The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-16
Fan Francisco as Railroad Terminus.

correspondent from San Francisco writes
Is follows:-
The presumption among those who have not
been in California will be, and the general i'm
preston ia this city is, that if the cars do not
actually run into this city..th business will be
lone here, so that this Will be the terminus for
hll practical purposes. 1t seems antecedently
probable that a City which tor twenty years has
honopolIzed all the foreign commerce, all the
manufactures, and all the banking capital OF
BOAST line 1000 miles long, would not permit
reat railroad to stop at any rival point. Why
should not the same influences which have
(aken all the trade of the coast to San Francisco
I'M the past continue to take its trade there in
lie futureg
The Sacramento Union and the Stockton In
dependent, the two ablest papers in the interior
pf the State. do not hesitate to say that Vallejo
Hili be the chief centre of the foreign COM
merce of the State, and the Union has been dis
cussipg the matter with much ability. vallejo
Dis a town OF 1000 inhabitants, situated six
1niles west of Benicia and directly opposite the
Mare Island Navy Yard, on harbor quarter Of
q mile wide, six miles long, as deep as that of
New York, and 25 miles from the sea, with a
|channel wider deeper, safer. and more plainly
marked than the channel from Sandy Hook to
|Manhattan Island. The site of Vallejo is almost
|level, having just enough slope Tor drainage;
The foundation IS rock ana nard clay; tne
|viclnity is very fertile; earthquakes aIe not
severe, and the place, on account OF It's hne
harbor and proximity to the Straits OF Carqui-
nez, is the natural railroad centre of the State.
1t already has a railroad rnnntug to Sacramento,
northeast ward 60 miles, and another north ward
TO Callstoga, 40 miles; and next summer a
branch 40 miles long, hom the Sacramento
Road, will extend to Marysville. Sacramento,
which Is on the route of the Pacific Railroad,
and through which two thirds OF the trade Of
this port passes, Is only 60 miles by rail from
Vallejo while IL Is 40 from San Francisco aud
720 from Oakland and the Vallejo Road has
lighter grades and fewer and easier curves.
San Francisco has such an immense prepon-
derance OF capital, that Its disadvantages other,
xryfca INN he m
ISorelen commerce to another point. But the
.tural disadvantages of it's site are immense.
ITS water front is succession OF high rocky
points and wide mud fats; its upland consists
of steep hills, deep gulleys, drifting sands, and
extensive salt marshes. 1t has been necessary
TO make site by art. More than 200 acres.
once occupied by the bay Of San Francisco, are
|now filled IN with earth, ana covered with
houses. The sum spent on gradingis vaTiously
estlmated from $20,O0O,Oo0 to S30,O00,OOO;
think the latter quite small enough. The ex,
pendituIe has secured room only for the
ROresent population; If the city is TO con-
Anue growing at its present rate, other
grading will be necessary, at cost OF 81 600 eO(
year, to 6t the lots Tor occupation; in addition
20 the cost of making streets. Aud all the eX
pense, the "made eround,n which ls large
portion of that near the water front, offers ne
solid foundation, and the whole city Is subjected
10 earthquakes. The fear of these, and the
dampness OF the brcklhouses, lead the people x
prefer wooden dwellings, and thus large par
of the city is exposed to the danger
of beirg swept away by great con
eagration. Insurance is high. The peninsula
5s narrow and has no large brooks that ruI
throughout the year, so fresh water is YER
scarce. The present supply. 100000 gallon
daily, is brought ABOUT thirty miles, and is soil
at the rate OF rs cents per 1000 gallons, in quan
tity, or from so to rs cents per month for eacl
person in house-irom five to ten times deare
than in any Atlantic city. The peninsula run
southwark, away from the business of the State
and the Golden Gate and the bay are too wild
and deep TO permit the construction of railroa
bridges 10 the north or east