
to the top of most of the hills. The cleo
trio cars, the cable cars and automobiles
have made all of these hills available for
building, but a very large portion Of San
Market street, a tunnel has been put
through one of the high hills, which has
opened a very large tract Of land TO
dwelling sites, and it is being quite ex-
tensively built upon. Frisco has now a
population of 500, 900, and is only exceed
ed in size by Los Angeles.
| had the pleasure of meeting my old
friend, B. M. Newcomb and his wife, He
has been away from Belfast about forty
years, and the most of that time has been
in quicksilver mining, and has been very
successful and is now retired. He has
two boys, both married and are continu-
ing on in the quicksilver mining. He
has very nice house at Berkeley, which
is opposite San Francisco. At the time
of the fire in Frisco in 1906 many were
made homeless and came to Berkeley and
very many made it their permanent
home. l took ride with Bert" in his
nice auto and saw a good deal of that
beautiful city and also Oakland.
From San Francisco l went to Santa
Barbara, where | stayed one night and
had the pleasure of few hours chat with
our former fellow citizen, Frank A. Con-
ant, but did not have the pleasure of
meeting his wife. l learn he has been
very successful in his business
1t is a pleasure when | meet in my
travels with former Belfast residents to
know they have made good.
+ From Santa Barbara | came to Los
| Angeles aid took a train on the Pacific
Electric for Whittier, California, which
is about twenty miles from Los Angeles
and was there about ten days at the beau
tiful home of my cousin and her daugh-
ter. | do not wish in any one letter to
take up very much of your valuable
space | remain
Very cordially yours,
EDWARD SHELLEY
Pasadena, Calf, Feb. "a, 1919.