The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-03-24
L II E DIS TCH.


= ~ Il II .
THURSDAY MORNING. MARCH "a 1889
GRAPHIC SKETCH OF "srEAMER pAYp m
SAN FRANCISCO.
A correspondent Of tho Chicago Journal write,
from California
Twice month, the 5th and the Goth, San F,an.
cisco. which Is never without foolish excite.
Ment, gets gradually worked up to crisis. The
departure Of the Eastern mail is great event bers
Everybody--man, wonap, child, native, f,rejpner
merchant, miner, general dealer, le borer honda
script adventurer. and recent immigraut-all are
deeply Interested The people who live here ara
not yet independent, other in business or 10 bome
and afectio1ate feelings of the nection of their
native countries; hence imn SO amount OF cor.
respondence is written and forwarded eyerv tvo
weeks. There is little business done the ,Iav bas
fore the nail leaves, and scarcely any on Il fore
noon Of its departure. Not only is time Consumed
III attending to the Indispensable remittalces Lut
numerous business letters must be answered, the
state OF the markets described account sales made
out, and aUgSestioDs given to foreign merchants
for particular shipments. Tho purely business
letters may be the most important aud urgent Dc
c1niariiy, but those between the resident and his
or her friends are the most interesting To all the
opportunity is invaluable Of telling of their vari.
Gus movements, speculations, hopes, fears, health
and comfort, aud to express all their affectiouate
wishes and love towards those most dear to them.
When immigrants leave home to settle perma.
nently In new country. they soon cease to feel
an interest in their native places; old friends gra
duaily give up the habit of communicating by
letter with them But many of the Californiaus
nave the surety of speedily rejoinng the friends
aud country they have left, while many of them
nope and expect that they will be enabled to do
30 IN lew months, or years at least; hence all
these fDd it to their interest, as they feel il
their pleasure, to keep up a familiar correspon-
deBce with those left behind The answers that
VIII appear bye-and-bye to these many communi-
cations, will be eagerly looked for aud perused
over and over again. To continue to receive
such interesting epstles, they must be faithfully
acknowledged. Replies and other letters are ac-
cordingly multiplied for each mail. No wonder
that the occasion"s looked forward to with such
interest
But it is not mere epistolary communications
aud the necessity of remitting that give life like
interest and excitement to Steamer day. Besides
those VINO are going home, it may bs supposed
that at least thrice that number of persons are
directly interested as the nearest friends of the
actual passengers, while the whole city entertains
some kind of a curiosity as to who are leaving
and general feeling of interest on the subject
pervades the community. Numbers have come
from the mines aud interior towns to take their
departure from San Francisco and these crowd
the hotels and boarding houses for a few days
before the steamer sails. From every large Iodg.
ing house there is 8 me one departing; while in
am 81 every house there are companions aud
confdants OF those who are leaving: these ryust
commune and prepare: they must drink, smoke
and palavar; buy and Interchange gifts, and make
solemn promises of future commU nications Al
is eagerness and excitement on both sides, until
Steamer day has actually come and gone
Follow the crowd on the eventful day: the mer.
chant bas dispatched bis letters his expresses his
reniittances, and las now q little leisure 80 he
takes stroll down to the pier-head 20 see some old
friends on The mail bags are closed, aud the
anxious correspondent with home may now begin
to count the weary weeks and days before be re.
ceives the fond answer. He also can spare an
hour. and dreaniiy wenis his way TO ses the mo-
bic ship set sail that bears the mail, bis letters
included The express wagons that bear a mil.
lion and half Of treasure are on the way.
The loafer and the comp6lsoriIy Idle man like.
wise attend. because they have nothing else
20 do. General business is in a measure susrepd.
