Year: 1876

silence thus far, for on leaving your


city / promised to let you hear from


me as soon aswe were settled down in


our new home and enabled to give you
items of interest after sufficient time


to gather then.


Our journey to the far West" con-


sidering the distance, was a pleasant


one, the ever varying scenery compen-


sating for the tedious and otherwise


monotonous journey. The grand spec


tacles presented along depressions and
attitudes of the Rocky Mountains and


Sierra Nevada, as well as along the


coast from San Francisco to this place


Ca distance Of nearly FIVE hundred


miles) have been pictured to you by


more able writer's than your poor cor


respondent, and I will therefore pass


by them.


We arrived here on the 14th day of


October last, and / had the good for
tune to step into business on the day
of our arrival. and have no occasion
to regret the change in commercial
point of view, as business (Which was
paying mypredecessor) has been stead
lily increasing since | assumed the man
agement thereof (Do you think it is
on account of my good looks, or what?
Probably both.) Socially, however, /
look to the past fifteen years of habita-
ton in your midst with many pangs
and regrets, as it naturally requires
years to reimburse one for social and
intellectual enjoynents such as | had
the pleasure of enjoying in Tennessee.


The crop prospects of Southern Cal
ifornia were never as good as they are
this year; this is owing principally to
the great influx of immigration in the
past few years and the unprecedented
rain fall this season (being about 80
inches), which came at proper seasons
and generally gently. After an inter
mission of about six weeks, the heart
was again gladdened last Friday, the
21st inst, with a gentle days rain,
which was only beneficial, however, to
late sown cereals and is the means of
again bringing out the grass in places
where it was either pastured or cut.
The barley, alfalfa, clover and other
kinds of grasses, however, of which
great deal was already cut and partial
ly cured, suffered to some extent in
drawing out the nutriment Fruits of
all kinds have also been benefited by
the last rain and the prospect of
bountiful fruit, grape and nut crop is
excellent. Vegetables are in abund-
ance and have been so ever since we
are here. They are brought daily to
our door at nominal price, not ex-
cepting the more delicate kinds which
are to be had the year round and which
would be considered luxury in Ten
nessee. even during their proper sea-
son. Living, in fact, is cheaper here
than anywhere in the Atlantic States,
if may except rents and fuel and the
climate is such that even the high price
of fuel amounts to no more in the
year than it does in Clarksville, as we
burn less of it here, necessity not re-
quiring it.


The mercury at its lowest point at
any time during this winter indicated
330 to 340 Fahrenheit, and that only
few nights, the usual standard during
the winter being 40 to 30 degrees at
night and from 60 to IS during the day.
We have had some warm days, as the
natives call it, this spring the mercury
having risen to about 85 degrees at
times, but only remaining at that for an
hour or two. Thunder storms are
generally said to be unknown in this
part of California, but such an asser-
ton is fallacious as the last rain was
accompanied by slight roar of the
heavenly batteries and the accompani-
ment of flashes of lightning. This is
said to have been the first during the
past three years.


You need not infer however from
what 1 have said above that this is a
paradise, if we do live in the "city of
the Angels" 1t is said that there
are no roses without thorns," and this
section, with all of natures lavishness,
has its drawbacks; as broiled or fried
birds do not come flying to you unless
you make an effort to obtain them. To
obtain competence honestly, one has
to work for it here as we'll as in any
other country, and the poor laborer or
Indifferent mechanic is better off to re-
main where he is unless thereisa a check
upon Coolie importations, who fill
the places of men in humble life and
circumstances and at a nominal price.
Number one mechanics and men of
means can enhance their fortunes here
with more ease. The same may be
true of merchants with limited as well
as unlimited means, and professional
men after patiently waiting to adver-
tise their respective merits by con-
vincing proofs oftheir ability. There
are also many branches of industry in
a dormant state and a discerning mind,
with energy and little of the lucre,
can develop such branch to good
account.


The resources of Southern California
are unquestionably great and only re-
quires time and an influx of good
class of immigrants to develop it. Oil
wells are now flowing within thirty
miles of this city along the line of our
great thoroughfare. the Southern
Pacific Railroad, and are yielding al
ready princely incomes. Coal mines
are within forty miles of this city, but
owing TO their remoteness from any
publie highway they have not been