The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-30

slider is permitted TO encroach here, and a
very persistent applicant for space here
from San Francisco was refused.
Captain John Fields is the president of
the association and w. T. Brush vice
president and treasurer. George B. Baer
is secretary, and C. E. Humbert, F. w.
Brush and NJ. Minehan are directors.
Ground has been bought on Main street
opposite the pavilion, where the preeent
fair is being held, where a new brick pa
vilion will be built for the permanent use
OF the association.
1t was O'Clock when the opening exer-
cises began. The pavilion was brilliantly
lighted, and the general decoration of the
hall, which has gone forward day and night
during the week under the intelligent and
energetic direction of T. B. Wilson and
Sam Sample, was complete. The walls
and pillars of the big hall were swathed in
white and orange and olive'bunting, which
accorded very prettlly with the color tone
of the exhibits.
a small forest of palms was arranged at
the entrance, and other palms and vines
were made to play an artistic part in the
general decoration within. A part of the
hall is given over to refreshment and candy
booths, while two or three native wine
exhibits and big windmill made almost
entirely of dried fruits add variety and
give life to the scene. The big arms of the
windmill are kept revolving by water
motor.
The Cloverdale brass band had been dis
coursing music for some time, while the
people gradually filled the aisles in the big
hall.
President Fields and others of the Off
GERS took their places on the platform, and
with them Professor E. W. Davis of Santa
Rosa, principal of the public schools of So
mona County, who was TO make the open
ing address, and was so introduced. He
was primed to the topic in hand, and
began by congratulating the people of
Sonoma County on the favors that nature
had so literally bestowed upon them. He
had the best of authority for saying that
the orange, lemon, lime, citron and shad-
dock felt more at home in this valley than
in almost any place in the world. The
reason was the peculiar climatic and geo.
logical conditions that exist here. The
evidence OF these peculiar conditions was
shown not only in the fruit which they
had grown but in the world famed geysers
only few miles removed from this build
ing, together with other signs of internal
heat. Within this belt were thousands of
acres adapted to the culture of these
fruits
These geologic conditions gave to the
fruit their quality of flavor and the acids
that made them so palatable and refresh
ing. No other single fruit had the great
medicinal value as had the lemon. for
which man everywherecraves. In 1892,
be said, according to Government repor ts,
there were imported into this country
81, 831, 334 worth of citrus fruits, and in
1898 nearly as much more. Why not sup
ply this splendid value from the orchards
at home? This same Government authority
asserts that California was better adapted
to the culture of these fruits than any
other country in the world.
The speaker then went on to say that in
this valley there are more favoring condi-
tons at hand than had yet been even
brought into use. These fruits could be
better grown under She electric light than
otherwise. They developed more rapidly
and possessed finer qualities than was
possible by the mere light of the sun by
day.
This valley by use of the electric light,
which could be secured at trifing cost,
might be brought to its very highest devel-
opments. The Russian River and the
reservoirs of Blue Lake and Lakeport
could furnish water. power for a thousand
dynamos, besides supplying the means of
irrigation ii need be. He had it from the
lips OF Luther Burbank, he said, that
wizard OF fruit and vegetable culture, who
had given to the world so many new
varieties of both, that Northern Sonoma,
Southern Mendocino and Western Lake
counties were the natural home of the
best varieties OF nuts-Jhe place where
they could be brought to their best-the
almond in its softest shell, the English
walnut, the pecan and also the Smyrna fig.
1T is part Of the history of the world :"
said the professor, that where these
things flourish there Is also a healthful
climate, natural sanitarium. There
men and women grow, like their
fruits, to physical perfection
matched nowhere else, and with these
TO also morality, social and intellectual de-
velopment - manhood and womanhood
treadlng toward their highest planes.
-'Of1 SOil4lihSh tDc oDSdheT, -WndU is
there that we lack? We have abundant
water for every need, we have climate,
soil, the means for transportation and the
people to produce and to exhaust our sup
plies. The market? San Francisco will
distribute your wares whithersoever they
may be called for. 1t is the key to the
whole world. / may say right here that 1
have in my pocket orders for more than
this big valley or the hills, too, for that
matter, for what 1 have said applies in a
large part to them, have produced this
year"
The speaker then went on to explain the
value in the matter of health of the mere
presence of trees, how they absorbed and
gave out moisture. He encouraged the
young to plant trees as being an excellent
monument to themselves.
The entire address was timely and in
structive and was well received. It formed
the only ceremonial of the opening. The
people applauded, the band played and
the business of the fair began. Much of
this Immediately centered about the re-
freshment booth, keeping Mrs. F. w.
Brush, Mrs. j. n. Anterior and Mrs. &. A.
Thilo, who are in charge, busy for the bal