The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-12-09
CHE Craurllcr.
Correspondence Of The Cecil Wing
san FRANCISCO.

In these exciting times great tluc tua;i onS
were always taking place in the prices of
goods. On the LIST of December Flour sold for
twcnty-scvcn dollars per barrel; beef twenty:
pork sixty; butter ninety cents per pound,
and cheese seventy cents. On tho 18th of the
same month flour sold from II to Is dollars.
and other articles had fallen in proportion:
and the all important and indispensable arti-
Gle of Brandy was eight dollars per gallon,
and Gold Dust ten dollars ard fifty cents
the ounce
In the November following. people return
Cd from the mines for the winter, rich in the
precious metal. The ELECTS of the discovery
of gold were scnsbly felt in San Francisco,
as lots which had been purchased in the
spring for from 100 to 1000 dollars, now
sold for 1000 to Is 600 dollars; and buildings
which rented for twenty dollars per month
now brought not less than one hundred and
fifty dollars. BY February. 1919, the ropu-
latnn had increased to 600. The duties
collected at the Custom House for the four
First quarter, $li92l
S,cou do SS25
Third do 14.S27
Fourth do 100. $50
The imports of merchandise during the year,
were 81 ,00O, 900: and of coin about the same
amount. Whilst the exports of gold dust for
the last SIX months were $1,000 900; some
thing less than the amount sent every two
weeks four years afterwards.
The first fire took place IN January, 1910,
burning the Shades Hotel. In June the ship
Philadelphia was burnt in the harbor as she
was preparing to set sail for the Sandwich
Islands. Both these conilagratons were the
effects Of accidents. On the LIST day Of Feb
ruary arrived the first steamship IN the mail
service; the California. This important event
was looked for with extreme interest: she
was received with salutes of cannon and cheer
on cheer of the cnraptured citizens.
On the 18th of May. the ship Grey Eagle
arrived from Philadelphia, making the pas
sage in the remarkable short time of | II days
including i days stoppagc at Valparaiso.
Thus far it was the quickest passage and not
cxcccd for long time. 1t is computed
that the number of clngrants to this country
by the beginning of June was $4,000 Of whom
the largest portion discmbarkcd at this port;
Sixty-four vessels were in the harbor. In
July there arrived 36l4 souls, Some idea of
the rapid march of the country in those days
may be had from the fact that II vessels ar
rived on the first day of July with $50 pas
scngcrs. In August the prices of some arti
clcs were as follows: -four $l3 per Dbl; pork
SIS; cheese 40 cts. per h.; butter IS: lard
10, and oil s per gallon. At this date the
| number of inhabitants was 5000. The num-
Der Of arrivals during the month was 1915,
of whom 81 were females. In September the
arrivals were $500 including l22 females; in
October 1000. The number OF tons of ship
ping in port on the Both day Of August was
1000: next month 81 600 tons. The Bap-
lists built the first Protestant place of wor-
ship in California, and dedicated it on the
9Th day of August, lS49. The same build
ing was still standing in 1853, but in 1854
was replaced by a brick structure. No small
degree Of connection was produced by the
launching of a little iron steamboat in Octo-
! Der. She left Central wharf Oh an expert.