The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-06-24
Editorial Correspondence.
On BOARD STEAMSHIP CONSTITUTION
At Sea, May 9, 1865.

IN BOARD STEAMSHIP CONSTITUTION, D
At Sea, May 9, 1865.
My DEAR COMMERCIAL Il promised you n few
lines descriptive of San Francisco, or some of its
more noticeable objects; but &c steamer day. which,
like sun and tide, tarries for no man, found my notes
of observation unwritten, and | embrace the first OPP
portunity to arrange them for your columns. There
is so much to attract the eye of q stranger in any
large city-so many new and old friends encountered
ut almost every step, and such a whirl of excitement
and novelty in the very atmosphere, that it is only
after a residence Of some time that one falls into a
regular business routine or learns to command his
time.
The first thing that attracts the attention of the
visitor here, is the rapid growth Of the city. even
more rapid now than in former years. l am assured
that no less than ttcc thousand houses were in course
of erection on the first of May, and the number
erected during 1866 will not fall short of four thou
sand. The population. at the last unofficial enume-
ration, was estimated at 10 900; but is to-day
probably not less than 120, 900, and increasing in q
ratio far beyond that of the principal Atlantic cities,
and even beyond the calculations of the most san
guine. One-fOurth of the population of the State is
probably centred within q circumference Of a few
miles around this city.
One thing that greatly helps the growth Of San
Francisco is its admirable system of city railroads.
Cars run through all the principal streets, to a dis
lance Of three or four miles out of town in every di-
rection. at a trifing fee of FIVE cents for each passen-
ger. Steam cars run out to San Jose, fifty miles
from San Francisco, and throughout the entire length
of this road the land is being rapidly taken up and
built upon by residents of the city. There is nothing
that aids the growth of any city more than railroads,
which enable the poor laborer and mechanic to live
comfortably in the suburbs, at small expense, and,
although strong p~rejudices exist against them, espe-
cially in European cities, they are found to be so
great an amelioration in the condition of the laboring
classes especially. that ere long no large city can
AFFORD 10 be without them. George F. Trains expe-
rience in introducing them into Birkenhead and
London, his success in demonstrating their value,
and his triumph over the bitter prejudices encoun-
tered by him, viii mark an era in the history Of city
railroads az least.
Among the Improvements Of San Francisco, be-
sides The beautiful blocks Of stores. which rival those
of much older cities, its hotels and private residences
are especially noticeable. The four principal hotels
the Russ, Lick, Occidental and Cosmopolitan-are
truly elegant. both in their external appearance and
internal arrangement, and are conducted in q style
not inferior to the best Eastern hotels. Each. Of
COURSE, has its favorites and patrons, and TO say
which one surpasses the other would be more than I
will venture. There are, of course. numerous other
public houses, and no one can fail to find accommo-
dations suited to his position and purse.
And now, while referring to hotels, let me urge
our residents to push forward the enterprise Of erect,
ing one in Honolulu. No one interested In the pros
perity Of our city, and DESTROYS Of seeing something
done for the accommodation of the increasing travel
to cur port, can look indiferently on it. 1 am
ashamed to answer the question SO often put to me