Humboldt County CA Archives History - Books .....Eureka 1890 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com December 6, 2005, 10:03 pm Book Title: History And Business Directory Of Humboldt County EUREKA An Important Shipping Point, The Growth of Population Its Rapidly Increasing Values of Real Estate. Churches, Schools and Public Institutions ITS IMPORTANCE AS A TRADE CENTRE THE ENTREPOT FOR NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA TO THE pioneer Californian two visions constantly present themselves; one is deeply shadowed by the broad wings of time. It is a vision or dream of the events of forty years ago. It reverts to the days of gold, when every creek, every gulch and mountain side was covered with thousands of men seeking the treasures which lay hidden in the earth; from Europe, the East, from Australia, the islands of the Pacific, and even from across the broad ocean, came countless thousands, all animated with the same idea, with the same set purpose, to seek gold. A few years of toil and hardship, thought they, and homeward they would go to spend the fortune they had secured from the earth. This was the hope of all, and realized by only a few. Gold! gold! was the cry; it was sought by all and found by but a small number of the countless hordes who came in quest of it. Success, suffering and despair were impartially distributed. Those who failed in the search of gold saw amid the general excitement of the day that there was other wealth besides that of the mine. They turned their attention to other interests: agriculture, stock raising, lumber, mercantile and other industries, and thus began in a small way the material prosperity of the Western Empire. Forty years have elapsed since those days, and a second vision appears—of the California of to-day. It is a reality. The busy sound of hammer and saw, the hum of machinery, the sound of the falling tree, is the constant music in the ears of an industrious people. The countless farms devoted to fruit, to stock and grain, are the wealth of the State. Prosperity is at its zenith, and the California of 1890 is greater wealthier, and more prosperous with its manufactures, agriculture and other avenues of industry, than in the era of gold-seeking. From a wilderness have grown cities, towns and prosperous villages, and one of the former is EUREKA, the county seat of Humboldt, and the center of trade for Northwestern California, which embraces a territorial area equal to several of the States of New England. Although this territory is but sparsely settled, still the time is not far distant when Humboldt will have as many inhabitants, and with its great natural resources, will possess a wealth greater than any three States on the Northeastern Atlantic seaboard. Eureka with a harbor second only to that of San Francisco, on a coast line of 1,300 miles, and several prospective railroads heading in this direction, and being the center of trade and the natural entrepot of a country plethoric with the gifts of a generous nature, presents advantages that have no superior. Give this city ten years and the present will form but a shadow of the metropolis that will then exist. We look in vain for a city so happily situated to command the attention of the capitalist, the enterprising and the energetic. Let a reader take up a map of the Atlantic seaboard; let him measure the distance between the great cities and what will be the result? He will find that they are situated from 200 to 300 miles apart. Let him then turn to the Pacific Coast, and he will then find that Eureka is about 200 miles from San Francisco, or to be more exact 203 miles. Then again examine the survey of the coast, and it will be found that Humboldt Bay is the only harbor of safety where vessels may ride at anchor and receive cargo, between San Francisco and Puget Sound. Then as to foreign trade Eureka must ere long come in for a large share of the commerce of South American ports, Hawaiian Islands, Australia, Mexico and China, for the schooner and ship loads at this port with lumber for the above-mentioned countries and will, as soon as overland communication is effected, bring cargoes from those lands to be reshipped here to the East and interior points. This fact alone is worthy the highest consideration. It is well to remember that the vessels engaged in the lumbar traffic can afford to bring cargoes cheaper from foreign ports where the lumber product of this county finds a market than vessels that are specially engaged for the purpose indicated, hence we feel justified in saying, that, give Eureka connection with the transcontinental roads and it will become a competitor for its share of the foreign commerce of the Pacific Coast, and vessels which now come with empty holds or go to San Francisco and there to load, would save the expense of double harbor rates and pilotage if they could receive and discharge cargo at ths wharves in Eureka. This point alone is sufficient to bring it into great prominence as a shipping and commercial port. As to Eureka being a RAILROAD CENTER, this consummation will be undoubtedly looked for in the very near future. The North Pacific Railroad which skirts the shore from Saucilito to Duncan's Mill, a distance of 80 miles, has this city for its ultimate terminus, and will form a link in the chain of a through road to Oregon, there to connect with the N. P. R. R. Co. The San Francisco and Northern Pacific Railway Co., which runs through Sonoma county from Point Tiburon on the Bay of San Francisco, has completed its line to Ukiah the present terminus of the road, in Mendocino county, and from there it must seek the shores of the Pacific at Eureka. The Santa Rosa and Carquinez Railroad, the property of the Southern Pacific Company, has undoubtedly this city for its objective point. Another line has been in contemplation for some time back, to run from the Sacramento Valley to the shores of Humboldt Bay. These statements are not visionary, but based on actual facts, and it is a point in favor of Eureka to say that there is work enough to employ a half dozen railroads if they wish to build here. There is something here to carry away, and not like many localities in California which are nothing but pleasure resorts, from which the railroad companies obtain only passenger fares. The time is not far distant when Humboldt county will be literally gridironed with railroads, and those who take advantage of the present state of affairs will realize from land investments alone far more than the Southern Californian ever obtained or thought of obtaining while picturing the future in its most roseate hue. THE CITY. Eureka is beautifully located on a slope, surrounded by hills, which are covered with giant redwoods. The blocks are square and contain about an acre each. The streets are alphabetically