Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-07-20
VIM. ]. wAGGoNER 81 YEARS OLD
Former Vernon Resident Writes En-
tertainingly of the West
Los Angeles, Cal. MAY %. 1921.


Los Angeles, Cal. May %, 1921.
Brother Parker: / have been busy
for three hours preparing to visit
with you. Several other matters to
get out of the way that came up as |
went through my letter files. 1t seems
you wrote me Jan. 81, 1920, as the
last ! have. | thought had letter
from you last fall that put me in
your debt. However, the one ! just
read is full of interest as it recounts
your 18th anniversary and wonderful
feat of putting out all the candles at
one blow" / never saw that done.
We had good time at wife's 18th,
April 18th last. She has a brother,
wife, son and wife, living at Long
Beach, 25 miles from here. So ar
rangement5 were made for friends
here to 90 there and picnic in Bixby
Park. There were twenty of US, but
the day was cold ant had to keep on
our wraps and enjoyed the warm cof-
fee. The auto ride was not real pleas
ant, as the day was cloudy and windy
All ate like pigs and then lunched
with Joe's at their home in the even
ing. We got home about 10, tired
but not hungry.
Have had the most cold weather of
any winter since here, while you peo-
pie have had the mildest. While we
call ours cold, it would be mild COM
pared with your best But you are
keyed up to the kind of weather you
are to have by thick blood and closed
pores and heavy clothing; while many
here wear the same as in June Ny
underwear is little lighter than what
/ used in February. We are having
an unexpected and continuous rain
storm since a. m. the Goth. 1t is
now p. m. of the 22nd, and it is
still raining. Comes down easy; no
heavy showers, except few minutes
at a time. 1t is spelling some alfal-
ia hay, strawberries, and newly plant
ed beans of which there are hundreds
of acres hereabouts. But it will help
all crops and especially. good for
ranches not under ditch. Our pint
of milk costs IL cents, but we hope to
have that righted. Strawberries at
25c per box / don't mind as / won't
buy them. A few weeks ago / paid
35 cents for two pints and had a
short cake. like to get more food
for the money than they afford. A
slice of smoked ham last evening was
80 cents. Sliced bacon 65 cents per
pound. Only the choice cuts of meat
are so high. Is cents buys some
kinds that may happen to be good
and tender, but its a lottery. Bread
"a OF. 12c; corn meal Sc per pound !;
butter, 40c; eggs, 32c ! keep chick
ems so sell few eggs. Get soc here in
Highland Park, but daughter Grace
lives Ii miles from here in a new
western section of the city, near Hol-
lywood and the Movie Section, where
everything has been booming and high
prices maintain. She has to pay 40c,
so wife expects to go over tomorrow
and take her some soc ones. They
have business over there on Western
Avenue, where prices of real estate
often get out of sight in "a hours.
A $4,000 lot in months time may be
$4,000. 1t is wonderful how cities
grow and the difference in localities.
greatly prefer to live in this sec
ton, but there is the place for spec
ulation, and all are fine properties
They started off with high restrictive
price and are more than maintaining
them. To get anything to live in
when they moved there last June,
they had to buy in order to locate
near their business, and a room
bungalow cost nearly $4,000, which
is $4,000 more than the same would
be worth where we are. By the way,
| am having a bungalow built-5
rooms, bath and screened porch !;
house size 26x40 and foot studs,
porch 7x12 and front porch 7x11. In
Is days was up and plastered. Hope
to live in it before middle of June.
1t is an expensive time to build, but
/ could not buy to suit me, nor rent
where we would like, at the right
price, so persuaded my folks to let
me build, as l felt / could save over
the sellers prices. Bought lot adj
joining Roses home 5615x150 for
$4,000. 1t is a big lot and too much
money tied up in it just to live on,
when by going off a few blocks could
buy for $1,000. But location in a
city means great deal. We will be
a little over one block from the best
corner and the heart of this locality
which is like a suburb as we have all
kinds of business and do not need to
go down into the business center of
the city for anything. That is 8
miles or 25 minutes ride on a street
car, of which we have two lines, are
AAN h4OShS a part anu We VIII hNS
between them. The SanteFe line runs
between them. The owner of the lot
lives in Toledo, Ohio Has owned it
80 years, Sc made no money at that
price. ! have been negotiating with
him six months TO get him down, but
when / found others were after 1t, |
accepted his offer and could have
sold it Immediately at an advance.
Am now considering an offer TO sell
80 feet off the rear TO one party ad-
joining, and q strip 10 feet wide 70 a
party on the east side, who has 25
feet vacant, and he would build a
house on them. / have bought and
sold real estate ever since came here.
1t was hard business during 1917, is
and 'I9. August 1919 | had equities
in 5 dwellings and four vacant lots.
| sold the best seller that month for
so per cent less than It would have
brought six months later But the
Saline was ceood and IN one wear had