Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-12-24
California.

California.
The aggregate cost for the fre-proof BUILDINGS Of
San Francisco-built and being built-exclusiye of
the land, is nearly S6,5000O0, expended in addition
to the repeated destruction of the place BY fire. The
list affords item for the consideration of those who
suppose that all the labor of that country is expen
ded upon gold digging. An immense city of costly
structures has been erected, as it WERE bv magic
and the abos and materials have been paid for part,
1y by capital carried thher, bul mostly by the earn
ings of the diggers The stone and BRICK have been
mostly got out and made there; but the other mate
rials, iron and lumber have been carried there and
exchanged for gold at very high rates. In the view
of many expressed in public documents, from
State papers down to party tracts, the exports of
specie is taken as the evidence of progressive ruin
In California however, the export of specie has turn
ed sand-bank into magnificent and fourshing
city Large as has been the quantity of gold that
its producers have boon compelled to give for all the
necessarcs OF te they have been enabled 10 procure
in addition. puring the short season of their opera
ton, luxurics and e!esancies of civilization Labor
stimulated by large reward, has wrought out its
resul with unwonted rapidity. The gold which for
countries ages has repo~ed in the bosom of her soil
has suddenly been converted into warehouses, pala-
ces, theatres, custom houses. and churches The
other portions of the State have been less progress
i've; large amounts have been invested in machine
ry and = humlng rivers. The number of regular
citizens have increased and individual possessions
have enlarged. The wealth of the State has there
fore, increased in the double ration of numbers and
distribution of wealth. With increasing population
and wealth. The amount of gold in circulation has be.
come more considerable; yet above and beyond this
we find the monthly export is continually increas-
ing to this part of the country nevertheless new
channels OF trade are being continually opened, and
gold goes in largely in other directions Although
we received actually large amount on the Attain
tic, it is probable that the proportion which we
get is becoming less to the aggregate produc-
ton. The effect of the Australian discoveries
has been to draw off considerable portion of
the floating, disappointed Adventures, who have
sought in new scenes to mend their luck. 1t is
remarkable that the first Australian gold
ceyed at the United States mint was from the hands
of one who, having failed in California, succeeded in
New South Wales. The society of San Francisco
therefore, approximates steadily to the nature of
that in older cities, and with that improvement the
development of the ruins becomes more sure under
the appliances of experience, capital, and intelh
gence.-N. I. Economist.
Liabilities o Transportation Companies.
A case of interest to all transportation companies
tried last week, at Cleveland, in which Hugh
McFadden brought suit against steamer Niagara for
the loss of his trunk while he board, pas
senger between Detroit and Cleveland. The counsel
for the plaintiff claimed that he was entitled to
cover for the money well the wearing apparel
and other contents of his trunk The defendants
contended that the money in the trunk was not re-
coverabe by the plaintiff against the boat and cited
the decisions of the Supreme Court of the State of
New York, and the 5th of Gushing Massachusetts
Reports) 60, and Story Bailments
Judge Andrews, in clear, elaborate, and able
charge to the jury, held in pursuance of the New
York and Massachusetts modern authorities that
money contained in ordinary travelling trunk and
taken along by the passenger as baggage, not
recoverable in case of loss any further than de-
signed for travelling expenses-that in order to Gre
ate such liabilities on the part of boat or Transport
taton company, the unusual contents of such trunk
should be made known to the carrier that freight
if demanded, might be received in proportion to the
risk that where trunk, with such contents,
received, not mere baggage but freight, the
carrier would be liable, although he had notice
of the particular contents of the trunk but, that
mere gratuty paid by the passenger to the porter
requisite for taking of a trunk did not, in the
absence of any further proof, vary the liability Of
the carrier.
Under this ruling the jury, by the charge of the
Court returned verdict for 5000, the value of the
wearing apparel, disallowing the $4,000, claimed for
loss Of money in the trunk.