Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-05-04
Frosa the Golden Era.
San Francisco Within Doors.


Few buildings erected within the present
limits of San Francisco, ia IS49, are now left
standing so often have the devastating con-
fagrations, for which California is so celebra-
ted, swept over them. Here and there, how
ever, removed from the centre of the city,
can one occasionally be seen, with weather.
beaten and smoked exterior, standing forth as
a remembrancer of the exciting days in which
1t was constructed. To any one familiar with
San Francisco in '49, what a crowd of recol-
lectiOns does the sight of one of these DID, fa-
miliar relies suggest, and almost forgotten in
cidents with which it is connected, fit across
his mind like the dim recollectons of ro-
mantle but almost faded dream
Reader, one of these old structures can
still be seen near the corner of Washington
and Stockton streets, and there are lundoubt-
euly MANY persons In ese-. Lpo ncisco who ...;n
recognize 1t as being one of the few that have
escaped the destroyer that has so often left
them standing alone amid the ruins of their
This building is wooden struc-
ture of one and halfstories, and has still
some pretensions to neatness and comfort.
1t was erected in the fall of 40, by gamb-
Ter, at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars and
was at that time considered an edifice of no
mean proportions. Could this cottage but
recite a story of all the deeds transacted with
in its walls, it would spare us the pain of
chronicling them but circumstances have
placed us in possession of a knowledge of the
fate of its original occupants while we will
give, merely as an illustration of early life
in San Francisco.
AS we before said the individual who built
this house, was by profession gambler, by
the name Of H. His father was a mem
Der of the Massachusetts Legislature for ma
ny years, and in 1916, removed with his fami-
ly to Natchez, at the request of a number of
relatives who resided near that city. ofei
At this time young Ii was eighteen
years of age, and an only child. Here, keep
ing the company of the reckless and dissipat-
ed characters for which Natchez was at that
time notorious. he plunged into every species
of vice, and soon became irrevocably welded
| to gaming.
His father upon learning the danger which
| threatened him in the city, sent him to re-
side with an uncle who lived few miles in
the country, that he might not be subjected
to the temptations that surrounded him in
the city, hoping by so doing to wean him from
the life of dissipation and vice into which he
was fast verging.
He remained in his uncle's family, where
he was treated with the affection of a son, for
six months. when, dishonoring his cousin, the
| only daughter of his uncle, he left for New
| Orleans, and in six months from the time he
| landed there. he was a confirmed gambler.
His cousin Lucy, whom he had so deeply
wronged, shortly after became a mother,
which was severe blow to her parents. as
well as to the father of young H. The
! child did not live however, and Lucy. ma
BILE to remain longer in the presence of her
parents, whom she had rendered forever
heart broken. at the desire of young H.
left the home of her childhood. and ioined
him in New Orleans. Here they remained
until the spring Of 40. by which time H
had become a proficient at gambling. He
now concluded to try his fortunes in Califor-
MIA. and after much persuasion on the part of
| Lucy. he at length consented to her accom-
panying him.
They arrived in San Francisco in May of
that year. and turning his attention. to his
profession, we find young H at the end
of three months, with means sufficient to build
the house which we have mentioned. Into
this he removed Lucy where for some time
they lived together. with as much happiness
as their social condition would admit. But
fortune, which had thus far proved favorable,
began to grow tickle, and he lost his money
more rapidly than he had won it and by de-
grees ne lost every dollar. his house at length
Delng taken to pay gambling debt. He be-
came desperate, and began to abuse, ill-treat
MS already wretched cousin and mistress. not
knowing on whom else to vent his rage in his
mlsfortunes and in drunken hour he offer
ed to seH her for q small sum of ready cash
to gambling companion. Against such an
act she at first plead with fearful ewes but
finding this unavailing, she at length. indir.
nantly refused, where upon he struck her f.
4 the floor with astick of wood, where he left
her for dead then locking the door, he ded