The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-30
RAILROAD news.
Coal Famine Driving People to
California.
Fasteners Figure They Will
Save Money by Going.
100000 VISITORS THERE
Pasadena Hotel Man Makes a
Few PrOphesies.
Expects Twice as Many Tourists
as in 1901.

The Pasadena correspondent of the
Los Angeles Times publishes an inter
view with Walter Raymond, of Pasa-
dena, one of the big winter hotel own
ers of the Pacific coast, in which Mr..
Raymond gives his estimate on the
tourist travel to be expected during the
coming season. The article follows:
Walter Raymond, proprietor of Hotel
ton, bringing with him some revelations
as to what may be expected this year
from the tourist business.
I think that a conservative estimate
of the number of eastern visitors we
will have this season" said Mr.. Ray
mond last night. lis 100000. Last year,
which was called the greatest year by
far ever known, brought about $4,000
people here. This year will undoubted-
ly be much greater, and l should not
be surprised to see it about double of
last year.
And do you know why? The high
price of coal. Why, people can save
money by coming to California this Win
ter Even now in the east customers
are being told by coal dealers that they
can let them have only a half ton or
coal at a time. Many families will CONT
out here rather than stay in the east
and pay $50 ton for coal all the Win
ter They will say to themselves and
each other: Here we have planned to
go to California and when will we have
better opportunity? Instead of stay
ing in the frozen east and paying our
money out to keep warm or half warm
in doors, let's go to southern California
and enjoy the sunshine and flowers.
There's another thing about that coal
situation. The steamboats, and the city
furnaces are being forced to burn soft
or bituminous coal 1 stood one day and
looked out over the water and could SEQ
many srlokestacks issuing forth this
suffOcating smoke. They are brushing
the smut off the sides of buildings in
r~Io ,, e-f,ff al
l never saw that done before. It's bad
stuff, that smoke. Bad for the throat.
People will be glad to get away from it.
And the railroads have been doing
more and promise to do more to bring
tourists ont here this year than ever
before The Rock Island has a new
route from Kansas City to FL Paso. We
came over that way, because l wanted
The Rock Island put on a through
train, the Golden State Limited. about
November l. 1t has gotten out one OF
the handsOmest booklets advertising
California that I have ever seen. The
Santa Fe is having new cars built The
Pullman company l understand Is
building ten trains for the western
travel. The Southern Pacific is con-
an everyday train instead of tri-
weekly. The roads are vieing with
each other in placing advertising
throughout the east, and the additional
| AAOtSlS III ills SSOllCl are ali
great bids for trade. It means great
things for this section. The more hotels
the more people come. The new hotels
don't hurt the old ones in the least.
Tourists will soon begin to pile right
up here. The Southern Pacific will pu
dining cars on the regular mail trains
! in order to accommodate the rush. The
/ tourists will not be transient. They
stay several months at the differen
| places they visit It's not the way it i:
in Florida, where they go and come