The record-union., 1891-07-13
THRIVING FOLSOM.
A Visit to the Boom, Prison, Gravel
Pits and Other Points.
A Town With Brilliant Future-Rail
road Ties by the Million-Some
of the People.

There is probably not 'eillage on the
Pacific Coast that has brighter prospects
| for the future than Folsom.
And this is not to be interpreted as
meaning that it is at present lying in
state of inocuous desuetude-not by any
| means.
! / spent all of Saturday in Folsom and
vicinity and saw much that caused me to
wonder. I talked with business men
who are thoroughly satisfied with their
condition in life and the outlook for the
/ future; with laboring men, who said they
We're receiving better wages than they
could get anywhere else; with miners,
who said there was plenty Of gold left yet
in the hiils-only they had to get it at
night; with farmers, who had no terrors
for the grasshoppers; with vinyardists,
who simply bubbled over with good ma
/ ture; and with young ladies. who We're
the best lockers | ever see." And all
in one day, too.
During the day we took run over to
the Penitentiary- q mile from
! Folsom proper-and there / had nay eyes
! opened in earnest. Warden AJlll treated
US kindly and showed us all that was 10
| be seen. It's quite family the Warden
has gathered around him at present-700
IN all OF course we took most interest
in the granite work that is going on near
| the prison the big dam, and the power
/ house. Both are great pieces Of work.
The poWer-house has now reached the
second story, the cages for the water
| wheels are all complete, and the whole IS
a structure that will last for ages. Captain
Aull expects that the powcr-hoUse Will
be finished this tall. The dam is getting
| along nicely, ana is up so high now that
\ Sif n nf fria arNf+ +Dy,tpp
In making the rounds Of the prison
/ grounds we were greatly struck with the
absolute discipline that prevails there,
and the precautions that are taken to pre-
vent the escape OF prisoners. \ guard
house and Gatling-gun battery is located
on every hilltop and point OF vantage in
the vicinity.
Above the prison is the great lumber
boom OF which so much has been written
and said. The KECoRU-U MON contained
a fine description Of this great enter
prise some months ago. Tie boom is
now finished and is in operation. The
first lOg-driye, which was attempted q
couple of months ago, was not the sue
cess ii should have been, because OF The
rapid fail Of the river. Many thousands
OF the legs arrived at the boom, but those
that were caught III the low water had to
be tied up, and viii wait for the next
freShet. But III the me%ntimG the boom
folks are not idle. They are shooting
railroad ties down the river by the tlrop-
sand, and are doing an immense busi-
ness. Mr.. Cummings told me Saturday
that he expected something like 1860
ties would arrive Wednesday next
Great industry, that.
The gravel industry is another of Fol-
som's great advantages. There are nu-
merous pits near Folsom, and they are
all practically ineXhaustible. The gravel
is said by experts to be the finest for
street and cement work in the State and
great quantities of it are now being
shipped daily to Sacramento and other
places. The best ofthe pits are owned
by +. w. Parker, the weil-known 5acra-
mento contractor and be is not allowing
any cobWebs to grow in them. AIr
Parker is now operating what is known
as the Willow Creek pit, and is shipping
on an average offorty carloads Oft q day
two train loads. About fifty men are
thus given employment and altogether
he keeps matters gravel going at rather
lively gait at Folsom. Most OF the ma
terial goes to Sacramento, where it is
being laid on the streets.
Thad Mcfarland, the diminutive editor
Of the telegraph, still thrives on the
ozone of Folsom, and is a walking en-
cyclopedia regarding the best places for
dove-shooting and fishing.
j. II. Burnham, the banker, is lust
erecting a handsome dwelling for him
self in the fashionable portion of town.
When finished it Will be the handsomest
residence ia Folsom. HADJI PAsHA.