The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-09-12
CALIFORNIA CORRESPONDENCE.

SAN Francisco, Ang. l, 1850.
! To hs Editor of the National Era:
DEAR SIR The balmy breezes7 of this
italian climate are raising such clouds of dust
in the streets that am glad to be able to escape
from their influence, and seat myself in my room
to iudte an epistle to you. Persons that come to
California after DUST have no difficulty in
into their faces, and binding their bodily vision
quite as much as the dust of more yellow cast
does the mental one.
The climate of San Francisco is without doubt
| the most disagreeable in the world Three months
| in the year the rain pours in torrents almost in
cessantly, and during the remaining nine the
wind is blowing gale, and the dust is so thick
that it is sometimes impossible to see an object an
hundred yards distant. Where the mud ends,
the dust begins, and vice versa. Moreover,
it is such cold weather now that FIRE is absolute
| ly necessary to comfort. Think of that ye deni-
zens of the sunny South, who are broing beneath
! the rays of a July sun! The winter, with all its
rain, is really the pleasantest season of the year
in San Francisco, as there is occasionally a hold
ing up,n when we have fine sunny weather, with
out any wind Captain Wilkes very justly COM
pared the climate of San Francisco with that of
Orange Bay at Cape Horn.
! The uarks of the last fire arc now nearly OBJ
liberated, and the placeseformerly occupied by
low and combustible buildings are now filled with
substantial ones Of brick, and San FRANCISCO may
now boast of some Of the most solid and finest ed
ifces in the world. Two splendid brick hotels,
four stories in height have just been finished near
the plaza. Upon the walk of one Of these, an i'm
provement has been made which | think will be
very generally adopted here A sidewalk has
been laid of asphaltum or mineral pitch, mixed
with resin and sand, and poured on in melted
state When cool, it becomes as hard stone,
and makes perfectly smooth and durable pave
ment. This pitch is found through the whole of
the lower portion of California. In the vicinity
of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles are some eight
or ten springs whence it bubbles up in liquid
FORM and spreads itself over the ground for acres
1t is used by the natives in Los Angeles a COW
ering for houses, rendering them impervious to
the drenching rains Of the winter season. doubt
not but this asphaltum will ere long assume the
character of an article of trade in this country.
The Common Council of the city have lately
passed an ordinance prohibiting gambling on the
Sabbath and this day, which was formerly char
acterized by the greatest degree of dissipation is
now rendered comparatively quiet. 1t is said that
an ordinance is now before the Board, prohibiting
the sale of liquor on the Sabbath. Thus, stepby
step, reforms are progressing, and trust ere long
that our city will be freed from the many evils
and nnisances, that, if not swept away, will yet
cause desolation amongst US. Gambling is car
ried here to the greatest extent. Every known
game of chance that was ever played, and many
which have been invented expressly for the Cal
ifornia market" are in progress, for the purpose
of robbing the unwary of their hard-earned dol
lars. | saw, yesterday, sitting at monte table,
sponging his whiskey from the dealer, young
man who landed here from the mines few days
since with five thousand dollars in gold-dust, the
results of several months labor in the mines He
came down for the purpose of returning home in
the steamer of to-day, to gladden. his aged parents
and friends by his success, But in an evil hour
the fascination of the gaming liable overcame him.
and he lost his all Now he is about returning
to the mines to do his work all over again, and to
profit trust by the sad experience he has gained
Cases similar to this are daily occurring, and yet
our city fathers license this trade of iniquity,
and allow it to be carried on with impunity in our
midst
We have just passed through an election for
two assistant aldermen TO fill vacancies in our
Common Council and, to show you the power of
political clique here, have to report that one
of the elected, and by large majority too, is Jim
Grant, the celebrated barber who used to perform
the necessary tonsorial operations upon the pretty
face Of James Gordon Bennett Grant is an
honest, hard-working man, but is about as fit for
an alderman as he is for Pope of Rome. Our
elections here are ruled by miserable and cor
rupt clique of the kicked-out Tammany. Hall
Democracy, who formerly made the Pewter Mug
ring with their profanity and indecency. Never
in the history of legislation did a city require the
best intellects of her inhabitants more than San
Francisco now does Our treasury is bankrupt, |
public works of the greatest Importance which |
have been commenced, are suspended for want of
funds, and the city is getting deeper and deeper |
in debt. No plan Of taxation has as yet been de- |
cided upon by the Board, and the city treasury is
not now receiving one cent Of revenue.
The news from the mines are Of the most |
alarming character. For the last month, murders |
by the dozens have been committed within the Vi |
entity of the town of Sonora, about fiity miles
from Stockton. Not morning passed out al
least one mangled and mutilated corpse was found
upon the road II was positively unsafe to traVel
except in large parties, well provided with arms
No traces of the murderers could be found, and |
that there existed large aud well-organzed gang
Of robbers and cut-throats there was no doubt |
The greatest excitement prevailed, and parties |
were organized to scour the country in quest Of
the villains, but none were found who could be |
identified II was generally supposed, however,
hat the band consisted of about thirty Mexicans,
headed by celebrated guerrilla chief Finding |
all attempts ut roofing out the scoundrels failed
the miners gathered in different towns in the
mining regions and have passed resolutions expe- |
ling all foreigners from the mines Ten days
time are given them to leave, and all found after
the termination Of that period are to he shot
This is certainly summary proceeding, but it Is
the only one which can effect the desired end and
render life and property safe.
The difficulties between the two races have |
been greatly augmented by the unjust mining
tax which was imposed by our State Legislature
upon foreigners The tax was so large that the
miners in many cases could not possibly pay it, |
and the attempt on the part Of the collectors to
enforce the law occasoned encounters and Difficult |
ties that have ended in wholesale murder. 1.-THE |
sapent politicians In Washington could be made |
to feel the weight of desolstion that is the inevta
bic result Of our atpresent-unsettied political |
state they would forget for the moment their pet
ty sectional differences and even the grandeur
and glory Of the "peculiar institution" would not
al xta II