and numerically named. There are but few cities in the State where so many neat and tasty cottages and elegant mansion are encountered, and the citizens take especial pride in possessing well arranged gardens, filled with ornamental shrubs and plants. Every sign of prosperity presents itself, and this augurs well for the future growth of the city. It is the seat of government for the county. A magnificent Court House has just been completed at a cost of $170,000. It is a handsome structure of brick, iron and stone, a credit to the citizens of the county and a monument to their enterprise and public spirit. POPULATION Of Eureka is about 8,500, and is steadily growing. In the past two years and a half fully 1,000 people have been added to it, and, as a consequence, considerable building is being done. CITY GOVERNMENT. Eureka is working under a special charter, and the executive and legislative departments are vested in a Mayor and five Councilman. Although the charter was adopted some years ago, it grants ample powers for the well being and good government of the city for years to come. FIRE DEPARTMENT. The rate of insurance is low in Eureka, because of the excellence of its fire department. The equipment consists of two steam fire engines, and one hand engine, hook arid ladders and hose trucks. It is partly paid and partly volunteer, there being over 250 names enrolled in the department. It is due to this branch of the government to say that no serious fires have taken place in Kureka, as the "fire laddies" are always prompt and ready at the call of duty. Cephas Acheson is chief. LIGHTS. The city is lighed by electricity. Twenty-five 3,ooocandle power arc lights are placed at intervals on masts, which provide a sufficiency of illumination for all parts of the city. The streets are also lighted by gas, which, when combined with the electric lamps, make Eureka one of the very best lighted cities on the coast. CHURCHES. Eureka has a surprisingly large number of churches for a city of its population. Every Christian denomination is represented and all have large and flourishing congregations. The church edifices are in most cases very neat and tasty structures. SCHOOLS. The people of Eureka display the general characteristic of the American communities in having the best educational facilities. The salaries paid are sufficiently large to secure the services of able instructors. A new high school building has just been completed at a cost of $35,000 to supply the needed room for increasing scholarship. There are several private schools, among which we may mention the Eureka Academy, Catholic Convent and Parochial school, Episcopal school and others. SEWERAGE. The city being located on a gently rising slope the problem of sewerage has been one easily solved. A satisfactory system has been adopted by the city government and the work of sewering is carried on at a very light expense to the citizens and property owners. STREET RAILWAYS. EUREKA has two STREET CAR LINES in full operation and a third in course of construction. This meritorious enterprise is meeting with a very liberal patronage. It is one of many enterprises indicating progress, growth arid general prosperity. With three car lines in operation, it can safely be said that Eureka is better provided with street car facilities than San Francisco, taking size and difference of population into consideration. STREETS. Most of the thoroughfares have been graded and graveled, and at the present writing it is the intention of the city government; to begin macadamizing the leading streets. All the principal business houses are located on First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, C, D, E, F, G and H streets. It would be hard for one to define the principal residence avenues of the city, for elegant and costly structures are to be found on almost every street outside of the business portion. As yet Eureka cannot boast of any distinct residence section where her wealthy citizens live, probably because it would indeed be difficult to point out any particular advantage possessed by one over the others. WATER. The water supply of Eureka is good and abundant for all needs of the citizens It is obrained from artesian wells and the Ricks Water Company. The company have made extensive improvements at heavy cost, and much labor In consequence of which the public are being supplied with a superior quality of water. The Ricks Water Co. are more extensively described upon another page. FRATERNAL SOCIETIES. The fraternal societies are well represented. There is the Masonic Lodge, with its O. E. S.; two Lodges of Odd Fellows, with Rebekahs; United Workmen, Knights of Pythias, Chosen Friends, Good Templars, Orangemen, Native Sons of the Golden West, Native Daughters of the Golden West. In addition to these there are posts of the G. A. R., U. V. U. and S. of V., each with its auxiliary ladies' society. IN GENERAL. Eureka possesses all the advantages natural and artificial which conform to the requirements of a great city. There is not a community on the coast which can look forward with such bright expectations to its "manifest destiny." For it is surrounded by a country rich in natural resources, timber, stone and marble quarries, coal and precious metals are to be found. The soil is wonderfully fertile and productive. It has a harbor—one of three on a coast line of thirteen hundred miles. A railroad would make Eureka second in importance only to Sin Francisco. We do not believe that we are indulging in any unwarranted hopes, or expectations doomed to disappointment, or are over-coloring the future, when we say that ten or fifteen years will effect the result which we have above predicted, in the event of having through railroad connection with Eureka. True, the outlet to the harbor needs improvement, but a few million dollars would remedy all the defects now complained of, and then the largest steamer afloat could lie at the wharves. No "boom" has ever existed here, except during the mining times, and the city has steadily grown in population and wealth with almost every obstacle in the way. A few years and enterprisiug capital will remove them, then we can with assurancy expect a progress that will equal any that has ever been made on this coast. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History and Business Directory of HUMBOLDT COUNTY DESCRIPTIVE OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES DELIGHTFUL CLIMATE PICTURESQUE SCENERY BEAUTIFUL HOMES THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE STATE CONTAINING NO CHINAMEN LILLIE E. HAMM, PUBLISHER (COPYRIGHTED) EUREKA, CALA. DAILY HUMBOLDT STANDARD NOVEMBER, 1890. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/humboldt/history/1890/historya/eureka162ms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 13.9 Kb