OIL WELLS AND ROSES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 258, 29 July 1939, Page 6

OIL WELLS AND ROSES

Changing California Scene Described To E.S.U.

“Like a redwood forest against the sky,’’ was the description applied to Californian oil derricks by Mrs. J. x\ston in a travel talk yesterday at the women’s monthly social afternoon at the English-Speaking Union. More of these derricks could be seen out at sea on the rail journey from Low Angeles to San Francisco, tanks on nearby barges receiving the oil pumped from beneath the ocean lied. From, a tar deposit lake nearby pre historic animals had been recovered, and in the museum in Los Angeles an immense elephant with great ivory tusks was such an example. The speaker described the famous Huntingdon library in Pasadena, housed in a private mansion, stand’.ig in 471 acres of gardens. The largest cacti garden for such a place in the world was found there, and there were Japanese gardens and a pergola, a mile long. The whole effect was “weird and wonderful,” she said. Inside, features were the large historical library section and the picture gallery which contained the largest collection of British pictures under one roof, anywhere. The original “Blue Boy." was hung there, also pictures by Rembrandt and other famous artists.

City traffic directed from the air was a novel sight at the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena. A “blimp" controlled the movements of more than a million cars that day without confusion, Mrs. Ashton said. The display, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its Inauguration, was witnessed by two million and a half people, and the use of a single artificial flower in decoration would have disqualified a participant. The procession contained 30 bands and 100 floats, and took four hours to pass a given point. The Ip si float depicted da Vinci’s “Last Supper, ’’ and it was so true to detail that a hush descended on the watching crowds. In the county hospital, Mrs. Ashton said, the linen required for uniforms and other necessities was woven on the premises. In this great 20-storied building 5000 patients were dealt with a day and last year 4000 babies were born there. Ten thousand meals were prepared dally, and within 15 minutes of their leaving the kitchen heated and ice-chilled wagons, conveying the food, . had served every person in the hospi- | tai. A “poor" farm which looked after 500 men and 400 women, supplied fruit and vegetables to.the institution, and was famous for tile efficiency of the methods used in farming and for the number of prizes gained by farm cattle in shows.

Mrs. E. D. Good, chairman of the women’s committee, welcomed members and visitors. Mrs. Upchurch sang two groups of songs accompanied by Mrs. Fauvel, and at the conclusion of the programme the committee served afternoon tea.