On May 25, 1883, William Henderson wrote a letter to C. L. Stephens. Stephens had been in bad health for quite some time and William Henderson was writing to offer his sympathies as well as invite C. L. Stephens to move to Southern California. In order to better convince Stephens, Henderson enclosed an informational pamphlet with his letter.
William Henderson believes that C. L. Stephens’ health will improve if he moves to Southern California from Canada. Henderson writes of the Chaffey brothers’ colonies, “so far as climate is concerned we have no hesitation in saying that for asthma and bronchitis there is none better under the sun.” Henderson also writes that many of the settlers in Etiwanda and Ontario are fellow Canadians, with the hope, perhaps, to convince C. L. Stephens that he will feel at home in the new Southern Californian colonies.
William Henderson believes that even with C. L. Stephens’ poor health, he would be able to find work in the colony. If Stephens’ health improves enough after settling in the warm, dry climate of Southern California, Henderson is confident that he will be able to find a good paying job. He writes, “a small fruit farm would fill the bill exactly and you may be able to get some occupation in this southern country that will eventually make such an attainment possible.” William Henderson ends his letter by describing Southern California as “the best climate in America for your particular complaints.
I find this letter interesting because it aligns with a common idea at the time that moving to a warm, dry climate could help with one’s ailing health. In Southern California specifically there has been a pervading idea that the weather here could help with a whole range of health complaints, most notably upper respiratory issues. We see that illustrated here.