Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-05-05

whose fame was made in San Francisco
and whose life was merged in the gay
life of that city for ten years, in the
heydey of his popularity, writes the fol-
lowing graphic article on the Bay City,
for the New York Mail:
The first city boy sees, though he
may be grown and awkward, still the
impression that city leaves on your
mind always remains the sweetest, es-
pecially if the city that you first saw
was the brightest, the most inspiring,
the widest awake of all the cities in
the Union. To me no other city in the
world could ever take the place of
San Francisco.
I went there in 1889 Held spell
bound by the view of that beautiful
busy throng. / rode up and down Mar
1 ket street, even far out on Valencia
trying to find place to alight. The
town was too big for me, and after
wandering around a few weeks, though
fascinated by its beauties, perhaps
more still by its historic points and
buildings I was compelled to go back
to the farm for shelter.
But the memories of what had seen
gave me no rest, no peace of mind. So
! in '92 returned again. On this second
visit I got really acquainted with San
Francisco people They are unlike any
other people in the world. In a few
months i felt ] was as much part of
San Francisco as all other San Fran
ciscans were. Everybody on Market
street and Kearney had a speaking ac-
quaintance with one another. 1t seem
ed that we missed each other if one of
us was absent from the nightly parades
that took place on those two historic
thoroughfares.
Those thorOughfares were crowded |
all the time with distinguished lawyers,
great actors and actresses and famous |
athletes The brightest newspaper men
in the world walked arm in arm with |
the few remaining pioneers, many of
whom wore the picturesque attire of |
the days of 40. People of California,
and more especially of San Francisco,
If they had Offices and studios and
places of business, seldom remained in
them. They were too fond of outdoors.
The very air of the city seemed to be
full of inspiration and success.
In later years, when skyscrapers
arose, a tall building would stand ma
jestically by little old wooden build
ing that had perhaps been famous when
gold dust was weighed out on the main
streets in exchange for merchandise.
Both buildings seemed to look as
though they were proud of each other.
Whether it rained or whether it shone
San Francisco was happy. The only
time that its people ever seemed alarm.
ed was now and then when some slight
culver was felt from beneath the
earth s surface that caused the evening
papers to sell like hot cakes. But the
laughing, beautiful women, for which
the city was justly famed, soon smiled
the seriousness away and San Fran
cisco resumed a gala life again.
At clubs the wittiest speakers ioked
Of any serious attempt to get fright
ened over the rumbling sounds and the
buildings. In a few wears
The slight terror caused by the feeble
earthquakes had been forgotten, people
were charmed an captivated by the
picturesque trees and most exquisite
,olors of green that covered the land
'"ape just outside of San Francisco.
and thousands upon thousands were
'entent to call existence in San Fran.
cisco supreme success, and existence in | {
another city in the world a failure in l
life.
To lover of San Francisco it's an
awful task TO read of what seems 70
Dc Its total destruction. After the loss ,
u iite the financial loss in property
DOESN'T appeal to one as much as the
destruction of the buildings so Until
nately associated with its historic past,I
and so typical of it-buildings that
we're built by the pioneers, and the wip.
ng out Of that first beautiful picture
hat impresses itself like mother
never to be replaced by any
'thors quite as good.
Once gone, always gone. A new cityl
nay grow, but it will be built with the
memory of awful times. New San
Francisco viii never look like the old