The Penn's Grove record., 1923-03-16
WONDERFUL CALIFORNIA
As Seen BY Penns Grove Folks
Ocean Beach, San Diego, Cal.
March . 1902

Mafch ., IJZ3.
My Dear Mr.. Summerill:
Here we are in sunny Southern
California, about as far south as one
can go in California, as it is only
about 10 miles from here to the
Mexican border.
We find in San Diego a more equ-
able climate than in Los Angeles.
Altho this is the rainy season, there
has not been an excessive amount of
rain. In fact, the last two months
have been much like April at home
with its sunshine and showers. The
brown grass of summer and fall is
turning to the green of winter. The
showers are rapidly bringing out the
flowers, of which there are almost end
less variety everywhere.
San Diego seems to be a growing
town of about 100000 population. The
U. S. Navy has a base here, also a
naval training school. This means
much to San Diego. Part of the
Pacific fleet was stationed here until
they left in February for their trip to
Panama. No demonstration was made
upon their departure altho they made
an impressive sight as they steamed
out of the harbor. A great welcome
is planned, however, upon their return
next month. Twenty huge steers are
to be barbecued and served as a part
of the entertainment upon which it is
planned to spend $1,000.
Ocean Beach, where we are staying,
is a part of San Diego, situated di-
rectly upon the Pacific coast. A fine
beach affords good bathing, altho the
water is too cold for comfort now. At
one end of the bathing beach the coast
changes abruptly to a very rocky one
with high cliffs and huge rocks thru
several of which the water has wash
ed tunnels, thus making natural
bridges. Large caves have also been
washed out along the shore, and into
these the waves roll with a boom like
the peal of thunder.
The late A. G.. Spalding, sporting
goods dealer and baseball magnate,
had a beautiful estate called Sunset
Cliffs on this part of the beach upon
which he spent many thousands of
dollars, the work only being partly
completed at the time of his death.
Many times during the winter while
San Diego was enjoying warm sunny
weather, we looked acros the snow
clad mountains only a few miles dis
tant. So rare is snow here that many
auto trips were taken out to these
mountains, some of the cars venturing
as far into the snow that it was only
with difficulty that they succeeded in
getting out.
Orange, lemon and olive groves
cover the land at the bases of the
mountains, while many acres are COM
pyiGaI ~ tho 1-ipoxro ,.Je ,.oicip~ cr,.o
for raisins.
A trip to Tia Juana, old Mexico, was
an Interesting experience we had re-
Gently. There we saw the horse rae
ing which started at Thanksgiving and
is still going on, and also got an idea
of the life associated with that sport
in Mexico. The race track is just over
the boundary line and practically all
who attend are Americans.
The races in which the horses start
ed from a stand were good, but we
we're quite as much interested in the
betting and gambling which accom-
panied them and was carried on in the
open. No race was started until a
signal was given that the betting
booths were closed and the half hour
between races was occupied by the
paying and taking of bets.
Below the grandstand were all kinds
of gambling devices, each surrounded
by a crowd of men and women gam
blers. A long bar was lined with men
and women drinking all manne of
drinks.
The town of Tia Juana has such a
bad reputation that we almost feared
to walk around it, but we watched our
step and had no trouble. It's improved
streets without sidewalks are lined
with low frame buildings, most of
which houses is a saloon or gambling
place, often a combination of both.
About April list we plan to start
up the coast to Seattle, Wash, stop
ping at points of interest on the way,
thence homeward by way of Yellow
stone Park, reaching New York in the
early summer.
We have been glad to find some
Penns Grove people in California,
among them Mr.. Joseph K. Munyan,
at the Hotel Maryland, Pasadena, and
here in Ocean Beach MI. and Mrs.
Frank Russell, the latter formerly
Miss B. Arete Johnson, of Penns
Grove.
With best wishes, I am
Very truly yours,