The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-11
A STRANGE OITE.
A Graphic Sketch OF Flush Times In
San Fracisco in 1850. n Told by Bret
~HaFte-A Singular Condition OF 6ooie.

A Graphic Sketch OF Flush Times In;
San Fracisco In 1859, n Told by Bret
~Harte-A Singular Condition OF sooie-
~ Truthfuliy Drawn.
The streets we're flooded from the heafF~
rains, flour was ffty dollars per barrel, and
times were hard. Men were ready for any
excitement, and found It 10 the most singular
ways. carriage, one Of the ak In the city,
stuck In the mlre, was dug out by them and
they felt amply rewarded by q chancs glimpse
%as ~ S The esGa Sy at
was the signal for universal applause. Tha
long line winding for half mile from the
postofice upon the arrival OF the Eastern.
mall, when $50 and 500 or $500 would be ofier.
ed for good place in the line. q. A street row
and man shot was hardly an excitement at
and orderly as could be wished, and men Vis!t-
ed them at the close of their days labor with
out any unusual excitement. Any noise OF
cane falling or loud laugh disturbed the
quiet OF the place, and caused remark You
met every one there, as matter OF course,
and men who parted at the church door &C
home In the East met each other Without 70.
proach. A man slipped from his chair one
evening, dead from heart disease. Three
physicians present examined him; his Left.
hand neighbor, o coroner, impanelled The rest
Of the players at the table as jury, who laid
down their cards few moments and found
verdict 10 accordance with the. facts, and re-
sumed their play. Social life was peculiar
Also Gentlemen made calls In long boots and
red flannel shirts. Ladies' went 10 balls and
danced With new partner each change IN
the quadrile. Ladies ap0logized tor holes IN
the chair seats from the explosion OF re.
volvers of awkward visitors The best dressed
men are gamblers, and the best dressed
ladies have no right to the name. Ladies
nIQtnAn
admirers, and realized the full meaning OF
"the pleasure of your company" A change
was observable when fine clothes began to ap-
pear, and men swore less. Bolts began 10 be
used. and portable property was not len care
lessly about. In the mountains, 1t seemed. as
If the people mad come 10 occupy IL taoas- 9a-
and years before nature was prepared ZOE
them, and the character of the mea was re-
presented by tho Landscapes; there was 10th.
ing pastoral about 1t. The miners frst lived
in tents and then In huts, bus chimreyB Tere
rarely used, as they implied too settled
character to the shelter to correspond win
the likings Of the residents. Tne nylns-psnn
the purposes or the miner, who travelled
with it lashed to hls back like the guitar OF
troubadour, and might be tracked from camp
20 camp by the empty cans, with LABELS epecl-
fying their contents to be oysters, Boston
crackers and other things: Although tney
had some variety, their reliance was oeans.
Their dress was peculiar, and they we're 20
handy with their needles that the amendments
introduced to their clothing frequently oe-
came the most prominent part OF tneT
costume. Flour sacks were their principal
Reliance. and two men lost their identity from
being named after their faVorite brands
"Genesee Mills" and "Eagle Brand" Tne low.
crowned, soft felt hat. Wide.6rimmeo. aud
known to this day as the California hat, was
universally worn, and mono but gamblers or
clergymen wore the tall hat. They were
mainly young men, and hair-cutung and
shaving were alike unknown, consequently
the long love locks and the full curly beard
were common. They were loyal ID their
friendship, and the absence OF women MADE
the friendship q partners TO taRe tne piaSSe Sns, 2.
ness relations were kept more sacredly tnan
those of married life often are. They were
not sentimental, and this had tendency 20
eliminate everything but facts from tneir COZ,
yereation, Lynch law was reSorteo 10 W
necessity. A. man having been trieo, tne
iury hesitated about their Verdlcl, ~hen .ao
leader Of the accusing party Opener tno that
tSonah H there was no Immediate hurry about
tho the vardief. he should need their room soon
~ ,nI Iov out the corpse. The slang OF the times
~ ~ oas,IV T traced to ts origin. "Dry up" came
rom % he half-yearly drought. played out"
from the universal gamoing p[sctlce, aas 1soo,
..pass ia YOUR checks" ''Taking stockn ie
also o1 easily accounted for. A man being asked
VIVA what be thought of Thomas Starr king. very
naturally replied that ''ne took every trick.
Enuineers spoke of mans dying as having
run slower and slower I'LL he stopped right
on the centre, aud a surveyor advised another
of the same trade to "theodolite man out OF
camp.n The lecturer closed With referring 70
lhe conservative influence which the heatnen
ChInee had e1erted upon California, and rels.
ted a number Of tricks that are vain, Whlca
are practIced by "John" In his efforts 70 Ees
wss eYnressed that The Celestial was abund-
sntly Wsi v abe to take care Of himself The story
of Celestial physician was related ss !sod. sa%
ple of the abilities of the Chi1ee III .ns az bav.
Ing direction, and he was descrloea, NE ss art,-
pe wonderful success until lls1 o. .u1ss Ias as sas
cIss commonly used by him IT, bis nssssS fo@ w
published, when his popnls5a!yy yybes I followed
| from reading Of the llst.