Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-17
CALIFORNIA CORRESPONDENCE
Matters and Things i'm San Francisco

CALIFORNIA CORRESPONDENTS
Matters and Things i'm San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, March LIST, 1875
Editor Sfor:-I am permitted to look upon
the old familiar face of THE STAR once in
about ten days, and though read the papers
here every day, yet / am sure to see some
thing new in THE STAR which has escaped
the lynx-eyed news-mongers about here,
some OF whom profess to know more than all
the world "and the rest of mankind" 1t
would be superfiuous to tell You that this is
a most wonderful city and country. The
city is wonderful for its uncared- for streets,
sand lots, wooden houses (three- fourths of
them being framel, and, worst of all its evils,
Chinese population of about 10000; and 1t
r. ally looks from the number of arrivals every
week, that 1t may not be long before they
VIII Outnumber the white population, driv-
ing out the white labOrers to seek employ
ment elsewhere, as il is already a fixed fact
that they cannot compete with this class OF
emigrants In cheap labor, for Chinaman
can live and thrive on twenty-five cents a
day, whilst white laborer Will require a
least one dollar. This subject is beginning
TO De regarded with more SOlicitude here than
ever before i see from the papers that Rep
resentative Page, of this State, has at last
succeeded i'm attracting the attention or Con-
gress TO this subject, and by his perseverance,
industry and vigilance q law has been enact
ed which will tend to lessen some of the evils
which are connected with the tremendous in
this coast, for which the people of California,
and especially those of San Francisco, will
always hold him in grateful remembrance.
may be permitted to say that Mr.: Page is
regarded here as among the most industrious
members of the present Congress, and a
faithful representative of his district and
state; and il gives me no little pleasure, in
this connection, also to say of him that he is
a firm friend of the District of Columbia, aud
Will not permit a system of local govern
ment which will Cypress the citizens to be
IaSfP1ed them
will prevent it, but will cheerfully vote that
the government of the United States
BEAR ITS FAIR PROPORTION
OF the expense of maintaining and keeping
the national capital the most beautiful and
healthy city on the continent, and thus MAKE
il the pride and glory of the American peo-
pie. Some may not forgive me, but l know
you will for uttering what to me is self
evident truth, viz: that in my journey across
the continent found no city that can COM
pare with Washington in beauty, healthful
ness and sanitary regulations, to say nothing
of It's palatial residences, public buildings,
water works, fountains, parks, broad ana
which environ the whole District, and
last, though not least, its polite and
refined society; and, taken altogether, can
Very many here were surprised when in
formed that restaurants and stores Of all
kinds save druggists( are closed on Sunday
Quiesced in the law which required the citi-
zens TO close thei r business places on Sunday.
WHAT A CONTRAST
between the cities of Washington and San
Francisco. Here the corner groceries and
restaurants, (and their name is legion) bill
lizard rooms, public gardens, &c, &c, are all
open, and IL is no uncommon thing to see
mechanics at work close to the church at the
same time that its deep toned bell is calling
people to the sanctuary; but confess that !
was not so much astonished at this when
a va QYp1nIQf ~
Public Schools, and that it would cost q
teacher his or her place to permit scholars to
repeat the Lords prayer during school hours
/ may here remark that some among the
best citizens Of San Francisco prOphesy that
this state OF things will not exist for any
great length of time; that the people hers
I have alluded greatly retarl the substantial
prosperity, as well as the morality of the
city, and therefore very many changes of
opinion as TO the expediency of a mo iificat ion
in these things are reported to be going on
silently but surely, as that it may be safe to
say that very soon more healthy state OF
public sentiment will be evinced as will
place the city of San Francisco alongside OF
her sister cities in the east on all these sub
jects.
Having suggested the salient points of this
city, ii is but just that / should speak fairly
and candidly of what makes her in many re-
spects the greatest and the most important
CITY on THE WESTERN CONTINENT.
1t will be borne in mind that San Fran
cisco is, comparatively speaking, a new city,
for, only few years ago, she was under the
control of gamblers and thieves. 1t was in
this city that James King, of Mo, a native
of the District of Columbia, was murdered
i'm one of the public streets for daring, as the
tice thief WAC had fed from New York to
escape punishment, and had successfully
stuffed the ballot-box here. by which means
he was elected TO an Office to which he had
aspired; and how this assassin was seized
and strangled to death in the public square
by an outraged but just people, who, even by
this unlawful act, showed their appreciation
crime. In those days IL took six months to
reach this city from the east, and now you
can start from the seaboard on the Atlantic
and in seven days reach San Francisco, al
most without experiencing any fatigue.
This city has many points of interest other
than that already alluded TO. Her shipping
interest has attracted the civilized world;
the largest ships loaded to their utmost ca
pacity enter the port of San Francisco.
through the golden gate" and empty their
freighted with the rich produce of this Won
derfnl country, among which may be num-
bered gold, silver, copper, lead, grain. bread
stuffs; and last, though not least fruits and
wine, AN inexhaustible supply.
SUBURBS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
l confess my establishment at the beauty
and architecture of the cemeteries here the
tombs and mausoleums are very rich, costing
hundreds of thousands of dollars, many of
which are built OF the most beautiful black
Italian marble, polished like glass. The
largest and finest of them are situated for
the most part at the foot of what is here
styled "LOne Mountain" upon the summit
of which may be seen for miles huge white
cross, which overlOoks the city to remind
them that there is something else to contend
for besides gold.
Between two and three miles from these
cemeteries the Pacific ocean dashes its waves
upon the coast, and within ten hundred yards
o. the shore, upon the rocks, may be seen at
all times hundreds of sea lions basking in the
sun, sometimes frOlicking with each other,
but oftener in deadly strife, at which times
the noise from these monsters OF the deep is
so terrific that it cannot be described.
Here is the "cIiffs,v where people from all
parts OF the world are found every day
watching with interest the sea lions and the
sea gulls sitting side by side on the rocks or
walking far out ON the beach to be chased
back by the maddened waves as they come
rushing back to the shore. 1 found one of
these monsters dead on the shore, perhaps ne
had been killed by one Of his kind in deadly
conflict; of that know not but IL was great
curiosity; il was about eight feet long, and
covered with dark coarse hair, and must
have weighed at least 800 pounds.
THE BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO
abounds with fish Of nearly all kinds, inclu-