The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-11-06

SAN FRANCISCO NOW, AND TWENTY FIVE
4, YEARS AGO-TIIE CITY AND ITS SIGHfSI
STOCK AMBLING-A FORTUNE In Al
DAY-vlRGINIAEs IN CALIFORNIA, ETC.

| YEARS. AGo-TuE CRY AND ITS sIGHfs
/ STOCK-GAMBLING--A FORTUNE In "A
| DAY-vlRGINIANs IN CALIFORNIA, ETC.
| Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l =
SAN FRANCISCO, Call, October "a, 1873.
| Twenty-Five years ago there could scarcely
be found n hundred white settlers where
now expands the city Of San Francisco In al
its glory, with population OF 5000
representatives from every land and cline
on the face Of the Garth. Now there arc
| trade, eight more tn the Pacific mall SER
vice to Panama, twenty regularly engaged
on the coast from Sitka, on the north. to
South America, Honolulu, Australia, New
Zealand, on the south; besides hun dreds of
ships and steam vessels Of every description,
! all busy-all life. Here, too, is the western
terminus Of the grand trans-contipental rail-
| way and the port from which Cali
| forna's hundred million of exports are
mostly shipped. The city is situated on the
| north end Of the southern peninsula, which,
| with the northern one, separates the waters
of San Francisco bay from the Pacific ocean.
| Between these peninsulas Is the Golden
Gate, narrow strait one mile wide, con-
Meeting the bay with the ocean. The city
presents a broken appearance, portion
built on the hills, while large part is con-
structed on made land-large warehouses
now standing where huge ships rode in
safety few years ago. Hence most of the
wharves are on the eastern side Of the city.
| The harbor is unsurpassed in the world,
and the climate is superior to any large sea-
port in the United States. The winter, or
what is generally termed "the rainy sea-
son." from November to April, is the most
pleasant part of the year, for really less rain
falls during that time than in the Atlantic
cities, and then it rains mostly at night,
leaving the day clear, cool, and pleasant.
| The splendid hotels, magnificent churches,
substantial business-houses, beautiful private
residences, and cozy little cottages, compare
favorably with any eastern city. r.. I
AS you might expect, my first drive was
to the Cliff House, from which a fine view
Of the ocean and the Seal-rocks is obtained.
At your feet foam and roar the uninterrupted
pillows as they dash against the rocks or
exhaust themselves on the hard, sandy
beach; look abroad, and you will see nu-
mero,is ships-a part Of the worlds great
merchant marine-laden with the treasure
and productions Of every nation. A few
hundred yards from the shore are three
small, rocky islands, the famous Seal-Rocks,
covered with huge, crawling, bowling sea.
lions, whose hoarSe, discordant cries, d" oil
hoi, yoi-hoi." cross to you, and mingling
with the oceans roar make strange music
for YOUR cars. Sea.fowlS are lowering on
and around the tops Of these rocks, and keep
up IN inceSsant chattering. ] could sit fol
hours and enjoy the grand and novel sight
before me; but the wind gets cold, so but
ton up my coat and start for town. The
road is smooth and firm, my horse fine
traveller, and in twenty-lour minutes Ialigh
at the Observation-Disclosures, six miles.
i 1t would require small volume to give
YOU tolerable conception of the Woodwork
Gardens, which ccupy five acres on the
margin of the city. In the Art Gallery ,
are rare paintings and statuary, and in the
Geological Department over thirty diff
ferent kinds of wild animals, including the
California lion and huge grizzly bear
weighing fifteen hundred pounds; also ;
great variety of California birds. The
"Marine Aquarium" is one of the wonders
| of the coast. Evergreen trees and crysta
lakes, oriental arbors, and beautiful statuary
f delightful hooks and sha 1y retreats, Will
creeping vines, fragrant flowers, sparkling
fountains, sweet music, and over all the beau
full California sky, produce Il fairy-ike ap-
pearance, and add strange enchantment Il
the beautiful resort.
, The markets here are one of the feature
, of the place. No other country can produc'
, fruit in such profusion and perfection
. grapes, pears, peaches. apples, strawberries
green peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, canta
loupes. and many other fruits and vegetable
are exhibited side by side, representing thu
| best products of all parts of the State. 81,
! attention was directed to a bunch of pear:
weighing eighty-ive pounds, all attached t
! one main stem like cluster Of huge grapes
5 You can spend an hour very pleasantly II
7 the United States mint here, where twenty
p five million in coin is the annual produc
from the bullion of the Pacific coast.
There are about sixty thousand Chinese
r in the State, and "the cry is still, the!
! come" They make good cooks and house
5 servants, and excellent laborers and me
r chanics for light occupations, and are yer.
generally employed here. But they add lit
t Tie TO the general prosperity of the country
: and are likely to prove curse. Most OF thel
. supplies are brought from their native land
= They live chiefly on rice, are very economl
, cal and saving, and all their surplus none,
is sent home. They receive from twenty t
thirty dollars month, and save two-thlrd;
Of it.
Safeguarding is one of the favorte ex
elements here, and all classes 20 wild OF
the subject for while only one in severa
a hundred are successful in the long run, fol-
tunes are sometimes made in day, and on
successful operator will craze scores of out
sIders who rush frantcaly into what to-
often proves their ruin. Think of stock, q
in the case of the Crown Point gold mines
suddenly advancing from three dollar
per share to two thousand--an investmen
of three thousand thus yielding two mil
lions. ~.
}, Since nv arrival here the consolidated
Virginia has advanced from one hundred
dollars to three hundred per share. 4
, Young man not long since invested twenty
five hundred in stocks; in three months h
: refused have a million for his investment
, in ten days more he was penniless, the mine
suddenly becoming exhausted.
Wine-bibbing is another popular amuse
ment with the San Franciscans, and for good
pure wines, and elegant saloons this place
excels. On nv arrival every friend met
invited me to "take drink" and if hest
tated they would eXclaim, 90, glass
f light wine will do you good"; but expe
rience soon taught me that though the wine
may be light it made me quite heory
A story is told of an old pioneer here who
offered large bet that he could, blind
folded, tell the name of any liquor or wine
or mixture of liquors, by the taste and smell
!. He succeeded very we'll for time, naming
all the celebrated wines correctly. when
glass of water was presented, he tasted anG
smelled, and finally gave it up, eXclalmlng
cit seems to me, boys, that years ago struct
something Of the kind in the States, Dut
have entirely forgotten it.