San Andreas independent., 1858-02-27
LETTER FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
SAN FaAscrsoo, February 1sth. 1858

SAN FRANcIsco, February 18TH, 1858.
Mr. EDITOR Although my trip down here might be
made very interesting from the peculiar items which
Swoggles discovered along the route and by relating the
Fish Pedars account of the great robbery In Phadel-
pa wherein 600 0o00c0 were stolen consisting Of
Jewelry and Doughnuts.-Also might tell you OF the
storm that came upon in the Bay; how the wind
blew the rain fell and the waves rolled as high as tea
But passing all that by and beginning at the
end landed (or rather planked DOWN on Jack
street wharf o'clock, A. NJ, 18th instant We
thought at first that landed in lumber pile,
which had got adrift during the Storm But it seems
that it was only planked street which had got aoat up
in the city aud was drifting out into the bay As We
walkedsalong several Others drifting out in the
same and coming together, crossing PILEING up
and crashing down like shood wood ON Red river.
We walked in the dark and storm picking our path
way shun the holes in the street where the bot
tom had fallen OUT aud at last got to place where
there was most anagonistical perfume told swoggle
We were lost and had got into somebody's Tan Yard
There were deep vats of water and filth either Land
and narrow walks of timber between 1t was Danger
ous but after travelling mile we came into part
Of the city where the deep and the soil
soft and arabbe that told Swogge we were out of the
road-in garden-but just then he pointed out the Gus
tom House (Which he helped buid and said we were
right in the heart of the city, We walked little and
down went off the other end of street, suppose
had broken loose from the stenngs and had rifted out
10 sea TIL the hind end was half way ont Of the town.
As went down over the end Swogge asked where was
going? 1t very Kind of him. but could not answer
was so "ovEEcoME' by my feelings. When got back
told him cuss-tom house officer and Lad rec lived
polte-sudden call to examine sewers He declined
deputysip in the situation and we walked on to
the Railroad House. and called a for the rest of the
night"
When we arose in the morning found aat they were
mixing and spreading upon the streets peculiar compo-
sition for paving materiaits combination of manure
sand, decayed vegetables ashes cinders corks paper
and old plank, all wet down with sush They have laid
from eight to ten inches deep every street aud alley
in the city, and when it becomes hard they will have the
most wonderful pavements in any modern timc--beat-
ing Roman Cement all to nothisg--it viii be called
Ass-phatum,they walked lively all day in it; men,
women, children, horses, Wagons aud dogs,-going up
and down, this way and that stirring and mixing to get
hard yet when night the only result that could
be discovered, was, that the they stirred it the
it twas snelt.'
We went up the hiH and took look at the s'whoe"
tling Oh, Je-ru-sa-em, what city! The houses were
lying around loose in every drection;-here big one
six stories high in the midst of af dozen hafstory
shanties-tere seven or eight PILED," the
other, all leaning against the sand-hills like drunken
man to lamppost There long flights of stairs to
some OF them and when we went up We're in the
basement. Some warped and cracked some were
totterns and had props under them all look
ed like there had been big flood in the mines and float
ed off lot of little mining towns-houses streets and
aand brought them here where they had got all um-
bled together into dead eddy and when the water fell
they were left sprawng about the sand hills and tules
like cakes of ice in a meadow at the breaking up of
hard winter in sugar making time.
We ''came down off the high mountain" and Swoggle
went to see his relations, Drs Young Czapkay Bourne
and Wooster. went to the Wide West office with my
Valentine to negotiate for its appearance in that ourna
as standard Illustration they declined purchasing it as
the design would be too expensive and extensive for the
size of the sheet. then to the Golden Era office
and tried to induce them issue an usrious edition
of my Valentine. They seemed to think that "Sluice
Fork" had had had hand in it. and wanted time to
consult But my opinion is that they have 10 room, and
as know that you breathe the mountain air shall send
it for the independents anxious you spread
the prospeetpicure the girl who set the old hen
on ten dozen eggs.
Then went to restaurant for dinner and saw one
of the richest in California standing at the door-he
had on most beautiful pants all covered with eaudy
coors like "Brers Landscape blue coat of the finest
French broad-cloth, vest of chaugabe worstedn black
boots at end and 'snail kegn the other His
neckte in the Sheriff office. but he had of his
friends which came up to lis and hid every particle
of his collar He asked me- up to the door, if
wished to dinesaid waiting for company it wa:
such bore to eat by ones self so in and wer,
seated at the table close beside each oiher The
room was full Of people, eating away for dear m goo,
many looked up and appeared to envy me my luck il
having the pleasure to dine in company with such note,
man. He ordered roast turkey, ordered roast lamb
he soon said the turkey very good and would taxi
another plate, Which was brought to him. When hat
eaten my roast called for chicken pie and he order
ed the same. After that each had some pudding and
the man that Brought it left little card with the fig
"3' il, and left him one with figure "6- on it
He took up his aud looked at then took mine and COM
pared with his and without saying anything laid them
down till we were done, when up and he took
his in lis hand picked up mine ard went to the bar
to settle. asked "how muchn and the clerk said let
me see your ticket" As handed it to Linn saw had
made mistake and got the rich mans ticket with the
hgure O on 1t. The clerk said bits"-and paid II
and as turned round to tell the rich man of the
saw him drop my ticket with the figure w on if upon
table where eating roastbecf and then he
walked ont the other door in great hurry as though
urgent business called him. l was sorry he was gone
without saying good day" but expect to meet him
again, as have doubt he owns all that Restaurant
besides having eans all the principal houses in San
Francisco. When Swoggle back, told him of it
and he said" know him he is relative of mine and
one of the firm of H. Swosgle & CO."
We then went down to the harbor and had long talk
with the Harbor Master who said that the harbor was
filling up beceuse fellow by the name of Bulk Head
Bill was up at Sacramento and before he came down
the harbor would be spoiled told him that If could
get the contract would agree to put good substantial
"blockhead in front of the city and "da' the whole
place. He said he would take me up to the Counc
House and introduce to the City Fathers who he had
no doubt would be glad to contract for such an obstruc
ton to the harbo they had tried almost every plan
to oDstlpct it. and all had proved failures He then
pointed ont to that the arbor went far up into
the city, but that they had drove sticks down into it in
every direction, and covered it over with p,ak and
dirt to make it look like land But none of them an
swered the purpose for they had all caved n And sure
enough, discovered that what we had taken for
lanyard portion of San Francisco built over
water, with big holes broken through the pIankiDg and
that the beautiful odor from tile effects of the tide
on the NTH that accumulated below
When We went up the meeting of the Town Council