The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1922-01-07
John B.SIater Tells
About California
Bay Country Around San
Francisco Has Many
Interesting Features

Lear cAdHnHcTs III tiiC hShS "
pleasing ideals, Oakland, California,
is a playground of unusual interest
to the traveller. 1t has fine hotels
modelled for both luxury and con-
venience. 1t has institutions OF
learning of a high order, and this
assertion applies to the public school
system. Mills college for women en-
joys a wide and popular reputation as
one of the greatest of American edu-
cational Institutes. The pride of the
city is in its fine churches, and any
one of its pastorates may we'll be
considered as a prize by the min
istry. The Masonic Home for the
state is located near by, and places
of similar interest may be numbered
by the score.
The residential portions of the
city are, in many respects, unique
and certainly attractive. The Moor
ish and Spanish types of architec-
ture feature most of the fine resi-
dences, and the structural material
of them is stucco and concrete; and
a residence costing upwards Of $780,
900 is not unusual. Tucked away in
a commanding view on the benchy
slopes overlooking the city, the bay,
the Golden Gate and the blue Pacific
ocean the occupants in such a grand
and inspiring situation must exult
in the supreme extremity of home.
The moist and balmy winds from the
sea play a fine part in the beauty of
the scene which extends for miles
along the rugged hillsides covered
with green of grass and trees of both
native and artificial growth the year
round. The climate here is ideal for
both pleasure and comfort. Some
times, but not frequently, in the
winter season a light snow tips the
crest of the higher hills in sight of
the city and breaks the monotony of
the otherwise unchanging seasons.
One of the beauty spots of the
city is Lake Merritt, comprising an
area of probably 200 acres in the
heart of the residential district i'm
mediately east of the business dis
trict. 1t is a depression supplied
with salt water from the bay. A
fine drive follows the curve of the
water line and receding grassy
slopes reaching back from the en-
tire shore are terraced and parked
with trees and shrubbery until the
scene is one of entrancing splendor.
Facing the park are some of the
finest residences in the city and the
municipal auditorium with capacity
of $4,000 people overlooks the south
entrance. Here in the winter season
wild ducks from the frozen north
and, even it is said, from far south
ern climes, gather by hundreds
of thousands. However much they
may have been driven by hunters of
their far lands, here they come, un-
afraid, and gambol with freedom and
safety in the midst of populous sur
roundings. The city furnishes food
and children come trooping down t.
the shore and feed them as they
would the domestic fowls at home.
Boating parties skim over the sur
face of the water followed by focks
of these feathered visitors, and SO
popular is the event of their arrival
that the people have set aside day
in January for celebrating the "Wild
Duck Festival" Last year we are
told that over $4,000 people partici-
pated in the festival, either as par
ticipants or spectators, and that the
ducks enjoyed the occasion with as
great pleasure as the people. 1t is
strange that wild birds that are so
shy and unapproachable in their ma
tive haunts and guided alone by in
stinct can so suddenly reconcile
themselves to domesticity. In the
spring they return to their wild re-
treats and resume the struggle
against the huntsnen for liberty and
life, rear their young under such try
ing influences, and repeat the trans
formation each succeeding year.
They congregate in no other place
but Lake Merritt, for here they
know they are safe from the ready
rifle and from starvation, two of the
most deadly enemies of creation.
Near the edge of the park sur
rounding Lake Merritt is natural
history museum housed in large
residence donated for this use by one
of the "frst citizens" Here may be
seen relics of early California uses
back to the beginning. The most in
teresting collection to my mind, were