The record-union., 1891-04-12
AS OTHERS See Us.
A Raymond Excursionist's Opinion of
the Capital City.
Like Many Others, She Finds Much to
Admire and Not Little that
Deserves Criticism.

Susie c. Clark, a very bright lady, who
is the author of "a Look Upward, }" "To
Bear Witness" and other interesting vol
umes, spent day in Sacramento a year
ago, as a member of Raymond excur-
sion party. She has written a little book
descriptive of the journey to and from
the Pacific Coast, entitled, 1.-THE Round
Trip from the Hub to the Golden Gate -
| published by Lee & Shepherd of Boston),
in which few pages are devoted to Sac
| ramento.
| That the writer is careful and impair
tial observer of all that passes under her
observation, is shown by what she says
Of Sacramento:
| ION warm sunshiny afternoon near
| the close of May, 1890, after a long and
delightful sojourn in this fair Western
land, we at last with great reluctance
turn away from the Golden Gate and set
our faces eastward. The calm blue waters
of the bay seem 10th to ripple their last
farewell, for through inlet and cove they
merge into San Pablo Bay and thence to
| Napa Creek, where Vallejo is seen four
miles away, opposite to Mare Island, an
important western naval station, ver-
dant spot, rendezvous for roses and
| trailing vines and leafy shades which en-
| bower the officers pleasant homes and
make brilliant the hospital grounds. In
the stream near by is anchored Admiral
| Farragut's flagship, the Hartford. disa-
| bled now and rooted over to prevent fur
ther ravages of the elements.
"At this point we reached Port Costa
and our course changes, for before we are
aware our entire train with one other and
| their two powerful engines are quietly
| transferred to the largest ferry-boat in
| no
one is on deck at once, for who ever knew
Raymond tourist TO remain in his car
| one moment after it became stationary,
| although with equal alacrity he melts
from sight like the dew in his obedient
response to the first call "all aboard"
! Some twenty minutes are consumed in
! crossing the Straits of CarquineZ, and at
| Benicia we resume our long landward
! journey, until at dusk we reach Califor-
| MAS capital-Sacramento- our ac-
commodating itinerary allows US stop
| over of night and halliday.
In only eight instances in our repub-
| lie is the capital of State its metropolis
and the capital of California is not it's
most attractive city. The portion devot-
| ed to residences is charming, and great
| attention is paid to floral adornment. We
have never seen magnolia trees in fuller
wealth Of bloom than they here display,
and contrasting with them is the bright
|
granate. Broad streets intersect each
other at right angles, but the main busi-
| ness portion of the city wears an old-time
! look, which beSpeaks it's record of mining
days, the early rendezvous as it was of
westward bound emigrants, the first set
| tlement to greet the eyes of weary wan
| derers over the plains. Many of the
buildings are still Mexican in type, with
| broad verandas across their second story,
| and bearing the marks of age and dilapi-
dation. The sidewalks are of wood, and
| so much raised above the street level as to
require bridge of sharp descent and
ascent at each street corner. Cleanliness
is not feature of this part of the city,
! however noticeable in more favored local
tiles.
1.-THE Capitol building sits grandly in
| its beautiful park and leaves nothing to
| be desired in its architecture or ornamen-
tation. Its Senate chamber and Assembly
hall contain full length portraits of Cali
| fOrn1a'S Governors, the corridors and
stairways are adorned with paintings
representing early scenes in the phenom-
| email history of the State, while in the TO-
! tunda on the first floor is seen that nota-
bic piece of statuary, Columbus before
Isabella these two figures of heroic size,
together with the kneeling page Of the
| Queen, being carved from one solid block
of marble by Larkin G. Mead, and pre-
| sented by d. o. Mills to the State of Cali
! fornia. AS we gaze admiringly upon this
work of art we cannot restrain the wish
! that the fair Isabella could have foreseen
the magnitude of the cause to which she
| pledged her jewels, or the marvellous
growth which would spring from that
tiny Seeding planted by her hopeful
hand; that her woman's soul could have
seen its saith justified, and have read her
| own record in the history of nations:
| could have known that she would be thus
immortalized, sitting here enthroned in
! this marble-paved temple, with the warm
! golden light from the open portals touch
ing her face and form with glory that is
! almost life.
"Art has in Sacramento another chosen
home. a valuable collection has been
donated by Mrs. E. B. Crocker, who also
built in her own grounds the handsome
| building which holds these treasures OF
painting and sculpture, The many rare
gems which are here so attractiyely
| placed would require more time to prop
erly appreciate and enjoy than we have
at our command, but we still carry away
| many delightful remembrances to en-
rich future thought. In the position of
honor III the main hall, beneath massive
| painting of Yosemite, rests the tie of CAL
| ifornia laurel and four iron rails which
formed with the golden spike the last
| connecting links in that narrow shining
| bridge which spans continent, to whose
COmpleLlOn Ln9 Efforts OF MIR. Charles
| Crocker lent such valuable assistance.
1t was at Promontory, near Ogden, where
| the Central Pacific Railroad building
east and the Union Pacific fastening
westward finally met, May 10, 1869.
"'Where two Engines in our vision
Once have met without collision.
"'What was il, the Engines said
Pilots touching-head to head
Facing on the Single track
Half @ world behind each back?
| go What II was the Engines said,
Unreported and unread,
Spoken slightly through the nose
With whistle at the close
Only Bret Harte heard, and translated
| for our duller comprehension, and GER
| tainly no recent date has chronicled an
| event of greater Importance, of vaster
moment to the nation.
"Leaving Sacramento at noon and
! threading the orchards and vineyards
that encompass her about, passing be-
yond this smiling valley toward the foot
| hills where we view many traces of hy-
draulic mining "a method now forbidden
by law, lest the hills themselves be
washed away, and the lowlands become
unfertile, the rivers unnavigable). we
| commence with keen anticipation the
ascent by daylight of the Sierra Nevada
4 Mountains, two strong engines with la
bored breath attempting the upward
grade"
BRIEF NOTES