Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-05-20

struggles, and has given up this his
toric ground largely to the benches Of
"ChinatoWn." San Francisco has
many elaborate buildings; its city
hall is one of the most imposing
pieces of architecture in the world; it
covers an area of 81 acres of ground;
it is four stories high and has floor
space of over fifteen acres of ground;
and az gtower three hundred feet
high supporting a figure of Progress
80 #. in height. The building is alb
solutely fire proof, and cost the city
six million dollars. There are several
magnificent hotels in the city, of
which the Palace and the Grand are
the most elaborate. They are located
on Market street, are connected by a
bridge and are under one manage
ment. They have 1400 rooms for the
use Of guests; every room has bay
window of its own; the most striking
feature of the Palace Hotel is the
grand interior court, decorated with
palms and other tropical plants; this
court is covered over with a glass
roof, $50 ft. high; carriages drive in,
and out of this court with guests for
the hotel. This building is seven
stories high, with a promenade hall
on each floor, around the interior
court, and is said to have cost seven
million dollars. The city has nice
churches, theatres, and many impos-
ing blocks and palaces, "landmarks"
of the late Stanford, Hopkins and
Crocker, (railroad maonates) also Of
Flood, O'Brien, Fair and Mackay, the
"Bonanza Big Four" OF ComstOck
mining fame. Paperm is looked
upon here with suspicion; gold and
silver money being used exclusively;
paper money can be had, however, at
the banks, but one seldom sees it in
circulation. San Francisco has a high
standard of public schools and the
liberal compensation given it's instruc-
tors has attracted the best talent, not
only in California but Of the middle
and eastern states. It has 18 COM
mercial banks, 4 national banks and
deposit Of upwards of $3.50, 600. .
Many people who were residents Of
Sutton, Glover and Barton back in
the seventies, will remember A. B.
Ruggles, a bright white faced boy
teaching the district school in the
winter, and "whipping the cat'' from
place to place in the summer; at last
he drought up'' at the o. & G. steam
mill; it was there that he learned to
manipulate and water stocks. "Life
him, and one day, he and his friend
o. w. Orcutt resolved to go west, and
with ticket for San Francisco and
about 500 in cash, they bade the hills
of Vermont goodby and crossed the
continent in search of a better
position. 1t seems after wandering
around in search of work, until their
money gave out they at last struck a job
where they were to have three square
meals a day and $1,000 per month.
Orcutt soon tired Of this and as soon
as he earned money enough to buy a
return ticket, did SO, and left poor
Ruggles to his own fate. Being left
alone was no doubt a stimulus to
Ruggles, as he saw he must lean on
himself and either ''fish or cut bait"
He drifted back to the city where he
soon found work in a brokers' office
and by honest dealing and close atten-
ton to business he was soon able to
open an Office of his own; later he
joined the stock exchange and the
board soon found they had ''live
Yankee" in their midst as he was
often the winning man of the day.
He was soon made vice president of
the board, and this winter he was
unanimously elected president of the
San Francisco Stock Exchange. He
owns a $25, ZOO residence on one of
the best streets in the city and has an
amiable wife, who knows we'll how to
care for it; he is a millionaire, without
question. We were very proud of
him as olive Yankee" from Vermont
but more especially so on account of
his being a student of the 0. & @.
steam mill.
We wish to mention Rufus w. Page,
another Vermont man, who will be
we'll remembered by some of the peo-
pie of Sutton; he came to San Fran
cisco back in the seventies. He has a
nice little home just outside the city,
with a beautiful young wife, and in
fact was one of the happiest men we
met. He owns a block of city water
bonds of $40, 900 besides other real es-
tate property.