The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1920-05-27
Ed Smith is Enjoying California
Visit, III
Long Beach, California.

Long Beach, California,
S04 Pine Ave
Friend Hull: Thinking you might
be interested in hearing from us,
am writing you of some of the things
we saw on our recent trip TO san,
We in company with some relatives
drove in our auto, from here to San
Diego. This, in itself is most
beautiful drive of some 1926 miles
through beet fields and orange and
walnut groves, for the first half OF
the way and through barley fields
and close by the ocean side, the re
Beach at 10 a. IN. and after stopping
for picnic dinner by the roadside
at noon, We arrived in San Diego at
D. H.; We secured rooms at the
Frances Apartment" and found a
near by garage for our car and by
supper time we were at home in San
Diego; here we spent some ten OF
twelve days driving in our, auto all
over the city and also taking many
We have found out that while very
many sights in California may be
seen without an auto, very many
more indeed, may be seen and enjoy
ed if you can have your auto with
you. One place of much interest at
San Diego is the old Exposition
grounds where the Worlds Fair
many Of the buildings are still
standing Just as they were dur
ing the time of the fair. Here
you find long beautiful drives, bor-
dered with accasia and pepper trees,
beautiful gardens and grassy slopes
and walks flower bOrdered and cozy
seats in sheltered hooks; also here
you find the conservatory with all
kinds Of flowers and trees and plants
more beautiful than anything else
here, was their wonderful rose gar
den, acres of nothing but the most
wonderful roses; the most beautiful
kinds that can be budded and grown.
The latest success is called The Los
Rose and took the Worlds
prize in Paris. Here. is also the Great
Outdoor Organ built by "spreckels ;,
the Sugar King, and presented by
the fair. The organ is very large
pipe organ and is in a. building
constructed for it and has
a front which rolls up and away
similar to curtains before a stage,
which leaves the organ outside: Fac
ing the organ is a plaza which will
hold thousands OF people and here
afternoons one may hear beautiful
'recitals" played by some of the
worlds most famous musicians. At
fowl of all kinds. Parrots Of every
color and hue, and many kinds of
singing birds. Mirror Lake Is filled
with multi-colored fishes and the
most beautiful water lilies, all COM
bine to make this one of San Diego's
may find herd of buffalo and all
kinds OF wild animals. Close to San
Diego one may find the Cliff gar
dens, which some say are as beautl-
full as the rose gardens. Here you
may find almost every kind OF
flowers except the rose, A few miles
out you may see one of the greatest
U. S. Government Wireless Stations;
IIonnoIulu or New York. One day
we took little drive out toward the
some - miles or more
and saw the home of the great
singer Madame Schuman Heink,
whom so many have heard and loved
Who recently sang in Long Beach.
We also spent an afternoon at sun
,et Cliffs. This is one place no one
,rottos and cliffs cut in and washed
,ut by the action of the great ocean
ides; we saw them at high tide and
he water rushing into these grottoss !
nd caves sounds like the booming OF i
guns, and SO the solid rock
as been cut away for hundred
set or more re- in t places forming ndn{ great
ence the name. At San Diego, you
lighting ships, some IS being here
yhen we were here, and everyday
on may see Hydro planes rise right
ut of the ocean and fly away up in
he air and then come back and
light again in the ocean. Hydro
lanes make daily trips between
an Diego and San Pedro, California.
35 miles. Perhaps it will be Of
lterest to tell you how San Diego
sed by the city Of San Diego, a city
t some 100000 souls is brought
'om the mountains many miles
way; upon inquiring | found that
le water for the whole city was
elected and stored in series Of
lree mammoth reservoirs up in the
and brought to the city
y means Of aqueducts. The near
lies s. The Sne fartherest Of the IL three is
5 miles away. We went to see the
earest of these which is called
atay Dam pronounced OtD: The
alter is held in these reservoirs by
uge dams built of crushed granite
nd cement REINFORCED by steel at a
arrow place between the mountains,
nd here the melting snow and the
alter from the mountain streams
,llect during the rainy season and
held for use. The water is very
ear and cold. This dam at Oatay
not so large as one farther up in
he mountains, but it is surely a
affair; it is 250 feet wide
t the base and SO feet wide at the
op, $50 feet long and ITS feet high.
1t cost almost a million dollars
nd is estimated to hold nineteen
illions of gallons of water.
While we were in San Diego we
eceived letter from Mr.. and Mrs.
). A. Blackman, who used to live
n Blockley, but were now living in
Il Centre, to come over and visit
hem and they would show us the
ALLEY, and we quite gladly accepted
heir invitation. There is two ways
.:ol. q