Has San Diego A "back County?"

Fob The Register: I have been asked repeatedly my "im pressions" oL San Diego and vicinity, bu one'sindividual ïsipressions are many time misleading, even dangerous, f relied upon as a verity; so I have waited to obtaiu (acts wbich alone are of value to those eeking information, and for the benefit of uch who re unable to obtain it, and who would gladly welcome euch knowledge, I ïavo taken come trouble. Learing the state of Michigan and the beautiiul city of Ann Arbor regretfully, I came here a ''straager in a Hrange land" and soon began uriously to inspect my sürroundingp. "Barren," I said, "all barren." A "bay," a fine climate no doubr, but that is all. I drove over hills covered wilh sage brush and cacti, sending forth an odor of dried herbs, and I said &o "back country," nothing to feed and support a city, how can it growand prosper? Many sojourners here who do not remain any ength of time have come to the same conclusión. But take a carriage or motor, go hree or four miles out in any direcüon, 'ou will see small but beautiful homes, ranches (as they are called here if only containing ten or fifteen acres) of daik reen velvet lookicg orange, 5e, olive, and ipricot trees, in fact too reat a va-iety to enuEEerate, all growir.g with wondeiful uxurience; and this is not aj, there ara vegetables of every description. Sin Diego has as one of its many enerprises a"Chamberof Commerce," which orresponds 10 the Pomológica! Society of iichigan. In this building, for it has one used exclusively by the society, are exhibteJ coi stanily samples of the best Iruits nd vegetables of the surrounding country, ea there fruit, meions and vegetables f such enormous size and weight, I dare not give their ditnentious, fearing my ve aclty might be qiestioned. A branch of bis Chamber ot Oommerce is tbe '"Ladies Annez." Regular weekly meetings are leid and the mmbert-hip has reached bout two hundred and fiity. Being invied to join this "annex," through it I am ble to g vh you some interesting fac:s, or these ladies were mvited by the lad:e f El Osjon valley, 12 miles out by rail, to omeanJdine with them. This is Caliornia hopitality. I need not say that to uch an inviiation no 'regrets" weie reuined. An hour's ride brought us to the tation, where carriages of every d( scripion awaiied us and we were driven to all loints of interest in this bea'iti:ul valley, which is fix square miles 1 ng and five wide, a ventable "garden of eden." We aw large orehards of orangs trees laden with Iruit whicli will ripen in ÏVbruary. )oe ranche, belonging to Mjor Chase of San D.ego, has 150 acres in fruit and 1600 evoted to other purposes. This is the argest one in the valley, though there are everal very fine ones besides, The raisin rape eeemed to le the principal product nd a field of 150 acres of these grapes wss a magnificent sighf. There are three lacking houses in thn valley and a visit to hese was the crowning feature of the day. will briefly describe one of these, which 8 the property of J. T. Gordon. It is a arge building, perlectly arranged and in unning order. Many of the runene ownrs sell all iheir grapes to Mr. G irdon and tiey are prepared for market in this house, 'here were ruiils, looking totnething like he old f anning mili, which were worked by ne or two men. Into these the rai6ins re thrown and shhken viirorously, the mail ones dropping through, for it is a wire gice or screen, the large one remaining in the drawer. This house emtloys 125 men and womerj, the latter doii.g nost of ihe sorting and ptcking. From ,000 to 1,500 boxea of twenty pounds i ch are packed in a day, and are sol I on oard the cars thereand shipped to Chiago, Boston and New Yrk, at pnces anging from $1 15 to $1.90 per box. One f the girls who was paeking told mp they ould of ten make (rom $2.00 to $2.25 per y, as ihev work by the pieee. The men eceive $1 70 a day, and this industry lasts hree months. T made striot inq nry of he working people, fomeol whum were very intelligeut, 'idmsure my iiiformaion is correct. Dr. Shepbard, who owns a rinche tht-re and who had several ladies n hls care, told me that one acre well manged wculd grow from four tolive tons of grapes. In addition to an elegant unch served by tbe ladies oL ttie valley, each guest was presented with a twnqiart aper bag, nearly filled with delicious jrapes ot several varieties, with a card atached reading, "Cjmpliments of L ïdies of il Oajon Vallev." Among the ladies present was Rjse Hartwick Tborpo, author of 'Corfew ehall not ring tonight." This is only a glimpse of one of the valeys which surround San Diego for miles, and one who investigaies will decide there s a '"back country" worthy of so enterrising a city. San Diego, Cal,, Oct. 21, 1889.