ALUM ROCK PARK SAN JOSE'S BEAUTIFUL RESORT V! MINERAL . WATERS, BATHS . ETC. PUBLISHED BY SAN JOSE AND SANTA CLARA RAILROAD COMPANY San Jose, Santa Clara County, California. VERY appropriately has San Jose been called "The Garden City." Lying in the heart of the Santa Clara Valley, itself a vast garden between long stretches of wooded moun- tains, the city is almost tropical with its shaded avenues, its beautiful residences, sur- rounded by spacious lawns, handsome palms and foliage trees, and plants a mass of bloom. But San Jose claims by natural right what no tropical country possesses — a climate unex- celed in all the world. Without extremes, its summer months are delightful, and the rigors of winter are never felt here. Yet the climate is bracing, stimulating to action and producing health. Early in April the countless acres of orchards reaching from San Jose to the mountains lying to the east and west, and even far up on their sides, burst into bloom and liold a carnival of color indescribably beautiful. Along miles of smooth, level roads, one may ride between orchards of prune trees snowy white with blossoms, contrasted here and there with the delicate pink of the quince and apple and the deeper shade of the peach. Over these millions of blos- soms swarms of bees hum their delight and the air is laden with fragrance that is wafted miles away. This is one of the sights that tourists come to see. Indeed, the opening the new coast railway is fast bringing San Jose into the front ranks as a tourist center. Lick Observatory, with its wonderful telescope, and Saratoga Springs are within short staging distances, while Alum Rock Park with its many attractions, among which are numerous mineral springs, is easily reached by electric motor cars. Not only may the wealthy sojourn here with pleasure, but it will also be found an ideal place for families of moderate means. Educatiimal advantages of the best may be obtained in San Jose. Manufacturing interests are increasing. The development of adjacent oil fields has brought the price of fuel to an exceptionally low figure, and soon home markets will consume the products of this section, saving for the producer enormous freights on eastern shipments and giving him the full benefit of his labor. It is safe to say that within a few years this great val- ley will be divided into smaller orchards, each the home of a prosperous and happy family. Considering the many advantages of this favored section in a favored State, it needs no prophet to foretell the brilliant future of city, valley and the home-makers in their midst. A Natural ParK. Among the mountains on the eastern edge of Santa Clara Valley lies Alum Rock Canyon, within which is San Jose's extensive and beautilul reservation and park. This is one of the most delightful places for seekers of health and pleasure on the Pacific Coast, and offers the further advantage of being easily accessible. Only eight miles from San Jose, it is reached by the Alum Rock Electric Railway in thirty minutes, and is rapidly becoming popular to visitors at all sea- sons of the year. Not only is this canyon attractive by reason of its picturesque glimpses of woodland hills and streams, but because of its numerous mineral springs, exceeding in number, quality and \'ariety those of any other resorts of a similar nature in California. The city of San Jose has conserved and utilized these remarkalale waters for public use by a liberal and intelligent i Fountain and Bath. application of funds, and is annually devoting considerable sums of money to the adornment and development of this spot, which possesses so many natural beauties. From San Francisco or Oakland, these springs may be reached in two and one-half hours, and persons seeking health or pleasure may leave either of these cities on the morning train and return the same evening, after spending the greater part of the day in the park, wandering along the shaded paths, drinking its waters and refreshing themselves in its tub or plunge baths, en- joying an outing unri\aled for the variety of its pleasures and the ease of its attainment. TKe Mineral Springs. The variety ot mineral waters in Alum Ruck Canyon is remarkable. There are hot and cold sulphur, soda and mag- nesia springs, as well as mixtures of sulphur, soda, magnesia »r>- and Band Stand. arsenic, iron, etc., and their sulphates, all of which are unequaled for their strength and beneficial efTects. The flow of water from all of these springs is copious, so that baths may be supplied from nearly all of them. There are private sulphur, Turkish and common tub baths, with plunges, for ladies and gentlemen. Here may be found, also, the largest public sulphur swimming bath in the United States, an immense plunge roofed with glass and filled with natural sulphur water at ninety degrees Fahrenheit, piped directly into the tank from numerous tunnels in the nearby mountains. From one of these tunnels issue three streams of different waters, scarcely more than an inch apart. One is black sulphur, or sulphide of iron; one is soda, and the third magnesia water. All of these are of pronounced strength. Tiiere are also springs of both hot and cold drink- ing water, composed of soda, magnesia, iron and their sul- phates; and a remarkable spring furnishing a mixture of Canyon Po-wer Station. sulphur, magnesia and arsenic, which has been found very beneficial in cases of rheumatism, Bright' s disease and other kidney and stomach troubles and malarial affections. Geo. W. Seifert, M. D. A. McMahon, M. D. J. McMahon, M. D. J. R. CuRNOW, M. D. H. J. B. Wright, M. D. W. D. McDouGAL, M. D. J. E. Truman, M. D. J. Underwood Hall, M. D. On the Way to the ParK. W. E. Keith, M. D. P. M. Lusson, M. D. H. B. Gates, M. D. At First and Santa Clara streets will be found the office of the Alum Rock Division of the San Jose and Santa Clara Electric Railway, and, according to schedule, the commodious electric cars, which make frequent trips to and from the Park. The person in charge of this office, or the conductor on the Entering tKe Tunnel. car, will sell round trip tickets at twenty-five cents each, and will give courteously any informa- tion that may be asked for by strangers. Taking the car at this point, the traveler is carried eastward, passing the splendid buildings of the State Normal