New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-02-09
CALIFORNIA.
LETTER FROM S. S. OSGOOD.
Correspondence OF Tho Tribune

Correspondence OF Tho Tribune.
San FRAscIsco, Dec q, 1919
/ shall nfiict only one more epistle upon your
sood nstured readers and ] shall most probably
be the bearer Of il myself You may imagiue
with what delight ! anticipate returning 20 my
AOms though leaving land where am certain
should stay and have my health, Of anassing in
the course Of year, at leas, en- independence for
life bat the month approaches in which promised
my family would return. and eaunot consistently
stay beyond that time.
SAN FRANCISCO AND SACRAMENTO CITY.
cannot refrain from putting my last impressions
Of the country which has bOuntifulIy yielded az
ito golden store to me- upon paper more especially
as think that they may be Of some service
others As one should speak well Of bridge that
has carried one safe over so | suppose that h,
should also speak favorabiy Of that land wherein
one has prospered In my former letters, fear thai
| have not done So yet have spoken as ! thought
but It win be remembered that / have spoken
those places only through which have passed on
adjourned | have no positive knowledge Of any
other, but If may take the words Of many person
who have endeavored 10 give me a more tavorsbl,
impression OF California | should believe that a
parts Of the country, except San Francisco was o
perfect Paradse-thet che climate was enchan;
ing, the air baimy delicious aud invigcra,ing-th
fruits flowers and all kinds OF vegetables grow
there in great abundance all the year round Sucl
may be the case in many parts, and | am IN
chned to believe il, but my impressions OF the
mines and San Francisco. With these places
my associations are not Of the most agreeable
ture. II IL true that buried as j was down, down,
in that deep canon excluded irqR the more invsgor
ating breezes which sweep ovcrNhe tops OF the aet
lands on either side. ! well remember how re
freshing was the change whenever did ascend
from that deep vale. OF San Francisco have not
spoken too hsrshly it is not, and never can be 0
healthy or pleasant place Of residence, while the
extremes OF beat and cold are great as they ar
during the whole OF the Summer months Gifts dust
and mud II may be freed the city is improved,
but the hand OF man cannot compel the winds Il
blow more genty OF the sun TO send down its heat
with less intensity. IL Is astonishing to that II
has ever attained the extent and importance O
which 1t now boasts and am inclined to think that /,
owes its growth to the general ignorance of Sacra
mento City and Stockton. No other place was
known when the hundreds OF ships were treighted
with merchandise and houses for California all, ali
were sent to San Francisco. No one then knew
of the immense difficulties to be encountered before
their goods could be landed-the great expense OF
hghterage, &c. No one knew what an undertaking.
was 10 get them any distance from the water
when they were once a, tine shore. IN consequence
OF the depth OF the slippery clayey mud, which ~
two or three feet deep in most OF the streets
the landing into which teams have been
stuck, aud have been Obliged To drop their load to
extrlcsto themselves, and where u has laid Ton
weeks after. At times Il has been impossible fol
timber and heavy goods to be brought away irom
the wharf where they were first landed. l was
nrcihly struck with the difference between Sa
cramento City and San Francisco in this par
tcular. On late visit 10 the former place,
where wen, for the purpose Of making a cor.
rect sketch Of Sattets Fort 10 take home with me
hear nj frnf, int sta1 of
FEASIBILITY OF the roads. landed directly from the
boat on plsnh, and expected H. be obliged 10 wade
through the mud up to my knees but instead Of
finding /, that depth did not find It over my an
kes. and purposely went through the worst places
that might be sure that my ewes did not deceive
me, and that could confidently assert what
know b be true. If l was sgreesbly surprised At
the with which could navigate the streets,
was much more 50 at the astonishing growth OF
the place since | came Down from the mines the
2sth of July. Considering that the inhabitants arr
mainly dependent for timber upon San Francis
- tor the erection Of buildings its growth has
been PROFESSIONALLY greater than that II the port Of
entry. The settled portion extends one mile along
the banks al the Sacramento River, and nearly
three-qosrters OF q mile back toward the Fort
There are several hotels erected Of weed two OF
three stories high, One called the Suffer House
nsvery handsome building. which was 10 have
been opened On the day lett awaited myself Of
an Invitation from my worthy and excellent friend
sSnooicrsft the Aealde, TO psrtaks OF sumptu.
Gus asnnef o. game and ether dehcaees at the lry-
ing Mouse served In very good style
intended TO have taken view OF Sacramento
want Of shelter ffo the TORE MIS- al rs;n h were
falhnS AZ the time that was there wa. c,n,.
PEELED 30 leave without it
STEAMERS ON THE sAcRAMESro-xIy NAV.
ieArloN
Aftsf q very quiet nights sleep on hos,S NJ ,hs
conmodicas steamer Senator. where 7 h.S en-
cecded ID getting berth in order that NIGH, he
saved the Inconvenience Of coming on hoard in the
darh and rain the next Night proceeded, in com.
panywifh one hondrcd and twenty passenger 70
Ban Francisco In the short space OF nine hours The
distance 10 one hundred and twsaty miles The
Senator IL ey far the beet and fastest boat On the
river. aud Of coarse commands the greatest nun
Der Of passengers. She usually brings down
greater number. She Is the largest boat We, "a
these waters, being 'ss tons The Nckinl ths
next In sine. 10 $50. These are Showed by ahou
twenty oshsrs that are. or soon viii be, runnins
mostly ON the Sacramento Aucng these, shall
mention
cspe ssaes, e Dorado Lswrssce,
coss Jcsss' NayAOwsr. asS W,.h.ps,o,,
Lsoeors, lslsater FITv Ply.
Hartiort Chesapeake. C,osd Hunssr
An Iron beat ioe FEET lors no named DSw on sSigsosra
10 these will be added the William II. Brown
which leaves New.Ycsk January lat. and presume
several others are On their wey.
The Sacramento is 4 magnificent river kr steam
boat navigation Vessels drawing only ten and q
hall feet wster can run six miles beyond Sscra
menso City al the year round. and from December
TO the middle OF June twelve and halt Zee, nay be
carried over the bar al Cash Greek. being the shall
lowest place ON the route between San Francesca
and Sacramento City. Merchants WIN end Il %
their vantsge 10 ship their merchandise IN such
vssssh ~ can raa directly sp % Ssrsnsnso BY