The herald., 1898-02-23

lions of dollars the enterprise would pay
six per cent per annum on the capital in
vested.
The concession to the present Canal Con-
struction company has lapsed or will soon
lapse. We cannot expect Nicaragua to
wait upon our inaction forever and unless
congress acts promptly she may consent
to negotiate with England; that would
subject our traffic to many disadvantages,
against which it is yet time to guard.
The especial value of the Nicaragua
canal to Los Angeles cannot be overesti-
mated. Ours is the second city on this
coast; it is destined to be the second ocean
port. AS soon as San Pedro escapes from
the "Alger"ine corsair, and the whistles
! of the harbor construction tugs shall drown
the squeal of the Southern Pacific locomo-
tives, we will have harbor where a 10000
ton steamer can lie alongside the wharves.
Such a steamer will make the run to New
York in fifteen days and to Liverpool in
twenty days. Our oranges, lemons. grapes,
and other fresh fruits would be shipped in
compartments refrigerated in summer and
warmed in winter We could ship dressed
beef and mutton also, and all these pro-
ducts could be carried a less than half the
railroad charges. Canned goods, wool,
wines and other non-perishable products
could be sent in either steamers or sailing
vessels and the detectives who now watch
the wharves in New York to report the
names of those who dare to ship goods by
water would lose their jobs.
WHAT WE GROW
]. F. Francis responded to the toast
"What We Grow in Southern California, +"
! in happy vein. He said that an inquisitive
| cuss had inquired of Congressman Barlow
what they raised in Southern California
The congressman said that up in Ventura
| they raised beans and in Los Angeles they
raised hell. The speaker said that any
| thing that is raised on the face of the earth
can be raised in Southern California. He
would mention few of the things raised
here, and then he read a long list of ludi-
| crous answers, alleged to have been re-
ceived from prominent men in this section
and in other places, telling him what could
be raised here, from a Jack pot 10
| trouble, and what could not be raised, from
| the dead to the house rent.
southern California" was the toast re-
| sponded to by ]. s. Slauson. He briefly re-
viewed the past, from the time of the dis
covery of gold. when people came here by
almost unknown paths and developed the
state, and dwelt upon the toll and hard
ships of those desert marches. The toilers
increased in numbers and became the vic
tors of all conditions and circumstances
He asked the assembly to rise and drink 10
the health of Mrs. Jessie Benton Fremont
the widow of the foremost of these nio-
neers. The world knows our progress. Per-
haps no country in it has advanced as
Southern California has within the last
fifty years. AS TO the future he wished
that ne could portray it. He was not eoual
to the task, but with advanced railroad
communication and the Nicaragua canal
once built he predicted for it a future nj
unparalleled prosperity.
A. H. Naftzger spoke on the Results OF
Climatic Influence" He said that the cli-
mate of Southern California; spoke fo,
| itself. The only thing that was wanted
was little more rain, but as it was moi
very dry in the banquet hall there was moi
much need of talking of rain. Nearly
everything that is glorious here is due to
the excellence of the air. That should bt
included in our schedule of assets. We also
raise an extraordinary crop of weather pre-.
varicators He hoped to see the day wher
| the city would extend it's limits from the
foothills to the sea.
SALT LAKE RAILROAD
] r. e. Gibbon responded to the toaat eth