The San Francisco call., 1910-05-27
CITIZENS HAVE
SHARE IN PRIDE
OF new Hotel
S}lendId : Caravansary Is Crowd
ed With Guests on Night
of Opening
Speakers at Banquet Prophesy
Greatness of Future for
City and County
Especial Dispatch 10 The Call


wears tonight crown where once it
wore a scar. Where only recently
there was an ugly slough, there shine
tonight a hundred lights. lamps in the
citys window. bidding the traveller
welcome. Dismal wallow has been
transformed into hotel of splendor
and beauty. Fronting the old plaza
where the miners gathered half a cen
tury ago TO talk of riches to be won,
The Stockton. for that is its name.
marks the march Of time. In its spa
cious banquet hall 200 guests gathered
tonight TO celebrate the city's corona
tion.
TRIUMPH OF CITIZENS
In truth 1t is a municipal hotel,
the result Of the united efforts
Of 275 stock holders, all citizens
OF Stockton. Not content to wait
until capital of foreign source
could be induced to undertake the
work, the substantial businessmen of
the community decided that in no bet
ter way could they declare their faith
in their city's future They dug down
IN their pockets for something more
than s250,00O Bonds brought in a like
amount and Stockton today possesses
one of the finest hotels in California.
Not since the day that Captain Weber
selected the city's site has the commu-
nifty taken a more positive bound in
the line Of progress. Visitors viii find
henceforth as attractive a stopping
place as mans genius can provide.
Typicaly Californian in its adopted
Spanish architecture, the big caravan
sary spreads over an entire block. Its
spacious colonnade, open balconies,
roof gardens and galleries present
those features that the climate invites.
OF the latest concrete construction, it
proclaims sOlidity.
+. 3. Brown, rhe architect who de-
signed the structure, preserved
throughout the tiled roof and Spanish
airiness. The lobby suggests the an
cient patio. circled by a gallery, which
rises eventually into a ballroom in the
dome. The coloring is light and re-
freshing.
The story Of the growth OF the Stock
ton spirit was told at the banquet to-
night Don II. Porter. the lessee of
the hotel. had made lavish provision for
his guests in the white banquet hall.
But the size Of the throng necessitated
the use Of the grill as Well Among
the speakers were r. b. Oullahan,
George F. McNoble, Newton Ruther-
ford, A L. Levinsky and J. NJ Eddy.
LEARN ART OF DRAGGING
r B. OuIlahan, wlTo presided at the
banquet. spoke in part as follows:
We have assembled here tonight
as representative of the entire
population OF Stockton to do honor
10 the opening Of the new hotel,
z most important epoch in our hiss
tory. With the completion Of this
handsome hOStelry we enter upon
new era Of hustle and energy.
AS has been well expressed, we
have cast of our swaddling clothes
and are in all things a real. live
city, offering the usual induce
ments 10 the capitalist, who is the
builder Of cities.
The silurian OF old is now ST
fenced and decently inferred. We
are getting the railroads, the
homes, new business blocks and
new manufacturing institutions.
We, who come in contact with the
land seeker. can testify TO the
rapid settlement which means an
other great feeder to our popula-
tion.
Let US therefore learn the art
OF Dragging. Let US tell, as one
man, of our achievements, our
prosperity and our great future,
and by the volume Of our song de-
stroy the inharmonious note Of the
pessimist.
FAITH IN FUTURE
George F. AIcNobIe. district attorney
factors that have made for the growth
Of Stockton and the surrounding coun-
try. he said in part:
BY the construction Of this hotel
you have shown your faith in the
future. The structure also stands
as a monument TO the captains Of
industry who were moved not by a
spirit Of gain but who acted rather
for the good OF the city. They have
made Stockton better city in
which 10 live They have placed il
within the course of the tourist.
The tourist, as you know, has
regular flight. Coming TO Califor-
MIA he visits the south and wings
his way nOrthward, alighting here
and there al regular points We
have provided a place for him to
alght here in Stockton.
We have much that augurs well
for the future. This county has
more fertile land than any county
in the state. It is One-third peat,
one-third adobe and one-third sand.
The adobe was first called info use
for wheat growing. That is now
changed and the big stretches once
given over 10 wheat are now pro-
ducing vegetables, fruits and al
1Elfa.
our delta lands are in a high
State Of cultivation. We viii have
ghis year the largest crop on the
sargest area Of delta lands that
we have known. 1t is estimated
that we will harvest 5000, 600 sacks
OF barley from the tules. The re-
claimed lands are at a higher state
of efficiency than ever before.
AS late as 1885 Webster ex-
pressed the belief that the lands
IN Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Colo
radO and Nevada, then known as
the great American desert. We're
not OF sufficient value TO pay the
government 10 have them surveyed.
The lands Of the San Joaquin
valley have increased one-third in
value during the last year. This
means an unusual advance in price
for lands held in large tracts.
WELCOME EASIER LIFE
In older communities, where for
tune passes from father to son.
there is a tendency toward an
easier life, toward luxury and
disposition 70 travel In newer
lands we must invite and be a bic to
provide accommOdations for this
class. We should welcome them
that they may come 10 us and help
Us build as they have in southern
California
We in san Joaquin county have
learned the value Of irrigation and
good roads. For road Improvement
we are eXpending greater sums
than any other county IN the state
Irrigation has taught US that lands
thought useless can be brought TO a
high state Of productiveness. The
southeast third OF the county was
Al one time merely a sand blow.
The breezes carried the fields back
-