Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1920 — ENJOYING CALIFORNIA. [ARTICLE]

ENJOYING CALIFORNIA.

Los Angeles, Calif. / 1121 W. 28th St March 16, 1920 Rensselaer Republican, Rensselaer, Indiana. Dear Publishers:— With much pleasure your paper comes every week. It is as a caller | a friend from back home that tells all the news. And, as I have lived . in your county for a long time, I have a number of friends who might be interested in a little trip recently taken 'by myself. I am Mrs. Claude R. Winroot, formerly Miss Sadie Herr, of McCoysburg, Ind. It was on a rather cloudy day in the latter part of February that we, a party of four, myself and husband, his mother and sister, Ruby, decided to take the trip over to Catalina Isle. We started from here at a fejjt. minutes before nine. We have fine boulevards here everywhere and we found ourselves at San Pedro at about half* an hour before the boat sailed. Do not believe it rains quite as hard in McCoysburg as it does here. Mr. Winroot took the car up to the garage while we waited at the boat and said the water was a regular river coming down from up above. But, nevertheless, there was a big crowd that got off the cars from Los Angeles to take the trip. Yes, am beginning to believe folks out here really like the rain. So we thought’ if all those folks go we can, too. So on the boat we crowded our way. The boat, Empress, by name, was about half a block long, two decks, upper and lower, the engine room down below, and the captain’s cupola up above. Down below were some more rooms, which were meant for smoking rooms, also the soft drink parlor where we bought some crackers. No did not eat them, nor feed the fish. We took them with us up on the upper deck as it had stopped raining about this time about half way across. There we joined the fun. Several were up there with fish rods and lines fishing. But we did not fish. No. Me Rad: a sort of game of ball. Resembling somewhat the scramble a number of chickens have when you throw out some corn or bread crumbs. A flock of sea gulls some two or three hundred swarmed around the 'boat all the way out and it was these birds who got the crackers. We would throw an oyster cracker out to the flock and some one of them would fly for it, open its mouth and down it would go. If you threw two crackers in the way of* a gull it would carry them away, light on a wave and as Mr. Seagull was being lifted up and down on the water it would gargle that cracker until it disappeared down its throat. Yes, they are wise birds. Throw a cracker at one of them coming towards you. Catch all right, he would make a circle and fly right back the same way and get another. If he missed, he would forget all about it, as he realized that some two yhundred birds below him would get at before it dropped. Yps, we had great sport watching them fight for the crackers. Mingling with the- tourists we found some were ‘ from eastern states. Air occasional word would be exchanged. Some there were from Indiana and Jasper county, too. We went to the St. Catherine Hotel. Here we lined up for our lunch, which, although we paiid a good sum for it, must admit was some feed. Chicken with all the trimmings. After our half hour was up we left this hotel and, by the way, it was a grand big hotel and you wonder how ever could conceive of building such a place out on an island forty miles from land, and they sure get the business by the looks of it that dgy, for it was the same as in Los Angeles, wait in line for everything you want to eat, pay your bill or get on boat. Yes, wait in line is all you can do out here. Amusement or otherwise shows, street cars, taxies, parking space for your auto. Yes, have seen people in a double line half block long waiting to get into a movie. After lunch we went down to the wharf to take the ride to see the submarine gardens. Yes, flowers and tretes under the water on the bottom of the sea. The water was rough around the isle this day and on this boat we sure did get our money’s worth. We saw sea weed some seventy five feet tall. Just like trees with branches and leaves. Some very peculiar rock formations. .Amongst this we could see thru the glass in the bottom of the boat all kinds of sea fish, speckled ones, little schools with a milion minnows, and regular salt water gold fish. In about a half hour we came back to land and I am sure glad the land does not sway and rock as the ocean does. For I came so near feeding the fish myself there was no fun in it. We left on the boat to go back to San Pedro. Landing at Pedro, we drove back to Los Angeles, getting back home about seventhirty, having enjoyed the 'day very much. , Our only wish was that we,could have taken all our friends from good old McCoysburg with us on the trip. - Yours truly, MRS. €. R. WINROOT.