81. or lazify conducted, until the steamer is
actually gone The baggage of the passengers
is being conveyed Oh board. Some adieus have
already taken place, but the most are to be made
upon the wharf or the ships deck. The Golden
City is already beginning to be crowded above and
below, while with flushed faces and scarcely stea-
dy steps, many are prowing among the heaps of
packages and boxes searching for their own; they
oGstie about, and alter some thick speechifypp q
and unnecessary questions, discover their trunks
and secure their traps as closely as possible One
half OF the passengers are still the wharf, talk.
ing fast and hurriedly with friends aud preparing
to take the last farewell. On board are majority
of those who have only to see some friend off
Small groups cluster wherever there is stand. =.
luz piaCe on Tie uiUeTeDt uFcks, the bottle
dnc~d. and the last drop taken. Champagne free.
ly flows among the state cabin snobs and rum or
ready mixed cocktails among the nobs all over the
ship.
But the levatban begins TO blow and heays un.
easily, eager to be off The escape steam.nipe
seems too narrow q throat for the angry breath of
the monster, and loudly threatens to burst and
the mighty hulk qGivers al the sound the clamor
strengthens on deck; the mate begiDs to move
about and shout; the men leap to obey bis orders
Vh.an htnSn t,,1 L..
awaiting the word of command from the captain.
Who at last condescends to euter on the scene OF
action: rapid shoffiipg is heard; baggage ia no.
ceremoniously tumbled aside sailors handle the
bawsers: those remain rush hastily to the wharf;
the last drop has been drunk-the last good bye
given: the wharf ia deDseIy crowded with specfa
tors, while the voyagers everywheI occupy the diff
ferent decks of the magnificent ship. There are few
tuI rs ahead OF the paddle wheels, and few turns
astern; the creature is laZly stretching its ggau.
tic limbs before 1t begins seriors work; the cables
are cast loose; the steamer yawDs and slowly drags
her poaderous length half round. There is mean.
while general stiffness observed by the specta-
tors. both on board and on the wharf: the kind
wishes, remeGbrances and orders have all been
given, and the heart was too full the eye too bu.
silly engaged with the ever attractive scene to per-
nit further active demonstrations; only few up.
wretches will persist in baw.ing un.
timely, coarse witticsms between the ship aud
wharf: perhaps passenger already "half.seas-
his hat to friend whom be is sorrowfully leaving.
token of his last Affections the deserted crony
will throw his own tile towards the bosom friend
OF many tpsy hoUrs; three TO OYe, those last fond
momentoes drop short in the water. Sometimes
quite brisk fire will thus be kept up for several
minutes, while the ship is getting under way, and
oranges, hats, jokes and repartee H. from to
mao across the widening space that separates the
parties. The passengers form themselves into a
close line alongside the railing; now one and then
another bows to some friend in the crowd whose
eye ne could not resist catching once more, while
q iaint haif.joyous, halfmeiancholy smile playe
upon his face; the friend the familiar nod
~ anu seeks 10 aVoid meeting any more the gaze OF
the departing.
And now the ship begins to move: At this mo.
ment the Interest ofthe spectators is at it's height
hats, caps, handkerchiefs aud hands are eagerly
waved, and multitude Of cheerful voices bid
long farewell. The travellers gaily show like de-
OF interest and friendshipa few tears
invest the eyes of the more sensitive With ont
general Impulse, three hearty cheers are given b,
the forsaken. which the departing as heartily re.
turn. As the loud huZzas die away and the suier
crash Of the paddles is beginning to be distinguish
ed, smoke is observed near the bow of the shin
and at almost the same instant the boom of IA
cannon is heard, which tbuuders and re-thuuders
among the cliffs of Clark's Point, and the steamer
has fairly started on her journey. Then. with
long drawn breath genuine sigh, or laugh, th.
multitude bustle nd hurry off their respective
homes or places of business to forget all about
the event aud thsr emotions. until some subse-
qaent Steamer day recalls them to mind by cir-
eumtauces of q similar nature.
Law OF EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL CASES IN ENGLAND
Lord Brougham has brought ina bill which pre-
vides that any person trial for felopy,or
misdemeapor may offer himself as witness in his
own behalf aud his wife as we'll, in her husband's
behalf. Such person mast be sworn on the Holy
Eyapgelists and be subject to cross examinations
No writing of such person will be receivable il
evidence unless called for by the prosecutor. The