This Week in Sacramento History Sept. 3-9 | The Sacramento Bee

Sept. 3, 1929: The Sacramento City Council faces the prospect of raising taxes or cutting spending in response to the city manager's proposed budget, which includes $97,000 in special appropriations. Some councilmen are known to favor giving pay increases to city workers who have not had raises for many years.

Quote: "I am a strong believer in supporting our home industries, those that are supporters and builders of our beautiful city. In fact, so much so I have more than once walked out because clerks insisted in selling me goods made in other places when we have as good if not better in our own city." -- C.T., calling for patronage of city businesses

Sept. 4, 1966: Gov. Pat Brown and U.S. Interior Secretary Stewart Udall announce that $3 million in federal, state and private funds will be used to add seven miles to the Avenue of the Giants, a 35-mile section of Highway 101 in Humboldt County bordered by ancient redwoods. Land will be acquired from Pacific Lumber Co.

Quote: "Whatever reservations the McClatchy newspapers may have about the United States Vietnamese policy, they want to be dissociated from the elements in the nation which automatically clamor that America is wrong in whatever foreign episode it participates." -- Bee editorial

Sept. 5, 1941: Gov. Culbert Olson and members of the State Fair Board participate in a ground-breaking ceremony for the proposed $300,000 livestock coliseum and horse show arena to be built near the southeast corner of the race track on the fairgrounds. The coliseum is expected to be ready for the 1942 fair.

Quote: "The majority (of voters) wanted (Franklin) Roosevelt. Now they have him and they have war too. The only possible thing to do is to stand by him and see him through. There is no such thing as appeasement with the Axis. Compromising with an insane, potential world despot is impossible." -- Buck McKee, in a letter attacking anti-administration isolationists

Sept. 6, 1987: A brass band, waving Girl Scouts, mounted sheriff's deputies and banner-waving police cadets help to celebrate the opening of the second leg of the Regional Transit light-rail system from Butterfield Way station at Folsom Boulevard to the St. Rose of Lima Park station across from Downtown Plaza.

Quote: "Transportation will be the major issue in Sacramento in the coming decade. We've got to get people to and from jobs without a 20-mile (car) commute." -- Rep. Vic Fazio, lauding the new light-rail line, which he says will help fight air pollution in the Sacramento region

Sept. 7, 1959: On the recommendation of state Fire Marshal Joe Yockers, rope ladders will be installed near the windows of the Governor's Mansion at 16th and H streets to supplement the iron fire escape. But he says both methods are inadequate. Yockers has tried to get governors and their families out of the mansion for 15 years because of the risk.

Quote: "You can't get a guy to stick his head through a hole in a canvas and let people throw baseballs at him any more. I used to get 'em for a buck a day. But that was during the Depression. Now you can't hire 'em for 10 times that much." -- Harry Myers, State Fair carnival coordinator, blaming the strong economy for the scarcity of old-time attractions

Sept. 8, 1931: Sacramento wins the right to host the 1932 convention of the National Association of 20-30 Clubs. Ninety-two U.S. cities have 20-30 Club chapters, which are vehicles for young men to serve their communities. The first 20-30 Club was founded in Sacramento in 1922.

Quote: "There is no valid objection to a small increase in the gasoline tax if the proceeds ... are used solely for highway construction. ... The moment gasoline tax money is used for any other purpose, the tax becomes a class tax and unfair." -- Bee editorial, objecting to any tax on a special class of citizens that would benefit all people

Sept. 9, 1904: F.W. Wieland complains to the Sacramento Board of Trustees of the smell emanating from the city garbage dump. Trustees say they are doing the best job they can but waste from the cannery is taxing the dump too much. The board approves the hiring of another wagon to haul dirt and sand to cover the garbage in the dump.

Quote: "If our labor unions were wise, they would work for a compulsory arbitration law, such as that of New Zealand, which recognizes and encourages such organizations. And if employers were wise, they also would favor this means of avoiding serious losses and interruptions to business." -- Bee editorial, calling for a law forbidding strikes and lockouts