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Letter from California - 2 1876

In this letter published in The Osage County Chronicle immediately following his first letter to the editor, Riley Hoskinson describes the community and state of agricultural in his new home of Cloverdale, Somona Co., CA: "I find everything OVERDONE. Most all the trades and professions are in this condition. Merchandising in all its various branches is quite overdone. Vine culture is entirely overdone. Grapes by tons, and of the finest quality are now wasting in the vineyards, and are common stock to any one who wants them. Excellent apples sell at 1 1/2 cents per lb. The best of wine sells at 20 cents per gallon. Provisions of all kinds are as cheap as with you, except butter, eggs and chickens. Butter is 50 cents per pound: eggs, 45 to 60 cents per dozen; chickens from $6 to $9 per dozen....Farming here pays well, as there are but few destructive insects to disturb the crops. Wheat is being sown now, and I am told, will be sown all winter. Some are planting out trees, some making garden, etc. The weather is most delightfully pleasant - no freeze - no wind - flowers of all kinds in profusion. We have excellent church and school privileges. Society of the best. The kindness so far shown us has exceeded all our expectations. We feel perfectly at ease. We have no need to be homesick. In short, we are contented and happy as it seems possible for human beings to be." Riley's opinion of California would swing very negative over the next 4 months. In May 1977, he and wife Martha would leave California for the Washington Territory.

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