The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-18
RICHARDS TELLS
HOW SALT LAKE
CITY HAS GROWN

Franklin S. Richards responded to
the toast, salt Lake City" He spoke
as follows:
s. The me- subject Il2 assigned to me is one that
means the oldest inhabitant.'' the sub
Ject and myself have been intimately as
ISOLATED for something like half a cen
tury. 1t is, therefore, a fair presumption
that each is tolerably well posted as to
the gOings and cOmings (tO say nothing
of the shortcomings Of the other.
salt Lake City had q beginning 50
humble and unprOmising that those who
first saw it, even a few years after the
commencement could form but a meager
idea of how the situation appeared when
It was houseless, treeless. stretches. and
less great many other advantages.
which il soon after attained and has kept
would it be possible for me to convey
in words, written or spoken, to those
whose acquaintance dates back but a few
years, even an approximate idea Of the
materials from which the structure we
now behold was wrought
It was early predicted that as we were
mountain region, we were destined to
become a great commercial center, with
railroads radiating in all directions, and
that our salubriOus climate. which is as
inviEorating as that of Switzerland and
as balmy as Italy, would attract, hosts of
people to the valley of the Great Salt
lake.
When Telegraph Came.
Inc ElrSL great impetus in the direc-
ton of numerical and commercial great
ness was when the Tightening messenger
was harnessed and put to service across
the barren and forbidding plains that in
tervened between Us and the rest of the
civilized world the next was SignaiiZed
when. for the first time. the Wasatch
mountains reverberated the harsh shrek
OF the whistle and the musical notes Of
the. bell of that mighty evangeI of civili-
cation and progress, the locomotive. The
pace after that was swift and sure. But
he NJ - n 1rrr- Of inc
which live by what they feed on, the
changed conditions called and still call
for change. The revolution that began
when electricity banished the pony ex-
press and became a triumph when steam
set aside the teamSters wagon. will not
go backward, but onward, ever onward,
till our traffic becomes incompatible and
the city itself so pOpulOus that seven
figures viii be needed to state the num-
Der of its people.
The antithesis of my theme. vet its
natural adjunct, is that vision of splendOr
and comfort and wealth, thanked by the
mightiest of oceans on one side and the
greatest of mountain ranges on the other,
the Incompatible city Of Los Angeles.
Its beauties, attractions and advantages
need no special mention here; all present
are familiar with them. SO Tar as known,
it has but one decided drawback-it is a
little too far from Salt Lake. But even
this is soon TO be overcome.
Cities of Saints and Angels.
Thanks to the distinguished guest of
the evening and his able associates, the
steel bands which are to unite the City of
the Saints with the City of the Angels
and what union could be more aDoro-
priate--are being placed in position at q
rate which insures to US, in the very
near future, a speed of transportation be-
tween the two points which will, at least,
cut in two the present time of transit
and makes US neighbOrs in deed, as well
as in thought and sentiment.
Wireless telegraphy and horselesS car
riages we welcome, but of railless rail-
roads we want no more, and, thanks to
our guest, one of these has been pushed
aside to make room for the other kind.
Not only will it shorten time and curtal
space, but the flight of its trains will be
over a country where all seasons are
summer and the snow blockade never
comes To our guest. a most cordial
greeting; to those who aid him, our kind
est regards. May they all live to enjoy
the results of their enterprise in the full
est measure and witness the comoieIe
fruition of the union between the inland
sea and the Pacific ocean.