Daily gazette and comet. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1856-186?, 1860-06-09
For the Gazette q Comet.
THE GOLDEN GATE.
A MINERS sEsORPTION or CALIFORNIA


spaniards had erected fort 70, the pro-
lection Of the place and neighbciing mis-
sions. The place is now removed and In
its stead a strong fortress is erected for the
defence Of the bay. The depth Of the
straits are from to IS fathoms, the shores
are rocky and rise TO mountains Of 1900
feet in height aud are also barren from
the effects of the ever prevailing fogs which
WRAP the shore in deep mist, preventing
trees from growing. After passing the
straits, the great bay Of San Francisco sud
denly opens this bay lies at right angles
TO the entrance and extends from North to
South nearly 10 miles, from the most Nor
thern part Of this bay, small entrance is
formed into bay called the susuin, from
whence the waters Of the Sacramento and
San joaquin rivers TOW. The distance to
the ocean in a direct line is about e5 miles.
The Sacramento and its great tributaries
the Puts Creek and the American Feather
and Butter Rivers, also the San joaquin,
with its leading tributaries, the MokoI-
mune, Calersrss. Stsnislsns aud Tualmns
Rivers, are the greatest highways between
the ocean and the interior country. In
the valley of Sacramento are the famous
cities of Sacramento, Msrysville, Nesvds
snd.Grsssvalley. In the San Joaquin are
the cities Of stockton, Sonora. and James
town.
On the East of San Francisco bay, lies
the famous summer resort, Conta Costa. il
is situated near Mount Disblo which rises
TO the height Of 5000 feet. the base of
this great mountain, the growth of timber
is enormous, the common height 800 feet
and the diameter is from 8 TO % feet.
San Francisco lies "a near as possible To
the Golden Gate and forms semi-circle
between two points Clarke and Kincon)
situated about Z miles from the Pacific,
the name San Francisco was adopted by
Alcsldee in 1s4r, its original nsmc was
Yerbs Buons, which signifies good herb,
from the large quantity Of sweet mint that
abound the shores Of the magnificent
springs.
In the year 1895 Mr.. VIM. A. Richard
son was appointed first Harbour Master,
and the same year he erected the first
house of any description in the place -
Whale ships first made their appearance
In the year 1928 and oontinuedsto increase
until the gold discoveries Of is4s, they
then changed the depot TO the sandw
Islands, owing TO the great Inducements
for their seamen TO desert, and the enor-
nous high price Of provisions. In the
spring Of the year 1888, Rosa Leese was
born, she being the first white child born
in Yerbs Buens. On the sth ofJuly, ls4s,
Captain Montgomery hoisted the Ameri-
can flag on Portsmouth Square; the square
was named in honor of the sloop- Of war
Portsmouth. Montgomery was then COM
msnder, and the first street on the bay
was named Montgomery street. Soon af-
ter, the ship Brooklyn arrived with q lot
Of Mormons. Sam Brsnnan was their
President, q dispute arose which caused
Sam 70 leave them, to 90 into land specu-
lation, which proved very successful, he
has at this present time some Of the finest
houses on Montgomery street. These Nor
mons held the first jury trial ever witness
ed in California, about this time Colonel
Stevenson arrived with the famous New
volunteers on the ship Thos. X. Perkins.
These volunteers were mostly mechanics |;
they had enlisted to serve during the war
and when peace came they wero disbanded
In California TO mako IL their homo which
happened on the LIST of March, 1s47.
The same year public meeting was held
in San Francisco to consider the alarming
situation of party Of emigrants who the
previous year had attempted to cross the
mountains by q new route through the
great basin they being late in coming
and were caught in the Sierra Nevadas
whore some Of them were in imminent
peril and others had already persisted,
blocked up by the winter snow.
Fifteen hundred dollars was subscribed
and party of twenty men with an old
guide immediately started for the noun
tains with supplies; also other expeditions
started up from the various parts Of the
State. Ono under the personal charge Of
old Captain Suffer made an attempt to
penetrate the mountains TO carry glad news
and safety to the poor unfortunate emf
grants. BY these means those that wero
alive were rescued by the first of spring.
The description given by the number