School the High School and Carnegie Libiar> \l\ situated m Washmgton Square one block to the south from the car hne He will be corned past beautiful homes, surrounded by spacious grounds East San Jose will be reached ind through this part of the city the way hes In tHe Woods B on a beautiful avenue, between whose trees he may catch glimpses of broad fields and thrifty orchards; of the golf links; and just at the mouth of the canyon one of the finest olive orchards in the State, known as the Pala Rosa. This orchard covers seventy- five acres; its trees, with their soft, green foliage, in full bearing, and is in itself suffic- ient attraction for the trip to those who have never seen the trees, which were introduced from Spain by the'^padres hun dreds of years ago. At this point the car enters a canyon, one of the grandest on the coast, and one charming vista after itH the Cliffs. another deliyhts the eye. Al)(iut a quarter of a mile above the ]jower house at the mouth uf tlie canyon, to the left of the car going out, lies one of the largest, if not the largest, meteors in the world, its estimated weight being two thousand tons. It is near the track, and may be plainly seen from the car, tjut for large parties conductors are instructed to stop, so that those wishing to do so may inspect the huge black object. Three quarters of a mile beyond, on the same side of the car, will be seen Alum Rock itself, standing like a gigantic sentinel at the entrance to the city's park. Another huge rock on the opposite side of the canyon, which is very narrow here, forms a massive gateway into the beautiful resort. Here the car enters a tunnel cut through the large rock on the right, and passing out, winds along the banks of beautiful Penetentia Creek, with cliffs towering hundreds of feet above it, until the park, with its aviary, its deer ].iark, its springs and baths is reached. . Pala Rosa Olive OrcKard. Here we will give the tourist in charge to the city park officials, who will courteously point out the various points of interest and give directions for reaching the ditferent springs, the baths, etc. We would suggest, however, that if the tourist wishes one of the pleasantest ex- periences of his life, he should take a mineral bath. Whether he be blessed with health or not, he will feel wonderfully refreshed by it, and after a dreamless sleep, he will find a car waidng to carry him back to the beautiful Garden City. THe New Hotel. A large and commodious hotel will be erected in the park almost immediately. The lease, which includes the right to the use of all mineral waters, bathing privileges, etc., has already been granted by the mayor and common council of San Jose. The building will stand on the site of the present ParK Depot. deer park. Excavations for the fouiulaticins hdw already been besun and the work uf construc- tion w-ill be rushed to com])letion in the spring. A j^icture of the hotel as it will appear is here given. It will be a handsome structure, with every possible modern appliance and conven- ience for the pleasure and comfort of its guests, and will be conducted on strictly first-class principles. One of its main features will be its fine Ijathing facilides. It will have immense baths of all kinds of mineral waters, the bath house being so constructed that guests can reach it from every main iiall oi the hotel without exposing themsehes to cold, yet so arranged that no odor of the mineral waters shall reach the guests in the main building. Fountains sujiplying any of the waters at present developed, or any that may be developed in the future, will be placed so that guests may enjoy these for drinking, as well as for lathing, without leaxing the buikling. The Ne'wr Hotel in the ParK. varieties of water, magnificent scenery and ease greatest places of its kind on this continent. In fact, this will be the most thoroughly e(|uipped resort on this coast, and with its eighteen of accessibility will doubtless become one of the A Trip to the West. Other points of interest which may be reached by the San Jose and Santa Clara Railway, are West San Jose, the Alameda and the historic little town of Santa Clara, originally intended to be the metropolis of the valley. The car may be taken at First and Santa Clara streets (though care should be taken to ascertain if it be a through car, if one desires to reach the last named place) and will furnish a most interesting ride. Some three miles in length stretches the Alameda, a beautiful, winding avenue, laid out more than a hundred years Meteor at the MoutH of the Canyon. ago by the mission fathers, the only road betweeiii Mission Santa Clara and San Jose. Recently this road has been remodeled, and now it is line(| with handsome residences. College Park, the home of the University of the Pacific, a Methoqist institution of standing, lies midway between the two towns, a collection of pretty homes in the setting of a seemingly natural park. The old mission of Santa Clara is well worth a visit, though all but its interior has been re- stored. Built in 1776, the old church was found in danger of rapid decay and was covered over with another structure. Within it is as tlie Indians built it under the direction of the padres, who labored also with their hands, and its frescoes and other decorations do credit to the neophytes that executed them. Santa Clara College, whose buildings occupy several acres on the land of the old mission, must not be missed. Here the stranger will be greeted by courteous priests, ever ready to receive the visitor, who will guide him through the buildings and grounds, showing him books yellow with age, brought from Spain when the mission was young, and numerous relics and objects of interest, the like of which can be seen only about an old mission. The town of Santa Clara invites one to st;oll through its streets. Here are homes that once sheltered Spanish grandees and their households, unoccupied some of them, and falling into decay, but vine-covered and filled with romantic interest. Should one meet an old resident, he might hear stories of Dons and Alcaldes that would hold him wrapt, for once the little town was as gay as it is now quiet, and romance centers about its ancient families, and holds the interest of the visitor within its boundaries. LIBRfiRY OF CONGRESS 021 929 614 9 ^