Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-08-18
LIVING ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP

Editor Democratic is most
beautiful drive at sea level, from
Los Angeles. Calf, to Santa Bar
bara, with $50 miles of beaches.
where movie people have perched
their costly homes on the bluff
above the sea. The road in Cali
fornia, is called Ell Camino Real,
the Road of the King. 1t is ce..
ment road running from British Co
lumbia to Mexico, one of the long
est in the world We pass Ventura,
home of lima beans, and Carpen~
taria, once the home of Robert
Louis Stevenson.
Santa Barbara is called the "Cali
fornia Riviera For many reasons
it is we'll named 1t has dry and
equable climate, made so by south
ern exposure. 1t lies in charm
ing crescent between the Santa
Ynez range and the sea. The noun
tains shut off the extreme tempera-
lures Of the desert. The crescent
beach is protected by series of
islands, 27 miles away. They form
barricade against the ocean waves
and winds. Vigorous and invalid
alike find here a great attraction,
in the balmy climate.
The city is the seat of Santa Bar
bara county. 1t differs from other
cities, in its quaint air and Spanish
appearance. There is a determined
effort to keep it SO. The court
house is Of the Spanish Moorish
type. 1t is a remarkable building
with rich, colorful interior decora-
tions. Its ceilings and pointed
arches are decidedly Moorish, sug-
gesting the Alhambra. It's glazed
tiles are from Tunis, Africa The
elegant rubber tiles of the floors
are from the Akron Goodrich fac
tory. The building suffered in the
earthquake of 1925. 1t was rebuilt
cost is nothing in this state It's
thrill, as you view mountains, ocean
and surrounding country. An i'm
mense treasure chest is shown, of
pirates who operated here 800
years ago. The iron had a quality |
which prevented rust. An i'm
mense Yale key still opens the COM
bination lock of great dimensions.
The jury sit in rocking chairs! The |
prisoner goes to Jail over a bridge
of sighs! Over the majestic door you |
read Reason is the life of the law"
The Riviera dominates the city,
reaching 500 feet above. Beautiful |
drives lead to great estates that
have been built here. The formal
garden of Lolita armour would fas-
cinate many, with it's cascades,
broad paved walks and terraces.
The Henshaw estate seemed desert
ed and fallen into decay, it's owner
in Paris. Raymond Moley,
Senator McAdoo and many of note,
have homes here. We visited great
hotels, like that of Mrs. Spreckles,
he Samarkand, Ell Mira Sol, the
and the Ell Elcanto The
after has 10 acres of flowers and
shrubs, semi-tropical in luXuriance.
n fact everything seems semi~tropi-
al, in this climate, where the tenn
oerature ranges from Sc to GO de-
srees, winter and summer.
We were entertained in a lovely
home on the mountain top, that of
Dr.. and Mrs. J. M. Mellinger, driv-
ng in a thick fog over an ascent
or II miles. But in daylight, the
scenery was wildly beautiful. One |
could see the ocean, and 27 miles :
way, high above the sea. the Chan
lei Islands, Anacapa. Miguel, Rosa
md Santa Cruz. Next to the sea
vas fertile Goleta Valley, with
'anches of orange, prune, olive and
walnut, the latter, the diamond
,rand Of great size. Cactus gardens
around the home, intense blue sky,
he Santa Ynez heights above, can
IONS, native deer, and vultures soar
ng above canyons, made a COM !
)osite picture so alluring it will
lever be forgotten. 'Never any !
where on earth have the forces of {
lature so successfully conspired, to !
'reate beauty. 1t must always be |
he despair of poets and painters" {
ays noted writer.
We left Santa Barbara over San
Marcos Pass. This same Pass, Fre- t
mont used when he entered Santa
Barbara, and finally received the
of the territory from the
Mexican authorities. 1t must have
,een little more than a burro trail
when Fremont used it. He had in
ended to come through Gaviota
'ass, west of the city. The Mexi-
ans planned to ambush his army.
hey could crush it with heavy
tones rolled down from above The
Ian was discussed in a certain ho-
Ell. Benjamin Foxen overheard the :