Columbia gazette., 1854-01-21

tients for the support of whom tht cit
of San Francisco is responsible to tn
State.
The act entitled "an Act to provid'
for the erection of State Prison,
passed May lst, 1852, it will be recol
lected, was repealed by the last Legis
lature, and. the contract. which had beer
made in pursuance Of it, declared null
and void.
By an act passed May the 11th, 1858
entitled can Act providing for the erec
ton Of a State Prison, and declaring
uull and void the existing State Prison
contract" the Lieutenant Governor
Secretary of State and Treasurer Of
State, were constituted Board of Com
missioners, and authorized to enter into
a new contract for Prison buildings, Of
sufficient dimensions to accommodate a.
bout two hundred and fifty prisoners
The Board of Commissioners, as author
lied by the Act, on the fifth day of Ju-
ly, entered into contract with Thomas
d. Johns for the requisite Prison bull
dings.
The building authorized by the con.
tract to be erected, it is understood,
will be completed and ready for occu-
pancy in about ten days. When report
ed finished by the contractor, the work
will be carefully examined by the Com
missioners, and if found to be executed
according to contract, will be received
by them, on behalf of the State.
The whole number of convicts, on the
30th of December, was two hundred and
forty males and two females.
The project of connecting the Pacific
with the Atlantic. ocean, by means of a
railroad across the continent, it can,
with truth, be said, is favored by the
whole people of California; and they,
too, are as deeply interested in its
speedy completion as those of any other
section Of the Union. The subject dur
ing the past year has engaged so much
of their attention, that it would be su-
perfuous, at this time, for me to point
out, at length, the great commercial ad-
vantages to be derived from it, or to
present facts demonstrative Of its prae-
ticability. The people of this, the
youngest of the sovereign states, prop
erly appreciated the Importance of this
great work to the Union; and they u
unanimously favor it, not only as a mca-
sure which must intellectually advance all
the great interests of the Pacific coun-
try, and add greatly to its wealth and
but because it will connect
in interest, as they are now united in
feeling, the people of the extreme sec
tions of this great confederacy. So far
as California is concerned, it is only
necessary to give the assurance that her
aid will be cheerfully extended, in every
form consistent with her own, and the
Constitution Of the United States.
The establishment of regular oceanic
communication, BY steam, between San
Francisco and Asia and the Indies, is
regarded as a matter Of vital Importance
to California. Regular communication,
by steam, with the principal ports Of the
Eastern world, cannot fail to promote
friendly relations, and, consequently,
greatly increase our commerce.
That it is the province of Congress,
in some form, to aid in the consumma-
ton of this great project, is most true,
but in view of its immense Importance
to our commerce, I cannot refrain from
such an expression of opinion
on the subject, on your part, as will
clearly and Enthusiastically indicate the
anxiety Of our people for the success of
an enterprise which must add to our
present wealth, and eventually secure
for our country trade for centuries
coveted, and in turn possessed, in part
By the different commercial nations Of
the g'obe.
The improvement Of the Sacramento
and San Joaquin rivers, is subject
worthy of careful examination. The ex-
penditure of comparatively small sum
in improving the ''Slough," and remov-
ing the bar in the Sacramento river, at
the mouth of Cache creek, and in making
the channel Of the San Joaquin more
direct for about thirty miles, would rem
Ger the navigation of these rivers safe
and easy at all seasons of the year, for
steamers of the largest class.
The appropriations suggested, it is
can be made without infringe
ment upon constitutional restrictions
and Stockton have, by law,
been declared sports of Entry and
vessels can, and frequently do, clear
from Atlantic and foreign ports direct
for both these growing cities.
The expenditure of few hundred
thousand dollars from the National treas
ury, in improving these rivers, it is there
fore maintained, would not only result
in great benefit to the people of the
State, but promote the interest of COM