Owyhee bullion. [volume] (Silver City, I.T. [Idaho]) 1866-1867, 1867-01-31
Letter from San Francisco.
SAN Francisco, Jan, IA, 1867.

from report, beyond desire, in the midst OF
your bullion ribbed hills, l take it for
granted that you are willing to hear from a
region differently favored, where the snop
comes in liquid form; the bullion, is in iron
safes,
"Where the cypress and myrtle
Are embems of deeds that are done in
in their clime,"
and roses bloom inmd-winter. How strange
is the contrast mother earth presents in
few days travel from the land of Silver to
the Queen City of the Pacific Though ap-
preaching the "sear and yellow leaf" | al
most "wished i were boy again" that /
might al Hbituns roll over on the hill-sides
clothed in such verdure as would rejoice the
heart Of Fenian with reminders of the
beautiful green" of his Emerald home.
might write you of ride to the Cliff House,
OF the sea lions, and the gazers on, of a trip
across the Bay, ofvlllages and suburban resi-
dences nesting amidst hills and "rarest
foliage" but, refer your lady readers to
Claude Melnotte. and will say no more.
Being here but as a "looker on in Vienna"
| have sometimes half wondered, as in other
great cities, what all this multitude of peo-
pie could be aiming to accomplish who crowd
and jostle each other in an eternal throng on
Montgomery Street. 1t would seem that
objects Of pursuit, which set half this multi
tude to rushing in an opposite direction
from that of the other half mingling at every
corner with counter-currents of humanity,
would, at the end of the day leave oil in in
extrlcable confusion. But glancing into bu-
siness houses and the sound "cash" is heard
and busy quilts are writing down each
transaction; and at night the City has closed
its innumerable ledgers and the affairs of
the dry are recorded. A few tall gentle
men in grey, with silver stars. patrol the
streets at night, and furnish lodging to such
as have mistaken the pavement for a french
matrass, who, in the morning are charged
$40 for the mistake-and thus this "map of
life. with its vast perplexities and great con-
cerns +" is reduced to order. The city, already
entirely too large it would seem proportion
ately to the population Of the interior of the
state, still grows and rapidly too, against
all predictions. and real estate continues to
rise despite earthquakes. The great inter
Oceanic Steamship line to China is estab-
lished, and 10000 celestials are on the sum-
nit of the Sierras rapidly extending the Pa
cilic Railroad eastward to meet the fast APP
preaching line westward, and the year 1870
is expected to show as an accomplished fact,
this stupendous project long regarded as
the hobby of politicians. Thus San Fran
cisco, which has fiOurished, when the interi-
or towns almost without exception have de-
cayed, by laying commercial tribute upon the
entire coast from British America to South
ern Mexico; from Ocean to Rocky Noun
tains is about to become the commercial
center between the hundreds ofmillions of in
dustrious inhabitants of Asia, and America,
and Europe. She treasure she has shipped
to New Y ork and London, will change its cur
rent and flow in exchange for the commerce
of the Indies. But her shipment of wheat
and wine will probably, in few years exceed
that of her bullion And thus / predict,
San Francisco will, in few years rival the
greatest cities of the east in the numbers
and wealth ofits population. Capital is ex-
ceedingly sensitive. 1t is easily alarmed,
and when great real or supposed danger
threatens, it becomes frantic in its efforts for
security. But its normal condition is that
of Conservatism. This remark | make in
view of the political aspect. But, two or
three years ago. amidst he war fever, it was
almost as dangerous in San Francisco for
man to declare his adhesion to the "Consti-
tuition as it is," as for Peter to acknowledge
Christ in the court of PLATE. The war has
ceased, and with it the rallying cries of JAG
obin leaders meet with colder and colder re-
sponses from commercial San Francisco
The American Flag" the ralying organ of
crazed overwhelming majorties, the proprie-
tors Of which would have glOated in the
privilege of printing it with the blood of
those who dissented from it in opinion, hav-
ing become chronic in its insane rawlings, has
so succeeded in disgusting its former patrons
that it has at last persisted for want of sup
port
New Year the negroes celebrated by pro-
cession &C., the anniversary of the procama- |
ton of their freedom, but saw no ladies
waving handkerchieis from balconies, no ap-
plauding multtudes on the sidewalks as was
the case two years ago-though an occa-
sional thin visaged, negro worshiping mani
&C with hair parted in the center, did raise
his hat IN Difference to his negro betters
Thus from the nature of things, as well as