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Letter From San Francisco

Letter From San Francisco image
Parent Issue
Day
27
Month
December
Year
1888
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The jiurney acroas the continent is not so wearisome as some are apt to imagine. Indeed it can be made restful and pleasant if one adapts him'self to the situation. With agreeable people in the car with you, and no detentions on the way, and no vexations arising from the management or self importance of officials, the journey will coms to an end with a wonder that it has been accomplished eo smoothly and rapdly. Such was the experienoe of a party who left Chicago on the afternoon of a certain day a few weeks sinci, and on the fourth day in the early morning were safely landed in Oakland. We had no changes to make from ono end of the route to the other, and most of the company who started with us continued to the end of the journey. One besemes accustomed to his section in the sleep-r and enjoys a kind of home-feeling with his reading matter and what may be needed for pres ent comfort around him. Recreation is to be found in the interesting incidents and varying scenery of the jjurney informing new acquaintances, in markin g the charac teristics of fellow travelers, and in whatever comes to your notice by the way. Ours was an uninterrupted succession of pleasant experiences, and nothing occurred that in the least degree had a tendeney to mar our comfort. We only hope that our return journey may give us similar satisactii n. We had a halt at Denver of se v eral hours and we were gratified that we hd ,he opportunity on a bright frosty inornng of going over (hat wonderful city that ïas sprung up as by magie so far inland. rlow it came to be bcated there is almost a mystery. lts growth ha? been most remar kable, and is still advancing with rpidity. Everything here reminda us of our great citiea at the East. The streets are crowded with a busy and enterprising population, the pubtic buildings are massive and ornamental, the houses of the people are inviting and appearance are so imilar that one can almost feel that he is walking the streets of Detroit or Chicago. In one point however tnere is a marked difference; prices are exorbitant, and the cost of living must be very great. Perhaps, however, wags and other incomes are correspondinly large. Alter leaving Denver on our way over the Rocky mountains, to break up th monotony, we had a wild snow storm, and we rather enjoyed the howling of the wind over taese lofty heights and the snow driven in sheets along our path. Perhaps it would not have been ating had we been snowea in lor aays as 9 not unfrpquently the case later in the season. But in well heated cars and comfortable surroundings it was not unpleasaot to look out upon the driving storm and ruffged landscape, without foresta or even the sien of a tree of any description. What use will ever be made ot this vast región is a problem. It is said that there are great stores of mineral wealth hidden away among these hills. Perhaps in this line it mny become of advantage, but it can never be made the habitation of man. The contrast is very great as we passfroni the gritnd mountain peaks of the Rocky and ihe Sierra Nevadas into the noted Sacramento valley, which well deserves the praii-e that has been bestowed upon it, as unsurpassed for beauty, fertility and luxurinnce. From this point onward we havj grandeur of Datnral scenery and wealth of agricul'.ure which must be seen in order to be appreciated. But descriptions of California, its scenery, climate and productione, are no longer needed. We have had sufficient in this line to SHtisfy us all, and it seems to me that relief from the oft-repeated atories would be an occasion of thank-igiving. Yet we are tempted to wnte that here we have no snow, no frost, no winds or fog. We have rain, more than is needed, we are told; but the days are warm, the hills are green, flowers are abundant, and in great variety, and the park invites thousands to enjoy its luxuriance. Since our former visit to San francisco few years since, there has been healthy and vigorous growth, and the city has reached out in every direction. Numerous b'.ocks of stone buildings have been erected in the business streets, several public ediBces of quite elabórate architecture have given place to old atructures which have served their day, long and numerous lines of cable cara thread every part of the city, the unsightly saad hills that abounded hvè been cut down,ravines filled up and dwellings and stores erected as far out as Golden Oate Park and far up into that attraclive section kuown as the Mission. It it a wonderful city in the enterprise and activity everywhere to be witnessed. in the difficulties that have been surmouoted, and the substantial work that has been accomplished. Southern California has its advantages over this section in some reepects, and bas been extolled beyond measure with the result of a large increase to the population. But it has not gathered in all the people or all the wealth. For San Francisco and the surrounding región rejoices in remarkable prosperity never more manifested than within the few years past. There is much around us to instruct and interest the visitor, and it would perhaps not be wearisome for some to read our jottings. We have had from the facilities afforded us, ?ome opportunity to gather information on several interesting pointg, but we will not trouble onr friends with these observations. California in winter is all that we anticipated, but there are other parts of our goodly land having equal, and in many respecta, superior vautages.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Register