Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-16
THE CAPITAL CITY.
TRUTHFUL PICTURES OF SACRAMENTO
IN THE RURAL PRESS"
The Second City in the United States for
Notwithstanding About
Her Past and Present,


cellent portraits of the founders and princi-
pal officers of the National Grange and of
the Past Masters of the State Grange;
view Of the birth place of the Order in
Washington, D. c.; views of the E. B.
Crocker Art Gallery and School of Design,
of this city; view of the exhibit of Amadoc
county at the last California State Fair and
an excellent bisdseye view of Sacramento
(taken from one published sometime ago
by the RECORD UNION. Among other in
terestirg features of the excellent paper is
the following article in regard to Sacra-
lnento
The assembling of the National Grange
at Sacramento, the capital city of Califor-
MIA makes timely q reference to its history
and growth.
The city of Sacramento, the county seat
of Sacramento county and the capital of
the State of California, is situated on an ex
tensive plain on the east bank of the Sac
ramento river, just south of its confluence
with the American river. Its latitude is
$50 80 north, and longitude 1210 80 west.
San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean are
eighty-three miles distant by rail to the
west, and the base of the Sierra Nevada
Mountains about twenty miles TO the east.
HISTORICAL.
A settlement existed here long before the
cession of California 10 the United States.
In 1899 John A. Suffer built fort near the
present site of the city, upon a large tract
of land granted to him by the Mexican
Government, This fort is still to be seen
in the outskirts of the city. The grant to
General Suffer covered a considerable por
ton of the territory now occupied by the
city, as well as large area OF land adjacent
thereto.
At the time Of the discovery of gold in
1S48 there was no such town as Sacra-
mento. Two miles below, on the Sacra-
mento river, small town had been laid
out under the name of Sutterville, but it
had never prospered, the fort still being the
center of trade and life. In the fall of 1913,
after the announcement of the finding of
gold, when the mining operations had COM
menced along the Costumes, American,
Feather and Yuba rivers, central depot
for the sale and distribution of supplies TO
the miners became necessary.
A suitable place was found in the pres
ent site of the city. Mr.. John A. Suffer,
Jr., with the consent of Colonel Mason,
commanding a small detachment of United
States troops in the neighborhood, pro-
cured the services of Lieutenant William
Tecumseh Sherman as surveyor, to estab-
lish the street lines, corners, etc., of
new town.
At this time Sacramento was the town
nearest the mountains and at the junction
of roads running east and west between
the Sierra Nevadas and San Francisco and
those running north and south through the
valley of the Sacramento river. 1t was,
consequently, the first town reached by the
parties coming across the plains, most of
which disbanGed here.
Being the only point from which most of
the mining districts OF the day were readily
accessible, it became the point of distribu-
ton of large amounts of goods. Its popu-
lation was largely of the shifting class Incl
dent to a mining community, who came
and went as the reports of new discoveries
of gold drew the crowd il one direction or
another. Gradually its commercial inter-
es;s fell into the hands of men who recog-
nized the value of the surrounding rich
lands watered by Overlooking streams, and
had faith in the development of the coun-
try, and growth of the young city, indie
pendent of the mining population. These
men founded many of what are now the
leading houses Of Sacramento, and to them
are largely due the growth, wealth, and
importance of the city.
The city rapidly grew in importance, and
in 1854 was made the permanent seat of
the State Government. The population
has increased, until it is now about 80, 000
DESCRIPTIVE.
The city is noted for its beauty. It is
known as the City of the Plain from its
situation, as the Capital City, from its
being the Capital of the State, and as the
IF h. e
beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers, espe-
cially roses, which adorn public and private
grounds throughout the city.
The streets are broad, straight and level
In the business districts they are paved
with powders brought from near Folsom,
and in the other portions of the city they
are generally covered with gravel. Except
Immediately in the business center, the
streets are almost uniformly lined with
beautiful shade trees. Nearly every resi-
dence, great or small, has some open
ground about it, decorated with lawn, semi
tropical trees, ornamental plants or flowers
The mild climate favors their growth, and
they flourish most luxuriantly from one
end of the year to the other. The views
adown the long vistas beneath the over
arching branches, with many handsome
residences on either side, are very beautiful
indeed. The buildings in the business por-
ton of the city are chiefly of brick, while
the residences are almost uniformly of
wood. Many of the latter are imposing
and beautiful. Most of them are built in
the ornate Italian villa STYLE with beauti-
ful surroundings of lawn and shrubbery
The city enjoys the proud distinction of
holding the second place among the cities
of the United States for healthfulness, the
first being accorded to Auburn New York.
For thirty years the usual records have
been carefully kept, and the comparison
with those Of other cities shows this city to
be as free from any form of disease of fatal
character as any city in the Union. and
more so than any other city in the State.
Situated in the midst of a valley devoted to
farming traversed by rivers which at times
overflow their banks, mild forms of malaria
prevail TO some extent, but rarely become
acute or severe. Epidemies OF any kind
are entirely unknown. This is the happy
result of good sewerage, good water and
good climate.
THE CAPITOL AND OTHER PUBLIC INsrITu-
TIoNs
The capital of California was perma-
neutly located at Sacramento February %,
1854, and in 1872 the present Capitol build
ing was completed at a cost of about So
000, 1000. The building is the finest
IN the state IN the Naplt0l Rark
are also the Exposition Pavilion of the
State Agricultural Society and the State
Printing Office, in which are printed, in
addition to the usual work for the State,
the textbooks for use in the public schools.
The State Agricultural Society has also an
extensive park for the exhibition of stock,
and one of the finest race tracks in the
world. The State Fairs are usually heldin
September. The Alasons and Odd Fellows
have each imposing temples in which their
Lodge-rooms are located. The United
States Government has purchased a site for
q Postoffice building, to be erected imme-
diateIy. for which an appropriation of $780,
600 has been made. The County Court
house formerly used for State Capitol
cost 500, GOO and a brick and iron Hall of
Records has recently been completed at
cost of $4,000. The County Hospital, built
LIZ,