The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-10
QUEER SAN FRANCISCO.
Interesting Town OF Marked Pecu-
Iiarities.
Chinatown, the Foreign Element and
Other Things.


| tional, and manufacturing. III is indeed
| impossible that there should be here a
| city Of 800, 600 people, without the pres
ence of many things worthy Of commen-
| dation. With full knowledge of these
| facts and with due recognition of their
| existence, it is the purpose OF this article
! TO take notice OF other conditions and
characteristics as they impress the trav-
eler in his rounds OF the cities OF the
| West.
Three classes OF people are discernible
TO a marked degree in san Francisco: (:
First, the old, original nonc-such Cali
fornian. lie is rich, aristocratic ego
tistical, dignified, and Indifferent TO the
public welfare. He does not like the
looks, habits, dress, manners and talk
of the people OF the other states. He
offers no protest 10 such people spending
their money TO improve California condi-
tions, so long as II tends to enhance the
value of his property; but farther than
that, the old-time Californian does not
welcome newcomers from the East. and
central states. In disposition he is, usual
ly opposed TO tax for the pubic benefit.
IL he wants his children 10 have school
advantages he has got the money to pay
for it, and he thinks other people ought
10 do the same.
FOREIGN ELEMENT
The second class which obtrudes itself
and commercial circles OF San Francisco,
is the element OF foreigners, who pride
themselves upon having more business re-
lation with Europe, Asia and the isles Of
the sea than with the people OF the
United States. Their so-called banking
methods are the outgrowth OF the pawn
shop business, from which they emanated
This class of people who dominate the
banking and financial affairs OF san Fran
cisco not only take no interest I'm the
general affairs o. the nation, but they
take very little interest in the welfare OF
California, other than that which directly
concerns their own interest in San Fran
cisco.
San Francisco is a rich city, possessing
a very large surplus OF capital, which
renders very little assistance in the de-
velopments OF the enterprises OF the State.
She has large interests which pull In the
money from the mining, agricultural and
fruit industries OF the State, but she rare
ly sends any out. When an irrigation en-
terprise is TO be developed, il is engineer
ed and financiered by Eastern men. While
there ere, OF course, notable exceptions
10 this, the statement is sufficiently accu-
rate to justify the assertion.
While money rates in san Francisco are
low, II is a fact that the rural towns and
communities are paying higher rates
than any business will justify. The rea-
son for this is that there is no competi-
ton among money lenders in these local
itles, because Eastern capital has not vet
found its way there and because San
Francisco capital has no faith in any
thing outside of the city itself.
LACK OF ENTERPRISE.
AS an evidence that there does not exist
any such thing as cooperative enterprise
in san Francisco, il is only necessary TO
cite the fact that this city has but one
mi nftnlr Of ,ft, yAn afkn
pie, the metropolis of the Pacific coast.
with but one railroad The Southern
Pacific company cannot be blamed for
taking advantage of the situation when
there Is not united public enterprise
enough in San Francisco TO build a com
peting line, though she possesses ample
surplus capital to do so. Just now a
feeble effort is being made 10 contract
what is 10 be known and called the Valley
railroad, but IL the enterprise shall be a
success II will have TO bedaken in hand
by the rural and interior communities,
who may as well look to China for the
contamination of the project as to the
suspicious, narrow minded aristocrats of
San Francisco.
"cHINATowN.n
Within the central part OF this great
city is what is known as chinatown.
taking in a square OF about six block
(meaning by block, the space from one
street TO another). Many of the build
ings in this locality are fairly good bricks,
three and four stories high, and the dis
trlct is occupied by about 1900 Chinese |
with their stores, saloons, restaurants,
launderies opium dens, and lodging houses |
wherein the almond-eyed queue bedecked |
CeiestiaIs stow themselves away as thick |
ly as sardines. While this district is |
visited by thousands OF travellers, who |
have curiosity to witness the existence |
o. this nest OF Oriental filth and pollu- |
ton, have to see the first one yet who |
would desire to see such a repulsive fea- |
ture established in the city in which he |
lives. But in San Francisco this condi- |
ton is somewhat in keeping with the |
genersi "foreign policy" II was the |
same class OF people above referred to !
who were first instrumental in import |
ing these Oriental people.
AS COMPARED WITH OTHER CITIES.
You may go to Oakland, San Jose, Los
Angeles and Portland, Oregon, and you
feel at once that you are in American
cities, where American enter prise edu-
cation and broad business sense prevail; |
but san Francisco, the Mecca of the |
Italian street vender, the pawnbroker aud |
the Oriental heather, affords you any
thlng but favora BILE impression. These
remarks are aimed at certain conditions
ana characteristics which thrust them
selves into the face OF the stranger TO
his disgust and indignation, and not at
the more respectable bat less obtrusive
people, whose conception of the right
order OF things may yet exert
saving influence over the destiny OF San
fr rancisco. To this class. the third class
we had In mind at the beginning, we
would not do violence or provoke their re-
sentiment for the constant presence OF the
conditions we speak OF have long stood
as menace TO their prosperity and hap
plness. United States Investor.