The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-03-18
San Francisco in January.

10 the tourist, probably no city in the
Union presents so quaint, so foreign an
appearance, as San francisco. Nearly
every nationality of the globe is here rep.
resented, the Chinese being the foreign
element which pfedominates. With a
population, of about 240, 900, the Chinese
may be estimated at nearly 10000. In
portions of the city they swarm like bees
in summer. Take stroll through China
town, and It's quickly seen that, in wares
and ways, "the heather Chinee is peculiar. T"
The city of San Francisco is very hilly,
many Of the streets rising abruptly, not
quite as steep, perhaps, as the side of a
house, but equally as much 50 as an old
fashioned roof. One line Of street cars Is
propelled by stationary engine ut the
summit of the hill. Most of the streets,
except in the more active business portions,
are planked instead of paved. The view
of the city and surroundings, from the
submits of these hills, is fine. Ex-Gov-
ernor Stanfords new paiatial residence is
situated upon one Of the hills, and COM
mands an extensive view. In looking
down upon the city the Palace Hotel
towers like giant among pigmies, said
pigmies being none other than the Grand
Hotel, the Jewish Synagogue, and the
Mint. The sea wall stretches across the
Bay to prevent the anchorage from being
destroyed. Beyond lies Oakland, the
beautiful bride Of the Occidental Bay, the
Brooklyn Of San Francisco. The back
ground Of this picture is the line of foot
hills bounding the horizon as far as the
land encircles the Bay Their gently
rolling surface is clad in softest green.
Varied and beautiful are the changes
these hills assume in this wondrous Cali
fornia atmosphere. On bright day,
when the San Francisco frogs are asleep,
they stand out with such distinct nearness,
that it seems almost possible to hold con.
verse with some one on their SUBMITS.
Again, their submits are veiled with that
ETHEREAL impalpable suggestion of the sha-
dow of color, which gives the spiritual
appearance of holy benediction resting
on their brows. This is toward the east
and south. Westward, the peaceful Pa
cifc sleeps in the sunshine. Toward the
north the Golden Gate is guarded by the
"Boys in Blue"
The business energy and enterprise Of
San francisco is inpetuous. But San
Francisco's financial pulse is California
street, the Wall street Of the city. It is
difficult to imagine what San Francisco
would be without California street, and
what California street would be without
the "bulls" and "bears" who crowd the
sidewalks and press into the Stock Boards.
Much has been written Of this wondrous
California climate, and the delightful eli
mate of San Francisco. California is in
deed the Italy Of America, and these win
ter days have been like Eastern May and
June days. But to-day San Francisco
has seen new climate. Snow in San
Francisco is an unheard-of thing.
To-day San Francisco has seen the
feathery crystal, the snow fake, and with
the snow the sleet ratified against the win
dows, and, above all, the sun smiled out of
a clear sky. 1t lasted but few moments,
there were no frost-bitten ears, no frozen
toes, no matronly tempers disturbed by
bursted water pipes, but people stood at
their windows and enjoyed the sight, as
children enjoy show. 1t was to many
home picture, but, seen in San Francisco,
it was more like the winter scenery Of
pantomime, than the remarkable reality
of less-favored lands.