The record-union., 1898-01-24


better able to judge of it. Mr- otei-
fens has been a leading spirit IN an Oh
the progressive work Of the lnstltu-
tions named, and after years OF service
well performed will retire from the
Presidency Of the Chamber of Com
merce o1, the 1st of the coming month,
but his counsel and advice will still De
sought by its officers and members:
like all other successful trade CEN
te1,s, Sacramento's commercial import
ance Genes from two main sources.
First from its naturally favorable SIT
uation for commercial activity; and Sec
ond from the shrewd, energetic push
and traternal unity of the men VINO
control its business.
Therefore in writing for this local-
tvs business situation one has to treat
almost as one subject location, traf1ic
and transportation, and such handling
of the question concentrates the IN
terest of his study. No two places are
situated just alike as to relative loca-
ton to trade lines, nor do they possess
exactly the same advantages as regafdS
the style of men to do the trading nor
as to transportation facilities. Whle
every central market has traders and
transportation, there are no two places
where the activities and effects are just
alike, nor are the results the same.
Sacramento stands inland from the
coast, it is true, and may never rise to
the Importance of a coast metropolis,
and yet better even than Chicago its
daily deep water communication with
it- lot
with the interior are close and sympa-
thetic.
In this country more than any other
great coast lined nation, commerce dur
ing the last thirty-five years has burst
ed the bands that bound her to coast
points. therefore Sacramento to-day
finds herself on the highway where for
eign importations come into the coun-
try-and it is also the very head cen
ter-where export products in great va
riety and quantity, even now, are gath
cred from her surrounding tributary
country for their distribution through
out the world. While it is we'll not
in any degree to belittle the great value
and Importance of the artificial means
of transportation which was born Of
this city's push and faith of other
years. her natural highway TO the sea
must be kept open by restoring the
great river which was once the pride
OF this great Sacramento Valley. IN
stead Of being a menace and means Of
devastation to the good people and
great producing country inland around
and beyond US, il must be helped 10
give It's invaluable aid to the proper
care and development Of the country
and to the benefit of the growing inter
ests Of great population which is soon
10 I'll the land.
Self preservation and broad views on
the great questions bearing ON the
present and future welfare of this won
derland viii soon secure the needed ala
for the restoration Of our great river
the men who are doing good service in
this work are placing the whole coun-
try under q debt Of gratitude, for the
value Of their services are inestimabla.
A weH-cared- for open highway to the
sea is an aid and security for every
interest Of our great valley, and it
guarantees favorable export facilities
for the large staple products of our
8 growing surroundings that seek foreign
markets and assures imports of mod
s crate transportation tax on arrival 1t
is an Important factor for the present
value and future security of this city's
commerce for a merchant to be able
to ship by sea all staples direct from
his warehouse to all the leading supply
markets of the world. and a no less
ehangeless security thereto for COM
munity to have gathered from its
neighboring orchards and vineyards
their ripening products from day 10 day
and ship them direct to Europe, as well
as the many Eastern markets of our
own country.
By virtue of deep water communica-
tion With the ocean Sacramento has Sc
cured terminal facilities" that is to
say, that all westbound railroad
freights from Eastern markets are
landed here at the same freight rates
as are charged at San Francisco. It
IS from here that the Central Pacific
Railroad starts eastward to cross the
continent The Southern Pacific road
runs from here directly south and
southeast through the great San Joa-
Quin Valley, Southern California and
thence to New Orleans. The same sys-
tenn also runs direct from this point
northward through the State to Port
land, Or, and the great Northwest.
These transportation lines with the
Sacramento Valley Railroad, and also
the line Of road running direct west
from here TO San Francisco make this
city the center Of the Pacific Coast
transportation system, as well as the
central point of the greatest valley of
the Golden West, and therefore the
most favorable point OF supply for all
the interior State traffic eastward
from San Francisco. Nevada and any
other section Of our inland Pacific Coast
country. The railroads and river
steamers receive and deliver all freights
at points within an average distance
Of two blocks from the wholesale por-
ton Of the city, making the matter of
handling freights but a trifie as COM
pared with what II costs to do the same
at any other leading trade center The
amount and variety of products which
the many thousand square miles OF
country tributary TO this city will pro-
duce is at this time only fairly indi-
Gated, and is but 1.-THE to what it
viii be in the near future. when every
portion Will be occupied and industri-
ously and intelligently cultivated and
cared for. The volume of export and
general supply trade which will gather
here 10 be distributed from this great
business center VIII be of an astonish-
ing magnitude if only properly handled
by broad-minded men of push and
capital. who VIII work together for the