The record-union., 1892-04-29


pe patient. L know the Sacramento people
VIII help us. lam one OF you, and when am
away always claim that if / wished to just
live and ENJOY my self and sand in the shade
III the day time and out in the sun in the
evening lfaughter, [ would stay here all the
V.Ailt. i came here 10 stay in the first place,
itnd nave come here since every time oppor-
buhlty oHered. remember when DIR. sim
mons old partner met me one day and said,
Ihere is one OF two things you must do. /
Inlnk you are going TO die if you don't go to
New YORK said that l didn't propose 10
do either. Sacramento was good enough for
me and proposed TO stay here. l am glad TO
nave met you all, and viii give way to 9th
efs who can speak more tiuently.
1.-The City of Sacramento"-(Music
Capital City March'). Response by
Mayor w. ID. Comstock, who said:
dr. Chairman: Sacramento welcomes her
guests, and particularly does our city greet
lhe honored guest before us-this man OF
Worldwide fame, whose influence extends
over our country, and far beyond was once a
citizen OF the Capital City. His hrm patron
lzed the then only channel by which mer-
chandlse was transported 10 the fastgrowing
interior. That was natures great highway,
the Tree Sacramento River. Steamers, schoon-
eIs ana other water craft carried passengers
and freight to and beyond our city The busy
brain OF C.. L. Huntington found only occa-
sional periods of rest and these moments he
employed in consulting with his partners and
leIIOW-merchantS, ana between tlem they
evolved the scheme of building the great Pa
CHIC Railroad across half the continent.
Slowly, yet as rapidIyas circumstances would
permit, this mighty work was prosecuted TO
ITS completion.
Sacramento lost the presence of Mr. Hunt
ington, but she still holds his good WILL and
has at all times felt his power as her steadfast
friend
To-day he has been with us; he has returned
to the city of his early California home-a city
he has not forgotten. May he and his live
long to enjoy the results of his enterprise and
pubic spirit, and may it be his pleasure to
meet us oftener in the future, as it will be the
pleasure of our people TO greet him.
The next regular toast was: Railroad
ing as Factor in Modern Civilization"
(music, 'Railroad Galop")-Response by
a. n. Towne.
In his response Mr.. Towne expressed
his pleasure at meeting again with his old
Sacramento friends, but regretted he had
been called on for a speech. He was a
worker, not a speaker. Away back in
the days OF Washington there were but
four million people. In the speakers
own day there were but twelve millions,
but since then the building of railroads
had developed and peopled the country
with its upward of sixty millions. To-
day the gross earnings of the railroads Of
the country amounted TO about twelve
hundred millions. The railroads carry the
grain OF the western country to the sea-
board so that it can be sent to Europe
cheaper than it can be raised there
Mr.. Towne then referred briefly to the
building of the overland railroad and the
development of the coast system by Mr..
Huntington and his contreres-a system
that-lS second III earning capacity to any
of the Union. Last year the Southern
Pacific Company had expended in this
State alone no less than SI7,000,000. Sac
ramento was the home of this great rail
road system. The railroads OF the coun-
try are the greatest agents of civilization,
and are building up empires Of wealth all
over the Union.
The next toast was "Pioneer Law in
California" music, "Oh, Susanna RE
sponse by Judge Catlin.
Judge Catliu said he could sit all even
ing and listen to dissertations on that
mighty thing that had done so much for
the world and the welfare of the people
the railroad-but the toast to which he
was TO respond was Of minor interest and
importance. During the past forty years
he had noted the great development ofthe
railroads OF the country. In regard to
pioneer law, it was different to that ad-
mlnlStered to-day. 1t was not a slow law.
To that extent it was probably better
than laUterday law. 1t was not hid by a
cloud of technicalities, but stood out in
the light of day, so that all could see it.
And it was just law, if it did work
swiftly. He could not now recall an in
stance in which injustice was done to any
one.
He had experience with pioneer law
in San Francisco in '49. He found he
was under Mexican law, and the old
English common law, To which he had
been accustomed, was not known. He
was young and inexperienced then-he
was a boy. The guest of the evening,
Mr.. Huntington, was then a youth: the
State was organized by boys fapplause1,
and it was rare thing to see a gray head
in those days. The speaker referred to
several amusing incidents i'll his earlier
experience in Sacramento, which greatly
amused his hearers. There were then
few pioneers of ;46 and Ashley were not
gold-seekers-they had been led hither
by that irrepresSible desire of Americans
to ''go West" and to keep on going west.
MIR. Catlin then related some OF the in
cidents connected with the operations of
the lawless gang known as ''The Hounds
in San Francisco. The acts of this organ
ization gave rise to the first vigilance COM
mittee, from which time dated the 'pio-
neer law'' of the State. The speaker
then gave an interesting recital of the
workings of mob law in the early days.
Mob law in the early days was the peo-
pies law; it differed from the mob law of
the present day. Some of the exciting
scenes of early days in the Alcalde courts
were recited, including one in which
Sam Brannan appealed to the crowd to
|
respond, but the Alcalde saw he was in
disIavor and left his court. Hall Meal
lister, William NJ. Gwin and other
early-day lawyers We're very conspicuous
figures in the days of pioneer law prac-
tice, and the speaker related number of
| incidents in which they participated.
Judge Catlin claimed that out of the
rudeness of the pioneer law practices
sprang law and order in San Francisco.
He concluded by reciting the circum-
stances of q remarkable murder trial at
Coloma in early days, which was held by
a mass meeting, at which the majority
ruled, and the accused was given as fair a
trial as he could have had in a regular
court of justice.
spond to the toast, Population, and
How to Promote It." Music, from
"Erminie.")
DIR. Laine said there were several WAYS
of populating communities, which he
proceeded 10 explain in a humorous and
interesting manner. He then reverted to
the necessity for manufactures, the break
ing up of large land-holdings and the in
crease of transportation facilities. In his
opinion, the time was not far distant
when electricity would displace steam
power as means OF Iocomotion. The
speaker held that undesirable immigrants
from heathen lands was detriment TO
the population of the country.
Joseph Stefens responded to the senti-
ment, Mercantile Lie in Sacramento"
Music, Perseverance" Mr.. Stet1ens
said:
\ true history of Sacramento mercantile life
would be full OF interest and instruction No
other city could furnish such important data
While our location is near o great metropolis
yet being in the midst Of great valleys COM
mandlng tide-water privileges and having
direct and rapid communications with large
territory in all directions, il gives 10 this city
important and independent business facili-
ties. The prOductiN eneSs of its surroundings
and its facilities for exporting to Eastern
markets or TO the ports of the Pacific, have
had the effect of giving this city great value
I in the minds OF many good business men