Surnames: BOSTON, ESTABROOKS The Carthage Republican Carthage, Illinois Wednesday September 21, 1892 Page 5 Column 4 A HANCOCK COUNTY PILGRIM. An Interesting Letter From R. J. Boston. — What he sees out West. FRESNO, CAL., Sept. 18, 1892. ED. REPUBLICAN. — A few lines from this country of tropical fruits may be of interest to my friends and your readers generally. I left Chicago Aug. 25, and after a pleasant journey through beautiful valleys and over high mountain ranges, and through miles of sage brush, I arrived at my destination, The Dalles, Oregon, nearly 100 miles east of Portland on the banks of the mighty Columbia River. Ten miles north of this place in Washington brought me to where my son Wesley lives. The country is not so pleasing to the eye as one might wish. However, farmers here are doing well. Stock thrives well here, in spite of the apparent shortage of grass. The pastures are not so short as they seem to be. A visit was paid to the soda springs on the Klicketat River. They are grand, as is also the surrounding scenery, which includes the ever snow-capped mountain peaks. Having remained here some days I took the boat for Portland, stopping off at Vancouver, where we visited the U. S. military grounds, the school for the deaf and dumb, and other points of interest. After a short visit to Portland, we took the south bound overland train for South Central California, and were soon speeding through one of the finest farm and fruit growing countries in the world. The scenery has been described many times, but a word about the Sacramento River, whose head waters we first sighted in the mountains of Northern California. The railroad makes a sharp curve here and runs upon the river's banks three miles, and makes another curve in a little valley and comes back again, 800 feet below in the river's bed. One can step across this little stream on the scattering boulders. After traveling down this mountain canyon a short distance we came to the Shasta Soda Springs, which is a great summer resort. We drank of the sparkling waters. The next morning we arrived in Sacramento and found our old friend Ben Estabrooks, formerly of Hancock Co. He came here in 1852 — 40 years ago, and was very glad to see me, taking me on a tour of observation over the city, which has many points of interest, including the pavilion, the state house and its beautiful grounds, etc. Through Stockton, Lathrop, Fresno, we arrived at Sanger, where my daughter lives. We found the weather exceedingly hot and dry. This is the home of the grape, fig, orange, lemons, and other tropical fruits. Wheat does not do as well here in the eastern San Joaquin valley as in other parts of California. There are many beautiful orange groves and vineyards here, but irrigation is required in order to raise fruit. Fruit lands can be purchased from $100 to $300 per acre. The chief drawback to this country are the long, hot summers. That portion of the country not irrigated presents the appearance of a dry, sandy, worthless desert. A poor man's chances are slim, yet fair wages are paid. Regards to all. Yours, etc., R. J. BOSTON