The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-09-01
OUR CALIFORNIA LETTER
Earthquake PredietiOns-AR Real Dan
ger-Cniyersity of CalifOrnia-Ma-
terialism-A WOman's Revenge
4 NOnehaIant Murder-Dangerous

| 4 NOnehaIant Nurder-DanRerou
Play.
correspondence of the Register.l
San FRANcIsco, Aug 18th, 1870.
A slight shock of earthquake, tn
first for some months, was felt her
about half past eleven on Monda.
night. Popular prejudice is rather II
favor of these lighter demonstrations o
subterranean force as they seem to stav,
off the heavier shocks. People &c
anxious after a long period Of rest il
any country where earthquakes are al
established institution. There arr
hardly fifty days in year that Sar
Francisco is not doomed to destruction
by some earthquake prophet or other
The seventh OF August was fixed on
twelve months ago, by an unknown seel
a. the date Of our city's disappearance
aud an illiterate youth wrote recently
to oae OF the papers, that the swallows
in hs part Of the country were desert
ing their nest and that this unusual pro
cceding was caused by an abundance OF
carbon,c substance in the atmosphere
which would occasion an earthquake on
or about the 18th of August. So If q
telegraplic announcement Of our dem
clifton anticipates this letter; you can
give William Mooney, Naturalist, full
credit for iis prediction.
During IN experience of ten years
and eighty n ninety earthquakes OF
every degree If violence. ranging from
the impercephble trembles to the steady
shock OF October, 1865, | do not re-
collect a singl. instance of any person
coming near Due mark in foretelling
these phenomena
Predictions founded on scientific de-
ducton, astronomical observations, on
'Spiritualistic information, on magnetic
theories, on the Doctrine of averages,
and on everything Use wise and foolish,
have been equally at fault, and we
know Just as much and just as little
about them now as we ever did, and that
is in reality nothing.
AREAL D.SGER.
But while the San Iranciscoan con-
templates the Oft predicted destruction
of his city with seere equinimity
that nothing but a Succession Of big
shocks can disturb, lis commercial
mind has been considerably moved OF
late by the growing Importance Of a
rival burgh across the Bay. If any one
supposes that it is a settlel fact that
San Franci~cois to be tie bigcity of the
Coast, he, she or they hold al opinion
not at all justified by circumstances.
The blind stupidity which bIilt San
Francisco upon a narrow AMI unap.
proachable peninsula Is beginning TO
bear its legitimate fruit and tie first
blossom has already appeared N the
transfer of grain shipments from our
own wharves to Nalliio, with the pro-
liability that in future NalIijo will
handle a constantly increasing propr-
ton of .he commerce of the State.
Since the opening OF the present grain
season. fourteen vessels have been load
ed and departed to Europe, and of this
number eight took in cargo at NallUo
leaving for the business here but sly
vessels. 1t needs no extraordinary lin
ancial ability to perceive that If 1t II
cheaper to load grain at that place, I
is likewise cheaper to load other nte
rior products, and 10y the same reason
ing to discharge imported goods intend
ed for Eastern trans-shipment and con
sumption in the interior OF California
Cur trade is thus passing away, and de
serted wharves harbinger but a gloom.
future. The effect upon real estate
especially water trontage-is even nov
visible, for while NallUo propert,
steadily appreciates, our own just a
steadily falls in value.
ANTI-CHISEsE CONVENTION.
The nti-Chinese Convention of tn,
State of California held its frs
regular meeting on Wednesday night
Amongst the delegates are so many wh'
make q fat living out of the hard earn
ings of working men, without doing
stroke of work themselves, and so man.
parasites on the body polite, that t
expect any practical good to result from
such a conclave, would be the extreme
of sanguine simplicity. If the respect
able members were to shake off thei
ancient leaders, it is just possible the.
might surprise the community by evolv
ing something sensible, and if they do
YOU shall hear of it in my next letter
The hostility exhibited throughou
the country to the Chinese influx, ha
already had It's effect in discouraginl
! immigration. The arrivals for the pas
month do not exceed three hundred, ant
well informed person who reache'
here recently from Hong Kong, tells m
that an impression prevails ther
amongst the Chinese, that their cour
trvmen would shortly be expelled iron
California. So it is not likely that tn
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