The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-14
city. The valuation of property was then

city. The valuation of property was then
$1,000O00.
In June. 1888 it became the county seat
OF the newly formed county OF Riverside.
The city now has over three times the
population which it had when incor-
porated (S0O0), while its valuation has in
creased six-fold and amounts to 81, 958. PAT.
1t has tax rate OF only 65 cents on the
SlO0. the lowest of any city in the State.
The population of the city being largely
composed of well-to-do horticutursts
and substantial business men engaged in
occupations directly or indirectly, con-
nected with or dependent upon that prof
liable industry is socially, of an excep-
tionally high order, as is evidenced by
their refined and beautiful homes, their
splendid educational system, and the wise
and economical administration of the
municipal government. The city main
tains fine free public library and reading
room. The library has more than 5000
volumes and is drawn upon monthly to
the extent of 5000 volumes.
Eastern people, accustomed to the COM
pactly built, densely populated cities of
their section, will be surprised, no doubt,
upon learning that the city limits of Riv-
erside comprise fifty-two square miles, up
on which Is population of less than
10000. The reason for this is simply that
outside of the main business portion the
city is made up of small horticultural
farms, for the most part brought under
high state of cultivation and laid out with
view TO beauty as well as utility.
The much-mooted question of sbreath-
IN e. NH n
the residents of the over-populated cities
of the East will never vex the fortunate
citizens of Riverside. Each property
holder has his own breathing place in his
beautiful, hower-perfumed grounds; and
the rich acres studded with the never
fading verdure OF the orange, the lemon
and the olive. Broad avenues lead out
for miles in all directions. giving easy ac-
cess Tor driving or rapid transit transport
tatlon systems TO the suburban towns, and
magnificent shade trees upon each side
veil the sometimes too ardent chances OF
the sun.
The business center of Riverside COM
prises some nine or ten large blocks, each
about three hundred feet square. The
buildings are mostly of the best modern
style of architecture built of brick and
stone, and are two and three and four
stories in height. Some very imposing
facades of pressed brick, carved granite
and Arizona sandstone have been erected,
and compare fayorably with those of any
city of its class.
Indeed, the handsome and substantial
character of both business and residence
structures is perfectly in keeping with the
status of Riverside as the wealthiest city
per capita, in the United States. And dur
ing the last few years of the country's
business depression Riverside properties
have maintained good substantial value.
There is no more certain index to the pros
perity and wealth OF a community than
the steady maintenance of good real es-
tate values. Boom figures may be asked
and obtained for brief period, but
values must find their permanent level
at the tide mark of solid and tangible
progress and Improvement. To this Is
owing he fact that Riverside was but little
affected by the absurd boom epidemic
which convulsed Southern California few
years ago. Legitimate progress in the d.
rection of horticultural industry was well
under way at that time, and as sales were
quickly made to people who sensibly saw
tnat the surest way TO competency was to
plant and improve their property, and not
venture the sav:nge of lifetime in specu-
Iative methods, which must inevitably re-
suit disastronsly to the inexperienced who
failed 10 unload in time.
In this way Riverside County securedla
large number of her best and most pros
porous and conservative citizens, who are
energetic in promoting all worthy plans
for extending her commercial and INDUS
trial interests. The business Enterprises
OF Riverside are very satisfactory, in spite
of the universal depression which has
made itself felt throughout the United
States for the past three and half years.
The city is the commercial and banking
center of a wide area of rich country, and
the fact that our banks are of the sound
est and most substantial character IS evil
dence that there is a large amount of
money to handle.
In but few lines of trade is there an APP
pearance of overcrowding, but the growth
of the mercantile and manufacturing in