The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-01-07
TWO CENTS.

mems to build railroad from Cruces Panama, IL
may not be smiss to suggest another route having all
ne Of good seaport On th. sids for ships
steamboat passsge MS that up Chsgss river and that
Is, by making railroad direct from Porto Bello to
Panama, . distance said to be not twenty
leagues which could be done, | think. ct less ex-
pepse than from Chagres with steamboat connected
with 1t.
Tho city OF San francisco:
From the California Star
Yerba Buena, (San FranclscO) the name OF our
town, which means ''gOod herb" is situated on
the south westslde OF the principal arm of San
on narrow neck OF land var. ing from tour to ten
miles In width the narrOwest place being sixteen
miles southwest OF the town. Ii Is IN lat 81 40
N. This narrow strip of land Is about sixty miles
In length extending from the point formed by the
bay and the ocean, to the valley of San Jose. Tho
site OF the town Is handsome and commanding
being an inclined plane OF about a mile In exteat
from the waters edge, to the hills in the rear.
Two points OF and-one on each side, extending
into the bay, form crescent, small bay, in the
shape OF crescent, in front, which bears the
name OF the town. These points afford fine
view of he surrounding country-tne snow apped
mountains in the distance--the green valleys be-
meath theni-the beautiful, smooth and unruffled
bay IN front and on either side at once burst upon
the eye. There Is In front OF the town small
island, rising high above the surface of the bay,
about two miles long, and one wide, which Is CO.
vereo the greater part of the year with the most
exuberant heritage of un'rodden freshness. This
little Island IS about three miles from the shore.
Between 1t and the town is the principal anchor
age. Here vessels OF all nations res! in safety and
peace, and their flags are displayed by the aroma
nc breeze. Two hundred yards from the shore,
lance beyond that as many fathoms. The beach
imme dately IN front of the now business part of
the town shelving; but will no doubt in short
time be filled up and become the most valuable
The climate hereis in the winter, which Is the
rainy season, damp and chilly. During the ba-
lance of the year 1t is dry. but chilly, conse-
oTS d ne,Ses WINGS Ina IRON inc
ton In the atmosphere throughout the year the
thermometer ranging from ffty-fve to seventy de-
grees Fahrenheit Yerba Buena Is one OF the most
healthy places on The whole coast of the Pacific
Sickness OF any kind Is rarely known among u.s.
The salubrity Of the cllmate-beauty of the site of
the town-,its contlguity to the mouth of the bay
the finest harbor on the whole coast in frOnt-the
rich and beautiful country around 1t, all conspre
to render 1t one OF the best commercial points IN
the world. The town is new, having been laid
off In 1889 by Capt. John Vioget aud notwlth-
standing all The troubles IN the country, hasgradu-
ally increased in size. and Importance. II now
contains population of about five hundred perma-
nent citizens. Two years ago, there were but
about two hundred. Three miles south is the
small valley Of rich and beautiful land. The
water from this creek can easily be brought by
means OF aqueducts to any point to supply vessels
For the supply OF the citizens the best of we'll wa
ter Is Obtained IN every part OF the town. by boring
the distance OF forty feet In going south from
Yeba Busna, the traveller passes over this narrow
neck OF land most delightful region, interspers-
ed with hills, alleys and mountains-the valleys
rich and beautlful-the hills covered with tall pines
redwood and CT dar, that have wlthsOOd the tenn
pests and whIlw winds of century, and the noun
tains rising IN majestic grandeur to the clouds. In
passing out. the valley Of San Jose opens to the
view In all the loneliness OF the climate OF Italy
and beauty OF the tropics. This valley is about
sky miles in length, and ten in width. The Pue-
bio, which means an Incorporated town, Is the
principal place of business for the valley, and is
about five miles from Santa Clara, the landing, on
he bay, or as 1t is termed here, "the embarcadaro
Passing IN from here northeast, the traveller in a
few hours ride reaches the Straits, which separate
the Suslsun bay, formed by the confluence Of tho
Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, from that of
San Pablo. Here it seems that the accumulated
waters OF thousand years had suddenly rent the
opposing mountains asunder, and flowed with tree
mendous force to the great bosom of the deep. On
the north side OF the bay, from the straits to Sou
s,o is one OF the finest districts of country In all
Upper California Next to Yerba Buena Sousil,to
Is The best point on the whole bay for CONNER
c'al town. II Is seven miles little east OF north
from this place, on the opposite side Of the bay,
END mas long been watering point tor vessels.
An attempt has recently been made to lay of and
bulld up town at the straits, to supersede the
two last mentioned places. 1t will no doubt, how
ever, be an entire failure. San Francisco bay be-
ing the safest and most commodiOus harbOr on
the entire coast OF the Pacific, some point on it
must be the great mart of the western world We
believe Yerba Buena is the point, commanding as
II does now, all the trade OF the surrounding coun-
try, and there being already large amount of
capital concentrated here. The town OF Yerba
BueDd ID called in some of the old maps of the
country San Francisco. Ii is not known by that
name here, however The town takes It's name
from an herb to be found all around 1t, which is
said 10 make good tea; and possessing excellent
medicinal qualities, II is called good herb, or YER
ba Buena.
Movements Towards California, sc.
We learn from the Nantucket Inquirer, that the ship
two riDce for CsIforns She is the drst vessel from
Nantucket. and has seyentee passengers and cargo
consisting principally Of buildings framed ready to
be put lumber naval stores. provisions and 50
candles She takes out no intoxicating liquors The
crew receive one dollar month apiece for the voyage
out with liberty to leave the ship her arrival
Francitco. They and the passengers principally
young men Intelligent energetic and respectable ct
, sp' mostly join. stock 1O%Rsny:
shares fixed S4C0 Eleven Of her passe belong
to Nantucket, five to fall River, and to New York.
The schooner Iowa. Howes called from Sag Hsrbor
at on the 4th instant for San Francisco touch
ing at valparaiso She takes out three passengers.
The bark Ocean Bird was despatched by . mercan-
TIE heuss In Broad street, and carried out very
valuable cargo
ANOTHER ASSAY OF THE GOLD.
BnAscH MIST OF rnE U: g.
New Orleans, Dec ~ 1848
EDITORS CRESCENT I'm your journal OF yesterdsy,
there was official o: assays Of Cali
forns gold at the Philadelphia mint. Tt appears that
several essaye were made showing variation Of title
fe en- ss2 to es7 tbousandhst be average being 1874,
ana value per standard ounce SIS SO; tho loss In me.-
ing averaging ~ per cent. On the 25eh November
anaJed about sixty ounces Of the said gold deposited
In the form Of dust by 7. A Minsrd. and when melt
ed and afayed. the total proved to be 1916
Cur Is 900 thouss pdths 2e0O earat SIS co.
Tb.jr's sos 2I4SO Is So
The iors in melting 90 OF 81 dwt was 81 90 dwt or
u per cent know no reason why this result should
be consicered extraordinary. On the 18th Noyenbar
assayed Alabama gold dust Of the neness Of 9l6
thoutaDdtbe On the 10Th OF the same month assay
ed another specimen OF 923 thoussndths. In short,
the title OF the gold dust from tbac State. when we'll
washed and unmixee, always exceeds 800 thousa odhs
our ttenda rd; IL fairs below only when the gold Is
aoytd with the quicksilver employ ed dux sepa-
u from the ore rhe Caltorn MIA lot OF gold
in The form If fiat spaneles there alloy Of l05
psrte, OF which SIS thoutandths estimated TO
silver and 20 thousapdths mercury. This mast have
teeD a natural nd not artificial CO 70 bin alton