Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-13

opening ADDRESS. Mr.. fIlcher spoke rs t0l-
lows:
M. President, Ladies' and Fello,c- Citizens :
In addition to the timely remarks of our
able President, / may be permitted also, on
his behalf and on behalf of the officers and
committees associated with him in the
great task whSh they have so successfully
performed, to bid you welcome to this, the
first Citrus Fair of Northern California
Welcome, l would say, to this rare and
beautiful exhibit prepared for yoli-ior
your admiration and instruction, and for
the instruction Of the civilized world. Let
me repeat to you, also, welcome TO the
Queen City of Northern California, the
proud capital OF our State, the seat of learn
ing and of art, and the home of refinement
ana ot enterprise. Sacramento, more perhaps
than any other city of cur day, is noted for
its liberality, for its hospitality, and for its
business enterprise. Possessed of an in
domitable will and an unconquer-
ed and unconquerable energy, the
business men and citizens general.
iy OF this city have successfully
combatted all obstacles to her progress. her
prosperity and her safety. BY work
.prodigious in its proportions, this CITY has
been raised at least ten feet from her origi-
nal level, and to-day, proud of her achieve
ments, she stands forth in her exalted posi-
ton and with an air of Importance becOm-
ing the second commercial center of the
great Golden State, bids you, through me,
a most hearty aud cordial welcome
This fair, this bountiful and handsome
display of citrus fruits, so generous III size,
so handsome in appearance, so rich in
flavor, and all produced in northern Cali
fornla, tell tale that to many will be
wonderful; Those silent fruits preach a
sermon, the eloquence of which is all
powerful, the lesson of which is all-instruc-
tive, the truth of which is all-conyincing.
Their eloquence reaches the remotest
bounds of civilization, and they tell man
kind in convincing terms that the olive and
the vine, the femon and the fig thrive TO
perfection in northern California.
We are young State. We had much to
learn. We have much to learn vet. The
first settlers doubted the capacity of the soil
for the production of anything more than
grass for grazing. AS late as 1859, when |
with my parents arrived in California with
our OK teams, after crossing the plains. we
found the only settlements were along the
rivers, and were told that all the good land
was taken up. What are now the great
wheat fields of the greatest wheat-growing
State in the Union-a State that in 1884
produced about 6000 600 bushels of this
Sit llltH VAST DfaiflGS, COW
cred with droves Of wild cattle, the only
use for which they were considered valri-
able. The first who attempted 10 till the
plains land" as it was called, were con-
Sidered foolish. To-day they are the pos
SCISSORS of fine homes, and are considered
fortunate. The virtue of the plains land
being discovered, it was soon taken up as
far as to the border of the foothills. Our
people began to concede that any where in
The valley good crop could be raised by
proper tiliage, but the same wise heads
that were forced to this admis-
sion by the experience that sur
rounded them, would gravely tell YOU
that the foothills possessed no elements OF
production. 1t is not ten years. since those
who invested in foothill lands at any price
were considered as taking desperate risks
Yet to-day as good fruits as were ever raised
in this or any other country are those which
find their way to market from the foothills
bordering the great Sacramento valley: and
as showing the extent of the business in
that region, let me state that from two sta
tons in the foothills OF the one county
of Placer there were shipped this last sea-
son 5,931, $50 pounds of fruit The entire
shipments from the foothills of that coun-
ty for the season aggregate, as nearly as
can be ascertained, about 1000 900 OF
pounds. This is exclusive of raisins and
other cured fruits, and of citrus fruits. the
shipment of which constitute a consider
able item; and 1t is exclusive also of the
many tons of grapes grown in that region
and manufactured into wine and brandy
Referring TO the foothills, inasmuch as
they constitute an extensive area of north
ern California, and inasmuch as their de-
velopment has at this time but fairly com.
menced, / would like to say that from nv
observation of a number of years | am
constrained to believe that they are des.
tined, in the comparatively near future, tc
become the most attractive portion of Cali.
fornia, and for homes the most desirable
1t is demonstrated that the soil and climate
of the hills are particularly adapted to the
growth and early maturity of all the staple
fruits in the highest degree of perfection
not excepting the orange the lemon. the
olive, the pomegrauate, the vine and the
fig, rs the exhibits here attest. Oroyille is
in the hills, Nacaville and Winters are in
the hills, Coloma is in the hills. Mokel.
umne Hill is in the hills, Auburn and
Newcastle are in the hills. Each of these
places is represented here by liberal dis.
play of the finest and choicest citrus fruits
The climate of the foothills is unparal.
leled-above the ocean fogs, yet below the
mountain snow; and in summer warm.
but dry and invigorating. Water and tim
Der are abundant for all necessary pur.
poses and the scenery-with the snow.
capped mountains in the background and
the great Sacramento valley, with its river.
glistenlng under the sun like
silver threads, i'll the fore
grounds simply enchanting; inspiring
the denizen with nobler, grander thoughts
lifting him nearer his Creator, making
hYffN II, L.. ~.
hills are in themselves sanitarium. and
already hundreds, not alone from this
State, but from other climes, are seeking
them for rest and rccuperation, and for re.
lief from all manner of bronchial and
pulmonary ailments, and it is gratifying to
be able to state that few of those who Din
their faith to the invigorating properties OF
the 1oothill climate are called upon to suffer
the regrets of misplaced confidence.
As showing the possibilities of the foot,
hills, in a general way, may be permitted
to cite case or two that have come within
the scope OF my own observation. These
instances, | believe, will be interesting to
many Californians. as well as to our visitors
from other States, since it is true that most
of us, as | have shown in the outset. are
prone to be skeptcal regarding the true
merits of much of our own State.
In 1877 John Wells moved with his fam.
lily from Mendocino county, on the coast
to the foothills of Placer county. He wa.
burnt out where he had been living and
had nothing left TO start with but his
hands. He secured forty acres ofland and
went to work on it. lie is hard working
man and has worked hard In the fall OF
1884, when he was relating to me his ex.
perience, he said he had supported his
family, had paid for his place, had that
year sold $500 worth of produce from il.
and had Just refused an offer for his land
and improvements of s. 800
Again, fifteen years ago an industriou.
German. somewhat advanced in years. by
the name of John Kaiser, went into tho
foothills and settled on so acres of Land
near the town of Loomis. He had met
with misfortune in previous investments,
and was at the time $1,000 in debt. Ht
commenced by putting in small patch Of
grapes which he gradually increased until
to-day he has % acres in full bearing. He
struggled along without capital. and wa.
twice burnt out of house and home Now
he has over 300 acres of land, has good
house, two good-sized granite wine cellars
a disbillery suitable barns, convenient
cooperage, blacksmith shop and Other
necessary outhouses. He has number o.
horses, cattle and younSStocl. his old deb
paid and his cellars full of wine and
brandy. In short, he has on small vine
yard paid his debt, built three sets of i'm.
,r.tRr- =