New-York tribune., 1869-04-03
CALIFORNIA.

49, C@A@AfS
AND YILLAGES--THE RAINY sEASON-RIsE
OF BROOKS AND SPRINGS BEFORE THE EARLY
RAINs--LUXURI0USNEsS AND EPICURIANISAG
OF CALIFoRNIANs-AMUsEME
AND MONEY. ~
fFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT
SAN Francisco, Feb, 1S69.-The people of Cali
fona are perhaps the most restless of all the restless
civilized inhabitants of this Western World The
City of San Francisco is perhaps the center Of atrae-
ton to the inhabitants of the Pacific slope in North
America but even when in it they are restless and
wish to make constant excursions to different parts
of this State. to the adjoining States, to Southern
California, Mexico, South America, either in the
hope of gain from the mines in all these countries or
from curiosity or pleasure. The rich too, must
of course visit Europe, a matter Of course
must occasionally 90 home, they always call the
Eastern States must visit the Sandwich Islands as
part of the California Grand Tour and now that there
is line of steamers must take trip to China before
they can think of being satisfied. Our new Russian
acquisitions will probably now become one OF our
watering places and it seems as If nothing on either
coast of the Pacific can remain untrodden by their
invading feet.
But this love of change is not confined to travel.
Your Californian may find in the city beautiful
building ste overlooking the beautiful bay with Its
islands and not distant mountains, may Duild house
with every convenience he wishes. furnish it with
everything he desires, and probably after resi-
dence of four OF six months get tired of it, rent it
ready furnished at much MONTH and take bis
family to rooms in frst-claSs clearinghouse. Here
he will enjoy the easy life the excellent table, and
the very pleasant society of the house. land such
houses here have to be admirable in these particularly
for month or two, when all at once, he must leave
it for suite of apartments, inferior In size, table
more varied but not good in one of our rstclass
hotels Tired at that in couple of months, he takes
cl,.I o,,I
dimes with his family at the various restaurants for
o short time longer. then spends time in some
neIghboring country village until he can again oc-
cupy his own home sell off his old furniture retur-
nish and begin again his restless round This may
seem to you far too highly coored but look at tho
advertisements of the auctiOneers in the Spring,
when the migratory fever is at the highest and you
will see what immense quantities of furniture, almost
new are constantly advertised for sale on the prem
ises while the establishments of furniture auction
eers thesreets in front of those establishments and
the stores Of secondhand furniture dealers all
filed with furniture to be sold becauset the proprietor
is giving up housekeeping. Even those who are in
business in San Francisco win rarely spend the Sum
mer in the city. About April they leave for of
the places in the vicinity. with their families if they
have any, and remain till September Mt least at
of those excellent boardinghouses, where there is
stable TO keep their horses and whence they can so
to their business early enough in the morning, como
back in time for or o'clock dinner, take drive,
or join the ladies in game of crOquet after it, and in
the evening join the whist table, or dance for an
hour or
Oakland is now the favorte resort for those who
wish to return to the city daily two three times
week, as it offers as healthy and pleasant site
any other place, and far better houses. 1t would be
well fof strangers from the East TO know this. as
they can live so much cheaper than at the expensive
tavens Of the city, while they waiting 10 deter
mine how when, and where they,will enter business
They can have constant TO the city and avoid
the high winds and cutting sand borne on them that
are the only real drawbacks to San Francisco during
the Summer months. The distance though but four
miles across the bay modeFates and tempers the cold
eynds of the Pacific TO degree that can scarcely be
credited
In San Francisco itself you will suffer more from
cold in Summer than in Winter The constant north
y bieezes bring cold fogs that in the afternoon and
evening win often chill YOU TO the bone unless you
have fire. Across the bay these fcgs and cold winds
seldom reach, unless indeed they have continued
more than three DAYS in the city. 1he climate OF
the city itself is superb after August The fogs
cease. the air becomes clear, the outlines Of the
mountains seem actually sharp as if chiseled, and
the warmth of the day now and then really OPP
pressive. Occasionally yOu may have a night too
warm until after twelve, but that is rare not more
than once or twice year at the outside, pair of
blankets at least being required Tor S63 OF the 35
DAYS in the year.
Some seasons the Winters are marked by excessive
rains. Last Winter was one. Some years the rains
6fe not more constant than those OF IN the
Fall-not as constant, though when 1t does rain II
enters upOn its work at once with such hearty good
will that you wOuld suppose Noahs Flood was AT hand
but when it does not rain in Winter the SKIES are
clear the warm, and the air as delicious as IN the
Autumn.
There is one singular fact connected with the ad-
vent of the early rains-all over the State believe
at least all along the coast. Although no rain may
have fallen for many months, yet Just before the first
full ran and if there intervals Of duration
before the rainy season really sets in before all the
early rains, you may notice a very perceptible In
crease in the waters of the springs and brooklets.
When old settler observes this, he knows that in
less than three days rain viii fall was told OF this
phenomenon my arrival, and, though l might
doubt, thought it well TO observe, and my expe-
Tence proved the observation of the old settlers to
DC correct The waters from beneath the earth seem
to well up TO welcome those from above, and rain
that an Eastern man would scarcely believe enough
TO wet the earth 10 three inches in depth places 1t in
excellent condition for the plOw.
You might imagine that those who have been here
for years, who have roughed it in the miners cabin,
or byouaeked night after night in the open air. liy
Ing on the coarsest food and often without enough
OF that TO keep hunger at distance, would not be
over particular as TO creature comforts, but you
would be greatly mistaken. Your true Californian
wants every luxury he can afOTd-a well furnished
room, luxurious bed with abundance of blankets,
sn ample Parlor with good fire in chilly weather
and sensible in this,) newspaper at both break
last and dinner. At his breakfast he wants in the
fruit season, from May to January, two or three
kinds OF fruit mutton chop beefsteak land most
excellent beef and mutton he always hasl, and
couple Of eggs, or some fish, or some poultry. to-
gether with grddle-cakes and either wafes or muf-
ms or toast of various kinds and perhaps cracked
wheat or hominy and cream. Business men seldom
come home to luneh but there free lunches every
where, with well-set tables, where the luncher IS
only expected to pay 25 cents for glass Of ale,
whisky, or wine.