Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-02
THE TOWN OF FOLSOM.
Phenix-Like it Rises from its Ashes-It
Present Appearance.

fDpntA-l-lke IL Rises from 1tS AsACs-Ahb
Present Appearance.
The town of Folsom, on the American
river, twenty-five miles northeast OF Sacra-
mento, is the most important town in the
county, having population of about 1000.
1t is shipping point and trade center for a
large portion of Sacramento, Placer and Ell
Dorado counties. For many years it was
the terminus of the Sacramento Valley
Railroad, before the completion of the Cen
trail Pacific across the Sierras. All freight
and passengers for the State of Nevada,
during the early silver excitement, were at
this point transferred to coaches and freight
wagons. which crossed the summit via
Placerville through Strawberry valley.
Those were lively times for Folsom, and
the Wholesale merchants of that town were
strong competitors with those of Sacra-
mento for the Washoe and Carson trade.
She had
ONE OF THE LARGEST FIGURING MILLS
In the county, her wholesale houses car
ried immense and varied stocks of goods,
and her hotels and restaurants did a
large business. The completion of the
Sacramento and Placerville road to Latrobe
took the freight and passenger traffic to
that point, and soon afterwards the road
was pushed on to its present terminus,
Shingle Springs. With the loss of the
terminal point of the railroad Folsom as a
business point declined, but has ever re-
manned the distributing center for large
local agricultural and mining population.
On the 18th day OF last August a fire
broke out in WebbeF's harness shop, on
Main street, that quickly spread to the ad-
joining buildings, and in spite of the efforts
Of the citizens over one-half of the town
was laid in ruins. The lumber yard, rail-
road depot, and possibly the remainder of
the town, were saved by the railroad COM
panys yard engine, which was sent from
this city, making the run in forty minutes
1t was a severe blow to the town, and
many were of the opinion, owing to the
depressed state of business, that it would
never be rebuilt. A visit to the town by
representative of this paper yesterday con-
WINGED him that the citizens of that place
are not easily discouraged.
THE TOWN IS ENTIRELY REBUILT
Throughout the burned district, and never
in its palmiest days presented such neat,
substantial and business-like appearance.
The buildings, many of them brick, one of
granite, others substantial frame, are of
modern style OF architecture neat and SUBJ
stantial. The sidewalks and awnings are
uniform, the painting, frescoing and orna-
mental work, all after the latest STYLES, and
the entire street has the business bearing of
"a busy city thoroughfare. The stocks of
goods are all fresh, and the clerks and pro-
prietors, apparently breathing inspiration
from their surroundings, have style about
them seldom observable outside of the me-
tropolis. The citizens are proud of their
new town, and as they were all pretty well
insured no one seems much to regret the
+" fire fiend'' that left them homeless for
time by burning their old tumble-down
rookeries. If young Weber, the fire
bug, who touched the match to his fathers
premises, and
CAUSED THE TOWN TO GO UP IN SMOKE,
Could get peep from behind his prison
bars at the new town, he no doubt would
exclaim with fendish pride, II did it."
Had the town a system of water works,
which could be easily and cheaply con-
structed. the town could have been easily
saved. 1t would seem that they would
profit by lesson so dearly bought, but it
appears they have not, for the town has
been rebuilt, and no effort made to pipe
water from an adjacent hight, and distrib-
ute fire plugs throughout the town. The
wealthy residents are able to, but will not.
The latter take no stock in the old adage
that " an ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure"
WHAT HAS BEEN ERECTED.
The new buildings are as follows: Len &
FieIs block, brick, occupied as a saloon,
variety store, and lawyers office; c. l..
Ecklon's brick building, butcher shop and
jewelry store; Louis Klump, brick, 80 feet
front, saloon, shoemaker shop and barber
shop; Brown &c Wager. brick, hardware
store and grocery store; H. Weber, brick.
saddlery and harness shop; Jacob Muller,
brick, furniture store and undertaker's
shop; Mrs. Brown, granite building gro
Gerry store: c. Zimmerman, the New West
ern Hotel-large two story frame hotel, fin
ished off with all the latest improvements;
on the first floor is a shoemaker shop,
butcher shop, jewelry store, and saloon L.
NJ. O'Dom, large one-story frame, black
smith shop; John l.. House, large two
story frame, first story marble works, sec
end story, residence; large frame livery
stable, twostory and basement Mrs. S.
Foster; one-story frame law office, Judge
Crossette; Peter wager, one story brick,
oyster house and vegetable depot. Other
buildings are in course of erection, which
gives employment to large force of car
penters, nasons, plasterers and painters.
The southern portion of the town that es-
capped the flames is being thoroughly fixed
up, so as not to contrast too strongly with
the new, which gives the town a neat, trim
and business-like appearance