The record-union., 1899-09-25
HOP FIELDS ABOUT PERKINS.
"A NEWSPAPER MANS STRANGE
EXPERIENCES.
Modern Innovations-White Fami-
lies Displacing Japs and Chin
ese-How 1t Works.
Perkins, september %. 1s09.

Perkins, September %, 1917.
Eds. ''Record-Union": By Perkins
I refer to the town of Perkins almost
due east and six miles from the Capital
City. True the personnel OF the town
is yet in the flesh. That is to declare
that "the daddy of the town" still IVes
in the person of Mr.. Perkins, senior
member of the firm Of Perkins q Son.
Unlike most small towns, ours mas new
er troubled the newspapers to do the
broom act On the contrary, IL mas
refrained from self-laudation, DelleVlnG
that true merit will sooner or later De
recognized, and having an abiding 1alth
in that old saying, "All things comes
to him who waits" Perkins is not ex-
tensiye strictly speaking, but tributary
to it is a rich and broad section OF
country. 1t is midway between SacTa-
mento and the historic Hangtown
Crossing, which was in early days the
center of the teaming business between
here and the mountains
Perkins overshadows all towns be-
tween Sacramento and Folsom, and in
a short time will measure swords with
the latter. 1t has a very good school
house, a butcher shop, a shoemaker
shop and a general merchandise store,
togetI II with a blacksmith shop. There
are but two saloons in the town, both
of which are properly conducted. There
has been just completed a very impor-
tant adjunct to the town, a winery. 1t
will be known as the Lisbon Winery.
1t has a capacity of sixty tons of
grapes per day, and a tank capacity OF
100000 gallons. The plant is up TO
date in every particular, and the man.
agement is in the hands of thoroughly
experienced men who were born among
the vines and reared on the juice of
the grape. They start up on Monday
next, and will meet all offers of older
establishments for grapes grown in this
section of the country.
Speaking of manufacturing eStab-
lishments suggests the new Touring
mill, a short way below Perkins. 1t is
known as THE Brighton Mill" and
turns out an excellent article in the
way Of -four 1t is equipped with mod
ern machinery, and in point of quality
of its flour ranks with the best on the
Pacific slope. Both enterprises are
being supported by the residents of
this and adjoining districts, but the
general market is also sought in both
instances.
Hop picking has just closed, and with
it six weeks experience of IA very
agreeable nature 1 started to "catcha
de hop and maka de mon' with some
little misgivings. The atmosphere was
loaded with all kinds of stories regard
hon 7,iolrfpr TNhax xxysVa co 111I-
merous and conflicting that it became
necessary for me to join the ranks of
the noble six hundred in order to
catch the truth, as we'll as the mon"
Our first object of attack was the yards
of Horst Bros, which form part of the
old Rooney ranch, lying between Per-
l1ins and the American River. Here [
found a representative of nearly every
country under the sun, even to a Fill
pino. OF course the whites predolninlt-
ed Including the Japs, there were
about 600 OF the former there were
about 100 in the yard of which I write.
The hops were fairly good and the pay
for picking them ditto.
I learned that the firm had intended
to give US dollar hops" when means
a cent per pound but some ioud-mouth-
ed gentleman inaugurated an incipient
strike in a yard at Wheatland, owned
by the same firm, so we worked for 80
cents a hundred pounds TO begin With.
but at the close the superintendent,
James Rooney, voluntarily raised us TO
80 cents. There was criticism because
he didn't popularize himself and his
firm by making the raise an even 81.
However, both he and Horst Bros.
stood we'll in the estimation OF those
who did the work, and surely they
alone ought to know what best suited
them.
At the start the firm promised i've
things-good tents at - cents per
week, free fuel; that wells would be
sunk at convenient points; that a gen
eral merchandise store would ae open
ed, where goods of every description
could be procured "at city prices, and
that no person was compelled to pur-
chase who didn't wish to do SO. Each
and every promise was religiously kept.
Some criticism was raised 10 a saloon
being on the grounds, to which I wish
TO refer. There was 4 well equipped
and equally well conducted saloon on
the grounds. and with reference thereto
I for myself and several others who
drink moderately assert that it was a
great convenience. There was neither
a rule of the firm nor a local ordinance
compelling any person to spend both
his time and money at the bar getting
intoxicated. We did. however deem it
a convenience when, after working IN a
boiling sun seven hours to have a
chance to procure a glass of beer with
out going a German mile to get it and
then sweat it out on the return trip.
If ever a saloon was a saving grace,
or if there are times When saloon is
a friend in need. it was surely SO in
this instance.
neglected to say that another prom
ise was made and kept. That was two
hop dances a week, which were enjoyed
by both old and young. Musicians were
brought out from Sacramento at Horst
Bros expense, and there was nc charge