The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-10-08
Editorial Correspondence
SAN Francisco, CAL,
C4..Lo- OF 1850

tions Of New York think OF passing
bv Central Park. The Cliff House is
= Measure resort or watering place on
the opposite side of the peninsula
from the city, On the Pacific Ocean,
built out on a rocky cliff Immediately
outside of the Golden Gate, or en-
trance into the bay and harbor of San
Francisco. In going over the road,
seven miles, we see much Of the city
and the character Of its immediate
surroundings. For attractiyeness of
location the present site of San Fran
cisco never would have been
chosen; they were purely com
mercial reasons which selected
the spot where the city is now built,
amid the sand hills and rocky bluffs
of the eastern side of the peninsula.
Old citizens, who came here in l649,
tell me that it presented desolate
and unattractive prospect for a great
city when they first landed. A great
change has been wrought In twenty
years, and many streets of San Fran
cisco rival those of our Eastern cities
If two centuries growth. But as we
get out towards the suburbs, the naked
sand hills appear with the same for
bidding look of twenty years ago.
The high winds which so often pre-
vail here blow these sands down the
streets of the city and render them
very unpleasant at times. But as the
increasing population extends the city
limits, these uuattractlve hills are
brought down towards the level of
the streets, covered with houses, and
with a slight covering Of clay, very
prolific soil is soon made, which, with
wonderful rapidity brings forth beau
tiful gardens of flowers and shrub
berry. Unattractive as they may ap-
pear, the Chicago delegation when
here expressed longing to be pos
sessed Of some Of these huge sand
hills to break the painful deafness of
their level area.
Midway between the city and the
Cliff House, are situated the princi-
pal Cemeteries, clustered around Lone
Mountain, a solitary peak rising high
above the surrounding hills. Here
are Laurel Hill, the Catholic, Odd
Fellows, and Masonic Cemeteries in
different enclosures, and all separated
from each other. 1t struck me as in
very poor taste for the Masonic and
Odd Fellows Societies, Protestant
organizations, to build up distinct
and exclusive grounds, when they
could do so much by united effort to
beautify and make attractive the
general City Cemetery. Laurel Hill,
with the bleak sand hills so iorbiding,
is already assuming a very attractive
appearance; and In time will, doubt
less, be made one of the most beautiful
" Ct lies of the dead in the country.
Its diversified surface admits of great
adornment, and the wealth and taste
of the San Franciscans are sparing
nothing to beautify it. The most
noticeable features of the grounds are
the monuments to CALIFORNIA; most
distinguished and lamented Senators,
BrodeIiek and Baker. which stand
on adjoining hills. Well may this
people erect proud tablets over the
graves Of these, her noblest sons. A
curious piece of architecture is the
Chinese Dead House, kind of vault,
where the Chinese deposit their dead
preparatory to transportation to the
Celestial Empire.
The road leading from the city to
the Cliff House is a grand wide ave-
nue., constituting splendid drive, and
upon which are seen the fast turn-outs
of the sports" and magnificent
equipages of the Gold princes of the
city. Few places can boast of pref
tier and faster horsesand more elegant
teams" than San Francisco, and
over the Cliff avenue is their favorIte
drive. As We pass along the avenue
we get an excellent view of the cele-
brated Golden Gate, the entrance to
the harbor of San Francisco. It
looks more like river than an arm of |
the sea, being not more than mile |
wide as it winds in from the Pacific to |
the broad bay within. With the |
Coast Range coming down on the |
north side close to the waters edge
and the Cliff hills on the south side. |
it looks very much like the Hudson
as it winds down amid the Highlands.
The length and narrowness of the
Gate or entrance, the high bluffs on
either side, and the islands which
confront its opening within the Bay,
appear to render the approaches to
San Francisco and the interior waters
impregnable from sea vessels. Before
the war the Golden Gate was fortified,
but during the war the defenses were
greatly strengthened, aud | was in
formed that the work was still 60
ing on.
The Cliff House occupies charm
ing position, high up on rocky
promontory, with a magnificent view
of the sea and surrounding country.
As I stood near the piazza, and looked
for the first time on this grand old
Ocean, whose broad, expanding be-
som reaches to the Celestial Empire,
the Farther Ind, and the far off is
lands of the South Sea, and as 1t
stretched away to the horizon ap-
peared so peaceful and quiet. it
seemed that It was rightly named by the
old Spanish soldier, who first looked
upon its apparently placid surface
from the heights of Panama, and
christened 1.-THE Pacific. But after
/ had drank IN the full inspiration Of
this quiet scene, looked far below |
where / stood. away down among the |
ragged rocks, and these same waters, |
which appeared so placid cut In the |
distance, came in great angry swells |
dashing the foam and spray high |
up against the solid face of the |
cliff, and far off on the long sandy |
beach rolled in huge crests, and |
spent their force along the shelly
ing shore. It was the great I'M
quiet ocean, ever throbbing with its
GIBBS and flows, sometimes peaceful, |
but never at rest.
The landsman's visit to the
shore Of the great sea is ever
pleasant and inspiring, with its
fresh breezes and pure air; but here
there is q novelty witnessed. which. |