The record-union., 1892-07-23
sLANDERING THEIR OWN HOMES.

The newspapers of San Francisco have
reported that there are from seven to
eight thousand empty houses in that city
awaiting tenants. Inquiry by repre-
sentative of this paper at the Spring Val
ley Water Works ascertained that there
were less than 1000 vacant taps. The
statistics Of the water works of the city
show that the vacant taps for this year
are but little more than nominal. They
show falling off of new taps, but no un-
usual state OF affairs as TO the number of
vacant houses. The number of vacant
taps is about 1,50O, but as many of the
taps represent compartment houses, with
tenements is something less than 1000.
The papers of San Francisco have been
declaring that the trade Of that city is
falling off; that everything was going to
the bad.
And now comes the Ecanainea to say
that the statistics published in its COM
mercial columns show that for the cereal
year ending June 80, 1892, the total ship
ments Of wheat and -four from San Fran
cisco were valued at S27, ,O43, ,647-a much
larger value than recorded for any previ-
Gus year in a long time. 1t further shows
that the speculative transactions in farm
produce in 1892 were larger than dur
ing the two preceding years, as shown by
the records of the Produce Exchange
Call Board. 1t further declares that the
customs duties collected on foreign i'm
ports during the past six months were
Sll7 ,405 more than for the same time in
1891.
Thus there has been larger export
trade and larger import trade at the
port of San Francisco than for the year
1891. The Examiner is authority for the
statement that in 1891 the shipments Of
barley from the State were more than
double the quantity exported in the pre-
vious year, and that the movement in the
past six months was much larger than
recorded for the similar period in several
previous years. Here is a larger move
ment in an important commodity than
for several years previous, and yet the
merchants of San Francisco are bowling
about hard times.
The Examiner goes on to say that the
salmon trade has been unusually active.
the value of the exports by sea for the
past six months having been S1,OO6, ,667
as against S67S, ,907 for the same time in
1891 and $697, 700 in 1890. The Examiner
is also authority for the statement that the
fruit-growers of Vaca Valley claim that
this is the best year they have ever
known. They quote the testimony OF
Thomas Wilson, well-known citizen of
Vacaville, in this connection. They rep
resent Mr.. Wilson as saying that the
bank at the town of Vacaville will take
over its counter this year 81, 100000. It
may reasonably be doubted if there is
any other community of its size in Amer
lea that will receive as large net profit
on so small an acreage as the people of
Vacaville will receive this year from the
sale of their fruit. There is no poverty
like that to which we consent without
reason. There is no impoverishment so
blighting as the poverty of spirit and
hope.
The San Francisco Traffic Association
has debauched the press of San Francisco
by seeking to produces general condition
of discouragement throughout the State.
They put in circulation statement that
there are seven or eight thousand vacant
houses in the city Of San Francisco; that
trade and commerce have fallen of; and
they did this in the interest of lower
freight rates, so that their mercantile
profits may be enlarged. If the freight
rates charged to-day were 80 per cent. of
the present tariff the people of the State
would never know the difference. The
merchant alone would reap the benefits
of the reduction.