The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-11
DECAYOFCALIFORNIA
Ex-Gov. Ferry Compares Her
With Washington.
NEW STATE IS GETTING AHEAD.


Gan Francisco Examtnse.
It Is now twenty-four years since nrss
visited San Francisco. was then on the
way to Washington territory. at that time
in its infancy.
As looked 1t the marvellous city by the
Golden Gate could not help contemplate
ing its future possibilities, destined appar-
entity to outrank immeasursbly for all time
any and all other cities on the western
side of the continent.
It appeared ct that time that it would
ultimately surpass Boston and St. Louis.
and even Chicago.
As I still further contemplated these
possibilities and thought of the gold
mines, the fruit and grain lands, the un-
rivaied climate. the early approach OF
railroads and the trade of the Oceident
that lay at its open door, conld but con-
template the country to which l was
bound with some degree of reluctance.
Here enough was done to show the pos
sibilities, and to invite men with families,
because of society. schools and churches.
and many other things due to men accus-
toned to certain iuxuries of civilization.
There there were vast possibilities, per
haps, but in the indefinite and uncertain
future.
Ihave returned to San Francisco from
time to time, and each time have noted Its
progress. The Central Pacific road was
completed, and from that time We Of the
remote North have felt more closely con-
nected than ever with your city. 1t was
Immediately an avenue of communication.
All our Eastern mails came this way, and,
as formerly, whenever we wanted to buy
goods San Francisco was our purchasing
point.
We longed for q similar road. and be-
lieved if we had it it would work marvels
for us. At the same time we anticipated
that San Francisco would 60 on getting
other roads,,
In 1882 the Northern Pacific. which for
more than twenty years had been the
dream Of its projectors. was finally COM
pleted. and then there began an era Of
growth in the Northwest such as has
never before been known. Following it
came the Union Pacific, the Canadian Pa
cific, the Central Pacific, as far as Port
land; innumerable connecting links and
branches. and finally the Great Northern
railroad, the newest, shortest and one of
the best of transcontinental lines.
Virtually We have four, and you might
say five, roads in ten years, and the trans
formation has been complete. will alluds
to some of the changes in that ton years.
Seattle, which was then struggling city
of 5000 or 5000, now has population Of
GO, 900; Tacoma, which had at the most
1000, now has about 5000; Spokane. then
~-rcf n
. few hundred inhabitants. now has
80 600 people. Every city and town in
Washington has doubled its population
and cities. at that time not on the map,
have sprung up, and many of them now
number many thousands each.
Vast lumber mills have been erected,
great coal mines have been developed,
even our sagebrush lands by irrigation
have been made to produce millions Of
bushels of grain. Ships by scores are in
many Of our ports at all times. bringing
and carrying away traffic.
Our population has increased in the ten
years from barely 10000 to nearly half
million. The territory has become q state
with a taxable valuation Of property Of
1915, 100000.
The trade Of Washington, of Oregon,
Idaho and Montana. which San Francisco
Columbia. has been almost entirely cut Oft
from San Francisco. Our freights 60 and
come over some one of the Northwestern
transcOntinental lines.
Nor do We need to patronize your trans
Pacific steamers. Already we have two
such lines-the Canadian Pacific and the
Northern Pacific-and our people 20 to
tries of the Occident by them. James ].
Hill. of the Great Northern, is to start an
other one.
Every week passengers from the curious
lands which Marco Polo visited so long
ago step upon our docks and proceed east
ward over our lines. They never see and
they hear little of San Francisco.
II you ask me the reason for this change
shall say, railroads. You have been CON-
tent with the one which you had. We
have never been contented, nor will we be.
No sooner do We get one road than We
want another, and we get it, and will con-
tinue to get more.
Out OF our discomfort is born progress.
undertake to say-and l do not be-
lieve l overstate it-that if tho people of
San Francisco and California would get
another railroad your population would
double in five years.
But you need more than another road.
You need many of them, and with YOU as
with US, they will find support. They will
create business. Lens upon tens OF tnOu-
sands of people will add TO your popula-
ton every year. They will dig in your
desert lands, bring water upon them and
increase your orange. raisin. wheat and
fruit products. They will 60 into your
old mines, now Idle. and into your pine
and redwood forests, and you will see
transformation which will be grateful to
you.
Money will circulate freely, real estate
values will rise and you will see San Fran
cisco take the leap forward which its
friends have been awaiting for SO many
years.
Conservatism kills. There must be hone
and work. Cities grow. like children, BY
energy and activity, and not by ideness
and inaction. Ii you see what you want
ask for it, and not only ask for it, but work
for it aud get it.
am young man no longer. l am ap-
froaching the three score and ten which
IS said 10 be allotted 10 man. | have
viewed the growth of many cities and the
decadence of some. If there is one thing
that seems To me To be more necessary to
an American city than anything else, il is
all the railroads II can get.
Wherever you see them you see progress,
and where you see them not there is no
progress.
5znMM<x7