The record-union., 1891-08-10
VISITORS NEGLECTED.
Communities That Do Not Appear to
Desire Newcomers.
Strangers are Left to the Tender Mer-
cieS of Hackmen and Office
Boys-Why is Thiss

The fact has often been remarked that
while Califorpians do great deal of talk
ing about methods of making known the
various inducements that are offered peo-
pie from the East and elsewhere to settle
here, they take very little pains to exert
themselves in that direction. 1t is q COM
mon thing for visitors and tourists to
spend several days in some Of the cities
that are reaching out for immigrants"
without being able to learn anything
more about localities than what they
can CLEAN from employees of hotels, or
hackmen.
So-called leading citizens will walk
right past an Eastern visitor who may be
plying some hoteI-boy with questions,
without stopping to give him the infor
nation he desires, and then go to some
meeting and assist in resolving that such
and-such publications should be sent out
to show the people of the East what that
particular county is capable of producing,
OF to expatiate at length on its general at
tractiveness and gorgeous climate. This
lack of interest on the part Of citizens is
thus referred to by gentleman from the
East who has travelled over a considerable
portion of the State:
81 have an idea for interior Boards of
Trades, suggested by my personal expert
ence in visiting sections OF the State,
where am an entire stranger. 1t is, that
members OF such organizations should
exert themselves to seek out strangers ia
the hotels and supply them with infOr-
nation concerning their respective locali-
ties. About the only person whom
have ever noticed so occupied is the wide
awake real estate agent who has land for
sale, and as soon as he discovers the ViSi-
a
idea of settling in the neighborhood, but
is only taking general survey of the
country, the agent directs his inquiries in
other quarters. Life is too short to waste
time on people who are merely looking
around. 1t seldom occurs to him that if
he succeeds in interesting the stranger in
his county that when the sight-seer re-
turns to his home he will be a power for
good in telling his neighbors Of the adj
vantageS which California offers TO set
tiers.
''If the stranger engages a team at a
livery stable and employs driver, the
chances are about even that he win get a
man for a guide who has no earthly inter
est in the place; man of limited knowl-
edge or none at all about the county, and
when returning from an all-day's ride
the knowledge gained is only Of a super
fetal character. If visitor happens, by
accident, to reach the headquarters of a
Board of Trade, then he IS looked after,
but for every ten strangers who stop over
Tor day or two in village, probably
not more than one or two ever come in
contact with persons qualified to give the
information which would be beneficial in
time to come.
Thousands of dollars are spent every
year to induce Eastern people to visit
California, and then after they come, in
many cases, they are so neglected that
they leave the State without seeing halt
that is aVailable.n
Boards of Trade and Improvement
Associations could do no better work
than have committees visit the hotels fre-
quently and seek interviews with straug-
ers who are in search of information.