Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-12
THE ORANGE SHOW.
GENERAL CH1PMAN's ADDRESS AT
THE CITRUS FAIR.
Great Subject Bloquently Discussed.
Features of the Fair Last Night-Notes
and Personal Gossip.

Long before the doors of the pavilion
were opened yesterday morning a, large
crowd Of anxious sightseers assembled
in front OF the huge building, and from
that time until nearly midnight con-
tinuous stream OF people surged in and
out, it being estimated that fully 1900
people visited the great citrus fair dur
ing the day. OF this number at least
1000 were present in the evening, and
as a matter OF consequence locomotion
was for several hours somewhat incon-
venient. Notwithstanding the crush,
however, the best of good humor pre-
Vailed and those who were fortunate
enough to secure seats in the upper and
lower galleries had the supreme satis-
faction of observing the movements of
their less favored fellow-creatures below
and around them from points of vantage
while they themselves were enabled to
rest. Everywhere were to be heard ex-
clamations OF surprise and admiration
at the beauties OF the designs and the
splendor OF the scene as a whole, and
the general opinion prevailed that the
exhibition was sight 'once seen, never
to be forgotten"
At s O'Clock number of ladies and
prominent citizens escorted General N, !,
Z. Chapman, OF Red Bluff, the speaker
OF the evening, to the stage where seats
had been reserved for them. and Presi-
dent G. M. Wells, of the chamber of
npr, M a hr;aAxv ,v,<r
tinguished visitor, who delivered an ad-
dress upon the "Fruit interests of Cali
fornia," from which the following ex-
tracts are taken:
MR.. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLE
MEN: | visited Los Angeles in the
spring OF 1880, and penetrated your des-
ert wastes as far as Yuma and Tucson.
Your suburbs exhibited vacant villas
and neglected gardens; that tell-tale
sign OF stagnation and decay, ''for sale,"
posted here, there and everywhere, sent
me back home more contented with my
quiet country in the north than l came.
fought to have judged better OF your mer-
its. But why should have been wiser
than you yourselves?
1t is different now. The natural waters
have been checked in their wasteful
flow to the sea, and have been spread
over the grateful earth, and by some
mystical law your rainfall has appar-
emily more than doubled. But / am
speaking OF the condition as found it.
| find III the report of the state board
OF equalization that the per cent. of
mortgage debt to the total value of real
estate and improvements for 1890 in
Los Angeles county was 1870. Only
,y,t y, 90, %n ~,lx IoAA
showing. The average mortgage in
is 1887 per cent, so that Los Angeles
county is 5.17 per cent below the aver
age.
Your prosperity and advancement are
attested by that unfailing guide, in
creased population and increased assess
able wealth. What do these show? I
will take three counties only.
c. Popula'n popnalstn
Los Angeles ....,........ 33,3Sl 1OI4 41O
sam sam bisgo bsrnardino.-. sas sass s5ass q asS
o Assessed Val. Assessed VAL
Los Angeles, sl6,ses6449 ss9475o25
Sam Sam Bego 55Sss
While must from necessity confine
my illustrations to few of your counties,
it is but just to say that all have felt the
stimulating influence of your upward
movement.
Mr.. President, thoughtless people
caricature our constant talk about our
climate and its economic value.
Why shouldn't we talk about our eli
mate? Why should we allow ourselves
to keep silent upon the very vitality dis
tinguishing feature between California
and the vast Missouri and Mississippi
valley region, and indeed the greater
part of the United States? The value
of country for human abode lies in it's
combining in the largest degree those
elements of rich soil, salubrious climate,
diversified agricultural possibilities, re-
lation to market, good government,
high civilization, which 60 to make up
an ideal home.
There is feature OF this matter of
climate must mention. If / were to
warn your people here in the south
against anything connected with your
climate, it would be against allowing
this chief attraction of California to de-
generate into mere source of health or
prolongation of life. You must not al
low your region to be known as a sani-
tarium where, incidentally, fruit may
be grown. You must put forward your
industries and your sources of wealth
and inducements to the home-seeker
to come where life may be enjoyed and
where rewards await labor as your chief
merit; and let your country be sought
by the invalid, and your climate offered
him as an incident to your active, busy,
money-making occupations. Your eli
mate is vastly more valuable because
of the fruits of the earth it will pro-
duce than because man may live here
longer with one lung than in Boston
with two. A place where man may 60
merely to prolong his existence, but not
to work and help to upbuild, is not the
place to invite the millions. I protest
against California being brought to the
level of sanitary resort--a place for
those who have money to spend, but
whose energies and activities have been
exhausted, and who from necessity can
not extend the aid we need to build
state. California is robust member of
this union, and demands robust pop
ulation.
Consider that precious fruit-the
olive. The most accomplished 'agron-
omists accord to California all the favor
able conditions existing in Italy for the
growth Of this valuable fruit.
Italy produces annually 70,000,00O
tya lions az olive oii Tho yporLat .oI,,a