Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-09-14
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The California on Wheels at
San Francisco.
NEWS FROM SECRETARY HIGGINS
His Visit at the Bay City-Facts
About the Travelling Exhibit.
Next Years Arrangements.

Secretary Higgins, of the Chamber OF
Commerce, went up to San Francisco lsss
week presumably for a vacation. As
near as can be ascertained from several
private letters of his which have been
received in Los Angeles, he is putting in
most of his time working up the interests
of the Chamber and of this section. The
most important undertaking which he
has in hand would probably be impaired
by premature publication, but the results
of his work are likely to show themselves
in time. Considering the apathy shown
by q good many Of the members of the
Chamber of Commerce it is fortunate
that that organization contains two such
interchangeable workers as Major E. W.
Jones, it's President, and M. R. Higgins,
the Secretary.
OF the California on Wheels, Mr.. Hig-
gins has this to say: sit came in this
morning, September 9TH, and l went
down to see the Car with the officers of
the State Board of Trade and Messrs.
Crocker, Towne, Mills, Fillmore, o.
borne, ct al, of the Southern Pacific
railroad. They are all enthusiastic
about the result. The car, indeed, pre-.
sents very creditable appearance after
80 long journey; probably Is, 900 miles.
The gentlemen accompanying the car
say that there is no doubt that nearly
100000 people visited her on the trip.
All the goods will be removed and those
that are imperishable will be saved. The
new California on Wheels will consist of
two display cars, and as they are parlor
cars, they will present much finer ap-
pearance on account of better light and
higher ceilings. They are now in the
shops of the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company at Sacramento, and
will be fitted up at an expense
of about S. 900. When completed they
will be filed with products and again
sent on their way East for a tour of many
months. wish our people appreciated
more highly the opportunity that is
afforded our county. This car which has
just returned cost about 500 per month,
and the two next winter will be much
more expensive. There is no charge for
transportation, which, if made, would be
thousands of dollars. This great ex-
pense is borne by the State Board of
Trade and the railroad company. The
former receives one.half of it's funds
from the merchants of San Francisco.
Thus our producers have placed at their
disposal, without one cent of expense,
the finest opportunity to advertise this
section they have ever had. A gentle
man from Los Angeles remarked
to me yesterday that our county
ought to have half of the car.
gave him few figures as to how much
it would have cost, and explained the
great difficulties we had had in raising
even the amount that We contributed
notice, by the way, that these good
people who are continually wondering
why the Chamber doesn't do this and
that, are the ones that don't contribute a
cent to what it does do"
II shall 60 to work." he continues,
directly upon my return to get ready
for next seasons California on Wheels.
l shall 60 to Sacramento with some of the
State Board to see the cars, and have a
better understanding of how they will be
arranged. Mr.. Mills, Mr.. Fillmore and
others of the Southern Pacific, spoke
very freely about our county, and ex-
pressed the hope that we would get up q
fine exhibit. We have the most cordial
support from the State Board of Trade,
and l hope our people will rally
to our help. We have hardly felt the eff
fects yet, but when they begin to set in
they will not cease for years to come. I
saw a number of familiar articles in the
Car coming back in good shape after the
long ride. One Of our big watermelons
received special notice in the Milwaukee
papers, and several farmers here have
gotten seed from those that were in the
exhibit here"
Mr.. Higgins speaks very feelingly OF
the failure of the farmers to help the
Chamber out in it's San Fran
cisco exhibit. Some Los Angeles gentle.
man, visiting the exhibit, complained
that there was no corn to be seen, while
the other counties were showing speci.
mems by the side of which our rich pro.
duct would show up finely. 81 told him
that had tried in vain, by correspond
ence and personal solicitation, to get far
mers to send me auy. The Chamber
could not afford to send a man all over
the county to collect stuff, and when the
attempt was made we found that many
of the producers expected pay for what
they gave. Our exhibit here, consider
ing how late it was started, is very cred
liable. By the winter season I think it
will be in good shape"
THE SUPERVISORS RETURN.