AND PACIFIC

downs” are very rapid; one is rich to-day,
with gold to throw away, then poor to-
morrow, without a farthing in the world.

Alameda county is noted for its peculiarly
rich and fertile soil, which seems espe-
cially adapted to the cultivation of all kinds
of fruit and vegetables, the size and weight
of which are truly marvelous. This val-
ley is the currants’ home, which are raised
in immense quantities. Here is located a
large drying establishment, by the Alden
process. ne man, a Mr, Meek, has a
2,200 acre farm here, on 300 of which, are
250,000 currant bush¢s, 1,200 almond trees,
4,200 cherry trees, 8,000 prune and plum,
1,500 pear, 2,500 apple, 1,500 peach, and
2,000 apricot trees, besides six acres in
blackberries, and many orange trees.

Another poor fellow has 120 acres, on
which are 2,000 plum trees, 2 000 cherry,
1,500 pear, 1,000 apple, 400 peach and apricot
trees, and 25 acres in currants and berries.
Still another individual has 100,000 cur-
rant bushes, and the fourth, raised in 1877,
200 tons of pumpkins, 300 tons of beets,
and 20 tons of carrots. Currants grow as
large as filberts; cherries, three inches in
circumferance; plums, pears, apples,
peaches, and apricots, extraordinarily
saree, while carrots grow three feet long,
and weigh 35 pounds; cabbages, 75 pounds;
onions, five pounds; water-melons, 85
pounds; pumpkins—well, no scales cun
weigh them—pears, 34¢ pounds; straw-
berries, two ounces; and beets—not Avode-
lums—200 pounds. These beets beat in
weight those raised in any other coun'ry—
so far as heard from—and, one of our aged
and revered philosophers once said “they
beat the devil."—Possibly, we are not
sufficiently educated io make any posttive
statement of the kind that could be taken
as reliable All kinds of grain yields are
enormous.

From Lorenzo, it is 2.7 miles to

San Leandro—This place contains
a population of about 2,000. It was once
the county seat of Alameda county, but that
honor was taken away to enrich Oakland,
yet the citizens seem to stand the loss, and
do not stop in their efforts to improve and
beautify the town, or in raising the finest
and largest vegetables in the State.

The next station is 4.2 miles distant,
called

Melrose—This is a small station at
the junction of the Alameda railroad. Close
beside the mountain, on the right, is lo-
cated the Mills Seminary, for young ladies.

 

COAST GUIDE. BAL

The building cost about $100,000. The
grounds occupy 65 acres, and are most
beautiful, in trees, lawns, etc.

ALAMEDA — Alameda county, is four
miles to the left of this station. Popula-
tion 1,600. It is situated on the eastern
shore of San Francisco Bay, four miles
from Alameda Point, and ten miles from
San Francisco, with which itis connected by
ferry boats, by the San Francisco & Ala-
meda railroad, and with the “Central” at
Melrose. It has good schools and
churches and elegant private residences.
The town abounds in beautiful groves
of oaks. The Encinal and other parks are
very beautiful. It is a favorite resort for
bathers and for picnic parties from San
Francisco. The Hnetnal and Argus, both
weekly papers, are published here.

Passing on to the westward, the traveler
will note a race track on the left, where
some of the best blooded stock in the State
can often be seen exercising.

Near by is a large smelting furnace, for
manipulating gold, silver, and other ores.

We are now passing through what—
only a few years since—was an open coun-
try, now the suburbs of a big city, that is
known as

East Oaklamd—once called Brook-
lyn, 2.8 miles from Melrose. An incor-
porated part of Oakland—a very thrifty
place—is separated from the old city by
an arm of San Antonio Creek, but con-
nected by bridges. East Oakland and
Oakland are situated on the eastern shore
of San Francisco Bay, on ground which
slopes gradually back fiom the bay for
several miles to the foot-hills, or base of
the Contra Costa Mountains, in their rear.
Upon this sloping ground «re built many
elegant “out of town” residences of the
merchants of San Francisco, which com-
mand a beautiful view of their city, the
Bay, the Golden Gate, and the surrounding
country.

A short distance to the northeast, in a
canyon of the mountains, are situated the

“PrepMontT Waite SULPHUR SPRINGS.”

These springs are strongly impregnated
with sulphur, and it is claimed that they
possess medicinal qualities.
ifornians should be sick, or drink sulphur
water, when they have such good wine, and
8) much of tt, we are unable to understand.
The only cotton mill on the Pacific coast is
pone at this place—the “Oakland Cotton
ills.”

 

But why Cal- | -