Middletown transcript., 1869-10-23

tOtitte' +aeH " !Iit9n, we Jake 1he
following account of the Golden City:
When I stop to consider that twenty
years ago the spot on which this magni-
hcent city now stands, was vast sand
bank, and that not a dozen white M en-
could be found on the shore, am over
whelmed with astonishment The sDa-
cious streets, the broad sidewalks of flag
stone or asphaltum pavements, the teen m
ing thousands that daily and nightly crowd
those ayenges !. the grand and imposing
buildings that are to be found on every
street traversing the centre of the city;
the hotels, banks, stores, public building gs
and private residences, presenting at eve ery
turn, evidences of unlimited wealth, and
the most lavish expenditure of it all
these things combine to impress the be-
holder with wonder and astonishment.
when We remember its early history, and
the hundreds of fortunes that have be ZEN
wrecked upon this far off western coast,
in the struggles of the early pioneers. A
few of those early pioneers still remain.
and they are now the substantial men of
the city. | have met with men who we're
six months crossing the plains with an ok
team, and were obliged sometimes to live
upon acorns-who are now men of bu s.
mess, in high standing, and are consid-
cred substantial men, All who had the
wisdom to lay out their capital in lands,
instead of periling their life and health in
the mines, are now, and have been for
years, reaping golden harvest in the
astounding increase in the value of town
or city lots. Land that was then to be
had for the merest trihe, now commands
thousands and thousands of dollars. Out
side of the built-up portion of the cit
he whole ground is an immense sand
bank or piles of sand blown up, and co y
ering completely rocky presenting
the most desolate appearance of itself +
and yet lot 27 feet wide and 127 feet
deep. will command, in some of the lea ast
favorable localities, at least $2500. The
population of the city is estimated at abo ht
10000. At this time, the city is lit
orally crowded to its utmost capacity.
The industrial Fair of the Mechanics
Institute is now open, and the immen Sc
building prepared for it, is filed with the
most elegant productions of art, industr Y,
and ingenuity, have exer had the pleas
ure Of seeing. Taking the whole together r,
l am sure I never saw it equalcd in ar y
eastern city. Fruits, flowers, wines, oils,
native silk productions, wooden goods,
blankets-far superior to any I ever BE-
held-furniture of the most gorgeous
style and finish, furs, gold and silver
ware, gas fixtures, pianos, organs, pain
tings and statuary, photographs, ivory
types, &c, &c; farming machinery,
domestic utensils, and thousand other
things | cannot pretend to mention, crow d
the building, which cannot, I think, he
less than 900 feet long, and with centre
and side wings not less than 400 feel wide
with galleries all around, and third |
floor above. At night, when lit up with
more than thousand gas jets, and crow
ded with visitors, it presents truly an i'm
posing view. Large numbers are brought
to the city as contributors or visitors 10
the fair, and with the members of ou r
body, and daily visitors, numbering not |
less than 400 each day, and excursion
parties from the east, continually comm g
and going, keep the hotels crowded 10
overfowing. /
Inc LACK mouse, the Cosmopolitan, the /
Occidental, and the Rush House are hotels
Of the first class. Hotel life is, it would
seem, extremely popular. The Lick House
is almost exclusively filed up with familids
suits ofrooms as boarders. The
is most magnificent affair /
and of itself is said to have cost $50, 600.
The Cosmopolitan, where I am staying
las large number of families boardin II
llso. 1t seems to be the most popular
house of the city, from the crowds that
ire constantly coming and going. AT the
o'clock dinner, the dining room, which,
$ very large and very elegantly finished,
With not less than thirty mirrors of large
ize in the side walls, is filled with crowds
# ladies and gentlemen--the ladies dres-
ed in the height of fashion. = i
The whole. city seems to be one vast
AIR. Montgomery street and KearneE