St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-01-24
From the Pacific Coast.

These letters am writing are simply
my Impressions of things | see and hear
without any reference To the WAY som,
one else has seen and described tn,
same thing before
THE MORALS or >NN FRANCISCO.
This city seemed full of >kcptici>m
That Il majority of the people ar,
>kcptical in religion | think there can
he no doubt. On no other theory can
account for the observance of the
Sabbath and the neglect of religious
worship. The Lords day is holiday
here with the MASSES. Many of the r,.-
tail stores are open and doing business
as on week days. The drinking places
are all open. and Sunday is their bust
est day. ~ there are thirteen hundred
and eighty seven of these. besides the
drug stores. all of which sell liquor.
the effect of these open bars on the
morals of the people can Ice but family
imagined.
The theatres are also open Sabbath
evenings. and one of them of Il low
order keeps Il brass band PLAYING at
It's entrance, during the early evening.
on the most fashionable and crowded
street III the city. The sabbath is Il
gala day at W""dward'S Gardens the
circus always performs that daN. and
frequently there is the extra attraction
of Il balloon aScclSion. or something
of that sort
THE NEW CODE.
Ii was to remedy some of thcs, alarm
ing evils that the last Legislature en-
acted some healthy laws regulating bus
mess and amuscmcntS ON the sabbath.
lhIs Code went into effect january LIST.
Much curiosity and anxiety WAS felt as
t" whether the law would be enforced.
Last sunday WAS the first of the new
ear. and many of the retail shops and
drlhkliE houses were open as usual. Il
few closing up evidently waiting to see
how the law worked. The brass band
at the mouth of the theatre seemed
more noisy than ever. There were no
arrests made under the new law. and
worse than this. some of the daily pa
perS came ont the next morning exult
ing over the fact. and laughing ut those
who were so simple lis to imagine that
the liberties of the people were TO he
abridged by any such silly legislation
SOCIAL LIFE.
1t Is not alone in religion that the
people of this city appear to be Skepti-
cal. They miStrust their fellow man
and fellow woman also. Some of the
young men who congrcgate in hotel
offices, club rooms and saloons, discuss
woman i'll manner and with IL freedom
which shows that either the women of
California are different from those east.
or that the education of the men in re-
gard to the gentler sex has been sadly
neglected. This think may be ac-
counted for. partially at least, bv the
manner of life here. 1t is perhaps I'M
like that of any other city in the coun- |
try. While a certain portion of the
people appear to appreciate the true
sphere of woman and live like chris
tians i'll homes of their own. the great
er part seem to live in restaurants.
hotels and lodging houses But few
women came here with the pioneers,
and i'll the early history of the
state this mode of life was necessity.
y custom bred of necessity has become
IL feature of the land. Thousands of
Young men. and men not so youur.
sleep in lodging houses and take their
meals at restaurants. Many families
do the same while others of more stvle
board at the ''Grand' or '.Occidental."
One cannot walk a block on any but
the business streets. without encoun-
tering the eNer-present placard "Furn-
ished Rooms to Rent 10y the day. Week
or Month" This is the kind of life in
every grade of society. Home means
less in san Francisco. and there is less
of it. than ill any other American city.
| hope.