The San Francisco call., 1897-04-26

scarcely as many houses were built. There
were no new Industries, the mines were
fewer, the farmers had little to encourage
them, and there was the long, rough stage
ride to Redding to appal the traveller, but
Yreka wouldn't die.
1t was the county seat and the center of
trade for tract larger than the State of
Massachusetts,.
Then the railroad came and passed by
on the other side, seven miles away,
planting little towns all along to be the
rivals OF Yreka. This was the last straw,
and the people awoke to the knowledge
that the inhabitants make the town.
Ihey built branch road of their very
own to connect with the main line and
then they began to boom their sturdy lit
tie town in the best possible way-by
spending money on and in it.
An old YIekan built an electric plant on
the river below town and the dark streets
became light and the smell OF kerosene
disappeared from the business houses.
Then some of the richer people tore down
the houses they had been living in since
the SOS and put up modern and beautiful
homes.
The first two or three proved such sue
cess that others and still others began to
look with disfavor upon their squattv lit
tie box houses, and behold soon there
came an architect and builder to locate
here. He has never gone away and two
more have come. House after house has
been built, some of them mansions fit to
crown the hills of San Franclsco's fash
ionable quarters. All over the fats above
town little homes have sprung, and on the
southern subur bs in the fields where chill
dren used to gather wild violets are pretty
cottages and green yards. One improve
ment calls for another, and the new
houses demanded lawns instead of brown
earth. A new water company supple
mHnted the SnnnlV of nld m a kino
grass and flowers grow as by magic and
completing the beauty of the great trees
and pretty homes.
The wiseheads began to question why
so much of our money and talent went
away to Cities and the result was the
large and beautiful high-school building
which looks down from its hill. With the
high scho ool came scores of families from
outside to settle where their children
could have such advantages, and there
were 10 vacant houses in Yreka. There
are none now. Building lots command
high prices, and every shed and shack
that Is habitable rents for good price
Tho wiseheads were next shaken in dis
approval at the dingy courthouse. all too
small for the business done In it, and now
in the lccust-shaded park we see a fine
gray building, large and substantial
enough for the coming time when Yreka
shall have doubled its population.
feople discovered tnat Sisklyou apples
had no equal and they began to come for
them, with the inevitable result. New
orchards are springing up all over the land
and Yreka is the shipping point. Cream
cries and ice plants made their appear
ance, bringing more trade and increased
prosperity TO the county seat. Mines in
every direction were reopened. capital
invested and more new people were
brought in.
Yreka has never during the mast season
of depression made any plant of hard
times. There are no unemployed, except
those born with prejudice against work,
and some of them in the chain ganl have
done good street work for their board and
lodging.
Business houses have enlarged and in
creased. Miner street, the business