Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-01-27
ALL ENJOYING LIFE $
in CALIFORNIA
AUDUBON COUNTY PEOPLE DE-
LIGHTED WITH SUNNY CHM
ATE AND FLOWERS
Editor Republican:

county. Levi G. Kopp once said aft
er having been away from home for
some time that he would have been
glad to have seen even a yellow dog
from Audubon county. And while
am fully satisfied and enjoying the
stay here exceedingly. l oftimes think
of the garden spot OF the world call
cd Audubon county.
On New Years day we had the
pleasure of attending the Rose Pag-
cant at Pasadena, which was blessed
with as beautiful day, they say, as
has ever been enjoyed since the set
Element of California, A mammoth
special train carried the Long Beach
ers up to the Tournament of Roses
at Pasadena, beautiful place some
times called the millionaires city.
The splendor of this flower show is
said to surpass anything ever before
attempted. The parade consisted of
one hundred flower-covered floats,
a number of bands, numerous horse
men, the army, the navy, the Grand
Army Of the Republic, and much
miscellany made it one of the big
events of the west, witnessed by
nearly 100000 people. One float
was especially noticeable in view of
the fact that all the occupants wore
straw hats-and seasonably, too
for the day was warm. One float
that passed by was occupied by sea
bathers, scantily dressed, like they
always are, and they were Drowned
by California mid-winter sun. This
gigantic Tournament, ornamented
with natural flowers only, and being
held in the dead of winter, at time
when most of our country is covered
with ice and snow makes it the more
wonderful. New Years day and the
roses in full bloom is beautiful
combination.
A trip to Santa Catalina island a
few days ago was one of the most
enjoyable trips | ever expect to take.
This island is located southwest of
Long Beach and Is about two and q
half hours rCl The steamer on
which we went is an excellent pas
senger vessel and was just ready to
be started for Europe and pressed
into war service when the armistice
was signed 1t is 500 feet long and
is driven by twin screw engines of
1900 horsepower each. Has state
rooms, baths, hot and cold water,
rooms furnished in mahogany; wire
less telegraph, orchestra, etc Pas
f. sengers have the privilege of prac-
tically the entire vessel from the en-
CINE room to tho rNpeG deck, being
barred only from the officers quar-
tiers and such places as might inter-
fere with its proper management.
The twenty-six miles of delightful
sea voyage passes by the largest lum-
Der port in the world. / saw the
largest cargo of miscellaneous
freight ever loaded on earth, being
unloaded in the Los Angeles harbor.
An island we passed by was once
the grave Of number OF soanen
who lost their lives there in ship
wreck, and It was glen the gruesome
name of Dead Mans island. The
restless waves washed these bodies
out later, so they were finally all
removed to more secure resting
places. I might state here that a
larg steamer has to run very slowly
while in a harbor. for If 1t runs fast
it causes such large waves that it
tears all the small boats loose that
are in the harbor. The speed limit
is four miles per hour. / wish that
some of our speed demons who drive
autos were limited to that, and there
would be fewer accidents on our
highways. The ocean is said to be
about a mile and half deep in
places between here and Catalina.
However, / did not stop to measure
it. On reaching the island, our first
move was to take ride in the glass
bottomed boat and view the subma-
rine gardens When the sun is shin
ing II is said you can see down into
the water about eighty-five feet. 1t is
clear in the Avalon harbcr at Cat
alma, for there are no waves against
the shores. On this trip we stayed
near the land most of the time, so as
to see tie bed of the ocean through
the glass bottom of the boat. Thou
sands Of fishes of various kinds were
in evidence, presenting picture OF
rare beauty. TheYa v-9-n sea weeds
SO feet high and standing straight
mp in the water, like trees on the
land. Rocks covered With shells ana
moss ferns similar to evergreen
trees pr scented a picture of gran
deur. If you can imagine looking
dowr irfo the water as clear as crys-
tai and seeing rocks, shells, sand,
moss sea weeds, and thousands of
fishes swimming around among this
promiscu Gus view with no one to mo-
lest or make afraid, you have a pic
ture of supreme beauty, and f6r-once
Z at least, felt as though was in
fairy lard. The champion sea diver
of America, performed under this
boat According to his record he
koa cta ID he In
utes and 4S seconds, and has Owed
tiful shell secured from him rs a
memento.
Catalina is and is the pnettiest spot
| have viewed anywhere as yet. It's
town OF Avalon has a population OF
about six hundred at present, while
am informed they may have pop
ulation of probably ten thousand
next summer when the tourist travel
reaches there. Imagine the little
town of Avalon with magnificent
hotels, three church organizations,
and a school. bounded on one side
by The Pacific and on three sides by
beautiful mountains and you have a
picture of the seaport of Catalina.
WriRley, the chewing gum magnate,
Is Just ready to begin the erection
OF mansion on point just above
the town. Every boy or girl who
has bought stick of Wrigley gum
has contributed his or her bit toward
this ma lsion 1t seems rather odd
that man who has palatial homes
in Pasadena and other places should
care for an island OF the sea. When
first saw Catalina 1t occurred to
me that il would be q fitting foun-
dalton for that excellent song,
Beautiful Isle OF Somewhere"
The people of this region are very
jubilant at present over a heavy
rain which has fallen since wrote