Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-10-19
Letter from Rev. John Peate.

. LlneS OLie moonlight night from thj
famous 10 Semitic. l was Just theI
beginning my California Journey o
more than a month in that wonderfu
land. Though I went there witt
large views Of the country, I cam,
back feeling that the One-half haC
never been told me.
The waves of the Pacific ocear
thunders along the western boundar,
OF the State for more than 1000 miles
Two grand ranges of mountains, tn,
Sierra Nevadas, and the Coast Range
extend north and south through tht
State. On many Of her high noun
tatns the snow remains Throughout
the year. in other parts il never falls
All climates ara here, and nearly al
l productions Of the earth may be fOunC
within her limits. Some Of her val
I leys are edens Of beauty. I thought
one day, while standing on the tower
Of the fine Court House in San lose
and looking over that charming young
city, embOwered in trees, and over the
santa Clara valley, twenty or more
miles broad, and eighty or ninety
miles long, and nearly enclosed with
fine mountains, that had never, in
any part Of the world, seen it sur
7 passed.
Great changes have taken place in
California within a few years. The
mining districts have fallen of more
than twenty-five per cent. in pOpula-
ton since 1860, while the agricultural
counties have more than doubled in
the same time. ! frequetly passed
through villages wholly deserted,
where thousands lived a few years
ago. They exhausted the gold in the
vicinity, and moved to other parts,
leaving the place locking as if it had
been turned by an earthquake. The
agricultural products of the State in
1858, footed up more than sixty mill
lions Of dollars, against twenty-six
millions in metals. And the contrast
between the mining aud agricultural
interests must become greater and
greater. The producing gold fields
are mostly at such an elevation on the
mountains that it is difficult and ex-
pensive to supply them with wateT.-
Hence it requires large capital to mine
successfully. The water companies
charge so much that a man after pay
ing them, usually has but small wages
for his labor.
San Francisco, though not the eapi-
tai, is the chief city, and eliminating
point Of life and interest on the Pa
cific coast. This youthful city of
twenty-One years, with a population
of about one hundred thousand, lies
on the northeast corner Of the penin-
sula, on the bay about four or five
miles from the open sea. The bold
headlands on the north, and mountain
like islands in the bay, give to the
locality a peculiar soft of charm. The
atmosphere of the coast is slightly
haZy, cool and bracing, the mercury
seldom rising above 75o. Ladies wear
furs and heavy shawls, and men over
coats, mornings and evenings in the
summer months. The only difference
between the summer and winter IS
that rain falls in the winter but not IN
the summer. The ground on which
the city stands gradually rises fIOm
the bay 50 that some Of the houses are
on elevations one hundred and fifty
feet above the shore. A line Of bare
sand hills run along the west side OF
the city which give much trouble, as
the wind is continually drifting them
in on streets and houses, as snow is
drifted in the winter. The city is
quite compact, with no high houses.
The business blocks are mostly three
stories, some of them only two.
presume the earthquakes to which the
city seems constantly liable, admOnish
them to keep humble. The Bank OF
California is of a sort of green stone,
two stories high, and is a gem Of beau
ty-the finest two-stOry building !
ever saw in any land. There is no
city on the globe that can compare
with San Francisco in splendid wood
en- buildings, and none on the cOnti-
nent that surpass it in hotels of the
best class and none that Is so desti-
tute Of shade trees, and certainly not
another city Of twice its size that has
50 many jewelry stores. Nor is there
another city, / think on the globe,
where Furnished lodgings to let' is
so frequently to be seen in all quarters
of the city as in San Francisco.
l thought a few years ago while in
Alexandria, in Egypt, that it was the
most cosmopolitan city on the globe.
But San Francisco leaves that oriental
city in the shade. The Chinese form
a prominent element in the city-per-
haps there may be fifteen thousand of
them. They occupy some Of the
streets, and most tenacious
ly they cling to their ancient manners
and customs in dress and everything.
I visited their stores and shops of all
kinds. I spent a part Of a day in one
Of their "JOsh HOuses,n or places Of
and under the instruction of
one of their priests learned all 1 could
Of their views and worship. They do
not believe that their great fat idols
are real gods, only the representatives
Of gods. They come to this country
with no intention Of making it a per-
home, and are not willing
10 have their bones mOulder in our
soil, but have arrangements made to
have them sent home after the flesh is
iecayed. They all seem to have sad,
faces More than twelve
thousand Of them worked faithfully
On the Pacific railroad between Saera- /
mento and Salt Lake. They are the
common iabOTers on that part of the
road now. They make cigars and
work over neglected gold claims; they
are cooks; they count the specie in
The CITY banks, and mOnOpOlize the
and ironing. I saw so of
hem in the Sacramento river washing
clothes at one time. In all the lighter
of labor where fidelity
70 a pattern is to be followed they have
he reputation Of being most reliable
workers. They are a quiet, industri-
JUS people, minding their own busi-
ness, but looked upon with contempt
by most of the labOring class, and
the Irish, How they are to
'ank among us-sOcially, civilly and
is not quite clear yet.
It is an hours drive from the Post
,ffice across the city and sand hills to I
he Cliff House. The road is hard ]
md smooth; it is a popular drive. ]
Ohe, in going out, is always sure to /
nave a sea breeze, if not a gale. Mid |
Fay We came to Lone Mountain Gem
tery, or rather four or five Of them on /
he sand hills. / could but wonder I
hat so young a city had given over so |
many thousands to the dominion of I
he grave. Mostly men in the prime .
f life. Most Of them came under
he inspiration of golden hopes, which
OOn faded and they died. Well, here
re are on the shore Of the great
'aeific The scene is a wild grand
ne. The wind is blowing a gale.
he waves are breaking in spray and
pam along the shore, Ond over the
uge hulk of q wrecked ship, Just be-
Nv the cliff. We stand on the veran-
a of the Cliff House. The wild sea
surging at our feet, and out from Us,
bout thirty rods, are four or five i'm ,,
nanaa rnnEa risinn hinh nnE nr tka