Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-18
THAT'S WHAT"
PLAIN TALK BY A FORMER sACRAMEN-
TAN TO OUR CITIZENS.
Why Some People Leave Us, and Others
VIII Not Come-How to Have
Great City.

CHI duu ueI lulure. L nave just returned
to the State on brief visit, after an absence
OF nearly thirty-two years, and as l resided
in California in the early fifties, and mined
In Ell Dorado and Placer counties and did
all my trading in Sacramento. l feel that
have right to say what 1 think of the
Capital city of the great State of California.
do not propose to mince matters at all,
but to tell the plain ruth, and leave it to
an intelligent and unprejudiced people if 1
am not just about right in my conclusions.
As early as 1854 1 was satisfied that San
Francisco would always be the metropolis
of California and the Pacific Coast, but l
never dreamed for one moment but what
Sacramento would be the second city in
population and wealth. And what is she
to-day? Why, the
FOURTH CITY IN IMPORTANCE
In California What is the reason of this
Well, will tell you. Pardon me for say
ing it. but the citizens of Sacramento have
less push, less energy, less foresight and
less snap of any place claiming to be a city
in the whole country. Anyone can see
business streets of the city. Stand on
Front street and look up J, first on one
side and then on the other, and what will
you see? A sight not to be witnessed in
any other city or town in the whole length
and breadth of the United States. The
buildings are small and insignificant affairs,
at best, but when they have great lumber
ing awnings in front of them, some double.
deckers, with huge posts supporting them
from the edge of the sidewalk; clumsy
signs hung up on all sides, and in every
position imaginable; wooden sidewalks,
INSTRUCTED with furniture and every kind
OF merchandise, etc., then they are per-
fectly
HORRIBLE TO GAZE UPON,
And K street and the balance of the bust
ness streets are no better-in fact. worse. if
anything. This would make very little
difference in an unpretentious mining
camp or backwoods country town, but
when tolerated in the Capital City of such
State as California it is simply shame and
a disgrace!
Then, the iron awning hung from the
front OF building is very little improve
ment over the wooden one. These give the
buildings the appearance of a row of coun-
try barns with wagon-sheds in front of
them. Even wooden or iron awnings are
very expensive in the first place, and then
they have TO be repaired and painted every
once in while. What you want is the
modern canvas awnings, which can be
rolled up out of the way when not needed.
They are very cheap, neat and ornamental.
THE VERY FIRST MOVE
That should be made in Sacramento would
be to tear down these unsightly, scarecrow
awnings, paint and spruce up your build
lngs, and, where needed, put up your light,
airy and handsome canvas awnings. This
would do more to boom the city than any
thing else that could be done. There is no
use to advertise your town abroad unless
you do something at home
You must make your business streets pre-
sentable. the very first thing you do, if you
aspire at all to be recognized among the
progressive cities of the country. Start in
now, and show the thousands of visitors at
the State Fair next fall grand transforma-
ton scene. Everybody would be talking
about the great change in Sacramento, and
the city would be gamer by this free adver-
Using. The State has done great deal for
Sacramento, the railroad company has been
good friend to the city, nature has been
kind in her gifts. in the way of location.
beautiful surroundings and healthfulness
of climate, but the citizens themselves
have done little or nothing at all.
WHY STAND IN YOUR OWN LIGHT?
There are millions of money in the East
ready to be invested in progressive cities in
the West. Let it be known in New York,
Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago that
California's Capital is on the eve of great
boom and what would be the result?
Large banking institutions would send out
their agents to see what they could do
here in the way of investments manu-
featuring companies would want an op-
portunity of identifying themselves with
the interests of the city; the large insur-
ance companies would also become inter-
ested and in all probability erect handsome
structures here, as they have done in all
the progressive cities of the West. Be-
sides, moneyed men in all branches of bus
mess would pour in here by the hun
dreds. These are the kind of men that SO
helped TO build up Kansas City, Minneap-
oils, st. Paul, Omaha and Denver But
the citizens of these respective cities first
started the ball rolling,
AS SACRAMENTO WILL HAVE TO DO
If she expects any outside assistance. If
your citizens could only develop the spirit
of these Western boomers what great,
glorious city you would have on the banks
of the Sacramento in no time. Los Angeles
and Oakland would soon be left behind,
and the Capital City of the Golden State
would be-where she rightfully belongs
next in population and wealth to San Fran
cisco.
| suppose this will be my last visit to
California, as all my interests are in the
East and | am now quite an old man, but
will always have kind word to say for
Sacramento, and hope to hear of her MAX
ing rapid progressive strides ere long. III
should possibly live to see 1900 l hope to
hear OF Sacramento having at least loo, 600
inhabitants. This can be accomplished
very easily if the citizens will only wake
up and take advantage of the opportuni-
ties Haunted in their faces.
THOMAS JONES.
WEEKIY CROP RUTJETTNs